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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