100 Intriguing Objects You Might Discover in a Scholar’s Mysterious Backroom

Imagine stepping into the dimly lit backroom of an eccentric scholar. The air is heavy with the scent of old leather and parchment, and the barely organized chaos gives you a glimpse into a mind obsessed with knowledge. This isn’t just a room full of dusty books and trinkets; it’s a treasure trove of forgotten lore, peculiar artifacts, and arcane curiosities. For those bold enough to explore, it offers tantalizing hints of ancient secrets, magical items waiting to be discovered, or even the breadcrumbs leading to grander quests lurking in the shadows of the unknown.

Such a setting enriches the fantasy worlds we create by layering them with history, mystery, and depth. The potential for adventurers to unearth lost treasures or pivotal artifacts in such a place turns even a seemingly mundane exploration into a narrative goldmine. Each item discovered could be a piece of a long-forgotten puzzle or a catalyst igniting a much larger story. For those building fantasy realms, incorporating these finds can transform an ordinary campaign into something truly memorable.

Here’s the thing: scholars are often collectors, sometimes bordering on hoarders of the arcane and obscure. This means within their cluttered chambers might lie not just forgotten magic but also the tools to craft new spells, relics that hint at ancient civilizations, or simply oddities that spark the imagination. In this article, we’ve curated a d100 random table, breaking it down into five themed d20 lists for easier use. What awaits could serve as plot hooks, quest items, or simply atmospheric additions, all designed to add richness to any setting.

So, gather your party, ready your dice, and prepare to delve into this catalog of curiosities. From arcane oddities to ancient tomes, strange trinkets to alchemical supplies, and personal effects—each category promises discoveries that can weave new tales or unravel old enigmas. Now, let’s unveil these items and immerse ourselves in the mystique of the scholar’s backroom.

100 Items Found in a Scholar’s Backroom

Before we launch into this trove, let’s talk about how to use this table. We’ve divided it into five themed d20 lists to streamline your search. Whether you’re looking to incorporate a particular theme or simply want the thrill of randomness, each section maintains its position within a unified d100 column. This flexibility allows you to decide how structured or spontaneous you want your discovery process to be, which is pretty rad when you’re spinning tales on the fly.

Within these lists, you’ll find an array that spans from the mundane to the mystical. Some items are steeped in magic, while others carry stories of their own. They’re not just stuff to fill the scholar’s shelves—they’re plot hooks, potential quests, and vivid details that breathe life into your game world. With that, let’s dive into the first category and uncover some arcane oddities and mystical artifacts.

d20 Arcane Oddities and Mystical Artifacts

Step into the world where scholars tread cautiously, for here lay the relics of potent magic and the remnants of experiments that didn’t quite pan out. This section is where scholars—both ambitious and reckless—store their collection of magical and arcane paraphernalia. A sparkling orb gathering dust might hold the key to an unsolved mystery, while a cracked wand could be the missing component of a legendary spell.

Within these walls, some items conceal enchantments so subtle they might go unnoticed until activated in the heat of battle, or perhaps in the quiet of a research chamber. Think about a mirror that reflects more than just the present moment, or a compass that guides its bearer not north, but toward their destiny. Such objects could serve as the very research notes scholars leave behind, either to be completed or simply pondered by those who follow in their footsteps.

Scholars might themselves not fully grasp the power, serving instead as mere custodians of these historical curiosities. Some items are tangible remnants of civilizations long gone, their magic faint, awaiting the right mind to decipher them anew. And here’s the intriguing part: the magic doesn’t stop at the artifacts. The mere stories around these items can be as enchanting as the objects themselves, leading to rich backdrops for quests afield.

