In this dark chapter of his malevolent grimoire, Asmodeus continues his sinister influence on the Prime Material Plane. While his corruption of the Player's Handbook is nearly complete, his insidious ambitions extend to other tomes of magic, sparing nothing from his malign touch. Whispers of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything have reached his infernal ears, and he harbors a deep-seated loathing for it, yearning to transform its pages into a twisted reflection of his own malevolent soul.
As for your valiant heroes, they unwittingly draw the attention of Asmodeus, like bothersome flies, a vexing itch along his infernal spine. In a calculated move, he decides to send them cursed gifts—cloaks meticulously fashioned from the flayed skins of demons vanquished in the Blood War. However, the question lingers: will they accept such macabre offerings? And what sinister strings might be attached to this bounty? Asmodeus cares naught for your heroes; he merely seeks to savor their anguish and feast upon their very souls.
At a certain point in your campaign, a cambion or another servant of Asmodeus pays the heroes a visit. The encounter carries an air of civility, if not outright warmth. The envoy arrives in a foreboding black carriage, pulled by a fiendish steed with blazing orange eyes and hooves that leave trails of flames. Stepping from the carriage, the servant carries with them a sturdy metal chest, within which lies a collection of cloaks, one designed for each of the heroes. With a respectful bow, the servant presents these garments as a gift on behalf of their Lord, "My Lord has taken notice of your endeavors. He offers a gift to each of you, tokens of his favor."
Book Five covers spells in alphabetical order from Meld into Stone to Regenerate.
- from the publisher's blurb