Bag of Holding (Artifact of Elas) Myth in Malta | World Anvil
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Bag of Holding (Artifact of Elas)

Summary

The Artifact of Elas which is a Bag of Holding is a sentient magic item whose more mundane magical nature is that of a bag of holding. Its personality reflects the good-spirited nature for which Elas is known. Thus its essence is derived from the mind of Elas, rather than the body or the power. However, it does not contain any additional knowledge (mundane and otherwise), precognition, nor omnipresence from Elas, implying that the bag of holding is but one piece of Elas's mind.   This artifact can only be attuned to a creature who is genuinely good, wanting to help those who help others. It will often clam up and remain silent when in the presence of evil or untrustworthy creatures.

Historical Basis

When Elas was killed, his essence fractured into many different pieces. Some of these pieces of essence became imbued into items, creating Artifacts of Elas. These artifacts are extremely rare and their existence a well-guarded secret. The knowledge that they exist at all is rare - known to very few. The specifics of what items, exactly, are out there is even more rare.   The Bag of Holding's first known owner to bond with it was the Brass Dragon known as Smaul. It was presented to him as a gift a prominent Maltan knight when he set out to clear out the sunken castle of Benvoulin and revitalize it into the thriving city it is today. Sensing the goodness within Smaul, the Bag of Holding bonded with the dragon and began a centuries-long friendship and consultancy. It is likely that Smaul never realized that the artifact contained an essence of a vanquished god, as the death of a god was an unheard-of impossibility at the time. Rather, Smaul probably thought that the Bag of Holding with whom he had bonded was a sentient magic item who happened to share the name after of the (very popular, at the time) god of his realm.   After the destruction of Benvoulin's Devils' District, and the collateral damage done to Smaul's castle, he left the public eye for a long time, eventually reemerging in the guise of an alter ego, The Alchemist. At some point during this time, Smaul ceased carrying the Bag of Holding and instead sealed it away in the most secure area of his sunken castle's vault. Some have theorized that the moral decline of Smaul into The Alchemist created a wall between Smaul and the artifact, eventually unraveling the bond the two once shared.   Centuries after this separation, the adventuring group known as the T-Bones broke into Smaul's sunken castle, found his vault, and managed to unlock it. The artifact came into the possession of [Arale], who bonded with it. They gave a new name to the artifact, and for a time it was known by the moniker Buzzin. It is unlikely that either Arale or her allies knew the true nature of their recovered item, as a few second-hand reports indicate that they paid it no more mind than any of the other magical items and trinkets that came into their possession. After the Siege of Dunbar, when the absence of Elas became more commonly known, there are no more reports of Arale's Bag of Holding being flaunted about. It is therefore possible that she learned of its origin around this time, and chose to keep the knowledge of its existence a little more closely guarded, in case there were others who sought it out.   The bag's current owner is unknown. It is possible that it has become a family heirloom, passed down through the descendants of Arale in the centuries since.

Spread

As with all Artifacts of Elas, the existence of the Bag of Holding artifact is tightly guarded. Even when an owner moves on from their relationship with the bag they often store it within their most secretive / well-defended area (e.g. a hidden vault or safe) rather than selling or trading it. Hence, not many know about the existence of this particular artifact.

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