Spiritual Objective - the Spell
by Carl QuaifThe following is a spell I created and attributed to the Alphatian Wizard Vorbiant (creator of Vorbiant's Rings); it's the means by which he enchanted a portion of his spirit into one of them. This post will be followed by one containing three items enchanted by casting this spell.
-
Spiritual Objective
Level: 8
Range: touch
Duration: permanent
Effect: binds portion of spirit into object This spell was created by the long-dead Alphatian Wizard, Vorbiant; it has the distinction of being one of the few Vorbiant-written spells to survive his passing. Spiritual Objective was believed lost for decades, until a scroll bearing the spell was discovered in Qeodhar, of all places, in 1009 AC. "Liberated" from King Norlan's clutches in 1011 by Xalus, a Wizard of Floating Ar, Vorbiant's legacy has now been safely transcribed into several spellbooks. Copies of the spell may be found in the libraries of Floating Ar and Aquas, as well as the private collections of several high-level Magi.
The purpose of the spell is to provide some form of sentience - or at least a guiding/guarding presence of some kind - when enchanting magical objects. Designed by its creator at the end of his long life, this spell was used by him to create Vorbiant's Ring, a potent Ring of Spell Storing (see "Vorbiant's Rings" for details), as well as several other items. Spiritual Objective requires a physical object as a focus; this can be anything, but should be a portable item - jewellery is often used, for both aesthetic and quality reasons. This may or may not already be a magical item, depending on whether the bound spirit is supposed to be an integral part of the enchantment. The item to be used should be of excellent quality, worth no less than 7,500 gp (otherwise the spell might fail, destroying the item in the process).
The "donor" of the spiritual essence must be alive - or at least dead for no longer than an hour - when the spell is cast. The item is placed on the donor's heart (if it has one) during the casting; the donor begins to glow softly, then that aura flows into the item, before fading. If the donor is a living being, they suffer 1d6+2 damage from the transfer, which may be healed by normal rest (not by curative magics); if dead, casting this spell give a -2 chance to any future Raise Dead attempts unless the enchanted item is present.
The results of this spell can vary widely, depending on the wording used when casting and the intentions of the caster; The essence might be capable of manifesting itself as a ghost of some sort, or might be restricted to mere communication. The abilities of the spirit also vary, depending on what power and knowledge they had when alive and what other magic was incorporated into the item. If desired, the spell may be cast several times on the same object, incorporating several different spirits.
Like many magics, this spell is not inherently good or bad, but casting it upon an unwilling subject is considered an Evil act. Aware of the possibility of abuse, Vorbiant placed a trap within the spell, causing those who used it in that way to run the risk of becoming the target themselves. If Spiritual Objective is cast against the subject's will, roll 1d20 for both caster and target; if the scores are more than five points apart, the being with the lower score is sucked into the item, leaving their body as a soulless husk. If the scores are within five points of each other, however, the spell fails.