Magic

## The Side Effects of Magic

   Magic in Mankhan is not as forgiving as magic in other lands. With careful use, casters may find slight markings and scarring, but taking risks, uncontrolled spellcasting and wild magic can leave aggressive and lasting remnants.

Ever wonder why mages use wands and staves instead of their hands? This is the reason.

## Faster than Light Travel

To civilisations across the Mankhan, the question of faster than light travel was always a mystery. Thanks to some bizarre experimenting by **His** Cult, it was discovered that painting certain symbols or glyphs onto any object with a positive mass would allow that object to bypass the lightspeed barrier and reach FTL speeds.

The followers of **Him** claim that their god is responsible for bestowing the gift of FTL travel to mortal beings, but they refuse to give any more information. People don't know why painting symbols on a craft allows it to defy physics in such a way, but researchers have noted that this phenomenon has only been in effect since sometime after the death of the goddess Meera, when scientists picked up huge arcane energy spikes located in and near the galaxy. Some symbols are more stable than others, but often the trade-off is distance or speed, and some only work when certain circumstances are met.

It is said this was first discovered when a cultist painted a symbol onto the vanity of a noble they were raiding in religious protest, which promptly propelled it into the nearest star. After much trial and error (and loss of life) they managed to refine the practice.

The symbols and their powers have been attributed to being the work of the Divine, or at least very powerful beings that human minds cannot comprehend. The Cult of Midos like to attribute the power to Midos instead, which is disputed by **His** followers.

## Schools

### Abjuration

###### Arcane Avoidance

*2nd-level (Artificer, Bard, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 reaction, which you take when you are forced to make a saving throw against a spell or magical effect
* **Range:** Self
* **Components:** S
* **Duration:** Instantaneous

You twist the incoming magical energy around you, shunting yourself out of its path. You gain advantage on the triggering saving throw. Additionally, if the effect allows you to make a saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, or half damage if you fail.

###### Quantum Tunneling

*7th-level*

* Casting Time: 1 action
* Range: Self
* Components: V, S, M (a shard of a broken mirror)
* Duration: 1 minute

When you cast this spell, you become capable of disregarding the way that matter interacts with your bodyfor the duration of the spell. While under the effects of this spell, you gain a hovering flying speed of 90 feet and reduce your walk, climb, swim and burrow speeds, as well as any other fly speed you had, to 0. You and everything you are holding and carrying can pass through solid matter as though it didn’t exist. This includes the ground, allowing you to enter and exit by flying downwards and upwards. You remain physically present on this plane, and other creatures can still see you and interact with you. Attacks you make ignore cover. You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage while in this form, and when a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can choose to give that creature disadvantage on the attack. If the spell ends while you are traveling through an object or structure, you harmlessly appear in the nearest unoccupied space.

### Conjuration

###### Unkindness

*Cantrip (Druid, Warlock, Witch, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time**: 1 action
* **Range**: 60 feet
* **Components**: V, S, M (a raven feather)
* **Duration**: Instantaneous

Uttering a strange incantation you call upon multiple ravens to descend upon a target you can see within range. Make a ranged spell attack gainst the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage and must subtract 1d4 from the next ability check it makes.

This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th, 11th and 17th level.

###### Raven's Step

*1st-level (Druid, Warlock, Witch, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time**: 1 reaction
* **Range**: Self
* **Components**: V, S
* **Duration**: Instantaneous

When you are successfully hit by an attack, your body rapidly transforms into a flock of ravens. Damage you take from the attack is halved and you immedietly teleport to a space within 10 feet of you. When you arrive there your body reforms.

###### Blade Step

*2nd-level spell*

* **Casting Time**: 1 action
* **Range**: 30 feet
* **Components**: S, M (a weapon with the thrown property worth at least 1sp)
* **Duration**: Instantaneous

Make a ranged spell attack using a thrown weapon against a creature within range. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack's normal effects. Additionall, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the creature you hit and deal an additional 2d8 force damage.

***At higher levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot 3rd level or higher, the force damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 2nd.

### Divination

###### Pontificate Potential

*Cantrip*

* Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack, but before damage is rolled.
* Range: Self
* Components: S, M (an abacus)
* Duration: Instantaneous

Roll a d4 and subtract the result from your attacker’s attack roll. This can potentially turn a hit into a miss.

