Book of Exalted Deeds
This holy book is sacred to priests of good alignment. Study of the work requires one full week, but upon completion the good priest gains one point of Wisdom and enough experience points to raise the character halfway into the next level of experience. Priests neither good nor evil lose 2d4 (x 10,000) experience points perusing this work (a negative XP total is possible, requiring restoration but not lowering level below the 1st). Evil priests lose one full experience level, dropping to the lowest number of experience points possible and still hold the level; furthermore, atonement must be made by magical means or by offering up 50% of everything they gain for d4+1 adventures.
Fighters who handle or read the book are unaffected, though a paladin may sense that it is good, wizards who read it lose one point of Intelligence unless they save vs. spell. If they fail to save, they lose 2d20 (x 1,000) experience points. A thief who handles or reads the work sustains 5d6 points of damage and must successfully save vs. spell or lose one point of Dexterity. A thief also has a 10d6% chance of giving up his or her profession to become a good priest if Wisdom is 15 or higher. Bards are treated as neutral priests. Except as indicated above, the writing in a Book of Exalted Deeds can't be distinguished from any other magical book, libram, tome, or manual - it must be studied. Once studied, the book vanishes, and can the character can never benefit from reading a similar tome a second time.
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