What this is
Here is another peak into the campaign setting I'm calling In the House of the High King. It's the same setting as my recent knight class.
How it works
In brief, sorceresses memorize "Signs." You can memorize a number of signs equal to how many first-level spells you can cast. So a fifth level sorceresses can memorize 2 signs per day.
When you have a sign memorized, you expend spell slots (as normal) to cast any spell from your sign. For example, a fifth level sorceresses might have the Sign of Blur and the Sign of Wood memorized. Since she can cast two 1st level spells a day, she could cast both the spells of blur and wood once, or either spell twice. The Sign of Wood has no second level spell, but she could use her 2nd level spell slots on casting fading blur twice. And so on.
Design goals
OSE compatibility
This project strives for OSE compatibility. OSE brings a level of clarity to the delightfully idiosyncratic aesthetics of OD&D. For example, take the charm person spell from White Box D&D:
Charm Person: This spell applies to all two-legged, generally mammalian figures near to or less than man-size, excluding all monsters in the “Undead” class but including Sprites, Pixies, Nixies, Kobolds, Goblins, Orcs, Hobgoblins and Gnolls. If the spell is successful it will cause the charmed entity to come completely under the influence of the Magic-User until such time as the “charm” is dispelled (Dispel Magic). Range: 12”.
Now, look at the version from Old-School Essentials:
Charm Person
Duration: One or more days (see below)
Range: 120’
A single human, demihuman, or human-like monster (see Persons, p151) must save versus spells or be charmed, as follows:
▶ Friendship: The subject regards the caster as its trusted friend and ally and will come to the caster’s defence.
▶ Commands: If they share a language, the caster may give the charmed creature commands, which it will obey.
▶ Subject’s nature: Commands that contradict the charmed creature’s habits or alignment may be ignored.
▶ Suicidal commands: An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders.
Restrictions: Undead and human-like monsters of greater than 4+1 HD (see Hit point modifiers, p150) are not affected.
Duration: The charm lasts indefinitely, but the subject is allowed to make further saves versus spells at intervals, depending on its INT score. If one of these saves succeeds, the spell ends.
▶ INT 3–8: New save once every month.
▶ INT 9–12: New save each week.
▶ INT 13–18: New save once every day.
You can see that it's the same spell, but reformatted to be easily parsed.
Fairytale fantasy / French vanilla vibe
Taking the OSE spell list as my starting point, I wanted to recast some spells with a "fairytale fantastic" vibe.
For example, the Charm spell is rendered here as "Love." Although the text is mostly unchanged (aside for some rules about jealousy), the feeling at the table is totally different, I think. I hope these flourishes reinvigorate players' interest in the classic spells.
Quality of life improvements
The impetus behind this alternate spell-casting system is to allow sorceresses to learn "bundles" of a spell at a time. You might think of each sign as a single spell that can be "upcast" by expending higher-level slots on it.
Additionally, while OSE is a faithful rendering of the B/X spell list in all its idiosyncrasies, is that spell list the right one for this campaign setting? What do adventurers do in this campaign that's different from the assumptions of B/X?
I want to make sure all spells felt equally worthwhile and think some spells need tempering adjustments.
You will see many little twists throughout this spell list. The "levitation" (uplift!) spell has functional equivalence to feather fall, "curse" lets you both give and remove curses, your wizard eye is now a hellhound familiar who can share senses...lots of little improvements for spells to make each one feel fantastic and functional.
Sorcerous Spells
Magic is the art of granting wishes. Each wish is a spell: to Lift, to Love, to Ward, to Doom.
Each spell is granted by a wishing star. Spells are invoked by speaking the True Speech, calling down the power of the stars in their own tongue. The wishing stars are grouped into the constellations of the zodiac. There are thirteen zodiac constellations: the twelve visible ones and the Dragon, which is dark.
Each sign is a collection of discrete spells. Each sign has a spell that can be cast using one star. This is called the keystone spell by sorceresses. Each sign has additional spells that can be cast by calling on additional stars using the True Speech, adding nouns, verbs, and clauses to the keystone spell.
Each sign has four or five spells associated with it. When you wish upon a sign, you gain access to all spells associated with it until the next time the sun sets.
BIND
The Sign of the Cup
The first sign in the wheel of the year; the beginning of spring, the return of the sun. Its spells entrance the mind, even as the wine cup does.
Bind ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Concentration
Range: 60'
You cast an enchantment of mental binding against enemies within a 20' cube within range, causing them to be dazed, sleepy, and forgetful. Affected creatures take no actions and remember nothing of the time they were enchanted.
