The Vest of Blood

The vest of blood, or Vestments of the Essence, can be traced back to the late second age, after the introduction of Skisk and Cynofir had already taken place.  Legends place the items creation during this time, and believe it was created from the ceremonial burial wrappings used in the burials of priests of Sheshensis. The item was created out of desperation, and its creation led to a spiral of tragedy. Vather Millstorm was a kind, hard working man. The Millstorm family had at one time been a proud farming family at the reaches of the Alborine borders, but fell on hard times when nearby towns and lands were raised by barbarians. Although it pained him, Vather had to sell the family farm and move into the city, though this was difficult, as he was also tending to his beloved wife, whom was delicate, and very ill. His wifes name was Orvelia, and she was half volasian, but had always been a frail woman. She was never able to give birth, and many believe this led her down a path of much sorrow and misery, which may have contributed to her health in its own way. Vather was content to live in the city, and quickly aquired a home with the money he had saved. To support the two of them he hired himself off as a mercenary, and later as an assasin, as he was quite skilled in the arts of killing. Scholars speculate that the Millstorm family may have once been from Candomia or Ravenspire, and kept a military tradition, for most members of the family where very skilled at arms. Regardless, though he did not care much for it, this new life paid for his wifes care and put food and luxury on there table. Vather knew this wouldnt last forever. Gathering a great amount of wealth he researched ways to make his wife immortal, and found out about the mantles, and specifically the Mantle of Blood. Spending most of his wealth he aquired the mantle, and the ritual needed to bind it, and gave this gift to his wife. To further nurture her newfound health and stave off death, Vather had priests of Sheshensis prepare a special set of vestments to ward off death and restore youth. All of Vathers efforts paid off, Orvelia gained newfound health and fortitude, and Vather believed she would come out of her depression shortly after. This did not happen, Orvelia grew despondant, manic, and nervous. Her mind couldnt grasp her power, and eventually wandered into madness. Many times Vather had to pick her off the streets as she became accustomed to attacking neighbors, passerbies, and sometimes pets in a means to cut them and drink of there blood. This got the attention of the guards, but they didnt pursue it, as Vather was seen as a good honest man, and many pitied the broken mind of the woman. Vather did his best to take care of her, and never once swayed in his devotion or love to her, all the way to the very end of there relationship. Unfortunately for both, the tales of Orvelia's quirky behavior spread into darker tales, and more than once she was accused of being a vampire or demon. From an outside perspective, this would have been a logical conclusion, and most assuredly her killer had come to that same point. Orvelia was found dead in an alleway shortly after the rumors surfaced, a crosbow bolt stuck neatly through her heart, and the white silky vestments she always woer, were now stained a dark red. Vather disapeared at this time, as did the mantle and the vestments, though many believe that the deaths of several paladin groups dedicated to undead anhialation, as well as at least five seperate guilds with similar endeavors that were massacred, were caused by him, as each person killed had a simple crossbow bolt shot neatly through his heart. It is assumed that Vather died, or was killed by one of these groups at some point, as the mantle seemed to change owners from time to time as did the vestments, though each time somehow stained the vestments an even darker red. Eventually the mantle and the vestments disapeared completely, fading into stories and tales. Many believe they were no longer pursued for the fear of being hunted down by one of the groups that Vather had displeased in the past, others assume that the tragedy that had been apart of the vestments, simply joined with the bearer of the mantle bringing similar tragedy to him. Scholars believe that a group of wise vampire hunters sealed the vestment and the mantle in a hard to reach temple of sheshensis, sealing it with a prayer that none of the accidental tragedy and death that surrounded the mantle, would harm another innocent. Though not conclusive, years after the rumors died down over the mantle, a bard made note of a grand tapestry in the halls of Sheshensis. The tapestry depicted a woman garbed in a beautiful blood red funeral vestment, and beside her a man shrouded in a white, decorative funeral shroud. In the chest of each person was a single crossbow bolt. Most scholars believe this depicted the final resting place given to Vather and Orvelia by the priests of Sheshenis for the tragedy that had befallen them.

Vest of Blood - Vest of Resistance +1

5 -  Increase Holders HP by 5 (ex perm benefit when gained)
6 -  Resistance +2
7 -  False Life 1/day (CL-10)
8 -  Constitution +2
9 -
10 - Increase Holders HP by 5 (as level 5)
11 - Resistance +3
12 - Resistance +4
13 - Constitution +4
14 - Increase Holders HP by 5 (as level 5)
15 - Resistance +5
16 - Constitution +6
17 - DeathWard while held
18 - Increase Holders HP by 5 (as level 5)
19 -
20 - Heal 1/day (self only) swift action