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Task is the deity of greed, the pure unadulterated avarice that particularly affects evil dragonkind. Whereas Astilabor represents the desire to acquire treasure for the status and utility a large hoard brings, Task represents the selfish desire to own wealth for the sake of wealth itself and the desire to take what others have simply to deprive them of it.

Task (PDF Version)
(The Wrester, Taker and Holder)
Lesser Power of Pandemonium, CE

Portfolio:  Greed, selfishness
Aliases:  None
Domain Name:  Agathion/the Hidden Cache
Superior:  Io
Allies:  Abbathor, Faluzure, Zorquan
Foes:  Aasterinian, Arcanic, Astilabor, Bahamut, Elemtia, Garyx, Hlal, Kereska, Lendys, Rais, Tamara, Tiamat
Symbol:  Pile of five coins
Wor. Align.:  N, CN, LE, NE, CE

Task (TASK) is the draconic deity of greed and avarice, representing the natural acquisitiveness of the dragons taken to its worst extreme, corrupted by evil and selfishness. He wants everything, and doesn’t care what it takes to get it or who is harmed along the way. He jealously guards what he owns, refusing to part with even the smallest portion, regardless of the benefit it could bring to others.

Envy has always filled the heart of Task; from the moment Io brought him into the world he has wanted everything he set his eyes upon, especially if another being already claimed it. He deeply despises each of his siblings, and plots endlessly to acquire their hoards. His hatred for Astilabor surmounts all others, not only because each one claims their hoard is larger, but also because he believes he should rightfully be the deity of acquisitiveness and status. He acts to disrupt her plans whenever he can, and often takes contrary opinions out of pure spite. Recently, however, Tiamat has become the focus of his attention. There has long been friction between the portfolios of the two deities, but her recent seizure of the portfolio of human greed on the world of Toril is seen by Task as a gross encroachment of his own portfolios. In return, the Wrester has asserted that he is the rightful ruler of evil dragonkind. Open conflict between followers of the two deities seems inevitable within a matter of years if neither backs down from their claim. Should that happen, the winner would likely be Garyx, as he further expands his following among red, blue, and yellow dragons.

Task’s only open draconic ally is Zorquan. The High One dislikes Task, but sees the greed he embodies as a legitimate aspect of the draconic persona. As such, so long as Task does not commit an act that would be against the nature of dragonkind, as Faluzure has done, Zorquan will assist the Wrester in any conflicts with outside parties. Task is fully aware of this, and assists the other members of the pantheon against major external threats, if very reluctantly. However, despite the precarious position it would put him in if it were revealed, Task recently made a secret pact with Faluzure to try and usurp Io’s position as head of the pantheon. The Wrester knows Faluzure is untrustworthy, but believes he can stay a step ahead of the Night Dragon; once he has Io’s power and position, he feels it would be easy to eliminate Faluzure, and take his hoard, as he plans to do to the rest of the pantheon. The pact with Faluzure was made before his current antagonism with Tiamat; it is unclear if the tenuous alliance will survive the time required to resolve this situation. Task’s sole true ally is the dwarven god of greed, Abbathor. The two are kindred spirits and genuine friends, despite coveting the other’s wealth. It is said they first encountered each other on the Prime Material Plane trying to gain the same dead dragon’s hoard, and after each failed to outwit the other, they joined forces to overcome the traps in the lair, splitting the treasure evenly. In fact, the profits of every one of their ventures are split evenly, for both know they are evenly matched in greed and treasure lust. Abbathor is the only deity Task willingly aids, and can expect willing aid in return. None of this changes the fact that each one expects to one day steal the other’s wealth, possibly killing them in the process. Both are content to put that day off so long as there is other treasure to acquire.

The Wrester is extremely active, sending his avatar throughout the planes to gather treasures of any amount by guile or force. He pays little attention to his followers and rarely meets with them, except by accident. When a follower dies, however, he may dispatch an avatar to claim the dragon’s hoard, possibly bringing him into conflict with the dragon’s slayer or offspring.

Task’s Avatar (24-HD Great Wyrm Dragon, Cleric 29, Mage 26, Thief 26)
Task appears as an enormous dragon of indeterminate breed, whose hide is completely covered with gemstones of a variety of hues. His eyes glitter brightly with greed, and his three horns are capped in gold and silver. He sometimes takes the form of a dwarven miser, bedecked in gems, rings, and other jewelry, and always wearing the finest clothing. He favors spells from the spheres of charm, chaos, divination, guardian, and wards, as well as the schools of abjuration, divination, and illusion/phantasm, although he can use spells from all schools and spheres save the sphere of law.