Targets: Humanoid creatures of HD 4 or lower within the range of the spell must save with counter-spell or become enchanted for as long as you maintain concentration.
Subduing: Enchanted creatures can be subdued as an action, irrespective of its hit points.
Awakening: Enchanted creatures can be forcefully awakened (e.g., by slapping).
Restrictions: Non-humanoid creatures, creatures of greater than 4+1 HD, and undead are not affected.
Binding Threads ★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 48 turns
Range: 10'
You weave a loom of colored threads that physically binds everyone who enters a 10' cube.
Entanglement: Creatures caught within a web become entangled among the rainbow-colored fibres. Entangled creatures can’t move, but can break free depending on their strength (see below).
- Normal human range: The creature can break free in 2d4 turns.
- Magically augmented STR above 18: The creature can break free in 4 rounds.
- Giant strength: The creature can break free in two rounds.
Flammable: The strands of the web are flammable and can be destroyed by fire in two rounds. All creatures caught within flaming webs suffer 1d6 points of damage from the flames.
Greater Bind ★★★
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Duration: 6 Turns
Range: 60'
You cast an enchantment of mental binding against enemies within a 20' cube within range, causing them to be dazed, sleepy, and forgetful. Affected creatures take no actions and remember nothing of the time they were enchanted.
Targets: Creatures whose HD total up to twice your level may be affected. Creatures with the lowest HD are affected first. Affected creatures may save with grit to resist becoming enchanted.
- For example, a level 7 sorceress may affect up to 14 HD of creatures with this spell. If she encounters six goblins (HD 1-1), two ogres (HD 4+1), and large roc (HD 12), the spell would affect all the goblins (for a total of HD 6-1) and both ogres (goblins + ogre's HD \= HD 14), but not the roc.
Subduing: Enchanted creatures can be subdued as an action, irrespective of its hit points.
Unwaking: Enchanted creatures cannot be awoken prematurely unless you desire to end your spell early or if it is dispelled.
Restrictions: Mindless creatures are not affected.
Binding of Eternal Sleep ★★★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Permanent
Range: 240'
You lay a curse on up to 4d8 HD of creatures within a 60' cube. Creatures with the lowest HD are affected first. Affected creatures must save with faith or be cursed into an eternal sleep.
Sleeping creatures: Those who are cursed will sleep forever. While sleeping, they need neither food nor drink. While sleeping, they do not age.
Subduing: Enchanted creatures can be subdued as an action, irrespective of its hit points.
Unwaking: Enchanted creatures cannot be awoken without breaking the curse (i.e., with curse of doom) unless you desire to end your spell early.
Restrictions: Undead and creatures with greater than 7 HD are unaffected.
BLUR
The Sign of the Maiden
The second sign in the wheel of the year is named the Maiden. It's said she was sent to teach humankind how to live justly but, seeing a reflection of their future wickedness in a holy well, fled to the sky to avoid responsibility for them—thus dooming them to their fate. Her spells hide and shield the caster from harm.
Blur ★
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Duration: 1+[level] turns
Range: Caster
Your form becomes blurred and every step you take leaves behind an afterimage. You gain AC 16. Every time you're attacked, this enhanced AC drops by 1 until your AC is at its normal rating (even if the attack misses).
Doom: While under the effects of the blur, you are immune to the effects of the doom spell; each bolt automatically misses.
Fading Blur ★★
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Duration: 1 hour per level
Range: 240'
You, or some other object or creature you designate, is covered in an illusion of invisibility.
If the subject attacks or casts a spell, the spell ends and the subject becomes visible again.
Carried gear: Equipment carried by the subject is also rendered invisible. Carried light sources like torches continue to shed light, but the flame is unseen.
Greater Fading Blur ★★★
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As fading blur, but the spell also covers all creatures within 10' of the target with the illusion of invisibility.
This illusion moves with the target; creatures that enter the radius become invisible while creatures who leave the area become visible.
Breaking the spell: If a subject affected by the spell attacks or casts a spell, their invisibility ends and they become visible again. If the target on which the spell is centered attacks or casts a spell, the spell is broken and all creatures in the radius become visible.
Unblurred Projection ★★★★★★
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Duration: 6 turns
Range: 240'
You project a mirror image of yourself within range.
Subsequent spells cast: Appear to originate from the image. (Targets must still be visible to you, however.)
Spells and missiles: Your image appears unaffected by spells or missile weapons.
Melee or touch: If your image is touched or hit in melee, it disappears.
DOOM
The Sign of the Dragon
The Dragon is not counted among signs of the wheel of the year. His stars are not stars, but a gap between the stars. The darkness of his body severs the Maiden from the Lamb. His spells cause harm.
