Stronmaus the Storm Lord

Stronmaus is the most powerful member of the Ordning outside of Annam, and is the de facto leader of the pantheon. He is the exuberant patron of the storm and good cloud giants, and holds domain over the seas and skies, sunshine, and weather of all sorts.

Stronmaus (PDF Version)
(The Storm Lord, the Smiling God, the Thunderhead)
Greater Power of the Beastlands and Ysgard, NG(CG)

Portfolio:  Sun, sky, weather, seas
Aliases:  None
Domain Name:  Karasuthra/Stormhold and Ysgard/Jotunheim (Gudheim)
Superior:  Annam
Allies:  Aerdrie Faenya, Akadi, Deep Sashelas, Eldath, Hiatea, Iallanis, Istishia, Muamman Duathal, Remnis, Surminare, Syranita, Trishina, Ukko, Velnius
Foes:  Memnor, the evil dwarven gods
Symbol:  Forked lightning bolt descending from a cloud partly obscuring the sun
Wor. Align.:  LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN

Stronmaus (STRAWN-mawz) the Storm Lord is the giantish god of the seas and skies, the sun and storms, and patron of the mighty storm and cloud giants. He is an ever-exuberant god who is always smiling and takes great pleasure in life and nature. He is looked to by all giants who desire beneficial rains or sunshine for agriculture. With Annam’s withdrawal, Stronmaus is increasingly the deity who oversees the Ordning and giantish affairs in general.

Stronmaus is the first-born offspring of Annam, and the son who makes him proudest. He inherited much of his father’s power, but has a much sunnier disposition. Stronmaus is slow to anger and quick to forgive, and never holds a grudge, not even towards those he has been in conflict with. He divides his time between Annam’s palace of Gudheim in Jotunheim, and his own cloud castle of Stormhold in the Beastlands. In Gudheim, he and Hiatea oversee the affairs of the Ordning, but they do it out of necessity rather than a desire for power and control; they will happily relinquish their roles the moment their father returns. Together they call the other members of the Ordning to account for wrongful actions, decide disputes, and attempt to remedy dissension amongst the other deities. While most of their siblings eventually see their way on issues, Karontor and Memnor are another matter. Neither respects the authority of the pair and frequently attempt to distort his meaning and intention. The plots and schemes of Memnor and Karontor have lead the Ordning and the Jotunbrud as a whole into a great many conflicts throughout history, and Stronmaus is always watchful of the two, hoping to prevent any future problems. On one occasion, Memnor’s schemes lead to a heated battle between Stronmaus and Clangeddin Silverbeard; while Stronmaus ended the battle as soon as he saw the Deceiver’s hand in it, the Father of Battle has yet to forgive him.

As might be expected of such an exuberant being, he maintains friendly relations with a wide range of deities of the seas, skies, and sunshine. In particular, the elven goddess Aerdrie Faenya and the aarakocra goddess Syranita are frequent visitors to his sky palace, and he has been linked romantically with both goddesses. The trio is often joined by Remnis on their flights through the skies of the Beastlands. Frequent visitors to the pool in his citadel include Surminare, Eldath, Trishina, and his sisters. Through his friendship with Syranita, Surminare, and Trishina, Stronmaus is a close ally of the asathalfinare, although he is not formally a member of that group. All members of the asathalfinare know they can call on the Storm Lord for assistance when their followers are in dire peril, and such a powerful ally has on more than one occasion given pause to their foes. He has also established an unusual friendship with the dwarven god Muamman Duathal and through him has continued his attempts to make amends to Clangeddin Silverbeard, although he has not as yet had any luck.

While there are a great many deities Stronmaus opposes, there are relatively few he considers true enemies. In general, he’d much rather help them come to understand how precious life and joyful living are, and then forgive them for their past deeds. Unfortunately, few seem at all interested in listening to him on the matter. Amongst the Storm Lord’s greatest foes, outside of Memnor and Karontor, are Talos, the Faerûnian deity of destructive weather, and his subordinate Umberlee. While the storms Stronmaus sends can occasionally be destructive, it is never intentional, and the life giving rains more than make up for it. Talos, on the other hand, desires nothing but pure destruction, sending rains and winds that flatten crops rather than nourish them. In addition, due to ancient racial animosity, Stronmaus also steadfastly opposes the evil gods of the dragons and dwarves, particularly Garyx and Abbathor.

Ancient myths speak of the great power wielded by Stronmaus, and one of the more common myths speaks of him shattering moons with his mighty hammer. The good giants speak of him doing so to protect the races of the world from some danger, while those of an evil bent often describe it in terms of a threat to cow the other members of the Ordning, or to cause meteors to wipe out great giantish civilizations that have displeased him. In this way, the giants of Realmspace and Greyspace speak of this myth when considering the creation of the Tears of Selûne and the Grinder, respectively.

Stronmaus’s avatars are frequent visitors to the Prime Material Plane, for he is deeply interested in the affairs of the Jotunbrud. He often disguises himself as an ordinary storm giant, and takes great pleasure in conversing with his priests and followers, the most powerful (those above 10th level) of whom always recognize him for who he is. He will also send an avatar to foil plots of Memnor, although he uses indirect means due to an ancient agreement amongst the Ordning. He also enjoys walks through primeval forests, windswept mountains, and storm-lashed coasts. On rare occasions, he may accompany a storm or cloud giant adventurer, enjoying the companionship of his chosen followers; he always utilizes a disguise so as to appear as an ordinary giant. Finally, like his father, he is more than capable of sending an avatar to woo a particularly comely giantess who has attracted his fickle attentions.

Stronmaus’ Avatar (23-HD Giant, Paladin 37, Cleric 28, Bard 21)
Stronmaus appears as an immensely tall giant with blue eyes and long, wavy, unbound red-auburn hair that appears as if stirred by a breeze even in still air. He wears a short beard and is always smiling. His clothing consists of a simple knee-length chiton of white silk and gold edges, belted at the waist with a golden cord. He draws his spells from all schools and spheres.

AC −5; MV 18, Fl 48 (MC: A), Sw 18; HP 307; THAC0 −10; #AT 2
Dmg 6d8+19 (enormous hammer of thunderbolts +5, +14 Str)
MR 70%; SZ G (45 to 80 feet tall)
Str 25, Dex 21, Con 24, Int 19, Wis 22, Cha 24
Spells P: 12/12/12/12/11/9/6 W: 5/4/4/4/4/3
Saves* PPDM 1; RSW 2; PP 2; BW 2; Sp 3
* Includes paladin +2 save bonus to a minimum of 1.

Special Att/Def:Stronmaus wields Mooncrusher, an enormous hammer of thunderbolts +5. It returns to his hand at the end of any round in which he throws it, allowing him to throw it again the following round if he desires. It has a range of 360 feet, and strikes dead any evil non-divine giant (including giant-kin, ogres, ogre magi, and trolls) as well as all creatures made of stone (such as stone golems, but not stone-like creatures) with no saving throw. A successful hit also issues forth a great thunderclap that stuns all creatures within 180 feet of the point of impact for 1d3 rounds.

Stronmaus innately controls weather within a 10-mile radius, overriding any other non-divine weather alterations easily, and can call lightning once per turn. Stronmaus can cast chain lightning with initial damage dice of 20d6 three times per day. This bolt is 10 feet wide and has a range up to 160 feet (as desired by Stronmaus). He is able to summon a 16-HD air or water elemental, or 12-HD lightning quasielemental, at will.

Stronmaus is immune to weapons of less than +3 enchantment, as well as all electrical attacks, death magic, energy drains, blindness, deafness, and all mind-affecting abilities. Non-evil avian and aquatic creatures will never attack him. Attempts to magically or psionically compel them to do so immediately breaks the effect.

Other Manifestations
Stronmaus typically manifests as beneficial rains and winds on the land and at sea, or as whirling eddies below the waves. Such manifestations confer abilities for a short time that are of immediate benefit to his followers, such as resist heat/cold, protection from lightning, blessed warmth, fly, water breathing, water walk, or ride the wind. He may also manifest as arcing static discharges across the surface of an object or creature he wishes to protect; all creatures coming partially or wholly within 5 feet of the protected object or creature suffer a direct shock from the electricity, which deals 1d6 points of damage per round. Finally, he may send a small portion of his great pool to an injured creature in the form of a small, personal rainstorm. This rainstorm confers heal, restoration, or regeneration as needed upon contact with the creature. No other creature but the intended can benefit from this rain. Due to his close friendship with the asathalfinare, he may also send these manifestations to good non-human creatures of the seas and skies as well.

Stronmaus’s omens are conveyed in strangely-shaped clouds that partially obscure the sun, unusual storm activity, and the pattern of a lightning bolt. If a dire threat is impending, he typically makes direct warnings through dreams or in the howling of the wind.

Stronmaus is served primarily by birds of all sorts, mortai, and various aquatic animals other than sharks, as well as by aarakocra, aasimar, aasimon, air and water elementals, air, lightning, and water mephits, asperii, asrai, asuras, avariel, avoral guardinals, baku, bronze dragons, cloud dragons, djinn, einheriar, griffons, hippocampi, hippogriffs, hollyphants, ki-rin, lightning quasielementals, lillendi, marids, mist dragons, noviere eladrin, pegasi, rocs, sea lions, sirines, spirits of the air, sunflies, sylphs, undines, vapor rats, and vortexes. He displays his pleasure through rolling thunder, flashes of lightning, warm gentle rains, sunbeams breaking through cloud cover, the sound of crashing waves, and the sound of booming laughter, as well as the discovery of conch shells, corals, aquamarines, topazes, and other stones in blue or yellow hues. He displays his displeasure through sudden and violent thunderstorms, destructive whirlpools, lightning strikes, and the booming sound of a hammer smashing stone.

The Church
Clergy:                      Clerics, specialty priests, mystics, wizards, runecasters
Clergy’s Align.:      NG, CG
Turn Undead:           C: Yes, SP: Yes, at priest level −2, Mys: No, W: No, Run: No
Cmnd. Undead:         C: No, SP: No, Mys: No, W: No, Run: No

All clerics, specialty priests, and mystics of Stronmaus receive religion (giantish) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.

Stronmaus’s clergy is highly respected amongst most of Jotunbrud society, especially those who live under open skies or near water. In particular, they play an especially important part of the societies of good cloud, fog, and storm giants, and to a lesser extent the firbolg and voadkyn. Priests of the Smiling God do not generally move into positions of political leadership, preferring to guide their people through advice and education; this is particularly true in storm giant bands, where the priests often live apart from their people in a particularly austere lifestyle. While not often worshipped outright amongst giants of an evil bent, he is sometimes called upon when good weather is needed for travel or rain is needed for agriculture.

Temples and shrines dedicated to Stronmaus can be found in nearly every tribe and nation of storm and good cloud giants, as well as many firbolg and voadkyn communities. Temple structure varies little from community to community; typically, they are long, marble-built, rectangular colonnaded buildings, topped with low-sloped roofs. Columns have capitals carved in a manner that recalls waves or clouds, although columns resting on a base of stylized waves and capitals of carved clouds are not uncommon. The central chamber of the temple is open to the sky, and taking up much of the floor space is a long pool of crystal clear water. Temples are completely free of cultic images and altars; the clergy holds that the whole sky and all clean water is to be seen as a representation of the Storm Lord, so no material statue or altar is needed to worship him. This is not to say temples are plain or unadorned; to the contrary, they are often painted with shades of blue, green, yellow, and white. Geometric patterns and carvings of giants celebrating life’s enjoyable aspects are common as well. Shrines tend to be small, circular, marble-paved pools surrounded by simple free-standing columns. Natural mountain springs and bowl shaped hollows with no tree cover or rocky overhangs also serve as shrines, particularly for storm giant tribes.

Novices of Stronmaus are known as Anemine (singular Aneminos). Full priests of the Thunderhead are known as Tropaeane (singular Tropaeanos). In ascending order of rank, the titles used by the organized clergy of Stronmaus are Breeze, Gust, Gale, Storm, and Tempest. High ranking priests have unique titles, but are collectively referred to as the Masters of the Four Winds. Specialty priests who are members of this hierarchy are known as skywarders. While the largest communities of storm giants tend to be organized in this manner, the priests of smaller groups almost completely eschew hierarchical organization, preferring an individualistic, ascetic existence where all members are equals, regardless of personal power. Specialty priests of this branch of Stronmaus’ worship are known as askesians; this branch also contains a small handful of mystics as well. The clergy of the Storm Lord includes cloud giants (55%), storm giants (25%), fog giants (4%), firbolg (3%), voadkyn (3%), reef giants (2%), and other races (including other giants, as well as aarakocra, avariel, and kenku; 8%). The clergy is almost equally divided among males (56%) and females (44%). The Stronman clergy is comprised of specialty priests (62%), clerics (30%), wizards and runecasters (6%), and mystics (2%).

Dogma: Hierarchical priests teach that joyous merriment is the nectar of life, while ascetic priests teach that life is a test of will. All priests teach that rain cleanses and offers salvation, and freedom is the greatest bounty one can bestow.

Day-to-Day Activities: Clergy of the hierarchical orders spend free time pursuing enjoyable activities in the arts, and all are expected to cultivate at least on such skill throughout their lifetime. They keep an ear open for rumors of evil aerial or aquatic creatures, and act quickly to slay or drive them off. Each morning, priests are expected to scatter incense or spices on the winds or waves as an offering to the Storm Lord. Priests also engage in rock throwing contests on especially nice days. Such events are more an excuse to enjoy sunshine and friendly banter than to actually gauge skill, and such contests frequently devolve into great gales of laughter, with all the participants too winded to actually throw rocks.

Storm giant priests of the ascetic orders treat every day as a challenge that must be overcome and all sins, no matter how small, require extreme atonement. Such atonement usually requires exposure to the elements, physical hardship, or mild physical punishment. Like their brethren, they attempt to rid the seas and skies of evil creatures, but to them, these are challenges Stronmaus sends that they must defeat.

Regardless of the religious order priests are a member of, they must always stop to pray during or immediately after any sort of rain or storm, even those magically summoned. All priests are forbidden from building or creating fires, although there is no stricture against using one built by someone else.

Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: Twice per year, on the summer and winter solstices, hierarchical priests initiate an Omjag, or “Sky Hunt.” These sacred hunts target a specific evil aerial creature, such as a chimera, a wyvern, or a chromatic dragon. For the week following, the priests hunt the creature, ritually slay it, and offer it to Stronmaus. Often initiate priests will be granted the killing blow, elevating them to a full member of the clergy. Unsuccessful hunts, or those where priests are slain, are viewed as bad omens for the coming season.Ascetic storm giant priests perform yearly ceremonies designed to push the clergy to their physical limits. Such ceremonies often involve a survival walk, great quest, or difficult hunt, and more often than not, place the priests in mortal danger. The clergy do not name these ceremonies, nor are they held at the same time each year; in fact, they will often vary the season they are held in from year to year. These tests of physical endurance may last anywhere from one week to an entire month, and priests may pursue them individually or as a group, depending on the goal.

Major Centers of Worship: The Hold of the Smiling Sun is the largest temple dedicated to Stronmaus in Nach Turacht, the giantish nation on the world of Greela in Greyspace, Found within the storm giant town of Skidamos, it is built in typical fashion, and ringing the edge of the roof can be seen detailed scenes from the legendary journey that brought the original settlers to the Greela. Two smaller temples, built along similar plans, can be found within the cloud giant town of Uxmont and the firbolg town of Duncor.

The ring world of Nivil contains what might be the largest temple of the Storm Lord’s on the Prime Material plane. It is located in the capital of the kingdom of Symnammos, and takes up four city blocks of that giant-sized city. Besides being the center of Stronmaus’s faith, it is also the center of the kingdom’s artistic endeavors, with the highest honor an artist or musician can be awarded is a royal showing or concert within the halls of the temple.

Rumors speak of a truly ancient shrine, built by the Storm Lord himself, hidden deep within the Storm Horns or the Thunder Peaks of central Faerûn, on Toril. Legends say the shrine is in a bowl-shaped valley, and contains a perfectly circular pool 100 feet across, surrounded by white marble paving stones and columns 50 feet high. Magic permeates the area, and offers succor of various types to creatures in danger from the elements or hostile monsters. To the storm and cloud giants who inhabit these mountains, this shrine may be a well known landmark, but inquiries as to its location are met with silence or a change of topic.

Long ago the continent of Cerilia, on the world of Aebrynis, was home to a large nation of cloud giants, who have now gone extinct. Ruins of their temples and shrines can be found within the Silverhead Mountains for those brave enough to search. Whether they have been plundered or not is unknown. The capital of the ancient kingdom, and any holy sites it may hold, has never been discovered, but must surely exist somewhere.

Affiliated Orders: The Guardians of the Winds and the Waves is a loosely organized group of storm and cloud giant rangers and priests who see it as their duty to protect the lesser creatures of goodness and neutrality in coastal lands and waters from evil creatures. They usually operate individually, but sometimes gather in small groups if the threat is greater than one can handle alone. When possible, they attempt to destroy the threats they discover without making their presence known to those they’re protecting, as they believe doing the good deeds without the possibility of a reward is the height of honor.

Priestly Vestments: Hierarchical clergy dress in fine garments of high-quality white cloth, edged with colors that denote their rank; silver and gold being the highest. Typical dress style consists of the chiton (ankle length for females, knee or ankle length for males), but other types of robes are common depending on local clothing styles. Their hair is grown long so it can blow free in the wind; while they do not wear head coverings of any sort, hair adornments such as combs, pins, circlets, and the like are popular. Silver jewelry is extremely popular and encouraged amongst the clergy, and often individual temple priesthoods will use jewelry amount as an additional mark of rank. In such priesthoods, it is considered a mark of extreme arrogance for a junior priest to dress better than a superior, with punishments lengthy and embarrassing, but not overly harsh. The holy symbol of hierarchical priests is a silver pendant in the shape of a cloud, a gold pendant in the shape of a forked lightning bolt, or a pendant that combines the two.

Ascetic storm giant priests have no formal raiment, and in fact their clothing is typically ragged and tattered from long exposure to the elements. Their holy symbols may be the same as the hierarchical priests, but more often are a pendant consisting of a flat stone disk carved with the runes for water and sky, superimposed on each other.

Adventuring Garb: Hierarchical clergy members typically wear plate or banded armor made of bronze or silvered steel when not trusting in their own thick flesh for protection. Weapon usage varies by individual preference, although two-handed swords and morning stars are favored. Ascetic storm giants rarely wear armor or wield weapons, preferring to strike with their bare hands, a makeshift club, or a staff.

Specialty Priests (Skywarders)
Requirements:          Wisdom 15
Prime Req.:                Wisdom
Alignment:                NG, CG
Weapons:                   Any
Armor:                       Any
Major Spheres:         All, animal, creation, divination, elemental air, elemental water, guardian, healing, summoning, sun, weather
Minor Spheres:         Charm, combat, necromantic
Magical Items:         Same as clerics
Req. Profs:                Artistic ability or musical instrument
Bonus Profs:             Survival (mountains)

  • While most skywarders are cloud giants, fog giants, or storm giants, any giant may join Stronmaus’s service, as may aerial and avian creatures such as aarakocra, avariel, and kenku.
  • Skywarders may not be multi-classed.
  • Skywarders cast all spells from the elemental air and weather spheres as if they were two levels higher.
  • Once per day, skywarders can cast fly (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) with double the duration.
  • At 3rd level, skywarders can cast dust devil (as the 2nd-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At 5th level, skywarders can cast wind wall (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) once per day.
  • At 7th level, skywarders can cast call aerial beings (as the 4th-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At 9th level, skywarders can cast major creation (as the 5th-level wizard spell) or air walk (as the 5th-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At 12th level, skywarders can cast solid fog (as the 4th-level wizard spell) at will. Once per week, cloud, fog, and storm giant skywarders can make such a fog cloud permanent and genuinely solid, strong enough to hold stone buildings. For every 10 feet of fog cloud thickness, stone structures 10 feet tall can be built on top. This ability is one of the methods used to create cloud castles.
  • At 15th level, skywarders can cast wind walk (as the 7th-level priest spell) once per day.

