Codex of Artifice

Note: There are no Level 1 recitations in the Codex of Artifice.

Level 2

Affluence

Normal – Subject’s clothing grants a +4 circumstance bonus to Disguise and Diplomacy checks made to look and act wealthy

Reverse – Subject’s clothing grants a +4 circumstance bonus to Disguise and Diplomacy checks made to look and act penniless

Enhance Blade

Normal – Subject’s weapon has its enhancement bonus increase by +2, to a maximum of +3

Reverse – Subject’s weapon has its enhancement bonus reduced by -2.

Enhance Bulwark

Normal – Subject’s armor or shield has its enhancement bonus increase by +2, to a maximum of +3

Reverse – Subject’s armor or shield has its enhancement bonus reduced by -2

Leechbond, Lesser

Normal – Subject’s shirt deals 1d4 damage per round, returned to you as temporary hit points

Reverse – You take 1d4 damage per round, sent to subject as temporary hit points

Motive Force

Normal – A small or smaller inanimate object is animated under your control

Reverse – The subject, a construct, is slowed

Paranoia

Normal – Your subject, a flask of alchemical goods, becomes a proximity mine

Reverse – Subject becomes capable of escaping the notice of area detection spells

Translate

Normal – A written work is rapidly translated to another language

Reverse – A written work is rewritten in code

Wardrobe Malfunction

Normal – The subject treats worn armor as having been donned hastily

Reverse – The subject treats hastily-donned armor as having been properly donned

Uncork

Normal – The subject’s next potion is consumed as a move action

Reverse – The subject’s next potion is consumed as a full-round action

Volatilize, Lesser

Normal – 1st-level or lower potion becomes thrown splash weapon

Reverse – 1st-level or lower potion becomes temporarily inert

Level 3

Alter Blade

Normal – Subject’s weapons gain a weapon special ability with a +1 enhancement modifier

Reverse – Subject’s weapons cannot bypass metal-based DR for any reason

Alter Bulwark

Normal – Subject’s armor or shield gains an armor or shield special ability with a +1 enhancement modifier

Reverse – Critical hits suffered by the subject deal additional damage equal to twice the critical multiplier of the attack

Bodyless Bodyguard

Normal – Subject animates and makes attacks of opportunity on creatures that approach you

Reverse – Subject animates and grants you a shield bonus to AC

Chronacles

Normal – Subject’s glasses store a single die roll that can be used at will by wearer? staggered if roll is unused

Reverse – Subject’s glasses store a single die roll that can be forced upon the subject by you? staggered if roll is unused

Garble

NormalScroll becomes unreadable and is treated as not on the reader’s spell list

ReverseScroll includes annotations, granting a +5 circumstance bonus to Use Magic Device when read

Impromptu Implement

Normal – Wandlike implement deals damage

Reverse – Wandlike implement grants temporary hit points

Repair Manual Except

Normal – An item gains temporary hit points equal to the number of hit points lost? if repaired by any amount, these temporary hit points become permanent

Reverse – An item gains the broken condition

Riotous Stoning

Normal – A stone becomes a high-powered explosive

Reverse – Subject is immune to splash damage from mundane sources

Tinkering

NormalConstruct‘s natural weapons gain a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +1

ReverseConstruct gains an armor special ability with an enhancement modifier of +1

Wyrdbramble

NormalWand copies spell of potion? potion consumed

Reverse – Potion copies spell of wand? wand expends 1 charge

Level 4

Blastbramble

NormalWand gains a temporary charge

Reverse – Activating a wand costs twice as many charges

Enhance Blade, Greater

Normal – Subject’s weapon has its enhancement bonus increase by +3, to a maximum of +4

Reverse – Subject’s weapon has its enhancement bonus reduced by -3

Enhance Bulwark, Greater

Normal – Subject’s armor or shield has its enhancement bonus increase by +3, to a maximum of +4

Reverse – Subject’s armor or shield has its enhancement bonus reduced by -3

Leechbond

Normal – Subject’s shirt deals 2d4 damage per round, returned to you as temporary hit points

Reverse – You take 2d6 damage per round, sent to subject as temporary hit points

Ringbearer

Normal – Wearer of ring becomes invisible and gains ghost touch to all weapons wielded