d20	Item Description	Potential Uses	Magical Properties	d100
1	Glowing Crystal Ball	Foreseeing upcoming events	Shows glimpses of future	1
2	Wand of Fizzled Magic	Unpredictable spell failure	Emits sparks on malfunction	2
3	Ancient Summoning Stone	Calls minor entities	Resonates with otherworldly chants	3
4	Feather of Icarus	Grants brief flight	Allows levitation for short moments	4
5	Enchanted Goblet	Purifies any liquid	Glows when poison is present	5
6	Conflagration Sphere	Engulfs target in flame	Releases heat waves when threatened	6
7	Echoing Horn	Amplifies sound	Communicates messages over distances	7
8	Nightshade Amulet	Conceals wearer in shadows	Absorbs light when activated	8
9	Phantom Cloak	Makes wearer less corporeal	Grants limited phasing ability	9
10	Rune-engraved Key	Unlocks ancient doors	Opens portals on specific runes	10
11	Timeworn Spellbook	Holds forgotten incantations	Pages rippling with latent magic	11
12	Seeker’s Compass	Guides to hidden paths	Points towards unfulfilled destinies	12
13	Mercury Mirror	Reflects alternative realities	Shows parallel possibilities	13
14	Whispering Talisman	Conveys whispers of the past	Emits faint echoes of history	14
15	Portal Map	Details ancient teleport locations	Unfolds to reveal mystical coordinates	15
16	Shifting Sands Hourglass	Alters perception of time	Quickly slows or hastens time	16
17	Dragon Scale Mantle	Grants strength of a dragon	Offers resistance to fire spells	17
18	Siren’s Lyre	Enchants listeners with song	Stirring emotions with melody	18
19	Elemental Ring	Controls elemental forces	Manipulates natural elements	19
20	Philosopher’s Stone Fragment	Transmutes objects to gold	Glows when near valuable ores	20

Arcane oddities aren’t just magical tools—they’re also intricate puzzles and possible dangers. In a campaign, they offer layers of interaction, from straightforward use to complicated deciphering. Some linger as mysteries meant to be solved over time. An astute player might sense potential where others see chaos. This section thus helps ignite creativity, fostering a deeper connection with the world by unfolding unexpected narratives shaped by these mystical relics.

d20 Ancient Tomes and Forgotten Texts

In every scholar’s backroom, there’s bound to be a towering collection of books, scrolls, and manuscripts, each containing the wisdom and folly of ages past. These texts are not merely repositories of magic or lore; they are the vessels of long-lost spells, the whispers of ancient knowledge waiting to be remembered. Some volumes hold spells only half-understood even by their authors, while others are nothing less than keys to unraveling cryptic prophecies or untangling historical mysteries.

Imagine sorting through these texts only to find a dusty thesis on elemental sorcery beside a parchment detailing the medicinal herbs of a forgotten empire. There’s thrill in the discovery—a spark of insight here, a revelation there. But beware, for not all these texts are benign. Certain scrolls might be cursed, their secrets protected by malevolent enchantments. Others might be so encoded that only the most cunning minds can decrypt them.

These tomes and texts offer endless possibilities. Whether it’s a mundane history book revealing groundbreaking lore, or a trivial diary unexpectedly holding the key to a kingdom’s fate, there’s always more to uncover. And in the layered narratives of a campaign, these texts could serve as bridging elements leading adventurers from one world to another, each step more fascinating than the last.

In essence, these collections are the scholar’s brain immortalized—a repository for discoveries, both fantastical and mundane. And while players sift through the pages, their imaginations will color in the paths of the past and in the potential of the future. Here’s a d20 table to ignite your curiosity:

d20	Book Title	Contents	Possible Hidden Secrets	d100
1	“Chronicles of The Five Kingdoms”	Historical account of warring states	Hints at an undiscovered heir	21
2	“Alchemy of the Elements”	Basic elemental transmutations	Formula for a forgotten masterpiece	22
3	“Voyages of the Starbound”	Exploration records	Stellar maps with hidden astrological spells	23
4	“Treatise on Draconic Lore”	Stories of dragons, both friendly and foul	An unhatched dragon egg concealed within	24
5	“The Eclipsed Grimoire”	Collection of banned spells	Maps to an ancient forbidden site	25
6	“Botanical Compendium of the Lost Realms”	Catalog of rare plants	Recipes for potent elixirs	26
7	“Necromancer’s Codex”	Dark rituals and summoning spells	Instructions missing key innocuous steps	27
8	“Songs of the Elven Bards”	Lyrical histories	Entrancing spells within woven verses	28
9	“Astral Navigator’s Guide”	Star charts for spatial travel	Directions to a cosmic anomaly	29
10	“Chronicle of the Celestial Gates”	Accounts of planar crossings	Portal coordinates scrawled in margins	30
11	“Herbal Remedies of the Ancients”	Medicinal recipes	Cures thought impossible now noted	31
12	“The Hidden Library”	Index of mythical libraries	Directions to an elusive library’s entrance	32
13	“Ciphers of the Old Magi”	Encrypted spellbook	Concealed steps to decrypt curses	33
14	“Silverscale’s Nautical Compendium”	Logbook of ocean voyages	Lost treasure routes and sea creature lairs	34
15	“Mysteries of the Arcane Void”	Theoretical magic studies	Hints towards a forgotten spell class	35
16	“Rituals of the Moonlit Order”	Ceremonial instructions	Hidden incantations with lunar phases	36
17	“Legend of the Twin Suns”	Mythical tales of duality	Duality perception magic encoded within	37
18	“Tales of the Fey and Their Kin”	Lore of fairy world dealings	Summoning rites slipped between pages	38
19	“The Forgotten Histories”	Documented, neglected events	Insight to a hidden passageway	39
20	“Ctana’s Compendium of Curses”	Collection of hexes	Old hex with an unknown counter-spell	40

