The Tome Golem

    The party moves silently through the mansion's fourth floor hallway, slipping through a doorway. The room opens up to reveal the high, vaulted ceiling of a massive library. Thirty foot tall shelves dominate the four walls, each with multiple wheeled ladders for accessing those hard to reach volumes. In addition to the stuffed shelves, there are books everywhere. There are stacks in the corners and next to chairs, on tables, and some are just strewn randomly on the floor. The stale-sweet smell of ancient but well cared for paper surrounds everything.

    Thastarisk the wizard steps forward as if in a trance, too overwhelmed to decide where to start.

    "Careful! I haven't yet checked for traps", Kerry whispers sharply, but the mage is already selecting a thick green leather tome, cradling it with reverence.

    Lassater sets down her battle axe, taking a moment to adjust a loose strap on one of her bracers, when her eyes are drawn to a large pile of books toward the center of the room. She tugs at the strap, pulling it tight against her forearm, when she notices a flicker of movement at the top of the pile. 

    Alisteria sits contently on the floor chewing on some of the dried fruit they found in the pantry on the first floor as Lassater approaches the pile. The books rise well above her head to at least seven feet high. Was this stack this tall when we came in here?

    As if in response to her internal question, two small books with matching gold covers leap from a nearby table and tumbling up the side of the pile finally rotate to rest neatly at the top. Lassater instinctively reaches for her axe, but remembers that she left it leaning against a shelf on the other side of the room.

    "We should keep moving" she says.

    "Are you crazy?" the wizard replies without looking up from the book in his hands. "I need time to search, there could be spells here."

    The large pile before her slides apart, forming two uniform columns as three more books fly from different shelves to land on the top. "Yeah... that is exactly what I'm afraid of." Lassater says, moving for her axe.

    "Did those books-" Kerry is interrupted when a torrent of books pour from every shelf and surface to add to the swelling form in the center of the library. The growing figure creaks and snaps as thousands of books which had been comfortably stationary for countless years now groan an angry protest.

    Thastarisk looks up as the book he is reading is ripped from his hands. It flies upward, pages fluttering violently, stopping as it clings to the head of the now fully formed giant humanoid framework of books hulking before them. It takes a lumbering step forward, the impact shaking the room as loose books fall from the shelves nearby only to be drawn into the behemoth, adding to its feet.

Tome Golem

Huge construct, unaligned

Armor Class

 

14 (natural armor)

Hit Points

 

95

Speed

 

30 ft.

STR

18 (+4)

 

DEX

10 (+0)

 

CON

16 (+3)

 

INT

8 (-1)

 

WIS

10 (+0)

 

CHA

3 (-4)

Saving Throws

 

Str +7

Damage Vulnerabilities

 

fire

Damage Resistances

 

bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities

 

poison, psychic

Condition Immunities

 

charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Senses

 

darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages

 

understands All but can not speak

Challenge

 

6 (2,300 XP)

Immutable Form.

 The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Magic Resistance.

 The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons.

 The golem's weapon attacks are magical.

Actions

Multiattack.

 The golem makes two slam attacks.

Slam.

 Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Info Dump.

 (Recharge 5-6): The Golem spews books in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed save and they are restrained and considered to be in full cover; or half as much damage on a successful save and they are not restrained. A creature restrained in this manner can spend an action to dig out from the pile of books. The area effected by this ability is now considered difficult terrain.

The False Hydra - Some Thoughts and an Effects Table

Recently I've been thinking about the False Hydra. Specifically how to deal with the metagaming issue that will undoubtably come up with a creature like this. When the game gets to the point at which the players start to understand what is going on with the false hydra, instead of policing them or cajoling the players into not metagaming, why not make it a game mechanic?

In the original article Arnold from the Goblin Punch blog talks about how being exposed to the false hydra's song will cause nervous disorders, insanities, even psychotic breaks. This is because part of the victim's brain knows the truth, and is trying to communicate it to the part of the brain that is under the sway of the false hydra.

In severe cases, split-brain occurs, when one part of the brain strives to communicate with the other.  One of the PC's limbs might suddenly become its own entity, one that crudely and violently struggles to convey the danger to the PC.

