Conquer Self

Upon the completion of this spell of initiation, the recipient of a block advancement spell begins a great personal ordeal that results either in his death or in the removal of the block and an experience point bonus, if the wizard is deemed worthy by the power of the conquer self spell. The conquer self spell has no other purpose.

If cast upon an individual not under the effects of a block advancement spell, the casting fails. The conquer self spell must be cast by a wizard of the same alignment as the recipient.

Once cast, the recipient undergoes a six - hour ordeal during which he is rendered helpless by wrenching pains and powerful hallucinatory visions - hence he is usually placed in a special area where he is relatively safe from attack. (Interestingly, The Book of Black Circles reports that the visions experienced during the ordeal are occasionally prophetic or based on actual events or areas that the recipient may not have witnessed 1 the outcome of the ordeal is dependent upon the actions of the recipient since he received the block advancement spell

Although the recipient is automatically affected by this spell if he meets the previous requirements, the final outcome of the spell is dependent upon a successful saving throw of 20. This saving throw roll is modified by several conditions, most of which are dependent on the actions and performance of the recipient. No form of magic affects this saving throw (including items such as a luck - stone), and all other saving throw modifiers from which the wizard would normally benefit are similarly ineffective. The modifiers apply only from the time of the application of the block advancement spell. They are as given on the table.

Conquer Self Modifiers Condition | Modifier ------------------------------------------------------------------------------+---------- Per 100,000 xp gained: | +1 Perfect alignment performance: | +3 Average alignment performance: | +1 Poor alignment performance: | 1 Every successful (major) quest performed for organization: | - 1 Each point of intelligence above 12: | +1 Evaluation of recipient by caster of conquer self spell (mediated by the DM)* | - 3 to +3

:* Based on subject's ability, ambition, heroic actions, ect.

If the recipient successfully makes his saving throw, he comes out of his trance after six hours, At this time, he regains the spell casting ability appropriate to his present level and gains a 10% experience point bonus for all experience earned since block advancement was cast upon him. If the recipient fails the saving throw, he dies at the end of the six hours; he can be raised or resurrected in the usual manner, though he will still suffer from the effects of the block advancement spell. The saving throw is always failed if the result of the roll is a 1, regardless of modifiers to the roll.

The material component of the spell is the jade statue that was used when the block advancement spell was originally applied to the recipient; at the conclusion of the conquer self spell, the statue shatters.

Notes: Very rare. Known to be in the Book of Black Circles. (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)