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Copyright © 2014 by Jeffrey A Rhodes-Gloor and Cognition Pressworks All rightsreserved. This book or any portion thereof may be reproduced to make copies ofindividual tables or entries for private, non-commercial use. Cognition Pressworks isproud to support the Dungeon Crawl Classics role-playing game. To this purpose, thepublisher and author hereby grant limited permission to use any 2 patrons and theirattendant information including tables, and spells, but not artwork: or, up to 4 spells, theirattendant information including tables and critters, but not their art work. Prospectivepublishers must include names of items used with the following copy: “{names of spellsor patrons} are used with permission. Additional material from Liber Arcanumpublished by Cognition Pressworks, Jeffrey Rhodes-Gloor, copyright 2014" in areasonably prominent location (such as the credits section of the book, or in the licensingsection) to obtain this permission.

This product is based on the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, pub-lished by Goodman Games. This product is published under license.Dungeon Crawl Classics and DCC RPG are trademarks of Goodman Games. Allrights reserved. For additional information, visit www.goodman-games.com orcontact info@goodman-games.com

Printed in the United States of AmericaFirst Printing, 2014ISBN 978-0-9849705-4-4

Written by: Jeffrey A. Rhodes-GloorCover Illustration: Laura BostCover Title & Design: J. Rhodes-GloorInterior Illustrations: Laura Bost, Chris Parillo,Jon Willson, & J. Rhodes-GloorInterior Design and Layout: J. Rhodes-GloorEditing: J. & M. Rhodes-GloorDaelin’s Journals Contributed & Copyrightedby: Rhomi van Ekorn and CognitionPressworks and may not be reprinted ordistributed without permission.

Cognition Pressworks2695 Patterson Rd. Ste 2-218Grand Junction, CO 81506Cognitionpressworks@gmail.comwww.CognitionPressworks.blogspot.com

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1st level SpellsCloud of Fresh Air 93Incomprehensible Babbling 121Obscuring Mist 154Pilfer Voice 162Reduce 171Rending 173Runic Alphabet, Mortal (Lost Runes) 186

2nd levelAcid Resistance 82Agility 88Determined Locomotion 99Electricity Resistance 108First Aid 113Mind Shield 150Protection from (*) 168Silence 192Sonic Resistance 195Wizard Lock 234

3rd levelDestroy Potion 96Encrypt Magical Writing 111Fynderlang’s Forceful Flinger 117Lesser Devastation 123Make Armor 145Panoramic Projectile Protection 157Paroxysm 160Planar Isolation 164Runic Alphabet, Fey (Lost Runes) 178Stamina 198Wizard Hovel 231

4th levelAdhibitis Ossa 85Arcane Veil 90Magic Hat 126Telekinesis 200Transmute Air 204Transmute Earth (additional entries) 208Transmute Fire 209Transmute Water 219Wand Magic 223Weakening 228

5th levelDevastation 102Resilience 176Transmute Spirit 213Wizard’s Tower 237

Greater RitualsTattooing Ritual 246

RitesPocket Reality 251

Appendix IMiscellaneous Magic Items Alternate Rule 264Expanded Magic Weapons Alternate Rules 265New powers, banes, bane effects 266Generic Magic Weapon & Armor Sheet 268Pre-generated Magic Weapons 269Blank rune tile sets 286System Reference document for CCD 289

Optional rules 1Rule # 1: Optional Counter-Spell rule 1Rule # 2: Increased Spell Failure 2Rule # 3: Spell-books 2Rule # 4: Reversing Spells 4Rule # 5: 5th Level Spells 5Rule # 6: Beyond 5th Level Spells 5Rule # 7: Thieves 6

Deeper Mysteries 7Mystery # 1: Lesser Spell Ritual 8Mystery # 2: Harmonic and disharmonic casting 8Mystery # 3: New Benefits for Rituals 9Mystery # 4: Durable Scrolls 9Mystery # 5 Faerie Secrets 11Mystery # 6 The Game of Antonyms 12

Magic and the Elements 16Animancers & Necromancers 19Diagram 1-1: Celestial Geometry 1 22Diagram 1-2: Celestial Geometry 2 23Random Planes 24

