TEXT:  
   
  ARTIFACTS & CURIOSITIES 
   
   
   
  An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
   
   
  Written and Illustrated by MATTHEW GRAVELYN 
   
   
   
   
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other 
  Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards 
  of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the 
  express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. 
   
  ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, 
  Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB11 1ET, U
  
   
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  1 
  INTRODUCTION
  Inktober is a drawing challenge that encourages 
  artists of all skill-levels to create an ink drawing 
  every day in the month of October. My personal 
  motivation for completing the challenge was to 
  improve my drawing, but also to create a 
  sourcebook with D&D 5e rules for incorporating 
  each of my drawings into your game.  
  Some are weapons and items, others are 
  encounters for the players, and some are simply 
  flavorful additions to weave into your story. Here’s a 
  rundown of what’s included:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  • 4 Weapons 
  o 
  Autumn’s Harvest 
  o 
  Dagger of the Claw 
  o 
  Graceful 
  o 
  Brothers’ Folly 
   
  • 15 Items 
   
  o 
  Blind Eye 
  o 
  Bottled Rage 
  o 
  Escape Rope 
  o 
  Fabled Fruit 
  o 
  Khepri’s Locket 
  o 
  Long Sight 
  o 
  Moon Shell 
  o 
  Piercing Light 
  o 
  Plague Mask 
  o 
  Ring of All Speed 
  o 
  Storm Sphere 
  o 
  Strange Device 
  o 
  Thoughtful Stones 
  o 
  Trail Totem 
   
   
   
  
   
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  2 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  WEAPONS 
  There are wonderous weapons in the world that 
  have become lost to time. Some were forged out of 
  greed and lust for power, while some were created 
  out of a need to survive. Weapons of this caliber are 
  feared for their power and sometimes hidden away. 
  Others are handed down through generations, a 
  family birthright.  
  Use these weapons to give players interesting 
  tools to work with and that may further their 
  personal story.  
   
  AUTUMN’S HARVEST 
  Weapon (Scythe), rare 
  This modest scythe looks more at home on a farm 
  than on the field of battle. The simple leather grip 
  has been repaired and replaced over the years and 
  the blade shows many seasons of sharpening. Still, 
  its blade is sharp and the oiled wood shaft is strong. 
  This could be useful. 
  Anyone can wield this scythe as a simple weapon, 
  dealing 1d6 slashing damage on a successful attack. 
  Characters with a background or history with 
  farming or rural society will understand the 
  intricacies of this tool and will be able to use it to 
  even greater effect. You gain proficiency with this 
  weapon, add the versatile tag (d8 slashing), and gain 
  a bonus attack with the spike (d4 piercing) when 
  using the weapon with two hands.  
  DAGGER OF THE CLAW 
  Weapon (dagger), uncommon 
  This odd-looking dagger is fashioned in the style of a 
  jungle tribe of mercenaries. Its curved blade is sharp 
  on both sides, leading to some confusion about it’s 
  proper use. It also features an angular hand guard 
  unlike any weapon you’ve seen. The dark oiled 
  leather grip is punctuated by a metal spike at the 
  end. 
  This dagger can be wielded like a small scimitar, 
  slashing with the long edge dealing 1d4 slashing 
  damage. 
  If you have proficiency in any martial bladed 
  weapon, you can instead wield this blade 
  “backwards”, slicing at foes with the hooked edge. 
  This deals 1d6 slashing damage instead. You can also 
  use the spike on the grip to deal 1d4 piercing 
  damage.  
  If you successfully land a slash attack, you can 
  use a bonus action to make an attack with the spike. 
  GRACEFUL 
  Weapon (rapier), very rare 
  Once the signature weapon of a famous duelist, this 
  weapon has been lost to time. Once proudly 
  displayed in the duelists tomb, it was stolen by 
  bandits. Since then it has changed hands from 
  private collectors to thieves and back again. 
  This perfectly balanced and impossibly light 
  weapon makes swordplay into a dance. You gain a 
  +2 bonus to attacks and damage with this weapon. It 
  has the light property.  
  There is an obscure language carved into the 
  perimeter of the hand guard. A character who 
  succeeds a DC 15 Intelligence check can decipher it. 
  It reads: “Stance Wide / Body Lowered / Moving 
  Forward / Balance Key”. 
  BROTHERS’ FOLLY 
  Long ago, two brother wizards sought to unite the 
  opposing arcane aspects of holy and unholy magic. 
  Their curiosity turned to devotion which eventually 
  became obsession. In time the brothers became 
  consumed by their work, competing to make their 
  portion of the weapon greater. When it was finally 
  complete, the staff could be used to control both 
  divine energies as well as necrotic magic.  
  The staff was crafted of a wooden shaft inlaid 
  with arcane symbols in silver and obsidian, 
  intermingling along the length of the staff. On each 
  end is a crystal orb resting on a disc of gold. 
  Their tenuous relationship came to a head when 
  they both believed they were most suited to wield 
  this powerful new creation. The brothers’ argument 
  AUTUMN’S HARVEST 
  DAGGER OF THE CLAW 
  GRACEFUL 
  
