Necromancy of Thay

File:Book NecromancyofThayUnsocketed.png

Necromancy of Thay is a Story-related Book related to the Search the Cellar Quest.

It. Is. Not. Too. Late.

Properties

• Books
• Rarity: Story Item
•  Weight: 0.5 kg / 1 lb
• Price: 14 gp

Where to find

• In the Apothecary's Cellar beneath the Blighted Village, behind a locked gate, on an altar.
  • To access the hidden portion of the cellar containing the book, you must move a wardrobe by pulling a lever hidden behind a box, then speak with the magic mirror and either intimidate it or correctly answer its questions:
    • What think you of the Zulkir known as Szass Tam? 'Szass Tam is a foul, wretched creature.'
    • Why might one use balsam ointment? 'To clean a wound.'
    • If you could see anything in me, what would it be? 'I'd look for whatever spell will rid me of this worm in my head.'
  • The locked gate in front of the book can be lockpicked as of release. The Rusted Key found on a shelf in the next room (near the lever that opens a shortcut back to the cellar entrance) can also be used to open the door. Alternatively, spells like Misty Step can be used to bypass the gate.
  • Note that taking the book will trigger a trap. To avoid this, you can enter turn-based mode and place an item of similar weight (like another book) on the pedestal, or simply disarm the two nearby statues.
• To read the book, you must obtain the Dark Amethyst from the Whispering Depths, which can be accessed from the well or the blacksmith's basement in the Blighted Village. The Amethyst is guarded by a Phase Spider Matriarch. X: -550 Y: -350
• See Notes and Trivia for the possible paths that can be taken with this book.

Notes and Trivia

• The Necromancy of Thay has three main paths that can be chosen, each with different outcomes:
  • Give to Gale for his condition or to Astarion. Giving it to one of those Companions will net you approval from the one you've given it to, and disapproval from the other. Once one of said Companions obtain the book, it will be impossible to transfer it to a different party member.
  • Destroy the book. The book can be destroyed only by Radiant damage. Destroying it will net you disapproval from both Astarion and Gale.
  • Read the book for its dark secrets. Interact with the book and use the dialogue option to insert the Dark Amethyst into the oval recess to unlock it. In total, three pages of the book can be turned. Each page you turn prompts a progressively harder Wisdom Saving Throw (DC 10, 15, and 20; certain spellcasting classes and race/class combinations may receive special options to lower these DCs). The following possible events can occur:
    • Failing one Saving Throw curses you with Whispers of Madness ( Disadvantage on Wisdom Checks) for 50 turns.
    • Failing two or more Saving Throws curses you with Baleful Knowledge ( Disadvantage on Wisdom Ability Checks) until cleansed by the Remove Curse spell.
    • Turning at least one page permanently grants the reader the Speak with Dead Spell. This spell does not consume a Spell Slot and is usable once per Long Rest.
    • Turning three pages regardless of success grants the Forbidden Knowledge tag and  Forbidden Knowledge passive feature.
    • Closing the book before turning three pages leaves the Search the Cellar quest uncompleted and allows the character to reopen the book again later.
• Once the book has been opened by one character, it will not open for any other character. Once all three pages have been turned, the book will refuse to open again for anyone.
• After reading, the item quote will change from 'It. Is. Not. Too. Late.' to 'Look. Away.'
• With the help of the Mystic Carrion (1500 gold fee) in Philgraves mansion at Baldurs Gate lower city you learn that you need to seek the Tharchiate Codex in Sorcerous Sundries.
• The Tharchiate codex is stored in the basement of Sorcerous Sundries. Get there by interacting with the clasped book in the left upstairs book and going through the portal.
• Within the vault, the codex is located in the Elminster section to open the room you must find the lever in the silverhand maze.
• The reward for deciphering the last page of the book is a spell to raise 6 ghouls.