###### Divine Awareness

*4th-level divination (Cleric, Paladin)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** Self
* **Components:** S
* **Duration:** 1 hour

Until the spell ends, when you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to determine a deliberate lie, you can replace the number you roll with a 15.

### Enchantment

###### Devour Intellect

*4th-level (Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** 10 feet
* **Components:** V, S
* **Duration:** Instantaneous

Choose a creature you can see within range. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 2d10 psychic damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. Also on a failed save, roll 3d6: If the total equals or exceeds the target’s Intelligence score, the target is stunned for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a stunned target can make another Intelligence saving throw. On a success, it is no longer stunned.

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage increases by 1d10 and the number of d6's rolled increases by 1 for each slot level above 4th.

### Evocation

###### Hallucination Spores

*1st-level (Druid, Ranger)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** 5 feet
* **Components:** V, S, M (a mushroom)
* **Duration:** 1 minute

You eject spores at one creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for the duration. While poisoned in this way, the target is incapacitated and experiences hallucinations. Creatures that don't need to breathe automatically succeed on this saving throw.

At the end of each of its turns, each time it takes damage, and when someone uses an action to shake or slap it, the target can make another Constitution saving throw, ending the spell on a success. The target has advantage on the saving throw if it's triggered by the damage.

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a slot 4th level or higher, the target is stunned while it is poisoned by this spell.

###### Force Hydra

*5th-level (Wizard)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** Self
* **Components:** V, S
* **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create five ethereal hydra heads of shimmering, translucent force, which dance around you and occupy a Huge space that stays centered on you. These heads don't fill their space.

Each head is an object with AC 17, 25 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If a head is targeted by a *disintegrate* spell, it dies. As an action, you can cause the hydra to grow an additional head. The spell ends if all of the heads die.

As an action, you can cause each head created by this spell to attack a creature within 20 feet of you. Make a melee spell attack for each head. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to 1d10 + your spellcasting ability modifier.

While your hydra has six or more living heads, you have half cover from effects that originate from outside of your hydra. While your hydra has ten or more living heads, you have 3/4 cover from effects that originate from outside of your hydra. Additionally, you have a number of extra reactions equal to the number of living heads your hydra has. You can only use these reactions to make a single attack with a head when a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you. You can only use one reaction per trigger.

***At Higher Levels:*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, you create one additional head for each slot level above 5th.

###### Singularity

*9th-level*

* Casting Time: 1 action
* Range: Self
* Components: V, S, M (a small, dense bead of lead)
* Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a tear in the weave of magic which manifests itself as a “black hole” no larger than 1 inch in diameter. If you choose to do anything except take the dash action or move on your turn, the spell immediately ends.

Whenever a spell is cast within a 100-foot sphere centered on you, that spell immediately fails and its energy is absorbed completely by the singularity. Also at the end of each of your turns, the singularity ends any active spell effects in its area of effect. Whenever a spell fails or is ended by this spell, the sphere gains a number of d10s equal to that spell’s level (or 1d10 if it was a cantrip). Keep track of the number of d10s accumulated by the singularity.

If the spell ends for any reason (including a **Dispel Magic** spell) then the singularity flickers white and immediately detonates, dealing Force damage to everything within its area of effect equal to the amount of d10s accumulated within it (to a maximum of 20d10). You are immune to this damage.

### Illusion

###### Chameleon

*1st-level (Bard, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** Self
* **Components:** V, S
* **Duration:** 1 hour

You make yourself look like an inconspicuous object, such as a barrel, crate, or statue. The object's size must be the same as yours, and it must be big enough to fully contain you inside the illusion. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you. The disguise remains with you if you move.

The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add as a crate that is wider than you are, objects pass through crate, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing.

To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

The spell ends if you attack, cast a spell, make a damage roll, or force another creature to make a saving throw.

###### Manifest Paradox

*2nd-level*

* Casting Time: 1 action
* Range: 120 feet
* Components: V, S, M (an impossibly shaped tribar)
* Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You fabricate an impossible scenario and instill it into the mind of a creature that can see and hear you within range. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the creature begins to see reality warp before their very eyes — creatures and objects take on strange, impossible shapes, existing in various states throughout the infinity of space and time.

While stricken by this illusion, a creature rolls a D4 whenever they make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. Whenever the affected creature rolls a 1 on the d4, they treat a d20 roll of 6 or higher as a 5. Creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or lower are immune to the effects of this spell.

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can target one additional creature in range for each slot level above 2nd.

