Pen

A pen, also called an ink pen, was a writing utensil and drawing device. "In this Year of the Great Sky Serpent, in the month of Kao, the first day of Shiang, I set pen to paper to record the Myriad Things of this Land of Shou Lung, as requested by my most Honored Friend, the foreign scholar Elminster."

- Mei Lung Chen-Shan-Tien-Kung-Te

Description
"I can hear Elminster admonishing even as my pen leaves the scroll."

- Maris Khorma Terrabin, a wizard and ecologist

The standard inkpen was a stick of wood fitted with a special tip that drew up ink when dipped into it.

Uses
Pens were used to transfer ink to paper, usually by scholars to scribe books and diplomats to write and sign contracts. Special forgery pens were produced for those who wanted to alter documents with precision. Wizards oft bought magnets to hold their ink pens. Simple pens were included in map-making kits.

Pens were symbols of authority in Kara-Tur and represented two of the nine Gifts of the Faith. Golden pens represented writing and jade pens represented history. Pen schools that taught art were even known the exist in the eastern continent, particularly the one founded by Shen Shou.

Quill pens were used as material components for several spells, both divine and arcane. However, if one wanted to scribe a magical scroll, special types of pens would be needed, such as quills made from magical beasts.

Types
There were several types of ink pen, from simple goose feather quills to special metal-nibbed pens. They ranged in price depending on the quality of the pen. Standard ink pens cost just 2 cp each, but deluxe metal nibs imported from Kara-Tur sold for 70 gp a set. More modern pens were designed to hold reservoirs of ink, so that they did not need to be continuously dipped in ink, unlike quills.

Alternatives
Spells could be use to replicate the effect of a pen and ink. The amanuensis spell created an animated pen to duplicate magical writing. The magical pen could write just as quick as the caster, and the caster did not even have to be present.

Powers
Magical pens were known to exist throughout the multiverse. One such item was a quill pen that hovered above paper and wrote by itself. It also had the capabilities of speaking Common.

History
In ancient times, the overgod Ao created the Tablets of Fate. Before they assumed the form of tablets, they appeared as a quill pen of misty force (as well as other forms).

"Here the pen truly is mightier than the sword, here the sculptor's hammer outweighs the war hammer, and spells of creation are valued above those of destruction."

- A description of the values of Silverymoon under Alustriel's command

In 1357 DR, the catacombs of Waterdeep contained a magical pen that could speak and write without a user.

In the 15 century DR, the beholder Lorthuun guarded a Zhentarim warehouse in Mantol-Derith. The warehouse stockpiled several useful items, including several ink pens.

Symbology
"He who wields a sword serves his community with courage. But he who wields a pen serves with elegance."

- An inhabitant of the City of Doors, Sigil

Those of the Stationers' Guild of Waterdeep wore white robes with black quill pens on their breasts. The Waterdhavian Estelmer family were skilled printers and their coat of arms featured a turquoise quill pen.

Jergal's holy symbol was that of a quill pen upon a skull, and Deneir, the Scribe of Oghma was represented as a scholar holding a quill pen.

Pens were often used as the representation of peace and civilization, as opposed to the sword, which represented war and battle.

Notable Owners
"When these truths became apparent to me, I decided that it was probably a good time to pick up my pen and tell the world my story."

- Athanial the Wind


 * Ito Chomei, the Paper Warrior. If Chomei's quill pen or paper was moved, the words inked onto the paper would spring to life, summoning the Paper Warrior. The Paper Warrior fought with a magical pen that could confuse his enemies. He also kept a box of pen nibs, though one was actually a katana charm that fit into a special medallion.


 * Lheao, the scribe of Elminster, was known to stockpile ink pens, ink, and parchment. He insisted that letters to his master must be written in Common, Thorass, and Dwarvish.


 * Quillan the Sage, a treasurer who calculated the Council of Bloodstone's wealth with his quill pen.

The adventuress Zaranda Star owned a pen from Kara-Tur made from a spine from a sahuagin and tipped with a steel nib.

Notable Pens

 * The Paper Warrior owned a magical pen that would literally rewrite the perception of reality of his enemies. The effects of the enchanted pen would confuse or even charm those who were struck.


 * A fire quill could be summoned by the arcane spell of the same name. These quill pens could write letters formed of leaping illusory flames. The words written by fire quills could be read by those even several feet away.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Night of the Seven Swords • The Bloodstone Wars • Shadowdale • Marco Volo: Journey • Marco Volo: Arrival • The Ruins of Undermountain II: The Deep Levels • The Sword of the Dales • Out of the Abyss • Tales from the Yawning Portal • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Nightmare Keep • The Accursed Tower
 * Novels
 * The Sapphire Crescent
 * Comic Books
 * The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland (#1)
 * Gamebooks
 * Knight of the Living Dead
 * Knight of the Living Dead