Crumpled Page
This old, yellowed page, torn from its book long ago, is written in strange and cryptic arcane runes that speak of a path that leads to immortality.
Keywords: Magic
Crafting: Cannot be crafted.
Awakened: You can unfold the page as a maneuver. While the page is unfolded, it floats in a square adjacent to you, and the runes reshape themselves into images relevant to the topics you specify. While the page is unfolded, you gain an edge on Reason tests made to recall lore.
Transformed: When you or a creature you have line of effect to uses a magic or psionic ability, you can use a triggered action to grant a +3 bonus to the power roll. Additionally, you can use a respite activity to commune with the page, making a hard Reason test.
≤ 11: At the end of the respite, you take psychic damage equal to 1d6 + your level, which can't be reduced in any way.
12-16: You learn nothing.
17+: The runes on the page rearrange themselves to form the project source for a project of your choice in a language you understand.
When you obtain a project source this way, you can copy it down and use it freely thereafter. You still need the item prerequisites for the project.
A hero seeking knowledge begins the campaign with the crumpled page, an old, yellowed page that was torn from its book long ago. The page is written in strange and cryptic arcane runes; those few runes that can be decoded speak of a path that leads to immortality. The hero who possesses the crumpled page should have strong, vivid reasons to want to unlock the secrets that the page possesses.
Unbeknownst to the hero, the page was taken from the library of Exethanter, a lich who dwells in the deepest sanctum of the Amber Temple in Barovia.
Developments.
- In Arc A - Escape From Death House, when it senses the presence of Death House, the ink on the page glows with amber light, the runes reshaping themselves into a map that leads to the house.
- When the heroes successfully enter Khazan's tower in Arc E - The Missing Girl, the page rustles and begins to move on its own, becoming awakened.
- When the hero first approaches Exethanter's library in Arc S - A Sword of Sunlight, the ink glows with amber light as it did upon sensing Death House, and the runes reshape themselves into a map of Exethanter's chambers and nearby access points.
- When the heroes restore Exethanter's memories, the runes glow again; the hero can now cause the runes to glow (or stop glowing) with a thought. The page becomes transformed.
- If the hero shows the page to Exethanter after restoring his memories in the same arc, Exethanter grows warmer and friendlier toward that hero.