Magic Item Generator

Press the button for one magic item: object, material, power, cost and last owner.

Magic Item Generator: 30 magic items

A soup ladle, made of black iron with the hammer marks left in. It shows the way home, but only the long way. Each use costs a day of your luck at finding things. Last owned by a famous thief, now retired and growing roses.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Objectsoup ladle
Made ofblack iron with the hammer marks left in
What it doesshows the way home, but only the long way
What it costs to usea day of your luck at finding things
Who had it lasta famous thief, now retired and growing roses

History (0)

Every magic item you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Magic Item of the day

A soup ladle, made of black iron with the hammer marks left in. It shows the way home, but only the long way. Each use costs a day of your luck at finding things. Last owned by a famous thief, now retired and growing roses.
An hourglass, made of yesterday's newspaper, still warm. It shows the way home, but only the long way. Each use costs the shine off your best boots. Last owned by a ghost who keeps asking after it politely.
A wooden spoon carved with a face, made of yesterday's newspaper, still warm. It makes the holder's voice come from across the room. Each use costs the name of your first pet, for a week. Last owned by a cobbler who lent it to half the village.
A weather vane shaped like a carp, made of old maps folded and glued in layers. It straightens anything bent, roads included. Each use costs one button off whatever you are wearing. Last owned by the sea, which gave it back.
A single sock, darned at the heel, made of horn scraped thin enough to let light through. It turns to face whoever spoke last. Each use costs one sock, which turns up a year later. Last owned by a troll who mistook it for a snack and gave up.
A sewing needle the length of a hand, made of woven willow, still in leaf. It straightens anything bent, roads included. Each use costs one good night's sleep, paid within the week. Last owned by a general who carried it everywhere and never used it.
A locket that opens from the back, made of beaten copper gone green at the seams. It turns a whisper into a shout, or a shout into a whisper. Each use costs your whistle, gone until the next rain. Last owned by a baker who thought it was a paperweight.
A chair leg, just the one, made of cork in a hundred small pieces. It lets the holder read any handwriting. Each use costs a day of your luck at finding things. Last owned by a queen who lost it in a game of cards.
A stub of pencil, made of waxed paper, creased and creased again. It fills any pocket it is put in with dry leaves. Each use costs the wind at your back for the rest of the road. Last owned by a lighthouse keeper who never once used it.
A lantern with no wick, made of moonlight caught in bottle glass. It turns spilled water back into the cup. Each use costs the tune you were just humming. Last owned by a giant who wore it on a watch chain.
A broom with a crooked handle, made of old maps folded and glued in layers. It hums when someone nearby is telling a tall tale. Each use costs the next sunny hour, which turns to drizzle. Last owned by the last mayor of a town now under a lake.
A candle snuffer, made of lace starched hard as board. It remembers every joke it has heard and laughs first. Each use costs the shine off your best boots. Last owned by a mermaid who found it the wrong shape for the sea.
A letterbox flap with no letterbox, made of fog packed down hard like a snowball. It grows warm near anything lost. Each use costs a promise to plant a tree before the year is out. Last owned by the lost property box of a country inn.
An umbrella that will not close all the way, made of the last inch of a rainbow, gone a little grey. It hums when someone nearby is telling a tall tale. Each use costs the tune you were just humming. Last owned by the sea, which gave it back.
A ring too big for any finger, made of tarnished silver, polished in one spot only. It rains gently on itself and nothing else. Each use costs the shine off your best boots. Last owned by a queen who lost it in a game of cards.
A candle snuffer, made of ribbon wound tight round a wire frame. It rings once when a guest is at the gate. Each use costs your footprints, which point backwards for a mile. Last owned by a cat who sat on it for eleven years.
A belt buckle with a keyhole in it, made of sailcloth stiff with salt. It makes whatever it taps weigh nothing for a count of ten. Each use costs your next turn in any game. Last owned by an explorer who left it on a mountain on purpose.
A matchbox that rattles, made of patchwork cut from a dozen coats. It glows faintly when rain is an hour off. Each use costs the shine off your best boots. Last owned by a statue in the town square, until last week.
A pocket compass with two needles, made of woven willow, still in leaf. It shows the way home, but only the long way. Each use costs the heel of a loaf left on a windowsill. Last owned by a court wizard who labelled it Do Not Touch.
A snow globe with nothing inside, made of beaten copper gone green at the seams. It points to the nearest unlocked door. Each use costs a favour owed to the first stranger you meet. Last owned by a ghost who keeps asking after it politely.
A letterbox flap with no letterbox, made of sea glass in three shades of green. It attracts moths from three villages away. Each use costs one button off whatever you are wearing. Last owned by a famous thief, now retired and growing roses.
A snow globe with nothing inside, made of horn scraped thin enough to let light through. It points to the nearest unlocked door. Each use costs the memory of what you ate this morning. Last owned by a night watchman who blamed it for everything.
A hand mirror the size of a palm, made of a gourd dried until it rattles. It glows faintly when rain is an hour off. Each use costs a sneeze you have to pay at once. Last owned by a lighthouse keeper who never once used it.
A thimble, made of walnut shell halves, hinged. It grows one mushroom wherever it is set down. Each use costs one sock, which turns up a year later. Last owned by a travelling tinker who sold it twice.
A single boot with no pair, made of velvet rubbed bald at the corners. It attracts moths from three villages away. Each use costs one sock, which turns up a year later. Last owned by a very old tortoise who has not noticed it is gone.
A locket that opens from the back, made of waxed paper, creased and creased again. It rains gently on itself and nothing else. Each use costs a true answer to the next question you are asked. Last owned by a queen who lost it in a game of cards.
A single sock, darned at the heel, made of shadow, stitched along one edge. It rings once when a guest is at the gate. Each use costs a yawn you cannot hold back, whoever is talking. Last owned by a travelling tinker who sold it twice.
A button on a loop of string, made of the last inch of a rainbow, gone a little grey. It wakes its owner a minute before trouble arrives. Each use costs the last bite of your next meal. Last owned by a ferryman who took it as a fare.
A crown small enough for a cat, made of a puddle that kept its shape. It sneezes when pointed north. Each use costs a candle burned down to nothing. Last owned by a ghost who keeps asking after it politely.
A matchbox that rattles, made of velvet rubbed bald at the corners. It keeps its owner's feet dry in any weather. Each use costs your place in whatever book you are reading. Last owned by a court wizard who labelled it Do Not Touch.

