Beacon of The Undead

Wondrous item, very rare

This fist-sized gold orb acts as a beacon to any undead within a half mile of it. It does not require activation and has a constant passive effect, and can be dampened or hidden away only through magical means such as a bag of holding or other ensorcelled container.

Crafted in centuries past, the orb was designed to call the night creatures and other undead down upon an unsuspecting army. The orb does not make the undead more ferocious or more inclined to attack the unlucky bearer than they already might be. Dispelling the orb will temporarily quiet the malignant magics that swirl within, but all attempts to destroy such items have so far failed. Dozens, if not hundreds, were produced but most were lost to the sands of time. Every so often one shows up in the hands of a merchant who doesn’t know what they have found, assuming it to be worth no more than the gold from which it was cast, but more commonly they’re found in abandoned places long since overrun by the undead. Legends speak of a lich queen notable for wearing one as a necklace.