Trying my hand at some OSR Spells.

Within many old D&D and OSR rules sets there are rules implying that magic users have the ability to create new spells. To be honest in my short time in the OSR I have not yet seen this be used or even discussed much. I think it is a interesting rule that I would like to see more players take advantage of as it has the ability to allow for great levels of experimentation. It also gives magic users a unique advantage over clerics in the way they can create tools to deal with their current circumstances.

Create Effigy: Level 2, duration 1 week per caster level, cast time 1 turn, taking the hair, nails or blood of another creature, this effigy is linked to their life force until the spell ends or the effigy is destroyed, if the effigy is repaired using silver thread (worth 20gp per use) heals the target by d4+1 hit points, and inflicting damage on the Effigy transfers d6+1 damage to the target. Burning the Effigy destroys it and deals d6 damage each round for d6+1 rounds to the target. having the Effigy on your person while being targeted by a breath attack also deals damage to the target (meaning that if you have an effigy of yourself all breath weapon attacks deal double damage).

Conceal Stash: Level 1, duration 1 month per caster level, cast time 1 turn, this spell magically hides some kind of container, this prevents it being found through mundane means though is easily detected with detect magic.

Grow Bow: Level 1, duration instantaneous, cast time 1 turn, the caster touches a nearby tree that immediately sprouts a longbow/short bow and 12 arrows or 24 arrows if the caster chooses not to grow a bow.

Blood Rage: Level 2, duration d6 + (caster level over 3) rounds, cause a single creature to go into a mindless battle rage, the creature gains +2 to attack, damage and Ac, but must attack the closest creature each round until the spell ends, unwilling creatures make a saving throw.

Let me know what you think of these spells and if any are particularly unbalanced.

M.C.

The Wizards Cave: A mini setting/Planer travel

Travel between one setting to another has been a longstanding trope of D&D and much of the literature that inspired it. Throughout the editions of D&D there have been many methods, from portals or gateways to magical sailing ships. However it seems that many people associate Planer travel with high level play or expressly high magic settings, after reading through some Swords and Sorcery stories on the Appendix N list I have come see this as untrue. In fact I would argue that Planer travel is a style of play that can offer a large amount of variety both for players and DM's.

But how would low level PC's travel from one world to another? they don't have access yet to casting higher level magics that allow for such travel, this limits them largely to natural gateways or those made by higher level casters. The Wizards Caves are one such creation, inspired by the cave of Ningauble of the seven eyes from the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series, it is a labyrinthine cave system that can be accessed and provide access to multiple worlds throughout the multiverse. This provides an excuse for players to change settings from adventure to adventure or stay in one for awhile if they are invested, the Wizard himself may act as a patron of the party sending them to strange and outlandish worlds to acquire certain artefacts or complete special tasks for him.

So that's the what out the way now we must more to the how. What sort of system could simulate travel through this cave system? well there could be a dungeon crawl if the caves contain dangers though this encourages mapping and layout of an area that may not be consistent, so we need somthing a bit more abstract. Though i think it shouldn't entirely be random some manor of semi random generation may be necessary for such a level of abstraction, repurposing some of the overland travel rules such as chance to get lost or navigation may be a solid idea, the chance being lower or non existent on common pathways through the wizards domain much in the same way a road would work in overland travel.

So lets say they have a 30% chance to get lost as a base, this can be increased based on the players actions such as choosing an unlit and path +10%(+20% if they themselves don't have a light source), choosing a more natural looking cavern +30% etc. upon getting lost roll on a table to determine what sort of room they encounter:

Here is an example table with some ideas. d6

1. the players find themselves in on a clear path again and the chance to get lost is reset to 30%,

2. servants quarters, filled with what ever imps, homunculi or masked henchmen the wizard employs.

3. the players enter one of the Cavens inner sanctum (cumulative 15% chance to encounter the Wizard, the 7th time is guaranteed to encounter him) the cavern is filled with cryptic scrolls, alchemical fungi, piles of rusted armour, torn banners or other esoteric miscellanea 

4. natural cavern filled with cave vermin like cave crickets or bats etc

5. dead end, return to last cross roads and reroll lost chance

6. A exit, possibly to another plane of existence, has a 10% chance for it to be the exit originally searched for by the players (if any)

This obviously needs more work and mechanical design, but i think functions as a basic concept.

let me know what you think, I will try to revisit this at some point with another post to expand this idea more but this post has been sat on my desk for about a week and I need to post somthing to get back in the habit so sorry if this isn't enough for you.