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Illusion cantrip (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 hour Range: 30 feet Components: V, S, M (incense, chalk, candles, and at least one dramatic but non-magical prop worth 1 sp) Duration: Instantaneous

You perform an elaborate ritual designed to appear arcane and mysterious. For the duration of the casting and the spell, the area within range is filled with convincing illusory effects: crackling arcs of ghostly lightning, glowing sigils that rearrange themselves, flickering shadows, and a low, resonant chanting layered with whispers that you can never seem to quite make out. Overall, the ritual gives the unmistakable impression that a powerful eldritch rite is underway.

After the hour, the ritual culminates in a dramatic but harmless surge of illusory energy at the end of the casting. The spell produces no real magical effect beyond its illusion.

A creature that spends at least 1 minute carefully observing the ritual may attempt an Intelligence (Arcana) check to determine that the ritual is fraudulent. The DC equals your spell save DC. On a successful check, the creature realises the ritual is theatrical.

At Higher Levels. When you reach 5th level, the DC of the Intelligence (Arcana) check increases by 1. This increase happens again at 11th level and 17th level.

Ezrin's Notes

This spell is most often employed by fraudsters who never progressed beyond cantrips. I was strongly tempted not to include it at all.

That said, several warlocks have argued – convincingly – that simulated ritual has practical value when belief itself is the desired outcome. They referred to it as a “placebo.” I am therefore including it for completeness.

Under the text is scribbled a handwritten student note

We used this to buy time while figuring out what ritual we were supposed to be doing. – Kaz

Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous

A manifestation of magical force in the form of hand briefly appears in front of one creature you can see within range and strikes it with a sharp slap. The target takes 1 force damage.

Ezrin's Notes

To the author of this spell: you are not fooling anyone with that pseudonym. You might as well step up and claim it.

The sorcerer who lead me to this spell delighted in using it to initiate magical duels, usually after losing an argument.

Enchantment cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 30 feet Components: V or S Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You implant a short, irritating tune in the mind of one creature you can see within range. As part of casting this spell, you must audibly perform the tune you wish to implant, such as by whistling, humming, singing, or playing it on a musical instrument with which you are proficient.

The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is distracted by the persistent melody for the duration. While distracted in this way, the creature has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.

If the spell ends because its duration expires or the caster ends it willingly, the tune lingers in the minds of both the caster and the creature for the next 24 hours, during which time they occasionally and involuntarily recall the melody. This lingering effect is annoying, but has no mechanical impact.

On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to this spell for 24 hours.

Ezrin's Notes

The bard who passed me this spell also gleefully shared their method for avoiding the side-effect: ask a friend to hit you until you lose concentration. This seemed excessive until I tried the spell myself.

Divination cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 10 feet Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous

Choose one object you can see within 10 feet. For a brief moment, you experience its flavor on your tongue as though you had just tasted it. You learn the flavor as described by the GM, but are spared any effects of actually tasting the object.

Ezrin's Notes

Sent to me by a baker who uses it to try his wares. A “have your cake and eat it too” situation.

As soon as I learned about this spell, I set out to explore flavors no mortal tongue could ever touch. Here is a selection of my notes:

a red-hot horseshoe: peppery, metallic concentrated acid: sharply citrus drow poison: almond, floral lightning: metallic, effervescent molten glass: sweet, faintly mineral

Conjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous

You touch one nonmagical page of written material, such as a letter, form, or ledger sheet, no larger than 1 foot on a side. Two additional sheets of paper appear next to it. Each new sheet bears the same text, markings, layout, and blank spaces as the original at the moment you cast the spell, as well as an obvious watermark reading “Triplicate”.

The new sheets are ordinary nonmagical documents.

Mis-Spelling. When you cast this spell, the GM may choose to roll five d10. If all five rolls are 1, a massive explosion erupts centred on you. Each creature and object within 300 feet of you takes 6d6 fire damage, or half as much on a successful Dexterity saving throw against your spell save DC. You take this damage automatically with no save.

GM's Note: The mis-spelling clause is primarily designed to inflict hilarious consequences on a bureaucratic NPC. Use with care.

Ezrin's Notes

A very boring cantrip with a needlessly dramatic name. Suggested for inclusion by The Bursar, who notes it saves him “hours of copying forms”.

There's something vaguely ominous about this spell, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Odd.

Magical Ledger

Wondrous Item, rare

Magical Ledgers are tomes with two sections. The first section of the book, known as the ledger, functions just like a normal book. The second section of the book, referred to as the log, is enchanted with a powerful spell. Whenever someone writes in the ledger, a corresponding log entry is automatically created within the log section. Each log entry includes a description of the change made, the true name of the person who made it, and the precise time and date.

The log section of the Magical Ledger is impervious to defacement or alteration. Any attempts to modify its contents quickly fade away. However, the book is still susceptible to damage and destruction like any other ordinary book. The enchantment can be dispelled using the Dispel Magic spell, with a DC 14. Doing so transforms the Magical Ledger into an ordinary tome, rendering the log section unreliable.

