Alert Allies - Dwarf, Gnome

This spell enables the priest to send an instantaneous mental missive to his comrades alerting them to a dangerous situation. It is not possible to send any message other than “Alert” by means of this spell, nor is two-way communication of any sort possible, but the true meaning of the mental missive, other than the fact that a dangerous situation exists, can be prearranged if so desired.

Alert allies can be cast only on awake, living, and sentient creatures (Animal Intelligence or higher). The somatic component involves the priest physically touching foreheads for one full round with each recipient. One ally per level of the spellcaster, up to a maximum of ten individuals, can be linked by means of this spell.

Once cast, the mental links forged by means of this spell last until the alert is broadcast or for at most eight hours. An alert has a maximum range of 90 feet around the priest. Anyone beyond that range won't hear the alert, although the spell effect (and the mental link) ends nonetheless.

Likewise, anyone maintaining a psionic defense shield, wearing a ring of mind shielding, or employing similar magics won't receive the mental warning. However, if a recipient is asleep and that condition is not maintained by chemical or magical means (although it may have been induced by such), he or she immediately awakens and is aware that an alert has been issued.

It is possible to issue a mental missive and then perform another action aside from spell casting in the same round. The alert broadcast effectively imposes an initiative penalty of 1 on any other course of action attempted in the same round.