Spells

Lords of Madness

ELDER GLYPH OF WARDING

Abjuration

This spell functions like glyph of warding, except that an elder blast glyph deals 1d8 points of damage per caster level (maximum of 30d8), and an elder spell glyph can store a spell of 9th level or lower.

Material Component: You trace the elder glyph with incense, which first must be sprinkled with powdered diamond worth at least 1,000 gp.

UTTERDARK

Conjuration (Creation) [Evil]

Utterdark spreads outward from you, creating an area of cold, cloying magical darkness. This darkness is similar to that created by the deeper darkness spell, but it cannot be dispelled by magical light (although a light spell or similar effect of equal or higher level can temporarily suppress the utterdark where their areas overlap, restoring normal illumination to the affected area for as long as the light spell or effect lasts). Furthermore, evil-aligned creatures can see in this darkness as if it were simply a dimly lighted area.

Arcane Material Component: A black stick, 6 inches long, with humanoid blood smeared upon it.

BRAIN SPIDER

Divination [Mind-Affecting]

This spell allows you to eavesdrop as a standard action on the thoughts of up to eight other creatures at once, hearing as desired:

• The ceaseless chaos representing images of surface thoughts.

• Individual trains of thought in whatever order you desire.

• Information from all minds about one particular topic, thing, or being, one nugget of information per caster level.

• A study of the thoughts and memories of one creature of the group in detail.

Material Component: A spider of any size or kind. It can be dead, but it must still have all eight legs.

DETECT ABERRATION

Divination

You can detect the presence of all aberrations in the area. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject:

1st Round: Presence or absence of aberrant life.

2nd Round: Number of different aberrant auras and the strength of the strongest aura. If you detect overwhelming aberrant power with this spell, and the Hit Dice or level of the aura’s source is at least twice your character level, you are stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.

3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura.

Aura Power: An aberrant aura’s power depends on the type of creature you’re detecting and its Hit Dice; see the accompanying table.

If an aura falls into more than one power category, the spell indicates the stronger of the two. A humanoid with the Aberration Blood feat detects as Faint even if it has more than 3 Hit Dice.

Length Aura Lingers: How long the aura lingers depends on its original strength:

Each round, the character can turn to detect aberrant auras 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.

PROBE THOUGHTS

Divination [Mind-Affecting]

All the subject’s memories and knowledge are accessible to you, ranging from memories deep below the surface to those still easily called to mind. You can learn the answer to one question per round, to the best of the subject’s knowledge. You can also probe a sleeping subject, though the subject can make a Will save against the DC of the probe thoughts spell to wake after each question.

Subjects who do not wish to be probed can attempt to move beyond the power’s range, unless somehow hindered. You pose the questions telepathically, and the answers to those questions are imparted directly to your mind. You and the target do not need to speak the same language, although less intelligent creatures might yield up only appropriate visual images in answer to your questions.

BOLTS OF BEDEVILMENT

Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]

This spell grants you the ability to make one ray attack per round. The ray dazes one living creature, clouding its mind so that it takes no action for 1d3 rounds. The creature is not stunned (so attackers get no special advantage against it), but it can’t move, cast spells, use mental abilities, and so on.

MADDENING SCREAM

Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]

The subject cannot keep himself from screaming, gibbering, and leaping about as though completely mad. This spell makes it impossible for the victim to do anything other than race about caterwauling. The spell gives the subject a –4 penalty to Armor Class, makes Reflex saving throws impossible except on a roll of 20, and makes it impossible to use a shield.

MORALITY UNDONE

Enchantment [Evil, Mind-Affecting]

The caster turns one creature evil. The chaotic/neutral/lawful component of the subject’s alignment is unchanged. The subject retains whatever outlook, allegiances, and relationships it had before, as long as they do not conflict with the new alignment. Otherwise, it acts with its new selfish, bloodthirsty, and cruel outlook on all things.

For example, a wizard might not immediately turn on her fighter companion for no apparent reason, particularly in the middle of a combat when they’re fighting on the same side. But she might allow her friend to be hurt or killed if her friend is carrying something valuable she could recover later, or she might use spells to control or deceive her friend to get what she wants. She might even eventually decide to betray or attack her friend if there is some potential gain involved.

