The Grisly Eye
R.G. Wood's Blog
Spirits of the Forbidden Lands
Due to the unpleasant situation surrounding Wizards of the Coast and the OGL 1.1, I (like many others) am moving away from Dungeons & Dragons and 5E. And an alternative that does tick all my boxes (low powered, skill-based, well-supported, etc.) is Forbidden Lands.
Of course, I can’t help tinkering. One of my players is running a sorcerer with some specific spells they’d like to transfer over to Forbidden Lands. So, I’ve quickly hacked a new magic discipline because I’m such a good GM…
Witchcraft
Witchcraft deals with worlds unseen. Planes that exist alongside the mortal world, yet separate. A witch acts as an intermediary with the strange beings that live there: the spirits. Druids and sorcerers practice this discipline, but the types of spirits each deals with aren't the same. A druid might commune with spirits of nature, or a sorcerer might speak with the things that live in the shadows.
| Spell | Rank | Spell | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insidious Whispers | 1 | Dark Revelation | 2 |
| Shroud | 1 | Spirit Door | 2 |
| Spirit Walk | 1 | Portal (Player’s Guide, page 133) | 3 |
| Summon Minor Spirit | 1 | Summon Spirit | 3 |
17th Century Pamphlet depicting the ghost of the Duke of Buckingham returning to warn of a plot to poison the King.
Insidious Whispers
- RANK:
- 1
- RANGE:
- Short
- DURATION:
- Instantaneous
- INGREDIENT:
- A place where you can’t be overheard
You summon unseen spirits that whisper horrifying secrets to your enemies. This spell attacks a number of targets equal to the Power Level. It inflicts 1 Wits damage on each target. Each Power Level beyond this can be used to increase this damage by 1, against 1 target. Armour does not protect against this spell. It does not affect monsters.
Shroud
- RANK:
- 1
- RANGE:
- Personal
- DURATION:
- Quarter Day
- INGREDIENT:
- Large covering, such as a blanket or sheet
You cover yourself in the mien of a spirit you are familiar with, perhaps a spirit encountered during a Spirit Walk (see below). You might appear as a dead person, a dark figure or an animal. Your size, attributes and abilities cannot change.
Summon Minor Spirit
- RANK:
- 1, RITUAL
- RANGE:
- Near
- DURATION:
- One turn (15 minutes)
- INGREDIENT:
- A dark place
You summon a minor spirit, an insubstantial being from another plane. It always obeys your commands and can be used to stealthily observe and report back to you. It vanishes after the spell ends, or when you dismiss it.
Spirit Walk
- RANK:
- 1, RITUAL
- RANGE:
- Personal
- DURATION:
- Quarter Day
- INGREDIENT:
- Hallucinogenic substance
You enter a trance-like state, and find your disembodied spirit wandering through the liminal paths of the spirit world, leaving your physical form behind. Here you can see and speak to spirits. With a successful MANIPULATION check, you might learn something of value, such as secrets only the dead might know, or the true name of a fairy.
Dark Revelation
- RANK:
- 2
- RANGE:
- Close
- DURATION:
- Instantaneous
- INGREDIENT:
- Sharp object
You cut through the veil between worlds, revealing a horrifying glimpse of what lies beyond the mortal realm. The spell inflicts damage to Wits equal to the Power Level, to all creature in range. It does not affect monsters.
Spirit Door
- RANK:
- 2
- RANGE:
- Near
- DURATION:
- Instantaneous
- INGREDIENT:
- A sharp object and a place you cannot be seen
Time and distance in the spirit realm do not work by the same laws as the mortal world. With this spell, you can create a passage to another NEAR location, taking a shortcut through the spirit world. For each Power Level above 1, you can take one additional CLOSE human-sized creature along with you. You can also spend a Power Level to open a door a SHORT distance away.
Summon Spirit
- RANK:
- 3, RITUAL
- RANGE:
- Near
- DURATION:
- One turn (15 minutes)
- INGREDIENT:
- A dark place
You summon a spirit from the spirit world. Choose the stats of an animal from the table on page 126 in the Gamemaster’s Guide to represent this spirit. You cannot choose an animal with a Strength higher than twice the Power Level. This spirit possesses a random demon ability from the random table on page 82 in the Gamemaster’s Guide. It vanishes after the spell ends, or when you dismiss it. Spirits are usually helpful, but they have their own agendas and may not always be so inclined.