Mind

The subject(s) feel fright. The caster receives a +3 bonus to reaction rolls in potential combat situations and other situations where threats are effective, but suffers a -3 penalty on loyalty rolls and situations where terrorizing NPCs is counterproductive.

Duration: 10 minutes unless countered by Bravery.
Base cost: 1. Cannot be maintained.
Prerequisite: Sense Emotion or the Empathy advantage.

Sense Emotion

Information Spell; Area Spell

Know what emotions the subject is feeling at the moment. It works on any living being, though it tends to be most useful on sapient beings. This will also tell how loyal the subject is to the caster (see Loyalty of Hirelings, p. B518).

Cost: 2.
Prerequisite: Sense Foes.

Sense Life

Tells the caster if there is any life in the subject area, and gives a general impression (on a good roll) of what kind. The caster can also specify he is looking for a specific sort of life: plants, elves, redheaded girls, or a named person who the caster knows.

Base cost: 1⁄2 (minimum 1).

Tier 1 spells

Berserk

Causes the subject to fight as a berserker. If known foes are in sight (or even in earshot), they will be attacked first.

Once you are berserk, the following rules apply:

• If armed with a hand weapon, you must make an All-Out Attack each turn a foe is in range. If no foe is in range, you must use a Move maneuver to get as close as possible to a foe – and if you can Move and Attack, or end your Move with a slam, you will.

• If the enemy is more than 20 yards away, you may attack with a ranged weapon if you have one, but you may not take the Aim maneuver. If using a gun, you blaze away at your maximum rate of fire until your gun is empty. You cannot reload unless your weapon – and your Fast-Draw skill – lets you reload “without thought” (can take no more than one second). Once your gun is empty, you must either draw another gun or charge into melee combat.

• You are immune to stun and shock, and your injuries cause no penalty to your Move score. You make all rolls to remain conscious or alive at +4 to HT. If you don’t fail any rolls, you remain alive and madly attacking until you reach -5¥HP. Then you fall – dead!

• When you down a foe, you may (if you wish) attempt another self-control roll to see if you snap out of the berserk state. If you fail (or do not roll), you remain berserk and attack the next foe. Treat any friend who attempts to restrain you as a foe! You get to roll again each time you down a foe, and you get one extra roll when no more foes remain. If you are still berserk, you start to attack your friends . . .

Once you snap out of the berserk state, all your wounds immediately affect you. Roll at normal HT to see whether you remain conscious and alive.

Duration: 10 minutes, or less if the fight ends.
When the spell ends the subject comes out of the berserk rage.
Time to cast: 4 seconds.
Cost: 3 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Bravery.

Beast-Rouser

Excites a single animal. The beast’s reaction roll (to anyone) is worsened by twice the energy put into the spell.

Duration: Until a reaction roll is called for or an hour passes.
Cost: 1 to 3.
Cannot be maintained.
Prerequisite: Vexation or the Animal Empathy advantage.

Beast-Soother

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

Calms a single animal. The beast’s reaction roll to the caster is improved by twice the energy put into the spell.

Duration: Permanent, until something disturbs the animal.
Cost: 1 to 3.
Prerequisite: Persuasion or the Animal Empathy advantage.

Daze

The subject looks and acts normal, but does not notice what is going on around him, or remember it later. A dazed guard stands quietly while a thief walks past! Any injury, or successful resistance to a spell, causes the subject to snap out of the daze and return to full alert status.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisite: Foolishness.

Emotion Control

Instills the subject(s) with any one emotion the caster chooses. There is no “game system” effect unless the GM feels it necessary, but subjects should roleplay it! Some sample emotions: love, hate, lust, anger, greed, jealousy, hunger, fear, sadness, joy, peace, unrest, depression, patriotism, boredom.

Duration: 1 hour.
Base cost: 2.
Cannot be maintained; spell must be recast.
Prerequisite: Loyalty or Mental Stun.

Fascinate

Regular Spell or Blocking Spell; Resisted by Will

Holds the subject (a sapient being) motionless and unaware of the passage of time as long as the caster maintains eye contact and concentration. Darkness breaks eye contact!

May be cast as a Blocking spell if the subject is entering Close Combat range. The caster may move slowly (Move 1) while maintaining eye contact if he knows the spell at level 15 or better; each yard he moves away from the subject allows it another resistance roll to break the spell. The spell is also broken by any attack (physical or magical) on the subject.

Duration: Indefinite.
Cost: 4.
Prerequisite: Daze.

Foolishness

Regular Spell; Resisted by Will or Skill

The subject suffers -1 to his IQ and IQ-based skills (including spells) for every point of energy put into the spell. The GM may also require an IQ roll to remember complex things while under the influence of this spell.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 to 5 to cast.
Half that to maintain (round up).
Prerequisite: IQ 12 or higher.

Forgetfulness

Causes the subject to forget one fact, skill, or spell temporarily. The skill or spell cannot be used while Forgetfulness is in effect. If (for instance) a forgotten spell is a prerequisite for other spells, the other spells can still be used, at -2 to skill.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 3 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and Foolishness.

Glib Tongue

Regular Spell; Resists Emotion Readings

The caster can mystically make anything he says be what the subject wants to hear. Whatever the caster says, even total gibberish, will find hearty agreement. However, the caster won’t have a clue what the target thinks he’s saying . . . GMs may give up to +3 on reaction rolls, depending on how cleverly the PC roleplays this.

