Item: Rod of Leng

Rod of Leng

These slender, chalky rods likely originate with the alien denizens of Leng, but to what purpose is not clear. Rods of Leng are typically found with 2d20+10 charges and can be recharged, but only on Leng.

First, the rod functions as a +1 club when used as a weapon. A creature struck with the rod must make a successful saving throw or be drained of energy, taking a -2 penalty to saves, attacks, and damage until they have slept for 12 hours. If a victim is struck a second time, they fall into a deep sleep and cannot be awakened for 12 hours. The first strike expends one charge; the second does not.

Second, the holder of a rod of Leng can converse with denizens of Leng in their native, alien tongue.

Third, once per day the rod-wielder can cast ESP and mirror image; each takes one charge to function.

Expending two charges discharges a beacon that attracts the attention of the denizens of Leng; there is a 25% chance per hour that a denizen will come to investigate after the beacon is discharged, using dimensional pathways known only to the denizens. The denizens’ reactions vary depending on the reception and previous encounters with the rod-bearer; they are not automatically hostile.

Finally, a rod-bearer can be attuned to the essence of Leng by expending three charges. This grants the bearer immunity to poison and the ability to regenerate 3 hit points per round against any kind of damage, for twelve hours. However, if the bearer regenerates more hit points than their full hit point total, their corporeal body dissolves into inert slime and they re-form, naked and alone, in the otherworldly realm of Leng.

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Denizen of Leng HD 8; AC 5[14]; Atk 1 bite (1d3+lassitude), 2 claws (1d4+1); Move 12; Save 8; AL C; CL/XP 13/2300; Special: None. The complete entry for Denizens of Leng can be found in Monstrosities.

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Item: Athach Rod

Second of my submitted items, and the one I thought/think least likely to get any votes.
(Addendum: It's been pointed out that Tenkar hasn't posted the list of "1-vote" winners yet, so in theory this could be on that list, but a) the Codex of Dungeons already advances me; b) Erik is apparently weeding out duplicate winners; and c) I think this is the weakest of my 3 entries...so I don't currently see a big issue with posting it.)

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Athach Rod

This stout wooden rod is engraved with coarse runes, and a lump of crude iron is fastened to one end, like a primitive mace. Three eye-like symbols are etched into the iron. An athach rod has a maximum of 3d10+3 charges.

The athach rod can be used as a +3 mace, and once per day, for one turn, the rod can secret a poison that causes creatures struck by it to make a successful save at a -2 penalty or be nauseated for 1d3 turns.

The athach rod has a number of other effects, three of which use a single charge each, and each of which last an hour. First, the wielder can cause a third arm to grow from their torso. This arm wields the athach rod; the user’s other arms can be used to wield weapons or shields without penalty. The third arm gets one attack a round in addition to the character’s normal actions, but is only partially under the wielder’s control and attacks anyone who comes within reach.

Second, the user can expend a charge to grow a third eye. This grants the wielder darkvision out to 60 feet (or 30 additional feet if the wielder has darkvision naturally), and the ability to cast darkness (5 ft radius), levitate, and phantasmal force. Each of these can be cast once during the duration of the third eye.

Third, the rod-holder can grow a third leg. Their movement increases by 3 [5 feet], they do +1 damage on their attacks, and they subtract one point of damage per die from cold, fire, gas, and lightning attacks against them.

Finally, the wielder of an athach rod can summon an athach. The first two athach remain each for three turns before disappearing, and attack as directed by the summoner. Each summoning causes one of the eye symbols on the head of the club to become blackened and singed, as though burned out by fire. After the third summoning (when the athach appears, not after three turns), the rod loses all magical properties. The third (and final) athach summoned only obeys the rod-wielder for three rounds, and does not disappear.

