Sand Whisper (Wizard Spell)

:Also known as "Sand Quiet".
This spell causes silence to reign in the area immediately surrounding a touched item or creature. The effects resemble those of the priest spell silence, 15' radius, but without the area effect. The target is muffled: All sounds emanating from the target-including those caused by something striking it-are transmit­ted far away and emitted in a random location (defined below). Likewise, sounds created by something held by or attached to the target are randomly displaced.
The recipient item or being is allowed a saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, the spell fails and is lost. As usual, a recipient who wishes to be silenced (such as the caster him­self) can waive his saving throw. Unlike the si­lence spell, sand whisper does not prevent the recipient from speaking words of activation, such as those for magical items. Nor does it pre­vent him from uttering the vocal components of spellcasting. The recipient's ability to cast a spell is unchanged as long as that spell's effect is not sound-based. (The 5/101// spell, for exam­ple, won't work.) Noise-based attacks (such as the wail of a banshee or roar of an androsphinx) are not canceled. They still occur, but like any sound, their effects are turned elsewhere.
Where, then, do the muffled sounds go? They emanate from random locations as far from their actual source as 2d6 miles plus 1 mile per level of the caster. The new location may lie in any of the eight cardinal directions from the source-north, south, east, west, and their com­binations-but not up or down. (The DM rolls 1d8 and assigns a direction to each result.) Other individuals at these locations can hear the sounds clearly. These (often confused) individu­als are vulnerable to the effects of any sound-based attack cast against the recipient.
Due to the injury, confusion, and annoyance such errant sounds can cause, several local emirs have forbidden the use of this spell within 20 miles of their palaces. Other rulers both permit and enjoy these interruptions. If the errant sounds appear interesting, the emirs may send out guards or wizards to investigate. Ad­venturers should check local customs before casting sand whisper.
The material component of this spell is two handfuls of sand, sprinkled upon the recipient. In combat, a successful attack roll may be required to apply the sand.
Notes: Common for spellcasters from an Arabian setting and among the desert mages of the Anauroch area of the Forgotten Realms set­ting; otherwise, very rare.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells