It’s pretty hard to find artwork of fantasy characters using magic items, even wands. Most contemporary artists just picture them with blasts of energy flying from their hands, which is visual shorthand for “MAGIC!”
Rowena Morrill is one of the rare few who has depicted them. She actually read the books and took notes of exciting scenes, and hence incorporated them into her covers, like the one above. I don’t know what the heck this dragonish conveyance is, but it’s clearly not of this earth, and the friar is correct in hiding from it.
Here’s some favorite randomly-generated items from my twitter feed, 2017 – 2020.
Magical Items, Part 2
| Lamp of Logic: While burning, it allows its owner to become a skilled debator.
Ledger of Cetacean Hospitality: Contains spells for making dolphins, porpoises, and whales feel welcome and at home. Luvite’s Brown Journal of Preservation: Magic book containing spells to preserve many kinds of items (determine at random) Minotaur Cheese: Made from the milk of lactating female minotaurs, this extremely rare item raises the eater’s courage and attack rate. Neatdag’s Silent Ejection: Enables the caster to be unobtrusively rid of any small item. Notebook of Amassing Fortune: This magical book, when read front to back, enables the owner to receive 20% more profit from their next adventure. Oblëruck’s Luminous Dust: When sprinkled on an invisible being or object it makes them glow and become easier to see. Odyxia’s Sensual Lens: When peered through, it reveals which characters would be open to a sexual relationship with the wielder. Otherine’s Fiery Wineskin: Enables a wineskin filled with alcohol to act as a colossal napalm bomb. Plate of Thinning: Whatever food is eater from this plate actually subtracts the like amount of calories from the user. Great for dieters. Quesnan’s Blasting Lute: Creates blasts of force when certain chords are played, damage created by how softly or loudly the strings are plucked. Rod of Slow Bathtub Draining: Does just that. Rod of the Comedone: Causes whiteheads to appear on the target’s face. Rod of Universal Loosening: Loosens whatever it is pointed at – rope, clothing, bowels, etc. Roscom’s Everfull Purse Of Kitten Snacks: Young felines, even magical ones, will be most charmed by the owner of this item. Saltcellar of Blindness: When the contents are thrown into a foe’s face, their eyes will not only be irritated, they will become permanently blind. Seashell of Memory: Holds and protects one of the caster’s memories. When lifted to the ear of another, the shell will replay that memory as if the holder was experiencing it themselves. Sevenkip’s Squid Snuffbox: Contains black snuff the user is able to sneeze out into a camouflaging cloud. Tamebat’s Enduring Contraption: This mysterious machine is inscrutable to normal examination. It is magicked to waste adventurer’s time as they try to figure it out. Tarp of the Spellbinder: Magically expands or contracts in size to shield outdoor objects from rainy weather. The Roc-Whisk of Plumtroth: Appears as ordinary fly-whisk made of straw, but contains a magic powerful enough to drive off huge rocs. Toboggan of the Millipede: Looks like an ordinary snow sled, but when activated, thousands of little insect legs pop out and carry it smoothly down a slope. Udaban’s Earthbound Flute: When played, causes terrestrial creatures to stop whatever they are doing and dance. Has no effect on flying or swimming creatures. Wardrobe of the Phoenix: When this cabinet is filled with old clothing it self-immolates, then resurrects with a whole new set of clothing inside. Wenzopathen’s Cauldron: This powerful relic can regenerate a deceased creature from one of its body parts if the part is boiled inside it. |
And as long as we’re talking about magic items and Rowena Morrill, here’s some more of her work.
Magic rods
Magic gem
Magic helix
Magic spellbook and ladle