Duration: 5 minutes.
Cost: 2 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Suggestion.

Hide Emotions

This spell gives its subject the out-ward appearance of deep calm. It resists Aura and Sense Emotion (and Sense Foes, at the GM’s option) as well as any attempt to gauge the subject’s emotional state by other means (Empathy, psionics, Body Language, etc). This spell is a great favorite of diplomats, courtiers, and poker players. It can grant up to a +4 bonus (GM’s judgment) to any skill where masked emotions are valuable.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Sense Emotion.

Memorize

All that the caster perceives at the time of casting (and for 10 seconds thereafter) is implanted perfectly in his memory, as if he had Photographic Memory (p. B51). The spell can be used to memorize maps, faces, an event, etc. It cannot be used to learn a skill or to retain a magically borrowed one.

Duration: 1 day.
After that, check IQ every day, at a cumulative -1 per day.
On a critical success, the memory becomes permanent;
On an ordinary success, the memory is still there.
On an ordinary failure, the memory fades to the level that the caster would normally have of the event;
On a critical failure, a false memory is created (still susceptible to eventual fading).
Cost: 3 to cast.
Cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Wisdom or at least six Knowledge spells.

Persuasion

Used when a reaction roll is required, this spell makes the subject (one sapient creature – racial IQ 6 or better) more likely to react favorably.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: Twice the bonus to be added to the roll. Same cost to maintain (maximum 5).
Prerequisite: Sense Emotion.

Silver Tongue

You have a naturally clear, resonant, and attractive voice. This gives you +2 with the following skills: Diplomacy, Fast-Talk, Mimicry, Performance, Politics, Public Speaking, Sex Appeal, and Singing. You also get +2 on any reaction roll made by someone who can hear your voice.

The spell has no effect on beings that have the Voice advantage.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Voices and Emotion Control.

Strengthen Will

Temporarily increases the subject’s Will.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 for every +1 to Will (maximum Will increase of 5).
Half that to maintain.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and at least six Mind Control spells.

Suggestion

Information Spell; Resisted by Will

Instills a suggestion in the subject’s mind. It must be one simple idea; language is no barrier unless the subject’s language cannot encompass the idea.

If the suggestion goes against the subject’s personal safety, it is Resisted at +5; if it goes against his beliefs, convictions or knowledge, it is Resisted at +3. The subject will try to accomplish the suggestion or otherwise act as if the idea was his own.

Duration: 10 minutes.
Cost: 4 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Emotion Control and Forgetfulness.

Truthsayer

Tells whether the subject is lying or not. May be cast in two ways:

1. To tell whether the subject has told any lies in the last five minutes.

2. To tell whether the last thing the subject said was a lie.

May also give an indication of how great the lie is. If caster is not touching subject, calculate range as for a Regular spell.

Cost: 2.
Prerequisite: Sense Emotion.

Vexation

Used when a reaction roll is required, this spell makes the subject (one sapient creature of racial IQ 6 or better) more likely to react unfavorably. Frequently used by spies to sabotage diplomatic missions.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: Twice the penalty subtracted from the roll to cast. Same cost to maintain (maximum 5).
Prerequisite: Sense Emotion.

Weaken Will

Temporarily reduces the subject’s Will.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 per point of Will reduction (maximum Will reduction of 5).
Half that to maintain.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and Foolishness.

Wisdom

Raises the subject’s IQ temporarily.
This raises his ability with skills, but not with spells!
The subject’s IQ cannot become higher than the caster’s.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 for every point of IQ increase (maximum of 5).
Same cost to maintain.
Prerequisites: IQ 12 or higher.

Tier 2 spells

(Animal) Control

Controls the actions of one large animal (any size) or a single swarm (see Swarm Attacks, p. B461).

Remember, however, that subjects larger than SM 0 increase the casting cost. Concentration is required. This spell will not work on a sapient being (racial IQ 6 or higher). There is a separate Control spell for each category of animal.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: Variable.
Cost to cast is equal to the racial IQ of the most intelligent species within the category.
Half that to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.

Sample Animal Control Energy Costs
Spell Cost
Vermin Control 1/1
Fish Control 2/1
Reptile Control 2/1
Bird Control 3/2
Mammal Control 5/3

Avoid

Makes the subject area unattractive to all creatures except the caster. Gazes will be averted, and approaching characters will feel an intense unease, an urge to be somewhere else. The spell resists attempts to look at it or to approach it (roll caster’s skill vs. searcher’s Will). Victims won’t be aware of the repulsion if it can act in a subtle way (e.g., you just felt like sitting in front rather than in the middle . . .).

This is a subtle spell, and GMs should roll in secret to see if it works. If it does, the victims should not be told “You can’t look in that closet,” but just “you see nothing.” The spell made them think they had checked the closet, or made each searcher think that another one had checked it . . . and so on.

If a single caster uses both Hide and Avoid, the GM should not check for the results of the Hide spell unless a searcher penetrates the Avoid spell and looks in the caster’s direction.

Duration: 1 hour.
Base cost: 3 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Hide, Fear, and Forgetfulness.

Beast Speech

Communicate with any animal in the creature’s own “language.” The amount of information exchanged depends on the animal’s intelligence; no creature below the level of a bird is likely to know much of interest. An ant may crawl over gold, but it knows only that the material is hard and inedible.

