Seventh-level Spells

Tree Spirit (Necromancy)

Sphere: Plant

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Permanent

Casting Time: 1 turn

Area of Effect: 1 tree

Saving Throw: None

Tree spirit permanently links the soul of the caster with a tree, usually chosen carefully for its health, vigor, and remote environment. Casting this spell joins the life force of the druid with that of the tree; as long as the tree lives, the caster ages at one-tenth the normal rate. (Because the spell causes the tree to devote all its energy to maintaining health rather than growth, it always remains exactly the size it was at the time of casting.) Moreover, the caster's spirit merges with the tree at the character's death. No form of reincarnation or resurrection (except a wish) on the character's body will work unless it lies within 10 feet of the tree.

One year after the caster dies, the druid's spirit animates the tree as a treant. (DMs should roll up treant statistics for the tree at the time the spell is cast, to determine the tree's Armor Class, Hit Dice, etc.) The chosen tree must be of treant height; the exact size determines the size of the new treant, which possesses the caster's memories and personality but has no granted powers or spellcasting ability. It must communicate as a treant.

The DM decides whether to consider this treant an NPC or allow the player to control it. (DMs should use the guidelines that apply to PCs who become lycanthropes or undead.)

However, when a druid uses tree spirit to link with a tree, the character suffers any physical damage inflicted on the tree. For instance, if someone hacks at the tree with an axe and causes 4 points of damage, the caster also loses 4 hit points; the druid knows the tree has been harmed, but does not know the nature of the injury.

If the tree dies but does not sustain enough damage to kill the caster, the character feels stunned for 1d6 rounds and must make a successful system shock roll to avoid death. Spells that heal the druid do not affect the tree.

Damage to the caster does not affect the tree, as the extra energy the tree expends on strength and health makes any damage the player sustains negligible to the tree. However, it's usually in the druid's best interest to have an animal friend or two guard the tree.

In addition, the druid should choose the tree carefully; if the surrounding land is cleared for construction work or lumber before the druid's prolonged life span finally ends, the character is in trouble.

Casting tree spirit first requires a full month's preparation. The druid lives near the tree during this time of prayer and mediation. Then the character conducts a private bonding ceremony at the height of a solstice. This spell often is cast by ancient druids, who wish to preserve their wisdom or make sure their groves remain defended even after their death.

Unwilling Wood (Enchantment/Charm)

Sphere: Plant

Range: 5 yards/level of caster

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Permanent

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 10-yard radius

Saving Throw: Special

A caster can transform one or more living creatures within a 10-yard radius into unwilling wood, causing them to sprout roots, branches, and leaves. The victims become trees of a type native to the region and of the characters' age before the transformation. The spell works only if cast on beings occupying ground that could support a tree; recipients flying or suspended in water at the time of casting remain unaffected.

This spell can mutate a number of creatures equal in total Hit Dice (or levels) to the caster's level within the area of effect, of course. If this area holds a group of creatures with Hit Dice (or levels) totaling a number greater than the caster's experience level, the character may decide the order in which the creatures become affected.

For instance, say a 14th-level druid casts unwilling wood into a target area containing a giant with 12 Hit Dice and two 3rd-level warriors. The druid can transform either the giant or two warriors, but not all three. "Leftover" Hit Dice or levels are lost.

Each creature affected may attempt to save vs. polymorph. The spell mutates all those failing their saving throw, along with any items they carry. A new tree has a height of 5 feet per level (or Hit Die) of the victim. The effect is permanent; a person transformed into a tree ages as a tree and dies as a tree. However, affected characters retain awareness, memories, personality, and intelligence. Only damage severe enough to kill the tree can kill an unwilling wood victim.

Tree-characters can return to normal if a spellcaster of greater level than the original caster uses remove curse. The original caster can release a transformed entity at will.

The material components are a bit of tree root and the priest's holy symbol.

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