Crypt Ward (Priest Spell)

This spell is cast over a dwarven tomb or crypt. If the tomb is larger than the spell's area of effect, additional castings can ensure that the entire crypt complex benefits from the spell. Otherwise, it is effective only within its 100-square-foot area.
Once the crypt ward is in place it causes the dwarven remains interred therein to animate tem­porarily in order to protect the tomb from grave robbers. When an intruder enters the spell's area of effect, the dwarven bones contained therein rise and attack. The bones attack as fighters equal to one-third of the caster's level at the time the crypt
ward was set up (fractions dropped) and possess 5 hit points per one-third/level of the caster. Thus, a crypt ward cast by a 12th level priest produces 4th level bones that possess 20 hit points each. The bones are not undead creatures; the effect is simi­lar to animated weapons. The dwarven bones do not animate and attack if the intruders are other dwarves, so long as the visitors do not attempt to plunder the tomb. Other races will be attacked if not accompanied by a dwarf.
In any case, the dwarven bones animated by this spell cannot leave the area of effect. If intruders flee that area, the dwarven bones return to their resting places until the next intrusion. If the animated dwarves are slain, the remains have been destroyed.
Dispel magic cannot negate a crypt ward, but a limited wish, wish, or remove crypt ward can. The destruction of all the dwarven bones in the tomb complex also negates the spell.
The reverse of this spell, remove crypt ward, en­ables the caster to negate a crypt ward. In most dwarven enclaves, remove crypt ward is reserved for those rare times when dwarven remains must be transported to a new site. A priest attempting to remove the crypt ward must be of equal or greater level than the caster who set the spell in place.
This spell is available to priests of all dwarven religions, but is typically reserved for the priests of Dumathoin, who are generally regarded as the keepers of the dead. It is said that the dwarven priests of old were far stronger than those of today, so it is likely that, in truly ancient dwarven strong­holds. there are crypt wards that cannot be re­moved by modern priests.
The material components for both versions of this spell are the casters holy symbol and the ritual sacrifice of 10,000 gp worth of precious metals and minerals.
Notes: Restricted to dwarven priests; typically granted by Dumathoin.
Category:Priest Spells
Category:Spells from Priest's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells