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A couple dozen Glantrian spells

by Markus Olavi Montola

Gratitude for these Glantrian dweomers go to my players.

Giverny Vingot (978-1000), an Averoignian werewolf-mage, who died betrayed by his friends as they found out he was a werewolf.

Dal-Kher Virayana (980-), a Krondaharian generalist mage, believing in diplomacy and politics instead of 'nuking them till they glow'.

Sire Halfar Erewan (1002-), an Erewan elf, adopted in 1002 by Carlotina Erewan. No one knows from where he came, as there exists absolutely no records of his past. He worked in the Glantri City as an emissary from Darokin until he got fired accused of murder of Alphatian wizard in Darokin 1004.

Baron Valentino of Ylourgne (978-), a Klantyrian mage, who was latter known as kin of the Shadow Elves. His eventful life begun from being a son of a traitor, raising eventually to holding the barony of Ylourgne.

Sire Halfar's Noise
Level: 1
Range: 0
Duration: 20min
AoE: 15m radius

The caster can make any sounds come from the borders of the radius, like distant music, crowd speaking, horses galloping... Only people within hear the sounds, the noise cannot be loud enough to prevent conversation inside.

Sire Halfar's Elven Form
Level: 1
Range: touch
Duration: 6h
AoE: one elf or human

The Elven Form can only be cast on unresisting elf or human. The caster may create an illusion changing the appearance of the target of any kind of elves he knows. So, he could make a Belcadizian appear a Shiye elf, or a Karameikan appear a Shadow Elf or a Schattenalf appear an Erewan, and so on. The spell changes ears, pattern of skin and eyes, but does not make the target unrecognisable -- Stefan Karameikos the Shadow Elf will be recognised as himself. The voice of the target is not changed.

Sire Halfar's Distraction
Level: 1
Range: 25m
Duration: special
AoE: one person

Distraction puts the target (who gets no saving throw) into a trance-like state, he does not notice this spell cast on him. While this spell is in effect, he can only see things usual to him or directly dangerous. He can see his son walking on the street, and a crossbow pointed at him on point blank range, but not a horde of orcs passing by a gate he is guarding. Loud noise, direct attack or anything that would awake a sleeping person dispels the distraction.

Sire Halfar's Fake Sickness
Level: 1
Range: 10m
Duration: 12h
AoE: 1 person

The target of the spell is deluded to think he has gotten ill. The caster may produce any weakish symptoms of any known diseases, from nausea to tickling and from high temperature to constant sneezing. These effects do not game technically hinder the victim, but can be very unpleasant. The target is allowed to save vs. spells to cancel the effects of Fake Sickness.

Tracking Spell
Level: 1
Range: 50m
Duration: 1h / level
AoE: a mark with 1' diameter.

Tracking Spell creates a small but visible bright red mark on target's skin or clothes. The mark cannot be removed without cutting it away, but if cast on skin, the target is allowed a save vs. spells. The caster knows the exact location of the mark as long as they are on a same plane of existence. The target never notices when the Tracking Spell is cast on him -- even if he makes his saving throw.

Photograph
Level: 1
Range: touch
Duration: instantaneous
AoE: 8' * 8' cm picture

Target piece of parchment 'catches' the rays of light hitting it perpendicularly. In effect, taking a photo. There is no need for flashlight, but the caster should take care that the parchment is straight when taking a photo. Practice makes perfect with this spell.

Don Alfonse's Cloak of Shadows
Level: 1
Range: 0
Duration: special
AoE: self

Cloak of Shadows protects caster from being seen (normally or with infravision), if he is in shadows or behind even a small object (like crouched behind a chair). He must stay still or he is visible. The spell lasts until the caster is hit by direct sunlight or the spell is dispelled with Light or Dispel Magic.

Dal-Kher's Puddle of Glue
Level: 1
Range: 10y
Duration: 2 minutes
AoE: 10 square yards

The spell creates a free-formed puddle of glue, looking like water. It may be cast directly underneath a person or an object. Everything touching the glue (or running into it) is stuck hard into it. The person who is standing in the puddle can be torn free with combined strength +d10 of 26, but it is much harder to free someone laying in the glue.

Dal-Kher's Counterspell
Level: 1
Range: 50m
Duration: Instantaneous
AoE: one spell

Counters one spell cast by someone. The Counterspell may be cast at the same moment the counterspeller SEES someone beginning a spell -- he must know that spell is coming. The Counterspell only works on wizard spells, not clerical (etc.) magic or magic items.

The chance of success is seen from the following table (caster being the counterer).


spell level
Caster Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1-5 3 3 4 5 6 - - - -
6-10 2 3 3 4 5 6 - - -
11-15 2 3 3 4 5 6 7 - -
16-20 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 -
21-25 2 2 3 3 4 6 6 6 6
26-30 1 2 2 3 3 5 6 6 6
31-35 1 1 2 2 3 5 6 6 6
36 1 1 1 2 3 5 6 6 6

The success is rolled on d6.