Next step Roll the adventurer who finds it Put it in a fantasy scene

Object: all 48 objects

Worn 12

apron with one deep pocket Let the pocket sag with a weight we cannot see.
belt buckle with a keyhole in it Put the keyhole dead centre and make it the darkest mark in the drawing.
brooch in the shape of a moth Fold the wings flat and even. The pin shows only in a side view.

Show all 48 objects (45 more)

Worn, continued

cloak clasp shaped like a closed eye Keep the lid line heavy and the lashes few. A clasp is small on the page.
crown small enough for a cat Sit it on a table next to a teacup to fix its size.
hat pin as long as a forearm Draw a hand beside it for scale before you add any detail.
left-hand glove with six fingers Count the fingers outward from the thumb so the extra one reads at a glance.
locket that opens from the back Show it open with the hinge toward us, so the wrong side is plainly the working one.
pair of spectacles with one lens Give the full lens one bright streak and leave the empty rim with none.
ring too big for any finger Draw it on a thumb, tilted, so the band reads as an oval and not a circle.
scarf that is never the same length twice Loop it three times round a neck and still let both ends reach the ground.
single boot with no pair Stand it alone on bare floor. The space beside it tells the rest.

Kept in a pocket 12

brass whistle A cylinder with a wedge cut out. Shade inside the cut darkest.
button on a loop of string Four holes, one thread. Hang it from a nail so the loop pulls straight.
coin with the same face on both sides Show two views, front and back, and make them identical on purpose.
die with one blank face Turn the blank face toward us and crowd the pips onto the two sides we see.
door key with no teeth A plain bar where the teeth should be. Draw a toothed key next to it to compare.
hand mirror the size of a palm Reflect something that is not in the room.
matchbox that rattles Draw it half open and keep the inside in shadow.
pocket compass with two needles Point the needles in two different directions and let neither be north.
pocket watch with one hand Leave the dial numbers out and the single hand says more.
spool of thread Wrap the lines round the drum at a slight slant, never dead level.
stub of pencil Short enough to pinch, with a long hand-cut point and a chewed end.
thimble Draw the dimples in curved rows that follow the dome.

