Gelid 37th, 3607


The team begins in Emerald, planning a trip to the Hexstone mountains. Octessa is on call for a mission that will start at any time, and cannot accompany them, but she does help them find a painting of a village in the hexstone mountains.

Morgrim studies the painting- a mostly subsistance based village- and the greater teleport works, but the place is not as advertised. Abandoned either in whole or in part, Ash casts Endure Elements, and the team adjusts magically from the cold of winter to the uncomfortable heat radiating from the hexstone.

With Rigby acting as Spy Satellite, the group heads out, following the footprints. Eventually, they find an older boy crouched in bushes, watching them. His feat are much darker, the skin thicker than normal, though from his calves up his skin tone is much whiter. Rigby talks him into calling his elders, some of whom follow him back. Their tribe hides in caves and believes the PCs to likely be dragons in disguise (evil dragons prey on them, and they believe good dragons to not be good, based on their not stopping that activity of the evil dragons), foraging and planting when they can, and in ways such that their small civilization is not visible from the sky. Keichi and Alenka offer the possibility of taking them to pretty much anywhere else, being that the party has seen a variety of much more inhabitable places not rife with humans. The youth is happy about this plan, the elders less so- they cite a divine task to protect the area from evil spirits. The youth mostly would love to live in a place where he could not be eaten by dragons.

A bit of discussion later, and the PCs learn that a runner from an allied tribe told of a Nilak village that fled entirely when humans came in floating machines. The group got approximate directions to the village, and went there on foot, a trip of a few days.

Upon arrival, the team was able to spot a lookout tree, with Rigby approaching directly and finding a Nilak looking around. He tried to speak calmly, but the Nilak immediately pulled a rope. After convincing him that he wasn't an invisible dragon, Rigby learned that the Nilaks had almost all fled instantly, leaving a few behind to watch, at least for a little bit. Rigby heard of slave labor, and Voriphan airships, and informed the rest of the party.


The structure was rather large to have been constructed so rapidly. The PCs found it in a small valley. To the north were some rather high hexstone peaks, to the south the hexstone was partially covered in normal dirt and as such had some folliage, and that persisted to the west. Slaves of many humanoid races could be seen milling about- there were cages outside, but clearly there were more slaves than that. The building looked to be two stories tall, not counting whatever was beneath the ground. On top were four ebony-toned curved objects, each about 18 feet long. The base of each rested on the roof, and each one curved up. In between them all was an object of stone- an altar? And enough room to stand with arms out.

Observation revealed at least two humans that were, to some degree, in charge- one wore black robes, an aged Arcatan, the other in red Querisan robes, and likely from Queris. One was seen inspecting the structure on top of the longhouse.

The team discovered that Nightwings, a normally unbindable type of undead, guarded the area at night, but in the day flew to a cave in the mountains. Not wishing to miss such lovely mounds of XP (or have to engage them with the rest of the enemy), they teleported to the cave and absolutely purged the Nightwings, whose most frightening offering was to threaten the heroes mentally.

The next night, with no Nightwings around, the longhouse became much more agitated. The slaves moved faster and kept their eyes downcast. The enemy wizards looked around cautiosly, and were worried of attack. Rixs had a rebel priest cast Message, alerting the team that Vix-Thur's airship had recieved word and would be responding in force (not piecemeal), and had turned around (he in turn received this from a rebel crewman).

The battle plan was hatched. Morgrim disintegrated a hole towards the back. The PCs saw the red robed wizard, Niyev Flannel, thumbing through books. He responded with shock, casting two spells per round, and only surviving for as long as he did due to Quick Mirror Image. When reduced to unconsciousness, a contingent teleport scooped him away.

Nightwalkers ran through the apparent middle wall. While the PCs fought them, Balak Swenv, disgraced and exiled ex-wizard of Zem Tower, alternating casting buffs and watching his floor exchanger gain magical power. When it was ready, he revealed himself, triggering the floor exchanger to move the unenlightened brutes to an encounter more suited to their limited abilities.

Teleported downstairs, Keichi found himself face to face with Orchid, while mere yards away Alenka faced a barbarian with a metal cylinder where his heart should be, the center racing with red and blue energies. After some aborted attacks on Orchid, whose powerful armor was even more powerful, and her scouter able to see invisible, both attacked the regenerating barbarian.

Upstairs, Balak began attacking the PCs, the twinned fire elementals, and was aided only by his Night Walkers. And Bly Muti, the Querisan slaver, empowered by a necklace that granted him a whip made of lightning.

Balack was relentless, and tried to explain that by gaining the power of a Seryantic he could help the world (he also bragged about how hard it had been to control the soon to be blasted Nightwalkers), all while raining down spells upon the heroes. Ash, Rigby, and Morgrim were able to resist his mental and necromantic assaults, while the team kept their wounds mended with the healing stream totem and clever positioning of Turoa preventing the enraged Bly from attacking the more fragile casters. He repented, to a degree, and was cut down.

