"Liber Ossi"

[Paladyn]

Dear members of Fraternity!
I'd like to present you an article for MotRD, and idea I was toying for quite some time. This description of tome of secret knowledge, which was to be centre of campaign I wanted to run. As my plans were spoiled by real time events (lack of time mostly), I don't want to waste an idea. Please let me know, what do you thing. I hope you will enjoy reading.

"Liber Ossi"
Book of Bones

Gothic Earth is mysterious and dark place, where science, magic and forbidden secrets mingle. More than time magical discovery created base for scientific wonder and many cases of logical knowledge became turning point of arcane deeds. One such object, melting and mixing magic with science is little known but still infamous "Liber Ossi", or "Book of Bones" as it's translates in English...
This book contains secrets of ancient human history, as well as a keys to unlock them and, perhaps, harassing power of most powerful of Earth's children, primordial Dragons.


Description: When one thinks of books of lore, imagines huge dusty tome, bound in thick covers with chain binding it to heavy desk. "Liber Ossi", as it's known in esoteric circles, is complete opposition of this image. First of all, it is not book, but thick notepad. It's covers are black and greasy, pages worn out on corners and brown. Metal spiral binds pages on one side, ensuring the don't scatter. Book wears signs of heavy use, from tea stains, to unclear notes and even torn page. Pages, yellow or even brown are lined and written with small letters. Notes were made in English, but whole chapters in Latin or Chinese occur. One can find also sections written in ancient Greek, which can be especially interesting for arcane readers. Written text is enriched with illustrations: some present digs and details of bones, other resemble maps.

History: Harold Dupree notepad was named "Liber Ossi" by esoteric researches, who tried to unlock his secrets. More than one of wanna-be masters of arcane arts tried to locate it and find way to ancient's Earth dragon lair. Many tried, no one returned to claim title of Dragon Master. Harold Dupree was paleontologist, who helped in excavations of dinosaurs. Easy going and always polite and helpful, he was able to work with Ch. D. Cape and O. T. March, two American scientist who waged a famous "Bone War" between 1877 and 1892. Those two academicians discovered many different species of dinosaurs and, what the didn't knew, remains of three Dragons. What they also never realised, was that Mr. Dupree were also an practitioner of arcane arts. He quickly realised that remains did not belong to dinosaur but to mythical Dragons. Using his wits, bribes and other, more esoteric influences, he convicted his superiors, that discovered bones were insignificant and research on them could damage position in scientific circles. His discoveries, along with many clues, maps, guides and personal notes were written in well worn notepad, who later was called "Liber Ossi".
Exact location of "Book of bones is unclear" but thing is sure, Dupree did not took it with him, when he set course for Antarctica, where, as he thought, can be savage lost land, where dinosaurs or Drganos, still live. As for this day, Mr. has not came back.

Knowledge: "Liber Ossi" contains notes about three of Earths's dragons: their names, localisations of lairs, state of skeletons, concerning myths and history. It is rumored, that upon it's pages are scattered clues, that can help to make contact with dragon's ghost or perhaps revive it.
The three described dragons are:

Red Torch (A Great Wyrm of the West) was a cause and bane of many Mesoamerican cultures, but his chosen people were Aztecks ancestors. He lived between them in human form and as a Dragon as well, creating myth of feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl. His bloody reign was put to an end by high sorcerer El Dorado, who inflicted fatal wound and banished Dragon, who fled north, vowing to come back. Red Torch never fulfilled his prophecy and it became curse, which took shape in Conquestadores and Herman Cortez. Seriously wounded, Dragon fled to the Rocky mountains, where he died in his lair, many years later. His treasure lies undiscovered, under a cave, where Dragons' bone can be found.

Black Lurker was a black dragon, living in swamps of Romania. With time he created petty kingdom in forgotten valley, where he was revered by his small band of lieges. In fifteen century Ottoman Turks were launching raids on Romania,so Black Lurker decided to side with sultan. Unfortunately Murad II wanted to make mount of dragon not allied ruler and Lurker had to ran. To prevent his alley from danger, Dragon tried to craft an protective magic, but failed. Finally he faced Turk along with forces of Vlad Tepes but was defeated, cornered i his swamp and slain. His well preserved bones rest in swamp today, as ready to raise the dragon from dead.

Heavenly Father was an ancient and wise dragon, living in China. For many years nobles sent their progeny to be taught by old wyrm. Father knew many secrets about religion, systems of the world, magic, philosophy and arts. Unfortunately Qin Shi Huang desired dragons' secrets for himself. A long and bitter feud erupted as China's First Emperor engaged in mystical, alchemical and arcane war. Year by year he gained an advantage. Sensing his defeat, Heavenly Father withdrew to Himalaya, sealed his cave and laid himself to final rest, thus preventing Emperor from gaining his secrets and mastery of whole world.

Forbidden Lore: Apart from containing information about dragons, which can be considered as Forbidden Lore on itself, it is rumoured that "Liber Ossi" is full of clues how to raise them from dead or contact spirits.

[steveflam]

Very nicely done, Paladyn!

[Isabella]

I was terrible in Latin but shouldn't that read "Libris Ossium"?

[Paladyn]

Very nicely done, Paladyn!

Thank you very much

I was terrible in Latin but shouldn't that read "Libris Ossium"?

Uch, I wasn't eagle but I think you are right It is second decliunation (ossus, ossi) so in second instance it will be ossi but it will be in singular form. In plural (what I overlooked) it will be "ossium". thank you very much!

[Gonzoron of the FoS]

Yeah, you don't want to call it Liber Ossi.... Say it quickly and it evokes a very different kind of scary than you intend....

[Ail]

Very nicely done, Paladyn!

Thank you very much

I was terrible in Latin but shouldn't that read "Libris Ossium"?

Uch, I wasn't eagle but I think you are right It is second decliunation (ossus, ossi) so in second instance it will be ossi but it will be in singular form. In plural (what I overlooked) it will be "ossium". thank you very much!

Actually, my dictionary disagrees. It says os, ossis, 3rd declination, genitive plural "ossum".
If it were second declination, the plural genitive would be "ossorum" any way.
As for "liber", that's the nominative and therefore what you should use here. "Libris" would be a plural dative or ablative.

To sum up, I think (but I'm not an expert at all!) it should be
"Liber Ossum"
There are older and rarer alternatives to os, ossis, one of them from the second declination ossum, ossi (perhaps what you said above?). Then, you could use

"Liber ossorum"

os, ossuis could mean bones (singular noun with plural meaning) or dead people, which would generate "ossuum", but I'm not sure how this should be used, so do not take me on this.

[Paladyn]

Just great, now I should only await sever punishment from my latin teacher. It sounds little dirty to me

[Ail]

Just great, now I should only await sever punishment from my latin teacher. It sounds little dirty to me

I'm sorry, it was not with that intention. I'm really just learning Latin now, on my own, really, and I may be a bit too eager in that respect. But I assure you, what I wrote was only meant to help.

[Paladyn]

I know, Iknow, I was joking. Probably you are right as I was never good at latin and had courses long way ago. Nevernethless thank you for advice.
Best regards