Codex of Aghairon Whitecloak
Never before seen outside of Halruaa, the Codex was a gift to the magocracy of Halruaa during the days of Aghairon Whitecloak, the archmage of Waterdeep and first Open Lord of that city. When he visited the far southern nation on something of a pilgrimage, he presented this spellbook to their ruling council in thanks for their hospitality. It has languished in the vaults of the Halruaan magocracy, until it was presented to a few of Khelben's apprentices as thanks for their assistance to the people of Halruaa.
The Codex itself is quarto-sized and bound in an ivory-hued leather and tooled with silver markings along its edges. Its sole title is an imprint of Aghairon's mage symbol, wrought in silver and riveted to the cover. The symbol is treated with dwarven blueshine and always gleams like a mirror. The book itself seals with a permanent arcane lock, opened by the speaking of the word daethimaer. Its three hundred pages are fine whitened parchment.
Contents
The Codex is divided into two sections, both sections of interest to their author.
Mystran Arcanotheology
The front section details a good selection of Mystran lore, as practiced in the North. It mentions Silverymoon as the definitive center of Mystran faith in the Savage North, though does discuss the newly-built House of Wonder, sponsored by himself, Khelben of Arunsun Tower, and a handful of other magi. It discusses the way Mystran theology has shaped the design of certain spells, most notably those that are created with an awareness of the Weave as a distinct entity. This section takes up about a hundred pages, with the following spells scattered among them, in this order: spell phylactery (9 pg), holy star (11 pg), spellmantle (10 pg), spell shield (6 pg), and stars of Mystra (8 pg). It also contains the schema for the staff Aghairon himself carried, the staff of celestial light (12 pg).
Spells
x
Magic Items
Staff of the Stars
Staff, very rare (requires attunement by a cleric, sorcerer, or wizard)
This staff can be wielded as a magical quarterstaff that grants a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. While you hold it, you gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class, saving throws, and spell attack rolls. The staff has 20 charges for the following properties. The staff regains 2d8+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff retains its +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls but loses all other properties. On a 20, the staff regains 1d8+2 charges.
Blessings. Each time a creature of aberration, elemental, fiendish or undead origins is struck by the staff, it spontaneously casts bless on its user for three rounds. This duration renews with each subsequent strike.
Spells. While holding this staff, you can use an action to expend one or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC and spell attack bonus: counterspell (3-8 charges, cast at a level equal to charges expended), detect magic (1 charge), holy star (7 charges), magic missile (1-4 charges, cast at a level equal to charges expended), shield (1 charge), or stars of Mystra (4 charges).
Weave Guardian. To each staff of the stars is bound a guardian: an argenach rilmani, a spirit of the neutral planes with an awareness of magic and the desire to protect it. Clad in flowing white, with silver-blue sheened skin and wielding a sword of stars, the argenach can be summoned by the expending of all the staff's remaining charges. The guardian arrives in one minute, less one round per charge expended. If ten or more charges are spent, it is summoned immediately. By and large, the argenach will fight to defend the staff's wielder, but they have been known to take unexpected actions, which in the long run turn out to be of benefit to the Weave as a whole.
