An ancient white banner, inlaid with golden thread, set on a pale wooden pole, perhaps 8-10 feet high. The thin pendant flutters about half that in length. A set of golden scales in balance are embroidered in the center.

“This is protection.” He states. “This banner of Bodach has never been lost in battle, even during our final stand. Those who stood beneath it were protected from the first volleys of foul magics intended for our leaders. If held by a holy man or wizard, some of that energy can be used to fuel a counter to your enemies’ folly.”

This standard acts as a magnet, drawing magic spells of any nature (priest or wizard) into itself. It then nullifies their effects and stores their potential until the wielder releases this energy in the form of spells of his own casting. The magic absorbed must have been directed at the character (within 5 foot radius) possessing the rod. The wielder can instantly detect a spell’s level as the rod absorbs the spell’s energy.

A running total of absorbed (and used) spell levels should be kept. For example, when it absorbs a 6th-level spell and a 3rd-level spell has a total of nine absorbed levels. The wielder of the standard can use captured spell energy to cast any spell he has memorized, at a casting time of 1, without loss of spell memory. The only restriction is that the levels of spell energy stored in the rod must be equal to or greater than the level of the spell the wielder wants to cast. Continuing the example above, the rod-wielder could cast a maximum of one 9th-level spell, one 6th-level and one 3rd-level, and so on.

The standard can never be recharged. It absorbs 50 spell levels and can thereafter only discharge any remaining potential it might have. The wielder will know that the artifact’s limit has been reached upon grasping the item. Used charges indicate that it has already absorbed some of its maximum of 50 spell levels and that some of those have been used.

Here is a more specific example: A priest uses the pennon to nullify the effect of a hold person spell cast at him by a mage. The standard has now absorbed three spell levels and can absorb 47 more. The cleric can cast any 1st-, 2nd-, or 3rd-level spell he has memorized, without memory loss of that spell, by using the stored potential of the relic. Assume the cleric casts a hold person back. This spell is only 2nd-level to him, so the banner still holds one spell level of potential, can absorb 47 more, and has disposed of two charges permanently.

Current absorbed levels: 11
36 left (at most)