The Campaign Builder's Guild

Library of Lost Lore
This is a list of books that I think gamers and other geeky folks might be interested in.  Right now, as far as I know everything on the list is fictional.  That is these are titles of books referred to in works of fiction.  I have intentions of expanding this to include real world titles.  Part of my inspiration was this thread.

Comics
The Magdalene Grimoire (DC Comics's The Sandman Issue #1 by Neil Gaiman) '" Contained the ritual meant to summon Death, which actually brought Dream a.k.a. Morpheus.

Liber Paginarum Fulvarum (DC Comics's The Sandman Issue #1 by Neil Gaiman) '" Contained information used to identify Dream as such.

The Book of Oa (DC Comics's Green Lantern) '" Created by The Guardians of the Universe.  Contains the laws governing the Green Lantern Corps and tales of notable Corps members.



Pencil and Paper RPGs
D&D  
In the Dungeons & Dragons game, books often do something to the reader/ owner:
Book of Exalted Deeds (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - Good-aligned clerics get +1 Wisdom and a level up.  Other classes and alignments have problems.

Book of Infinite Spells (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - allows the casting of the spell on the currently up page by anyone, including classes that aren't usually casters.  Pages can't be turned back and there's a random chance for the page to turn on its own.

Book of Vile Darkness (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) -  Evil-aligned clerics get +1 Wisdom and a level up.  Other classes and alignments have problems.

Libram of Gainful Conjuration (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax)) -  Neutral Wizards level up.  Other classes and alignments have problems.

Libram of Ineffable Damnation (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) -  Evil Wizards level up.  Other classes and alignments have problems.

Libram of Silver Magic (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - Good Wizards level up.  Other classes and alignments have problems.

Manual of Bodily Health (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Constitution

Manual of Gainful Exercise (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Strength

Manual of Golems (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - animates constructed golems.

Manul of Puissant Skill at Arms ((Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - Fighters level up. 1e-type dual-classed Bards advance their Fighter level.  Other classes have problems.

Manual of Quickness of Action (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Dexterity

Manual of Stealthy Pilfering (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - Thieves level up.  Assassins gain 5000 experience points.  Other classes have problems.

Tome of Clear Thought (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Intelligence.  Allows a character who was previously non-psionic to re-roll for a chance to have psionics.

Tome of Leadership and Influence(Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Charisma.

Tome of Understanding (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - +1 Wisdom.

Codex of the Infinite Planes (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax) - Instant death for characters less than 11th level who try to read it.  99% chance to meet a terrible fate.  Holds the key to physical transference to other planes.  4 Minor Benign Powers, 4 Major Benign Powers, 2 Minor Malevolent Effects, 2 Major Malevolent Effects, 2 Prime Powers, 2 Side Effects.

Manual of Dogmatic Methods (Tome of Magic by David Cook, Nigel Findley, Anthony Herring, Christopher Kubasik, Carl Sargent, and Rick Swan)- Cursed item that compels the reader to go through a series of pointless rituals before doing anything.

White Wolf's Original World of Darkness Setting
Book of Nod (Vampire: the Masquerade)- The vampires's alternate version of Genesis where Caine is cursed to be the first vampire.



Lovecraftiana
These books follow a fairly similar trend.  They reveal information about the various Cthulhu Mythos deities and their servants.  They might be able to impart a spell to reader of a sorcerous bent.  They will drive the reader insane.  I am using the Call of Cthulhu RPG 5th edition as my main reference work here.  Some of these works have "been through more than one edition or translation."

The Necronomicon- the grand daddy of them all.  It has even spawned a few real world books of the same title.

The Sussex Manuscript- an incomplete English translation of the Latin Necronomicon.

Unausprechlichen Kulten

Book of Eibon

Azathoth and Others- poetry collection on Mythos subjects.  No spells.

Book of Dzyan

Celaeno Fragments

Cthaat Aquadingen

Cthulhu in the Necronomicon- an English language manuscript of hand-written notes in preparation towards a full book on the subject.

Cultes Des Goules

De Vermiis Mysteriis

Eltdown Shards

G'Harne Fragments

The King In Yellow- play which may drive the reader insane but contains no spells.

Mass Di Requiem Per Shuggay- opera score and libretto, possibly unplayable in places, no spells.

Monstres and Their Kynde

People of the Monolith- poetry, no spells.

Ponape Scripture

Pnakotic Manuscripts

Revelations of Glaaki

R'lyeh Text

Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan

True Magick

Thaumaturgical Prodigies in the New-England Canaan- English language, no spells.

Zanthu Tablets

You may wish to see also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_books_in_the_works_of_Susanna_Clarke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_fictional_books

Your listing of fictional DnD books seems to be a new collection, however. Good luck.

LD, I fell in love with Susanna Clarks little footnotes sourced from all those crazy books in Jonathan Strange. It really helped facilitate the world she was trying to build around her narrative. A great literary tool that, while not really that original, when done well, is still a winner.

Quote from: Light DragonYou may wish to see also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_books_in_the_works_of_Susanna_Clarke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lists_of_fictional_books

Your listing of fictional DnD books seems to be a new collection, however. Good luck.

Wow.  Whenever I think I don't get out in the fresh air enough and my hobbies and interests are peculiar, I look at wikipedia and find out how relatively normal I may be.

Quote from: SarisaLD, I fell in love with Susanna Clarks little footnotes sourced from all those crazy books in Jonathan Strange. It really helped facilitate the world she was trying to build around her narrative. A great literary tool that, while not really that original, when done well, is still a winner.

Preach. :yumm:

Sarisa, I'll agree.

This thread has inspired me to get to work on taming (and growing) my little library of in-world books. A worthy project!