The Griffon's Saddlebag (Patreon)

Wondrous item, artifact

These leather bags have the stylized face of a griffon on their front and appear across the multiverse in strange locations. One may be found in the belly of a dragon, while another the limbs of a great tree. Regardless of where it's found, a griffon's saddlebag is typically discovered by an adventurer with a destiny.

The saddlebags are made by a great, six-armed griffon on the astral plane. Believed by some to be a demigod of pocket dimensions and craftsmen everywhere, the griffon is a patron of artificers and creators across the multiverse. The griffon creates magical items in its great forge using materials collected from various planes of existence to add to its collection. While no one knows exactly how to contact the griffon, it has a knack for knowing what items are needed by whom.

Superior Holding. This 1-foot-wide bag always weighs 3 pounds, regardless of what's inside it. It functions as a bag of holding that can only be pierced by another artifact. Placing a bag of holding, handy haversack, portable hole, or similar item inside the extradimensional space created by the saddlebag, or vice versa, destroys the extradimensional item but leaves the saddlebag unharmed. Any item stored within the other extradimensional space is magically moved to the space within the saddlebag instead. If doing so overloads the bag, random contents from either space are scattered in the Astral Plane.

Magic Courier. At the DM's discretion, the saddlebag's beak opens up to reveal a letter. The magical script can be read by all creatures with an Intelligence score of 4 or higher. The note is a delivery request or similar that includes the name of an item as well as either specific or vague descriptions of a person or place. At the bottom of the letter is a price listed in coins or other form of payment, as well as a date or time depending on its urgency.

If the saddlebag is brought to the described person or place within the allotted time, it dispenses the magical item into the hand of the appropriate recipient. If the payment isn't received by the bag within 1 hour of dispensing the magic item, the item vanishes and is lost. After receiving the payment for an item in this way, the bag's beak reopens to dispense a reward for the courier.

Sell Magic Items. The saddlebag has a connection to the griffon's forge on the astral plane. Depending on the magic item, you can sell a magic item to the saddlebag for half the cost of its base price.

Spells. The saddlebag has 8 charges and regains 1d6 + 2 expended charges daily at dawn. While wearing the saddlebag, you can expend 1 or more charges to cast the following spells from it: detect magic (1 charge), identify (1 charge), or legend lore (5 charges).

Additional Spells. At the DM's discretion, such as after reaching certain milestones or completing magic courier quests, the saddlebag may offer the following additional spells that can be cast from it: blink (3 charges), dimension door (4 charges), divination (4 charges), etherealness (7 charges), fly (3 charges), magnificent mansion (7 charges), plane shift (7 charges), or secret chest (4 charges).

Sentience. The saddlebag is a sentient chaotic neutral bag with an Intelligence of 13, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and normal vision out to a range of 60 feet.

The bag can speak, read, and understand Common. When in the presence of only creatures it trusts, the bag's beak moves when it speaks. Otherwise, the bag communicates telepathically with its wearer. The bag can speak and communicate with griffons.

Personality. The bag's purpose is to carry, collect, and deliver magic items. Different bags have different personalities, but they are for the most part largely pleasant to talk to. Their voices are bird-like and are filled with occasional coos and squawks. Its stitched eyes widen, squint, and move expressively.

If the bag's wearer or allies fail to fulfill magic courier quests, it may stop offering its magic to them. If it does, their items may be lost or inaccessible within the bag, or potentially spat out. While the bag provides the letters to the delivery locations, it doesn't know any more information than what was provided. However, it does its best to help its wearer and allies find the specified person or location on the letter.

Destroying the Griffon's Saddlebag. While there is no way to permanently destroy the saddlebag, piercing it with an artifact returns it to its place of origin for repair before it's returned to the multiverse in a new location. Placing a griffon's saddlebag inside the extradimensional space created by another griffon's saddlebag returns both items to their place of origin and sends all the items stored within them to the griffon's forge on the Astral Plane.

"So what do you think it is?"

The half-elf held a bag in his hands. Its leather was well worn and colorful. While it wasn't entirely unlike the bags he'd seen in Knotside, there was something new and exciting about it. It was strange, but familiar: like a best friend you'd only just met.

Rey leaned over his shoulder to look at the bag. "It's got a good face on it, at least. We can have Ilra take a look at it back in town. Weird place to find it, though."

Vyrre looked back to the bag. "Yeah. Maybe."

He admired its craftsmanship and stitching. The bag had love poured into it, at least, and not to mention character. He looked back at the bag's face. It winked.

Whatever it was, he knew that it would be the start of an incredible adventure.

End of year 1.