Level: 8
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Effect: Binds portion of spirit into object
This spell was created by the long-dead Alphatian Wizard, Vorbiant; it has the distinction of being one of the few Vorbiant-written spells to survive his passing. Spiritual Objective was believed lost for decades, until a scroll bearing the spell was discovered in Qeodhar, of all places, in 1009 AC. "Liberated" from King Norlan’s clutches in 1011 by Xalus, a wizard of Floating Ar, Vorbiant’s legacy has now been safely transcribed into several spellbooks. Copies of the spell may be found in the libraries of Floating Ar and Aquas, as well as the private collections of several high-level magi.
The purpose of the spell is to provide some form of sentience - or at least a guiding/guarding presence of some kind - when enchanting magical objects. Designed by its creator at the end of his long life, this spell was used by to create Vorbiant’s Ring, a potent Ring of Spell Storing, as well as several other items. Spiritual Objective requires a physical object as a focus; this can be anything, but should be a portable item - jewelery is often used, for both aesthetic and quality reasons. This may or may not already be a magical item, depending on whether the bound spirit is supposed to be an integral part of the enchantment. The item to be used should be of excellent quality, worth no less than 7,500 gp (otherwise the spell might fail, destroying the item in the process).
The "donor" of the spiritual essence must be alive - or at least dead for no longer than an hour - when the spell is cast. The item is placed on the donor’s heart (if it has one) during the casting; the donor begins to glow softly, then that aura flows into the item, before fading. If the donor is a living being, they suffer 1d6+2 damage from the transfer, which may be healed by normal rest (not by curative magics); if dead, casting this spell gives a -2 chance to any future Raise Dead attempts unless the enchanted item is present.
The results of this spell can vary widely, depending on the wording used when casting and the intentions of the caster; The essence might be capable of manifesting itself as a ghost of some sort, or might be restricted to mere communication. The abilities of the spirit also vary, depending on what power and knowledge they had when alive and what other magic was incorporated into the item. If desired, the spell may be cast several times on the same object, incorporating several different spirits.
Like many magics, this spell is not inherently good or bad, but casting it upon an unwilling subject is considered an Evil act. Aware of the possiblity of abuse, Vorbiant placed a trap within the spell, causing those who used it in that way to run the risk of becoming the target themselves. If Spiritual Objective is cast against the subject’s will, roll 1d20 for both caster and target; if the scores are more than five points apart, the being with the lower score is sucked into the item, leaving their body as a soulless husk. If the scores are within five points of each other, however, the spell fails.
A few examples of items created with this spell are given below:
The Pixie Amulet
This antique item was found in Qeodhar, alongside the scroll bearing the Spiritual Objective spell. it is believed to have been manufactured by Vorbiant himself. The Amulet is a two inch wide, circular medallion made of gold, hanging from a fine golden chain. The medallion is decorated with complex traces of silver and copper, and has a prominent, cabochon-cut sapphire in its centre.
Contained within this amulet is the spirit of a Pixie female known as Belle. Because of her presence, the wearer of the amulet can use the fairy power Invisibility to Mortals (see PC1: Tall Tales of the Wee Folk, for details) once per day, for a maximum of three turns. Unlike a Pixie, however, the wearer cannot remain Invisible while mounting an attack.
The spirit of Belle can be summoned forth from the amulet whenever the wearer desires; she appears to be a tiny, translucent, slender woman with diaphanous wings. she speaks with a musical, tinkling voice. Belle can fly at a speed of 360, turn Invisible to Mortals, and pass through solid objects (but cannot touch, manipulate or affect solids, since her spirit-form has no substance). She is mostly employed to send messages or to gather information. Wearers of the amulet should bear in mind, however, that although her centuries of existence in this form have made her more reliable than most of her kind, Belle is still a Pixie, with a suitably small attention span; those expecting her to deliver a message promptly might be disappointed if she spots an interesting rock, an attractive woodland glade, or anything else which takes her fancy, and any intelligence she gathers must first be extracted from a seemingly-endless stream of trivia and digression. Whenever Belle is extant, the Amulet loses its Invisibility to Mortals power until she returns.
What is known of the amulet’s origins comes from the amulet itself, or rather from its Pixie occupant. The original Belle was apparently a friend, confidante, helpmate, or servant of the wizard Vorbiant (spirit-Belle tends to change her story often on this point). According to the spirit-form, she volunteered to have part of her essence transferred into the amulet because she "thought it might be fun." Whether or not the real Belle survived the transfer, and what happened to her afterwards, is unknown; by the time spirit-Belle was first called upon, her real self had departed, and did not return. Since she is one of the Fairy-kind, it is entirely possible that the real Belle still lives; if found, she might tell an entirely different story...
The Mirror of Aquas
This is a large (3’ diameter), wall-mounted mirror of silvered glass, surrounded by a wide, beautiful, emerald-encrusted platinum frame. Carved into the metal are images of tritons and merrow sporting and playing in the waves, with tiny emeralds for eyes.
Created at the request of the young Queen Zynnia of Aquas following the removal of her mad half-brother Zandor, this Mirror contains fragments of spirit from twelve of her wisest advisors, including humans, tritons, and merrow; these have merged into a single personality, a calm, wise presence referred to only as "the Mirror."
When commanded to function (the command word is Visage), the clear surface of the Mirror clouds over, clearing slightly to reveal a disembodied face. The face’s appearance varies according to the subconscious wishes of the primary viewer; to Zynnia, it bears more than a passing resemblance to her late father, King Zyndryl. The mirror will offer good advice, and answer any question put to it to the best of its ability; it has an effective Wisdom of 19, but is not prescient, and should not be treated as an all-knowing oracle. The mirror will function twice per day, for a maximum of one turn per use.
The Mirror of Aquas currently hangs in Queen Zynnia’s private chamber, and is consulted by her often, particularly when her Council are not in session.
The Crystal Chalice
This is a large, short-stemmed goblet carved from a single, flawless piece of rock crystal; it can hold nearly a pint of fluid. It appears to shine with an inner light. Created only two years ago, the Chalice holds a portion of the spirit of Jeroleas, a high-ranking Patriarch of Alphatia (the Immortal) on Belissaria.
The Patriarch’s spirit provides the Chalice with the following powers:
The Crystal Chalice currently resides in Alphatia’s Cathedral (on the southern coast of Belissaria), which has become a popular site for pilgrimage as a result.
Copyright © 2000, Carl Quaif, based on material copyright TSR, Inc. All rights reserved. Webmastered by Jennifer Favia Guerra.