Detect Powers

Casting this spell outside a crystal sphere allows the priest to determine if there are friendly gods or other powers so that higher-level spells can be regained within its borders. The detect powers spell also reveals if the caster's patron is worshipped in that sphere.

If the sphere is one known to the DM, or one which has its major powers already designed, then the spell reveals if the priest's deity, or deities related to the one involved (either members of the same pantheon or with similar attributes and portfolio) exist. For example, while two war gods of different campaigns settings may be sufficiently similar to justify “related” status, a god of smithing may have no parallel in a world without developed metalcraft. In that situation, a priest devoted to the smithing god would not find a power to recharge his spells.

If the sphere is new to the DM (that is, the adventurers just discovered it), and he or she has no clear idea what lies within, then roll on the table for a possible response to the spell.

Die Roll | Response ---------+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 01-10 | Power is known in this sphere. The priest can recharge spells normally. 11-50 | Power is unknown in sphere, but a related power exists. The priest can regain spells normally after con¬tacting priests of the related deity 51-90 | Power is unknown in sphere. The priest cannot regain spells above 2nd level until contact is restored with venerated power. 91-00 | Power is unknown in sphere. There is a related power, but his relation¬ship is not good with the priest's power (whether through lack of knowledge, some ancient insult – imagined or real – or some other mysterious reason). The priest cannot regain spells above 2nd level until either contact is restored with the original power, or the priest performs a great task for the new power.

While many powers have similar portfolios and areas of interest (war, healing, agriculture, death and so on), they are often at varying alignments. In one fantasy world, a war god might be a good and lawful figure. On another world, a war deity may be evil and chaotic.

A priest is able to tell the alignment of the power closest to his deity through the detect powers spell. Accepting spells from a power of similar portfolio but opposite alignment is dangerous, and any priest who does so must regain favor with his chief deity (through quest or atonement) before further advancement in his class is possible.

A number of specialty faiths exist only in space fantasy campaigns, including the Polygots, The Path & the Way, Ptah, and the Planar Churches. If a space-going civilization of any sort exists in the crystal sphere, then these faiths will be represented somewhere in that system.

The material component of this spell is a handful of sand, which the priest casts onto the crystal shell.