The invention of Magical Ledgers can be attributed to the Banks, where they are utilized to store highly sensitive financial information. While a Magical Ledger itself does not possess much inherent value, the information contained within may be very valuable indeed.

Creation Notes

This item is from my other ongoing project: Ataland.

Mirror of Frozen Image

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This mirror is a small and thin sheet of metal with one reflective side, enchanted with a minor spell. The Mirror of Frozen Image was invented by dwarves for use with their printing presses. But they have since become popular with artists and scholars.

The magic enchantment is activated when it's command word, normally “Freeze”, is spoken. The magic causes whatever image is reflected in the mirror to be instantly etched on to the surface of the metal. Once activated, the mirror loses all of it's magical properties and becomes an ordinary etching that can be printed using ink and parchment.

In order to capture the image, the reflected scene must be lit. The Mirrors are normally kept in a dark place to avoid accidental activation.

Creation Notes

This item is from my other ongoing project: Ataland.

Veil of Ethereal Butterflies

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

This delicate veil is composed of ethereal butterflies that gracefully flutter around the wearer, creating an enchanting spectacle. The veil possesses 5 charges, and each dawn it regains 1d4+1 charges.

The Veil of Illusory Butterflies grants you the following abilities when attuned to and worn:

• Butterfly Veil (costs 0 charges): As an action, you can command the butterflies to swarm around your head, disguising your face and altering the timbre of your voice. This grants you advantage on Charisma (Deception) checks and can assist in concealing your true identity.

• Distracting Swarm (costs 1 charge): As an action, you can command the butterflies to converge upon another creature. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw (DC 13) or become blinded until the end of their next turn, as the flurry of butterflies disorients their vision.

• Evasive Wings (costs 1 charge): As a bonus action, you can command the butterflies to envelop you. Until the start of your next turn, any attack roll made against you has disadvantage, as the butterflies' display distracts and confuses your attackers.

• Cloak of Vanishing (costs 2 charges): As a bonus action, you can command the butterflies to cloak your form entirely. The butterflies envelop your body and seamlessly blend with the environment, rendering you invisible for 1 minute or until you attack or cast a spell.

The butterflies, attuned to your emotions, instinctively respond to you in certain situations. If the GM determines that your character is feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable in a social encounter, you must make a Charisma saving throw (DC 13). On a failed save, the Veil of Illusory Butterflies activates the Butterfly Veil ability automatically. If you roll a natural 1 on the saving throw and charges are available, the veil unleashes its full potential, activating the Cloak of Vanishing ability instead.

Creation Notes

Inspiration words: butterflies and embarrassed.

100/100

Troll's Finger Chalk

Wondrous Item, rare

This plain white drawing chalk feels warm to the touch. The chalk can be used to create a door where one did not exist before. According to legend, the chalk originates from the pointing finger of a chalk troll, a rare subset of rock trolls known for their porous skins infused with magical energy.

In order to use the chalk, the creature must be familiar with the Thieves' Cant.

As an action, the chalk can be used to draw a door on a surface such as a wall. The door created can be no taller or wider than 5 feet. When the door is drawn, the chalk marks glow with magic and the door becomes a real permanent fixture in the chosen location, and a void is created behind it, extending 5 feet deep. The door appears seamless and matches the appearance of the surrounding wall, providing a secret entrance or exit for those who know of its existence.

If the void behind the door connects to a room, corridor, or any other area, the door acts as a passage to that location. Otherwise, the void acts as a tiny room suitable as a hiding place.

Once the chalk has been used to create 3 doors, it disintegrates in to non-magical dust.

Creation Notes

Inspiration words: rogue and pathway.

This item was designed by my sister. Thanks Eva!

Weeks 13 & 14 Review

So after doing this for over 3 months, I'm beginning to feel like I've exhausted my repository of creativity. I hope these ones stand up as well the others, but it was much harder to think of good ideas.

I did like the rod and staff selection. Hard to pick a favorite. But maybe [[rod-of-invisibility]]. This feels the most like a magic rod. One simple magical effect, but all sorts of potential applications for clever players.

So here I am, 98 days later. I enjoyed this little experiment. It made me think about nuances of the 5e ruleset that I hadn't considered. It flexed my creativity and design muscles. Like everything – practice makes perfect. Or as Jake would put it.

I still intend to write this up as a pay-what-you-want pdf, plus fantasy grounds module. The biggest thing it really seems to lack is great illustrations. I'm not sure what I am going to do there. I will hopefully announce something shortly after item 100.

I promised something special for the last two items. Item 99 is designed by my sister. It's a really cool item, and I'm looking forward to showing it off. For item 100 I opened a poll to decide on the inspiration words for the last item. The winners were Butterflies Embarrassed. “Seven” came close to beating “Embarrassed”, which honestly I would have preferred. But the people have spoken!

After 100 has been posted, I will continue posting some bonus items.