Once the players know what is going on, let they themselves represent the portion of their character's brain that knows the truth. Now they are trying to communicate with their character, in a sense they will roleplay the metagaming. The trick is, as we already learned, there are side effects to this. Here is where the False Hyrda Split-Brain Effects Table comes in. Whenever a player tries to communicate meta-knowledge, act on any meta-knowledge, or just otherwise metagame in any way- they roll on the table. No muss no fuss no sus. At first I suspect this will cause the party to stop this type of metagaming, but if you have smart players like I do I bet they will eventually figure out that it might just be worth risking a roll or two on the table to help their characters get some key intel.

I feel this really takes the false hydra to another level, and shows the true brilliance of this monster. It tests the player's creative thinking and strategy in a truly unique way. Anyway, here's my first run at the table...

d20

1. An incredible pain tears through your mind. You are stunned for 1 minute.

2. For the next 24 hours from time to time you catch yourself idly trying to sing the hydra's song. It is, after all, a tune that is stuck in your head. Your rudimentary vocal chords could never come close to replicating its terrible and perfect grandeur, and after a few moments of singing you can't seem to remember how the notes go anyway, or even what the song was your were trying to sing in the first place. You have disadvantage on WIS saves for 24 hours. Anyone else who hears your attempts at singing the song and has also heard the real hydra song does not recognize it and finds your singing particularly irritating.

3. The next action you take you instead stop and completely forget what you were going to do, forgoing the action.

4. You have a panic attack. Make a CON save. On a fail all checks, saves, and attacks are at disadvantage and you are frightened for 1 minute. On a success you make checks at disadvantage only and are not frightened.

5. You try to hold two contrary realities in your head simultaneously, take 2d6 psychic damage.

6. You suddenly remember that your last long rest was fitful and plagued with dreams in which you were running through a seemingly endless labyrinth of underground tunnels, lost with no end in sight. Add 1 point of exhaustion.

7. Your vision goes black as your mind struggles to keep a grip on what is occurring. Make a CON save. On a fail you speak only in gibberish for 1 minute. On a success the PLAYER is able to speak through their PC for 1 minute, though only in one or two word phrases. The player may use this time to communicate meta-knowledge to the PCs. Each time this is done however their character takes 1d4 psychic damage.

8. Your mind rages against itself, you take 1d6 +2 psychic damage and are blinded for 1 minute.

9. During the next long rest you dream of a group of people all standing together screaming at you trying to tell you something. They gesture wildly and seem terrified and frustrated, but you hear only a deafening white noise and can not make out anything they are saying. When the long rest ends you gain no benefits from it and take 1 point of exhaustion. (The people in the dream group of course represent those consumed by the false hydra. Describe them to the players, but if there are any that they knew use only vague terms as if you were describing a stranger or a new NPC.)

10. Make an INT save. On a success you take 1d6 psychic damage. On a fail choose 1d4 prepared spells at random to become no longer prepared for that day. If you do not use magic or do not prepare spells you simply get the sensation that you were trying to remember something very important, but you have forgotten it.

11. You have trouble focusing. You are unable to prepare actions or take reactions for 24 hours.

12. Make a WIS save. On a failure you forget everything that has happened since you woke up today. On a success you forget the last hour.

13. The DM choses a consumable item to remove from your inventory. When did you use that? You can't remember.

14. Your brain scrambles and you lose the ability to speak or understand Common for 2d6 hours.

15. Your mind is a scattered heap. You lose the use of your proficiency modifier bonus on any checks or saves for 24 hours.

16. You begin to hear a strange voice in your head. For the next hour you have disadvantage on all INT, WIS, and CHA saves.

17. Your grip on reality is loosening. You are under the effect of the Confusion spell for 1 minute.

18. The party finds themselves in a different location having seemingly lost track of the last 1d6 +2 hours.

19. You find unintelligible writing speared on all parts of your body with exposed skin. Take 2d6 psychic damage. 

20. You are able to convey a key piece of information regarding the false hydra to yourself or others. Select this info based on what you've learned.

NPC Creation Personality Traits and Quirks Tables - 2x d1000

 Here are two d1000 random tables I created for generating interesting NPCs. One or two options from each table will give you a good jumping off point to get something going. So far I am loving the combinations that I have rolled up.

