Church of Wisdom

by Scott Nolan
with Bob Greenwade

The Church of Wisdom is one which concentrates on recognition of the wisest road to travel along the proverbial journey of life. Quite naturally, the Church recognizes the importance of divine intervention in one's life; however, its priests also teach that accurate information and the counsel of learned others are vital for wise decision-making.

The spells available to priests in the Church of Wisdom are not, by and large, particularly powerful for combat. There are a few combat-oriented spells (or, at least, spells which can be used in combat), but if a Wisdom priest is going to be a regular combatant, it's more likely to come from skill at arms, or possibly from knowledge of more conventional magic. In general, Church of Wisdom spells deal with knowledge and perception, since it is only with adequate knowledge that one can reach a truly wise and informed conclusion or decision.

Standard Limitations: Obvious Accessible Focus (Holy Symbol) (-1), Gestures (-½), Incantations (-½), Requires a Magic Skill Roll (-½), Religious Restrictions (-½). Total: (-2½)

Basic Spells

Crisis of Conscience

The priest opens a channel directly to the subject's conscience and lays bare all foolish or misguided beliefs, causing the subject psychic trauma.

Power: 3d6 Energy Blast
Modifiers: Based on Ego Combat Value (+1), No Normal Defense (Defense is a lack of foolish or misguided psychological limitations) (+1), Standard Limitations (-2½)
Active Cost: 45
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 13

Detect Evil

When the diviner uses this spell, people or things which are thick with evil become apparent to the caster by the thick black aura which hangs over them. Lesser forms of evil may be harder to discern.

Power: +2 Detect Evil, Range, Sense
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 9
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 3

Detect Invisibility

When using this spell, the diviner can clearly see any invisible people or objects, just as if they were visible.

Power: +2 Detect Invisible, Range, Sense
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 9
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 3

Detect Undead

The caster must focus all his concentration on this spell. He can then detect the direction and strength of any undead nearby. The spell is blocked by more than one meter of stone.

Power: +2 Detect Undead, Range, Discriminatory, Sense
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½), Extra Time (-½), Concentrate (constant concentration) (0 DCV)(-1)
Active Cost: 14
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 3

Dispel Magic

The use of magic is not always the wisest course of action. This Spell allows the caster to do away with its foolishness (assuming that the "foolishness" isn't too powerful!).

Power: 12d6 Dispel Magic, vs any one magic spell
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (-½)
Active Cost: 45
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 11

Eyes of the Hawk

This spell allows the caster to see things clearly at great distances. If the caster fails his Divination Skill Roll, his will not work at all for several moments.

Power: +6 Telescopic Sight
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½), Side Effects (3d6 Flash)(-½)
Active Cost: 9
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 2

Heightened Perception

This spell magically enhances all of the priest's perceptions, allowing him to see, hear, smell, touch and taste more finely and with more discrimination.

Power: +3 Enhanced Perception, all senses
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 9
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 2

Night Vision

This spell allows the priest to see in the dark as well as an owl. A complete lack of light will still leave the caster blind, however.

Power: UV Vision
Modifiers: Extra Time, only to start power (-½), Concentrate (½ DCV) (-½) Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 5
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 1

College Spells:

Calm

This is an important spell in many negotiations. It creates an aura of calm that is conducive to all wise relationships.

Power: 5d6 Mind Control
Modifiers: Area of Effect (Any Area, x2 Area) (+1¼), Telepathic Command (+¼), Single Command ("Stay Calm")(-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Costs END to Cast(-½)
Active Cost: 62
END Cost: 6 (Cast Only); Magic Roll: -6; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 10

Clairvoyance

By means of this spell, the priest can see events occurring at a distance (up to 3200 meters). The location to be scried must be known and described by the caster. The spell is blocked by lead in any wall between the caster and the locale to be viewed. The priest must remain perfectly still during the entire spell.

Power: Clairsentience, Sight and Hearing, x16 Increased Range
Modifiers: Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Standard Limitations (-2½), Blocked by Lead (-½), Locale must be known (-½)
Active Cost: 40
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -2; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 7

Counsel of Wisdom

This spell can only be used to aid a person who asks the goddess for aid. The priest can only use it for worthy causes. The priest counsels the supplicant on the best approach for any task about to be attempted and passes on the wisdom and blessing of his goddess.

