|
Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
The Tome of the Unending Expanse is one of the five legendary works written by an ancient elven wizard known as Xaturos the Illuminator. For five hundred years, Xaturos scoured the four Elemental Planes and the Astral Plane seeking lost knowledge before supposedly settling in the Astral Plane, though countless conflicting tales of the wizard's whereabouts abound, mixed in with tales of his death.
The book's covers are made from purple fabric that feels as sturdy as a thick sheet of iron and inlaid with diamonds and pieces of wool that seem to glow with the power of the Astral Plane, while its pages are made from tangible sheets of purple energy that are weird to touch. The book can weather even the most powerful of arcane energies entirely unscathed, as it has been recorded to have spent at least a decade trapped within a storm of arcane energy on the Astral Plane, before being flung out by an errant blast of energy. The book contains intricate descriptions of many powerful beings that inhabit the Astral Plane, along with descriptions of countless creatures that dwell within the Astral Plane. The book is held shut by a clasp shaped like a rectangle. Only a creature that has attuned to the tome can open the clasp. Any other creature that attempts to open the book is consumed by a wave of arcane energy, taking 20d6 force damage. This damage ignores resistance and immunity, and it can't be reduced or avoided by any means. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage turns to a flash of energy and is destroyed alongside any nonmagical possessions. Magical possessions remain intact, though they glow slightly for a few seconds afterward.
Power of Force. While you are attuned to the tome, you are immune to force damage. Additionally, when you cast a spell that deals force damage, you deal an additional 1d6 force damage.
Spells. The tome has 7 charges and regains 1d4 + 3 charges daily at dawn. You can use an action and expend one or more charges to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: invisibility (2 charges), magic missile (5th-level version, 3 charges), major image (2 charges), sanctuary (1 charge).
You can also use an action to cast the fog cloud spell from the tome without using any charges, creating a silvery cloud of energy.
Random Properties. The Tome of the Unending Expanse has the following random properties:
- 2 minor beneficial properties
- 1 major beneficial property
- 2 minor detrimental properties
Destroying the Tome of the Unending Expanse. The Tome of the Unending Expanse can be destroyed when hurled into a sphere of annihilation that is on the Astral Plane by a creature that has attuned to it. Any other attempt to destroy the tome seems to work, but the tome reappears in the Astral Plane.
|
|
Back to Main Page → 5e Homebrew → Equipment → Artifacts