[3.5] Reading a Lich's Spellbook

[cherez]

In a campaign I'm in right now, my group recently had to take down a powerful lich (a 20th level wizard) and got his spellbook. My (9th level, CL 12) wizard, now wants to get access to some of the unique spells the Lich had developed in the last few centuries.

The problem is how one can read a spellbook without endangering the book and oneself. Besides what a 9th level wizard would normally have, I have access to:

• A full magical laboratory
• True seeing, by way of a trustworthy beguiler
• A full magical library
• 2 rooms containing antimagic fields

The present plan is to cast detect magic on the book and try to find any spells on it, and identify the schools. If it has no auras, then I should be safe. If it has only an abjuration aura, then it has exploding runes or sepia snake sigil; read it in the anti-magic room. If it has only transmutation, it is secret paged; get comprehend languages on the beguiler and have him transcribe the book. If it has both auras, cry.

Now, my good forum-folk, what am I overlooking?

[Suedars]

It could potentially have any of the symbol of x spells (though Death and Insanity are the only troublesome ones in a safe, controlled environment) inscribed on a certain page, which would give off either an aura of enchantment or necromancy. Alternatively, the book itself could be trapped with just about any spell, which would probably trigger when the book is opened (it's common for wizards to lay a number of traps on their spellbook which can be bypassed by speaking a command word). Common things might include the book teleporting away, it placing you under a geas to return the book (might get interesting with the owner dead), or a variety of save or dies.

[Waspinator]

Question: did you break the lich's phylactery and if not is there any chance that the book is it?

[Kantur]

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicAura.htm

Would be a simple one to overlook - even if you find an aura on it, it might be false. Or just hidden.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Question: did you break the lich's phylactery and if not is there any chance that the book is it?

Better stab it with a basilisk fang!

Seriously though, yeah, detect magic should be about it. Then, whether or not you detect anything, you dispel magic it until you faint.

[cherez]

We found the phylactery, placed it in an antimagic field, and chiseled it with a chisel made of that hardness 30 admantine until it was reduced to crumbs. In-game about 2 months have passed, so I'd think any non-permenant spells are gone.

And dispel magic won't work, because if the spells are written with secret page, then dispeling it would also erase the spells, and failing to dispel exploding runes causes them to go off.

[BobVosh]

Better stab it with a basilisk fang!

Seriously though, yeah, detect magic should be about it. Then, whether or not you detect anything, you dispel magic it until you faint.

Why dispel when you can dysjunction >.>

Anyway your beguilier should be able to get through any traps on it because he is...you know, a trap-monkey + caster. I, although, question the words "trustworthy beguilier."

Anyway, arcane sight from said beguilier should help as well. True Sight, Detect Magic, Arcane Sight, dispell the book, greater dispell, and hire a mercanery to open it. Or charm him, whatever your alignment is. (may be funnier to then get him to kick a puppy so you are puppy-kicking evil. Just saying.)

[PinkysBrain]

Trap detection and removal is a rogue task ... if you want to make absolutely sure he successfully detects them get him a high CL scroll of find traps (insight bonus) an Elixer of Vision (competence bonus) and a Lens of Detection (untyped bonus).

There are not as many ways to boost disable device, but at least you will know what will happen if it fails.

[Tsotha-lanti]

And dispel magic won't work, because if the spells are written with secret page, then dispeling it would also erase the spells, and failing to dispel exploding runes causes them to go off.

Secret page just hides a page. Dispelling it will only dispel the spell, not erase the page.

A secret page spell can be dispelled, and the hidden writings can be destroyed by means of an erase spell.

Good point about the explosive runes, though. It's much easier to have a rogue Search for and use Disable Device on them (DC 28 for both).

After that, you dispel magic that sucker.

Edit: No disjunction, you don't want to destroy scrolls left between pages and such.

[tyckspoon]

Secret page just hides a page. Dispelling it will only dispel the spell, not erase the page.

There's a trick involving this line from secret page

The text of a spell can be changed to show even another spell.

to double up a spellbook's effective storage or (although this is stretching it a little, I believe it does work) even write the book entirely of Secret Pages cast over blank pages. The risk is that there are other spells hidden under Secret Page'd spells, so if they just Dispel the book until all the auras are gone they may be destroying as many as half the spells in the book.

[Tsotha-lanti]

That seems a bit questionable. You're creating an illusion, yes? An illusion can't function as a spell written in a spellbook, surely, because those require an expenditure of gold for ingredients and such.

Edit: Oh, wait, transmutation. Still, seems iffy. I guess you might blank the page then scribe another spell on it with the inks...

[Keld Denar]

If you have a cleric with access to 4th level spells, he can Imbue With Spell Ability the Beguiler with a Divine Insight which gives a +CL Insight bonus to the Beguiler's Disable Trap roll. Heck, do it twice, pop one on the search, one on the disable, then rest. Repeat until the Search fails to find traps 3 days in a row. Statistically speaking, that should be careful enough.

This doesn't involve spamming the hell out of it with Dispel Magic, which could proved dangerous for several reasons. The actual roll of Search/Disable covers all of the problems of traps going off, since if the traps go off in response to rolling the Search check, what the hell is the point of even rolling Search?

If you are really worried, can you set up a Contingeny Anti-Magic Field? Set it to trigger in response to the onset of any magical spell or spell like effect in the area, and then stand next to the rogue while he is searching. That way, if a trap like Wail or Wierd tries to trigger, the AMF will cancel the effect, without causing permanent harm to the book.

[FinalJustice]

A scroll of Greater Arcane Sight or Analyse Dweomer would be hard to get? Coupled with True Seeing, those could make it work.

[sonofzeal]

I'd just read it in an AMF. Even if he's using Secret Page, probably 90% of the spells wouldn't be on it, and you could potentially notice any glaring omissions and know to look for Secret Pages in the future.

[TempusCCK]

You should be set with anti-magic field, most spells that are traps are sprung and need to be reset, Open the book in a AMF and wait a good long while before you take it out.

Then have thee beguiler disable any traps on it, this will drastically reduce the number of things he may have to do to get it safe.

[Waspinator]

If you want to be really careful, the first time that you open it outside of an anti-magic field should be done with you on the other side of the room and using Mage Hand to open the cover.

[Bagera]

If you want to be really careful, the first time that you open it outside of an anti-magic field should be done with you on the other side of the room and using Mage Hand to open the cover.

Mage Hand won't work if the book is magical.

[Waspinator]

Ok, backup plan. Use a pole to flip the cover open from the other side of the room. :D

[Flickerdart]

Mage Hand won't work if the book is magical.

Well, that's how you know it's magical or not.

[only1doug]

read the book in the AMF, learn what there is to be learnt in that manner. then take it out of the AMF and take the risks that may destroy the book.