Power: +3 to any skill roll based on Intelligence, Ego or Presence
Modifiers:Useable by Others (loses power) (+¾), Only for worthy causes (GM's call) (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½)
Active Cost: 30
END Cost: 0; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 6

Detect Lie

This spell looks into the surface thoughts of someone to whom the caster is listening and detects whether he is lying. Note that for the spell to indicate a lie, the speaker must know that his statement is a lie. Half-truths and technical truths are not detected by this spell.

Power: 6d6 Telepathy
Modifiers: Invisible to the Mental Group (+½), Only for detecting lies (-1), Must engage target in conversation (-½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (0 DCV)(-1), Standard Limitations (-2½), Blocked by Lead (-½), Locale must be known (-½)
Active Cost: 45
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 7

Detect Scrying

This spell enhances the priest's mental faculties in such a way that he is very likely to notice if someone is using magic to scry upon him or the area in which he is. There is also a reasonable chance that the priest may learn something about who or what is watching.

Power: Detect Scrying, +3 to PER

Power: Discriminatory Sense
Modifiers: 12- Activation (-¿)

Overall Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2 ), Costs END (-½), Extra Time (-½)
Active Cost: 28
END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 6

Enlightenment

The priest casts his mind out among the Spheres and contacts a great power of another plane. He may ask this being a single question. The Intelligence may or may not answer, and there is a slight risk each time this spell is cast that the full weight of the alien intelligence will drive the priest insane.

Power: Contact: Greater Intelligence, 11-
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Costs END (-½), x4 Increased END Cost (-1½), Only to Receive Brief Answer to Question (-½), Chance of Insanity (-1)
Active Cost: 50
END Cost: 20; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 5

[If you think about it, this is a pretty good hack. Contact allows you to occasionally contact an important personage. Mind Link and Mind Scan allow you to force a contact. Contact gives the power to the GM. The cost of the contact can be varied by the GM to reflect the power and difficulty of the spell. The Contact spells are the various powerful divination spells. -- Scott]

ESP

This spell allows the caster to know the surface thoughts of another nearby person. Surface thoughts are those in the person's mind at the time; memories and other knowledge are not accessible. This spell requires no line of sight, nor even the sure knowledge of the other person's presence. However, it is blocked by more than 1 meter of rock, 5 centimeters of metal or any lead. The target person remains unaware of the priest's mental presence.

Power: 4d6 Telepathy
Modifiers: Invisible to Mental Group (+½), Needs No LOS - stopped by 2' rock; 2" metal, any lead (+1), Only to the EGO+0 level (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (½ DCV) (-½)
Active Cost: 50
END Cost: 5; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 9

Evaluate

This spell magically endows the priest with an ability to discern quality in items in he examines, whether art, livestock or weapons.

Power: Detect Quality, Sense, Discriminatory
Modifiers: Costs END (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½)
Active Cost: 16
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -2; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 3

False Vision

This spell is designed to fool those who would scry upon the priest. Rather than see what the priest is really doing or where he is, those who scry upon the priest will see whatever image he prepares for them.

Power: Invisibility, no fringe
Modifiers: Only vs Scrying (-1½)

Power: Images, -3 PER, vs Sight and Hearing Groups
Modifiers: Only vs Scrying (-1½), Linked to Invisibility (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (-½)
Active Cost: 54
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 4

Fool's Justice

Those who will not use their wisdom can have it forcibly removed for a time. This spell causes a victim's wisdom to flow out of their body when touched by the priest.

Power: 3d6 Drain vs INT, fade rate per minute

Power: 2d6 Drain vs EGO, fade rate per minute
Modifiers: Linked to Drain vs INT (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (-½)
Active Cost: 62
END Cost: 6; Magic Roll: -6; Casting Time: 1 phase.
Real Cost: 15

Foresight

This spell grants the priest a minor but valuable precognitive power. When this spell is cast, the priest immediately becomes aware of any impending danger to himself, any nearby object, or another person, and can also have an idea of the best action to take (i.e., "duck!")

Power: Danger Sense, any area, any attack 15-
Modifiers: ½ END (+¾), Has Idea of Best Action to Take (+½), Only to know of danger to subject of spell (-½), Costs END (-½)

Power: +2 Combat Skill Levels, DCV
Modifiers: Only vs Sensed Danger (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½)
Active Cost: 81
END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -8; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 10

Hide Object

This spell prevents the use of scrying, including the "Locate Object" spell below, to discover a particular item's location.

