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Truly Sentient Items, by Catilus

5E-Compatible Treasure with Personality – Unique Items, Rich Backstories, Adventure Hooks, Transformations, Approval System, and More

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When Your Sword Has an Opinion: Truly Sentient Items


We have all been there: the party finds a legendary sword, identifies it, and then... it just sits on the character sheet, a stat block with a name. But what if that sword had a favorite food? What if it refused to be drawn unless you complimented its hilt? Truly Sentient Items by Catilus is a new 5E supplement designed to inject personality, drama, and a little bit of sass into your treasure hoard.


Project Overview


Name and Creator: Truly Sentient Items by Catilus.

What It Is: This project is a beautifully illustrated compendium of sentient magic items compatible with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Unlike standard loot, these items come with fully fleshed-out personalities, rich backstories, and unique mechanics that evolve based on your relationship with them.

Status: The project is currently live and fully funded, having raised over $8,900 (smashing its initial ~$2,300 goal) with days left to go. The campaign is part of Kickstarter’s "Witchstarter" initiative and ends on December 4, 2025.


Key Features


  • Deep Personalities: Each item is a character in its own right, complete with motives, quirks, and secrets. Meet items like Baggy, the cheerful Bag of Holding that loves to organize your inventory (and might judge you for your mess).

  • Approval System: Just like a companion NPC, you have to earn the trust of these items. They feature an "approval" mechanic where your actions can unlock new powers—or cause the item to rebel if you mistreat it.

  • Adventure Hooks: Every item includes specific plot hooks and side quests, making them easy to drop into any campaign as major plot points rather than just loot.

  • Interactive AI Companions: In a unique twist, Catilus has created optional, free "magical interactive companions" for the items. These are text-based AI tools that allow players to "chat" with the items between sessions to learn lore or just banter, bridging the gap between tabletop play and digital interaction.

  • Transformations: Some items can evolve or transform based on the story, changing their stats and abilities as they grow alongside the player.


Reward


  • Pledge Levels:

    • Hardcover Print-on-Demand (POD) Code: Backers can pledge for a code to purchase the physical Softcover or Hardcover book "at cost" from DriveThruRPG. This means you pay a lower pledge now, and then pay the printing and shipping costs later directly to the printer, ensuring you get a high-quality physical book without the creator risking fulfillment bottlenecks. Starts at €24.

  • Delivery: Digital rewards are expected to be delivered shortly after the campaign ends, with physical POD codes following once the layout is finalized.

  • Other reward tiers are available in the reward section.


Concept


The core concept is "Loot with Life." In many TTRPGs, magic items are treated as tools—batteries of power to be used and discarded. Truly Sentient Items flips this script by treating items as NPCs. It challenges players to form a bond with their gear. A shield might protect you better if you defend the innocent, or a dagger might dull itself if you refuse to assassinate a target. It adds a layer of roleplay to the inventory management that is often missing from standard games.


Inspiration


Christina (aka Catilus) is a prolific fantasy artist and creator from Athens, Greece, known for her vibrant art style and previous successful Kickstarters like Periodic Table of Elementals and Cute Creatures Compendium. Her work is heavily community-driven, often incorporating feedback and ideas from her active fanbase. The inspiration for this project came from a desire to make treasure feel "earned" not just through combat, but through relationship-building, turning the "loot" phase of the game into a roleplaying opportunity.





 
 
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