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Well, it’s been three years, but occasionally, I dust off this project. I actually wrote up a new general section, which is a tiny step towards the rules for a character creating their own new spells, or one-off castings. So, I’m presenting that along with the twelfth set of new spells for Dungeons & Sorcery.

Creating a Spellbook

Normally, creating a new spellbook is easy. Find a shop that sells blank ones (or make it yourself!), cast Copy Magic, and copy a spell from an existing written copy (no matter whose) into the new book.

It is possible for a magic-user to lose all of their spellbooks. A wise one will have spares back at home, but even those could be lost/destroyed. That requires the character to replace everything. The points spent for the spells represent the fact that the character has spent time and effort thoroughly learning the spell, and will be able to cast it without studying the spellbook (at a risk of the penalties from fickle). This means the magic-user can get a new empty spellbook and start writing spells down from memory for proper study later.

Copy Magic requires an existing written version to copy from, so starting from scratch does not use that and requires one hour of undistracted time per page (see the third paragraph of Spellbooks above) of the spell, and a roll against the appropriate specialty of Thaumatology (see Custom Spellcasting below). Success writes down the spell in a usable format without any problems. (Most likely the character would be inserting small notes and addenda over the next couple weeks as they’re thought of, but that isn’t explicitly called out in play.) Failure uses up the pages, but does not generate an entirely stable version of the spell; every cast of the spell from studying this version will need to roll for fickle, but at a ‘0 days’ penalty for not studying it.

Critical failure is similar to the above, but the magic-user will not realize there is a problem (at least not until the spell fails to work properly). It will always need a fickle roll (from the GM), with a –⁠2 to the roll on top of any “time since studied” penalties.

When writing a spell fresh like this, the character can alter it a bit, by writing down a higher-level version (not alternate spells that may be listed together, just levels). This can also be done with a spell that is available to hand, but still requires a skill roll (at +2) instead of use of Copy Magic. This causes a skill penalty equal to the number of increased levels of the spell, or the difference in number of levels of Sorcerous Empowerment required to use the new version, whichever is greater (in practice, this means use levels for spells that just gain a greater duration, and use Empowerment for maledictions). The character will also need to spend points to have access to the new higher-level version. (It would also be possible to lower the level of a spell for a skill bonus; this will not refund points, and the magic-user can always attempt to cast the full version they paid for, with fickle, and the modifier for time since studying it capped at the level difference. This could also be done to lower a spell to a cost that someone else could afford fit into their Sorcerous Empowerment and then copy into their spellbook with Copy Magic.)

A critical success with writing down a spell in this fashion allows the character to add one level to the spell automatically (this is on top of any deliberate increase made in the attempt as outlined above), if they wish to spend the points and it doesn’t go over their current Sorcerous Empowerment.

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Affect Normal Fires (VC)
Alteration, Somatic, Verbal, Area (Fixed)
6 points + 2.6/level
Casting Time: 1 second
Casting Roll: IQ
Range: None
Duration: 1 minute

With a successful IQ roll, you can control the intensity and shape of any normal fires in a radius of up to 2 yards. Anything from an unnatural source (most especially including any ability with a power modifier) cannot be affected (high-intensity combustion, say jellied gasoline from a flamethrower, is iffy, but possible, and the flames it leaves can certainly be affected). You cannot move/spread the flames in any way, and the spell ends if all the fuel for the fire(s) is exhausted, or you extinguish the flames. The flames are easy to control (not needing further concentration), and only require simple gestures (use a Stealth roll to try and hide the gestures, or use large dramatic ones to aid in Intimidation rolls). This does not allow you to change the damage or other characteristics of the flames, just the intensity and illumination.
Every additional level taken will triple the duration.

Illusion (Accessibility: Change Appearance of Existing Flames Only, -70%; Independence, +40%; Link, +10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –⁠10%; Sorcery, –15%; Visual Only, –30%) [0.15×25] + Perk (Extinguish; Link +10%; Magical, –10%) [1.0×1]

Fireball (C)
Evocation, Somatic, Verbal, Area (Fixed)
24 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Beam) to aim.
Range: 50 yards
Duration: Instantaneous

Upon casting this spell, a small fiery object flies from the caster’s finger to a location the caster desires (see Scatter, B414, on a miss), where it “explodes” (really, just expands), washing fire over everything within a 4-yard radius, doing 3d6 burning damage to everything inside the maximum radius of the ball, and possibly igniting flammable objects (B433).

