Draft Version: d4caltrops.
com
he intention is to provide a little more "Magic" to
First Level Magic-Users, including up to six unu-
sual choices for most of the standard starting spells.
This should help insure that no two 1st Level Magic-
Users are the same, even if they possess the same spells.
It might also make the Class a little more flavorful and
“exotic” for those that grouse at the limitations of low
level Magic-Users or sour at the idea of Random Spell
Selection when they receive perceived non-starters like
the much maligned “Ventriloquism.”
I'm deeply indebted to Courtney's excellent series
on Spell Memorization Effects, which I'm sure was
brewing in the back of my brain when I vomited this up.
It really got me thinking about Prepared Spells as a re-
source that does something passively until exhausted.
The idea also came to me as I was revising my Tunnels
& Trolls Spell Book handouts, so please excuse the level
of whimsy and tongue-in-cheek that seems to have
crept into some of these. Re-skin or un-pun to taste. I
think this is balanced by the ones that get quite dark in
places.
I imagine that it would work something like this: Once
Spells are randomly determined (or selected, if you are
feeling exceptionally generous) for a first level Magic-
User the player may either choose or randomly roll on
the Spell Features for their specific 1st level Spell
(everyone receives Read Magic in most of my games).
Some Spell Features are obviously more useful than oth-
ers, and no regard has been paid to imaginary beasts like
game-balance, nor is there much in the way of mechanical
consistency. This was intentional, as I find it keeps things weird and mystifying, just as magic should be.
I've tried to incorporate interesting draw backs and resource management (usually based on time, which
is precious) wherever possible so that these don't just turn into more character sheet cruft. I'm interested to
hear what anyone thinks.
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Some definitions of terms and explanations:
HLSS: This stands for Highest Level Spell Slot. I use this
periodically to provide a somewhat tighter bounded bonus
than Caster Level. In BECMI, this number is never higher
than nine, and it doesn't increase every level, only accord-
ing to the Spell Progression table. It's also information
that is fairly obvious and at-hand (most casters know the
level of the highest Spell they can prepare and cast). As a
controlled bonus or duration, I tend to prefer it to caster
level.
BECMI Example: A 5 th Level Magic-User's HLSS is 3, while
a 17th Level Magic-User has an HLSS of 7.
Familiars: However you do this is fine. I typically charge
the Magic-User either 30 gold pieces from their starting
wealth, or if using my Quick Equipment and Encum-
brance Sheet, a familiar can be had for 1 miscellaneous
pick. You could also just have them pick a die to drop from
their starting wealth roll (making a Familiar cost between
10 and 60 gold pieces, Magic-Users don't have expenses
like Armor, so they often end up wealthier than the rest of
the party, the result can also serve as the Familiar's hit
points). I tend to keep Familiars mostly cosmetic, unless
one of the Familiar Features associated with the Magic-
User's starting spell is selected.
Expend/Release/Internalize: Some features use this ter-
minology (I obviously haven't found a favorite yet). This is
not necessarily “casting the spell” in most cases, so I don't
imagine it would take any time (or need to take place on
the Caster's turn even, as some of the effects are triggered
in reaction to other actions), but it does erase the spell
from the Caster's mind the same way. I don't imagine it
really having any outward visible effects, and it'd probably
be possible to do in an Anti-Magic field. Just another
choice to present the player with in most cases.
 Draft Version: d4caltrops.com

for quick reference/random rolling

1. Analyze 7. Protection From Evil
1.Avaricious Eyes 1.Circles
2.Spell Book Feature: Palimpsest of Common Command Words 2.Spell Book Feature: Warded Against Intrusion
3.Know Lineage 3.Witch Bottle
4.Dagger Feature: Haruspex 4.Dagger Feature: Lodestone
5.Tea Leaves 5.Familiar Feature: Dog
6.Familiar Feature: The Eyes Have It 6.Horseshoes

2. Charm Person 8. Read Languages

1.A Loyal Henchman 1.Staff Feature: Cipherstick
2.Spell Book Feature: Hamlin’s Concerto 2.Dictating Quill
3.Spell Book Feature: Etiquette Book 3.Bonus Language
4.Perfume 4.Spell Book Feature: Talking Book
5.Bonus Language: Harpy/Dryad 5.Jar of Tongues
6.Familiar Feature: Serpent 6.Voracious Reader

