Sorcery: Movement Spells VII

Sorcery: Movement Spells VII

Even more movement spells, some of which needed some hoop-jumping to get them to work. Flying Carpet turns a carpet into a flying vehicle. Hawk Flight is an improved version of Flight. Light Tread makes the subject leave to trace. Slide lets the subject slide down slopes as if skiing.

   

Flying Carpet

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 89 points for level 1 + 18 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Transforms a carpet (or any other object one could reasonably stand on or in – cauldron, chair, towel, broom, etc.) into a flying vehicle. It is under the command of the first person to step aboard it. If there are several beings already aboard when the spell is cast, roll a Quick Contest of Will to see who gets control; the caster (if aboard) gets a +5 bonus to this roll. If the pilot leaves the carpet, roll another quick contest of Will between the remaining passengers to see who gets control.

This works at any altitude where there is still significant atmosphere – but in the upper atmosphere, the passengers will need a way to survive in very thin, cold air (e.g., Doesn’t Breathe and Temperature Tolerance). The carpet cannot fly in a trace atmosphere or vacuum.

The carpet’s flight Move is the caster's Basic Speed x 2 (drop all fractions). It can also “fly” at half-speed underwater. Flight includes the ability to hover at Move 0 as well. Each level of Flying Carpet also doubles the carpet’s top speed in air. The carpet’s multiplied Move is its top speed. This does not affect Basic Speed, Basic Move, or Dodge. Its benefits apply only when moving along a relatively straight. It does have some defensive value, however: those who attack the carpet or its passengers with ranged attacks must take its speed into account when calculating speed/range modifiers (see p. B550).

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on carpets or similar objects, -40%; Advantage, Flying Carpet, +770%; Extended Duration, 10x, +40%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, ‑15%) [89]. Notes: “Flying Carpet” is Flight (Magical, -10%) [36] + Enhanced Move 1 (Air; Magical, -10%) [18] + Compartmentalized Mind 1 (Controls; Magical, -10%) [23]. Each additional level adds an additional level of Enhanced Move 1 (Air; Magical, -10%) [+18].

Hawk Flight

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 66 points for level 1 + 18 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

The subject can fly. This works at any altitude where there is still significant atmosphere – but in the upper atmosphere, the subject will need a way to survive in very thin, cold air (e.g., Doesn’t Breathe and Temperature Tolerance). He cannot fly in a trace atmosphere or vacuum.

The subject’s flight Move is Basic Speed x 2 (drop all fractions). He can also “fly” at half-speed underwater. Flight includes the ability to hover at Move 0 as well. Each level of Hawk Flight also doubles the subject’s top speed in air. The subject’s multiplied Move is his top speed. This does not affect Basic Speed, Basic Move, or Dodge. Its benefits apply only when moving along a relatively straight. It does have some defensive value, however: those who attack the subject with ranged attacks must take his speed into account when calculating speed/range modifiers (see p. B550).

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Hawk Flight, +540%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, ‑15%) [66]. Notes: “Hawk Flight” is Flight (Magical, -10%) [36] + Enhanced Move 1 (Air; Magical, -10%) [18]. Each additional level adds an additional level of Enhanced Move 1 (Air; Magical, -10%) [+18].

Light Tread

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 22 points.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Three minutes.

This spell allows the subject to exert very little pressure when he walks. The subject leaves no visible tracks. Tracking rolls to follow him automatically fail unless they rely on something more than sight; thus, a human tracker would be baffled, but bloodhounds would suffer no penalty at all. The subject can also walk over fragile surfaces without falling through. Maximum Move under such circumstances is 1/3 normal (GM’s decision).

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Light Tread, +100%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [22]. Note: “Light Tread” is Unusual Training (Light Walk, no Stealth bonus) [1] + Light Walk (H) DX [4] modified with Cosmic, No die roll required, +100% and Magical, -10% for a final cost of 10 points.

  

Slide

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 27 points.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

The subject can slide down a slope as if skiing. The subject uses the Skiing skill, at default if necessary; assess a -2 penalty for not having poles to guide oneself with. The spell works equally well on all types of surfaces (sand, grass, stone...), but the subject still has to avoid any obstacles!

Down a good slope, the subject can sustain a Move equal to the subject’s Skiing skill can be sustained relatively safely. Peak Move, in extremely good conditions, equals twice his Skiing skill.

On level ground, the spell is a nuisance; the subject is constantly affected as if he has just entered a Greased (GURPS Magic, p. 142) area!

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage, Slide, +150%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [27]. Notes: “Slide” is Alternate Form (Slide*; Can Carry Objects, No Encumbrance, +10%; Magical, -10%) [15]. If turned into a “usually on” magical item (GURPS Thaumatology: Sorcery, pp. 27-28), the wearer can shift at will but it takes 10 seconds to do so.

* Same template but with a variant Terrain Adaptation (Uneven) [0] advantage.