Specialty Priests (Askesians)
Requirements:          Constitution 14, Wisdom 17
Prime Req.:                Wisdom
Alignment:                NG, CG
Weapons:                   Any
Armor:                       Any
Major Spheres:         All, animal, creation, divination, elemental air, elemental water, guardian, healing, summoning, sun, weather
Minor Spheres:         Charm, combat, necromantic, protection, thought, time
Magical Items:         Same as clerics
Req. Profs:                Survival (mountains or oceans)
Bonus Profs:             Endurance

  • Askesians must be storm giants.
  • Askesians may not be multi-classed.
  • Askesians cast all spells from the elemental air and water spheres as if they were two levels higher.
  • Normal avians and aquatic creatures of semi-intelligence or below will not attack askesians unless magically compelled.
  • Askesians receive a +2 bonus to reaction checks when encountering intelligent aerial or aquatic creatures of good or neutral alignment.
  • Once per day, askesians can charm aerial or aquatic creatures.
  • At 3rd level, askesians can cast watery fist or dust devil (as the 2nd-level priest spells) once per day.
  • At 5th level, askesians can summon a 12 HD elemental if they have spent an hour meditating within the past 24 hours. The elemental stays for 6 turns, and the askesian does not need to concentrate to maintain control. The elemental can be either an air elemental or a water elemental; the latter is only available to sea-dwelling priests.
  • At 5th level, askesians can cast wind wall (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) or wall of water (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) once per day.
  • At 7th level, askesians can cast lower water or raise water (as the 4th-level priest spell and its reverse) once per day.
  • At 9th level, askesians can cast vision (as the 7th-level priest spell) once per day. Any result that indicates the deity takes offense is re-rolled.
  • At 12th level, askesians can cast part water (as the 6th-level priest spell) or wind walk (as the 7th-level priest spell) once per day.
  • At 15th level, askesians can summon a 16 HD elemental if they have spent an hour meditating within the past 24 hours. The elemental stays for 6 hours, and the elemental willing assists the askesian; there is no chance of the elemental going out of control. The elemental willingly assists the askesian in combat, but will not put itself in an obviously deadly situation. The elemental can be either an air elemental or a water elemental; the latter is only available to sea-dwelling priests.

Stronman Spells
In addition to the spells listed below, priests of the Storm Lord can cast the 1st-level priest spell speak with avians, detailed in Demihuman Deities in the entry for Aerdrie Faenya, the 4th-level priest spell call aerial beings, detailed in the Priest’s Spell Compendium Volume I.

1st Level
Charm Aerial or Aquatic Creatures (Pr 1; Enchantment/Charm)
Sphere:                    Animal
Range:                     80 yds.
Components:           V, S
Duration:                 Special
Casting Time:          4
Area of Effect:         1 avian or sea creature
Saving Throw:        Neg.

This spell affects any single avian or normal sea creature, of 30 Hit Dice or less, it is cast upon. The creature then regards the caster as a trusted friend and ally to be heeded and protected. The term avian includes bird-like creatures that are not highly magical, as well as some creatures with bird-like characteristics. For example, aarakocra, giant eagles, griffons, harpies, hawks, hippogriffs, kenku, pegasi, rocs, and talking owls can be affected, but not couatl, ki-rin, lammasu, perytons, phoenixes, shedu, sphinxes, swanmays, and the like. Normal sea creatures include dolphins, fish, giant crustaceans, giant squid, hippocampi, plesiosaurs, sea lions, sharks, whales but not aquatic elves, crabmen, dragon turtles, ixitxachitl, kraken, kuo-toa, mermen, sahuagin, and similar creatures.

The spell does not enable the caster to control the charmed creature as if it were an automaton, but any word or action of the caster is viewed in the most favorable way. Thus a charmed creature would not obey a suicide command, but might believe the caster if assured that the only chance to save the caster’s life is for the creature to hold back an onrushing red dragon for “just a minute or two” and if the charmed creature’s view of the situation suggests that this course of action still allows a reasonable chance of survival.

The subject’s attitudes and priorities are changed with respect to the caster, but basic personality and alignment are not. A request that a creature make itself defenseless, give up a valued item, or even use a charge from a valued item (especially against former associates or allies) might allow an immediate saving throw to see if the charm is thrown off. Likewise, a charmed creature does not necessarily reveal everything it knows or draw maps of entire areas. Any request may be refused, if such refusal is in character and does not directly harm the caster. The creature’s regard for the caster does not necessarily extend to the caster’s friends or allies. The creature does not react well to the charmer’s allies making suggestions such as, “Ask him this question….” nor does the charmed creature put up with verbal or physical abuse from the charmer’s associates, if this is out of character.