Dal-Kher's Hypnosis
Level: 1
Range: 10'
Duration: 10min + 1min/level
AoE: 1-4 persons

The targeted intelligent humanoids, who fail the saving throw vs. spell, become very easily pursuable by this spell. If the spell is targeted on a single target meeting the caster's gaze, he rolls save with -2 modifier, but if the targets suspect something or are wary towards the caster, the DM may adjust the save for their favour. Targets making their saves know that the caster tried to enchant them, but the caster does not know that his spell failed.

Dal-Kher's Vomit
Level: 1
Range: 100y
Duration: Instantaneous
AoE: 1 person

The target's stomach is instantaneously emptied in a rather vulgar way. He is unable to do anything on the round the spell hit him, and is too weak to do anything on the next round either. His strength is temporarily lowered by six, but he regains one point on every subsequent round. If the target has 9 HD, he is allowed a save vs. spells. This spell has no effect on ingested potions, but against alchemical or natural poisons it may have an effect.

Dal-Kher's Propeller
Level: 1
Range: touch
Duration: 2 min or 1h
AoE: one propeller

This spell creates a force field in a shape of propeller, with 30cm diameter. It can be attached or detached from any non-living surface during the duration. It can be used with full power (for 2 minutes), giving an aquatic vessel propulsion for reaching 40mph speed, or with economic settings (for an hour) giving 15mph speed. It weighs 10lbs, so it cannot be used as a weapon, but it can be used as a hybrid of a chainsaw and an axe, for cutting trees etc.

Dal-Kher's Glamour
Level: 1
Range: 10m
Duration: 1h / 12h
AoE: 1-10 persons, within 20 square feet / level of caster

Glamour gives its all targets a glamorous aura, keeping their hairdo fine and ties straight, making jewellery glitter and keeping their makeup good. The spell only affects the persons as long as they are on designated area, which is also given a dim lighting. If a target leaves the area, and then re-enters it again, the spell is returned and works on him again. Within the area, the caster can create infinite minute cantrips concerning lights, illusions, shadows and auras. If anyone on the area opposes the spell, it wears off in an hour, otherwise it lasts for 12 hours.

Dal-Kher's Nobility Enhancement Enchantment
Level: 1
Range: 25y
Duration: 1h
AoE: 1 being

This spell gives the target four points of Cha, with the identical restrictions to the Dexterity Enhancement Enchantment, and it's reverse (Dal-Kher's Uglity Utterance) drops target's Cha by four points, as the Anti-Agility Aura).

Sir Valentino's Partial Paralysation
Level: 1
Range: 200y
Duration: varies
AoE: 1 arm or leg

This spell paralyses one caster-chosen arm or leg of the target. Target is not allowed a save vs. spells, but on every subsequent round, he gets a save -4 to regain the control of his arm. The arm doesn't feel anything on do anything while the spell is in effect. Works only on man-sized creatures arms, legs and wings.

Sir Valentino's Manhole
Level: 1
Range: touch
Duration: 1h
AoE: 6' deep and 4' wide manhole

Manhole creates an illusion-covered trap hole on ground. The spell affects only natural landscape, not paved streets or marketplaces. The hole forms slowly (10s), so anyone standing on the area of effect may easily jump away. The illusion does not vanish as someone touches it, but the people in the manhole can see through it. After the spell ends, it fixes the landscape as it was before the spell, and anyone still trapped in the manhole is freed.

Sir Valentino's Warmth
Level: 1
Range: touch
Duration: 5h
AoE: 1 target

Sir Valentino's Warmth protects one man-sized creature or object from natural coldness, keeping his body temperature in 36 Celsius degrees. Unwilling target (this spell would be lethal to many creatures) is allowed a saving throw. Warmth protects also against magical coldness, reducing d6 points of cold damage every round.

Sir Valentino's Fly-Form
Level: 2
Range: 0
Duration: 1h
AoE: the caster

Fly-Form changes the caster into a fly. The transformation takes one round after casting the spell, during which the caster can do absolutely nothing (even defend himself). The objects carried are infused into his new form. If caster is damaged in any way during the transformation or after it, he reverts to normal form, taking still the damage from the strike. The flying speed of a Fly-Formed mage is about twice his walking speed. In addition, the Fly-Form gives the caster an invisibility to relatively small birds and frogs.

