Realm Magic Conversions for Birthright
New Elven Realm Magic - conversions from TSR's Cormanthyr High Magic (TSR, Cormanthyr is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast and TSR Inc.)
Realms spells are extremely powerful magic and remain fundamentally the same as described in the birthright setting. However, some differences exist between the new Atomic Magic system and the old AD&D system. Below are translations of all the main Wizard Realm spells. Whether a human casts the spell or whether an elf casts the spell, these spells all still require the listed reagents (really only expressed as gold bar value).
Alchemy (Earth)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE level: 1
Duration: Permanent
A wizard can create wealth by spending Regency Points to transform worthless substances into valuables. for each 4 RP the wizard spends, he generates 1 Gold Bar of wealth. The effect is instantaneous at the conclusion of the spell. Alchemy can be cast only once per Domain turn. The materials and components for the spell cost 1 GB.
Death Plague (Necromancy)
Regency: 1/province level
Req'd Source: 5
Gold: 2 GB
MAGE level: 3
Duration: Permanent
An evil wizard can create a horrible, pestilent plague that depopulates an area, reducing an affected province by one level. At Mage 3, the wizard affects only the province in which the spell is cast. For every level of Mage beyond 3, he can affect one additional province adjacent to a province struck by the death plague, possibly infecting the kingdom of another regent.
The plague spreads at the rate of one province per action round until the maximum area of effect is reached. The RP cost is equal to the sum of the affected province levels; a Mage level 5 wizard who poisons three provinces (4)
Demagogue (Mental)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: Special
This pervasive, sublte charm plays upon the fears and loyalties of a privince, influencing the attitudes of its people toward its ruler. for each 5 RP a sizard spends, he improves or worsens the lyalty grade of a province by one step. At Mage 2, he can affect one province, at every Mage level beyond that he can affect one additional province, i.e. 2 provinces at Mage 3, three provinces at Mage 4. The change in loyalty occurs during the adjustment phase of the domain turn.
The wizard must pay 5 RP for each grade of loyalty affected in each province; casting a stable kingdom to rebellion could be very costly. The new loyalty level can be affected normally by various events.
Dispel Realm Magic (Wizardry)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 1
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: Special
This spell allows a mage regent to counter the effects of any other realm spell. The regency cost is equal to the regency cost that was spent on the target spell (if the dispel is to affect one province of a multi-province spell, only the cost of one province is incurred). Both casters may bid additional RPs to determine whether the dispel is successful. Dispel Realm Magic can even cancel the second use of this spell.
Dispel realm magic can be cast upon a province to protect it from possible realm spells. In this use, the protection lasts one domain turn (effectively, three action rounds) for every two levels of Mage the caster has. The RP expenditure determines the power of spells the dispel will prevent; for example, if the caster spends 20 RP, the dispel will prevent incoming spells cast with 20 RP or less. If an incoming spell were cast with 21 or more RP, the dispel would be cancelled and the incoming spell would take effect.
This use prevents realm spells and halts the spread of effects such as death plague, but it does not prevent a conjured or animated army from entering the province and it does not prevent casting of routine (nonrealm) spells.
Legion of Dead (Necromancy)
Regency: 4/company
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 1 GB/company
MAGE Level: 4
Duration: One month + 2 weeks/MAGE level
A skilled necromancer can summon the ancient dead to his aid, raising a legion of skeletons and zombies to do his bidding. The wizard can summon two companies of undead minions for each Mage level above third. The wizard must spend 4 Regency points per unit. He must remain with his undead army or the spell will be broken and the army will collapse.
Refer to the Undead Legion War Card for large-scale combat information; in standard game terms, each company is composed of about 200 zombies, monster zombies, skeletons, and giant skeletons.
Mass Destruction (Combat)
Regency: 10/company
Req'd Source: 5
Gold: 5 GB
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell can slay hundreds of enemies with a single awesome parrage of devastating fire, lightning, ice, energy, or poisonous vapor (wizard's choice). The mage can affect one enemy unit plus one unit per MAGE level of 2 and above. The target units must all be in the same province as the wizard who casts the spell. Each unit affected costs the wizard 10 RP. Each target unit may attempt a morale check to lessen the efect; if it passes the check, the unit suffers only 1 hit of damage.
Mass Destruction causes some coincidental property damage such as small fires or flooding; the DM should determine any effects. The wizard must be in sight of the army to be destroyed, but he can delay the spell's destructive effects for up to one week in order to reach the unit's location. If he leaves the province in which the spell was cast, the spell is lost.
Raze (Combat)
Regency: 10/structure level
Req'd Source: 5
Gold: 2 GB/damage level
MAGE Level: 4
Duration: Instantaneous
Castles and fortifications can be reduced to rubble by means of this spectacular realm spell. Reducing a castle's level one step costs 10 RP, so razing a level 5 castle costs 50 Regency Points. There is no limit to the amount of damage that a mage can cause to a castle through one spell--he may simply reduce it in level or may destroy it outright--as long as he is willing to pay the required regency. Materials and preparation cost 2 GB per level of damage the mage intends to cause.
