Author: Taras Guarhoth (montand@canonfire.com)

Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

These spells are unique to the Cult of the Bloody Hands, and are virtually unknown outside of it. Rumors persist, however, of such spells being given to certain Nerullian priests, as well as wizards of evil repute researching ways to duplicate some of the cult's spells for their own use.

Unfailing Tracker of Shirat
(Necromancy, Divination)

1st Level Priest Spell

Sphere: Divination
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: One Night
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Creature Touched
Saving Throw: None

This spell, which is used by the cult to aid in hunting their sacrifices, is cast upon a prisoner of the cult who is then released. For the remainder of the night (for it can only be cast at night), the priest will always be able to track the victim, a strand of pure darkness stretching between the two and exactly following the path taken by the victim, no matter how far they go or how they try and hide their passage (unless magical means of obscuring the path is used, in which case the line disappears at the beginning of the spell’s area of effect, and then resumes at the exact spot the victim exited the spell’s effects). With either the coming of dawn or the death of the victim, the strand dissolves into nothingness, and the spell is broken. The only way of defeating this spell before the duration has run it’s course is to leave the plane of existence, or come under the effects of a spell such as non-detection, which bars divination spells from finding the victim’s location.

When casting this spell, the priest intones a prayer to Shirat while making a shallow incision in the victim’s forehead. The victim’s blood is then speared across the priest’s palms. At the end of the spell, the blood vanishes from the priest’s hands. This spell may only be cast upon humans, demihumans, and humanoids.

Shirat’s Bloody Handprints
(Necromancy, Evocation)

2nd Level Priest Spell

Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Instantaneous/One Week
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: Creature Touched
Saving Throw: Special

Upon casting this spell and touching the flesh of another human, humanoid, or demihuman, 2d4+2 points of damage are done to the target of the spell. If a successfull save vs. spells is not made, welts, in the form of handprints, will remain on the target’s flesh where touched by the caster. These welts, which look as if coated in fresh blood, and will remain for a week during which time the damage caused by the spell is unhealable by normal methods. They can be healed by magical means, however, and doing so causes the welts to instantly disappear. If the saving throw is made, the welts will only last for a day, and will heal by normal means.

This spell, the casting of which is definitely an evil act, is used by the cult as a punishment upon members who fail in their duties and on outsiders who interfere with the cult, but would be inconvenient to kill. Casting this spell requires the caster’s hands to be coated in the fresh blood of a sentient being and then intoning an ancient prayer to Shirat and Nerull. The bood is not consumed during the casting of the spell.

Heightened Senses
(Enchantment/Charm)

3rd Level Priest Spell

Sphere: Divination, Animal
Range: 0
Components: V,S
Duration: One Night
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Caster
Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster increases his or her senses for an evening, although it can only be cast at night. The caster’s sight, hearing, and sense of smell are all improved while this spell is in effect, greatly increasing his ability to track and move around in the darkness, including limited infravision (15 feet for those who lacked infravision abilities, or extending infravision an additional 15 feet for those who already have it). Even in total (non-magical) darkness, the caster is able to see as if it were twilight. Due to the caster’s now superior sense of smell, while tracking, the caster gains a +4 bonus to their roll, and suffers no penalties for darkness. Increased hearing makes it impossible to surprise the caster.

However, there are some drawbacks to this spell. Attacks based on scent (such as the Stinking Cloud spell) offer no saving throw to resist. Bright lights (such as having a Light spell cast, or a Fireball spell) suddenly introduced will temporarily blind the caster, even if he were not the target of the spell, and sudden increases in temperature that are very close to the caster may have a similar effect on his infravision.