Need Help Developing an Epic Spell (Enderia players begone)

[Remathilis]

Ok, I have an idea for something in my next campaign, but I need an epic spell to do it, and I'd like to do it by the rulz if at all possible.

I need a spell that creates a mass soul-bind effect. Basically, it needs to cover a large area and whenever someone dies in the area, it traps thier soul somehow. The sould could be used for other purposes later (ala Book of Vile Darkness)

Suggestions on how to assemble this spell as an epic spell is much appriacted. I CAN do it as an NPC spell that requires no real game terms, but I'd like to see if it can be done legally first.

Thanks.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Have you tried looking at the rules for Eldritch Machines (in the Eberron Campaign Setting, if not elsewhere)?

 

[Droid101]

Have you tried looking at the rules for Eldritch Machines ?

Hey, what's an Eldritch Machine? (For those of us who don't have Eberron.)

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Basically, it's the "Mad Wizard's Device."

It basically says, "Hey - there are some things for which the rules can't necessarily account in an elegant way. For those times, use an Eldritch Machine. Treat it as a permanent Wish spell, with the caveat that it must be made of special items, located in a specific place, etc."

One of the suggested Eldritch Machines is a device, located at a point at which Dolurrh, the Realm of the Dead, is spiritually close to the Prime Material Plane, that automatically animates any creature that dies within an X mile radius as a skeleton or zombie under the control of the machine (and, by extension, the machine's controller).

It seems like this is just the sort of thing the OP is looking for.

 

[Remathilis]

The idea has merit, but the spell effect must be portable (its used to collect the souls of the dead from battlefields durring a battle.) I don't mind if its a longer spell to cast (most wars take enough prep time to cast the spell) but I need it portable.

Anyone have a suggestion on which epic seed to start with?

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

There's no reason an Eldritch Machine couldn't be portable - or couldn't have a portion of it be portable.

For instance, the wizard might carry a rod that is attuned to his machine. When anything is slain within X distance of the rod, a visible wisp of soulstuff is carried by ethereal winds to the rod, where it is absorbed and transported back to the main machine, which stores the soul energy in an array of crystals / diamonds / dragon hearts / whatever.

At any rate, it's just a friendly suggestion.

As for which seed to start with, Slay, obviously.

 

[Remathilis]

That works. Thanks.