Arcane Material Component: A powdered holy symbol.

TOUCH OF MADNESS

Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]

You can daze one living creature by making a successful touch attack. If the target creature does not make a successful Will save, its mind is clouded and it takes no action for 1 round per caster level. A dazed creature is not stunned (so attackers get no special advantage against it), but it can’t move, cast spells, use mental abilities, and so on.

BLAST OF FORCE

Evocation [Force]

You direct an invisible blast of force at a chosen target. The blast is a ranged touch attack that deals 1d6 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d6). In addition, a successful hit forces the target to make a Fortitude save or be knocked down (size and stability modifiers apply to the saving throw as if the spell were a bull rush).

DAMNING DARKNESS

Evocation [Darkness, Evil]

This spell is similar to darkness, except that those within the area of darkness also take unholy damage. Creatures of good alignment take 2d6 points of damage per round in the darkness, and creatures neither good nor evil take 1d6 points of damage. As with the darkness spell, the area of the darkness is a 20- foot radius, and the object that serves as the spell’s target can be shrouded to block the darkness (and thus the damaging effect). Damning darkness counters or dispels any light spell of equal or lower level. Spell resistance applies to the damage dealt by this spell but not to the darkness area.

Arcane Material Component: A dollop of pitch with a tiny needle hidden inside it.

DARKBOLT

Evocation [Darkness, Evil]

The caster makes a ranged touch attack against a foe, launching a bolt of cold darkness from his left hand. The bolt deals 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8). Half the damage is cold, and the other has no specific type. When struck, the foe must also succeed on a Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round, overwhelmed by the evil charge of the darkbolt.

INVOKE MAGIC

Evocation

You cause a flicker of magic to momentarily exist in a place where magic cannot normally function, such as within the area of an antimagic field, a dead magic area, or a null-magic plane. This allows you the ability to cast a single spell of 4th level or lower, which then ends the spell’s effect. Casting invoke magic is a swift action, like casting a quickened spell. You can perform only one swift action each round. Normally, you cast invoke magic and then immediately follow it by casting another spell as a standard action.

Material Component: A diamond worth at least 1,000 gp.

INVOKE THE CERULEAN SIGN

Evocation

The cerulean sign is an ancient symbol said to embody the purity of the natural world, and as such it is anathema to aberrations. While druids and rangers are the classes most often known to cast this ancient spell, its magic is nearly universal and can be mastered by all spellcasting classes. When you cast this spell, you trace the cerulean sign in the air with a hand, leaving a glowing blue rune in the air for a brief moment before it flashes and fills the area of effect with a pulse of cerulean light. Any aberration within the area must make a Fortitude saving throw or suffer the following ill effects. Closer aberrations are affected first. Each effect lasts for 1 round.

None: The aberration suffers no ill effect, even if it fails the saving throw.

Sickened: The aberration takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for 1 round.

Nauseated: The aberration cannot attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything but take a single move action for 1 round.

Dazed: The aberration can take no actions, but has no penalty to its Armor Class, for 1 round.

Stunned: The aberration drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) for 1 round.

Once a creature recovers from an effect, it moves up one level on the table. Thus, a creature that is stunned by this spell is dazed the round after that, nauseated the round after that, sickened the round after that, and then recovers fully the next round.

NATURE’S PURITY

Evocation

A shimmering green beam of light springs forth from your outstretched hand. You can direct this ray at any target in range. If you hit the target, the ray deals 1d6 points of force damage. Against undead and constructs, the ray deals 2d8 points of force damage.

Against aberrations, the ray deals 5d6 points of force damage and threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19–20. An aberration slain by this damage is immediately transformed into pungent-smelling inert plant matter. You can generate one additional ray for every four levels above 5th (to a maximum of four rays at 17th level). The rays can be fired at the same or different targets, but all rays must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously.

POX

Necromancy [Evil]

The affected creatures take 1d4 points of Constitution drain. Their skin breaks out in lesions and takes on a pale yellow pallor.

ARMS OF PLENTY

Transmutation

Two clawed arms grow out of the subject’s body. The arms are roughly humanoid, but are either scaly or furred and end in sharp talons. The spell transforms any clothing or armor worn by the creature to accommodate these additional arms; when the duration ends the creature’s clothing and armor return to normal.