   
   
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  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  3 
  quickly escalated, and, in their final violent conflict, 
  the staff was sundered in half. The resulting pieces 
  became potent magic wands.  
  BROTHER DIVINE 
  Wand, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This portion of the staff features a crystal orb filled 
  with swirling golden light. It radiates this light like a 
  lantern but never fades. Only characters with a good 
  alignment can use this wand. 
  This wand has 7 charges. This wand regains 1d4 
  charges daily at dawn. If you expend the wand’s last 
  charge, roll a d20. On a 1 the light in the orb goes 
  dark and the crystal cracks. The wand is forever 
  broken. 
  Guidance. While holding this wand, you can use 
  an action to cast Guidance on a willing creature 
  within 30 feet. 
  Divine Restoration. While holding this wand, 
  you can use an action to expend 1 charge to heal a 
  target within 20 feet for 2d6 damage. Light emits 
  from the orb that warms the target as it heals. 
  Holy Bolt. While holding this wand, you can use 
  an action to expend 2 charges to cast a 3rd-level Holy 
  Bolt that creates 4 bolts. Make a ranged spell attack 
  for each bolt. The bolt strikes a creature dealing 2d6 
  radiant damage per bolt 
  BROTHER ENSORCELLED 
  Wand, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This portion of the staff has a crystal orb filled with 
  swirling darkness. It seems to dim natural and divine 
  lights near it. Only characters with an evil alignment 
  can use this wand. 
  This wand has 7 charges. This wand regains 1d4 
  charges daily at dusk. If you expend the wand’s last 
  charge, roll a d20. On a 1 the darkness in the orb 
  fades and the crystal cracks. The wand is forever 
  broken. 
  Command. While holding this wand, you can use 
  an action to cast Command on a creature within 30 
  feet. 
  Soul Drain. While holding this wand, you can use an 
  action to expend 1 charge to consume the life force 
  of a target. The target makes a DC15 Constitution 
  saving throw. If they fail, they take 2d6 damage and 
  you regain half that damage, rounded down. On a 
  successful save, the damage done is reduced by half, 
  but you still regain half the damage. 
  Necrotic Bolt. While holding this wand, you can 
  use an action to expend 2 charges to cast a 3rd-level 
  Necrotic Bolt that creates 4 bolts. Make a ranged 
  spell attack for each bolt. The bolt strikes a creature 
  dealing 2d6 necrotic damage per bolt. 
  Separation Anxiety 
  Feel free to introduce one or both wands into your 
  game in interesting ways. Maybe different players 
  end up with each wand, creating tension like the 
  original brothers. Alternatively, present one wand to 
  the party and use the second as a treasure in the 
  campaign, something they must track down. 
  BROTHERS RETURNED 
  Weapon (staff), legendary (requires attunement) 
  A highly skilled arcanist may be able to return the 
  individual wands to their original form: a staff that 
  can wield both the power of both life and death. A 
  player can attempt this process if they have an 
  Intelligence of at least 15 and 100 gp worth of 
  materials. They then make a DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) check. If they succeed, the staff is restored. 
  If they fail, the materials are consumed but the 
  wands remain separated. On a 1, the wands are both 
  destroyed in the process. 
  Only characters with a neutral alignment can use 
  this staff. Whenever a character with a non-neutral 
  alignment attempts to use the staff, they must 
  succeed a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a success, 
  they can use the staff normally. On a failure, a 
  random effect from the list opposite their alignment 
  occurs without consuming a charge. 
  This staff has 14 charges. It regains 1d12 charges 
  daily at noon. If you expend the staff’s last charge, 
  roll a d20. On a 1 both orbs fade and the crystal 
  cracks. The staff is forever broken. 
   
