Sorcery: Necromantic Spells VI

Sorcery: Necromantic Spells VI

Even more necromantic spells! Astral Block repels insubstantial beings and prevents ghosts from materializing. Rotting Death is a curse that makes the subject rot from within. Soul Jar transfers the soul into an inanimate object.

  

Astral Block

Keywords: Area (Leveled), Obvious.

Full Cost: 167 points for level 1 + 40 points/additional level (or more).

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

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Indefinite.

The sorcerer conjures a translucent dome that repels (or at least slows) all insubstantial creatures and attacks. Any insubstantial, astral, or ethereal creature wishing to cross the barrier may try to force its way through it as a free action (one attempt per turn): the foe rolls thrust damage and if this overcomes the Astral Block’s DR, it gets through. This does not dispel the dome, which simply seals closed behind it. Slams and collisions with the dome inflict their usual damage for the purpose of breaking through, but the collider takes no damage, as the dome absorbs kinetic force.

The dome gives DR against all insubstantial attacks.

In addition, insubstantial creatures within an Astral Block cannot become substantial, and vice versa. Thus, a sorcerer could not cast Ethereal Body within the area of a spell, while a ghost would be unable to use Solidify. A ghost already in a tangible state could not become insubstantial!

By default, Astral Block provides DR 10. However, more potent versions are available that multiply DR and full cost (actually 112.5 before rounding) by the same amount:

DR	Full Cost
10	167 points for level 1 + 40 points/additional level
20	262 points for level 1 + 65 points/additional level
30	357 points for level 1 + 90 points/additional level
50	547 points for level 1 + 140 points/additional level
100	1022 points for level 1 + 265 points/additional level

Statistics: Damage Resistance 10 (Affects Others, +50%; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Force Field, +20%; Limited, Insubstantial, -60%; Link, +10%; Ranged, +40%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, Area, +5%; Visible, -10%) [95] + Static (Substantiality Changes; Area Effect, 2 yards, +100%; Link, +10%; Ranged, +40%; Magical, -10%) [72]. Additional levels increase Area Effect (+50%) to both advantages [+40]. More powerful versions multiply DR by 2, 3, 5, or 10. Notes: “Does not damage those colliding with it” is a 0-point special effect of DR with Affects Others, Area Effect, and Force Field. As a special effect, this forms a hemispherical dome, not a cylinder.

Rotting Death

Keywords: Resisted (HT).

Full Cost: 16 points.

Casting Roll: Will. Use DX or unarmed combat skills to hit.

Range: Touch.

Duration: 5 seconds.

The caster must touch the subject to cast this spell. The subject begins to rot from within, taking 1d-1 toxic damage each second for 5 seconds. Armor does not protect. Each second the subject may resist the damage by making a successful HT roll. If the roll is a critical success, then the spell stops. Roll a random hit location each time the subject takes damage from this spell; once crippled, a limb is considered to have rotted off!

If the subject loses ½ of his HP or more to this spell, he begins experiencing terrible pain (B428) until he is healed above this threshold. Once the subject dies from this spell, his body quickly deliquesces, until only a puddle of evil-smelling goo is left.

Undead beings are not affected by this spell.

Statistics: Toxic Attack 1d-1 (Accessibility, Only on living beings, -10%; Based on HT, +20%; Cyclic, 1 second interval, 5 seconds, +250%; Melee Attack, Reach C, Cannot Parry, -35%; Malediction 1, +100%; Random hit location each cycle, +0%; Sorcery, ‑15%; Symptoms, ½ HP, Terrible Pain, +120%) [16].

  

Soul Jar

Keywords: Resisted (Will).

Full Cost: 205 points.

Casting Roll: Will.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Instantaneous.

Traps the subject’s soul in some inanimate object (which the subject must be touching). If the subject is not the caster, then he must be present, and either willing or unconscious.

If your soul is in a “jar,” you are unaffected until either your body dies, or the jar is destroyed. The death of your body does not kill you. Your consciousness shifts to the “jar,” where you are able to see, hear, and even cast any spell that you know at skill 20 or above (i.e., castable without speech or gesturing). You may communicate at a distance via telepathy-type spells, if you know any – or by direct mental contact, without a spell, with anyone who handles the jar. Your FP remain the same as when you had a body. You may not spend HP, but you may use any Powerstone currently in contact with your jar.

If a new body comes near the jar, you may try to take it by a Possession, Permanent Possession, or Exchange Bodies spell if you know such a spell. In that case, the soul of that body goes into the jar. But if your soul is in a jar, anything that destroys the jar will kill you permanently – beyond hope of resurrection – even if your body is unharmed.

The spell may be cast again to switch the soul to a different “jar.”

Statistics: Affliction 1 (Will; Advantage, Soul Jar, +1,800%; Based on Will, +20%; Malediction 2, +150%; No Signature, +20%; Nuisance Effect, Subject must be willing or unconscious, -30%; Sorcery, -15%) [205]. Note: “Soul Jar” is Possession (Accessibility, Only inanimate objects, -10%; Cosmic, Retains senses, +100%; Magical, -10%) [180].