AC −11; MV 18, Fl 45 (C), Sw 12, Jp 6; HP 256; THAC0 −3; #AT 3+special
Dmg 2d6+12/2d6+12/7d4+12 (claw/claw/bite)
MR 85%; SZ G (340 feet—body 195 feet, tail 145 feet)
Str 22, Dex 23, Con 21, Int 22, Wis 20, Cha 22
Spells P: 12/12/11/11/9/9/7, W: 6/6/6/6/6/5/5/5/5
Saves PPDM 2; RSW 3; PP 4; BW 4; Sp 4

Special Att/Def: Task prefers to avoid physical combat, in part because he doesn’t want his gemstone-studded damaged, using his magical abilities and breath weapons to defeat foes from a distance. His primary breath weapon is a cone of magnetic energy 135 feet long, 5 feet wide at his mouth, and 45 feet wide at the base. This energy causes all metallic items to gain weight exponentially; any creatures carrying metal items suffer 12d4+12 points of damage, with a save versus breath weapon allowed for half damage. Those who fail their saves collapse to the ground under the weight of their metal items, and are effectively held in place unless they can rid themselves of them. Removal of metallic items takes 2 to 4 (1d3+1) times as long as normal to be removed, unless a bone, stone, or other non-metallic knife is used to cut straps or cords loose. Task delights in toying with trapped foes until he can use his secondary breath weapon upon them. This breath weapon is a cloud of corrosive gas that fills an area 75 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 30 feet high. This gas attacks living tissue only, dealing 24d10+12 points of damage; a saving throw versus breath halves this damage. Creatures trapped by the effects of Task’s primary breath weapon make their save with a -4 penalty. This gas overcomes all but divine protections, but it has no effect on dead or inorganic matter, such as wood, metal, food, leather, ivory, or undead flesh.

Task can detect illusions at will, and always detects metals and minerals in a path directly in front of him, 10 feet wide and 120 feet long. He can cast teleport object and dimension door three times per day, passwall twice per day, and hallucinatory terrain with twice the area of effect once per day. Six times per day he can become invisible, and he can cause his gemstone-studded hide to produce a hypnotic pattern in any round in which he uses no melee attacks or a breath weapon, provided ambient light in the region is brighter than torchlight.

Task’s aura of dragon fear extends to a radius of 140 yards. Creatures of up to 4 HD/levels who catch sight of him are automatically affected (as well as all noncarnivorous, nonaggressive creatures with fewer than 25 Hit Dice) and flee for 4d6 rounds. Trained war mounts of 4 HD or more, organized military units, and single creatures with more than 4 HD or levels do not automatically flee. Rather, they are entitled to a saving throw vs. petrification at a −4 penalty. If they fail this saving throw, they fight with a −2 penalty to attack and damage rolls. No one save another deity is automatically immune to his fear effect.

Task is immune to weapons below +2 enchantment, as well as all spells below 5th level. He takes half damage from electricity and cold, and is immune to all acids and gasses, as well as poison, paralysis, death magic, and mind-affecting and controlling spells and psionics. He cannot be affected by magnetic or gravitic attacks, or hostile teleportation effects other than those that would send him back to his home plane.

Other Manifestations
Task’s manifestations rarely directly aid his followers, instead furthering the Wrester’s own goals of gaining treasure. He can cause any dragon or intelligent reptilian creature to feel intense avarice, unless a saving throw vs. spell is successful with a −4 penalty. The creature or creatures affected do anything they can to seize all known valuables in the area for 2d4 rounds, battling those who resist. Combat with allies or loved ones allows a new saving throw every round to break free of the effect.

Dragons who show exceptional greed and selfishness may gain a boon from Task. Such boons are never material; instead he usually grands them the use of a magical power once per day that will further aid in them in gaining more treasure. Common powers granted are invisibility, detect metals and minerals, detect illusion, passwall, darkness, and other similar spells. The Wrester expects dragons to whom he has granted such a boon sacrifice a portion of all their future gains; failing to do so, or not sacrificing enough, results in the loss of the power. He never informs these dragons how much he expects from them, however. He is willing to grant boons even after he has revoked them, with the expectation that the dragon has learned its lesson.

If Task’s avatar is currently present on a given world, any dragon who invokes his name draws his attention, and he can attempt to cast teleport object on any one valuable item within 30 feet of the creature, teleporting it to himself or a secret location from which he can retrieve it later. If this item is carried by an individual, they are entitled to a saving throw vs. spell to resist the theft.

