Highlights

  • Magical items in Dungeons and Dragons have their own stories and mysteries, with some standing out from the rest with their secrets and dark histories.
  • The Teeth of Dahlver-Nar is an artifact that brings stories to life, sprouting creatures associated with each tooth's particular legend.
  • The Wand of Orcus is a terrifying item associated with a powerful demon prince, granting the wielder terrifying powers while corrupting them.

The fantastical world of Dungeons and Dragons houses a trove of magical items and artifacts, each unique in their applications, each with their own little story. But even among such an abundance of wonderful treasures, certain items stand out from the crowd, mystifying players with their secrets and dark histories.

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Aside from being incredibly powerful, such items usually tell an incredible tale or represent someone absolutely vital to the world. Whether it be a sword that has helped slay a terrible evil or a wand of one of the most terrible evil beings that walked the Forgotten Realms, each of these items’ impact cannot be understated, and their mysteries are there for the players to unravel.

9 Teeth Of Dahlver-Nar

Dahlver-Nar

This artifact literally brings stories to life. It is a small leather pouch, filled with teeth of various kinds and sizes. Each tooth is associated with a particular legend or story, and upon falling on the ground, it would sprout a group of creatures associated with its particular story.

Dahlver-Nar himself is a character shrouded in mystery and controversy. He was a human cleric, that much is known, but the origin of the teeth themselves is quite controversial, and debated among many bards and historians. Whatever the case may be, the teeth hold great power, and each tooth awaits the resolution to its story.

8 Wand Of Orcus

Wand of Orcus

Orcus is the name of a powerful Demon Prince of the Abyss, and to this day it rightfully terrifies anyone that is familiar with it. He is the demon incarnate, hellbent on spreading death and destruction, wishing nothing else but to deprive the world of hope and all that is good.

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His wand is an important part of his persona, and many believe it to be the key to destroying Orcus himself. If someone brave or foolish enough survived the attempt to even hold it, it might grant the wielder terrifying powers, while slowly corrupting them and bending them to the control of Orcus.

7 Sword Of Kas

Sword of Kas

The Sword of Kas tells a terrible tale about betrayal, hubris, and corruption. Vecna’s own lieutenant, Kas, after faithfully serving him for a long time, grew powerful and spiteful enough to challenge, and even defeat him, but not without losing his own (un)life.

Many have sought the sword, for both good and evil purposes, but it effectively evades hungering adventurers, precisely until it decides it wants to be found. Part of the difficulty of finding him lies in its fluid physical shape, able to adapt to any form and size that fits the wielder.

6 Axe Of The Dwarvish Lords

Axe Of The Dwarvish Lords

What once was a powerful weapon and symbol that united the Dwarvish kingdoms under one rule, is now a memory lost to time, with many dwarves still in search of the fabled artifact. Forged centuries ago by a dwarvish prince, it signified a long and prosperous era for the underground dwellers.

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The axe grants the wielder many empowering boons and even combines the effects of a few other magic items, such as the Belt of Dwarvenkind. Many dwarves are awaiting the artifact’s return, along with the one worthy of wielding it.

5 Baba Yaga's Mortar And Pestle

Baba Yaga

Mother of all witches, Bone Mother, Little Grandmother. Over the years, Baba Yaga has gained quite the notoriety, and quite the collection of titles. An incredibly powerful mage, and claimed by some to be an archfey, she is revered and respected by many.

As such, her possessions command the same air of fear and awe, especially her most trusted tools: Mortar and Pestle. The terrifying combination has served her well for a very long time, allowing her to easily traverse between dimensions, as well as reduce to dust ingredients and enemies alike.

4 Eye And Hand Of Vecna

Eye and Hand of Vecna

Many whisper the name Vecna in hushed tones, and fewer know of his removed Hand and Eye, and only those who follow or study him know exactly how to use those twisted items. Attunement to this dark magic requires a tremendous sacrifice and almost guarantees complete submission to the Arch Lich.

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It is difficult to pinpoint their location, as both Vecna’s followers and those who would aim to thwart his return take great care in concealing any information about the items. In the wrong hands, the items can bring about all the horrors that the twisted deity personifies.

3 Demonomicon Of Iggwilv

Demonomicon Of Iggwilv

Iggwilv, better known these days as Tasha, is as complicated as she is powerful. The more one learns about her work and history, the more questions are posed. The Demonomicon is one of her proudest works, describing in great detail everything there is to know about Demons.

Aside from the raw knowledge, the artifact allows the wielder to control and influence any Demon described in the tome, sharing with them a sliver of Iggwilv’s own power. If one comes upon such an item, the difficult question persists: destroy such a powerful epitome of dark knowledge, or risk using it for good and possibly perish in the process?

2 Book Of Vile Darkness

Book Of Vile Darkness

One does not need to be a scholar of magical history to decipher the nature of such an item. As the name implies, the tome contains in itself the deepest and most horrible revelations about magic and the world itself.

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Reading the tome takes about a week, and the process is as grueling as the contents. Upon completion, one’s very soul can be completely corrupted by evil, stripping every bit of light from them, in return providing them with devastating power and knowledge.

1 Scepter Of The Sorcerer-Kings

Scepter Of The Sorcerer-Kings

This ancient artifact from the Netheril empire is a mysterious and powerful creation of hubris. It resembles a heavy mace with distinctive horn-like features. Its wielder enjoys near-invulnerability to magical and psionic attacks, with magic missiles rebounding towards their source.

Nine times a day, it can heal or harm creatures, significantly affecting their life force. It also has the power to dispel magical effects and drain magic from items without fail. Yet, its most ominous power curses a deity, temporarily removing their influence from the world. Crafted through dark sacrifices, it has a history marked by conflict and power struggles, threatening the gods themselves.

dungeons-and-dragons-series-game-tabletop-franchise
Dungeons and Dragons

Franchise
Dungeons & Dragons
Original Release Date
1974-00-00