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Cantrip was a universal spell that all wizards learned to cast during their apprenticeship. By means of this spell, all manner of very limited magical effects could be manifested at the will of the caster.[1][2]

Effects[]

The effects that could be created were very minor, very brief, and mostly harmless, intended to entertain children or impress commoners.[1][2] Effects included causing a puff of air to make candles flicker; briefly freshening plants and flowers; producing an ambient musical tune; enhancing odors and aromas; creating tiny dust devils to clean a small area, and so on.[1][2]

Components[]

Only verbal and somatic components were required to cast cantrips.[1][2]

History[]

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 cantrip 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.[5]

Notable Users[]

  • The mage Sabirine was well known to have had a special interest in cantrips, and was an enthusiastic advocate of the continued use and refinement of them. Sabirine was known to have created several unique cantrips.[6][note 1]

Appendix[]

See Also[]

Notes[]

  1. 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.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 131. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 171. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
  3. Richard Baker (1996). Player's Option: Spells & Magic. (TSR, Inc), pp. 15, 180. ISBN 0-7869-0394-5.
  4. Gregg Sharp (May 1987). “The Geisya”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #121 (TSR, Inc.), p. 40.
  5. Daniel S. Donnelly ed. (August 1998). The Trumpeter 2, no. 8 (link). (RPGA), p. 2.
  6. Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “DM's Sourcebook of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 78. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
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