Sir Valentino's Field of Protection
Level: 2
Range: 0
Duration: 1min
AoE: the caster

This spell creates a faintly glittering ellipsoid-shaped field around its caster. It protects against physical damage for two points for every level of the caster. It does not help against magic (except magical weapons), acid, heat, suffocation... After absorbing the damage, the spell ends. In addition, if the caster is damaged with magic, the spell is weakened -- if he gets on a way of a Fireball, both he and his field are devastated.

Sir Valentino's Life and Death
Level: 2
Range: touch
Duration: 1 round
AoE: 1 living target.

This spell drains target's life force (hit points) transferring them to the caster. On the first round, the Life and Death must be cast, and it takes its effects on the next round. On the next round, the caster must touch the victim (armour does not protect against the spell). If he scores a hit, he drains d10 points plus a point per caster level hit points to himself, save for half. Only one of these spells can heal the caster every day, and it doesn't regrow limbs or do anything similar.

Sir Valentino's Earth-Staff
Level: 2
Range: touch
Duration: varies
AoE: 1 earth-staff

Earth-Staff transforms a piece of stone into a stone quarterstaff +2. It retains its form as long as the caster touches it physically. If the caster lets it go for more than five minutes, it turns back into a piece of rock.

Seal
Level: 2
Range: touch
Duration: until broken
AoE: coin-sized seal

This spell creates a little wax seal, bearing any symbols the caster wishes. The spell ends when the seal is broken or dispelled or enters anti-magic spell. Also, the spell ends if the object it protects is cut or destroyed. When this happens, the caster knows the seal has been broken, and magically sees the face of the person who broke the seal. The range is unlimited.

Dal-Kher's Fishform
Level: 2
Range: 0
Duration: 1h
AoE: self

Fishform changes the caster into a 1/2' long fish. The transformation takes one round after casting the spell, during which the caster can do absolutely nothing (even defend himself). The objects carried are infused into his new form. If caster is damaged in any way during the transformation or after it, he reverts to normal form, taking still the damage from the strike. The swimming speed of a Fishformed mage is about 1,5 times his walking speed. In addition, the Fishform gives the caster an invisibility to relatively small fish and birds.

Sire Halfar's Crumble
Level: 2
Range: 10m
Duration: instantaneous
AoE: 30cm cube

Crumble crumbles a cube of non-living matter. The matter is crumbled into pieces, that can be fixed with adaldite and patience, as the Ming-vase would be a really hard puzzle to put back together. The crumbled cube can be a piece of larger object. Magical matter is affected in no way by this spell.

Sire Halfar's Swiftsword
Level: 2
Range: touch
Duration: 2 rounds / level
AoE: one sword

Swiftsword gives a specially crafted Belcadizian sword a glittering field making it weightless, quick and excellently sharp. Practically the wielder fights as with one level higher weapon mastery. This spell does not enhance fighting abilities of a master or a grandmaster swordsman. Works only on specially crafted Belcadizian rapiers.

Sire Halfar's Spell Armour
Level: 2
Range: 0
Duration: 6h
AoE: caster

Spell Armour creates a glittering, oval protective field to the target. The field slows any hits directed at the caster, practically enhancing his AC by two points. Spell Armour is cumulative with armour, other protective spells and magic armour. Spell Armour only affects physical damage.

Sire Halfar's Gremlins
Level: 3
Range: 20m
Duration: 5min
AoE: one person

The spell creates one little humanoid for every two levels of the caster, up to five humanoids. These 5-10cm tall humanoids appear on victim, walking on him as it was level ground. These creatures attack the victim with everything from chainsaws, mauls and drills to little explosives and boiling liquids. Every gremlin makes d3 points of damage every round, and the target's attack and dexterity rolls and AC are modified by -1 for every active gremlin. The gremlins can be killed with a successful modified dexterity check -- while fighting, this gives a further -4 modifier to attacks. The victim can also roll on the ground full-time, thus getting an unmodified DEX check against the gremlins. In addition, every kind of damage (drowning, suffocation, dragon breath...) kills gremlins. Also, they fear lots of things, among which fire, darkness, arachnids, being eaten...

Sire Halfar's Swift Travel
Level: 3
Range: touch
Duration: 6h tai 5min
AoE: one person

The Swift Travel can be cast two ways. First one, 'the Charles Chaplin Mode', triples the target's walking and running speeds for six hours, without tiring any more than when walking ordinarily. Alternatively, he can use 'the Maniac Mode', where his running speed is multiplied by ten for five minutes. The latter has absolutely no safety measures, so the person running 100 metres in a few seconds is in real trouble when controlling himself. The Maniac Mode also turns the character into a glowing line when he runs.

