Hold person

Hold person was an enchantment spell that could rigidly immobilize one or a few  humanoid creatures for a short time.

Effects
This spell worked on humanoid creatures only. Older versions of hold person were limited to a few man-sized or smaller creatures,  but the new version could be cast at any one humanoid regardless of size. While under the influence of this spell, the subject could breathe and be aware of his or her surroundings through their senses, but could not perform any action that required speech or movement due to being rigidly paralyzed. Victims of the older version of this spell had one chance to resist the magical effect or freeze in place for two minutes per experience level of the caster. The odds for resisting increased slightly when hold person was cast at more than one creature. The newer version of this spell was more fragile; the held creature could repeatedly attempt to break the spell every few seconds with a feat of willpower.

If cast on multiple targets, they had to be within a 20-foot (6.1-meter) cube at a range no greater than 120 yards (110 meters). The newer version had a range of at least 110 feet (33 meters). Note that flying creatures (held up by movement of wings for example, not a fly spell) would plummet to the ground, non-water breathing creatures could drown, off-balance creatures could tip and fall, and conditions such as bleeding wounds, poison, or disease were not stopped or suspended by this spell.

This spell had no effect on the undead  and could be canceled at any time by the caster.

Components
In addition to verbal and somatic components, all variants of this spell except the newer divine version required a small straight piece of iron for the material component. The verbal component used by the Selûnite priestess Feena Archwood was "Bright Lady of Night, stay his hand!"

History
The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Prug in -1805 DR and was originally called Prug's hold human.

Appearances

 * Mistress of the Night