Doom ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 1 turn
Range: 150'
You conjure a crackling bolt of purple energy. You can hold it for up to 1 turn or throw it as part of the act of casting the spell. The bolt automatically hits your target (no attack or saving throw is required), inflicting 1d6+1 damage.
At higher levels: You conjure one additional bolt per three levels: two at level 4, three at level 7, and four at level 10. Any number of conjured bolts can be fired as a singular action towards a single target.
Curse of Doom ★★★★
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Duration: Permanent / Instant
Range: Caster or a creature touched
With a touch, you may lay a curse or break a curse.
Lay a curse: The subject must save with counter-spell or suffer an effect of your choosing. Potential effects include:
- Fey. The subject always receives maximum damage and always deals maximum damage.
- Marked by Undeath. The subject is always prioritized in combat by undead monsters.
- Bad Luck. Whenever the subject rolls a natural 1, a piece of their gear breaks. In combat, their weapon shatters on a roll of a natural 1.
- Tongue Tied. They cannot say a certain specific (but not common) word—such as the caster's name.
- Withered. One attribute is halved.
- Compelled. The subject is forced to eat or drink only a particular type of food.
Multiple curses: Can afflict a creature, as long as each has a different effect.
Break a curse: A curse affecting a creature or object is immediately coughed up as a worm of animate black tar the size of a cricket. The curse-worm tries to escape; it has 1 hp.
Doomcloud ★★★★★
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Duration: 6 turns
Range: 30'
You briefly open a hellmouth, which spews forth a luminous, poisonous fog. All living creatures besides the caster in contact with the fog suffer 1 damage per round. Any creature who takes damage from the fog with less than 5 HD must save with faith or die.
Fog dynamics: When the spell is cast, the fog fills a 30' diameter area in front of you. The fog moves 20' away from you in still conditions each round. Denser than air, it flows down hills, into holes, and so forth.
Winds: Natural or magical winds disperse the fog.
Blast of Doom ★★★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Instant
Range: 60'
You breathe a blast of hellfire, like a stygian dragon, that instantly destroys a single creature or object.
If a creature is targeted: It may save with faith to resist instant disintegration.
Examples of objects: The following might be targeted: a tree, a ship, a 10' section of city wall.
FIRE
The Sign of the Lamb
The third sign of the wheel of the year, which rises in the last month of spring. In mythology, the Lamb sacrificed itself to protect the twin kings Ibis and Abba from a palace fire when they were children, sheltering them in its unscorched wool. As a reward, the angels set the Lamb's fleece in the heavens. Its spells evoke the power of fire.
Fire ★
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Duration: 6 turns + 1 turn per level
Range: Caster
You summon a were-fire, a tongue of flame hovering above the tip of your finger. It sheds light as a candle.
Holding the were-fire: You must have one hand free to hold the mage's fire.
Ignite: With a word of True Speech, you may use the flame to ignite 1-4 flammable objects or light sources within 120'. This consumes the were-fire.
Attacking sparks: With a word of True Speech, you may use your were-fire to attack a creature within 120', causing the flame to erupt into a shower of sparks. The target automatically suffers 1d4+1 damage and must save with quickness or become dazzled, suffering a -2 penalty on attack rolls for 1d4 rounds. This consumes the were-fire.
Continual Fire ★★
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As fire, but the duration of the spell becomes Concentration.
Ball of Fire ★★★
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Duration: Instant
Range: 240'
You fire a shooting star from your finger to a point within range where it explodes into a 20' radius sphere of fire. You deal 1d6 damage per level to all creatures within range; targets may save with quickness to halve the damage taken.
Aiming the ball: You must have one hand free to cast this spell.
Wall of Fire ★★★★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: 60'
You conjure an opaque curtain of raging flame, shaped however you wish.
Size: The wall can be any length, height, and shape that you wish, up to 1,200 square feet total. For example, it may be a straight wall 10′ high and 120′ long or a ring 20′ high and 10′ radius.
Location: The wall cannot be created in an area occupied by objects.
Monsters with fewer than 4 HD: Cannot pass the wall of flames.
Monsters with 4 or more HD: Can pass through the wall, but suffer 1d6 damage. Undead and cold-based creatures (e.g., frost salamanders) suffer double damage.
LIFT
The Sign of the Bat
The Bat is the first zodiac sign of the summer, corresponding to the month when the bats return from hibernation and fill the skies. Its spells give flight, to lesser or greater degrees.
Lift ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 6'
You conjure a shallow cauldron, 3' across, that is magically carried by a bat familiar. With the frantic beating of its wings, the bat carries the cauldron at waist height (never higher) and follows you as you move.
