Forest Enchantment
Spell — see Magic and Spellcasting for the rules and the Spell Index for the full list.
Arcane 5 Type: enchantment
Range: 0’ Duration: special
This spell enchants all of the plants in a 240’ radius around the caster. Thereafter the caster, and any allies he “introduces” to the plants as friends, can move among the normal plants in the area of effect free from intentional or accidental harm — rose bushes will twist so that their thorns do not pierce him, poisonous ivy will not leak oil onto him, tree branches and roots will shift slightly so as not to trip him, and so on.
| Terrain | Allied Move Multiplier | Enemy Move Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Hills, forest, scrubland | x1 | x1/2 |
| Mountain, jungle | x2/3 | x1/3 |
In addition, the enchanted plants will be hostile to enemies of the caster who intrude upon the area; trespassers will find that thorns bite them, branches and roots entangle them, and leaves whistle where they pass. In game terms, the caster and his allies gain a +1 bonus to surprise rolls and improved movement multipliers in the area of effect, while enemies suffer a -1 penalty to surprise rolls and worsened movement multipliers in the area of effect.
Ordinary plants do not receive a saving throw when the spell is cast. Each season thereafter they receive a saving throw to break the spell, however. The Judge should roll once for all normal plants in the area of effect as if they were a 1 HD monster. If the save fails, the forest enchantment remains in effect. If the save succeeds, the spell immediately ends.
If any semi-sapient or sapient plants are within the area of effect when the spell is cast, each such plant must make a Spells saving throw. If the save succeeds, the spell has no effect on that plant. If the save fails, that plant is bewitched. The effects are identical to beguile humanoid). Once in effect, the bewitchment lasts until dispelled or until the creature makes a successful Spells saving throw. The plant receives a saving throw to break the spell each day if it has 9 HD or more, every week if it has 5 – 8 HD, and every month if it has fewer than 5 HD.
If the caster ever does severe damage to the plants in the area of effect (such as clear cutting the trees), the forest enchantment is immediately dispelled and cannot thereafter be cast again on the same plants. However, gathering fallen wood, picking fruit and flowers, trimming leaves, and similar gardening does not end the forest enchantment.
Although this spell does not grant the caster any special means of communication with the affected plants*, forest enchantment* is a favorite of elves and wizards who commonly cast it in the vicinity of their fastnesses and towers. Because it relies on an abundance of plant life to have any effect, forest enchantment cannot be cast in barrens, desert, grasslands (steppe), hills (rocky), mountains (rocky/snowy), or shrubland (low and sparse).