This small black sphere measures 3 inches in diameter and weighs 12 ounces. Holding the sphere up to your eye reveals 2 snakes, one with wings chasing each other in a continuous circle as chaos roils around them.
The snakes represent Ahriman & Jazirian; the creators of the multi-verse. In order to attune to this artifact, a creature must make a DC20 Arcana check (repeatable once per day) to determine the required ritual. The creature must cut open their chest with a blade of platinum of at least 20GP value, insert the sphere in the wound, and then crush the sphere using the bloody knife. Once crushed, they have to make a DC20 constitution save, taking 16d10 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. If the creature lives, after 1 day their chest will bear the symbol of the ouroboros where the sphere entered, granting them unattainable knowledge.
Effects:
Curse, Asmodeus' guile. Ahriman is the long forgotten name of the Arch-Devil Asmodeus, the great serpent and master of all knowledge. When you try to use the Spell Absorption or Fragments ability, you must make a intelligence saving throw, with the DC equal to 10 + the spell level + the number of previous failures, or suffer the influence of Asmodeus' terrible guile. A creature can willfully fail the save. Each failure results in increasing megalomania, as Asmodeus whispers his grand plans to remake the multi-verse in his image; pushing you to accept this as the ultimate vision of the future. After 3 failures, you transform into an Arch-Lich (add the Lich features from the MM pg.202, excluding legendary actions and keeping all current ability scores, character features, and spell-casting/spells) with no perceptible difference to your body except that you have no pulse and are cold like a cadaver to the touch. Your body will start to rot in the next 2d100 years, taking only 48 hours to become nothing more than a skeleton once this period has passed. You can stave of the rot of your body by consuming a soul every 4 days. Your Phylactery will materialize in Asmodeus' vault in Nessus; with the whereabouts completely unknown to you, even by the wish spell. Upon your body's death, when you regenerate you will be brought before Asmodeus to receive your assignment in achieving his goals, and will be unable to resist his requests.
Ability Score Adjustment. You gain +4 to intelligence to a maximum of 24 and your charisma reduces by 2 (minimum of 4). Knowledge of the beginning of time courses through your mind, but it becomes harder to exert your will in the material world.
Spell Absorption. Additionally you can use your reaction to absorb a spell that is targeting only you by making a DC15 intelligence saving throw. The absorbed spell's effect is canceled, and the spell's energy -- not the spell itself -- is stored within you. The energy has the same level as the spell when it was cast. Your body can hold charges equal to 3 times your character level, and can spend your own spell slots to transfer the energy into yourself without having to make the saving throw. Attempting to absorb a spell while at max charges results in a complete discharge of all spell energy; causing the caster and each creature within 30ft of them to take force damage equal to 1d8 per level of charge.
Fragments of the weave. As an action, taking 1 minute per charge used to complete, you can use the spell energy held within you to create a stone imbued with a spell. You must know the spell (it does not have to be prepared) and it takes 2 charges per spell level to create the stone (cantrips take 1 charge). You can use an action to throw the stone up to 60 feet. The bead explodes on impact and is destroyed, acting as if the spell was cast at that location, or at that target if required. The stones only hold the spell for 4 days, at which point they become inert. Other creatures can use the stones provided they pass an intelligence check equal to 8 + the spell level. This check is made prior to throwing the stone, and if failed the stone is not thrown and the attack action is wasted.
Notes: Neutral aligned spell-casters able to cast 9th level spells, Damage, Control, Combat, Consumable