The Book of Set: Pages from a Lost Tome

“This is a book of secrets and lies, a book of shadows, hiding dark lore. Beware!” --- Tiye the Witch of Shosnar

This ancient tome is the accumulation of the memoirs of generations of wizards, sorcerers, and warlocks in the sunken kingdom of Thosia, dating back centuries. It has been copied and translated and edited over and over, with each version having deletions and additions unique to it. These excerpts are in ancient Thosian, in the hand of the first arcane masters of that land before it sank beneath the waves.

Excerpt: Page 37, from the notes of Awa-Set, Kingslayer, Founder of the 5th Dynasty of Thosia

The great Pharaoh Djet III, ruler of all Thosia, had gone mad, his mind addled by age and disease, but no one dared oppose him. He was still a potent warrior and possessed mighty weapons of magic that awed the court and commoners alike. The people groaned under the misery of his misrule, the priests and ministers and generals tried in vain to make him repeal his onerous laws to no avail.

The priests of the god Set, long reviled by the kings of Thosia for his murder of Osiris, had their own man they wished to see rule over Thosia. Twas I, Lord Awa-Set. I am an aristocratic cousin of Djet who all know, far and wide, as a treacherous but clever and resourceful warlock. I came from a proud house and had a cunning mind. The priests of Set knew my power. “Seek out your chance, Awa-Set…” the chief priest told me. “Now is the time, be ready to seize the throne!”

The great symbol of the king’s authority was the heqa, a ceremonial staff like that used by a shepherd to gently guide his flock. Just like a shepherd staff it could also be a weapon, for just as a shepherd often had to defend his flock from wolves, every pharaoh had many enemies at court he needed to fend off. Djet’s heqa covered him in a shield of flames before he entered battle, and when he wielded it the staff was wreathed in black flames. It was a powerful weapon, he would be a dangerous foe. Stealing it from his grasp would leave him vulnerable, but no mere thief could do such a mission and live to tell of it. But by my dark lord Set, I knew I would prevail.

So with dark magic I turned my Eye through the mists to watch Pharaoh Djet, causing Djet to shiver with the knowledge he was being watched. He knew I was coming for him, that I watched his every move. But he had burned every bridge to any ally who could have aided him. Like a lynx would I slink through the halls of the palace, climb over its walls and parapets, to spy on the decrepit pharaoh, leaving no sign for any to track me. My gaze lulled the weak-minded, leaving them no memory of seeing me. The one court wizard who dared to scry for my presence did not long live to regret it. My power struck him blind and my mace crushed his skull.

The great palace of the Pharaohs of Thosia had mighty walls and many guards, no ordinary man could make his way to the Throne Room unchecked. But I am no ordinary man, the powers of darkness pump in my veins and fill my mind with glory. Listen for me and you hear nothing. Search for me and you see nothing. Hounds cannot catch my scent. I climb like a spider, swinging on a strand of silk. My traps sting like the scorpion, each one unleashing a blast of eldritch flames that lays his guards low. Walls part for me like mist as I walk through them into the royal chambers and steal the heqa-staff.

A man with no eyes cannot watch you. A man with no ears cannot hear you. A man with no mouth cannot call out for help. A man with no nostrils cannot breathe. Slitting his throat is a mercy. I have no mercy, I let Djet’s valet die of suffocation as he clawed at his faceless head trying in vain to scream and flailing blindly about after I removed his features with my invocation. After he died his face returned to normal, no one would know what caused his demise.

Beware the Dreadful Eye whose gaze is madness. The glance that pierces the mind, the terrible gaze that bewitches and terrifies. At long last I was alone with Pharaoh Djet atop a palace parapet. I cast my horrible gaze upon him, his fragile mind like a cracked vase was suddenly filled to overflowing with madness, fear, and despair. It shattered, sending him running blindly across the top of the tower as he plunged his thumbs into his own eyes. He stumbled and fell over the edge, screaming in terror all the way down, his skull splitting open on the ground below.

