5. MARCO INSTITUCIONAL Y ACTORES CLAVE
5.2 MARCO INSTITUCIONAL DEPARTAMENTAL
- New Spells -
In the ancient world spells and other magical phenomena weren’t considered supernatural, but rather part of the natural order. The ancients cast spells or invoked magical charms on a routine basis. The gods walked among the people and appeared during religious rituals.
The spells, omens, and curses of Testament are not necessarily recommended for use in other d20 settings. Some (like skilled craftsmanship) are easily adaptable, but others (like curse unto generations) are less applicable in a campaign where the gods don’t take as personal an interest in the affairs of mortals, or in which the bonds of family, tribe, and nation are unimportant.
- 81 -
- CHAPTER 7: Spells -
Doorway to the Underworld (B, C, E). Creates a portal into the
world of the afterlife.
Hasten Birth. Brings any pregnancy to term.
Mass Curse. As per bestow curse, but with multiple targets.
Mass Inflict Serious Wounds. As per inflict serious wounds, but with
multiple targets.
Might of the Gods. Augments the Strength, Constitution, or
Dexterity of nearby fighters.
Speak with the Hidden. Enables a person to communicate with
beings that are Hidden from the world.
8th-level
Curse Unto Generations. Curses a man’s brothers and sons or a
woman’s sisters and daughters for four generations.
God Form (B, C). Channel a god’s power through caster’s body. Mass Affliction. As per bestow affliction, except on multiple
targets.
Sign of God. Reveals a god’s presence on the battlefield.
9th-level
Angel in Harm’s Way (I). A guardian angel replaces the cleric, while the
cleric remains in an untouchable sanctuary.
Globe against the Arcane. Creates an antimagic shell that negates
arcane spells.
Rain of Blood. An unholy rain blights land, poisons water, and lowers
morale.
Rejuvenation (B or C). Restores subject to his physical prime.
Druid Spells
3rd-Level
Contagion. Infects subject with a chosen disease.
5th-Level
Atonement. Removes burden of misdeeds from subject.
7th-Level
True Seeing. See all things as they really are.
Paladin Spells
1st-Level
Fellowship of Wounds. Blesses wounded allies of the paladin.
2nd-Level
Dying Curse. Curses whoever kills the paladin.
3rd-Level
Paladin’s Chariot. Summons a special chariot.
4th-Level
Greatness of Tribe. Shares the ability bonuses of members of the
immediate family.
Protection from Unholy. Grants protection from the effects of unholy
weapons and spells.
Remove Affliction. Cures conditions such as paranoia, lameness, and
impotence.
Untiring. The target does not need to make Endurance checks, and
isn’t encumbered by weight.
Psalmist Spells
1st-Level
Battlefield Oratory (I). Gives troops an inspired speech to boost their
morale before battle.
Walking Song (I). Improves a group’s walking speed over difficult terrain.
2nd level
Allure. Increases target’s Charisma.
Rowing Song (I). Improves the party’s rowing speed.
Song of Contemplation (I). Forces two people to stop fighting each
other.
3rd Level
Bestow Curse. Causes a debilitating condition to affect the subject. Exhilarating Performance (I). Grants bonuses to other’s Perform rolls. Tale of Heroes (I). Adds combat bonuses to caster’s party.
4th Level
Injunction (I). Casts an inverse sanctuary on someone. Song of Perseverance (I). Improves ability to resist pain.
Wall of Song (I). Creates a barrier of song that must be countered with
a song to be traversed.
5th Level
Compel Song (I). Forces someone to sing a song that allows him to be
influenced by caster.
Inspire True Love. Causes the subject’s true love to come to him. Mass Contagion. As per contagion, but with multiple targets.
Song of Penitence (I). Removes sin or the mark of a song of shame from
someone who’s willing to make the appropriate sacrifices.
Understand All Speech. Makes comprehensible the speech of all living
- 82 -
- CHAPTER 7: Spells -
6th Level
Bestow Major Curse. Causes a greatly debilitating condition to affect
the subject.
Song of Shame (I). Marks someone for ridicule throughout the world. Song of the Wind (I). Call forth a wind that blows away the sinful.
Qedeshot Spells
1st-Level
Allure. Increases target’s Charisma. Passion Play (C). Shared healing with a kiss.
2nd-Level
Increase Fertility. Improves chances of a pregnancy.
Token of Romance (C). Inclines the target favorably toward the caster’s
advances.
Water Into Wine. Transforms water into another beverage.
3rd-Level
Bestow Curse. Causes a debilitating condition to affect the subject. Coming Of Age (C). Bestows a permanent ability score increase as part
of a one-time religious ritual.
Cramps (C). Causes pain throughout the victim’s body.
