Libraries and Laboratories

Libraries and laboratories are important places for Wizards, and I have been thinking that they should figure mechanically In to the spell research system, but if the spell research system has been replaced with spell research = adventures then what do we do with the 'ol Lib and Lab? 

Library = Adventure  Hooks

and 

Laboratory = Dream Quest = How Magic Items are Made = a different kind of adventure

If a Magic-User character has access to a library then at the beginning of each session they can roll to find some juicy rumors or clues to locations of ancient treasures.  Each Library has a level. Pretend like the library itself is a Magic-User according to your favorite Adventure Fantasy Game rules. The amount of gold that the books are worth is the equivalent level of the library. The M-U can roll for a chance to find a clue to a treasure of the equivalent level by rolling under his INT on a d20, or they could try for clues to multiple smaller treasures that add up to that level.

For example, if your library is worth 2500 gp, then it's second level. The M-U can roll once to try and find a clue to a Lvl 2 treasure, or she can roll twice to try find two Lvl 1 treasures. 

There is a catch to looking for clues in shared libraries. Like if your M-U doesn't have their own library and they have to use their mentor's or the library at the Wizard Guild or whatever, then for each clue they have to also roll a d6. On a 1 or 2 there will be someone else who is also looking for that treasure.  The DM will need to roll up a NPC wizard and his or her accomplices and load this other adventuring party into the encounter tables.

Now for laboratories. These are the places where magic items are made. But I'm not satisfied with the pseudoscientific images of beakers bubbling and alembics smoking or whatever alembics do. And really it comes down to just spending GP and a few weeks.  I want making magic items to be a whole kind of adventure. Bear with me now, this thought is half formed, but I want it to be a bit like this:

"As he took his father's sword the young man thought of the witch.

It was scarcely dark in the valley when he left the Castle of Erl, and went so swiftly up the witch's hill that a dim light lingered yet on its highest heaths when he came near the cottage of the one that he sought, and found her burning bones at a fire in the open. To her he said that the day of his need was come. And she bade him gather thunderbolts in her garden, in the soft earth under her cabbages.

And there with eyes that saw every minute more dimly, and fingers that grew accustomed to the thunderbolts' curious surfaces, he found before darkness came down on him seventeen: and these he heaped into a silken kerchief and carried back to the witch."

-The King of Elfland's Daughter

I think maybe making a magic item starts just the same way that scribing a spell does, by finding some bit of lore or weird item that clues the M-U to the potential existence of the item. Just like with spells, this initial piece gives the Wizard a 1/6 chance to make the item. Finding more bits will increase his chances. Aha! Maybe the adventure hook system for libraries above could also have clues about items or bits of lore the wizard has found.

Example: In his travels a Wizard finds a few worms in a jar that appear to fade into and out of reality. But what are they about? The next session the wizard rolls for clues in his library and finds mention of phase worms, which can be used to fashion cloaks of invisibility. Now with just the worms the wizard could roll to make such a cloak, but with only a 1/6 chance of success. He instead decides to try and find more bits of lore and weird items. 

That's a wise choice, because a failed attempt to make a magic item results in a cursed or flawed item.

Alright, that's enough for now, here's more Dunsany:

"Nobody can tell you about that sword all that there is to be told of it; for those that know of those paths of Space on which its metals once floated, till Earth caught them one by one as she sailed past on her orbit, have little time to waste on such things as magic, and so cannot tell you how the sword was made, and those who know whence poetry is, and the need that man has for song, or know any one of the fifty branches of magic, have little time to waste on such things as science, and so cannot tell you whence its ingredients came. Enough that it was once beyond our Earth and was now here amongst our mundane stones; that it was once but as those stones, and now had something in it such as soft music has; let those that can define it."

What's in the spell book of the evil wizard or sorceress?

These are spells for the bad guys in pulp-inspired fantasy adventure games. These'll work best if the PCs see the evil wizard cast one on some poor schmuck, then later the PCs find themselves in the same situation.

Desiccate

M-U Lvl 2 

Range: touch

Duration: instant

The Magic-User must place his hand on the victim and hold it there for a full round. The victim may take an action during this round if they are able. At the beginning of the round immediately following the victim's body is drained of moisture and they lose 1d6 HP per level of the caster.

