Ah, so ye want to hear about the mysteries and the arcane, do ye? Well, sit down and shut it for a spell, ’cause I’ve got a tale that’ll curl your toes and maybe, just maybe, teach you a thing or two about poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.
In the heart of Gloomwood, past a thousand prickly thorns and under the shadow of trees so tall and twisted they’d make yer spine shiver, lies a secret. Not just any secret, mind ye, but the kind that’s kept under lock, key, and a good few layers of curses for good measure. I’m talking about the Hidden Library, a place so soaked in magic and mystery that the air itself tastes like spells and ancient dust.
Now, I wasn’t always this delightfully grumpy. There was a time, hard as it may be to believe, when I was even grumpier. It was during one of those times that I found myself standing before the blasted library’s hidden entrance. The thing about this library is that it doesn’t want to be found. It’s hidden by magic, protected by spells so complex they’d make a wizard’s head spin.
But me? I’m Thadeus, the warlock with a temper shorter than I am tall, and I’ve got a will stronger than dwarven steel. So, I did what any self-respecting seeker of forbidden knowledge would do. I barged in. And let me tell ye, the things I saw in there would turn your beard white. Shelves upon shelves of ancient tomes, artifacts that buzzed with power, and scrolls that whispered secrets of the old world.
I spent what felt like an eternity in that library, learning its secrets, mastering spells that I had no right to know. And I came out… well, more grumpy, if that’s possible. Because knowledge like that, it weighs on ye. It changes you in ways you can’t imagine.
So, here’s a bit of wisdom from ol’ Thadeus: be careful what ye seek, for not all knowledge is meant to be known. And some secrets, they’re better left buried in the depths of a place like the Hidden Library of Gloomwood. But if ye ever find yerself standing at its door, remember this: you didn’t hear about it from me. Now, off with ye. I’ve got spells to conjure and no time for idle chit-chat.
Tome of the Arcane Echoes (5e)
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a spellcaster)
This ancient, leather-bound book is adorned with cryptic runes that shimmer with arcane energy. It contains knowledge of spells lost to time and the echoes of magic long forgotten.
- Spells: Once attuned, the bearer can use an action to speak the tome’s command word and cast one of the following spells from it, without using any spell slots: Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Levitate, Arcane Eye, and Teleport. Once a spell is cast from the tome, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
- Arcane Echo: When the bearer casts a spell of 1st level or higher, they can choose to create an echo of that spell. The echo allows the spell to be cast again within the next minute without expending a spell slot. This feature can be used once, and it recharges after a long rest.
- Forbidden Knowledge: The bearer gains advantage on Arcana checks, but each time they use this feature, they must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or suffer an indelible mark of forbidden knowledge, taking 1d6 psychic damage.
Grimoire of Eldritch Lore (SWADE)
- Arcane Background (Magic), Rare
- This grimoire is bound in strange leather and filled with pages that seem to endlessly refill with eldritch knowledge and ancient spells. It whispers in the minds of those who dare to read it, offering power at a cost.
- Requirements: Arcane Background (Magic), Seasoned
- Powers: The Grimoire grants access to three additional Powers of the player’s choice. These Powers do not count against the character’s limit of known Powers.
- Power Points: +10 Power Points while the book is in the character’s possession.
- Curse of Eldritch Lore: Every time the character uses a Power from the Grimoire, they must make a Spirit roll or suffer a minor phobia (GM’s discretion) as the eldritch knowledge frays their sanity. This phobia lasts until the character completes a long rest or receives magical healing.
- Mystic Resonance: The character gains a +2 bonus to all spellcasting rolls, but any backlash results from spell failure are increased by one severity level due to the unstable nature of the magic within the Grimoire.