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Athatch: HD 11; AC 3 [16]; Atk 1 or 2 weapons (3d6 or 2d6/2d6)/1 bite (1d6+1); Move 15; Save 4; AL C; CL/XP 15/2,900; Special: Poison (nausea) spit, darkness, levitate, phantasmal force, reduced damage from cold, fire, gas, electricity, polymorph into other giant type. The complete entry for the athach can be found in Monstrosities.

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2e Spell: Tuernathen's Circumvention

I've been trawling my hard drive for old files, so enjoy a spell from the glory days of 2e.  I'll do a S&W version eventually (Tuernathen wrote a number of spells, actually....)

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Tuernathen's Circumvention
Alteration (meta-magic)
Level: 5 

Components: V, S
Range: 20 yards + 5 yards per level 

CT: 1 round
Duration: 2 turns 

AoE: One being
Save: Neg.
Tuernathen's circumvention was devised by a drow wizard, who jealously guarded knowledge of this spell during his lifetime. After his death, however, copies of his spellbook were mysteriously acquired by rival drow. Rumors of the spell have reached the surface, and wizards there are said to be willing to pay a large price for this spell.

This spell counters a target's magic resistance reducing it by 5% per level of the casting mage, to a maximum of 95%. This reduction is temporary, and applies ONLY to spells cast by the caster of Tuernathen's circumvention. Other spell-casters and creatures must contend with the victim's intact magical resistance -- unless they also utilize the spell.

Victims of this spell may make a save vs spells and a magic resistance check at one-half their usual level to avoid the effects of the circumvention.

The target's magic resistance is not actually negated or lowered by this spell. Instead, the circumvention divines the "weak points" and channels the caster's spells to them, bypassing (or circumventing) the resistance.

Notes on the The Codex of Dungeons

Of my three OSR Superstar entries, the Codex was the only one I came up with that week and specifically for the contest. I spent several days thinking about entries, and came up with several criteria I thought a good item, and entry, should meet.

1. It should be usable by a broad range of characters, not just fighters or name-level.
2. It should help the characters. If it wasn't of benefit, they wouldn't use it.
3. It should also have a cost. This makes things interesting, because the benefit has to be worth the risk.
4. It should engender adventures. All magic items can be given stories, but some naturally lead into adventure. A sword +1 is static; a deck of many things is not.
5. It had to be unscripted enough for a DM to want to use it. 

Ultimately, what kept popping into my head was book of maps. They'd be accurate enough to be useful, but not so accurate that the party could bypass all the traps, find all the secret doors, and avoid all the monsters. Having the book magically transport the characters to and from the dungeon, but only once, allows a party access to a large number of dungeons but creates a risk of being stranded (if their page is stolen), involuntarily returned home (page fails its save vs dragon fire), and gives them incentive to make an overland connection between "base" and the dungeon if they want to return for any reason (hex crawl!). Researching the dungeons in the Codex to locate them in the real world brings the party into contact with sages, seers, and all sorts of NPCs.

The one-way flip through the book puts pressure on the party to utilize it; they can't pick and choose at their pleasure, and the dungeons get harder as they go. The party gets the most benefit from the book if they use it early and often. It works for 1st-level parties just as well as 8th-level ones.

Since the dungeons aren't scripted, the DM can choose what to make available, and because the information in the book is unreliable, the DM doesn't have to give away the good stuff. Maps are easily obtained, from random dungeon generators or the website of your choice (I'll put up links tomorrow).

The master map, of course, is the ultimate threat and potentially the great reward . Dumped in an unknown dungeon, unprepared. No map, only half your gear, and three random tavern patrons sucked along for the ride. Ready for it?

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Codex of Dungeons: The Codex of Dungeons is an unassuming tome, bound in leather with tarnished silver clasps. It feels lighter than it looks, and opens easily, almost willingly.

Each page of the Codex bears the name of a dungeon, a map, and a few jotted notes and sketches. A few of the dungeons may be familiar to adventurers, but most are unknown. The maps are fairly uniform in size and scale: some display the entirety of a small dungeon; other maps are clearly subsections of larger complexes.

