SECRETS
of the

The Codex of the Infinite Planes does indeed come with a high price.  It demands of the possessor the thing that is most important to it.  From Thigru Thorkisen it demanded his ability to cast spells.  Without the Codex, Thigru is utterly unable to cast or manipulate magic... and Kherit is the same for, as many suspect, Kherit is the lich of Thigru Thorkisen.  He was driven to lichdom by the Codex.  Further, Kherit, although assumed destroyed by Grindill by many, is still with the Codex, for the Codex is Kherit's phylactery (The Codex demanded, eventually, Thigru's very soul for its powers.  This was the doomed fate of Thigru Thorkisen.  To be forever bound to the Codex, never, ever to be released).

The Codex of the Infinite Planes grants the following powers and abilities.  To gain these powers, you must read the tome.  The further you read, the more powers you gain - and the closer to a hideous fate you come.  As it is contains a description of each and every one of the infinite planes, the book has an infinite number of pages.

Minor Benign Powers:
1) +2 bonus to all Knowledge skills (+4 to planar knowledge skill)
2) One Bonus Feat
3) +2 bonus to Alchemy skill.
4) Conjure spell components

Major Benign Powers:
1) Ability to survive physically on any Plane of Existence.
2) +2 Luck Bonus to Armor Class (Permanent)
3) Spell Secret:  can choose one spell known to them that becomes permanently modified as though affected by one of the following metamagic feats: Empower Spell, Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Still Spell, or Silent Spell.  The spell's level does not change and once the choice of spell and modification are chosen, they cannot be changed.
4) Plane Shift (Keys to physical transference to any plane)

Minor Malevolent Effects:
1) Chance of insanity per reading (temporary 1d6 weeks)  [Will save DC 25 per reading] - as per Ray of Madness spell, but successful save confers no benefit to the reader.
2) The Codex occasionally summons outsiders of varying power (from pests to real trouble) to challenge the possessor - to make sure the possessor is really worthy.  The Codex absorbs the soul of any possessor slain by one of these challengers - ie. No chance for resurrection or reincarnation.

Major Malevolent Effects:
1) The possessor withers and ages (3% of maximum lifespan, e.g., 3.5 years for a human) each time the Portals of Doom power, Storm of Vengeance Power, or Elemental Swarm power of the Codex is used, eventually turning the possessor into a deathless lich-like guardian of the item.  This aging is permanent and cannot be reversed.
2)  The possessor has an unquenchable desire to be worshiped and will eventually attack anyone who refuses to bow to him or her.  Once invoked, this effect is continuous while in possession of the Codex.

Prime Powers (see below for descriptions of fatigue effects)
1) Portals of Doom (Will save, DC 30, or temporary insanity with each use, and creates Mortal Fatigue) -This is the ability to open portals between this world and the Elemental Planes.  In recent history, Thigru the Archmage would open up portals to the Elemental Plane of Fire above cities and let the Plane rain down upon the city, destroying it utterly.   The shaft of stone that Itsitlawikanah sits upon came from a portal to the Elemental Plane of Earth.  He would flood cities with portals to the Elemental Plane of Water.
2) Elemental Swarm (Severe Fatigue, and erases 1/2 of a wizard's memorized spells) - you open a portal to one elemental plane of your choice.  You can then summon elementals from that plane.  After the first ten rounds of casting, 3d3 elementals of 12 HD each appear; after the second ten rounds, 2d3 elementals of 16 HD each appear; after the third ten rounds, 1d3 elementals of 20 HD each appear.  The elementals remain for an hour from the time that they first appear.   These elementals will obey you explicitly and cannot be turned against you.  The Codex allows that you do not need to concentrate to maintain control over the elementals.  They cannot be dismissed with spells such as dismissal.
3) Storm of Vengeance (Mortal Fatigue) - Casting this awesome spell requires concentration and continual casting for the entire ten round duration.  In the first round of casting, you summon an enormous black storm cloud over the area of effect (a 120 yard radius circle per 5 character levels).  Lightning and crashing claps of thunder appear within the storm; creatures in the area of effect must make a fort save (DC = 19+ possessor's wisdom bonus) or be deafened for 10d4 rounds.  On the second round of reading from the Codex for this spell, acid rains down in the area, inflicting 1d4+1 points of damage.  No saving throw is allowed.  On the third round, you call six lightning bolts down from the cloud.  Each is targeted by you, and you can send them all at one target or separate them out to up to six different targets.  Each lightning strike causes 8d8 damage.  A successful Reflex save (DC = 13+ possessors wisdom bonus) indicates half damage.  On the fourth round, hail stones rain down over the area, causing 3d10 points of damage (no save).  On the fifth through tenth, and final, rounds violent rains and wind gusts reduce visibility to five feet.  Movement is reduced 75%.  Missile fire and spell casting from within the area of effect are impossible.  Ending the spell early, either voluntarily or otherwise, causes all effects to end immediately, and the Codex transforms you into a Cloud of Vengeance (from the Al-Qadim setting) permanently to do its bidding (no save).

