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The Black Man (Rastillions Majorus)
Part of Rastillions Diabolique, the Vile Majorus set of works.
At the front of the assumedly humanoid skin binding are a set of inserted pages with the works of those who translated the works and a chronicle of names and dates. Initially, the work began as a book named The Seven Gates of Shadowfell, written in 4151 CY by Selim Bahadur. The book passed into the hands of Eduard Baleroy in CY 8944, who looted it from a nobleman’s estate. Eduard notes that the cover title was “Ladders of Blackvine”. Eduard left his impressions and notes in a series of letters with a historian named Broccious. Eduard sent him the volume, and immediately suffered a heart attack and died. Demetrius Baleroy notes that these correspondence hinted at the nature of it.
At the back of the assumedly humanoid skin binding are a set of inserted pages with the works of Viscount Baleroy.
SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE: Reference works and basic exposure alone may only provide the foundation for gaining a [mechanics based] advantage. To reflect the practice and experience to gain that benefit consistently, typically requires a cost in Character Points.
About/Chronicle
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
Most Recent History
Commonly Understood Origins
Commonly Understood Development
General knowledge…
- Key Places
- Key Entities
- Key Concepts
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
Searching out catalogue notes from his own family, it appears as if there were several heart attacks amongst the servants after acquiring the book – one family member who dabbled in mystic knowledge believed the work as an addendum to “The Black Man” – something the realms had never seen before. He was able to translate the work into a ciphered work – found by Demetrius. He then himself died from a heart attack, after tossing the book into the fireplace. The book had a mind of its own. The book was translated as “Ladders of Blackvine”, and it was found and was sold.
Demetrius hired the unscrupulous book and antiquities dealer Anton Corso. Anton tracked it to Oerdney, following a series of deaths of those possessing the book, where some buyer had discovered its darker nature and rebound it as “Lights of the Seven Skies”. Foolishly, the
translator kept the owners name (Baleroy) on the spine, which made it easy to track. The book was partially deciphered and its secrets again plumed. There was some sort of literary dispute between book dealers for it, and a trail of theft, arson, rape and murder. Eventually it was hidden amongst manuscripts – rebound and forgotten as “Englots Encyclopedia of Twilight Heavens”. This one was cyphered as well – but Anton was able to gain access to the old librarians personal notes and found the crib sheet to unscramble its contents. He had to track down 2 other works – Blackyarde’s Vine and Eight of Seven Skies wherein additional materials had been hid in cipher and which contained the last hints to deciphering the core materials; by now Anton had left all scruples behind and had left a trail of murder and mayhem – pursuing the book for his own power rather than tracking it for Demetrius. The Baleroy name and bookmark served as a point of contact for the authorities when Anton had been incarcerated, on the verge of madness. Using nearly the entire family fortune, Demetrius was once again in possession of the book. He had Anton Corso murdered and any involvement with him erased, and tore up the book and hired scribes to translate each page independently. A few who became aware of the contents had to be killed to keep the secret, but 3 years later the task was complete and the “The Seven Gates of Shadowfell” was reconstructed in all its glory.