Character Traits Table (d1000)

Character Quirks Table (d1000)

If you find any repeats, errors, or omissions let me know.

Feywild Themed Wild Magic Surge Table for 5E Sorcerer

For such an interesting and fun idea, the 5e Wild Magic Sorcerer as written leaves a lot to be desired. Since one of my players chose to play this subclass I've decided to revamp it - starting with the magic surge table. The official surge table in the PHB has 16% negative results, so I kept that ratio here. I wanted an actual d100 table (not a d50 reskinned as d100), so 16 of the results here are bad, with the rest ranging from good to neutral. I have kept a few results from the official table, but the vast majority are new. This table has a Feywild flavor to most of the effects since that is the source of my player's powers, but can easily be reflavored.

d100

1. You begin to hear orchestral music which changes based on what you are doing. When in combat the music is dramatic and exciting, when you speak it swells with cues punctuating your words. Your life has a dramatic score which lasts 1d6 days. Others nearby can hear this music as well.
2. Your proficiencies are randomized. You retain the same number of proficient skills, however the DM will randomly assign a new set. This occurs again at dawn of each of the next 1d4 +1 days, after which they reset back to what they originally were.
3. Roll 1d10, your height changes by that number of inches, even you grow, odd you shrink.
4. For the next minute you gain 1d6 hp at the start of each of your turns
5. You grow a long beard made of colorful feathers that remains until you sneeze, at which point it explodes from your face.
6. Your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue. A remove curse spell can end this effect.
7. You begin the process of permanently transforming into a Fey being. This process takes 2d10 +5 days, and upon completion you gain the following benefits: magic resistance, +1 CHA, druidcraft (at will), you learn the Sylvan language, and any weapon attacks you make are considered magical. You also go through physical changes as determined by the DM such as growing antlers or horns, your feet transforming into hooves, flowers or vines growing within your hair, ect. You no longer suffer any negative effects caused by traveling to or from the Feywild, and know how to easily find and enter natural passageways into that realm.
8. An eye appears on your forehead for the next minute, during this time you have advantage on wisdom perception checks that rely on sight.
9. Roll 2d4 and 2d6. Two groups of faeries appear, the d6s represent the quantity and the d4s represent the seasons (ignoring a repeat) 1-Spring, 2-Summer, 3-Autumn, 4-Winter. The two groups appear in the midst of an argument. This argument progresses at the DM's discretion, but they will begin fighting each other (and possibly the PCs) unless something stops them. How they view the PCs is also up to the DM.
10. Roll 1d20, your age changes by that many years, even you age, odd you get younger.
11. You regain 2d10 hit points.
12. For the next minute you can teleport up to 20 feet as a bonus action.
13. You cast levitate on yourself.
14. A unicorn controlled by the DM appears within a space 10 feet from you, then disappears 1 min later.
15. You can not speak for the next minute. When you try colorful bubbles float out of your mouth.
16. A spectral shield floats by you for the next minute granting +2 AC.
17. You are immune to being intoxicated by alcohol for the next 5d6 days.
18. All of your hair falls out, but grows back after your next long rest. The color has changed drastically (chosen by the DM).
19. You regain your lowest level expended spell slot.
20. You regain the spell slot used to cast the spell which caused this surge.
21. For the next minute you must shout when you speak.
22. You cast fog cloud centered on yourself. The fog swirls and churns with colors and sparkles.
23. Up to 3 creatures within 50 feet of you take 4d10 lightening damage.
24. You are frightened of the nearest creature until the start of your next turn.
25. Each creature within 50 feet of you becomes invisible. Each creature's invisibility ends if it attacks or casts a spell.
26. You gain resistance to all damage for the next minute.
27. A random creature within 50 feet of you becomes poisoned for 1d4 hours.
28. You glow with a bright light in a 30 ft radius for the next minute. Any creature that ends its turn within 10 feet of you is blinded until the end of its next turn.
29. You cast polymorph on yourself, if you fail the save (or choose to fail) you turn into a sheep for the spell's duration.
30. You cast polymorph on yourself, if you fail the save (or choose to fail) you turn into a giant ape for the spell's duration.
31. You cast polymorph on yourself, if you fail the save (or choose to fail) you turn into a fish for the spell's duration.
32. You cast polymorph on yourself, if you fail the save (or choose to fail) you turn into any beast of your choice (within the spell's limits) for the spell's duration.
33. You begin to turn to stone. After 1 hour you gain the effects of the stoneskin spell. When you finish your next long rest you are petrified.
34. You cast polymorph on yourself, if you fail the save (or choose to fail) you turn into a creature of the DM's choice. At the beginning of each of your turns you change into a different creature again of the DM's choice. This continues for the spell's duration.
35. Illusory butterflies and flower petals flutter around you for the next minute.
36. You cast fly on a random creature with 60 feet of you.
37. Every creature within 30 ft of you makes a CHA saving throw, on a fail the creature transforms into a Fey plant version of themself. This lasts 1d4 hours.
38. You become invisible for the next minute. During this time other creatures can not hear you. This effect ends if you attack or cast a spell.
39. If you die within the next hour you immediately come back to life as if by the reincarnate spell.
40. Your size increases by one size category for the next minute.
41. Your size decreases by one size category for the next minute.
42. You are surrounded by faint etherial chamber music for 1d4 days.