   
  BROTHERS’ FOLLY 
  BROTHERS’ FOLLY 
  
   
   
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  m 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ITEMS 
  There are a virtually infinite number of strange 
  artifacts and ancient relics that litter the world. 
  Some are created by magicians and scholars, while 
  others seem to have an almost divine origin. 
  Offer your players these items as a reward for 
  exploration, great deeds, or just because they 
  happened to be in the right place at the right time.  
   
  BLIND EYE 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  A small false eye with a pale blue iris and white 
  pupil. Twice per day the holder can use an action to 
  close their eyes and see through false eye. The eye 
  can be anywhere within 120 feet of the controller. 
  Walls and doors do not limit the effect. Magical 
  effects that prevent scrying or impart blindness 
  prevent this effect. 
  BOTTLED RAGE 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A small, square bottle with a swirling red liquid 
  within. When 1/4 of the bottle is consumed, the 
  drinker enters a state of rage. You gain the following 
  benefits if you are not wearing heavy armor: 
  • You gain +2 Strength. 
  • You have advantage on Strength checks and 
  Strength saving throws. 
  • When you make a melee weapon attack using 
  Strength, you gain a +3 bonus to the damage roll. 
  • You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and 
  slashing damage. 
  If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or 
  concentrate on them while raging. 
  Your rage lasts for 1 minutes. It ends early if you 
  are knocked unconscious.  
  If you attempt to drink the entire vial at once you 
  must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. If you 
  fail the save, you take damage equal to half your 
  maximum hit points.  
  If you succeed, you forever have the essence of 
  rage within you. As a bonus action, you can summon 
  your rage to gain the benefits listed above. You can 
  rage 4 times. You must complete a long rest before 
  you can rage again. 
  ESCAPE ROPE 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  What otherwise appears to be a normal length of 
  rope, this special item is heavily sought after by 
  thieves and assassins for assistance in their 
  nefarious deeds.  
  When holding the rope, the user speaks the 
  command word and throws one end into the air. The 
  rope will become taught and hover in the air at its 
  highest point. This could be vertical or at an angle. 
  Once suspended, the rope will hold the full 
  weight of up to two medium sized creatures and 
  remain in position for up to 10 minutes. The rope 
  can be release by speaking the command word and 
  giving one end a light flick. 
  FABLED FRUIT 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  This fist-sized fruit has light rosy skin and a firm but 
  juicy flesh. If the skin remains intact, it never seems 
  to rot or go bad. It also seems to resist bruising. 
  When a fruit is eaten, it will restore 2d6 hit 
  points. If a character would be restored to full 
  health, additional healing is granted as temporary 
  hit points.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only.  
   
  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  5 
  m 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  KHEPRI’S LOCKET 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A small brass locket shaped like a scarab. To open 
  the locket, the wearer pushes down on the head, like 
  a button. The wings then open to reveal a small blue 
  gemstone. 
  When opened, the gem spins, and emits a high-
  pitched screeching sound. It is non-magical and lasts 
  for 15 seconds. For the duration of the screeching, 
  everyone who can hear the noise has disadvantage 
  on all attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws.  
  Unintelligent beasts that can hear the locket 
  immediately attempt to flee the source of the noise. 
  If they are unable to flee, they instead become 
  irrationally violent. Intelligent beasts must succeed a 
  DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or react the same way. 
  On a success, they do not flee, but suffer the same 
  disadvantage as other creatures. 
  Once the screeching ends, the gem stops spinning 
  and the wings close. To work again, the locket must 
  be wound by spinning the antennae on the beetle. 
  This requires an action to perform. 
  LONG SIGHT 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This artifact is an ornate eye patch. It is made of 
  dark, oiled leather with an intricate border and a 
  small, polished emerald inlaid in the center. The 
  emerald is high-quality, with smooth faces and 
  precise edges. It appears to be almost matte, or dull. 
  When worn after attunement, the emerald begins 
  to shine, almost glow. The wearer is granted magical 
  sight in the eye that is covered. You can see up to 50 
  yards as if it was close and up to 100 yards as if it 
  was medium distance. You also have advantage on 
  saving throws against visual illusions and skill 
  checks to detect invisibility. 
  When first worn, the wearer must make a DC 10 
  Constitution saving throw. On a success, the wearer 
  experiences discomfort in the eye for a brief period 
  but can remove the eye patch at any time. On a 
  failure, the wearer’s eye is permanently damaged, 
  never to see again. Either way, the eye patch 
  functions properly. 
  MOON SHELL 
  Wondrous item, legendary 
  A small, pearlescent shell, worn smooth by water 
  and time. When touching the skin of the wearer, it 
  grants luck. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, 
  ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die 
  and must use the new roll. 
  This ability cancels disadvantage you may have. 
  If you are a halfling that already has the Lucky trait, 
  this adds an additional opportunity to reroll a 1, up 
  to a 3rd time. 
  PIERCING LIGHT 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A small, innocuous candle. Upon proper inspection, 
  it is found to be made from the fat of an owlbear 
  along with many magical reagents. When lit, it 
  behaves like a normal candle with an additional 5 
  feet of range. Refer to the Player’s Handbook page 
  151 for light effects. 
  This candle can also illuminate magical darkness 
  at the normal ranges. 
  If a player succeeds a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) 
  check or similar, they can reverse engineer the 
  process to create another similar candle.  
  CREATE PIERCING LIGHT CANDLE 
  Recipe 
  Time: 1 hour 
  Components: 1 ounce of owlbear fat, 1 gram of 
       firefly powder, ½ gram of silver shavings, a wick 
  Tools: Small fire, mixing bowl 
   