### Necromancy

###### Funeral Rites

*Cantrip*

* **Casting Time**: 1 action
* **Range**: 10 feet
* **Components**: V, S
* **Duration**: Instantaneous

The spell produces a minor magical effect designed to aid in burial rites. You can create one of the following effects on a corpse in range:

* Ghostly flames engulf the corpse, reducing it's flesh to ashes after burning for 10 minutes. Thes flames do not burn bones or equipment, give off heat nor consume oxygen.
* A minor illusory effect is placed on the corpse. For the next hour the corpse appears clean, healthy and well groomed.
* You transfer part of the leftover vitality from a buried corpse to a nearby seed, which grows into a small sprout. Alternatively, you can cause multiple flowers to grow near the corpse.
* You summon a magical substance to preserve a bandaged corpse, preventing decay and causing it to give off no smell for the next week.

This spell does not affect the time limit of spells that raise the target from the dead.

###### Rotting Gaze

*Cantrip (Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock)*

* **Casting** **Time**: 1 action
* **Range**: 30 feet
* **Components**: S
* **Duration**: Instantaneous

You release a wave of necrotic energy at a creature you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d10 necrotic damage. If the target is a plant or is suffering from a disease, it instead takes 1d12 necrotic damage.

The spell's damage increases by one die when you reach 5th level (2d10 or 2d12), 11th level (3d10 or 3d12), and 17th level (4d10 or 4d12).

###### Aurora Necropolis

*9th-level (wizard)*

* **Casting Time**: 1 action
* **Range**: 120 feet
* **Components**: V, S, M (an opal skull worth at least 5000gp)
* **Duration**: 10 minutes

An enourmous aurora flows through and surrounds a 120 foot radius, 60 foot high cylinder centred on a point within range. For the duration, the area is brightly lit and exudes dim light an additional 120 feet. Any Large or smaller creature that is not a construct or elemental that dies within the zone rises at the start of your next turn as a **zombie** that is permanently under your command, following your verbal orders to the best of it's ability.

### Transmutation

###### Blight Bloom

*2nd-level (Cleric, Druid, Ranger)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** Touch
* **Components:** V, S, M (a splinter of yew wood)
* **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch a living creature and implant it with a blister of parasitic burgeoning life. Make a melee spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 necrotic damage, and a blister swells on its body. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points while under the effect of this spell, the blister bursts, spilling forth a **twig blight**.

The twig blight is friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the blight, which has its own turn. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to it, it defends itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions.

The blight is under your control for 24 hours or until you cast this spell again, after which it stops obeying any command you've given it.

The DM has the creature's statistics.

***At Higher Levels.*** When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd. Additionally, when you cast this spell using certain higher-level spell slots, you can choose to create more blights, or stronger blights: two twig blights or one needle blight with a 4th-level slot, four twig blights, two needle blights, or one vine blight with a 6th-level slot, or eight twig blights, four needle blights, or two vine blights with a 8th-level slot.

###### Corvus Crown

*3rd-level (Druid, Witch)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** 60 feet
* **Components:** V, S, M (the skull of a corvine bird)
* **Duration:** 10 minutes

Pressing the skull against your face, it grows and shapes itself to fit your head, forming a crown, helmet or mask. For the duration of the spell you can't be charmed or frightened, and you can see up to 1 mile away with no difficulty, even discerning the finer details. Additionally, you can subtract 100 feet when you fall and aren't incapacitated when calculating fall damage.

###### Animate Armor

*3rd-level (Artificer, Wizard)*

* **Casting Time:** 1 action
* **Range:** 10 feet
* **Components:** V, S, M (a nonmagical suit of plate armour worth at least 1,500 gp)
* **Duration:** Concentration, up to 1 minute

You imbue a nonmagical suit of plate armour with magic, turning it into an animated armour for the duration. Once the spell ends, or if the armour is reduced to 0 hit points, it reverts back to a nonmagical suit of plate armour.

The armour is under your control, and understands and obeys your spoken commands. Roll initiative for the armour, which has its own turns. It obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don't issue any commands to the armour, it defends itself from hostile creatures but otherwise takes no actions.

The DM has the armour's statistics.

***At Higher Levels.*** If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. If you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9th level spell slot, the spell lasts until the armor is reduced to 0 hit points. Using a spell slot of 5th level or higher grants a duration that doesn't require concentration.