The treasure found in the depths of a dungeon, a tomb in a long-forgotten mausoleum, or in the lair of a dangerous creature doesn’t have to be just coins, gems, and magic items. Various relics of historical importance are also worth looting as collectors and scholars who focus on certain cultures or lines of study will pay a premium to be able to study these rare finds.
Using the Tables
When it feels appropriate to reward the adventuring party with a relic instead of coins or some other treasure, roll on the following tables.
To create a relic:
- Roll a d100 on the Relic Condition table or choose an appropriate condition to replace a treasure of approximately the same value. This sets the base value of the relic (the amount most merchants would buy it for), and the DC of the Charisma (Persuasion) check to find an interested collector which will pay more than the base price.
- Roll a d100 twice on the Relic Type table. The first is for the detail of the culture that created the relic and the second generates its purpose.
Relic Condition
| d100 | Condition | Base Value | Ability Check DC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 20 | Broken | 5 gp | 11 |
| 21 – 40 | Damaged | 10 gp | 12 |
| 41 – 60 | Poor | 25 gp | 13 |
| 61 – 70 | Weathered | 50 gp | 14 |
| 71 – 80 | Distressed | 100 gp | 15 |
| 81 – 90 | Worn | 200 gp | 18 |
| 91 – 95 | Patinaed | 300 gp | 20 |
| 96 – 100 | Pristine | 500 gp | 21 |
Relic Type
| d100 | Origin | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 6 | Abyssal | Alchemical: tool or equipment used in alchemy |
| 7 – 13 | Celestial | Arcane: spellcasting focus or component |
| 14 – 20 | Draconic | Artistic: a work of art or artistic supplies |
| 21 – 27 | Dwarven | Business: financial record or contract |
| 28 – 35 | Elven | Crafting: crafting tool |
| 36 – 42 | Fey | Cultural: clothing or decoration |
| 43 – 49 | Giant | Domestic: household item |
| 50 – 56 | Gnomish | Historical: diplomatic letter or treaty |
| 57 – 63 | Goblin | Military: medal, uniform, or ceremonial weapon |
| 64 – 70 | Human | Mortuary: surgical tool or embalming intruments |
| 71 – 77 | Infernal | Musical: instrument or sheet music |
| 78 – 84 | Lizardfolk | Natural: preserved specimen or fossilized remains |
| 85 – 91 | Orcish | Personal: jewelry or cosmetic item |
| 92 – 97 | Tabaxi | Religious: scriptures or holy symbol |
| 98 – 100 | Yuan-Ti | Scientific: formula or measuring instrument |
Finding a Buyer
In a sufficiently large city or town with a university or academy, a character can spend a day searching for a collector or merchant that would be interested in buying a historical relic. The character can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check using the DC from the Relic Condition table. Consult the following Buyer table.
Buyer
| Check result | Price |
|---|---|
| Fail | Base Value |
| Pass | Base Value x 2 |
| Critical Success | Base Value x 3 |
Note:
