diff --git a/src/bindings/bindings.c b/src/bindings/bindings.c
index 964b2f588..34cefe183 100644
--- a/src/bindings/bindings.c
+++ b/src/bindings/bindings.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 #include <kernel/teleport.h>
 #include <kernel/faction.h>
 #include <kernel/save.h>
+#include <kernel/spell.h>
 
 #include <gamecode/creport.h>
 #include <gamecode/economy.h>
@@ -684,6 +685,7 @@ static int tolua_set_alliance_name(lua_State * L)
   return 0;
 }
 
+#ifdef WRITE_SPELLS
 #include <libxml/tree.h>
 #include <util/functions.h>
 #include <util/xml.h>
@@ -755,6 +757,7 @@ static int tolua_write_spells(lua_State * L)
   xmlFreeDoc(doc);
   return 0;
 }
+#endif
 
 static int config_get_ships(lua_State * L)
 {
@@ -975,6 +978,7 @@ static int tolua_get_spell_text(lua_State * L)
   return 1;
 }
 
+#ifdef TODO
 static int tolua_get_spell_school(lua_State * L)
 {
   spell *self = (spell *) tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
@@ -988,6 +992,7 @@ static int tolua_get_spell_level(lua_State * L)
   lua_pushnumber(L, self->level);
   return 1;
 }
+#endif
 
 static int tolua_get_spell_name(lua_State * L)
 {
@@ -1177,8 +1182,10 @@ int tolua_eressea_open(lua_State * L)
     {
       tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "__tostring", tolua_get_spell_name);
       tolua_variable(L, TOLUA_CAST "name", tolua_get_spell_name, 0);
+#ifdef TODO
       tolua_variable(L, TOLUA_CAST "school", tolua_get_spell_school, 0);
       tolua_variable(L, TOLUA_CAST "level", tolua_get_spell_level, 0);
+#endif
       tolua_variable(L, TOLUA_CAST "text", tolua_get_spell_text, 0);
     } tolua_endmodule(L);
     tolua_module(L, TOLUA_CAST "eventbus", 1);
@@ -1263,7 +1270,9 @@ int tolua_eressea_open(lua_State * L)
     tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "translate", &tolua_translate);
     tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "rng_int", tolua_rng_int);
     tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "spells", tolua_get_spells);
+#ifdef WRITE_SPELLS
     tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "write_spells", tolua_write_spells);
+#endif
     tolua_function(L, TOLUA_CAST "read_xml", tolua_read_xml);
   } tolua_endmodule(L);
   return 1;
diff --git a/src/build/kernel.c b/src/build/kernel.c
index 9ac333f94..22e8992b8 100644
--- a/src/build/kernel.c
+++ b/src/build/kernel.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <kernel/ship.c>
 #include <kernel/skill.c>
 #include <kernel/spell.c>
+#include <kernel/spellbook.c>
 #include <kernel/teleport.c>
 #include <kernel/terrain.c>
 #include <kernel/textstore.c>
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic.c b/src/kernel/magic.c
index 1da2e01b8..78eabe9b3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic.c
+++ b/src/kernel/magic.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
 #include <platform.h>
 #include <kernel/config.h>
+#include <kernel/types.h>
 #include "magic.h"
 
 #include "building.h"
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 #include "ship.h"
 #include "skill.h"
 #include "spell.h"
+#include "spellbook.h"
 #include "teleport.h"
 #include "terrain.h"
 #include "unit.h"
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
 /* util includes */
 #include <util/attrib.h>
+#include <util/critbit.h>
 #include <util/language.h>
 #include <util/lists.h>
 #include <util/log.h>
@@ -2924,3 +2927,28 @@ struct quicklist **get_spelllist(struct sc_mage *mage, struct faction *f)
   }
   return NULL;
 }
+
+static critbit_tree cb_spellbooks;
+
+spellbook * get_spellbook(const char * name)
+{
+  char buffer[64];
+  spellbook * result;
+  const void * match;
+
+  if (cb_find_prefix(&cb_spellbooks, name, strlen(name), &match, 1, 0)) {
+    cb_get_kv(match, &result, sizeof(result));
+  } else {
+    size_t len = strlen(name);
+    result = create_spellbook(name);
+    assert(strlen(name)+sizeof(result)<sizeof(buffer));
+    len = cb_new_kv(name, len, &result, sizeof(result), buffer);
+    cb_insert(&cb_spellbooks, buffer, len);
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+void free_spellbooks(void)
+{
+  cb_clear(&cb_spellbooks);
+}
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic.h b/src/kernel/magic.h
index 152e7118e..b7c9d8a2b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic.h
+++ b/src/kernel/magic.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "curse.h"
   struct fighter;
   struct building;
-  struct quicklist;
+  struct spellbook;
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
@@ -385,6 +385,8 @@ typedef struct sc_mage {
     struct storage *store);
   extern double MagicPower(void);
 
