AD&D Kuroths Quill book of artifacts

DND Artifacts – Kuroth’s Quill: A Legendary Artifact of Writing and Magic in Dungeons & Dragons

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Introduction: What is Kuroth’s Quill?

Kuroth’s Quill is a powerful and mysterious artifact that can alter reality with the power of writing. It is one of the most sought-after and feared items in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, a popular role-playing game that allows players to create and explore fantasy worlds. The Quill was created by a lich named Baalice, who used it to write his own spells and secrets. However, the Quill was stolen by a rogue named Kuroth, who used it to write his own stories and adventures. The Quill has since passed through many hands, leaving behind a trail of chaos and wonder. The Quill can create or destroy anything that the writer can imagine, as long as it follows certain rules and limitations. The Quill can also grant wishes, but at a terrible cost. The Quill is not only a tool of writing, but also a tool of magic, and it has a mind of its own. The Quill can influence the writer’s thoughts and actions, and sometimes even take control of them. The Quill is a dangerous and unpredictable artifact, but also a source of endless possibilities for those who dare to use it.

Appearance: How does Kuroth’s Quill look like?

Kuroth’s Quill is a quill pen that has a distinctive and elegant appearance. The Quill consists of two parts: the feather and the nib. The feather is white and fluffy, and it comes from the wing of a full-grown male griffon, a mythical creature that has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. The feather is about a foot long, and it curves slightly at the tip. The nib is made of gold, and it is attached to the end of the feather. The nib is shaped like a sharp point, and it has a small hole in the middle that allows the ink to flow. The nib is engraved with intricate runes and symbols that are related to magic and writing. The Quill does not need any ink to write, as it can produce its own ink from thin air. The ink is black and glossy, and it can change color depending on the mood of the writer or the Quill itself. The Quill is light and easy to hold, and it feels warm and smooth in the hand. The Quill also emits a faint glow that varies in intensity and hue depending on its power and activity.

History: How did Kuroth’s Quill come to be?

Kuroth’s Quill has a long and fascinating history that spans centuries and continents. Here is a timeline of the major events that shaped the Quill’s origin and destiny:

  • Age of Veth: Baalice, an apprentice wizard, accidentally summons two demons from the Abyss, losing his right arm and his best friend in the process. He becomes obsessed with fixing his mistakes and achieving immortality, and eventually transforms into a lich.
  • Year 1: Baalice creates the Quill, a pen that can alter reality with the power of writing. He hopes to use it to undo his past errors, but he finds out that the Quill has a mind of its own and often twists his intentions.
  • Year 31: Kuroth, a rogue thief, steals the Quill from Baalice’s tower, along with some gems and parchment. He discovers the Quill’s abilities and uses it to become the leader of the local thieves guild. He also renames the Quill after himself.
  • Year 36: Kuroth dies of natural causes, leaving behind a will that grants the Quill to his most loyal follower, Lira. Lira uses the Quill to write herself into a wealthy and influential noblewoman, but she also attracts the attention of many enemies.
  • Year 41: Lira is assassinated by a rival faction, who steals the Quill and tries to use it for their own gain. However, they are unable to decipher the Quill’s runes and symbols, and end up triggering a series of disasters that destroy their base and kill most of them.
  • Year 42: The Quill is found by a wandering bard named Jorin, who recognizes it as a legendary artifact. He decides to use it to write epic stories and songs that inspire people across the land. He also adds some of his own runes and symbols to the Quill, enhancing its power and personality.
  • Year 47: Jorin meets a young princess named Elora, who falls in love with him and his stories. He gives her the Quill as a token of his affection, and teaches her how to use it. Elora uses the Quill to write herself into a powerful and benevolent queen, but she also unknowingly writes Jorin out of her life.
  • Year 52: Elora dies of a mysterious illness, leaving behind a prosperous and peaceful kingdom. The Quill is buried with her in a secret tomb, guarded by loyal knights and powerful enchantments.
  • Year 102: The tomb is raided by a group of adventurers, who manage to bypass the traps and spells. They find the Quill among Elora’s treasures, and decide to take it with them. They soon realize that the Quill is more than just a pen, and each of them has a different idea of how to use it.
  • Year 103: The adventurers are torn apart by greed, jealousy, and paranoia. They fight over the Quill, each trying to write their own version of reality. The Quill becomes corrupted by their negative emotions, and starts to write its own dark and twisted stories.
  • Year 104: The Quill is lost in a cataclysmic event that wipes out most of the adventurers and their surroundings. The Quill is buried under rubble and debris, waiting for someone to find it again.

