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The Magic of Zath:; Arachnomancy:
Topic Started: May 17 2013, 02:43 PM (423 Views)
Nialldubh
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Arachnomancy By Thulsa

The priests of Zath use a sub-style of Nature Magic called “Arachnomancy” (which in the strictest sense means studying the appearance and behaviour of spiders, or the patterns of their webs, for use in divination, but which in this context is taken to mean any magic dealing with arachnids).

Other Names known by: Spider Magic, Magic of Zath.


* Official Conan RPG rules of Zath Cult state that they only practice Hypnotism Sorcery Style, but it is obviously acceptable to add this Sorcery Style to that list of requirements.

* Much like the Serpent Magic of Secrets of Skelos, the creators have added different styles to the main sorcery of Serpent Magic (For Example: Nature and Hypnotic magic and Curses). Thulsa who created this style has added at end two Curses spell which I believe should be absorbed into the “Spider Magic.”

* That some changes to the requirement should be change and even allow non-Zath worshippers to used Sorcery Style (but, obviously, each GM can decide in end how they want to play it, though I will add example of my own).

* I will place this Sorcery Style eventually into the “Scroll of Skelos,” thread, but add here as Thulsa had printed in his “The City of the Spider-God,” module.

The following spells are only available to members of the cult.


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Nialldubh
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Become Swarm (Defensive Blast)
Power Point Cost: All remaining points
Components: V
Casting Time: Immediate
Range: Personal
Duration: 1 minute/power point
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud

When this spell is cast, the caster’s body dissolves into a spider swarm (see the New Monsters appendix). All clothing and items worn or carried fall to the ground. Since the swarm form is impervious to most forms of weapon damage, it usually allows the caster to escape his opponents by crawling away to safety.


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Nialldubh
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Speak with Spiders
Power Point Cost: 1 point
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Knowledge (nature) 4 ranks, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud

You can comprehend and communicate with spiders, of both the normal and giant varieties. You are able to ask questions of and receive answers from spiders, although the spell does not make them any more friendly or cooperative than normal. Furthermore, spiders have limited intelligence and are likely to be terse and evasive.


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Nialldubh
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Spider Climb
Power Point Cost: 2 points
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Knowledge (nature) 6 ranks, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud

You can climb and travel on vertical surfaces or even traverse ceilings as well as a spider does. You must have your hands free to climb in this manner. You gain a climb speed of 20 feet; furthermore, you need not make Climb checks to traverse a vertical or horizontal surface (even upside down). You retain your Dexterity bonus to defence (if any) while climbing, and opponents get no special bonus to their attacks against you. You can also pass unimpeded through webs. You cannot, however, use the run action while climbing or navigating webs.

Material Component: A drop of bitumen and a live spider, both of which must be eaten by the caster.


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Nialldubh
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Control Spider
Power Point Cost: 1+ points
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One spider
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud
Magic Attack Roll: Sets DC for target’s Will saving throw

You can enchant a spider (who, as vermin, are normally immune to mind-affecting magic) and direct it with simple commands such as “Attack,” “Run,” and “Fetch.” Suicidal or self-destructive commands (including an order to attack a creature two or more size categories larger than the dominated spider) are simply ignored. The PP cost is 1 for a spider of up to Small size, 2 for a Medium-size spider, 4 for a Large spider, 8 for a Huge spider, 16 for a Gargantuan spider, and 32 for a Colossal spider.

Control spider establishes a mental link between you and the subject creature. The spider can be directed by silent mental command as long as it remains in range. You need not see the spider to control it. You do not receive direct sensory input from the spider, but you know what it is experiencing. Because you are directing the spider with your own intelligence, it may be able to undertake actions normally beyond its own comprehension.

You need not concentrate exclusively on controlling the spider unless you are trying to direct it to do something it normally could not do. Changing your instructions or giving a dominated spider a new command is the equivalent of redirecting a spell, so it is a move action.


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Nialldubh
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Web
Power Point Cost: 4 points
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Webs in a 10-ft.-radius spread
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex negates; see text
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Knowledge (nature) 10 ranks, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud
Magic Attack Roll: Sets DC for target’s Reflex saving throw

Web creates a many-layered mass of strong, sticky strands. These strands trap those caught in them. The strands are similar to spider webs but far larger and tougher. These masses must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears. Creatures caught within a web become entangled among the gluey fibres. Attacking a creature in a web won’t cause you to become entangled.

