Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 10:57:25 -0400 () From: Greg Littmann Subject: 89 Spells Part 5 MOVEMENT MULE Regular Mule operates much like Air-Golem save that te Mule is less intelligent, but considerably stronger. The Mule can only obey very simple commands, and if a repetitive task is required, the caster will have to stand there constantly repeating instructions. The Strength of the Mule will be the skill at which the mage cast the spell multiplied by three. Thus, if Mule is known at 12, the Mule with be ST 36, whereas if Mule is known at 20, the Mule will be ST 60. As the name suggests, the Mule is most commonly used as a porter. The Mule will not attempt to move a resisting life-form. Indeed, it will not attempt to resist a life-form in any way, such as holding a door shut. The life-form's will simply drives the Mule back. Duration: 1 Hour. Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain. Time to Cast: 10 Seconds. Prerequisites: Magery 2, Apportation. UNSEEN SERVANT Regular Unseen Servant operates much like Air-Golem, with three important differences. The first is that the Unseen Servant's strength is 10 instead of 12. The second is that the Unseen Servant can change it's task as commanded. The third is that the Unseen Servant is slightly more intelligent than the Air-Golem and can be set any one program of slight complexity at any time. For example, the Unseen Servant could play a small number of tunes on a harp, or draw copies of a certain picture, or clean, fold and put away the mage's clothes. The Air-Golem can not perform any task that the caster lacks the skill to perform. Just as the caster may change the Unseen Servant's tasks at will, they may also change it's program. Duration: 1 Hour. Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain. Time to Cast: 10 seconds to cast, 3 to "program". Prerequisites: 1 Mind-Control Spell, Air Golem. Note: This spell is based on another spell in some other game somewhere. GREAT LEAP Regular For every 3 full points by which the mage makes this roll, increase the distance of a single immediate jump by the mage's original jumping distance. For example, if the mage could normally long-jump 6 feet, and makes the spell roll by 7 points, the mage would jump 18 feet. If the G.M. and players are willing to do the book-keeping, then by all means replace the "3 point per jump range" above for a smoother "1 point per third of jump range" system. Cost: 2. Prerequisites: Jumping, 3 Body Control Spells. HERO'S LEAP Regular Effects are as for Great Leap above, but multiple jumps may be made without recasting. Duration: 1 Minute. Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain. Prerequisites: Great Leap, 6 Body Control Spells. JUGGERNAUT Regular, Can be Resisted by ST + Will or IQ + Will. Juggernaut boosts the subject's speed for one second only, while simultaneously heightening their DR for that second against impact from their movement only. Thus, DR would be added if the subject ran into a wall, but not if the subject was shot with an arrow from the side. After the spell ends, the subject must roll vs DX or Acrobatics minus your encumbrance level, to remain on their feet. All momentum is lost at the end of the second, regardless of how fast the subject was going or whether they hit anything - it's magic! Hence, the subject can stop dead if they so choose, and higher speed does not give them a greater penalty to remain on their feet. An unwilling subject can resist with their choice of ST + Will or IQ + Will. A subject who is speeded by Juggernaut but has never seen the spell before, or is surprised by it, must make an IQ roll or have the amount they failed the roll by subtracted from their DX or Acrobatics when they attempt to remain on their feet. Cost: Any. For each fatigue spent, DR against the impact will go up and speed will increase. DR will go up by one for every point of fatigue spent. Movement will increase as follows. 1 point will increase Move by 1, 2 will increase it by 3, 3 by 6, 4 by 10, 5 by 15, 6 by 21 and so forth - each extra point increasing Move by a number equal to the full fatigue spent. The formulae, if it helps, is [Additional Move = {(fatigue + 1) x (fatigue / 2)}]. Prerequisites: Haste, Apportation, 3 other Movement Spells. SNIPER'S ALLEY - See under Gate Spells. LIGHTNING FLIGHT (VH) Like Hawk Flight only even faster. Subject has a move of 160! (320 mph) without encumbrance: encumbrance counts x 20 against this speed! For example, Light Encumbrance, normally -1, reduces move by 20. Subject can move and fight as normal and has a combat advantage if above his foes (see B123). Duration: 1 Minute. Base Cost: 11 to cast, 5 to maintain. Time to Cast: 4 Seconds. Prerequisites: Magery 3, Hawk Flight. STAGGER TELEPORT - See under Gate College. NECROMANCY NECROSCULPT Regular Necrosculpt allows the caster to create designer Zombies by mixing and matching parts. The necromancer simply affixes all the pieces where he wants them, and hey presto - instant abomination. Anything goes - four armed Zombie's, Zombie-Centaurs made of human and animal corpses, winged Zombie's - the sky, so to speak, is the limit. Although the parts must be initially affixed physically (sewn on, glued together, whatever), once the creature is animate, the pieces are held together by magic and do not rely on the weak bonds of stitches to keep them in place. Necrosculpt does not, itself, animate the hodge-podge the mage produces - it simply allows such a construct to be subject to the Zombie spell. On a regular failure, part or all of the Zombie will not be able to be brought under the caster's control and is liable to