Wizardry: Sound Spells I

Wizardry: Sound Spells I

Ah, sound spells. Ghost Sound is quite dissimilar from the GURPS Sound spell, as it is not limited to meaningless sounds, and is a "fire and forget" spell, unlike certain illusion spells. Sound Burst is a short-range small area-effect damaging spell that can also deafen. Unlike many other spells, this one requires a musical instrument in the caster's hands. Silence from GURPS Sorcery: Sound Spells is very expensive. Here, I decided to make the basic version only affect normal hearing, and the most expensive improved version to extend to other forms of hearing. This makes the spell more affordable, but also makes traits, such as Ultrahearing and Subsonic Hearing more valuable. Wail of the Banshee from D&D is pretty boring, so I decided to base this spell on its GURPS version. Still, it is quite different from the version from GURPS Sorcery: Sounds Spells. Zone of Silence is similar to the GURPS Wall of Silence spell, but has been reworked into a maintained spell centered on the caster. Just like Silence, it now has an improved version.

 
    Ghost Sound
    Keywords: Area (Leveled).
    Full Cost: 22 points for level 1 + 12.5 points/additional level*.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use skill or Artist (Illusion) to determine how convincing it is.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 10 yards.
    Duration: 30 seconds.
 
    The caster projects any sort of sound, such as the clash of battle, the cheering of a crowd, the hum of a bee swarm, two people talking, or similar, to anywhere that they can see within the spell’s range. The area is hemispherical in shape. This sound extends into the subsonic and ultrasonic hearing ranges. The spell cannot produce loud noise that would harm, frighten, or deafen anyone.
    The caster must win a Quick Contest of skill or Artist (Illusion) against the Per of anyone they want to fool; otherwise, the targets notice something “off” about the sound. Do not apply range penalties to the casting roll. The targets’ roll is at +4 if the sound is not believable in the current environment or +8 if it also lacks a visual cue that normally accompanies it. Regardless of the result, the sound does not disappear. Thus, even an unsubtle use of this spell can create white noise.
    Statistics: Illusion (Auditory Only, -70%; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Environmental, Sound-transmitting mediums, -10%; Extended, Subsonic Hearing and Ultrahearing, +10%; Extended Duration on Persistent, 3x, +20%; Independence, +40%; Magical, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Cannot concentrate to change sound, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Ranged, +40%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%) [22]. Additional levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+12.5*].
    * Calculate the total cost and then round down (because the base ability costs just 21.25 points before rounding). Level 2 costs 34 points, level 3 costs 47 points, level 4 costs 59 points, level 5 costs 72 points, and so on.
   
    Silence
    Keywords: Area (Leveled).
    Full Cost: 42 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.
    Full Cost (Improved): 58 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 100 yards.
    Duration: 30 seconds.
 
    The spell creates a hemispherical area of quiet where hearing is impossible. Nothing that happens in this area makes any sound. An area of silence counters effects that depend on sound transmission, such as Sound Burst. Spells reliant on sorcerous incantations cannot be cast within a muted zone.
    The improved version of this spell affects all forms of hearing, including Sonar, Subsonic Hearing, Ultrahearing, and Vibration Sense.
    Statistics: Obscure 10 (Hearing; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +50%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Stealthy, +100%; Variable, Area, +5%) [42]. The improved version adds Extended, Sonar, Subsonic Hearing, Ultrahearing, and Vibration Sense, +80% [+16]. Further levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+10/level].
 
    Sound Burst
    Keywords: Area (Fixed).
    Full Cost: 11 points.
    Casting Roll: Skill. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to hit.
    Components: V, S, F.
    Cost: 2 FP.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: 10 yards.
    Duration: Instantaneous (but see text).
 
    You blast a spherical area with a tremendous cacophony. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to hit, applying normal range penalties, but at +4 for targeting an area. Everyone within two yards of that spot takes 1d burning damage. This damage originates from sonic vibrations – it cannot set anything on fire. This damage does not work in the area of effect of the Silence spell or a similar ability. Everyone within the area also must resist with HT; Protected Hearing gives +5, Hard of Hearing gives +4, and those with Deafness are immune. The caster is not immune to it. Everyone who fails to resist is deafened for margin of failure minutes.

    Focus: A musical instrument.
    Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Area Effect, 2 yards, Spherical, +40%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Disadvantage, Deafness, +20%; Hearing-Based, -20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; No Signature, +20%; Nuisance Effect, Loud, -5%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires Musical Instrument, -10%) [8] + Burning Attack 1d (Area Effect, 2 yards, Spherical, +40%; Environmental, Sound-transmitting mediums, -10%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; No Incendiary Effect, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Loud, -5%; Reduced Range, 1/10, -30%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Requires Musical Instrument, -10%) [3].

   
Wail of the Banshee
Keywords: Obvious, Resisted (HT).
Full Cost (Short-Range): 56 points.
Full Cost (Ranged): 61 points.
Casting Roll: Skill.
Components: V.
Cost: 2 FP.
Casting Time: 2 seconds.
Range: Unlimited (-1/yard) - Unlimited (standard).
Duration: Instantaneous.
 
The caster unleashes a loud howl, audible to everyone, but intended for a specific target. Only living creatures with IQ 6+ and no Supernatural Durability, Unaging, or Unkillable may be affected by this spell. The howl must reach the intended victim through a sound-transmitting medium – Silence or a similar spell will block it, but Deafness, Hard of Hearing, and Protected Hearing provide no benefit. The caster must see the intended victim or perceive his exact location with other senses to be able to affect him.
If the victim fails to resist, they die instantly from seemingly natural causes such as generalized organ failure from great age, unless the GM wants to get specific.
Critical failure on the casting roll gives the caster Cannot Speak (p. B125). The sorcerer can only make horrible wails until they buy off this disadvantage.
Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only on IQ 6+ living targets, -15%; Based on IQ, Own Roll, +20%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Disadvantage, Fragile (Enhanced Unnatural), +100%; Environmental, Sound-transmitting mediums, -10%; Heart Attack, +300%; Magical, -10%; Malediction 1, +100%; No Psychic Signature, +20%; Nuisance Effect, Critical failure results in Cannot Speak, -10%; Nuisance Effect, Does not affect targets with Supernatural Durability, Unaging, or Unkillable, -5%; Nuisance Effect, Loud, -5%; Requires a scream, -10%; Takes Extra Time 1, -10%) [56]. The Ranged version replaces Malediction 1, +100% with Malediction 2, +150% [+5].
 

    Zone of Silence
    Keywords: Area (Leveled).
    Full Cost: 32 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.
    Full Cost (Improved): 48 points for level 1 + 10 points/additional level.
    Casting Roll: Skill.
    Components: V, S.
    Cost: 1 FP to cast, 1 FP to maintain.
    Casting Time: 1 second.
    Range: Self.
    Duration: Indefinite.
 
    The spell encircles an area with a four-yard-tall wall of quiet that blocks hearing. The area is centered around the caster and moves with him. Nothing that happens in this area can be heard outside and vice versa. Effects that depend on sound transmission, such as Sound Burst, cannot penetrate Zone of Silence.
    The improved version of this spell affects all forms of hearing, including Sonar, Subsonic Hearing, Ultrahearing, and Vibration Sense.
    Statistics: Obscure 10 (Hearing; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP, -5%; Magical, -10%; Only around the border of the area, -0%; Requires Gestures, -10%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Requires Magic Words, -10%; Stealthy, +100%; Variable, Area, +5%) [32]. The improved version adds Extended, Sonar, Subsonic Hearing, Ultrahearing, and Vibration Sense, +80% [+16]. Further levels add Area Effect (+50%) [+10/level].