Tools and house things 12

bell with no clapper Tip it toward us so the empty inside is the first thing seen.
broom with a crooked handle Bend the handle once, sharply, like an elbow, and keep the bristles neat.
candle snuffer A small cone on a long arm. Leave a wisp of smoke under the cone.
footstool Low and square, with one leg shorter. Tilt the whole thing a little.
garden trowel Crust the blade with dry earth and wear the handle pale where a hand goes.
hourglass Draw the sand falling up, or stopped halfway, to show it is not ordinary.
ink bottle Leave a dark ring where it stood and one blot beside it.
kettle Put the room's window in its side as a small bent rectangle.
lantern with no wick Light the glass from inside anyway and let the empty burner show.
sewing needle the length of a hand Lay it across an open palm and thread it with something thick as cord.
soup ladle Hang it by the hook of its handle so the bowl catches a round highlight.
teapot with two spouts Draw it from above so both spouts show, pointing opposite ways.

Weird ones 12

birdcage with the door taken off Hang the door on a hook beside it and leave a feather on the floor.
bucket with the lid nailed on Draw every nail head. A thin line of light leaks from under the lid.
chair leg, just the one Turned wood, a peg at the top, one scuffed foot. Stand it upright.
doorknob with no door Set it on a table with its screw holes showing.
jar of buttons, none matching Vary size and holes. Let three buttons press flat against the glass.
ladder with three rungs Lean it on nothing at all and let it stand.
letterbox flap with no letterbox Hinge it to thin air and prop it open with one finger.
single sock, darned at the heel Make the darn a different colour from the sock and the stitches large.
snow globe with nothing inside An empty dome on a base. The snow settles anyway, on nothing.
umbrella that will not close all the way Half open, ribs bent, like a bird that has just landed.
weather vane shaped like a carp Fish on top, arrow below. Draw it off the roof, leaning in a corner.
wooden spoon carved with a face Put the face on the back of the bowl, where a cook would never see it.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this page: every object, material, power, cost and last owner is invented. None is taken from a book, a film, a show or a game, and none carries a rule, a rarity, a price or a number from any game. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Made of: all 48 materials

Stone, clay and metal 12

beaten copper gone green at the seams Lay blue-green into the creases and leave the high spots warm orange.
black iron with the hammer marks left in Scatter small flat facets over the surface, each with its own tiny highlight.
brass with a lion stamped on it, upside down A stamp is a shallow dent. Shade one side of each line and light the other.

Show all 48 materials (45 more)

Stone, clay and metal, continued

chalk that leaves no dust White on white vanishes. Set it against a dark ground so the shape holds.
one pebble with a hole worn through it Show sky through the hole to prove it goes all the way.
pewter worn smooth by many thumbs Round every corner and keep the shine dull and wide.
river clay that never quite dried Soften every edge and press one fingerprint into it.
rust held together by its paint Flake the paint off in islands and let orange show in the gaps.
sea glass in three shades of green Frosted, not shiny. No hard highlights, only a pale glow at the edges.
slate split thin as a biscuit Straight layered edges, and a chip off one corner.
tarnished silver, polished in one spot only Keep it dark grey all over and lift one bright patch the size of a thumb.
tin cut from an old biscuit box Let a scrap of printed pattern run across it at the wrong angle.

Wood, horn and things that grew 12

a gourd dried until it rattles Mottled tan with a curled stalk. Tip it to suggest the seeds inside.
a single antler, hollowed out Keep one branching point so it still reads as antler.
bark with the moss left on Rough dark plates with a green cushion along one side.
beeswax that will not melt Dull yellow, soft edges. Hold a flame near it that does nothing.
bog oak, black and heavy for its size Show the weight. Whatever it rests on sags a little.
cherry wood that still smells of fruit Warm red-brown, with one leaf still stuck on a twig stub.
cork in a hundred small pieces Speckle it, and let one piece float away to show how light it is.
driftwood bleached nearly white Pale grey with long grain lines and soft, rounded ends.
horn scraped thin enough to let light through Put a light behind it and let it glow amber at the thin places.
pine with every knot left in Draw the knots as dark eyes and bend the grain round them.
walnut shell halves, hinged Wrinkled outside, smooth inside. Draw it a little open.
woven willow, still in leaf Weave over and under, and let green shoots stick out at the joins.