Reverse – Wearer of ring takes a -2 penalty to saving throws against poisons and diseases, doubled against injury afflictions? penalty remains for duration of affliction delivered during recitation

Riveting Conversation

Normal – An item becomes intelligent and can answer questions

Reverse – A sentient item temporarily loses its sentience

Toughening Chant

Normal – An item gains +5 hardness

Reverse – An item’s hardness is reduced by 5

Volatilize

Normal – 2nd-level or lower potion becomes thrown splash weapon

Reverse – 2nd-level or lower potion becomes temporarily inert

Level 5

Bodyless Bodyguard, Greater

Normal – Subject animates and makes attacks of opportunity on creatures that approach you? special abilities are not suppressed

Reverse – Subject animates and grants you a shield bonus to AC? special abilities are not suppressed

Idiot-proofing

NormalWand grants a +10 – twice its spell level circumstance bonus to Use Magic Device checks made to activate it

Reverse – DC of Use Magic Device check to use wand increases by +5

Impromptu Implement, Greater

NormalWand-like implement deals more damage

ReverseWand-like implement grants more temporary hit points

Rig the Game

Normal – Weapon’s first miss each round is automatically rerolled

Reverse – Weapon’s first hit each round is automatically rerolled

Riotous Stoning, Greater

Normal – A stone becomes a even more high-powered explosive

Reverse – Subject is immune to splash damage from all sources

Snag

NormalSteal subject’s wielded weapon or shield, but only if you have empty hands to wield it yourself? 2-round wait

Reverse – Subject gets a +5 insight bonus to CMD against the steal combat maneuver

Tinkering, Greater

NormalConstruct‘s natural weapons gain a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +2

ReverseConstruct gains an armor special ability with an enhancement modifier of +2

Level 6

Alter Blade, Greater

Normal – Subject’s weapons gain a weapon special ability with a +3 enhancement modifier or less

Reverse – Subject’s weapons cannot generate critical threats

Alter Bulwark, Greater

Normal – Subject’s armor or shield gains an armor or shield special ability with a +3 enhancement modifier

Reverse – Subject takes a cumulative -1 penalty to AC when struck

Blastaff

NormalWand or staff gains a temporary charge

Reverse – Activating a wand or staff costs double charges

Jumpstart

Normal – destroyed construct is temporarily raised under your control

Reverse – destroyed construct explodes, dealing 15d6 electric damage in a 10-ft.-radius

Leechbond, Greater

Normal – Subject’s shirt deals 3d4 damage per round, returned to you as temporary hit points

Reverse – You take 3d6 damage per round, sent to subject as temporary hit points

Motive Force, Greater

Normal – A gargantuan or smaller inanimate object is animated under your control

Reverse – A construct takes 100 damage after a 5-round wait

Volatilize, Greater

Normal – 3rd-level or lower potion becomes thrown splash weapon

Reverse – 3rd-level or lower potion becomes temporarily inert

Yowling Pebble

Normal – Pebble emits periodic burst of sound, dealing 5d6 points of sonic damage in a 20-ft.-radius

Reverse – Pebble emits burst of sound, dealing 13d6 points of sonic damage in a 20-ft.-radius

Zephyr Cloak

Normal – Cloak grants total concealment and a +4 dodge bonus to AC against ranged attacks

Reverse – Cloak nullifies cover and imposes a -4 penalty to AC against ranged attacks

Codex of Artifice: A Primer

Though most of the component truewords that make up the Codex of Artifice are themselves more simple than those found in the Codex of Heart and Mind, fledgling truenamers have an excessively difficult time understanding how to use these truewords. This is because in order to get word choice, tonality, and inflection correct, a truenamer must be able to think like a thing, not like a person. Though things are usually without intelligence, there are certain properties that feature very strongly in their definitions and, therefore, in the truewords used to command their alteration and manipulation. Once this barrier is breached and the truenamer has acquired an eye for that which is important, he is poised to make rapid gains in the Codex of Artifice.

Like the Codex of Heart and Mind, the Codex of Artifice features reversible recitations. That is to say, whenever a truenamer recites a recitation from this codex, he gets to choose to produce one of two effects. All targets affected by the recitation are subject to the chosen effect. Both the normal and reverse variants of a recitation count as the same recitation for the purpose of the Law of Finite Malleability. If the spell descriptors, duration, saving throw, or similar school of the normal and reverse variants of a recitation differ in any way, then that line in a recitation’s description will clearly show the difference between the two variants.

