Mage's Correspondence Bureau

This seemingly simple small sloped scribe station is really an enchanted bureau for writing and sending self-delivering correspondence over several miles. Adjustable, durable leather straps secure the bureau around the wearer's shoulders and waist at a relatively comfortable writing position against their lower chest, allowing for the wearer to write standing up, on the move (if with difficulty), or with otherwise no convenient writing surface available. The desktop has 4 copper clips to hold a sheet of parchment in place and a snug cushioned slot to hold an inkwell. The top plane lifts open to reveal a storage compartment for 20 sheets of parchment, an ink well, and 2 ink pens or quills, and locks securely close with two steel latches. On the underside of the top plane in the storage compartment are transmutation and evocation runes worked together and softly glowing. Up to ten times a day, when a message is written on a piece of parchment clipped into the desktop and addressed to someone the author is familiar with, the parchment becomes enchanted. Once the parchment is unclipped it becomes animated, folding itself into a paper-dart and flying off to find the intended recipient, traveling 120ft per round up to a max duration of 20 minutes for a total possible distance of 24,000ft or a little over 4 1/2 miles.
The limited range may seem trivial compared to sending stones or communication spells, but the ability to send multiple notes that contain as much detail as a single sheet of parchment can contain, including diagrams or images, without sacrificing a spell (or indeed knowing one) adds a level of convenience that many appreciate. By adding an addressee to a magic scroll clipped to the bureau, one could even deliver spells. The biggest drawback to the magic bureau is that the paper-darts could be intercepted or trailed making secrecy rather difficult, especially for those who'd rather not be found. Many variations of the bureau are possible depending on the spells used during its creation (with a corresponding increase in cost), including but not limited to password protected invisible ink or invisible paper-dart, greater travel distances, and self reading messages.

Quick Reference Stat Block:

Mage's Correspondence Bureau
Wonderous item | Uncommon | Does not require attunement | 200 gp | 4 lbs empty

• Can generate up to 10 magic flying paper-darts a day
• Must address letter to individual familiar to writer
• Paper-darts travel 120ft per round up to a max duration of 20 minutes for a total possible distance of 24,000ft or a little over 4 1/2 miles
• Requires parchment and ink to be provided (spell scroll quality)

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Item type

Magical

Rarity

Wonderous Item, Uncommon

Weight

4 lbs

Base Price

200 gp