3. Floating Disc 9. Read Magic

1.Feather Fall Charm 1.Detect Magic/Scroll Ink
2.Dagger Feature: Flying
3.Bonus Language: Air Elemental
4.Gainful Portaging
5.Spell Book Feature: Buoyant
6.Familiar Feature: Light As A Feather
10. Shield
4. Hold Portal 1.Heraldic Gift
1.Tattle-Tale Lock 2.Shield-Bearer Training
2.Spell Book Feature: For Your Eyes Only/Privacy Please 3.Dagger Feature: Spell-Warded Kris
3.Jar of Friendly Earseekers 4.Elemental Ward
4.Bonus Language: Mimic 5.Spell Book Feature: Defending
5.Puzzle Box 6.Familiar: Turtle
6.Familiar Feature: Passdoor
11. Sleep
5. Light* 1.Spell Book Feature: Manual Of Oneiromancy
1.Selfish Spells 2.Pouch of Apple Seeds
2.Dagger Feature: Focus 3.Spell Book Feature: Bedtime Stories
3.Spell Book Feature: Made In The Dark 4.Cockerel Automaton
4.Candle Molds 5.Osculations
5.Language Of Shadows 6.Familiar Feature: Sloth
6.Familiar Feature: Bat
12. Ventriloquism
6. Magic Missile 1.Music Box
1.Strix Missile 2.Dagger Feature: Voice Drinker
2.Spell Book Feature: Tablet of Arrow Carving 3.Dummy Golem
3.Puissant Technique 4.Jar Of Lips
4.Voodoo Doll/Poppet Magic 5.Spell Book Feature: Talking
5.Dagger Feature: Sympathetic Athame 6.Familiar Feature: Talks
6.Patient Missile

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1. Avaricious Eyes
If you have this spell prepared, you can instantly enumerate
large sets of the same or very similar items. Most commonly
used with coins, you have but to glance at pile and you know
the exact number of coins (of each varying type) in a pile of
10,000 coins or less (if it's more, you know this fact, but it
will need to be split into smaller piles before you can count
it). You can also carefully study a gem, piece of jewelry,
an objet d'art/de vertu, or a piece of fancy furniture for 1d6
turns and ascertain it's precise value in gold pieces by ex-
pending the spell. Pick a two digit number (or roll d%) and
write it prominently on your character sheet. If you ever end
up “counting” or “appraising” a value that ends in these
numbers, the numerological feedback loop leaves you unable
to utilize this feature or prepare this spell for 1d6 days.

2. Spell Book Feature: Palimpsest of Common Command Words

Your spell book contains a list of Command Words (1d6), each word is rated with a percentage (d%), upon encoun-
tering a command word item, you may pick a word and cross it out. If you roll under the percent chance for this
word, it is the command word of this item. You can expend this spell to switch the tens and ones place of your d%
roll. Your diligent research into this area of dweomercraft in between adventures allows you to add a new word to
the list each time you gain a level in experience.

3. Know Lineage
With a sample of blood (at least a vial's worth), you can expend this spell to learn all about the lineage/bloodlines of
a target, going back a number of generations equal to your level. One of your parents is not actually related to you.

4. Dagger Feature: Haruspex

Any dagger in your hand becomes a relatively gruesome tool for effective, but bloody divination. By using it to dis-
sect the entrails of a animal creature that has been killed in your presence while you have this spell prepared, you
can consult the creature's viscera to foreshadow the future. This is a gory and ponderous process that takes 1d6
turns. Once the examination is complete, you will possess the ability to detect secret/concealed doors with the
same base chances as an Elf (Autumnal Variety, 2 in 6) for the rest of the day. If you choose to share your findings
with others, your rambling prophecy allows you to expend this spell immediately whenever you witness one of
them taking damage. Damage is rolled twice and the lower result is used. Livestock and other animals are preter-
naturally nervous around you (-2 to reaction rolls) and generally disobedient and skittish in your presence.

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5. Tea Leaves
You possess some rather interesting tea leaves (enough for 2d6 cups). Brewing a cup's worth takes 1 turn and boil-
ing water. The process smells positively lovely, the tea is delicious, and drinking it even heals 1d6 + HLSS hit points
(quite useful in a pinch). More intriguingly, if you add a single drop of a magic potion to the cup before drinking
(the strength of the tea mitigates any potentially harmful effects, or at least that's what you Master told you), you
can consult the leaves in the bottom of your cup and they will provide you with enough clues to discern the potion's
purpose with certainty. You know where this tea grows (several dozen hexes of ocean away, most likely) in the
event you need to harvest more by the light of a full moon.

6. Familiar Feature: The Eyes Have It

If you possess a familiar, and have this spell prepared you can spend a turn concentrating in order to see through
your familiar's eyes for up to 1d6 turns. This process is disorienting however, and requires a turn to recover from,
during which you are nearly blind. Your familiar cannot see colors and this is sometimes frustrating.

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1. A Loyal Henchmen
Recipient of a Charm Person that you cast and went awry. It's permanent now as long as you spend at least a few
hours a day with your Henchmen (sharing a few meals and conversing/interacting). As long as you have this spell
prepared, the Henchman has max Morale/Loyalty scores and get's a +2 to one Ability Score of your choice. You've
grown quite fond of your Henchman over the years. The Henchman also knows your most terrible secret.