Task is served by aurumvorae, crysmals, dwarves consumed with avarice, guardian yugoloths, hetfish, incarnates of covetousness and envy, khargra, lock lurkers, mineral quasielementals, observers, rust monsters, spectators, xorn, and xaren. He displays his pleasure through the unexpected discovery of valuable metals, gems, and jewels, often in unexpected places, such as the digestive system of a prey animal. His displeasure manifests in the inexplicable loss of valuables, such as a local sinkhole in a dragon’s lair, a sudden stumble that causes valuables to be lost in a fast flowing river, and other such events. Only in the rarest of circumstances would Task allow valuables to be destroyed however.

The Church
Clergy:                      Dragon-priests, specialty priests
Clergy’s Align.:      CN, LE, NE, CE
Turn Undead:           DP: No, SP: No
Cmnd. Undead:         DP: Yes, SP: No

All priest-dragons and specialty priests of Task receive religion (draconic) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.

Task is worshipped by the greediest of dragons, those whose desire for wealth far surpasses the normal desire for wealth as a measure of status. Most will go to great lengths to acquire hoards and troves, and favor using surprise attacks, theft, and other devious means to gain the treasure while minimizing their own risk. Task is widely reviled throughout good and neutral dragon culture, and even among evil dragons, worshipping or invoking him is highly frowned upon. While these feelings don’t come anywhere near the levels of revulsion felt for Faluzure, the Wrester is seen as a corrupter of the noble goal of gaining respect through increasing hoard size. Dragons who follow Task rarely make it public, as doing so makes other dragons much more wary of their activities.

The Wrester’s temples are hidden complexes protected by traps and guardians. Physical traps abound, created by captured gnomes, dwarves, or kobolds, and the dragons themselves lay all variety of magical traps they can conceive. Golems and summoned guardians are used when possible, but charmed monsters are much more common. Once past the main protections, the inner sanctum is a splendid realm with gold, silver, gems, and precious materials covering every bare surface. The sophistication of the decorations often depend on the breed of dragon dwelling in the temple, with black and white dragons often simply embedding coins, rings, and jewels in the rock, while blue and red dragons will have gilding and fancy decorations covering stone surfaces. Bright lighting is almost a guaranteed feature, with light sources places to make the sanctum more dazzling to the eye. A sacrifice pit is located either centrally or at the far end of the chamber, which typically leads to an incredibly deep chamber from which Task may retrieve sacrificed valuables.

On most worlds, dragons do not form organized priesthoods, as there are too few of them, and they are far too individualistic. Only worlds with very dense dragon populations or very structured dragon cultures will develop hierarchical priesthoods, and the form they take are likely to be unique to those worlds. Specialty priests of Task are known as wresters. Any dragon capable of becoming a priest may join the clergy of Task, but chaotic or evil dragons are most common, with reds, whites, yellows, and chromiums particularly common, as well as a large number of topazes and a surprising number of brasses. The majority of his clergy are specialty priests (65%), with the remnant dragon-priests (35%). Task is favored by half-dragon thieves and merchants who are ruthless and greedy, as well as those evil adventurers whose sole purpose is gaining great wealth for themselves at others’ expense. He grants spells to half-dragon clerics, but doesn’t care if his draconic priests kill them for their material wealth.

Dogma: Take anything you want, and hold it unto death. Defend your possessions with your life, for nothing is more important than the status they provide. The more wealth one is able to acquire and hoard in life, the more important one will be in the afterlife. Those who would succumb to the misguided notion of charity doom themselves to the lowest ranks of the dead, bound to the more important dragon spirits in menial service for eternity.

Day-to-Day Activities: Followers of Task spend their days much as other dragons do, but all of their hoard-related activities border on the obsessive. They endlessly count and recount their treasures to ensure not a single copper is missing, they rearrange the piles of coins and jewels to maximize their grandeur, they try to devise ever-more devious and dangerous traps, and most of all, they ponder ways to most efficiently increase the size of their hoard. They especially delight in increasing their hoard through means that harm the status of other dragons, especially if such a dragon is a known follower of Astilabor. They are no strangers to cheating and theft, and have been known to use human and humanoid agents to hide their activities. Replacing portions of another dragon’s hoard with, or tricking them into acquiring troves of, counterfeit currency or fake jewels and then calling on them to prove their status through the value of their hoard is a favorite, if difficult to execute, tactic. Attacking that dragon once its allies desert it is the common follow-up to such maneuvering.