All recitations within the Codex of Artifice share the following characteristics unless otherwise noted.

  • Range: 60 feet
  • Spell Resistance: Yes

Codex of Artifice

Affluence

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 minutes
Target: clothed creature in range
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

Normal: You compare the subject’s clothing to that of an aristocrat, and it is so!

The subject’s clothing becomes glorious to behold, granting him a +4 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks made to look like a generic man of affluence, as well as a +4 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks made against the wealthy.

Reverse: You compare the subject’s clothing to that of a peasant, and it is so!

The subject’s clothing becomes cheap, earthy, and tattered, granting him a +4 circumstance bonus to Disguise checks made to look like a generic serf, as well as a +4 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks made against the peasantry.

Alter Blade

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation adds new and interesting properties to weaponry.

Your target enjoys flashy weaponry for a short time. Choose a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +1. Weapons wielded by the subject have this weapon special ability.

Reverse: Your recitation adds properties that may indeed be new and interesting, but they are certainly not appreciated.

Your target’s weapon suffers from inferior functionality. Weapons wielded by the subject cannot bypass metal-based DR, even if they are made of the appropriate material.

Alter Blade, Greater

Recitation Level: 6
Codex: Artifice
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation adds new and interesting properties to weaponry.

Your target enjoys exceptionally flashy weaponry for a short time. Choose a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +3 or less. Weapons wielded by the subject have this weapon special ability.

Reverse: Your recitation adds properties that may indeed be new and interesting, but they are certainly not appreciated.

Your target’s weapon suffers from inferior functionality. Weapons wielded by the subject cannot generate critical threats.

Alter Bulwark

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation adds new and interesting properties to defensive hardware.

Your target enjoys flashy defenses for a short time. Select armor or shields, then choose a special ability for the chosen equipment type with an enhancement modifier of +1. Equipment of the chosen type wielded or worn by the subject has the chosen special ability.

Reverse: Your recitation adds properties that may indeed be new and interesting, but they are certainly not appreciated.

Your target’s defensive hardware suffers from inferior functionality. Whenever the subject takes a critical hit, he takes additional damage equal to twice the critical multiplier of the attack.

Alter Bulwark, Greater

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse none

Normal: Your recitation adds new and interesting properties to defensive hardware.

Your target enjoys flashy defenses for a short time. Select armor or shields, then choose a special ability for the chosen equipment type with an enhancement modifier of +3 or less. Equipment of the chosen type wielded or worn by the subject has the chosen special ability.

Reverse: Your recitation adds properties that may indeed be new and interesting, but they are certainly not appreciated.

Your target’s defensive hardware suffers from inferior functionality. Whenever the subject is struck in melee, he takes a -1 penalty to AC, up to a maximum of the subject’s armor and shield bonuses to AC combined.

Blastbramble

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: evocation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: a wand in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Repeating your belief that a wand hasn’t run out of juice yet actually works when done in Truespeech.

Your target, a wand, gains a temporary charge.

Reverse: They just don’t make wands like they used to.

Your target, a wand, consumes two charges when used rather than just one.

Blastaff

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: evocation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: a rod, staff, or wand in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: If a truenamer’s belief in his implements is great enough, even a staff can be given a second lease on life.

Your target, a wand, rod, or staff, gains a temporary charge.

Reverse: When a truenamer wills it, it seems that nothing works right anymore.

Your target, a wand, rod, or staff, consumes twice the charges it normally does when used.

Bodyless Bodyguard

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal an unattended weapon of your size category or smaller in range? reverse an unattended shield of your size category or smaller in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Your recitation imbues a weapon with a sense of honor and pride. You are a thing to be protected at all costs!

Your target becomes a bodyguard. The subject immediately takes flight and hovers over your shoulder. If there are obstructions, such as prison bars through which the weapon cannot fit, the subject continues to bash and clang against the obstruction ineffectually until the duration of the recitation ends or the obstruction is removed through some other means. The weapon flies in a close orbit around you. Treat the weapon as having a 10-foot reach from the space you occupy regardless of its size or whether or status as a reach weapon. This weapon can make a single attack of opportunity per round with an attack bonus equal to your reciter level + your Intelligence modifier. Any weapon special abilities and enhancement bonuses are suppressed by the recitation, but the weapon adds your Intelligence modifier to its damage rolls.

