LIBRARY OF THE DOOMED MAGE
Background
M
ordus dutifully accepted the
death sentence delivered by the elders.
Though he was passionate about his
creation, the bond a dwarf shares with
his clan is paramount. He worked hard
to convince his assistant, Artume, as well
as the clan the value he saw in what he had built: a device
connected to the astral plane that could extract living
memories. Artume was helpful at first; he saw the potential
benefits of being able to witness one's past mistakes or to
relive happy moments. He became the primary test subject,
offering up valuable personal items from which the device
could extract memories. But things changed when Mordus
learned that the device also worked with items that once
belonged to the dead. Intrigued and excited, Mordus
hoped it could be used to learn forgotten secrets and
better understand lives lost to history. Artume dissented,
knowing that such recreations would be disrespectful
to the ancestors. The clan elders agreed with Artume.
Mordus' choice was mandated – destroy the device, or
be put to death for crimes against the clan. He did not go
as quietly as some would have hoped. In a fit of rage, he
murdered Artume. Knowing he could not bear the shame
of abandoning his duty nor the thought of having his
creation destroyed, he ensured that his library was well-
defended before he allowed his clan to carry out justice.
The Library of the Doomed Mage is a dungeon
adventure for characters of 5th to 7th level, featuring
an abandoned wizard's library that has begun to
unravel itself and the living memories it contains.
What secrets will they learn about the wizard who
built this place, and what secrets will they learn
about themselves?
Overview
Unless otherwise stated, the library's walls are crafted
of hewn granite slabs. Everburning torches provide dim
light throughout the building. Doorways are doubled,
constructed of oak and reinforced with steel hasps,
opening outward on their hinges. All rooms other than
the Foyer are circular and 60 feet in diameter, with ceilings
50 feet high. Above the doorway to each circular room is
an inscription of the room's name. Each room, save for
the Memory Chamber, contains shelves of books on the
walls in addition to its unique contents. Loud, cracking
booms can be heard echoing throughout the complex
every few minutes, courtesy of the living spells in the Spell
Informatics room. A slightly sharp floral scent is carried
on the air throughout.
Adventure Hooks
A prominent mage in possession of a historical artifact
has learned of the discovery of the rumored library of the
doomed mage. Having heard accounts of the powerful
device inside said to be able to manifest living memories,
he has contracted a group of adventurers to transport this
important item to the library to find out if they can learn
more about its history using the device.
Reports out of a nearby village or city describe something
beyond belief: the façade of a dwarven structure
has appeared halfway up a nearby cliffside, with an
accompanying lift. The local officials suspect that a
powerful illusion has either finally faded or something
more dangerous is going on. They have hired a group of
adventures to investigate and report back.
Teleportation Circles
Except for Areas B (Foyer) and H (Memory Chamber),
each room contains labeled teleportation circles designed
to lead to every other room throughout the building.
For example, Mordus' personal quarters will contain
teleportation circles to areas D, E, F, and G. These circles
are always located near the wall opposite from whichever
doorway leads back to the foyer. The magic that powers
these circles is becoming increasingly unstable as it ages.
Every time a creature uses these portals, roll a d6. On a
roll of 1-4, the portal functions normally, transporting
the creature to the appropriately labeled destination. On
a roll of 5-6, consult the "Teleportation Mishaps" table to
determine the effect.
Teleportation Mishaps
d4 Effect
the creature is teleported to a random
1 room within the complex that contains
teleportation circles.
the creature teleports to the
2 appropriate destination, but takes 3d10
psychic damage doing so.
the creature becomes poisoned with
3
teleportation sickness for one hour.
the creature teleports to the
appropriate destination, but
4
inadvertenly manifests an Astral
Coalescence into an adjacent space.
Random Encounters
Astral Coalescences
Every time the party enters a room, roll a d6. On a 5 or
6, 1d4 Astral Coalescences materialize in response to the
party's conscious presence and attack.
Astral Coalescences
Mordus built a device that established a connection
between the Astral and the Material Plane. After
Mordus' death, nobody has been around to maintain
the magical energies that keep this connection stable.
As a result, energies from the Astral Plane occasionally
leak into the complex and take semi-structural forms
known as Astral Coalescences. Without a stable host,
these conglomerations of thought, memory, and dream
fragments of countless different beings are frenetic and
unpredictable. Drawn to the power of conscious mind,
Astral Coalescences will attack living creatures in an
attempt to inhabit their bodies as a permanent host.
1
Aura, the Librarian
Aura is the name of the golem that Mordus created
to protect the facility and serve as its librarian. Aura
resembles a stone golem inscribed with dwarven runes.
Where its head would be, a stone hoop sparkles and
glimmers with starry, celestial flame. While Mordus was
alive, Aura helped him locate specific texts in his collection
and put books back in their place after Mordus was
finished with them. Consult the "Aura's Location" table to
determine where Aura can be found when the party first
enters the library. Aura spends 5 minutes in each room
making sure everything is in order before making its way
to its next destination, also determined by the "Aura's
Location" table. Aura cannot use the teleportation circles;
it takes the most direct route possible and opens and closes
doors behind it. Unless the party pacifies Aura using its
command word found in the Workshop, it will attack the
party until it is destroyed.
Aura's Location
d6 Location
1 Foyer
2 Projection Studies
3 Observatory
4 Workshop
5 Personal Quarters
6 Spell Informatics
Approach
The triangular façade of the building can be seen
protruding from the sheer cliff face, 170 feet above ground
level. A winch-operated wooden lift provides transport up
the cliff to the entrance; it currently rests on the ground. A
DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the lift is in
poor condition and can reliably hold up to 400 pounds. If it
ascends holding any more than that, it begins to creak and
buckle under the load, eventually collapsing. Creatures on
the lift when it collapses fall 40 feet to the ground.