Each minute of the spell allows one question and answer.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Beast Summoning.

Beast Summoning

Calls one creature of a named type (anything under IQ 6). Range does not matter for this spell. If the spell is cast successfully, the caster knows the location of the closest creature of the type, and how long it will take for that creature to come to him. It moves toward the caster as fast as it can, until the spell ends or the animal can see the caster. It stays nearby, without attacking, until the spell ends. The summoned animal then has a +1 on its reaction to the caster (only). If the caster or someone near the caster attacks the creature, the spell is broken.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
2 to maintain.
To call many animals, double the cost of the spell. All creatures within a certain area (usually about a 10-mile radius; more for a very successful casting) are summoned. Of course, the time they take to arrive depends on the speed at which they can travel, and if the spell ends before they arrive, they will turn and go about their business.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.

Boost Intelligence

Regular Spell or Blocking Spell

This spell raises the subject’s Intelligence just long enough for a single die roll or short action – one Quick Contest, one attribute check, delivering a blow, readying a weapon, resisting a spell, Throwing an object, etc.

It cannot be used to increase a roll that represents several seconds of effort, such as a Regular Contest.

The boosted attribute affects all secondary characteristics except HP and FP.

High skill does not reduce the cost to cast this spell.

Cost: 1 for every point of Intelligence increase (maximum of 5).
Prerequisite: Wisdom

Borrow Language

Caster gains a language at the subject’s comprehension level or Accented – whichever is less. The subject must know the language in question.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisite: Lend Language.

Borrow Skill

The caster gains a skill at (controlling attribute)+4 or increases his existing skill by 4 levels – whichever is more. Caster’s skill cannot become higher than subject’s skill. Subject must be willing, and know the skill in question. Will not work on languages or spells.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Lend Skill.

Charm

Blocking Spell; Resisted by Will

The subject becomes caster’s faithful slave until the spell expires, following any orders, no matter how dangerous. There is no mental link – the caster must give his orders to the subject verbally or in writing. However, the subject will protect the caster without orders. In all other respects the subject will be mentally normal and alert. He will be unable to explain (and unwilling to discuss or even think about) his loyalty to the caster.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Loyalty.

Command

Give a subject one immediate command – a word and a gesture, or at most two words – which the subject must obey. If the subject is unable to fulfill the command immediately or on his next turn, the spell has no effect.

Examples:
“Drop it!” – the subject drops what-ever he was holding.
“Look!” – the subject looks in the direction the caster indicates.
“Wait!” – the subject takes the Wait maneuver on his next turn.

Cost: 2.
Prerequisites: Forgetfulness.

Disorient

All within the area lose their bearings. They will not immediately feel lost, but as soon as it becomes necessary to remember the path they’ve taken, or remember their position relative to a landmark, they will draw a blank. Those with Absolute Direction resist at +5.

Duration: The subjects can regain their bearings in the usual fashion (Navigation roll, back-tracking, comparing notes, etc.).
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Base cost: 1.
Cannot be maintained.
Prerequisite: Foolishness.

Dream Projection

Using this spell, the caster projects his presence into the subject’s dreams to converse with him. Roll a Quick Contest of the spell’s skill vs. the subject’s Will every minute; once the subject wins, the spell is broken and no further contact is possible that night.

Use the long-distance and Mind-Reading modifiers (p. 14 and p. 46). If the caster and subject don’t know each other, there is a further -2 penalty. The subject may use his Dreaming skill (see p. B188) to help the process; roll every minute to skip the contest.

Duration: 1 minute. Each minute allows the exchange of two sentences (one from the caster and one from the subject).
Cost: 3 to cast.
3 to maintain.
One try per night.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisite: Dream Sending.

Dream Sending

The caster uses this spell to send a dream vision to the subject, who must be asleep at the time of the casting.

The message is seen in dream-symbols by the subject, who must roll vs. IQ-5 or a skill such as Fortune-Telling (Dream Interpretation) (p. B196) to interpret it correctly. The margin of success of the roll indicates how well the message is understood. Use of the Dreaming skill by the subject could distort or obliterate the message (GM’s discretion).

The caster tells the GM the exact meaning (it is a good idea to limit the length of the message to as many words as the caster has skill with the spell). The GM, in turn, tells the subject what he understood (roll in secret, as a critical failure will lead to complete misunderstanding!). Use the long-distance and Mind-Reading modifiers (p. 14 and p. 46). If the caster and subject don’t know each other, there is a further -2 penalty. This is also a Mind Control spell.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 3. One try per night.
Cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisite: Dream Viewing or Sleep.

Dream Viewing

View a subject’s dreams; they appear on any smooth surface of your choice (such as a basin of water, mirror, gem facet, etc). Use the long-distance and Mind-Reading modifiers. If the caster and subject don’t know each other, there is a further -2 penalty.

Mind-Reading Modifiers: -2 if the caster does not know the subject’s native language; -2 if the subject is of a different race – or -4 or more if the subject is totally alien!

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Truthsayer or Sleep.

Drunkenness

Makes the victim temporarily intoxicated: he is loud, cheerful, and badly coordinated. Both IQ and DX are reduced by the amount of energy put into the spell. If the victim is a PC, he should be told he feels drunk, and encouraged to roleplay it! When the spell ends, it does so instantly (no hangover).

