Dimensional Folding
This spell allows the caster to selectively warp
the fabric of space, folding it into higher dimensions.
This effect can be best explained through an example. If an ant crawling along the west edge of a
map decided to travel to the east edge of the map,
it would have to crawl the full width of the map.
But if the map were folded in two so that the east
and west edges were touching, the ant would
travel almost no distance at all. The ant's world
(the map) would have been folded through the
third dimension. The dimensional folding spell
does something similar with the three-dimensional world: it folds it through a higher dimension (the fourth), allowing instantaneous
travel between two locales on the same plane of
existence.
Although this effect may seem similar to the
wizard spell Teleport, in practice, it is much different. The dimensional folding spell opens a gate
that allows instantaneous, bidirectional access to
a distant locale on the same plane. This gate is
circular, of any size up to 10' in diameter, and remains in existence for up to 1 full round. The
caster and any other creatures can pass through
the gate in either direction while it remains open.
Missile weapons and magic spells can also pass
through the gate.
The gate appears as a shimmering ring, glowing with a faint light equivalent to starshine. Vision through the gate is clear and unobstructed in
both directions, allowing the priest to "look before he leaps." However, anyone on the other side
of the gate is able to see the priest and his point of
origin.
The "near side" of the gate always appears
within 5 feet of the priest. The location of the "far
side" of the gate always opens within 5 feet of the
place the priest desires. Thus, there is no chance
of arriving at the wrong destination, as with the
wizard spell teleport.
There is a risk involved in using dimensional
folding. however. Many philosophers believe
that what we know as time is simply another dimension, and the behavior of this spell seems to
support this thesis. Unless the priest is extremely
familiar with the destination, there is a significant
chance that any creature passing through a dimensional folding gate will suffer instantaneous
aging. Theorists believe that this is the same kind
of "slippage" that can cause a teleporting wizard
to land high or low, except that in this case, the
slippage is in the time dimension.
The chance of this instantaneous aging occurring depends on how familiar the priest is with
the destination. The table that follows outlines
the conditions and effects of aging.
*Use this row if the desired location is within
view of the priest.
If the die roll indicates that aging occurs, every
creature that passes through the gate in either direction suffers the aging effect. Multiple creatures
passing through the gate in the same direction all
age by the same amount determined by a single
die roll. Although the chance of aging is low and
the potential amount of aging is minimal for familiar destinations, the effects can add up and become significant over time.
Although the word "destination" is used to refer to the "far end" of the gate, the priest need not
be the one doing the traveling. For example, a
priest may open the gate near a distant ally so he
may travel instantaneously to join the priest.
The material component must be folded the priest
intricately during the casting. The tissue is
consumed when the gate closes.
Destination is: | Chance of aging | Amount of aging |
---|---|---|
Very familiar* | 2% | 1 year |
Studied carefully | 5% | 1d2 years |
Seen casually | 10% | 1d3 years |
Viewed once | 15% | 1d6 years |
Never seen | 25% | 1d10 years |
[Tome of Magic]
Sphere: Numbers
(Alteration)
Level: 4
(Alteration)
Level: 4
Range: 5 feet
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 10-foot circle
Saving Throw: None
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: 10-foot circle
Saving Throw: None
a sheet of platinum "tissue" worth at least 15 gp
Comments