Sniper’s Gift

Jaren’s clawed hand carefully opened the book.  Despite his care, the half dragon was startled by the paper falling, floating to the ground from inside the leather bound cover. Soon realizing that the paper was a note and not part of the book Jaren read the message:

This is Sniper’s record of all events and the items recovered from the Spicerunner on the October’s last full moon, Friday the 13^th.  

I heard about the recovery crew two nights previously when saving two sailors from a team of vampires disguised as hookers. The navy men upon seeing just what was behind their ever thinning numbers prevailed upon me to check on the men that were already out patrolling the seas. They had foolishly gone out in hopes of recovering anything the ocean hadn’t swallowed when the Driftdowns died. I immediately feared that those sailors were all dead.  The undead, since their rise from the maelstrom, had been luring these seafaring folk with items of wealth being seen floating adrift on some broken piece of timber, moving further and further out from the relative safety of the Son’s Docks. It took two nights to find the Spicerunner, tilting starboard side, slowly sinking, no lights or signs of life.  Entering the sinking ship I soon found evidence of the death and transformations that had been wrought.   I took mercy on two souls transforming into some horrid undead, their type as yet unidentifiable.  I could tell bythe manner in which the recovery crew were killed was designed to bring about rare, more dangerous forms of undead to plague Stormhaven.  After ending the sailors’ transformation I recovered three books from their possession, one of which was water logged and needed to dry, obviously recently recovered from the ocean and part of these undead creatures' trap.

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Elvish Writings Page 3 of 101 Spellbooks: Elvish Writings is a travelling spellbook, small and compact, without any elaborate materials used in its construction.  All of the script on the pages is written in a flowing hand and alternates between elvish and detailed magical symbols and inscriptions.  Both read magic and knowledge of elvish are required to decipher the spells in this book.  Spells: Change Self, Color Spray, Darkhood*, Dispel Magic, Focus of the Magical Mind*, Haste, Magic Missile, Read Magic, and Solid Fog. It is this book that has notes and information on the beginnings of the Seawillow elves of Stormhaven. Listed Value 1750gp, Collector Value: 5000gp

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  Of Skulls and Night Page 7 of 101 Spellbooks: This leather-bound book is decorated with a series of dancing skeletons, flying skulls and a crescent moon symbol all on the front cover.  The spine bears a second crescent moon symbol and 8 stars while the back cover is completely blank.  The pages inside are of varying degrees of quality from poor paper to expensive vellum.  Spells: Animate Dead, Ghost Sound, Ghoul Touch, and Grave Claws*.  Special Features: Besides the spells, this book also reveals the mysteries of a new feat, Grave Claws Strike* Listed Value 18,000gp, Collector Value: 30,000gp

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      The Spells of Athelstan Page 9 of 101 Spellbooks: This book is constructed of iron covers that have been joined to a a leather spine with copper spikes.  The pages, sewn to the leather, are tan-colored parchment. The symbol of an hourglass has been engraved into the front cover of the book.  Spells: All arcane spells from the Player’s Handbook involving Time including ancient pre-sun versions of spells.  Special Features: Athelstan spent decades perfecting his spellcasting speed and kept detailed notes of his studies and the final methods he established.  This is represented with the feat, Fast Spell. Listed Value 100,000gp, Collector Value: 100,000gp. Time is a branch of True Name Magic

DM Note regarding feats in 101 Spellbooks: These are to be treated as early dragon age efforts at feats that are now established in Pathfinder.  To reflect this the feats listed at the back of 101 Spellsbooks will instead provide a free meta magic feat from a Paizo product or Deep Magic.  To gain the free meta-magic feat requires 300 hours of study during which the student practices casting spells enhanced by the new meta-magic. There isn't a limitation to the number of hours you can study the book to fulfill your 300 hours.