2. Spell Book Feature: Hamlin's Concerto

Folded gingerly between the leaves of your Spell Book is a dogeared page of
sheet music. You suspect it is for casting a much more powerful ritual version of
this spell in conjunction with a simple flute and tatterdemalion attire, but you'd
be loathe to risk such puissant magics at your current novice level of expertise.
Still, you can make out the basics: By playing this tune for 1d6 turns after a
promise of silver, you can choose to have either rats or children be affected by
the Charm Person spell for as long as you continue to play + 1d6 turns (you can
communicate with them telepathically during this process to issue simple com-
mands), and this spell affects multiple targets (at least an entire Village worth of
rodents/children, if it becomes an issue d10,000 and d1,000 respectively). Save
versus Spells after the first 10 minutes. Failure means you get to begin a new
and exciting life as a member of the species rattus norvegicus. As a minor con-
solation, you are a carrier of 2d6 fleas itching to spread your bubonic plague and
you can also cast Charm Fleas Or Felines twice daily.

3. Spell Book Feature: Etiquette Book

You can devote 1d6 turns to studying your spell book prior to interacting with a different social class to engender a
positive shift (up one category) to reaction rolls. Works indiscriminately on anyone from common carpenters to
cabbage-headed kings. Shift your weekly living expenses up a category though.

4. Perfume
You have 2d6 doses of a marvelous and magical musk. After applying a dose the recipient will smell pleasant (no
matter what) for a year. If you have this spell prepared and have applied the perfume in the past week, your effec-
tive Charisma Score is 2 higher (max 18), or high enough to engender at least a +1 bonus. You can expend the spell
at any time to cast Charm Person on a target that can smell you, and they save with a penalty equal to your Charis-
ma Bonus. Also, for the purposes of Saving Throw intervals (Rules Cyclopedia, Page 144), this target is treated as
having their Intelligence Score lowered by your level (minimum 3), as long as you are doused in a fresh dose when
the interval arrives. You have only one of these Charms active at any given time. Should you run out of perfume,
manufacture of more requires some pretty extensive reagents, and this is a constant source of study for you. Upon
gaining a level, you may attempt an intelligence check. If you succeed, you may learn one of the 9 reagents neces-
sary to make additional doses, at the cost of your automatic spell gain.

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5. Language: Harpy/Dryad
You can speak the language of either Harpies, or Nymphs and Dryads (choose one). You are also immune to your
choice's Charms while you have this spell prepared. While out cavorting on your adventures, you try not to think
about one of the following, based on this choice:

I. Somewhere a Willow weeps in the woods, alone with a broken heart. Elsewhere a Brook blubbers be-
tween boulders, ever so patiently wearing down mountains. Both take no comfort in knowing that they aren't the
only one forlornly longing for your return. As each season's snowy and icy-still torpor brings more maudlin mem-
ories, their tears begin to turn to bitter rage at the prospect of sharing you.

II. Ostracized in her aerie, a somewhat struthious Celaeno meticulously preens her plumage for you whilst
singing the saddest of songs. She's tried in vain for months to get her strangely wingless clutch to fledge.

6. Familiar Feature: Serpent

If you possess a familiar, while you have this spell prepared your familiar grants you another saving throw against
Charm spells (it can't abide divided loyalties). Your tongue is forked, and your familiar may assume the shape of a
crown, diadem, or other type of ornate headgear. If you choose, you may cast this spell, and whatever target you
choose can be inveigled by your familiar to perform tasks that would normally be considered contrary to their
alignment or habits (still no Seppuku sadly, but anything shy of this is fair game). Before excitement overtakes you
though, any new spells you prepare are chosen for you by your familiar (randomized) for at least one week, plus
the normal time period associated with Charm Person based on your Intelligence (lovely page 144 again). It has
just Charmed you in a way, and has unfulfilled aspirations of Power with a capital “P”, a penchant for corrupting
established institutions, and a very detailed long term plan (probably involving Dragons, or at least those lovely
Lamias and that one megalomaniac Medusa it's friends with). By carefully guiding your spell selection, it believes
it can start seeing these undoubtedly dangerous plans to fruition.

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1. Feather Fall Charm

You can cast this spell on a specially prepared charm
(requires the feather of a beast with at least 4 HD, [so that's
where Owlbears come from!]). The feather functions as a
“Feather Fall” spell, most of the time. When utilized by oth-
ers, the charms have a chance of being insufficiently pow-
ered at the most inopportune times (better have a backup,
they do stack). If you are falling and have this spell prepared,
this is never an issue. You gently gloat/float all the way to
rest at the bottom (if there is one), or can expend this spell to
have a companion's charm (within line of sight) work in this
fashion as well. Otherwise, the Charms still work some of the
time: treat all falls as 1d6 x 10' less. You start play with 1d6.
(you know they don't work when sold, only when given away,
but others don't necessarily know that).

2. Dagger Feature: Flying

While you have this spell prepared, extend the ranges of thrown daggers by 20 feet. If you expend the spell, a dag-
ger you've thrown in the last day will return to you (it must be able to physically traverse the space). You're also
great at juggling them if you concentrate (not during combat, please).

3. Language: Air Elemental

You can speak the sibilant syllables necessary to communicate with creatures of Air. They are extremely impressed
with your diction (+2 to reaction rolls) and call you “brother,” “sister,” or “sibling” (determine randomly per Ele-
mental, they aren't too good at telling mammals apart). Earth Elementals view you with suspicion (-2 to reaction
rolls).

4. Gainful Portaging
If you have this spell prepared and spend 1d6 turns helping someone or yourself carefully pack their equipment,
you can reduce encumbrance by 100cns (10 lbs.) or 1 significant item's worth. These convoluted methods do make
the items harder to retrieve however (it takes 1d10 rounds more than normal), so be mindful of what you stow
away.

5. Spell Book Feature: Buoyant

While this spell is prepared, your spell book floats on water, and can levitate about 4 feet off the ground for study.
It engenders no encumbrance. It cannot support more than a pound of weight, but you can choose to have it fol-
low you around mysteriously draped in a sheet if you are so inclined.

6. Familiar Feature: Light as Feather

If you acquire a familiar, it is inscrutably “weightless,” extremely quiet, and completely uninterested in food or
drink. It doesn't “float” exactly, it just doesn't exert any downward force. You can cast this spell to transfer these
properties onto yourself for 1d6 turns, but when you do your familiar “weighs” as much as you. It also becomes ex-
tremely hungry and noisy.

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1. Tattle-Tale Lock
You can cast this spell on a specially prepared Lock (inset with a gem valued at least 50gp, and engraved with your
name), and for 1d6 days the lock can speak, and remembers everyone who passed through a portal or container
that the lock is affixed to (and the means or methods they used, if important). You may have as many of these locks
active at a given time as your HLSS.

2. Spell Book Feature: For Your Eyes Only/Privacy Please

Your spell book can only be opened by you. Seriously. It's just a plank of wood to everyone/everything else as long
as you have this spell prepared. I wonder if your spell book can be opened if you die with this spell prepared? If you
expend this spell prior to preparing your spells, you may choose to have all portals/doors within 50 feet of you,
sealed as the Spell (normal duration).

3. Jar of Friendly Earseekers

You have a jar of 1d4 friendly Earseekers. You need to feed them (insert them in your
ear, they consume one happy or sad memory), but they can be sent into any door and
will report back on what is on the other side (they tell you when you put them back in
your ear and reward them with a quick snack). Sadly they only live on this lighter fare
for about a year (unless you can find them more substantial cuisine, you monster,
you). Earseekers leave a very distinct territorial pheromone in their friends, so you
are immune to them and can harvest them from doors with impunity. This makes a
lot of noise, and takes 1d6 turns of gouging and cajoling them out of their current
door.

4. Language: Mimic
You can speak the pidgin and ever-changing language of Mimics. + 2 to reaction rolls with Mimics, shift results up
by one category if they are in the form of a door when encountered. If you have this spell prepared you are im-
mune to their sticky pseudopodia.

5. Puzzle Box
You possess the necessary skills to manufacture puzzle boxes that are extremely difficult to open (taking your level
x 1d6 hours to open without magic). They are very valuable to the right collector. You can expend this spell, and if
you can concentrate for 1d6 turns, you can pick one, and you know exactly where it is (on the same plane of exist-
ence, natch). They take about 1d6 weeks to make and around 50 gold pieces.

6. Familiar Feature: Passdoor

When you acquire a familiar, you can expend this spell and your familiar gains the ability to pass through a single
non-magically sealed/closed door or other mundane portal for 1d6 turns. It dines luxuriously on locks and keys,
and is almost too chummy with thieves.

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1. Selfish Spells
You can prepare a special version of Light/Darkness that only effects you. Quirkily, you are colorblind when you
have this version prepared.

2. Dagger Feature: Focus

While you have this spell prepared your daggers can physically cut through magical darkness (they can harm
Shadows, and you may slice Darkness spells to ribbons in 1d6 turns), critical hits inflicted with your dagger will
take out an eye if you expend and internalize the spell immediately. (This works on any eye. Even one belonging to
a Beholder, go ahead. Pick one. Only Ten More To Go!)

