Legacy Magic

[Quickleaf]

Neat! Thanks for the interest. Here's my current write-ups for these spells. Note that the "Impossible Birth" spell idea is detailed very well in Libery Mysterium, the Netbook of Witches as "Crossbreed". Also, I included a new spell idea called "hidden heritage." Maybe we'll be able to create a new Legacy domain?


Loins of the Usurper
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 6, Druid 6, Fertility 6, Hex 6, Wizard/Sorcerer 6
Components: V S M AF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target, Effect, Area: One target
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell has one of two results, depending on the will of the caster. Either the caster curses a man’s loins such that the caster becomes the father of any children he sires, or a willing male accomplice becomes the father. The spell is cast upon a man during an act of intimacy, though this need not be sexual and could include being bathed by a servant or treated by a healer. If the man fails his saving throw, his seed is replaced with the “usurper” seed. It does not matter if the caster is female – she still would become the father. However, if cast on behalf of an accomplice, he must be male. Every time a man sires a child while under this curse, he gets a Will save; if successful, any subsequent children he has are his own and the curse has ended. Otherwise, his children continue to be born from the “usurper” seed.
Material Component: The caster must possess an object symbolizing the target’s manhood, such as a favored axe, a crown, or a fashioned statue. If the spell is being cast on behalf of an accomplice, it also requires a semen or blood of the accomplice.


Fecundate
Make something previously infertile fertile.
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 6, Druid 5, Fertility 5, Wizard/Sorcerer 6
Components: V S M DF XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft +5 ft/level)
Target, Effect, Area: One target/area
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell causes barren land to produce plant life or allows a barren woman or man to have children. It does not create conception, nor does it allow something which couldn’t normally produce life to do so. For example, a rock could not yield an apple tree, nor could a construct be allowed to bear children. If cast on a cursed target/area, the spell may work if its caster can beat the caster of the curse on an opposed check. Both casters roll d20 + their spellcaster level + the level of the spell they cast.
Material Component: Depending on culture the components vary, but often involves water and dung being cast into the area. To make a person fertile, one uses walnuts, water, and milk from a lactating ewe. Other components include fecundity masks and dolls, fire dances, and ritual sex.
The caster must sacrifice 100 XP.


Hidden Heritage
Disguises a newborn’s true parentage.
Illusion/Transmutation
Level: Cleric 8, Druid 8, Wizard/Sorcerer 8
Components: V S M DF
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target, Effect, Area: One target
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell disguises a child’s physical appearance. When cast upon a child who is raised by foster parents, it conceals the truth of the child’s ancestry, making it seem the child is truly the child of the foster parents. However, this only works so long as the child is reared by the foster parents without knowledge of their true heritage. The illusion is so powerful, especially when coupled with being raised without knowledge of their identity, that the creature’s race is treated as the same race as its foster parents. Should the child ever learn their true heritage the spell is broken and they gradually assume their true appearance and race.
For example, a queen who was raped by orcs may return to her husband, and they both decide to raise the child. Recruiting his vizier, the kind has the child enchanted so that he does not behave or appear as a half-orc, allowing the child to be raised in the castle free of prejudice. Upon reaching his fifteenth birthday, the boy confronts a band of orcs, among them his true father. So shaken is he by the confrontation that the boy begins to evidence erratic behavior. Over time, his appearance will begin to become more orcish and he will trade in the racial traits of a human for those of a half-orc.
Material Component: A veil is placed over the newborn, while a family crest (or other symbol) of the foster parents is placed overhead.


Invest Seed
Stores a man’s seed in a natural object.
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 7, Druid 7, Fertility 7, Wizard/Sorcerer 7
Components: V S M DF XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target, Effect, Area: One target/area
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows the caster to invest any man’s seed (including his own, if the caster is male) into a natural object, storing it until the conditions set forth by the spell are met. For example: “Store the seed of the Shah in this tree, such that any virtuous maid of noble birth who eats the fruit shall bear his child.” Any woman meeting the conditions set forth during the spell’s casting becomes impregnated with the man’s seed. Only one child can be birthed in this way. Thus, once the conditions are met, the spell ends.
Material Component: In order to cast this spell, the caster must have semen or blood from the prospective male, which is stored in a vial. Alternately, having the prospective male in person works as well. If the component is stored, it will be preserved for one day. If in that time it is not deposited into a natural object with the proper ritual, the magic becomes inert.
This spells requires the caster to sacrifice 1,000 XP.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Under Loins of the Usurper I think you mean "every time a man sires a child through this curse" not "once a man sires children through this curse." Otherwise he gets only one chance to make a save, and that only if he sires more than one child at a time (e.g. twins).

