The Magic of House Sylaire

Spells of House Sylaire

Camille's Eye on the Wolf (S'occuper de Loup)

Level: 3

School: Enchantment, Divination

Range: Touch

Duration: 1 turn

Area of Effect: 1 transparent object

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 2

Saving Throw: None

This spell was invented by Dame Camille d'Ambreville, the mother of Prince Étienne of Nouvelle Averoigne, and the matriarch of her clan. Initially, she crafted this spell to keep an eye out for lycanthropy in their family; but later she discovered that Camille's eye on the wolf was much more effective and could reveal the true natures of the d'Ambrevilles, whether they had taken the forms of rakastas, lupins, ogres, vampires, and Rad only know what else! The spell though still kept its original name (s'occuper de loup in Sylaire), even if it affects more than just werewolves.

Camille's eye on the wolf enchants any transparent object, usually a monocle or spying glass (but Dame Camille has been known to cast this on a champagne glass, on occasion), and looking through it, the caster can recognize her family members and their true natures, whatever form they may be. The spell only works on the family members related to the caster by blood, or extended family members with whom the caster is quite familiar.

For example, Dame Camille encounters a wolf whom she suspects to be one of the d'Ambreville werewolves, so she casts eye on the wolf on her magnifying glass. Looking through the enchanted glass, she will recognize the werewolf as Henri, Isidore, Richard or Magdalène, if it were one of them, but she will only see the werewolf as a wolf it were some other werewolf not related to her. Similarly, if Dame Camille uses her eye on the wolf to peer at Claude, she will see his true nature as a vampire, despite whatever magical and mundane disguises he has put on, but it will not work on any other vampire Dame Camille is not familiar with.

The material component of this spell, besides the transparent object, is three drops of blood from the caster.

Some of the d'Ambrevilles believed that Dame Camille once used this spell on Prince Étienne himself, and what she saw that drove her to madness and dotage. She has rarely used this spell since.

Étienne's Room of Secrecy

Level: 5

School: Abjuration

Range: 3 feet

Duration: 1 turn/level

Area of Effect: An area not larger than five cubic feet + 1 cubic feet/level

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 round

Saving Throw: None

This spell, originally named chamber en mystère, was one of the first spells of Prince Étienne d'Ambreville of Nouvelle Averoigne, soon after he arrived form Laterre. It is similar to the sanctuary priest spell, but is definitely more effective—and has no taint of clerical magic that Glantrians abhor. It is now commonly taught at the Great School of Magic.

The spell will create a secure room against any intrusion or spying attempt, magical or mundane. If cast indoors, it will cause all the portals, windows, doorways, etc. to appear pitch-black. If cast outdoors, the people within the area will constantly appear to be doing exactly what they were doing before the casting (i.e. sitting around, chatting, etc.). No sound exits the area of effect. Moreover, scrying spells such as ESP, clairaudience, clairvoyance, and wizard eye, cannot penetrate the spell. Magical and enchanted creatures also cannot enter the area, as with a protection from evil spell.

The material component of this spell is a bit of soot (or lampblack) and a ball of cotton (or beeswax).

Geneviève's Emotional Landscapes

Level: 8

School: Enchantment/Charm

Range: 1-mile radius/level

Duration: 1 week/level

Area of Effect: 1-mile radius/level

Components: V, S, M

Casting Time: 1 turn

Saving Throw: Negates

This spell was brought to Mystara by Dame Geneviève de Sephora, Comtesse du Touraine. It originated from Laterre, and was found by Dame Geneviève on an antique scroll from Ancient Hellenia (a culture similar to the Milenians of Mystara).

Only when Dame Geneviève arrived on Mystara did she acquire the skill to understand it, and she plans to immortalize her name on the spell, by introducing it to the d'Ambrevilles and the Great School of Magic.

Geneviève's emotional landscapes will cause a homogeneous region of one square mile per level of the caster, to become imbued with one designated emotion. The area of effect must be well defined (i.e. a lake, a desert, a forest, etc.), and the caster must choose the emotion at the time of the casting. All living creatures within the terrain will feel that emotion, unless they make a saving throw vs. spells. Wisdom adjustments apply.

The following are examples of Geneviève's emotional landscapes that Dame Geneviève has successfully cast.

Fields of joy. All creatures this field become blissfully happy and want to stay there, but not if someone attacks them or hurts them.

Fear mountain. All creatures that look up at the mountain will want to leave, except for the most brave souls who will still be frightened like little children.

Bog of hate. All creatures will hate any stranger they meet in the swampy grounds. They will only see the bad side of each other, and it will be for them to get into a fight.

Love hill. Complete strangers will fall in love with each other at first sight.

The material component of the spell should be an exquisitely carved marble statue, of at least 5,000 gp, to be placed in the center of the terrain. The statue must portray the desired emotion (i.e. a grieving mother for sadness, a couple kissing for love, a dancing satyr for happiness, etc.).

Treasures of House Sylaire

Etienne's Spellwheel

This item appears to be an amulet or medallion made of gold, apparently a thick plain disc measuring 2 inches across. On closer examination, it is revealed to have numerous faint, intersecting lines crossing its center, giving it a segmented appearance. And is in fact two disks, one atop the other, which may be moved independently on the shared central axis. It is commonly worn on a chain around the neck.

This is an antique device, created by Étienne d'Ambreville before their migration from Laterre to Mystara—and long before he attained Immortality. A protective talisman, it is activated by spinning the marked disc while holding the Spellwheel in hand. The next attack-spell—magic missile, sleep, hold person, fireball, lightning bolt, etc.—to strike the wearer is absorbed by the Spellwheel, which subsequently provides the wearer with complete immunity to that one spell.

Spinning the Spellwheel generates 2d6 charges. Each time the wearer is struck by the chosen spell, one charge is lost. When the Spellwheel's charges are exhausted, it must be spun again to recharge itself—which resets the spell-immunity to the next attack-spell to strike the wearer, whatever that may be. Particularly canny wearers are known to have companions cast a particular spell at them when this happens, providing the immunity of their choice.

Each time the wheel is spun, there is a 3% chance (cumulative) that the Spellwheel vanishes, teleporting to a random location. The Spellwheel cannot defend against clerical or druidic spells, although it does work against Savage Coast Legacies.

Author: Carl Quaif and Ohad Shaham