Random things & other useful charts 24Table 1-17: Minor Demons 24Table 1-18: Quick Reference: Spell Success 25Table 1-19: Quick Reference: Spell Mishaps 25Table 1-20: Random Spells 26

PatronsThe Queen of Battle 28

Invoke Patron 30Patron Taint 31Spell: Arrow Storm 32Spell: Arcane Infiltrator 34

Gydrion the Wanderer 38Invoke Patron 41Patron Taint 43Spell: Luminosity 44Spell: Sustenance 47Hound of Gydrion 49

Avridar, King of Air 52Invoke Patron 54Patron Taint 55Aeromancers 56Table 1-26: Weather Control 56

Brinae, Queen of Water 58Invoke Patron 60Patron Taint 61Aquamancers 63Found Knowledge 63

Hraalvid, King of Earth 64Invoke Patron 66Patron Taint 68Geomancers 69Earth’s Bounty (Knowledge) 69Earth’s Bounty (Boons) 70

Kandri-sek, Queen of Fire 72Invoke Patron 75Patron Taint 76Pyromancers 77

Table 1-28: Patron Rage 78

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IntroductionWhile this book can be thought of as a ‘rules supplement’ in the technical sense, it is my fervent hope that LiberArcanum will find use as an item of treasure to be found, or specifically quested for within your game environment.The Book of Mysteries represents a long lost treatise on magic, written in a bygone era when magic was morethoroughly understood and a bit more powerful for the deeper understanding… and still just as wild as the‘modern’ practice of magic. When found, Liber Arcanum should be shrouded in legends: and heavily wardedagainst casual browsing. I leave these details to the fevered imaginations of the Storytellers who will deploy thistome and its ideas within their games. There are many ways to use the information contained in these pages;spells and concepts may be offered as rewards from a wizard’s patron or other supernatural beings for example.The possibilities are limited only by the imagination of the Storyteller and a few simple understandings. Chieflythat there is a difference between the 7 optional house rules and the 6 Deeper Mysteries offered within these pages;the optional rules should be set in place at the start of the game and apply to all casters and NPC’s.

The vast majority of the information in this book pertains to wizards and any other creatures that have thecapacity to use arcane magic. However, that doesn’t preclude or prohibit an inventive Storyteller or player fromdevising new and interesting ways to use this material for clerics or divine magic within their gaming environment.Many of the tables and all of the spells function entirely separately from one another; but you will need a copy ofthe Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG system to use this book; which is referred to within these pages as:“ DCC CoreRules”. This book of DCCRPG compatible arcane lore also shares many of the same design features of Critters,Creatures, & Denizens (CCD); a copy of which may be helpful, but is unnecessary for the function or use of LiberArcanum. Foremost in these similarities are the use of the five element system as well as the same scale ofDifficulty and Challenge (DC); see table 1-1 on page 1, or the Celestial diagrams on pages 22 and 23. Yes,table 1-1 does show that it is possible for casters of notable power, as well as cabals of casters using ritual sorceryto be capable of wielding power on a deific scale. Hence, the ire of the gods when mortal casters get out of handand start messing things up.

Liber Arcanum is divided up into a few basic sections: the first is the practical information on how to use thismanual and contains more detailed information on the five element system. Then follows a section detailing thenew patrons followed by an archive of lost spells listed in pure alphabetical order. Some of the spells within thistome create unique critters as either part of their function or mis-function. These creatures are added to facilitatethe use of the spells they are attached to and are presented in the same format as those within the pages of Critters,Creatures, & Denizens.  The reader will find all of the information necessary within the relevant critter entries;other information needed to understand the CCD format can be found on page 289. Lastly, there is Appendix I,which expands upon the rules for magic items and weapons, adds new abilities for magic weapons, and provides ahelpful list of pre-made magic weapons.

One final note: many of the entries in this book refer to the critical success or critical failure of a character’s Luckchecks.  Per the information in the DCC Core Rules, the lower the die result the better the success on the checkbecause the character’s Luck score is the DC for most checks.  I’ve chosen to work with the idea that in this oneaspect of the DCC RPG mechanics: a result of 20 is a Critical Failure and a result of 1 is a Critical Success. Allentries adhere to this idea.

