TELEPORTS (Arcane List)

Copyright © 1999 by James W. Canavan, Jr.

Essence and Mentalism Variants and Editions by Lowell R. Matthews for The Guild Companion

Author's note: I wrote this spell list for my NPC Archmages. It was written for the original Rolemaster (i.e., pre-RMSS). Also, though it is listed as Arcane, it would be part of the Omni-Realm (or maybe Closed Essence) if one follows the guidelines in The Spell-User's Companion. I have play-tested it only with NPC's (I did get to use one of the NPC's as a player once, but the referee was inexperienced, so it wasn't this spell list that let us players walk all over him) and it has been very useful.

Editor's note: Judging by those spells on this list which have direct equivalents on "Lofty Bridge" (Closed Essence), this list appears to be roughly twice as powerful. This increase in power is apparently achieved through specialization on moving objects through space without crossing the intervening distance—or preventing the same—rather than diverting research efforts into flight and related phenomena as does "Lofty Bridge." In this editor's opinion, its power cannot be adequately translated into Essence or Mentalism equivalents without increasing the levels of the transportation spells; furthermore, a Mentalism variant could only be used on the caster's own person. A separate table for suggested Closed Essence and Closed Mentalism variants appears at the end of the article.

1—STUDY (U'): Allows the caster to memorize the relevant details of a particular location so as to reduce the chance of error of teleporting to that location. The caster must prepare and cast the spell, then concentrate for 1 minute (6 rounds), but does not need to spend power points.

2—LONG DOOR I (UF): Allows the caster or a willing target to move from one point to another up to 300' (91 m) away instantaneously. The transportee can pass through intervening solid or liquid barriers by specifying an exact distance for transport.

4—LINK (FI): Allows the caster to "link" with another teleporter. If he chooses to do so, he may then follow (using any appropriate spell) using the linked teleporter's chance of success as his own chance of success. The original teleport must take place within the duration of this spell for it to function successfully.

5—LONG DOOR II (UF): As Long Door I, except the movement range is 1000' (305 m).

6—TELEPORT I (UF): As Long Door I, except the movement range is 10 miles (16 km) per level of the caster. This spell can be very risky if the target location has not been memorized through Study (q.v.). The following chances of error exist:

If an error occurs, the GM should randomly determine its direction and magnitude (e.g., three open-ended-high rolls yielding results in yards or meters, one for each direction).

Editor's note: The magnitude of Teleport error should be proportional to the movement range. The average error using the d100-yards system above for Teleport I is 50 yards (in each direction). This value should increase to 500 yards (d100 times; 10 yards) for Teleport II (level 11), 0.05 light-years (d100 times; 0.001 LY) for Teleport III (level 16), and 0.5 LY (d100 times; 0.01 LY) for Teleport True (level 20).

7—TELEPORT BEACON (U): Creates a shining golden orb, which sends out mental signals that allow anyone concentrating on the beacon to cast a Teleport spell to it without error—even if the caster has never visited or seen that area before. Note: This spell does not give anyone the power of teleportation, nor does it increase any spell ranges.

8—TRACE I (FI): As Link (q.v.), except the caster knows the location and arrival status of the targeted teleporter. The GM should decide whether the location is determined as a picture, a set of coordinates (distance and direction), or as raw information. The target is allowed a RR at –20 to prevent the Trace from taking effect.

10—TELEPORT MASS I (UF): As Teleport I, except the spell casting range is halved and the caster can transport a number of additional targets (each possessing up to 2 times; the caster's mass) equal to the caster's level divided by 4 (rounding normally). Alternatively, the caster may convert any of his additional allowed targets into a mass equal to 2 times; his own, and then teleport a single target of equivalent mass.

Example: The Archmage Centhya is 32nd level and weighs 130 pounds. Using this spell, she could transport up to nine targets, each massing up to 260 pounds, or she could transport one object weighing 2,340 pounds.

Author's note: If players and GM's really want to delve into the math, they can figure out a total mass limit and then fill it up as desired between targets of varying masses.

11—TELEPORT II (UF): As Teleport I, except the movement range is 100 miles (161 km) per level.

12—TRACE II (FI): As Trace I, except this spell can be cast up to six rounds after the initial teleporter has departed. The caster must be in the exact spot of departure for the spell to work, hence the range of "self."

13—TRACE BLOCK (F): When this spell is cast before a Long Door or Teleport spell, that transport spell gains resistance to the Link and Trace spells on this list. For the Trace Block to be effective, the Link or Trace spell must fail a RR with the Trace Block as the attacker. Trace Block may also be cast immediately following transport, but it will then only be effective against Trace II spells cast after the Trace Block is cast.

15—TELEPORT MASS II (UF): As Teleport Mass I, except the number of additional targets (or mass multiples) is equal to the caster's level divided by 2, and the movement range is increased to 100 miles (161 km) per level (as Teleport II).

16—TELEPORT III (UF): As Teleport I, except the movement range is 1 light-year (5.9 times; 10¹² miles or 9.5 times; 10¹² km) per level.

17—TELEPORT BLOCK I (F): Creates a barrier around the area of effect that blocks all matter transference spells of 10th level or less. The Block prevents these spells from transporting into, out of, or within the area of effect. Other casters may attempt to break the Block by doubling the number of power points normally used in the spell involved, then the Block must make a RR versus the transport spell as attacker.

19—BOUNCE I (UF): As Teleport I, except the casting range is halved and the caster or his target can Teleport to a number of locations equal to the caster's level divided by 5 (rounding normally) and stay up to one round in each location before moving on to the next location.

20—TELEPORT TRUE (UF): As Teleport I, except movement range is unlimited.

25—TELEPORT MASS III (UF): As Teleport Mass I, except the number of additional targets (or mass multiples) is equal to the caster's level, and the movement range is increased to 1 light-year per level (as Teleport III).

30—TELEPORT BLOCK II (F): As Teleport Block I, except it blocks all matter transference spells of 30th level or less, and it resists attempts to break through at +20 to its RR.

35—SCRAMBLE (F): As Teleport Block I, except it blocks all matter transference spells regardless of level. Furthermore, unknowing attempts to transport into the area protected by Scramble or unsuccessful attempts to break through both automatically result in spell failure. The caster of the transport spell must check spell failure at triple the usual value. (Editor's note: This procedure is comparable to that used for Extraordinary Spell Failure.)

40—BOUNCE TRUE (UF): As Bounce I, except the movement range is unlimited (as Teleport True).

50—TELEPORT MASS TRUE (UF): As Teleport Mass III, except the movement range is unlimited (as Teleport True).

60—COMPLEX TELEPORT III (UF): Combines the effects of Teleport Mass III and Teleport Bounce I (the movement range is 1 LY/lvl).

75—COMPLEX TELEPORT TRUE (UF): Combines the effects of Teleport Mass True and Teleport Bounce True (the movement range is unlimited).

^(*) In the Closed Mentalism version, the area of effect must be centered on the caster. His Long Door and Teleport spells can only be cast on himself. He can take others with him through the Teleport Mass spells, but he cannot send others while remaining behind himself.

Editor's Note

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