Inptm

Chief Nimtolien sits me down at a table. He's silent, which is making me nervous. I have no idea what he wants from me. He sits to the side of me and picks up the book that is chained around his waist, placing it in front of me.
"This is my Inptm." My eyes go wide. "Go on. You can look at it."
I open it gently. It's so very well used to the point where you can almost see through where the chiefs' fingers have turned the pages over his many millennia of life. Hieroglyphs, they're beautiful but they don't make any sense to me. A second book is placed next to me, this one new but just as large. He sets a quill and ink well down next to my hand.
"Your first lesson, copy the entire book, front to back. It will get you familiar with the language and the way it looks." I glance at what will be my Inptm then back to his. "Is there something wrong?"
"I haven't seen an Inptm since I watched my mother's get burned when I was seven." I run my fingers over the hieroglyphs. "Mom was going to start teaching me but she never got the chance."
I dab at my eyes, trying to cover up how much this hurts. "I'm going to become the Necromancer she would've wanted me to be. I'll make her proud."
"I'm fairly certain she'd be proud of you already." Chief Nimtolien stands. "You can start tomorrow as it is quite late. Get some rest."

Manufacturing process

While binding the tome takes a bit of time there is nothing more time consuming than the process of actually transcribing the text into it. That actually falls to the apprentice's hands as it is considered to be an important part of their training.

Significance

The Inptm, meaning to decay totally, is the major religious text of the Priests of Sibuna. Most priests have one but in recent years, with the stirring of demons and the Coruscarean empire becoming more powerful, it has gotten more difficult to find one outside the country of Waset, the priests home. Outsiders have nicknamed it 'The Guide to Necromancy' and they're not wrong. It is both their guide to their magic and their guide to their religion.

Most students dread the initial month or so it takes to completely transcribe their Inptm from their masters, but it ends up being one of the most fundamental lessons they could learn. It teaches them patience, a gentle, steady hand and the ability to see both the small details and bigger picture.

Item type

Book / Document

Owning Organization

Priesthood of Sibuna

Rarity

Rare. Most priests and priestesses have one but for those born outside Waset, it can be hard to get ahold of one.

Weight

Roughly 2 lbs. This is not a light book.

Dimensions

Most are about 8 in by 5 in by 3in.

Raw materials & Components

A couple hundred pieces of parchment and good leather for the binding.