Draxar
2011-08-16, 05:04 PM
Prying Eyes
School divination; Level sorcerer/wizard 5, witch 5
CASTING:
Casting Time 1 minute, Components V, S, M (a handful of crystal marbles)
EFFECT
Range 1 mile, Effect 10 or more levitating eyes, Duration 1 hour/level; see text (D), Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
You create a number of semi-tangible, visible magical orbs (called "eyes") equal to 1d4 + your caster level. These eyes move out, scout around, and return as you direct them when casting the spell. Each eye can see 120 feet (normal vision only) in all directions.
While the individual eyes are quite fragile, they're small and difficult to spot. Each eye is a Fine construct, about the size of a small apple, that has 1 hit point, AC 18 (+8 bonus for its size), flies at a speed of 30 feet with a +20 bonus on Fly skill checks and a +16 bonus on Stealth skill checks. It has a Perception modifier equal to your caster level (maximum +15) and is subject to illusions, darkness, fog, and any other factors that affect your ability to receive visual information about your surroundings. An eye traveling in darkness must find its way by touch.
When you create the eyes, you specify instructions you want them to follow in a command of no more than 25 words. Any knowledge you possess is known by the eyes as well.
In order to report their findings, the eyes must return to your hand. Each replays in your mind all it has seen during its existence. It takes an eye 1 round to replay 1 hour of recorded images. After relaying its findings, an eye disappears.
If an eye ever gets more than 1 mile away from you, it instantly ceases to exist. However, your link with the eye is such that you won't know if the eye was destroyed because it wandered out of range or because of some other event.
The eyes exist for up to 1 hour per caster level or until they return to you. Dispel magic can destroy eyes. Roll separately for each eye caught in an area dispel. Of course, if an eye is sent into darkness, it could hit a wall or similar obstacle and destroy itself.
Given that the eyes know what you know, this allows you to have them search for "Leeroy Jenkins" if you know what he looks like. It also allows them to dance the dance of the fireflies, if you know what that is, what it looks like, what route they'd have to fly.
Therefore, arguably at least, if you know that:
"Search protocol alpha, target [target name]"
means
"Spread out in pairs in a spiral pattern out, going no further than a mile from caster's current position, looking for the target, if found then one of them returns to you the other stays watching it, if not, return to the caster's original position, if caster not found there then search for him, once the caster is found, then if not adressed, go out on another search vector that hasn't yet been looked at, if told to 'abide', then stay by the caster (so he can move to another location), and start a new spiral search pattern when he says "Engage". Return to the caster if you hear [whistle signal A], unless you're already watching a target. Even if already watching a target, return if you hear [whistle signal B]."
Then by saying "Search protocol alpha, target Leeroy Jenkins", your prying eyes will go out and do that.
It's also arguable that if you give them the order "Await more detailed instructions from me", you could give them the above search pattern without having to have pre-memorised it.
I'd argue both the above are acceptable by RAW. I can see people having differing thoughts on whether they're RAI. I don't think they break the spell, and fitting your instructions into 25 words has the advantage that the eyes are then out and doing it within one round, compared to telling them longer instructions. I'm vaguely curious about people's views on the acceptability of it, but the person who really matters — my GM — has already said he's okay with me doing it that way.
What I'm really after is people's thoughts on what 'protocols' would be a good toolset to have.
Search Protocol Alpha is probably a decent one, though could possibly use a bit of honing. You'd also want a 'Search Protocol Alpha Herpō", which would be the same as Alpha, but with added sneaking. Indeed, Herpō as a general suffix added to pretty much any command for 'do this sneakily' would be good. Search Protocol Beta could be for when you're less worried about them running away, or need the added speed, and gets rid of the pairing. You'd want some sort of nighttime guarding protocol, and a dungeon exploration one. You'd also want 'Protocol Anameneteon' holding pattern which would be something along the lines of:
Hover and wait to be touched by the caster. Number yourself based on the order in which you were touched compared to the other eyes (first eye touched is one, second is two, etc), then enter the container indicated by the caster, and await further instructions addressed to 'Optikos [number]'
So, what other sets of instructions can people think of? And can you improve on the ones I've come up with so far?