Fortified holdings can be reduced to normal holdings through this spell, but they are not otherwise damaged. The wizard must be in sight of the castle to be razed when the spell is cast and the preparations must be performed on the side.
Scry (Knowledge)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 1
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: Instantaneous
The scry spell allows a wizard to peer outside his domain and take the quivalent of an espionage action hundreds of miles away. The regency cost varies with the distance of the target province from the wizard's domain. The spell costs 5 RP plus 3 RP for each province of separation; spying on a province five areas away from the wizard's domain costs 20 RP.
Only the information gathering aspect of espionage may be used; the wizard can't create random events or rescue people. If the target of the scry spell is a wizard, he may spend RP against the caster to try to make the spell fail. Otherwise, it is automatically successful.
Stronghold (Creation)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 7
Gold: 10 GB
MAGE Level: 3
Duration: Two domain turns per MAGE level
By means of this spell, the wizard conjures up a castle, tower, fortification, or building of any kind. The RP cost is equal to the Gold Bar cost of constructing an equivalent stronghold, but difficult or remote terrain doesn't affect the magical version. For example, a castle (3) normally costs 30 Gold Bars; this realm spell can do the same for 30 RP regardless of where the castle is placed.
The wizard can dismiss the stronghold any time he wishes. If he dies without the castle somehow being made permanent, it fades from existence.
Subversion (Mental)
Regency: Special
Req'd Source: 1
Gold: 2 GB
MAGE Level: 4
Duration: One Action Round
By using subtle means of transmitting ideas to the subconcious via telepathy, a wizard can force one holding, province, army, or lieutenant belonging to another regent to take a domain or free action (regardless of whether such assets are normally allowed actions). He could force a group of military units to declare war and invade a neighboring land; he could use a holding to contest or agitate; or he could instigate almost any kind of mayhem.
Subversion is limited to one discrete action, and it will affect a target regent regardless of whether he has alread performed an action in the current round.
A cost of 3 RP per level of holding, province, or 20 RP per level of a lieutenant is required to subvert such an asses; a cost of 5 RP per army unit is required. The victim regent may bid RP against the casting wizard to negate the effects. The wizard can, of course, spend RP to help the spell succeed. The opponent who spends more regency controls whether the spell succeeds.
Summoning (Mental)
Regency: 5/company
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 2 GB/company
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: One month plus two weeks/MAGE level
Using a powerful variation of the Far-Sending spell, a wizard creates an army of monstrous followers (mercenary types with a healthy fear of magic) to do his bidding. Each summoned unit costs the mage 5 Regency Points. He can summon one unit for each two MAGE levels (one at Mage 2, two at Mage 5, three at Mage 6).
The troops that appear depend on the wizard's Mage level, as shown below:
| | Troops |
| | Goblin Skirmishers |
| | Gnoll Marauders or Goblin Wolfriders |
| | Goblin Guards or Gnoll Infantry |
| | Stonecrown Ogres |
When the spell ends, the province in which the monsters disband automatically suffers a monsters or brigandage random event.
Transport(Movement)
Regency: 4/unit
Req'd Source: 5
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: Instantaneous
Transport allows a mage regent to instantly move troops from one province to another. He can move one unit 2 provinces per MAGE level regardless of terrain. Units can be moved only between provinces in which the mage has a magical source or ley line. Each unit to be moved costs 4 RP.
Because this spell is instantaneous, the affected units are eligible to move during any war moves following the action round in which this spell is cast. This spell can be used on unwilling units, but the regency cost doubles to 8 RP per unit.
Warding(Wizardry)
Regency: 5/province
Req'd Source: 5
Gold: 2 GB/province
MAGE Level: 4
Duration: 1 Domain turn plus 2 Action Rounds per MAGE Level
With this spell, a mage weaves a barrier of impenetrable mists and fog that prevents any creatures from entering or leaving a province. regardless of their actions, creatures are turned around and find themselves emerging from the mist at the same spot they entered it. A wizard or priest with appropriate spells or magical items has a 50% chance of successfully leading up to two persons per Mage level through the mist.
A mage can ward one province at Mage level 4, two at Mage level 5, three at Mage level 6 and so on. Warding costs 5 Regency Points per province affected. Wars, Trade, and diplomacy are all but impossible while a warding is in effect. The caster is immune to the effects of his own warding and may lead as many individuals through the mists as he wishes.
Like wizards, Priests can also cast realm magic. However, priests must utilize the power of their temple holdings to power spells given to them by the gods. Spells denoted 'Any' can be granted by any deity. Otherwise, the priests will only have access to spells in the spell categories they normally have access to as priests of a particular god.
Bless Land (Any)
Regency: Special
Req'd Holding: 1
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: 1 Domain turn
By performaing a special ceremony, the priest invokes his deity's blessing for a province. The affected province and any holdings owned by the priest in the province are treated as if they were one level higher for all purposes. This means that affected regents may reroll taxation and collection for the current domain turn and may increase their regency accordingly. Bless land can affect one province per level of Mage.
