Neek
2007-02-04, 10:46 PM
Long preamble fluff in spoiler tags :P
Smael Graf came through the door. He was spent by the day and a half's constant journey. Graf made his way from the door into the main room of the temple and found the priest over a thick book, rows of names written in it. One name struck out in red ink: Hiranni Graf. He gave the priest of Denneth the scroll, his eyes unable to leave the red name.
"Have we found her, Timaiar?"
The priest sighed, "No, we have not yet."
"I have rode four days and two nights to fetch this cure from Wollack! I was carried by St. Gaeromon as my legs refused to take me another step! And you have been incapable of finding my daughter?"
"Smael, be patient. Greymark is a vast forest, we know she is in there. And we can still help her." The priest smiled at the man, and unraveled the scroll. The strange writing on the parchment glowed blue as Timaiar read it. The words were beautiful but virtually alien, the tongue of the gods. The priest touched the red name, and continued speaking in tongues until the words had evaporated from the page. The red ink in the book disappeared and as though an invisible pen were writing it, Hiranni Graf was written in black ink, as the others were.
The Namebook
A Namebook appears very much like any thick book. It can also be, perhaps, a scroll or thick bundle of folded papers. When read, it's quickly realized that the Namebook is a magical ledger, containing the names and other information of all the denizens in a specific area. The books are highly guarded as everyone's information, whether or willing or not, may be in that book.
A Namebook may come in a variety of types. Each book is limited; either to a predefined area or perhaps to a predefined type (i.e., the city of Greyhawk or the bloodline of Peleus).
i. Census (static). A census the most information available: Age, alignment, current location, deity worshiped, hometown, occupation, residency, and so on. The names are generally organized by family, but can sometimes be organized by other means. Most census have only 1d3+1 of these information, and updates every two years.
ii. Family Trees (static). A family tree contains very limited information, generally the names of family members and their relation through graphical means--lines connecting parents to children, and husband to wife. Dates of birth are generally given, sometimes even death-dates (if already passed away), and perhaps even location. Generally, a single Namebook (Family Tree) will limit itself to one super-family. A family tree updates every six years or so.
iii. Register (dynamic). A register contains useful information about the denizens. Aside from their names or occupations, most usefully it gives their health status (generally either living or dead, but sometimes can be "living", "dying," "dead." Some go into greater detail). This information changes as events occur; if someone dies, their name is instantly crossed out from the list. If someone enters the area, their name is written in the book.
iv. Query (dynamic). A Namebook (Query) is a bit unusual; the previous types all make use of predefined templates to provide the information; names are already organized and what information is set in stone. But for a Namebook (Query), all the pages are blank. By speaking a command word and asking a question, the book will "look" someone up in the area it was defined for. By asking, "The residencies of all the people whose last name is 'Julius,'" or "all the unmarried women in the city," the book will query that information and return it. More specific questions return more specific results (asking, "Who currently lives in the mayor's manor?" may return a single name, as opposed to, "Who's on Church Street?", which can return the names of all the people living there, walking on that street, and all the people buried there too.)
Regardless of the type of Namebook, each book possesses the following traits:
Glyph of Warding. The book is protected by a Glyph of Warding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphOfWarding.htm) spell that deals xd8 Sonic damage (Reflex save for half damage) if the book is either opened without saying the Command Word or is dealt physical damage. X is half the effective caster level of the book.
Illusory Script. With the command word, the book can be protected as though Illusory Script (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/illusoryScript.htm) were cast on each page. Unlike the spell's description, the failure of the Will save attempt sets off the Glyph of Warding.
Language. The book is written and gives information in the language of the creator. Comprehend Languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) can decipher the contents. Because of the book's magical nature, Read Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/readMagic.htm) functions as a Comprehend Languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) spell. A Namebook (Query) requires mastery of the language the book was written in.
Short Range. A spellcaster can deliver a spell Short-ranged spell by touching the target's name in the Namebook. The spell is cast as though the spellcaster were at the maximum allowable range for the spell to be cast. The target may attempt to resist spell as though the target had total concealment.
Touch. Once per day, a spellcaster can deliver a touch-based spell by touching the target's name in the Namebook. The spell is cast as though the spellcaster were physically touching that person. The target may attempt to resist spell if the spell allows for a save with a +4 modifier. If the spell requires a touch attack, the attack is made as though the target has total concealment. If the attack roll fails, the spell is considered to be spent and there is a 10% chance that the spell affects the book and activates off the Glyphs of Warding.
The Namebook is immune to Erase. It cannot be altered by Enlarge/Reduce, or by any similar Transmutation spells. The book, despite its construction, has a hardness of 5 and 15 hp. Dispel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm) turns the Namebook into an ordinary book. If Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm) is cast, the book is obviously of the school Divination.
Caster Level: Not yet determined; Prerequisites: Not yet determined; Market Price: n/a.
This is my first legitimate magical item that I have created; I built it from the concept first. From this point, I'm not entirely sure where to go. What do I need to do before I determine its Caster Level or Prerequisites? Is there anything I have to clarify first?
