Campaign Design - Spells: Rune of Darkness

Rune of Darkness (from Relics & Rituals)
Abjuration

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes or 1 minute (see text)
Range: Touch

Target, Effect, or Area: Up to a 30-foot-diameter sphere emanation

Duration: Until discharged or up to 1 year (see text)

Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

When this spell is cast, the caster traces the outline of a strange rune in charcoal on the desired surface. When the spell is completed, the rune becomes nearly invisible.

You set the conditions of the rune. Typically, any creature entering the warded area or opening the warded object without speaking a password (which you set when casting the spell) is subject to the magic it stores. Alternatively or in addition to a password trigger, runes can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or kind. Runes can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or to pass those of your religion. They cannot be set according to class, Hit Dice, or level. Runes respond to invisible creatures normally but are not triggered by those who travel past them ethereally. Multiple runes cannot be cast on the same area. However, if a cabinet has three drawers, each can be separately warded. In addition, the rune can be triggered by a trigger rune spell.

When triggered, the rune causes a globe of impenetrable darkness to come into being, as per a deeper darkness spell, although with a lesser area of effect. The rune affects an area up to 30 feet in diameter. The caster may affect a lesser area if he wishes. Once triggered, the darkness lasts for 1 hour per caster level. The caster may specify a lesser duration if he wishes.

The casting time of this spell depends on whether the rune is being drawn anew or whether a previously placed, permanent rune is being empowered (see below). Drawing a new rune takes 10 minutes. Empowering a previously placed permanent rune takes one minute.

A rune of darkness does not last more than one year even if it is made permanent. Magical runes such as this one are hard to detect. A rogue can use his Search skill (DC 26) and Disable Device skill (DC 26) to locate and remove these runes. Runes that are located can be identified with read magic and a successful DC 12 Spellcraft check. A rune of darkness that has been located may be erased or dispelled. If the rune is disabled, erased, or dispelled, the spell ends, even if the normal duration of the spell has not yet expired. If this happens, the caster knows that his spell was cancelled in this manner.

Material components: Charcoal must be used to draw or trace the rune. To make the rune physically permanent (though not magically permanent) requires 25 shillings worth of silver inlay mixed with the dust of a sapphire worth 50 shillings and requires a DC 8 Craft: Stonework check to carve the intricate patterns of the rune. Failure means all components are lost and the carving must be attempted again.

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