Anyone in the effect’s area when the spell is cast must make a Reflex save. If this save succeeds, the creature is entangled, but not prevented from moving, though moving is more difficult than normal for being entangled (see below). If the save fails, the creature is entangled and can’t move from its space, but can break loose by spending 1 round and making a Strength check (DC 20) or a Escape Artist check (DC 25). Once loose (either by making the initial Reflex save or a later Strength check or Escape Artist check), a creature remains entangled, but may move through the web very slowly. Each round devoted to moving allows the creature to make a new Strength check or Escape Artist check. The creature moves 5 feet for each full 5 points by which the check result exceeds 10. If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover. The strands of a web spell are flammable. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away 5 square feet in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames.

Material Component: A bit of spider web.


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Nialldubh
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Creeping Doom
Power Point Cost: 2 points/swarm
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)/ 100 ft.; see text
Effect: One swarm of great spiders per two levels
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: None
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Magic attack bonus +7 or higher, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud

When you utter the spell of creeping doom, you call forth a mass of great spider swarms (see the New Monsters appendix). You summon one swarm per two caster levels, to a maximum of ten swarms at 20th level, which need not appear adjacent to one another. You may summon the spider swarms so that they share the area of other creatures.

The swarms remain stationary, attacking any creatures in their area, unless you command the creeping doom to move (a standard action). As a standard action, you can command any number of the swarms to move toward any prey within 100 feet of you (using the swarms’ normal speed). You cannot command any swarm to move more than 100 feet away from you, and if you move more than 100 feet from any swarm, that swarm remains stationary, attacking any creatures in its area (but it can be commanded again if you move within 100 feet).


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Nialldubh
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Curse of Yezud (Sorcery Style: Curses)
Power Point Cost: 4 points
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Evil Eye, Touch or Magical Link
Target: One creature
Duration: One month
Saving Throw: Will negates
Prerequisites: Lesser Ill-Fortune, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud
Magic Attack Roll: Sets DC for target’s saving throw

This specialized curse causes the victim to automatically fail all subsequent Fortitude saving throws against spider venom for the duration of the spell.
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Nialldubh
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Kiss of Zath (Sorcery Style: Curses)
Power Point Cost: 2 points/HD of target
Components: V, S, M, F
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Evil Eye, Touch or Magical Link
Target: One living creature
Duration: One month
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Prerequisites: Lesser Ill-Fortune, Death Touch, Ritual Sacrifice, magic attack bonus +7, must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud
Magic Attack Roll: Sets DC for target’s saving throw

This dread curse is used to slay enemies from afar and to punish those who have fallen out of favour with the cult of Zath. The spell must be cast either on the night of the full moon, or on the night of the new moon. The next time the target sleeps, he must make a Will saving throw. If he fails, he experiences a nightmare in which he is bitten by a spider. When the target wakes up, he finds a bite mark on his chest, above the heart. Over the next four weeks (until the next full or new moon), a purple colour gradually expands from the bite mark to cover the target’s entire body as a magical poison spreads through his body. At the end of the spell, one month later, the target dies (Fate Point expenditure notwithstanding). If the target successfully saves, he merely has a disturbing, spider-haunted dream, but no harm befalls him.

Note that if the target has had sexual contact of any sort with a temple-dancer (or other member of the cult of Zath) prior to the casting of this spell, no saving throw is allowed, and the curse cannot be dispelled by Warding and similar counterspells.

Material Component: A vial of spider venom.

Focus: An altar, dedicated to the spider god and decorated with valuables worth at least 500 sp. If the focus is destroyed, the spell ends prematurely, and the curse is lifted from the target.


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Nialldubh
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New Spell

Spider Friend
Power Point Cost: 1 per target
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal or Touch
Target: Self and/or one or more other creatures
Duration: One hour per Scholar level
Saving Throw: None (see below)
Prerequisites: Summon Beast, Knowledge (Nature) 6 ranks, Must be a member of the cult of Zath in Yezud
Magic Attack Roll: None

This spell when cast through a strange hissing incantation and flaying arms with spread fingers waving in such a way it looks like the sorcerer is harvesting bales of spider silk from a giant web; protects the sorcerer from attack and harm from any type of Spider for the duration of the spell. The spiders can be of a magical or mundane in nature, summon or otherwise. Spider Friend proves a+4 bonus to the new Skill 'Handle Vermin,' when dealing with spiders. The spiders close by will not attack the sorcerer unless attacked or threaten in any way by them.

The spell can be cast on as many People as the caster can touch in one round, moving to them if he has to to include them in his casting.

The Priest of Zath Cult created this spell thinking it was a gift and blessing from their Spider God Zath.

NOTE:
Those the spell is cast on can automatically refuse to allow the spell to have any affect on them; in which case the spell will not work and Power Point is wasted.

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