Reverse: Your recitation imbues a shield with the need to protect you from harm.

Your target becomes a bodyguard. The subject immediately takes flight and hovers over your shoulder. If there are obstructions, such as prison bars through which the shield cannot fit, the subject continues to bash and clang against the obstruction ineffectually until the duration of the recitation ends or the obstruction is removed through some other means. You gain the shield’s shield bonus to AC? however any armor special abilities and enhancement bonuses are suppressed by the recitation.

Bodyless Bodyguard, Greater

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal an unattended weapon of your size category or smaller in range? reverse an unattended shield of your size category or smaller in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Your recitation imbues a weapon with a sense of honor and pride. You are a thing to be protected at all costs!

Your target becomes a bodyguard. The subject immediately takes flight and hovers over your shoulder. If there are obstructions, such as prison bars through which the weapon cannot fit, the subject continues to bash and clang against the obstruction ineffectually until the duration of the recitation ends or the obstruction is removed through some other means. The weapon flies in a close orbit around you. Treat the weapon as having a 10-foot reach from the space you occupy regardless of its size or status as a reach weapon. This weapon can make a single attack of opportunity per round with an attack bonus equal to your reciter level + your Intelligence modifier. This weapon can make a single attack of opportunity per round with an attack bonus equal to your reciter level + your Intelligence modifier. The weapon adds your Intelligence modifier to its damage rolls.

Reverse: Your recitation imbues a shield with the need to protect you from harm.

Your target becomes a bodyguard. The subject immediately takes flight and hovers over your shoulder. If there are obstructions, such as prison bars through which the shield cannot fit, the subject continues to bash and clang against the obstruction ineffectually until the duration of the recitation ends or the obstruction is removed through some other means. You gain the shield’s shield bonus to AC, as well as the benefits of any shield special abilities.

Chronacles

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: divination
Duration: 3 rounds
Target: goggles, lenses, or other eyewear in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: You predict the immediate future, and the universe works to make this prediction come true. If you do not follow through with your prediction, however, there may be a backlash.

Roll a single d20 and record the result. At any point during the duration of this recitation, the wearer of the affected eyewear may use that roll for a single ability check, attack roll, initiative check, saving throw, or skill check, using the recorded result in place of a roll. This recitation cannot be used to replace a roll that has already been made? the recorded result must be used instead of a roll. Once the wearer of the eyewear has used this recorded result or the duration of the recitation ends, the recitation’s effect ends. If the duration of the recitation expires without the stored roll having been used, the wearer of the eyewear becomes staggered for 1 round with no saving throw allowed. If the eyewear has no wearer, you are staggered for 1 round with no saving throw allowed.

Reverse: You can force your view of the future upon another creature.

Roll a single d20 and record the result. At any point during the duration of this recitation, you may force the wearer of the affected eyewear to use that roll for a single ability check, attack roll, initiative check, saving throw, or skill check, using the recorded result in place of a roll. This recitation cannot be used to replace a roll that has already been made? the recorded result must be used instead of a roll. Once the recorded result has been forced upon the wearer of the eyewear or the duration of the recitation ends, the recitation’s effect ends. If the duration of the recitation expires without the stored roll having been used, you become staggered for 1 round with no saving throw allowed.

Enhance Blade

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation talks up a weapon in a manner reminiscent of a merchant trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target enjoys superior weaponry for a short time. Weapons wielded by the subject gain a +2 bonus to their enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +3.

Reverse: Your recitation talks down a weapon in a manner reminiscent of an individual haggling with a merchant who is trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target’s weaponry becomes inferior for a short time. Weapons wielded by the subject have their enhancement bonus reduced by -2.

Enhance Blade, Greater

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation talks up a weapon in a manner reminiscent of a merchant trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target enjoys superior weaponry for a short time. Weapons wielded by the subject gain a +3 bonus to their enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +4.

Reverse: Your recitation talks down a weapon in a manner reminiscent of an individual haggling with a merchant who is trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target’s weaponry becomes inferior for a short time. Weapons wielded by the subject have their enhancement bonus reduced by -3.