Cloth, paper and thread 12

book covers with the pages gone Leave a stump of binding thread and half a title.
braided horsehair Draw the plait as a row of stacked Y shapes, with stray hairs at the end.
felt pressed from grey wool No weave to draw. Keep the edges fuzzy and the surface flat.
knotted fishing line and nothing else Clear line shows only where it catches light. Draw dots along it, not strokes.
lace starched hard as board Draw the holes, not the threads, and stand it up on its edge.
leather scraps laced with red thread Make the lacing the only bright colour in the drawing.
old maps folded and glued in layers Let coastlines and place dots run across the folds.
patchwork cut from a dozen coats Vary the patches: one tweed, one stripe, one with a button still on.
ribbon wound tight round a wire frame Show the wire at one end where the ribbon has slipped.
sailcloth stiff with salt Hold the folds sharp, as if starched, with a white crust in the hollows.
velvet rubbed bald at the corners Dark where the pile stands and pale where it has worn away.
waxed paper, creased and creased again Fill it with a net of white crease lines over a pale grey tone.

Things that should not hold together 12

a puddle that kept its shape Reflect the ceiling in it, upside down, with an edge like spilled water.
birdsong, somehow, and a little wire Draw the wire. The rest is a gap with a few notes drifting off.
fog packed down hard like a snowball A solid shape with a soft edge, leaving a damp ring where it sat.
frozen smoke, cold to hold Soft curling edges, a hard outline and a frosted glove holding it.
honeycomb with no honey in it Six-sided cells, every one empty, with light through the thin walls.
ice that will not melt indoors Put it next to a fire. No drip, no puddle.
the last inch of a rainbow, gone a little grey Fade the seven bands toward grey at one end.
moonlight caught in bottle glass Leave it as bare paper and darken everything round it.
sand that holds together while it is watched Draw one corner starting to crumble where nobody is looking.
shadow, stitched along one edge Flat black with a neat row of white stitches.
wax from candles that were never lit Dribbles and drips with no scorch mark anywhere.
yesterday's newspaper, still warm Headlines run the wrong way round every curve. Add a curl of steam.

What it does: all 48 powers

Finds and shows 12

always knows how many steps it is to the sea Hard to draw alone. Add a tally scratched on a wall beside it.
casts the shadow of whoever owned it first Small object, large shadow of a person. Keep the light low and to one side.
finds the one loose floorboard in any house One board lifted a finger's width, with dark underneath.

Show all 48 powers (45 more)

Finds and shows, continued

glows faintly when rain is an hour off Cool glow below, bright sky above. The contrast is the joke.
grows warm near anything lost A hand pulled back in surprise sells warmth better than heat lines.
hums when someone nearby is telling a tall tale Small curved lines round it, and one listener looking down in alarm.
points to the nearest unlocked door Draw it at an angle that only makes sense as pointing.
rings once when a guest is at the gate Draw the moment after: a head turned toward the window.
shows last night's sky in any pool of water Day above, stars in the puddle.
shows the way home, but only the long way Stage it at a fork, pointing down the road nobody wants.
turns to face whoever spoke last Three people, one object, and a mouth still open.
writes down the last thing said in the room Show the words appearing, last letter still wet.

