The Codex Naberius

And here we have one of the current plot elements for the Champions game – a fairly classical indestructible mystic tome. While it can be broken up into individual indestructible pages, and this will somewhat limit its power, it will constantly twist events towards reassembling itself.

Worse, it provides anyone who uses it with considerable power – and if a would-be user wasn’t already pretty unwise he or she wouldn’t be messing about with the book in the first place.

Worst, it twists every ritual it provides towards summoning Naberius – and most mages agree that that would be a bad thing (TM).

10 Point Independent Computer

Basic Attributes: Dexterity 0 (-30), Int 13 (3), Speed 1 (0).

Special Powers:

• Ritual Magic: 2d6 Aid (Fade/turn, Max. 90); Range: 0; Trigger: Changeable, +½; Affects: Single Power of Special Effect, +¼; Points fade instantly after power used: -½; Gestures: Instant Power, -¼; Incantation: Instant Power, -¼; Side Effects: 60/All, -1; Visible (Easily detected by other mystics at fairly long ranges): -¼; Requires exotic locations or components at the option of the game master: Half, -1; Charges: 1, -1¼; Recoverable Charges: -2 lev; Extra Time: 5 min., -2; Focus: Obvious Accessible, -1; Focus Breakability: Unbreakable; Maximum of three rituals per day and seven prepared effects.: -1; Requires Skill Roll (using a relevant magical knowledge once per ritual): -¼; Independent: -2; Ritual Magic requires a bag full of odd components (starting off with candles, chalk, parchment, incense, a brazier and charcoal, pens and ink, odd bits of jewelry, a wand, a knife, a mirror, holy water, oil, and a bell, even before getting into the odder stuff required for particular rituals), an hour of chanting, gesturing, and fooling about with the materials, and a skill check with a relevant knowledge skill. If you succeed, you’ve built up the power to be used – which can either be unleashed immedietly or saved to be unleashed with a short invocation later. If you fail, the magic goes wild, with unpredictable (but generally bad) effects. Ritual effects can have active point totals of up to 40 points if prepared anywhere, 60 if prepared at a minor nexus, 80 if prepared at a major nexus, and 90 if you have an appropriate extradimensional source of power to draw on. If a ritual goes wrong – or if too many rituals are performed – they tend to summon Naberius. This is usually considered bad, although what little there is on the subject is a bit mixed. (0 End, 7 Points)
• Summon Page of Naberius (1 0-point creatures); Range: 0; Trigger: Set, +¼; Difficult to Dispel: ×2, +¼; Extra Time: 1 hour, -2½; Independent: -2; 16 Charges; -0, No Conscious Control: -2; Summon: Limited Group, +¼; If and when an attempt is made to subdivide, destroy, or banish the book it will “split up” (technically triggering this summoning and returning to the realm that spawned it) into 61-80 single-ritual pages (and some indexes, illustrations, endpapers, editorials presenting weird facts from it’s skills, introductions; and a section “about the author”) these are basically the same, but the Aid power is only for a single specific ritual, the Luck power is only to get the pages back together, and THEIR summons is only to “reunite” into the original book again. In game terms the summons accumulate until triggered or until a total of 61-80 is reached. If no effort is being made to reconstruct the book, after a time one of the pages will resummon the original book while it and the others will unsummon themselves. In effect, the book can be broken up fairly readily – and will automatically do so and scatter it’s pages across the world if something is seriously attempting to destroy it – but will inevitably pull itself back together at some point. (0 End, 7 Points).
• Change Environment (4″ rad.); Effect: Variable, +1; Extra Time: 5 min., -2; No Conscious Control (Weird Mystic Effects): -2; Reduced END: Zero, +½ (0 End, 7 Points).
• Luck (12d6); Independent: -2; Extra Time: 1 week, -4; Generic Limitation (Only to get the book back into circulation): -2 (0 End, 7 Points).
• Extra-Dimensional Movement; Dimensions: Any, +20; Trigger: Set, +¼; Independent: -2; No Conscious Control: -2; Time Travel: None, +0; Mass Multiplier: ×1, +0; Carrying Mass: None; Extra Time: 5 min., -2; Charges: +16, +0; This is only to scatter the pages if they aren’t being scattered otherwise when the book is “taken apart”. (0 End, 7 Points).
• Power Defense (30 pts); Independent: -2; No Conscious Control (Only protects the books powers, not the user.): -2; Hardened: ×1, ¼ (0 End, 7 Points).
• Universal Translator; Independent (The book always “understands” what ritual is wanted and is always in an obscure, but decipherable, language.): -2 (12- roll, 0 End, 7 Points).

Skills, Talents, and Perks – the Index Alone is Invaluable; Independent: -2 (17 Points Total):

• (3) Scientist
• (7) Easy to Use / Computer Programming 14-
• (7) Angelology 17-
• (7) Astral Dimensions and the Imaginal Realms 17-
• (7) Demonology 17-
• (7) Enchantment 17-
• (7) The Hundred Realms 17-
• (7) Magical Creatures 17-

Programs (3 Points Total):

• Provide Desired Ritual (Twisted towards Summoning Naberius)
• “Break Up”, “Scatter”, and “Reassemble” if Threatened
• Work towards Re-Assembley if Broken Up

User-Manipulation Skills; No Conscious Control (These manipulate the user, they aren’t available to him or her.): -2 (8 Points Total)

• (6) Bribery; No Conscious Control (These manipulate the user, they aren’t available to him or her.): -2 17-
• (2) Psychology; No Conscious Control (These manipulate the user, they aren’t available to him or her.): -2 17-

COSTS: Char.: -27, Powers +77, Disadv; 0, Net Total 50, 10 points as a Computer.