The Pattern of Gallant Commerce: This magic item appears to be nothing more than a common set of sewing patterns. If the instructions are followed meticulously (which requires 1,000 gold pieces worth of fine cloth and bejeweled accessories), the tailor produces a magical set of merchant’s clothes. The enchantments woven into these clothes increase the wearer’s business acumen. He can appraise the value of an item to within 10% of its actual value with only a cursory inspection. When buying goods, the wearer always pays 1d6+4% less than asking price due to his magically augmented negotiating skills.
The Pattern of Gallant Commerce‘s outfit is widely viewed with distaste as it grants what many view as an unfair advantage. Anyone seeking to benefit from the enchanted clothing made by following the pattern’s instructions is well-advised to figure out ways to mask the outfit’s magical powers from detection.
Tags: magic items, Swords & Wizardry
This spell is my second reskinning of the ever-popular Hold Person. (The first is here.) I’ve long enjoyed taking an old standard and tweaking it a bit here and there. I don’t see magic in the game as a science like chemistry or physics. Rather, magic is a science like music. (Which, of course, hearkens back to an older, fuller definition of “science” referring to any body of knowledge that can be rationally explained and reliably applied.) Therefore, it makes sense to me that there shouldn’t be just Hold Person, but rather a variety of expressions of that spell by different casters, schools, et cetera.
Kolando’s Prohibitory Suspense
Spell Level: Cleric, 2nd Level
Range: 180 feet
Duration: 9 turns
The cleric targets 1d4 persons (according to the same parameters as the Charm Person spell). For the duration of the spell, each target must make a saving throw before attempting any action. If the saving throw fails, the target is overwhelmed by a feeling of anxious uncertainty about what may happen. Consequently, the target may not attempt that action. Instead, he dithers and worries until his next action. The caster may also target a single person, in which case the saving throws are made with a penalty of -2.
Tags: spells, Swords & Wizardry, Vancian magic
The guard watched as the portly, balding man in symbol-spangled robes sauntered up to portal.
“No one’s allowed here,” the guard said. He tightened his grip on his halberd.
“That’s almost always true,” the man said, mopping sweat from his wrinkled brow, “but as you can plainly see, I am Her Imperial Majesty, the Dread Queen of this realm. Let me pass.”
The guard nearly fumbled his halberd in his haste to unlock and open the portal, all the way mumbling a string of apologies. The pudgy magic-user patted the guard reassuringly as he passed through.
“Make sure you lock up after me,” the magic-user said with a grin.
Valfoxell’s Adventitious Pretense
Spell Level: Magic-User, 3rd Level
Range: Caster
Duration: 1 hour
For the duration of this spell, the caster’s words acquire an air of unquestionable truth, no matter how unbelievable those words may actually be. Those who hear the caster’s lies are permitted a saving throw to realize they are being duped. Valfoxell’s Adventitious Pretense does not function in combat.
Tags: spells, Swords & Wizardry, Vancian magic
I hadn’t done any cleric spells, which just somehow seemed wrong; therefore, today’s post. I picture Gaion as having been some wise-cracking saint honored by a moderately bellicose religion.
Gaion’s Derisive Acolyte
Spell Level: Cleric, 3rd Level
Range: 60 feet
Duration: 1 hour
By means of this spell, the cleric conjures a smiling, insubstantial youth clad in suitable vestments that floats nearby for the duration of the spell. This youth produces light about as bright as a torch to a radius of 20 feet. In combat, the acolyte gleefully mocks the cleric’s enemies. These jibes and taunts encourage the cleric and those allies of the cleric’s alignment who are within range, granting all affected a +1 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws against fear (and improves morale, if the recipient is not a player character).
Tags: spells, Swords & Wizardry, Vancian magic
The Kivulis of the Cairn Lands specialized in magic related to light and shadow. Each of these five protectors wore a Charm of Emitting Shadow as a badge of their authority. When the Ebon Contagion swept across the Cairn Lands, not even the Kivulis could stem the tide of soulless evil that followed. The sacred burial grounds guarded by the Kivulis for generations became corrupted, and the cairns themselves cracked open as the hallowed dead within clawed their way to the surface as undead horrors.
Four of the five Charms of Emitting Shadow remain lost, presumably somewhere within the haunted wilderness that once was the Cairn Lands. Princess Nuru of House Taa wears the fifth charm, and it is no secret that she wishes to found the Kivulis anew as a first step toward reconsecrating the Cairn Lands.
The Charm of Emitting Shadow: This colorless crystalline sphere holds within it a shadowy imperfection that seems to shift and twist as if seeking escape. When held and concentrated upon, the shadow within the sphere leaps forth, extending from the holder across intervening surfaces to a range of 60 feet. As long as the charm’s user concentrates, he can will the shadow to shift location, but it always remains anchored to the user. The shadow can manipulate objects with its shadowy hands, lifting and moving up to 20 pounds per point of Wisdom possessed by the user. It is up to the Referee’s interpretation whether the objects can be thrown, and, if so, to what effect. The charm will not function in total darkness.
Tags: magic items, Swords & Wizardry
