18. Library/Ceremony Room

Intended for special ceremonies, this room features many tall wooden torch holders on tripods, old broken benches, and some rotten tables. Several old scrolls lie around on one table; they are old religious scrolls of minor value (50 gp each, 3 total). One details rumors of a powerful stone gate created by some ancient cyclops race: it is full of wild speculations about the location and nature of the gate. In the center of the west wall about 5 feet up is a hidden hatch about 2 feet square. Opening it releases a cloud of poisonous gas that engulfs a 10-foot diameter area (save vs. Poison or take 2d6 points of damage). Inside is a thick, time-worn tome written in an ancient language very close to Common. The title reads, "The Astral Tome of The Intellect: Diverse Magic to Improve One's Mind." Reading the book thoroughly (which takes 2 hours) results in it falling apart and releasing its magic, which permanently increases the reader's Intelligence score by 1 point. If a reader's score is already the maximum (usually 18) the tome has no effect. Attempting to copy it destroys it and results in the loss of all of its magic.