3. Spell Book Feature: Made in the Dark

To you, all books are Perfectly Legible in the Pitchiest of Darks, including your Spell Volume, which also happens
to courteously maintain a Shadow Copy of itself, in the event it is ever damaged. Retrieving it from the Plane of
Shadow is the only obstacle.

4. Candle Molds
You possess a set of candle molds that allow the creation of special candles. Light given off by these candles is only
visible on the Darkvision spectrum, or alternatively they give off darkness instead of light. It takes 1d6 hours to
make each candle. The wax needed usually comes from Giant Honeybees that make their hives in the Underworld,
and the wicks are woven from the noose of a hanged thief (1 noose makes 1d6). You start with 1d6 of these candles.

5. Language of Shadows
You can speak to Shadows (specifically the Monster kind).
However, Shadows can speak to every type of normal
shadow (which everyone knows, are horrible gossips that
can never lie and see almost everything). Sadly Shadows
are not particularly well disposed to you when addressed
(-2 to reaction rolls). As a consolation, you can expend
this spell immediately after taking damage from a Shad-
ow to negate the Strength Drain from that specific attack.

6. Familiar Feature: Bat

Your familiar can see equally well in darkness and light, including the ability to see colors and read. You can ex-
pend this spell and gain this ability for the standard Light duration (6 turns + 1 per caster level). While you posses
this ability your eyes glow and your other senses cease functioning. Oh, and your familiar is completely blind and
frightened.

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1. Strix Missile
You have knowledge of a variant casting process for the venerable Magic Missile Spell. Your missile can instead be
cast and possess a duration equal to 1 turn per HLSS. It hovers near you at all times. When it is sent to attack, it
deals 1d6-1 damage, but it returns and can attack again as long as the damage inflicted does not exceed your level.

2. Spell Book Feature: Tablet of Arrow Carving

The inside back cover of your spell book contains an ancient cuneiformic formula and technique to impart magical
carvings on nomral and magical arrows, producing very special arrows indeed. Making this modification requires
you to etch the name of a target in the arrow itself and either a bit of hair, vial of blood or at least five fingernails of
the target. These arrows, when fired at their specified target, automatically hit (à la Magic Missile). The process
itself also requires 1d6 hours, expending this spell, and a successful saving throw versus Death (on failure, the ar-
row is ruined and the next arrow fired at you is Invisible to your senses, and has Your Name On It).

3. Puissant Technique
You learned a different method for casting Magic Missiles. You may choose to produce Missiles that are stronger
(1d8+1), but require a “to-Hit” roll (see Holmes D&D). You can use the number associated with your HLSS as an
additional bonus on this attack (above and beyond standard Ranged Bonuses). Your name is tattooed on any crea-
ture slain by one of these missiles.

4. Voodoo Doll/Poppet Magic

You can prepare a special Poppet incorporating some ele-
ment of a specific individual target (using a clump of hair,
a few drops of blood, and at least four fingernails, etc). It
takes 1d6 hours to make, and lasts for 1d6 days. You can
cast Magic Missiles to target this poppet, and the damage
will inflict the specified target, unbidden by range re-
strictions (same plane only please).

5. Dagger Feature: Sympathetic Athame

As long as you have Magic Missile prepared, you can cut yourself (inflicting standard damage) and also inflict this
damage on any target you specify within visual range. If you roll maximum damage, you begin bleeding at HLSS
hit point(s) per round.

6. Patient Missile
You can choose to cast your Magic Missiles in such a way that they do not fire immediately on casting. Instead,
when cast they remain present in the current location for up to your level in turns. They will fire at any target(s)
present (randomly) when this duration elapses. If no targets are present, the spell returns to your mind, inflicting
1 point of damage per missile in the process.

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1. Circles
If you spend 1d6 turns creating a Magic Circle and expend this spell on completion, the spell effect is centered
within the circle, but lasts for hours instead of turns. If the circle is physically broken (this cannot be done by tar-
gets of the spell, but could happen accidentally...), the spell ends.

2. Spell Book Feature: Warded Against Intrusion

Your name is inscribed somewhat gaudily on the cover of your spell book in ornate leaf. You can inscribe more, but
for now it's just you. Anyone opening your spell book, (who's name is not featured on the cover, of course) takes
1d8 damage per HLSS. If you have this spell prepared, you know who tried to open it and where they are, and you
can expend this spell to dye their hands a bright color of your choice for a year and a day.

3. Witch Bottle
You can spend 1d6 days crafting a magic bottle. It must contain at least a single strand of hair, exactly a single fin-
gernail, and no more than three drops of blood from a specific Magic-User. Any spells cast by this magic user
against you receive a +3 to Saving Throws (or Advantage in 5e). You may have only one bottle at a time. At your op-
tion, you can also smash the bottle, expend this spell, and choose to become invisible to the subject for 1d6 turns.