Power: Invisibility to Clairsentience, no fringe
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½)
Active Cost: 30
END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1 minute.
Real Cost: 6

Holy Sight

This spell alters the priest's vision so that whenever he looks at a person or creature capable of magic, he sees their peculiar aura limned in color. The color of the aura reveals with what College of magic or which priesthood the character is affiliated.

Power: Detect Spellcaster, Sense, +2 PER, Discriminatory
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 19
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -2; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 4

Identify Item

By using this spell, the caster seeks to understand the magic at work in a magical item. He must prepare for the casting of this spell for a half day. Then, he must hold, wear or use each item to be understood. At this point, he is likely to gain some insight into the details of the item(s). After the spell is over, the caster falls into a deep sleep for another half-day.

Power: +2 Detect Magic, Discriminatory

Power: KS: Function of Magic Items 14-

Overall Modifiers: Only to understand function of magic item held or worn (-½), Extra Time(1 day) (-3½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 12

END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: 1 day
Real Cost: 2

Locate Creature

Similar to "Locate Object" (below), this spell indicates the distance and direction to the nearest creature (within the 3200 meter range) of the type indicated by the priest. If a specific creature (including a person) is named or described, the spell will indicate the distance and direction to him or her, if within the spell's range).

Power: Clairsentience, Sight, x16 increased range
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Not past running water (-½), Only to know distance and direction to desired person (-½)
Active Cost: 40
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 6

Locate Object

This spell will indicate to the caster the direction and distance to a known object, which the caster can picture in his mind. It will not point to objects beyond it's range (800 meters), nor will it work through any thickness of lead.

Power: Clairsentience, Sight, x4 Range
Modifiers: Only to Know direction and distance to desired object (-½), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Not through lead (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½)
Active Cost: 30
END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 4

Non-Detection

This spell veils the priest's mind or the mind of the spells' recipient in the currents of the mental plane, making him almost impossible to find with scrying or mental spells and powers.

Power: Invisibility v. Detect and Mental Group
Modifiers: Usable by Others at Range (+¿), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Only to avoid Scrying and non-LOS telepathic powers (-½)
Active Cost: 45
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 turn.
Real Cost: 9

Past Life

The priest casts his spell and passes his hand over the face of a corpse or skeleton and the face of the deceased will appear to him as it was in life. This spell is useful for identifying decayed bodies.

A different version of the spell can be used to see the last minute of the dead person's life. Though it carries the same name (sometimes referred to as Past Life II, with the standard version being Past Life I), it must be bought separately, with the Only to See Face of Deceased Limitation replaced by Only to See Last Minute of Deceased's Life.

Power: Clairsentience, Sight, See Past
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute)(-1½), Constant Concentration (½ DCV) (-½), Only to see face of deceased (-1), Must touch corpse (-½).
Active Cost: 40
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 minute.
Real Cost: 6

Record

The priest enchants a flawless gem or crystal (worth at least 500 gold pieces). The gem then records up to one hour of sights and sounds (starting and stopping at the will of the caster). Later, the gem can show the images and sounds in a miniature holographic display. This is often used to record the findings of expeditions.

Power: Eidetic Memory

Power: Images to Sight, Hearing
Modifiers: Only to play back recording (-1), Linked to Eidetic Memory (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Costs END (-½), Can record up to one hour of sight and sound per gem (0), Expendable IAF - Flawless Gem or Crystal (-1), Standard Limitations (-2½)
Active Cost: 40
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 4

Scribe

When this spell is cast, a prepared quill magically animates and copies down every word that the caster utters.

Power: Eidetic Memory
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Only to record words spoken by caster (-½), Costs END (-½), Sufficient writing materials and paper must be available (-½)
Active Cost: 10
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: ½ phase
Real Cost: 2

Secret Page

This spell hides the true writing on a page with other, innocuous writing of the priest's choice. Only someone who knows and speaks the command word can reveal the true writing. This is a popular spell for important couriers.

Power: 2d6 Cosmetic Transform (writing to other writing) (returns w/command word)
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½), Concentrate (0 DCV) (-½), Only to disguise true content of a document (-1)
Active Cost: 10
END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: 1 minute.
Real Cost: 2

Sending

With this spell, the priest can send a message of up to 25 words to another person whose name and appearance are known to him. The message will reach the other person regardless of distance, or even of whether the two are on the same plane of existence. At his own option, the recipient of the message may reply with up to 25 words. The priest needs absolute concentration to cast this spell.