Note also that the spell does not empower the caster with linguistic capabilities beyond those he normally has. The duration of the spell is a function of the charmed creature’s Intelligence, and it is tied to the saving throw. The spell can be broken if a successful saving throw is rolled. This saving throw is checked on a periodic basis according to the creature’s intelligence, even if the caster has not overly strained the relationship.

If the caster harms, or attempts to harm, the charmed creature by some overt action, or if a dispel magic spell is successfully cast upon the charmed creature, the charm is broken automatically.

Intelligence             Period Between
Score                       Checks
3 or less                   3 months
4 to 6                       2 months
7 to 9                       1 month
10 to 12                   3 weeks
13 to 14                   2 weeks
15 to 16                   1 week
17                            3 days
18                            2 days
19 or more               1 day

If the subject of the charm avian or sea creature spell successfully rolls its saving throw vs. the spell, the effect is negated.

This spell, if used in conjunction with the animal friendship spell, can keep creatures of animal or semi-intelligence near the caster’s home base, if the caster must leave for an extended period.

3rd Level
Cloudview (Pr 3; Alteration, Divination)
Sphere:                    Divination
Range:                     20 mi./level
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 1 turn/level
Casting Time:          5
Area of Effect:         See below
Saving Throw:        None

Cloudview allows the caster to see and hear events through any one cloud within the range of the spell. The caster’s image appears in the cloud for all to see. The caster can see in any direction from the cloud, including up. Hearing is limited to relatively loud events such as shouts or explosions. Spells cast on the cloud do not affect the caster, though an effective dispel magic severs the connection between the caster and the cloud.

The spell’s material component is the cloud itself.

4th Level
Lightning Bolt (Pr 4; Evocation)
Sphere:                    Weather
Range:                     5 yds.
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 40 yds. + 10 yds./level
Casting Time:          6
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        ½

Upon casting this spell, the priest releases a powerful stroke of electrical energy that inflicts 1d6 points of damage per level of the spellcaster (maximum damage per level of 10d6) to each creature within its area of effect. A successful saving throw vs. spell reduces this damage to half (round fractions down). The bolt begins at a range and height decided by the caster and streaks outward in a direct line from the casting wizard (for example, if a 40-foot bolt was started at 180 feet from the wizard, the far end of the bolt would reach 220 feet (180 + 40). The lightning bolt may set fire to combustibles, sunder wooden doors, splinter up to a half-foot thickness of stone, and melt metals with a low melting point (lead, gold, copper, silver, bronze). Saving throws must be rolled for objects that withstand the full force of a stroke (see the fireball spell). If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it (i.e., the saving throw fails), the bolt continues. A bolt can breach 1 inch of wood or half an inch of stone per caster level, up to a maximum of 1 foot of wood or half a foot of stone.

The lightning bolt’s area of effect is chosen by the spellcaster: either a forked bolt 10 feet wide and 40 feet long or a single bolt 5 feet wide and 80 feet long. If a bolt cannot reach its full length, because of an unyielding barrier (such as a stone wall), the lightning bolt rebounds from the barrier toward its caster, ending only when it reaches its full length.

For example: An 80-foot-long stroke is begun at a range of 40 feet, but it hits a stone wall at 50 feet. The bolt travels 10 feel, hits the wall, and rebounds for 70 feel back toward its creator (who is only 50 feet from the wall, and so is caught in his own lightning bolt!).

The DM might allow reflecting bolts. When this type of lightning bolt strikes a solid surface, the bolt reflects from the surface at an angle equal to the angle of incidence (like tight off a mirror). A creature crossed more than once by the bolt must roll a saving throw for every time it is crossed, but it still suffers either full damage (if one saving throw is missed) or half damage (if all saving throws are made).

The material components of the spell are a bit of fur and an amber, crystal, or glass rod.

One Response to Stronmaus the Storm Lord

  1. JoeJ says:

    Woot! Merry Xmas!

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