Saturday, September 26, 2020

Pall Thee in the Dunnest Smoke of Hell: a LotFP spell

 


Pall Thee in the Dunnest Smoke of Hell

Magic-User Level 1, Duration: 1 Turn/Level, Range: Touch

The target, including her clothing and armor, is blanketed in nonreflective magic, rendering her pitch-black to the eye. Held objects the size of minor weapons will be enveloped by the darkness; larger objects will protrude out. By casting it as a Level 2 spell, the effect will be extended to small weapons, and so on for medium and great weapons up to the size of a long spear. An unwilling target is allowed a saving throw to resist.

If in uneven flickering light, shadows, or darkness, the target's Stealth skill is increased by 4. She also gains a 1-in-6 Sneak Attack skill if she did not previously have points in the skill, or increases it by 1 otherwise.

The target's vision is similarly affected. She sees the world as if in total pitch-black darkness, yet as if possessed with infrared vision. This will allow her to see heat, but will not allow her to distinguish faces or other similarly identifying physical characteristics. Her hearing is also dampened, making it impossible for her to understand human language or even distinguish differences in pitch. She will not be able to distinguish between voices.


Miscast Table for the Weird Magic System

1. Roll 1d6. The target's vision is affected as above; this lasts for 1-3 days on a result of 1-3, or is permanent on a result of 4-6.

2. Roll 2d6, adding the caster's Charisma modifier. The caster's shadow now thinks and acts independently of her. Consult the reaction table on page 56 of Rules & Magic to determine its initial impression of the caster. Additionally, if two uneven numbers were rolled, the shadow can henceforth separate from the caster at will. This will be especially interesting if it is now unfriendly towards her.

3. The next time the target draws a weapon, she will seek to attack the nearest ally until an attack lands or the weapon is removed from her hand. Should neither of those conditions be met, the effect lasts 1d6 turns from the moment the weapon is drawn.

4. 1d6 random targets within a 50' sphere centered on the caster lose their sight. This is not in fact blindness, but 12'' diameter spheres of magical darkness centered on the targets' heads. Their hearing is also dampened, so that understanding is still possible, but not distinguishing between voices. The effect lasts for 1d6 turns.

5. The next time the target makes an attack for which the result of the roll is sufficient to strike the caster's armor class, a pitch black void in space will appear in front of their weapon. The other side of this empty void appears next to the caster, who is struck by the attack instead.

6. The target or caster (50/50 chance) henceforth becomes a nightly sleepwalker. While in this state, she will talk in her sleep, revealing her most base desires, however violent and destructive, to whoever will listen.

7+. Refer to miscast table on front inside cover of VaM/EC or other miscast tables you may have cooked up.


Come, thick night,

And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell,

That my keen knife see not the wound it makes,

Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark

To cry "Hold, hold!"