Call of the Great Cats
Spell — see Magic and Spellcasting for the rules and the Spell Index for the full list.
Divine 5 Type: summoning (call)
Range: special Duration: 1 day
This spell calls one or more large cats to the caster to serve as companions. The number of cats called by the spell is determined by the type of cat called and caster level. The adjoining table shows the types of cats that can be called, the number of each type called by caster level, and the native terrain for each type. The caster can freely choose any one type of cats to call, though the time required for the cats to arrive might be greater if the spell is cast outside of their native terrain.
# Called by Caster Level
| Type of Large Cat | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Native Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheetah | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | Grasslands, Scrublands, Jungle |
| Catamount | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | Hills, Mountains, Barrens |
| Leopards | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Grasslands, Scrublands, Woods, River, Jungle |
| Lion | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Grasslands, Scrublands, Desert, Jungle |
| Lynx | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Barrens, Desert, Grasslands, Forest, Hills, Mountains |
| Tiger | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | Jungle |
The spell takes one turn (10 minutes) to cast. As soon as the spell is cast, the cats begin to travel to the caster’s destination at their expedition speed. If the spell is cast in an unsettled hex of their native terrain, the cats will take 1d6 turns to arrive. If the spell is cast in any other type of hex, the time to arrive is increased by 9 turns per 6-mile hex between the caster’s hex and the nearest unsettled hex of native terrain. The time to arrival may be much shorter if the Judge has determined that a lair of large cats is nearby. If called while the caster is unreachable (deep in a dungeon, for example), the cats will travel as close as they can to the caster and then wait in that vicinity.
For the duration of the spell, the cats will understand the spellcaster’s speech and serve as if they were the caster’s henchmen. The spell persists until all the cats are slain, the spell is dispelled, or one day passes (at which time the cats depart). If the spell is cast again when the cats are about to depart, they will remain for another day. Call of the great cats can only be cast once per day.
A prayerful caster who uses a call with ill intent towards the creatures called immediately becomes disfavored. He cannot cast the spell again until he has restored himself to favor. A studious caster or ceremonialist who uses a call with ill intent immediately loses the spell or ceremony from his repertoire. (He can re-learn it if he has the formula.) In neither case do the called animals arrive.