These ancient tomes and forgotten texts are gateways to quests unknown or doors to adventures untold. They can lead characters down winding paths filled with intrigue and can unravel secrets long buried beneath dust and neglect. Whether they unearth new spells, revive lost kingdoms, or merely tell tales of days gone by, these tomes enrich storytelling, inviting players not just to read but to live the stories within.

For those bold adventurers, the scholar’s library of forgotten texts is a cavern of knowledge waiting to be unlocked. Sometimes, within these pages, you find more than just spells or rituals. Imagine the thrill of deciphering an ancient script that leads not only to a hidden treasure but also unveils a cryptic prophecy that was meant to shape the fate of kingdoms—it’s gripping! Indeed, these texts offer opportunities to connect dots between disparate clues across campaigns or even serve as a guiding light during the dark and uncertain times.

d20 Strange Curios and Peculiar Trinkets

Ah, the wondrous world of oddities scattered across a scholar’s backroom. Here lies an assortment that suggests a life of travel or simply a penchant for collecting the bizarre—fossils of unknown creatures, coins with inscriptions from lost languages, or mechanical devices that buzz with mystery. These strange trinkets are often non-magical, yet they hold a story or an enigma just waiting to be puzzled through.

What stories might be contained in a perfectly preserved butterfly encased in crystal, or in a severed automaton hand that seems to twitch at random? These are scholars’ curios collected over years of wandering realms far and wide. Each curiosity carries with it whispers of where it’s been—doorways to stories running the gamut from tragic to comedic, each with the potential to tug at your narrative heartstrings.

Such items might serve as conversation starters or as keys to unlock larger mysteries. Even the most mundane object could prove invaluable. What if that strange coin carries a blessings token? Or that unusual sculpture is actually a map leading to a hidden valley forgotten by time? These trinkets spark curiosity and, in doing so, inspire players to dig deeper into the world, challenging them to discern context and meaning.

For a taste of what these peculiar collectibles might offer, here’s a d20 table whetting your appetite for adventure:

d20	Item Description	Possible Origins	Significance	d100
1	Fossilized Mollusk Shell	Undersea trench expedition	Linked to ancient sea deity rites	41
2	Mismatched Set of Eyes	Unknown, appear ceramic	Likely crafted by eccentric artificer	42
3	Mechanical Beetle	Gnome inventors’ workshop	Carries encoded information when wound	43
4	Copper Coin with Obscure Markings	Ancient, forgotten civilization	Can pay passage on spectral ferries	44
5	Shrunken Head of a Beast	Tribal lands	Might be an oracular artifact	45
6	Crystal Sphere with Captured Lightning	Magical experiment gone awry	Releases energy when shattered	46
7	Preserved Butterfly in Amber	Deep forest glade	Key to unlocking a nature’s vault	47
8	Stone Statue of a Tiny Imp	Demonic realms sculptor	Guard trespasses and unfinished pacts	48
9	Twisting Roots in Bottled Earth	Wild growth in druid hollow	Sprouts plants with unique properties	49
10	Fragment of a Moon Rock	Fallen starsite	Attracts lunar creatures during the full moon	50
11	Time-tarnished Navigational Compass	Shipwreck, sea expedition	Points towards significant loved ones	51
12	Pinion from a Celestial Wheel	Legendary observatory	Grants brief glimpses of cosmic truths	52
13	Ancient Clay Tablet	Unearthed ruin	Tied to unlocking temporal gates	53
14	Gem-inset Brooch with Moving Parts	Court of a vanished realm	Displays historical events when pressed	54
15	Skeletal Hand Clasped in Ice	Frozen tundra	Enthralled by haunting spirits	55
16	Etched Tablet with Unreadable Script	Deserted city	Uncovers hidden desert pathways	56
17	Gilded Feather	Phoenix nesting grounds	Holds flame enchantment still	57
18	Engraved Brass Timepiece	Mechanical genius collector	Alters perception of time in treacherous places	58
19	Two-headed Coin	Courted by gamblers	Provides luck at games of chance	59
20	Tiny Animated Figurine	Wandering tinker’s creation	Acts on given simple commands	60

