Lysander
2009-06-17, 12:08 PM
A stylus is a kind of spell-storing device like a wand or staff, but with a unique mechanic that makes it easy to effortlessly extend a magical effect.
Stylus
A small writing implement made of stone, bone, metal, or wood. Usually it is dipped in ink but a magical stylus can create glowing runes without any additional materials.
Using a stylus
Each stylus stores 50 charges of a single spell with an ongoing duration, which are cast on the creature, object, or location by drawing a trigger rune upon it. When a rune is drawn one charge is expended.
Drawing a rune is a full-round action, and can only be drawn on a creature if it is willing or immobilized. Every spell requires a unique precise rune. Anyone who knows the rune can easily show another person how to draw it, but only wizards and bards automatically know all runes without someone teaching them. Casting identify will also show what rune must be drawn.
Runes glow brightly where they are drawn. They fade away once the spell reaches its time limit or is dispelled, unless it is renewed (see below). A rune will vanish in an anti-magic field but reappear once it leaves.
Renewing a Spell
A stylus provides its bearer with a magical knowledge of the physical condition of the object bearing a rune, and the status of the rune spell, but no other information.
When a rune spell reaches its time limit or is dispelled, the current bearer of the stylus can choose to renew the spell. This spends another charge from the stylus and automatically casts a fresh spell on the target, with no save. Renewing a spell is an instantaneous mental free action, and can be done no matter how far the rune/target is from the stylus, even across planes.
This allows someone to draw a rune, and cast the magic spell up to fifty times on same object/creature no matter where it is.
Ending a Rune Prematurely
A stylus can only have one active rune at a time. If a stylus draws a rune while a previous rune still exists, the original rune will vanish even if that spell hasn't reached its time limit.
Mage's Disjunction has a chance of removing a rune with no chance to renew, against the will save of the bearer of the stylus or the target, whichever is highest. This disjunction does not harm the stylus assuming it is out of range.
If a stylus is destroyed or disjunted, an active rune also immediately vanishes and its spell ends.
Stylus
A small writing implement made of stone, bone, metal, or wood. Usually it is dipped in ink but a magical stylus can create glowing runes without any additional materials.
Using a stylus
Each stylus stores 50 charges of a single spell with an ongoing duration, which are cast on the creature, object, or location by drawing a trigger rune upon it. When a rune is drawn one charge is expended.
Drawing a rune is a full-round action, and can only be drawn on a creature if it is willing or immobilized. Every spell requires a unique precise rune. Anyone who knows the rune can easily show another person how to draw it, but only wizards and bards automatically know all runes without someone teaching them. Casting identify will also show what rune must be drawn.
Runes glow brightly where they are drawn. They fade away once the spell reaches its time limit or is dispelled, unless it is renewed (see below). A rune will vanish in an anti-magic field but reappear once it leaves.
Renewing a Spell
A stylus provides its bearer with a magical knowledge of the physical condition of the object bearing a rune, and the status of the rune spell, but no other information.
When a rune spell reaches its time limit or is dispelled, the current bearer of the stylus can choose to renew the spell. This spends another charge from the stylus and automatically casts a fresh spell on the target, with no save. Renewing a spell is an instantaneous mental free action, and can be done no matter how far the rune/target is from the stylus, even across planes.
This allows someone to draw a rune, and cast the magic spell up to fifty times on same object/creature no matter where it is.
Ending a Rune Prematurely
A stylus can only have one active rune at a time. If a stylus draws a rune while a previous rune still exists, the original rune will vanish even if that spell hasn't reached its time limit.
Mage's Disjunction has a chance of removing a rune with no chance to renew, against the will save of the bearer of the stylus or the target, whichever is highest. This disjunction does not harm the stylus assuming it is out of range.
If a stylus is destroyed or disjunted, an active rune also immediately vanishes and its spell ends.