Campaign Design - Spells: Rune of Sleep

Rune of Sleep (from Relics & Rituals)
Abjuration [Mind-Affecting]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 3
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 burst

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

Saving Throw: Will negates
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 of sleep causes 1d6 Hit Dice of creatures per 2 caster levels (maximum 6d6) within the area of effect to fall asleep as per the sleep spell. Creatures are affected in order from the lowest Hit Dice to the highest Hit Dice until the total Hit Dice effect is satisfied. A victim's total Hit Dice must be affected in order for the sleep effect to work on the victim. If the caster wishes to set the rune to affect fewer Hit Dice, he may do so. The rune affects an area of up to 30 feet in diameter. The caster may provide for a lesser area 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 sleep 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 27) and Disable Device skill (DC 27) 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 sleep 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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