A sea-burnished ration cup with a lip spout and fine measure lines on the inside.

How It Works

Fill the cup with any liquid to the desired amount. Tap the cup’s base three times on a hard surface.

• Success: The holder feels a subtle tactile click from the handle. That volume is now the cup’s Active Measure for the day.
• Effect: For the rest of the day, any liquid poured from the cup will stop in a clean, dripless stream at the exact Active Measure. No more, no less.

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Reset & Limits

• Reset: The cup resets at the next dawn.
• Early Reset: It can be reset early by being rinsed thoroughly and left completely dry for 1 hour.
• Limits: The cup does not heat, cool, purify, or create liquid. Spilling liquid from the cup does not “save” or extend the measured pour.

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Referee’s Toolkit: Acquiring Quirks

When the characters first acquire the cup, the DM determines its nature and how its quirks manifest.

• Standard Method (Roll Once): Roll 1d30 on acquisition. The result is the cup’s single, permanent quirk, giving it a unique identity.
• DM’s Choice (Curated Identity): The DM can simply choose one or more quirks that fit the item’s history or location (e.g., a cup found on a shipwreck might have “Brine-Favoured”). The DM can also decide to roll multiple times (re-rolling duplicates) to create a more notable or powerful artifact.
• Chaotic Method (Daily Manifestation): For a more unpredictable and gonzo item, the DM may require a 1d30 roll each day after the cup is reset. The cup’s quirk changes with the rising sun.

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d30	Cup of Even Measures Quirks
1	Ghost Ring: A faint, ghostly ring of tarnish is visible on the cup’s inner wall – the mark of yesterday’s measure
2	Brine-Favoured: The 1-hour reset is reduced to 30 minutes if rinsed with saltwater brine.
3	Anchor-Set: Oddly resists toppling. When jolted or the surface lurches, it only spills on a 1–2 on a d6.
4	Maker’s Feel: The tactile click of activation feels different based on density: a sharp tap for light liquids (spirits), a dull thud for dense ones (oil, honey).
5	Honest Measure: If the bearer knowingly uses the measured pour to cheat a partner or customer, the tactile click is a loud, discordant CLANG audible to all within 10 feet.
6	Lantern’s Friend: While active, small, non-magical flames (candles, lanterns) within 5 feet flutter less.
7	Glitter Lines: The cup’s inner measure lines sparkle faintly and are easily readable even in dim, flickering light.
8	Hold Fast: The exterior of the cup stays perfectly dry to the touch, repelling fog, condensation, and sea spray. The grip is always sure.
9	Liquid Memory: Traces of the last liquid measured (smell, a faint shimmer) linger until the next reset.
10	Calm Surface: Any liquid inside the cup settles almost instantly, becoming mirror-still.
11	Purifier’s Pour: The cup refuses to pour dregs, sediment, or unmixed particulate. Any such unwanted material (poison powder, wine dregs, swamp-water grit) remains in the cup.
12	Muffled Pour: While the cup is active, liquid inside it is supernaturally silent. It does not slosh, bubble, or make any sound when poured.
13	Insulated: The cup is strangely insulated against the elements. A liquid poured inside retains it’s temperature for one hour.
14	High-Noon: The cup does not reset at dawn. It resets at high noon, when the sun is at its zenith.
15	Abhors Ale: The cup refuses to measure ale, beer, or mead. It simply will not activate for these liquids, though it measures wine, spirits, water, and oil just fine.
16	Potable Pitch: If the liquid being measured is pure, clean, and safe to drink, the activation tactile click is accompanied by a faint, harmonious chime.
17	Parasitic Thirst: The cup’s “Active Measure” is always slightly less than what was set. It seems to absorb a single, tiny drop of every liquid it measures for itself.
18	Viscous Pour: Any liquid poured from the cup, regardless of its true nature, flows slowly and thickly, like honey or cold oil.
19	Hydrophilic: The cup loves water. It will only set a measure for water. It can pour any liquid using that set measure, but the initial activation must be done with water.
20	Dram-Counter: The cup has an additional function. By tapping its rim (not its base), it will pour exactly one fluid dram (approx 3.7ml) of whatever liquid is inside it, regardless of the day’s “Active Measure.”
21	Sobering Draught: Any alcoholic beverage poured using the cup’s “Active Measure” loses its intoxicating properties (but retains its flavor).
22	Owner’s Mark: After the cup is held by a new owner for 24 hours, their thumbprint appears faintly etched into the metal of its base. This mark fades when the cup passes to another.
23	Chromatic Flash: When the “Active Measure” is set using a magical liquid (e.g., a potion), the cup’s tactile click is accompanied by a silent, one-second flash of colored light (DM chooses a color appropriate to the magic).
24	Hygienic: The cup magically repels dirt, grime, and mud. No matter where it’s dropped, it can be picked up perfectly clean (though the inside still needs rinsing to be reset).
25	Vibrating Alert: If the cup’s “Active Measure” is set using a material the cup has measured before, it vibrates gently (like a purring cat) in the holder’s hand.
26	Slime’s Delight: The cup slowly but constantly attracts oozes, slimes, and jellies. If left unattended, there is a 1-in-6 chance per hour that a small ooze (or similar) will be found making its way toward it.
27	Unmoving Weight: The cup’s weight is strangely constant. It weighs exactly the same when full to the brim with water as it does when completely empty.
28	Salty Taint: Any liquid measured by the cup (even pure water) gains a faint, but distinct, salty, briny taste.
29	Liquid Lock: When the Active Measure is set, the cup’s magic will only work on that one type of liquid. If filled with any other substance, it pours normally, as if it were not enchanted.
30	Dry Measure: The cup’s magic also applies to fine, dry goods. It can set an Active Measure using sand, salt, flour, grain, or even gold dust, and will pour that exact amount just as it would a liquid.

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