Important Ceremonies/Holy Days: The Taskan church hold that solar eclipses are holy, and mythologically represent Task wresting portions of the golden sun from the sky’s hoard. Followers of Task are expected to sacrifice 1000 gp worth of treasure on such days to bring about good fortune and greater wealth in the future, but no other special ceremonies are required. The exception are total solar eclipses that occur on the summer solstice; such days are known as the Wresting, and followers are expected to spend the day attempting to build their hoard by attacking other dragons, merchant caravans, towns, or wherever a source of treasure is believed to exist. They are then expected to sacrifice a portion of the treasure gained, worth at least 5000 gp; failing to do so, even if the attacks were unsuccessful, is said to lead to the complete loss of a dragon’s hoard.

Major Centers of Worship: The most prominent worshipper of Task on the world of Toril is the mature adult white dragon Augaurath, who lairs in the High Ice of the northern Anauroch desert. Particularly cunning and intelligent for a white dragon, she holds dominion over all other white dragons in the region despite her age, and is even worshipped as a god by the yeti, winter wolves, and semi-intelligent remorhaz who dwell amongst the northern wastes. Her lair is a testament to her prowess at exacting tribute from her vassals and worshippers, with gems, jewels, coins, and all manner of valuables embedded in the icy walls. It is said that Task has granted her powers that elevate her above the power of even a great wyrm, for she has managed to slay at least one who challenged her control of the region a dozen or so years ago. The details of these powers, if they exist, are unknown.

Amongst the dragons in Io’s Blood Isles, the Taskan church is strongest in the Black Dragon clan of Mire, although there are significant followings in the red dragon clan of Vermillion as well. Clan Mire has constructed a temple in honor of the Wrester and Holder within a dry hillock in the depths of their swamp, to which all dragons of the clan must maintain and tithe portions of their hoards. The hoard of the temple is also the lord’s own, as Ilwing himself is the head priest of Task’s clergy. Ascension to this position is based on hoard size as measured by tithe, and the victor will gain Ilwing’s hoard upon his death; as one might expect, competition is incredibly fierce among the dragons of clan Mire.

Affiliated Orders: None.

Priestly Vestments: Draconic priests of Task always use their most valuable gem or piece of jewelry as their holy symbol. They are required to acquire a more valuable piece for use as a holy symbol at least once every 25 years.

Adventuring Garb: None.

Specialty Priests (Wresters)
Requirements:          Dexterity 12, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 9
Prime Req.:                Intelligence, Wisdom
Alignment:                CE
Weapons:                   Any, but normally a dragon’s natural weaponry
Armor:                       Any, but normally a dragon’s natural armor
Major Spheres:         All, charm, chaos, combat, creation, divination, guardian, numbers, summoning, thought, wards
Minor Spheres:         Elemental, healing, protection
Magical Items:         Same as dragons, clerics
Req. Profs:                Appraisal
Bonus Profs:             Looting (Council of Wyrms)

• Wresters may be any true dragon capable of becoming a priest, although most are red, blue, green, white, black, yellow, brown, deep, shadow, topaz, chromium, cobalt, or nickel dragons.
• Wresters are not allowed to multiclass.
• Wresters can cast alarm (as the 1st-level wizard spell) once per day. For every two age categories beyond 1st, they can cast it an additional time per day (so twice at 3rd, three times at 5th, etc.).
• At the 2nd age category, wresters can cast detect metals and minerals or treasure scent (as the 1st-level priest spells) once per day.
• At the 3rd age category, wresters can cast levitate (as the 2nd-level wizard spell) three times per day.
• At the 4th age category, wresters can cast hoard attunement (as the 2nd-level priest spell) once per week.
• At the 5th age category, wresters can cast glyph of warding (as the 3rd-level priest spell) once per day.
• At the 7th age category, wresters can cast hoardguard (as the 4th-level priest spell) once per day.
• At the 9th age category, wresters can cast teleport object (as the 3rd-level wizard spell) twice per day. They can cast it an additional time for every age category they gain above 10th (so three times at 11th and four times at 12th). They can only teleport the objects back to their lair; this is typically used to steal items from other dragons’ lairs.
• At the 10th age category, wresters can attempt to summon 1d6 dwarven worshippers of Abbathor to perform a service for the dragon. At the time of the summoning, the wrester sets the reward they are willing to pay, and if the dwarves agree, they are summoned. The dwarves will undertake a number of different tasks, but will not specifically engage in combat on the behalf of the dragon. Tasks commonly undertaken are acting as open or secret representatives of the dragon to human or demihuman communities, spying, thieving, and various interactions with lesser races that the dragon is not capable of handling. There’s a 50% chance any given dwarf is 0-level, 20% chance they are a thief of levels 1–8, 15% chance they are a fighter of level 2–7, 10% chance they are a priest of level 1–6, and a 5% chance they are a multiclass combination.
• At the 11th age category, wresters can cast a special form of sequester (as the 7th-level wizard spell) once per month. Contrary to the spell description, it encompasses the wrester’s whole lair and all objects within it; any entrances that the caster knows about are shrouded in illusion to look like the surrounding area. While detection magic can locate the wrester himself, his exact location is vague, and scrying reveals nothing about the wrester’s surroundings.
• At the 12th age category, wresters can scribe a symbol of fear, discord, stunning, or sleep (as the 7th-level priest spell) once per week. Once per year, they can make a chosen symbol

