Because the Mists isolate Ravenloft from outside powers, many spells have strange effects in these dark lands. The dark powers distort the connection between the faithful and their patron gods and goddesses, attempting to isolate them from their source of strength, so priests suffer for their choice of occupation perhaps more than any other class.
This chapter describes several priest spells unique to the Demiplane of Dread and changes to many familiar spells. Priests from outside of Ravenloft do not know the altered effects of a spell until they cast it, at which time they instantly realize that something is amiss. Still, they may not know the exact nature of these alterations. Of course, if the change is an obvious one, the character may well deduce it for himself. Any magical item that casts or imitates an altered spell is subject to the same changes (see Chapter Eleven: Forged of Darkness).
The Absence of Power
Many have come to believe that the gods have no interest in the Demiplane of Dread. To be sure, a great deal of evidence supports this opinion. Any priest, paladin, or pilgrim who has come from beyond the Misty Borders of Ravenloft will attest that the Land of the Mists feels strangely empty. Despite this, most priest spells still function, meaning that priests, clerics, and their ilk draw power for their spells from somewhere else. Some claim that the dark powers, for whatever reason, are answering the prayers of these wandering holy men and granting them spells. As with so much about the dark powers, however, it is impossible to know if this is true or not.
Another common belief asserts that the gods of the multiverse have some sort of agreement to leave the Demiplane of Dread alone. Some have even suggested that the dark powers have shut the deities out of the Realm of Terror. Those who espouse this theory point out that in the past, the dark powers have proven to be as powerful as any divine being. To be sure, it does seem likely that the dark powers might hold off the efforts of an individual deity, but could they resist the efforts of a coalition of deities? It is doubtful, but then again, how can humans judge things on so grand a scale?
Cooperative Magic
By and large, cooperative magic functions normally in Ravenloft. The idea of several priests operating together for a single spell effect does not seem to concern the dark powers. Of course, the nature of the spell and its application may well require the participants to attempt powers checks.
Faith Magic
Faith magic works on the principle of devotional power, accumulated through mass worship. The more worshipers that participate, the stronger the magic will be. Since Ravenloft has few organized religions, faith magic is difficult to achieve.
Still, the Demiplane of Dread is not without churches and theologians. A handful of well-known organized religions, underground faiths, and forgotten cults continue to practice religions outlawed centuries ago. For example, the Church of Ezra has spread throughout most of the Core domains (see Chapter Five), and the realm of G'Henna is ruled by a priest whose mastery of faith magic may be second to none (see Chapter Three).
Quest Spells
Most rules for this type of magic as given in the Tome of Magic still apply. Deities reserve quest spells for special situations relating to their own interests. Since none of the powers seem to take interest in Ravenloft, few quest spells should be granted. Even powers who represent the forces of good have, for whatever reason, turned a blind eye to Ravenloft. It is not enough to say that a quest spell should be granted to combat the forces of evil. The cause must be much more directly related to the deity's interests.
The alterations to quest spells described in this chapter are optional. The direct attention of a power is involved to receive a quest spell, and it is conceivable that a deity could override the restrictions of Ravenloft. The Dungeon Master must make judgments based upon the adventure and campaign. Keep in mind that this is a Gothic horror setting. The characters should feel frightened and powerless, but they should also be able to triumph.
Summoning
Ravenloft limits the spells in this sphere. A given domain may not offer a full complement of animals and monsters, and priests cannot summon animals that do not live in the domain. To determine whether a particular animal may inhabit an area, check the domain's description. If the text does not state otherwise, Dungeon Masters can assume that all normal animals are available. If the animal is a type that the lord of the domain can control, however, the lord's power supersedes the priest's magic. The animal still appears when summoned, but it may not be friendly, depending on the lord's instructions.
Characters can summon creatures or monsters from outside of Ravenloft, but the subjects of these spells might be very unhappy when they learn that they are imprisoned in the Land of Mists. Nonevil beings will expect a very good explanation at the least, and evil creatures might even attack the priest. See the specific summoning spells in the following pages for exact effects.
