Sometimes an adventure hinges on finding a clue hidden in a library - a

riddle, a command word for a powerful item, or a secret password. How can
this be done so that the clue is challenging but not impossible to find?
The first thing to decide is how many books there are in the library.
In medieval times, 20 books in one room was considered a major collection.
Until the invention of the printing press, each book had to be copied by
hand, and many were beautifully illuminated (hand decorated with colorful
illustrations and scrollwork). These factors make each book a treasure.
Thus, in campaigns where printing presses are unknown, even a major wizard's
library would probably hold no more than a few dozen books.
This rarity makes it easier to conceal a clue among books - there are
fewer places to hide it. Another factor to the PCs' favor is that libraries
were often used by their owners as studies and lounges, increasing the
chance that they would contain inadvertent clues.
The following are some ideas for concealing hints and clues in a library:

The PCs find a blotting sheet with recognizable words on it. Quill pens
leave copious amounts of wet ink on the page, and a sheet of porous paper is
often used to sop up the excess, leaving an imprint of the original. Of
course, this sheet must be read in a mirror.

Some clues are hidden in the illumination of a book. For example, an

illustration might depict a person opening a red door with a black key, and
later on the party finds a red door - suggesting that they must look for a
black key to open it.

The PCs find a poem written on an inside page of a book. The message or
clue is either in the title, subject, or the text of the poem itself.
Perhaps the poem is an acrostic, where the first letter of every line spells
out a message.

A word or two has been scratched into the hardware or cover. The
reasons for this can vary. Perhaps the book was owned by a famous person who
scratched his name into the cover. This clue might give the party an idea of
the book's origin and history.

The bookshelf is merely a front for a secret area. The books are dusty
except for one that has been smudged. This book is the trigger that opens
the secret door.

The PCs see a stain on a page, or something dusted on it. For example,
a wizard suspected of brewing poisons might have a recognizable venom
staining the cover, where he spilled a concoction.

A page is dog-eared, suggesting that the book is often turned to that

page, where some sort of clue is to be found.

A book hidden among the others is a diary, ledger, or log containing

ample clues as to the library owner's motives or activities.

There is a doodle left on a table in the library. This could be a whole

word or maybe an idle picture that could give the party some critical clue
as to what they are going to encounter on their adventure.

A page is torn out and may be found later. The party may notice the
missing page and wonder about its contents. Finding that page could be a
challenge in itself.

A book out of place in an orderly library holds the clue. The library
is immaculate, with every book in a certain order (by subject, alphabetical
by author, etc.). However, one book is out of order and contains the clue.

There is a magic mouth spell located in a book. Picking up or opening

the book triggers it. The mouth speaks a riddle or a snippet of poem, and
the party must memorize it unless they have writing material handy.
Obviously, this sort of clue has been left deliberately, perhaps by an ally
of the PCs or enemy of the villain.

The PCs notice something written in the margin of a book's pages.

Often, doodles and notes on the margins can give subtle clues, especially if
the writer made them idly, not paying attention to what he was doing.

The book is upside down or carelessly placed on the shelf. The owner of
the library was in a hurry when he hid something behind the book and
accidentally put it back upside down.

The library owner owns books for status and appearance's sake and thus
never reads them (they look brand new), except for one book which is
noticeably worn. This book holds a clue.

The clue is in the form of a bookmark carelessly left in between some

pages. It could be a key, gem, slip of paper, or other oddity used to mark
his place by the owner of the library, then forgotten.

PCs paging carefully through the book find that one word has been
underlined. This is a command word or password and may be of use later in
the adventure.

Runes on the cover contain a clue. These arcane letters, if deciphered,

can be a valuable piece of information.

The book content itself is valuable information. For example, if the

owner of the library is a wizard who created a magical jade door, a book on
jade carving might give a hint as to how to open the door. A translator's
dictionary might help the party if the villain wrote all his notes in Old
High Gnomish.

The clue is actually a red herring. There is a false clue hidden in the
library for the purpose of harming intruders. These could be traps or simple
misinformation.

The clue may be left in the library unintentionally. For example, if

there is a secret closet behind a bookshelf, the owner may be in the habit
of bracing the door open with a book while he worked inside. The book would
show signs of this use.

The key to concealing some vital bit of information in a library is for

the characters actually to look for it. It should not be an hours-long
process, and a reasonably intelligent party should be able to find the clue
- but not necessarily understand its significance. In the end, the players
must realize the clue's significance and usefulness.

John Baichtal lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a frequent

contributor to Dragonr Magazine.