The Museum's Marvels - Dungeons and Dragons Resource Pack

What happens when you mix historical artefacts, collaborative storytelling and a twenty-sided die?

Here at Reading Museum we set out to answer just that! Through a unique Dungeons and Dragons project, we want to explore new ways of engaging with our collections and bringing the museum to life.

In Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (D&D 5e), magical items are objects that can grant the user various special abilities. These abilities can range from casting specific spells to giving the user modifiers on certain ability rolls. The possibilities are endlessfun

Our goal with this toolkit is to provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to turn any museum object into a magical item, compatible with D&D 5e.

Alongside this resource we have created six magical item cards, which are inspired by objects from our own collection. You can find these on our website, and are even available for you to print out and use in your own campaigns.

This resource contains;

• A QuickStart guide, for those familiar with magical items in D&D 5e
• A detailed guide for those who may need a little more guidance

We have also annotated two of our own examples, and provided a template for you to design your own magical item cards.

Created in collaboration with Eclectic Games and Museum Partnership Reading, this project was made possible by funding through National Portfolio Organisation investment by Arts Council England, with support from Reading Borough Council and the University of Reading.