Magic item

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For other uses, see Magic item (disambiguation).
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A magic item is any object that has

magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the person or being whose hands they fall into. Magic items are commonly found in both folklore and modern fantasy. Their fictional appearance is as old as the Iliad in which Aphrodite's magical girdle is used by Hera as a love charm.[1]

Magic items often act as a

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, the magic ring allows Bilbo Baggins to be instrumental in the quest, exceeding the abilities of the dwarves.[2]

Magic items are often, also, used as

fetch quests
.

Fairy tales

Certain kinds of fairy tales have their plots dominated by the magic items they contain. One such is the tale where the hero has a magic item that brings success, loses the item either accidentally (

Why the Sea Is Salt or the pot in Sweet Porridge.[4] A third is the tale in which a hero has two rewards stolen from him, and a third reward attacks the thief.[5]

Types of magic items

Many works of folklore and fantasy include very similar items, that can be grouped into types. These include:

Artifacts

In

magical object with great power. Often, this power is so great that it cannot be duplicated by any known art allowed by the premises of the fantasy world, and often cannot be destroyed by ordinary means. Artifacts often serve as MacGuffins, the central focus of quests to locate, capture, or destroy them. The One Ring of The Lord of the Rings
is a typical artifact: it was alarmingly powerful, of ancient and obscure origin, and nearly indestructible.

In fiction

In Dungeons & Dragons
Main article: Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons) § Artifacts

In

Mordenkainen's Disjunction, but for the purposes of a campaign centered on destroying an artifact, a plot-related means of destruction is generally substituted. Artifacts in D&D are split into two categories. Minor artifacts are common, but they can no longer be created, whereas major artifacts are unique – only one of each item exists.[6]

In Harry Potter
Main article: Magical objects in Harry Potter

In the

dark
properties.

References

  1. ISBN 0-485-89002-X
  2. ISBN 0-618-25760-8
    , page 77
  3. ^ Stith Thompson, The Folktale, p 70-1, University of California Press, Berkeley Los Angeles London, 1977
  4. ^ Stith Thompson, The Folktale, p 73, University of California Press, Berkeley Los Angeles London, 1977
  5. ^ Stith Thompson, The Folktale, p 72, University of California Press, Berkeley Los Angeles London, 1977
  6. ^ Cook, Monte (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide (v.3.5 ed.). Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast. pp. 277–280.
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