A Glyph of Warding is magically inscribed across a hallway or doorway and triggers when someone touches it without first speaking the password for the glyph, which is determined by the caster when the glyph is created. The caster may also choose to not have a password, in which case it it automatically triggered when touched. Once the glyph is cast, it fades into invisibility such that it can only be seen with Power Perception or like magic.
The glyph itself is nothing more than a trigger that has no effect without an accompanying spell. The accompanying spell is woven into the glyph as it is being cast and does not increase the cost of casting the glyph. When triggered, the accompanying spell goes off at a rank equal to the lesser of the caster's rank with the spell or their rank with the Glyph of Warding. For example, if the caster wants to inscribe his rank 22 Fireball into his rank 5 Glyph of Warding, the Fireball will go off at rank 5 when the glyph is triggered.
When casting a Glyph of Warding, use the lower of the cast chance of the glyph or the cast chance of the accompanying spell. Only one cast chance roll is made.
The glyph can block a 10 square foot (plus 10 square feet per rank). A glyph must touch at least 3 surfaces, and be a minimum of 3 feet wide by 6 feet high or it will fail. For example, if a mage wants to glyph a 20 foot wide by 20 foot high passage (400 square feet) but they are only rank 5 (60 square feet max), they cannot do so. The glyph does not need to reach the ceiling but must be at least 6 feet high and run from wall to wall, requiring a minimum of 120 square feet. Only a mage who is rank 11 or higher could glyph such a wide area and the glyph would only be 6 feet high, meaning that a clever group who is able to see the invisible glyph might be able to get past it by going over it.
Once a glyph is triggered, it is gone unless the mage rolled critical or grievous success with the ritual. With critical success, it will remain until triggered 1, plus 1d2 additional times. With grievous success, it remains until triggered 2, plus 1d4 additional times.
This ritual takes 30 minutes to cast as the mage inscribes the mystical runes into the air in the area to be blocked. Once it is complete, it fades into invisibility. It takes one set of ritual components.
To remove a Glyph of Warding the correct counterspell for the accompanying spell must be used against the rank of the glyph. For example, if a Necromancer uses a rank 10 Glyph of Warding with a rank 8 Cause Wounds, a Counterspell Necromancy must be used vs the rank 10 of the glyph to remove it. If the counterspell is successfully cast, the glyph is removed. |