The Book of Sight

The Book of Sight

This is a smallish tome, barely larger than a standard travelling spellbook, bound in plain brown leather. Its only distinguishing mark is a smooth, circular crystal embedded in its front cover, which appears to contain a clever illusion of a human eye, which follows the viewer around the room. If stared at long enough, the pupil appears to contract or expand, and the eye even winks slowly.

The Book of Sight was created by the Mage Jorvan Lenekh, who lived in Wendar a century ago. Fully human in ancestry, he grew up both envious of and fascinated by the natural gifts of his Elven neighbours, in particular their power of infravision; indeed, he chose to study magic primarily to learn a spell which would grant him that power. Jorvan’s interest led him to develop numerous sight-related spells, and not a few items which granted visual powers, during his lifetime. Some of these became popular in his native Wendar and elsewhere; the demand for such creations provided him with sufficient funds to live in some style, devoting his time to magical research. The Book of Sight was a much-reproduced collection of his most popular spells.

The book contains four spells and several essays on the structural differences between the eyes of humans, Elves, Dwarves, Goblinoids and certain monster species, including cutaway diagrams. The spells are unique creations of Jorvan’s own design: Lifesign, Witch’s Eye, Past Times, and Eye of Judgement. These spells are detailed below:

Lifesign

Level: 3

Range: 120’

Duration: 6 Turns

Effect: detects life-auras

This spell is derived from the more common Infravision spell. However, instead of detecting heat, it allows the caster to perceive the life-forces of other beings.

Under the effects of this spell, all living things within range appear surrounded by a "halo" of soft light. Healthy creatures will have auras in soft pastel colours, whilst ill, dying, or poisoned beings will have sickly streaks in their auras - which makes this spell a good one for detecting poison. A person using this spell in pitch darkness will be able to see an opponent so clearly that the -4 "to hit" penalty for blind-fighting does not apply; however, non-living items (chairs, rocks, etc) will not show up, so using Lifesign in combat like this is a risky proposition at best.

Unliving (constructs) or Undead (Vampires, Zombies, etc) creatures are "invisible" to this spell, allowing the user to detect such beings by omission; it is advisable, therefore, not to enter an Undead lair if using this spell as the sole means of illumination.

Witch’s Eye

Level: 3

Range: 90’

Duration: 1d4 +2 Turns

Effect: detects magical potential

Another spell derived from Infravision, this dweomer grants the user the power to see the magical potential of other beings.

A Mage (or Elf) viewed through Witch’s Eye will glow with a white light; the more powerful and experienced the Mage, the brighter the glow. Other spellcasters appear differently - Clerics and Druids have a soft, diffuse glow, while bearers of Legacies have red-tinged auras. Entropy-worshipping spellcasters will be surrounded by shadow, and Undead spellcasters (those who do not worship Entropy directly) shine with sickly yellow-green light.

Witch’s Eye also enables the user to detect if a known non-spellcaster is under an enchantment (they will have a weak spell-glow), and can reveal monsters and animals with native magical powers - although not the nature of those powers. Dragons in human form appear as humanoid spellcasters under this spell; in their natural form, the aura is so dazzling that the user of Witch’s Eye must save vs. spells or be blinded for 1d6 Turns.

Past Times

Level: 4

Range: 60’

Duration: 6 Turns

Effect: postcognitive visions

This unusual spell permits the caster (only) to observe the recent past in a particular area.

Once Past Times is active, the caster must concentrate on a period not more than 24 hours in the past; within seconds, the area observed seems to change to that period. The image is soundless; in order to determine what was said, the caster must have some skill at lip-reading. While the spell is active, the caster may walk about slowly (to change his viewpoint), but no other action may be taken or the vision is lost.

The caster may "fast-forward" the images, or jump back to an earlier period, as desired; if left to run, the current Past Times image moves forward at normal speed. This spell may not be cast on a single location more than once within a 24-hour period, so the caster should make sure he has acquired all the information desired from the initial casting. This spell is exceptionally useful in detective work.

Eye of Judgemen

Level: 4

Range: 30’

Duration: 1d4 Turns

Effect: detects auras

Like Witch’s Eye, this spell allows the user to see living auras; unlike the simpler spell, however, this one provides more exact and detailed information.

The aura seen by Eye of Judgement is intricate and variable; with practice and experience, the user can perceive a person’s character class, level of experience, and/or hit dice (if relevant). Each person observed requires 1d4 rounds of concentration to "read" properly. Non-magical disguises cannot fool this spell; magical alterations (illusions, Polymorph Self spells, etc) give an "inconclusive" reading, which an experienced observer will realise indicates magical deception.

The user can always recognise the details of those of equal or lower level than himself, with 90% accuracy (the maximum possible); higher-level targets may be read, with a -10% chance per level or HD above the observer. A failed roll will either give no reading, or a widely-inaccurate one (DM’s choice).

Higher-level versions of this spell could exist, giving even more statistical information, if the DM permits.

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