Innate Attack 3d6 (burn; Area Effect, 4 yards, +100%; Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Reduced Range, 1/2, –10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x2, –10%) [1.6×15]

Item (C)
Alteration, Somatic, Verbal
41 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 day

The caster touches one inanimate object while casting the spell, and it shrinks to 1/12 its former dimensions (and HP) over the next six seconds upon completion. Mass is reduced to 1/1000 of its former value. This will not work on magical items, artifacts, etc., the object must be non-living, and non-magical in nature.

This only affects one object. An itemed bookcase will shrink, with the books on it exploding off as they are not affected. However, it will still retain any characteristics it had before: a burning torch will still be burning after being shrunk. While the spell normally lasts one day, the item can be returned to full size at any point by tossing it onto any solid surface.

Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage: Shrinking 6 (Magical, –10%), +270%; Accessibility: Inanimate Objects: –20%; Extended Duration, x1,000, +120%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Melee Attack, C, 1, –20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x2, –10%) [4.05×10]

Lesser Sign of Sealing (C)/Greater Sign of Sealing (UC)
Abjuration, Somatic, Trap
39 points/70 points
Casting Time: 15 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 week/Permanent

This spell operates as hold portal: it can be cast on any closed opening (doors, windows, coverings, portcullises, drawbridges, etc.) and holds it in place, unable to be opened. This spell cannot be canceled with dispel magic or knock, though more powerful spells such as remove curse will work. The door can be attacked, and once its HP are exceeded, the door fails, and swings open, often in pieces (see Damage to Objects, B483, and Breaking and Entering LT122). Note that Forced Entry, or attacking any latching or locking mechanism will not work; the door, not the lock, is being held in place, and must be removed!

However, forcing the door, whether through physical or magical means, causes the offending person to be hit by the sign for 1d crushing damage. This will target the person who did the final blow to destroy the door, or the person who contributed the most to anything simultaneous (say, the strongest person manning a ram). This attack will always hit if the person who destroyed the seal is within 100 yards when the blow was struck, though defenses are allowed. Note that destroying the door may have required an All-Out Attack, allowing no active defense, and this is considered a surprise attack (B393) unless the nature of the sign is known (see below).

The sign itself is clearly visible on both sides of the door, and can be recognized as to its general purpose (holding the doorway and doing damage) with a Thaumatology (Abjuration)-3 roll if this spell has not been seen before.

The more powerful greater sign of sealing is much the same as above. It lasts until removed, or broken, instead of for 1 week, and does 2d crushing to the person who breaks the sign. In addition, the sealed door divides all damage that makes it through its DR by 2, making it especially hard to break down.

Affliction 1 (HT; Paralysis, Variant, (Cosmic, +15%; Magic, –10%; Visible, –10%) +143%; Accessibility (Doors, Portcullises, etc. Only), –50%; Extended Duration, x3000, +140%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Link, +10%; Melee Attack, C, 1, –20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x16, –30%) [2.68×10] + Innate Attack 1d (cr; Cosmic, No Die Roll Required, +100%; Delay, Triggered: Destroy Target; +50%; Increased 1/2D, x10, +15%; Limited Use, 1 (Fast Reload), –20%; Link, +10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Sorcery, -15%) [2.3×5] Greater Sign increases duration to Permanent, +150% [2.78×10] doubles the Innate Attack to 2d [2.3×10] and adds Affliction 1 (HT; Advantage: Injury Tolerance: Damage Reduction 2 (Cosmic, +15%; Magic, –10%) +53%; Accessibility (Doors, Portcullises, etc. Only), –50%; Extended Duration, Permanent, +150%; Link, +10%; Melee Attack, C, 1, –20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x16, –30%) [1.88×10]

Maximillian’s Stone Grasp (SC)
Alteration, Somatic, Verbal
18 points
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
Range: 50 yards
Duration: 1 minute

A stone arm comes up out of the ground and attempts to grasp the leg of the target of the spell. If the target is hit, the arm will hold him in place and keep him from moving away, Changing Posture or facing, and confers a –4 DX penalty.

