Mind Tracker (Divination)

Sphere: Divination

Range: Special

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 1 turn/3

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: Special

The mind tracker is a magically-created creature which exists only on the Ethereal plane. It is called into existence when the first portion of this spell is cast.

When seen (which is seldom), the mind tracker has an indistinct body. It seems to be a near-solid coalescence of the vaporous atmosphere of the Ethereal plane itself. It is a roughly elliptical body with three or more limbs protruding at seemingly random locations. The number and size of these appendages shifts slowly, however, as new ones appear from the mist and old ones disappear. The body of the creature averages 2 feet across and 3 feet long, though this, too, tends to vary from minute to minute. The mind tracker has no discernible eyes, ears, nose, or other organs. It cannot be engaged in combat; if attacked, it simply disappears, to reappear after the danger has passed, or somewhere else entirely if its quarry has moved on.

The ceremony which creates the mind tracker takes one turn to perform. Its material components are a whiff of the Ethereal plane's atmosphere and the brain of a lizard.

Once the tracker is manifested, it must be assigned a quarry within one hour. If no quarry is designated, the tracker dissipates and the spell is wasted.

To assign a quarry to the tracker, the priest must have the quarry within his sight. This includes magical sight such as true seeing, but not remote sighting devices such as crystal balls. With the quarry in sight, the priest mouths the final phrases of the spell. From that point on, the mind tracker is mentally tethered to the victim. It follows its quarry (staying always in the Ethereal plane) wherever it goes. It constantly relays information about the subject to the priest: what it is doing, where it is. The priest does not actually see an image of the quarry, he receives `reports' from the mind tracker. These reports contain only such information as the tracker can gather by looking. It cannot identify people the quarry is talking to, but can describe them in great detail. Nor can it hear anything the quarry or anyone else says, or read writing, but it recognizes and can report the fact that speaking or reading is happening.

While the tracker is dogging its quarry, its presence can be felt as an eery, creepy sensation of being watched. If the victim makes an initial save vs. paralyzation, each of the following stages lasts three hours instead of two. For the first two hours, the quarry has a general feeling of ill ease. In the third and fourth hours, the victim is distracted and nervous, and suffers a -1 penalty on all saving throws. In the fifth and sixth hours, the victim is convinced someone or something is following him and suffers a -3 penalty on saving throws and a -2 (or -10%) penalty on all other dice rolls. After six hours the victim is near his breaking point. He is unable to concentrate to cast spells or use any of his class's special abilities. All die rolls have a -5 (or -25%) penalty. After eight hours, he must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation. If he fails, he collapses, fevered and delirious. This state persists until the tracker ceases to exist.

The mind tracker continues to exist for as long as the priest remains conscious of its input. If the priest is knocked out or falls asleep, or simply dismisses his creation, the tracker dissipates.

Table of Contents