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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Triskaideka" data-source="post: 6095828" data-attributes="member: 6708148">The Devil's Bible (29.14)The Legend of the Devil's Bible, which is well known to occult scholars in the Shuttered City, is generally agreed to proceed thusly: A certain acolyte of the Temple Indivisible, having broken a sacred vow, had been condemned to live as a hermit in a bricked-up cell in the depths of the Steeple, with only a small slot to pass food and water to him. The terms of his imprisonment were such: that he would create an illuminated bible of the Temple Indivisible's theology. The acolyte despaired, for such a task took decades and even then was accomplished via teams of scribes. Surely, he would spend his entire life creating the book. In the depths of his despair he called out to whatever powers would help him, and to his great surprise he was answered. The Devil appeared before him, and made him an offer: He would provide the acolyte with the power to scribe and illuminate the book in but 30 days, if only the acolyte would agree to include the Devil's portrait in the bible. Unwisely, the acolyte accepted.Thirty days later the acolyte rang the bell that signaled that his work was complete. Templars equipped with hammers to level the bricked door and Priests equipped with scourges to punish him if they found the book unfinished (as they suspected it was) proceeded down to the depths of the Steeple. To their horror, they found the acolyte lying bloodless and dying before the lectern on which lay the finished Bible, open to its middle, its bizarrely illustrated center plates open to the world. The acolyte spoke his last confession, describing the bargain he had made, and died. Around him lay scattered inkwells and jars of paint, all of them empty, except for wells and jars of red, which lay gathering dust and spiderwebs.The Devil's Bible was found to be beautifully illuminated and possessing of unmatched calligraphy. Weirdly, no portrait of the Devil could be found within. The only things unusual about the book was its vibrant red marginalia, which formed angular knot-works of infinite complexity around the sacred text, and its two central plates, each a perfect mirror of the other, depicting a mind-bending maze of red ink. It was said, that if one looked long enough, one could see the shape of leering eyes gazing from the center of each plate.Unable to destroy the Bible due to its holy words, but unwilling to use such a foully conceived book in any sacrament, the Matriarch had the tome banished to the Sealed Library, where it remains to this day.Connections-The Devil's Bible shares shelf-space with other strange tomes in the Sealed Library (29.14.14), along with the un-redacted version of the Scroll of Seven Shadows, the Book of Not Being Boiled By Fire, and other heretical, dangerous, or secret texts and documents.Hooks-Who was the unfortunate acolyte, what were his sins, and where was he buried?-Who or what is the Devil, and why did he want his portrait in the Bible?-Where is his portrait in it anyway?-What properties or powers could the Devil's Bible posses?-What other strange texts people the Sealed Library?</blockquote>

Verification