Glantrian Books
by Christopher CherringtonThe Gaz on Glantri gives us some good insight on a Wizards reading habits. It cost a lot of money to start a library, and if your going to research 9th level spells, a lot of very expensive books. The Gaz even describes what materials the cover is made of, colour, pictures, et...
But, what are in those books? Are they all Math and Physics? Do all those dusty tomes in the Library cover Magic Missile? What are those wizards reading? I am going to try to produce some articles for your reading pleasure, about what kind of content is found within Glantri's Library books.
The first thought that comes to my mind is this... If I were a Glantrian Mage, and I wrote a book, what would I write about? Well the first thought that comes to mind is a book on my experience at the GSoM, but most of the teachers I would write about, are still alive, and some are Princes. Not a good idea, unless I intend to garner an ally or two and do not mind taking on a couple of enemies by doing so. Then again, the book itself is mainly for my enjoyment, and would only be read in my demise by anyone else. Only a necromancer would be able to punish me then. It is not like I am going for the best seller list, there is no mass publication, printing press, or license for public writing; well it is Glantri, I would need a license or two. A useful book would be on what licenses I need in order to survive a visit to Glantri, but then there is not enough time to devote to studies and writing 60 books on bureaucracy. There you have it! Studies. Most books would be personal journals on studies. No wonder you need a large library to study a single spell! No body wants to rewrite the whole process, you have the books you are studying, just jot down some notes to look back on. The more expensive the book is, the better the notes are. Of course you don't want to condense your full knowledge of your life into one book, I mean you read all them other books to get this far, why let some young naive mage earn your knowledge in a single tome? So you fill your book on useless tidbits on the habits of a warbler sparrow's migration through the Broken Lands. Or practical water temperature readings on the Streel River, just a daily observation jotted down every morning before sunrise. Of course you don't want future readers to think you were some dull academic passing this world as a wizard. You want some of the glory you rightfully deserve, you are a Glantrian Mage, you will want everyone to know that the Magic Missile spell you discovered was none other than your own device, never mind it has the same somatic nuances as Jaggar's, yours sparks as it hits (his doesn't).
Of course other authors don't want any wanderers picking up all their useful knowledge without a few side effects, you need a book of curses for that unfortunate spy or thief. Then you have tons of journals, the more the better. Who of all people in an adventuring party would write a book on discovering the lost treasure of Ardelphia? (keeping in mind that Glantrian Wizards would not be travelling with a Cleric claiming the same knowledge as to reading and writing). So keep these things in mind when your wizard is collecting a library, and spending all that time in gold and research. Is it all for the spell, or is he recollecting his thoughts and jotting down a few notes? Give your wizard a name, take 5-10% of those library costs, and call it your own notes, and your own books on wizardly studies.
The Green Book of Languishment
This simple green book has approximately 120 pages of curious scribbling and writings of an unintelligible nature. Anyone studying a page needs to make a Will save at DC 10 or see a single disturbing image upon the page. A second Will save at DC 15 is needed to avoid the curiosity of "reading" a second page. Upon reading any additional pages, the DC is increased by 1 for both saves. It does not matter upon what page is the last page read, but after reading the complete book, the victim will read the only decipherable words, "14 Days". Of course anyone that wants to read the book, upon learning there are "pictures", may read the book in its entirety and fall victim to the same curse.
The curse, be that is a deadly book; the curse is a horrible death by fright. By what ever means, the only explanation that could be given is that the disturbing images are productions of an undead nightmare (if such a creature could exist). After 14 days the images conjoin together to open a gate and let this foul beast out to destroy the reader. Oddly enough there is rumours that similar other texts have been popping up under other more popular titles.
The Troubles of Two
Not a book, but a series of books detailing the lives of two mundane brothers as they travel the Known World finding mysteries to solve. Popular among second and third year students at the Great School of Magic, teachers like the books because of the brothers' use of mundane science to solve problems (a good practical application of knowledge, without wasting precious magic to solve everything). Another popular series of the same genre can be found about a woman named Nancy, solving mysteries in the same fashion as the Boys of Two.
Jeremy Boiler
A very popular series of books for first year students, it details the adventures of Jeremy as he learns magic in an imaginary world of Mugland. In resent years, students have even adopted fraternities based upon those mentioned in the book's school of magic named Orcwarts. Although entertaining and fun to read, many believe these books are introductions to real world societies and secret organisations.
Lady Jane's Books of Prey
Popular among the more military minded, this series of periodicals focuses on the military strength of nations in the Known World. They list numbers of units, counts of siege equipment, and even list various riggings on war ships found in the navies with silhouettes of their shapes. Meant as a very serious study of armies, most see the books as bragging of Thyatis' superiority of military might, or as an attempt to scare other nations into submission.
Things that Never Were
This rare tome on things that never happened, tries to explain the world's many different beliefs on creation, immortality, artifacts, and other such nonsense. A collection from many different and even rarer tomes, this book condenses many of those stories, and has even created even more books based upon its stories. The book tells of ancient lands by the name of Tuma, or underground cities in the desert of Ylaruam, mysterious islands in the Sea of Dread, and even a tale of how at one time there used to be a second moon.
Mordabunds Treatises on Necromancy and Lycanthropy
The unfortunate reader of these books is more likely to get killed based upon the helpful hints on how to counteract the curses of these nefarious creatures. Readers learn of such helpful tactics as to use pink violets to ward off zombies, standing still in the presence of a werewolf, imbibing small amounts of arsenic to kill vampires, and other more dangerous tactics to stay alive in a survival situation when facing one of these creatures of the night.