+  extern struct spellbook * get_spellbook(const char * name);
+  extern void free_spellbooks(void);
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/kernel/magic_test.c b/src/kernel/magic_test.c
index c24c727c6..7f8994d18 100644
--- a/src/kernel/magic_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/magic_test.c
@@ -14,21 +14,55 @@ void test_updatespells(CuTest * tc)
 {
   struct faction * f;
   spell * sp;
-  spellbook * book = 0;
+  spellbook *book = 0;
 
   test_cleanup();
   
   f = test_create_faction(0);
   sp = create_spell("testspell", 0);
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sp);
-  spellbook_add(&book, sp, 1);
+
+  book = create_spellbook("spells");
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, book);
+  spellbook_add(book, sp, 1);
 
   update_spellbook(f, 1);
 }
 
+void test_spellbooks(CuTest * tc)
+{
+  spell *sp;
+  spellbook *herp, *derp;
+  spellbook_entry *entry;
+  const char * sname = "herpderp";
+  test_cleanup();
+
+  herp = get_spellbook("herp");
+  derp = get_spellbook("derp");
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, herp);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, derp);
+  CuAssertTrue(tc, derp!=herp);
+  CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "herp", herp->name);
+  CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "derp", derp->name);
+
+  sp = create_spell(sname, 0);
+  spellbook_add(herp, sp, 1);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sp);
+  entry = spellbook_get(herp, sname);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, entry);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, sp, entry->sp);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, spellbook_get(derp, sname));
+
+  test_cleanup();
+  herp = get_spellbook("herp");
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, herp);
+  CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, spellbook_get(herp, sname));
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_magic_suite(void)
 {
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
   SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_updatespells);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_spellbooks);
   return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/spellbook.c b/src/kernel/spellbook.c
index 00dd6de7a..3f32b12bb 100644
--- a/src/kernel/spellbook.c
+++ b/src/kernel/spellbook.c
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 #include <platform.h>
 #include <kernel/config.h>
+#include <kernel/spell.h>
+#include <kernel/magic.h>
 #include <util/quicklist.h>
 
 #include "spellbook.h"
 
-void spellbook_add(spellbook **sbp, struct spell * sp, int level)
+spellbook * create_spellbook(const char * name)
+{
+  spellbook *result = (spellbook *)malloc(sizeof(spellbook));
+  result->name = strdup(name);
+  result->spells = 0;
+  return result;
+}
+
+void spellbook_add(spellbook *sb, struct spell * sp, int level)
 {
   spellbook_entry * sbe = (spellbook_entry *)malloc(sizeof(spellbook_entry));
+
+  assert(sb);
   sbe->sp = sp;
   sbe->level = level;
-  ql_push(sbp, sbe);
+  ql_push(&sb->spells, sbe);
 }
 
 void spellbook_free(spellbook *sb)
@@ -17,11 +29,12 @@ void spellbook_free(spellbook *sb)
   quicklist *ql;
   int qi;
 
-  for (qi = 0, ql = sb; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
+  assert(sb);
+  for (qi = 0, ql = sb->spells; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
     spellbook_entry *sbe = (spellbook_entry *) ql_get(ql, qi);
     free(sbe);
   }
-  ql_free(sb);
+  ql_free(sb->spells);
 }
 
 int spellbook_foreach(spellbook *sb, int (*callback)(spellbook_entry *, void *), void * data)
@@ -29,7 +42,7 @@ int spellbook_foreach(spellbook *sb, int (*callback)(spellbook_entry *, void *),
   quicklist *ql;
   int qi;
 