I marched into the Throne Room and sat upon the Great Chair, the heqa in my hand, my countenance sheathed in searing flames. The High Priest of Set roared “All hail Pharaoh Awa-Set, ruler of all Thosia!” None in the court failed to agree. All knew I could not be challenged. All bowed before me…

Least Invocations

Catwalk

least invocation

Level equivalent: 2nd

Description: For 24 hours you can move at your full speed on any non-slippery surface at least 2″ wide without making a Balance check unless you are attacked, and you retain your Dexterity modifier. You leave no footprints when moving, so you can only be tracked by scent.

Creeping Watcher

least invocation

Level equivalent: 2nd

Description: You can locate a single creature as per the Locate Creature spell. Once you have located a target you can view their location to see and hear everything within a 30 foot radius whenever you concentrate on the target’s location and always know when the target changes areas for 24 hours. Each time you focus on the target’s location however the target knows he or she is being watched and must save versus Will or be frightened by the creepy feel of your gaze.

Eye of the Serpent

least invocation

Level equivalent: 2nd

Description: You can cast Hypnotism as per the spell against a single target, who receives a -2 save penalty. You can make an opposed Search check against an opponent’s AC to spot a flaw in their defenses, if successful you add your Wisdom modifier to your next attack roll and damage. Once an enemy has been struck by such an attack you may not use this ability on them again that day.

Vengeful Alertness

least invocation

Equivalent Level: 2nd

You can detect scrying as a standard action as per the spell and anyone you catch magically spying on you must save versus Fortitude or be struck deaf or blind (your choice) as per the spell Blindness/Deafness. You gain a +5 bonus on Spot and Listen checks and initiative checks for 24 hours.

Lesser Invocations

Eldritch Trap

lesser eldritch blast shape invocation

Equivalent Level: 4th

Description: You pour your eldritch blast into an object to create a magical trap. You can program the blast to detonate on contact or after a set amount of time. Upon detonation, the blast affects everyone within a 5′ radius. The trap goes off at the end of 24 hours if it has not been detonated. You can dismiss the trap at will before the duration expires if you are within sight of it.

Elusive Hunter

lesser invocation

Equivalent Level: 4th

Description: You lose your scent and leave no footprints so you cannot be tracked without the aid of magic, and you gain the Scent ability and a +5 bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. This invocation lasts for 24 hours.

Grappling Blast

lesser eldritch essence invocation

Equivalent Level: 4th

Description: You can turn your eldritch blast into a tough, sticky strand. Upon hitting a target the blast wraps around it, entangling it instead of dealing damage. An entangled creature suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls, suffers a -4 penalty to effective Dexterity and must make a concentration check (DC 15) to cast a spell. Failure means the spell is lost. The target can only move at half speed and cannot charge or run. If you control the strand by succeeding at an opposed Strength check while holding it, the entangled creature can only move within the limits that the cord allows.

The entangled creature can escape with an Escape Artist check (DC 25) that is a full round action. The cord has 3 hp per warlock level and can be burst with a Strength check (DC 30).

Grappling blast can be used to grab to pull a target toward you or be used to climb or swing over obstacles just as a normal rope would be. If you hold onto the blast it lasts until dismissed. If you let go of the blast it dissolves in 1 round/warlock level if it is not dismissed.

Phantom Passage

lesser invocation

Equivalent Level: 4th

Description: For 24 hours you can move through any non-living barrier by making a portion of it incorporeal just long enough for you to slip through it. You can also ignore opponent’s shields and armour as you bypass them when you attack with a melee, reach, or unarmed attack. If you move your whole body through a barrier, instead of just a hand or weapon, you leave the barrier a little worse for wear, so it loses 1d6 points of hardness. You cannot reduce an object to a hardness of less than 0.

