Magic objects, artwork and DMG

 


I always had the idea that magic items in Dungeons and Dragons and in RPG should be treated more like artworks or at most highly skilled craftworks than normal, mundane objects.

As such, we should never forget that they have been crafted by someone, for someone else, with a purpose in mind.

There is a very handy table in chapter 7 of the DMG, with four different tables for the Special Features of the magic objects. I think that rolling on these tables will add a lot of flavor to your magical objects, and help you create a little lore for your world.

Let me show you how. I will start with a "simple" longsword +1, which is an uncommon magical object, and roll on the four tables for it.

On the first table (who created or was intended to use it), I roll a 5. So, the weapon was created by celestials, or was intended to be used by celestials; it weights half the normal weight, and has engraved motifs of sun, wings, and other possible symbols of good. Fiends find the item's presence repulsive.

A nice start! A celestial weapon! Let's move on.

The first roll is a 7, which would stand for Sinister, in the sense that the weapon has been used to commit some great evil; it would be nice to have a celestial weapon which was stolen and used to commit a crime, so the owner is going to be treated with suspicion, if hte weapon is recognized. Maybe the original owner committed a crime, and the weapon should atone for that? Let's see what we can roll next. Next is a minor property of the item.

I roll a 6, which is Guardian, which means that the weapon whispers warnings, granting a +2 bonus on the initiative. Nice! Nothing unbalancing, but an useful power.

The last one, the quirk, is repulsive: the bearer feels a sense of distaste when in contact with the item, and continues to sense discomfort while bearing it. Which would make sense, given what we roll!

So, we can say that this was the weapon of Israfel (thanks fantasy name generator: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/angel-names.php), and its name was Aurora Rubra (red dawn).

Israfel was jealous of the successes of Baraqiel, another celestial of the god of the sun. Because the god of the sun seemed to favor Baraqiel over himself.

This didn't escape the attention of the demon Zerzaan (thanks again fantasy name generator: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/demon-names.php), who was a prisoner of Israfel. And Zerzaan started to whisper into the ear of Israfel lies upon lies, and promises that if he would kill Baraqiel, that would allow Israfel to become a favourite of the god of sun.

And Israfel was fool enough to listen to Zerzaan. And one day, while Baraqiel was praying the god of the sun, Israfel pulled out his sword. It is said that Aurora Rubra screamed to warn Baraqiel, but it was useless, and Israfel pierced the heart of Baraqiel, and the blood of Baraqiel tarnished the sword.

Seeing finally through the lies of Zerzaan, Israfel threw his sword away and fled, no one knows where.

His sword still bears the echos of those actions, and anyone who wields it feels the horror which Israfel felt when he realized what he did; the legend is quite known among the followers of the god of sun, and anyone who knows the legend will recognize the sword. It is said that the sword will try to save its wielder as it was unable to save its victim, and so the wielder will hear the echo of the scream of Aurora Rubra (and get +2 to the initiative).

But the evilness of the act is still in the sword, and anyone who wields it can't avoid feeling the same horror of Israfel.

 Ok so, with just a few roll, we created:

  • a magic item which is not just a Longsword +1, but Aurora Rubra, a sword whose past is tied to a legend
  • Israfel, a celestial who could possibly come in your adventures, maybe to contact the new wielder of the sword and atone his sin
  • Beraqiel, a dead celestial; maybe he is buried somewhere in the Prime Material plane?
  • Zerzaan, a demon who maybe would want to do more evil


For me this is a compelling reason for treating magic objects as I said.

Photo by Jonathan Kemper:  https://unsplash.com/@jupp

  

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