Available to: Elf, Pilgrim, Woods Girl, Magician

Sources: Good Book, Glowing Gem, Statue

Control Bats (Type VII/Any)

Target: All of the Bats in the spellcaster's clearing

Duration: Day

Usefulness: 3

The spellcaster controls all of the Bats in his clearing. Special: When this spell is cast by an Artifact or Spell Book, the Bats are controlled by the character who holds the item. When no character holds the item, the spell is nullified.

This spell can be energised by any colour of magic, which increases its usefulness and means that the Woods Girl might actually be able to cast it (although what she is doing in the Mountains instead of the Woods is anyone's guess). Bats can be used to Fly, which is fairly useful. However, you'd better be able to recast the spell or get away from where you land; because once the spell expires those Bats will be attacking you again. It might be better, as with other control spells, to order the Bats to move to some nearby valley or woods and leave you alone.

Peace With Nature (Type VII/Gold)

Target: One character, hired leader or controlled monster

Duration: Permanent

Usefulness: 3

This spell prevents Warning and Sound chits from summoning monsters when the target ends his turn. If the chits are face down he reveals them as usual but turns the Warning and Sound chits face down again to show they have not summoned monsters yet (chits are face up only if they have had the opportunity to summon monsters). The chits react normally when anyone else ends his turn in the tile. This spell does not affect Site chits, Dwellings, Site cards or the Dragon Essence card, which continue to summon denizens normally, and it does not affect prowling monsters that are already in the tile, who still move to the target's clearing. Note: If the target is a hired or controlled denizen, he remains bewitched when he becomes unhired and uncontrolled.

This spell duplicates the Druid's ability. It is a Permanent spell, active whenever Gold magic is present. It means that you will only be bothered by Tremendous monsters. If you think you can handle that, go for it.

Premonition (Type VII/Gold)

Target: One character

Duration: Day

Usefulness: 4

The target character chooses when he takes his turn during Daylight. He keeps his Attention chit instead of mixing it with the others, and each time a new chit is about to be picked he can either preempt and take his turn or pass and let the next chit be drawn. When no chits are left, he cannot pass - he must take his turn. He still gets only one turn per day. If this spell is broken before he preempts, his Attention chit is immediately mixed in with the remaining chits and is picked normally to determine when he takes his turn. Special: If several characters can preempt, they must preempt or pass in turn, going clockwise from the last character to take a turn and skipping anyone who cannot preempt.

This duplicates the Swordsman's ability. For one day, this spell just doesn't seem worth it. I can imagine a situation where it would be absolutely essential for your strategy to go either first or last, but I can't imagine it happening very often.

Protection from Magic (Type VII/Gold)

Target: One character

Duration: Phase

Usefulness: 2

The target character is protected from spells and curses for one round of combat or one phase of his turn. He keeps the spell's Magic chit to represent its effect, and he activates it like an item. When he activates it, it nullifies all spells and curses that are bewitching him, and prevents new spells from being cast on him; he is still vulnerable to spells aimed at other targets. At the end of the phase or round, the spell expires.

This is possibly the most useful of the VII spells. It allows the Elf or Woods Girl to take on the Demons with no chance of receiving a Power of the Pit attack. It could also be useful to protect against Curses from Reading Runes, or when being attacked by another spellcaster. The fact that it lasts only one phase limits its usefulness a bit.

Sense Danger (Type VII/Purple)

Target: One character

Duration: Permanent

Usefulness: 3

The target can record and do an extra Alert phase on his turn.

As a Permanent spell, this is a little more useful than Premonition or the other Day spells. Since most of the dangerous treasure sites are in tiles with Purple magic, an extra Alert phase when these tiles are enchanted can be very useful.

Return to the beginning...