I like the concept of the ceremony spell, but I think the implementation is very odd. The benefits seem very short-lived as compared to the significance of the ceremonies. Also, some of the benefits seem random (why does getting married give an AC boost?). Below are my take on the spells. All of the low-level ceremony spells will be written into a "Book of Common Ceremonies" that any cleric can use with its ritual casting ability. (Also, my campaign has a monotheist Church, which affects the flavor of the spells).
Ceremony of Birth
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (holy water or oil, and a holy symbol which is not consumed)
Duration: Until one month after birth (see text)
When you cast this spell, you recognize the beginning of the target's life. In order to be effective, this ceremony must be conducted in the presence of other persons, who traditionally include the parents of the target. This spell must be cast within 7 days after the target's birth.
Until the target is one month old, the target can't be charmed, frightened, or possessed by an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead. This prevents the target from being replaced by a changeling. In addition, the target had advantage on saving throws against illnesses and nonmagical diseases.
Ceremony of Coming Of Age
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a holy symbol, amulet, book or other object which is not consumed)
Duration: One week
When you cast this spell, you recognize that the target has formally become an adult and accepted the tents of the Church. In order to be effective, this ceremony must be conducted in the presence of other persons, who traditionally include the family and friends of the target. No person can benefit from this ceremony more than once in their lifetime.
At any time before the spell ends, the target can choose to invoke the benefits of this spell (which does not require an action). For one minute afterwards, whenever a target makes an attack roll, saving throw or ability check, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll, saving throw or ability check.
Ceremony of Dying
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (holy water or oil, and a holy symbol which is not consumed)
Duration: 24 hours/7 days (see text)
When you cast this spell, you ease the target's passage into death. If the targets dies within 24 hours, the target's death is not painful or frightening. This has no mechanical benefit, but it may make the target more willing to return to life later. In addition, if the target is charmed, charmed, frightened, or possessed by an aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead, the effect ends upon the target's death. Finally, the target cannot become undead within 7 days after its death.
Ceremony of Funeral Rites
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a funeral shroud, a handful of earth, and a holy symbol which is not consumed)
Duration: Until dispelled (see text)
When you cast this spell, you recognize the passage into death of the target. In order to be effective, this ceremony must be conducted in the presence of other persons, who traditionally include the family and friends of the target. This spell must be cast within 7 days after the target's death.
As part of the ceremony, you touch the target's corpse. If its soul is free and willing, the target cannot become undead, but nor can it be returned to life by any means short of a wish spell.
This spell ends if any year passes without at least one person who attended the ceremony does not perform remembrance rites at the grave of the target.
Ceremony of Marriage
1st-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a pair of rings which are not consumed)
Duration: Until dispelled (see text)
When you cast this spell, you formalizing a marriage between two willing participants. In order to be effective, this ceremony must be conducted in the presence of other persons, who traditionally include the family and friends of the married. No person can benefit from this ceremony more than once in their lifetime, even if a prior marriage ended for acceptable reasons.
Each of the targets gains a bond similar to "I am devoted to ________, my spouse." If the bond changes, the spell automatically ends for both targets.
Once in each target's life they may choose to gain advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws and ability checks for one minute while defending, supporting or otherwise serving their spouse.
Ceremony of Ordination
3rd-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a holy symbol)
Duration: Permanent until removed
You formally ordain the target as a clergymember of the Church, placing an invisible mark upon the target's forehead. This spell only effects targets who are actual or purported worshippers of the Heilege Ein.
If the target's forehead is uncovered, the mark of ordination can be clearly seen by any cleric, paladin, or other divine spellcaster.
This spell does not guarantee that the target is actually in good standing with the Church, has any particular alignment, etc.
This spell cannot be dispelled, but it can be ended by casting this spell with the intention of reversing the ordination (the target is not affected if it succeeds on a Wisdom saving throw). The spell is also ended by a remove curse spell cast by divine magic ends the spell as described in the remove curse spell.
Ceremony of Undertaking
3rd-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M (a holy symbol, amulet, book or other object which is not consumed)
Duration: One year
When you cast this spell, you recognize that the target is formally undertaking a quest for the benefit of the Church. In order to be effective, this ceremony must be conducted in a church, cathedral, shrine or similar consecrated place. No person can benefit from this ceremony more than once per year.
At any time before the spell ends, while engaged in activities that further the undertaking, the target can choose to invoke the benefits of this spell (which does not require an action). For one minute afterwards, whenever a target makes an attack roll, saving throw or ability check, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll, saving throw or ability check.
Oathbinding
4th-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Components: V
Duration: One year
The target of this spell must voluntarily swear an oath, repeating binding words that you give to it. Typically, the oath will be to carry out some service or refrain from some action or course of activity, but the oath may be swear to the truth of some circumstances.
The target must consent to the spell, thus there is no saving throw. The consent may be coerced but it may not be magically compelled. However, a target that is immune from being charmed is not affected by this spell.
While the spell is in effect, the target takes 5d10 psychic damage each time it acts in a manner directly counter to its oath (or it has knowledge that the circumstances sworn to are untrue), but no more than once each day.
A remove curse or wish spell also ends this spell.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th or 6th level, the duration is 1 year. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th or 8th level, the duration is 10 years. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 9th level, the spell lasts until it is ended by one of the spells mentioned above.
Zone of Ordeal
4th-level transmutation
Casting Time: 4 hours
Range: touch
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 hour
You create a magical zone that is typically used as a judicially sanctioned way to settle accusations by opposing parties.
When casting the spell you designate two target creatures and demarcate a 45-foot-radius sphere around which you walk. Each target must voluntarily accept this spell by swearing a statement of some circumstances (thus, there is no saving throw for the targets). Usually, the statements are made in a way that one target must swear falsely. However, a clever target can avoid the ill effects of this spell by swearing in a manner that is not literally false.
If a target swears a deliberate lie, as long as it is in the zone, it grants advantage on all attack rolls against it and has disadvantage on all saving throws. Furthermore, the first time each round that the target takes damage, it takes an additional 5d10 psychic damage.
If a target does not swear a deliberate lie, it gains 100 temporary hit points. These temporary hit points are lost if the target leaves the zone.
Anyone other than the targets of this spell must make a Wisdom saving throw in order to attack, cast a spell targeting or target with a special ability or effect any of this spell's targets that remains in the magical zone created by this spell.
This spell has no effect on celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead.