4. Dagger Feature: Lodestone

While you have this spell prepared, you can place your dagger on a flat surface. In 1 turn it will point to the direc-
tion of the nearest and strongest concentration of Evil or Good (this is randomly determined, you cannot specify
which). If you expend this spell while attacking with your dagger, and the target is Good or Evil, your dagger in-
flicts double damage for this attack.

5. Familiar: Dog
Any familiar you acquire is fiercely loyal to your ethical outlook. Step up it's damage die against any foe that
doesn't share your alignment, and it fights as a HLSS HD creature. It understands your Alignment Language, and
as long as you have this spell prepared it can speak it. It likes to have its belly scratched and being told its a “Good”
familiar (whatever that means).

6. Horseshoes
You can take a horseshoe from
a horse slain by either an Evil or
Good creature. It can be hung
on the threshold of a dwelling
and incorporated into a ritual
that takes 1d6 hours. As long as
you have this spell prepared, the
dwelling is protected from
Good/Evil (based on who killed
the horse) as the Spell. If you
cease living, or cast or replace
the spell with another, you'll
need to start the ritual over
(good thing horses have four shoes). I wonder what how it works with a shoe from a Unicorn...

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1. Staff Feature: Cipherstick

Your Staff functions as a skytale, and you can carve corresponding sticks for decipherment.
Once enciphered, any text is utterly immune to translation via Read Languages or other magic
short of Wish (only your staff, or sticks you've carved can decode it), if you cast this spell while
transcribing it.

2. Dictating Quill
As long as you have this spell prepared and a special writing quill from the feather of a creature
of at least 4 HD (let's drive these Owlbears to extinction!), the quill will dictate whatever you
wish if provided ink and suitable surface. It is fond of including snippets of your subconscious
as commentary in the marginalia. If Scroll Ink (see Read Magic) is used, it might transcribe a
spell, but it's helpful footnotes, occasional lacunae, and penchant for obscene acrostics make the
resulting spell mighty unpredictable when cast (you must still pay for the cost of the scroll, mi-
nus the Scroll Ink discount, but the results when read are Wild Magic). The quills retain their
potency for 1d6 months. You can have as many active as your HLSS (they can work simultane-
ously), and you can make a new one with a fresh feather and a casting of this spell. You start
with 1 quill named Nicodemus, from your master's sarcastic dire raven.

3. Bonus Language
When you prepare this spell, you may pick a language you have heard spoken and seen written.
You may read and write this spell fluently for as long as you have this spell prepared. You may
speak the language (exclusively, no others) for 1d6 turns if you expend the spell.

4. Spell Book Feature: Talking Book

The inner covers of your Spell Book function as a Ouija Board/Spirit Board, including an ornate
planchette attached with a silver chain. Cast this spell, and up to six literate individuals can use
the planchette to communicate via the written word at the same time (starting with a prompt from you), and the
transcribed results can be read exclusively by you and all the participants for a year and a day. You might make a
lot of money with this sealing secret contracts at cosmopolitan/polyglot ports.

5. Jar of Tongues
You have a jar containing the tongue of an individual that speaks 1d4 different languages (at least one is a lan-
guage you do not possess). Through a disgusting and painful process that takes 1d6 turns, 1d6 damage, and casting
this Spell, you can replace your tongue with the one in the jar (your tongue is safe as long as it remains in the jar).
You now speak only these languages, although you can always understand your native tongue. You may have as
many tongues in the jar as your HLSS, and the grisly process of harvesting a new one takes 1d6 turns of careful
cutting, alongside the expending of this spell. The tongue need not be “fresh,” but harvesting the tongue of a live
creature does inflict 1d6 damage. Any tongues acquired in this fashion speak the languages their owners knew.

6. Voracious Reader
You can read the written word uncannily fast when you have this spell prepared. Fully comprehending up to 100
pages in 1d10 rounds. For larger tomes, round the total pages to the nearest die, and it will take that many turns
(400 pages = 1d4 turns, 840 pages 1d8 turns, etc). If you absolutely must confirm if the butler did indeed do it, you
may expend the spell to convert rounds to seconds and turns to rounds. Attempting this on magical texts is a very
bad idea.
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1. Detect Magic/Scroll Ink

Everyone should start with this Spell in BECMI, and it should be useful in some way. I tend to fold it into to Detect
Magic.

So as a Spell Feature: While this spell is prepared, you may spend 1 turn to Detect Magic. Simple, and it makes the
spell perform a bit of a double duty, enhancing it's appeal somewhat.

Also every Magic-User may choose to start with 1d6 vials of Scroll Ink. This ink cuts the cost of scribing a scroll in
half, or it may be drunk by the very desperate.