Load: The bat's cauldron can carry a maximum load of 500 lbs. (5,000 coins).
End: Anything placed in the cauldron is dropped when it disappears (along with the bat) at the end of the spell's duration.
Uplift ★★
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Duration: 6 turns + 1 per level
Range: Caster
Bat wings appear on your heels. Using these wings, you may move up and down through the air vertically, up to 20'/round. Using your hands, you may push off against solid objects.
Falling: You descend slowly when falling.
Greater Uplift ★★★
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Duration: 1d6 turns + 1 per level
Range: Caster or creature touched
The clothes of the subject (cloak, robe, dresses, etc.) animate like giant wings, allowing them to fly freely in the air.
Flight: Is possible in any direction, including the ability to levitate and to hover in mid-air, at a movement rate of 120'.
Lifting Swarm ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Concentration (up to 6 rounds)
Range: 120'
You summon a cloud of invisible bat familiars that obey you. With a word of the True Speech, you may command them to lift objects or creatures up to 20 lbs/level. The target is moved up to 20'/round in whatever direction you wish, including vertically.
Resisting: A targeted creature may save using counter-spell to resist being moved.
LOVE
The Sign of the Cat
In mythology, the constellation of the Cat was once a human sorceress who evaded the unwanted advances of an amorous dwarf by undergoing a transformation chase: He would chase her as a hart, but she would hide as a rose. He would sniff her out as a bumblebee, but she would slip away as a trout, and so on. Eventually, she became a cat and hid behind the moon. The spells associated with this sign carry enchantments of love. Many weddings are held during the second month of summer when the Cat is in the sky.
Love ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Until broken
Range: 120'
You weave an enchantment that forces a single human, demi-human, or humanoid monster to save with counter-spell or fall madly in love with you.
Love: The subject regards you with an ardent but virtuously-chaste amorous feeling.They will come to your defence in combat, generally acquiesce to your requests, and attempt to please you with sickeningly sweet displays of affection.
Subject's nature: The subject will refuse requests that contradict their habits or self interest. They will propose suitable alternative ideas: annoying poetry, kissing your fingertips, etc.
Jealousy: An enchanted subject cannot bear the sight of a rival lover. Two or more subjects of the love spell will ignore commands until they fight each other.
Restrictions: Humanoids of greater than 4+1 HD and undead are not affected.
Duration: This enchantment lasts indefinitely, but the subject is allowed to make further saves with counter-spell each time the following triggers:
- Whenever you outright reject their advances
- Whenever they make a Morale check
- At the dawn of every day
Whenever this save succeeds, the spell ends. This spell also ends if they ever receive a kiss from their true love.
Beloved Familiar ★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Until the sun next crosses the horizon
Range: Summoned within 10'
You conjure a magical cat familiar who will obey your spoken commands.
Name: Each sorceress summons a single familiar unique to them each time this spell is cast. Give it a name.
Abilities: This familiar has the basic stats of a common house cat with the following exceptions: It is intelligent. It can speak, read, and write. It has a 4-in-6 chance to answer questions about magic. It has a 3-in-6 chance to scry magical effects by smell. It can turn invisible.
Commands: The familiar can perform basic tasks such as fetching small items, scouting ahead, or catching small animals. It struggles to perform tasks that require thumbs.
Ending the spell: The cat familiar disappears in a puff of brimstone at the end of the duration or if slain. If slain, it can be summoned again, whole and restored, by casting this spell again.
Greater Love ★★★
[rune placeholder]
As love, with the amended text:
You weave an enchantment that forces any intelligent creature to save with counter-spell or fall madly in love with you.
Restrictions: Undead are not affected.
Blinded by Love ★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 12 rounds
Range: 120'
You cast an enchantment that confuses 3d6 creatures within a 30' radius area.
Subjects of 2+1 HD or greater: May save with counter-spell each round to resist the spell’s effect, acting with free will that round if they make the save.
Subjects of 2 HD or lower: May not make a saving throw.
Confused behavior: A confused creature cannot tell similar things apart from each other. Each person looks the same to them, each book is identical, a bec-de-corbin is indistinguishable from a ranseur. If the creature attacks, it has an equal chance of attacking any combatant. If the creature casts a spell, it casts a random spell at a random target. If the creature flees, it runs in a random direction.
RUNE
The Sign of the Wand
The Sign of the Wand rises in the middle of the year, marking a balance between light and dark throughout the Isles. The spells under its auspices deal with the True Speech itself.
Rune ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Instant
Range: 10'
You put a spark of magic into one of the ancient True Speech runes forged by the sorceresses of old, activating an item of enchantment.