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 1 for each point of IQ and DX lost (maximum 5).
Half that to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Foolishness and Clumsiness.

Gift of Letters

Give literacy in any language (sapient creatures only).

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 for Broken comprehension;
4 for Accented comprehension;
6 for Native comprehension.
Half to maintain.
Prerequisites: Borrow Language and three languages written at Accented or better.

Gift of Tongues

Give speech and understanding of any language (sapient creatures only).
Cannot provide speech or hearing to one who lacks these abilities.

Hide Thoughts

Resists all Mind-Reading and Thought-Control attempts on the subject. The “attacking” ability must win a Quick Contest against this spell in order to affect the subject. If the attacking ability pierces Hide Thoughts, the subject still gets his normal resistance roll (roll separately).

This spell does not affect previously established mental control.

Duration: 10 minutes.
Cost: 3 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Truthsayer or Hide Emotion.

Insignificance

Causes all beings with whom the subject has social contact to ignore or disregard him. Only beings who have a reason to notice that particular person or someone in his particular situation can resist the spell with Per – the subject himself does not get to resist.

Viewers get a bonus to their resistance roll equal to the subject’s total Appearance modifier, whether positive or negative. Thus, viewers of an Attractive subject resist with Per+1, but viewers of an Unattractive subject also resist with Per+1.

The spell’s effects are limited in magnitude; the subject could slip unnoticed through a crowd, but would be stopped by guards if trying to go where he should not. He can get someone’s attention by grabbing him, but is then likely to get a negative reaction. If he steals something or commits some other objectionable act (removing his clothing, perhaps), all witnesses get a new resistance roll. If he attacks someone, that person is automatically released from the spell – furthermore, the victim’s cries for help won’t be ignored!

Insignificance and Presence resist each other.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 4 to cast.
4 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Persuasion and Avoid.

Inspired Creation

Helps a subject create one craft work – a weapon, suit of armor, painting, etc. – of a quality far beyond his usual ability. The process is grueling, costing the subject 5 HP and 10 FP.

The work is as good as if it were made with a critical success by an artisan of skill 5 levels higher than the subject’s actual skill; no roll is required. A weapon created under the effects of this spell is automatically of very fine quality. Such items are not technically magic items, but can be (and often are) enchanted further.

At the GM’s option, this spell may be used on works of art other than crafts – books, performances, songs, etc.

Duration: Permanent.
Cost: 5 per day spent creating the object.
Time to cast: The usual time to make the object.

Lend Language

Subject gains a language (sapient creatures only) at the caster’s comprehension level or Accented – whichever is less. The caster must know the language in question.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Either Beast Speech or three Communication and Empathy spells.

Lend Skill

Subject gains a skill at (controlling attribute)+4 or increases his existing skill by 4 levels – whichever is more. Subject’s skill cannot become higher than caster’s skill. Caster must know the skill in question (either normally or by Borrow Skill, below). Does not work on languages or spells.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Mind-Sending and IQ 11+.

Loyalty

Makes the subject loyal to the caster. The subject follows any direct order the caster gives; in the absence of direct orders, he acts in the caster’s best interest as he understands it. The spell is immediately broken if the caster attacks the subject. If the subject is told to do something very hazardous or against his normal code of behavior (GM’s decision), he gets an IQ roll to break the spell.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 2 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Double this cost if the subject does not know the caster,
Triple if the subject is a foe of the caster.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Bravery and two other Mind Control spells.

Lure

Area Spell; Resisted by HT

Each being who steps within this spell’s area of effect feels compelled to approach the center of the affected region. The GM should roll the creature’s resistance in secret and then tell the unlucky victim that he “feels curious about the chest” or some such subtle hint. Once the victim has reached the center, he is immune to the spell until he leaves the affected area (if he returns, he will once again be “attacked” by the spell).

Lure and Avoid are antagonistic spells and thus resist each other.

Duration: 1 hour.
Base cost: 1 to cast. Same cost to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Emotion Control.

Mass Daze

As Daze, but can be cast over an area.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 2 to cast.
1 to maintain.
Minimum radius 2 yards.
Time to cast: 1 second for each energy point spent.
Prerequisites: Daze and IQ 13 or higher.

Master

Regular Spell or Blocking Spell; Resisted by IQ

Holds any beast motionless and quiet as long as the caster maintains eye contact and concentration. Note that darkness breaks eye contact! May be cast as a Blocking spell if the animal is entering Close Combat range with the caster – e.g., to attack.

Duration: Indefinite.
Cost: 2.
Prerequisite: Beast-Soother.

Mental Stun

The subject is mentally stunned until he can make an IQ roll to recover.

Cost: 2.
Prerequisite: Daze or Stun.

Mind-Reading

Read a subject’s mind. Works on any living being, but is most useful on sapient creatures. Detects only surface thoughts (what the subject is thinking at that moment). This spell will not work on sleeping or unconscious subjects. The subject is not aware his mind is being read, except in the case of a critical failure.

Modifiers: -2 if the caster does not know the subject’s native language; -2 if the subject is of a different race – or -4 or more if the subject is totally alien!

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Truthsayer or Borrow Language.

Mind-Sending

Send your thoughts to a subject in a one-way communication. Transmission proceeds at only talking speed, though the caster may also send simple pictures (the time required is equal to the time it would take the subject to copy the picture on paper or parchment).

When figuring the distance penalty, use the long-distance modifiers. If caster and subject don’t know each other, there is an additional -4 penalty.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
4 to maintain.
Time to cast: 4 seconds.
Prerequisite: Mind-Reading.

Mystic Mist

Produces a dense, opalescent fog that confuses anyone entering it; figures more than 2 yards away cannot be seen except by Mage Sight. Those who were within it when it was cast are immune to its effects; they can sense it as a dim shimmering, but it does not affect their vision or confuse them. Others must roll vs. (IQ + Magic Resistance) every second, or use Mage Sight, to avoid losing their way and walking in randomly chosen directions, unless they have a guide.

Absolute Direction avoids this problem.

A Fright Check is also required of intruders first entering the mist, and again every 5 minutes. Anyone failing the first Fright Check will be very reluctant to enter!

Dangerous animals simply avoid the mist, but suffer normal effects if for some reason they must enter it.

Those “native” to the mist have a +1 to their defense rolls when attacked by interlopers, and interlopers have a -1 to their own defense rolls against “natives.” This spell is an excellent defense for a party camping in dangerous territory.

The caster must cast Mystic Mist in an area centered on himself. The wider an area he can cover, the better!

Duration: 10 hours.
Base cost: 1. Cost to maintain is the same.
Time to cast: 5 minutes.
Prerequisites: Fog, Fear, and Disorient.

Nightmare

When cast on a sleeping subject, this spell causes a nightmare of the caster’s choice. Knowledge of the subject’s fears and phobias gives a +2 to effective skill. The subject gets an IQ-4 roll to realize the nightmare was caused by hostile magic. If the spell succeeds, the subject gets no rest from the night’s sleep, and instead loses 2 FP. Dispel Magic will stop the nightmare while it is occurring, preventing FP loss. This spell is also countered by the Peaceful Sleep spell.

If the spell is recast the next night, the effects are cumulative. If the subject’s FP falls to zero due to this spell, he falls into a coma and will lose 1d HP each day until he dies, unless Dispel Magic is cast.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 6.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Death Vision, Fear, and Sleep.

Panic

Those in the affected area flee in mindless fear, away from the caster, for the duration of the spell. A subject who cannot escape can turn and take the All-Out Defense maneuver, if attacked.

Duration: 1 minute.
Base cost: 4 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisite: Fear.

Peaceful Sleep

The subject gets an undisturbed night’s sleep. This spell cures insomnia, allows sleep in noisy, disruptive environments, and protects against nightmares and the Nightmare spell.

This period counts double in terms of HP and FP recovery. The caster can awaken the subject with a word.

Otherwise, subject cannot be awakened, except by injury or with the Awaken spell.

This spell works only on a willing subject; otherwise, resistance is automatic.

Duration: 8 hours.
Cost: 4.
Time to cast: 30 seconds.
Prerequisites: Sleep and Silence.

Presence

Causes all beings with whom the subject has social contact to pay attention. Each being who attempts to ignore the subject gets to resist the spell with Will – but the subject himself does not get to resist! The spell does not guarantee a good reaction from those it affects – it doubles the positive or negative modifier! If he has no positive or negative modifiers, it gives him a +1 modifier. Most people will assume, if a person stands out for no reason that they can put their fingers on, that there must be something worth seeing.

Someone affected by this spell can easily be followed in a crowd or along city streets. The searcher can simply ask bystanders, “Did you see so-and-so come by here?” and quickly resume the pursuit.

Presence and Insignificance resist each other.

Duration: 1 hour.
Cost: 4 to cast.
4 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Persuasion and Lure.

Repel (Animal)

Repels animals from an area. The spell resists attempts by animals to enter it (or stay in it) every second; roll a Quick Contest between the caster’s effective skill and the Animal’s ST. Like (Animal) Control, this is actually several different spells. There is a Repel (Animal) spell for each category of animal. Like all Area spells, the affected area extends 4 yards upward (an important detail for flying animals such as bats or birds). Casters may extend the area upward by spending proportionately more energy; double base cost will create an area 8 yards high, and so on. Beings with Animal Empathy may feel uneasy and irritable while in the affected area.

The caster may exclude specific animals from the spell’s effect at the time of casting; thus, a shepherd may drive off wolves without driving away his flock.

Duration: 1 hour.
Base cost: Equal to the cost to cast (Animal) Control for the affected animal type.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: The (Animal) Control spell appropriate to the type of animal to be repelled.

Rider

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

Mount and ride a subject creature as though it were a trained, loyal riding animal. The creature must be capable of carrying the caster, and the caster must still make a Riding roll whenever it would normally be required. No concentration is required on the caster’s part.

Duration: 5 minutes.
Cost: 2 to cast. 1 to maintain.
Prerequisite: At least one (Animal) Control spell.
You cannot use the Rider spell on a beast unless you know the appropriate Control spell and cast it first.

Sleep

The subject falls asleep. If standing, he falls – but this does not wake him. He can be awakened by a blow, loud noise, etc., but will be mentally stunned.

The Awaken spell will arouse him instantly. If not awakened, he will sleep for around eight hours and awaken normally.

Cost: 4.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisite: Daze.

