The vast majority of books in a library are nothing more than tomes of mundane knowledge, travelogues, diaries and other normal writings. A few books, however, are different. A few books—either because of the foul things they reveal, the power they hold or their monetary value—are kept away from the public in the library’s special collection.

1. Encyclopaedia Geographia: This massive leather-bound book weighs almost 20 pounds. Each page is almost two-foot wide by three-foot long. The book presents maps, discourses and studies of the terrain for hundreds of miles in every direction. Some of the maps are copies of ancient maps from now fallen elder or lost civilisations and peoples; these maps may depict features or locations omitted from more recent maps that could be of interest to adventurers. 

2. On the Art: Originally written by Dorotea Laso, On the Art is a treatise on the fundamentals of wizardly magic. Written in the language of dragons it has formed the basis of magical instruction since it was first copied and shared centuries ago. For a book on magic it is a common tome and its inclusion in the special collection is surprising. Investigation, however, reveals this book to be the original! A profession of marginalia reveals Dorotea’s evolving thoughts and musing on the nature of magic. 

3. The Morankan Manuscript: Written wholly in a strange language—Aboleth—and heavily fire damaged, the pages of this book are made from some kind of specially prepared seaweed. The book is a tract railing against the so-called “new gods” and their upstart ways. The text talks about many alien concepts and predicts an inescapable flood will soon wipe away humanity’s stain upon the world.

4. Art & Power: A treatise on the use of magic to gain temporal power this tract is wholly lacking any moral content and simply deals with the matter at hand. Only a few copies of this book survive to the present day; most are held my amoral folk or those who use them as evidence of the dangers of magic in the wrong hands.

5. Lexicon of Shadows: Compiled from many sources, the Lexicon of Shadows deals with the subject of those hated and reviled creatures that can live among human society undetected. The treatise deals with doppelgängers, lycanthropes and the like and warns of the perils of failing to be ever-vigilant against the threat such creatures pose.

6. Unnamed Manuscript: This mass of water-damaged, burnt papers fill a dusty, string-bound leather folder which has fallen down the back of one of the shelves. It is the remains of a copy of an ancient manuscript dealing with the elder demon Amon-Pyr. So hateful and maddening are the text fragments they can snap an unprepared or weak mind.

7. The Final Word: This deranged series of apocalyptic prophecies describes in lurid—and insane—detail the end of the world. The text goes into great detail about the warning signs of impending doom and the events leading up to the world’s destruction. Some people suspect the end has already begun and scour the book for information on how to survive the impending apocalypse.

8. Esteri’s Workbook: A work by a minor mageling, this thin book presents Esteri’s early research into several new spells. One is entitled Esteri’s Scorching Burst while another is intriguingly called Esteri’s Many Faces. The book is a scrappy, disorganised affair, but beautiful doodles artfully depict what each spell was meant to achieve.

9. Wondrous Worlds of Infinity: This treatise describes, in beautiful flowing Elven text, the multiverse of planes stretching away from the Prime Material. While no plane is detailed in great depth, this book is an excellent primer. The book closes with a list of places in the world at which the barriers between the planes are particularly weak.

10. The Crown of Flame and Ash (and Other Wondrous and Legendary Objects): Written in a bizarre mix of Dwarven and Elven this book lists in exhaustive detail various artifacts and other objects of legend. The text relates each item’s history, assumed powers and known possessors. 

11. The Chronicles of the Folk of the Goat-Headed Demon: Centuries ago, a bizarre cult which worshipped a goat-headed demon rose up among the city states perched upon the edge of an arid desert. The cult tried to weld the various states into an empire, but internecine intrigues doomed the attempt to failure. In the aftermath, a small band of particularly devout adherents to the nameless goat-headed demon disappeared into the desert’s arid wastes carrying with them a golden statue said to contain the demon’s soul. 

12. The Shimmering Horror in the Night: When the stars are right, certain horrible, otherworldly creatures are said to slip into the world from elsewhere. This book details the so-called Shimmering Horror—a creature composed of nothing but strange colours and supernatural cold. The book contains a powerful spell designed to call and bind the Shimmering Horror; mercifully, the spell requires certain hard-to-find components which means it has not been cast in centuries.

Want More?

This article is an extract from GM's Miscellany: 20 Things V. Add the book to your GM’s toolkit today! Alternatively, check out the 20 Things Archive for more handy, flavoursome and time-saving 20 Things articles ready for immediate use in your campaign.