The target can break free by winning a Quick Contest against ST 20. Each attempt to do so takes one second, and costs 1 FP, but there is no other penalty to trying again. The arm can be attacked, and Innate attacks from the victim will automatically hit, while all others suffer a –4 penalty. Other characters can attempt to attack the arm, but they might hit the character instead (see Striking into Close Combat, B392). The arm can only be damaged by crushing damage, and has DR 6, but each point of damage reduces the arm’s ST by one, and is destroyed when at ST 0.

This spell can only be used when there’s appropriate stone under the character to be grasped. This can be worked stone, or a cavern floor, or a stony field, but there must be solid rock available underfoot.

Binding 20 (Environmental, Stone, –20%; One-Shot, –10%; Only Damaged By Crushing, +30%; Reduced Range, 1/2, –10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x2, –⁠10%) [0.45×40]

Minor Malison (C)/Greater Malison (SC)
Enchantment, Verbal, Resisted (HT)
21 points/24 points
Casting Time: 2 seconds/4 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.
Range: 50 yards
Duration: 3 minutes

Successful use of this spell gives the subject a light aura of depression, and makes defending against anything more difficult. Once cast, make a Quick Contest of Will+Talent vs the subject’s HT. On a success, the subject has a –1 to all Resistance Rolls (including Quick Contests like this one), and all active defenses are lowered by 1.

The rarer greater malison takes longer to cast (four seconds instead of two), but Resistance Rolls and active defenses are all at –2.

Affliction 1 (HT; Attribute Penalty, –1 (all; Magic, –10%; Only for Resistance Rolls, –⁠50%), +12%; Disadvantage: Defense Bonus –1 (Magic, –10%), +27%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Malediction 1, +100%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x2, –10%) [2.04×10] Greater Malison increases the penalties to –2 (+24% & +54%), and increases Takes Extra Time to x4, –20%. [2.33×10]

Protection From Paralysis (C)
Abjuration, Somatic, Verbal, Buff
9 points
Casting Time: 2 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: 3 minutes

The subject of this spell becomes immune from all paralyzing effects (hold person, monster abilities, etc.). This includes on-going effects, which will be permanently broken, even if they should last longer than this spell. This will not help with purely mental effects (such as the result of Fright Checks), or being petrified, just actual paralysis.

Affliction 1 (HT; Immunity to Paralysis (Magical, –10%), +50%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Melee Attack, C, 1, –20%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x2, –10%) [0.85×10]

Rope Trick (C)
Alteration, Somatic, Verbal
155 points
Casting Time: 2 seconds
Casting Roll: None
Range: Touch
Duration: 30 minutes

After casting this spell, a rope appears above the caster and uncoils, so that one end is right in front of the caster, and the other hangs suspended in midair about 15’ off the ground (even if this should pass through a solid object, the rope is still there, and can be seen going 15’ up, despite all obstacles; note that if it passes through an obstacle, the rope does not exist for anyone above it). While the rope could be cut, nothing will unmoor the rope from its anchor.

When someone climbs up to the top of the rope, they will emerge into a featureless small white room (perhaps four yards in diameter). This is actually a small inter-dimensional space, and anyone who enters it will be safe from all external threats, scrying, and other interference, free to rest, heal, eat, repair, and the like for the next half hour. Once that time has passed, everything still there will be ejected back to the space at the top of the rope (and then forced down into the nearest clear space, if the rope passed through an obstacle).

Gaining entry requires grasping the rope, even if the character can fly up to the entry. Without flight, characters, friendly or not, must climb up the rope (see B349). In combat, or other hurried situations, a person can climb one foot/second, and will expend 1 FP to do so. Hurried or relaxed, this will require a skill roll against Climbing (or DX-5).

There is no contact between the regular world and the space of the rope trick other than through contact with the rope, so if someone hauls the rope up into the room, nothing else can follow, nor perceive that there is any place to follow to.

