BORROWED FRAGMENTSThe dread mage Nhagruul, used his own flesh, blood, and spirit to reconstruct the tome. Fearing they would lose their prize, Nhagruul's disciples divided the book into three parts and hid them.The adventurers might pick up clues about the book's identity from its evil character and dark power.Researching the book eventually points the adventurers to Nhagruul. The demonic archwizard is long dead, and his followers were supposedly destroyed during the last effort to reconstruct the tome. The best hope the adven turers have oflearning more about the book is to travel to Nhagruul's tomb.At the tomb, a disciple ofNhagruul and his wicked allies spill out from the surrounding forest to wrest the artifact from the party. If the characters prevail and keep the tome, they can commune with Nhagruul's spirit to learn that ...Lore Arcana or Religion check DC 18: Scrawled across each page of this strange and sinister book are invocations to evil, essays on dark magic, and descriptions of the most sinister forces in the cosmos. Different hands and voices suggest many have added to the book's contents at various times. Perusing the book's odd pages conveys a sense of dread and seductive wonder.Arcana or Religion DC 34: Sages claim many copies of the Book of Vile Darkness exist, but all are lesser volumes, crude reproductions of the true work. Though there have been efforts to destroy the book in the past, each time the tome manages to reconstitute itself, as if it possessed a will to exist-a will that exerts dark influ ence over its wielder. Those who study its foul pages find their souls darkening and shriveling, until they become thralls to the darkness of the void.Roleplaying the BookThe Book of Vile Darkness is aware. Thanks to the soulfragments binding wicked ideas and writings to itspages, the book possesses a dim cunning and a drive tospread despair and suffering throughout the world. Itsenses when it is handled or examined, and can concealits darker subjects to appear less sinister to a viewerwhose alignment differs from its own. The book's greatpower should tempt the character to tap into the magicit contains and use it in place of whatever implementthe character normally would wield. The more thecharacter uses the book, the greater his or her corruption grows until the wielder becomes chaotic evil (seethe "Corruption Effects" sidebar).Although possessed of intelligence, the book has nomeans to communicate outside the words on its pages.CONCORDANCEStarting Score 5Owner gains a level +1d10Owner becomes evil +4Owner kills a good aiJy +4Owner kills a good creature that's not an ally +2Owner gains corruption points equal tohighest ability modifier +2Owner performs an evil act +1Owner uses a healing power on an ally -1Owner performs a good act -2Owner removes corruption points byRemove Affliction ritu.al or similar._l}lagic -4Pleased (16-20)"The words and diaarams that once swam across these paaeshave stopped their errant movement. I can now divine theawful truths this book contains."The Book of Vile Darkness is greatly pleased with thecharacter's corruption and trusts the character with thedark knowledge its pages contain.(bonuses)Satisfied (12-15)"I have proven myself a worthy servant of the book and I cannow see areater meanina and power in its paaes."The book sinks foul claws into the reader's soul,twisting it toward wickedness. As a reward for the character'sgradual slide into darkness, the book reveals auseful secret.Normal (5-11)"There is power in this book. I must steel my heart and mindto master it."The book conceals much from its wielder, though ithints at great power and terrible magic in the conceptsthat seem to crawl on every page.Unsatisfied (1-4)"Try as I miaht, I cannot block the sinister visions assailinamy mind. The book's power is too areat."If the wielder resists the book's influence, theartifact grows angry and fearful that its wielder willsomehow seek to destroy it or, at the very least, containit. It actively works against its wielder until it finds amore reliable servant.You gain vulnerable 5 to all damage. The first time you become bloodied each encounter, the tomedominates you until the end of your next turn. It compels youto attack your allies or moves you into danger.Angered (0 or lower)"I cannot bear this burden much Ionaer. If I do, I fear I willao mad!"The book loathes its wielder and uses its full powerand influence to destroy what it considers its enemy.****************************Dungeoneering DC 25: The tsochar are not somuch a race as they are an extension of the elder evilknown as Mak Thuum Ngatha, the Nine-Tongued Wormand Devourer ofWorlds. Each tsochar is a tendril liberatedfrom the great thrashing worm. It is sent into thenatural world to prepare the way for the elder evil.When it escapes the Far Realm, a tsochar's first taskis to secure a viable body. The creature slithers into avictim's flesh and embeds itself in the target's brain.The parasite quickly detaches a victim's will, or cognitiveawareness, from its mind, thus gaining total controlover its new meat vessel.*******************************A created villain is forged by the player characters'actions, inactions, decisions, or failures. Often theadventurers are aware of what exactly led to the villain'screation. In some cases, the villain might be aformer member of their party. Allowing the heroes toknow the villain before he or she becomes their nemesiscreates interesting tension when the heroes mustfight someone they once considered a friend.In some cases, the villain is not someone the charactersknow well, but someone victimized by theiractions. It might be the daughter of a knight they murderedin cold blood, a noble whom they offended, or aking whose quest they declined for selfish reasons.A Dish Served Cold (Corruption): A villagehires the adventurers to wipe out a goblin infestation.The heroes convince the mayor to pay a higher price,unaware that their demands will drain the village'scoffers. A week later, after wiping out the goblins andclaiming their reward, the adventurers leave the villagerswith insufficient funds to carry them through thewinter. A few locals lose family members to starvationand set into motion plans to get revenge on the greedyadventurers.*******************************The Unhappy Solution (Annihilation): Orcsspill out from the mountains each winter, bringingwar to the Barony ofEverstone, depleting people andresources with each passing season. Baron Umber isat his wit's end trying to throw back the hordes. He'sraised armies, fortified his towns, and recruited mercenaries,but nothing he does seems to dissuade the orcsfrom returning the next year. Fearing annihilation, thebaron has come up with the "unhappy solution" to hisproblems. Lacking the earthly means to deal with thethreat, he's turned to a supernatural agency to help hispeople.A shadar-kai witch named Caera offered to deal withthe orcs by infecting them with a vile plague guaranteedto wipe them out. In exchange, she asks only forthe baron's daughter. With some reluctance, the baronagrees and sends his daughter away. The next spring,the orcs do not appear and, though grieving for hisdaughter, the baron is relieved. Only then the plaguespreads, coming down from the mountains with thesnowmelt and infecting and killing his people by thehundreds. Perform an Evil RitualCharacters find a dark ritual that could increase theirpower or spread despair in the world. To complete theritual, adventurers must obtain a particular focus. Thefocus might be a despicable object or a victim to sacrificeto the dark powers.Raid a CommunityCharacters raid a community for supplies, treasure, orslaves. A quick attack takes defenders by surprise andhands adventurers a decisive victory.Murder a HeroA sly villain hires the characters to assassinate awell-liked and prominent hero. Players must gain intelligenceabout their target, make arrangements, andaccomplish the deed.Example: A succubus kills and then impersonatesan individual who is important to a player characterin order to get close to the adventurer and turn himor her to darkness. This nonplayer character shouldbe a spouse, a lover, a parent, or a mentor. The succubusremains in this guise for many years, subtlyinfluencing the player character, urging the hero toundertake strange missions that often have unsettlingconsequences. When the succubus finally reveals itstrue nature, the adventurer should be shaken andconflicted about what to do, since it is not clear wherethe devil begins and where the lost ally ends.