Guards and wards

Guards and wards was an arcane abjuration spell that could be used to protect an area or structure with a variety of magical effects and wards.

Effects
This spell had numerous effects that operated on an area up to 200 ft2 (18.6 m2) per level of the caster and as much as 20 ft (6 m) tall. Earlier versions could cover a much larger volume. The area could take any contiguous shape the caster desired, even layering the ward on top of itself to cover multiple stories, provided the maximum volume was not exceeded.

Numerous magical effects could be triggered within the warded area; the first of these included the following:


 * Arcane Lock: This effect operated much as the arcane lock spell but could be applied to all the doors in the area.


 * Confusion: A more specific version of the confusion  spell would cause any intruder that was faced with a choice in direction (such as at a corridor junction or intersection) to believe they were going the wrong way. This effect would make the intruder question their choices roughly half of the time.


 * Fog: Every corridor could be obscured by a thick fog that restricted vision (even darkvision) to a mere 5 ft (1.5 m). Older versions of this spell restricted visibility to 10 ft (3 m).


 * Lost Doors: This effect caused one door per level of the caster to appear to be nothing more than a plain wall, much like the silent image spell.


 * Webs: Creating webs in the same manner as the web spell, this effect covered any and all stairs within the guards and wards effect. The difference between this effect and the spell was that the webs would regrow in 10 minutes if burned or damaged.

Secondly, the caster could choose one of the following effects:


 * Dancing Lights: Four corridors could be programmed with dancing lights that would repeat a pattern for the duration of the guards and wards spell.


 * Gust of Wind: This effect caused a gust of wind spell to manifest in one room or corridor.


 * Magic Mouth: Akin to the magic mouth spell, a illusory mouth could appear in two places.


 * Stinking Cloud: Pungent vapors appeared in two areas like the stinking cloud spell except that they would reform within 10 minutes if dispersed.


 * Suggestion: In a place that encompassed up to a 5 ft (1.5 m) square, a mental suggestion spell could take effect on any creature that passed through the designated area.

Guards and wards could not be dispelled by anything less than a Mordenkainen's disjunction spell. A simple dispel magic spell could only be used to remove one specific effect within the warded area.

Components
Verbal and somatic components were required, plus incense had to be burned along with a small amount of brimstone (or sulphur ), oil, a knotted string, and small measure of umber hulk blood. In addition to these components, a little silver rod was used as a focusing object.

History
The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist M'dhal in -1164 DR and was originally called M'dhal's mantle.