Nearly all fantasy players know what a spellbook is and that it contains arcane formulas to facilitate the casting of magical spells.  What most players don’t know is how such books are constructed and how much they should cost.  This section will express the author’s viewpoint on the fabrication and the value of such tomes; GMs are free to alter and change the information presented here.  For purposes of this section, we will focus on the ‘standard’ spellbook.

Definition: Spellbook – a physical storage medium that contains the arcane formulas wizards need to memorize, formulate, and cast arcane spells.  Typically crafted of superior materials, these books range in size and complexity and are constructed to fit the needs and desires of their owners.  In and of themselves, these tomes are not magical in nature, though they contain magical formulas.  They are often made of mundane materials with the bookbinding and leatherworking skills constructed by ordinary people. 

Spell book ranges from 8-10 inches wide by 11-14 inches tall.  These books are typically at least an inch thick and contain 100 pages.  Most of these standard books are covered with a leather binding and often contain the insignia of the owner upon the front cover.  Personal style, available wealth, racial preference, and/or available materials influence these preferences.  In all cases, bookbinding is the primary skill used to craft a spellbook.  In some cases, locksmiths, blacksmiths, and carpenters are also employed to construct locks and containers to safeguard these prized items.  Many mages also bind their valuable tomes in the hides of magical creatures that possess resistances to fire, electricity, or acid to further safeguard them. 

Traveling Spellbook Cost: The single largest cost addition to a given spellbook is typically the binding and leather backing.  The actual cover of the tome is often the first and only line of defense to safeguard the information contained within.  Of secondary concern, is the actual weight of the tome.  Mages, by and large, are feeble individuals developing their mental capacity rather than their physical body.  A heavy tome could be a difficult burden to carry in the field while investigating remote places.  Personal style is the final category that influences the actual tome’s cover.  As the single most valuable tome in the wizard’s library, most mages take pride in its display.  Golden hinges and locks, gem encrusted hides, and hides from rare and unusual creatures are not uncommon and suitable embellishments.  A new standard empty spell book in the game (traveling type) has 50 pages and is between 8 and 10 inches tall and 6-8 inches wide; it has a standard market value of 250 gps.