Optional: after casting this spell the Magic-User becomes bloated and corpulent for d6 turns after which he vomits copiously. Roll 1d6:

1-2: it's a random potion

3-4: it's poison

5-6: it's just gross

Viper Kiss

Cleric Lvl 4

Range: touch

Duration: instant

Any person kissed by the caster must immediately Save or Die as if poisoned. Their skin will turn pale and their veins will turn dark green.

Gift of the Viper Goddess

Cleric lvl 5

Range: 30'

Duration: permanent 

This spell will reincarnate one corpse into a monstrous snake-man who will do the bidding of the caster. (HD: as caster -1, AC: as chain, MV: as man x1.5) the cause of death of the corpse must have been poison or a poison-like effect.

Slime Ray

M-U Lvl 4

Range: 100'

Duration: instant

A glowing ray shoots from the caster's finger and any target struck must Save vs. Death Ray or transform into a random slime, mold or jelly.  If the victim is carrying a shield it may be sacrificed to automatically succeed at the Saving Throw.

SPELL RESEARCH IS AWESOME

I've read a lot of different versions of D and D type fantasy adventure games and even when a lot of creativity is focused on other parts of the game, spell research is neglected. If it's even included at all it's almost always some variation of a boring formula of gold pieces and weeks spent during down time. I know some folks like detailing what their characters do during the time between adventures but it is always going to be less interesting than what happens at the table and I want Spell Research to be interesting so what if:

Adventures = Spell Research

And the inverse:

Spell Research = Adventures

In other words, for Wizards:

Spells = XP

For all Wizard/Magic-User PCs to gain a level they must research, learn, cast and copy into their spell book a spell of the next highest level. 

RESEARCH:

This is what a Wizard is doing every second of every adventure. Scattered about the Mythic Underworld and the rare places above ground there are clues to the possible realities of Spells. These clues are: runes, spellscraps, ectoplasm, odd references in ancient tomes, mystic graphitti, grimoires, other wizard's spell books, scrolls, pixie dust, eye tyrant goo and other creature bits, magic items, etc. when a Wizard finds one of the above the DM may tell the Player that they have gained a x/6 chance of casting the spell. This will usually be 1/6 but could be more especially for rare and powerful items like another Wizard's spellbook. (Read magic would have to be cast of course)

Yes this makes the DMs job a little bit harder which I am normally completely opposed to but I think it will make the game a lot more awesome so buck up and add some things to those treasure tables.

LEARN

It is assumed that Wizards are constantly obsessing over these weird bits of trash from other universes that they keep buried in the folds of their robes.

CAST

Anytime a wizard has at least one clue they may attempt to cast the spell.  The first time this will take 1d6 rounds per level and can be attempted once per spell per adventure.  Consumable items (potions, scrolls, chthonic cupcakes, etc) will be used up in the attempt.

COPY into Spellbook

Now the spell can be cast per whatever your rules-as-written or house rules about Spellcasting are. Here's an idea for the latter:

To cast a spell a Wizard must do one of the following:

1. Spend Mana equal to Spell Level to cast spell instantaneously

Or

2. Roll vs Arcane Stress

Or

3. Slow Cast 1 round/Spell Level AND using an appropriate Spell Component

(Spell Components have to be written on the character sheet, you can't be like "of course I'm carrying fungus that has been sneezed on by a priest and a butterfly simultaneously I'm a WIZARD..." This is more work for the DM again because they have to come up with a Component for every spell but at least you can make the player keep track of it and you could wimp out and just make it 1d6x100 GP/Spell Level and it wouldn't bother me too much. This post is about making spell research fun and interesting not spell components. I'll leave that for the next guy)

I'm tempted to say that 

Level = Mana per Day

that way we can get rid of spell progression charts altogether.  This'll also encourage slow casting which sounds exciting and evocative of genre fiction.

I have some other ideas about how Libraries and Laboratories could fit into the above Spellcasting system but that'll have to wait for another post.