With the barbarian being obliterated by the combined might of Alenka and Keichi, Orchid simply teleported away once there were no witnesses on her team left, after handing Keichi the keys to the gates blocking the staircase and accesss to the rest of the downstairs.


And thus, with an unplundered library and a host of slaves, the PCs leave off on Gelid 43rd- one day after the Day of Punishment (generally not celebrated by those who aren't actively evil) and one day before the Day of Enshindo Studies.

Winter has but one long month left, and within a couple weeks it should begin to get warmer. But it will be longer before the hexstone cools.

Also Vix Thur's airship is coming. It will definitely arrive by next Pineday- Trepid 4th- but it shouldn't take that long to sweep the area for whatever it is you seek, and or have your way with it. Also, the slaves very much want to talk with you all! And also to not be slaves.

It's a damn shame that wizard robes do a poor job of hiding wizard boners.

Etheric Vision
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: No

The target creature is granted enhanced vision. This takes effect in several ways.
First, the creature recieves the benefits of See Invisibility.
Second, the creature gains a +6 enhancement bonus to spot and search checks.
Third, if the target creature would be affected by a gaze attack that it would resist if it could, that gaze attack has a 25% chance to not affect that creature.
Fourth and finally, the creature gains a +4 bonus to any saving throw versus an illusion of the pattern subschool.


--

Notes:

18th of Consonance, 3607


An old wizard sought me out today. He was asking about certain kinds of enchantments, ones that can be cast on others. He was enthused by this spell, and he also was equally thrilled when he found Metaltooth. In exchange for some time to copy them, he gave me six thousand gold pieces, a very adequate deal, plus he gave me some spells to copy for myself. He said these new spells of his would come in very useful in just a few months. He might be crazy, or for all I know he might be an oracle- I took his spells, gave him what he wanted, and gathered some niche spells in the process. I thought that Consumption would yield some kind of insight to make it more useful, but it seems that it's only of real interest to base sorcerers- whatever few of them can read magic, that is.


----
Memetic Unbinding
<not quite Illusion>
Level: Wizard 5
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close
Target: One Willing creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

The willing creature forgets up to 1 day per level of the caster, in one hour increments. The caster chooses the maximum duration forgotten, and the willing creature can shorten that. Subsequent castings take effect from the current casting time- it does not stack.

Special: When cast on an elf, the elf can choose to forget up to ten times the number of days otherwise indicated.


Notes:

24th of Consonance, 3607
This cursed spell is far too sophisticated to be of use beyond the obvious. The necessity of the creature to be willing greatly limits the use of the spell, and the litany is far too verbose and entirely relevant to the magical curls of the spell itself. I will seek the aid of a nearby Wu-Jen.

36th of Consonance
Wu-Jen no help. Would very much like to compress this casting. Trying a more sophisticated preperation.

45th of Disonance
Useless. Really dug past the helra and theel and into the coris section of the spell, and it uses theory that I've never really been taught, and a binding that looked like Illusion but isn't even one of the eight. Maybe Zem tower, but I'd not glow the right color for them to let me in. I'll check some Voriphan libraries next year maybe. Furious.
----

Metaltooth
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wizard 6
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target Creature Touched
Duration: 1 round / level
Saving Throw Will (Harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes

The creature's natural weapons count as silver, adamantine, and cold iron. Natural attacks the creature makes gain a +3 metal bonus to hit and damage, and the creature gains a +4 metal bonus to saves versus poison.


----
Consumption
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: S, M
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Target: You*
Duration: 3 rounds

This spell has no effect unless the caster is a material living creature.

You siphon your life essence, converting it to magical essence. You lose 2d12 hit points and 1d2 points of Constitution are lost until you next recover spells. If an effect prevents the loss of these hit points, or you do not have a Constition score, the spell fails. You regain the use of one spell slots per round for three rounds, and the DC of all spells you cast during the three round duration increases by 1.

Material component: A small red gem worth at least 5 gold pieces.

---
Vision of Piercing Attacks
Enchantment
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Componets: S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Targets: One creature / 5 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 round / level
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Only one "Vision of" spell can be active on a creature at one time (Vision of Piercing Attacks, Vision of Unerring Attacks).

The enchanted creatures gain an energetic edge to their attacks that disrupts force effects and non-metallic materials- even dragonhide.

When attacking, enchanted creatures gain a +1 metal bonus to hit for every 4 points of armor and natural armor the target has. This bonus is not granted from armor bonuses gained from deflection bonuses, metal armor, metal shields, or metal hide, but it is granted from most living (and undead or animated) hides of creatures, mage armor, and shield.

The following bonuses apply regadless of the type of creature attacked:

All rolls to confirm critical hits gain a +4 metal bonus.