Side Effects
1) All second and third level spells are quickened, with no level memorization requirements (permanent once invoked).
2) Possessor has limited omniscience.  Once per day the possessor may use greater scry, ignoring penalties for crossing planes and with a +15 to the check.  Alternatively, the possessor may cast divination with a 99% percent chance of receiving a correct response.

Notes on Fatigue: Severe = -4 penalty to attack bonuses, -3 penalty to AC.  Movement = 3.  Impossible for character to stand up.  Must make Concentration check to cast spells.  This state lasts until the character rests.  Each 8 hours of pure rest allows a con check (DC=15).  Once the save is made, the character is no longer fatigued.
                           Mortal= incapable of attacking or defending ones self.  Character collapses into a trembling heap immediately.  The character must make a Fort save (DC 20) or the strain is too much and he dies.  If he succeeds, he remains unconscious for 1d6 hours and awakens severely fatigued.

The Codex is a physically massive tome that is bound in brass and worked leather.  Mystical symbols set with precious stones adorn the outside.  When opened the Codex measures 8' across and is nearly 4' tall.  It weighs 450 lbs.  The pages are scribed in exotic inks and are masterfully illuminated with gold and bright colors.  The tome contains the keys that grant the ability to travel between planes and the alternate realities of the multiverse at will.

Characters of less than 11th level who attempt to read the Codex must make a Fortitude save (DC 30) or be disintegrated, as by the spell.  Even if they save, they will be repulsed 20' and stunned for 3-12 rounds, taking 1-10 points of damage in the process.  The first time a character of 11th level or higher attempts to read the Codex, they must also save (Fortitude DC 15) or be repulsed, stunned, and damaged (although there is no risk of disintegration).  Once a character has successfully begun reading the Codex, s/he need no longer make a saving throw to continue reading on another occasion. Moreover, that character has become the new possessor of the Codex.  The previous possessor (if still alive) immediately loses all powers and side effects, although permanent effects remain.

There are 99 doomed pages in the Codex.  Each of these doomed pages has a 1% cumulative chance of bringing about a terrible fate for the character reading them.

The Codex is also reputed to give the owner near omniscience.  Tregillish Mul, before his final death by decapitation, reported that Thigru would ask the Codex questions, and he could open the book and find the answers.  Tregillish hinted that there was a terrible cost for such knowledge, but he never said what that cost was.

Observations of both Thigru and Kherit (the most recent confirmed possessors of the tome) seem to indicate that the Codex has some profound side effects.  The possessor seems to take on an unquenchable desire to be worshiped and will eventually attack anyone who refuses to bow to him or her.  Thigru was well noted for his desire to kill every mage but himself, and Kherit is said to have been responsible for the plague that is killing the demihumans of Inzeladun.  The Codex also seems to become an obsession of the possessor, and owners seem to age quickly in physical appearance.

Back to the Codex of the Infinite Planes

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