This spell enables the caster to cause a pool of normal water found in a natural setting to act as a scrying device. The pool can be of no greater diameter than 2 feet per rank of the caster. The effect is to create a scrying device similar to a crystal ball. The scrying can extend only to the Ethereal Plane and the Inner Planes (which includes the paraelemental planes, the Demiplane of Shadow, etc.). General notes on scrying, detection by the subject, and penalties for attempting to scry beyond the caster's own plane are given in the DMG, as well as a description of the crystal ball item.
The following spells can be cast through a reflecting pool, with a 5% per rank chance for operating correctly: detect magic, detect snares and pits, and detect poison. Each additional detection attempt requires a round of concentration, regardless of success. Infravision, if available, operates normally through the reflecting pool.
The image is nearly always hazy enough to prevent the reading of script of any type.
The material component is the oil extracted from such nuts as the hickory and the walnut, refined, and dropped in three measures upon the surface of the pool. (A measure need be no more than a single ounce of oil.)
At the DM's option, the casting of this spell may be limited to once per day. |