Transfering Pregnancy

[Xath]

Well, there has been a really akward situation in our campaign, and one of the things we're thinking about is a way to transfer pregnancy. Any ideas? Is there an existing spell or can you help us write one? Thanks.

Transfer Pregnancy
Cleric 5
Components: V,S, M
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: See text
Target: See text
Duration: Permanent

You transfer the pregnancy from one pregnant being to another compatible being. (usually female). This is a very risky process. Both targets must succeed on a Fortitude Save DC 20 in order for the process to be successful. A failure on either part by 5 or more causes the death of the child. A failure of less than 5 on either side simply means that the procedure does not work and targets must wait a full day before trying again.

 

[CronoDekar]

Interesting, but rather high level in my opinion for such a spell. The fort save makes it rather difficult, but if that's what you want to go for then by all means.

Some other things to consider: Do the "mothers" have to be touched, or can it do long-distance baby transfer? Do the mothers have to be willing, or can you steal someone's baby? Permanent? Does dispelling return the baby to the rightful mother?

The Book of Erotic Fantasy might have it, but I wouldn't recommend dropping money for it. Since this spell would have little (if any) balance concerns, you should just be able to easily custom tailor it to how you (or the DM) want it to run in your campaign.

 

[Fieari]

Let me second the above, with an emphasis on topics like range. I would reccomend changing duration to "instantaneous" as well, that way you can't dispell it to cause a reveral after a fully successful casting. And a saving throw should be allowed an unwilling target... can't you just imagine an unscrupulous evil wizard stealing a mother's child while still in the womb? And the players going on a quest to right this wrong?

I for one think the level is fine. D&D tends to have the view that if it's not useful to an ADVENTURER, it's low level... but it creates LOTS of flavor to have spells for more mundane emergencies, and having them vary in difficulty is certainly an interesting way to go. That said, you might consider dropping the level a -little-... consider the level of NPCs that would find this useful.

 

[Xath]

Transfer Pregnancy
Cleric 4
Componants: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 min
Range: Touch
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Negates, see text

You transfer the pregnancy from one pregnant being to another compatible being. (usually female). This is a very risky process. Both targets must succeed on a Fortitude Save DC 20 in order for the process to be successful. A failure on either part by 5 or more causes the death of the child. A failure of less than 5 on either side simply means that the procedure does not work and targets must wait a full day before trying again. Both targets must be within 10 feet of each other for the spell to work. Each is entitled to a will save.


How's this?

 

[Fieari]

For flavor, what's the component? Also, do both targets need to be touched at the same time, or only the one or the other?

 

[Xath]

Both targets must be touched at the same time.

Usually, we don't use reagants in our campaign except in special circumstances. However, this may be one of them. What do you think would be an appropriate reagant for this spell?

 

[The_Universe]

Transfer Pregnancy
Cleric 4
Componants: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 min
Range: Touch
Target: see text
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Negates, see text

You transfer the pregnancy from one pregnant being to another compatible being. (usually female). This is a very risky process. Both targets must succeed on a Fortitude Save DC 20 in order for the process to be successful. A failure on either part by 5 or more causes the death of the child. A failure of less than 5 on either side simply means that the procedure does not work and targets must wait a full day before trying again. Both targets must be within 10 feet of each other for the spell to work. Each is entitled to a will save.


How's this?

The steal pregnancy idea is really cool - and horrifically sinister. Maybe make a higher level version that allows a spellcaster to transfer a pregnancy to or from unwilling targets at a distance? Or maybe with just the "real" mother touched?

Also, what, for the purposes of the spell, are compatible beings? Presumably, a gnome woman couldn't accept a half-orc's child...or could they? Does the spell fundamentally change the nature of the child?

 

[The_Universe]

hmm...something like a lock of the intended mother's hair might work for a component? Or should it be something more expensive.

Also, as I think about the Fort. Saves, maybe only the "recieving" mother needs to save? I mean, when you think about it, the original mother has the easy part in the spell....

 

[The_Universe]

Some suggestions...

Transfer Pregnancy
Cleric 3
Componants: V, S, M
Casting Time: 10 min
Range: Touch
Target: One pregnant and one non-pregnant willing target.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial, See text
Spell Resistence: No

The caster transfers pregnancy from one touched pregnant being to another touched non-pregnant compatible being (usually female). Both targets of the spell must be willing.

Not all sentient beings are "compatible" for the purposes of this spell. A child cannot be transferred from a creature of one type to a creature of another. Thus, a child may be transferred from one type of Giant to another, but a humanoid (monstrous or otherwise) cannot accept a Giant's child through the use of this spell. Humanoids are especially restrictive. Only humanoid creatures of the same type and subtype may transfer pregnancies. Regardless of type and/or subtype, both mothers must be within 1 size category of each other.

In order for the child (or children) to be successfully transferred from the original mother to the intended, the intended mother must first succeed at a Fortitude Save DC 20. Failure on her part by less than 5 simply means that the procedure does not work and the targets must wait a full day before trying again. If the recipient of the pregnancy fails the save by 5 or more, the child is lost in the transfer and dies.

If the transfer is successful or the child is lost, the original mother must then make a fortitude save of her own, DC 15. If successful, the target is nonetheless fatigued for 4d6 days. If the target fails the save, she immediately takes 1d10 Con damage and is also fatigued for 4d6 days.

If successful, the child retains its essential nature, and its parents do not change, even though it will be born to a different creature. For example, if an elven woman chooses to become the recipient of a human couple's child, it remains a human child, despite its new environs.

Material component: a lock of hair from both the original and intended mothers, a fresh pea pod, and a black pearl worth at least 500 GP. All three components are reduced to worthless ash during the casting of the spell.

 

[The_Universe]

The problem with the above is that a "compatible" mother has still not been defined. Can a halfling woman accept a half-orc child? Should it be restricted to a certain number of steps from the child's race?

For instance a "single-step" limit might be that a human woman could accept children from humans, half-orcs and half-elves. Half-orcs could accept children from other half-orcs, humans and orcs. Half-elves could accept children from other half-elves, humans and elves. I'm not sure how the other core races would fit in, since in the official description of their races they're not as...compatible...as humans, orcs and elves.

Other thoughts?