What happens to certain items from the Out of the Abyss adventure after this Maze Engine effect is triggered?

Question

While interacting with the Maze Engine (p. 188 of the adventure),

I roll a 9 or 10 - All player characters are transported back to the beginning of the adventure, "with all of their experience points, abilities, equipment, and memories".

Dawnbringer, being a legendary item, I assume is transported back as well. With the story reset, should there now be two Dawnbringers available to be found, so traveling to the Tomb they could have a second one? Or should all items currently found in the game have been removed from being found again?

Answer 1

I agree with this previous answer about OotA, which quotes the DMG:

Sentient magic items function as NPCs under the DM’s control.

NPCs do not count as equipment, and would be reset to their original locations by the effect in question.

But even without that explicit rule, as a DM I wouldn't want the Engine to create or duplicate unique legendary items, on two grounds:

1. other table entries explicitly exclude artifacts from being affected by the Engine, and named legendary items are close enough to that level.
2. game balance.

Last, I also agree with this discussion of the Maze Engine, which says:

YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER REVISING [the ME effects table]

By the time you reach that far in OotA, you should be able to feel what plot twists make sense (or not) for your campaign. The 9-10 roll in particular can be very aggravating or very fun for different groups. If any of the effects are inappropriate, replace them with different ones (whether on the table or self-invented).