go bezerk. On a critical failure, some sinister spirit likes the mage's handiwork so much that it has decided to take up residence therein - let the G.M. do with that what he will. Frequently, when using this spell, it will not be clear what the exact game-effect of certain combinations should be - if you attach a hundred sparrow wings to a human zombie's back, can it fly? The G.M. must decide for themself, but I heartily recommend erring on the side of the interesting. Duration: Permanent. Time to Cast: 1 minute, multiplied by the number of corpses from which parts were taken to build the horror. Each hex worth of small creatures counts as one corpse. Cost: 4 per hex of the thing standing upright, multiplied by the number of corpses from which parts were taken to build the thing. Prerequisites: 3 Body Control Spells, Enchant, Zombie. NIGHT WATCHMAN The Necromancer must bury one or more corpses at a given site when casting this spell. From the next night on, the area will be haunted by the ghost of the deceased. The ghost will attempt to frighten away anyone who comes near, even if the deceased would have had no wish to help the caster. After a very long time (or shorter in some cases, strong will seems to help), quite a number of these ghosts stray from their mission and start to try to get people to free them. This involves either the removal or destruction of whatever they were guarding, or the removal and decent dealing with of their own remains. Unfortunately, the spirits may not speak coherently, and have such a distressing appearance and drugged manner that an attempt to attract someone's attention is liable only to frighten them away. The very knowledge that an area is haunted is usually enough to keep people away in the daytime as well. If an area is dark during the day, the Night Watchman will be as visible and audible as at night. By the way, if the remains of the Night Watchman are within whatever is being guarded, then removal involves removing one from another, not just moving them both to some new location. The Night Watchman does no actual damage. The distance it can move from it's body is the skill of the spell in feet. Some particularly nasty Necromancers will cast Night Watchman on a corpse purely as an act of revenge. "So, you thought you would steal from me? Why don't you guard this stone in the middle of the desert for the next eternity? Bye". Time to Cast: 30 mins per body. Cost: 10 per body or 15 for a body part as small as a hand or 20 for a body part as small as a tooth. Prerequisites: Magery 1, Summon Spirit. SENTINEL As Night Watchman, save that the ghost becomes a Skull Spirit and thus can inflict damage. Time to Cast: 1 Hour per body. Cost: 50 per body or 60 for body part as small as a hand or 70 for a body part as small as a tooth. Prerequisites: Magery 2, Night Watchman, Skull Spirit. RECONSTRUCT BRAIN (VH) Regular Reconstruct Brain requires the use of one dead body. The body must be Zombified and not undergoing decomposition - Reverse Putrescence is the most common method. Each casting of the spell can increase the Zombie's IQ by 1, until the old Maximum IQ is reached. The power of speech and the storehouse of very general information (language, walking, table- manners) will soon return. However, the subject will remain amnesiac about personal details - although a few odd memories may filter through where the G.M. thinks it interesting. The rekindling of old emotional attachments can be particularly dramatically satisfying. Mental skills, apart from languages and social skills, will not return, and must be relearned. All physical and mental advantages and disadvantages will re-emerge after reconstruction, whether the caster wishes them to or not. This includes Magical Aptitude and Psionic Power. All such reconstructed persons will be subject to melancholia, although usually only at a quirk level. This is because deep down they sense that something is not right. This spell does not give the caster control over the Zombie, and the old Control Zombie spell will not work on a corpse with a reconstructed brain. Duration: Permanent. Time to Cast: 8 hours. Cost: 15. Prerequisites: Magery 3, Reverse Putrescence, 4 Mind Control Spells. TOUCH OF DECAY (VH) Special Touch of Decay requires the caster to touch the subject - armour and clothing do not protect. The subject gets two chances to escape the effect of the spell. The first is a quick contest between the mage's skill with the spell and the subjects HT. If the subject wins, then they come to no harm. If the subject looses, they must roll again against their HT, -1 for each 4 levels over 10 at which the mage knows the spell. If the subject succeeds, they are merely physically stunned. If the subject fails, they die then and there. Only they don't know it, because they have also been raised as undead at the same time. Rot won't set in for HT days, but set in it will - and it will probably be quite a shock to the unfortunate victim. Duration: Permanent. Time to Cast: 4 Seconds. Cost: 10. Prerequisites: Death Touch, Reverse Putrefaction. PLAGUE (VH) Resisted by HT or IQ. This spell inflicts the subject with a disease, as does Pestilence, but the victim is immediately chronically ill with the disease. That is, immediate boils, open sores, nausea, blindness, whatever is appropriate for an advanced case of the disease in question (G.M.s decision, although the subject should not be so sick that they will immediately die, and it should be noted that contrary to popular belief, leprosy does not immediately make one's limbs drop off). This is a great spell for intimidating the hell out of people. Time to Cast: 30 Seconds Duration: Permanent until cured or death. Cost: 8 Prerequisites: Magery 3, 1 Spell from 10 Collages other than Necromancy, Pestilence. PLANT COLLEGE PHOTOSYNTHESIS This spell allows the mage to take sustenance directly from sunlight. 