The arms grant the subject two primary claw attacks. A hit from one of the claws deals slashing damage equal to 1d6 points (1d4 if Small) plus the creature’s Strength modifier. The claws cannot be used to wield weapons or manipulate objects. Since the claws are primary attacks, you can attack with them in addition to making your weapon attacks without penalty. The claws count as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. If both claw attacks hit the same target, the arms can rend the target for extra damage equal to 2d6 points plus 1-1/2 times the subject’s Strength modifier. Multiple castings of arms of plenty on a creature do not stack; the duration simply resets.

Material Component: A xill’s claw.

BEFOUL

Transmutation [Evil]

The caster makes water (or other liquid) foul and mildly poisonous. All creatures with 1 Hit Die or less that are in the water at the time of the casting die immediately. Anyone drinking this water must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or take 1d4 points of Constitution damage. Any creature with 2 or more Hit Dice immersed in this water must make a saving throw as if drinking it. If the caster affects only part of a larger body of water, the befouled water mixes with the pure water. If the entire body of water is no more than four times the size of the affected area, all the water in the body of water is befouled 24 hours later, but the damage from drinking or swimming in the water is only 1d2 points of Constitution damage.

If the body of water is more than four times the affected area but less than twenty times the affected area, after 24 hours all of the water tastes foul but has no damaging effect. If the entire body is larger than twenty times the affected area, fouled water mixes with the clean water and loses all effect after 24 hours.

Material Components: A dead fish and a drop of poison.

DESPOIL

Transmutation [Evil]

The caster blights and corrupts a vast area of land. Plants with 1 Hit Die or less shrivel and die, and the ground cannot support such plant life ever again. Plants with more than 1 Hit Die must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or die. Even those successful on their saves take 5d6 points of damage.

All living creatures in the area other than plants (and the caster) must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or take 1d4 points of Strength damage. Unattended objects, including structural features such as walls and doors, grow brittle and lose 1 point of hardness (to a minimum of 0), then take 1d6 points of damage (this damage bypasses any remaining hardness). Only the effects of multiple wish or miracle spells can undo the lasting effect of this spell.

Material Component: Corpse of a freshly dead or preserved living creature.

PERMEABLE FORM

Transmutation

By altering the essential nature of the matter composing your body, you make yourself incorporeal for a brief time. While incorporeal, you can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, you have a 50% chance to ignore damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects, or attacks made with ghost touch weapons). You can enter or pass through solid objects as described under the incorporeal subtype on page 310 of the Monster Manual.

Tsochar spellcasters sometimes use this spell to quickly exit an inhabited creature without causing damage to the victim. You cannot attack while in this state, but you can perform other actions as your incorporeal nature allows. Casting this spell is an immediate action. You can cast it even when it’s not your turn. You can only take one swift, immediate, or quickened action per turn.

UNDULANT INNARDS

Transmutation

This spell causes a powerful transformation in the target creature. Outwardly, the target doesn’t appear any different. On the inside, the creature’s internal organs constantly seethe and slither about, and actively avoid being struck at by weapons. For the duration of the spell, the target is immune to extra damage from critical hits and sneak attacks. Additionally, the target takesminimum possible damage from falls and gains a +4 enhancement bonus on all saving throws against poison, disease, and paralysis.

WHISPERCAST

Transmutation

The next spell you cast can be cast as a purely mental action, provided that it is of 5th level or lower and that you can whisper. It requires no somatic or material components, unless the spell normally requires a focus or an expensive material component (any component worth more than 1 gp). If the spell does require a focus or an expensive component, you can still whispercast it as long as you have the focus or expensive component on your person—the magic of whispercast causes the focus to be used or the expensive component to be consumed normally, without you having to handle or manipulate it.

If you do not cast a second spell while whispercast is in effect, you gain no benefit from casting whispercast. Casting this spell is a swift action. It does not require a move action or standard action, but you can take only one swift, immediate, or quickened action per turn. Tsochari spellcasters use this spell to permit spellcasting while they inhabit other creatures. It is also useful for grappled spellcasters.