Unhallowed Spells

The idea that there should be a spell called "Beastial Inheritance" came into my head as I woke up this morning but my sorta still asleep brain didn't have time to figure out what the spell does.  Upon further reflection here's how I think it might work:

Beastial Inheritance
Magic-User  Level 4
The MU must ritualistically kill a lycanthrope with a cursed blade then sheath it or put it away. If the next time the blade is used it is used to ritualistically cut a normal animal and a human then the bodies and spirits of the animal and the human are combined into a new were creature.  The victim/volunteer need not be willing,  and the Magic-User may cast the spell on him/herself.  The creature will serve the Magic-User for the caster's level+2d6 days.

This spell gives the PCs the power to create whatever were-creature they want: were-sharks, were-chihuahuas, were-emus... That sounds like fun, right?  Note the spell says "normal animal" so no were-tarasques or were-dragons.

That was fun.  Here are a few more vaguely Halloween themed spells:

Necrotic Transformation
Magic-User  Level 3
As the Magic-User casts this spell they undergo a ghastly transformation into an undead creature. The player may choose one die/table on the Undead Remix tables each round if a save vs. magic/Cosmic Doom/Necrotic Transformation is made.  If the save is failed then roll the appropriate die and record the result.  Once a save has been failed the remaining die are rolled normally.  The spell's duration is the caster's level+d6 hours.  At the end of the spells duration the caster must make another saving throw.  If this is failed the undead state continues for another d6 hours after which another saving throw is rolled.  If that roll fails the caster forever remains undead.

Were-Golem
Magic-User Level 2
The material component for this spell is a bit of clay mixed with at least one drop of lycanthrope blood.  The spell must be cast just as the moon is rising and must be completed before the moon clears the horizon.  While the spell is being cast the clay is molded by the Magic-User into the form of a creature.  at the spells completion the clay will grow in size to the equivalent of a number of normal men equal to the caster's level.  The creature will come alive and serve the Magic-User until the moon sets.  The creature will have armor class as chain mail and will have the same HD as the caster.  The creature may have spikes or claws or wings or anything else that can be reasonably modeled in clay in a few minutes and they will be fully functional.

The DM should give the Player a ball of clay to mold to determine the nature of the Were-Golem that is created.  A timer of 2 minutes should be used to limit the time that the creature can be formed.

Moon Ray Cartography
Magic-User  Level 1
This spell must be cast on the night of a full moon.  A clear crystal worth at least 100 gp must be held aloft so that a moon beam may shine through it.  The light of the moon beam will form a map on the ground below the crystal.  This map will describe clues to the nature and location of a treasure.  Because the map will only last the caster's level+D4 rounds this spell is often cast over a bed of sand or unfurled roll of parchment to record the map.


Happy Halloween!

What Happens When a Wizard Dies

When a Magic-User croaks roll a d6:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A WIZARD DIES
1	The Magic-User's spirit may take one action per level as if a 20 were rolled for each action. Possible actions are anything a human could be able to perform including speak. Spell casting is not possible. The spirit of the Magic-User appears ghostly and is as intangible as desired.
2	The place of the Magic-User's death is imbued with Mana* equal to the M-U's level x d6. This Mana will manifest gradually over d6X weeks. Manifestations may include:   (d6X=exploding d6, reroll and add if a 6 is rolled)	1	fungi
		2	crystals
		3	stones
		4	man-made objects left in the area
		5	slime
		6	animals in the area
3	The killers hand warps, atrophies and falls off causing d4 damage per level of the M-U. The hand, if not destroyed with a ritual will:	1	Turn to stone and in d6 hours will grow into a:	1	Troll
				2	Gargoyle
				3	Gorgon
				4	Basilisk
				5	Demon
				6	Earth Elemental
		2	Come alive imbued with the M-U's spirit
		3	Fall to the earth and sprout a Creep Tree**
		4	Crystallize, and crystals spread in all directions 100' per day. Max days=M-U's level
		5	Turn into an Imp and serve the nearest evil M-U.
		6	Fall to the earth and spread an undead plague in all directions 100' per day. Max days=M-U's level
4	Every one within 10' per level of the M-U are consumed in ghostly fire. (d6 damage per M-U's level. Save for half damage.)
5	The M-U remains linked to one of his personal possessions the way a Demon is linked to a Cursed Blade.
6	The place of the M-U's death is haunted by their spirit forever.

