The Brush of Truepaint is an Aedric artifact supposedly created by Dibella. It is said that the bristles of the brush were woven from Dibella’s own hair. The brush allows the wielder to enter a painting canvas and paint things life-sized, simply by imagining them.
At some point before 2E 582, a Dunmer wizard named Bravam Lythandas was performing a cruel experiment in illusion on three captives he was keeping in his basement. He had magically tricked them into believing they were living in a palace, although over time the illusions began to damage their minds. As they descended into madness, one of the captives began rocking back and forth and muttering prayers to Dibella. Several days later, Bravam returned to find the basement entirely empty, with the walls, ceiling, and floor completely covered with a mural depicting the grand chamber of a palace. The only thing remaining was the Brush of Truepaint lying in the corner.
Bravam’s experiment journal went on to become a tome of forbidden knowledge, hoarded by Hermaeus Mora. At some point a Khajiit named Baezad-dro went looking for the Brush of Truepaint, although he was killed by a daedroth when he tried to read the journal. The journal eventually ended up on the small island of Khenarthi’s Roost along with several other tomes of forbidden knowledge.
The brush was later gifted to a descendant of Bravam Lythandas, an artist and devout follower of the goddess who served in the Arnesian War of 3E 396. An errant fireball exploded next to him, and he lost the use of both arms. He was a stubborn man, and prayed to Dibella for a way to continue his trade. When the Dunmer artist died, he left the brush to his son, who went on to become the famous Rythe Lythandas of Cheydinhal. Rythe specialized in painting the Great Forest of Cyrodiil.
In 3E 433, a Bosmer or Altmer thief (reports vary) learned of the brush. In an attempt to steal the artifact, the thief broke into Rythe’s house, knocked him unconscious and leapt into the unfinished painting he was working on. The thief then created Painted Trolls to act as guardians, but the beasts turned on their creator and killed him. Rythe followed the thief into a painting, and became stuck there, unable to create a portal back without the brush. His wife Tivela, who was unaware of the Brush of Truepaint, put out a request to help “find” him. After several days, the Champion of Cyrodiil responded to the rumors, and entered the Painted World. The Champion met with Rythe, and fought through the Painted Trolls to the corpse of the thief. With the brush retrieved, the two were able to exit the Painted World.
The Brush of Truepaint appears to be a normal paintbrush, but when used to paint something the surface in question becomes a portal to a fantasy world. In this realm the brush can be used to paint real objects or beings, which come to life when completed. It can also be used to paint a portal with which to return to reality. Without the brush, there is no way back unless one can find a portal that has already been painted.