Beetlebard

As our precious Morticio's reconstructive procedure came to a close, and I saw the inkling of a twitch in his newly attached phalanges, I cried, "Great ghouls! Fetch me my beetlebard, for this breakthrough must be scribed before the last stitch is sewn!"

- Vesilia the Carver, shortly after her discovery of Flesh Grafting

A beetlebard is a writing utensil that is highly fashionable among aristocratic families in the Empire of Druna and Republic of Ash, and it is growing in popularity among other nations as well.

The Original Beetlebard

The beetlebard is thought to have been originally invented by Ik'tet, one of the earliest recorded necromancers in Valleris. Based on what remains of his works, he is assumed to have lived between 3000 - 2890, The Old Élan (TOE). During this time, only royally appointed magical practitioners of the ancient Asran civilization had the education and means necessary to inscribe spells for future use and knowledge-sharing.
During one of his many experiments (many of which are lost to modern knowledge), Ik'tet successfully resurrected a beetle after impaling it in the belly with a reed splinter. The beetle had been lying in a small bowl of preserving liquid, and when it sprang to life, it crawled all over the surface of the table, dragging the reed in its belly and leaving a trail of dark liquid in its wake. With some adjustments, the first beetlebard would soon be invented.
Though Ik'tet's surviving manuscripts do not mention the word "beetlebard," the nickname was later adopted as a nod to the class of spellweavers that excel in the written and performed arts.

The Modern Beetlebard

The beetlebards of today are neither necromantic nor actually beetles. At least, most of them aren't. Most beetlebards are now made of metal or wood, following the pattern of its fellow, less-fascinating writing tools like pens and pencils. However, they're a notch higher on the decadence scale. They are artisan handicrafts, still taking the sculpted shape of a beetle, and they come bearing Psionic enchantments.
The owner of a beetlebard may telepathically communicate with this ingenious writing tool, and away the tip-tapping legs will go! Instead of writing via a single, impaled reed from the belly, the modern beetlebard expresses ink from all of its six legs, funneled in from the ink cartridge in its body. One need only think to the beetlebard, and it dances away on the page to the tune of the owner's musings. Handwriting is no match for the immense speed and accuracy of a beetlebard, and it's good fun to watch!
Other variations have been tested, such as a spiderbard (too big), squidbard (too sloppy), and bardbard (just not a good idea), but so far, the beetlebard prevails.

Item type

Tool