Quest Magic


Spell School of Magic Description Implementation
Lead into Gold Alchemy The conversion of lead into gold is a complex procedure requiring such rare materials as the Philosopher's Stone and Sethon's Red Powder. It is currently only a laboratory curiosity due to the high cost and limited availability of the Red Powder. Never done in game.
Iron into Copper Alchemy The transmutation of iron into copper is one of the more practical alchemical operations. Partial conversions are most common since they product items that have exceptionally high trade value with the Dwarfs. This alchemical transformation is accomplished by immersing a clean iron object in a saturated solution of blue vitriol (copper sulphate).
Enchant Sword Sorcery Enchanted swords are produced using the most complex and time consuming magic of the sorcerer's art. Enchanted swords have a strange waxy appearence can glow in use. The enchantment on the sword renders it fragile but deadly. A single light blow with it is equal to five blows from a normal sword. Use inexpensive light-up plastic swords for this prop. Be aware that despite the warning the enchanted swords are fragile, players will get carried away and break them.
Light Spell Sorcery The light spell is an uncommon but useful apell. The material component of the spell is a translucent wand enchanted by a master sorcerer. When activated the wand emits a clear light for about 15 minuits and then dull to a dim, useless glow. High intensity light stick.
Read Magic Sorcery The read magic spell allows the sorcerer to read invisible writing. The material component of the spell is an enchanted liguid that the sorcerer rubs over the magic writings. Use any two-part invisible ink. The one I typically used for quests was:
  • Ferrous sulphate (1 tsp in 8 oz water) for the ink
  • Potassium ferricyanide (½ tsp in 8 oz of water) for the developer
Scare Spell Sorcery The scare spell is one of the most common spells used in the Land of Gorlwyn. The material component of the spell is a tiny, teardrop-shaped paper ball cintaining a magic powder. When this device is cast on the ground, it produces a sharp cracking noise. Only humans are affected by this spell. All humans in front of the one casting the spell are complelled to flee in fear, dropping anything that they have in their hands in their taste to leave. The effect of the spell only lasts for a short time, about 30 seconds. Pop Pop Snappers I use "Pop Pop" snappers for this spell. Every wood sprite was given a box of them to use.
Sleep Spell Sorcery The sleep spell ia common cantrip (minor spell) and is often the first spell learned by novice sorcerers. The material component of the spell is a vial filled with an enchanted sweet powder. The sorcerer casting the spell must sprinkle the powder on the subject while concentrating on sleep. At least half of the powder must touch the subject for the spell to take effect. The spell lasts for five to 10 minutes or until broken by the spell caster saying the word "AWAKE". THe power of the spell is limited and only works fully on humans, dwarfs, and goblins. It also effects lycanthropes, such as wareboars, when they are in man-form, but only a drowsy, half effect when they are transformed. Sleep Spell Small vial filled with a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Trap Spell Sorcery The trap spell causes imediate death to all caught within its effects. The outward appearance of the spell is a small fat cylinder. When the spell is triggered, it spewes forth deadly threads. Any who are touched by these threads instantly die. The trap itself is especially deadly, even before it is triggered. Once it is set it cannot be touched or moved in any way, shape, or form without causing immediate death to the person trying to move it. However, once the spell has been triggered, it and the threads it spews forth rapidly become harmless. A party popper, a mouse trap with an eye bolt sctrewed into it to hold the party popper, and some mono-filament fishing line to trigger it. A very good trap to use in a dungeon. A careless party will get killed by it, but a smart party can use it to kill a monster that they might not be able to deal with on their own.
Globes of Warding Dwarvish A globe of warding is a strangely glowing orb produced by Dwarves. There are several kinds of globes, each intended for a specific type of monster. The nature of this device is such that the affected creature will retreat in fear from the sight of the globe.
  • Orange - Repels goblins
  • Red - Repels wareboars
  • Green - Repels spirit warriors
  • Blue - This globe is special and hard to find. It is the most powerful globe of warding, and it wards against the worst of all the monsters, Mnairgh, the Demon of Darkness.
Sintered plastic balls that accept a tiny light stick (a common item at any large toy store).
Warding Cubes Dwarvish The warding cubes are small ivory cubes inscribed with strange figures and runes. When five of them are set into the points of a star, no more than ten feet across, allwho are within the star are safe from magical attack for without. I used blank dice that my wife engraved with "mystical" patterns.
