Packbat
2012-12-01, 12:54 AM
So, I was talking to my DM (Tom Beigel, if anyone else here is from the MD area) about the book Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and how, after Jonathan Strange attaches himself to Wellington's army, he ends up aiding them by creating magical roads. Whereupon it occurred to us that, while there are Wall of [insert material here] spells and the like, there aren't really any spells suited to creating a road of any significant length.
The following is our attempt to remedy this lack. Most of the text is mine, but many details come from Tom or others in our D&D group. That said, I don't have an especial attachment to a word of this, and would be thrilled to tear them to pieces to build something better from the wreckage. :smallsmile:
So, without further ado, the two spells.
1
Blaze Trail
Transmutation [Earth]
Level: Cleric 3, druid 2, Nature 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
This spell moves earth, rocks, plants, and branches to create a five-foot-wide path ahead of the caster at up to their ground-based move speed. If the caster is moving faster than this speed, the effect of the spell is suppressed until they slow. Within the following restrictions, this path is level from side to side, dry, well-packed, and free of potholes, vegetation, and protruding rocks and tree roots, as well as being clear of branches and hanging foliage to a height of ten feet. This path may be projected in front of the caster up to 5 ft/4 caster levels.
The reshaping of the terrain that this spell performs is limited to the movement of the top layer of soil, rocks not larger than four inches in diameter, and branches, roots, and trunks not larger than four inches in diameter. Entire plants affected by this spell will be generally displaced to one side of the trail; overhanging branches will be cut and dropped to one side; roots will either be buried or be cut and dropped. If the desired path cuts across standing water less than an inch deep, the water will be displaced; if it cuts across a stream less than four inches deep or standing water between one and six inches deep, the path will be submerged but safe to walk on. Deeper water, larger trees, and larger rocks block the creation of a trail, and must be routed around.
If there is snow on the ground, but less than two inches, the snow is cleared to either side. If there is between two and twelve inches, the spell will create a trail as normal under the snow and leave the snow hard-packed on top of it. If there is more than twelve inches, the spell will carve the trail out of snow and leave the ground underneath unaffected.
At eighth caster level, the caster may use this spell while riding a ground-based mount at its movement speed.
At twelfth level, the caster may use this spell while flying, but must remain within the ten-foot height of the spell.
This spell may be used in conjunction with Find the Path or Locate Object. A caster who does so may use the focus for this spell as the focus for the other. Otherwise, this spell provides no guidance.
Focus: A machete, hatchet, sickle, or other blade appropriate for clearing underbrush.
1
Carve Road
Conjuration [Creation]
Level: Cleric 5, druid 5, Nature 5, ranger 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Up to 1 hour/caster level
Range: Special (see text)
Target: Special (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
The caster spends the casting time of this spell marking the intended route of the road and any significant obstacles to its path with arcane sigils. At the end of the casting time of the spell, they roll a caster level plus attribute modifier check (1d20 + attribute modifier + caster level) to determine the degree of success or failure; the difficulty of the check is 15 plus the following modifiers:
{table=head]
Condition |
DC Mod
{colsp=2}
Move Speed
Half base or less | -5
Half up to base | +0
Base up to 1.5x | +5
1.5x up to 2x | +10
{colsp=2}
Terrain
Open, level fields | -5
Hills & valleys | +0
Creeks & rivulets | +5
Sparse forest | +0
Dense forest | +5
Jungle or swamp | +10
Mountains | +5
Streams and ponds | +5
Rivers and lakes | +10
{colsp=2}
Interference
Undisturbed | -5
Natural wildlife | +0
Dense wildlife | +5
Domesticated herds | +5
Subtle or hasty sabotage | +5
Thorough sabotage | +10
{colsp=2}
Miscellaneous
5 ranks Knowledge (Architecture/Engineering) | -2
[/table]
Definitions:
Creeks and rivulets are flows of water small enough to be jumped or stepped over.
Streams and ponds are flows or bodies of water shallow enough to be easily waded across - not more than 4 inches deep for flowing water and not more than 6 inches deep for still.
Rivers and lakes are larger bodies of water.
Hasty sabotage requires at least 1 full round spent damaging the symbols marking the path.
Subtle sabotage requires at least 10 minutes spent altering one or more arcane symbols in ways hard to detect.
Thorough sabotage requires at least 10 minutes spent destroying the symbols on some section of the path.
The effects of the spell shall be as follows, depending on the result of the caster level check:
{table=head]
Roll vs. DC |
Outcome
If failed by more than 5 | The spell fizzles, and no path is created.
If failed by up to 5 | A dirt road is created from the endpoint back to the nearest interruption.
If passed by less than 5 | A dirt road is created for the entire length.
If passed by 5 to 9 | A well-shaped gravel road is created.
If passed by 10 to 14 | A stone road is created, with wooden bridges over rivulets, boggy ground, and creeks and good fords through larger bodies of water. The stone road is supported by a solid foundation of gravel, clay, and sand, like a Roman road.
If passed by 15 to 20 | A stone road is created with stone culverts for creeks and rivulets and simple wooden bridges over larger bodies of water.
If passed by more than 20 | A stone road is created with stone culverts and stone bridges, marked with milestones, and equipped with regular mounting-blocks for riders.
[/table]
All roads created shall be 10 feet wide with 20 feet of overhead clearance for the entire width. The "dirt road" described above is constructed as per Blaze Trail, save for the aforementioned dimensions. The stone road is formed to lie at or within a few inches of the prior ground level of the terrain it passes through; while bumps are smoothed out, slopes are unaffected. (If, for example, switchbacks are desired to reduce the grade of the road, the initial marking of the road must include these switchbacks.)
