Necromancy of Thay

For using the tome, see the quests: Unlock the Ancient Tome and Destroy the Ancient Tome

Necromancy of Thay is a Story-related Book related to the Search the Cellar Quest.

It. Is. Not. Too. Late.

Properties

• Books
• Rarity: Story Item
•  Weight: 0.5 kg / 1 lb
• Price: 14 gp

Where to find

In the Apothecary's Cellar beneath the Blighted Village (Wooden Hatch entrance at X: 34 Y: 379), behind a locked gate, on an altar. To access the hidden portion of the cellar containing the book, the party must reveal a secret area by pulling a lever hidden behind a box, then speak to the magic mirror and either pass an intimidate check or correctly answer its questions:

• What think you of the Zulkir known as Szass Tam? 'Szass Tam is a foul, wretched creature.'
• Why might one use balsam ointment? 'To clean a wound.'
  • Rangers have a special response that will also be regarded as correct.
• If you could see anything in me, what would it be? 'I'd look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.'
  • Warlocks, Bards, and Sorcerers have a special response to the third question that will also be regarded as correct.

The locked gate in front of the book can be lockpicked. The Rusted Key found on a shelf in the next room (near the lever that opens a shortcut back to the cellar entrance) can also be used to open the door. Alternatively, spells like  Misty Step or  Mage Hand can be used to bypass the gate.

Taking the book will trigger a trap. To avoid this an item of similar weight (like another book) can be placed on the pedestal, or the trap can be disarmed after a perception check, or by disarming the two nearby statues.

To read the book, the Dark Amethyst must be obtained from the Whispering Depths, which can be accessed from the well or the blacksmith's basement in the Blighted Village. The Amethyst is guarded by a Phase Spider Matriarch. X: -550 Y: -350

Notes

Act One

The Necromancy of Thay has three main paths that can be chosen, each with different outcomes.

• Giving the book to Astarion. Giving it to him will net approval from Astarion. Once he has obtained the book, it cannot be transferred to another Companion or the player character.
• Destroying the book. The book can be destroyed only by Radiant damage. Destroying it will net disapproval from Astarion, but approval from Karlach, Lae'zel, and Wyll. Destroying the book will spawn 3 hostile Shadows.
• Read the book for its dark secrets. Interact with the book and use the option to insert the Dark Amethyst to unlock it. In total, three pages of the book can be turned. Each page which is turned prompts a progressively harder Wisdom Saving Throw (DC 10, 15, and 20). The following possible events can occur:
  • Failing one Saving Throw curses the reader with  Whispers of Madness ( Disadvantage on Wisdom Checks until cleansed by  Remove Curse).
  • Failing two or more Saving Throws curses the reader with  Baleful Knowledge ( Disadvantage on Wisdom Checks until cleansed by  Remove Curse).
    • Some classes and some party members receive special options to modify or lower these DCs; all such special options result in the same overall outcomes.
      • Bards may make Performance checks with DCs of 5, 10, and 15.
      • Sorcerers may make Charisma checks with DCs of 5, 10, and 15.
      • Warlocks may make the first save using Charisma with a DC of 5. The other pages will use the default Wisdom saves.
      • Wizards may make the first save using Intelligence with a DC of 5. The other pages will use the default Wisdom saves.
      • Clerics of dark/evil aligned gods like Talos, Gruumsh, or Lolth get a 10 DC wisdom ability check for the third page, instead of a 20 DC Wisdom saving throw. This includes Shadowheart, as a Cleric of Shar.
      • Astarion has a special option: Drink in the darkness, embracing it, and turn the page for turning the third page, offering a Wisdom ability check with a DC of 15 (in contrast to the 20 DC Wisdom saving throw).
  • Turning at least one page permanently grants the reader  Speak with Dead. This can be cast as a  Ritual and does not consume a Spell Slot.
  • Turning three pages, regardless of success, grants the Forbidden Knowledge tag and  Forbidden Knowledge passive feature.
  • Closing the book before turning three pages leaves the  Search the Cellar quest incomplete and allows the character to reopen the book again later.

Once the book has been opened by one party member, it will not open for any other party member. Once all three pages have been turned, the book will refuse to open again for anyone until more knowledge is gained later in Act Three. It will also no longer be possible to remove the book from the inventory of the reader.

After placing the Dark Amethyst in the book's cover, the item quote will change from 'It. Is. Not. Too. Late.' to 'Look. Away.'

Act Three

With the help of Gale and Tolna Tome-Monger at Sorcerous Sundries in the Lower City, it can be revealed that in order to unlock the full potential of the book, the The Tharchiate Codex somewhere in the vault of Sorcerous Sundries needs to be obtained. The help of Mystic Carrion in Philgrave's Mansion - for a 1500 gp fee - reveals the same.

The Tharchiate Codex is stored in the basement vault of Sorcerous Sundries. The vault can be reached in two different ways:

• By interacting with the Clasped Book in the bookshelf of Tolna Tome-Monger's office upstairs and going through the portal, or
• By using the Weave Button labelled 'Vault' on the middle level of Ramazith's Tower.

Within the vault, the Codex is located in the Elminster section. To unlock the Elminster door, the party must first find the lever at the end of the Silverhand section by opening doors in this order: Silverhand, Evocation, Wish.

After reading the Tharchiate Codex, the Necromancy of Thay can be re-read. After passing a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw the reader gains the permanent ability to summon 4 ghouls via the  Danse Macabre spell once per Long Rest. Failing this saving throw has the same effect as before: the reader will be cursed with Baleful Knowledge, but still gains the spell.

Reading the Codex also grants the reader  The Tharchiate Codex: Blessing passive feature, which lets the reader gain 20 temporary Hit Points after each Long Rest.

Reading the Necromancy of Thay fully does not break Oath of the Ancients, nor does using Danse Macabre.

Having the  Forbidden Knowledge feature allows the reader to safely obtain another permanent bonus from the Mirror of Loss in the House of Grief; see Permanent Bonuses for more details.