Doorway
The lift rises to a small platform that juts out from a
large double doorway etched with dwarven runes. Lying
on the platform is the skeleton of a dwarf dressed in
functional leathers, a wand clutched in its hand. A DC
10 Wisdom (Perception) check reveals that the dwarf's
clothes are singed. On the dwarf's body is an adventurer's
pack, Thieves Tools, a silvered dagger, and a scrap of
paper that reads "it's time for tea". The wand is a Wand of
Dispel Magic with 3 charges remaining, which the dwarf,
a hopeful looter, used to dispel the first of three glyphs of
warding on the door. He did not notice the other glyphs,
which require a DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana) check to
spot. The glyphs hold the lightning bolt spell, and must be
dispelled or discharged before the doors can be pulled open
by anyone other than Mordus.
A. Entrance Hall
The walls of this 90 foot long hallway are angled towards
each other to form a prism-like interior, and feature relief
carvings of dwarven faces arranged side by side along their
length. At the end of the hallway is a closed set of stone
doors. Once a creature moves 30 feet into the hallway,
one of the faces will speak via the Magic Mouth spell and
ask "What time is it?" The correct answer is "it's time for
tea". If no answer is given within 10 seconds, or a wrong
answer is given, a Wall of Ice spell is cast on the creature's
space, pushing them back in the direction of the entryway.
Simultaneously, an Arcane Lock spell is cast on the doors
leading to Area B. The lock requires a successful (Strength)
Athletics or Dexterity check using Thieves' Tools with a
DC of 20 to break.
B. Foyer
The southern door leading to the Entrance Hall is hidden
behind a moving bookshelf that automatically slides open
horizontally to accommodate entry. Rows of bookshelves,
up to two storeys in height, line the walls of this triangular
chamber. Three central supporting pillars are carved with
dwarven script. Six sets of double doors, evenly spaced
throughout the walls of the chamber, are closed. The
floral scent is noticeably heavier here, courtesy of a blue
lotus incense everburner resting on a nearby side table.
Characters who speak Dwarven can discern that the pillars
are inscribed with what appear to be repeated prayers to
the god of magic.
C. Personal Quarters
A kitchenette lines the southwestern portion of this wall,
adjacent to a set of double doors. There is another set
of double doors to the northeast, beside which stand a
desk and a wardrobe. A bed and small wooden table lie
in the middle of the room. An animated broom sweeps
the floor near the table. Atop the desk is a neatly-bound,
deliberately placed journal. Characters who read from the
journal can learn:
• A history of Mordus' development of a device he called
"the memory realizer", which could be used to manfiest
"living memories" from personal items.
• Mordus' failed pleas to his clan for them to make use of
his technology to honor fallen heroes.
• Mordus' dismay that the clan found his creation
appalling; a disrespect to the memories of the dead.
• Mordus' refusal to destroy his creation at the request of
clan elders.
Characters who search the desk and succeed on a
DC 13 Intelligence (Investigation) check find the false
compartment that holds Mordus' spellbook, which
contains the following spells:
Magic Mouth, Wall of Ice, Arcane Lock, Blink, Blur,
Clairvoyance, Fireball, Magic Missile, Confusion
D. Workshop
A big circular desk fills the center of this room; it is
covered in tools, magnifying devices, notes, and other
miscellany. At the room's far wall is a standing mirror, 5
feet in height. Beside the mirror, mounted to the wall, is a
dwarven warhammer. At the base of the eastern wall lies
what looks to be a half-finished construct of some sort –
2
blocks of polished stone inscribed with dwarven runes are
slotted together to form a vaguely humanoid torso. A stone
hoop is mounted where a head would sit. Various artificer
and soldering tools are scattered on the floor around the
unfinished project.
Mordus used the mirror for scrying. He was put to
death before he got close to finishing the golem, and it
is too incomplete for the party to bring it online. They
can, however, with a successful DC 12 Intelligence
(Investigation) check uncover that the golem has a
passphrase that would serve to deactivate it - "sweet
dreams". This passphrase can be used to deactivate Aura,
the Librarian, for a duration of 1 hour.
The warhammer is encrusted with rubies, and bears the
engraving "for your years of service" in Dwarven. The
warhammer is a +1 weapon, and can be used to cast Shield
once per 24 hours.
E. Observatory
A large orrery made of brass fills the center of this
chamber. Three smaller orreries surround it. The middle
orrery slowly spins and rotates, while the others remain
unmoving. There is a large crack in the eastern wall
of this room. A successful DC 10 (Intelligence) Arcana
check reveals that the main orrery is magically powered
to emulate the movement of celestial bodies, though the
magic is currently unstable and prone to malfunction. A
successful DC 18 (Intelligence) Arcana check reveals that
the structure of the other three orreries is nonsensical –
they appear to have no relation to any known celestial
system. These three orreries are mimics (with 90 hitpoints
each) that found their way into the library through the
seam in the outer wall. They attack with surprise any
creature who comes within five feet of them unawares.
Spells cast within this room exacerbate the magical
instability of the orrery. Any creature who casts a spell
within this room must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving
3
throw to avoid sudden electro-magical discharge, taking
3d6 lightning damage on a failed save, or half that amount
on a successful one.
F. Projection Studies
The walls of this room are layered in silver panels that
have been nailed together to cover the walls. In the middle
of the room is a circular cistern. A spectral, purple-hued
form of a dwarf in wizard's robes stands pensively over
the cistern. This figure is a living memory of Mordus'
assistant, Artume. A sucessful DC 15 (Intelligence) Arcana
check confirms that the figure is something more complex
than an illusion. Artume greets the characters after a few
moments and treats them as unexpected guests, regardless
of how they interact with him. He talks mostly to himself,
and refers to events in the past as if they are currently
ongoing, relaying the following information:
• He has been trying to convince Mordus to destroy the
device; that it isn't worth being put to death for.
• He agrees with the clan - recreating these memories can
be used for dangerous purposes that are better left alone.
• Mordus is angry at him for telling anyone, but he is
