Manual of Guardians
Manual of Guardians is a magic item (wondrous item) of very rare rarity.
This thick, rune-bedecked tome is packed with arcane schematics and mystic instructions for creating a specific kind of guardian either chosen by the Narrator or randomly determined.
Using the manual is difficult, and any creature that does not have at least two 5th-level spell slots takes 6d6 psychic damage when attempting to read it.
To create a guardian you must spend the requisite number of days working on the guardian (as seen on the Manual of Guardians table) without interruption with the manual at hand and _resting_ no more than 8 hours per day. In addition, you must pay the requisite cost in materials.
When the guardian has been created, the book is consumed in eldritch flames. After sprinkling the book’s ashes on it, the guardian animates under your control and obeys your verbal commands.
__**Table: Manual of Guardians**__
| **d20** | **Guardian** | **Time** | **Cost** |
| ------- | ------------ | -------- | ---------- |
| 1–5 | _Clay_ | 30 days | 65,000 gp |
| 6–17 | _Flesh_ | 60 days | 50,000 gp |
| 18 | _Iron_ | 120 days | 100,000 gp |
| 19–20 | _Stone_ | 90 days | 80,000 gp |
Mechanics
- type:
- Wondrous Item
- rarity:
- Very Rare
- requires attunement:
- false
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Sources
- Level Up Advanced 5e·OGL-1.0a·© Level Up Advanced 5e. OGL-1.0a. Via Open5e (open5e.com).
Last updated 6/19/2026·Tags: item, wondrous item, very rare