The Book of the Dead is the common name for the funerary texts known as The Book of Coming the book is nothing like a modern book – the text is written on papyrus rolls and buried inside the mummy case with the deceased

The Book of the Dead constitutes a collection of spells, charms, passwords, numbers and magical formulas for use by the deceased in the afterlife. They are intended to guide the dead through the various trials that they would encounter before reaching the underworld. Knowledge of the appropriate spells is considered essential to achieving happiness after death.

A Book of the Dead is illustrated with pictures showing the tests to which the deceased will be subjected. The most important was the weighing of the heart of the dead person against Ma’at, or Truth (carried out by Anubis). The god Thoth would record the results and the monster Ammut would wait nearby to eat the heart should it prove unworthy.

The Book of the Dead

DC: 25

Ink & Quill

Author Thomas Knauss Series Dragonwing Games/Bastion Press

Publisher DWBP

Publish date 2002

Physical Appearance:The book’s macabre, nauseating cover is crafted from the rib bones of a humanoid and bound together by the creature’s sinewy tissue. The
monstrous creation is then wrapped in a leather cover fashioned from the creature’s skin. Its 106 pages of bloody ink are formulated from parchment created with humanoid skin. Merely viewing the disgusting book demands Fortitude save (DC 14) to avoid 2d10 rounds of uncontrollable nausea.

Background: The book’s ineffably evil author, the wicked lich priest Kamal Izharri, wrote this damned creation more than 1,000 years ago. Consumed by an unquenchable hatred and envy for the world of the living, the venomous Kamal sought utter mastery over the animated bodies and spirits of the dead, using them as tools of his vengeance against his most bitter rival, King Heliopolus. At one time, Heliopolus and Kamal acted as allies, awaiting the earthly departure of Heliopolus’ father, King Diocedes. The two hateful comrades forged an unholy pact to share power if Kamal devised a means of killing Diocedes without arousing suspicion. The ever-resourceful priest contacted one of his miscreant associates, an apothecary adept at brewing deadly narcotics. With the apothecary’s aid, Kamal succeeded in poisoning the aging king, making his death appear natural. However, unbeknownst to Kamal, Heliopolus learned of Kamal’s contact with the apothecary. After succeeding his father as king, Heliopolus produced the apothecary along with his testimony against Kamal. Forewarned by his priesthood of Heliopolus’ treachery, the renegade priest fled the kingdom, biding his time until he secured the power to gain revenge against his former ally.

Realizing that he lacked the economic and military resources of his enemy, Kamal resorted to the ultimate sacrifice, death. Through the clandestine assistance of his loyal priests, Kamal raised enough revenue to create the phylactery enabling him to become a lich. After completing the transformation, Kamal raised his army from the ranks of the kingdom’s dead. As the ultimate insult, Kamal even animated Diocedes’ withering corpse. With his rag-tag army of the walking dead, Kamal met his terrified nemesis on the field of battle. Despite his initial fright, Heliopolus rallied his forces and defeated Kamal’s legions of undead. However, the two embittered rivals both met their doom on that fateful day, causing Kamal’s dreaded creation to fall into the hands of the living.

Although many years passed since that monumental encounter, only a small handful of individuals possessed the artifact. The infamous necromancer, Reghotus, ranks as the book’s most noteworthy owner. He owned the book for nearly two hundred years, plaguing civilization with frequent incursions by its once deceased citizens. Through the book’s corrupting influence, Reghotus also joined his undead legions as a vampire until his demise at the hands of a party of paladins. The book currently resides within one of the most important temples of the god of death. Its owner, the high priest Asychules, never parts from its side.

Powers: The Book of the Dead confers the following dire powers to its reader:

• Evil clerics reading the book gain an additional 3,000 xp. Evil creatures reading the book acquire an additional 1,500 xp. Neutral creatures suffer no experience point loss, while good creatures lose 1,500 xp.
• At will, the reader may cast animate dead as if she were a 20th-level sorcerer. In addition all undead within a 200 ft. radius of the book receive the benefits of desecrate and unhallow.
• The reader may command ten times as many undead as normal. Hence a 20th-level cleric using animate dead may control 200 HD of undead rather than the normal 20 HD.
• Three times per day, the reader may cast ghoul touch as if she were a 20th-level sorcerer.
• Twice per day, the reader may cast vampiric touch as if she were a 20th-level sorcerer.
• Once per day, the reader may cast create undead and create greater undead as if she were a 20th level sorcerer.

Curse: Unknown to the reader, her body begins the transformation to undeath. While in possession of the book, the reader suffers one point of Constitution damage everyday until she reaches zero. (The reader remains completely unaware of this side effect.) At that moment, she dies and becomes a vampire in all respects. The metamorphosis is irreversible.

Destruction: Dousing it within a font of tears collected from newborn humanoids destroys this abominable book. A lawful good priest must bless the font while it rests on consecrated ground. The sacred waters disintegrate the book in a week. A successful Knowledge (undead) (DC 31) or (arcana) check (DC 35) uncovers this fact.

Caster Level: 20th