Crafter’s Codex
Unique (uncraftable)
Centuries ago, a famed artificer published her masterwork treatise on crafting magic items—humbly titled Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things—and the work was so revolutionary that every serious library simply had to have a copy. The work still influences the art of crafting magic items to this day.
A regular copy of Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things is a masterwork book about crafting magic items. Yet a fabled version of this tome is said to meander through literary circles—a copy annotated by a mad genius. Known as the Crafter’s Codex, this copy of the book is dog-eared throughout and stuffed to the brim with exceedingly peculiar, illegible marginalia. To the person approaching the book through the right means (such as refracting the text through a beer glass, reading at strange angles, or using one’s own personal genius) these notes reveal step-by-step instructions which streamline and improve the enchantments described within. Alas, no owner seems to hold on to the Crafter’s Codex for long. The book itself appears to hyperfixate on a given reader and then simply disappear, presumably in search of someone more suited to its talents and disposition.
Legends and Lore Success on an Arcana or History check reveals the following:
DC 15 This is the Crafter’s Codex, a legendary book containing secrets of crafting magical items that can unsettle even the strongest minds.
DC 18 This book is a unique annotated version of the more common Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things.
DC 21 The Crafter’s Codex can only be destroyed by destroying every copy of Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things that exists in the multiverse.
Artifact Properties
The Crafter’s Codex has one lesser artifact benefit, one greater artifact benefit, and one greater artifact detriment. While attuned to this book, you gain an expertise die on any checks related to crafting a magic item, and you do not need to meet any of the usual requirements related to crafting a magic item aside from its cost.
In addition, you gain one random long-term mental stress effect oriented around inventing, the Crafter’s Codex, or keeping the book safely in your possession.
Once between long rests , while crafting a magic item or performing an attendant activity towards crafting a magic item, you can consult the Crafter’s Codex and make a DC 20 Intelligence check. On a success, choose one of the following:
- Reduce research time by 75%.
- Reduce component cost by 75%.
- Reduce crafting time by 75%.
- Reduce a harvesting DC by 6.
- Reduce a crafting DC by 6.
After three failures on the Intelligence check, the Crafter’s Codex moves on. You retain a copy of Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things but the magic and marginalia of the Crafter’s Codex magically transmits to a different copy somewhere else in the world, and you lose your attunement to it. Any bonuses accrued remain for the duration of the current crafting project or after a year and one day (whichever comes first).
Seekers of the Codex
The Crafter’s Codex is coveted by collectors and ambitious artificers alike, and any search for the Crafter’s Codex surely means encountering some of the following foes.
| 1d6 | Adversary |
| 1 | Noble with entourage of bodyguards—previous owner or antimagic zealot |
| 2 | Assassin , stealthy mage , or thief |
| 3 | Rival artificer (friendly or hostile) |
| 4 | Mischievous book-obsessed fey |
| 5 | Celestial or fiendish curator of an interplanar library |
| 6 | Rival artificer from an entirely different Material Plane |
Destruction
The secret knowledge that permeates the Crafter’s Codex cannot simply be stricken from the world with ink, blade, or fire. When the artifact faces a serious physical threat it simply moves on. The only way to rid the world of the Crafter’s Codex is to eliminate every last copy of Wands, Rings, and Wondrous Things that exists in the multiverse—if even one copy remains, even on another plane of existence, the Crafter’s Codex persists.