Vengeance (Wizard Spell)

This powerful spell is only used by the wu jen in the face of impending death. When cast, it allows the wu jen to take one final act of revenge even though he has been killed. When the caster is slain, his spirit remains for one round to carry out whatever final thought the wu jen had fixed in his mind at the moment of death. If a spell is to be used, the specific spell must be clearly stated. This final action must be a deed that could be accomplished by the wu jen in one round at the moment he died. Thus, the wu jen could not cast a spell he did not have memorized, had memorized and already cast, or which required more than one round to cast. If there is confusion concerning what the final thought of the caster was, a saving throw vs. death should be made. If successful, the player is allowed to choose the deed; otherwise, it must be adjudicated by the DM. The vengeance is directed at the thing or person that caused the caster's death. The vengeful spirit has no regard for the lives of others and carries out its final deed even if it imperils or harms the lives of friends or inno­cents. If it is possible, the deed of vengeance must be carried out; it cannot be retracted once announced.
In the next round the deed is performed. The spirit, through the energies sustaining it, automat­ically gains the initiative over all other parties. If the body is present, the spirit reanimates it to ac­complish the vengeance. If the body is not avail­able, the spirit appears in ghostly form to perform its deed. This action is subject to all the normal rules of attack and saving throws, and thus, may not be successful in its stated goal. However, suc­cess or failure is not the key issue. Only the op­portunity to perform the deed is granted by the spell. Once the deed is done the spirit vanishes and is at rest.
Notes: Common in oriental settings; otherwise, very rare.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells