“Leave it to a paranoid wizard to make something as simple as reading a book as dangerous as going into a dungeon.
The mystery here wasn’t in what they were researching, but in how long they went without blowing up from their own traps.“
-Luck
The Wizard’s Bookshelf
Bookshelf (Very large, dusty, and worn). Books (numerous and tome size).
- Investigating the Bookshelf: 1-in-6 chance (d6) that the bookshelf will slightly twitch.
- Investigating Books: Every time a book is taken from the bookshelf and read, roll on the d12 table below.
*In brackets is the book’s title.
| d12 | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | The pulled book attacks (see Book below). |
| 2 | [Advanced Arcana] “Get out!” is written all over every page in the book when opened. When closed, it reverts back to its original writing. |
| 3 | [Arcane Fundamentals] You find a spell book with three level 1 spells in it. |
| 4 | [How To Maintain Your Wizard Tower] A ghost appears! It’s the spirit of the servant that died waiting for its master to return. They’re non-hostile. |
| 5 | [The History of Bread] A hidden key is found in its pages, which were cut out to hold it. |
| 6 | You’re stunned for 1 round. |
| 7 | [Theoretical Demiplane Creation] You’re transported to a demiplane (saving throw) where the owner of the bookshelf resides. The owner is a lich, and they’re trapped in a crystal ball. They negotiate with you to free them. |
| 8 | [Manipulating the Elements] A micro climate forms, bringing clouds, rain, thunder, and lightning into the room. |
| 9 | The entire bookshelf moves aside revealing a secret passage way leading to a labyrinth. |
| 10 | [Poems of the Knight Errant] A suit of armor emerges from the book and challenges you to solve a riddle or duel. If you fail to do so, it will attack you. However, if you manage to defeat it, the magical suit of armor and its weapon become yours as a reward. |
| 11 | [Bypassing Physical Forms] It turns into a reptile or amphibian then tries to run away. If caught, it reverts back into a book. It contains a polymorph spell scroll. |
| 12 | [Constructing Hidden Vaults] It spits out a locked treasure chest (its key can be found in another book on the bookshelf). |
Book
AC 9[0], HD 1 (4 hp), Attack 1 x slam (1d4), Move 30 ft, Save (2d8)
For AC, outside the brackets is for rules using descending AC, while inside is for rules using ascending AC. HD is for hit dice, which is based off of a d8, and inside the parentheses is its average. Save is for saving throws.
Ghost
Use any appropriate ghost stat block.
Suit of Armor
Use any appropriate construct or living object stat block.
Lich
Use any appropriate lich stat block.
