SHEAF OF CREATION
Magical Item
This magical item consists of a sheaf of D100 sheets of impossibly fine plant fiber paper in eight colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and white—housed in a small, flat wooden box with ornate carvings on every side. The sheets are vivid, thin, and uniform with perfect colors, each two hand spans square. Inside the lid are tiny diagrams, which, upon study (and a successful INT roll) can be deciphered as pictographic instructions for ornamental paper folding techniques.
Following the instructions, given adequate light and a relatively flat stationary surface, a user of the sheaf can fold a sheet the paper into one of the seven animal or object forms described on the lid in one minute (10 rounds) with a successful DEX roll, and each properly folded sheet creates a small three-dimensional token that can be used to magical effect (see below). (The lid of the closed box can be used as a folding surface in a pinch, but one cannot follow the instructions on the inside and fold on the lid simultaneously…) Owing to precision requirements, the user must remain stationary while folding and can take no other actions. If the DEX roll is failed, the sheet is ruined; it can still be folded into its form, but the magical effect will not manifest.
A successfully folded sheet from the sheaf may be deployed as a normal action on the user’s following turn to magical effect—through the initiation of its magical transformation into its final, fully realized form—or it may be flattened carefully for easier carry and later use; it takes a turn to return a folded token to three-dimensional form after flattening, and if not deployed within 24 hours after successful folding, its magic will dissipate, and the sheet will be wasted. To initiate its magic, a folded token in three-dimensional shape only requires the user to concentrate on it for one turn as a normal action while within NEAR distance; this will initiate its magical transformation from a folded sheet into its final form; an action on the subsequent turn is required for the user to use or give required directions to the final magical form. The duration of the final form is counted in rounds starting with the user’s turn after the transformation. The color of the sheet is random and has no effect on its magic except as specified below.
A user of the sheaf can elect to master the forms of paper folding described inside its box; each form requires about a day to learn. After D8 hours of study practicing with ordinary paper followed a long rest, the user of the sheaf can master one of the folded forms. When a form is mastered, the user can fold one of the magical sheets from the sheaf with an EASY DEX roll in one round (instead of one minute) while on the move, provided the move is limited to NEAR distance and no other actions are taken; light and a flat folding surface are no longer required for mastered forms as long as the user has both hands free, and a sheet of magic paper can be carried, folded, and deployed independent of the box and the other sheets in the sheaf as long as it remains relatively pristine.
The paper sheets from the sheaf are strong, but they can be torn; surprisingly, they will not burn or dissolve in water owing to their intrinsic magic, but they can be destroyed by acid.
Magical Forms:
Crane—The folded sheet transforms into a sizable wading waterfowl five feet tall with a six-foot wingspan. The bird has DEF 10 and 1 HP, and it will defend itself if attacked at close range (ignoring ranged weapons and spells—it’s a BIRD…) by pecking with its bill for basic (D4) damage, although it cannot be directed to do so and will not initiate an attack. Its beak and feet are too small and weak to grasp all but the smallest items (a paper note, a small stick or wand, etc.), but it will allow itself to be laden by the user with up to 5 pounds of thoughtfully secured cargo (GM discretion). The crane will persist for one minute (10 rounds) before it is dispelled; if directed by the user to fly to a location (or in a direction), during that time, it will obey simple commands and can fly FAR on each of its turns (unless it attacks). When dispelled, the crane disappears in a puff of thin white smoke.
Butterfly—The folded sheet transforms into a kaleidoscope (swarm) of magical butterflies that surrounds the point of deployment at NEAR range; if set at a location, the butterfly swarm will remain stationary, but if held by the user or deployed on a moving object or creature, the cloud of insects will move with that focus. Melee and ranged attacks made within the swarm are HARD, as are ranged attacks made into or out of it. The effect of the butterflies lasts for one minute (10 turns) unless dispelled earlier by the user who deployed it or the living creature it was focused upon, and at its completion the butterflies disappear in a fanfare of bright magical sparks of different colors, like heatless silent fireworks.
Crow—The folded sheet becomes a magical raven with DEF 10 and 1 HP. It can fly DOUBLE FAR (four bananas!) distance each turn and be directed (verbally or telepathically) in any direction or toward any location by the user who deployed it. While within DOUBLE FAR range of the crow, the user can see through the bird’s eyes, hear through the bird’s ears, and speak in a croaking voice using the bird’s capacity for mimicry. Spells with a verbal component can be cast remotely by the user with a HARD INT roll, calculating ranges from the crow’s position. When the crow is folded from a black sheet of paper, ranges and durations are doubled! When folded from white paper, the folded sheet transforms into a dove instead; it has no perceptual abilities or speech, but when it is dispelled (either after a specific round duration or upon reaching a specific location) the dove explodes in a NEAR-range radius for ULTIMATE damage! The bird dispels automatically after one minute (10 turns) in a harmless puff of black smoke (unless it is an exploding dove…).
Mouse—The folded sheet transforms into an actual live mouse with DEF 10 and 1 HP; the mouse cannot attack or do damage, but it will obey the telepathic commands of the user who deployed it as it persists for one minute (10 rounds). The mouse is small and weak, but it is nimble (+3 DEX) and able to move quickly (FAR range, with or without an additional action while unladen). It can carry small, light items (e.g., a tied-on note) or drag something of similar size (e.g., a key across the floor) if it limits its movement to NEAR distance, and it can affect its environment in small ways (e.g., knock over a lit taper (but not a whole candelabrum). When dispelled, the mouse turns to a powdery grey ash and then fades away.
