Any spell cast

[denthor]

Turns you to stone inside that chamber. Not that would not affect a demigod. Do you think his cleric will turn to stone?

[Cazero]

Any spell cast on any creature. Spell with a range of self may be allowed.

[denthor]

So you could cast dispel magic on yourself?
Confusion would turn you to stone but cause chaos in the process.

Anything else that could work to hinder this meeting.

Did any of them(other then the cleric) look like casters

[Rogar Demonblud]

It's not "any spell cast". It's "any breech of dwarven law". There's probably a number of spells specifically excluded, including Summon Proxy.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

It's not "any spell cast". It's "any breech of dwarven law". There's probably a number of spells specifically excluded, including Summon Proxy.

The laws don't prohibit simply talking! But they do explicitly forbid attacking or using any spell or supernatural ability on any creature during a council meeting

I disagree with Cazero that there is a loophole in self-casting, since oneself is a subset of "any creature", but otherwise, it is correct that the law seems rather strict when it comes to actions during a council meeting.

Grey Wolf

[Bacon Elemental]

Maybe Summon Proxy counts as casting a spell on the relevant god. Are gods creatures in D&D?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Maybe Summon Proxy counts as casting a spell on the relevant god. Are gods creatures in D&D?

They might not use summon proxy at all. The scenario can work with a commune/sending-like spell that receives the question from Dvalin and allows the priest to send back an answer. Alternatively, the blue barrier might not care about targets outside the room.

Grey Wolf

[Fyraltari]

I'm pretty sure that if it was impossible to do what they assemble there to do they'd have noticed by now.

[BaronOfHell]

Isn't summon proxy, and the barriers original spells in the sense they are not part of any other D&D work, such as books or similar?

If so, while perhaps more convoluted, I could imagine the summon proxy spell itself also provide immunity from the barrier spell effects, but only when it comes to casting summon proxy.
If there is some kind of connected history between the summon proxy spell the followers of Dvalin may receive, and the barrier spells surrounding the meeting of clan elders, then perhaps it could be a possibility that one spell may temporarily (e.g. while active) protect against the other?

[Cazero]

I disagree with Cazero that there is a loophole in self-casting, since oneself is a subset of "any creature", but otherwise, it is correct that the law seems rather strict when it comes to actions during a council meeting.

Grey Wolf

To be clear, I'm making a distinction between spells with a range of self (like Commune) and spells targeted at self (like a theoritical Dispell Magic).
Many spells with a range of self would be better described as not having a range at all.

[SirLancelittle]

What I keep wondering is this: Does the spell go off before you are turned to stone? If you are willing to sacrifice yourself, can you cast dispel magic on one person (or, even better, mass dispel)?

[CriticalFailure]

What will happen if the cleric turns themself to stone to prevent the vampires from swaying the vote? Do they need to find another cleric?

[woweedd]

People keep on misinterpreting: That barrier doesn't stop any spell being cast: It stops any spell being cast ON THE COUNCIL. It stops violations of Dwarven law, of which casting spells on the Council is one.

[Emanick]

I wonder what would happen if you summoned a creature that, say, dealt fire damage to any creature within a certain radius. Would that count as a violation of the rules?

[Wizard_Lizard]

I'm pretty sure that if it was impossible to do what they assemble there to do they'd have noticed by now.

Naaaaa Clerics turning to stone is just a problem with the piping...

[Oxenstierna]

As seems to have been spotted by a couple of people here already, I’m reading two loopholes within the blue barrier rules as given in the comic. I read the conditions as: anyone violating dwarven law is instantly turned into stone until the meeting is formally adjourned, and casting any spell on any creature is against dwarven law. Now assuming the spell casting is instant, and you don’t mind waiting out the meeting in stone form, I don’t see it written that the spell is actually prevented from taking effect (obviously if it takes longer to cast, being turned to stone sort-of hampers the finishing of the spell casting). Second potential loophole: creatures may not be targeted, but dispel magic lists three ‘targeted dispel’ options. The other two are objects, and spells. Therefore, what’s to stop the dominate gaze attack, (treated as the dominate person spell once in effect), being specifically targeted with dispel magic?

[Kelenius]

Well, in that case, there's a very easy way around it.

1) Summon an earth elemental (doesn't target the council, so not a violation)
2) Order it to attack everyone else (speaking is not a violation)
3) Have a nice cold pint and wait for everything to blow over

There are, presumably, other laws that would stop it.

[HorizonWalker]

As seems to have been spotted by a couple of people here already, I’m reading two loopholes within the blue barrier rules as given in the comic. I read the conditions as: anyone violating dwarven law is instantly turned into stone until the meeting is formally adjourned, and casting any spell on any creature is against dwarven law. Now assuming the spell casting is instant, and you don’t mind waiting out the meeting in stone form, I don’t see it written that the spell is actually prevented from taking effect (obviously if it takes longer to cast, being turned to stone sort-of hampers the finishing of the spell casting). Second potential loophole: creatures may not be targeted, but dispel magic lists three ‘targeted dispel’ options. The other two are objects, and spells. Therefore, what’s to stop the dominate gaze attack, (treated as the dominate person spell once in effect), being specifically targeted with dispel magic?

One problem with the "instant spellcasting" assumption:

It isn't.

Counterspelling is a thing, and for counterspelling to work, you need to be able to instantly recognize the spell being cast and start casting your own before it's finished. If your spell can be interrupted by a mortal spellcaster, then it can probably be interrupted by ancient dwarven magics layered onto the defenses of, at the time, the most important building in the kingdom.

[woweedd]

As seems to have been spotted by a couple of people here already, I’m reading two loopholes within the blue barrier rules as given in the comic. I read the conditions as: anyone violating dwarven law is instantly turned into stone until the meeting is formally adjourned, and casting any spell on any creature is against dwarven law. Now assuming the spell casting is instant, and you don’t mind waiting out the meeting in stone form, I don’t see it written that the spell is actually prevented from taking effect (obviously if it takes longer to cast, being turned to stone sort-of hampers the finishing of the spell casting). Second potential loophole: creatures may not be targeted, but dispel magic lists three ‘targeted dispel’ options. The other two are objects, and spells. Therefore, what’s to stop the dominate gaze attack, (treated as the dominate person spell once in effect), being specifically targeted with dispel magic?

Casting any spell ON THE COUNCIL is aganist the law.

[HorizonWalker]

Casting any spell ON THE COUNCIL is aganist the law.

"But they do explicitly forbid attacking or using any spell or supernatural ability on any creature during a council meeting."

[woweedd]

"But they do explicitly forbid attacking or using any spell or supernatural ability on any creature during a council meeting."

Ah. I'm sorry, my bad.

[Oxenstierna]

One problem with the "instant spellcasting" assumption:

It isn't.

Counterspelling is a thing

That makes sense. I guess it rules out the ‘cast and be damned’ option, unless you get into counterspelling the petrification... it does underline that objects and potentially spells could still be targeted rather than creatures. Keeping within the laws as given so far.

To be honest, regardless of the attempts of every spellcaster in almost every D&D session :) I don’t expect this situation to be resolved with a handy spell. It’s just not very satisfying as narrative except as a punchline.

[mjasghar]

Well, in that case, there's a very easy way around it.

1) Summon an earth elemental (doesn't target the council, so not a violation)
2) Order it to attack everyone else (speaking is not a violation)
3) Have a nice cold pint and wait for everything to blow over

There are, presumably, other laws that would stop it.

Conspiracy to commit murder/assault

[Rogar Demonblud]

And the earth elemental will be petrified immediately, turning it into a rather ugly statue.

[Anymage]

Casting any spell during the council meeting is a violation. I don't expect the vote to be resolved by calling a recess and then casting all the necessary spells (that's a little too simple for such a dramatic moment), but I fully expect that afterwards the meeting will be adjourned and the vampires will cease to be protected by technicalities of dwarven law.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I think the idea for several of these is to cast the spell in the Guard Circle before walking into the Blue Circle.

[Cazero]

And the earth elemental will be petrified immediately, turning it into a rather ugly statue.

The whole point of picking an earth elemental as your summon : they're immune to petrification.

[Wizard_Lizard]

The whole point of picking an earth elemental as your summon : they're immune to petrification.

Maybe they change from stone to flesh?

[woweedd]

Maybe they change from stone to flesh?

They actually call us "flesh elementals": Little-known fact.

[Rogar Demonblud]

The whole point of picking an earth elemental as your summon : they're immune to petrification.

No they aren't. Well, technically petrification works a paralyzation on them.