War
The spells in this sphere are intended for use in either the Battlesystem rules or Battlesystem: Skirmishes games. Ravenloft campaigns rarely use these rules, as Gothic horror and medieval battles do not often work well together. However, war spells are appropriate in a few select situations. On occasion, a group of irate villagers (usually brandishing torches and pitchforks) may go monster hunting. Some of the spells from the sphere of war are appropriate for use on these angry crowds.
War spells cannot create a mob or incite a crowd to hunt down the monster. A situation must already exist in which a mob or crowd has gathered with the express purpose to hunt down a monster, break into a castle, or engage in some other mass combat activity. The crowd must contain at least ten adults for it to qualify as a unit in Battlesystem game terms.
Every mob must also have a leader. Usually a particularly incensed member of the crowd, someone who has been personally wronged by the situation or monster, functions as the leader. If the leader ever falls, there is a 25% chance for a new leader to rise from the ranks of the mob. This should also be someone personally wronged by the situation or monster. If no such individual exists, the crowd will disperse in 1d10 minutes.
A mob has a morale rating of 9. When used in an adventure, crowds and mobs do not make fear or horror checks; those rules apply only to individuals. The mob rolls a morale check in any circumstance normally dictated by the AD&D game rules and in any situation where an individual would roll a fear, horror, or madness check.
Altered Priest Spells
The priest spells listed in Table 22: Altered Priest Spells function differently in Ravenloft. The exact changes described below supplement the descriptions in the Player's Handbook and Tome of Magic. Versions of altered spells that work normally in Ravenloft appear in parentheses.
Table 22: Altered Priest Spells
| Analyze balance (1st) | Call woodland beings (4th) | Word of recall (6th) | ||
| Courage (1st) | Dimensional folding (4th) | Astral spell (7th) | ||
| Detect evil/detect good (1st) | Focus * (4th) | (Breath of life) /breath of death * (7th) | ||
| Emotion read (1st) | Join with astral traveler (4th) | Conjure earth elemental/dismiss earth elemental (7th) | ||
| Know age (1st) | Leadership/doubt (4th) | (Restoration) /Energy drain * (7th) | ||
| Morale (1 st) | Modify memory * (4th) | Gate * (7th) | ||
| Speak with astral traveler (1st) | Probability control (4th) | Holy word/unholy word * (7th) | ||
| Thought capture (1st) | Rapport (4th) | Reincarnation * (7th) | ||
| Create holy symbol * (2nd) | Reflecting pool (4th) | Resurrection/destruction * (7th) | ||
| Know alignment (2nd) | Thought broadcast (4th) | Shadow engines (7th) | ||
| Mind read (2nd) | Weather stasis (4th) | Spirit of power * (7th) | ||
| Mystic transfer (2nd) | Commune (5th) | Succor (reversible) (7th) | ||
| Nap (2nd) | Dispel evil/dispel good (5th) | Uncontrolled weather (7th) | ||
| Ratty (2nd) | Magic font (5th) | Animal horde (quest) | ||
| Sanctify/defile * (2nd) | Plane shift (5th) | Circle of sunmotes (quest) | ||
| Animate dead * (3rd) | Quest (5th) | Conformance (quest) | ||
| Astral window (3rd) | Raise dead * / slay living * (5th) | Elemental swarm (quest) | ||
| Choose future (3rd) | True seeing (5th) | Etherwalk (quest) | ||
| (Cure disease) /cause disease * (3rd) | Age creature * / (restore youth) (6th) | Highway (quest) | ||
| Emotion control (3rd) | Conjure fire elemental/dismiss fire elemental (6th) | Imago interrogation (quest) | ||
| Feign death * (3rd) | Find the path (6th) | Planar quest (quest) | ||
| Helping hand (3rd) | The great circle/the black circle * (6th) | Revelation (quest) | ||
| Negative plane protection (3rd) | Group mind (6th) | Storm of vengeance (quest) | ||
| Remove curse/bestow curse * (3rd) | Land of stability (6th) | Undead plague * (quest) | ||
| Speak with dead * (3rd) | Sol's searing orb (6th) | Ward matrix (quest) | ||
| Abjure (4th) |
* Could require a Ravenloft powers check
