New Elder and Neutral Spells
I do not favor adding the spells that follow as priest spells. Instead, I would add most of them to the basic spell list for Elder or Neutral magic users.
NOTE - EL as power is being used such that EL 0 means the caster can do squat. I have corrected that. The EL factor that applies in such cases is EL+1 not EL.
Crop Protection - Elder/Law
The spell protects crops in the affected area against natural threats such as diseases, hail, frost and vermin for the Duration specified. If cast at twice the normal cost, the spell grants crops within the affected area immunity against the spells Cold, Disease, Foyson Theft and Withering Hand. The EL of the immunity equals EL of the Crop Protection spell. Harvested crops will not retain the granted immunity. They are a normal plant.
| BMC | 2 |
| Area | (EL+1)*3" (a radius) |
| Duration | (EL+1) squared days |
Tanglevine - Elder
The spell creates an area of intense plant growth that catches any creature within its area of effect. Targets in the area are allowed a D roll. Success allows them to move half their PMR (RU) and not be entangled. Partial Success lets them move 1" before being entangled. Failure snags them where they stand. Unless the move carries them out of the affect area they are automatically snagged on the second phase.
Once snagged, a person must break free with main strength. Roll S the listed strength for the EL cast. Regardless of the EL, all targets may roll a chance for Partial Success. Success allows him to free himself and move one hex. Partial Success grants a 20 modifier on the next phase roll. Failure does nothing. After a target breaks free the spell must roll a new success roll to snag him again. If not, he may move his full PMR.
| BMC | 1 |
| Casting Range | (EL + 1)* 2" |
| Effect Area | EL + 1" |
| Duration | (EL+1)*10 phases |
| Strength | (EL+1)* 5 |
IMPORTANT - The D roll above is not allowed if the target is ambushed or unaware of the Wizard casting the spell. He must have the wit to realize the threat to get this chance. The vines do not inflict damage of any kind. At the end of the duration, they turn to mist and disappear.
Forest Powers - Neutral
Wood Sage
The caster can ask nature for information. It is used -in two ways. Cast at basic cost the caster touches a tree and asks for information it may know. The caster is actually asking Tree spirits for information. Typical information requests may be if an animal or plant is in the area. If a person (the person's image is flashed via subconscious mental images) has passed through the area recently. The questions asked must relate to what is KNOWN to the spirits. If it is beyond their reason or logic, of should they have no reason to recall it, then it will not be worth asking them. Cast at double the mana cost caster can ask the entire forest as a single entity. Only one answer is returned. The answer will take longer. Success reveals the information desired. Failure yields nothing. Abysmal earns the forest's enmity. Subtract 10 in taking encounter rolls in that forest until the caster appeases the forest. Cast in the second way the range is an effect area for all trees and plants in area. The type of question and any qualifiers a given forest can, or will, answer is up to the Referee.
| Range | 2 miles (EL as power, a radius) |
| Duration | EL+1 minutes [Time spell remains in effect] |
| Answer time - 10 | EL minutes |
| BMC | 5 |
EXAMPLE - A magician sees a red flicker in the sky. He wonders if there is a forest fire. He casts EL4 Wood Sage and asks the forest if there is and where it may be. The forest is 12x10 miles in size. The spell will do 32 miles so will cover the entire forest easily. It will take him 6 minutes to get an answer and learn that the forest fire is to the west about 3 miles and spreading fast. This allows the magician to help fight it or leave before the fire approaches.
Vine Carrion
The nearby plants will project vines and leaves that will attack and eat a target. The level of attack is minimal and a simple Strength x 2 roll escapes the attack. The target must be awake and/or mobile to use his strength. If it's already dead, confined in some way or knocked out he will be consumed. The vines will turn carnivorous. The method of attack is up to the Referee but can include mouths, acid, slow digestion or other forms of attack. The type of plant will also determine level of attack. A large elephant plant is huge and could swallow a large animal but a small bonsai bush might only eat a rat.
