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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Revenant Domain

Both the Hallucinatory Domain spell and the Pocket Universe spell rely on a sentient being -- a caretaker or demiurge -- to maintain the spell. Depending on the rules defined for the dreamscape, such a domain could persist far beyond a normal human life span, either by making the target effectively immortal, or by allowing the current caretaker or demiurge to pass their stewardship on to another person. But there is still a potential for the spell to end.

The 8th level Revenant Domain spell is a counterpart to the 6th level Hallucinatory Domain spell, with an important difference: the domain can go through active and inactive cycles, depending on the presence or absence of a caretaker. When a sentient being enters the physical boundaries of the domain, the victim must make a saving throw; failure means that the being is ensnared by the illusion as it re-activates. If the victim breaks free and there are no other sentient beings that the spell can affect (or all potential victims make a saving throw,) the domain returns to dormancy; illusory towers topple, walls crumble, vegetation turns to dust. The enchantment lies in wait for its next victim.

The 9th level Revenant Universe is the astral equivalent. A small target area in the physical world becomes a trap, requiring a saving throw for any sentient being that crosses the boundary; those that fail the save vanish astrally into the depths of space and the hallucinatory universe defined by the spell re-awakens. Effectively, the target area becomes a one-way "dimensional gate".

2 comments:

  1. "Those who go down the road that once lead to Tallyzyn never return. Occasionally, a horse is found grazing or a wagon abandoned, but of the travelers, there is no sign."

    Great idea for a mystical trap.

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  2. Also, a great idea for setting up locations in general. I was watching Fellowship of the Ring again and noting that Rivendell, Moria, Isengard, and Lothlorien could all be interpreted as hallucinatory domains, with Moria specifically perhaps being the revenant variety (it lies in wait until the dwarves return.)

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