Sometimes there are books in Vendrith. While they are not as commonplace as a modern mind might expect (no full bookshelves everywhere a la Skyrim), there are still a number of notable works from important authors that are reproduced by hand or mage hand.
Note that while magic streamlines the process of copying books, it is still not quite as efficient as printing presses in our real world (which there is little if any demand for in Vendrith). In addition, Ink is a rare material in Vendrith and it tends to be prioritised for Arcane Academia as well as Religious Texts.
Central to the history of writing is the War over Writing. This conflict revolved around whether writing should be accepted (which clashed with much of culture, philosophy and religion at the time), and involved (amongst others) the Relentless Pen, the Blackwhite Warriors, and the Painter Societies.
Some books have small mechanical benefits, such as item bonuses to downtime activities that would be helped by having a book to consult.
Here is a list of the known books of Vendrith:
Academia
A Dissertation of 3+1. Origin of the 3+1 Theorem.
On the Presumptions of Rebirthers. Some believe or have believed in the existence of reincarnation that grants everyone 3 lives in total (Three Lives Theory), which this book challenges.
Origins of the Theory of Three. Speaks about Trinities.
The Philosophised Downfall of Mogxa. Book critical of the Philosophian system that makes grand and oddly specific claims about its eventual doomsday. Said to have been Jade the Just’s favourite book.
Treatise on Healing. Old Mogxan book central to the knowledge of Elixirs of Life and Redpowder, grants a +2 item bonus to crafting said items.
Understanding the Great Flow. Relatively modern interpretation and summary the theories of the Great Flow. Lacks a lot of the references to specific planes of older books.
A. Plumbus Collection. Highly acclaimed series on farming, written for low-literacy readers, now collected in one intimidatingly large book. The book functions as an improvised weapon that deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage and has the backswing trait.
<<<<<<< HEAD The Codex of Alchemical Engineering A heavy-bound encyclopedia of alchemical recipes, known for its lengthy indexes categorizing recipes alphabetically, chronologically, and by author. Ending at a hefty 20 tomes, its the most comprehensive collection of alchemical knowledge, one that any alchemist wishes they could copy from, but not necessarily own. As such, its production has been ended in favor of the shorter form Journal of Alchemical Engineering and became even more valuable. ^alchemical-codex
The Codex of Alchemical Engineering A heavy-bound encyclopaedia of alchemical recipes, known for its lengthy indexes categorizing recipes alphabetically, chronologically, and by author. Ending at a hefty 20 tomes, its the most comprehensive collection of alchemical knowledge, one that any alchemist wishes they could copy from, but not necessarily own. As such, its printing has been ended in favour of the shorter form Journal of Alchemical Engineering.
origin/v4
The Journal of Alchemical Engineering A periodical continuation of the Codex of Alchemical Engineering. The much shorter form scientific journal publishes new innovations in the realms of alchemy, as well as celebrating accomplishments of renowned alchemists. Volumes of journals are often themed around a specific topic, such as A Time of Medicinal Advances, The Discovery of Quintessence, Alchemy for the Home, or Collected Works of Independent Research.
Stories
Terror of the Salty Sea Crusaders. Adorned telling of an infamous Crusader Pirate’s terrifying exploits.
The Diary of a River Kingdom. Fictional book about adventurers founding a kingdom in a vast land.
Skylords of Imandrel. An amateurish story about hunting down a kidnapped maiden that turned surprisingly popular, but which the author never finished.
A Single Spark. A fiction book depicting the city of Philosophia fall into a civil war between the guilds, characterised by the destructive battles of various Heroes of the city fighting each other.
Brass and Redpowder. Story of a strange city of clockwork near a desert, home to corruption, firearms and inventions, and vigilantes and criminals around every corner. In it, a ysoki detective tries to solve the mystery of his missing father figure, and is pulled into all manner of explosive hijinks through it.