4th-Level
Bestow Affliction. Inflicts a non-contagious disability on the target. Curtain of Charm (C). Enchants a curtain so that anyone who passes
through it is susceptible to charm effects.
Greatness of Tribe. Shares the ability bonuses of members of the
immediate family.
Remove Affliction. Cures conditions like paranoia, lameness, and impotence. Untiring. The target does not need to make Endurance checks, and isn’t
encumbered by weight.
5th-Level
Fertile Womb. Eliminates barren condition.
Inspire True Love. Causes the subject’s true love to come to him. Shatter True Love (C). Causes the subject’s true love to hate him.
6th-Level
Bestow Major Curse. Causes a greatly debilitating condition to affect
the subject.
Dance of Nakedness (C). Strips a target of all armor, magical
augmentations and protections.
Hasten Birth. Brings any pregnancy to term.
Kiss of Death (C). Kills the victim at an appointed time.
Touch of the Goddess (B, C, E). Subject receives many healing benefits,
including immunity to natural and magical disease.
Treacherous Phantasm. Lures the victim into danger by way of a
phantasmal companion.
Sorcerer and
Wizard Spells
1st-Level
Create Bricks. Creates materials for building. Inflict Pain. Touch attack, 1d8+1/level subdual damage.
Manipulate True Name. Plays with the emotions of someone whose
True Name is known to the caster.
2nd-Level
Allure. Increases target’s Charisma.
Harm True Name. Hurts someone whose True Name is known to the
caster.
Infant’s Augury. Reveals a child’s future.
Stumble. Causes an opponent to fall when he attempts a movement
action.
3rd-Level
Capture Starlight. Unleashes a trail of burning stars.
Light in the Shadows. A light appears around anyone attempting to
Hide or Move Silently.
Window. Creates an opening in solid matter through which the caster
can see, cast spells, and fire missiles.
4th-Level
Bestow Curse. Causes a debilitating condition to affect the subject. Light Before Thee, Darkness Behind. Creates a zone of light and
darkness around an object.
Slay True Name. Kills someone whose True Name is known to the
caster.
Wall of Light. Erects a wall that causes anyone who passes through it
to glow.
5th-Level
Compel True Name. Forces a humanoid creature to speak a name that
gives the caster power over it.
Invisible Window. As per window, but visible only on one side. Shackle. Places a magic shackle on target’s wrist or ankle.
Understand All Speech. Makes comprehensible the speech of all living
things, whether or not they are intelligent.
6th-Level
Game of Dooms. Engages two people in a competition with a curse as
the price for the loser.
Lightning Pyre. Creates a burning electrical field that allows the caster
to tap into it for a variety of effects.
Mass Contagion. As per contagion, but with multiple targets. Soul Vulture. Summons an ethereal vulture that eats the victim’s
essence and delivers it to the caster.
Swallow Spell. Allows caster to eat scrolls and then cast the ingested
spells.
True Seeing. See all things as they really are.
Wall of Stars. Creates an improved wall of force that the caster can pass
through at will.
7th-Level
Bestow Major Curse. Causes a greatly debilitating condition to affect
the subject.
Inspire True Love. Causes the subject’s true love to come to him. Power Word: Fear. Causes large numbers of creatures to flee in panic.
8th-Level
Mass Curse. As per bestow curse, but with multiple targets. Treacherous Phantasm. Lures the victim into danger by way of a
phantasmal companion.
9th-Level
Curse Unto Generations. Curses a man’s brothers and sons or a
woman’s sisters and daughters for four generations.
Celestial Vision. Allows for several powerful divinations and
temporarily increases Wisdom.
Compel Any True Name. Forces any creature to speak a name that will
- 83 -
- CHAPTER 7: Spells -
Desert Domain
This domain deals with true desert, as well as the arid wilderness bordering the inhabited lands of the Testament setting.
Granted Power: You gain the Endurance feat.
Desert Domain Spells
1 Endure Elements. Subject ignores 5 damage/round
from one energy type.
2 Endurance. Subject gains 1d4+1 Con for 1 hour/level 3 Pass Without Trace. One subject/level leaves no tracks. 4 Prostration. Inflicts heat prostration on multiple
targets.
5 Untiring. The target does not need to make Endurance
checks, and isn’t encumbered by weight.
6 Magnificent Tent. Door leads to extradimensional
tent.
7 Divine Path. Summons a divine manifestation to chart
a course.
8 Soul Vulture. Summons an ethereal vulture that eats
the victim’s essence and delivers it to the caster.
9 Treacherous Phantasm. Lures the victim into danger
by way of a phantasmal companion.
Fertility Domain
This domain covers personal and animal fertility and the characteristics of one’s offspring, as opposed to the fertility of the fields, which is covered by the Plant domain.