1 hour in bright sunlight is equal to a meal. If the sky is well- overcast, two hours are required. If the sky is darkly overcast, four hours or more might be required. If the mage also knows Plant Form other, the spell may be cast on another. Time to Cast: 30 Seconds. Duration: 1 Hour. Cost: 3. Prerequisites: Plant Form, Darkness or Shade. CROP POISONING Area This makes any food made from these crops poisonous as under Food Poisoning. Base Cost: 3 Time to Cast: 30 Seconds Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Magery 1, Wither Plant, Food Poisoning. LETHAL CROP POISONING (VH) Area This makes any food made from these crops poisonous as under Lethal Food Poisoning. Base Cost: 4 Time to Cast: 1 Minute Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Magery 2, Crop Poisoning. GRADUAL LETHAL CROP POISONING (VH) Area This makes any food made from these crops poisonous as under Gradual Lethal Food Poisoning. Base Cost: 5 Time to Cast: 2 Minutes Duration: Permanent Prerequisites: Magery 3, Lethal Crop Poisoning. TAKE ROOT Regular. Resisted by IQ Although the caster may cast this spell on himself or on another, it is more common to use it against a foe. The subject feet transform into roots which are stuck in the ground. A ST-2 roll is required to remove them, or ten minutes to dig them out, but even then, maximum speed will be 1 for the duration of the spell. Time to Cast: 3 Seconds. Duration: 1 Hour. Cost: 4 to cast, 2 to maintain. There are certain options. 1. For every extra point of energy expended towards this effect, the roots become more extensive, and there is a -1 to the ST roll. 2. For a basic cost of 6, the caster may make the subjects hands also become branches, making it impossible to dig oneself out, and making all manual dexterity skills function at -5 (or worse if appropriate). The caster cannot effect hands without effecting feet. 3. For a basic cost of 8, the caster may cause the feet to take root, and let this effect last until they decide to turn it off (if they ever do). If the caster wishes, the subject may survive on the sustenance gained by the roots. 4. For a basic cost of 10, both hands and feet are transformed until the caster decides to turn it off (if they ever do). If the caster wishes, the subject may survive on the sustenance gained by the roots. Prerequisites: Magery 2, Alter Body, Plantform Other. PROTECTION AND WARNING ELECTRIC IRON ARM Blocking This spell may be cast simultaneously with Iron Arm, and only simultaneously with Iron Arm. The mage must declare, when casting Iron Arm, whether they wish to cast Electric Iron Arm as well. If Iron Arm fails, so does Electric Iron Arm, although not vice versa. When the mage parries a metal weapon, electrical damage is done to the wielder of the weapon to the amount of the mages punching damage score - bypassing all non-metallic DR. If the weapon has a wooden handle, then Electric Iron Arm has no effect, though the fatigue will still be spent. If the wielder is wearing metal gloves, then, baring a wooden handle, there will always be at least one point of damage inflicted. Cost: 1 Prerequisites: Iron Arm, Shocking Touch. IMMUNITY TO POISON (VH) Blocking When poison enters the mage's system, they have the option, prior to any damage being taken, of casting this spell as a blocking spell. Duration: Permanent. Time to Cast: Instant. Cost: 10 per hex of creature. Prerequisites: Detect Poison, Instant Neutralize Poison. SOUND SONAR INVISIBILITY This spell is tailor made for those times when you don't want sonar users to know that you are there. Sure you can blast them with noise, or hide in silence, but either of those give the game away - they know you are somewhere around here. This one is more subtle. Duration: 1 Minute. Time to Cast: 3 Seconds. Cost: 2 to cast, 1 to maintain. Prerequisites: Sound Vision and Silence. ENERGY ABSORB ATTACK Blocking The mage uses this spell to absorb some of the energy from an attack and use it as fatigue. This spell does not protect the mage from damage. The attack must strike the mage in order for this spell to be useful. Much less energy can be absorbed if the attack does no damage to the mage. If the attacttack, such as a mace-blow or a Stone Missile spell, then the mage may regain fatigue equal to half the damage he takes, rounded down. If the attack is a kinetic cutting or impaling attack, then calculate the fatigue that can be regained as if there were no cutting or impaling bonus. If the attack is a fire attack, then fatigue regained will be equal to the full amount of damage received. If the attack is an electrical attack, Sun Bolt, or generic "energy" attack, the fatigue regained will be equal to the full amount of damage received plus one for every three full points taken. If an attack hits the mage, but does not damage for whatever reason (DR, Protection spell), then some fatigue may still be regained. A kinetic attack will give 1 point of fatigue per three dice of damage or parts thereof. A fire attack will give 1 point of fatigue per two dice of damage or parts thereof. An electrical, Sun Bolt, or generic "energy" attack will give 1 point of fatigue per dice of damage of part thereof. At the end of the turn, any fatigue in excess of the mage's maximum is lost - although it may be spent before then. Cost: None. Prerequisites: 1 Body Control Spell, 1 Earth Spell, 1 Fire Spell, 1 Lightning Spell, 1 Energy Spell, Recover Strength.