Available to: Witch, Witch-King, Magician

Sources: Black Book, Blasted Jewel, Crone

Absorb Essence (Type V/Black)

Target: One monster

Duration: Permanent

Usefulness: 1

This spell can be cast on any monster, even if it is controlled or hired. It cannot be cast on a character who has been transmorphized into a monster (he would be a "character" target, not a monster). This spell transmorphizes the spellcaster into the monster he named as target. His items and horses are not transmorphized.

1. The spellcaster and monster become one entity, even when the spell is inert. The spellcaster continues to be represented by his character counter, but the absorbed monster simply ceases to exist - it is removed from play and is put in the spell's spell box, where it remains until the spell ends. The monster no longer functions as a monster: any denizens and Attention chits assigned to it become unassigned, and it is released from any spells bewitching it. It is not killed and cannot regenerate.

1.1 If the spellcaster is killed the monster is also killed. The killer gets the spellcaster's points plus the monster's bounty points, without multiplication, and both the spellcaster and the monster count as kills towards the killer's daily total.

1.2 If the spell is broken without killing the spellcaster, the monster instantly appears in the spellcaster's clearing.

2. When the spell is energized, the spellcaster plays dummy chits and uses the monster's combat values instead of his own. He must always use the combat values that are on the face-up side of the monster's counter. If the monster is Medium or Heavy, he can turn it either side up whenever he plays a chit (it does not change tactics). If it is Tremendous, it turns red side up only when it gets a hit; once it is red side up, he can turn it red side down whenever he plays a chit. The counter automatically turns red side down when he changes targets, or when his target is killed.

2.1 If the monster has a head or club, the spellcaster can play it during combat as a second attack against his target. Heads and Clubs can be played either side up.

2.2 If the monster is a Demon or Imp, he casts its spell as an attack (like a monster, not a character). He cannot change the spell it casts. Special: When the spell is energized, the spellcaster can use the monster's Magic type to record spells.

3. If a spellcaster has duplicate Absorb Essence spells, he can absorb one monster per spell. As each spell is energized, he transmorphizes into its monster (so he will always be transmorphized into the monster that belongs to the most recently energized spell). When the spells are energized simultaneously, the spellcaster chooses which one transmorphizes him.

4. When Absorb Essence is cast by an Artifact or Spell Book, the item transmorphizes when the spell becomes energized. The character holding the Item transmorphizes into the monster; if the item is not held by a character, the item itself becomes the monster, and it functions like a normal monster in all respects. When the monster is killed the spell is broken and the item reappears.

The quintessential part of the Black arsenal. This spell allows the Witch or the Witch King to engage in combat with relative safety - though even if you have a T Flying Dragon absorbed it's still not a good idea to try taking on the Order. Most people use this spell to get the biggest, toughest monster they can find, but consider Absorbing the humble bat. Not only are they annoyingly ubiquitous, but they also Fly. You could use the spell as a method of getting around the map quickly, rather than as a combat spell. And as any White Knight or Swordsman knows, a Bat is no slouch in combat.

Ask Demon (Type V/Black)

Target: One Demon or Winged Demon

Duration: Instant

Usefulness: 5

The spellcaster can ask one question of any other player (in the context of the game he is asking the Demon, who knows all about the character), and the other player must answer truthfully. The question must be answerable by "yes", "no", or a number, it must be about recorded information or one or more game pieces and it must be about the present or past - the spellcaster cannot ask about ideas or future intentions (except that he can ask about Victory Requirements). Question and answer must be kept secret from the other players. Note: The spell has no effect on how the Demon fights.

Never seen it used. Never needed it. Never wanted to know anything that badly.

Broomstick (Type V/Black)

Target: One Light character

Duration: Move

Usefulness: 2

This spell creates a Fly chit that the target can use to fly. This Fly chit has Light strength and a time number of "1". It can be cast only on a target with Light weight. The spellcaster controls when this chit is used, but it can be used only when the target uses a Light Move chit. Exception: If the spellcaster plays this spell on himself, he can play the Fly chit directly, without playing a Move chit. Example: The Witch King can cast Broomstick on himself and play the Fly chit even though he does not own a Light Move chit.

1. When the target plays a Light Move chit during the encounter step, the spellcaster can interrupt his play and force him to use the Fly chit to charge or fly away, as the spellcaster chooses. When the target plays a Light Move chit to manoeuvre, when the final manoeuvres are revealed the spellcaster can invoke the Fly chit. He cannot change the direction of the target's manoeuvre.

2. When the target starts to do a Fly phase, the spellcaster can invoke the Fly chit and allow him to fly. If he does not invoke the Fly chit, the activity is cancelled (unless the target has another source of flying strength).

3. If the target does a Move phase and plays a Light Move chit to carry items, then the spellcaster can invoke the Fly chit and force him to Fly to the tile he is moving to instead of moving to a particular clearing.

4. Any time the target uses a Move chit that is stronger than Light, the spellcaster can invoke the Fly chit. When this happens, the Fly chit has no effect and the spell is broken.

Very useful spell for getting around. The only disadvantage is the same as all Flying methods - that you land in a random clearing.

Curse (Type V/Grey)

Target: One character

Duration: Instant

Usefulness: 4

The spellcaster rolls on the Curses table and applies the Curse to the target. See Rule 4.8.9 and the Curses table for information on specific Curse results.

Inconveniencing spell. Also a great way to make someone want to kill you.

Pentangle (Type V/Black)

Target: One character, native or monster

Duration: Combat

Usefulness: 3

The Demon, Winged Demon, and Imp cannot attack the target, all spells and Curses that are bewitching him are temporarily nullified, and no new spells can go into effect against him. Pentangle stops only those spells that are aimed specifically against the target. He is still affected normally by spells that are aimed at other targets, such as Roof Collapses.

Again, a potentially useful spell. Never seen it used. It duplicates the Pilgrim's special ability, but it only lasts the combat. Long enough for you to get the hell away from said Demon, but not long enough to allow you to Loot its treasure site.

Power of the Pit (Type V/Black)

Target: One character, native or monster

Duration: Instant

Usefulness: 4

The spellcaster rolls on the Power of the Pit table and applies the result to the target. See Rule 4.8.9 and the Power of the Pit table for information on specific Power of the Pit results.

Don't get me wrong - I've seen plenty of rolls on the PotP table. I've just never seen a character that was mad enough to risk actually casting the spell, even though the risk of a Fiery Chasm Opens result is pretty small (2.78% chance with a normal unmodified roll).

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