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Spells; Protection from Astral Travel, Resurrections, Scrying and Divinations in General

author: Ruemere (Ruemere)
email: ruemere (maupa) gmail (kropka) com
date: 2002-07-02
status: idea

The rationale behind these spell proposals is as follows:

It is very easy for medium level (9-12) parties to defeat legendary figures of almost any level, as concentrated resources of such groups allow for locating and, subsequently, hitting for hundreds of hitpoints within one round. So, in order to protect kings and queens, crime bosses and church patriarchs without need to resort to direct divine interventions, artifacts or very costly spells, the following ideas for affordable solutions are presented.

Any comments are welcome as the ideas are yet to be playtested.

Notes

Arcane: any arcane spellcaster. Divine: any divine spellcaster.

Must be learnt: the spell, while available to Divine spellcasters, does not belong to those automatically granted by gods and still must be learnt in the same way Sorcerers and Bards do (i.e. Spellcraft check at difficulty 15 plus spell level). Such spells are taught by deities and divine spell spellcasters at the request of the spellcaster, as their unwarranted usage might be used against agents of the deity.

Ladri's Astral Discontinuity

Abjuration
Level: Arcane 5 / Divine 5 (must be learnt), requires Brew Potion feat to cast.
Components: V, S, M.
Casting Time: 1 action per corridor or chamber protected (or per walk normal, nonmagical, movement rate - whichever is less).
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. / 2 levels), larger rooms require more actions and count as more than one area.
Target: One corridor or room per level.
Duration: 1 month / level.
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) for target areas or Will (see below) for intruders.
Spell Resistance: None.

The caster walks through areas targeted by the spell effect infusing them with a portion of his essence while concentrating on erecting barriers between his plane and the Astral Plane.

The protection granted by the spell extends one feet deep beyond all surfaces of all protected areas.

Anyone trying to enter areas protected by such spells from Astral plane must make a successfull Will save or be bounced away as per Similar Area result on Teleport table (PHB, p. 264). Individuals travelling together must make Will saves separately using their own saves or the spellcaster who cast travel spell.

Components: The spellcaster mixes a portion of his own blood with water creating a raw potion material (required time: 1 minute, cost: 1 temporary point of Constitution per casting). During the spellcasting he sacrifices a portion of his own essence (10 xp points per chamber or room to be protected) sprinkling with the potion all chosen areas.

Ladri's Scrying Bane

The caster walks through areas targeted by the spell effect infusing them with a portion of his essence while concentrating on one image (typical images include white noise, brick walls, water surface).

The protection granted by the spell extends one feet deep beyond all surfaces of all protected areas.

Anyone trying to scry the protected areas (or trying to use any other spells which allow to view them from afar, including attempting to see them through someone else's eyes) will receive caster's predesigned image instead.

Belsameth's Caress of Thousand Years

Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Divine 6 (must be learnt).
Components: V, S, M.
Casting Time: 1 hour.
Range: Touch.
Target: One weapon.
Duration: 1 month / level.
Saving Throw: None.
Spell Resistance: Yes.

This spell, developed by devoted followers of Belsameth in cooperation with a powerful Vangal patriarch, provides means with which assassins ensure that their victims do not return to the land of the living unless a deity intervenes directly (see True Resurrection spell description, PHB, p. 267).

The spell is cast upon any weapon. Once cast, it remains active until either discharged or its duration runs its course.

The spell effect takes place as soon as any creature is dealt a killing blow by the weapon (killing blow means bringing a creature to -10 or less in case of mortals and 0 in case of elementals and undead).

The spell effect causes the creature to instantly age a thousand years. There is no save allowed as the effect takes place in the split second the creature expires.

Components: The caster invokes his deity to channel energy into the weapon. The subsequent drain causes severe physical strain (1 temporary point of Constitution damage) and requires a portion of caster's essence (2000 xp). The deity's name need not be Belsameth, though both most Neutral and Good deities would require a very good reason for allowing to cast this spell (subject to GM discretion).

Shrouding the Past

Abjuration
Level: Arcane 9.
Components: V, S, M.
Casting Time: 1 night.
Range: Touch.
Target: One creature.
Duration: 1 year / level or until dismissed by spell caster or recipient (special, see below).
Saving Throw: Will.
Spell Resistance: Yes.

This spell allows to block all and any attempts to divine anything about target individual's past for a period of individual's life specified at the time of the casting. The Wish and Miracle spells could allow to overcome this effect provided a successfull Will save is made by a Wish or Miracle caster and the caster's pays the associated Wish or Miracle costs.

The spell, though extremely effective, takes its toll both upon its target and its caster.

The spell recipient, upon successful casting of this spell, forgets immediately about being this spell, and if reminded, will forget about it again after one hour. Once per year the recipient must make a Will safe or forget one year of memories from the protected period (represented by loss of 500xp per level). The memory lost that way can be regained only by dismissing the spell and spending in quiet contemplation one day per year of spell duration - even then the target wins back only the half of lost experience.

The spell caster must pay 1000 xp at the time of the casting of the spell and a 100 xp per year to maintain. Caster's death causes the spell to expire at the end of the year.

Components: A place of power for the spell to be cast within.