Greyhawk Specialty Spells -- Part One: Nerull

From bramo@svg.na.no Fri Oct 27 07:30:04 1995
To: chrysop@ced.tuc.gr, joe.katzman@magic.ca, glholian@MIT.EDU
Cc: greytalk@MIT.EDU
Subject: Greyhawk Specialty Spells -- Part One: Nerull
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The following material was written to expand on the specialty priest-hoods listed in "From the Ashes". Some priesthoods lack specialty spells. Others need some selected spells in addition to the listed spheres.

Below is a complete spell listing for priests of Nerull, along with a description of new specialty spells. I hope someone will use these, and incorporate them in their own GH campaigns. The power of the spells should be more or less in line with spells from Player's Handbook. Feedback is welcomed.

Note: One spell, "Monstrosity", is actually a conversion from "Dangerous Journeys", the game system Gary Gygax designed after he left T$R.

I will post similar lists (and spells) for the priesthoods of Hextor, Incabulos, Erythnul and Iuz in the near future. Perhaps these lists could be stored in the Citadel archive, or included in the Greyhawk Net Book?

Morten Braten
bramo@gaffi.svg.na.no

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Nerull (the Reaper)

Areas of Concern: death, darkness, murder
Associated AoC: life-draining, cold, night, enfeeblement, exhaustion, underworld

The following spell list has been modified on a spell-by-spell basis.

First Level:

Cause Fear
Cause Light Wounds
Combine
Command
Curse
Darkness
Detect Evil/Good
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Detect Snares & Pits
Endure Cold
Invisibility to Undead
Pass Without Trace
Putrefy Food & Water
Sacred Guardian (ToM)
Sanctuary
Speak With Astral Traveler (ToM)

Second Level:

Aid
Augury
Chant
Chill Metal
Choke (W) no visual effect
Coldbody (N)
Defile (ToM)
Enfeeblement (W) as per the ray, but by touch
Find Traps
Hold Person
Know Alignment
Silence, 15' radius
Undetectable Alignment
Undetectable Charm
Wyvern Watch

Third Level:

Animate Dead
Astral Window (ToM)
Continual Darkness
Cause Blindness or Deafness
Cause Disease
Dispel Magic
Feign Death
Glyph of Warding
Infravision (W)
Lifecutter (N)
Locate Object
Meld Into Stone
Negative Plane Protection
Obscure Object
Phantom Steed (W)
Prayer
Speak with Dead
Wraithform (W)

Fourth Level:

Cause Serious Wounds
Evard's Black Tentacles (W)
Focus (ToM)
Join With Astral Traveler (ToM)
Poison
Reapertouch (N)
Undetectable Lie
Uplift (ToM)
Vacancy (W)

Fifth Level:

Atonement
Cause Critical Wounds
Darkpool (N)
Plane Shift
Slay Living
Unceasing Vigilance of the Holy Sentinel (ToM)

Sixth Level:

Blade Barrier
Harm
Spiritual Wrath (ToM)
Summon Reaper (N)
Word of Recall
Wraithshroud (N)

Seventh Level:

Astral Spell
Breath of Death (ToM)
Deathpact (N)
Destruction
Energy Drain
Monstrosity (N)
Symbol
Unholy Word
Wither

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Specialty Spells

Coldbody (abjuration, necromancy)
Level: 2
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 5 rounds/level
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Casting Time: 2
Saving Throw: None

This spell lowers the body temperature of the recipient to match that of the surroundings. This allows the creature to remain invisible to detection by infravision, as are undead. In addition, the recipient receives the benefits of a resist fire spell.

Lifecutter (invocation/evocation)
Level: 3
Range: 10 feet/level
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round/level
Area of Effect: Special
Casting Time: 3
Saving Throw: Special

This spell is similar to spiritual hammer but creates a large, scythe-like weapon hovering in the air above the priest, who can use the weapon to strike any opponent within range. The caster must roll to hit, with a +2 bonus to the attack roll. The weapon inflicts 2d6 points of slashing/piercing damage, and unless the victim saves vs. spell, the wounds inflicted will bleed, slowly draining the life of the victim.
The bleeding wounds inflict 1 point of damage per three levels of the caster, each round the wounds are untended to, or until 10 rounds have passed. Multiple hits are cumulative.

