BOOK OF ARTIFACTS
The Book with No End: A Mysterious and Powerful Artifact
Have you ever heard of the Book with No End? It is a modest-sized tome with covers bound in the hide of a hatchling red dragon and hinged in gold. A golden clasp seals the volume and illuminated sigils emblazon the front and back. The pages are made of thick parchment, smooth and uniform, and each is edged with gold leaf. Despite its curious name, the book has exactly 100 pages, but only 27 of them have anything on them. The Book with No End is said to contain the secrets of magic, the cosmos, and the gods themselves. It is also rumored to be cursed, as anyone who reads it becomes obsessed with its contents and loses their sanity. The Book with No End has been sought after by many adventurers, scholars, and villains, but few have ever managed to open it or decipher its sigils. In this article, I will tell you more about the origins, properties, and legends of this fascinating and dangerous artifact.
The Origins of the Book with No End
The Book with No End was created by a wizard of little note or reputation known anymore only as Magus. No direct records of this wizard, his ambitions, or the means by which he created the book exist, but several sages who have spent time in the study of this item agree that, based on the properties of the tome, Magus was striving to make a device of some considerable power—no doubt for world domination or a similar unattainable goal.
Whatever the ambitions of this Magus, his wizardly skills were not up to the task. There is little doubt that he created an item of considerable power, but his workmanship was flawed. Tales say that in his greed for power he rushed his work, taking shortcuts where time and patience would have been better rewarded. Blind to his own mistakes, Magus managed to create a device that consequently devastated the entire countryside the first time he attempted to use it. Instead of granting him the power and mastery he desired, The Book with No End pushed the already unstable wizard over the brink of sanity.
Since Magus’s day, the book has appeared several times, sometimes with beneficial effect and sometimes to the utter woe of all who find it. It supposedly provided the power needed for the wizard Vorst Dircson to overthrow the hated Lich-King of the North. It was also supposed to be the cause of the madness that seized the wizard-scholars at the College of Fire in Halverston (a madness that ended in the explosion of that academy and the devastation of Halverston’s port). It is clear from these and other incidents that the book is intended for wizards and even they must handle it at their own peril.
The current whereabouts of the book are unknown. Deceitful rogues have been known to pass fake copies onto gullible wizards. This is really much simpler than it sounds, since normal detections and magical checks are known to fail on items of artifact power.
The Properties of the Book with No End
All the powers found in the Book with No End, whether constant or invoked, are found on specific pages therein. The book has only 100 pages (far shorter than the infinity its title implies) and of these only 27 have anything on them. Reading any page is only possible with the use of a read magic spell, with one spell needed per page.
A suggested listing of pages and powers is given below. The DM can freely rearrange or alter these pages. As player characters read pages, it is their responsibility to track page numbers for later use.
| Page | Power |
|---|---|
| 1 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Strength |
| 2 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Dexterity |
| 3 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Constitution |
| 4 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Intelligence |
| 5 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Wisdom |
| 6 | Personal Enhancement: +1 Charisma |
| 7 | Personal Enhancement: +1d4 hit points |
| 8 | Personal Enhancement: +1d4 spell slots (any level) |
| 9 | Personal Enhancement: +1d4 proficiency bonus |
| 10 | Invoked Power: Fireball (10d6 damage) |
| 11 | Invoked Power: Lightning Bolt (10d6 damage) |
| 12 | Invoked Power: Cone of Cold (10d6 damage) |
| 13 | Invoked Power: Magic Missile (10 missiles) |
| 14 | Invoked Power: Disintegrate (10d6+40 damage) |
| 15 | Invoked Power: Teleport (anywhere on same plane) |
| 16 | Invoked Power: Plane Shift (any plane) |
| 17 | Invoked Power: Wish (any effect) |
| 18 | Invoked Power: Time Stop (1d4+1 rounds) |
| 19 | Invoked Power: Resurrection (any creature) |
| 20 | Invoked Power: True Seeing (1 hour) |
| 21 | Invoked Power: Invisibility (1 hour) |
| 22 | Invoked Power: Fly (1 hour) |
| 23 | Invoked Power: Haste (1 hour) |
| 24 | Invoked Power: Slow (1 hour) |
| 25 | Invoked Power: Charm Person (1 hour) |
| 26 | Invoked Power: Dominate Person (1 hour) |
| 27 | Invoked Power: Geas (30 days) |
- Constant. Wizards in possession of the book have all their spell potencies increased by 150% (range, duration, area of effect, and damage). In addition, the Personal Enhancement powers are in effect any time the wizard is touching the book.
- Invoked. The invoked powers can only be used when the wizard opens the book to the correct page and reads it aloud. A read magic spell is not necessary for this second reading.
- Curse. PCs of classes other than wizard suffer 5d10 points of electrical damage (a successful saving throw vs. spell is necessary to halve this damage) upon opening the book. The user also risks artifact possession with each page read. Those possessed seek to lead in all things and eventually to rule absolutely.
Every time an invoked power of the book is used, there is a 5% chance of triggering a monstrous devastation as the animus of the book drains 10d10 points of damage from every creature within 100 yards. An owner that is killed becomes a picture on one of the book’s blank pages.
The Legends of the Book with No End
The Book with No End has been a part of many stories and legends throughout the history of magic and adventure. Some of these legends are true, some are false, and some are somewhere in between. Here are some examples of famous or infamous characters who have encountered or possessed the Book with No End, and how it affected their lives and destinies.
