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  Truth is Stranger than Fiction 
  15 Magic Items Based on  
  Ancient Historical Artifacts 
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Template Created by William Tian 
   
  Original Content ©2018 Claire Oberle 
   
  Images courtesy Wikipedia Commons and Museum of Artifacts (museum-of-artifacts.blogspot.com)  
   
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  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 
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  ©2018 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, UK. 
   
   
  
   
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  The magic items included here are all inspired by real archaeological finds from the ancient civilizations 
  around the world, ranging from the prehistoric era to the cusp of the middle ages. Feel free to look up 
  the names of these objects to get additional inspiration on where these items might pop up in a 
  campaign. 
   
   
   
  
   
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  Cauldron of Gundestrup 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  A silver 8-sided vessel, a bit over a foot tall. On 
  each side, a different plane of existence is 
  pictured. 
  Potions made in this cauldron can be made with 
  half the time and half the cost normally needed 
  to brew it.  
   
   
   
  Coldstream Stone 
  Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a 
  cleric, druid, or paladin) 
  A small white stone with three red figures 
  painted on it. 
  As a bonus action, you can speak the command 
  word. For the next minute, all healing spells you 
  cast provide the maximum amount of hit points, 
  rather than the amount rolled. 
   
  Figurine of the Willendorfian Venus 
  Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement) 
  A figurine of a nude woman with exaggerated 
  curves. 
  While this figurine is on your person, you 
  Charisma score increases by 2, to a maximum of 
  20. In addition, all Charisma (persuasion) rolls 
  made against a person of the opposite sex are 
  made with advantage.  
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Flute of Divje Babe 
  Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement 
  by a bard) 
  A simple flute carved from the bone of a dire 
  bear. 
  A creature that attempts to play the flute 
  without being attuned to it must succeed on a 
  DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 2d4 psychic 
  damage. 
  When you use the instrument to cast a spell 
  that causes targets to become charmed, the 
  targets have disadvantage on the saving throw. 
  While playing the flute, you can play a certain 
  set of notes to cast summon familiar using no 
  material components. The familiar summoned 
  must be a bear or bear-like creature or the spell 
  fails. Once the flute is used in this way, it cannot 
  be used again for 7 days. 
   
   
   
   
  Greataxe of Mammen 
  Weapon (greataxe), rare (requires attunement) 
  A large iron axe with Celtic engravings of 
  Yggdrasil. 
  While wielding this weapon, you gain resistance 
  to fire and radiant damage. In addition, you 
  have a +1 bonus to all attack and damage rolls 
  made with this weapon. 
  
   
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  Helmet of Ribchester 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires 
  attunement) 
  A bronze helmet that covers the face. It is 
  ornately decorated with images of cavalry and 
  other mounted warriors. 
  While wearing this helmet, you gain advantage 
  on all Wisdom (animal handling) checks that 
  deal with steeds. In addition, you have a +1 
  bonus to all attack and damage rolls made while 
  mounted. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Helmet of Sutton Hoo 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires 
  attunement) 
  An iron helmet, complete with face and cheek 
  guards. It is inlaid with garnet jewels, and 
  engraved with images of sea monsters. 
  While wearing this helmet, you have a +2 bonus 
  to all attack and damage rolls made while 
  fighting at sea.  
   
  
   
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  Incense Burner of Baekje 
  Wondrous item, legendary 
  An ornately-wrought incense burner about 2 
  feet tall. On the top is a figurine of a phoenix 
  holding a pearl. 
  As part of a 10 minute ritual, incense can be 
  burned and up to 6 willing creatures can inhale 
  the fumes. Those who inhale the fumes will gain 
  immunity to fire and poison damage for the 
  next hour, and all melee attacks they make will 
  inflict an additional 2d6 fire damage.  
   
   
   
  King Alfred’s Jewel 
  Wondrous item, uncommon (requires 
  attunement) 
  An enamel image of a seated regal figure, 
  surrounded by gold. 
  If you read a book while attuned to this jewel, 
  you will have complete recall of the book’s 
  contents.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  Map of Piri Reis 
  Wondrous item, very rare 
  A large, empty page of parchment with worn 
  edges. 
  Once per day, you can speak the command 
  word and name a location. Within the next 
  minute, a map of that location will appear on 
  the parchment and remain for one hour. If you 
  name a location on another plane, a location 
  that moves, a non-specific location, or a non-
  real location, the spell fails. Once the map is 
  used in this way, it cannot be used again for 7 
  days. 
   
   
   
   
   
  Mjöllnir Amulet 
  Wondrous item, legendary (requires 
  attunement) 
  A stone pendant in the shape of a upside down 
  hammer. It is covered in runic inscriptions. 
  While wearing this amulet, your Strength and 
  Constitution scores each increase by 2. In 
  addition, when using any warhammer, it gains 
  the properties of a +2 weapon. 
   
   
  Pallette of Narmer 
  Wondrous item, common (requires attunement) 
  A small triangular stone with engravings of 
  important leaders from history. 
  While this stone is on your person, you gain 
  advantage on all Intelligence (history) checks.  
  
   
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  Runestone of Jelling 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A roughly-hewn stone covered in runic 
  inscriptions. 
  While holding this stone, you may speak the 
  command word to cast glyph of warding, using 
  no material components and with the casting 
  time of 10 minutes. Once the stone is used in 
  this way, it cannot be used again for 7 days. 
   
   
  Sky Disc of Nebra 
  Wondrous item, uncommon 
  This discus is about a foot across and covered in 
  a blue-green patina. Across the surface are 
  decorations of inlaid gold stars.  
  When holding the disc, you can cast find the 
  path without using material components. The 
  disc regains this ability at the next dawn. In 
  addition, you know what time of day it is, and 
  how long it is until the next solstice or equinox. 
   
  Stone of Rosetta 
  Wondrous item, rare 
  A black, polished stone. One third of the stone 
  is covered in engravings in celestial, one third in 
  elvish, and one third in abyssal. 
  The stone has 3 charges. As an action, you may 
  expend one charge and cast comprehend 
  languages without using material components. 
  The stone regains all charges at dawn.  
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Truth is Stranger than Fiction - Historic Magic Items.pdf