D&D 5E Heretical books

[Dannyalcatraz]

"Playing The Dozens with the Divine: Holier-than-thou insults for the soon-to-be-damned"

 

[cooperjer]

I'd go with the classics. I assume you want to stay away from the specific dnd book (Book of Vile Darkness, Demonomicon). But there are plenty in other fiction.

Necronomicon: necromnatic rites associated with alien Far Realm powers.
Pnakotic Manuscripts: history of demonic cults, demon summoning spells.
Naturom Demonto: trap book that summons uncontrolled undead.
Octavo: deity level spells that drive a mortal insane (but the book itself is intelligent)

Or check out
http://www.blastr.com/2016-9-27/necronomicon-vishanti-11-most-evil-or-cursed-books-pop-culture

The link gives some good ideas. I'm going to steal from Marvel and suggest Darkhold. It's currently in Marvel's Agents of Shield and has a decent history write up on various wikis. You could also put something in there that provides some foreshadowing for your next adventure. For example, it you plan to run Storm King's Thunder, have one book be related to a cloud giant wizard that owns a flying castle. If you're thinking to running Rage of Demons, have one book provide a ritual to cross over into the plane in which demons reside. In Thunder Spire Labyrinth the end boss has a book detailing an unfinished ritual that allows the combination of elemental energy and inanimate objects to create an animated defender.

 

[Mercule]

A book by a famous explorer to the Astral Sea who found no evidence that gods X and Y even exist. He could not find their realms at all and the angels had never heard of them. This has some good actionable intel on where cross-over points to other realms are. The churches will kill to stop this publication spreading.

I love this one. If I used it, the tests that failed for X and Y would definitely have been successful for a handful of other gods, just so no one could say it was faulty practices. Even better if the tests could be use to affirm the existence of at least one heretical/false god.

So many variations on the theme. I could base an entire campaign on this by having the first book only mention it in passing, while discussing other things. The explorer notes something to the effect of, "Once I get done with this job for King Jim Bob, I'll have to come back and follow-up on this question." Then the PCs have to figure out who his next patron was and travel there in search of more tomes. "Coincidentally", that patron was a nation that saw a string of internal conflicts and assassinations that eventually led to a demon worshiping despot (officially, at least) on the throne who was attacked by an alliance of nations. That once great nation is still a bit of a backward shambles. Once the PCs find the location of the looted library (yay, alliteration) they have to figure out which invader most likely looted it and where the journals have moved.

OK. That seals it. If I can come up with that at train-of-thought mode, this is totally my next campaign.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Edwin Suijkerbuijk]

Donjon has a tome generator http://donjon.bin.sh/d20/tome/index.cgi

some examples:
[h=2]the Fiendish Apocrypha of Arida
This book is bound in carved wood plates. When first opened, one minor mundane item possessed by the reader crumbles into dust.[/h][h=2]The Corrupt Articles of Gili
This rare libram is written upon linen pages and bound in leather trimmed with ermine fur. When first opened, it unleashes a cloud of blue smoke.[/h][h=2]The Profane Parchments of Pruadha
This rare libram is written in blood and bound in carved wood plates.[/h]

 

[AnimeSniper]

Don't forget the general works on a related skill set or other that could aid the player later in campaign.

Or there are the once gathered together the works outline the location of some ancient treasure... sadly the clues are written in a language the party does not read.

The good old Peasants Anarchistic Revolt tome that teaches the player that yes farm implements can kill, a tossed lantern will ignite those kegs of leaky ale, and other assorted goodies

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

"The Liberating Power of Atheism"

 

[Herobizkit]

I'd suggest a tome explaining that the ACTUAL God of a certain portfolio lost its worshipers years ago and that the NEW God in charge was its replacement. The tome should give direction on how to become an Ur-Priest, siphoning energy from the current (and others) God in order to resurrect the Dead One and return It to power.

Mechanically, you could borrow the Favored Soul sorcerer and use it as a template for a Ur-Priest, using the Oathbreaker spell list in lieu of the usual sorcerer one.

 

[aramis erak]

Man In Your Kitchen (Sequel to To Serve Man).

Bigby's Tome of Little Demons.
Smallburrow's Musings upon Giantkind

Grasscutter's Guide to Slimes.

Fox-Davies The Art of Heraldry (real book, 1908, 800pp, 12x18" or so. I own a copy of the 1940's reprint.)
____ King-of-Arms, Roll of Arms (100-500 pages of illustrations of achievements, tricks {illustrations of just the shield in miniature - about 3" tall}, and lineage diagrams. Usually issued once per reign of the crown, and/or once per investure as king-of-arms {king of arms is the highest herald in a given kingdom.})
____ King-of-Arms, Roll d'Armes, ___ War. (roll of all those worthies who fought in a given war, all in small tricks if heraldry, otherwise, names alone. Peasants need not apply.)

The Care and Feeding of Torchbearers.
The way to make them love you, then go in peace
Vir's Guide to Politics.
Lorien's Musings on the Creation of Elves

 

[Tony Vargas]

To Serve Man, along with other books in the series, To Serve Elf, To Serve Dwarf, etc.

"Gnash say we try 'Dwarelfling' tonight, that halfling stuffed in elf stuffed in dwarf..."

If the typical depiction of drow appear in your setting there could be ... a political theory explaining the strengths of a society run by power hungry, backstabbing families.

Mak'ki Avellee's "The Princess."