Spell Trap
A dormant spell that wakes when its clause is met
Spell Trap binds a dormant spell to an object, place, or creature. It fires without an action as soon as its clause is met, regardless of the caster's condition or location. It fires even when the caster no longer wants it to.
The stored spell must be at least one level below the trap. It uses the caster's caster level and originates from the trap. Its target, area, shape, and other choices are fixed when the trap is set. A spell requiring concentration lasts one round.
The caster's Intelligence determines how many triggers and conditions its clause can hold.
Progression
| Level | Bound to | What it perceives | Stored spell |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | an object or a point in space | sight, sound, smell | ≤ 3 |
| 6 | + a creature, which it follows | sight, sound, smell | ≤ 5 |
| 8 | + magic in flight | school, power, caster identity, being targeted | ≤ 7 |
| 10 | + a territory, 10 km per caster level | as level 8, across the area | ≤ 9 |
At level 4, the trap responds to physical circumstances. It might wait for a red-haired man to approach after a password was spoken within the previous 10 seconds.
At level 6, it can follow a creature. It knows when its bearer is struck, but not when someone merely aims at them.
At level 8, it detects spells being cast, their school and power, the caster's identity, and whether they target its bearer—even if they fail.
At level 10, the trap covers a region and fires wherever its clause is met. It is not consumed when it fires, but can fire only once per round.
Cost
At every level, the caster can suspend the trap with gold. Set its cost and prescribed chance roll with the GM under the enchantment rules. A trap paid for this way holds no spell slots.
At level 8 or higher, the caster can instead commit both the trap's slot and the stored spell's slot. They return when the trap fires or is dismissed. This requires no gold or roll.
Allowance
A trap of level 8 or higher counts against the same allowance as Reactive Dispel, however it was paid for. Levels 4 and 6 have no allowance beyond their cost.
| Intelligence | Watches maintained |
|---|---|
| 10-20 | 1 |
| 20-30 | 2 |
| 30+ | 3 |
When several traps answer the same event, only one fires per tick, in the order they were set.
Origin
The Stonehearts built sigils and programmable traps; Lucius Stoneheart turned them into this spell. The Adelbrands mastered the release clauses of curses, and Émile Adelbrand applied that work to abjuration in Reactive Dispel.
Both traditions reached Charlie Stoneheart, Lucius's son and Émile's grandson, in a sealed Stoneheart grimoire. Lucius trusted Gérard Alois to deliver it because nobody outside the family could open it—even though it contained Émile's defense against Alois.
Charlie first used a trap to cast Mental Fog on himself. It protects his mind, but also prevents him from casting, channeling, or concentrating, so every spell he maintains ends when the trap fires.