Dwimmercrystals: You immediately cast the spell held inside a dwimmercrystal. The dwimmercrystal then shatters.
Artifacts: You activate the power of an ancient magical artifact, powering it on to perform its function.
Wands and magic items: If a wand or other magic item is out of charges, you may activate it once using this spell.
Dispel Runes ★★★
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Duration: Instant
Range: 120'
You unravel the echoes of True Speech maintaining ongoing spells. All spell effects within a 20' cube end in a burst of rainbow light.
Magic items: Are unaffected.
Rewrite Name Runes ★★★★
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Duration: Until broken or dismissed by caster
Range: 60'
You give a new name to yourself or another creature, transmuting the subject into another type of creature of your choosing. Unwilling creatures may save with counter-spell to avoid the transmutation.
Limitations: The new form cannot have higher HD than the caster’s level. The spell cannot be used to duplicate a specific individual.
Spellcasting: While transmuted, the subject cannot cast spells.
Stats and abilities: The transmutation does not alter the subject's hit points, saving throws, attack score, or intelligence. The physical capabilities of the new form (e.g., strength, physical attack forms, modes of movement) are acquired, but not non-physical special abilities (e.g., spell casting).
Duration: This enchantment lasts indefinitely, but the subject is allowed to make further saves with counter-spell at the dawn of every day. Whenever this save succeeds, the spell ends. If the subject dies, they revert to their true form. A kiss will also end this spell. You may choose to dismiss the spell at will.
Staying in the form: If the transmutation lasts for seven consecutive days, the subject truly becomes the new form: all special abilities are acquired, along with behavioural patterns, tendencies, and intelligence. The subject forgets their previous life.
Sever Runes ★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Permanent
Range: 240'
You cut off the subject's access to the stars. The subject must save with counterspell (at a -4 penalty) or be cursed to be unable to cast spells.
SCRY
The Sign of the Dogs
The Sign of the Dogs appears in the sky on the first day of the autumn equinox. It is said that the Dogs pursue the Cat across the night sky. Its spells concern perceiving magical auras.
Scry ★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: Concentration
Range: Caster
You perceive the auras of spells, magic items, and arcane magic-users.
Magic items or areas: Magic items or zones sparkle in your sight. By spending a turn studying a permanent magic aura, you may attempt to identify all enchanted effects, curses, and activation words, with a 2-in-6 chance of success.
Sense spell effects: You sense the presence of ongoing spells within 60'.
Identify ensorcelled creatures: Enchanted creatures glow red. Transmuted creatures glow pale green. Cursed creatures glow purple. Illusion-cloaked or invisible creatures glow light blue.
Casters: You recognize if someone is or isn't an arcane caster. If you see them cast a spell, you learn to identify their unique aura imprints and can later identify ongoing spells as having been cast by them while under the effects of scry.
Scry Object ★★
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Duration: Instant
Range: 1 mile
A hellhound appears briefly and points in the direction of the nearest object you name in the True Speech. One of two types of objects may be located: a general class of object or a specific object.
General class: An object of a general class (e.g., a stairway, an altar, etc.). In this case, the nearest object of that type is located.
Specific object: A specific object known to you.
Restrictions: This spell cannot be used to locate creatures.
Scry Creature ★★★
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Duration: 12 turns
Range: 60'
You ponder the orb of your fallen star, which displays the experiences of a creature within range. You may either attune to: a nearby creature or a specific creature.
Nearby creature: Focus for 1 turn to attune to the closet NPC (in the next room, down the corridor, etc.). You may choose to maintain this image or change to another subject (if any are within range).
Specific creature: Focus for 1 turn to seek out a specific creature known to you. If they are not within range, your fallen star will remain dark.
Fallen star: The fallen star of the Sign of the Dogs is a prerequisite component for this spell.
Pondering: When attuned to a creature, an image of what the creature sees through its eyes is displayed in your fallen star. Manuscript-like illuminations appear in the orb displaying the creature's current inner monologue, as well as illustrated scrolls detailing what the creature hears or says.
Scrying Eye Dog ★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 6 turns
Range: 240'
You conjure a hellhound familiar that obeys your commands and lends you its senses.
Name: Each sorceress summons a single familiar unique to them each time this spell is cast. Give it a name.
Abilities: The hellhound familiar is intelligent. It has the following stats:
AC 4 [15], HD 4 (18 hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6) or 1 × breath (4d6), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16, ML 9
- Detect invisible: 75% chance per round. 60’ range.
- Extraplanar: Can become invisible at will.
- Fire breath: 2-in-6 chance per round of breathing fire. One target. Save with quickness for half damage.
- Fire immunity: Unharmed by non-magical fire.
