Agrippa

Basic Information

Anatomy

Agrippa are massive books, standing roughly as tall as a Bediz, but to all appearances otherwise indistringuishable from a mundane tome of a smaller size. Their covers resemble polished leather, typically a deep wine-red, occasionally accented by simple gold or black ornament, but lacking any title or crest on the cover. The interior of the book is made of parchment-like pages of a crimson red, filled with black-ink calligraphy. The pages within seem infinite, and it is impossible to "read" the book cover-to-cover.
Rare variants exist with jet-black covers and charcoal pages, written with vibrant red lettering. Aside from colour and "content", both variants are physically approximate.

Genetics and Reproduction

It is not known how Agrippa come into being and it is difficult to keep track of whether an individual instance is a new occurrence or merely a resurfaced entity. Agrippa merely seem to "appear", on shelves, tables, Book Wheels and treasuries. Likewise, Agrippa are known to vanish just as quickly from storage when not being regularly used. The nature of these appearances and disappearances is unknown to all scholarly attempts to study.

Ecology and Habitats

Agrippa are to be kept in a Blackstone room either 3 meters or 9 meters in length or diameter, suspended by an iron chain from twisted Yew-wood. Agrippa cannot abide the presence of another agrippa within the threshold of their home.

Behaviour

Agrippa seem to actively resent being read, and react badly to attempts to do so, especially among amateurs. An "untamed" Agrippa will display only blank pages to a prospective reader, hiding its true secrets deep within its limitless pages.
To reveal the secrets of the Agrippa, the book must be physically subdued, beaten and chained to a bent yew-wood log. The book will thrash, snap and slam with surprising force, putting up a violent resistance for hours before releasing its secrets. Even subdued, it acts begrudglingly and will strive to make things as difficult as possible for its reader, causing hallucinations, psychosis or even vanishing the reader from reality itself.

Additional Information

Domestication

The Agrippa are powerful tomes, requiring both training and will to master it. An agrippa can allow a Similherez immense power, accessing the Fis of collected millenia to commune with the dead, command elements and powerful creatures of Faerie, even unlocking the secrets of the Bleed. Agrippa are thus typically held by powerful Similherez, Perfects and Bards. Many are kept deep within specialized vaults, such as the Black Vault of Kastell Angers, Kastellivin or Karregennig.
An Agrippa must be kept in a special room exclusively for its holding, locked with a Silverkey padlock and suspended by an iron chain from a twisted timber.
Some, however, remain in "the wild", possessed by individuals of wealth, power, or luck. When these owners die or vanish, the Agrippa is often found by a newcomer, bringing potential destruction along with the discovery.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Agrippa are collected volumes of names, representing millennia of accumulated Fis of all magical creatures, artifacts and genius Loci ever utter in Huderezh. These names, protected and forgotten, offer unparalleled ability to speak with the dead, control the elements, forge pacts with powerful beings and other incredible effects.
Black Agrippa, are more powerful still, containing not the fis, but the Fáistine, the channels of prophecy, detailing endless possibilities and fates as they appear.
The Seminary at Kemper is dedicated to the studies of the "Red Book", while the "Black Book" is studied at Pontekroaz in the Barony of Penn-Sardin. Both are operated by The Southern Church and the Black Order.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

It is unclear whether the Agrippa perceive the world around them, but they do exert an apparent will and react to attempts to read them in real time, as if sensing the reader. They do not react to any other external stimuli beyond a concerted attempt to read their pages.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Agrippa seem to despise being read, constantly exhibiting malicious an vindictive behaviour towards its owner, yet it seems to also require this very ownership and interaction to continue its existence. Agrippa will appear before a prospective owner, found alone or among other books in libraries, Church treasuries or other collections. Agrippa will manifest inside a threshold tied to its owner, stored in an impossible space that manifests within the boundaries of the home.
Agrippa unlock unfathomable arkane power, but at a severe cost. Agrippa trigger both visual and olfactory hallucinations in their users, including a lingering smell of sulfur and brimstone, and the frequent appearance of Envorad. The Agrippa itself may take a similar form to these ghostly spectres to interact with their reader, both maliciously and as a reading aid to unlock their power. These visions and smells are only experienced by the reader, even if others are in the same room and aware of the Agrippa's true nature.
Once an Agrippa is read, it cannot be given away or destroyed by its owner by normal means. If tossed away, it will reappear in its usual place. If burned, its cover will repel the tongues of flame. If sunken into the sea with rocks, it will rise from the waves and return to its perch, perfectly dry.
When an owner of the book dies, their Anoan is tied to the book, sustaining it in the form of an Envorad, adding their knowledge to the books. It is surmised that Agrippa are the collective physical manifestations of millenia of Similherez who have pried out its dark secrets.
The sheer power in the Agrippa is immense, and unfocused exposure will drive an unprepared reader mad. It is important to know when to stop reading, and many skilled practictioners have taken to reading the tomes backwards when utilized to mitigate the mental effects. Psychotic breaks and the onset of mental instability are common among would-be readers.

Civilization and Culture

Common Myths and Legends

The Agrippa are known by many names around Letha. In Landreger they are called Agrippa, the most commonly used term. In the Kastellin Basin, they are called Égremont and in Kemper, they are known as Vif.

Average Height

~ 2 meters