Locate Spirit Animal

(See also: Locate Spells)

A priest using a locate spirit animal spell learns the location of an animal that is the spiritual counterpart of an individual. For a full day afterward, the priest knows the current location of the animal. This spell is often used to capture an individual's spiritual counterpart, for both good and ill effects. A caster who wishes to inflict harm on the individual can often do so by injuring, or even killing, the animal counterpart. The subject of such an attack suffers symptoms identical to those of the animal (save that the person does not necessarily die if the animal dies), taking the same number of hit points damage as the animal counterpart. If the animal dies and the person does not, the hit point loss is permanent unless countered by at least a full wish. Each individual has only one spiritual counterpart and can be subjected to the spell only once.

This spell is often used for beneficial purposes when an individual suffers from a mysterious ailment. Often, the cause of the ailment is an injury or sickness affecting the spiritual counterpart. If the animal can be found and cured, the individual will recover from the mysterious ailment.

Just because a priest knows the location of a spiritual counterpart that does not mean the animal can be reached. The animal may be anywhere within an area of 1d100 x 10 miles of the subject. Often, the priest must undertake a long journey in order to track down the animal.

An individual aware of the casting of this spell and unwilling to have the spiritual counterpart located is allowed a saving throw vs. spell. A successful saving throw means that the priest cannot find the animal counterpart, and the spell fails.

Once the animal is located, it usually regards any attempt to capture or injure it as hostile, even if performed for the benefit of its counterpart. It can fight as a normal member of its species in all ways. It is important to remember, however, that all magic and damage affecting the animal also affects the subject. In the case of spells, the human counterpart is allowed to make a separate saving throw, just as if the spell had been thrown directly against him or her, but with a -2 modifier.