Vyalia Spells

Vyalia Spells

The Vyalia are always described as reclusive, wanting little to do with the outside world. Most of the following spells were designed to confuse and repel inquisitive explorers, making Vyalian woodlands dangerous, mysterious, forbidding places.

Elf Mark

Level: 1

Range: touch

Duration: permanent (but see below)

Effect: creates invisible sigil

This spell is used to affirm the status of an outsider amongst Elvish society. It allows the caster to draw a complicated, magical rune on the recipient’s forehead, which fades into invisibility once finished. The rune is magical, and shows up under a Detect Magic or See Invisible spells; it is clearly visible at all times to Elves, Sidhe, and Pegataurs (also Eusdrian Half-Elves, if these are used in your campaign). The Elf Mark is often used to denote either an Elf-Friend, causing a +1 to response rolls, or an enemy or criminal to the Elves, which causes response penalties of anywhere from -1 to -3, depending on the severity of the crime. No matter their origin or ethos, all Elves will take their first impressions of non-elves from such a Mark. An Elf Mark is usually permanent, fading only at the death of the recipient, but it can be set to fade upon a certain date, or on the performance of a particular action (or series of actions).

Most Elves in the Known World know at least a version of this spell; the Vyalia variant is unique, in that the Elf Mark also radiates an emotional pulse which affects animals in the Vyalian forests. Animals will remain calm in the presence of an Elf-Friend (unless that individual abuses the effect to kill an animal, which permanently cancels this power); an enemy Mark will make large beasts attack the bearer and timid creatures run away.

Grab Grass

Level: 2

Range: 10’x10’ area

Duration: 1d6 hours

Effect: animates area of grassland

This spell works best when cast on sleeping or otherwise unsuspecting victims, and requires an area of grassy soil (as found in a clearing, for instance). All grass in the area of effect animates and binds any object, living or otherwise, in a steel-like grip. Those caught lying down within the area must make a save vs. Spells to avoid being utterly pinned and helpless by the Grab Grass; success means that they managed to stand in time, so only their feet are caught. Those with trapped feet must make a successful Bend Bars roll at -2 to snap their bonds. Sleeping victims have no saving throw. Anyone completely bound is vulnerable to attacks as if under the effect of a Sleep spell, whilst those with bound feet are at +2AC vs. missile attacks, reflecting their inability to dodge. Vyalia Elves use this spell to safely entrap and capture potentially dangerous intruders. The spell is partially responsible for the many stories concerning the "haunted forest", which do as much to keep people away as any efforts by the Elves themselves.

Moving Path

Level: 3

Range: 100’+

Duration: 1d6 hours

Effect: alters pathways

This spell is often used by Vyalia Elves to cover their tracks, to hide known pathways, or to change the path around intruders in order to get them lost. It causes an illusion which covers up existing trails and makes them seem to wend elsewhere, vanishing at the limit of the spell - an additional 50’ of path can be misdirected for every level of the caster above 5th. The illusion is so perfect, only someone with True Seeing, or a trained Forester, can tell that the path is false. The caster has the option of either creating a random false trail, or directing the path of the new track - to lead interlopers into a trap, for instance.

Menacing Gloom

Level: 5

Range: 100’x100’ area

Duration: permanent

Effect: creates area of unease

This spell causes an area of woodland to take on an ominous aspect; the trees appear to loom over and clutch at passing travellers, the shadows are deeper and seem to shimmer as if hiding evil secrets, and normal sounds of the forest are muted and distant. It’s all an illusion, of course; the Menacing Gloom spell is designed to subtly affect the emotions of living things within its area of effect, heightening tension and causing them to become jumpy, if not outright terrified. Normal Man-level humans, creatures with less than one HD, or any being of animal-level intelligence will refuse outright to enter the affected area, and will do all they can to flee such a place as soon as possible. Higher-level characters are allowed a saving throw vs. Spells at -4 to resist the effect; if successful, that particular Menacing Gloom area - and any others contiguous with it - can never affect them again, although it remains in force for everyone else. Non-intelligent creatures or constructs, like slimes or golems, are unaffected by the spell. Vyalian settlements will often be surrounded by vast tracts of land enchanted by this spell as a protection, with one or two paths left free to allow easy access.

Comments on This Page? Mail Me!