Owners: Who has possessed Kuroth’s Quill?

Kuroth’s Quill has had many owners over the years, each with their own motives and stories. Here is a timeline of the most notable ones:

  • Baalice: The original creator of the Quill, a lich who sought to undo his past mistakes and achieve immortality. He was the owner of the Quill from Year 1 to Year 31.
  • Kuroth: The thief who stole the Quill from Baalice’s tower, and used it to become the leader of the local thieves guild. He was the owner of the Quill from Year 31 to Year 36, and he gave it his name.
  • Lira: The loyal follower of Kuroth, who inherited the Quill from his will. She used it to write herself into a wealthy and influential noblewoman. She was the owner of the Quill from Year 36 to Year 41.
  • Jorin: The wandering bard who found the Quill after Lira’s assassination. He used it to write epic stories and songs that inspired people across the land. He was the owner of the Quill from Year 41 to Year 47, and he added some of his own runes and symbols to it.
  • Elora: The young princess who fell in love with Jorin and his stories. He gave her the Quill as a token of his affection, and taught her how to use it. She used it to write herself into a powerful and benevolent queen. She was the owner of the Quill from Year 47 to Year 52, and she was buried with it in a secret tomb.
  • The Adventurers: The group of adventurers who raided Elora’s tomb and took the Quill with them. They had different ideas of how to use the Quill, and they fought over it. They were the owners of the Quill from Year 102 to Year 104, and they corrupted it with their negative emotions.
  • Unknown: The current whereabouts and owner of the Quill are unknown. It is possible that someone has found it under the rubble and debris, or that it is still waiting for someone to discover it again.

Powers and Curse: What can Kuroth’s Quill do and what are the risks?

Kuroth’s Quill is a pen that can alter reality with the power of writing, but it also comes with a price. The Quill has three types of effects: constant, invoked, and curse.

  • Constant: The Quill grants the user some permanent benefits as long as the pen is in hand. The user can understand and speak any language, as if under the effect of a comprehend languages spell. The user can also read and write any language, even if they are illiterate, for 1d4 hours per day.
  • Invoked: The Quill allows the user to write down their wishes on a piece of parchment, and make them come true, similar to the 9th level wizard spell wish. The Quill can create or destroy anything that the user can imagine, as long as it follows certain rules and limitations. The Quill cannot be used more than once every 12 hours, or six times per week. The Quill can also draw or write infallible descriptions of what the user sees or speaks upon command. The Quill can also function as a potion of treasure finding while held, once per month.
  • Curse: The Quill is not a benevolent artifact, and it often twists the user’s wishes in unexpected and harmful ways. There is always a price to be paid for using the Quill; for every boon there is a bane. Illegible or smudged words are omitted from the request entirely. Misspelled words are substituted to the best of the Quill’s ability. For example, if a character writes, “I wish to have a roster for all of the taxpayers in this county,” and accidentally misspells “roster” as “rooster,” that PC is going to be overwhelmed with crowing roosters from all the surrounding farms. Even correctly written requests have a monkey’s paw effect. The pen does not create things; rather, it draws upon existing material to grant the wish. If a party requests a vast fortune, they could find themselves teleported inside the king’s treasury. A wizard might write for desired magical spells, awakening in a heap of ancient tomes. At the same time, a nearby kingdom suffers the wrath of an archmage whose library has disappeared.