The main effect is a carrion scavenger type attack. Once the duration ends and the plant has not completed digestion or eaten the target the plant will revert to its original state. If the plant is already carnivorous it will eat the target but in its original form (like instead of mouths with spell it might attack by slow digestion). The range is the distance the spell can be case. The radius is an assigned area where the plants will change form. Once the area is assigned it remains in place. If the caster is in the center he can be attacked. The center of the area can be assigned away from the caster. Caster can move and cast other magic after area is defined. The strength is a modifier subtracted from the strength roll. It is the strength for the plants trying to grab and hold the target. See Tanglevine for the result of Success, Partial and Failure.
| Range | (EL+1) x 3" |
| Radius | EL+1 (diameter) |
| Duration | EL+1 hours |
| Strength | (EL+1) x 5 |
| BMC | 6 |
EXAMPLE - A druid spots a hunter poaching. He decides to help the animals. He casts an EL5 spell toward the hunter who is nearby. The trees around him begin to attack. The hunter has a S of 24. The S of the spell is 30. He is not strong enough to free himself. The referee determines the plants will use a form of acid to slowly digest the hunter. It will take 2 hours just to kill the target as he is slowly eaten. He also determines a plant will drain 2 energy points per hour away from target. It is a painful and slow death.
Wood Strength
The caster gains strength from the forest. The larger and more ancient the forest, the greater the affect of the spell. He must allocate one mana point per phase to the contact. If he does not, the contact is broken. The caster will immediately lose the effects of the spell and be exhausted for EL phases. During this exhaustion he is stunned. The contact is with trees. It does not work with small plants or bushes or even the grass. The table below applies:
| FOREST TYPE | BONUS |
|---|---|
| Scattered Trees | -4 |
| Sparse Forest | -2 |
| Orchard | -1 |
| Common Forest | |
| Elder or Wild | +1 |
| Ancient Elder | +2 |
| True Wood | +4 |
| Ancient True Wood | +6 |
The caster can end the spell with a Will roll and subtract EL of the spell from the D100 roll. If he does this then there is no exhaustion. In tapping strength the caster will lose EL Energy points per turn. This allows the symbiotic relationship for both tree and caster. The tree uses this energy for its own purpose to gain water or convert it to photosynthesis.
| Strength Boost | (EL+1)*2 + Bonus |
| Range | Touch [Must touch tree to initiate spell] |
| Duration | EL+1 turns |
| BMC | 5 |
EXAMPLE - A druid is fighting a Chaotic Wizard and 3 bandits. He casts EL4 Wood Strength. The forest he is in counts as Orchard. He gains (10+ (-1)) 9 strength. This could increase his Strength bonus if it goes to the next level and grants a temporary increase in HPV. The tree will gain 4 energy from the caster and he is drained 4 energy points at the end of the spell.
NOTE - True Wood was restricted to the Lower World after Armageddon due to the fall of Cernunnos. Since his return, it is beginning to return to the Middle World and has awakened. The only place where Ancient True Wood can be found is the Lower World and, rarely, other planes of existence.
Thorns
This spell causes a plant to grow thorns. If the plant has pre-existing thorns they will also be used. The thorns eject at the target. The number of thorns from a plant is determined in the Thorn Amount formula. The range is how far the plant can be from the caster. The distance is how far the thorns can be ejected. Thorns regrow and eject again once a turn. They are fired at the wish of the caster. Once fired it takes a turn for them to regenerate. The chance for each thorn to hit uses the MEL+EL as the OCV on the combat table. The target can dodge and uses his normal DCV to avoid the thorns. Armor protects as normal.
| Range | (EL+1)x2" [60 degree cone) |
| Distance | EL+1" [How far thorns are ejected at target] |
| Duration | EL+1 turns |
| NWI | (EL+1)/3 (RD) |
| Damage | 1D3+EL per thorn |
| Number | 1D10+EL |
| BMC | 3 |
EXAMPLE - A druid is attacked by 2 bandits who think he has no weapons. They approach. The Druid casts an EL4 Thorns spell. The range to the target plant is 30 feet, well within his range. The distance the thorns are ejected is up to 50 feet. Since the bandits are only 10 feet away from the plant they are attacked. The plant creates 8 thorns. 5 hit one bandit and do a total of 16 points of damage. The rest miss the enemy.
IMPORTANT - The NWI is used as normal in determining the affect of the missile fire.
OPTIONAL - Spell can be used for Poisoned thorns. Used in this way the spell is cast normal but the amount of thorns is reduced 50% (RU). The damage is reduced by 50% (RU) but the thorns are laced with a Base Line EL slow death poison.
