Ever heard of an item for this need?

[UnjustCustos]

My next character is going to be knowledge guy and one thing I would like is to have a library on my person or within reach at all time. While shrinking my books down daily would be nice it would require a magic item and near weekly attention. Has anyone ever come across something that would fit my characters needs? Or does anyone have any other ideas about how to do this, other than toting around a library in a bag of holding? Any input would be appreciated.

[Zsaber0]

I think there is an item in eberron....I'll get back to you.

[Amnestic]

Do you want an actual library or something which simulates it? Tome of Worldly Memory (MIC190) is a magic tome which "calls upon the secret memories of the world to aid you in unlocking forgotten knowledge.

What this translates out to in game mechanics is a 3/Day +5 competence bonus on any knowledge check. Takes 1 minute to peruse the tome, or a standard action if you have 5 ranks or more in the Knowledge skill in question. Costs 1500gp.

Even if it's not what you're after, I still consider it a must-have for the Knowledge monkey of the group, even if only for flavour.

[Hendel]

My Illusionist/Thief Gnome back in ist edition had an entire library with desk and comfortable chair inside a Portable Hole. The DM and I worked it out. It wasn't going to be used as some way to escape the bad guys and there was really only a "storyline" benefit to it so we worked it out so that the Gnome and sometimes his Halfling buddy could retreat into the Portable Hole at night and study or rest. They had a ladder set up to get out and such.

Mind you it was not huge but we figured we could get quite a few tomes in a ten foot cubic area. Now, we didn't not put anything else inside it besides our study and Bags of Holding were strictly forbidden!

[G.Cube]

Leomund’s Secret Chest, Leomund’s Secure Shelter, Mordenkainen’s Magnificent
Mansion all would work well to store a decent, large, and huge collection of books respectively. Simply cast the spell, or if needed get a magic item that let's you cast it. Cast, enter, study, simple!

[UnjustCustos]

Sadly those spells are out of my reach, and the magic items as well. Playing a DFA in a lower magic world. I know, not really set up for the goal I have in mind. But thanks for the input.

And everyone else too, especially that tome. Good crunch and fluff for the character concept. I may have to do the portable hole thing, if only because an e.pit is way out of the question. Dagnabit.

[Zsaber0]

The item I was thinking of is called the "Necklace of the Phantom Library" from the Eberron Explorer's Handbook. I think it does what you want....

[thatryanguy]

My own Dragonfire Adept Scholar carries pretty well a full library around inside his Handy Haversack. Benefit is that literally any book he wants from within will be right on top when he reaches in for it. Of course, my group rules against keeping track of weights and size limits on those and bags of holding, so it's easier to get away with.

[nedz]

Your own personal demi-plane, which you can plane shift to.

Daern's Instant Fortress would also do the trick, but I don't know if this is outside your wealth bracket.

[UnjustCustos]

The phantom library may require a ruling from my DM, but it is worth a shot. The handy haversack is looking like the best so far as I am still low level. Though eventually I would like to have my own demi-plane library. And sadly the instant fortress is outside my budget, as well as the ruling that everything inside that is not part of the fortress either keeps it from shrinking or is destroyed in the process.

[Ravenica]

portable hole(s) may suffice in a pinch?

[Skysaber]

If you don't mind going third party there exists exactly the spell you need in the Neiyar campaign setting.

Mistrella’s Secret Reference
Conjuration
Sor/wiz 3, magic 4
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: close
components: S/V/M
Target(s)/Effect/Area: one book or scroll
Duration: 1 hr plus 10 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Spell Description:
The Wizard Mistrella developed this spell to help her travel lighter while adventuring. The spell allows the caster to turn any normal book or scroll into an exact copy of a book or scroll in her own library. The Wizard need not know exactly which book she wants, but must state what she is looking for. For example, a wizard looking for information on a specific herb can just ask for the book containing that information without remembering the book’s title. If the work is not in the wizard’s library, however, the spell fails. The spell can be valuable to a wizard who has been separated from her spellbook or needs spells in a different spellbook she left home. It can also be used to replicate maps, letters, etc so long as such items are part of the Wizard’s library. Note: the work doesn’t have to be IN the wizard’s actual library. If the book is on loan to another, the spell will still work. If the book was sold or stolen, it will fail since the book is no longer part of the wizard’s own collection.

[daemonaetea]

Non-magical, and not quite as convenient, but a wagon can suffice. One of the players in my current campaign uses a wagon custom built to be a small office and personal library.

[UnjustCustos]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now let's see if I can pull this off, heh.

[Gotterdammerung]

Edit: I found it, I think it is in the Underdark faerun book.


Tome of Books

This book enables a scholar or wizard to take his library with him virtually anywhere. Each of its 250 pages can hold an entire book - even a bulky, heavy, wizard's spellbook. To put a book into the tome of books, the owner simply lays the book on a blank tome page and speaks the filing command word. The book disappears, and an illustration of the book appears on the page, along with its title and a brief synopsis of its contents. A book cannot be placed into a page that already stores a book. To get a book out of the tome, the owner must open it to the book's page and speak the retrieving command word. Filing or retrieving a book is a full-round action. If the tome of books is destroyed, all its stored books are also lost.
Strong conjuration; CL 20th; Weight 3 lb.

I don't remember which book but I believe one of the forgotten realms books has an artifact that should suit your needs.

It is a book that will hold all the books you put into it. It kind of like a bag of holding for books.

My bard received it in treasure on campaign and it suited my portable library needs.

Being an artifact is kinda good and bad at the same time.

Cons
-most gm's don't like giving players artifacts

-you might have to scour through FR books to find it.

Pro's

- It is a weak artifact so most GM's will not feel threatened by it.

- If you find an artifact it is usually free since they do not have a price listed.

[UnjustCustos]

That's it! That is just what I need! Thank you!

[Slipperychicken]

Don't forget to cast Scholar's Touch so you can read your whole library at once for kicks.