- Infravision: 60' range.
- Slippery: Can squeeze through spaces as narrow as its nose.
Share senses: By concentrating, you can see through the eyes of the hellhound.
Commands: The familiar can scout ahead invisibly. It can be set to guard or warn of ambushing enemies. It can participate in combat.
Ending the spell: The hellhound disappears in a puff of brimstone at the end of the duration or if slain. If slain, it can be summoned again, whole and restored, by casting this spell again.
Scry the Pattern ★★★★★
[rune placeholder]
Duration: 1 conversation
Range: Caster
You open your mind to the dazzling pattern of the stars. You may ask up to three yes or no questions about the past, the present, or potential eventualities.
Past: About events that transpired or specific actions NPCs have taken.
Present: About the current position or goals of NPCs, items, armies, or nations.
Future: About cause and effect from hypothetical actions taken.
Understanding the answers: For each question asked, roll a d20. If the result is equal to or below [your level + 8], you receive a clear "Yes" or "No" answer. If the result is higher, you do not understand the pattern and lose: (1-2) 1d6 Intelligence, (3-4) 1d6 Wisdom, (5-6) 1d6 Charisma. Lost ability points recover at a rate of 1/day. Reducing an ability score to 0 signifies a permanent coma; you are lost in your own mind.
VEIL
The Sign of the Coin
The Sign of the Coin reigns over the harvest season. In astrology, the Sign of the Coin is all about extremes: highs and lows, epic victories and abysmal failures, huge windfalls and devastating losses. Farmers pray each year that the Coin will give them plenty, not poverty. Its spells concern the duality of things that are hidden and revelations.
Veil ★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: Touch
An object you touch is covered with an illusion of an object of the same type and roughly the same size. For example, a letter from your uncle could be rewritten to be a letter of commendation from the Dragon-Lord of Pellidor, a bec-de-corbin could appear as a billhook, a bronze ingot could be disguised as a gold ingot, etc.
Limitations: This spell does not work on living creatures. The illusion is purely visual: it does not extend to weight, smell, texture, etc.
Painted Veil ★★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: 240'
You weave an illusion—an animated tapestry of light—which manifests in a 20' cube area. It is indistinguishable from real life by sight, but makes no sound, carries no weight, bears no smell, etc. Three types of illusions may be created: an illusory monster, an illusory hazard, or an illusory scene.
Illusory monster: Seems to attack but never hit. The monster has an Armour Class of 10 and will vanish if hit in combat.
Illusory hazard: For example, an avalanche, a falling ceiling, a magic missile, etc. Targets must save with wit or be stunned for 1d4 turns as they puzzle out how they're still alive.
Illusory scene: Either changing the appearance of the affected area or creating the appearance of something new. The scene disappears if touched.
Unveil ★★★
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Duration: Until the sun next crosses the horizon
Range: Caster or creature touched
You (or another that you touch) can see in the dark up to 60'.
Greater Painted Veil ★★★★
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Duration: Permanent until dispelled
Range: 240'
As painted veil, except you do not need to concentrate on the illusion.
In addition, illusory scenes you create may fill the range completely, disguising the existing terrain with a scene of your choosing: a hill, a wood, a marsh. As with painted veil, touching the scene dispels it.
Folding the Veil ★★★★★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: Same land mass
You send a projection of yourself to a person whose name you know. You perceive each other as shimmering images and hear what the other says in real time. Touching a projection ends the spell.
Restrictions:This spell can only contact a person on the same island. Spells cannot cross the ocean.
WARD
The Sign of the Lion
The Sign of the Lion is said to be the mythological hero Tur-ap-Tur, who took on the lion's shape to wrestle the dragon Orm Reekla into the sky. The spells of this sign protect against the powers of Undeath and the Isle of Ffaln.
Ward ★
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Duration: 3 turns
Range: 60'
You manifest motes of light to give warning of approaching undead. The motes flit towards undead within the spell's range, covering them in a glittering glow that all can see.
Light: Undead within range shed light equivalent to a candle.
Invisible and incorporeal: Invisible or incorporeal undead (e.g., wraiths, specters) are revealed by this spell.
Hidden: Motes of light tap frantically against doors, sarcophagus lids, etc., behind which undead lurk.
Greater Ward ★★
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Duration: 6 turns
Range: Caster
You are covered in a translucent armor that protects you against the undead. Against undead monsters, you gain +1 to your saving throws rolls and +1 AC.
Defeat undead immunities: Weapons you hold are treated as though they are silver and magical.
Immune to experience drain: You are immune to experience drain effects from undead.
Mass Greater Ward ★★★
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Duration: 12 turns
Range: 10' around the caster
As greater ward, except the duration is 12 turns and all living creatures within 10' benefit from the effects of the spell.
Ward Against Shaping ★★★★
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Duration: 6 turns / permanent (curing transmutation)
Range: 120'
You evoke the subject's name in the True Speech, protecting their true shape. This spell has two applications: you either make the subject immune to transmutation effects or cure transmutation effects affecting the subject.
Immune to transmutation effects: Immune to effects like shapechanging curses, the rewrite name runes spell, petrification, and similar effects for 6 turns.
Cure transmutation effects: Effects like the rewrite name runes spell and petrification instantly ended.
Ward Against Sorcery ★★★★★★
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Duration: 12 turns
Range: Caster
Runes written by motes of light flash around you as the stars themselves promise not to harm you for a time. You are immune to any magic (beneficial or harmful) for the duration.
Duration: You may choose to dismiss the spell at will.
WAVE
The Sign of the Whale
The first sign of winter is that of the Whale. In mythology, the whale Cetus sheltered the saint Alrisa and his family when the world flooded and regurgitated him onto dry land when the waters receded, earning him an honored position in the heavens. Spells of this sign deal with command over the water.
Wave ★
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Duration: 12 turns
Range: 120'
You speak the name of the wave and call forth its lightest part: the fog. A fog fills a 30' radius area with a thick mist. All creatures within the area are effectively blind.
Winds: Natural or magical winds disperse the fog.
Wave Walk ★★
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Duration: 6 turns + 1 per level
Range: Caster or creature touched
You bid the waters to uphold you or another creature you touch. The surface of the water is solid for the subject, who can walk atop calm water as if it were solid ground.
Rough waters: Waves and choppy waters may lower movement rates or prompt ability checks to avoid falling, at the referee's discretion.
At higher levels: You may cast this spell on one additional subject per three levels: two at level 4, three at level 7, and four at level 10.
Breathe Waves ★★★
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Duration: Until the sun next crosses the horizon
Range: 30'
You bestow the ability to breathe both air and water to a single subject.
Swimming: No additional proficiency at swimming is granted.
Airy Waves ★★★★★
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Duration: 1 turn per level
Range: Caster or creature touched
You conjure a bubble of misty air around the subject that allows them to traverse underwater as easily as the bird flies through the air.
Swimming: Is possible in any direction at a movement rate of 120'.
Activity: As on dry land. Speech and spell-casting is possible. Subject's gear and clothes become damp (as in a fog) but not wet while the spell lasts.
Underwater combat: Is not impeded. Even a bow may be fired underwater.
Part the Waves ★★★★★★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: 1 mile per level x 10
You raise your hands and call a streaking star to draw a blazing path through the sky between one island and another. The ocean that separates these two islands parts under the afterburn of the light.
Path: 10' wide, with towering walls of water on either side. Path directly connects two islands that lie within the range of the spell.
Limitations: This spell only connects islands. Other waters, such as rivers or lakes, do not obey this spell.
WIND
The Sign of the Sword
The winds of winter blow when the Sign of the Sword is in the heavens, and ocean travel is difficult. Spells associated with this sign call up and command these winds.
Wind ★
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Duration: Instant / 1 hour per level
Range: 60'
You speak the true name of one of the eight winds, which issues from your mouth like a gale in a 60' line.
Clear fog: This spell disperses natural or magical fogs.
Sailing wind: After casting, the winds in your region blow the same direction as your spell for a number of hours equal to your level. Determine the intensity of the wind by rolling on the wind condition table and adding +1 to the result. See Wind Conditions, under Waterborne Adventuring in Old-School Essentials.
Speed of Wind ★★
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Duration: 3 turns
Range: 240'
You call up zephyrs to increase the speed of up to 24 creatures: their maximum movement rates are doubled.
Shield of Wind ★★★
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Duration: 12 turns
Range: 30'
You surround one subject with a sphere of swiftly moving winds that turn aside slings and arrows. They have complete immunity to small, non-magical missiles.
Unnatural missiles: No protection is granted against hurled boulders or enchanted arrows.
Windkey ★★★★★★
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Duration: Concentration
Range: 720' around caster
You bid the world's weather to obey, and it does.
Restrictions: You must stand in one place to focus this spell. This spell only functions outdoors.
Warped weather: The day after this spell is cast, weather for 20 miles x caster level in all directions around where it was cast readjusts after being magically changed. The referee should roll 3d6 and take the two highest dice when determining wind conditions near the spell's origin. See Wind Conditions, under Waterborne Adventuring in Old-School Essentials.
