View source for Publication:Dread Codex 2/The Tome of Unlife

== The Tome of Unlife ==

This is a small tome, bound in the black hide of a darkmantle. It is worn from use, and by the looks of it, has at least been in this world for over a hundred years. It has a small iron lock, and on the front is written in silverish letters, “T’lath Nae’Emyn”. These are abyssal words meaning the Tome of Unlife, a statement which only a true necromancer could have made. These letters are printed on the back of the book as well, along with the arcane sigil of the books author, Falnor of Elderbridge, also called Falnor the Ill-fated. The sigil is a series of twisted snake forms chasing each other within a circle.

=== History ===

Falnor lived over a hundred years ago, and although he is a child of Elderbridge, left the city in an early age. It is well-known that he travelled west to the Great Kingdoms, searching for a king who would own his service and his sword. He may have found a king, though Falnor ended up in the slave pits of Tâl Vorgath in the south, also named the City of the Ancients.

Passages in the tome tell of his master, Ilnioth of the Eluan Eye, and how Falnor came to be the necromancer’s apprentice and trusted servant. His blood was bound to his Master’s, and the two of them became friends and confidants.

Falnor may not have found a king to serve with his life, but he did find a purpose, and quickly grew in power. He served his apprenticeship in full, becoming a journeyman, after which Falnor travelled into the wide world. He was a free man now, and Ilnioth had no more to ask of him. The black tome details some of these journeys as well, and the patient reader will observe that he came to Fordrusil forest and was held captive by the Hunter of the Dead, Akeltor. He saw things there. Undead and demonic experiments, and even learned dark rituals as the Hunter used his blooded services.

From then on, the tome becomes strange. The passages are written in a different style and the words seem darker and sometimes confused. We can only imagine what actually happened in that dark forest, or whether Falnor has actually written these last words himself. There are many secrets hidden within this tome, and in order to read it, one must first becomes its master.

=== The Magic ===

The spellbook has strong necromantic magic within it, and even the hide, in which it is bound, has a strong aura, though one of abjuration. The iron lock is never fully locked, and it appears that one could easily open this tome and read its contents, yet this is not so. It takes a spectral hand spell to open the lock, as per the spell, but any who breaks this secret, will always be able to open the tome, without any problems. Of course, one could dispel the magic, but that would destroy the secret pages within the tome.

=== The Secrets ===

Inside, the reader will find many secrets, among those are all of the spells detailed in the next section, and other, more familiar spells as written below. This tome is not only a recollection of the life of Falnor the Ill-fated, it also bestows a strong knowledge of the undead.

Using this book to obtain undead lore gives the reader a +2 competence bonus to any check made while the book is in his possession. Though note that some of the information may just be the thoughts of the author, and not actual truths.

The last part of the book is the most dangerous part, and among the ramblings of some unfortunate soul, is hidden five secret pages containing the following spells; [[Akeltor’s Bolt of Animation (Dread Codex 2 Spell)|Akeltor’s Bolt of Animation]], [[Corrupting Darkness (Dread Codex 2 Spell)|Corrupting Darkness]], [[Death’s Hunger (Dread Codex 2 Spell)|Death’s Hunger]], [[Masks of Pain (Dread Codex 2 Spell)|Masks of Pain]] and [[Stillborn (Dread Codex 2 Spell)|Stillborn]]. These spells have been hidden for a reason, a good reason, and should be handled with great wisdom and care. To find these spells in the tome, the reader must make a [[SRD:Search Skill|Search]] check DC 25, and a [[SRD:Knowledge Skill|Knowledge (arcana)]] check DC 20. After that, the secret pages will be revealed to the reader.

=== The Spells ===

These are the spells which can be found within the Tome of Unlife. Those marked with an * can be found in the spell section below, the rest are taken from the Core Rulebooks

:0 – ''[[SRD:Detect Magic|detect magic]]'', ''[[SRD:Disrupt Undead|disrupt undead]]'', ''[[SRD:Mage Hand|mage hand]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Blood Will Tell|blood will tell]]''*, [[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Track the Blood|track the blood]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ray of Decay|ray of decay]]''*
:1 – ''[[SRD:Comprehend Languages|comprehend languages]]'', ''[[SRD:Detect Undead|detect undead]]'', ''[[SRD:Chill Touch|chill touch]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Falnor's Ghostly Armor|falnor’s ghostly armor]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Undead Servant|undead servant]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Soul of Chaos|soul of chaos]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ramble of the Mad|ramble of the mad]]''*
:2 – ''[[SRD:Invisibility|invisibility]]'', ''[[SRD:Command Undead|command undead]]'', ''[[SRD:False Life|false life]]'', ''[[SRD:Spectral Hand|spectral hand]]'', ''[[SRD:Darkvision|darkvision]]'', ''[[SRD:Fox's Cunning|fox's cunning]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Bolt of Ghostslaying|bolt of ghostslaying]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Yarvol’s Bonearm Animation|yarvol’s bonearm animation]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Falnor's Guise of Death|falnor’s guise of death]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ilnioth’s Mark of Life|ilnioth’s mark of life]]''*
:3 – ''[[SRD:Dispel Magic|dispel magic]]'', ''[[SRD:Nondetection|nondetection]]'', ''[[SRD:Gentle Repose|gentle repose]]'', ''[[SRD:Halt Undead|halt undead]]'', ''[[SRD:Gaseous Form|gaseous form]]'', ''[[SRD:Secret Page|secret page]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Yarvol’s Bane of Touch|yarvol’s bane of touch]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ethereal Sleep|ethereal sleep]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ruul’s Skeletal Wings|ruul’s skeletal wings]]''*
:4 – ''[[SRD:Remove Curse|remove curse]]'', ''[[SRD:Dimension Door|dimension door]]'', ''[[SRD:Arcane Eye|arcane eye]]'', ''[[SRD:Locate Creature|locate creature]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Gift of Life|gift of life]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Knowledge of the Ages|knowledge of the ages]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Spellbreaker|spellbreaker]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Watchful Ghost|watchful ghost]]''*
:5 – ''[[SRD:Break Enchantment|break enchantment]]'', ''[[SRD:Secret Chest|secret chest]]'', ''[[SRD:Contact Other Plane|contact other plane]]'', ''[[SRD:Nightmare|nightmare]]'', ''[[SRD:Magic Jar|magic jar]]'', ''[[SRD:Waves of Fatigue|waves of fatigue]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Bird of Prey|bird of prey]]''*, [[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Corrupting Darkness|corrupting darkness]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Mass Ethereal Sleep|mass ethereal sleep]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Ilnioth’s Greater Mark of Life|ilnioth’s greater mark of life]]''*
:6 – ''[[SRD:Antimagic Field|antimagic field]]'', ''[[SRD:Legend Lore|legend lore]]'', ''[[SRD:Circle of Death|circle of death]]'', ''[[SRD:Eyebite|eyebite]]'', ''[[SRD:Undeath to Death|undeath to death]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Akeltor's Bolt of Animation|akeltor’s bolt of animation]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Death’s Hunger|death’s hunger]]''*
:7 – ''[[SRD:Insanity|insanity]]'', ''[[SRD:Control Undead|control undead]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Sigil of Death|sigil of death]]''*
:8 – ''[[SRD:Symbol of Death|symbol of death]]'', ''[[SRD:Temporal Stasis|temporal stasis]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Stillborn|stillborn]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Vampiric Lust|vampiric lust]]''*
:9 – ''[[SRD:Astral Projection|astral projection]]'', ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Gate of Bone|gate of bone]]''*, ''[[Publication:Dread Codex 2/New Spells/Masks of Pain|masks of pain]]''*


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