* Mana can be used in the following ways:

1  Burned up by a M-U to cast a spell.  One Mana is equivalent to a spell slot of the highest level spell the M-U may cast.

2  It can be burned when researching a new spell, one Mana is equal to d12x1000 GP for this purpose.

3  If a Magic-User gives it to a non-Magic-User to consume, the non-Magic-User can cast a single spell of the Magic-User's choice that is in the Magic-Users spell book.

** A Creep Tree is like an evil Ent with twisty ropey roots.  They are really sneaky, surprising 4/6, and they can move really fast in short bursts. They are intelligent and obsessed with ruining cities and civilization.  They will find the biggest and best city and climb the highest building like King Kong or the tree in the courthouse roof in Greensburg Indiana and from there whisper evil things into the dreams of everyone who sleeps in the city.

  

Sentient Spells

Sometimes through accident or strange purpose, a spell acquires sentience, personality and it's own goals or desires. A sentient spell can be scribed into a Magic-User's spell book. (it may already be there when it becomes sentient)  When the Magic-User attempts to cast the spell he or she must convince the spell to create it's effect. This will generally require the M-U to acquiesce to the Spell's requests. When a Sentient spell is encountered or created it's desires/goals should be determined. It will take at least one round to discuss the casting with the spell. The following modifiers should be applied to the reaction roll:

Roll 3d6 Take Highest 2 dice	If the M-U provides the spell with it's desires.*
+1/level lower	If the spell is lower than the highest level that the M-U can cast.
Roll 3d6 Take Lowest 2 dice	If the spell is greater than that which the M-U could normally cast.*

SENTIENT SPELL REACTION TABLE
2d6	Reaction:
2	Refuse and demand
3-5	Argue and request
6-8	Debate or concede 1/2 spell effect
9-11	Concede spell effect
12	Spell effect x2

1d6	Spell's Appearance:	Spell's Initial Method of Arguement/Debate:	Spell's Desire:
1	invisible	Charm	Freedom. If granted the spell may be erased from the caster's spellbook.
2	warm glow	Con
3	shadow	Sulk/Complain	Life Energy. If granted decrease caster's or victim's Hit Points.
4	crackle of electricity	Blame
5	vague, ghostly animal	Veiled Intimidation	Magic. If granted delete magic items (permanent) or spell slots (temporary).
6	inhuman, alien creature	Open Threats

*If a Magic-User attempts to cast a sentient spell that is of a greater level than he could normally cast and he provides the spell with it's desire, then roll 2d6 as normal.

I have not used this at the table yet.  It will probably change a bit when I do.  The above is what I would tell/show the Players. What I wouldn't say (at least not at first) is that stringing the spell along is kind of what this is all about.  Saying you'll give it what it wants, but putting it off.  Also the degree of freedom/amount of HP, magic items or spell slots is deliberately vague.  What ever the spell can convince the M-U to give it is what it gets! 

Campaign Specific Spell Components

"In some cases, the spell may require substances or apparatus, such as conjuring a water elemental (5th level) requires the presence of water, a sleep spell requires a pinch of sand."

-Dungeons and Dragons, Holmes edition page 13

Sleep

The Sleep spell (1st level) requires sand from the bone wastes. This desert area causes creatures who venture there to fall asleep and never wake up. The corpses are scoured by the sand the edges of the desert are full of bones of all sorts of creatures. A pinch of sand from this desert is required to cast the sleep spell, and is consumed in the casting. If the sand of the Bone Wastes is touched any character must save vs. sleep/paralysis/Mortal Terror or fall asleep forever. A flying or levitating PC or creature could conceivably carry some of the sand away. The Sand must be stored in a velvet bag with a Kyrthanean Hieroglyph "eye". The color of the bag effects the dreams of those under the effect of the spell. Black velvet will cause terrifying dreams, red velvet causes dreams of violence and passion, and blue velvet causes confusion or self loathing. The longer the sand spends in the bag the more intense the dreams.  Once the sand is in a bag as described, its effects are diminished without the proper magic to activate its power, so that a person reaching into the bag will feel drowsy, but it otherwise has no effect. 

Magic Missile

There are two known ways to cast the Magic Missile Spell (1st level).  the first is to make an arrow from vermillion ash.  This arrow is useless as a normal arrow, but when fired in combination with casting the spell effect occurs.