House—The folded sheet transforms into a glowing hemispherical magical forcefield that surrounds the point of deployment at NEAR range; the glowing zone of protection will remain stationary where it was initiated and does not move. For all creatures within the forcefield zone, its magical protection effects prevent damage and magical effects of a specific type depending upon the color of the sheet; the protections include fire (red), magical and nonmagical melee weapon attacks (orange), fear (yellow), poison (green), cold/ice (blue), magical force (e.g., arcane missile, atom palm; purple), magical and nonmagical missile weapon attacks (white), and death (causing dying timers to pause while still allowing saves; black). (The glow matches the color of the folded paper; black casts a dim area of shadow.) The envelopes of protection from respective house tokens initiated in series or in tandem can overlap and act in concert. The protective envelope dispels automatically after one minute (10 turns) unless the user who deployed it dismisses it first. When dispelled, the glowing zone of protection simply fades away.
Boat—The folded sheet transforms into an ordinary 15-foot wooden rowboat with two sets of oars, narrow (about 5 feet) with low gunwales. It can accommodate up to four human-sized creatures, up to six small folk/goblins, or a (human-sized) rider and (small horse-sized) mount; its total capacity should not exceed 1200 pounds. Two typical humans can carry this boat NEAR distance each turn with a successful STR check, or one person can drag it the same distance on a HARD roll. The boat lasts for one minute (10 rounds), and each round it can be rowed NEAR distance by one set of oars (or two paddles) or FAR distance by two sets of oars (or three to four paddles). When it is dispelled, passengers and contents of the boat will be immersed in the water the boat quickly melts into a quantity of thick sepia ink (swirling in the water if the boat was afloat) that fades away to nothing in D4 rounds.
Elephant—The folded sheet transforms into a full-sized magical bull elephant. (If there is insufficient space at the location of deployment for the folded token to transform into a full-sized beast, the transformation will not occur, and the magic of the sheet will be wasted.) The elephant has DEF 12, +5 STR, and 
HP (three hearts). It is immune to nonmagical blunt force damage including melee attacks, missile weapons, and collisions (but not falls); it is also immune to fear. The elephant can navigate NEAR distance on each of its turns or be directed (at the option of the user who deployed it) to make a straight-line charge to FAR distance. While it will strongly resist being ridden or laden (GM’s discretion), this pachyderm juggernaut can be directed by the user who deployed it (verbally or telepathically) to do ULTIMATE damage on each of its turns to a door, barrier, or structure; with available room to initiate a FAR charge on its approach, the first impact the elephant makes on a structure will do DOUBLE ULTIMATE damage. It will not attack living creatures directly (including fighting back in self-defense), but if a living creature (approximately human-sized or smaller) in the elephant’s path cannot be avoided during its normal NEAR-range movement, that creature must make a DEX roll or be trampled for weapon damage (D6) and knocked prone. A living creature standing ground and attempting to block the elephant’s path during normal movement will suffer ULTIMATE damage; only creatures the elephant’s size or larger can successfully attempt to stop its motion by grappling it (opposed STR check). Any living creature in the elephant’s direct line to its objective on a FAR-range charge will also be knocked prone automatically, regardless of any successful grapple attempt. The elephant exists for one minute (10 rounds); at the end of this duration (unless dispelled earlier by the user who deployed it), the elephant will dematerialize into a transient dust devil kicking around bits of savanna grasses, accompanied by the faint odor of animal manure. Alternatively, if a white sheet is folded, the paper elephant token transforms into a specific useful, common, nonmagical object or tool (not more than 25 coin in value, GM’s discretion) that the user imagines at the time of transformation, which will last for one minute (10 turns) before being similarly dispelled. (The GM can optionally rule that the white elephant produces one permanent randomly rolled object from the Shabby Loot table.)
Notes:
- This item is an original homebrew creation with limited playtesting within my own table; it may not be perfect, but it’s fun and has some good potential. (I wrote up this formal description from my messy journal notes in the wee hours of the morning, so go easy…)
- Any of the individual powers described above could be lifted and reskinned as a different magical item if you wanted to offer players something with a smaller scope.
- This is a surprisingly powerful magic item of potentially epic proportions; in the hands of a clever player it can solve a multitude of problems—especially if the forms are mastered and the advantage of staging is leveraged. It should be rare and not easily acquired. Its roll success requirement, time limits, and finite count keep it from breaking the game while still allowing it to create memorable moments.
- This item is quite complex and has many nuances—requiring a lengthy 5e-style description to capture its versatility instead of the single line typical in ICRPG loot tables—but the “crunch” is worthwhile for its in-game potential. The discovery the Sheaf of Creation engenders can be both dramatic and fun. The flavor components of the description strengthen these attributes; feel free to add your own. Keep magic weird…
- This is a wondrous item; perceptive or learned characters (especially those with training in the arcane arts) should be able to perceive its magical aura or otherwise surmise that the sheaf is no ordinary box of stationery, but they should have to discover its secrets through trial and error, library research, or consultation—potentially a fun side quest. Once players unlock its secrets, they powers they command will feel earned and even more epic in nature. It is a box full of surprises to start, and it becomes a valuable resource to be managed once fully understood.
- See what else is on top of The Loot Pile.