Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 realmarkp Mar 02, 2009 15:21:35	I'm looking for some suggestions as to what types of loot you might find inside a library. It is mainly a Necromancy library and alchemy lab. Any ideas?
#2 mostly_ghostly Mar 02, 2009 15:29:01	Well, there are all the various alchemical items in the PHB as a start. I'd suggest making up weird concoctions with strange effects. Maybe the Librarian was working on a way to put the Animate Dead spell into the form of a potion? Also, if he regularly robs graves for raw materials, he'd probably have a lot of jewelry and gold teeth lying around... What level is the party, by the way?
#3 realmarkp Mar 02, 2009 15:38:33	Well, what you described is almost exactly what I'm doing, story wise. He is a lone wolf wizard stuck in the 3rd level of Acheron. He kills people and experiments on them. But I was thinking items like books. What types of books could there be? Other then his own spell book. Good call on the alchemical items.
#4 colonelpanic Mar 03, 2009 4:11:26	Well, what you described is almost exactly what I'm doing, story wise. He is a lone wolf wizard stuck in the 3rd level of Acheron. He kills people and experiments on them. But I was thinking items like books. What types of books could there be? Other then his own spell book. Good call on the alchemical items. I would put some book on various themes, like volume after volume on how to turn iron into gold, with many step by step instructions that the PCs can try that all leads to horrible accidents. "Though shalt mix one part hair from a fairy with two parts of the blood from a succubus." First, this can get greedy PCs go hunt for whatever ingredients you put in there, and also, of cause, the result will be exploding, poisonous or summon something unwanted.
#5 Sinasilver Mar 03, 2009 6:24:11	As a reflex left over from older editions, I don't usually like to put out books of spells. But I do put out books of notes. Journals, logs, what have you, from developing things. It's slightly different in 4ed now, but the option is still present. You give them a series of, "Mixed king's mint with Lion's heart weed. No good." etc. pages.. And let them figure out what it is you're giving them. Looking back, I think someone made this suggestion.
#6 realmarkp Mar 03, 2009 9:26:02	Hmm, these are good suggestions and I think I'll have fun with creating some of these books. "Oils of the Rich and Famous - A guide to smooth and younger looking skin"
#7 Fireclave Mar 03, 2009 10:14:22	Any of the following are good staples to stock a mage's library with: Scrolls Potions Alchemical Items Material Components Rare Books - art objects/MacGuffins (Encoded) Letters - flavor or plot hooks/MacGuffins Maps and Journals - plot hooks/art objects/MacGuffins Odd magic item to aid research - Hand of the Mage, Helm of Comprehend Languages and Read Magic, etc And for good measure, add a few novels, textbooks, atlases, and other miscellaneous books that may or may not be worth much, but gives you another avenue to add flavor to your campaign world, as well a method of revealing some of the mage's personality, motives, and plans (even more so if they are marked, dog-eared, especially worn in some places, or have notes written in them). For example, a necromancer who stocks only necromantic lore is going to evoke a very different response from players compared to one who also has a substantial collection of children's books. ...especially if the crayon marks are still fresh...