Iron Maiden

This spell temporarily brings into being a “helmed horror” that fights for the caster with absolute loyalty until destroyed. The iron maiden takes the form of an empty, animated suit of armor, armed with a long sword and a footman's mace. It acts as the caster directs. The caster mentally chooses its foe, and it fights that foe until directed to perform some other specific action. For example, it can be commanded to “Block that doorway, and let nothing through!” or “Snatch up the wand that the mage in black let fall, and bring it quickly to me!” The caster is free to work other magic as the helmed horror fights.

The iron maiden is a “battle horror,” the most powerful type of helmed horror. When destroyed, the iron maiden shatters and falls into dust and shards of rust. If it still exists when the spell expires, it meets the same fate, dropping on the spot and unharmed any items the caster has directed it to carry (in other words, a fragile flask would settle undamaged to the ground when the iron maiden carrying it collapsed, not fall and shatter). A battle horror created by means of this spell can communicate only with its caster.

Only one iron maiden spell can be memorized by a wizard at once. Such is the stress of this spell that it cannot be memorized again until at least a full day (24 hours) has elapsed since it was last cast. The material component of this spell is a piece of metal plate that has been part of a suit of armor worn into battle at least once.

Notes: Restricted to the Seven Sisters, their apprentices, and select Harpers in the Forgotten Realms setting.

Iron Maiden: AC 2; MV 12, FL 12 (A), 6 if carrying the caster; HD 4+1 hp/caster level: THAC0 12; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (long sword), 1d6+1 (footman's mace), or 1d4 (fist); SA Dimension door (180 ft., 1/day), : blink up to 1 turn (1/day); magic missile (2 1d4+1 missiles every three rds; range 70 yds.); SD innate feather fall, immune to three spells (magic missile, dispel magic, and lightning bolt); SZ M (6' tall); ML Fearless ; (20); Int High (14); AL LN; XP 4,000. If the iron maiden stops blinking it cannot start again within the spells duration.