Water Detection
The Druid can ask the trees and plants around him like using a Wood sage spell but where the nearest fresh water source is. The answer is given on success. Failure gives nothing. Abysmal gives enmity. The range is how far the water source can be found. If the roots of a tree can't reach water it gives nothing in reply.
| Range | 2 miles (EL as power) |
| BMC | 1 |
Spores
This spell creates spores or uses pre-existing spores. The spell works exactly like that of Thorns. But there is no damage from the spores. The spores cause the targets in the area to cough, breath hard and be blinded for a short period of time. It can be used as a distraction tool.
If someone is allergic to spores this could be deadly to them. The spores ejected do not roll to hit the targets but explode within 1 foot of the target in the air. The dust cloud covers the area listed below. The spores will remain in the area magically for EL phases. Wind can move the spores if it is magical. Normal winds will just stir the spores up in the cloud. The druid entering the cloud can be affected.
| Range | EL+1" feet (Diameter of cloud from spore explosions) |
| BMC | 1 |
Glow
The caster will cause the plants to glow a faint greenish hue. The use of this spell causes plants to glow as a signal, warning or to help the caster find his way in a forest. Cast at 2 x the cost it is only seen by the caster. Used in this way the caster can tag the plant and use it as a beacon. He can spend 1 mana point per day the glow will remain. The distance this glow is seen in an unobstructed area is ELx100 feet. But the caster can vary that distance to make it brighter or lower as he wishes.
| Range | Touch [to plant] |
| Duration | EL+1 days |
| BMC | 2 |
EXAMPLE - A mage has a bag of a plant that is of great healing value. He places it in a sealed bag and digs it under a tree. He then leaves the forest after casting a x2 EL4 spell on a plant. The plant will glow only for him for 5 days. He can then return as he sees fit to regain the treasure. He could also cast it at normal to warn others to avoid that plant or area.
Sleep
This spell works like Watchful Sleep. It has the trees and plants around the caster warn of danger. The caster will sleep during this spell. Anyone that enters the ranged area will alert the plant life. They will then move, howl (as if wind is blowing through them) and send a sensation to the caster. This would include animals that enter the area that intend to harm the caster. The effect could scare those that enter the area and wake up the caster. The basic wake chance is that of Watchful Sleep.
| Range | (EL+1)x2" (Diameter) |
| Duration | EL+1 hours |
| BMC | 3 |
Cocoon
The spell regenerates energy and hit points back to the caster. He must sleep during this spell and be surrounded by plants (branches, leaves, moss, etc.). If there is no plant life the spell will not work. Once the spell is cast the caster will roll Will to fall asleep. As soon as he does the spell goes into effect. If the caster wakes the spell ends. If he wakes up before an hour is completed for that part of the spell he gains nothing. The spell must work for the entire hour to gain the benefit for that hour. When the spell ends the plant life around him will be decayed and drained of life force. If the plant life around him is touched with a Withering Hand spell the effect of this spell is reversed. It will DRAIN not heal the listed amounts. The frequency is the amount of times it can be cast. The amount of decay from the plants depends on how long caster sleeps from the spell duration. Thus a spell that lasts 10 hours and caster only sleeps 3 the decay is 30%.
| Duration | EL+1 hours |
| Hits back | EL+1 per hour [HPV back] |
| Energy Back | EL per hour [Energy points back] |
| Frequency - 20 | EL days |
| BMC | 7 |
EXAMPLE - A druid is helped to prepare a area by allies. He will then sleep for the night and cast a EL4 Cocoon spell. The spell will last for 5 hours once he falls asleep. It will heal 5 hits and 4 energy back per hour. He an only use this spell every 4 days (Max el is 6). He sleeps for 3 hours and gains 15 hits and 12 energy back. On the fourth hour he wakes 20 minutes into the hour so he gains nothing for that hour. When he wakes the plants are decayed.
OPTIONAL - This spell may be used on another person in extremis. The cost to do so is TWICE that normal for the EL cast. While it works, the person being healed sleeps. The caster sits in a trance with his hands on that person. Used in this way, the caster serves as a conduit for the forest's power. The person he is trying to heal receives all benefits. If that person wakes before the Duration ends, the caster suffers backlash. Roll on the Abysmal Failure table.
NOTE - When the person affected, caster or otherwise, is healed completely he wakes up automatically.