| Type | Wondrous Item |
|---|
The Book of the Dead is a powerful divine artifact and possession of the immortal ferryman of The River Styx, Charon. After Charon's death, the book came into the possession of the warlock Aliria Servine. It is a three stage magic item.
Description[edit | edit source]
The book is an ancient tome bound in old black leather with aged parchment and closed with a golden clasp.. When opened, the reader finds that it has almost thousands of pages, more then what the book can seem to actually hold, but appears blank. If the reader is attuned to the book though, they find that it contains millions of names written in dark ink. Each name is the name of someone in Quelmar who has died, and if you are attuned to the book, you can also read their time and cause of death. While some of the the most recent entries in the book appear to be written in a language the attuned reader can understand, the rest are indecipherable. But the more the reader studies the book, the more of the names they can understand.
As a three stage magic item, when a new user initially attunes to the book, they can only access stage 1 abilities. But if they continue to use and study the book, they can unlock stages 2 and 3.
Powers and Abilities[edit | edit source]
The Book of the Dead[edit | edit source]
Artifact, Wondrous Item, Requires Attunement
When a creature first attunes to this artifact, they can access all Stage 1 abilities. At the DM's discretion after being attuned for a certain amount of time, the user can access Stage 2 and Stage 3 abilities. If a creature becomes unattuned to the item and later becomes reattuned, they could access all stage abilities they could before.
Stage 1
- Whispers of the Departed. While attuned, you can cast speak with dead once per long rest. This version does not require a corpse — but the creature must have died within the last 24 hours.
- One Foot on the Boat. You gain resistance to necrotic damage and have advantage against being frightened.
- Death’s Ledger. As an action, you may write the name of a creature you can see within 60 feet of you in your book. If you do not know their name, you may make a Religion check with a DC equal to 5 + their level/CR. A creature who has their name written in the book must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a fail, they are cursed (as per bestow curse, chosen effect). This lasts for 1 minute or until removed by remove curse or greater restoration. This has no effect on celestials or undead.
Stage 2
- Expanded Whispers. You can now cast speak with dead twice per long rest. Additionally, the book now allows you to ask seven questions instead of five.
- Death’s Ledger. Creatures under the effects of bestow curse from your book take 2d8 necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns. After a creatures name is written in the book using this feature, you know the targets general direction and what plane of existence they are on for 24 hours.
- Blessing of the Ferryman. You can cast revivify once per long rest without material components.
Stage 3
- Voice of the Underworld. You can now cast speak with dead at will, and you can either target a corpse or conjure a spirit whose name is written in your book. In addition, once per day you may cast legend lore using the book as the focus (no components needed). While attuned you immediately know the moment of every death on the same plane as you. You instantly learn the name, species, and cause of death.
- Soul Severance. A creature under the effect of your bestow curse spell takes 4d8 necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns You can now write a name in the book using a bonus action. Once per short rest you can cast Finger of Death.
- Immortal Ledger. While attuned, you no longer age, do not require food or air, and your soul cannot be captured or destroyed. You are immune to necrotic damage, the frightened condition, and you are immune to the effects of the Styx. When you die, your soul returns to your body after 1 minute as per the Revivify spell unless your body is to damaged or completely destroyed.
