Oaksteel, the spell
by Bruce HeardFor those of you who want to use the
oaksteel spell. Here's a proposed spell description.
Oaksteel
Spell Level: 4th (wizard), 3rd (druidic)
Range: 10'
Area of Effect: 100cn (10 Lb) per level of the caster
Duration: Permanent
Save: None (except magical objects)
Oaksteel magic turns non-living wood material into steel,
giving it the normal weight and resistance of steel. It is in every
other respect hard wood. Enchanted objects made of wood are immune
to this spell. Transformed objects give off no magical aura and the
effects cannot be dispelled. The number of items and their nature
have an effect on the complexity of the magic and therefore level
requirements for the caster. As a fourth level spell, the basic
oaksteel spell requires a 7th level caster, with the following
adjustments:
Single Item: no change
Multiple Items: +2 Exp. Levels
-- All Items are Identical: -1 Exp. Level
-- Half or less are different: no change
-- More than half are different: +1 Exp. Level
No Complexity: no change
Average Complexity: +1 Exp. Level
High Complexity: +2 Exp. Level
Moving Parts: +1 Exp. Level
No Complexity: simple items and their variations like mostly
featureless cubes, cylinders, disks, spherical objects, rings, or
any rough, unworked wood. This includes simple construction
material such as planks, beams, doors, slats, etc.
Average Complexity: Items like the ones described above, but
with special features like holes, notches, surface carvings, etc. A
wood panel with some carvings, a chest plate with some decorative
features, a typical coin, a sword of simple design and its hilt,
and so forth, would fit in this category. The natural grain of the
wood itself or its original leaves do not count as an intricate
design pattern because of the nature of the spell, and therefore
can fit in this category.
High Complexity: Includes items with complicated shapes such
as keys, gears, a helmet, three-dimensional sculptures of animals
or persons, and any item with unusually intricate decoration
patterns. Use your best judgement for anything else.
Moving parts: This would include items intended to be part
of some mechanism (a lock, a clock, articulated armour parts like
knees, elbows, skirt, etc.
Comments: To transform a stack of average coins, one would
need to be 9th level (multiple items, all identical, and average
complexity). That wizard could affect 900 coins with one spell. One
the other hand, the Wendarian coins feature unusually intricate
carvings, which then bumps the spellcasting experience to 10th
level (but 1,000 coins are then affected). A set of three unusually
ornate, automatons -- if made of wood in the first place -- would
require a 13th level wizard, assuming each automaton weighed no
more than 43 1/3 pounds each.
Now, how much does that weigh in Wendarian terms? Lessee... A
total of two logs and thirty baskets, or three times forty three
baskets, a fruit, a pinch, and just under a sigh! :o)
***
Comments regarding levels are welcome since I adlibbed this
entirely. I'm assuming Robrenn druids could cast oaksteel as
a 3rd level druidic spell (so could Wendar druids). Using special
woods is of course a very good suggestion. This means that these
precious trees are growing in various areas of the nation. They
would have to be protected by druids, and only dead wood would be
harvested. Druids may be willing to help out with the oaksteel
spells, in exchange for protection of these woods and removal of
the dead trees. The location of these woods would be kept secret
from the population. This also reminds me of an event described in
AC1013 Almanac (Joshuan's) about a fire breaking out in one of
Wendar's forests. This could be a problem! It's obviously a good
idea to dip the coins into some unique finish that would both
protect the coins (not much could affect them anyway) and give them
special coloration.