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OPTIONAL RULESChoosing from these options during character generation at the beginningof a new game allows all arcane spell casters (including NPC casters)equal access to these as House Rules. These options would be toopowerful, or they are too integrated into the system for them to be givento only a few knowledgeable casters. Each rule heading has theexplanatory text of the proposed rule.

These rules are mainly used to emphasize or expand upon the DCC CoreRules and ideas, but they can be completely ignored without consequenceto the spells and other material in this book.

OPTIONAL RULE #1: Optional Counter-spell ruleAs with the spell dueling rules in the DCCRPG Core rule book; the later the wizard acts in the initiativeround the better for counter spelling purposes. The first wizard to cast in any round cannot attempt tocounter another wizard’s spell though they can continue to cast normally if they have access to a second orthird action die. Furthermore, wizards may only counter a spell if they have action dice available forcasting and it is not possible for other wizards to attempt to counter a counter-spell. Duels are fought in a1-on-1 basis, though wizards are vulnerable to other attacks and are required to succeed at concentrationchecks if attacked; intelligence check versus a DC equal to the damage dealt. Failure results in failingthe wizard duel, but the wizard is now free to act normally on their next initiative action.

The wizard attempting to cancel the spell is known as the ‘defender’ and may only attempt to counter aspell if they have access to the same spell that they are trying to cancel, or some other spell such as DispelMagic, or a natural or supernatural ability to cancel magic. Additionally, the defender must be able to seeand hear the attacking spell caster to attempt a counter-spell. The defender is given an immediateintelligence check as a free action against a DC = the minimum result needed by the attacker to cast theirspell successfully. Succeeding at this check allows the defender to determine the nature of their attacker’sspell and if it is even possible to muster a defense. If the caster knows the necessary spell they can attemptto cancel out the enemy wizard’s spell. If the defender has the Dispel Magic spell or a similar spell or powerthey need not make this check because it is a universal counter-spell.

If the defender has a spell that may be used as a counter-spell they roll an action die against a DC of10, +2 per level of the hostile spell, + any situational modifiers the Storyteller deems necessary. Thedefender adds their Intelligence modifier and their wizard level to this check. The defender can utilize bothspellburn and luck burn to enhance the results of their check. If the defender succeeds they may eithercancel their opponent’s spell; causing the attacker to forget their spell for the day, or if the defender beatsthe DC by 10 or more they can take control of the hostile spell they were trying to cancel. Exercising thissecond option means that the defender gets to use their counter-spelling result and apply it to the attackersspell table, Mercurial Magic, and Manifestation results remain the same. The defender chooses where thespell is targeted and any other pertinent details formerly determined by the attacking wizard , butsubstituting the defenders casting level as needed. Failing the counter-spelling check means the attackercasts their spell normally and the defender has forgotten the spell they were using as a counter spell.

If the defender still has any action dice and qualifying spells left, they may continue to attempt to counter theattacker’s spell. A critical failure on this check indicates that the defending wizard has failed so badly theymust roll on the corruption table for the spell they were trying to cancel. A critical success on the defender’scheck allows them to double their normal level bonus to the counter-spell check. In a tie, the attacker caststheir spell normally and the defender doesn’t forget the counter-spell.

Clerics may not participate in these contests; however, they can attempt to counter the spells of anothercleric by following the same process. In these cases there is the added wrinkle over the fact that clericsrepresent their deity’s Will made manifest. Any attempt to cancel the Will of another deity had better bedone for sound and just causes. If the defending cleric fails their canceling check they suffer normaldisapproval of their god for the level of the failed counter spell. If they roll a ‘1’ on this check theyautomatically incur the disapproval of their deity and must roll on table 5-7 of the DCC Core Rules; and the

Table 1-1: Scale of Difficulty& Challenge (DC) usedwithin this manualEasy 5 – 6Moderate 7 – 8Professional 9 – 10Impressive 11 – 13Extraordinary 14 – 16Heroic 17 – 19Legendary 20 – 23Epic 24 – 25Deific 26 +

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