Dark Magic
Hello, and welcome to From the Workshop. Today marks the last day of Darkness Week, and, being necromancers, we’re somewhat keen on darkness and gloom. I don’t care about PR or public opinion: if your lair is painted with bright and happy colors, and your hallways are well-illuminated, you’re not a proper necromancer in my book.
But, in any case, for today’s article, I thought I’d share a few darkness-related spells from my own personal spellbook. Some of these I invented myself, through painstaking study and metaphysical research. Others I took from the spellbooks of wizards who, conveniently for me, no longer had any use for them by that time…dead men’s shoes, and all that. But rather than tell you how I got them, why not tell you about the spells themselves, eh?
This spell instantly and automatically extinguishes all non-magical light sources within the spell’s area (such as torches, campfires, lanterns, and the like). Fires that occupy more than a 5-foot-square area are unaffected by this spell.
Magical light sources within the spell’s area whose spell level is equal to or lower than douse light’s spell level must succeed on a Will save or be extinguished. If the magical light source is a spell, the Will save is made by the spell’s caster. If the magical light source is a magic item, it follows the normal rules for magic items making saving throws (see the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook for more information). Spells that fail their save end immediately. Magic items that fail their save have their magical light suppressed for 1d4 minutes.
Magical light sources whose spell level is higher than that of douse light are unaffected by this spell.
Douse light can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.
This spell creates an illusionary figment of darkness in the affected area, effectively rendering the light level in the area to darkness. Because this is illusory darkness, and not real darkness, even creatures that can normally see in darkness (including creatures with darkvision, and even creatures such as devils, that can normally see in even magical darkness) have their vision impaired, and light sources in the area have no effect on the area’s light level, except to creatures who disbelieve the effect.
Any creature that enters the area of effect automatically receives a Will saving throw to disbelieve the effect. Creatures outside the spell’s area of effect can attempt to disbelieve the spell if they study it closely (a move action). Each creature can only make a Will save to disbelieve the spell once per time it is cast.
Creatures that disbelieve the darkness can still see it, but it appears translucent and does not hamper their vision in any way.
Illusory darkness can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.
This spell creates a dome of darkness centered on your current location, which is difficult to escape. The illumination level in the affected area drops by three steps. Bright light becomes darkness, and anything else becomes supernatural darkness, in which even darkvision does not function.
Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area affected by shadow prison. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area affected by shadow prison if they are of a higher spell level than shadow prison.
Even if a creature manages to find its way to the edge of the effect, it finds the edge of the spell to be a solid wall that prevents it from leaving the area unless it succeeds on a Will save. The creature may only make a Will save the first time it attempts to leave the spell’s area. If it succeeds, it can leave normally, even if it leaves and re-enters the area of the spell. If it fails, it cannot make a second Will save. If a creature with spell resistance attempts to leave the spell’s area, make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against that spell resistance the first time that creature attempts to leave. If the spell is resisted, the creature is treated as though it had succeeded on its Will save.
Creatures can enter the spell’s area without difficulty. Only creatures attempting to leave the spell’s area are affected.
Shadow prison’s area of effect is centered on your location when the spell is cast, and does not move with you.
Shadow prison can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.
This spell creates an area of supernatural darkness that attempts to devour all living things within. First, the illumination level in the affected area becomes supernaturally dark, preventing even creatures with darkvision from being able to see.
Second, the darkness materializes innumerable groping hands, which attempt to grapple living creatures caught within the spell’s area of effect. Every creature within the area of the spell is the target of a combat maneuver check made to grapple each round at the beginning of your turn, including the round that grasping darkness is cast. Creatures that enter the area of effect are also automatically attacked. The hands do not provoke attacks of opportunity. When determining the hands' CMB, they use your caster level as their base attack bonus, and use your primary spellcasting ability score (Intelligence for wizards, Charisma for sorcerers, etc.) for their Strength score. Roll only once for the entire spell effect each round, and apply the result to all creatures in the area of effect.
If the hands succeed in grappling a foe, that foe immediately gains a negative level as well as the grappled condition. Grappled opponents cannot move without first breaking the grapple. The grasping darkness spell can pin foes, but cannot move them or take any other special grapple action besides damaging them. Each round that grasping darkness succeeds on a grapple check, it deals an additional negative level. The CMD of grasping darkness, for the purposes of escaping the grapple, is equal to 10 + its CMB.
If a creature within the area of a grasping darkness spell dies from having negative levels equal to or in excess of its total Hit Dice, that creature’s body and all its gear are completely destroyed, as is the creature’s soul. Creatures slain in this fashion cannot be returned to life by any means until a wish or miracle spell has restored the creature’s soul. Creatures that survive a grasping darkness spell regain any lost levels at the next sunrise.
The hands created by this spell cannot be damaged, but they can be dispelled as normal. The entire area of effect is considered difficult terrain while the hands last.
Grasping darkness can be used to counter or dispel any light spell of equal or lower spell level.