If you dare drink, save versus poison or die in 1d6 hours, castings of Neutralize Poison will only stave off death by
an 1d6 additional hours and do not offer additional saving throws, additional quaffs of ink require another save,
but will also reset the duration to another throw of 1d6 hours. Only a Wish or similar high order magics can pre-
vent death in this fashion.

Upon consuming Scroll Ink, you may re-prepare all your spells in 1d6 turns without the need for rest. Spells pre-
pared this way leave your spell book and must be re-transcribed before they can be prepared again. The drawbacks
and benefits of Scroll Ink usually only apply to the user who created the ink, although you are welcome to try and
poison other Magic-Users with your ink. You are assumed to be casually collecting and briefly brewing the neces-
sary reagents for HLSS vial(s) of Scroll Ink per level, but coming across a hogshead of Kraken Blue, a few gills of
Gorgon Green, or a dram of Dragon's Blood during one's adventuring might stimulate this manufacture.

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1. Heraldic Gift
You have a knack or extensive learning concerning Heraldry. You can easily identify major noble houses and line-
ages (+1 reaction when dealing with those that are into this sort of thing), you can also design your own device by
spending 1d6 hours of meticulous artistry. Any creature/monster featured in your personal device receives a pen-
alty to save against your spells (-2 or Disadvantage). You may only redesign your device after slaying one of these
creatures, at which time you may incorporate a “new one.” It seems only natural that your new heraldic device
should feature an image of a dead “old one” prominently. Mortant? Mourant?

2. Shield-Bearer Training
You can expend a casting of this Spell and spend 1d6 turns coaching another on efficient shield use and tactics.
The armor class “bonus” provided by the shield is doubled for their next combat encounter. You may also choose
one of the following:
Their shield provides a saving throw versus Magic Missile (good for HLSS missiles).
This casting temporarily creates a physical Shield+1 that
lasts for the normal spell Duration.

3. Dagger Feature: Spell-warded Kris

As long as you have this spell prepared, you may choose a
specific spell of a level equal to or less than your HLSS. You
are immune to the first casting of this spell that you are
targeted with. You cannot cast the specified spell while this
feature is active.

4. Elemental Ward
You know of a secret technique for channeling this spell
into small temporary talismans. Given 1d6 hours, 25 gold
in materials, and a casting of this spell, you can construct a tiny charm that will protect a bearer against a specific
elemental type of damage (preventing your HLSS x 5 in damage for a single attack, or granting Advantage on
saves). The magic that powers these talismans is expended when used to protect against the first attack of the ele-
mental type, otherwise it lasts for 1d6 weeks before dissipating. Fire Wards will warm gloves in winter, an Ice Tal-
isman will quickly chill a pint of ale, etc.

5. Spell Book Feature: Defending – As long as you have this spell prepared and your Spell Book out and open, facing
a casting foe, a successful saving throw versus a spell captures the spell in your spell book. You must have free pag-
es (spells typically take 1 page per level in my games). You may only capture spells with levels up to your HLSS. The
spell may be cast back at the caster as a riposte on your subsequent actions, otherwise it fades in 1d6 rounds
(woefully inadequate time for transcribing it). You may also expend this spell immediately after being targeted by
a spell to capture a spell permanently (no save required) in your book, but a randomly determined spell of the
same level leaves your book and enters the mind of your opponent.

6. Familiar: Turtle – Any familiar you acquire is exceptionally hard to hit or damage (AC = at least chain, or 2 better
if naturally lower). Selfless to a fault, your familiar can be sacrificed (as in Shields May Be Splintered ), but the pro-
cess kills the familiar and is detrimental to your health. The gnawing sense of loss reduces your base speed by 10'
feet for 1d6 weeks, after which you can acquire a new familiar and eliminate this movement penalty.

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1. Spell Book Feature: Manual of Oneiromancy

Place your spell book under your pillow and cast Sleep on yourself (normal duration applies). If you sleep undis-
turbed for at least 1d6 hours, you can choose one of the following: Commune Spell (3 weal/woe questions), See
within/behind a portal/container you've touched in the last 24 hours, or wake refreshed with no need to eat or
drink for the day. Anyone sleeping within 50 feet of you when you attempt this has terrible nightmares, and can-
not be woken until you wake.

2. Pouch of Apple Seeds

You have a pouch of magical apple seeds (2d6). They can be planted in fertile soil and if you cast this spell and wa-
ter your handiwork, an Apple Tree will grow to sapling size in the standard Sleep Spell duration (4-16 turns). Once
grown to this size, it will bear 1 ripe fruit, in a matter of seconds. Anyone eating this apple will fall asleep for 4-
16 days on an unsuccessful save. The magic in the apple lasts for 1d6 days, and maintains it's potency if used as an
ingredient in an apple-based dish.