Changes small things 12

ages wood a hundred years at a touch Half a plank fresh and pale, half silver and split, with a clean line between.
makes a locked box forget it was locked The padlock hangs open, looking surprised if a padlock can.
makes one small thing invisible to geese only The geese walk straight past. Everyone else can see it fine.
makes whatever it taps weigh nothing for a count of ten An anvil a hand's width off the floor, and someone counting on fingers.
mends cloth, always in the wrong colour thread A perfect seam in bright orange across a grey coat.
ripens fruit in the hand that holds it Green at the stalk, gold at the palm, on the same pear.
shrinks one thing to the size of a walnut until dawn Put the shrunk thing in a palm. Fine detail on a tiny shape shows it was big.
straightens anything bent, roads included A hairpin bend pulled into a ruled line through a hedge.
swaps the colours of two things it touches A blue apple beside a red jug. Pick two things with famous colours.
turns a whisper into a shout, or a shout into a whisper Size the lettering to match: tiny mouth, huge words.
turns any soup one day fresher Two bowls, before and after: one dull with a skin, one steaming.
turns spilled water back into the cup Draw the splash in reverse, drops arcing up toward the rim.

Helps a little 12

calls home every hen in the village A line of hens converging from all sides on one doorway.
carries a spoken message to one named person Draw the words as a ribbon leaving a mouth and turning a corner.
catches its owner once after any fall Freeze the fall a hand's width above the ground.
holds a door shut against any wind Everything else in the picture blows sideways. The door does not move.
keeps bread fresh within arm's reach of it One loaf soft, the next one along green. Mark the reach with a faint arc.
keeps its owner's feet dry in any weather A dry circle on wet cobbles, moving with the walker.
keeps one cup of tea warm for ever A dusty shelf, a cobweb and one cup still steaming.
lets one person breathe under water for a song's length Bubbles shaped like notes rising from a calm face.
lets the holder read any handwriting A page of scrawl, with one clear line where the object rests on it.
lights a room the colour of late afternoon Long warm shadows at midnight. Put a dark window in to prove the hour.
unties any knot, and ties it again neater Before and after: a snarl, then a bow with even loops.
wakes its owner a minute before trouble arrives Eyes open in bed, and a shadow not yet at the door.

Weird and nearly useless 12

answers one question a day, always with a question Two question marks, one large and one small, facing each other.
attracts moths from three villages away Do not draw every moth. Draw a cloud of them with five clear ones at the edge.
fills any pocket it is put in with dry leaves Leaves spill out at the pocket top and trail behind the walker.
grows one mushroom wherever it is set down A trail of single mushrooms marks everywhere it has been.
makes every clock in the house agree, wrongly Four clocks all at ten past three, with a dark window behind.
makes stairs go one step further than they should A foot coming down hard on a step that is not there, or is.
makes the holder's voice come from across the room The speech balloon points at an empty chair.
rains gently on itself and nothing else A cloud the size of a fist, a tiny puddle, dry table all round.
remembers every joke it has heard and laughs first It shakes slightly. The joke teller has not finished.
repeats the last word of every sentence, a beat late A small second balloon, in italics, under each big one.
sneezes when pointed north A small puff of dust and a compass rose scratched on the floor.
turns the holder's hair the colour of the weather Grey for cloud, white for snow. Match the hair to the sky behind the head.

What it costs to use: all 48 costs

Memories and words 12

a true answer to the next question you are asked Draw the wince before the answer, not the answer.
the colour of your own front door, for a day A street of doors, each drawn in outline only.
the dream you would have had tonight A sleeper under a thought cloud with nothing in it.

Show all 48 costs (45 more)

Memories and words, continued

the ending of one story you know A book whose last page is clean white.
the last joke that made you laugh A smile fading mid-sentence, hand still raised for the punchline.
the memory of what you ate this morning A blank look at an empty plate with crumbs still on it.
the name of your first pet, for a week An old collar with the tag turned blank.
one secret, told aloud to the empty air Hand cupped to the mouth, nobody there, and a curtain that moves.
one word, which you cannot say until tomorrow A speech balloon with a neat hole where the word should be.
the tune you were just humming Notes drift off out of an ear and do not come back.
your place in whatever book you are reading A bookmark lying on the floor and a thumb flicking pages.
your sense of which way is north until dusk A walker turning on the spot, map upside down.