Taskan Spells
In addition to the spells listed below, priests of the Taker and Holder can cast the 1st-level priest spells detect metals and minerals, detailed in Powers and Pantheons in the entry for Geb, treasure scent, detailed in Powers and Pantheons in the entry for Tiamat, and truemetal, detailed in Faiths and Avatars in the entry for Waukeen, the 2nd-level priest spell hoard attunement, detailed in the entry for Astilabor, and the 3rd-level priest spell Abbathor’s greed (which is called Task’s greed by the clergy, and has a chance to summon Task instead of Abbathor), detailed in Demihuman Deities in the entry for Abbathor.

3rd Level
Glyph of Warding: Task’s Curse (Pr 3; Abjuration, Alteration, Enchantment/Charm)
Sphere:                    Guardian
Range:                     Touch
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 Until discharged
Casting Time:          Special
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        Special

A glyph of warding is a powerful inscription magically drawn to prevent unauthorized or hostile creatures from passing, entering, or opening. The glyph of warding: Task’s curse is favored by priests of the Taker and Holder. No other priesthoods are known to use it. The conditions, limitations, and material components for casting a glyph of warding: Task’s curse are the same as for a normal glyph of warding, although the spell always requires powdered diamond to cast, regardless of the area to be affected. This spell is never found as a dragon spell, and only true dragons are capable of casting this spell.

When triggered, Task’s curse causes the creature that triggered the glyph and all those within 10 yards to gain an allergy and phobia towards precious metals and gems. A saving throw versus spell is allowed for each effect, and it is possible to be affected by the phobia but not the allergy, and vice versa. Those affected by the phobia immediately wish to divest themselves of their valuables in such a way that they cannot be recovered fervently advocate their companions do the same. Should their companions refuse to do so, the cursed individual attempts to flee for 1d3 full turns; note that even knowing a companion has a gold coin in their pack is enough to trigger the phobia. Should they be prevented from divesting or destroying their valuables, they lapse into a catatonic state for 1d6 days. Those affected by the allergy begin to develop swelling and hives where they come in contact with precious metals or gemstones. After one round of contact, swelling causes a −1 penalty is applied to any actions involving an affected limb (attack and damage rolls for arms and hands, AC and movement for legs or feet, etc.); swelling in the chest, neck, or face causes a −1 penalty to all rolls, movement, AC, etc. due to airway constriction. As long as contact with precious metals or gemstones is maintained, an additional −1 penalty is applied every round. After five rounds of contact, the creature falls unconscious from the severity of the allergic reaction, and anaphylactic shock sets in. Treat this as Type N contact poison, although protections against poison have no effect. If contact is removed at any point, all penalties fade away at a rate of 1 per round, but the creature remains unconscious for an additional 1d6 hours. Should the creature ingest precious stones or metals, the reaction is much more severe; treat it as a Type J poison, with the same restrictions as above.

For the purposes of this spell, copper, brass, and bronze are not considered precious metals. Only a remove curse or more powerful spell can break Task’s curse. The material component of this spell, in addition to the standard components, is a gem or piece of jewelry worth at least 500 gp. This glyph can only be cast by an Old dragon or older.

