In preparation for the upcoming Tales of Xadia release for the Cortex Prime system I started watching The Dragon Prince again. Well, technically only the first two seasons were “again.” I have never gotten around to catching season three when it debuted for whatever reason. Anyway, in season one, Prince Callum comes into possession of something known as a primal stone, a device that can connect humans to one of the “Arcanum” allowing them to perform magic in its true form and feels that he is destined to become a mage after learning a couple of basic spells. The culmination of season one sees him smash it to summon the storm that is trapped inside for reasons that I won’t spoil in case you haven’t watched it yet (which you should – it’s an incredible show). In doing so, he loses his connection to the Sky Arcanum and the thing that allowed him to perform magic in the first place.
And this got me thinking – is there a place for an item like this in Dungeon and Dragons where Wizards twist the fabric of reality and sorcerers are born with the power of magic in their very blood; where clerics and call down mighty blessings from their gods and warlocks make dark deals for the power they wield?
I say yes.
And here’s how I think such an item might function in such a world.
As you can see, it’s not too flashy, but it has some great utility. An extra first level spell slot a day in exchange for a possible level of exhaustion is a really good gamble for a lower level spellcaster, especially if they find their resources strained in a drawn out encounter. And the ability to substitute the damage type of spell can help a spellcaster battle around damage resistances they find themselves unexpectedly up against.
Ben Erickson