The following effects may be evoked:
Calm: Clears bad weather (though side-effects—e.g., mud after rain—remain.)
Extreme heat: Dries up snow or mud. Creatures in the area move at half normal rate.
Mists: Visibility drops to 20’. Creatures in the mist move at half their normal rate. At the referee’s option, they may also have a chance of getting lost.
High winds: Movement rates are halved. Missile fire and flight are impossible. High winds may be used to increase the sailing speed of ships by 50%, if they travel with the wind. In sandy areas, may cause a sandstorm, reducing visibility to 20’.
Rain: –2 penalty to missile attacks. Mud forms in 3 turns, halving movement rates.
Snow: Visibility drops to 20’. Movement rates are halved. Bodies of water may freeze. After the snow thaws, mud remains and still impedes movement.
WOOD
The Sign of the Tree
The last sign of the year is the Sign of the Tree. Different isles see different trees in this constellation: the people of Pellidor hold it is an oak, the goat herders of Tine say it's an olive tree, whereas many islands of the Eastern Reaches say it's a willow. All folk across the Stone Isles, however, decorate evergreen trees during the last month of the year in honor of this sign. Spells under this sign control the warp and woof of wood.
Wood ★
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Duration: Instant (open) / 2d6 turns (lock)
Range: 60'
At your command, an unlocked wooden door swings open or is held closed.
Opening: Works on closed, stuck, barred (but not locked) wooden doors, gates, chests, and so forth.
Locking: Closes and holds fast wooden doors, gates, etc. Creatures with at least 3HD more than the caster can open a held portal with one round of effort.
Spell versus spell: If one sorceress opens a magically locked door, the higher-level sorceress's spell succeeds. If exactly equal, the door buckles and shatters.
At higher levels: Your level improves this spell when cast.
- Locks at level 3: This spell opens wooden portals that are locked.
- Stone at level 5: This spell can close or open locked stone portals.
- Metal at level 7: This spell can close or open locked metal portals.
Woodland Seeming ★★★
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Duration: Permanent
Range: 240'
You weave an illusion around a 240’ diameter area, veiling all creatures within so that they appear as a copse of trees.
Moving through: Once the illusion is in place, even creatures moving among the veiled subjects are deceived.
Subjects who leave the affected area: Cease to be veiled.
Dismissing: You may dismiss the illusion in its entirety at any time.
Ensorcel Woodland ★★★★
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Duration: Permanent
Range: 120'
You command normal vegetation in the area to enter one of four magical states:
Spring: Vegetation in the area returns to sprouts and shoots, allowing easy passage through once-dense woods.
Summer: Plants in the affected area become thick and overgrown, entwining to form a thorny jungle.
Autumn: Plants in the area give forth a magically blessed harvest: trees sprout huge fruits, vines instantly grow giant gourds.
Winter: Vegetation in the area becomes withered, sleepy, and inert.
Area: An area of up to 3,000 square feet—selected by the caster—is affected (e.g., 150’ × 20’, 100’ × 30’, etc.).
Old Wooden Door ★★★★★
Duration: 3 turns
Range: 30’
You conjure "The Old Wooden Door" into a wall (or ceiling, floor, etc.) of your choosing. It is battered and unremarkable, but also an object of antiquity and power. When opened, a passage up to 10' deep is found, going directly through solid rock and stone. If this passage connects to another room, it's as if a hallway binds the two rooms together. Otherwise, the passage dead-ends.
Immanent Wood ★★★★★★
Duration: Variable, see text
Range: 30'
The White Tree in the Courtyard of the Immanent Tower is the axis mundi of the Stone Islands; all trees are connected to its roots. Your spell connects one woodland to another by means of the White Tree. You must cast this spell while walking into a forest of significant size. You then walk out of another forest anywhere within the Stone Islands.
Travelers: You may bring a number of subjects with you on this journey equal to your level.
Destination: How long the journey between woodlands takes is dependent on how well the destination is known to you. Roll the percentage chance indicated. If you roll equal to or lower than the chance indicated, you arrive at your location within 2 turns. If you roll higher, roll on the "Getting lost" table. Traveling directly to the Courtyard of the White Tree never risks getting lost.
| Knowledge of destination |
Arrive within 2 turns |
| Scant |
50% |
| Moderate |
80% |
| Exact |
95% |
| Courtyard of the White Tree |
100% |
Getting lost: If you become lost, roll a d10 and consult the following table. Regardless of how much time passes, it feels like only 20 minutes have passed for the subjects of the spell.
| Arrive within… |
|
| 1-4 |
2d6 turns |
| 5-7 |
1d6 hours |
| 8-9 |
1d6 days |
| 10 |
1d6 months |