The notes are written in same hand throughout the Codex. Some indicate traps; others show likely guard positions, barriers, or entrances to passages not indicated on the map. A few indicate treasure. The sketches depict a variety of features: doorways, arches, columns, reliefs, and so forth.

The first time the Codex is opened with an intent to study it, it opens to the first page. The book may be closed and opened any number of times thereafter, but it always opens to the same page. The pages flip stiffly and with great difficulty, and only one at a time. Once a page is flipped, it cannot be opened again – the dungeon depicted is no longer accessible via the codex.

Tearing a page from the book transports the tearer and anyone around them to the entrance of the dungeon depicted on the page. Adventurers exploring the dungeon will find the map’s directions reasonably (~75%) accurate but incomplete: no more than one or two traps are usually indicated, for instance, even if the dungeon holds many more than that. Inhabitants, treasure, and other features are similar: a dungeon may hold goblins as its primary inhabitants as written, but they are allied with ogres instead of gnolls, and keep a cave bear instead of hyenas.

Burning the torn page returns everyone who was transported to the dungeon back to the point of origin (where the book was when the page was torn out). Corpses and the like typically return as well, unless they were consumed, cremated, or otherwise destroyed. The Codex can be opened and have multiple pages torn out (individually, not as a group), transporting characters to a variety of dungeons and back again (clever characters might use this to their advantage, or find themselves leaving the frying pan for the fire).

The dungeons become progressively more dangerous as the pages are turned, so characters that frequently flip pages will rapidly find themselves over their heads. (assume 1d4+2 dungeons per party level, beginning with dungeons suitable for 1st-level characters, then 2nd-level characters, and so forth). The total number of dungeons listed in the Codex of Dungeons is unknown, but may be beyond number. Many of the more dangerous and fantastic dungeons are rumored to be on different planes of existence altogether.

Finally, there is a danger to the book not revealed by any form of divination magic. Each time the Codex is opened, there is a 5% chance that it reveals the master map. This map can be unfolded to reveal a vast, sprawling dungeon labyrinth that seemingly includes every dungeon portrayed in the Codex. One minute after the master map is unfolded, however, everyone in the area is transported to the master dungeon, and the Codex and any of its torn pages disappear from their possession.

Spells: Chant of Heroes, Prayer, Vengeance

Three 5th-level spells. All are appropriate for standard Cleric spells.

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Chant of Heroes
Level: 5
Range: One ally within 60 feet of you
Duration: Concentration
You sing, chant, or recite a poem, and by doing so one ally within range receives a +3 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, and 3d8 bonus hit points for as long as you continue this spell. You cannot cast another spell while chanting, but you can melee. If you take damage, you must make a saving throw to keep chanting.

Prayer
Level:  5
Range: 30 foot radius around you
Duration: 1 round per level
Allies within the spell’s area gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, while enemies take a -1 penalty to such rolls.

Vengeance
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour
This spell allows the target to perform one final deed upon their death. If the target dies (not just unconsciousness or dying), their spirit reanimates their body the next round (or forms a body if the original has been destroyed). The spirit’s vengeance can be any action that can be performed in 1 round as though the creature were still alive. A spellcaster can cast a spell he had prepared, for instance, but not one that had already been cast, or was not prepared. A fighter could attack, but does not magically acquire a weapon if one is not to hand.  The vengeance must be directed at the creature that is believed to have caused the spirit’s death, and the spirit must carry out its vengeance once announced, even if it imperils friends or allies. The spirit’s success in its vengeance is not assured, only the opportunity to attempt it. After this round, the spirit fades away.   

Illusionist Update & Errata

If you're looking for The Basic Illusionist, click on the picture to the right...no, the one below it. The one that says "The Basic Illusionist".

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I've updated the Basic Illusionist file with the following errata, an XP chart(...although I just realized I forgot to take the XP bit out of the Q&A. Ce la vie. Maybe next year.), and a bitly url so I can track number of downloads.  Nothing major.

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Pierce the Veil (1st): Illusionists have a +2 bonus on saves against illusions. ("advantage" replaced with +2 bonus).

Apprentice (9th): At 9th level, the illusionist gains a 2nd-level apprentice henchman. If the apprentice dies, another will replace her the next time the illusionist gains a level, depending on the circumstances surrounding the death of the previous apprentice.

Sanctum (11th): At 11th level the illusionist can build a stronghold and attract followers, including 1d6 apprentices of various races and species (01-70% human; 71-80% gnome; 81-90% half-elf; 91-95% elf; 96-00% other (faerie dragon, sprite, etc.).

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The latter two abilities are intended to spur or assist the development of a "rulership"-style game in sync with the development of a fighter's stronghold, a cleric's temple, a thief's guild, and so forth. If that type of game is not desired, these abilities should be removed.

Woodcut PNG workflow

OK, here's the super-quick n' dirty method I've been using. There are probably easier and better ways that I'll discover if I spend more than 90 minutes trying things out, or if I actually do some research. I used Photoshop & Illustrator quite a bit a few years ago, but I'm rusty and out of practice.

Short Version: make it b&w; select the part you want; invert; delete; trim; erase big bits; select by color range (highlights); delete; erase anything left over; save as png.

1. Get a clean jpg. I'm not even bothering with colored stuff. b&w/greyscale or nothing.  If I have a pdf, either select to copy or use the clipping tool in Windows to cut it out. I'm sure you could do it in Photoshop; I didn't bother.  If the jpg is greyscale, I usually bring them into Picasa and click the "I'm feeling Lucky" button. Again, you can do this in Photoshop and I might from now on, but Picasa is nice if you're doing a bunch of stuff and not used to a Photoshop workflow (I'm way out of practice).

2. Assuming you've got a decent jpg of the page, like the ones from Wikipedia, bring it into Photoshop.  Make a duplicate layer and hide the locked background layer.

2a. I made my transparency light pink (Edit -> Preferences -> Transparency) rather than b&w checked, because b&w stood out a lot better against it.

3. Select the part of the page or image that you want. I use the rectangular selection because it's fast and easy.

4. Invert the selection. (Shift+Ctrl+I)

5. Press delete. Everything outside of the selection should disappear, showing the transparency (if you've hidden the bottom layer!)  Ctrl+D deselects.  Now you'll have a little image and a lot of transparency.

6. Go to Image -> Trim and select transparency. All the transparency will go away, just leaving the selection.

7. Ctrl+0 fits the image into the screen (because it's probably kinda small now).  I like to get out the eraser at this point and go around the edges erasing the obvious stuff, like cut-off words and crummy borders.

8. Go to Select -> Color Range and from the drop down menu select Highlights. It should select the lightest parts of the image.  Press Delete.  Deselect again. If you didn't erase the stray stuff around the edges, you'll have to do it now.

9. Trim again. Depending on how tight your initial selection was, it might not come in at all, but if you've got a large margin of transparency that won't go away, then there's hard to see stuff in there. Get out the eraser and zip it around again. If you want to SEE what you're erasing, make a duplicate layer of this one, move it below, select all, delete all, and then fill all with black. That will show up any light greys or whites that you can't see against the normal screen color. Just remember you have to go back to your working layer to actually erase those.

Remember, in most cases this will be against a white background. If there are some stray white pixels in there, it's really not going to matter.

10. Save As -> PNG  You lose transparency if you save as a jpg or flatten the image, I think.

Extra stuff:  I made multiple copies of the base jpg file and labelled them right in Windows, and then edited each one in Photoshop. There is probably a way to do it in Photoshop (1 file -> multiple copies & edits), but I didn't want to bother remembering it or looking it up.

