The Witch's Pen

Wood, wax, stone— it doesn't really matter what it's made of, what matters is at the end. The tip of the pen— where the witch's seal of magic is depicted.

One of the hallmarks of a witch's arsenal is the use of wards and runes, which can be used in a variety of ways, entirely dependent upon the witch in question. The usage of witches pen's have evolved into an art form, as every witch creates their own wards, even if the intended outcome is the same. Just as two people can look at the same sunset and paint two very different images, so too do witches in designing their wards. As it's a lengthy process, most witches spend their free time preparing and designing wards to be used in unexpected situations, preferring that over the alternative of drawing them mid-battle.

"They're called pens, but truly they're more like stamps. After you've carved your ward, you simply need to "stamp" the magic in place— just like that!"

by Obachyan

It is unknown how witches came to innately understand this language, long lost even in the elven and dwarvish communities. As witch origins are still untold, many scholars believe it may be some kind of residual pact from the First Witch, allowing any and all who come after to retain some of her abilities. Casting runes and warding is essentially using this language of arcane power in its written form. The witch's pen creates a shortcut, in a way, by already having the ward or rune written. It need only be "stamped" with magical energy following through the witch, into the handle, and out through the depiction.

The Origin

BORN OF NECESSITY

Eojo Matrice created the first set of pens for Lady Morena in the Exalted Era, where she waged war on all who dared to defy her and her coven's peace. Towards the end of her thirteen campaigns, the Witch Queen Morena and her coven which had grown to exponential numbers, fought and defeated several armies over ten thousand strong. As a witch who dabbled in artificery, Eojo set to work on creating something that would facilitate a faster reaction time in battle against martial foes. It took her several months to develop the first set of pens: there were five wooden handles, inlaid with amplifying crystals, and predrawn wards that Eojo and Morena created together. After a few tweaks and test runs, it was determined a success. Eojo then handcrafted twelve handles made of pure amplifying crystals for Morena to carve herself, and drastically changed the tides of the thirteen campaigns.

PRESERVED FOR CONVENIENCE

by Tape

While these tools were initially created for wartime frivolities, the invention nonetheless revolutionized a large aspect of witch-life. The convenience and opportunity to evolve was— and still is —high, even after several eras of development. They're now so ingrained into witch culture that it's an oddity to see a witch without one. While aesthetics seem to be a bit more important than function in today's society, the witch's pen is still a tool, one that can easily turn deadly.

by Phil Akashi

Item type

Tool

Related Technologies

Runic Carving

Owning Organization

Witches

Base Price

2000 gp

Wood, wax, and stone...

Are perhaps the most common materials used when crafting a witch's pen, but are in no way the only ones. The most famous example is Eojo's Cube, a delicate, rotating machine made of brass and filigree that allows the user to cast 26 different wards. Normally, however, a witch handcrafts or commissions a set of handles made out of the material she desires— and either carves, engraves, or burns the desired ward into place.

Although their purpose is to aid a witch in casting runes and wards, these pens have evolved over time within witch community, so much so that witches will often judge each other based upon the material and craftsmanship of their pens.

"Legend states that the first witch was actually a warlock who became stronger than her patron. It's said that with tears in her eyes, she absorbed all of his power during a ritual under the Harrowing celestials to become an unstoppable force of magic and chaos. "Lady Morena wasn't the first witch, that we are sure of, but when people think of witches, their minds go straight to her. What power she must have possessed is beyond our imaginations."

— An Ellsenite Maven of Arcana