Ye Olde Shoppe of Magicks – Monster Manuals – Charlotte’s Web

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 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.

Charlotte’s Web
(Monster Tome)

Medium Construct, lawful neutral

Armor Class 13 (silken cover)
Hit Points 82 (11d8+33)
Speed 0 ft., hover 20 ft.

STR 10 (+0) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3)
INT 18 (+4) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 17 (+3)

Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +5, Cha +5
Skills Arcana +6, Insight +5,
Nature +5, Persuasion +5
Damage Resistances psychic, radiant, necrotic; bludgeoning and piercing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, exhaustion, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Sylvan, (Writes in glowing web strands) and Arachnid (a whispering chitter-code)
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Traits

  • Web of Fate. The tome constantly spins spectral webs in midair. Whenever a spell is cast within 30 ft., roll a d6:
    1–2: The web amplifies the spell, increasing its damage by 1d8.
    3–4: The web absorbs the spell, nullifying it and causing it to reappear in the next round targetted at a random participant in the fight (friend or foe).
    5–6: The web twists the spell, changing its target to a random creature within range.
  • Runes of Kindness. When the tome is calm (not hostile), its webs form phrases like “Terrific”, “Humble”, or “Radiant.” Any creature that reads these words gains advantage on their next saving throw.
  • Entangling Aura. The tome’s spectral webs shimmer and hang in the air around it, forming a half-visible lattice of fate threads. Any creature that makes a nonmagical weapon attack against the tome does so with disadvantage, as their weapon or limbs risk catching in sticky strands. On a natural roll of 1–3, the weapon becomes entangled and requires a DC 13 Strength check to free (action required).
  • Weaver of Destiny. Once per long rest, the tome may cast Augury or Divination without components, the answers appearing as glowing runes in its web.

Actions

  • Thread Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d8+1) radiant damage as sharp threads of fate cut through reality.
  • Conjure Ghostly Spiders (Recharge 5–6). The tome releases 1d4 spectral spiders that skitter across the air, weaving webs that hum with power. Each spider immediately casts one random 1st- or 2nd-level spell from the following table (DC 15 spell save):
    • d6 Spell Cast by the Spider
      1 Bless
      2 Web
      3 Mirror Image
      4 Hold Person
      5 Blur
      6 Scorching Ray
    • The spiders vanish after 1 minute or if reduced to 0 HP (AC 12, HP 10 each).
  • Thread of Fate (1/day). The tome targets one creature within 30 ft. The creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be bound by fate’s thread. While bound, the creature is tethered to the tome by a glowing silver filament; any damage the creature deals is mirrored back as 5 psychic damage per hit.

Behavior & Flavor

  • The tome hums softly, glowing runes forming phrases of insight or doom.
  • It prefers not to fight unless its webs are burned or torn — then it becomes a vengeful weaver.
  • When destroyed, it unravels into silvery threads that spell the final word: “Remember.”

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