Avatar of Knowledge‡
(Alteration, Illusion/Phantasm, Necromancy)
(Self Cooperative, Metamagic)
Level: Pr 7 & Wiz 9
Sphere: Numbers, Travelers
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 day/level
Casting Time: 1 turn/avatar created
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: Neg.
This spell is the first of its kind, as it must be cast cooperatively by the same wizard/priest! The caster begins casting the spell with its wizardly components, then strengthens the magical avatars and bonds made with divine power and finally concludes the casting with a permanency type wizard component. This allows the avatar(s) of the original creature to exist outside of the limited ranges of most spells. After the casting is complete the avatars and the original creature duplicated by this spell may roam anywhere they wish, although an avatar on a different plane of existence may never find his way back to the real creature, thus nothing would be gained from the spell in the way of knowledge!
(Note that this spell takes up two spell slots available to the caster, as it is a 7th level priest spell and a 9th level wizard spell at the same time. It can also be cast much quicker by a caster who has benefitted from a split form spell. This cuts the casting time down from a turn/avatar created to a round/avatar created!)
It is very similar to the simulacrum spell, except it creates up to two exact duplicates of the creature touched, which have been named avatars. These other selves of the original creatures are created with exact duplicates of the items of the original and in no way can someone tell the difference between them. The avatars do not radiate magic. If something happens to any items of any of the creatures (including both the original creature and his avatars), all of the items are affected the same way; so if a favorite magical sword is destroyed on a avatar, the sword is really destroyed. All items on all the versions of the creature are treated the same, and if one is destroyed, they are all destroyed.
The purpose for this close link and connection between the creature and avatars is, that they are all effected the same, except for two main differences. These differences are as follows:
Thus the original creature can benefit from being in more than one place at one time, and he may also gain much more experience in his career in a shortened amount of time. Although much of the knowledge is lost. It is believed that the experience lost is the powering component of this strange spell.
If the creature this spell is cast on dual classes, while avatars still exist there is a 50% chance that each avatar could also dual-class. If the avatar rolls under 50% he becomes a dual-class character, exactly as the creature the avatar is a duplicate of. If the roll is above 50%, however, the avatar remains unchanged and when it merges with the original creature it transfers it's experience points directly to that class, not that of the new class gained by the original creature's act of dual classing.
The material component for avatar of knowledge is the blood and experience of the creature touched.
As a self-cooperative spell, avatar of knowledge must be dispelled twice or wished out of existence in order to be cancelled before its normal duration ends.
Notes: Restricted to Multi or Dual class wizard/priests. Created by the mysterious Chosen of Mystra Piper at the request of his cousin, Tannus Blade.
