The Accursed

You found a mysterious, forbidden spellbook filled with dark magic and impossible curses. The knowledge within does not appear in ordinary writing, but instead reveals itself only to you. Whether the book was created by an ancient witch, a forgotten god, or something that should have remained buried, its power is yours to command.

The question is not whether you can wield this magic. 

The question is whether you should. 

 

Hexing Mage

The forbidden knowledge within your spellbook teaches you how to bind creatures with lingering curses. 

You always have the Hex spell prepared. 

You can cast Hex without expending a spell slot a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum once), regaining all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. 

When you cast Hex using this feature, it does not require Concentration. 

Forbidden Knowledge

Your spellbook is an indestructible Arcane Focus containing countless forbidden curses. 

You cannot willingly be separated from this spellbook. If it is more than 5 feet away from you, it magically returns to your possession at the end of your turn. 

As a Magic Action, you can expend a spell slot to unleash a random curse from your Forbidden Knowledge table. After rolling on the table, you must cast the resulting curse, even if the effect harms an ally or creates an inconvenient outcome. See table below for curse options. 

Unless a curse states otherwise: 

-You choose the target if multiple valid creatures are available.  

-You are not automatically affected by your own curses unless you choose yourself as a target.  

-A curse only affects creatures within the listed range.  

-If no valid target exists, the spell slot and action are still expended.  

-All curses created through this feature are magical curses. 

-A curse created through this feature can be removed by Remove Curse, Greater Restoration, or similar magic unless the curse specifically states otherwise. 

-If a saving throw is required, the target makes a saving throw against your Wizard Spell Save DC. 

 

Forbidden Knowledge Curse Table (d100) 

01, Steal the Spark — Choose a creature within 60 feet that has spell slots. You regain one expended spell slot of the highest level you are missing, and the target loses one spell slot of that level. You cannot steal a spell slot higher than 5th level. 

02-03, Elemental Misfortune — A creature within 60 feet gains immunity to cold damage but gains vulnerability to fire damage for 24 hours. 

04-06, Hag's Mark — The target's face is covered in hideous boils. It has disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks for 24 hours. 

07-09, Frog's Fate — A creature within 60 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw or be polymorphed into a frog for 1 hour. 

10-12, Living Statue — The creature closest to you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they become Petrified for 1 hour. On a natural 1, the effect lasts until removed by true love’s kiss. 

13-15, Verdant Curse — The target must make a Constitution saving throw or become a Plant creature on a failure. Their appearance changes but they retain their statistics. They gain the needs of a plant for 24 hours. 

16-18, Endless Hair — The target's hair rapidly grows until it reaches 6 feet in length. Any hair removed from the target instantly regrows. For 24 hours, the target has disadvantage on ability checks made to escape a grapple or restraints. Additionally, the target has disadvantage on saving throws made to avoid being knocked Prone. 

19-21, Weakening Curse: Strength — The target must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure its Strength score decreases by 2 for 24 hours. 

22-24, Frozen Touch — Whenever the target touches up to 100 gallons of liquid, the liquid freezes instantly for 1 hour. 

25-27, Haunted Victim — A Poltergeist appears and begins tormenting the target. The curse ends when the target willingly sacrifices a finger. 

28-30, Broken Voice — The target is silenced and cannot speak. This lasts 24 hours. 

31-33, Weakening Curse: Dexterity — The target must make a Dexterity saving throw or its Dexterity score decreases by 2 for 24 hours. 

34-36, Living Flame — You become immune to fire damage and begin burning. Creatures within 5 feet of you at the end of their turns take 1d12 fire damage. Lasts 1 minute. 

37-39, Beastly Movement — A bipedal creature must move on all four limbs. Its speed is unchanged. Lasts 24 hours. 

40-42, Poisoned Fruit — You create a cursed piece of fruit. A creature that eats it must make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned and fall asleep for 1 year on a failure. 

43-45, Golden Vomit — The target vomits 4d4 gold coins. It takes 1 force damage for each coin created. 

46-48, False King’s Charisma — You cannot keep a story straight. For 47 hours, the target has disadvantage on Charisma checks and cannot willingly disguise its appearance. Any disguise attempt automatically fails to conceal the curse. 

