RANDOM MAGIC

The Spell of Whimsy

By S. John Ross © 1997

This is an adaption of the kind of magic enchanted into the old "Wand of Wonder" from the AD&D days . . . The name I use (Whimsy, instead of Wonder) is cribbed from the Arduin Grimoire, just 'cuz. The tables are my own spin on the concept - an improv result rather than a list of wierdness.

This is a dangerous form of magic. The principle is just: "call up some magic and throw it at what you want. Don't call anything in particular, that would only tire you out." The caster has no idea what is coming or how to control it once it gets here. Sometimes it's good; sometimes it's bad. Ignore the critical success and failure rules with this spell. It either happens or it doesen't. Never modify for range or anything. The caster doesn't decide where the spell goes, after all . . .
 College: Metaspells
 Duration: GM's whim
 Cost: 3; usually can't be maintained.
 Prerequisites: At least 15 other spells of any sort, and either Magery 2 or Magery 1 and Overconfidence.
 Item: Rod, Staff, or Wand. Energy cost to create: 120.

How to Run Whimsy magic

1). The mage specifies what problem is to be addressed by the spell (ie "The hobbit is dead" or "We are about to be eaten by a mauve worm.") Only the problem should be specified, not a reccommended solution. If any solution is specified, that particular solution will never be produced by Whimsy Magic. T'aint whimsical.

2). The Caster or GM rolls on both the effects description and effects type tables, and improvises a result.

The effects of a Whimsy Spell should be silly (or at least not straightforward). Lets assume the party is fighting a dragon which is guarding the only way out of a collapsing volcanic dungeon. The GURU rolls a 4 on the ED chart, and decides arbitrarily that the dragon, for good or ill, will be the thing altered. He could just as easily say that the thing to be altered will be the wizard's left foot, or the floor, or the party's Dwarf.

A R.I.P. effect might cause the dragon to turn into a ton of fragrant marijuana! A positive effect might blind it, a barely positive effect might turn it into an iron wall (the party is saved, but they still have to escape the volacano. . .) A Neutral effect might turn it into the rare Draconis Humerus, or Giggling Dragon, which would chuckle for the rest of the fight. A barely negative effect would heal the beast of 2d wounds, a negative effect would double it's size (or summon a twin), a R.N.N. effect would turn it into an Dragon-shaped golem made of Off-White Ooze!

Under no circumstances should a Player Character with the Unluckiness disadvantage cast this spell.