Book of Writhing Words
The Book of Writhing Words is a peculiar construct, not appearing to be anything more than a heavy tome. Bound in aged, soft leather, and secured closed an iron band this book is actually a sentient being, created at the hands of powerful magic users.
The book exerts a compulsion for creatures to read it, to see the words appear from floating, mobile ink on the pages. However, there is no knowledge or story, not even static text. The book will speak to the reader through the words that appear. The book communicates with deception and guile, attempting to convince the reader that it wants to help them acheive their desires. In reality, it is much the other way around, the book is using the reader as the tool.
The greatest strength of this book is the accumulated and stored knowledge it contains. Not only is an expert in mundane matters, but it has powerful magics it can command. It can even imbue these magics into its readers. However, nothing is free, as accepting these powers leaves the reader open to the book controlling them.
The book is not directly evil, but rather simply uncaring, single minded, and completely lacking in all empathy. It will compel its minions to whatever solution most quickly serves its interests, without consideration for the lives of any other beings.
Even the most nobel of intentions end up twisted and bent when coaxed into the form the Book of Writhing Words wishes them to be.
Book of Writhing Words
Tiny construct, lawful evil
- Armor Class 15 (natural armour)
- Hit Points 90 (20d4 + 40)
- Speed 0ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 4 (-3) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)
- Saving Throws Int +10, Wis +6, Cha +7
- Skills Arcana +10, Deception +7, History +10, Insight +6, Intimidation +7, Investigation +10, Nature +10, Perception +6, Persuasion +7, Religion +10
- Damage Immunities bludgeoning, necrotic, piercing, poison, slashing
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, grappled, poisoned, prone, stunned
- Senses truesight 30ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 16
- Languages Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, Sylvan, telepathy with any creature reading the book.
- Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Engrossing Read. A creature who is reading the book must make a DC 18 Inteligence saving throw as an action to stop reading while the book wishes them to continue.
Locked Tome. It is a DC 17 Dexterity (thieves tools) check to pick the lock on the book if it has locked itself. This increases to DC 27 if the book has cast Arcane Lock upon itself.
Magic Resistance. The book has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Spellcasting. The book is an 17th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). The book has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, toll the dead
1st level (4 slots): charm person, detect magic, silent image, unseen servant
2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, crown of madness, detect thoughts, phantasmal force
3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, dispel magic, fear, nondetection
4th level (3 slots): confusion, fabricate
5th level (2 slots): dominate person, geas
6th level (1 slot): mental prison, mass suggestion
7th level (1 slot): prismatic spray, plane shift
Actions
Imbue Magic. The book grants a willing creature that is reading the book the ability to cast a spell that the book knows. The creature does not need to be able to cast spells or have spell slots of the appropriate level. The creature must provide any material components. The spell is cast using the books spell save dc or spell attack roll. The spell is imbued into the target creature until used. While the spell is imbued, the book can cast one less spell of that level per day.
Compel. The book compels one creature with an Inteligence of at least 4, that is within one mile of the book, and that has had a conversation with it. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or take actions of the books choice for one minute. The creature considers these actions to be of its own free will. If the creature is hostile, they may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns. If the creature has been Imbued with magic, they have disadvantage on the saving throw. Once the compulsion ends, the creature cannot be effected for 12 hours.