The second way to cast Magic Missile is to travel to the green realm of the elves and trade or steal astral arrows.  These are intangible, invisible and held in the casters thoughts.  A Magic-User can carry a number of these equal to their INT.  Astral arrows can be traded between Magic-Users but non-spellcasters cannot carry them.

MOEBIUS STONES

Moebius Stones take many forms and their origin is a mystery.  They sometimes appear as normal stones, or crystals, sometimes as hyporborean blue geodes.  

Sometimes they float in the air.

Moebius Stones have the following known uses for Magic-Users:

1. Eliminate the 2000 GP cost for 20% chance of success of researching spells. Instead the Player writes down the intent of the new spell, then the M-U spends 2d6 days alone in the desert. DM rolls d% to determine chance of success. Player rolls d%. If player rolls equal or over DM the spell is created. If the Player rolls under the DM a spell is created, but it is not what the player intended and it is sentient.
2. When casting any spell the Magic-User can hold a Moebius Stone to change the duration of the spell to d12 months.  Using a Moebius Stone in this way may have unpredicted effects.
3. When casting any spell the Magic-User can hold a Moebius Stone to delay the effect and target of the spell until a certain trigger occurs. The trigger must be stated by the Magic-User PC. A trigger might be, for example: “when anyone enters this room without first saying “Flargaenout” The delayed spell will last for d100 years, after which a Wandering Monster of the same level as the spell will be attracted to or mystically summoned to the area.

Wizards of ALPHA-30

JB is right, magic in D&D can become pretty mundane.

There are plenty of good suggestions in the comments to JB's post.  I thought rather than a good suggestion I would throw out a wild idea! 

Magic-Users can cast as many spells as they want in a day, but if one fails they're done for the day. 
It takes a full round of focusing and gesticulation for the M-U to generate a spell effect.  during this round the player writes a word that starts with one of the letters he is allowed on that day.  The DM writes a number that the PC must roll over on a D30 to successfully cast that spell.

Magic-Users can't use the same spell twice in the same day.

The Magic-User's level is the number of times they get to roll a D30 on this chart each day:

1 : A
2 : B
3 : C
4 : D
5 : E
6 : F
7 : G
8 : H
9 : I
10 : J
11 : K
12 : L
13 : M
14 : N
15 : O
16 : P
17 : Q
18 : R
19 : S
20 : T
21 : U
22 : V
23 : X
24 : Y
25 : Z
26 : Same leter as the previous day.
27 : Roll again.  The M-U will have to roll for a new letter each time they cast a spell today.
28 : Roll again.  The M-U will be able to use this letter for D6 days.
29 : Roll again twice.
30 : Choose any letter


The M-U character meditating for 30 minutes in game can get the Player 30 seconds with a dictionary.
 
There is a lot riding on the DM's judgement with the casting roll.  By writting down "30" the DM can make a spell automatically fail.  If I were going to try to DM this I would make a lot of spell effects really hard or impossible, and then I'd let the PC research and find material spell components, rituals, symbols and the like that would make a spell more likely to succeed.  I think I would also let them "research" certain words to get desired spell effects, and to get more powerful spell effects I might make certain words have side effects.

As for the words themselves, really creative players could get away with a lot.  It is Magic!  Maybe the word is a simple description of what the caster intends for the target, "sleep" or "stumble".  But then maybe the word is the name of a demon, god or otherworldly creature that the caster summons or communes with by saying it's name.

Magic-Users Break the Universe. (maybe)

For this post, I started writing about low level M-Us, being a kid and loving the Wild Mage in the Tome of Magic, and how much fun it is to give a Player a risky but potentially powerful option and just watch them sweat, but really, "Magic-Users Break the Unverse" sums it up.   Click this link to get the Arcane Stress & Spell Mutation optional rule.

 
Also, Brendan suggested that I note the name of the blog on the pdfs that I put up.
I've gone back and added the blog name to:

• Space Fantasy Castle Inhabitants
• Treasure & Magic Items
• Starting Equipment

Slimes Molds and Jellies already had it.


(Note: the arcane stress & mutation pdf is made to print onto 8.5x14 legal paper and fold like a pamphlet)