Vigil

Skip a night’s sleep with no ill effects. Each successive night’s casting on the same subject is at a cumulative -3 to skill.

Duration: 1 night.
Cost: 8. Cannot be maintained, but may be recast.
Prerequisites: Sleep, and Lend Energy.

Tier 3 spells

Beast Link

Establishes a mental link with an animal. The animal will not stray far from the caster after that (generally not more than a half-hour’s travel). It will then come, once, whenever the caster wishes, at a fast but not killing pace. If it is a wild beast, any reactions must be re-determined when the creature arrives; previous good reactions from Beast-Soother, for instance, no longer hold! This spell is similar to Beast-Summoning, but is cast in advance and on a specific creature.

Duration: Until the beast is next called. This counts as a spell “on.”
Cost: 3.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisite: Beast Summoning, Telepathy.

Compel Lie

The subject becomes unable to tell the truth: he cannot make any statement he believes to be true, and in fact feels compelled to tell lies, although he may (if he realizes that he is under a spell) choose to remain silent.

Compel Lie and Compel Truth resist each other.
Aura may be required to find out which spell has won out!
This is also a Communication and Empathy spell.

Compel Truth

The subject becomes unable to lie, though he may keep silent or tell partial truths (this must be roleplayed).

The spell does not force him to volunteer information; he merely cannot say anything he believes to be untrue.

Duration: 5 minutes.
Cost: 4 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Truthsayer.

Ecstasy

Special Spell; Resisted by Will

The subject feels an incapacitating rush of pleasure; he can take no action for the duration, not even to move out of harm’s way! High/Low Pain Threshold is irrelevant.

Repeated exposure can be dangerous to the subject. If any character has been the subject of an Ecstasy spell three times within 10 days, he must make a Will+2 roll after the third time, and after each subsequent time until five days pass without exposure to the spell. If any of these rolls are failed, the subject gains an Addiction to the spell, and will beg the caster (or anyone else who is known to have the spell) for more!

Withdrawal from the Ecstasy spell follows the normal rules for a psychological dependency (see Drug Withdrawal).

Duration: 10 seconds.
Cost: 6 to cast.
Cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 3 seconds.
Prerequisites: Emotion Control.

Enthrall

The caster tells an enthralling tale.
Anyone within earshot who knows the language and pays attention falls under the spell, resisting with Will. An hour of real time passes, but the victims notice only a minute slipping by. Anyone who resists will perceive the caster and his victims as paralyzed, although prolonged examination will reveal they are moving, very slowly. Any subject that is attacked or shaken breaks free of the spell (in the latter case, the victim gets an extra resistance roll for every second that he’s disturbed).

This spell may never be higher than the caster’s Public Speaking skill, or Performance if the story is mimed or acted out.

Duration: 1 hour (real time).
Cost: 3 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Prerequisites: Forgetfulness, Daze, and Slow.

False Memory

Insert a single, simple false memory into a subject’s mind. This spell is often used to avoid paying bills, and is considered highly illegal in many areas.

If the implanted memory conflicts with a real memory, the subject’s brain will usually fit the new one in anyway, leaving him slightly confused but convinced. In case of extreme direct conflict – “You remember killing the duke” (when the subject saw the caster kill the duke!) – the subject should be allowed a bonus on his resistance roll; the example above would be a +5 for a loyal subject, but probably only +1 for somebody who wanted to kill the duke.

Duration: Variable (see below).
When the spell ends, the subject gets a second resistance roll, at -1 for each day the spell lasted.
If this roll is failed, the subject will believe the false memory indefinitely, but is likely to remember the truth at some unpredictable time, perhaps as a result of a shock.
Cost: 3 for a duration of an hour,
8 for a whole day.
Cost to maintain is 3 per hour if cast for an hour,
Cost to maintain is 4 per day if cast for a day.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisites: Forgetfulness and six other Mind Control spells.

Hallucination

The subject’s perceptions are addled. He is completely convinced that one thing that is not present is (or vice versa); he can see it, hear it, feel it, and so on. This is similar to an illusion in some ways, but it exists entirely in the mind of the subject.

The hallucination must concern the presence or absence of a single “thing”: one person the subject knows or knew, one crowd of revelers, one pair of shackles on the subject’s wrists, one pride of lions . . . If it can be described as a single entity in English (without amazing gymnastics), then it should pass. The GM’s judgment is final, as usual.

The hallucination does not require concentration: the subject supplies, unconsciously, all the “realism” necessary. By concentrating, the caster can “direct” the hallucination – put words in the mouth of the absent person, have the revelers head off in a certain direction or start singing a particular song, etc.

Impossible or obviously false hallucinations (a long-dead uncle, for example) are Resisted at a bonus of up to +5.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
2 to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisites: Madness and Suggestion.

Hybrid Control

Controls the actions of one large hybrid creature (any size) or a single swarm (see Swarm Attacks).

Remember, however, that subjects larger than SM 0 increase the casting cost. Concentration is required. The caster must know all the Control spells relevant to the hybrid (controlling a gryphon would require knowledge of both Mammal and Bird Control, for example); his effective skill with this spell is the lowest of the various spells involved, including Hybrid Control.

This spell does not work on a sapient being (racial IQ 6 or higher).

