The Liber Libri Delapsus Angelus, or Codex of Fallen Angels, is a book that was created to document the true names of all angels who were banished from Heaven during the Great Revolt. According to lore about this tome, fueled by rage and blood lust, the angels’ rebellion brought Heaven to the brink of a massive devil invasion. The rebellion failed, and all of the angels who partook or supported the rebellion were brought before the gods and judged. The leader of the rebellion was judged first. He was chained to the top of a thin, crumbling pillar anchored in the layered depths of Hell. After angering the higher powers with hateful statements about the gods being nothing but self-centered slavers, he was sentenced to be forever bound to the codex, which bore the names of those fallen angels that almost drove the upper planes to ruin those many eons ago. He was charged with ensuring the book would remain unharmed for all of eternity. Although many of the angels named in the codex have met with violent or gruesome ends in their new home, lore about the book states that many forcefully carved their own niche in Hell and became the progenitors of a species of devil known today as erinyes.

Read more about this major artifact for the Pathfinder system.

Major Artifact
Aura strong conjuration, abjuration; CL 25
Slot none (off-hand see below); Weight 20 lbs.

The Liber Libri Delapsus Angelus, or Codex of Fallen Angels, is a book that was created to document the true names of all angels who were banished from Heaven during the Great Revolt. According to lore about this tome, fueled by rage and blood lust, the angels’ rebellion brought Heaven to the brink of a massive devil invasion. The rebellion failed, and all of the angels who partook or supported the rebellion were brought before the gods and judged. The leader of the rebellion was judged first. He was chained to the top of a thin, crumbling pillar anchored in the layered depths of Hell. After angering the higher powers with hateful statements about the gods being nothing but self-centered slavers, he was sentenced to be forever bound to the codex, which bore the names of those fallen angels that almost drove the upper planes to ruin those many eons ago. He was charged with ensuring the book would remain unharmed for all of eternity. Although many of the angels named in the codex have met with violent or gruesome ends in their new home, lore about the book states that many forcefully carved their own niche in Hell and became the progenitors of a species of devil known today as erinyes.

Originally housed in one of the largest libraries of Heaven, this book has been the center of many plots and, as a result, has been missing for centuries. This large codex is bound in mithril and sports a white cover labeled “Liber Libri Delapsus Angelus.” Upon opening the codex, the reader sees that the first page is scribed in golden ink that reads like a sentencing. It states that the names contained in this codex are forever barred from reentry into Heaven unless specifically pardoned by a god that resides in one of the upper planes, or their representatives. What follows are 666 pages filled with 3 columns of names written in blood. It is believed by some (particularly older erinyes) that the destruction of this codex would result in their salvation and allow them reentry into Heaven along with their decedents. Others believe that this would also allow Hell’s legions to have a way into Heaven and use the erinyes as a spearhead, a task for which the erinyes would be perfectly suited.

The Codex of Fallen Angels has a number of protections in place to help ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. It is immune to spells and impervious to damage. The book grants its bearer a number of spell-like abilities. The bearer always has a resist energy spell active and the energy resisted can be of any element chosen by the bearer (standard action to change the type of element). The book grants the bearer a permanent protection from evil spell. When carried in the off-hand, the book bestows the bearer with both the holy and the bane (devil) enhancements. In addition to weapons, these enhancements are also applied to any ranged, unarmed strikes, or natural attacks if applicable. If the book itself is used as a weapon, it acts as a magical (+1), improvised, two-handed weapon that deals d4 damage and has double strength holy (in other words, +4d6 damage vs. evil creatures struck by the weapon and it bestows 2 negative levels to those of evil alignment handling the codex) and bane (devil) enchantments. By reading off the names, the bearer can summon an advanced erinyes to do his or her bidding (as the summon monster VII spell). This uses a standard action and summons an erinyes with the advanced template; the duration is a total of 25 rounds per day and does not need to be consecutive. Erinyes summoned this way are compelled to act as commanded but also attempt to discern the codex’s location. The last feature of the codex is the “guardian” that is bound to it pages. This ancient being appears as an illustrated angel that can move between the pages as he desires, although he cannot manifest physically outside the book. Eons of imprisonment have resulted in near-complete insanity. He does not remember his name, and although he is magically compelled to always protect the book from fell hands, he is always trying to escape. He can communicate through dreams and telepathically to those around the book at will. The extent of his powers is not known. He is an ever present and potentially dangerous component of the codex.

Destruction
The Codex of Fallen Angels was designed to be destroyed after obtaining written consent from a willing presiding angel in the Supreme Courtroom of Heaven. Individuals can be removed from the list with approval as above depending on the individual devil’s history and atonement. It is theorized that other methods of destruction might exist.

(This post is Product Identity.)