erik@resonex.UUCP (07/06/84)
"Today is only yesterdays tomorrow"
Wizards and Demons, Uriah Heap, (early 70s)
Magic item creation is a really enjoyable task. In the campaigns I've been
involved with over the past years, we have created hundreds and hundreds. We
draw them on the front (and key them on the back) of index cards. Ite card art
has come a long way, but you'll have to take my word for it!
I'll continue through the levels with the time magic I began posting a
couple of weeks ago. Innovative spells lead to ideas which can easily be incor-
porated into magic items. In fact, most every magic item is derived from as
spell (or visa versa.) Rings of invisibility are as common as spells of invis-
ability. So why not an amulet of Event Linking, (see below for spell), and so
forth. Magic items and magic spells go hand in hand since they both demand new
tools be created for a multitude of tasks.
Time magic:
Level 3:
Time Shards: Duration: Instant, Range: 75 feet, saves: none.
A thirty degree spread does 1d8 per 2 levels of impact to all within it.
It does d10s at a half its range because the cone is tighter, but it can
only strike targets in a direct line, so those shielded by others or ob-
jects take no damage. You can determine this by using a ruler on your
playing surface, from mage to target. [ If you use a 'battle mat' you
can draw-in obstructions, and add a wonderful dimension of REALISM to
magic, or firefights in general.] The shards are ebon pieces of stopped
air or available matter. As they speed up, back to normal vibration,
the accumulating kinetic energy is focused into a foward blast.
Window of Now as Future-Past: Range: 180 feet, saves: none.
A window 1 foot high and 6 inches high per level of caster. The image
within is what would be seen if it were only a frame, EXCEPT that the
image is of a thousandth of a second into the future and into the past,
exchanged every millionth of a second. The viewer is 100% immune to
all gaze magic and illusions flicker (since they are fabricated instant
by instant, not into the future and the past.) Illusions may be recog-
nized 50% + 5% per level. The window lasts 1 min./level.
Shell of Moments: [TIME ARMOR]: Range: Self, saves: none, duration: 1 min/level.
Entire surface of mage and his/her garments are covered in an opaque
glassy black 3 inch thick "aura." It is AC 1 and absorbs 5 points of
impact per 3 inch cube. The cube falls out leaving a gap in the armor
in the spot struck. Drawback: The mage sees and hears what occured
a second into the past, so he or she cannot attack moving targets or
hold intelligible conversation.
Dark Shine: Range: 6 feet + 1 per level, saves: none, unless magic, duration:
permanant. The mystic stares at the target for 5 minutes. His eyes
lose their irises briefly and two bolts traces to the point of focus.
A hole of 6' diameter appears in the target. The substance within ages
to dust. It affects a 6' diameter hemisphere of stone, a 6" hemisphere
of steel, or 1 mm of orichalcum, etc.
Timebolt: Range: 120 feet. Saves: normal, Duration: see below.
A bolt which hits doing 2d6 + 1 per level (hitting as a crossbow at +4)
will also, unless save made stop the victim, IN THE MOMENT OF IMPACT,
for a sixth of melee round per point of damage done. The victim looks
like an obsidian statue. He/she cannot be harmed without being released
instantly. After release, victim will, of course, continue with what-
ever action he/she was in the middle of. (Good for stopping charging
dragon-rhinos, etc. for long enough to step aside!)
Circle of Remembrance: [Undeniable Evidence Spell] Range: 30' radius +5' per
level. Saves: none, Duration: 5 minutes + 1 per level. The caster
creates a thin (1 mm) black band at the edge of the radius. For the
time of its duration it sits there, recording. At the durations comple-
tion it closes its radius into a ring about the mages chosen finger.
This circle may be removed and "replayed" at real-time with a 5' radius.
(A time mages television!) May by replayed 1ce per level, then it diss-
olves.
Level 4:
Back Space: [TIME DIMENSION DOOR]: Range: 100' +10' per level. Mage may
dimension door thouroughly safely with this spell, to any position
he or she has occupied within the last 30 seconds + 10 per level.
Degeneration: [INVERSE REGENERATION]: Range 80', saves: normal, duration:
1d4 melee turn per level. The victim's wounds Degenerate (the oppos-
ite of regenerate) becoming old and putrescent. It does 1 damage per
melee turn to wounded opponents, save to a fourth damge.
The call of Returning: Range: 120', saves: none, unless the object is magic,
if so, save is normal. An object of 30 lbs. per level will Back Space
to the place where it spends most of its time. The maximum Back Spacing
is 30'. Closes doors, sheaths weapons, unloads crossbows, etcetra.
Event Linking: Range: 45', saves: normal. A proxy and a victim are selected.
The proxy speeds up the median of his/her speed and the victim's, while
the victim is slowed to the same speed. If the victim saves the proxy
still has their speed raised to half the difference of their speed and
the victim's. ( This is a way to take away the advantage of speed and
to make opponents fight on equal footing.)
The Years Unveiled: range 10', duration 3 minutes per level. Casting time 5
minutes. As an object 3" radius per level is stared at its visual
aspect is brought back one year per level. This spell is ideal for
seeing through disguises, (since most disguises aren't worn for years)
or for displaying someone in their youth for the purposes of flattering
portraiture.
Thought Threader: Range: 10', duration: 1 minute per level. The small gestures
the mage makes in conversation can be a subtle spell which unweaves
memories as they are made. The effect is that the one talked to forgets
what happened in the discussion with the caster if s/he fails a save.
Until the last time,
Erik Guttman
1233A University Ave.
Berkeley Ca., 94702