Granted Power: You receive +2 to all Fortitude saves involving
Endurance, and +1 to all Charisma skill checks made for the purpose of seduction.
Fertility Domain Spells
1 Endurance. Subject gains 1d4+1 Con for 1 hour/level. 2 Increase Fertility. Improves chances of a pregnancy. 3 Remove Affliction. Cures conditions such as paranoia,lameness, and impotence.
4 Greatness of Tribe. Shares the ability bonuses of
members of the immediate family.
5 Fertile Womb. Eliminates barren condition. 6 Touch of the Goddess. Subject receives many healing
benefits, including immunity to natural and magical disease.
7 Hasten Birth. Brings any pregnancy to term. 8 God Form. Channel a god’s power through caster’s
body.
9 Rejuvenation. Restores subject to his physical prime.
Heaven Domain
This domain encompasses the sky, the celestial sphere, and the dwelling places of many gods. This domain is often associated with ruling deities.
Granted Power: You receive low-light vision.
Heaven Domain Spells
1 Stars Beneath Your Feet. Surface movement does nottouch the ground.
2 Fly. Subject flies at speed of 90 ft.
3 Capture Starlight. Unleashes a trail of burning stars. 4 Circle of Stars. Receives an improved sanctuary spell. 5 Wall of Stars. Creates an improved wall of force that the
caster can pass through at will.
6 Heaven’s Light. Creates a field of light that can either
heal or harm.
7 Reverse Gravity. Objects and creatures fall upward. 8 Sunbeam. Beam blinds and deals 3d6 damage.
9 Celestial Vision. Allows for several powerful divinations
and temporarily increases Wisdom.
Pestilence Domain
The is usually the domain of gods of suffering and death. Some fertility gods also have this domain as a complementary sphere of influence.
Granted Power: You may use a withering touch once per day. Your
withering touch is a spell-like ability that is a death effect. You must succeed at a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). When you touch, the victim attempts a Fortitude save vs. a DC equal to 10+ your level. If the victim fails the save, he permanently loses 1 point of Strength, Constitution or Dexterity (victim’s choice).
Pestilence Domain Spells
1 Ray of Enfeeblement. Ray reduces Str by 1d6 points +1point/two levels.
2 Summon Swarm. Summons swarms of small crawling
or flying creatures.
3 Contagion. Infects subject with chosen disease. 4 Diminish Plants. Reduces size or blights growth of
normal plants.
5 Malaise. Causes generalized ill health for one or more
creatures.
6 Plant Blight. Stunts growth of vegetation, reduces crop
yields.
7 Creeping Doom. Carpet of insects attacks at your
command.
8 Horrid Wilting. Deals 1d8 damage/level within 30 ft. 9 Plague. Begins the epidemic spread of contagious
disease.
Thunder Domain
This is the domain of the gods of violent weather.
Granted Power: +1 save and Damage reduction, 5/-- vs. all electrical
effects.
Thunder Domain Spells
1 Shocking Grasp. Touch delivers 1d8 +1/level electricitydamage.
2 Resist Elements. Subject ignores 12 damage/round
from one energy type.
3 Call Lightning. Directs lightning bolts (1d10/level)
during storms.
4 Lightning Bolt. Deals 1d6 electricity damage/level. 5 Wall of Thunder. Erects a wall that electrocutes and
deafens anyone who passes through it.
6 Lightning Contingency. Absorbs a lightning bolt and
transforms it into any 1st-3rd-level spell effect.
7 Control Weather. Changes weather in local area. 8 Chain Lightning. Deals 1d6 electricity damage/level;
secondary bolts.
9 Storm of Vengeance. Storm rains acid, lightning, and hail.
- 84 -
- CHAPTER 7: Spells -
Forbidden Spells
The spells astral projection, etherealness, ethereal jaunt, and plane shift are not known by any nation in the Testament region. Babylonians, Canaanites and Egyptians can use doorway to the underworld as a dedicated plane shift to take them to one particular other plane, but no other planar travel is possible.
Spells Descriptions
Allure
TransmutationLevel: Brd 2, Clr 2, Psa 2, Qed 1, Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 hour/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes
The affected creature gains greater charm. The spell grants the subject an enhancement bonus (1d4+1 points) to Charisma, adding the usual benefits to Charisma checks, Turn Undead and Charisma-related skill checks. The bonus does not grant an affected qedeshot bonus spells.
Angel in Harm’s Way
ConjurationReligion: Israelite Level: Clr 9 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Personal Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No
When this spell is cast, the caster is protected within a sanctuary spell against which there is no saving throw; instead, the caster fades to an intangible state and his place is taken by a mazzal angel that moves where the caster moves and attack any enemy of the caster who’s in range. If the angel is slain, the sanctuary is broken, and the caster reappears. If the caster casts any spell that would break the sanctuary, the guardian angel vanishes.
