This useful little notebook is filled with various formulae, recipes, hints, suggestions, and instructions on the making and compounding of various alchemical solutions. Directions for creating virtually any non-magical solution, mixture, or compound can be found within its covers. The notable exception is poisons, which are the province of assassins and thus are avoided by alchemists. There is a base 99% chance that a character can find the recipe for creating a common non-magical solution within the anthology; this chance is falls to 80% for uncommon solutions, 60% for rare solutions, 40% for very rare mixtures, and 20% for virtually unknown ones.
In addition to recipes for non-magical concoctions, an alchemist's anthology will include several magical mixture recipes, along with helpful hints and pointers to researching additional ones. From 2-7 magical recipes will be found in a typical anthology; the DM should choose them from the Potions & Oils tables and/or the Powders, Dusts, et al, subtable of Miscellaneous Magic. In addition, the formulae, hints, and suggestions contained within the notebook give a +20% bonus to success when attempting potion research to discover a specific magical compound's (potion, oil, etc.) formula.
This fell tome contains the methods and rituals necessary for creating undead creatures. This text is usable by all classes of characters, not just spellcasters. The book will contain the information needed to create 4-16 (4d4) skeletons, 3-12 (3d4) zombies, 1-6 (1d6) ghouls, 1-4 (1d4) ghasts, or 1 mummy. It requires 1 full day of rituals and incantations once the materials have been assembled to create the desired creature(s). The book can be used but once per month. Good characters will lose experience equal to its experience value each time they attempt to use this fell book.
This collection of ancient texts dates back centuries. The papyrus texts, of which there were many kinds, were placed in the tombs of the dead to help them combat the perils of the underworld. When placed within a tomb, mausoleum, or other resting place of the dead, the edifice will turn undead as a 7th level cleric if they come within a 100' radius of the texts.
A large white leather book, it is decorated in gold leaf with pictures of spinning wheels, apples, cradles, fairies, and radiates neutral good magic. If a person under a curse opens this book, it will tell him who cursed him, when, why, in what way, and how the curse can be broken.
This is a slim volume which feels much heavier than its size would suggest. Bound in a dark maroon leather, the cover always has a chilling, clammy feeling. While the book of foresight appears to have may pages of fine paper, it is impossible to turn to any page except the one where the book opened.
When opened, the book will reveal a potential danger, hazardous situation or other warning - always something which might be encountered or might occur later. When first opened, the warning is vague - a hint or suggestion of some possible hazard and, if the book is closed again, nothing immediate will result and the pictured hazard may or may not happen. If used repeatedly, the warnings may change - or the same warning may repeat itself but becoming more and more distinct.
If the book remains open or if the warning is studied, the danger becomes increasingly clear and also immediate until, after 1d10+10 rounds spent studying the warning, the pages suddenly become blank... but the reader and party find themselves in the midst of the cautioned situation.
This small, leather-bound notebook is seemingly ordinary; it does not radiate magic, nor does it appear to contain spells. Nonetheless, it is one of the most highly sought-after items that a wizard may possess. For within its covers are the secrets to successful spell research.
The mage's handy workbook contains pages upon pages of hints, directions, instructions, suggestions, standard formulae, tables of figures, and all manner of information that a wizard attempting spell research will find invaluable. With the use of the workbook when conducting spell research, the wizard must still research the spell for a number of weeks equal to the spell's level before rolling for success. However, all rolls to determine success are given at a +20% bonus. Although a workbook cannot help create an impossible spell (as determined by the DM), there is a 10% chance per week (including the initial startup time) that the wizard will discover some contradiction pointed out by the workbook and realize that the spell is impossible. Otherwise, time and money will be spent until the wizard realizes that the search is fruitless.
This tome when read tells how to construct a coral golem. After completion of reading the manual, the reader must start construction of the golem. The construction time is two months. Materials cost 1,000 gp per hit point. The manual may only be used once. Upon completion of the coral golem, the manual disappears.
The mage Telemark spent much of his life studying the environment of the lower planes. He made a great number of trips to Gehenna, Tartarus, Hades, the Abyss, the Nine Hells, Acheron, and Pandemonium. The collection of his journals of his discoveries and travels form the bulk of what is now commonly referred to as Telemark's terrible treatise. Telemark's notes and writings filled at least 24 known volumes, with perhaps several more either incomplete or missing at the time of his death.
Each volume contains a wealth of information about one specific area on one of the 7 planes mentioned above. Detailed maps are provided of the area's topography. Notes and information regarding the area's interesting (or dangerous) features and inhabitants is also found. Critically important (and most unusual) is the inclusion of information on the climate and environment, including ways of defeating the harsh conditions. Maps of explored dungeons, caves, and other structures can also be found.
The exact contents of a given treatise is up to the DM. Considerable discretion is advised, as giving away too much can spoil the fun. Although Telemark was very thorough and careful in his writings, some of his observations may be in err. Features change, new denizens arrive, and structures are modified. In addition, Telemark may not have explored the same places that the party wishes to go when arriving on the plane. It is recommended that the DM uses this book as a starting place for an adventure, providing some important background and basic knowledge, along with a few very useful tidbits of information, to the characters.