Cloak of Invisibility Dwarvish Dwarvish cloaks of invisibility are strange and rare things. They are purposed garments and provide invisibility only against a single type of creature. Only a dwarvish mage or a human well scholled in divination and possessing the True Sight can tell what, if any, invisibility is provided by a Dwarvish cloak. Any distinctive spare cloak will do. Gypsies and crone are able to identify cloak and tell what creature it works against.
Healing Elixor Orthodox Church The Orthodox Church produces an elixir made from wild berries that, when administered by a cleric, will cure any disease and heal any wound of the body. The elixir is so wondrous, that, when given by a very holy cleric it has the power to raise the dead. Healing Elixor Little bottles of Chambord. Taste great and definately looks like a potion.
Protection from Evil Orthodox Church The clerics of the Orthodox Church have the power to turn away undead creatures such as ghouls and zombies. The more devout and holy the cleric, the greater number and variety of undead creatures that he cab successfully turn. The cleric must strongly display his/her holy symbol to turn the undead. The holy symbol I used in the quest was a bell to avoid offending any real religion.
Animate Dead Orthodox Church Clerics also have the power to temporarily animate the body of a dead church member by the use of a special ritual. After the ritual the corpse gains the ability to walk and follow the cleric who performed the ritual. The effects of this ritual are very limited and will not enable the corpse to speak or fight. Typically, this ritual is only used by a novice cleric to bring a body back to a very holy cleric for revivification. Animate Dead is an important mechanism to keep the quest moving at a reasonable pace. It get players who are "killed" quickly back to the Local Bishop while still staying within the context of the quest.
Cure Disease Orthodox Church A cleric has the power to cure many forms of infection, including infection caused by green slime. The cure is accomplished by saying a special blessing and wiping the infected area with a special cloth that has been blessed by a very holy cleric. The blessed cloth is only good for a single use, then must be carefully cleaned and re-blessed before if can be used again. Cheap white handkerchiefs lightly moistened with rosewater and sealed in a baggy work great.
Summon Demon Cult of the Dark The summoning of demons involves sacrifice, the taking of a life. No demon can be called without blood, and while lesser demons can be summoned using animal sacrifice, greater demons can only be raised by offering a human life. The highest demons require that a young virgin be sacrificed. The process of summoning demons is back story. Mnairgh (or some other demon) shows up as needed and it is assumed that somewhere the demon was summoned.
Create Spirit Warrior Cult of the Dark Spirit Warriors are created from special sacrifices, where devout Cult followers fanatically offer their lives to the cause of the Cult, and become its deadly fighting class, Thr specific ritual that sets these sacrifices appart from ordinary sacrifices of summoning is one of the best kept secrets of the Cult. Rumor has it the the ritual is unbelievable gruesome and obscene. Like the process of summoning demons, the ritual of creating a spirit warrior is back story.
Animate Zombie Cult of the Dark The ritual that creates a zombie is a more powerful and totally evil version of the Orthodox Church ritual Animate Dead. This ritual converts a human corpse into a human puppet that is under complete control of the evil cleric that created it. This spell provides a useful mechanism to create more monsters if the ratio of players to monsters is out of balance.
Fireball Cult of the Dark The evil high priests and priestesses of the Cult of the Dark have the power to cast balls of fire at their opponents, Any human or dwarf struck by a fireball is killed instantly. Constructed out of flash paper and a few other items. Great visual effect at night. I may eventually include instructions on how to make them in the crafts section.
Maze Cult of the Dark The maze spell allows a evil high priests and priestesses of the Cult of the Dark to create a maze of deadly invisible walls in an area. The only visible indication is a transparent line floating at waist lever, that marks the wall of the maze. Anyone who passes through a wall of the maze is killed instantly. Only the priest or priestesses that cast the maze spell can remove the spell before it expires, one moon after it was cast. Maze spells are frequently use to protect treasures, especially in woodland areas. Construct maze using mono-filament fishing line. Great place to hide important item and/or clues.
Trap Soul Cult of the Dark The highest priests and priestesses Cult of the Dark have the power of ultimate vileness, the power to trap an innocent victim's soul. With this terrible power they can literally steal the soul out of their victim and imprison it where even the powers of the Orthodox Church cannot reach it. The physical component of this trap spell is mirror, made by a demon. When the victim's image is reflected by the mirror, the priest or priestesse calls on the demon who made the mirror to take the soul, and then breaks the mirror to sever the link between the soul and the body. Plastic mirror (not glass) and a someone in a demon costume. When this spell is used in a quest three headed bird is always served at the evenings feast following the quest to restore the soul.