I seem to remember a magic item that was essentially a quill that would draw/paint a (non-magical) copy of whatever you saw onto whatever parchment/vellum/etc. you provided. I think this might be a 2nd-ed item, 'cause I've looked where I thought it should be and am not finding it. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Anyone know where I might find a writeup of it, so we can convert it to 3.5??
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Quill of Copying... anyone remember that item???
- Thread starter Axegrrl
- Start date
Steel_Wind
Legend
It may be found in The Enclyclopedia Magica, Vol III, P-Z @ page 924.
As this is a 400+ page tome, itself one volume of three similarly sized works with consecutive page numbers and this is but two mere paragraphs out of 1200+ pages, I infer this is fair use, and shall reproduce the entry here, slightly edited for comprehension:
Quill of Copying
A quill is a large feather that can be dipped in ink and used as a writing instrument. Usable only by spellcasters, this quill can be commanded to copy any spell on a scroll. It copies only one spell per week at most. The original scroll must be burned, and the ashes mixed with rare ink (of 1,000 gp cost). The quill is then placed on a blank scroll along with an inkwell containing the prepared ink. Upon command, the quill starts to write, creating two identical spells on the scroll instead of the single original. If the scroll [which was burned] contains two or more spells, only one spell is copied-either the lowest level spell or [if there was more than one spell of the same lowerl level ] a randomly selected spell. The quill cannot copy protection scrolls or any other writing except spell scrolls.
Unfortunately, there is a 25% chance chance per use that the quill suddenly drains of ink, spoiling the entire scroll upon which it is writing. The blot thus created cannot be removed from the parchment by any means but a wish.
D&D Rule Cyclopedia. XP Value, 5,000 GP Value 25,000
Apart from varying the cost of the Quill of Copying, I do not see much reason the Quill cannot be used, as is, in 3/3.5e
As this is a 400+ page tome, itself one volume of three similarly sized works with consecutive page numbers and this is but two mere paragraphs out of 1200+ pages, I infer this is fair use, and shall reproduce the entry here, slightly edited for comprehension:
Quill of Copying
A quill is a large feather that can be dipped in ink and used as a writing instrument. Usable only by spellcasters, this quill can be commanded to copy any spell on a scroll. It copies only one spell per week at most. The original scroll must be burned, and the ashes mixed with rare ink (of 1,000 gp cost). The quill is then placed on a blank scroll along with an inkwell containing the prepared ink. Upon command, the quill starts to write, creating two identical spells on the scroll instead of the single original. If the scroll [which was burned] contains two or more spells, only one spell is copied-either the lowest level spell or [if there was more than one spell of the same lowerl level ] a randomly selected spell. The quill cannot copy protection scrolls or any other writing except spell scrolls.
Unfortunately, there is a 25% chance chance per use that the quill suddenly drains of ink, spoiling the entire scroll upon which it is writing. The blot thus created cannot be removed from the parchment by any means but a wish.
D&D Rule Cyclopedia. XP Value, 5,000 GP Value 25,000
Apart from varying the cost of the Quill of Copying, I do not see much reason the Quill cannot be used, as is, in 3/3.5e
Last edited:
Drek... I'm remembering the name of the item incorrectly, then, because that's not the item I was thinking of. Thanks for including the info.
Since that isn't it... anyone got any idea what item I *am* remembering? We're not looking for something that will copy magical writing, but something more resembling an auto-sketch/portrait device.
Since that isn't it... anyone got any idea what item I *am* remembering? We're not looking for something that will copy magical writing, but something more resembling an auto-sketch/portrait device.
Steel_Wind
Legend
edit: I was looking in the wrong place. It is 1st edition DMG @page 159. You are not finding it because it is not a misc magic item - but an artifact.
The item you are recalling is Kuroth's Quill.
The item you are recalling is Kuroth's Quill.
Last edited:
Hatchling Dragon
First Post
You're not insane, as I remember something by that (or a very similar) name that was not the one mentioned a couple replies up.
I haven't any clue where I read it though. Since I didn't have much to do with D&D during the 2nd Edition years I doubt it's found in any of those books. While it could be the Aritfact previously mentioned, but that just doesn't feel quite right. I want to say that it was in some sort of 3rd party book from the 1st Edition era, a book of items. I think, if memory is at all accurate, that it was in a book (or chapter of a bigger book) that detailed various 'nifty but not powerfull' items.
Hope that helps a little, it's the best I can do.
I haven't any clue where I read it though. Since I didn't have much to do with D&D during the 2nd Edition years I doubt it's found in any of those books. While it could be the Aritfact previously mentioned, but that just doesn't feel quite right. I want to say that it was in some sort of 3rd party book from the 1st Edition era, a book of items. I think, if memory is at all accurate, that it was in a book (or chapter of a bigger book) that detailed various 'nifty but not powerfull' items.
Hope that helps a little, it's the best I can do.
Similar Threads