Extra Extra: If you're making a vignette out of a larger scene, like my bottom two images, you'll have to spend more time with the eraser to delete lines and get it looking how you want. I'm picking areas that are easy to break out anyways, so it's really not a big deal.

Woodcuts to Download

I've been experimenting with clipping art from the Nuremberg Chronicle, which is absolutely loaded with woodcuts. A few hours last night and maybe two hours today, and I've got a pretty good process down; really only a few minutes per piece.  A year out of school means I really need the practice in Photoshop. Helps that Wikipedia has super-high quality jpgs of each page.

I've been saving as pngs to preserve transparency; not wholly sure it's worth it, but whatever. I'll probably offload the finished results to DVDs or something anyways, so storage isn't really an issue.

Anyways, here's the results from one page. Zipped folder; hopefully you can just click and download. I'm trying a bitly url so I can track downloads (something I can't do with The Basic Illusionist, alas). If there are problems let me know.

Woodcuts of 13 people.  These are free, reproducible, etc, etc. No copyright claims. One is below, along with two snips from larger illustrations I did to see how easily I could make little vignettes (answer: pretty damn easily.)

(Files are labelled nc (Nuremberg Chronicles) - page number(based on jpg #, not actual page) - snip indicates that it's one of multiple images from the page - then a/b/c/d etc etc.)


http://bit.ly/1idiqpO

Monster/Adventure: The Alkonost and The Village That Forgot Itself

Alkonost
HD 1+2
AC 7 [12]
Atk 2 claws (1d2)
Move 12 (fly 12)
Save 17
AL Neutrality
CL/XP 2/30
Special: Song of amnesia.

Alkonost have the head of a human and the body of a large bird. They have shimmering iridescent plumage. The song of an alkonast is hauntingly beautiful, but dangerous: anyone hearing an alkonost must make a successful saving throw or forget the events of the past hour. The save repeats every round, so a character that repeatedly fails their saves and listens for a turn forgets the past ten hours. Fortunately, alkonost rarely land, preferring instead to drift endlessly on the winds, so victims are rarely within earshot of an alkonost for more than a few moments.

Despite their human head, alkonost have only the simplest of minds, and cannot converse.

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The Village That Forgot Itself

Something is strange in the village of Little Hiur. Buried in a deep valley in the Orphian Mountains and off any significant trade routes, the village wouldn’t even be a dot on the map if not for the presence of a small shrine and a nearby dungeon. The scarcity of visitors doesn’t explain the strange welcome the villagers give new arrivals, however. They repeatedly question visitors as to what day it is and about recent events. A large slab of slate sits in the town square with a date chalked on it, though the date is two days old. If visitors confirm a more recent date, the villagers will quickly erase the old date and chalk in the correct one.

What no one realizes is that Brother Cutland, the monk at the Shrine of Saint Yne, has captured an alkonost. Brother Cutland was always petty, vindictive, and small-minded, but he’s also clever and well-read. He noticed and recognized the alkonost almost two weeks ago, and after plugging his ears with wax and wool, was able to catch it in a net. He now keeps it in a locked room near the monastery’s waterfall-powered mill, which drowns out its constant singing.

Brother Cutland has so far only done relatively minor mischief with his alkonost. The creature is docile, so he gags it and pulls it around town in a small cart (it’s too big to carry and can’t walk well), saying whatever he likes to anyone that displeases him. He then plugs his own ears and ungags the alkonost, causing his victim to promptly forget that they’d been insulted. He is also pilfering from the local merchant, taking small goods and ungagging the alkonost to avoid paying the bill.

The real danger, however, is that Cutland has begun taking long walks around town with the alkonost at night. The tight confines of Little Hiur mean that everyone except the monk has had repeated exposures of an hour or more, and many have now lost several weeks from their memory. They often find they’ve lost large portions of the day, can’t agree on the date, and believe they have been put under some kind of curse. They are desperate for a solution…and hope someone can remember the problem long enough to solve it.