Even if they’re just dust-catching curios, these strange trinkets fuel imagination. They’re a bridge to distant lands or distant pasts, encouraging players to learn the story behind each object. Such discoveries enhance the ties between players and the game world, blurring the line between mere collection and narrative gold.

d20 Alchemical Supplies and Experimental Substances

What’s a scholar’s backroom without the potentially explosive combination of bubbling concoctions and strange, labeled powders? Here, among the books and trinkets, are the alchemical supplies—the building blocks of experimentation and the residue of trial and error. These bubbling liquids and mysterious solids could be cures, could be curses, or they might just add a tang to your morning tea.

Some concoctions bubble quietly, awaiting only the right mix or incantation to unleash their potential. Others might remain dangerously volatile, mere moments from disaster. The thick scent of sulfur mingles with that of crushed herbs; unknown substances glow faintly beneath dusty beakers. The thrill of discovery here is paired with a touch of uncertainty—players never quite know what to expect when they uncork that dusty vial.

These alchemical supplies offer myriad uses—from last-ditch survival to the spark of a quest to find lost formulas. The lingering effects of these experiments reveal as much about the scholar’s ambition as they do about their caution—or lack thereof. Mixing these substances into your campaign might turn a dull day into an explosive encounter or a mind-bending journey into the uncharted territories of science and magic.

Venture into this volatile mix with a d20 table showcasing what you might find:

d20	Substance Description	Effects	Potential Dangers	d100
1	Glowing Verdant Liquid	Heals wounds	Causes hallucinations of forest	61
2	Powdered Unicorn Horn	Amplifies magic spells	Side effect distorts casting ability	62
3	Essence of Ghost Orchid	Grants invisibility	Drains vitality rapidly	63
4	Fiery Essence	Ignites flammable objects	Impossible to douse for 24 hours	64
5	Bottled Sunlight	Radiant energy release	Permanent blindness when opened	65
6	Elixir of Overdrive	Temporarily boosts speed	Results in severe exhaustion	66
7	Dream Dust	Induces colorful visions	Sleeper becomes target for dream entities	67
8	Liquid Mist of Shadows	Melds with local darkness	Cannot dissipate if exposed to bright light	68
9	Herbal Elixir of Rage	Enhances physical strength	Reduces mental clarity	69
10	Ambergris Mixture	Heightens senses	Causes aversion to salt water	70
11	Suspended Animation Serum	Halts bodily functions	May fail randomly at inopportune moments	71
12	Crystalized Ethereal Gas	Temporarily phases objects	Permanently affects disorganized matter	72
13	Gaseous Gold	Coats objects with golden film	Rapid disintegration of affected area	73
14	Philter of Forgetting	Induces temporary amnesia	May erase critical memories	74
15	Mercury Vapor	Reflects nearby sounds	Causes auditory hallucinations	75
16	Starlight Liquid	Magnifies vision clarity	Blinds if inhaled accidentally	76
17	Whispering Fungi Spores	Communicates with fungi	Results in temporary muting of speech	77
18	Raving Potion	Strengthens mental fortitude	Leads to dangerous mania	78
19	Electrified Gel	Electrifies simple mechanisms	Dangerous when touched with bare skin	79
20	Liquid of the Void	Absorbs light completely	Consumes surrounding matter over time	80

Be they tools in the scholar’s hands or unexpected hazards on a quest, alchemical supplies embody the quest for understanding. Their colorful chaos brings a touch of unpredictability to your campaign, each vial a mystery unto itself with the possibility of being a valuable resource—or a thrilling complication.

d20 Personal Effects and Forgotten Relics

Rounding out the collection found in the backroom are the personal effects and forgotten relics. These are bits and pieces of the scholar’s life, tangible memories often mixed with the minutiae of daily existence. Some of these items carry weighty emotional significance, like letters from lost colleagues, frayed notebooks filled to the brim, and keepsakes with stories untold.

