The Ring of the Book of the Shadowy Ink was found within the podium on the altar of the accursed transplanar temple found by Sudon and Alyks Askaria (as told in Ravendark). This Wondrous Item requires attunement by way of studying its pages for an hour.
The book inlaid into the ring enlarges as a phantom of itself, but clear enough to be read, containing nine pages despite the appearance of dozens. These nine pages are highly-detailed images and words captured by the ring (like a camera) and preserved in sepia inks.
- Bonus Action: Summon or dismiss the phantom book
- Action: Select a new page or Capture a new page (which will replace whatever is on the current page).
- Arcane Focus: with the book summoned, it may be held and used as an arcane focus, allowing spellcasting without material components (as per a specially-prepared wand or staff).
When initially discovered, the pages showed:
- (Spellbook version): Arcane Eye (4th level Divination)
- (Spellbook version): Sickening Radiance (4th level Evocation)
- A dictionary of runes for the Rune Magic of the giants.
- A map.
- Another map.
- A portrait-picture of a handsome scholarly man (later identified by Zelenn the White as Meltharond - see Summer's Ice), and used by Dzaan's simulacrum to become that younger-wizard (see In-Spired).
- Blueprints to a skyship.
- (Ritual): Open a gateway to what was described as a pace of healing (see Saint Greycastle Hospital), and used to aid the town of Bryn Shander after the desolation in Ten little Towns.
- Instruction manual for a device of The Netheril.