43. You cast confusion on yourself.
44. You regain all expended sorcery points.
45. You can take one additional action immediately. 
46. Each creature within 30 feet of you takes 1d10 necrotic damage. You regain hp equal to the sum of the damage dealt in this way.
47. You cast conjure fey, no concentration required.
48. You cast Gate. Roll 1d6, 1- abyss 2 -6 feywild
49. A gate opens and you see a powerful mage in his tower performing a ritual as if he opened the gate from his end, he is confused and appears angry.
50. With a loud CRACK a banquet of delicious food appears before you. The plates and cups wobble as they settle from the violence of the conjuring.
51. A gelatinous cube appears centered on you. DC 12 Dex save or be engulfed. 
52. You cast control weather.
53. Chose 1 spell from the sorcerer spell list and add it to your spells known. It must be of a level you can currently cast.
54. You cast blink, however instead of visiting the astral plane  you visit a random location within the feywild. The rest of the spell functions as it normally would.
55. You cast conjure woodland beings, summoning 4 pixies.
56. You cast conjure woodland beings, summoning 1 dryad.
57. You cast conjure woodland beings, summoning 1 satyr.
58. You summon 1 chaotic neutral Eladrin Fey, which may regard you as friend, foe, or neutral.
59. A 100 ft square centered on you is partially plane shifted to a ballroom of the fey court for 1 minute, you appear as ethereal spirits to the beings dancing and drinking there.
60. You are cursed with a type of Fey lycanthropy. After each long rest make a DC 15 WIS save. On a fail you gain claws with +5 to hit 1d6 + 2 magical slashing damage. The DM may determine any other side effects of this curse.
61. You are cursed. You have disadvantage on WIS, INT, and CHA saves for 24 hours.
62. You are cursed. You have disadvantage on all saves for 24 hours.
63. You are cursed. You have disadvantage on DEX, CON, and STR saves for 24 hours.
64. You are cursed. Make a WIS save against your own spell DC. On a fail you spend your turn doing nothing but speaking rapid gibberish. You may repeat this save at the start of each turn.
65. Bright orange magical mold appears rapidly growing all around you in a 60 ft radius on all surfaces. It coats all weapons, adding 1d6 psychic damage to each attack for 1 minute.
66. Wild magic courses through you, you are stunned. You may make a DC 13 CON save at the start of your next turn, and each subsequent turn to end the effect.
67. One melee weapon you carry or have in inventory leaps into the air and becomes animated, it continues attacking you for 1 minute unless dispelled or defeated. (flying sword)
68. Stinking cloud is cast centered on spell target.
69.  All clothing you are wearing turns to elegant formal wear for 24 hours.
70. You are magically compelled to dance for 1 minute. Your movement is halved.
71. Your STR is 20 for the next 24 hours.
72. Your CHA is 24 for the next 24 hours.
73. You auto fail your next 3 saving throws.
74. You auto pass your next 3 saving throws.
75. Your DEX is 24 for the next 24 hours.
76. A thunderstorm forms on the horizon. For the next 1d4 days this storm has a radius of 5 miles centered on you, following you if you move.
77. Magical iridescent rain begins pouring down around you in a 30 ft radius for 1 minute. Ground in this area is considered difficult terrain, and any creature has disadvantage on perception checks to see things in this area.
78. You cast hypnotic pattern on every creature in a 30 ft radius.
79. A wave of pain flows over you, you suffer 1 level of exhaustion.
80. You can not lie or deceive for 1d4 days. 
81. You suddenly know 1 new spell of a sorcerer level of which you can cast chosen by the DM.
82. A mysterious ring appears on your finger.
83. You regain 2 sorcery points.
84. You gain the ability to play a musical instrument chosen by the DM and have expertise in performance checks to play it.
85. You notice a satyr watching you from a hedge in your periphery, when you turn to look at him he and the hedge are not there.
86. The air is thick with blackbirds flapping and cawing. A sphere centered on you with a radius of 30 ft is difficult terrain and all weapon attacks are made at disadvantage. This lasts for 1 minute unless you dismiss the birds sooner.
87. You can use your meta-magic on the next spell you cast within 1 minute and expend no sorcery pts.
88. For the next 24 hours, whenever you cast a spell, the DM instead selects another spell you cast instead.
89. You gain a flying speed equal to your regular speed for 1 hour.
90. You grow gills, you are amphibious for 1d6 days.
91. You hear the thoughts of animals for 1d4 days.
92. You senses begin to bleed into the Feywild. You gain disadvantage on perception checks as you have trouble telling what is real. This lasts 1d4 +1 days.
93. As you cast the spell time stops. A powerful Archfey appears from around a corner that isn't there, and offers you the opportunity to make a deal, (possibly free levels in Warlock) but of course there is always a catch. Whenever the deal or negotiations are complete time restarts.
94. Vibrantly colored flowers and grasses grow from the ground anywhere you walk for 1d4 days.
95. You begin to exude an incredible and distracting aroma lasting 1d4 days. You have advantage on all CHA checks for persuasion, performance, and deception. Also all creatures have disadvantage to save against being charmed by you during this time.
96. You gain the spell Find Familiar and cast it immediately. The familiar first appears in a form of the DM's choosing and is a fey being.
97. You have the effects of the Speak With Plants spell non-stop for 1d4 days.
98. A group of pixies appears and begin to play small, mostly harmless pranks on you and your party. The sprites may come and go as they wish to and from the Feywild (DM's discretion) for 1d4 days.
99. Roll on this table again, then repeat each time you cast a level 1 or higher spell or higher until you finish a long rest. Ignore this result on subsequent rolls.
100. Roll on this table at the start of each of your turns for the next minute, ignoring this result on any subsequent rolls.

