Wanderer’s Book
Wondrous item, fabled (5th-level and higher properties require attunement)
The book contains simple stories of the local region, its history, and its religions. While this book is on your person, you have proficiency in your choice of two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion. During a long rest, you can change your proficiency to be in a different one of these skills.
Story Keeper (Requires Attunement). The book contains in-depth accounts of one person’s journey exploring the world. Only you can read these contents; to all others, its pages appear blank or appear to display only the simple stories it contains when a creature that isn’t attuned reads it (your choice). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while holding or carrying this book.
5th level. You double your proficiency bonus on Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion checks. If you don’t have proficiency in these skills, you gain proficiency in them instead. In addition, you can use an action to cast the identify spell from the book. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
9th level. By spending 10 minutes studying the wanderer’s book, you can recall obscure facts, tales, or lore about a person, place, or object as if you had cast the legend lore spell. The subject of your research doesn’t have to be of legendary importance, but the more historically significant the subject, the more information the book can reveal. For example, the book can give you stories about a local inn that’s been in business for decades, but it would have very little, if any, information on the bakery that opened last week. The information appears on the book’s pages and isn’t couched in figurative language, but it might be incomplete. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
13th level. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. When you fail an Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion check, you can choose to succeed instead. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
17th level. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. If you die from a cause other than old age while attuned to this book, your memories appear on its pages, and your soul enters the book, unless the book already houses a soul. You can remain in the book or depart for the afterlife. While your soul inhabits the book, you are aware of your surroundings as if you were in the book’s space, you can’t move or take any actions, and you can telepathically communicate with any creature holding the book. As long as your soul is in the book, you can be restored to life, such as with the raise dead and resurrection spells. Your body doesn’t need to be present, but the spellcaster must touch this book as part of the casting. When restored to life in this way, your body reforms, fully intact, in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of the book.
The book contains simple stories of the local region, its history, and its religions. While this book is on your person, you have proficiency in your choice of two of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion. During a long rest, you can change your proficiency to be in a different one of these skills.
Story Keeper (Requires Attunement). The book contains in-depth accounts of one person’s journey exploring the world. Only you can read these contents; to all others, its pages appear blank or appear to display only the simple stories it contains when a creature that isn’t attuned reads it (your choice). As your level increases, you gain the following benefits while holding or carrying this book.
5th level. You double your proficiency bonus on Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion checks. If you don’t have proficiency in these skills, you gain proficiency in them instead. In addition, you can use an action to cast the identify spell from the book. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
9th level. By spending 10 minutes studying the wanderer’s book, you can recall obscure facts, tales, or lore about a person, place, or object as if you had cast the legend lore spell. The subject of your research doesn’t have to be of legendary importance, but the more historically significant the subject, the more information the book can reveal. For example, the book can give you stories about a local inn that’s been in business for decades, but it would have very little, if any, information on the bakery that opened last week. The information appears on the book’s pages and isn’t couched in figurative language, but it might be incomplete. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
13th level. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. When you fail an Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion check, you can choose to succeed instead. Once used, the book can’t be used in this way again until the next dawn.
17th level. Your Wisdom score increases by 2, to a maximum of 20. If you die from a cause other than old age while attuned to this book, your memories appear on its pages, and your soul enters the book, unless the book already houses a soul. You can remain in the book or depart for the afterlife. While your soul inhabits the book, you are aware of your surroundings as if you were in the book’s space, you can’t move or take any actions, and you can telepathically communicate with any creature holding the book. As long as your soul is in the book, you can be restored to life, such as with the raise dead and resurrection spells. Your body doesn’t need to be present, but the spellcaster must touch this book as part of the casting. When restored to life in this way, your body reforms, fully intact, in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of the book.
The thick, leather-bound book is very old, yet in excellent condition. Its many pages are edged in gold leaf. An
elaborate, gold sigil of the letter “T” is stamped on the cover. Talvin the Wanderer, considered perhaps the greatest historian and collector of stories, wandered from one corner of the land to the other during his long and fruitful life. It is said Talvin never forgot a story or fact once he heard it. Toward the end of his life, Talvin collected a great many of these stories into a large, leather-bound book, which he lovingly and meticulously crafted himself. After his death, loyal followers of the bard copied the book’s contents and distributed copies throughout the land. These collected works are still studied by sages today and are considered among the greatest historical and literary works ever produced. There are conflicting stories regarding Talvin the Wanderer’s final years. Some tales say he became embroiled in the political intrigue of a distant king and eventually felt the executioner’s axe. Others say the great bard retired in some far-off land and ended his days in complete solitude. Perhaps the greatest mystery is what became of Talvin’s original book, bound and written by Talvin’s own hand. Scholars and adventurers alike have tried in vain to discover what became of the bard’s book, but so far none have succeeded. Whatever Talvin the Wanderer’s fate, his book faded from history. Some say that, upon his death, Talvin’s spirit became one with his book, where he revels for all eternity within its tales.
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