Enhance Bulwark

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation talks up a defensive implement in a manner reminiscent of a merchant trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target enjoys superior defenses for a short time. Select armor or shields. Equipment of the selected type wielded by the subject gains a +2 bonus to its enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +3.

Reverse: Your recitation talks down a defensive implement in a manner reminiscent of an individual haggling with a merchant who is trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target’s defensive equipment becomes inferior for a short time. Select armor or shields. Equipment of the chosen type has its enhancement bonus reduced by -2.

Enhance Bulwark, Greater

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Your recitation talks up a defensive implement in a manner reminiscent of a merchant trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target enjoys superior defenses for a short time. Select armor or shields. Equipment of the selected type wielded by the subject gains a +3 bonus to its enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +4.

Reverse: Your recitation talks down a defensive implement in a manner reminiscent of an individual haggling with a merchant who is trying to sell a used wagon.

Your target’s defensive equipment becomes inferior for a short time. Select armor or shields. Equipment of the chosen type has its enhancement bonus reduced by -3.

Garble

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: a scroll in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Water stains, physician-grade penmanship, and poor grammatical choice are all attributed to the scroll in question.

A creature attempting to cast a spell from the affected scroll treats that spell as though it were not on its spell list.

Reverse: Clear penmanship and helpful annotations are attributed to the scroll in question.

A creature attempting to cast a spell from the affected scroll gets a +5 circumstance bonus to Use Magic Device checks made to do so.

Idiot-proofing

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: wand in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Magic is difficult for some, but a truenamer can convince the universe otherwise.

An individual attempting to use the affected wand receives a circumstance bonus to his Use Magic Device equal to 10 – twice the wand‘s spell level.

Reverse: That said, some truenamers find it funny to make magic more difficult and wait for the explosions.

The Difficulty Class of the Use Magic Device skill check required to activate the affected wand safely increases by +5.

Impromptu Implement

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: normal evocation [force]? reverse necromancy
Duration: 1 minute
Target: a non-magical one-handed object in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: A truenamer can imbue a random piece of scrap with power that he insists it always had.

Your target, a random piece of non-magical scrap, becomes imbued with power. The scrap is treated as having 6 charges. As a standard action, the wielder of the scrap can spend any number of charges to fire a blast of raw energy. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet that deals 1d8 points of damage per charge spent.

Reverse: Even a piece of generic scrap can be a potent protective implement when a truenamer says it is.

Your target, a random piece of non-magical scrap, becomes imbued with power. The scrap is treated as having 6 charges. As a standard action, the wielder of the scrap can spend any number of charges to grant himself 1d4 temporary hit points per charge spent. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Impromptu Implement, Greater

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: normal evocation [force]? reverse necromancy
Duration: 1 minute
Target: a non-magical one-handed object in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: A truenamer can imbue a random piece of scrap with significant power that he insists it always had.

Your target, a random piece of non-magical scrap, becomes imbued with power. The scrap is treated as having 12 charges. As a standard action, the wielder of the scrap can spend any number of charges to fire a blast of raw energy. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet that deals 1d8 points of damage per charge spent.

Reverse: Even a piece of generic scrap can be a potent protective implement when a truenamer says it is.

Your target, a random piece of non-magical scrap, becomes imbued with power. The scrap is treated as having 12 charges. As a standard action, the wielder of the scrap can spend any number of charges to grant himself 1d4 temporary hit points per charge spent. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Jumpstart

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: evocation
Duration: normal 5 rounds? reverse instantaneous
Target: the “corpse” of a construct in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Reflex halves

Normal: A construct is not truly alive. It is merely an object animated by magic with a source of power to keep it going. Though it’ll certainly make a pile of scrap in short order, even an unstable hulk of formerly-cohesive materials can rise up one last time.

You pour an immense amount of electrical energy into the remains of a fallen construct, forcing it back to service for a short period of time. The construct‘s current hit points are set to half its maximum hit points and it treats you as its master. While animated in this manner, it cannot use any supernatural or spell-like abilities it possesses. When this recitation expires, several key capacitors short out and explode, destroying the construct once more and rendering it impossible to target with this recitation, or its reverse variant, again.

Reverse: Conversely, a fallen construct makes an excellent explosive.

