Grimoires in OSRIC™ 2E

Grimoires in OSRIC™ 2e

By Dave Johnson

Dedication To my wife Dianna. Without you all is lost.

Credits: Design: Dave Johnson Research / Design Aid: Justin Johnson, Hunter Johnson, Blake Johnson, Luke Johnson, Robert Johnson Editing:Sample Dave Johnson, Hunter file Johnson Project leader: Dave Johnson Graphic Design and Production: Dave Johnson Creative Direction: Dave Johnson Play testing: Justin Johnson, Hunter Johnson, Blake Johnson, Luke Johnson Special Thanks to: OSRIC™ First Edition Adventure Games Facebook™ group and the 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons™ (Uncensored) FB group. And to Stuart Marshall for giving us OSRIC™. Also E. Gary Gygax and the Gygax family. Frank Mentzer, Tim Kask, Allen Hammack, Matt Finch, and Tracy Hickman, Jim Kramer, James Ward for your inspiration. Designed for OSRIC™ This product is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people, organizations, places, or events are purely coincidental. © 2016 Dave Johnson Games All rights reserved. Made in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA Like us on Facebook Dave Johnson Games Visit our webpage at http://davefilms.us/tsg/index.html “This product uses original First Edition fantasy-based roleplaying materials. Portions of this content requires rules books originally published by TSR, Inc.” Additional Rules needed are: Usherwood Adventures Expansion for OSRIC, Revolvers & Wizardry: The Discordant West. http://knights-n-knaves.com/

Advanced Abilities……………………………………. 4 Inscribing Spells………………………………………. 4 Read Magic Spell……………………………………… 5 Magic User Spell Acquisition Table…………………… 5 Grimoires for Wizards…………………………………. 6 Dimensions for Spell Books…………………………… 6 Standard Exp. Values………………………………….. 6 Writing Unknown Spells………………………………. 7 Write (Spell)……………………………………………. 7 Scroll Inscription……………………………………….. 7 Paper for scrolls and books…………………………….. 8 Ink for books and scrolls……………………………….. 8 Failure Rules……………………………………………. 9 Note:…………………………………………………….. 9 Grimoires as Scrolls.……………………………………. 9 New Spell: Sudden Gust………………………………… 10 Sample file Fireball for Sudden Gust…………………………………. 10 LEGAL: Open License………………………………….. 11

3 f you are a busy Wizard these days, you need to get your spells organized! They must be in books – the ones you know. You also need your spells in books for the ones you want to learn. Today we are going to discuss the rules in OSRIC™ 2ed and OSR first edition. I hope this will be a help to you. I am going to show you, from the rule books, how to create your grimoires as it is stated in the rules. This is not new material or a variant.

This work of prose is not intended as a variant of the official OSRIC™ rules; I have intended to expand and clarify, and develop what has already been written by Stuart Marshall and Matt Finch, and James Kramer for his expansions. All exceptions to the official OCRIC rules are clearly identified as such. They will be based on the first edition rules, thus OGL 1.0a.

I’d like to start by talking about the process of spell inscription. Wizards (Magic-Users in general) must use the three levels of the inscription.

First, the wizard will take a spell that he or she understands and knows – memorized – and write the spell into the grimoire;

Secondly, the wizard will take a spell that he or she does not understand and cannot use – at this time – because it is a spell from a higher level of skill, and record it into a grimoire; The wizard can take a spell that he or she can use and has memorized and write it down on a grimoire;

Finally, the wizard can take the spell that he or she knows and understands, and inscribes it onto a magical scroll. Sample file Advanced Abilities – Magic in OSRIC™ Inscribing the spells that you know and understand for Eldritch Craft (7th) “[Wizards] of 7th or higher level may create magical potions, scribe arcane scrolls (of spells that he or she already knows [or write grimoires]) and recharge magical rods, staves and wands. This process should be overseen by the GM, who must take care to ensure that it is not too easy! A long list of ingredients will always be required, some of which should be expensive, and others of which should be a challenge to acquire”(MARSHALL, 2013). Lets say that a wizard finds a spell somewhere… possibly on a scroll, or you find another’s grimoire. Question? How does one transfer this new knowledge into your own grimoire? The answer… You’ve got to use magic to read magic! For example: You need to use the spell “read magic”. This spell is normally the first spell that every wizard learns and keeps in his or her grimoire and its mastery is the first task of every apprentice. The spell allows the caster to read magical writings (other than his or her own, of course, which are always intelligible to the original author). This is a first level spell that is listed in the OSRIC™ Core Rule book (OCR) on page 101.

Arcane Divination Level: Magic User 1 Range: Caster Duration: 2 rounds / level Area of Effect: Caster (see below) Casting time: 1 round Saving throw: None “Unless the writings are cursed, reading magical script does not normally activate the magic formulae described therein—reviewing a scroll prior to casting from it does not, for instance, actually cast whatever spell is written upon the scroll. Once the magic user has read a particular set of magical inscriptions by use of this spell, the spell is no longer needed to re-read the writing at a later time. The reverse of the spell allows the magic user to make magical writings indecipherable for the spell’s duration, and is cast upon the writing rather than upon the caster him- or herself”(MARSHALL, 2013 OSRIC rules page 101). The wizard must roll an intelligence check to see if he or she can understand and learn the spell. Wizards must have a minimum intelligence score of nine (9) or better to be a Magic-User. So, one must roll an intelligence check to be able to understand the spell. For example a MU has an intelligence of 14 so he must roll a d% of 55% or less to learn the spell. (See first edition rule book, “Chance to know each listed spell”, See page 18 OSRIC™ CORE RULES A5 (OCR) / Page 25 OSRIC™ Players Guide (OPG) Magic User Spell Acquisition Table)

Magic User Spell Acquisition Table

Intelligence Score Chance to Understand Spells (%) Min / Max Spells Understood Per Level 9 35 4 / 6 10 – 12 Sample45 file 5 / 7 13 – 14 55 6 / 9 15 – 16 65 7 / 11 17 75 8 / 14 18 85 9 / 18 19 90 10 / 22 20 95 11 / 26

Let's say that our wizard has rolled successfully on his or her save versus spells check. The wizard has not maxed out on the level. (See page 18 OSRIC™ A5) Let's say once again the wizard is third level also. So the maximum number of spells for the level is two for the first level and one for the second level. So let us say that the wizard has chosen and is able to understand and read a spell. At this point, we will need to write the spell into a spell book (grimoire) (See below Grimoires for Wizards). To complete this task the wizard needs a new (unopened) ink, either made or pre-made can be used. The ink costs 100gp per spell level of the spell being written.

5 “When a [wizard or magic user] completes his or her apprenticeship, it is assumed that he or she has one, or possibly two, [grimoires]. A Book of First Level Spells will certainly be possessed, and there might be a Book of Cantrips as well. The latter depends upon the options of both the [Game Master] and the concerned player. The following applies to all spell books”(Unearth Arcana™ page 79). “Arcane and phantasmal spells are acquired as a result of long study and diligent practice. To cast a spell, the illusionist or magic user must have the spell scribed in his or her spell book and have prepared it for casting”(MARSHALL, 2013 OSRIC™ Core Rule book A5 page 36 / page 45 OPG).

“Spell memorization requires a minimum rest period of 4 hours, which must be spent in a quiet place without interruption. Once this period has expired, it takes fifteen minutes per level to memorize spells; in other words, a character memorizing one 3rd, two 2nd and four 1st level spells would require a further (45+30+30+15+15+15+15=) two hours and forty five minutes of memorization time”(MARSHALL, 2013, OCR page 36).

Grimoires for Wizards Value of book = 1,000gp for materials and 100gp per spell level for each spell contained in the book(See first edition book). Traveling Spell Grimoires cost 500gp for materials and 100gp per spell for each level contained in the book. Dimensions of each book: The Standard Book measures: 16 inches in height, 12 inches wide, and 6 inches thick. With a weight of 150gp. The Traveling Book measures: 12 inches in height, 6 inches wide, and one inch thick. With a weight of 30gp. Standard Experience point value for a spell book: 500 points per spell level contained. Cantrips are equal to first level spells in terms of point value. Gold pice value of 1,000 per level including cantrips. (See UA page 79) Sample file Two types of grimoires exist in OSRIC™. The first are Standard Grimoires which contain up to thirty-six cantrips, up to twenty-four spells of first through third level, and up to sixteen spells of fourth through the sixth level, and up to eight spells of seventh through the ninth level. The second type is Traveling grimoires, each of which contain one-fourth of the number of spells possible. The spells are contained in a standard grimoire – nine cantrips; six spells of the first level, second level, and third level; four spells of the fourth level, fifth level, and sixth level; and two spells of seventh level, eighth level, and ninth level.

Writing Unknown Spells in a book Let’s say that our wizard has found a spell book. He or she wants to transcribe the spells into their own book. How can this be done? Because the wizard cannot read the spells, but wants to try to use them later on when he or she gains enough experience and training. What to do? Well, we need to use the write spell from our own grimoire of first level spells. According to OCR page 111 and OPG page 149. the spell is this: Write (Spell) Arcane Evocation Intellectual Property of Dave Johnson © 2016 Designed for OSRIC™ 1e and Fantasy Adventure RPGs OGL 1a

Level: Magic User 1 Range: Caster Duration: 1 hour / level Area of Effect: Caster Components: V,S,M Casting time: 1 round Saving throw: None “This spell enables the magic user to make a written copy of a spell he or she cannot yet cast, a somewhat dangerous proposition. In order to succeed in this task, the caster must make a saving throw vs spells, with a modifier determined by the difficulty of the spell being transcribed. If the spell is up to one level higher than the magic user can cast, the saving throw is made at +2. If the spell is two levels higher than the magic user can cast, there is no bonus or penalty to the saving throw. If the spell is more than 2 levels higher than the magic user can cast, each additional level adds a –1 penalty. If the magic user fails this saving throw, the spell is not successfully copied, the caster takes 1d4 points of damage for each level of the spell, and he or she is knocked unconscious for 1 turn per hit point sustained thereby. The damage sustained cannot be healed more quickly than 4 hp per day, even with the assistance of magical healing. If the saving throw is successful, the magic user may copy the spell, which takes one hour per level of the spell. The material component is [ink costs 100gp per spell level of the spell being written]”( MARSHALL, 2013). “Write: Ink for use with this spell is only 10% likely to be located at any given apothecary/alchemist in a town, or double that for a city. Ink will come in a flask which will be sufficient to inscribe 2-4 spells. The cost will be 200 to 500 gold pieces. You should devise whatever formula for the manufacture of this substance you desire. Ichor of slithering tracker, octopus ink, and powdered gems are a fair place to start from”(See first edition rule book). (GuidelinesSample and filenot set in stone. As always it is the decision of the Game Master.)

Scroll Inscription Lastly, the process to which we inscribe spells on a scroll is similar to scribing a book. Arcane and phantasmal spells are acquired as a result of long study and diligent practice. To cast a spell, the wizard must have the spell scribed in his or her spell book and have prepared it for casting. It is not possible to memorize a spell from a scroll, although wizards may copy the spell from the scroll into their spell books, if they understand the spell. This process erases the scroll. One can cast a spell from a scroll even if the caster does not know the spell or is of insufficient level to use the magic.

“In extreme cases (such as when a character casts a spell from a scroll well above the level he or she could normally memorize) the GM will assign a chance that the spell will fail”(OCR page 36)