Ye Olde Shoppe of Magicks – Monster Manuals – The Dictionary

Add a comment

In keeping with the Haunted Mansion our party is currently exploring, I came up with a WHOLE haunted library ala Gomez Addams

Encounter Mechanics

  • The books remain inert until one is pulled from the shelf. When disturbed, all eight awaken.
  • They can hover off the ground, flapping like birds. Some have the ability to run.
  • Their CR can be set between 2–3 each (slightly weaker alone, but dangerous as a group).
  • The fight can escalate as more books fall open—giving your party a frantic “stop pulling tomes!” realization.

Encounter Notes

  • Trigger: The fight begins when one book is pulled from the shelf. The rest join after 1 round, 1d4 books at a time, for rising tension.
  • Tactics: Books hover and swarm. “Art of War” boosts the others, “Odyssey” disrupts positioning, “Dracula” heals mid-fight.
  • Party Balance: Facing all 8 at once could overwhelm — consider staggering their arrival for a cinematic escalation.

The Dictionary
(Book Monster)

Medium Construct, neutral

Armor Class 14 (thick, reinforced binding)
Hit Points 64 (9d8+27)
Speed 20 ft., hover 20 ft.

STR 12 (+1) DEX 12 (+1) CON 16 (+3)
INT 16 (+3) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +5, Insight +4
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities psychic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, prone, exhaustion
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands all languages, cannot speak (but manifests written words in the air in the language of the reader)
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Traits

  • Word of Power. Once per turn, when the Dictionary Tome deals damage with a spell or ability, it can force the target to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be silenced until the start of its next turn (unable to speak or cast spells with verbal components).
  • Lexical Authority. The tome has advantage on saving throws against spells that involve language (command, suggestion, tongues, etc.).
  • Polyglot Pages. Any creature within 10 ft. of the tome can understand any written language, as though under Comprehend Languages.

Actions

  • Bludgeoning Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d10+2) bludgeoning damage as the Dictionary slams shut on the victim.
  • Verbal Barrage. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (4d6+1) psychic damage as razor-sharp glyphs and phonemes slice through the air.
  • Confounding Definition (Recharge 5–6). The tome targets one creature within 30 ft. The creature must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn as it’s overwhelmed with contradictory definitions and meanings.

Unique Spell: Verbatim Strike
2nd-level evocation (unique to the Dictionary Tome)

Casting Time: 1 reaction (when a creature within 30 ft. speaks, casts a spell with a verbal component, or uses an ability requiring speech)
Range: 30 ft.
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Effect: The Dictionary Tome seizes on the exact words spoken, forcing them to manifest violently in mid-air. The creature must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, jagged spectral words lash back: The target takes 14 (4d6) force damage.

If the triggering ability was a spell with a verbal component, the caster must succeed on a DC 14 Concentration check or the spell fails. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and the effect does not interrupt their action.

At Higher Levels. When cast at 3rd level or higher, damage increases by 1d6 per spell level.

Note: If a spell caster manages to capture and subdue the Monster Dictionary, this spell CAN be learned. Easier for classes dealing with spoken spells. (Warlocks, Bards, and Sorcerers)

Other Spells the Dictionary Might Know (DM’s Discretion)

The Dictionary’s repertoire should feel like the magic of language, silence, confusion, and binding. Here’s a suggested spell list (the Tome doesn’t “cast” them normally, but can use charges or daily uses to replicate them):

Cantrips (at-will):

  • Vicious Mockery (psychic words cutting into the mind)
  • Message (whispers of knowledge between creatures)
  • Thaumaturgy (voice manipulation only)

1st Level (2/day each):

  • Command (forces obedience through powerful diction)
  • Silent Image (words manifest as illusory text or symbols)

2nd Level (2/day each):

  • Silence (removes speech, perfect counter to spellcasters)
  • Hold Person (paralyzing by “defining” a target’s stillness)

3rd Level (1/day each):

  • Counterspell (unraveling the weave by “correcting” language)
  • Hypnotic Pattern (words swirl into dizzying displays of glyphs)

4th Level (1/day):

  • Confusion (creatures overwhelmed by contradictory meanings)

5th Level (1/day):

  • Synaptic Static (psychic explosion of linguistic overload)

⚖️ Spells Balance Note:
The Dictionary should not throw all these around like a lich — instead, treat them as 1–2 uses each, leaning heavily on Manifest Word as its iconic power. This makes it stand out from the other tomes, which are more elemental or martial.

Balance & Flavor Notes:

The Dictionary Tome acts as a controller/disabler, silencing casters and stunning with word magic.

Its immunities and resistances reflect its psychic/linguistic nature.

It plays perfectly into the theme of a haunted library, where even “knowledge” can turn hostile.

Return to Ye Olde Shoppe of Magicks

Monster Tome base images were built using ChatGPT using prompts by Alien Graphics ©2025 Alien Graphics

All verbiage is ©2025 Alien Graphics and all imagery is ©2025 Alien Graphics and shared under the CC BY-NC-SA

Leave a comment