-  for (qi = 0, ql = sb; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
+  for (qi = 0, ql = sb->spells; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
     spellbook_entry *sbe = (spellbook_entry *) ql_get(ql, qi);
     int result = callback(sbe, data);
     if (result) {
@@ -38,3 +51,18 @@ int spellbook_foreach(spellbook *sb, int (*callback)(spellbook_entry *, void *),
   }
   return 0;
 }
+
+spellbook_entry * spellbook_get(spellbook *sb, const char * name)
+{
+  quicklist *ql;
+  int qi;
+
+  for (qi = 0, ql = sb->spells; ql; ql_advance(&ql, &qi, 1)) {
+    spellbook_entry *sbe = (spellbook_entry *) ql_get(ql, qi);
+    if (strcmp(name, sbe->sp->sname)==0) {
+      return sbe;
+    }
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/kernel/spellbook.h b/src/kernel/spellbook.h
index 71eb427d2..f4724ec5b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/spellbook.h
+++ b/src/kernel/spellbook.h
@@ -24,19 +24,25 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 struct spell;
+struct quicklist;
 
 typedef struct spellbook_entry {
   struct spell * sp;
   int level;
 } spellbook_entry;
 
-typedef struct quicklist spellbook;
+typedef struct spellbook
+{
+  char * name;
+  struct quicklist * spells;
+} spellbook;
 
-spellbook * school_books[MAXMAGIETYP];
+spellbook * create_spellbook(const char * name);
 
-void spellbook_add(spellbook **sbp, struct spell * sp, int level);
+void spellbook_add(spellbook *sbp, struct spell * sp, int level);
 int spellbook_foreach(spellbook *sb, int (*callback)(spellbook_entry *, void *), void * data);
 void spellbook_free(spellbook *sb);
+spellbook_entry * spellbook_get(spellbook *sb, const char * name);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/spellbook_test.c b/src/kernel/spellbook_test.c
index c4adad24d..62d8fa5ea 100644
--- a/src/kernel/spellbook_test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/spellbook_test.c
@@ -18,23 +18,35 @@ int count_spell_cb(spellbook_entry * sbe, void * ptr)
   return 0;
 }
 
-void test_spellbook(CuTest * tc)
+void test_named_spellbooks(CuTest * tc)
 {
   spell * sp;
-  spellbook * sb = 0;
+  spellbook * sb;
   int counter = 0;
   
-  sp = create_spell("testspell", 0);
-  spellbook_add(&sb, sp, 1);
+  sb = create_spellbook("spells");
   CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sb);
+  CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "spells", sb->name);
+
+  sp = create_spell("testspell", 0);
+  spellbook_add(sb, sp, 1);
+  CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, sb->spells);
+
   spellbook_foreach(sb, count_spell_cb, &counter);
   CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, counter);
+
+#ifdef TODO
+  /* try adding the same spell twice. that should fail */
+  spellbook_add(sb, sp, 1);
+  spellbook_foreach(sb, count_spell_cb, &counter);
+  CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, counter);
+#endif
   spellbook_free(sb);
 }
 
 CuSuite *get_spellbook_suite(void)
 {
   CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
-  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_spellbook);
+  SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_named_spellbooks);
   return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
index 84fbe5b19..d8fdfd1e7 100644
--- a/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
+++ b/src/kernel/xmlreader.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ without prior permission by the authors of Eressea.
 #include "terrain.h"
 #include "skill.h"
 #include "spell.h"
+#include "spellbook.h"
 #include "calendar.h"
 
 /* util includes */
@@ -1461,6 +1462,58 @@ static int parse_equipment(xmlDocPtr doc)
   return 0;
 }
 
