What happens when you cast a spell?

[sniffles]

Specifically, what happens when you cast a spell from a scroll?

I'm not talking mechanics here. What do you envision happens? Scrolls are single-use items, so how do you handle why you can't read the words off of that scroll more than once?

Does the scroll burn up, Mission: Impossible style?

Does it crumble to dust as the magical energy contained within is released?

Does the ink showing the phrases and gestures of the spell simply fade away, leaving behind a blank sheet of paper?

I'm hoping for some colorful descriptions here. Show me your imagination!

 

[Rabelais]

Definately Mission: Impossible style.

At lowest level, scrolls simply crumble to glowing dust that whips around the caster as they cast the spell. At the highest levels brightly burning runes surround the caster, then a clap of thunder and a pressure wave of magic coming from the caster of the scroll.

 

[sniffles]

Howdy, Rabelais! Always nice to see another Oregonian around.

 

[Rabelais]

There's a couple of us around

 

[Flynn]

In my campaign, I envision it as such:

As the caster reads the spell off, whether holding the scroll or having it float in front of them (all visual effects, it still occupies one hand to do either), the letters glow, enlarge slightly and vanish as their energies are released, causing a nimbus of energy to glow around the scroll as the spell is being cast. At the end, the energies either move forth to do the caster's bidding or surge back on the caster with retribution if they fail to cast properly.

If the spell is the last one on the scroll, the scroll itself turns to dust and blows away in the wind. If there are more spells still left on the scroll, then it curls back up and rests in the caster's hand once more.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

 

[Contrarian]

Specifically, what happens when you cast a spell from a scroll?

According to my 1E DMG, "the writing completely and permanently disappears from the scroll." Does the 3E DMG not mention this kind of stuff?

Self-destroying scrolls seem impractical. considering scrolls can have more than one spell on them.

 

[Asmor]

I've never really thought about it, but I'd just say that the scroll becomes inert. The ink and writing are really just part of a ritual that charges the scroll with magical energy, and when you cast it you let it out.

 

[DragonLancer]

I've always envisioned that the scroll burns up to ash as the words are spoken and the magic unleashed.

 

[Grymar]

For a single spell scroll, I like the idea that the spell is coming from the scroll itself, not from the caster.

"The magus holds open a fragile piece of parchment and slowly, with building force, begins to speak the ancient words of power and control. The runes, written in blue-black ink and sparkling with powdered platinum, begin to glow. First a dull orange, growing to a yellow and finally to a hellish white before the start to melt. Shifting and swirling, the runes coalesce into a white-hot ball of arcane heat and flame in the center of the scroll. Finishing the incantation, the magus focuses his mind on the three approaching Minotaurs of Gazak Thrull, willing the flame to seek its target. With a screech of speed and fury, the ball of molten energy punches out of the back of the parchment leaving behind a ruined mess of ash..."

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I've envisioned the action varying by the spell cast. The written words hold the power of the spell and the writing does different things as the power is released. For fire based spells, the writing flames along the pen strokes as it read. Lightning spells spark, water spells run off the page, illusion spells shine like stained glass before coalescing into the spell effect, enchantment spells whirl into a hypnotic pattern, etc. etc.