3. Spell Book Feature: Bedtime Stories

If you spend at least 1d6 turns reading out bedtime stories scrawled in your spell book and expend this spell, any-
one who is listening falls asleep and has pleasant dreams and a restful slumber (those so affected only need half as
much sleep to obtain maximum benefits). It affects the double the standard Sleep Spell HD (targets as determined
by the DM, randomly, and at discretion could include you, so make sure the party member on watch stuffs their
ears with wax or cotton). The audience doesn't necessarily have to be “willing,” just listening to your stories. If any
of the sleepers are wounded or hurt before they fall asleep, the sleeper with the highest hit points loses 1d6 x your
HLSS in Hit Points, which in turn heal the hurt sleeper by twice this amount. Anyone reduced to 0 in this fashion
never wakes up. They don't die, they just never wake up.

4. Cockerel Automaton
You possess a life-size mechanical rooster. It's gears can be adjusted and wound to have it crow loudly (which trig-
gers a wandering monster check) in metallic tones at a specified time, waking anyone asleep within 500 feet. It
only eats your dreams (you won't remember them in the morning if its set to crow, but who needs dreams right?).
If you expend this spell, it can be wound to animate, after which it is mobile (clinking as it pointedly pecks at detri-
tus and inquisitively following the person with the most visible metal around), and can attack as a creature with
HD equal to your HLSS when cornered (this type of winding animates the rooster for the standard Sleep duration
in turns, and can be combined with th Alarm feature above).

5. Osculations
As long as you have this spell prepared, your kiss can wake anyone sleeping and they are generally well disposed to
this intrusion (+2 to reaction rolls, my prince). You can also kiss someone asleep (expending the spell) and they will
slumber restfully (regaining 1d6 hit points, plus your HLSS) for the max duration of the spell (16 turns, must sleep
all 16 to gain the benefit).

6. Familiar Feature: Sloth

Your familiar is generally asleep most of the time, but it does rouse whenever you sleep to lovingly rid your body of
parasites and groom you, cleaning and freshening your appearance. You always wake up with nary a hair out of
place (+2 to reaction rolls in situations where an impeccable appearance might benefit you). It will also defend a
sleeping master as if it were 1 HD greater than normal (step up damage dice too), but it does so as silently as possi-
ble (it would hate to wake you and interrupt your beauty sleep).
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This spell is generally considered a big ol' rip off, so hopefully these at least make it interesting :)

1. Music Box
You possess an intricately crafted music box with a switch that can be set in the presence
of any music. It will then be able to reproduce the tune faithfully with it's limited palette of
tiny mallets and electrum striking surfaces. It can hold up to your HLSS in songs. It can
record such interesting songs as that of the Harpy Croon or Siren Serenade, so be careful
with this.

2. Dagger Feature: Voice Drinker

If you wound someone with this dagger, and have this spell prepared, you may mimic
their voice exactly. It only holds the voice of whoever was last wounded, but you may have possess as many daggers with this feature as
your HLSS. You may also use this voice without issue when you cast this spell.

3. Dummy Golem
You possess a partially animated (mouth and eyebrows mostly) figure. It possess a reedy
version of your voice as long as you have this spell prepared, and often makes quips and
off-color comments. With concentration you can control what it says (easily earning a
free meal or place to sleep for the night). You can expend this spell to have it fight as a
creature with HD equal to you HLSS (quipping the entire time). If destroyed, it can be
replaced with a careful carving process that takes 1d6 weeks.

4. Jar of Lips
It's a jar of 1d6 pairs of lips that can be affixed to any surface and by expending this spell, the lips will function as a Magic Mouth (using
your voice). The magic will only power them for 1d6 days, and yes, you know the gruesome technique to harvest more (takes 1d6 turns of
careful cutting and expending this spell). While you have this spell prepared, you are aware of any active Magic Mouths and what they are
going to say before they say it.

5. Spell Book Feature: Talking

You may expend this spell prior to preparing your spells. As you prepare, your Spell Book whispers encouraging words and unconven-
tional mystical shortcuts (in your voice). You may pick up to your HLSS in number of spells prepared during this process. These spells
may be cast in complete silence, without requiring any verbal components, or alternatively, one spell you prepare may be cast with it's
range or duration doubled.

6. Familiar Feature: Talks

Any familiar you acquire possess the ability to speak aloud in any language you know as long as you have this spell prepared. It is excep-
tionally critical of any traveling companions, and a surprisingly decent mimic of their voices. You may expend the spell at any time to
telepathically convey a mental message to anyone your familiar has mocked in the last month (provided they share the same plane as
you). The message is limited to a number of words equal to your level.

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