Forbidden Tome
A sinister-looking, iron-shod book sits closed atop an ancient stone pedestal. An iron chain with warding sigils carved into every link affixes the book to the pedestal. Everything in the room except this chain seems to writhe and pulse unnervingly.
Opening the book or removing it from the pedestal triggers a Failure.
Book. The book is a tome of forbidden lore so vile that merely opening it warps reality itself. A creature that makes an Arcana or Religion check realizes that the chain’s warding sigils once allowed the book to be opened safely, but their magic has failed. If the book is opened safely, a creature that spends at least 1 hour reading it gains advantage on the next Arcana or Religion check it makes in the next 24 hours. At the Narrator’s discretion, the book may also contain some critical piece of information unavailable from any other source. The book is an object with AC 14, 40 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Damaging the book without destroying it outright triggers a Critical Failure.
Pedestal. The pedestal is formed from the stone of the floor itself and can’t be moved. Damaging or otherwise disturbing the pedestal triggers a Failure.
Chain. The chain’s links are etched with warding sigils, but their magic is currently inert. The chain is an object with AC 18, 80 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. Breaking the chain triggers a Critical Failure.
Spell Solve. A magic circle spell cast around the book contains its fell power and allows it to be opened safely for the spell’s duration.
- A creature can make an Arcana or Religion check to reactivate the chain’s warding sigils.
Potential Outcomes
Critical Failure. As a Failure, except a murmuring worm also appears and attacks the creature nearest the book.
Failure. Reality bends and twists. Until the book is closed or properly warded, non-aberration creatures within 30 feet of the book treat the area as difficult terrain . In addition, a creature that enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn within the area takes 14 (3d8) psychic damage and 14 (3d8) force damage and must succeed on an Intelligence save or gain a level of strife . Finally, a Critical Failure triggers at midnight every night until the book is either closed or properly warded. Destroying the book also ends this effect.
Success. The chain’s warding sigils are reactivated, allowing the book to be opened safely.
Critical Success. As a Success, and the next creature to read the book gains a permanent expertise die to Arcana checks. Only one creature can receive this benefit, with all future Critical Successes treated as an ordinary Success.