Making Tools Useful in 5e: Calligrapher's Supplies
I’m going in a weird direction with this tool… which isn’t to say I haven’t taken any other tools in a weird direction… like Tinker’s Tools. But I’m going to take Calligrapher’s Supplies and make it a bit less… mundane. This tool is definitely a challenge to think of a use for, especially as the idea of someone who writes nice doesn’t really make it seem applicable to fighting babies and kissing monsters.
Regardless, I’m making a core component of this tool, the ability to hide codes inside of a document… so that it has some sort of use for adventurers, right?
For those that don’t care about the how of my tool:
For best results in GM Binder, use a Chrome Browser
Calligrapher’s Supplies
This has to be one of the most mundane focusing tools in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and I’m not really sure how that paints that book. On one hand, we have cobblers' tools, and on the other hand, we have alchemists' tools… I’m not really sure about the number of alchemists who turn adventurers, but I’m pretty confident that it is far higher than the number of cobblers turning into adventurers.
Which brings us to Calligrapher’s Supplies. This is the art of making beautiful words on parchment and was an important part of society back before the printing press became a thing. Most probably think of monks and abbey’s handwriting books, though certain individuals could read and write. In D&D, I think most people just hand wave that adventurers and the general population can read and write, except for barbarians, weirdly.
Anyway, page 79 - Calligrapher’s Supplies:
Calligraphy treats writing as a delicate, beautiful art. Calligraphers produce text that is pleasing to the eye, using a style that is difficult to forge. Their supplies also give them some ability to examine scripts and determine if they are legitimate, since a calligrapher's training involves long hours of studying writing and attempting to replicate its style and design.
Components. Calligrapher's supplies include ink, a dozen sheets of parchment, and three quills.
Arcana. Although calligraphy is of little help in deciphering the content of magical writings, proficiency with these supplies can aid in identifying who wrote a script of a magical nature.
History. This tool proficiency can augment the benefit of successful checks made to analyze or investigate ancient writings, scrolls, or other texts, including runes etched in stone or messages in frescoes or other displays.
Decipher Treasure Map. This tool proficiency grants you expertise in examining maps. You can make an Intelligence check to determine a map's age, whether a map includes any hidden messages, or similar facts.
Phew. That’s some tool. And really, all I got from it was that it’s like a forgery kit, but it’s not. I guess? I don’t know; it’s pretty bare bones. The fact that the Calligrapher is able to decipher Treasure Maps is interesting… However, only Treasure Maps can’t do regular maps. I’m not entirely sure if this means that you can create a map or if you can only study them.
It’s a strange tool that doesn’t really seem to have its own shtick… which is where I come in!
Calligrapher’s Supplies, but this time for real!
The first thing I do for Calligrapher’s Supplies is feel my eyes immediately glaze over, and I start thinking about what I would use the ability to write good/pretty for. Because my life choices are built up on a healthy childhood of cartoons, I decided I would make the calligrapher’s supplies good at hiding secret messages!
This is the main part of what I add to the calligrapher’s supplies, the ability to hide codes and messages in plain sight on documents. Now obviously, you need someone on the other end who understands your code, or maybe you are utilizing a version of Thieves Cant in your message. Ultimately, that is going to be up to the adventure, the characters, and the DM as to how those receiving your message will know they have gotten a message from you. We are just interested in how it’ll work.
Our would-be spymaster will hide their message into a document, or have a random string of letters and symbols representing their message. In order to create this, though, the calligrapher must spend anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour to 8 hours or even days! It all depends on the scope of their work, and how complicated they want the message to be.
A simple code features an easy-to-notice code, a single parchment with your message on it, or anything that doesn’t take too long to craft and fits on a single page or a small number of pages. This code can be good for sending short messages or simple ideas.
A complicated code features a hard cipher and is probably stretched out over a stack of pages. This can be a complex cipher utilizing symbols and random letters to hide the code in the artwork lining the margins of the page. This code is used for sending out complicated messages or hiding a large amount of information you don’t want others to find out.
If a character is suspicious, they can make an Investigation check to see and notice the code, the DC is based off of 8+Intelligence Bonus+Proficiency Bonus. Now, just because the character notices the code doesn’t necessarily mean they know what the code means. That is dependent on whether the writer even wrote it in code or just hid the message in the artwork.
Teleportation Locations
Another use of the Calligrapher’s Supplies is to draw out locations for someone to study for the purposes of casting the Teleportation spell or similar magic. By spending 8 hours crafting artwork of the location from multiple different locations, you can help the spellcaster get the location on the first try and, hopefully, not send you to the wrong location or teleport you inside a mountain. No one walks away when that happens.
Marketing
Or maybe, you’d rather help the tavern your companions bought. You can create marketing materials to help drum up business! You can create menus, pamphlets, signs, or anything else that requires quill to paper, as all calligraphers know how to create interesting artwork and have the best words to grab a passerby’s attention.
This is a nice use of the calligrapher that is great for those wanting to promote their favorite god who only ever talks to them but they swear it is totally real. They just have to drum up a bit more interest in the god!
Finishing Up
That is the Calligrapher’s tools. It has a few more uses, like creating portraits or being a really good note-taker, but those are more incidental to the tool than the mechanical things it can accomplish. If you were hoping I’d do something with maps for this, why don’t you check out my tool on Cartographer’s Tools? They are actual map-makers!
If you want a printer-friendly PDF of this tool or any other tool, consider supporting us at the $1 tier on our Patreon! All tools that I’ve created or will create in the future will be uploaded to our Patreon in printer-friendly versions. We appreciate any and all support!
Other tools: Jeweler’s Tools, Carpenter’s Tools, Forgery Kit, Disguise Kit, Herbalism Kit, Glassblower’s Tools, Navigator’s Tools, Leatherworker’s Tools, Cobbler’s Tools, Poisoner’s Kit, Cartographer’s Tools, Alchemist’s Supplies, Mason’s Tools, Gaming Sets, Tinker’s Tools, Healer’s Kit, Brewer’s Supplies, Smith’s Tools & Cook’s Utensils.
Like what we are doing here?
Support us on Patreon!
You’ll get early access to deep dives, our Homebrew Hoard, ad-free articles, and more!
