The Ophidecimo

Spellbook, uncommon

This well worn 3 lbs tome is made from fine vellum pages bound in a cover of gleaming snakeskin with an image of a winding serpent emblazoned on the cover in hammered copper. Written by an anonymous author, the text is commonly attributed to Abramund, an arcane Oracle of the Axial Tabernacle excommunicated during the Widdershins Schism. The text uses poetry and serpentine imagery to expound upon matters of Edarhite theology, ethics, and prognostication. Peppered throughout the text are spells that resonate with serpents great and small, at least according to the author’s unique philosophy.

If you take 5 minutes to consult The Ophidecimo before making an Intelligence skill check to recall lore related to snakes, serpents, or other ophidian creatures, you gain advantage on that check.

This copy is protected by an arcane lock and a magical trap. Any attempt to force open the covers of the book causes the serpentine icon on the cover to animate and bite the would-be reader for 2d6 poison damage unless they make a successful DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Tracing one’s fingers along the serpent from head to tail suppresses the arcane lock and trap until the book is closed again.

Cantrips: poison spray, serpent whip (as thorn whip, but uses a shed snake skin as its material component and inflicts poison damage).

1st level: animal friendship (snakes only), coils of hadar (as arms of hadar, but manifests as snapping vipers, inflicts poison damage, and Dexterity saves), beast bond (snakes only), detect poison and disease (poison only), find familiar (snake only), speak with animals (snakes only)

2nd level: animal messenger (snakes only), beast sense (snakes only), locate animals or plants (snakes only), ophimancy (as augury, but the caster must observe the windings of sacred snakes), venom arrow (as acid arrow, but deals poison damage)

3rd level: clairvoyance, conjure animals (snakes only), serpentine weapon (as elemental weapon, but deals poison damage)

4th level: arcane eye, divination (only allows contact with That Which Coils, an aspect of Edarh observed by heretical sects), dominate beast (snakes only), polymorph (snakes only), watchful serpent (as faithful hound, but summons a phantom rattlesnake that deals poison damage),