Power: Mind Link (any one mind, any distance, any dimension)
Modifiers: No Need for Line of Sight to Establish (+1), Standard Limitations (-2½), Costs END (-½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Limited to One Message of 25 words or Less Plus a Reply of the Same Size (-½), Target Must be Familiar (-½)
Active Cost: 50
END Cost: 5. Magic Roll: -5. Casting Time: 1 turn.
Real Cost: 8

Shield of Wisdom

This spell enfolds the priest's mind in a mighty wall of divine wisdom, preventing outside control or tampering

Power: +20 Mental Defense
Modifiers: Costs END (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½)
Active Cost: 20
END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -2; Casting Time: ½ phase.
Real Cost: 5

Tongues

This spell allows the caster to speak and understand any humanoid language. Only one language can be used at once (normally, if a conversation were being held in multiple languages all at once, Universal Translator would enable the character to understand all of the speakers; this Spell is limited to just one language at a time).

Power: 15- Universal Translator
Modifiers: Only to speak and understand one language at a time (-½), Not with Animals (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (-½), Costs END (-½)
Active Cost: 28
END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 phase
Real Cost: 6

True Sight

This spell can pierce illusions and disguises, discover hidden or invisible things, and reveal the true forms of shapeshifted objects or people. This spell only works on objects within 20 meters of the viewer.

Power: N-Ray Vision
Modifiers: Only to see hidden, disguised and invisible objects (-1)

Power: +10 Enhanced PER, Sight
Modifiers: Only to see through magical images or shape shift (-½), Linked to N-Ray Vision (-½)

Power: Detect Shapeshift, Sense
Modifiers: Linked to N-Ray Vision (-½)

Power: Detect Multiform, Sense
Modifiers: Linked to N-Ray Vision (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Costs END (-½), Range limited to 10" (-½), Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1)
Active Cost: 50
END Cost: 5; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 5

Wisdom

This spell allows the priest to increase the wisdom of any one being. Drawing upon the wisdom of the gods is a presumptuous thing, however, and the priest must be sure of his cause, or risk the wrath of the gods.

Power: 3d6 Aid to INT, fade rate per day

Power: 3d6 Aid to EGO, fade rate per day
Modifiers: Linked to Aid to INT (-½)

Overall Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½), Cause Must advance Religion's Aims (-¿)
Active Cost: 60
END Cost: 6; Magic Roll: -6; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 10

Wyrd

This spell allows the priest to speak the fate of a person, thing or enterprise. He opens himself to the wisdom of the gods and if the gods will it, they will speak their wisdom through him.

Power: Precognition (Clairsentience to Sight, Can See Future)
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 minute) (-1½) Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Costs END (-½), No Conscious Control (-2)
Active Cost: 40
END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1 minute
Real Cost: 5

Unique Spells

Legends

This spell contacts an extraplanar being of great intelligence, seeking to learn information about some legendary item, person or place. The knowledge thus gained is usually correct, but always cryptic. The spell may take as long as several days, depending upon the amount of knowledge the priest already possesses, but usually takes only minutes or hours (the exact amount of time being a matter of GM's discretion). The spell is dangerously exhausting to cast.

Power: Contact: Extraplanar Intelligence 15-
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), Costs END (-½), x5 Increased End Cost (-2), Only to gain cryptic information about a legendary item (-1), Extra Time - Varies by amount of current knowledge (-2)
Active Cost: 60
END Cost: 30 (once only); Magic Roll: -6; Casting Time: varies
Real Cost: 6

Vision

This spell contacts a great extraplanar power to seek a vision revealing important information. This is not to be undertaken lightly. First, the priest must sacrifice an item of great personal value during the casting; second, the power contacted is unused to such effrontery from mortals and unless the situation merits its attention, the priest will instead be the subject of its wrath. (The criteria for whether the power is "annoyed" and what steps it takes in retribution depends on the nature and attitude of the power in question; in general, the less likely it is to annoy a particular power, the greater the consequences should be for actually doing so.)

Power: Contact Great Extraplanar Power 16-
Modifiers: Standard Limitations (-2½), Extra Time (1 turn) (-1) Constant Concentration (0 DCV) (-1), x5 Increased End Cost (-2), Expendable OAF: item of great personal value (-1½), Costs END (-½), Only to ask for vision (-½), Chance of Annoying Power (-½)
Active Cost: 70
END Cost: 35; Magic Roll: -7; Casting Time: 1 turn
Real Cost: 7