Smael Graf came through the door. He was spent by the day and a half's constant journey. Graf made his way from the door into the main room of the temple and found the priest over a thick book, rows of names written in it. One name struck out in red ink: Hiranni Graf. He gave the priest of Denneth the scroll, his eyes unable to leave the red name.
"Have we found her, Timaiar?"
The priest sighed, "No, we have not yet."
"I have rode four days and two nights to fetch this cure from Wollack! I was carried by St. Gaeromon as my legs refused to take me another step! And you have been incapable of finding my daughter?"
"Smael, be patient. Greymark is a vast forest, we know she is in there. And we can still help her." The priest smiled at the man, and unraveled the scroll. The strange writing on the parchment glowed blue as Timaiar read it. The words were beautiful but virtually alien, the tongue of the gods. The priest touched the red name, and continued speaking in tongues until the words had evaporated from the page. The red ink in the book disappeared and as though an invisible pen were writing it, Hiranni Graf was written in black ink, as the others were.
The Namebook
A Namebook appears very much like any thick book. It can also be, perhaps, a scroll or thick bundle of folded papers. When read, it's quickly realized that the Namebook is a magical ledger, containing the names and other information of all the denizens in a specific area. The books are highly guarded as everyone's information, whether or willing or not, may be in that book.
A Namebook may come in a variety of types. Each book is limited; either to a predefined area or perhaps to a predefined type (i.e., the city of Greyhawk or the bloodline of Peleus).
i. Census (static). A census the most information available: Age, alignment, current location, deity worshiped, hometown, occupation, residency, and so on. The names are generally organized by family, but can sometimes be organized by other means. Most census have only 1d3+1 of these information, and updates every two years.
ii. Family Trees (static). A family tree contains very limited information, generally the names of family members and their relation through graphical means--lines connecting parents to children, and husband to wife. Dates of birth are generally given, sometimes even death-dates (if already passed away), and perhaps even location. Generally, a single Namebook (Family Tree) will limit itself to one super-family. A family tree updates every six years or so.
iii. Register (dynamic). A register contains useful information about the denizens. Aside from their names or occupations, most usefully it gives their health status (generally either living or dead, but sometimes can be "living", "dying," "dead." Some go into greater detail). This information changes as events occur; if someone dies, their name is instantly crossed out from the list. If someone enters the area, their name is written in the book.
iv. Query (dynamic). A Namebook (Query) is a bit unusual; the previous types all make use of predefined templates to provide the information; names are already organized and what information is set in stone. But for a Namebook (Query), all the pages are blank. By speaking a command word and asking a question, the book will "look" someone up in the area it was defined for. By asking, "The residencies of all the people whose last name is 'Julius,'" or "all the unmarried women in the city," the book will query that information and return it. More specific questions return more specific results (asking, "Who currently lives in the mayor's manor?" may return a single name, as opposed to, "Who's on Church Street?", which can return the names of all the people living there, walking on that street, and all the people buried there too.)
Regardless of the type of Namebook, each book possesses the following traits:
Glyph of Warding. The book is protected by a Glyph of Warding (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glyphOfWarding.htm) spell that deals xd8 Sonic damage (Reflex save for half damage) if the book is either opened without saying the Command Word or is dealt physical damage. X is half the effective caster level of the book.
Illusory Script. With the command word, the book can be protected as though Illusory Script (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/illusoryScript.htm) were cast on each page. Unlike the spell's description, the failure of the Will save attempt sets off the Glyph of Warding.
Language. The book is written and gives information in the language of the creator. Comprehend Languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) can decipher the contents. Because of the book's magical nature, Read Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/readMagic.htm) functions as a Comprehend Languages (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/comprehendLanguages.htm) spell. A Namebook (Query) requires mastery of the language the book was written in.
Short Range. A spellcaster can deliver a spell Short-ranged spell by touching the target's name in the Namebook. The spell is cast as though the spellcaster were at the maximum allowable range for the spell to be cast. The target may attempt to resist spell as though the target had total concealment.
Touch. Once per day, a spellcaster can deliver a touch-based spell by touching the target's name in the Namebook. The spell is cast as though the spellcaster were physically touching that person. The target may attempt to resist spell if the spell allows for a save with a +4 modifier. If the spell requires a touch attack, the attack is made as though the target has total concealment. If the attack roll fails, the spell is considered to be spent and there is a 10% chance that the spell affects the book and activates off the Glyphs of Warding.
The Namebook is immune to Erase. It cannot be altered by Enlarge/Reduce, or by any similar Transmutation spells. The book, despite its construction, has a hardness of 5 and 15 hp. Dispel (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagic.htm) turns the Namebook into an ordinary book. If Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm) is cast, the book is obviously of the school Divination.
Caster Level: Not yet determined; Prerequisites: Not yet determined; Market Price: n/a.
This is my first legitimate magical item that I have created; I built it from the concept first. From this point, I'm not entirely sure where to go. What do I need to do before I determine its Caster Level or Prerequisites? Is there anything I have to clarify first?