School divination; Level sorcerer/wizard 5, witch 5
CASTING:
Casting Time 1 minute, Components V, S, M (a handful of crystal marbles)
EFFECT
Range 1 mile, Effect 10 or more levitating eyes, Duration 1 hour/level; see text (D), Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
You create a number of semi-tangible, visible magical orbs (called "eyes") equal to 1d4 + your caster level. These eyes move out, scout around, and return as you direct them when casting the spell. Each eye can see 120 feet (normal vision only) in all directions.
While the individual eyes are quite fragile, they're small and difficult to spot. Each eye is a Fine construct, about the size of a small apple, that has 1 hit point, AC 18 (+8 bonus for its size), flies at a speed of 30 feet with a +20 bonus on Fly skill checks and a +16 bonus on Stealth skill checks. It has a Perception modifier equal to your caster level (maximum +15) and is subject to illusions, darkness, fog, and any other factors that affect your ability to receive visual information about your surroundings. An eye traveling in darkness must find its way by touch.
When you create the eyes, you specify instructions you want them to follow in a command of no more than 25 words. Any knowledge you possess is known by the eyes as well.
In order to report their findings, the eyes must return to your hand. Each replays in your mind all it has seen during its existence. It takes an eye 1 round to replay 1 hour of recorded images. After relaying its findings, an eye disappears.
If an eye ever gets more than 1 mile away from you, it instantly ceases to exist. However, your link with the eye is such that you won't know if the eye was destroyed because it wandered out of range or because of some other event.
The eyes exist for up to 1 hour per caster level or until they return to you. Dispel magic can destroy eyes. Roll separately for each eye caught in an area dispel. Of course, if an eye is sent into darkness, it could hit a wall or similar obstacle and destroy itself.
Given that the eyes know what you know, this allows you to have them search for "Leeroy Jenkins" if you know what he looks like. It also allows them to dance the dance of the fireflies, if you know what that is, what it looks like, what route they'd have to fly.
Therefore, arguably at least, if you know that:
"Search protocol alpha, target [target name]"
means
"Spread out in pairs in a spiral pattern out, going no further than a mile from caster's current position, looking for the target, if found then one of them returns to you the other stays watching it, if not, return to the caster's original position, if caster not found there then search for him, once the caster is found, then if not adressed, go out on another search vector that hasn't yet been looked at, if told to 'abide', then stay by the caster (so he can move to another location), and start a new spiral search pattern when he says "Engage". Return to the caster if you hear [whistle signal A], unless you're already watching a target. Even if already watching a target, return if you hear [whistle signal B]."
Then by saying "Search protocol alpha, target Leeroy Jenkins", your prying eyes will go out and do that.
It's also arguable that if you give them the order "Await more detailed instructions from me", you could give them the above search pattern without having to have pre-memorised it.
I'd argue both the above are acceptable by RAW. I can see people having differing thoughts on whether they're RAI. I don't think they break the spell, and fitting your instructions into 25 words has the advantage that the eyes are then out and doing it within one round, compared to telling them longer instructions. I'm vaguely curious about people's views on the acceptability of it, but the person who really matters — my GM — has already said he's okay with me doing it that way.
What I'm really after is people's thoughts on what 'protocols' would be a good toolset to have.
Search Protocol Alpha is probably a decent one, though could possibly use a bit of honing. You'd also want a 'Search Protocol Alpha Herpō", which would be the same as Alpha, but with added sneaking. Indeed, Herpō as a general suffix added to pretty much any command for 'do this sneakily' would be good. Search Protocol Beta could be for when you're less worried about them running away, or need the added speed, and gets rid of the pairing. You'd want some sort of nighttime guarding protocol, and a dungeon exploration one. You'd also want 'Protocol Anameneteon' holding pattern which would be something along the lines of:
Hover and wait to be touched by the caster. Number yourself based on the order in which you were touched compared to the other eyes (first eye touched is one, second is two, etc), then enter the container indicated by the caster, and await further instructions addressed to 'Optikos [number]'
So, what other sets of instructions can people think of? And can you improve on the ones I've come up with so far?