Small tolls on the user 12

a hiccup at every fib you tell this week A jolt in the shoulders and a small hic in the lettering.
a sneeze you have to pay at once Head back, eyes shut, finger under the nose: the second before.
a yawn you cannot hold back, whoever is talking The yawn mid-flight, hand arriving too late to cover it.
an hour of your shadow A figure in strong sun with bare ground at the feet.
an inch of height until sunrise Trouser hems pooling on the shoes.
the freckles on one arm, moved to the other One arm clear, one crowded. Count them if you like.
one grey hair, never the same one A single white line in a dark head of hair. Place it differently each time.
the warmth of your left hand until you sleep One hand tinted cool blue and tucked under the other arm.
your footprints, which point backwards for a mile Tracks in snow that lead toward the walker.
your reflection, a second late for a day The figure waves. The mirror has not started yet.
your sense of smell for the length of a meal A puzzled face over a steaming bowl, with no steam reaching the nose.
your whistle, gone until the next rain Lips pursed, cheeks full, and no notes at all.

Things you own 12

a candle burned down to nothing A flat pool of wax with a black dot in the middle.
a ribbon tied to the nearest tree A tree with dozens of faded ribbons and one bright new one.
a spoonful of salt thrown over a wall The arc of grains caught mid-air against a dark hedge.
all the ink in the nearest pen A pen stroke that fades to a dry scratch halfway along the line.
the heel of a loaf left on a windowsill The crust on the sill, with a sparrow already looking at it.
one button off whatever you are wearing A gap in the row with two threads left hanging.
one page torn from the back of a book A torn stub along the spine. Never the page itself.
one sock, which turns up a year later A bare ankle between shoe and trouser hem.
the shine off your best boots One boot glossy with a highlight, one flat and dull.
the smallest coin you carry An open palm of coins with a clean circle where one was.
whatever is in your right pocket The pocket pulled inside out like a rabbit's ear.
your left shoelace, every single time One shoe gaping, tongue out. The other is tied in a neat bow.

Time, luck and weather 12

a day of your luck at finding things Someone searching a drawer with the lost thing in plain view behind them.
a favour owed to the first stranger you meet A stranger at a crossroads who already has a hand held out.
a promise to plant a tree before the year is out A sapling in a pot by the door, with a spade leaning next to it.
a song sung badly and in full Mouth wide, eyes shut, and an audience of one unimpressed cat.
a walk taken the long way round, at once A path that loops off the page and comes back in.
the last bite of your next meal A fork halfway up, and nothing on it.
the next sunny hour, which turns to drizzle Sun on the hills behind and a small private drizzle overhead.
one good night's sleep, paid within the week A lamp still on, a pillow turned over, an open eye.
ten minutes that go missing from your afternoon A clock with a thin slice cut out of its face.
the wind at your back for the rest of the road Coat and hair blown forward into the face. The trees lean the other way.
your next birthday wish, spent early Candles still lit and the cake untouched. The wish is already gone.
your next turn in any game Arms folded at a board while the others play on.

Who had it last: all 48 last owners

Ordinary folk 12

a baker who thought it was a paperweight Flour on it, and a stack of order slips beneath.
a child who swapped it for a bag of marbles Small hands, a fair trade, and marbles catching the light.
a cobbler who lent it to half the village Worn at the edges, with a list of names chalked beside it.

Show all 48 last owners (45 more)

Ordinary folk, continued

a ferryman who took it as a fare It hangs from the tiller on a loop of wet rope.
a fisherman who pulled it up in a net Weed still on it, and a crab that will not let go.
a lighthouse keeper who never once used it It sits on the lamp-room sill with the sea behind it.
a night watchman who blamed it for everything A lantern, a cold supper, and the thing set well away from both.
a postmaster who kept it under the counter Draw it among string, stamps and unclaimed parcels.
a schoolteacher who confiscated it A desk drawer of taken things: a catapult, a whistle and this.
a shepherd who used it to prop a gate Mud to halfway up, and a groove worn by the gate post.
a travelling tinker who sold it twice Two price tags on one string, both crossed out.
two sisters who took turns by the month A calendar on a nail with initials on alternate pages.

