When did the original Dungeons & Dragons box set appear with magic items?
The original Dungeons & Dragons box set appeared in 1974. This release included a simple rule stating that any object imbued with magic counted as an artifact.
Questions about Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is Encyclopedia Magica Volume One and when was it published?
Encyclopedia Magica Volume One arrived in 1994 as the first installment of a four-part set. It listed all magical items published by TSR from the original woodgrain box through December 1993.
Who created The Deck of Many Things and when did it first appear?
Rob Kuntz and Gary Gygax created twenty-two cards for The Deck of Many Things during 1975. This item appeared in Supplement I: Greyhawk at that time.
Which edition introduced rarity ratings ranging from Common to Legendary for Magic Items?
Fifth edition introduced rarity ratings ranging from Common to Legendary for Magic Items. Artifacts now formed a sixth category reserved for unique objects like the Hand of Vecna.
Where does the Vorpal Sword originate from within literature?
The Vorpal Sword came directly from Lewis Carroll's poem Jabberwocky. It possessed specific properties relating to beheading which was how the blade slew the titular monster.