The Joriel Zanumiel University of Magic (Magnora campus) has debunked as a forgery a copy of the Necrocanon that surfaced a week ago. A panel of experts lead by the summoner Gelande, the spell magician Fustor, and the alchemist Ohenia unanimously came to the conclusion that the book is a clever but ineffective forgery by unknown adepts in magic.
Baron Derrim of Silberberg had been offered the book under shady circumstances, and he provided a downpayment of “only” 500 gold pieces before he would pay the full price of 10,000 gold pieces.
Following the discovery of the fraud, the Mage Police are looking for a male magician about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with brown hair and a full beard similar to what magicians from the island of Lissona often have. He wore a blue-black mage’s robe with the insignia of the Mages Guild on it, and he carried a scimitar.
The baron and the Mages Guild of Magnora have offered a reward totaling 50 gold pieces for the apprehension of the perpetrator.
Following the exposure of the forgery, the only surviving copy of the Necrocanon is the one in the closed Grand Temple of Mordophane.
The summoners have expressed relief that no more Necrocanon copies have surfaced. Their families suffered heavy losses in the Death Wars waged by the mad alchemist Ewandor over 700 years ago. After Ewandor’s death, all copies of his Necrocanon were destroyed. Only the hand-copied facsimile in Mordophane Temple has been preserved because the preface contains a dedication to the goddess. It has since been closely guarded and must not be viewed in order to prevent another death war.