Wonderform

Wonderform was an arcane spell that disguised a mage as a wingless wonder.

Effects
The caster was instantly transformed into a typically daft wingless wonder, with all the powers and limitations thereof.

Despite possessing only tentacles and a beak-like mouth, the caster could cast any spell they had prepared, without requiring somatic or verbal components. Material components, although necessary, did not need to be produced; instead, they disappeared from within the caster's wonder body.

Moreover, the caster's mind was shielded from all mental contact. Efforts to detect their alignment read them as chaotic neutral like any wonder.

For some reason, a caster could choose to remain as a wonder indefinitely, but they lost a little of their intelligence and wits after a year, and with every year thereafter. However, they could return to their natural form at will, or cast another shapechanging spell, but wonderform ended in either case.

History
Wonderform was known to the mages of Netheril. When the empire fell in the Year of Sundered Webs, −339 DR, many Netherese wizards escaped the collapse by using wonderform. The spell remained known to human wizards by the the 14 century DR.

Wonderform was later developed again independently by drow mages and was known to the drow of Menzoberranzan by the 14 century DR.

Uses
Wonderform was a useful disguise for a wizard. Their mind was entirely shielded against scrutiny, appearing in a normal wonder all physical and magical respects, and they could still speak and cast spells as normal. Thus someone who encountered a wonder could never tell if was a curious and helpless beast, or a powerful mage capable of mighty magic.

Drow wizards regularly used wonderform as a disguise against hostile priestesses of Lolth or against surfacers unfamiliar with the Underdark.

Notable Users

 * Jalynfein, "The Spider Mage"
 * The Watchspider Wizard
 * Thaerlbone Faen Tlabbar
 * Daethleness Tuin'Tarl
 * Auziiyra Twelvestars
 * Brondeth of the Broken Staff