Critical threats made on a natural 20 deal an extra 10 points of damage if confirmed. This bonus is not multiplied.

Material Component
A sewing needle

---
Vision of Unerring Attacks
Enchantment
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Componets: S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Targets: One creature / 5 levels, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 round / level
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Only one "Vision of" spell can be active on a creature at one time (Vision of Piercing Attacks, Vision of Unerring Attacks).

The enchanted creatures gain an accurate sense to their attacks that guides them to hit when they would otherwise miss.

When attacking, enchanted creatures gain a +1 metal bonus to hit for every 5 points of dodge and deflection bonus to AC the creature has.

The following bonuses apply regadless of the type of creature attacked:

All rolls to confirm critical hits gain a +4 metal bonus.

Add one to the critical threat range of the weapon. If the weapon crits on this roll, it is a x2 crit.

The attack always hits on a 1. If the attack already had this bonus (from auric or equivalent), then it always hits on a 2.

Material Component
A small glass sphere


----
Flurry
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close
Targets: One willing creature touched
Duration: 1 hour per level

The transmuted creature gains clarity in their full attacks, depending on their base attack bonus. Only creatures with strong martial skill gain any benefit. Gain all the bonuses from whichever lines apply:

BAB 6-10: The attacks using the second attack column (BAB -5) gain a +1 to hit.
BAB 11-15: The attacks using the third attack column (BAB -10) gain a +3 to hit.
BAB 16+: The attacks using the fourth attack column (BAB -15) gain a +6 to hit.

Regarding the "Vision of" spells.... and on the note of how I could think a spell was both overpowered and not good enough for its level, I will point out that there's, basically speaking, three kinds of spells:


> Spells that have willing targets and improve them in some ways (heal spells, buff spells)
> Spells that have unwilling targets and damage, kill, banish, or weaken them in some ways (damage spells, debuffs)
> Spells that have an effect on an area, or create or summon allies

That second category features a good chunk of powerful spells, and one big thing that makes them easy to evaluate is that they require the enemy to be around for them. You can't, for instance, cast ten fireballs on an unsuspecting enemy in a normal campaign, without them being able to react, run away, or otherwise take action for themselves or against you.

Buff spells, on the other hand, always land. They always affect their target. If you cast them during combat, then you are throwing away your action in the hopes that the sum of the actions allowed or increased by the heal or buff make that worthwhile. For instance, if your ally is about to die, your heal spell will allow him to retaliate next round- and on subsequent rounds. Very likely, this makes the heal worthwhile in that situation. Haste affects multiple allies, and in a typical gain will provide the possible extra attack to at least two allies, but very rarely more than four. It can take several rounds for a haste spell to outrun a fireball in damage, and they are both third level.

The problem is that you can often cast buffs before combat, or you can do it during a combat whose pace you are controlling (for instance, you might lean on your fighter to deal damage to a vulnerable opponent who will receive a heal instead of taking a chance at an opponent who might die even with defensive actions taken, or you might cast Solid Fog to slow down things). So comparing casting a 7th level buff spell to casting prismatic spray isn't really fair- the prismatic spray requires the enemies to be in the right position, and the 7th level buff spell could have been cast two rounds before the team teleports in. If you balance the buff spell to outrun the prismatic spray in effects within 2 rounds, you may have a really powerful buff spell on hand- and it could really push the game balance even further towards "he who wins initiative wins the day" (the game already has a shit lot of this, and has since forever). Not because you made an investment in combat to buff your ally, who then spent three rounds attacking an opponent, but because you could buff your whole team with it before heading in, and THEN cast prismatic spray with your first attack- the equivalent of landing 3 of those immediately.

For this reason, you'll see a dearth of generically good buff spells in the PHB and later things. Those that do exist tend to vary pretty wildly in their power levels, as if the developers were all developing for a different game each time.


Also, you'll note that several of the spells that I've put in this category already have VERY short durations- like 2-5 rounds. This prevents you from stacking a large number of them. The spells on this page don't have that restriction.


So when you pick Vision of Piercing Attacks, if you are attacking a creature with a lot of armor and natural armor, this is a big boost. A great wyrm red dragon, you would have a +9 to hit there. But you would have a hard time memorizing the spell if you thought you were going to run into a lot of other things- the 8th level spell slot is quite the investment, and the buff is conditional.

This means that many wizards would put it on a scroll. 3000gp is a lot for a spell like this (or 1500gp and 120xp), but having a few of them around would be preferable to having to cast it outright- and unlike all the attack spells, the restrictions about caster level, attribute bonus, whatever, don't apply.


So, I'm trying it out. We'll see if you guys make use of it as a spell, as a scroll, or not at all. It's conditional, it's dispellable, and it can provide for solid damage from your fighters, or a much greater attack rate from your archer. I think the game will be cooler if it has that sort of thing.