The Tome of Strahd was an ancient work penned by the Count Strahd von Zarovich. This grim memoir told the tragic tale of how he came to his fallen state as a Vampire, and was intended to be read only by himself. The book was bound in a thick leather cover with steel hinges and fastenings, with brittle parchment pages. Stains, age, and exposure to water made most of the writing within illegible, but the tome's innate magic prevented outright destruction.
Infused with magic from the Dark Powers that created Barovia, it was the metaphysical embodiment of Strahd's memories, no matter how faint, or how twisted by his ego. Seemingly at random, or through the strange will of the magic memoir, the tome would open and reveal, through visions, the contents of its pages. These visions displayed the memories of Strahd, though as with all memories, they were only a perception of the truth, distorted by the senses and subconscious.
While the tome was closed, the metal latch refused to open. No lockpick or Spell could open it otherwise, as if the book was willing itself to remain closed. Once the tale has been told, the latch would open as normal. This allowed any reader to view the tome’s contents, though only the Page From Tome of Strahd was legible. A creature who spent time with the tome could attune to it, giving them a tenuous magical link to Strahd's abilities. The bearer would be bestowed with minor vampiric abilities and traits so long as the tome was on their person, and were resistant to magic cast by Strahd himself.
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