=== The torn out bookplate from the front of your first spell book ===

These are words printed sideways and on top of each other in a crumbling
ink that resembles dried blood. You struggle to make them out:

You, who are born to be a true Master, hold the very first of your
great works in your hands.  The spells you find herein do not have the
overt flamboyance of fire and lightning, but neither will your hands
and face end up covered in soot, and your hair will remain unfrazzled and
not stand on its ends like it does some idiot wizzards and others. There
are, however, important errors which you can make as a Master, and hence
you should pay attention to the notes I have made:

- Detect evil will find few, if any monsters when you first start out
on your journey. But the most powerful and dangerous monsters you find
will be evil, and should you survive long, it will become an invaluable
tool.

- Darkness will allow you to escape monsters which need lite to find
you - the spell will also shutter your lantern and smother your torch -
but you will have to put away your magical staff and any other light
sources in order to benefit from this effect.

 - Shadowstep requires you be in darkness, and will only transport
you to similarly dark places. If you are not standing in such a
region, attempting to cast this spell will not cost you time or mana.
Since corridors are usually dark, and rooms are usually lit, this is
a safer method of escape than some alternatives.

 - Chill will be your mainstay spell to start with. It takes several
turns to apply its damaging effects so is most effective against those
monsters which are immobile or when there are several moving through
a corridor towards you. Be careful not to walk into the effects of
chill yourself!

 - Stinging a target may initially appear less effective than your
Chill spell. But in a situation when you are running low on mana, a
well delivered set of stings will be a much more effecient use of
this resource against a single target.

 - Find Familiar will summon a randomly chosen creature of the wild
 to be at your side.  The familiar will grow in power with you, and
 you can dictate the additional powers it gains. Casting the spell
 again while your familiar is nearby will detect it for you; after
 a while your familiar will leave your service but it is easily
 summoned again.
 
 Beware: You will be given only one such gift and should your
 familiar die, you will not be able to replace it!

 
                                     - Saruman the Wise 
 