trying to do the right thing.
Eventually, Artume will begin repeating himself as the
memory sequence loops. He does not leave the room. The
silver panels on the wall are part of what gives this room
its function, helping to stabilize the connection between
the astral plane and the material. With some effort they
can be removed, though after any successful attempt,
roll a d4. On a 1 or 2, an astral coalescence forms in
an adjacent space and attacks. The water in the cistern
looks like the night sky of a distant galaxy. It is odorless.
Any character who drinks from the water immediately
collapses as their astral form leaves their body. Their
form is ethereal, and they can freely move throughout
the library and its walls without impedance. They cannot
communicate with creatures tied to the material plane and
are undetectable by them. Attempting to travel beyond
the library results in heavy brain fog, as well as psychic
damage of 3d6 per five seconds spent outside its walls.
Returning their astral form to their physical body ends
the effect.
Living Memory
Similar to a ghost, a living memory retains many
of the qualities that the physical body and mind had
in life. Created using personal effects and the device
that Mordus created, a living memory represents a
"snapshot" of an individual's psyche from a specific
point in time. Living memories do not fully interact
conceptually with the material plane; they are often
locked into specific memory sequences that endlessly
repeat. For example, a living memory may seem to
acknowledge in some way that someone is interfac-
ing with it, but will conduct an entirely one-sided
conversation.
G. Spell Informatics
A large stone table sits in the middle of this room, topped
with a bronze sphere, a network of glass tubing, and
glass holding chambers. Three holding chambers contain
swirling conglomerations of colors and patterns. One
appears to have been broken, leaving glass shards on the
table and floor. What appear to be two small black storm
clouds float through the air in this chamber. A DC 13
(Intelligence) Arcana check reveals this amalgamation to
be some sort of spell incubator or storage device. Mordus
and Artume had been working on creating living spells.
The two storm clouds are two living thunderwaves
that will mindlessly attack the characters, discharging their
energy. Each remaining holding chamber contains a living
thunderwave. If any of these chambers are destroyed (AC
8, 10 hitpoints), the spells they contain are released and
will also attack the characters.
H. Memory Chamber
All three doors to this room are locked and each are
protected by a glyph of warding, requiring a DC 12
(Wisdom) Perception check to notice. In the center of
the room, a sphere of solid silver, 10 feet in diameter,
is mounted on a 3 foot tall crystal pedestal. The sphere
emanates a consistent, high-pitched tone and vibrates
softly, pulsing with purple light every few seconds. A small
crystal bowl has been carved out of the pedestal's base.
Inside the bowl is an iron ring inscribed with the initials
A.K. The walls are entirely reflective, turning the room
into a panoramic mirror. The spectral living memory of
Artume is present here; he draws his wand and gives the
characters a wild look when they enter. "Mordus! I told
you you don't have to do this!" he shouts, before attacking
the characters. After one round of combat, 1d4 Astral
Coalescences manifest from the sphere in a pulse of light
to join the fight.
Artume uses the statistics of a mage, with the
following changes:
• He has 90 hitpoints
• He has already cast Mage Armor on himself
• He has damage resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing attacks from non-magical weapons
• He is immune to any status conditions.
This living memory is an astral manifestation of
thoughts from the moment that Artume was murdered
by Mordus. It cannot be reasoned with, and fights until it
is destroyed. Characters with a passive Perception score
of 10 or higher notice that the ground where Artume
was standing bears scorch marks. A DC 15 (Intelligence)
Arcana check reveals that the memory device is highly
unstable and borders on self-destruction.
4
 Memory Device
A character who places a personal item in the bowl
Aura, the Librarian
will manifest a living memory into an adjacent space. Medium construct, chaotic neutral
If the item belongs to a player character, work with —
that player to determine what sort of memory the Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
device would manifest. Memories manifested by the Hit Points 93 (11d8 + 44)
device last for up to five minutes before disappearing. Speed 25 ft.
Each time an item is placed in the device, roll a d6. —
On a 5 or 6, the instability of the device causes 1d4 STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
astral coalescences to manifest with the memory and 20 (+5) 9 (-1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1) 8(-1)
attack. The DM can use these manifested memories —
as a way to encourage character exploration or reveal Saving Throws Str +4, Con +5
key plot elements relating to specific items. Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
from non-magical weapons
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 9
Languages understands the languages of its creator
but can't speak
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
—
Immutable Form. Aura is immune to any spell or effect that
would alter its form.
Astral Coalescense
Medium aberration, chaotic neutral Magic Resistance. Aura has advantage on saving throws
against spells and other magical effects.
—
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 58 (13d8) Magic Weapons. Aura's weapon attacks are magical.
Speed fly 30 ft.
Spell Memorization. Aura remembers any spells cast within
— 60 feet of it, and may use its action to cast any one of its
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
learned spells innately, requiring no components.
10 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 16(+3)
— Actions
Saving Throws Cha +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, poison, Multiattack. Aura makes two slam attacks.
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-
magical weapons Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the
poisoned, prone target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma
Senses passive Perception 8 saving throw, or Aura deals an additional 4 (d8) damage
Languages --- and heals itself for the same amount.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Spell Reflection. Aura casts one of its learned spells
— innately, requiring no components.
Incorporeal Movement. The coalescense can move through
other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain.
It takes 5 (d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside
and object.

