Caligarde's claw was an arcane conjuration spell that created an invisible claw made of pure force, similar to the various Bigby's hand spells.[2][3]
Effects[]
This spell could be cast at a target up to 60 yards (55 meters) away. The target could be a particular entity or a 20-ft (6.1 m) diameter circular area. If the target was an individual, then that person had a chance to resist the spell, in which case the claw was created 10 feet (3 meters) away in a random direction, as if it were a missed grenade-like missile attack.[2][3]
Once cast on an area, either intentionally or by missing the intended target, the claw attacked the nearest being within its 10 feet (3 meters) reach. Caligarde's claw attacked once per minute for a duration equal to the caster's level, and with the same skill as the caster, but with the added feature that once it hit, it never missed again. If this spell successfully targeted an individual, then it was not fixed in place but continued to attack that being even if they moved more than 10 feet (3 meters) away. A person taking damage from Caligarde's claw could not engage in normal spellcasting,[note 1] but items that did not require an intricate activation sequence could be used.[2][3]
Only magical barriers, such as anti-magic shell, shield, Bigby's interposing hand, and the like, could block the claw attack. Physical counterattacks had no effect. Caligarde's claw could be destroyed by dispel magic and similar effects.[2][3]
Components[]
In addition to verbal and somatic components, this spell required a dried or preserved foot or claw as a material component.[2]
History[]
This spell was first published in the Workbook, a tome thought to have been written at the behest of the Mentor of the Seven Wizards of Myth Drannor.[4] This spell was later published in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" and became generally known to the magical community.[5]
In the month of Eleasis, of the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, the city of Ravens Bluff's Ministry of Art and Wizards Guild jointly declared it illegal to cast Caligarde's claws within city limits due to a raging unnatural storm at the time called the Soulstorm. In addition to threatening arrest for those that broke this decree, it was declared that breaking this prohibition would result in a permanent expulsion from either organization.[6][note 2]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The 1st edition description is somewhat at odds with this statement. It says that the claw "did not necessarily physically interfere" with the target and therefore would not prevent spellcasting, but taking constant damage would certainly make it difficult to concentrate.
- ↑ The events of the Living City Ravens Bluff campaign took place on a timeline that advanced together with the real world's time. Even though all Living City adventures and issues of Ravens Bluff Trumpeter were dated with real-world dates, there were events that received a DR year. The Living City timeline can be derived from Myrkyssa Jelan's historic events of the late 14th century DR. Myrkyssa Jelan attacked Ravens Bluff in 1370 DR, according to The City of Ravens Bluff and Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition; these events are chronicled in an in-and-out of universe issues of Ravens Bluff Trumpeter. This places the real world year 1997 as 1370 DR, and in 1998 (1371 DR), Myrkyssa was at last arrested and tried and said to have been executed, only to reappear in 1372 DR in The City of Ravens novel. As the real world's months and the Calendar of Harptos are virtually identical, we can also date all events of the Living City Ravens Bluff as close as an in-universe month.
Appearances[]
Adventures
References[]
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 100. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), pp. 68–69. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 68. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 44. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Daniel S. Donnelly ed. (August 1998). The Trumpeter 2, no. 8 (link). (RPGA), p. 2.