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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Sep 2009 : 21:43:10
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I was discussing with a friend the concept of trade bars. They aren't mentioned frequently within FR material, but I do recall that the premise existing within the Realms. My recollection of them is that a 100 gp trade bar, weights the same as 100 common gold coins. Is this correct?
My thought was that the trade bars must retain their weight, since their value must be maintained from city to city. Now obviously most trade bars are to be used within the same organization that produced them. Commonly they are used by merchant costers. So if you pickup a Trade bar from Aurora's Catalog shop in Waterdeep, you could trade it in for its face value in a Catalog shop in Arabel. Then there is the second issue, forged trade bars. Forged coins is enough of an issue, forging a trade bar would be very lucrative, and easy with magic.
Here enters a solution... Arcane Marks. In 3.5, it is a 0 level spell, that has no material component. Now the mark is specific to a wizard, so a trading coster using a single wizard to mark all their bars puts them in a tight spot if that wizard were to die, or leave the coster. With that in mind, I figured I could create a "Mark of the Cabal" spell, that functions as Arcane Mark, but it produces the mark that a wizard's cabal uses.
Considering this spell, I then recalled that somewhere in DnD, or FR canon material there was a description of how the God of Magic protects one's wizard mark from being copied and falsely written. I can't recall where I read that however. Does anyone recall?
So this scroll is an effort to gather all I can on trade bars in the realms, and the protections afforded a wizard's mark.
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Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2009 : 00:19:09
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Found the information on the curse dealing with Wizard Marks.
Pages from the Mages Mage Sigils in the Realms pg 5 & 6
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Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 17 Sep 2009 : 18:36:02
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| Also look in forgotten realms campagin guide, 3.0, page 27. Gold bars are talked more in power of faerun. |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 05:50:53
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| And page 28 deals with the curse it self. Sorry. |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 17:04:56
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DC 15 Will save...... against a Curse enacted by the Godess of Magic herself....
WEAK =)
How about a DC equal to as if Mystra cast the curse upon the subject. =)
Edit: Thank you for finding that. |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
Edited by - Wenin on 18 Sep 2009 17:11:34 |
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Dracons
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 17:17:24
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| I agree its weak. Your the DM though, so go ahead and change it. I know I did. |
I love PMs! Please send me a message. Even if its Hi. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 17:53:35
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This is what I morphed it into.
If the owner of the sigil is still in existance as an intelligent entity the curse is immune to being removed, except for the magical methods outlined below, as this curse is bestowed by Mystra's divine power. A violator can avoid the second and third wave of effects, by renouncing and discontinuing the false usage of the sigil, otherwise the subsequent effects are forced upon the subject in 10 minute intervals.
When someone fails any of the saves, they are bestowed with a cursed mark. The cursed mark consists of the sigil they misused being permanently branded upon the violator's skin. The appearance of the sigil is painful (1d4 physical damage), and will appear upon an exposed area of the violator's skin. Attempting to cover up the sigil will cause it to immediately and painfully (1d4 dmg) move within 1 round to another exposed area. If no such area is available, it will continue to painfully move every minute until it is successfully exposed. When exposed the sigil illuminates to the brightness of a candle (5 ft radius).
If the sigil's owner still exists, the sigil can be removed with the casting of an erase spell by the owner of the sigil. In the event that a sigil's owner no longer exists, it can be removed by the casting of a Remove Curse by a cleric of Mystra.
Primary Effect
DC 14 + Caster Level of Sigil Owner (Max DC 34) Fort Save - 2 points of permanent Strength drain.
Secondary Effect
DC14 + Caster Level of Sigil Owner (Max DC 34) Will Save - 2 points of permanent Intelligence and Charisma drain. If the subject is a caster, they will loose all bonus spell slots gained from a high ability score for a period of one month
Tertiary Effect
DC 14 + Caster Level of Sigil Owner (Max DC 34) Will Save - 2 points of permanent Wisdom drain, and the effects of a feeblemind spell
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Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
Edited by - Wenin on 18 Sep 2009 17:59:03 |
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The Simbul
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 18:25:21
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| It would have made more sense for the spell itself to carry an inbuilt restriction that the sigil created is unique to the caster who creates it, and as part of the magic anyone who knows(/knows of) the caster can unmistakably recognize it. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2009 : 18:40:32
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I'm not following you Simbul.
As I understand it, if a farmer attempts to scribe with ink and parchment Elminister's sigil, at the bottom of an IOU, the farmer receives the Curse of Mystra.
The Curse of Mystra isn't a spell persay. |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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The Simbul
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 21 Sep 2009 : 04:06:19
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I was speaking in the context of the arcane mark spell specifically, rather than the broader use of sigils--be they mundane or magical.
As in it should have been an innate property of the arcane mark spell to cause the sigil to be unique, unforgeable, and unmistakable...rather than having the burden relegated to an act of divine intervention. |
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Arcane Mark used to Mint Trade Bars?