Actions
Multiattack. The coalescense makes two
mindspike attacks.

Mindspike. The coalescence invades the mind of a target

within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 13
charisma saving throw or take 11 (2d10) psychic damage.

Integration (1/day). The coalescence attempts to integrate

with a conscious mind within 30 feet. The target must
make a DC 10 charisma saving throw. On a failure, the
creature becomes confused as the coalescence enters
their mind. The coalescence becomes untargetable during
this time. On success, the target becomes immune to the
effect for 24 hours. At the end of the creature's next turn,
it must make another DC 10 charisma saving throw. On
a success, the effect ends. On a failure, the creature is
permanently confused until the effect is removed by a
lesser restoration spell.

5
Living Thunderwave
Large construct, unaligned
—
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 57 (6d10+24)
Speed 25 ft., fly 25 ft. (hover)
—
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (0) 6 (-2)
—
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
from non-magical attacks
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened,
exhaustion, frightened, grappled, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages ---
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
—
Amorphous. The living spell can move through a space as
narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Magic Resistance. The living spell has advantage on saving

throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions
Multiattack. The living spell makes two magical
strike attacks.

Magical Strike. Melee Spell Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft.,

one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 3) thunder damage.

Spell Mimicry (Recharge 5-6). The living spell releases a

wave of thunderous force in a 15-foot cone originating
from itself. Each creature within the cone must make a DC
13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature
takes 2d8 thunder damage and is pushed 10 feet away.
On a successful save, the creature takes half as much
damage and isn't pushed. The spell emits a thunderous
boom audible out to 300 feet.

6
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Credits
Written by: Alexander LeFort
Map by: Benjamin Cowan

A TavernTales creation.