Reapertouch (necromancy)
Level: 4
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Casting Time: 4
Saving Throw: Neg.

When a priest of Nerull casts this spell and touches a victim, it suffers 4d4 points of cold damage. If the victim's saving throw vs. spell is failed, the withering touch of the priest will age the creature touched by one year per level of the caster, with immediate effect on physical ability scores. Only restoration or similar spells can
remove this aging. If the affected victim exceeds his natural lifespan (see Player's Handbook), he dies.

Darkpool (divination)
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: Special
Casting Time: 1 hour
Saving Throw: None

This spell is equal to the magic font spell in all respects, except as noted above. A specially prepared container filled with unholy water functions as the scrying device (for special divinations a pool of fresh blood may be required, replacing unholy water).

Summon Reaper (conjuration/summoning, necromancy)
Level: 6
Range: 20 yards
Components: V, S
Duration: 13 rounds
Area of Effect: One creature
Casting Time: 1 round
Saving Throw: None

This spell summons a Minor Death (see DMG, Deck of Many Things). The priest casting the spell points his index finger at one victim, and the Minor Death attacks that victim until either it or the victim is destroyed, or the spell duration expires. Only the affected victim can see and fight the reaper. If the victim surives the attack of the Minor Death, he cannot be targeted by the same priest casting the spell again. The Minor Death confers to the statistics listed in the DMG; AC -4, hp 33,
always attacks first, always hits, dmg by scythe 2d8, immune to cold, fire, electricity, paralyzation, mind-affecting magic and death spells. The spell can only be used 1/week.

Wraithshroud (abjuration, necromancy)
Level: 6
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Area of Effect: Caster
Casting Time: 3
Saving Throw: Special

By casting this spell, the priest surrounds himself with a shimmering black aura shaped like a cloak. For the duration of the spell, any creature touching or striking the priest with melee weapons must save vs. death magic at -3 or be permanently drained of one life energy level or Hit Dice. Note that the priest's touch does not cause energy drain, however, it causes 1d10 points of damage and temporarily drains
one point of Strength (regained after 1 hour of complete rest).

Deathpact (necromancy)
Level: 7
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special (Permanent)
Area of Effect: Caster
Casting Time: 13 hours
Saving Throw: None

Only the mightiest servants of the Reaper are able to call upon Nerull's powers of life and death. During the long ritual when the spell is cast, the priest must sacrifice something of great personal value (the material component) -- the specific details are up to the DM. The spell is dormant until the priest enters a situation where he would normally die, and his spirit go to Tarterus. The priest is allowed a
special save vs. death, with a -6 penalty. If the saving throw succeeds, the priest's mortal wounds are healed, and he is transported as per a word of recall to a prepared sanctuary (the priest may prepare multiple sanctuaries -- location is then randomly determined). If the priest fails the saving throw, he becomes an undead creature (exact type is up to the DM), who is utterly will-less, a total pawn of Nerull.
The deathpact cannot be dispelled.

Monstrosity (necromancy)
Level: 7
Range: 1 yard/level
Components: V, S
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Area of Effect: 10'x10' square/level
Casting Time: 7
Saving Throw: Special

When this spell is activated, it brings material of ghastly sort into the area of effect. The spell must be cast upon a plain surface such as a floor, ceiling, wall, bit of ground, etc. The spell causes a mass of writhing limbs with bony fingers, claws or talons; tentacles with suckers and barbs; mandibles; mouths with teeth, fangs, and/or tusks; worm- and snake-like bodies; hideous faces; bulging eyes; and so forth. In short, a gruesome and disgusting conglomeration of deadly portions and sensory organs from all sorts of creatures. Each sentient being not of the caster's religion must save vs. death upon seeing the monstrosity. A failed roll results in fear and the acquisition of a minor insanity (as selected by the DM). There is one appendage for every other level of the caster, and the priest may control these to attack opponents (a maximum of three appendages can attack one medium-sized creature simultaneously). The reach of the projecting appendages is 1 foot/level of the caster, and attacks are resolved using the caster's THAC0. A successful attack causes 4d6 points of damage, and holds fast any victim of man-size or less. This causes automatic damage on successive rounds, unless the victim makes a successful bend bars roll to break free. The monstrosity has AC 1 and each appendage has 2 hit points/level of the caster.

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