49-51, Glass Steps — Shards of glass grow in the target's feet. Whenever it moves, it takes 1 piercing damage per 5 feet moved. This lasts until the target takes 1 minute to remove the glass. 

52-54, Weakening Curse: Intelligence — The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failure its Intelligence score decreases by 2 for 24 hours. 

55-57, Iron Nails — You and up to three creatures within 10 feet gain steel-like nails. Unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d4 slashing damage. After 24 hours, the nails rust away and fall off harmlessly. 

58-60, Restless Skin — The target constantly feels an unbearable itch. It cannot willingly end its turn in the same space where it started. Lasts 24 hours. 

61-63, Heavy Gravity — The target's movement speed is halved, it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, and it cannot jump. 

64-66, Drowned Curse — The target becomes aquatic. It can breathe underwater but must be fully submerged once every 4 hours or begin suffocating. 

67-69, Tiny Terror — The target shrinks to a height of 1 foot for 24 hours. The target's statistics remain unchanged, but it takes a 1d4 penalty to damage rolls with weapon attacks and unarmed strikes. 

70-72, Directionless Curse — At the start of each turn, the target rolls a d4. It can only move in that direction: 1 North, 2 South, 3 East, 4 West. This lasts for 1 minute. 

73-75, Weakening Curse: Wisdom — The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure its Wisdom score decreases by 2 for 24 hours. 

76-78, Darkness Sight — The target can only see in darkness and dim light. Bright and normal light appears completely black. This lasts 24 hours. 

79-81, Invisible Screaming — The target hears unbearable screaming only they can hear. At the start of each turn, it takes 1d6 thunder damage for 1 minute. 

82-84, Mist Curse — The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure they are affected by the Gaseous Form spell for 1 hour. 

85-87, Wererat Curse — The target must make a Constitution saving throw or become cursed on a failure. At the next full moon or when reduced to 0 hit points, they transform into a Wererat. 

88-90, Weakening Curse: Constitution — The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure its Constitution score decreases by 2. It also takes damage equal to its CR or character level. 

91-93, Eternal Poison — The target must make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned on a failure. 

94-96, Weakening Curse: Charisma — The target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure its Charisma score decreases by 2 for 24 hours. 

97-99, Forced Rage — The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure they enter a Barbarian Rage for 1 minute. They gain the benefits of a +2 Rage and it cannot end early unless incapacitated. 

100, Soul Devouring Curse — The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, its life force begins to unravel. At the end of each turn, its hit point maximum is reduced by 6d6, and you regain hit points equal to the amount reduced. The effect ends when the curse is removed or the target dies. 

Intervening Curse

You have learned to manipulate curses rather than simply unleash them. 

You always have the spells Bestow Curse and Remove Curse prepared. You can cast each of these spells once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast these spells this way when you finish a Long Rest. 

Empowered Curses

Your understanding of curses allows you to force your forbidden magic upon unwilling creatures. 

When a creature makes a saving throw against one of your Forbidden Knowledge curses, you gain a +2 bonus to the Spell Save DC of that curse. 

Additionally, you always have Glyph of Warding prepared. 

When you cast Glyph of Warding, you may choose to create a cursed glyph instead of storing a spell within it. To do so, you expend a 1st-level spell slot and roll on your Forbidden Knowledge table. 

The curse rolled becomes the effect stored within the glyph. 

When the glyph is triggered, the curse immediately affects the triggering creature as if you had cast the curse using your Forbidden Knowledge feature. 

When you create a cursed glyph this way, you ignore the material component cost of Glyph of Warding. 

Controlling Fate

ou have mastered the forbidden writings within your spellbook, allowing you to bend the curse within its pages to your will. 

When you cast a Forbidden Knowledge curse or create a cursed Glyph of Warding using your Empowered Curses feature, you may expend a spell slot of 4th level or higher to choose the result from your Forbidden Knowledge table instead of rolling. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a Short or Long Rest. 

You cannot choose Curse #100 more than once per week. 

Additionally, you can end any curse created by your Forbidden Knowledge feature at the start of your turn without using an action.