Dal-Kher's Boxing Glove
Level: 3
Range: 10y / 350y
Duration: 10min (special)
AoE: 1 force-fist 1' long and 1/2' wide

The spell creates a visible Boxing Glove, which hits with the caster's THAC0, but counts as a +5 weapon to hit. The fist strikes once in a round, up to five times. The first four hits cause d6+2 points of damage each, and range of these is 10y. The final strike comes really hard, up to the maximum range, causing 3d6 points of damage. In addition to damage, the target is blown 3d10 yards to direction chosen by the caster, usually falling or hitting something for d6 more points of damage. After this, the victim must save vs. paralysation or be unable to act for one round. The Final Strike may be used before the first strikes, but the fist dissipates after it.

Dal-Kher's Dexterity Enhancement Enchantment
Level: 3
Range: 25y
Duration: 1h
AoE: one creature

This spell enhances target's reflexes and agility, raising his Dex with 6 points (within racial limits), but no more than doubling it. The spell has also reversed form, Dal-Kher's Anti-Agility Aura, lowering target's dexterity, halving it at best. This also functions only within racial limitations. Target with 9 HD can save vs. spell to halve the spell's effects.

Dal-Kher's Gigantisation
Level: 3
Range: 0
Duration: d20h
AoE: self

The first result of researching the Strength Strengthening Spell produced Dal-Kher's Gigantisation. This spell usually raises the caster's Strength and Constitution by d8 points, over the racial limits. In addition, the caster grows 10 percent for each point added to both, thus growing 10%-80%. Every time the spell is used, there is a one in ten chance of the spell being cast reversed, thus reducing Str and Con (into the minimum of one), and diminishing the caster. This spell cannot be ended by the caster except by using Dispel Magic or similar spell, and Gigantisation usually destroys the clothes of the mage.

Giverny's Ice Sphere
Level: 3
Range: 0
Duration: 1h
AoE: 10' radius

Ice Sphere looks like a glittering light blue sphere around the caster. Everything within, is frozen to -10 degrees nearly instantaneously, this makes one point of damage per round to everyone, including the caster. Thick fur or arctic clothing protect against the spell. The caster may walk on water, which freezes under him as he goes on.

Sir Valentino's Body Control
Level: 3
Range: 200y
Duration: varies
AoE: 1-4 limbs

The victim of this spell must roll four saving throws (-4) against this spell, one for every limb. Limbs failing their saving throws are under caster's control until they manage their saves; every round victim gets a saving throw (-4), and if successful, regain control of one limb. Limbs targeted by this spell are immune to pain, and can potentially be very distracting!

Sir Valentino's Chasm
Level: 4
Range: touch
Duration: 2 hours
AoE: one chasm 10' wide and d8x10 yards long

Sir Valentino's Chasm must be cast on naturally formed terrain; fortifications and pavements prevent functioning of this spell. It is 10 feet wide at the top and 6 feet wide at the bottom, 10 feet deep and d8x10 yards long. Everyone on the way of the Chasm must roll dexterity, if successful, they manage to jump away from it's way before they fall in. The caster must touch the beginning of the chasm, but can give it any form he wishes. The chasm is magically reinforced so it can not be dug conventionally. When the spell ends, the terrain reforms itself, looking again exactly as it was before.

Dal-Kher's Strength Strengthening Spell
Level: 5
Range: 25y
Duration: 2h / 30s
AoE: one creature

The first way of casting this spell gives nine points of strength to target, as the Dexterity Enhancement Enchantment, or if reversed (Dal-Kher's Weakening Ward) reduces it as the Anti-Agility Aura. In addition, there is a third way of casting this spell; giving target strength of a giant (25) for half minute.

Étienne d'Ambrevilles' Anchor
Level: 5
Range: 50 miles, line of sight
Duration: max 6h / level
AoE: two non-living objects.

This spell must be targeted to two separate objects, one of which must be larger than three elephants (could be as large as Mystara itself), and the other smaller than one cubic yard. As long as the spell is in effect, virtually nothing can move the objects relative to one another. If one is moved, the other moves respectively. This can be very interesting when calculating momentum with a 50 miles long lever. The caster may not cancel this spell at will, but may choose the duration when casting the spell. This spell is not affected by Dispel Magic or Anti-Magic Shell (or similar spells), the effect should be considered non-magical in every way, until the duration ends.

Sire Halfar's Understanding
Level: 5
Range: 0
Duration: 10min / level
AoE: self

This spell grants the caster all the knowledge from a single book, with the ability to Understand the principles of the lore. For example, a high-school caster Understanding a college math book, would be able to solve complex mathematical equations. If someone who never studied any math Understood the same book, he could make very complex equations, but could not solve them because the book doesn't go to the basics. When the duration lapses, the learned lore is forgotten quickly. Sire Halfar showed sometimes surprising ability in tactics, taxation procedures and Darokinian diplomacy, and in his elder days he was nearly always seen a book in a hand, but never reading them. Prolonged use of this spell causes madness.