Book of Binding Souls (Magic Book)

Bound in the hide of a fiend, this is a small, thick book roughly 9 inches high, 6 wide, and 1-1/2 inches thick. It strongly radiates a pulsing aura of evil, noticeable even without magical detection. Its worn pages of thin flesh are covered with strange sigils and glyphs. Merely looking at the book's evil script causes any nonchaotic evil being to take 3d6 hp electrical damage (no save allowed) and make a saving throw vs. spell or go insane. The form that the insanity takes is left for the DM to decide, but requires the casting of a heal spell by a priest of at least 18th-level to dispel. Any nonchaotic, evil being who retains possession of the book for more than three days suffers from a vile rotting disease, similar to mummy rot, with no save allowed. Curing this effect requires casting a cure disease spell, also by a priest of at least 18th level.
The book is a relic that contains the knowledge and power to ensnare the essence of a deceased being and bind it to one's will. The captured essence manifests itself in a form similar to that of a ghost, except that its Hit Dice are equal to that which it possessed in life. The ghost is completely under the power of the book's user.
The book is written in an archaic, evil language and can be fully understood only by a chaotic evil priest of at least 10th level.
The casting of an incantation requires that the spell be cast over the remains of the essence's former body, and that the caster know the spirit's name. Success of the incantation begins at a base 1% chance, rolled once every 12 hours of the incantation. This chance is modified by the following-for every level of the spirit, subtract 2%. For every level of the caster (and those of any assistants chanting at the same), add 1%. Lastly, add 1% for each 12-hour period in which the incantation has been in progress.
Should the incantation be interrupted or halted at any time, all progress made up to that point is lost, and any new attempts to ensnare the essence begins at the base 1% chance again. Also, should a 99% or greater (unmodified) chance be rolled in any ensnaring attempt, the essence eludes the pursuers (hell hounds from the Abyss) and breaks the spell's hold. This has the same effect as breaking off the incantation.
Once ensnared, however, there is little hope for the spirit, as the power of the book quickly binds it to a material form. Escape occurs only when the new material form is destroyed or when the caster loses control of the book. This doesn't mean that the caster must sleep with book clutched to breast, but it does require that the book always be in a place of the caster's choosing and readily accessible.
Should the caster lose control of the book, the spirit becomes free to direct all of its energies to the death of its captor, attacking until it is destroyed or the caster is killed, at which point the spirit is allowed to return to its final plane of existence.
The book is immune to normal and most magical destruction. It must be destroyed by some special means, such as throwing it into a particular volcano, perhaps on the Elemental Plane of Fire, or by immersion in the acidic blood of some huge, ancient black dragon. The particular means of the book's destruction are left to the DM and could provide an exciting and dangerous quest.
Category:Encyclopedia Magica Magic Items
Category:Magic Items
Category:Magic Books