Spells

Heroes of Horror

RESIST TAINT

Abjuration

This spell grants a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws made to resist acquiring taint.

DREAM WALK

Conjuration (Teleportation)

You move yourself or some other creature into a dreamscape. You must either be able to see the dreamer whose dreams you wish to enter or be within 30 feet of her. This spell otherwise functions exactly as plane shift.

SUMMON UNDEAD I

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]

This spell functions like summon monster I, except that you summon an undead creature. Summon undead I conjures one of the creatures from the 1st-level list in the Summon Undead table below.

You choose which creature to summon, and you can change that choice each time you cast the spell. Summoned undead do not count toward the total Hit Dice of undead that you can control with animate dead, plague of undead, or other command undead abilities. No undead creature you summon can have more Hit Dice than your caster level +1.

Focus: A tiny bag, a small candle (not lit), and a carved bone from any humanoid.

Note: The descriptions of the summon undead spells presented here supersede earlier published descriptions.

SUMMON UNDEAD II

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]

This spell functions like summon undead I, except that you can summon one undead from the 2nd-level list or two undead of the same kind from the 1st-level list.

SUMMON UNDEAD III

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]

This spell functions like summon undead I, except that you can summon one undead from the 3rd-level list, two undead of the same kind from the 2nd-level list, or four undead of the same kind from the 1st-level list.

SUMMON UNDEAD IV

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]

This spell functions like summon undead I, except that you can summon one undead from the 4th-level list, two undead of the same kind from the 3rd-level list, or four undead of the same kind from a lower-level list.

SUMMON UNDEAD V

Conjuration (Summoning) [Evil]

This spell functions like summon undead I, except that you can summon one undead from the 5th-level list, two undead of the same kind from the 4th-level list, or four undead of the same kind from a lower-level list.

VILE DEATH

Conjuration (Calling) [Evil]

You summon the spirit of a fiend from the depths of Hell or the Abyss and bind it into the body of a corporeal undead creature. Binding the fiend applies the fiendish template to the undead creature. The resulting creature is independent of you and can act on its own. Its initial attitude toward you is indifferent.

Material Component: A bit of brimstone and a bloodstone worth at least 500 gp.

XP cost: 100 XP.

DETECT TAINT

Divination

You can sense the presence of taint in nearby objects and creatures. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject: 1st Round: Presence or absence of taint within the area.

2nd Round: Number of tainted creatures in the area and the strength of the strongest tainted aura present. If you are free of taint, if the strongest tainted aura is overwhelming (see below), and if the strength of the tainted aura is at least twice your character level, you are nauseated for 1 round and the spell ends.

3rd Round: The strength and location of each tainted aura. If a tainted aura is outside your line of sight, you discern its direction but not its exact location.

Aura Strength: The strength of a tainted aura depends on the corruption or depravity score (whichever is higher) of the creature you are detecting, or the amount of taint bestowed by an object, location, or creature without a taint score. If an aura falls into more than one strength category, you learn about the stronger of the two.

Each round, you can turn to detect things in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

DREAM SIGHT

Divination

You fall into a deep sleep while your spirit leaves your body in incorporeal form and travels to distant locations. Your spirit can move 100 feet per round and can see and hear anything you could if you were in the same location. The spirit can be blocked by any spell that wards incorporeal creatures, and it can be detected and attacked in the same way as incorporeal creatures can. Your spirit can do nothing but move and observe—it cannot speak, attack, cast spells, or perform any other action.

At the end of the spell, your spirit instantaneously returns to your body and you wake up. If your body is disturbed while your spirit is wandering, the spell ends immediately.

CALL FORTH THE BEAST

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Evil, Mind-Affecting]

The target of this spell experiences no immediate effect. The next time she falls asleep, however, she immediately reawakens with a chaotic evil alignment and a bloodthirsty, temperamental, and even psychotic disposition. The subject has no particular goals during this time except to shed blood and slaughter anyone who aggravates or irritates her; even the most innocent action might result in violence.

When the spell expires, the subject passes out momentarily, and reawakens with no memory of anything she might have done while under the effect of the spell. So far as she can tell, she simply fell asleep hours earlier, and she has no idea what has happened since then. She has gained no rest, cannot prepare arcane spells, and might be fatigued (if appropriate).

Focus: The tongue of an executed murderer.

Corruption cost: 1d4 points of Constitution damage.

CLOAK OF HATE

Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]

Living beings view the subject of this spell with instinctive hostility. All NPC reactions begin one category worse than they otherwise would, and any Diplomacy checks to moderate those reactions take a –10 circumstance penalty. Furthermore, people view the target in the worst possible light. If, for example, a community is hunting for an unknown murderer, they will assume that the subject of the spell is guilty of the crime. Player characters and NPCs who know the subject well, such as old friends or loved ones, are unaffected.

Material Component:One ounce of bile.

DREAMING PUPPET

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

You take control of the physical body of a sleeping creature. At the beginning of the spell, you must name the subject or identify him by some title that leaves no doubt as to his identity. You then enter a trance and appear in the subject’s dream. So long as you remain in his dream, you see the world through the eyes of his physical form, and you control his body as per the spell dominate monster. The subject is aware of you in his dream, and can identify you if he knows you personally.

Once the spell ends, or if the subject shakes off the effect due to a new save granted by instructions contrary to his moral code (this new save gains a +2 bonus; see dominate person), he remembers what he has done while under the effects of dreaming puppet. These memories are dreamlike and not entirely clear, but the subject recalls the gist of all that happened. If the recipient is awake when the spell begins, you can choose to wake up (ending the spell) or remain in the trance.

You can remain in the trance until the recipient goes to sleep (assuming the spell’s duration lasts that long), then enter the recipient’s dream and dominate him as normal. If you are disturbed and awaken during the trance, the spell ends. Creatures who don’t sleep (such as elves, but not half-elves), don’t dream, or are otherwise immune to mind-affecting spells and abilities are immune to this spell.

You are unaware of your own surroundings or of the activities around you while in the trance. You are defenseless both physically and mentally (you always fail any saving throw) while in the trance.

Dreaming puppet carries an element of risk for you as well as for the subject. If the target exceeds the required Will save by 10 or more, or rolls a natural 20, not only are you barred from controlling him but your soul becomes lost in the dreamscape, unable to easily return to your own body. In order to return to your body, you must either find your way through the realm of dreams (and possibly other planes as well), cast a planar traveling spell, or be rescued.

FAMILIAL GEAS

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Language-Dependent, Mind- Affecting]

This spell is a far more potent version of geas. The duration of the geas is unlimited; it lasts until the subject(s) either discharge the obligation or the effect is dispelled. The initial subject of the spell gains no save, as per a standard geas. If the target dies before completing the obligation, the geas transfers to his closest adult relative. This new subject is entitled to a save; if she succeeds, the geas is broken and the spell ends. If not, she labors under the geas until she either completes the obligation, succeeds in dispelling the geas, or dies and potentially passes the geas to her closest adult relative. Each new subject has an instinctive understanding of the nature of the obligation.

A familial geas can be broken only by a successful save on the part of the next successor, remove curse (if cast by someone two caster levels higher than the familial geas), miracle, or wish.

RESTFUL SLUMBER

Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]

You allow another creature to gain a full night’s sleep, uninterrupted by nightmares. If you attempt to cancel the nightmares imposed by an outside source, such as a curse or another spellcaster, you must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the nightmares’ source.

MANIFEST DESIRE

Illusion [Mind-Affecting]

The target’s greatest desire appears before her in illusory form for all to see. Interaction with the image allows a Will save to disbelieve. Many casters use this spell simply to learn the subject’s greatest desire, not caring whether the illusion deceives the subject.

MANIFEST NIGHTMARE

Illusion [Fear, Mind-Affecting]

The target’s greatest fear appears before him in illusory form for all to see. So long as the nightmare remains manifest and in the subject’s proximity, he must make a Will save every round or become panicked. Success on this save indicates that the subject is only shaken that round. This save is repeated every round for the spell’s duration, until and unless the subject makes a successful save to disbelieve the illusion.

In order to disbelieve the illusion, the subject must first force himself to interact with it, to determine that it might be false. Many casters use this spell simply to learn the nature of the subject’s greatest fear, not caring whether the illusion actually causes the subject to panic.

CHAIN OF SORROW

Necromancy [Evil]

The target of this spell takes 2d10 points of Charisma drain (Will half). If he makes his saving throw, the spell has no further effect. If he fails, however, the chain continues. The next time he touches a friend, loved one, or ally, that individual takes the same damage: 2d10 points of Charisma drain, or half with a successful save. If this second victim fails the save, she then becomes the host for the spell, and the effect continues with the first friend or ally that she touches. This effect continues until the chain is broken by a successful save or until it has affected a number of people equal to the spell’s caster level.

Focus: The umbilical cord of a stillborn child.

Corruption cost: 2d4 points of Charisma damage.

HARM, GREATER

Necromancy

As harm (see page 239 of the Player’s Handbook), except as noted above and in that this spell deals 1d12 points of damage per caster level, to a maximum of 20d12 at 20th level.

HARM, MASS

Necromancy

Targets: All creatures except the caster in the area As greater harm, except as noted above.

IMPRISON SOUL

Necromancy [Evil]

By casting imprison soul, you place the subject’s soul in a receptacle, such as a gem, ring, or some other miniscule object, leaving her body lifeless. While trapped, the subject takes 1d4 points of Constitution damage per day until dead or freed. The rituals to prepare the receptacle require three days. Destroying or opening the receptacle ends the spell, releasing the soul. To cast the spell, you must know the name of the target. The receptacle must be within spell range and you must know where it is.

Material Component: A portion of the target’s body (a fingernail, a strand of hair, or some other small part).

Focus: A Tiny or smaller object to be the receptacle for the subject’s soul.

Note: This updated version of this spell supersedes earlier published descriptions.

MANTLE OF PURE SPITE

Necromancy

By means of this spell, you wrap yourself in a pulsating nimbus of netherlight—the mystical aggregate of all your unresolved frustration and rage. Anyone foolish enough to attack you while this nimbus is in effect is in for a most unpleasant surprise. Each time you are the target of an attack, you gain increasingly greater power over your attacker.

First, this spell generates a cumulative +1 bonus to all attack rolls and to damage against that foe each and every time it strikes you, up to a maximum bonus equal to your level. Second, you gain the ability to overcome any damage reduction your opponent might have, as though you possessed the necessary alignment or weapon materials. Last but not least, you gain a cumulative dam age reduction of your own, equal to 1/– each time your opponent strikes you, up to a maximum benefit of DR 15/–.

If you are fighting multiple opponents, you must keep track of how many times each one has struck you in order to determine the benefits this spell grants you against each. A mantle of pure spite provides its benefits even at range, so a wizard launching harmful spells at you from what she thinks is a safe distance will still kindle the mantle of pure spite’s nimbus and experience its spiteful reprisals.

Material Component: A smidgen of your spit.

OATH OF BLOOD

Necromancy

Oath of blood functions only when cast on a creature that has recently been subject to a geas or similar spell. It extends the reach of the geas beyond death. If the individual subject to the geas dies before completing the task, oath of blood animates him as an undead creature in order that he might continue his quest. The nature of the undead creature is determined by the caster level of this spell, as per create undead (see page 215 of the Player’s Handbook). Once the task is complete or the original geas (or similar spell) expires, the magic animating the subject ends and he returns to death.

Material Component: Grave dirt mixed with powdered onyx worth at least 40 gp per HD of the target.691

PACT OF RETURN

Necromancy

This spell allows you to establish the conditions whereby you will be brought back to life upon your death. When you cast pact of return, you must state either a specific creature or a set of specific circumstances that you expect will be responsible for your death at some point within the spell’s duration. If you name a creature, that creature does not have to deal the deathblow to trigger the release of the spell, but it must play an active part in your demise. If you name a set of circumstances, those circumstances must be reasonably specific or the spell will fail, leaving you well and truly dead. An acceptable set of circumstances would be, “I expect energy draining to play a pivotal role in my demise”, whereas an unacceptable set would be, “I expect to die from loss of hit points”. The DM decides whether the terms are acceptable.

Whether the subject of your demise is a specific person or a specific source, you must die (that is, reach –10 hit points or lower) for the spell to take effect. If you do, and the circumstances of your demise are similar enough to those described when you cast the spell (DM’s discretion), you are instantly resurrected (see page 272 of the Player’s Handbook) with no level loss. You can have more than one pact of return active at the same time, each one to be triggered by a different foe or set of circumstances, but you must keep track of the total time that has elapsed for each. A pact of return that has not yet taken effect is still a magical effect (and a powerful necromantic one, at that), which can be dispelled by one who detects its presence.

PLAGUE OF UNDEAD

Necromancy [Evil]

This spell unleashes great necromantic power, raising a host of undead creatures. Plague of undead turns the bones or bodies of dead creatures within the spell’s range into undead skeletons or zombies with maximum hit points for their Hit Dice. The undead remain animated until destroyed. (A destroyed skeleton or zombie can’t be animated again). Regardless of the specific numbers or kinds of undead created with this spell, a single casting of plague of undead can’t create more HD of undead than four times your caster level.