Another question about Loins of the Usurper: How could a healer or servant cast this spell without being detected (and interrupted) by the victim?

You wouldn't have a link to the netbook, would you?

 

[Quickleaf]

Thanks for the edit to "loins of the usurper".
About it being cast subtley.... I remember seeing a Subtle Spell feat in the Netbook of Feats, so that would do the trick. Another option would be allowing a character to cast the ritual before seeing the target. Sort of prepping the spell ahead of time, and then using the bathing/healing as the final spell component. Last option would be to use a drug/poison/enchantment magic on the target to make them less aware of the situation.

Here is the link...
Netbook of Witches

 

[Cheiromancer]

Thanks for the link.

Why is "hidden heritage" so high level? It would seem to have more story uses if it could be cast at a lower level. E.g. the local hedge witch could use it to cover up the fruit of an adulterous relationship.

 

[Quickleaf]

You're right, after looking over it, "hidden heritage" is too high-level. I think it should be adjusted to 4th level, possibly lower. With spells like this determining the appropriate level is difficult.

I initially had based its level on the crossbreed spell (7th). My original thought was that if the creature's apparent race was LA +2 and its actual race was LA +0 (or vice versa), then this spell could effectively cause a drastic decrease in a creature's power, or allow for a drastic increase at some point during the story.
But looking at it the opportunity for enhancing the story, along with the fact that there are serious restrictions on the spell:
- can only be cast on a newborn
- requires a child that has mixed parentage/adopted
- can be dispelled if child learns the truth

 

[Levitacus]

You might consider modifying the Loins spell to give a save each time the cursed individual has a chance to conceive a child. Seems a bit over-powered to me otherwise. Also, I would think that there would be some "protective" spells as well to counter these.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Well, he gets the initial save. And every time a child is conceived, he gets a chance to end the curse. 1 save per child conceived is pretty fair, isn't it?

But yeah, there needs to be a spell that makes that prevents two people from making babies with anyone other than each other. Call it Faithful Fertility or something. The effect of it with Loins of the Usurper would then be sterility. I don't know how this kind of sterility would be broken, aside from dispelling both enchantments.

BTW, does Remove Curse or Break Enchantment remove Loins of the Usurper? Should they?

And are there any sterility type spells? If not, there should be some of those, too.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

Cool spells. Definitely useful plot tools.

 

[Quickleaf]

Legacy Domain

Thanks for the ideas Cheiromancer! I don't think remove curse should work on "loins of the usurper", though possibly break enchantment - I'll have to read its description.

This is developing into a new domain dealing with legacy. Any ideas for 8th and 9th level spells?

THE LEGACY DOMAIN

Granted Power: You gain a bardic knowledge ability relating only to events, people, places, businesses, and plots related directly to your family. You may make these "family lore" checks with a modifier equal to your Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifier - you choose. At the GM's option, your reputation (or honor) within your family can modify this roll by up to 5 points, for good or ill. If you have the bardic knowledge ability, "family lore" stacks on top of that.

Domain Spells
1- Fertility Charm..........Increases chances for pregnancy
2- Bloodline ....................Senses a creature's ancestry
3- Hidden Heritage...........Conceals a newborn's ancestry
4- Faithful Fertility...........Prevents couple from having children outside of relationship
4- Seditious Sterility......Prevents target from conceiving except under a condition
5- Fecundate..................Makes formerly barren target/area fertile
6- Loins of the Usurper.......Replaces a man's seed with his rival's
7- Invest Seed................Stores a man's seed in nature
8- Span the Generations.....Cast a spell across entire generations
9- Descendant Rebirth....... Target is reborn as their own descendant

 

[Cheiromancer]

I don't know if these would be 8th or 9th level, but some ideas:

A version of clone; your child becomes the target's identical twin (usually yours). If the original is alive when the twin reaches adulthood (and the memories surface) perhaps something bad happens. (As in the clone spell). Or maybe not (see simulacrum spell).

Reincarnate someone as an unborn child. If cast in advance of someone's death (maybe within 1 day/level) the spell is conditional; the next one of their descendents to be born will be their reincarnation.

A way of hastening the coming to term of a child, and perhaps their growth to adulthood. This should require xp, since something will have to supply the skills and knowledge. A temporary penalty (of several years duration) to some of the mental stats would also be in order.