Contracts of Nepthas: These magical contracts are written in black ink on golden-brown vellum. The contracts are usually found in ivory tubes, each tube containing 1d6 contracts. The contracts are blank and can be filled in by the user. The contracts will radiate magic if detected, but carry no overt signs of their special nature.

The contract of Nepthas automatically places an enchantment upon any persons who sign it in order to insure that both parties hold to the agreement. Anyone who has signed a contract of Nepthas and breaks the contract is struck deaf, blind, and dumb. The effects of the punishment last until they are removed with a remove curse.

A person who is both deaf and blind suffers a -8 penalty to his attack rolls and his opponents gain a +8 bonus to their attack rolls. He loses all bonuses for Dexterity and suffers -2 penalties to saving throws versus spells, petrification/polymorph, and rod, staff, or wand.

A contract involves two parties agreeing on a set of conditions. The conditions are usually very specific, but if they are not, they might be perverted in the same way that a wish spell might be misinterpreted. If a group of adventurers signs a contract with a king stating that they will slay a dragon in the Northern Hills by the eve of the new moon, slaying any dragon will fulfill the contract, although the king may have had a specific dragon in mind. If the king agrees to pay the adventurers upon the completion of the task, the king had better have the money when the party returns.

Contracts signed by persons under the influence of charm and similar spells are null and void. A forged contract is also void. If any person who signs a contract dies before its completion, that person's obligation is ended. Note, however, that if a group of adventurers signs a contract and one of their members dies, the survivors are still bound to the contract.

A deadline for both parties' responsibilities must be stated in the contract in order for it to be activated.

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