Caddelyn's Workbook


Appearance

A slim volume covered with sheets of polished silver, sealed against corrosion, over slate sheets, and hinged with electrum about sixteen sheets of fine parchment, all but three blank.

History and Description

This tome was recently plundered from the tower of the long-ago mage Caddelyn, by unknown hands. Caddelyn's tower rises from a mountain north of The Great Glacier, and was only recently discovered by the famous explorer Dabron Sashenstar, of Baldur's Gate. Dabron's band examined the book but did not take it, and continued on in their expedition. On their return, they camped at the tower again and found the book missing.

Caddelyn, a good mage who is remembered with respect, died peacefully while on a visit to Waterdeep, and is entombed with other mages in The City of the Dead there.

The tome's three written pages (the book was obviously incomplete at the mage's death) bear two unique spells, described below, and the complete process of creating a minor magical item. The spells are Caddelyn's catastrophe and spell ward; the magical item is the magemask. The properties of the finished item are given below; Dabron's band lacked the time to copy out the entire process.

Caddelyn's Catastrophe

Level
5
School
Enchantment/Charm
Sphere
?
Range
1"/level
VSM
VSM
Dur
1 round
CT
5 segments
AE
1-4 creatures
ST
half

Spell description

This improved version of the fumble spell allows the caster to affect up to four creatures if desired, all of whom must be visible to the caster during casting. If four creatures are attacked, their saving throws (vs. spell) are normal; if three are attacked, all save at -1; if two are attacked, they save at Ñ2; and if only one is attacked, the save is at - 3. Creatures who make their save are slowed (cf. slow spell, PLAYERS HANDBOOK) for the duration of the spell; creatures who fail immediately drop all held objects, trip or stumble if running or charging, fall if balanced on a ledge or climbing, and have any spellcasting ruined. Any missile attack launched by an affected creature will miss (the spell takes effect instantly!), and any physical attack will be at -2 to hit. If it was a weapon attack, the weapon is dropped and the attack becomes a bare fists attack. Dropped items may well suffer damage (saving throws to avoid). Target creatures must be within range, but need not be together; they may be on opposite sides of the caster. Affected creatures who move out of the spell range are freed of the spell, but they will suffer its effects again (no saving throw) if they re-enter spell range before the spell expires. (Magic may be cast normally from outside the spell range into it.) The material components for this spell are a banana peel or melon rind and a tallow candle or lump of animal fat.

Spell Ward

Level
9
School
Abjuration
Sphere
?
Range
Touch
VSM
VSM
Dur
1 turn/level
CT
1 round
AE
one creature
ST
none

Spell description

By means of this spell, which utili~es as its material component a drop of the caster's blood and a powdered diamond (of not less than 6,000 gp initial value), the caster confers immunity on him or herself or a single other creature touched by the caster during casting to a single spell. The particular spell must be chosen at the time of casting, and the protection does not extend to different spells which have similar effects, although it does extend to lesser versions of the same thing (protection against delayed blast fireball does extend to fireballs, for instance, but not Melf's minute meteors and not a fireball effect created by a limited wish or wish spell, or an illusionist's shadow magic fireball), and slightly different versions of the chosen spell as cast by other character classes. Immunity is total; i.e. even where no saving throws are normally allowed, the protected being will simply be totally unaffected by the spell, as will clothing and objects held or carried on his or her immediate person. The spell can be an area-effect spell, but the individual's protection cannot be extended to others, even if the protected being embraces or shields them.

The protection lasts for 1 turn per level of the caster regardless of how many times it is tested. A maximum of two spell wards can be in place on any one person at any time.

Magemask

The experience-point and gold piece value of this item is unknown; examples are so rare and little-known. A magemask is a half-mask of leather with crystal lenses; through these, a wearer views surroundings as if using detect magic, and can see concealed glyphs, runes, and inscriptions. If these are magically concealed or not yet activated, the mask-wearer will see only the outlines of the areas covered by such. The mask's lenses also confer ultravision upon the wearer, enable anyone who wears them to read magic (although a non-spellcaster will not understand anything more than the general nature and intent of a spell), and allows clear and easy reading (of spellbooks, scrolls, maps, inscriptions, and non-magical writing) in near darkness. Such a mask cannot be used in conjunction with other magical lenses or spectacles.

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