Greater Invocations

Erase Visage

greater invocation

Equivalent Level: 6th

Description: You can erase one feature of a creature’s face per 4 levels, either an eye, ear, nose or mouth, removing any sign that it was ever there, with the touch of your hand. The target must save versus Fortitude or have the selected features removed and covered in skin. The removed features return to normal after 24 hours. Removing one eye gives the victim a -4 penalty on Spot checks and ranged attack rolls and a -2 penalty on Search checks. Removing both eyes blinds the target. Removing an ear causes the victim to have -4 on Listen checks. Removing both ears renders the target deaf. A character without a nose has no sense of smell. Sealing the mouth makes it impossible for the target to speak or drink potions. Removing both the mouth and nose makes it impossible for the target to breathe, making them subject to possible suffocation. A heal skill check (DC 20) allows the performance of a tracheotomy to allow the victim to breathe but causes 1d4 hp of damage.

Dark Invocations

Dreadful Eye

dark invocation

Equivalent Level: 8th

Description: One of your eyes turns to a black orb of terrible malevolence. You gain a +10 bonus on Intimidate, Search, and Spot checks, and you can use the spells Insanity and Eyebite as a standard action. This invocation lasts 24 hours.

Sidebar: Perilous Lore

Because the knowledge within the Book of Set in the tome’s many iterations is so dangerous, anyone studying the secrets within it runs the risk of being marred by it. Each time the owner of a copy of this tome undertakes to learn an invocation, spell, or how to craft an item, they run the risk of learning something improperly, and must pass a spellcraft skill check at DC 12 + spell level of the effect being learned. Failure requires a roll on the Perilous Spell Learning Table below.

Perilous Spell Learning Table

Roll d20

1 Comprehension Error. You have not learned the spell or invocation correctly. Each time you cast it you suffer a 10%+1d10% casting failure penalty.

3 Comprehension Error. You have not learned the spell or invocation correctly. Each time you cast it your target receives a +1d4 saving throw bonus.

5 Comprehension Error. You have not learned the spell or invocation correctly. Each time you cast it you must save versus Fortitude or lose 1 point of Constitution per 3 spell levels. Lost points can be recovered only through rest.

7 Comprehension Error. You have not learned the spell or invocation correctly. Each time you cast it you must pass a skill check or accidentally summon a random creature as though you also cast a Summon Monster spell of the same level. You have no control over the summoned creature and cannot dismiss it.

9 Comprehension Error. You learned the spell or invocation in an eccentric way but it works normally. Any other caster who sees you use the spell knows you were not properly trained in its use.

10 Comprehension Error. You have no control over this spell or invocation, roll on the Wild Surge table each time you cast it.

11 Terrible Lore. You have learned a terrible secret while studying this spell or invocation, make a Fear Check each time you cast it.

12 Terrible Lore. You gain a hideous insight when you cast this spell or invocation. Make a Horror check each time you cast it.

13 Terrible Lore. Casting this spell or invocation is maddening. Make a Madness check each time you cast it.

14 Terrible Lore. Casting this spell or invocation is an evil act and garners the attention of dark powers. Make a Powers check each time you cast it.

15 Terrible Lore. You have acquired a curse by learning this spell or invocation. Roll on the Curse Table to determine the nature of your affliction.

16 Breakthrough. You have learned a “trick” to cast the spell or invocation more efficiently. Targets suffer a -1d4 penalty on saves when you cast this spell or invocation.

17 Breakthrough. You can cast this spell or invocation as though you were 1d4 levels higher.

18 Breakthrough. You can apply a single metamagic feat to this spell or invocation for free.

19 Breakthrough. Once per day you may cast this spell without using a spell slot. Re-roll if you are learning an invocation.

20 Roll again twice.

Any piece of lore gleaned from the book may be re-learned with a successful spellcraft check at 15 + spell level of the effect but only after the student has gained at least one more level of casting ability. If unsuccessful, another level must be gained before another check can be made to re-learn the effect.