Swarm Attacks
Treat a group of small creatures as a unit when it attacks. This “swarm” fills one hex on a combat map. A swarm attacks the victim(s) in its own hex (if you are not using a combat map, it attacks one person per second), and will not change victims without a good reason.
A swarm attack hits automatically - there is no attack or defense roll. Every turn until it is dispersed, it does the listed damage to its victim(s).
Special clothing (a wetsuit or bee-keeper’s suit, or high-tech airtight armor) may protect against some types of swarm. Against tiny creatures like insects, ordinary clothing gives complete immunity for two seconds, while low-tech armor protects for five seconds; then the bugs get in and the protection becomes worthless!

Against larger creatures like rats, armor protects indefinitely with its normal DR.
Special tactics may work on some types of swarms. For instance, one can destroy bees with insecticide or baffle them by leaping into a pond. This is up to the players’ cleverness and the GM’s common sense.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Prerequisites: At least two (Animal) Control spells.

Lesser Geas

Give a subject one command, which the subject must obey. This must be a command to do one specific thing. It must be reasonably possible, in the GM’s opinion. “Destroy every tree on this continent” is not a legal geas (at least in a low-tech world). Until the geas is fulfilled or removed (only Remove Curse will do this), the subject must make it his first priority.

Duration: Permanent until fulfilled.
Cost: 12.
Time to cast: 30 seconds.
Prerequisites: Magery 2 and at least 10 Mind Control spells, including Command.

Oath

Regular Spell; Resisted by Will -2

Similar to Great Geas, but works on a willing subject only. Although the caster casts the spell, the subject must speak the oath.

The subject may knowingly attempt to break his oath (rolling vs. Will) no more than once per day. The spell resists the attempt; if the subject overcomes the resistance, he manages to break the oath just this once. A critical success by the subject or a critical failure by the spell breaks the spell.

The spell may otherwise be broken only by Remove Curse.

Unknowing attempts, such as when the subject is tricked into breaking his oath, are not Resisted by the spell.

Duration: Permanent.
Cost: 4
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Emotion Control.

Madness

The subject is driven temporarily insane; this should be roleplayed. The caster selects the severity of madness he wishes to inflict, and the GM decides which madness at that severity is appropriate to the situation (rolling a die is a perfectly acceptable way to make this decision). On a critical success, the caster may select the madness to be inflicted.

Unless noted otherwise, each madness is identical to the disadvantage of the same name. Some madnesses are equivalent to disadvantages that require self-control rolls. The subject always fails his self-control rolls against the magical madness.

Mild:
Delusion [-5], Flashbacks [-5], Phantom Voices [-5], Phobia [-5].
Moderate:
Bestial [-10], Confused, Delusion [-10], Flashbacks [-10], Paranoia [-10], Phantom Voices [-10].
Severe:
Berserk, Bestial [-15], Chronic Depression, Delusion [-15], Hallucinations (as the Hallucinating incapacitating condition, p. B429), Phantom Voices [-15].
Extreme:
Catatonia (as the Daze incapacitating condition (p. B428), but the subject cannot snap out of it until the spell ends), Flashbacks [-20].

For a description for the above disadvantages go here.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 2 for a Mild madness;
3 for Moderate;
4 for Severe;
6 for Extreme.
Half that to maintain.
Time to cast: 2 seconds.
Prerequisite: Forgetfulness or Drunkenness.

Mass Sleep

Area Spell; Resisted by HT

As Sleep, but can be cast over an area.

Base cost: 3. Minimum radius 2 yards.
Time to cast: 1 second for each energy point spent.
Prerequisites: Sleep and IQ 13 or higher.

Mass Suggestion

As Suggestion, but affects an area and all those within it with a single suggestion.

Duration: 10 minutes.
Base cost: 4 to cast. 2 to maintain (minimum radius is 2 yards).
Time to cast: 1 second per energy point.
Prerequisite: Suggestion.

Mind-Search

Search a subject’s mind to find deep thoughts and knowledge of things the subject is not thinking about at the moment. In effect, the caster may ask one simple question (answered by no more than 10 words) per minute, and get the most truthful answer the subject can give. The subject is not aware of the intrusion, except in case of a critical failure.

Language is no barrier for this spell, and the subject may even be asleep. Subjects of different races may be harder to mind-search, at the GM’s discretion.

Modifiers: Same as Mind-Reading, above. If the subject has magically been caused to forget something, this spell cannot recover it.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisite: Mind-Reading.

Relieve Madness

Temporarily restores a subject’s sanity, relieving him from a single Delusion, Phobia, Compulsion, or spell-induced Madness (caster’s choice). The Madness and Permanent Madness spells get to resist.

Duration: 10 minutes.
Cost: 2.
Cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Lend Vitality and Wisdom.

Repel Hybrids

Repels hybrids from an area. The spell resists attempts by hybrids to enter it (or stay in it); every second, roll a Quick Contest between the caster’s effective skill and the beast’s ST.

The caster must know all the Repel (Animal) spells relevant to the hybrid; his effective skill with this spell is the lowest of the various spells involved, including Repel Hybrids. Beings with Animal Empathy may feel uneasy and irritable while in the area.

The caster may exclude specific animals from the spell’s effect at the time of casting.

Duration: 1 hour.
Base cost: 6 to cast. 3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Hybrid Control.

Restore Memory

Used to cure the victims of memory loss, either mundane or magical.

