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Chapter 5: Magic Spells
Telepathy Spells
Animal Communication
Telepathy
Allows the caster basic mental communication with animals.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal, visual range
Target: Self, 1 animal
Duration: 5 Minutes (stage 1)
Saving Throw: None
Casting: Eyes closed for a moment.
This spell is cast on the caster. Then, as a move action, the caster may speak telepathically to an animal within visual range. The animal will have an idea of what the caster is saying, although complex sentences and cultural concepts can get in the way. The caster will understand whatever the animal chooses to say, with the same obstacles as noted above.
The caster may speak to other animals for the duration of the spell. Note that just because the caster can communicate with an animal, it does not mean that the animal will care about the caster’s concerns.
Stage 1: Duration is 5 minutes.
Stage 2: The caster gains a +2 bonus on any charisma skills to influence the animal they are speaking to. Duration is 10 minutes.
Stage 3: The caster gains a +4 bonus on any charisma skills to influence the animal they are speaking to. Duration is 30 minutes.
Stage 4: The caster gains a +6 bonus on any charisma skills to influence the animal they are speaking to. Duration is 1 hour.
Broadcast
Telepathy
Allows the caster to show others what they are seeing and hearing.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 feet
Target: Other humans
Duration: 10 minutes (stage 1)
Saving Throw: none
Casting: Hand held up, concentration
This spell is cast on other willing participants within range. After that, the recipients are able to see and hear what the caster sees and hears. If combined with the Mind Link Spell, the caster can show others what is seen and heard from another person (the target of the Mind Link Spell). It also works similarly with the Mind Read Spell.
Stage 1: Up to 2 other people see and hear through the caster’s senses or the Mind Link target’s senses.
Stage 2: Up to 4 other people see and hear through the caster’s senses or the Mind Link target’s senses. Duration increases to 30 minutes.
Stage 3: Up to 6 other people see and hear through the caster’s senses or the Mind Link target’s senses. Duration increases to 1 hour.
Stage 4: Up to 8 other people see and hear through the caster’s senses or the Mind Link target’s senses. Duration increases to 2 hours.
Broadcast Notes: This spell may be temporally dropped by the caster, allowing them to take other actions, then picked backup as the caster needs.
What is relayed is always what is happening in the present.
Barrier Against Remote Senses has been known to disrupt this spell.
Mind Grip
Telepathy
Can freeze a target into inaction.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 feet
Target: 1 living creature
Duration: until saved
Saving Throw: Willpower Negates
Casting: A gripping hand motion.
Depending on the target’s Willpower Saving Throw, they may suffer or avoid the Mind Grip Effects, after being blasted with this mental attack.
Mind Grip Effects:
- The target may only make 1 action per round.
- Armour Class is penalized by 4.
- All skill check and attack rolls are at -10.
- Movement is reduced by half.
- The character can't make complex plans. All action declarations must be one word, such as "run", "shoot", or "restoration".
- Casting a spell requires a concentration skill check DC 15 (25 when the -10 to all skill checks is factored). Failing the concentration check uses up their action.
Characters get one new saving throw each round before their action.
Stage 1: Willpower Saving Throw Difficulty Class equals 18
Stage 2: Willpower raises to DC 20
Stage 3: Willpower raises to DC 22
Stage 4: Willpower raises to DC 24
Special: If any of the Willpower Saving Throws come a natural 1 when saving against Mind Grip, the spell causes 1d6 damage. Magical Shielding protects against this damage. The caster can't prevent this damage; it is considered a flaw in the spell.
The Healing Spell, Restoration can remove this effect from a person.
Mind Grip Notes: The caster need not spend any action or be in range to maintain the effect of mind grip on a victim that has yet to save. The caster may end the spell on a victim at any time (requires a standard action and must be within range.)
Special: If the Mind Grip target makes their initial Willpower save and negates this spell, it does not cost the caster a Magic Point. (Obviously, the caster’s action is still used.)
Mind Link
Telepathy
Allows the caster to see what the spell target is seeing and hearing.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: 100 feet (stage 1)
Target: 1 living creature
Duration: 10 minutes
Saving Throw: None
Casting: Eyes shut, concentration
Stage 1: The caster can see and hear through the target’s senses up, providing the target is within 100 feet.