  PLAGUE MASK 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  The oiled and cured leather of this mask is more 
  functional than cosmetic. There is also a thick, 
  padded barrier where the mask would meet skin 
  that prevents air from coming in around the edges. 
  When worn, the wearer is immune to all airborne 
  or environmental poisons or diseases.  
  
   
   
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  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
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  RING OF ALL SPEED 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This ring is a wide, silver band with careful 
  engravings depicting wings and other symbols.  
  When worn, the wearer receives a constant +5 
  bonus to their movement speed. 
  When activated by spinning it around the finger 
  and saying the command word, the wearer is 
  granted a temporary bonus. You gain an additional 
  +5 movement speed, +2 to Dexterity, and advantage 
  on all Dexterity saving throws. You also ignore the 
  effects of exhaustion for the duration of the effect. 
  This effect lasts for 5 minutes. After the effect ends, 
  the wearer gains 1 level of exhaustion. 
  There is no limit to the number of times this 
  effect can be used. Refer to page 291 of the Player 
  Handbook for rules on Exhaustion.  
  SHIP IN A BOTTLE 
  Wondrous item, very rare 
  This artifact appears as a normal ship in a bottle. It 
  does appear to be of very high quality and is 
  intricately detailed for its small size. Upon closer 
  inspection, either through an Investigation or Arcana 
  skill check, it is revealed that the ship inside is a full-
  sized ship that has been magically contained.  
  The bottle is not fragile but requires a bit of effort 
  to break. Once broken, the ship begins to revert to its 
  full size. The ship is approximately 75 feet long and 
  can be piloted by a minimum of 4 people. It can hold 
  a crew of up to 20. The ship has a movement speed 
  of 50 in decent condition, and 75 in ideal winds. 
  The ship has 5 cannons on either side and are 
  accessible from the main deck. The cannons attack 
  with a Dexterity attack roll and deal 4d10 
  bludgeoning damage. 
  Once the bottle is broken, there is no way to put 
  the ship back in. If the intact bottle is studied by 
  someone, they can make a DC 20 Intelligence 
  (Arcana) roll to understand how the ship was placed 
  in the bottle. On a success, they learn the ritual 
  needed to store a very large object in a bottle. 
   
   
   
  MAGICAL STORAGE OF LARGE OBJECTS 
  5th-level transmutation (ritual) 
  Casting Time: 10 minutes 
  Range: Touch 
  Components: V, A glass bottle, a large object to 
       store, a pinch of iron powder, a small glass lens 
  Duration: Permanent until the bottle is broken 
  Upon completion of this ritual, the large object 
  appears as a perfect miniature within the bottle. The 
  bottle is strengthened slightly but can still be broken 
  through physical means. When broken, the large 
  object returns gradually to its normal size within a 
  few seconds.  
   
