The caster creates an invisible, intangible eye somewhere within spell range. For Battle Mages, this is normally high above the site of the battle but this spell might be used for other things as well. Once in place, the eye has very limited movement (TMR 1). What the eye can see is displayed on a prepared piece of slate or vellum. The eye can "see" an area whose sides equal the height of the eye. Range is 100 feet per rank (3000 ft at rank 21, 5000 ft at rank 22). Thus, a rank 1 caster can place an eye 100 feet up and the eye can see an area that is 100 feet by 100 feet, centered in the middle. Note that once in place, the eye cannot swivel. It can only look in one direction, which is chosen when the spell is cast.
At ranks higher than 1, the eye can zoom in and out at 100 foot increments. Zooming in or out takes a full round. For example, a rank 10 caster can place the eye 1000 feet above a battlefield and view a 1000' x 1000' area. He would be seeing the area as if he himself were 1000 feet away. He then chooses to zoom in to see just one quarter of the battlefield. Although the eye doesn't move, the zooming has the effect of an eye 500 feet above the battlefield showing a 500' x 500' area as if the mage were 500 feet away. Changing from the 1000 foot view to the 500 foot view took one round.
The eye has only normal vision, no infravision or ultravision.
The material component is a prepared piece of slate or vellum. A piece of slate is easier to use as the battle mage moves around in combat but a piece of vellum can show more details. A battle mage will normally have both prepared and decide, from battle to battle, which component to use.
To prepare a piece of slate, the mage must purchase or create an eight inch square piece of slate and then cast this spell, in ritual form, to prepare the slate. If successfully cast, the slate is prepared and can be used thereafter. The slate is not used up in the casting of the spell and can be used time after time. If the ritual fails, the slate is shattered and a new piece of slate must be acquired. A prepared piece of slate normally costs about 100 silver.
The process is similar for vellum. A 3 foot square piece of vellum must be purchased (about 150 silver) and then prepared with a ritual form of this spell. If successful, the vellum can be used thereafter. If failed, the vellum is burned up.
The "ritual form of this spell" uses the same cast chance as the normal spell but also requires a set of ritual components, which usually costs 100 sp. This is in addition to the cost of the slate or vellum. For the sake of clarity of image, the slate shows the image from the eye as if you were viewing it on an 11" TV. The vellum shows the same image as if you were looking at it on a 51" TV. The difference, of course, is that the mage can easily carry and consult the slate viewer while the vellum viewer must be unrolled and is difficult to consult while moving about. |