+static int parse_spellbooks(xmlDocPtr doc)
+{
+  xmlXPathContextPtr xpath = xmlXPathNewContext(doc);
+  xmlXPathObjectPtr spellbooks;
+
+  /* reading eressea/spells/spell */
+  spellbooks = xmlXPathEvalExpression(BAD_CAST "/eressea/spells/spellbook", xpath);
+
+  if (spellbooks->nodesetval != NULL) {
+    xmlNodeSetPtr nodes = spellbooks->nodesetval;
+    int i, k;
+
+    for (i = 0; i != nodes->nodeNr; ++i) {
+      xmlXPathObjectPtr result;
+      xmlNodePtr node = nodes->nodeTab[i];
+      xmlChar *propValue;
+      spellbook * sb;
+      
+      propValue = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "name");
+      assert(propValue != NULL);
+      sb = get_spellbook((const char *)propValue);
+      xmlFree(propValue);
+
+      xpath->node = node;
+      result = xmlXPathEvalExpression(BAD_CAST "entry", xpath);
+
+      if (result->nodesetval->nodeNr > 0) {
+        for (k = 0; k != result->nodesetval->nodeNr; ++k) {
+          xmlNodePtr node = result->nodesetval->nodeTab[k];
+          spell * sp = 0;
+          int level = xml_ivalue(node, "level", -1);
+
+          propValue = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "name");
+          if (propValue) {
+            sp = find_spell((const char *)propValue);
+            xmlFree(propValue);
+          }
+          if (sp && level>0) {
+            spellbook_add(sb, sp, level);
+          } else {
+            log_error("invalid entry at index '%d' in spellbook '%s'\n", k, sb->name);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      xmlXPathFreeObject(result);
+    }
+  }
+  xmlXPathFreeObject(spellbooks);
+  xmlXPathFreeContext(xpath);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static int parse_spells(xmlDocPtr doc)
 {
   xmlXPathContextPtr xpath = xmlXPathNewContext(doc);
@@ -1505,7 +1558,7 @@ static int parse_spells(xmlDocPtr doc)
         sp->syntax = strdup((const char *)propValue);
         xmlFree(propValue);
       }
-
+#ifdef TODO /* no longer need it, spellbooks! */
       /* magic type */
       propValue = xmlGetProp(node, BAD_CAST "type");
       assert(propValue != NULL);
@@ -1515,7 +1568,7 @@ static int parse_spells(xmlDocPtr doc)
       }
       assert(sp->magietyp != MAXMAGIETYP);
       xmlFree(propValue);
-
+#endif
       /* level, rank and flags */
       sp->level = xml_ivalue(node, "level", -1);
       sp->rank = (char)xml_ivalue(node, "rank", -1);
@@ -2332,6 +2385,7 @@ void register_xmlreader(void)
   xml_register_callback(parse_buildings);       /* requires resources */
   xml_register_callback(parse_ships);   /* requires terrains */
   xml_register_callback(parse_spells);  /* requires resources */
+  xml_register_callback(parse_spellbooks);  /* requires spells */
   xml_register_callback(parse_equipment);       /* requires spells */
   xml_register_callback(parse_races);   /* requires spells */
   xml_register_callback(parse_calendar);
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index c73b2bb18..a78268590 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@ void test_cleanup(void)
   global.functions.maintenance = NULL;
   global.functions.wage = NULL;
   default_locale = 0;
-  locales = 0; /* TODO: this is evil and leaky */
-  free_spells(); /* TODO: this is just as bad! */
+  free_locales(); /* TODO: this is evil and leaky */
+  free_spells();
+  free_spellbooks();
   free_gamedata();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/language.c b/src/util/language.c
index 917a51626..d50c55d6d 100644
--- a/src/util/language.c
+++ b/src/util/language.c
@@ -234,3 +234,23 @@ void ** get_translations(const struct locale *lang, int index)
   }
   return lstrs[0].tokens + index;
 }
+
+void free_locales(void)
+{
+  while (locales) {
+    int i;
+    locale * next = locales->next;
+
+    for (i=0; i!=SMAXHASH; ++i) {
+      while (locales->strings[i]) {
+        struct locale_str * strings = locales->strings[i];
+        free(strings->key);
+        free(strings->str);
+        locales->strings[i] = strings->nexthash;
+        free(strings);
+      }
+    }
+    free(locales);
+    locales = next;
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/util/language.h b/src/util/language.h
index e851865a0..eb7c81986 100644
--- a/src/util/language.h
+++ b/src/util/language.h
@@ -29,8 +29,9 @@ extern "C" {
 /** managing multiple locales: **/
   extern struct locale *find_locale(const char *name);
   extern struct locale *make_locale(const char *key);
+  extern void free_locales(void);
 
-/** operations on locales: **/
+  /** operations on locales: **/
   extern void locale_setstring(struct locale *lang, const char *key,
     const char *value);
   extern const char *locale_getstring(const struct locale *lang,