ilgatto
How inconvenient
Liebe Freunde,
Here's another one.
I have been trying to come up with an inclusive description of the 2E (Priest) version of Astral Spell, as based on the information in D&DI (p. 28) PHB1 (p. 52), DMG1 (p. 42), MotP (p. 60-61), PHB89 (p. 231), PHB95 (p. 293), DMGOR1 (p. 69-70), and PSC1 (p. 43-44), whilst ignoring anything from the Planescape setting.
This has not turned out to be as easy as I thought, mainly because the notion of how people and items interact with the Astral Plane has changed and expanded over the decades.
I have decided to use the OD&D/1E version of the spell as a basis. In short, this means that I proceed on the assumption that the spell creates an astral body* (astral self, astral projection) for each individual subjected to the spell when he enters the Astral Plane (as opposed to the MotP concept of a “physical presence”), which remain connected to their material forms in some fashion through the silvery cord**.
* “An astral body is a representation of an astral traveler and his equipment in the Astral Plane. It is created upon the casting of the spell, or when a second body enters the Astral Plane from one of the outer planes.
“If destroyed, an astral body and its silvery cord vanish and the traveler is reunited with his material form.”
** “For as long as the spell lasts, the caster’s astral body remains connected to his material form through a conduit known as a silvery cord. This conduit (the main cord) runs out from his astral body to those of each of any fellow travelers (secondary cords).
“If the main cord is cut, the spell ends and all astral bodies directly or indirectly connected to it dissolve and the travelers die. If a secondary cord is broken, this is only true for the traveler in question.”
While the “project” so far is “simply” a matter of making choices like the above and sticking to them, there remain a number subjects that I cannot reconcile with whatever choice I would make.
So here’s the first:
What happens to the astral bodies of fellow travelers if the caster’s astral body would be destroyed in the Astral Plane? Will they remain in the Astral Plane or will they also be reunited with their material forms?
Ergo 1: Can a secondary cord exist when a main cord vanishes - as opposed to being cut? To what are they attached in that case?
Ergo 2: Does the spell end when the astral body of the caster is destroyed? What does this mean for the astral bodies of fellow travelers and is there a connection to the notion of ending up stranded in the Astral Plane?
Any thoughts?
Here's another one.
I have been trying to come up with an inclusive description of the 2E (Priest) version of Astral Spell, as based on the information in D&DI (p. 28) PHB1 (p. 52), DMG1 (p. 42), MotP (p. 60-61), PHB89 (p. 231), PHB95 (p. 293), DMGOR1 (p. 69-70), and PSC1 (p. 43-44), whilst ignoring anything from the Planescape setting.
This has not turned out to be as easy as I thought, mainly because the notion of how people and items interact with the Astral Plane has changed and expanded over the decades.
I have decided to use the OD&D/1E version of the spell as a basis. In short, this means that I proceed on the assumption that the spell creates an astral body* (astral self, astral projection) for each individual subjected to the spell when he enters the Astral Plane (as opposed to the MotP concept of a “physical presence”), which remain connected to their material forms in some fashion through the silvery cord**.
* “An astral body is a representation of an astral traveler and his equipment in the Astral Plane. It is created upon the casting of the spell, or when a second body enters the Astral Plane from one of the outer planes.
“If destroyed, an astral body and its silvery cord vanish and the traveler is reunited with his material form.”
** “For as long as the spell lasts, the caster’s astral body remains connected to his material form through a conduit known as a silvery cord. This conduit (the main cord) runs out from his astral body to those of each of any fellow travelers (secondary cords).
“If the main cord is cut, the spell ends and all astral bodies directly or indirectly connected to it dissolve and the travelers die. If a secondary cord is broken, this is only true for the traveler in question.”
While the “project” so far is “simply” a matter of making choices like the above and sticking to them, there remain a number subjects that I cannot reconcile with whatever choice I would make.
So here’s the first:
What happens to the astral bodies of fellow travelers if the caster’s astral body would be destroyed in the Astral Plane? Will they remain in the Astral Plane or will they also be reunited with their material forms?
Ergo 1: Can a secondary cord exist when a main cord vanishes - as opposed to being cut? To what are they attached in that case?
Ergo 2: Does the spell end when the astral body of the caster is destroyed? What does this mean for the astral bodies of fellow travelers and is there a connection to the notion of ending up stranded in the Astral Plane?
Any thoughts?