Stage 2: Range increases to 500 feet. Duration increases to 30 minutes.
Stage 3: Range increases to 1 mile. Duration increases to 1 hour.
Stage 4: Range increases to 10 miles. Duration increases to 2 hours.
Mind Link Notes: This spell may be temporally dropped by the caster, allowing them to take other actions, then picked backup as the caster needs.
What is relayed is always what is happening in the present.
Barrier Against Remote Senses has been known to disrupt this spell.
Mind Read
Telepathy
Can gain access to the spell target’s surface thoughts.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: 10 feet
Target: 1 living creature at a time.
Duration: 5 minutes (stage 1)
Saving Throw: Willpower resists.
Casting: Scrutinizing a target for a moment.
This spell allows a caster to try and read the surface thoughts of a target, and any memories that the target is currently remembering.
After initially casting this spell, the caster may attempt to read the thoughts of any target within range. The caster may choose different targets, for as long as the spell lasts. It is a move action per attempt.
Reading Surface thoughts: A caster may read the surface thought of someone without alerting the target. A slightly suspicious target may make a spot check, DC 18. Success means they have an idea of what is going in.
Each time the caster attempts to read surface thoughts, the target gets a Willpower Saving Throw. If the target is successful, the caster does not get any information. If the target's save is not successful, the caster learns what the target is thinking. Memories are seen if the target is currently remembering them. The Saving Throw may be waved.
If a target has their surface thoughts read more than a few times in a day, they will start to experience headaches. If one or more targets make a few successful saving throws, the caster starts to get a headache.
Stage 1: Willpower Saving Throw Difficulty Class equals 16.
Duration is 5 minutes.
Stage 2: Willpower raises to DC 18. Duration is 10 minutes.
Stage 3: Willpower raises to DC 20. Duration is 30 minutes.
Stage 4: Willpower raises to DC 22. Duration is 1 hour.
Risky move: A character that knows their mind is being read may make a Bluff Skill check to try and give false information. Bluff is opposed by the Sense Motive Skill. (A bad bluff ends up revealing what the individual was attempting to conceal.)
Knowing (being able to cast) this spell adds a +4 bonus to bluff false information. When investigators can, such as when a suspect in custody, they may repeat questions several times, looking for any inconsistencies.
Telepathic Communication
Telepathy
Can speak non-verbally with others, sometimes over great distances.
Cost: 1 MP
Casting time: 1 standard action
Range: Visual (stage 1)
Target: Self, 1 other living creature.
Duration: 10 minutes (stage 1)
Saving Throw: None
Casting: Hand brought to temple to activate.
This spell allows the caster to speak to a willing target telepathically, using words and images produced and received solely in the mind.
Stage 1: The caster can initiate a telepathic connection with any willing target within visual range. Once connected, the link remains (regardless of range) for the duration of the spell, or until either the caster or target breaks the connection. Duration lasts 10 minutes
Maintaining a telepathic connection does not require a significant amount of concentration.
Stage 2: The caster can initiate a telepathic connection with any willing target within 1 mile. The caster must guess the general area where they expect the target to be. If the target is not there, the connection is delayed by 1d4 rounds while the spell seeks the target. Duration lasts 30 minutes.
The caster must have spoken to the target in person within the last year for this spell to find a target the caster cannot see.
Stage 3: The caster can initiate a telepathic connection with any willing target within 10 miles. The caster must guess the general area where they expect the target to be. If the target is not there, the connection is delayed by 1d10 rounds while the spell seeks the target. Duration lasts 1 hour.
Stage 4: The caster can initiate a telepathic connection with any willing target within 100 miles. The caster must guess the general area where they expect the target to be. If the target is not there, the connection is delayed by 2d10 rounds while the spell seeks the target. Duration lasts 2 hours.
Free: When using this spell to communicate with another telepath, there is no Magic Point cost. A Telepath in Spellchrome is defined as anyone who knows and can cast the Spell Telepathic Communication.
Telepathic Communication Notes: Either the caster or the target could use the broadcast spell which would allow others to hear what both were telepathically saying.
A caster may maintain this spell with multiple targets, although taken to an excess can lead to errors, communicating the wrong message to the wrong person.
Barrier Against Remote Senses has been known to disrupt this spell.
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