- Vorst Dircson was a young and ambitious wizard who lived in the frozen lands of the North. He hated the Lich-King who ruled over his people with an iron fist and a horde of undead. He sought a way to overthrow him and free his people from his tyranny. He heard rumors of a powerful artifact hidden in an ancient ruin, guarded by traps and monsters. He gathered a group of loyal companions and ventured into the ruin, hoping to find the Book with No End. He succeeded in finding and opening the book, despite the dangers and curses that befell him and his friends. He used the book’s powers to enhance his own magic and to unleash devastating spells against the Lich-King and his army. He managed to defeat the Lich-King and claim his throne, becoming a hero and a liberator for his people. However, he soon became corrupted by the book’s influence, becoming obsessed with its secrets and paranoid of anyone who might challenge him. He became a tyrant himself, ruling over his people with fear and cruelty. He eventually met his end when a group of rebels infiltrated his palace and stabbed him in his sleep. The Book with No End was taken by one of the rebels, who hoped to use it for a noble cause.
- Zara Zalazar was a renowned scholar and explorer who traveled across many lands and planes in search of knowledge and adventure. She was fascinated by ancient artifacts and mysteries, especially those related to magic and the gods. She heard tales of a book that contained the secrets of everything, but that also drove its readers mad. She was intrigued by this challenge and decided to find and study the Book with No End. She spent years tracking down clues and leads, until she finally located the book in a hidden vault in a remote desert. She managed to bypass the vault’s security and open the book, using her read magic spell to decipher its sigils. She was amazed by what she saw on its pages, but also terrified by what she felt in her mind. She realized that the book was trying to take over her will and make her its slave. She resisted its influence and closed the book, but not before it left a mark on her soul. She decided to keep the book with her, hoping to find a way to break its curse and unlock its secrets safely. She continued her travels, but she was always haunted by the book’s whispers and visions in her dreams.
- Malakai Mordred was a notorious villain who sought to conquer and destroy everything in his path. He was a master of dark magic and necromancy, commanding legions of undead and fiends. He desired nothing but power and domination, and he feared nothing but death. He learned of a book that could grant him any wish he desired, but that also had a terrible curse that could kill him or worse. He was not deterred by this risk, as he believed that he was strong enough to overcome any obstacle. He searched for the Book with No End, slaughtering anyone who stood in his way or tried to stop him. He finally found the book in a hidden temple in a dark forest. He opened the book and read its pages, using his dark magic to amplify its effects. He used the book’s powers to unleash havoc and destruction upon his enemies, as well as to fulfill his own twisted wishes. He became unstoppable and feared by all, but he also became addicted to the book’s power and obsessed with its secrets. He could not stop reading the book, even when he felt his mind and body deteriorating. He eventually triggered the book’s curse, causing a monstrous devastation that killed him and everyone around him. The Book with No End was buried under the rubble of his fallen empire, waiting for its next victim.
These are just some of the legends of the Book with No End. There are many more stories and rumors about this artifact, some of them true and some of them false. The Book with No End is a mysterious and powerful item that can grant great rewards or great dangers to those who dare to use it. It is also a source of great adventure and drama for those who seek it or encounter it.
The Conclusion
The Book with No End is one of the most fascinating and dangerous artifacts in the world of magic and adventure. It is a book that contains the secrets of everything, but also drives its readers mad. It is a book that can grant any wish, but also has a terrible curse. It is a book that has been involved in many events of magic and mayhem, affecting the lives and destinies of many characters. It is a book that can be a source of great power or great peril for wizards who use it, as well as a source of great adventure and challenge for players who find it.
If you are interested in using the Book with No End in your game, you can use the information and suggestions in this article to introduce, manage, and remove it from your campaign. You can also use the images that I have created for you to illustrate the book and its effects. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned something new about this amazing artifact.
ADVENTURE IDEAS
You want some adventure ideas that are centered around the Book with No End. Well, I have some suggestions for you. Here are some examples of adventure ideas that involve the Book with No End:
- The PCs are hired by a mysterious patron who claims to know the location of the Book with No End. He offers them a generous reward if they can retrieve the book for him. However, he is not the only one who is interested in the book. A rival faction of wizards, a cult of fanatics, and a rogue agent are also after the book, and they will stop at nothing to get it. The PCs must race against time and enemies to find the book and decide what to do with it.
- The PCs stumble upon the Book with No End in an abandoned library. They are curious about its contents and decide to open it and read its pages. However, they soon realize that the book is more than they bargained for. The book has a mind of its own, and it tries to manipulate, tempt, or corrupt the PCs with its secrets and powers. The book also has a curse that triggers a monstrous devastation every time an invoked power is used. The PCs must resist the book’s influence and find a way to get rid of it before it destroys them and everything around them.
- The PCs are contacted by a friend who is a scholar and an expert on ancient artifacts. He tells them that he has discovered something amazing: the Book with No End. He invites them to his study to show them his findings and to share his theories about the book. However, when the PCs arrive, they find his study ransacked and his body lying on the floor, clutching the book in his hands. The book is open to a page that shows a picture of him, as if he was trapped inside the book. The PCs must investigate what happened to their friend, who killed him, and why they wanted the book. They must also decide what to do with the book, as they realize that it might hold the key to solving the mystery or unleashing a greater danger.