Imagine the insight a stained sketch of an unfinished invention provides into the scholar’s character, or the self-reflective depth in a lonely letter written but never sent. A cracked monocle might tell the story of a scholar who sought to see the world differently, and a well-thumbed journal might harbor secrets written in an intimate cipher.

These personal belongings reveal glimpses of the scholar’s basement-like mind in its breaking points and highlights. They serve as starting points for new plotlines, whether through a recovering forgotten relic with newfound significance or by uncovering a written legacy that sheds light on allies, adversaries, or unfinished business their absence left behind. This d20 table offers some muse-inspired inspiration:

d20	Personal Item Description	Significance	Possible Story Connections	d100
1	Framed Family Portrait	Shows family tree	Potential heirloom ignored	81
2	Unfinished Painting	Details a thriving village	Village now mysteriously vanished	82
3	Collection of Corsault Feathers	Sentimental keepsakes	Represents prized past encounter	83
4	Torn Map with Annotations	Highlights unknown regions	Treasure hints in details	84
5	Worn Journal with Cryptic Writings	Holds fragmented thoughts	Contains subplot-inspiring riddles	85
6	Magical Music Box	Emits soothing lullaby	Reveals stress-relief spells’ origin	86
7	Ancient Love Letter	Declares undying affection	Relationship fragments reveal long-lost lover	87
8	Graph Paper with Theories	Doodles attempts for new inventions	Reinvents gadgetry’s golden age	88
9	Lock of Hair	Represents intimacy	Unveils past romance’s intricate details	89
10	Dusty Robe with Patches	Contains stitches of experiences	Tells a wanderer’s tale through repair	90
11	Cracked Monocle	Suggests imperfect vision	Reflects scholar’s impaired perception	91
12	Collection of Old Keys	Leads to various hidden chambers	Opens unexpected vault doors	92
13	Half-burned Candle	Symbolizes unfinished work	Illuminates cues for incomplete rituals	93
14	Sentimental Ring	Engraved with initials	Links kindred spirits on forgotten paths	94
15	Inscribed Silver Pocket Watch	Grants nostalgia and temporal insights	Telescopes in moments of dire need	95
16	Moth-eaten Blanket	Provides tactile comfort	Suggestive of cozy exploration wrap-up	96
17	Dark Lantern with Engravings	Contains ash remnants	Reflects thwarted goals upon attempts	97
18	Message in a Locked Bottle	Sealed despite time	Offers tantalizing suspense before heed	98
19	Star-chart of Unlikely Alignments	Tracks celestial bodies	Leads suggests timing-driven events	99
20	Book on Principles of Unseen Science	Academic pursuits evolved	Plants seeds for scholarly redefinitions	100

Peering into a scholar’s life through these personal effects enables players to perceive intimate glimpses into their long-absent protagonist. Each item mingles with those around it, contributing to communities and campaigns alike—a window into complex personalities or contemplations larger than the immediate quest at hand.

Random Table for Items Found in a Scholar’s Backroom

In wrapping up, remember that a scholar’s back room is so much more than just a pile of forgotten junk. It’s an absolute narrative goldmine. Every item, from grandiose artifacts to mundane trinkets, holds the potential to be woven into your campaigns as clever plot devices, intriguing mysteries, or even minor distractions that simply enrich the world.

Be bold, be creative! Use these items to weave unexpected threads into your games. They can potentially kickstart entire adventures—like a cursed tome sparking a quest for redemption, an unidentified potion leading to an alchemical breakthrough, or a simple personal letter hinting at an undiscovered legacy.

The key to a captivating fantasy world lies in the details. Just imagine a single item sparking an adventure that takes your players across continents, through dimensions, or deep into the annals of their own story. There’s limitless potential within the confines of a cramped scholar’s backroom, and it’s all waiting for you to unleash.

Remember, a well-stocked backroom is more than just a space filled with curiosities—it’s a treasure chest of storytelling, ready to be opened. So, as you delve into these treasures and incorporate them into your campaigns, keep in mind: the greatest fantasy worlds are filled with these intricate things they hide. And when a scholar’s void invites the spotlight, therein lies the power of a profoundly woven narrative.