Race: Zidae (Sparrowlings)

Zidae
Zidae resemble nothing so much as bipedal sparrows. They stand roughly 4’ tall, but weigh no more than 40 pounds. They have both wings and a pair of human-like arms. Zidae are a good-natured race who prefer talking to fighting, and are reluctant to engage in violence unless it’s clear no other option is available. They have a reputation as amiable and neutral parties, and are sometimes engaged to act as proxies or go-betweens in negotiations between distrustful parties.

Zidae prefer warm or tropical woodlands. They can survive in temperate areas, but dislike the cold in wintertime. They build communal shelters in large trees, weaving the structures out of branches, reeds, grass, and rope. The interiors are padded and insulated with straw, wool, and tapestries. They are vegetarians, but some villages keep herds of sheep or goat for their wool.

Zidae have a +2 bonus to their Dexterity attribute, but due to their light frames, take a -1 penalty to both Strength and Constitution attributes. They cannot wear armor heavier than light armor, although they can carry small shields. Zidae have a basic move of 9, but can fly at a speed of 12.

Zidae can gain levels in the Druid (4th level), Magic-User (5th level), or Thief (7th level) classes.

1d6 Random Zidae Adventurers

1. A zidae negotiator/arbitrator is looking for companions/guards to accompany her to approach a local power (arch-wizard, druid, dragon) on behalf of a nearby town. The power is likely to ask the zidae and her companions to complete a few tasks before agreeing to anything.
2. An apprentice magic-user is looking for some rumored arcane texts.
3. A fledgling wants to get out and meet lots of people in the world. The fact that many of them may be hostile could be a surprise.
4. An apprentice druid has to go on a pilgrimage to a distant shrine. His superiors hope he’ll get a little worldly experience and wisdom along the way.
5. A junior zidae diplomat is exploring new markets for zidae cloth, and possible sites for settling too.
6. A cheerful but larcenous zidae charlatan has run out of patsies and purses, and needs to relocate to a more profitable (and less suspicious) city.

Spells: Divination & Heroism

I've got what I think of as a fairly mild type of Attention Deficit Disorder. I'm not, nor ever have been, hyperactive, but I do have serious issues with prioritization and motivation. I need a big shiny trophy ball hanging in my face to keep me going once I get bored.

The Basic Illusionist was a miracle because I managed to work on that for a month. Two weeks is about my usual limit, and unfortunately I hit that last week on my most recent distraction, which means I loathed it for the past few days and couldn't stand to look at it.  I think I'll be able to resume working on it in a day or two, which is nice because a) I'm 98% or better finished with the most important and worst part, b) it shouldn't take all that long to complete, c) when it's done I'll give myself a nice shiny trophy ball, and d) I'll have proven that not only can I write something, I can do so twice.

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Only two spells this time; I've got three 5th-level spells for next time, and then I'll have to start writing new material.  That's a bit of a bugger, but having suspended everything else to work on The Project, it'll be a nice change to get back to the illusionist, norse classes, and races.

Divination is a 4th level Cleric and M-U spell; heroism is a 4th level Cleric spell. Divination would also be fine as a Druid spell.

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Divination
Level: 4
Range: Special
Duration: Immediate
This spell is similar to augury, but instead of a course of action, divination provides information about an area known to the caster. The chance of success is 70% plus the caster’s level, and the information so gathered includes the relative strength of forces in the area, the quantity of valuables, and the likelihood of long-term consequences that might arise from disrupting the area. The results are typically somewhat vague but understandable.

Heroism
Level: 4
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 hour
The recipient gets a +2 bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws for the duration of the spell

Spells: Dream Sight, Oath, and Omen

Dream Sight and Omen are 3rd level Cleric spells; Oath is both a Magic-User and a Cleric spell.

