Artisan Tool

Rare

Magical Properties:

  Once per day, you may use this blade to carve a wooden object or creature from a natural piece of wood (takes 10 minutes per creation).   Upon completion, the object comes magically to life for 5 hours.  

Animal Creation:

  You may carve a small or tiny creature (like a bird, mouse, fox, lizard, etc.).   Treat the summoned creature as if it were conjured by the Conjure Animals spell, CR 1/4 or lower, and you can issue simple verbal or mental commands while it is animated.   It does not attack unless commanded, and disappears in a puff of wood dust at the end of 5 hours or if reduced to 0 HP.   Combat Use (Animal Creation)   Once per long rest, as an action in combat, you may use the Whittler’s Wandering Blade to animate a pre-carved wooden animal from your pack. You must have previously spent 10 minutes outside combat carving the creature (you may keep up to 3 such carvings ready at any time).   Activation (Action): Choose one prepared carving and make a DC 13 Arcana or Nature check.   On a success, the creature animates immediately.   On a failure, the magic fizzles, and the use is still expended.   The creature takes its turn immediately after yours in the initiative order and lasts for 5 rounds in combat or until reduced to 0 HP.   You may give it mental or verbal commands (no action required).   Use the stat block of a CR 1/4 beast or lower (e.g., owl, badger, blood hawk, giant rat, weasel, etc.), and it gains the Construct type instead of Beast.   It is made of wood, immune to poison and psychic damage, but vulnerable to fire.

Object Creation:

  Carved objects (like keys, coins, tools, fake weapons, etc.) require a DC 15 Sleight of Hand or Performance (your choice) check.   On a failure, the object appears crude and obviously fake.   On a success, it is convincing enough to fool casual observers.   On a DC 20+, it’s a near-perfect replica that can pass as genuine to all but magical scrutiny.  

Limitations:

  Can only be used once per long rest.   If the carving is interrupted before completion, the magic fails, and the daily use is consumed.   The creature or object is always made of animated wood — it can’t speak, can’t fly higher than 30 feet, and can’t leave your sight for more than 120 feet, or it stops moving.

This humble, worn whittling knife has a smooth wooden handle wrapped in faded twine. It always feels warm to the touch and smells faintly of cedar. Etched into the blade is a curling sigil of animation, a rune that seems to flicker like a living flame when held in moonlight.