Atonement
AbjurationLevel: Clr 5, Drd 5
In the Testament setting, this spell can be used to remove 1 point of negative Piety/two caster levels from the petitioner. The petitioner must expend 100 XP + 25 XP/point of negative Piety removed. As per the spell description in the Player’s Handbook, the subject must be truly repentant, and the caster may assign a quest to the penitent.
Ba Guardian
ConjurationReligion: Egyptian Level: Clr 2 Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action Range: Personal
Area: 5-ft. radius around caster Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No
This spell summons a guardian bird that circles 10 ft. above the caster’s head. When the caster is attacked, the bird intercepts the weapon, taking the damage that was meant for its master. The bird vanishes when slain or when the spell’s duration is completed. The bird has the caster’s Armor Class and a base of 20 hit points +2 per caster level. The bird does not attack; it may be attacked by others. It intercepts magical attack forms, but cannot guard the caster from attacks that are spread over an area. Only a single ba guardian may guard the caster at a time.
Material Component: A bird figurine crafted by the caster. It requires
20 gp of materials, an hour’s time, and a successful Craft (clay- or woodworking) check (DC 15) to make this figurine.
Battlefield Oratory
AbjurationReligion: Israelite Level: Psa 1 Components: V
Casting Time: 20 minutes/level Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One Battlefield Side Duration: 20 minutes/level Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes
The verbal component of this spell is an inspirational exhortation told by the psalmist to troops before a battle. The Side gains a +1 morale bonus for the spell’s duration.
(Note: 20 minutes is one battlefield round.)
Bestow Affliction
Conjuration
Level: Clr 4, Qed 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude negates Spell Resistance: Yes
Bestow affliction causes the target to suffer a permanent physical or
mental disability. The affliction can be cured by a remove affliction, heal,
touch of the goddess, limited wish, wish, or miracle.
The caster can choose an affliction to bestow from the following list:
Babble: The afflicted’s ability to speak coherently is compromised.
Any time he attempts to communicate (including casting spells with verbal components), he must make a Will save (DC 16) or whatever he says comes out as gibberish.
Barrenness/Infertility: Certain demons, curses and diseases (and of
course, old age) caused people to be unable to produce or bear offspring. This is a touchy subject, and the effects of the affliction might be entirely unimportant in some campaigns. It can be cured by any of the spells listed above, or by a fertile womb spell.
Increase fertility is ineffective against this affliction.
Cataracts: Cataracts are an affliction that permanently degrades ones
eyesight (-2 to Search and Spot checks, -4 to attack rolls, and any Dexterity bonus to AC is halved). It can be cured by the spells
- 85 -
- CHAPTER 7: Spells -
listed above, or by a combination of the remove disease and cure
blindness spells.
Dementia: The afflicted’s ability to interact with the real world is
compromised. Any time he attempts to take a decisive action, he must make a Wisdom Check (DC 13), or act as though under the influence of a confusion spell.
Diseased: The afflicted has suffered physical scars from numerous
sicknesses, and he perpetually stinks of infection. He suffers a -5 penalty to his Charisma score.
Ecstatic: The afflicted’s ability to understand danger is compromised.
In any excited or dangerous situations, he must make a Wisdom check (DC 13), or spend the next 1d4 rounds singing and dancing like a drunk. While in ecstasy he is unable to attack or to use any active defenses. At the end of the madness, he must make another Wisdom check or the ecstasy continues.
Fixation: The afflicted takes on a quest in search of an unattainable
goal (e.g., an imaginary object or impossible ideal) that puts him (and anyone who follows him) into dangerous situations.
Forgetfulness: The afflicted’s ability to remember facts is compromised.
Any time he must do something that requires accessing his memory (including casting memorized spells), he must make an Intelligence check (DC 13).
Impotence: The afflicted’s ability to participate in sex and to procreate
are compromised. This is another touchy subject, and its effects might be entirely unimportant in some campaigns.
Lameness: The afflicted’s speed is halved, and he becomes incapable of
running or charging. He also suffers a -10 penalty to Jump and Swim skills.
Mute: The afflicted loses the power of speech. He can still make himself
understood through writing, and his hearing is unaffected.
Paranoia: The afflicted’s ability to separate friend from foe is
compromised. Any time someone confronts him with an unexpected situation, he automatically views the other as an enemy and must make a Wisdom check (DC 10) to avoid attacking him.
Phobia: The afflicted develops an irrational fear of a common object,
creature, or condition. He believes the object of the phobia poses an immediate threat to him and may even see it where it doesn’t exist.
Sickly: The Sickly affliction means that the victim is more likely to
contract diseases. A Sickly person always has a low-level cough or fever, and suffers a -4 penalty to all saves against disease.