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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(contact)" data-source="post: 1662174" data-attributes="member: 41">Be advised, your update is inbound.Coldeven 6, CY 59390—Killing your way through the self-help sectionIt is the greatest treasure any of the Liberators have ever seen; the legendary city of Tovag Baragu’s secrets of self-perfection condensed into six volumes.  The six books are arrayed reverentially on a large serving-table shoved against the wall in Nevond Nevnend’s auxiliary dining hall.Lucius narrows his eyes and cuts his gaze toward Hastur; the dwarf lounges in a tall chair, one fur-knuckled hand busily chasing a wandering itch across his neck and down his back.“Let’s just shaft the new guy,” Lucius suggests.  “He probably won’t even notice.”“No,” Dabus says.“But he’s stupid,” Lucius reminds him.  “It’s his lot in life to get less.”“That’s it, we’ll draw lots,” Jespo says.  “Numbered from one to seven, we choose in that order.”“I agree,” Prisantha says.“Fair is fair,” Heydricus says.  “Everybody fights, everybody gets a share.”----“So do I go first, or last?” Hastur wants to know—his straw is the longest.“You go first,” Dabus says.  “Gwendolyn will be last.”Gwendolyn’s lips have yet to un-purse themselves.  In order, the Liberators select their books—Hastur quickly snatches up Gainful Exercises for The Humble Everyman, while Dabus claims the Exalted Treatise Concerning the Revealed Wisdom of the Ancients.  Heydricus finds the selection on Personal Magnetism and Boundless Allure to his taste, while Jespo Crim cackles despite himself as he selects the book that reveals The Seven Eternal Secrets of Perfect Memory and Immediate Comprehension.  Prisantha selects the tome whose exercises Promote Unflagging Health and Fortitude.“Fine,” Gwendolyn finally manages, her lips still so tight as to render the word nearly silibant.  “I’ll take the Demonomicon of Iggwilv.”There is a long moment of silence, broken by Jespo’s barking laugh.“Are you mad?” he scoffs.  “That is not an item of treasure, it is a catalogue of demonic true-names.  A true demonomicon.”“Well, it is my pick.”“Out of the question,” Jespo says.“And who are you to tell me ‘no’, Crim?  Were you up-jumped when I wasn’t looking?”The party regards the Demonomicon, each of them lost in thought.“Well, if Id’a known we could pick it,” Hastur says.  “Maybe I would have . . .”“You’re too late,” Gwendolyn says.  “It’s mine.”“Nobody’s picking that book!” Heydricus says.“I think Heydricus is right,” Prisantha says.  “It’s not a thing for one of us to own.  Perhaps the Prison of Xagyg would suit you, Gwen.”“That book should be destroyed,” Dabus says.  “I don’t appreciate its presence.”“Nor do I,” Heydricus agrees.  “Flame strike it.”Before anyone else can object, Dabus calls upon Tritherion, and after a moment, the Demonomicon of Iggwilv is struck with a pillar of holy flame.Gwen’s jaw falls open and she stares at Dabus.  “Of all the self-important, arrogant things to do!  How dare you!”Dabus shrugs.  “I have a standing divine mandate regarding objects of known evil origin.”“Not that it matters overmuch,” Jespo says.  “The Demonomicon is unscathed.”  Jespo places a hand on the book.  “It’s not even warm.”“I have other spells,” Dabus says.  But despite the best efforts of the willing, acid and arcane fire prove equally useless against the thing.  Holy light fails to sear it, and it cannot be destructioned.“Somebody wish it destroyed,” Heydricus says.“I’m not wishing against an artifact!” Gwendolyn says.  “I have a better idea.  Why don’t we copy the names, then give the book itself to the Pholtans?” “What?” Heydricus says.Prisantha has been staring at the Deomonomicon while her companions debate its immunities and resistances.  “I know,” she says in a soft voice.  “We should sell it to a real demonologist.  Someone who would understand it.  That book could make us rich.”“What?” Heydricus says.“Well, more rich,” Jespo says, fingering the seam of his masterwork vest.  Fräs hisses warily and nips Jespo’s hand.Lucius regards Prisantha suspiciously.  “Allright, that f-cking book’s got to go.  I’m locking it up.”“Wait,” Gwendolyn says.  “It would be a shame to let its secrets rot away in some dank room.  Perhaps we owe it to ourselves to make a better use of it.”“I know,” Hastur mutters, staring flatly at the book.  “Let’s pour some blood over it while reading names out loud.  I think I know which ones.”  He starts to open the book, but Dabus is quicker, and Hastur is suddenly held.Lucius whirls on the group, his finger stabbing at each of the wizards in turn.  “No more ideas.  I’m tying up the dwarf, and the next one of you with a clever notion about that book gets the same.”Heydricus swipes the book into a leather bag, and mounts the bag on the end of his spear.  “Dabus, throw this f-cking thing in the treasure room, and post a double guard.”-----With the Demonomicon of Iggwilv securely locked away, Gwendolyn finally claims the Prison of Xagyg for her treasure pick.  In a huff, she teleports off to Greyhawk City where she reports she will be “looking in to a few things.”The party discusses the likelihood that the Demonomicon is itself an artifact-level magic item.  Clearly, it has subtle mind-corrupting powers, and seems impervious to magic.“There is a spell that can unbind such things,” Jespo notes.  “Although I do not myself possess it.”“Mordenkainen’s disjunction?” Prisantha nods.  “It could work, but results are not assured, and the wizard casting the spell takes a tremendous risk; if the artifact reflects the spell, she could disjoin her own wizardly gifts!”“A risk, true, but no greater risk than leaving the vile thing within our living space,” Heydricus says.“I would be willing to disjoin it,” Jespo says.  “But I would first require the spell.”“You don’t have anything to prove, Jespo,” Prisantha says.“Nonsense,” Jespo scoffs.  “Fräs says that a virtuous man must prove his worth with each new day.”“I will teach you the spell,” Prisantha says, unconvinced and more than a little worried.Fräs purrs.-----Dabus does his part, protecting Jespo Crim as best he can.  The first two attempts are failures—the book is strong, and resists the spell.  But on the third day, the wards protecting the Demonomicon of Iggwilv are disjoined, and shortly thereafter the book is consumed in holy flame, its ashes scattered across the plains of Nevond Nevnend.“Great job, Crim,” Heydricus says, clasping Jespo’s frail shoulder with one huge hand.  “You know, you’ve really been kicking ass recently.  Keep it up!”If Jespo blushes, no one but Fräs can say.  Exhausted, he returns to his newly remodeled suite on the keep’s top floor.-----The Liberators of Tenh (sans Gwendolyn) sit together in Prisantha’s study.   The six liberators remaining in Nevond Nevnend have been busy studying their respective books, but take the time to gather in the evenings to share a meal and discuss the relative merits of their various studies.  This evening, Jespo has begun a tirade impugning the Furyondian Wizard’s Academy and the “Traitorous Four.”“. . . Piscean!  Need I say more?”  Jespo has recently taken to tucking one arm into his vest when he pontificates, a gesture he learned from Otiluke.  “The Circle of Eight are clearly the superior coven.  Furyondy’s Four considered themselves without peer in the wizardly world (and you know for a fact there are many at the Academy in Chendl who say no less about them, Prisantha), but when the final bell is rung, power wielded by an immoral hand is no worthy power at all.”Fräs agrees.“Like that unswerving paragon of virtue, Rary?” Prisantha asks sweetly.“Well.  That was a disagreement between gentlemen wizards, Prisantha.  We are not privileged to know the truth of the matter, and frankly, it would be unseemly to inquire.”Lucius laughs.  “So if a Furyondian wizard murders another, it’s immoral, but if a Greyhawker turns on his companions, it’s a private dispute?  Why not just call the spade a spade, and admit it—all wizards are just a hair shy of crazy.”Jespo will not be outdone.  “When one kidnaps a king for political gain, it becomes by definition a public crime.  Two gentlemen attempting to kill one another is a duel.”“What if one of the gentlemen doesn’t realize he’s in a duel at the time?” Lucius asks.</blockquote>

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