Material Component: 100 gp of crushed gemstones per mile, used in the marking of the road.
The following is our attempt to remedy this lack. Most of the text is mine, but many details come from Tom or others in our D&D group. That said, I don't have an especial attachment to a word of this, and would be thrilled to tear them to pieces to build something better from the wreckage. :smallsmile:
So, without further ado, the two spells.
1
Blaze Trail
Transmutation [Earth]
Level: Cleric 3, druid 2, Nature 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 3
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
This spell moves earth, rocks, plants, and branches to create a five-foot-wide path ahead of the caster at up to their ground-based move speed. If the caster is moving faster than this speed, the effect of the spell is suppressed until they slow. Within the following restrictions, this path is level from side to side, dry, well-packed, and free of potholes, vegetation, and protruding rocks and tree roots, as well as being clear of branches and hanging foliage to a height of ten feet. This path may be projected in front of the caster up to 5 ft/4 caster levels.
The reshaping of the terrain that this spell performs is limited to the movement of the top layer of soil, rocks not larger than four inches in diameter, and branches, roots, and trunks not larger than four inches in diameter. Entire plants affected by this spell will be generally displaced to one side of the trail; overhanging branches will be cut and dropped to one side; roots will either be buried or be cut and dropped. If the desired path cuts across standing water less than an inch deep, the water will be displaced; if it cuts across a stream less than four inches deep or standing water between one and six inches deep, the path will be submerged but safe to walk on. Deeper water, larger trees, and larger rocks block the creation of a trail, and must be routed around.
If there is snow on the ground, but less than two inches, the snow is cleared to either side. If there is between two and twelve inches, the spell will create a trail as normal under the snow and leave the snow hard-packed on top of it. If there is more than twelve inches, the spell will carve the trail out of snow and leave the ground underneath unaffected.
At eighth caster level, the caster may use this spell while riding a ground-based mount at its movement speed.
At twelfth level, the caster may use this spell while flying, but must remain within the ten-foot height of the spell.
This spell may be used in conjunction with Find the Path or Locate Object. A caster who does so may use the focus for this spell as the focus for the other. Otherwise, this spell provides no guidance.
Focus: A machete, hatchet, sickle, or other blade appropriate for clearing underbrush.
1
Carve Road
Conjuration [Creation]
Level: Cleric 5, druid 5, Nature 5, ranger 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: Up to 1 hour/caster level
Range: Special (see text)
Target: Special (see text)
Duration: Instantaneous
The caster spends the casting time of this spell marking the intended route of the road and any significant obstacles to its path with arcane sigils. At the end of the casting time of the spell, they roll a caster level plus attribute modifier check (1d20 + attribute modifier + caster level) to determine the degree of success or failure; the difficulty of the check is 15 plus the following modifiers:
{table=head]
Condition |
DC Mod
{colsp=2}
Move Speed
Half base or less | -5
Half up to base | +0
Base up to 1.5x | +5
1.5x up to 2x | +10
{colsp=2}
Terrain
Open, level fields | -5
Hills & valleys | +0
Creeks & rivulets | +5
Sparse forest | +0
Dense forest | +5
Jungle or swamp | +10
Mountains | +5
Streams and ponds | +5
Rivers and lakes | +10
{colsp=2}
Interference
Undisturbed | -5
Natural wildlife | +0
Dense wildlife | +5
Domesticated herds | +5
Subtle or hasty sabotage | +5
Thorough sabotage | +10
{colsp=2}
Miscellaneous
5 ranks Knowledge (Architecture/Engineering) | -2
[/table]
Definitions:
Creeks and rivulets are flows of water small enough to be jumped or stepped over.
Streams and ponds are flows or bodies of water shallow enough to be easily waded across - not more than 4 inches deep for flowing water and not more than 6 inches deep for still.
Rivers and lakes are larger bodies of water.
Hasty sabotage requires at least 1 full round spent damaging the symbols marking the path.
Subtle sabotage requires at least 10 minutes spent altering one or more arcane symbols in ways hard to detect.
Thorough sabotage requires at least 10 minutes spent destroying the symbols on some section of the path.
The effects of the spell shall be as follows, depending on the result of the caster level check:
{table=head]
Roll vs. DC |
Outcome
If failed by more than 5 | The spell fizzles, and no path is created.
If failed by up to 5 | A dirt road is created from the endpoint back to the nearest interruption.
If passed by less than 5 | A dirt road is created for the entire length.
If passed by 5 to 9 | A well-shaped gravel road is created.
If passed by 10 to 14 | A stone road is created, with wooden bridges over rivulets, boggy ground, and creeks and good fords through larger bodies of water. The stone road is supported by a solid foundation of gravel, clay, and sand, like a Roman road.
If passed by 15 to 20 | A stone road is created with stone culverts for creeks and rivulets and simple wooden bridges over larger bodies of water.
If passed by more than 20 | A stone road is created with stone culverts and stone bridges, marked with milestones, and equipped with regular mounting-blocks for riders.
[/table]
All roads created shall be 10 feet wide with 20 feet of overhead clearance for the entire width. The "dirt road" described above is constructed as per Blaze Trail, save for the aforementioned dimensions. The stone road is formed to lie at or within a few inches of the prior ground level of the terrain it passes through; while bumps are smoothed out, slopes are unaffected. (If, for example, switchbacks are desired to reduce the grade of the road, the initial marking of the road must include these switchbacks.)
Material Component: 100 gp of crushed gemstones per mile, used in the marking of the road.