If you were making a new character (either PC or NPC), as a relatively beginning-level adventure person in a generic fantasy setting, and wanted to give them some item or piece of equipment that wasn't strictly utilitarian (like the standard rope, torch, spyglass, etc) solely for the purposes of giving their personality a bit of flavor or quirk, what sort of thing might you give them?
I've thought of things like alcohol flasks or water canteens, musical instruments, gambling stuff like cards or dice, little carved figurines or animal claws, and stuff like combs or dolls, but I was curious what other people might come up with.
What is your opinion on sentient items? Also I think there's a random trinket generator somewhere. I've used it before and got things like "a brass bird statue that has incredible sentimental value". The player kept it with them the whole game and even went back to get it when they dropped it down a bottomless pit lol.