Castille Baromon de Preto's Treatise on War
The book that earned this elf's infamy and caused his expulsion from the GSoM and Glantri, even reading his book is outlawed; a copy still exists in the restricted section of the Great School of Magic's library. The researcher looking into this book can learn many useful tactics in military might and use of magic. The book also describes Castille's training at the GSoM, even learning a few useful spells of Crimson Scourge, and Delayed Blast Arrows. Upon reading this book, the learner will also find that Castille was not only talented with a bow and necromantic spells of mass death, but also a very capable alchemist and producer of extremely toxic compounds. The reader is also very likely to adopt some of his misgivings towards humans (as all his spells and poisons were very deadly to humans and not elves). It is even rumoured to be laced with a contagious poison that mimics a version of his Crimson Death spell, except it doesn't affect elves. Another rumour states that Castille was a Dark Elf, and bound the soul of his former teacher to the book, and the books grey leather is this teacher's skin. This rumour probably started when several students witnessed the book falling off its shelf and began to "breath" as it lay on the ground. On another note, Castille's former teacher left for an extended vacation the day before Castille's expulsion, no notes have ever been made on this teacher's return.
History of Ru
Another outlawed book, at least in Boldavia, this book keeps popping up now and then in Glantri's Library. The book is considered a fictional account of a cleric named Ru and his tribe's migration across the Broken Lands to Boldavia. The book gives a detailed account of Ru's family being cursed from a vampire that existed in the Malpheggi Swamp prior to the Beast Man invasion that caused his tribe to move northward. In the story it also tells how a Flaemish council invited Ru to live in modern day Boldavia in order to quell vampirism that had plagued the area prior to his appearance. The book also hints to a strange portal that could explain the alien nature of modern day vampirism in Boldavia. The book ends in a prophecy of Ru's return from this same portal, to quell all the undead in Glantri.
Prophecies and Dreams of Entou'sun
This ancient tome details the prophetic dreams of an old Alphatian wizard, prior to the Flaems appearance in Glantri. In this book, Entou'sun, describes the coming of King Alphaks rule, as his character King AElfacts, and his eventual demise and civil war. He foretold the destruction of Ancient Alphatia, and even foretells of its second destruction, and even of its third destruction. Some scholars believe the second destruction came when Thyatis became independent of Alphatia, mainly to explain his prophecy of "all of Alphatia shall float among the red sky"; thus explaining Floating Ar and a Pearl Island volcano that erupted and turned the sky red at the time preceding the first crowning of a Thyatian Emperor. Many stories are written in such a way to apply them to any major event in history, so it is not really studied as a true prophecy, as his prophecies are not truly understood until the event is over. Still, his prose is very uncanny when all the pieces of history are finally fitted to his verse. Many versions of Entou'sun's "dreams" exist, with many more treatises on applying his prophecies to modern day histories and/or events.
Tales from the Orc's Head
This book details the Lawful Brotherhood's expansions into the Savage Coast. This is a good source of information for pre-Espan Savage Coast, as a journal for the adventures found in the C series module of the Savage Coast.
The Divinities of Yav
This book of heresy, as a diviner of Yav wrote it, details the epic voyages of the people of the Yavdlom. Researchers of this book can also get a glimpse at some divination magic and some strange mathematical equations that can be used to study engineering towers of a very complex design.
Essays on the Ylari
This book was compiled by Castille Baromon de Preto, as part of a project while under the tutelage of the Drachenfels. While not outlawed, the book has a complete translation of the Nameh into common Thyatian. Said to be the first, and only, complete translation of the Ylari's holy book into another language. Besides the translation, this book is also reported as Castille's first evidence of military genius, although at the time, it was considered the Drachenfels' influence. It was this book that Castille earned the Prince's scholarship and recommendation into the GSoM.
Politicking Glantri Style
This book, along with many various interpretations and essays of, is considered mandatory reading at the GSoM. A much updated version is due out soon, and is reported to include an essay of the Ten Tenets of Rad. As all previous versions were made before the influence of Rad was evident in politics.
Aeleand's Mystical Concoctions
This little alchemical codex boasts a complete list of everything flammable. That is once you put a spark to it. Although with further research of his handy work; one will learn how to set stone ablaze with the potions explored in this book. Quite useful, the ingredients needed for his potions are very expensive. With further research, than his book alone, one can create the same effects with much cheaper components
Dalgrim's Mutations
This curious book contains much more than simple mutations; it also has the most complete anatomical study of a dwarf. The dwarf named Dalgrim, was "found" frozen solid, and was a perfect experiment for cross-cut dissections of a humanoid species. Once all documentation was finished, Dalgrim was then sold to the public in neat little preserved cubes. Ten across form an inch in width; and ten 1 inch cubes weighs a pound. Because of the curious nature of the Dalgrim pieces being of perfect width and accurate weight, many of his cubes have been the mainstay for weighing and measuring for the curious public. Some of the cubes have been fashioned into neat little puzzle boxes called Dalgrim's Cubes. It is said the hasp closing this book was originally Dalgrim's belt buckle.
Meta-Magical Feats in 10 Days
This catchy little title hides the true meaning of this book. This book instructs the wizard in the smallest of cantrips performed by a little preparation. Little things like lighting a pipe with the snap of your fingers, making square rings with smoke from the very same pipe, or making your knife dance as it cuts your food. All of these things can be done by most anyone, without magic, but this book shows the wizard how to do all these and more by magic, dazzling the public with your mastery of the elements surrounding you. What this means is anything that could normally be done in a mundane manner, with absolutely no disruption, can be reproduced by a free magic cantrip, material components needed are the same as if they were needed to be done manually. To produce flame for a pipe, your material component is a tinder box. To flip a page in your spell book, the necessary item is the spell book itself. To have your spell book float in front of you while reading, you would need a book stand in your possession within 5 feet of you.