Jumper (Pocket Dimension; Access Regulation, +25%; Based on DX/Climbing, +20%; Extra Carrying Capacity, Heavy, +30%; Limited Access, –60%; Magic, –10%; Maximum Duration, 30 minutes, –25%; Nuisance Effect: Access can be “cut”, –10%; Reliable, +3, +15%; Requires Gestures, –⁠10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Special Movement, –10%; Tunnel, +100%) [1.55×100] Note: Normally the DX roll would be needed for the caster to connect to his space at all… and then everyone could follow (w/Tunnel). The (hopefully fair) substitution here is while it always appears/works, everyone separately rolls, or gets active assistance. Cast time + reliable (which also moves auto-fail to the normal 17+) + DX default is the normal 10 second use and penalties.

Secret Page (C)
Alteration, Somatic, Verbal
27 points
Casting Time: 10 seconds
Casting Roll: Artist or Writing
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent

This spell makes one page (or individual sheet) appear as something completely different. A map may become a philosophical discourse, or secret ledgers appear as a treatise on well digging. The “new” page will appear perfectly ordinary, though detect magic will reveal that there is a spell on it. The caster makes a Writing roll (or Artist if the disguised page is to be an illustration or map) when he casts the spell. Anyone looking at the page later makes a Quick Contest of the higher of their IQ or Per. If they win they realize something is “off” about the secret page, though it doesn’t allow them to see the actual contents. If the caster fails his roll, the secret page is still hidden, but the replacement may wander off subject or become otherwise incomprehensible, and any reader will realize there is something suspicious going on.

The caster can command the disguise to drop so he (and anyone else) can view the secret page, and then command it to hide the page again (this is generally a command word, though it does take a Concentrate maneuver). This can be done as often as the caster desires, and giving the command to drop twice in a row will cancel the spell entirely.

Illusion (Extended Duration, Permanent, +150%; Independence, +40%; Limited Scope, replacing page contents; –⁠80%; Preprogrammed, –10%; Requires Gestures, –10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, x8, –30%; Visual Only, –30%) [1.05×25]

Tasha’s Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter (SC)
Enchantment, Somatic, Verbal, Area (Fixed), Resisted (Will)
64 points
Casting Time: 2 seconds
Casting Roll: Innate Attack (Gaze) to hit.
Range: 50 yards
Duration: Special

This spell affects a cube of volume ten yards on a side; the caster may place it as he wishes (see Scatter, B414 if the casting roll is failed), but it is assumed that the bottom rests on the ground, and goes up from there. Everyone in the area of this spell when cast will feel a slight tingling sensation. Afterwords, they will start finding everything hilariously funny; the way the fellow in front of them moves, that one little off-kilter tassel in the row, the pattern of stone-work, stray thoughts…. This will last for a number of minutes equal to how much they lose a Quick Contest of the caster’s Will (+Talent) vs the victims’ HT. If the victim wins this Quick Contest, there’s a vague aura of hilarity that quickly passes, and does not impede the character in any way. There is a –1 penalty to the victim’s HT if their IQ is 14+.

For those that are affected, they are –3 to DX, –1 to IQ, and cannot make any Stealth rolls (not only are they being noisy, but they cannot control their actions enough to stay inconspicuous with any effectiveness).

Affliction 1 (HT; Laughter, +20%; Accessibility: Sapient, IQ 6+ Only, –10%; Area Effect, 6 yards, +125%; Malediction 2, +150%; Reduced Range, 1/2, –10%; Requires Gestures, –⁠10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, 2x, –⁠10%) [3.3×10] + Affliction 1 (HT; Laughter, +20%; Accessibility: IQ 14+ Only, –35%; Area Effect, 6 yards, +125%; Malediction 2, +150%; Reduced Range, 1/2, –10%; Requires Gestures, –⁠10%; Requires Magic Words, –10%; Sorcery, –15%; Takes Extra Time, 2x, –⁠10%) [3.05×10] Note: Laughter is an Irritating Condition equivalent to Choking.

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Affect Normal Fires has been on the ‘to finish’ list for a long time. The original writeup was based on Control, and way too expensive for what it did, but the Illusion version is much better. Rope Trick is a fun one, since it has some unusual features that I think will be fun in play.