The great and the grand 12

a court wizard who labelled it Do Not Touch A neat label in careful ink, and fingerprints all over.
a duke who had a copy made and kept the wrong one Draw two the same and put a tiny flaw on one.
a famous thief, now retired and growing roses It rests in a trug between the pruning shears and the string.
a general who carried it everywhere and never used it Pristine, in a battered travelling case.
a hero of the old songs, who found it annoying Hang it on a peg behind the door under three coats.
a judge who used it to keep her place in her notes It sticks out of a thick ledger, pressed flat.
a librarian who shelved it under Miscellaneous A shelf tag and a gap between two books just its size.
a queen who lost it in a game of cards A fan of cards face down and an empty velvet cushion.
a royal cook who stirred the gravy with it A brown tide mark partway up.
a ship's captain who won it and wished she had not Lash it to the rail. A captain would not keep it in her cabin.
an explorer who left it on a mountain on purpose A small cairn with snow on one side and the thing on top.
the last mayor of a town now under a lake A church spire breaking the water, far behind.

Creatures 12

a cat who sat on it for eleven years A perfect oval of fur left behind on top.
a crow who left it on a doorstep as payment A doorstep, a saucer of crumbs and the thing set down neatly.
a dragon who kept it at the very bottom of the hoard Scratched by coins, with one scale stuck to it.
a family of mice, as a dining table Tiny crumbs and a thimble for a chair.
a fox who traded it for a hen and regretted it Paw prints lead away and then come back.
a giant who wore it on a watch chain A chain link as big as a dinner plate still hangs from it.
a goose, briefly One white feather and a bite mark.
a magpie who would not say where she got it In a nest among foil, a ring pull and a teaspoon.
a mermaid who found it the wrong shape for the sea Barnacles on one side only.
a troll who mistook it for a snack and gave up Draw tooth marks the width of a thumb.
a very old tortoise who has not noticed it is gone A slow track in the dust leading away from an empty spot.
an owl who used it to weigh down her letters A stack of small envelopes, each sealed with a claw mark.

Nobody you would expect 12

a clockmaker's shop that is never there twice A shopfront between two others, drawn fainter than both.
a ghost who keeps asking after it politely A faint figure in a doorway with its hat in its hands.
a scarecrow, who still wears the mark of it A clean patch on a faded coat, in exactly its shape.
a snowman, for one winter only Two coals and a carrot on wet grass, with the thing beside them.
a statue in the town square, until last week A stone hand, cupped and empty, and a clean spot on the plinth.
a wizard's apprentice who is not supposed to say Ink on the fingers, eyes on the floor.
the lost property box of a country inn A crate of single gloves and umbrellas with this at the bottom.
nobody, as far as the records go A ledger page with the owner column left blank all the way down.
the pedlar who is now trying to buy it back A hand held out with far too many coins in it.
the sea, which gave it back Leave it on the tide line in a ring of weed.
someone who signed the receipt with a paw print A slip of paper with neat writing and one inky pad mark.
you, according to the label A luggage tag in handwriting very like your own.

How it works

This magic item generator builds one invented object from five lists: the thing, what it is made of, what it does, what a use costs and who had it last. It is something to draw or write about, with no game's rules or numbers.

Read the full guide

A weird magic item generator on purpose

A quarter of the objects sit under Weird ones: a doorknob with no door, a ladder with three rungs, a snow globe with nothing inside. The powers have a group to match, so an item may do no more than sneeze when pointed north. Small and odd draws better than grand.

The cost is where the story starts

Every item takes something small each time: one button off whatever you are wearing, an hour of your shadow, the tune you were just humming. No cost is grim. Ask who would pay it twice, then read the last owner.

Draw the material before the object. Frozen smoke or beaten copper gone green decides every line after it.
The last owner leaves a mark: flour from the baker, tooth marks from the troll. Add one.

Questions and answers

Is this a random magic item generator?

Yes. As a random magic item generator it draws one entry from each of five fixed lists on every press. All five lists are printed under the tool, with a drawing note beside every entry.

Does it give stats, rarity or prices for a tabletop game?

No. This magical item generator gives no rarity, price, bonus or rule from any published game. It deals the story of an object, and a game master adds the numbers from the rulebook in use.

Can I use it as a magic item description generator?

Yes. The result already reads as a short description. Add how the thing looks while it works, which the drawing note beside the power often suggests.

Are the items taken from a book, a film or a game?

No. Every object, material, power, cost and owner was made up for this page, and none is named after a character or a published item. Use them in your own stories, comics and games.