Curse of the Grinning Skull

Sidebar Magic In the Evening This spell, also known as the ever-watching skull, creates the illusory image of a grinning human skull with twinkling eyes; it is visible to all. It floats at the shoulder of the victim, looking at him and seeming to react to his actions. It actually moves to always gaze into his eyes, responding to head and eye movements. From time to time, it moves its jawbone in a soundless, laughing motion.

This image is nothing more than a nuisance. It can serve to scare off a known thief, mark a being so that he can easily be followed through crowds, or anger a wizard into wasting destructive spells on it.

A grinning skull reflects all dispel magic spells back upon the caster and is not affected by attacks or spells that deal physical damage. All anti-magic shells or related spells of fourth or higher level (such as a minor globe of invulnerability) will destroy it.

When the spell is cast, the target and the caster each roll 1d20 and add their level to the result. If the caster's total is higher, the skull appears—but if the victim's total is greater, the spell is lost, and a distorted skull appears only momentarily, flickers, and is gone.

The spell's material components are a piece of human bone and a spark or flame.