A book bound in two ornate ends made in black stone. The book is heavier than most tomes of its size. The front page has a text blazed in red, text that almost flickers like flames as the player holds it in their hands. The text shimmers and shifts as if changing languages before the person attuned to it. The scripture reads “The Cortex of the Creators” when a language that can be read appears.

A Gift from Those Before Us

The book carries with it such a weight in the world the caster attuned to this book has such a subconscious understanding of the world and the magic within that all spells are cast at one level higher automatically. This can exceed the caster's maximum spell level ability. If it does however the caster must make an Intelligence saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion.

The Secrets of The Forgotten

The cortex while empty on the pages, what is held beneath the empty pages is the secret to unlocking the very essence of magic. Once per day the caster may cast one spell of their choosing from any class list and of any level. The spell save for this spell uses one's intelligence modifier. Attack spells also use the caster's intelligence modifier. Casting this spell requires double the spell slots a spell would normally require. For instance, a 2nd level spell would require a 4th level spell slot or two level two spell slots, or one level one spell slot and one level three spell slots. etc. 

If the spell chosen is higher than a slot that the caster can currently cast they must succeed on an intelligence saving throw. DC 17 + 2 per spell level above the current casting ability of the caster. On a fail the Cortex bites back burning both spell slots and health. For each spell level about their current casting ability the caster takes 3d10 force damage that cannot be ignored by the way of resistance or immunities. The caster also takes 3d10 damage to their spell slots. A level 1 spell slot can absorb one damage. A level two spell slot can absorb two damage and so on. The highest spell slots will be consumed first. The feedback can only fully take spell slots. For instance, if 5 damage is dealt it can only be absorbed by a 5th level spell slot or multiple spell slots below. 

Notes: Bonus: Wisdom Score, Bonus: Ability Score Maximum, Spell Slot Increase: Cleric, Spell Slot Increase: Paladin, Advantage: Persuasion, Advantage: Intimidation, A creature with at least one spell slot, Damage, Buff, Utility