Tome of Blood (3.5e Equipment)
Appearance[edit]
The Tome of Blood is a book about five-and-a-half inches wide and ten-and-a-half inches tall, with a thickness of two inches. A book made by overlapping, lacquered skin and bound with sinew, it's a magical artifact that gives off aura of chaos, shown to be a strong aura both by detect magic and detect chaos. Connected to it's binding is a long, slender chain of mithril with a chaos star made of sharply cut, purple crystal at its end. Anyone who attempts to read the book who is not of chaotic alignment will find thin, blank pages that were made from cured skin. Those that are of chaotic alignment see violet energy in the form of writing that they can understand, with the language changing between users. It never appears as a language that the user can't understand, even if multiple users are reading from it at once.
Function[edit]
The Tome of Blood acts as a spell book to anyone of chaotic alignment who wields it. The user does not require levels in any spell-casting class to use them and uses half their total level as their effective caster level, but will also have a disadvantage of having a reduced spell list available to them from this book. Spells present in the book are considered to be always prepared. Casting any spell from the book requires a symbol as a focus.
Chaotic Good users use a holy symbol and treat their spells as having positive energy.
Chaotic Neutral users may use either holy or unholy symbols and treat their spells respectively. Neutral users who use this book must choose this upon casting the first spell and cannot change it later.
Chaotic Evil users use an unholy symbol and treat their spells as having negative energy.
If the user does not have a symbol in their inventory, the crystal attached to the book may be used as a focus of any alignment once chosen. The chain attaching the crystal to the book is four feet in length, allowing it to be used as a focus as long as they hold the book or the book is attached to their body in some manner, either by equipment or magic. The only material component the spells required, shared between all the spells, is blood, most often from the user itself, but can be used from others if supplied on the spot.
Regardless of Good, Neutral or Evil, the spells of the Chaos Domain are available. Below, are the mechanics of casting these spells and the spells that the book generates for each alignment.
Casting Blood Magic[edit]
Traditionally, Blood Magic is cast from formulas deeply etched into the skin of the users. Blood Magic users do not require spell-books, only taking from their own body's life force to cast or greatly empower the spell. The Tome of Blood's magic, however, is entirely different. It provides spells that use blood as the fulcrum and purpose of the spell, not just using blood as the energy required to cast magic.
If a Blood Mage is wielding the Tome of Blood, they may use it as a bodily channel. When they would activate the ability of Constitution Burn, normally they would take a penalty to their CON. With the Tome of Blood, they do not incur a penalty on themselves, as long as the spell they are using, plus its enhancements, do not exceed his current spell level. Additionally, any spell using his Constitution Ability while being affected by the Tome of Blood is cast as if the Blood Mage has the Bloodied Metamagic feat, even if he does not have it. In addition to the Blood Mage's own feats, The Tome of Blood may grant Disguise Spell, Enlarge Spell or Extend Spell while it is in his possession.
By this purpose, any spell in this book used by a Blood Mage is potentially free. Not so is the case for those that are not Blood Mages.
In order for the uninitiated in Blood Magic to wield the spells of this book, bodily harm is done to oneself. This can be carried out in any manner so long as the user in question is aware of his actions and willfully uses the costs for their intended purpose. Because of this, the user cannot be coerced into using this book, whether by force or by magic, unless the user willfully submits to it. For example, the dominate person spell cannot coerce the target to use a Blood Magic spell if it is not within the confines of what the user would actually use it for, i.e. using the spell against an ally or taking abnormal penalties to use a spell that puts them in peril.
To cast a spell from the book, the user must have the book in hand or on their person and either hold the focus attached to it or one of their own. Intentionally casting the spell requires focus to draw on their life-force to power the spell. Each level of spell in the book has a different requirement that can be full-filled and both the Blood Mage and the normal user may use either of these conditions, either hit point lose or constitution burn, but if a Blood Mage chooses to use hit point lose, he does not gain any benefit that he would from constitution burn.
Chaotic Good Spells[edit]
Level 1 Spells
Each spell costs 1 hit point or 1 point of CON
Mage Armor: Gives subject +4 armor bonus.
Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery.
True Strike: +20 on your next attack roll.
Magic Missile: 1d4+1 damage; +1 missile per two levels above 1st (max 5).
Cause Fear: One creature of 5 HD or less flees for 1d4 rounds.
Level 2 Spells
Each spell costs 2 hit points or 1 point of CON
Obscure Object: Masks object against scrying.
Resist Energy: Ignores first 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.
Daze Monster: Living creature of 6 HD or less loses next action.
Minor Image: As silent image, plus some sound.
Knock: Opens locked or magically sealed door.
Level 3 Spells
Each spell costs 3 hit points or 2 points of CON
Stinking Cloud: Nauseating vapors, 1 round/level.
Hold Person: Paralyzes one humanoid for 1 round/level.
Fireball: 1d6 damage per level, 20-ft. radius.
Keen Edge: Doubles normal weapon’s threat range.
Slow: One subject/level takes only one action/round, -1 to AC, reflex saves, and attack rolls.
Spells Beyond This Point Require Levels In Bloodmage
Level 4 Spells
Each spell costs 6 hit points or 3 points of CON
Solid Fog: Blocks vision and slows movement.
Stoneskin: Ignore 10 points of damage per attack.
Scrying: Spies on subject from a distance.
Resilient Sphere: Force globe protects but traps one subject.
Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance.
Level 5 Spells
Each spell costs 12 hit points or 4 points of CON
Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.
Telepathic Bond: Link lets allies communicate.
Prying Eyes: 1d4 +1/level floating eyes scout for you.
Cone of Cold: 1d6/level cold damage.
Contact Other Plane: Lets you ask question of extraplanar entity.
Chaotic Neutral Spells[edit]
"Soon to come!" --Rathmostofar
Chaotic Evil Spells[edit]
"Soon to come!" --Rathmostofar
Drawbacks[edit]
One who has heard the legends of the Tome of Blood is not a natural person. Often the one who owns it, obtains it because of an intimately dark back-story. It is up to the GM's description of those exact details. The following list contains it's drawbacks.
Malevolent Object
When the Tome of Blood has a Desire, it can telepathically communicate with it's user, even if that user is on a different plane of existence. The item and it's user share a bond, but it is not a bond of love or trust. Upon choosing a user, the Tome of Blood first requires a sacrifice from the user that does not come from themselves. A Chaotic Good user will most likely choose to run away from home, cutting themselves of from society for full-filling the Desire of the book. it will most likely accept that. In the hands of Evil players however, the book will often desire a living sacrifice from the party member and it won't be satisfied if it's not truly a sacrifice to use it's power; meaning it wants someone you love, trust or highly regard. It doesn't care about anything else and the book itself will tell the user that it does not discriminate whom you harm. The spreading of Chaos is it's only goal.
Price of Power
If the person using the book does not meet these Desires, the book will cause an Infliction. The Book does not have more than one Desire per in-game year for Chaotic Good players. Depending on the nature of the evil campaign, the book may demon three Desires per year for the Chaotic Evil player and it will regularly desire the death of the other party members, but won't make that a Desire. Only a remove curse spell cast from Good Aligned spell-caster of 8th level and the Break Enchantment spell, used by the wielder, can remove the Infliction, but also removes the Tome of Blood and it's connection to the wielder, at which point the Tome of Blood vanishes from existence. Whether it leaves that plane of existence, is destroyed or finds it's next user is up to GM discretion. GM's are encouraged to have the Tome of Blood reject it's previous user if encountered again.
The Sightless
Wielding the power of the Tome of Blood attunes the user to the truest state of the world. The user, regardless of alignment, is permanently affected by the true seeing spell.
Wrath of the Unholy
Users of the Tome of Blood, regardless of alignment have negative standing with all Lawful beings. As long as the users don't upset the balance of the world, they usually won't respond with force, but the moment they become a hindrance or a threat to these beings, they won't be afraid to deal with them, usually sending those faithful of them to attack the player.
GM Notes and Lore[edit]
"Soon to come!" --Rathmostofar
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