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Dream Sight
Level: 3
Range: 1 mile per level
Duration: 1d4 rounds plus 1 round per level
This spell untethers the caster from his body, allowing him to travel as a spirit. The caster can pass through solid objects, but not see through them, and cannot pass through or enter any area protected with any form of magic circle or protection spell. He is incorporeal, silent, and invisible but can be seen by creatures that can perceive invisible, out-of-phase, other-dimensional, or aetherial creatures. Incorporeal creatures can touch and be touched by the caster. In dream form the caster moves at a walking pace except when travelling to a destination within range, at which time he travels at a speed of one mile per round, but cannot see details while doing so. At the end of the spell’s duration, the caster’s spirit instantly returns to his body.

Oath
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
This spell extracts an agreement from an unwilling target in return for a favor or consideration from the caster, such as sparing the target’s life, interceding for them with a higher authority, or performing some service. The caster enters into the oath willingly, but the target gets a saving throw; if successful, the oath does not take effect. If the save fails, the oath is binding. The target suffers a -2 penalty to the save if it is under the control of the caster, by force of arms or other means. The caster sets the terms of the oath, which cannot bring direct harm to the target, and must be within the target’s abilities. If the caster breaks his oath or releases the target, the oath is dispelled. If the target does not comply with the terms of the oath, he suffers 1d6 points of damage per day until he relents or dies.

Omen
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 day per level
Once cast, this spell discharges immediately before the target undertakes a potentially dangerous or rewarding task, manifesting as an unmistakable sign of warning (or blessing) that give the target an opportunity to change their mind. Things that would trigger the omen would be setting off a trap, stepping into an ambush, passing a secret door behind which lies great treasure, or meeting a potential patron or companion. (In out-of-game-terms, this spell takes effect after the player has declared his or her actions, but before they take effect. After the spell goes off, the player can choose a different action if they so desire.)

Spells: Three Spells and What's Happening

I've accidentally fallen into a project that's sucking up most of my free time right now, so posting is going to be infrequent for a week or two.  Also, I thought February went pretty well posting-wise, but I'm going to try to shift things and post slightly fewer but meatier posts when I do get back to more regular postings.

In the meantime, have some 3rd-level spells. Chant of inspiration doesn't easily fit into an existing class's arena, but could be a cleric spell. Cloudburst is a 3rd-level magic-user and druid spell. Death's door is a 3rd-level cleric spell.

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Chant of Inspiration
Level: 3
Range: One ally within 60 feet of you
Duration: Concentration
You sing, chant, or recite a poem, and by doing so one ally within range receives a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls and 2d8 bonus hit points for as long as you continue this spell. You cannot cast another spell while chanting, but you can melee. If you take damage, you must make a saving throw to keep chanting.

Cloudburst
Level: 3
Range: 30 foot radius burst within 120 feet.
Duration: 1 round per level
A sudden downpour drenches the target area – even indoors or below ground.  Visibility within and into the cloudburst is only 30 feet. Ranged weapon attacks are impossible in or through the area of a cloudburst, unless the missile is boulder-sized. Unprotected non-magical fires smaller than bonfires are immediately extinguished; larger fires are extinguished in 2 rounds. Small magical fires, such as a flaming weapon or 1st or 2nd level spell, are suppressed for the duration of the cloudburst. Larger magical fires do half of their usual damage and create billows clouds of steam that reduce visibility to 10 feet for a radius around equal to half the radius of the magical fire source.  Instant magical fires, such as fireball, do half damage as above and create steam clouds equal to 150% of the fire’s normal area. The steam clouds do 1 point of damage per round to creatures within them, unless they are immune to fire. They do 2 points a round to cold-based creatures.
If the ambient temperature is below freezing, the effect will be of a snowburst instead.

Death’s Door
Level: 3
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
You stabilize one character who is dying but not dead, bringing them to 0 hit points and unconsciousness. Left alone, they awaken in 24 hours with 1 hit point.