Summon Incarnate (Pr 3; Conjuration/Summoning)
Sphere:                    Summoning
Range:                     30 yds.
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 Special
Casting Time:          1 rd.
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        None

With this spell, the caster can summon a minor incarnate of covetousness or envy, at the caster’s choice. The incarnate will attack and attempt to take over a target of the caster’s choice, as detailed in the Planescape Monstrous Compendium. If it fails to reduce the intended target’s Constitution score within 3 turns, or if the target succeeds its System Shock roll, the incarnate returns to the Lower Planes. While all normal effects of control manifest if an incarnate succeeds, the hold it has is slightly weaker due to the summoning magic that brought it to the Prime Material Plane. Hosts are allowed weekly System Shock rolls to expel the incarnate; should it be expelled in this manner, it immediately returns to the Lower Planes, as it does if the host dies. For the purposes of incarnate control attempts, assume dragons without explicit scores have a Constitution of 12, plus 1 per three age categories.

The material components for this spell are a live toad for an incarnate of covetousness or a live snake for an incarnate of envy, as well as a gem worth at least 100 gp, all of which are consumed in the casting.

4th Level
Hoard Stalker (Pr 4; Conjuration/Summoning)
Sphere:                    Summoning
Range:                     10 yds.
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 Special
Casting Time:          1 rd.
Area of Effect:         Special
Saving Throw:        None

With this modification of the invisible stalker spell, the caster summons an invisible stalker from the Elemental Plane of Air to track down items stolen from his hoard. The stalker is a faultless tracker within one day of the thief’s passing, and will follow its quarry relentlessly, regardless of distance. Once they have found their quarry, they will attempt to retrieve the stolen items and returning them to the priest’s hoard. The invisible stalker will kill the thief if it needs to, but its primary mission is to retrieve the stolen hoard items. Items to be retrieved must be described precisely to the stalker upon summoning; should the items not be described precisely, the magic binding the stalker to the search does not apply and the stalker need not bring the items back. It is also under no obligation to bring back any other valuables it discovers on its search. Unlike the invisible stalker spell, the stalker summoned by this spell cannot pervert its task beyond what is outlined above due to the specificity of the task.

The material components for this spell are the priest’s holy symbol, as well as fragrant woods and incense worth at least 500 gp, burned in a brass brazier.

Hoardguard (Pr 4; Abjuration, Evocation)
Sphere:                    Wards
Range:                     0
Components:           V, S, M
Duration:                 1 hr./level
Casting Time:          1 rd.
Area of Effect:         As breath weapon
Saving Throw:        None

By means of this spell, a dragon can protect its hoard in such a way as to make theft virtually impossible. When the spell is cast, the dragon’s breath weapon temporarily changes. Instead of the usual fire, lightning, acid, and so on, the breath weapon becomes pure magical energy, which must be released by the dragon within 1 round following the spell’s casting, or the magic is wasted. The dragon breathes this energy (which conforms to the dimensions of the dragon’s usual breath weapon) over its hoard, attempting to encompass as much of the hoard as possible within the area of effect.

This energy bonds whatever parts of the hoard it touches into a solid mass. The spell does not harm the hoard in any way, nor does it alter its appearance or position; the items within the hoard remain loose and separate. Instead, the hoardguard magic fills in the spaces between the individual coins, gems, weapons, chests, ingots, and so forth, and holds them together as a solid mound of wealth. This invisible bond prevents the hoard from being sorted, separated for transport, scattered, or otherwise moved or manipulated as separate items. Because it has essentially become one single mass, lifting the hoard as a whole is impossible by any single creature, except through powerful magic. The hoard so protected cannot be harmed by physical or magical attacks without first removing the hoardguard spell. It is thus impossible for intruders to break off pieces or sections of the hoard and carry them away.

Dispel magic has no effect on a hoard protected by the spell, and an antimagic shell frees only as much treasure as fits within its area of effect. (If freed treasure is not removed from the hoard, the hoardguard magic reasserts itself as soon as the shell expires or moves away.) A limited wish negates a hoardguard for one hour (and if the treasure is not separated in that time, the hoardguard will return as above). A full wish destroys the spell permanently.

Treasure added to a hoard already protected by this spell does not gain the spell’s benefits. New treasure requires a hoardguard of its own, though the dragon may include the new treasure after the first hoardguard’s duration expires and a new spell is cast.

This spell only affects the dragon’s hoard. It does not function upon creatures or the items they possess, unless the dragon acquires the items and adds them to its hoard. This spell typically protects the dragon’s treasure while it is out hunting for food or seeking treasure. Some dragons arrange their hoards so that the entire amount can be warded with a single spell. Others make several smaller piles, to use up an invader’s magical powers in repeatedly negating the spell, and thus minimizing the overall treasure loss.

The material components for this spell are the priest’s holy symbol and a jar of glue, wax, sap, or other very sticky substance.

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