Horns of the Buck

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

When a buck in the forest blesses an elven craftsman with its horns, the result is the Horns of the Buck.

The horns fuse to the wearer’s head, granting them a headbutt attack which deals 1d6 damage (plus the wearer’s Strength modifier). The wearer is proficient with this attack, and the horns are considered a light melee weapon. Also, the wearer gains the ability to cast speak with animals once per long rest.

Curse A pureblood elf can don and remove the Horns of the Buck freely without any negative effects.

However, any non-elf or half-elf who attunes with the horns can only remove them with a remove curse spell. In addition, this use of the horns draws the ire of the Buck Lord, a powerful fey who guards the spirits of woodland creatures. Within 1 week of donning the horns, he will appear before the wearer in the guise of a great stag with a long beard entwined with leaves and twigs and an enormous rack of glowing golden horns. He will telepathically send the wearer an ultimatum: “Prove you are worthy of my brethren’s horns by facing me in single combat – or yield and accept my judgement.” If the wearer defeats him in a one-on-one duel, the Buck Lord will vanish and lift the curse, allowing the horns to be freely removed and to retain all their magical properties. If the wearer yields or is defeated, or if someone else interferes in the duel, the Buck Lord will strip the horns of their magic, in which case they become blunt and overgrown with velvet, removing their headbutt attack, and they lose their speak with animals ability. They also become permanently affixed to the skull as an enduring reminder of the wearer’s transgression against the forest.

The Buck Lord

Large Fey, chaotic good

Armor Class 14 (16 with barkskin )
Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27)
Speed 50’

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	9 (-1)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Damage Resistances poison, necrotic Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Fey
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Special Traits

• Spellcasting The Buck Lord’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). The Buck Lord can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: druidcraft
  • 3/day each: entangle, goodberry, misty step
  • 1/day each: barkskin, moonbeam, pass without trace
• Magic Resistance: The Buck Lord has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
• Speak with Beasts and Plants: The Buck Lord can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.
• Materialize/Dematerialize: The Buck Lord is a physical manifestation of the magic of the Horns of the Buck, and he can appear instantly in any location where they reside. He does not die when reduced to 0 HP, his form simply vanishes and he cannot manifest himself within the material plane again for 1 week. His link with the Horns and his power over them cannot be broken or diminished.

Actions

• Multiattack. The Buck Lord makes two attacks, once with his hooves and once with his horns.
• Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, 5’ reach, 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning
• Horns (+1 Magic). Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, 5’ reach, 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing Charge: If the Buck Lord moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a horn attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.