  STORM SPHERE 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  A small glass sphere, not unlike a crystal ball. Inside 
  is cloud that slowly shifts between different weather 
  patterns listed below. 
  Once per day, the user can concentrate while 
  holding the sphere to change the weather in that 
  area. The range of the effect is approximately 1 mile 
  in every direction. The user can choose from one of 
  the following weather patterns: 
  • Rain or thunderstorm 
  • Overcast 
  • Fog 
  • Clear skies 
  • Windy 
  • Snow or hail 
  While in the possession of the user, major emotions 
  can trigger the sphere without consuming a charge. 
  The DM will decide when this effect triggers. 
  • Sadness – Overcast or snow 
  • Anger – Storm or wind 
  • Happiness – Clear skies 
  • Confusion – Fog 
  When used, the cloud in the sphere takes on the 
  appearance of the weather that has been created. 
  
   
   
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  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  7 
   
   
   
   
   
  STRANGE DEVICE 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A small cube with spinning circles on each face. On 
  each circular face is a single line that can align with 
  other symbols or lines on the outer faces of the cube. 
  Characters seeking to “solve” the cube must 
  spend time concentrating on the puzzle. They then 
  make a DC 15 Intelligence check. On a success, the 
  box clicks and can be opened at the midline. There is 
  space for a small item, key, or note. 
  Creating a True Puzzle 
  If you want to include a tactile element to your game, 
  you can have players solve riddles to open the box, or 
  even try to solve a Rubik’s cube or similar puzzle.  
  Look online for any applicable math, logic, or 
  shape puzzles and have players solve them. You can, 
  as always, let players opt for a skill check instead. 
    
  THOUGHTFUL STONES 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  A set of 4 smooth river stones, each engraved with a 
  different symbol. While in possession of a stone, a 
  person can communicate psychically with others in 
  possession of a stone. Communication can be limited 
  to specific stones, or to the whole set. As long as the 
  people are willing, the communication goes through 
  instantly. 
  If a person attempts to resist the communication, 
  or another user tries to pry into the thoughts of 
  another, the person resisting must make a DC 10 
  Wisdom saving throw. On a success, their thoughts 
  are safe, and they do not hear the communication. 
  On a failure, their thoughts are not safe. At any time, 
  they can drop or throw the stone, breaking the 
  connection. This occurs after the initial saving 
  throw, and some thoughts will slip through.  
  TRAIL TOTEM 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) 
  This small, roughly-carved statue is made of amber, 
  jade, or another gem. It is about 2” tall and is carved 
  to resemble an elk, the edges have been worn 
  smooth from time and handling.  
  Once per day the user can hold the statue out in 
  front of them and speak the command word. An elk 
  spirit will appear and show the holder which way to 
  go to find what they truly seek. The spirit does not 
  consider superficial or fleeting desires, like food or 
  money. The spirit will only lead the holder to their 
  true goal, like finding someone important or shelter 
  that may safe their life. The DM has final say on 
  where the spirit leads. 
  When the user arrives at the destination, the 
  spirit fades.  
   
  
   
   
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  Artifacts & Curiosities – An Inktober-inspired Sourcebook by Matthew Gravelyn 
   
  8 
  CREDITS 
  FEEDBACK 
  Thank you for downloading this sourcebook! It was 
  a lot of fun to create, both the drawings as well as 
  the rules. I hope you enjoy trying these ideas at your 
  table.   
  If you have any feedback or suggestions for this 
  sourcebook, please send it to me via email at 
  matthew@gravelyn.com with the subject line 
  “Inktober 2017 Sourcebook Feedback”. Your input 
  will help to make this sourcebook even better for 
  future players!  
  INKTOBER 
  Inktober is the creation of artist Jake Parker. It was 
  started in 2009 as a way to encourage artists to 
  practice drawing with ink and instill good drawing 
  habits, like creating every day.  
  To learn more about Inktober, follow them on 
  twitter (@inktober) or visit their website 
  (http://inktober.com).  
  IMAGE CREDITS 
  Parchment Paper by DevonTT 
  THANK YOU! 
  Thank you to everyone who helped make this 
  sourcebook the best it could be, either by testing, 
  proofreading, or providing much needed emotional 
  support. 
  Below are other testers and editors that I would 
  like to thanks: 
  • YOUR NAME HERE! 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/Non-Publisher Titles/Inktober 2017 Sourcebook.pdf