Stormtiger

Hello. My name is Justin J Wheeler. I have been playing DragonQuest for about seven years now, on and off; mostly on for the last two years. I game with Tom Robinson, who has had some correspondence with you during the last few months about his "Capsule" adventure, {"The Barrow of Calimendil" -- ED.} now published. I play-tested it with Tom, and it is good. Thank you for publishing it, even though the other publication has not yet been compiled. We appreciated it.

I have attached a file containing some new Rituals and Spells for the Namers (this I have done since I play a Namer every other week, and found the college somewhat limited by its original writers). I hope they can lend some new light on what the Naming College is really for and about (the 'True' Magical College). The DQ rulebook describes it as the most powerful college, but I would wager that it does not play out that way in most campaigns. These spells and rituals should help to direct the confused or disillusioned onto the right track.

--Justin J Wheeler

The following spells and rituals were inspired by "A Wizard of EarthSea" by Ursula K Le Guin, which was the inspiration for the Naming college in the DragonQuest world.

Ritual of Renaming Matter

Adept can change the shape of any one item (plus 1 item for every 2 ranks) within range by renaming the matter into its new form. Once renamed, the item will maintain this new shape permanently, unless acted upon by a new renaming ritual or another spell (i.e. once successfully cast, the ritual cannot be counterspelled). The size (mass) of the item may be changed by 10%/rank. Additionally, the cast chance is affected as follows:

-5% if mass will be changed into a complex item (changing a log into a chair, changing metal ore into a sword, etc.)

-15% if mass will be changed into a mechanical item (changing a metal item into a lock, for example)

-20% if mass will be renamed into a new matter (changing stone into water, for example)

The base chance for the ritual is 10%. Living creatures cannot be affected by the ritual (although plants can be affected). The ritual takes 1 hour to perform, or more if the GM adjudicates that it could depending on the complexity of the renaming. The experience multiple for this ritual is 400.

Ritual of Renaming Entity

Adept can change the shape of any entity whose Individual True Name he knows. The entity must be present and be willing to accept his new form.

Adept can only turn an entity into any creature whose Generic True Name he knows at Rank 5 or higher. The new form must be roughly the same size as the Target of the spell, but size can be increased or decreased by 25%/2 Ranks. Caster cannot rename Target into a creature with fantastical magical powers (such as a Dragon or a Naga) nor can he produce the Undead.

Entity will assume shape and abilities of his new form, but will retain his prior knowledge (though not necessarily his prior abilities - see note*). Entity will remain in his new shape until the caster or another Namer who knows the entity's Individual True Name speaks his True Name in his presence. Even then, there is a cumulative chance equal to [5%/day in new form] - [Individual True Name Rank x 5] that the Namer cannot return the entity to his true form. At rank 20 with an Individual True Name, a Namer can always rename an entity.

Additionally, once renamed to his original shape, entity requires [#days in new form] x 0.5 days of bed rest to recover from the change. The GM may adjudicate that the recovery period would be greater or less depending on the amount of change an entity had to endure.

Furthermore, this ritual can be used to turn entities who have been turned into stone back to flesh, if their Individual True Name is known.

It does not matter how many days the entity has been stone, the Namer simply need speak its true name in its presence. GMs can adjudicate whether an entity's life force has left their body when they were turned to stone.

The Base Chance for this ritual is 5%. The experience multiple is 400. This ritual takes 2 hours to perform.

*Note: Entity can use all prior abilities (magic, skills, etc.) if his new form allows it. For example: An Elf turned into an orc would not lose his Ranger Rank 5 skill, but if he were turned into a badger, he wouldn't be able to execute the skill properly. Additionally, the elf would lose his abilities due to race (although he would gain the abilities due him in his new form). This ritual can be cast over self. A Namer can always rename himself.

Ritual of Names

By use of this ritual, a Namer can give an entity a new Individual True Name. He must know the true name of the entity, and the entity must be present and willing to receive a new name. If the ritual is succesfull, the Individual True Name will be changed forever, and the change will become known to powerful Dragons. However, if the ritual backfires, the Entityis name will be erased, and he will walk through life one of the inameless onesi , unable to cast spells, hold skills, or use any special abilities until they visit the home of the Master Namer on the Isle of Dragons. The Master Namer will then decide their fate.

This ritual must be perfomed on consecrated ground, and requires 500 GS worth of ground diamond which the Namer will use to write the new name into the cosmos. It takes 3 hours to perform, the base chance is equal to caster's Magical Aptitude.

