Book of the Darned

The Book of the Darned: Death and Rebirth of a Sun, shortened to just Book of the Darned, is a concept in Magical Starsign. Written by the late archwizard Craaken of the yogart guru clan, it contains information about the universe and its fate.

History

The Book of the Darned was authored at least 12800 years ago by Craaken, an archmage of the yogart guru clan on Erd, after the collapse of the Espresso civilization. It was written in an arcane language that very few could comprehend, but contained esoteric knowledge and explored all kinds of topics about the universe. Most importantly, it predicted that the universe would be destroyed by Shadra, a giant larva who lived on the planet Shadra inside the sun. Once Shadra metamorphosed by consuming enough gummy matter, she would devour the sun, causing the universe's annihilation, then birth a new sun and universe.

Other topics included etherealization, the process by which matter is temporarily reduced to its most basic form; the Stone Stage, a device in Shishkebab Cavern that used fire energy to open a gate to the sun; and the possibility of the Espressos' robots taking over Baklava, using the masses of gummified humans in Kahve Ruins as energy. To preserve his knowledge, Craaken kept multiple copies of the book at Ambergris Preparatory School on Cassia, where it was used as a standard textbook for generations.

Approximately 800 years before Magical Starsign, Miss Madeleine of Kovomaka enrolled in Ambergris Prep, where she spent centuries studying, translating, and annotating the Book of the Darned. However, around 500 to 600 years later, rumors spread that the Book of the Darned was cursed and killed anyone who read it. Most copies were burned and Craaken was crucified, but to his disciples, he gave up his own life in order to save many people. At some point, the remaining book was used by Grenadine to manufacture advanced technology in Condimen Tower, such as impenetrable armor for the Space Police and a work-in-progress etherealization machine. It was then acquired by Kale, who sought to fulfill Craaken's prophecy of the apocalypse and destroy the incompetent people of Baklava, and stored in his laboratory in Bena Rikashi, Puffoon.

Magical Starsign

While the students of Will-o'-Wisp Academy were in Bena Rikashi, they were unsuccessful in filing Miss Madeleine as a missing person at the Space Police HQ. Outside, they were met by Parfait the felin, who invited them to Kale's laboratory under the guise that it was her house. They helped her find the Book of the Darned, but she warned them about how it curses readers to death. Parfait also mentioned Madeleine in passing, but before the group could question her, she fled Kale's lab with the book.

Later on, the students met Parfait on the way to Ambergris Prep. In the school's library, she presented the Book of the Darned and talked about Madeleine's extensive study of its contents. After the students reclaimed the water millennium gummy from Holy Water Pyramid, Sturgeon apprised them of Madeleine's time at Amergris Prep and the Book of the Darned's controversial history. Sorbet, curious of what prophecies were written in the book, snuck into the library while her classmates were asleep and began reading it.

Nomenclature

The Book of the Darned is likely inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's Necronomicon, also known as the Book of the Dead, a recurring item in his fictional works.

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ミソニコミドン魔導書・太陽の死と復活の章 Misonikomidon Madōsho・Taiyō no Shi to Fukkatsu no Shō	Misonikomidon Grimoire・Chapter on the Sun's Death and Resurrection, from 味噌煮込みうどん miso-nikomi udon (noodles simmered in red miso)