The spell restores one forgotten fact or skill at a time. The Forgetfulness spell resists; Permanent Forgetfulness resists at +5. This spell will not permit the subject to recall something that he never actually memorized in the first place (but see the Recall spell, p. 106).

The spell is risky if used more than once per day on the same subject: each repeat casting is at a cumulative -3 penalty. A critical failure is very hazardous – the memory being sought is destroyed forever, and the subject is plunged into a frightening sequence of buried memories lasting 2d minutes.

This causes a Fright Check at a -6 penalty.

If the caster has Psychology skill at 15 or higher, a “critical failure” on this spell counts as an ordinary failure – unless he has already tried the spell more than once that day on the same subject.

Duration: The memory is recovered permanently.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Cost: 3.
Prerequisites: Awaken and IQ 11 or higher.

Retrogression

Regular Spell; Resisted by HT

Causes a subject to re-experience an event from his past life (or lives!) This can be a torment or as a boon.

Different kinds of memories have different effects. A terrifying memory requires a Fright Check at -3 or more; the memory of one’s violent death, for example (in a campaign where Resurrection is possible), requires a Fright Check at -5. The memory of a wound or illness requires a HT-3 roll; failure inflicts one point of damage. A memory of slavery or degradation reduces Will by 1 for 3d hours unless a Will-3 roll is made. A memory of personal triumph and power increases Will by 1 for 3d hours if an IQ roll is made. The GM judges the effects of any other type of memory.

The caster only specifies the type of event to be relived; he cannot use this spell to “rummage” through the memories of the subject.

Unless stunned, the subject must roll his Body Sense to act on the turn following a Retrogression.

Duration: The memory takes one second to relive (although it may seem like more to the subject).
Cost: 5.
Cannot be maintained.
One try per day.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisites: Mind-Search and Mind-Sending.

Sickness

Makes the subject feel sick and nauseated (dizzy, vomiting, etc.). He may run if necessary (at half his normal Move) but may do nothing else except maintain existing spells and give very simple answers. When the spell wears off, the sickness vanishes instantly.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 3 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 4 seconds.
Prerequisite: Drunkenness or Pestilence.

Telepathy

Full two-way communication, like Mind-Reading and Mind-Sending combined. The subject must be willing. Both caster and subject know the whole of each others’ thoughts and what the other is experiencing; they communicate at the speed of thought.

Other people can “enter the link” – a new casting of the spell (by anyone involved) is required for each new person to enter. To eavesdrop on an existing telepathic link without being noticed, there is a -4 skill penalty.

If caster and subject know each other and the subject expects the “call,” there is no distance penalty.

Otherwise, assess penalties as for Mind-Sending. The spell cannot work across time, dimensions, interplanetary space, etc.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 4 to cast.
4 to maintain, for a 2-way link.
Same cost for each additional person added.
Time to cast: 4 seconds.
Prerequisite: Mind-Sending.

Terror

Anyone in the area who fails to resist must make an immediate Fright Check at -3.

Base cost: 4.
Prerequisite: Fear.

Tier 4 spells

Control Person

Use all the victim’s senses and control all the victim’s physical actions (the caster has no access to the subject’s memories, skills, spells, etc.). The subject retains his memory and wits and is aware of what is happening – though not of the caster’s identity. The caster can only “animate” one body at a time, and must concentrate to control the subject’s body. When he concentrates, his own body falls limp; when he stops concentrating, the subject regains control of his own body.

The caster can move between the bodies freely while the spell lasts.

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 10 seconds.
Prerequisite: Soul Rider or Telepathy.

Enslave

Like the Charm spell, but permanent. The subject will follow the caster’s orders until the spell ends or is removed. At any time the caster concentrates, he can form a mental link with the subject to see through the subject’s eyes, hear through his ears, and give orders.

Cost: 30.
Prerequisites: Charm and Telepathy.

Great Geas

Give a subject one continuing command, such as “Never touch weapons” or “Slay all orcs.” A Great Geas does not have to be reasonably possible; it can occupy the subject for the rest of his life unless removed. Only Remove Curse will negate a geas. A critical failure on a Great Geas costs the caster an IQ point.

Duration: Permanent.
Cost: 30.
Time to cast: 1 minute.
Prerequisites: Lesser Geas.

Great Hallucination

Like Hallucination, but the subject’s entire environment can be falsified. He might see himself stranded on a cliff side, in a crowded city street, in the middle of a lake, etc. The only limits are the fiendishness of the caster’s imagination and the judgment of the GM.

For any significant changes to occur in the subject’s new surroundings, concentration on the part of the caster is required, as per Hallucination. If the caster dramatically changes the subject’s perceptions, the subject may be given a new resistance roll, at the GMs option.

Example: the subject is “placed” on top of a giant pillar of stone over a lake of molten lava. By concentrating, the caster could cause the pillar to begin sinking or bucking beneath the subject’s feet, or cause a flying monster to appear. If the caster suddenly decided that the lava turned into a green meadow, however, the subject would get a new Resistance roll.

This spell can be used for positive effect; if the subject is required to walk a narrow log across a thousand-foot-deep chasm, he might find it easier if the log spans only a shallow streambed . . .

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast.
3 to maintain.
Time to cast: 4 seconds.
Prerequisites: Hallucination.

Mindlessness