The regency cost is equal to the difference between each target province level and the priest's temple holdings in the target provinces; a priest who controls a temple (3) in a province (5) and a temple (3) in a province (4) must spend 3 RP to bless both provinces. This spell always costs a minimum of 1 RP per province.
Bless Army(Combat)
Regency: 1/unit
Req'd Holding: 3
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: 2 War Moves + 2 War Moves/ Mage Level
This spell allows a priest to increase the effectiveness of a unit, increasing all of its offensive scores by 1 for the duration of the spell. He can affect a maximum of one unit per level, and all target units must be in the same province.
Blight(Nature)
Regency: Special
Req'd Holding: 3
Gold: 2 GB
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: One Domain turn
This is essential the reverse of the Bless Land realm spell. Blight depresses an affected province and all holdings within it by one level. Holdings belonging to the casting priest are unaffected. Blight affects one province per Mage level.
The regency cost is equal to the difference between each target province level and the priest's temple holdings in the target provinces; a priest who controls a temple (3) in a province (5) and a temple (3) in a province (4) must spend 3 RP to blight those two provinces (but a minimum of 1 RP per province).
If the priest is the ruler of the target province, he automatically loses one loyalty grade there.
Dispel Realm Magic (Wizardry)
Regency: Special
Req'd Holding: 1
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: Instantaneous
This resembles the wizard realm spell dispel realm magic in all respects, except that only the first use of the spell is allowed. A priest may not use dispel realm magic to create a protective warding.
Honest Dealings(Mental)
Regency: 3/province level
Req'd Level: 3
Gold: 2 GB
MAGE Level: 3
Duration: One Domain turn +1 round/level
This ceremony creates a widespread mind-influencing effect that magically guides a province's citizens toward honest and upright practices. In a province affected by this spell, agitate and espionage actions cannot succeed, diplomacy actions suffer a -4 penalty, and guild holdings are reduced two levels for collection purposes. An individual who attempts to commit a crime or tell a lie while in the province must succeed a Will + Concentration roll vs DV 22 to do so.
The priest may affect one province at Mage 3, two at Mage 4, etc.
Investiture(Any)
Regency: Special
Req'd Holding: 1
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: Permanent
Any priest regent can perform a ceremony of investiture to arrange the transfer of regency or bloodline between two characters. This does not usually cost the priest a domain action; only the recipients must each spend one domain action. See the Investiture action for more details.
This magic is specifically elven-oriented. I have included a selection of Elven spells from the Cormanthyr supplement here to add to my campaign to add interest to the elven culture and to more closely reflect their casting style, since the above Wizard Realm Magic is rather human-centric. This is a conversion only of those I found most interesting or useful to my version of Birthright. These ancient spells reflect the old power of the Elven Kingdoms of old...
Starshine Upon the Poeple(Enchantment)
Regency: 1/unit RP
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 0 GB
MAGE Level: 3
Duration: Permanent/1 month
This spell affects up to one unit and must be performed under a clear, starry sky at night. The chant is usually performed in wartime, for the generals and warrior nobility before they go into battle. Glittering stardust settles on and washes away all impurity from those assembled and imbues them with health and vigor. It will cleans all equipment and cures all nonmagical diseases or sensory loss. It will also heal like a Greater Healing spell. It give all the benefits of the Bless spells for a period of one month after the casting.
The Song of Enevahr(Enchantment)
Regency: 2/unit RP
Req'd Source: 4
Gold: 0 GB
MAGE Level: 4
Duration: 3 action rounds
This powerful spell inspires the elven troops with such songs of victory and old glory days that the affected units will not be susceptible to Morale checks of any kind for the duration of the spell. The troops are also immune to any Mental or Presence effects causing Fear. In addition, as the elves continue the songs in battle, their foes are so stricken with awe and fear (even if they do not understand the language) that any Morale checks they must make are automatically failed the first round.
Gift of Alliance(Summoning)
Regency: 5/company
Req'd Source: 3
Gold: 2 GB/company
MAGE Level: 2
Duration: One month plus two weeks/MAGE level
This spell is much the same as the Wizard Summoning spell, except that the summoned creatures are more fey than monstrous. One unit may be summoned per 2 MAGE levels
| | Summoned Creatures |
| | Centaur Skirmishers |
| | Dryad Protectors |
| | Treant Legion |
| | One Baelnorn (if in appropriate area) |
One Heart, One Mind, One Breath(Mental)
Regency: 1
Req'd Source: 2
Gold: 1 GB
MAGE Level: 1
Duration: Permanent
This establishes a permanent mental link between an elf and another elf or creature. The bond is permanent (one elf may only have two such bindings in her lifetime). It usually is done for spouses but is sometimes done between an animal and elf, such as for a mount and rider. This is an empathic link although with concentration a telepathic link is possible (Will+Concentration roll). Linked creatures are best friends, lovers, and kindred (as is possible ;-). Such linked creatures will always render aid when needed to the other.
Hidden Homeland(Enchantment)
This is the same as the Ward spell, except that the wizard can allow friends and elves through without personally leading them.