New Abilities for Hags in D&D 5E

 I've been thinking a lot about Hags lately. They are one of my favorite monsters from 5E, but I think they could be even better with the addition of a few more interesting abilities.

First, I think they should be able to cast certain spells as a ritual. Polymorph, fly, bestow curse, disguise self, and alter self come to mind. Perhaps this could only be possible with a coven's shared spellcasting feature. They would no doubt need some pretty dark and obscure spell components to complete these rituals. A tooth from a sentient being (freely given), the first oak leaf of autumn to change color and fall naturally from the oldest tree in a forest, stuff like that. This is admittedly mostly just for flavor, but I'm all about flavor. Collecting these spell components (particularly those that come from the villages the hag lives near and torments) can be used to drive story, create adventure hooks, and sow conflict.

I also like the idea of something like this:

Curse Attack (1/Day).  When a weapon attack is made against the hag that would hit, the hag can use its reaction to have that attack instead hit the creature making the attack, regardless of the attacker's AC.

So a crossbow misfires or a sword swings wide and catches the wielder in their own leg as the hag laughs. This could really mess with the PC's heads, as experienced players won't expect it. Imagine if the hag uses this ability on the first attack made against it. The players are now wondering: "Is this going to happen every time? Should we even attack this thing?!?" Making characters worry and doubt themselves is what roleplaying a hag is all about.