New Post, New Info

Hey look a planar diagram, showing in a visual sense the crisis between the planes. This picture will make more sense with the full reading of this post.

Hey Gang, back from the unannounced hiatus from the blog. I have a few things to cover, and a few things to toss out as discussion.



First: There will be a Wednesday night session at my house as per normal.

Second: We will be discussing a new normal time to meet, as my ballet schedule has bumped me off from being able to do Wednesdays.

Thirdly: Yes Raxt can technically teleport the gang to Omach, I checked the map and its just over 400 miles, well within the reach of the 900 miles in Raxt's spell.

Fouthly: There will be a bit of a layover in Sandpoint. Aside from the fabric of the material plane being so stressed that mini-dimensional portals are appearing, travel across the material plane via teleport is getting a bit difficult. For teleportation spells to work (in my campaign settings) the caster must have a clear idea of where he or she is going.

While the spell is being cast the caster focuses on this place, and makes a link to it, such that he can conjure himself and the party to that spot. In the fantasy physics sense, he makes a type of "worm hole" that connects the two spots such that they are essentially the same on the material plane. The warping of course, through this "wormhole" happens on the Astral Plane, and older texts of DND teleport spells will describe that the travelers are, for but a second, hurled through the Astral plane, so that they can get to their destination.

With the current situation for the planes being stressed, teleport's viability diminishes. When Raxt, or any other caster trying to teleport focuses, he or she will feel the bending of the Astral plane not taking place, or being resistant to the caster's will.

As a side note, this stress on the Astral plane can change day to day, thus why the adventurers could easily go from Ravenmoore to Sandpoint.

As a meta game note. Raxt, when you teleported last, you were aware of the resistance the Astral plane was giving you. Feel free to only prepare one teleport spell, because your knowledge of spells and intuition tells you that successful teleportation will be both fleeting and difficult to come by. That way the GM doesn't screw you out of high level spell slots for stupid 'deus ex machina' crap I pull on you.

A final note about teleportation caveats. The teleportation rod is subject to this same resistance to warping, though slightly stronger because it has a set focal point near Fort Rannick [Ranzbur]. If it fails, you will still have your gem, and you will not be moved, or shunted to any odd place.

Fifthly: All casters, there is a new orison/cantrip, at your disposal. If you have any ranks in "Knowlege Planes," you can now as a free action, you may add this spell to your repetoir. It is basically a detect magic spell with an eye towards the planes.

Detect Planar Stress
School: Divination
Casting Time: One Minute
Components: V
Range: 60 foot burst, or global
Duration: Focus
Saving Throw: None
With a focus, and some time to focus, you can use your magical energy to discern the local and global stress that the material plane is experiencing. The two ranges can be included in the same spell, and a result will be given for both.
Local Results: You can notice any unseen rifts, or eddies of planar force. This would include, invisible portals, undetectable extra dimensional beings, or matter. It can also detect from hence any planar openings came from.
Global Results: This will simply tell you the amount of stress the material plane is receiving from neighboring planes. Results range from, none, mild, moderate, severe, and OMG I think the world is splitting.

Game mechanics wise I am leaving this out there so the PC's can have a barometer on the forces around them. As the campaign moves on, being aware of the planar "barometer" will help in predicting what may lay ahead in the day, and help in spell preparation.

Planar stess effects all of you, as you are all rolling at the begining of the day to see how much magic leak is upon you. It also effects ALL conjuration spells. There are three types of conjuration magic, damage (acid arrow), summoning (summon monster), and teleportation (teleport). If it pew pew's then its damage, if something comes out of nowhere and chills out for a while on the material plane then its summoning, this includes repairing spells, and if it allows some sort of travel then its a teleporting spell. If there is a question about a spell feel free to bring it up and I will try to adjudicate as well as possible.

Percentage chance of spell failure, by type of Conjuration magic. Rolled when cast, like one would for arcane spell failure with armor, though divine magic applies here too.

None: No effect on conjuration magic
Mild: 1% damage, 5% summon, 10% teleport
Moderate: 2% damage, 10% summon, 20% teleport
Severe: 5% damage, 25% summon, 50% teleport
OMG etc. etc.: 10% damage, 50% summon, 100% teleport

Alright that should give you all something to chew on for a while.