The undead you create remain under your control indefinitely and follow your spoken commands. However, no matter how many times you use this spell or animate dead, you can only control 4 HD worth of undead creatures per caster level; creatures you animate with either spell count against this limit. If you exceed this number, newly created creatures fall under your control and any excess undead from previous castings of this spell or animate dead become uncontrolled. Anytime this limit causes you to release some of the undead you control through this spell or animate dead, you choose which undead are released. The bones and bodies required for this spell follow the same restrictions as animate dead. All the material to be animated by this spell must be within range when the spell is cast.

Material Component: A black sapphire worth 100 gp or several black sapphires with total value of 100 gp.

PRONOUNCEMENT OF FATE

Necromancy

To invoke this spell, you speak the name of an offense that your target has committed. Then you speak the inevitable doom that will fall upon her as a result of her transgression. (The target need neither understand nor even hear this pronouncement). An affected target takes a –4 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and checks for the duration of the spell. If the offense you named was committed against you personally (although not necessarily against you alone), the target also has a 50% chance of losing all actions on her turn for the duration of the spell.

The spell’s power can be more difficult to resist, depending on who suffered from the offense specified by the casting. If you were personally affected by the offense (in the DM’s judgment), then the target can only hope to reduce the deleterious effects of the spell by half on a successful Will save. You receive a +4 bonus on your caster level check to overcome the spell resistance of any creature whose crime affected you personally. A successful save in these circumstances results in the target taking a –2 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and checks. In addition, she has a 25% chance to lose all her actions for the duration of the spell.

Any target whose offense did not affect you personally gets her full spell resistance, and a successful Will save negates the effects of the pronouncement of fate.

RIGOR MORTIS

Necromancy

This spell allows you to wrap a single target in death’s embrace, making him both feel and appear dead for the duration of the spell. You must be able to touch the target, and the target must have a Wisdom score, but otherwise the spell can affect any creature, including intelligent undead. You must succeed on a melee touch attack to affect unwilling targets, and those who fail their saving throws immediately fall to the ground as though dead. All vital functions (if any) are suspended; subjects of this spell do not breathe, pump blood, or otherwise indicate in any way that they still live. Any physical harm done to someone in this state immediately grants another saving throw to awaken from the artificial torpor.

Material Component: A pinch of ash from a cremated body of any kind.

BESTOW WOUND

Transmutation

If wounded, you can cast this spell and touch a living creature. The target takes damage equal to your wounds at the rate of 1 point of damage per your caster level, or the amount needed to bring you up to your maximum hit points, whichever is less. At the same time, you heal that much damage, as if a cure spell had been cast on you.

Material Component: A small eye agate worth at least 10 gp.

FIRE IN THE BLOOD

Transmutation

This unsettling spell enables you to make deadly weapons of your own arteries and veins. Once the spell is cast, your blood takes on a mystical potency that makes it more corrosive than the strongest acid to anyone who draws it from you. From then on, until the spell’s duration has elapsed, anyone who deals slashing or piercing melee damage on you is sprayed with your blood in retribution. The blood deals a cumulative 1d6 points of damage per attack upon your attacker, with no save or spell resistance applicable, up to a maximum of 5d6. Thus, the first time a foe hits you with a slashing or piercing weapon, he instantly takes 1d6 points of damage from the sanguinary backlash. The second time that same foe strikes you, he takes 2d6 points of damage.

As soon as any single foe has taken 5d6 points of damage in a single spray from your corrosive blood, the spell ends. Opponents striking you with magical attacks that do not manifest in a slashing or piercing manner, or those striking you with only bludgeoning weapons, do not trigger the retributive blood spray. The arc and direction of the blood spray is magical in nature, and the spray does not splatter adjacent squares or parties, no matter how close together they might be. Each spray strikes only the one responsible for the wound.

Material Component: A drop of your own blood.

MASTER’S LAMENT

Transmutation [Evil]

This spell strengthens the bond between master and familiar. For the duration of the spell, any damage or magical effect (charm, energy drain, etc.) taken by the master is also taken by the familiar, and vice versa. If the effect allows a save, both master and familiar roll their saves separately. This spell can be cast on either the master or the familiar.

Corruption cost: 1d6 points of Charisma damage.