*Note - Most Namers do not approve of the casting of this ritual, as it disrupts the balance set forth by the Namer who originally named the Target. Therefore, it is likely that this ritual will only be performed in secret, by those who are in desperate need of a new name (if some powerful enemy has gotten hold of their old one, for example).

Ritual of Hiding Name

A Namer uses this ritual when he names a sentient who reaches maturity.

The Individual True Name of this sentient will not become known to powerful Dragons, although Dragons will know that the name has been blocked from them (probably angering them greatly). The sentient whois name is hidden must agree to the ritual. From thence forward, any Dragon in his vicinity will know that the name is hidden and will act accordingly (GM discretion).

The ritual requires one drop of Dragon blood from a living dragon, and 1000 GS worth of black jade dust which the namer will use to write the name of the sentient in the stars (thus hiding it from Dragons).

The ritual has a base chance of 50% - however, it takes 24 hrs.- 1hr./rank to perform and very powerful Dragons may know that the ritual is being performed. The GM can decide what this would mean to Dragons on his world. The experience multiple for this ritual is 400.

Ritual of Binding Name

By use of this ritual, the Namer restores an item to wholeness by use of its Generic True Name. Thus, damaged items such as a broken sword or a leaky boat could be repaired by use of this ritual.

Additionally, this ritual can be used to repair damage to creatures once the Namer has reached Rank 5 with the Generic True Name of a particular creature, although modifiers apply (see below). Add 20% to the base chance if creature is a sentient and the Namer knows the Individual Ture Name of the target. A namer can raise the dead by using this ritual if he knows the Individual True Name of the Target at Rank 10 or higher (this would take several days, and the adept would permanently lose 1 point of Endurance if ritual is successfully cast).

This ritual can take anywhere from several moments to many hours to perform, depending on the amount of damage the item or creature has suffered (moments for a dent in a suit of armor, or hours to repair the severed limb of a creature, for example). The base chance for the ritual is 15%, although modifiers do apply:

-10% if adept has never encountered this particular item or entity, even if he has encountered Generic Type.

-10% if adept is attempting to use the ritual to repair damage to a creature or sentient.

Ritual of Star Naming

By use of this ritual, the Namer places one Sentient's Individual True Name on a Star. From then on, when adept wishes to find the Sentient, he need only speak the Individual True Name at Midnight and a star will shine brightly in the direction of the Sentient, showing the direction the Adept would have to travel to find Sentient (although not how far).

This ritual requires 1 diamond of not less than 100 GS value, which the adept will throw into the sky upon casting the ritual. The experience multiple is 400, the base chance is the MA of the Namer, and the ritual takes 2 hours to complete.

Ritual of Calling Name

By uttering the name of a particular item or object, the caster can summon one item or materiality whose Generic True Name he knows to his location.

The caster can also summon any entity whose Individual True Name he knows with a -20% modifier to his cast chance (although this does not mean that he has control of the entity he summons). The ritual takes 3 hours to perform. If successfully cast, the item will be called from its location (no limit to range) to his present location. The experience multiple for this Ritual is 400 and the Base Chance is 10%.

Spell of Inhibiting Magic

Range:	15 feet + 15 additional/Rank
Duration:	5 minutes + 5 additional/Rank
Experience Multiple:	450
Base Chance:	20%
Resist:	Can only be actively resisted.

Effects: The Namer can cast this spell only over an entity whos Individual True Name he knows. The spell prevents the target from using any magic (except for talent magic) for the duration of the spell. Magic Items held by the target are not affected.

Spell of Commanding Name

Range:	25 feet + 25 additional/Rank
Duration:	25 seconds + 10 seconds/Pulse
Experience Multiple:	???
Base Chance:	25%
Resistance:	Can not be resisted

Effects: The adept can gain control of any 1 named item or object by pronouncing its Generic True Name. Sentients or animals cannot be affected by this spell, although plants can be. The Namer can command the object named to do anything he wishes, including changing shape, flying, altering consistency, adjusting temperature, etc. The uses of the spell are limited only by the imagination of the Namer, and the discretion of the GM. Additionally, so long as the Namer maintains concentration, and the spell duration has not expired, he can continue commanding the object named each & every pulse by expending 1 fatigue each command issued.

However, by doing this, the Namer does not have to make a separate cast check for every command. Otherwise, the named object will follow the first command it receives until the duration expires, when it will return to its original form and disposition. The Generic True Name must be known for the spell to be cast.

-- J J Wheeler (PiperLorne@postoffice.worldnet.att.net)

Last modified: 2002-Apr-12 12:45:57

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