'w'! Oh! A book! *looks* ... I wonder if I'd be a mechanical manual... Probably a VCR manual... >w>...

In reality, the book that turns you into a book does not do so in the same way depending on the chapter you read. If you really want to become a manual, the chapter on transmitting knowledge will be the most favourable. This specimen has read the autobiography.

'w'! Fascinating!

just one word for this i think

...woops. XD

Indeed, yes.

Becoming a book, well that’s a new one. I do wonder with my tolerance of magic if I would still be turned into a book. I am quite curious about what would be written about me, of course though, I don’t want to lose my current form just to find out, and the last thing I want is to be used as fuel for a fire.

Rest assured, with the necessary magical protection or a sufficiently high level of magic, the book's effect will not be triggered.

It all depends on the passage you are reading. It will still be a form of autobiography, but it could be based on a transfer of knowledge, a philosophical thought, or poems about one or other part of your life.

...
Great,
Another thing to look out for

I can lend you a copy if you like.

I, respectfully decline the offer.

How sad.

Is there anything you own that isn't cursed?

Of course, not everything I own is cursed. That would be unbearable for the residents of the Manor.

Nevertheless, it is true that some of it is.

However, we could debate the term ‘cursed’. An object that transforms someone without their consent will be considered cursed, but if they protect themselves from it properly or desire it, is it still a curse?

Are you, in any way, familiar or associated with Jurgen Leitner I may wonder ... ?

(Magnus Archives)

I am afraid not, I am not familiar with the name. What does it involve, dear?

He's a collector of ... unique books. Bought them from all over the world, placed them in his library, until the accident. Now you can find "his" books pop up here and there ... usually in the hands of people unknowing about their nature, and capabilities. If you're not familiar with them, you really should look into them. My favorite is "The Boneturner's Tale". If read, you gain the ability to reach inside another person, and shift their bones like clay ...

Oh, and other books placed next to it start to bleed.

Indeed, this is an interesting source. Perhaps I will give it a listen in future.

Thank you, dear.

Late response: Is the book still aware of his/her current situation?

The consciousness that animated the human being remains for only a few brief minutes. It gradually detaches itself from this new envelope, which has no room to contain a soul.

It is therefore possible to reverse the spell if a second person is available to cast the appropriate incantation.
After a few minutes, ten at the most, the book is unaware of anything. During the few minutes of unravelling consciousness, you can manipulate the book and see the last pages continue to fill themselves with the subject's last sensations : they can feel when they are touched, their pages turned, how they are terrified, how they feel they can not grab their own spirit here...

Strangely, they often end in the same way.

And here I thought I might be safe if only I simply look around, don't touch anything, don't veer from the obvious beaten paths. But it seems like one could feasibly be unlucky enough to simply happen to be looking at the "wrong thing" at the "wrong time".

In some cases, it would be almost preferable to be constantly accompanied. But even this companionship could be dangerous, depending on the safeguards you choose.

However, this grimoire is safe to read. The arcana will not cross the screen.
Normally.

I'm sure there's something magical about being able to spark curiosity, wonder... perhaps even joy, and other feelings in those reading your grimoire through a simple screen.

Nevertheless, something tells me that might not be the only mystical-magical influence you mean, when you say "normally".

The transmission of emotions and feelings is a constantly evolving experiment in this grimoire, to be honest. The reactions of mortals are sometimes the opposite of the expected result, creating very interesting subjects of study for refining certain approaches to humans.
Strictly speaking, there is nothing magical about it, but the codification is very similar.

The magic I mainly practise, metamorphosis, consists of circles in which, after long research, I condense an essence in order to transmit it and supplant the entity's previous essence. In other words, it takes years of observation to understand how a concept works, how to synthesise it and how to transmit it using glyphs, lines and curves.

Nevertheless, what some might call ‘magic’ in this ability to stimulate the brain of a third entity is merely the product of complex internal chemistry, evolved social relationships and psychology.

As for the other arcana... It would be a shame to spoil the surprise if such a breach were to occur.

(OOC : sorry for the long answer, I was inspired XD And thank you a lot for this compliment ^^)

Now I suspect you opening up your grimoire and feeding the curated pages from it for the world to see is not just out of the goodwill of your "heart", as it were. I suppose it is yet another venue for you to learn about us, mere mortals? Or perhaps I am looking too deep into it? Always a possibility...

And... not sure whether to feel threatened or excited by the prospect of one day, without warning, the arcane spilling forth from one's screen. On the one hand, methamorphosis could end in a rather sorry end as portrayed here. On the other, to be able to witness or experience such feats first hand could be... fascinating.

(I'm glad I could inspire :>)

This grimoire has several uses, including those you mentioned. Other uses are more subtle.

However, research and curiosity are rare qualities in mortal beings. It would be sad to criticise you for this when it is what allows an intelligent species to progress.

As for your feelings about a potential breach, I can not tell you what will happen, nor can I predict your personal reaction.

I see.

And it seems that I may have some reading to do... Ahh, if only time was not quite so linear... For a mortal like me, anyhow. Choosing what to spend one's time on and when is one of my least favourite, perhaps even least favourite exercise of the mind. Time for us is so very limited after-all... I'm sure I will get to it though, eventually.

Ah, and of course... No, indeed, I can not predict how I would react either... could anyone but an omnipotent god? The chaos that weaves reality into existence is so very fickle. Tiny, seemingly inconsequential differences in the way a system is set up compound to change the grand outcome of a future moment greatly. But I'd wager a being such as yourself is more than capable of pulling these abstract strings of events like a puppeteer to bring forth a desirable outcome of a future event.

Thank you, for your musings, dear Owlverlord.

If that reassures you, you should know that these readings are optional. Whether or not you take a look at them will make no difference to your consultation of the grimoire.
(OOC: it's really just a bonus and adds to the immersion. I know full well that [almost] no one reads them, but I like writing them anyway.)

Talking about me like a puppeteer... What a sweet thought.

Your assumption is flattering but I am afraid my abilities fall short of such divine skills. However, as for the subtle orientation of certain details in the chaos of events... We return to a previous topic of conversation: the experimentation of mortal emotions and their reactions.

It is a pleasure to talk to you, dear Clanga.

Glad to know that there are in-fact limits to your power, as suspected of course. But I can't help but to feel just a little unease. If one of your go-to tools to manipulate future events is to play around and nudge mortals softly in the direction of your choosing, then a certain kind of paranoia rears its head in me; How can I be sure I am not already getting guided by you? And yet, a part of me finds this prospect exciting at the same time... A challenge, to try to see through these potential nudges.

Though at the same time, sometimes it might be wise to let oneself be nudged. Case in point, a warning from you to not read a cursed book would in-fact be a nudge towards a beneficial outcome for the recipient of the warning. At the same time it could be a nudge in order to try to keep the recipient on the path that you have planned for them. I suppose those two reasons for a warning/nudge are not mutually exclusive...

I am probably looking too far into this now, and I should probably stop trying to imagine and/or analyse the internal world of a being such as yourself.

Regardless of whether I am already being led towards some path or not by indulging in the pages of this grimoire here, I will certainly be looking forward to the public release of new pages in the future.

Come on, come on, such paranoia would be unnecessary stress. It would be a shame to spoil this magnificent intelligence with emotional reflections that lead to insoluble paradoxes, wouldn't it?

If I can give you one piece of advice for this Saturday 19th, avoid jars with an unusually tempting little treat inside.

You're right... There is little utility or knowledge to be gained from thinking about a bunch of "what if-s" that don't even have a probability value attached to them.

And thank you for the heads up, I shall keep that in mind.