The Red Book of War

The Red Rook of War

Appearance: A massive two-volume,
two cubits wide by three high (a cubit
being the length from the elbow to the
end of the middle finger). Its covers are
made of armor plates beaten flat, carefully
shaped, and hinged at the spine of
the book to form a very strong binding,
containing fifty-one thin pages of burnished copper,
carefully stamped with letters and sigils, each page containing
one prayer II clerical spell on one side
only. No sigil or title is visible on the outer
covers. A permanent, pale-red flickering
faerie fire emanates from the
book's pages.

History and Description: Worship
of the war-god Tempus is well estab-
lished in the more lawless and troubled
lands of the Realms, and a numerous,
well-organized priesthood has come
into being over the years. The Red Book
of War is one of half a dozen or so similar
volumes, temple tomes containing
prayers for use by the priests of Tempus.
However, the Red Book, unlike its
fellows, has gone missing--lost to
thieves in Telflamm when the great
Tower of Tempus there was robbed one
night three winters ago by representatives
of the local thieves' guild. It seems
that Taeron, High Priest and Champion
Rampant of Tempus in Telflamm,
refused to render unto Volludan, Guildmaster
of the Shadowmasters of
Telflamm, certain protective monies--
and so the Shadowmasters relieved the
temple of several of its greatest treasures,
including two great magical
blades, a helm of brilliance, and the Red
Book.

The Shadowmasters promptly quarreled
over their booty (aided by vengeful
priests and worshipers of Tempus --
i.e., most of the mercenaries in the city),
and Volludan and several of his lieutenants
perished. All of the temple treasures
were recovered except the Red
Book, which is still actively sought by all
priests of Tempus; a reward of 25,000
pieces of gold (plus, if the finder is a
faithful of Tempus, a promotion of one
rank in the priesthood) can be claimed
at any temple of the Wargod in return
for the complete Red Book of War: The
Red Book will be recognized on sight by
all canons and higher-ranking priests of
Tempus, and they will do anything?
including mounting an ambush or
pitched battle with all the armed men
they can muster -- necessary to regain
i t . I t s p r e s e n t w h e r e a b o u t s a r e
unknown, but it is thought that thieves
conveyed it far from Telflamm, and that
it may have changed hands several
times since its theft.

Contents: The Red Book contains the
following clerical spells, one to a page,
appearing in the order mentioned (all
are in standard PH form
except for some unique spells, which
are described hereafter--these unique
prayers being special to the priests of
Tempus; they may or may not be heard,
and answered identically, by other deit
i e s ) :