These are the main powers and curse of Kuroth’s Quill. The Quill is a dangerous and unpredictable artifact, but also a source of endless possibilities for those who dare to use it.

Powers and Curse: How does Kuroth’s Quill work in other D&D editions?

Kuroth’s Quill is a pen that can alter reality with the power of writing, but it also comes with a price. The Quill has different effects depending on the edition of Dungeons & Dragons that it appears in. Here are some examples:

  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition: The Quill grants the user the ability to magically read any writing in any language, as long as the pen is in hand. The Quill also draws and/or writes infallible descriptions of what the user sees or speaks upon command. The Quill does not have the power to alter reality by writing wishes, but it can still be used for creative purposes or deception.
  • Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition: The Quill has the same effects as in AD&D 2nd edition, but with some modifications. The user can understand and speak any language, as if under the effect of a comprehend languages spell. The user can also read and write any language, even if they are illiterate, for 1d4 hours per day. The user can write down their wishes on a piece of parchment, and make them come true, similar to the 9th level wizard spell wish. The Quill can create or destroy anything that the user can imagine, as long as it follows certain rules and limitations. The Quill cannot be used more than once every 12 hours, or six times per week. The Quill can also function as a potion of treasure finding while held, once per month. The Quill has the same curse as in AD&D 2nd edition, twisting the user’s wishes in unexpected and harmful ways.
  • Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition: The Quill has the same effects as in D&D 3rd edition, but with some changes. The user can understand and speak any language, as if under the effect of a tongues spell. The user can also read and write any language, even if they are illiterate, for 1d4 hours per day. The user can write down their wishes on a piece of parchment, and make them come true, similar to the 9th level wizard spell wish. The Quill can create or destroy anything that the user can imagine, as long as it follows certain rules and limitations. The Quill cannot be used more than once per day, or seven times per week. The Quill can also function as a rod of metal and mineral detection while held, once per day. The Quill has the same curse as in AD&D 2nd edition, twisting the user’s wishes in unexpected and harmful ways.

These are some of the powers and curse of Kuroth’s Quill in other D&D editions. The Quill is a dangerous and unpredictable artifact, but also a source of endless possibilities for those who dare to use it.

Destruction: How can Kuroth’s Quill be destroyed?

Kuroth’s Quill is a powerful and resilient artifact that can resist most forms of damage and magic. However, there are some possible ways to destroy the Quill, although they are very difficult and dangerous. Here are some of the suggested means of destruction:

  • Writing: The user of the Quill must write the words “Kuroth’s Quill was never made” with the Quill 100,000 times on a piece of parchment. This will cause the Quill to erase itself from existence, along with all its effects and consequences. However, this method requires a lot of time, patience, and endurance, as well as avoiding the Quill’s curse and influence.
  • Returning: The user of the Quill must locate the original creator of the Quill, the lich Baalice, who lives in a lonely stone tower by the sea. The user must also restore his memory of the Quill, which he erased after his failed attempts to use it. The user must then return the Quill to him, and persuade him to destroy it. However, this method requires a lot of skill, courage, and luck, as well as facing the lich’s wrath and power.
  • Time-traveling: The user of the Quill must take the Quill back in time to the moment when Baalice’s apprentice Julian was killed by the demons that Baalice accidentally summoned. The user must then give the Quill to Julian at the moment of his death, and hope that this will prevent Baalice from becoming a lich and creating the Quill. However, this method requires a lot of magic, knowledge, and risk, as well as dealing with the paradoxes and consequences of altering history.

These are some of the possible ways to destroy Kuroth’s Quill. There may be other methods that have not been discovered or tried yet. The Quill is a dangerous and unpredictable artifact, but also a source of endless possibilities for those who dare to use it.

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AD&D Book of Artifacts
AD&D Book of Artifacts