Ashin Varanin
Professional Enabler
Intent: To codify a well-established item from before it became common practice to run these things through the Factory. As this item is better hidden and guarded than virtually anything in the galaxy, by characters whose primary motivation is non-proliferation, the chance of its abuse is infinitesimal. Its purpose is purely as a story mechanic, primarily for testing one's advancement, willpower, and competence with artifacts.
Development Thread:
- Carefully relocated by Tirdarius and Dissero in a Crashed thread; descriptive quotes from that thread preserved below, among others, for ease of reference in RP'ing
- Stolen by Dissero and Velok
- Forms the core of Dissero's archive
Model: N/A
Affiliation: Independent, formerly Sith Empire
Modularity: No
Production: Unique
Material: Alchemized dark leather, alchemized paper
Description:
Original description by [member="Lord Dissero"]-
An ancient book the size of a small child containing the secrets, spells, and knowledge of an untold number of Master Sith Sorcerers, Spell Casters and Alchemists and other relevant information. The book contains remnants of each provider and its powers are significant. Not just anyone can read it - only those the book surrenders to. None below that of a High Knight or Master level understanding and knowledge of the Force would stand a chance of reading its contents. Lightsiders would be better tasked with destroying it than trying to read it. The book has killed many who have tried. In the current timeline, it has only been read by Velok and Lord Dissero. Velok used the book to help empower the Supernova Crystals to destroy the planets Rhommamool and Osarian.
Quotes-
"The ancient tome sat innocently enough atop an obsidian podium. ... the podium itself was enchanted to help contain the dark powers within the book." ~Dissero
"The obsidian container sat off to the side, nestled between a stack of crates containing all manner of otherwise unimportant materials and the inner wall of the hold. It was best to limit exposure and proximity of things to the Spellbook, just in the instance that something should happen to break the seal of the containment spell. Like a Sith Archivist on a mission.
"He approached it with purpose now, leaving all prior reservations far behind on Rudrig neatly wrapped in a box now currently on its way to the hands of his Apprentice. The man gestured to the crate and with great mental dexterity unlocked the door and pulled from within the obsidian podium and its charge. The hold instantly fell under the onslaught of the Tome's great power, Dissero could feel it permeate his flesh and sink into his bones, rattling whatever soul might be confined within." ~Dissero
"Not some gaudy tome proclaiming it's secrets to all and sundry, but a dark book, carefully crafted with durable paper that had managed to survive the ravages of time through unnatural means, concealed by a dark black leather binding that, though worn and faded, was still holding strong. Of all the artifacts within, this one had been left until the very last, it's insidious nature apparent simply by virtue of the fact that it was otherwise so nondescript and unremarkable. Just a book, such as you would find in a thousand libraries across the Galaxy. Yet this particular tome...utterly unique. And utterly deadly, if so much as touched by the unprepared.
...He knew it to be a grimoire containing spells belonging to the ancient Sith, a tome of sorcery that was capable of offering great power to the worthy, but true horror to those not ready or capable of translating the spidery words that might be found scrawling across a page. The kindest fate it might offer to the uninitiated would be mere insanity, an escape from the rational dictates of the Galaxy.
...Even to touch this book would be true madness." ~ [member="Tirdarius"]
"The book itself, old and arcane as it was, was the subject of much scrutiny by those who had come long before he. There were literally dozens of tomes and personal journals filled with entries written by Lords and Ladies lusting after the knowledge it contained. It was said to be composed of spells and information of a hundred Dark Lords before his time, unnamed and completely obscure." ~Dissero
"He set his jaw and flipped open the cover. A grunt escaped him as his focus narrowed from the corporeal. To call the book's presence an assault would be not unlike saying a tide or a stampede was attacking him. It reminded him strongly of being brutalized by weather, by climate, as if he was coming face to face with an eternal and unflinching truth. He gave it the mental equivalent of hunkering down before a storm, but found himself unable to turn from resilience to examination of the book. He could endure, but he could not prevail, not to the standard which the task required.
At least, not if he kept doing what he was doing.
He knew what the book wanted to find: A full and complete knowledge of the consequences of examining said book. Will alone wouldn't do it, boldness wouldn't do it. Those were qualities all too common and all too lacking foundation, especially in Sith. No, the book was measuring maturity -- willingness to take the consequences -- and experience enough to know the price of failure." ~ Velok
