Badge-of-the-Selfless_HiRez-Flat.png 4.6 MB
Badge-of-the-Selfless_No_Watercolor.png 5.5 MB
Badge-of-the-Selfless_No_Label.png 6.0 MB
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March 20, 2026

Badge of the Selfless

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

This silver badge of a four-fingered hand represents the story of the selfless medic, a patron saint of field doctors among humankind. Even if you're not attuned to the badge, you gain a +5 bonus to Wisdom (Medicine) checks you make while wearing it.

While attuned to the badge and wearing it, you gain the following benefits.

Reattach Limb. You can use an action to pin the badge to a detached limb and hold it to the body it was lost from, provided that they're both within your reach. When you do, the badge magically reconnects the limb and restores its typical function. The badge then loses this property as well as the other two properties described below.

Selfless Healing. You can use an action to touch a creature and spend one Hit Die. Roll the Hit Die: the touched creature then regains hit points equal to your Constitution modifier plus twice the number rolled. Once a creature regains hit points in this way, it can't do so again until it finishes a long rest.

Triage. You have proficiency in the Medicine skill. In addition, you can use a bonus action to look at a creature and make a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a success, you can determine if the creature has half its hit points or fewer remaining.

"I need twelve volunteers to clear a path for the rest of the war effort to succeed. There will be no survivors, save for the legacy of your bravery."
The captain's voice wavered at the end. Just a bit. Those that were left were either too tired or downtrodden to notice or care, though. There was silence at first. Then murmurs of hopelessness.
The first hand to raise was missing its thumb and wrapped in gauze. It was resolute and calm, and belonged to the group's doctor. Ever ambitious and filled with levity, the man's stoic face was in high contrast to his normal demeanor. Sure enough, the certainty on his face did more than words to inspire his fellow soldiers.
Another moment passed, but one of breathlessness. One by one, hands were raised. Three. Five. Eight. Eleven.
Twelve, as the captain raised his own.
He looked at the doctor, grimly, then turned to his second in command.
"Natasia, congratulations: please lead our colleagues to an end of this conflict. I believe in you. We all know you can do this."
The knight took the captain's meaning with solemnity. She turned to the rest and nodded her head in acknowledgement.
Then the captain—ex-captain—turned to the doctor before continuing to speak, this time to everyone: "With your selflessness, we will win this fight. With the doctor's help, we are not twelve, but a hundred."
—Excerpt from "Tales of War: The Selfless Medic and the Twelve Hundred-men

Comments (1)

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David S. · March 20, 2026

I also often find inspiration for magic items in real world things. If you get the chance you should do an image search for "samurai octopus helmet". That thing is practically begging to be turned into a magical item! Great work as always 👍