Ritual of Transference (Cooperative)

This complicated cooperative spell ritual allows its participants to cast spells into a prepared item or being; to transfer charges of magical energy from one item to another; or to infuse an item or being with powers from another magical item, altar, artifact, or other item of great power. The usual use of the ritual of transference is to infuse an item with magic. The spell is sometimes employed to empower devout lay worshipers with the means to help in a mission or defend a holy place, but it is only rarely used to imbue priests with spells beyond their capabilities. The only powers that can be transferred into a being are those that are spell like in nature; the ability of say, a rod of lordly might to change into a climbing pole or a magical weapon could not be transferred.

The caster must have touched the destination being or item (or one of its component parts) or at least one of the donor sources of magic at some time in the past, but no contact with them is necessary during casting. A droning chant is begun and must continue unbroken for the entire turn of casting, though the initial caster can cease to chant without ruining the spell if other participants are chanting.

Once a ritual of transference is begun, other priests can participate by casting their own ritual of transference or a combine spell and touching the caster of the original spell with their bare flesh. Once the turn-long casting of a ritual is complete, the spell lasts for another turn, and it is during this time that participants can cast spells of their own into the item or being. If a participant casts a spell at the wrong item or being (in other words, not the spell's designated recipient), the spell takes its normal effect, and the mistaken (or hostile) participant's involvement with the ritual is broken. Note that the ritual lasts for 1 turn following the initial turn of casting; additional participants do not extend its length by the casting of their own ritual spells.

Any number of spells or charges can enter the recipient item or person during the same round without causing harm or affecting each other, but all spells take their normal casting times. Charge transference is one charge per level of the transferring priest per round. Magical item effects take 1 round each to transfer.

As each spell, set of charges, or magical item effect enters the recipient being or item, a saving throw is made by the recipient being or item. If the recipient is a creature, a saving throw vs. spell is required; each success allows the spell or magical effect to enter the being. A failure dissipates the magic effect instead of transferring it. Spells and effects do not affect a being as if they had been cast at it or used on it, but become magic stored within the recipient under his or her mental control in addition to any memorized spells or natural spell-like powers the being possesses.

If the recipient of the ritual of transference is an item, its base saving throw is a 12. Each time that saving throw succeeds, the transferred spell, magical item effect, or set of charges successfully enters the item. Each time the saving throw fails, the magic dissipates and is lost. Spells and effects do not affect an item as if they had been cast at it or used on it, but become magic stored within the recipient item that is used to imbue it with certain powers.

Both creature and item saving throws are cumulatively modified as follows: +2 per priest other than the initial caster that participates in the ritual; +1 if the recipient item or being is in or on an altar or other sacred spot or object; -1 for a spell or magical charge transferred into the recipient by a being other than the initial caster; -1 per priest participating who does not serve the same deity as the initial caster; -2 if any hostile magic is cast into the recipient or so as to affect any participating priest during the ritual of transference; and -5 per participant who is slain or deliberately wounded during the casting. Since repeated saving throws are made, events that occur during the ritual's duration only affect saving throws made after they occur. The ritual does not protect its participants in any way.

Beings who have had spells or magical item abilities transferred into them can use these stored magics in one of two ways: They can unleash them by silent act of will as the same spells or abilities they absorbed or they can absorb them as healing energy, transforming a stored magic into a curative effect upon themselves. Only one spell can be unleashed during a round, but any number of curative effects can be performed instantly during a round and can even be combined with a stored spell unleashing or the recipient being's normal actions for a round. Unleashed spells require no casting time, components, or skill at wielding magic, and their unleashed effects perform as if they were wielded by their original source caster or item. Curative energy gained is 1d4 points of healing for every spell level used up; a partially transformed spell cannot be cast forth, and extra points of healing gained above damage taken by the being are lost and wasted. Stored spells or magical item abilities remain until they are used by the spell recipient.

The material components are two properly consecrated holy symbols: the priest's own and another dedicated to the same deity that is consumed during the casting.