You overcharge several key capacitors in the construct‘s body, causing it to explode and dealing 15d6 electric damage in a 10foot radius with a Reflex save for half. The subject construct cannot be targeted again by this recitation, or its normal variant, again.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Leechbond

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: necromancy
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: shirt in range
Saving Throw: normal Fort negates? reverse Fort negates (harmless)

Normal: When a truenamer shouts, “Your life is mine!”, there is reason for concern.

You imbue the affected shirt with a draining, leech-like presence. The wearer of the shirt takes 2d4 points of damage at the beginning of its turn, and you gain that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Reverse: A fairly generous truenamer may end up shouting, “My life is yours!”

You imbue the affected shirt with a loving, caring presence. At the beginning of your turn, if the shirt has a living wearer, you take 2d6 points of damage and the wearer of the shirt gains that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Leechbond, Greater

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: necromancy
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: shirt in range
Saving Throw: normal Fort negates? reverse Fort negates (harmless)

Normal: When a truenamer shouts, “Your life is mine!”, there is reason for concern. That said, when a truenamer this accomplished is doing the shouting, at learn that concern won’t last for very long before it becomes a nonissue.

You imbue the affected shirt with a draining, leech-like presence. The wearer of the shirt takes 3d4 points of damage at the beginning of its turn, and you gain that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Reverse: A fairly generous truenamer may end up shouting, “My life is yours!” “

You imbue the affected shirt with a loving, caring presence. At the beginning of your turn, if the shirt has a living wearer, you take 3d6 points of damage and the wearer of the shirt gains that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Leechbond, Lesser

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: necromancy
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: shirt in range
Saving Throw: normal Fort negates? reverse Fort negates (harmless)

Normal: When a truenamer shouts, “Your life is mine!”, there is reason for concern. When he does so in the First Language, assuming you can understand him, it’s time to panick.

You imbue the affected shirt with a draining, leech-like presence. The wearer of the shirt takes 1d4 points of damage at the beginning of its turn, and you gain that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Reverse: Healing is one of those things that truenamers just can’t do as well as pedestrian magic does it. The gods know something the truenamers don’t, which makes sense given how imperfect knowlege of the First Language is in this day and age. Of course, they never stop trying to usurp roles whenever they can.

You imbue the affected shirt with a loving, caring presence. At the beginning of your turn, if the shirt has a living wearer, you take 1d6 points of damage and the wearer of the shirt gains that many temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute.

Motive Force

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: normal evocation? reverse transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal an inanimate object in range? reverse a construct in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Fort negates

Normal: Your recitation describes an object as a living thing with a motive force of its own.

Your target gains a semblance of life. The subject, a small or smaller inanimate object, becomes an animated object, as the monster, under your control. This recitation can be used again and again on the same object. If this is done, or if the object is animated by other means, the animated object retains its current hit points from animation to animation. If the animated object is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and cannot be animated again. Unlike most recitations, this recitation does not allow Spell Resistance.

Reverse: Conversely, the same recitation said backward can sap some of the motive force from an object that already has some.

Your target is compelled to stop moving. The subject, a functioning construct, is slowed as the slow spell. Unlike most recitations, this recitation does not allow Spell Resistance.

Motive Force, Greater

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: normal evocation? reverse transmutation
Duration: normal 5 rounds? reverse 2 rounds
Target: normal an inanimate object in range? reverse a construct in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Fort negates

Normal: Your recitation describes an object as a living thing with a motive force of its own.

Your target gains a semblance of life. The subject, a gargantuan or smaller inanimate object, becomes an animated object, as the monster, under your control. This recitation can be used again and again on the same object. If this is done, or if the object is animated by other means, the animated object retains its current hit points from animation to animation. If the animated object is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed and cannot be animated again. Unlike most recitations, this recitation does not allow Spell Resistance.

Reverse: Conversely, the same recitation said backward can sap most, if not all, of the motive force from an object that already has some.

Your target is compelled to stop moving. Forever. When the recitation’s duration expires, the subject, a functioning construct, takes 100 points of damage with a Fortitude save to negate. Unlike most recitations, this recitation does not allow Spell Resistance.

Paranoia

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: divination
Duration: normal 1 minute? reverse 5 rounds
Target: normal a single unit of alchemical goods in range? reverse a creature in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Will negates (harmless)

Normal: Your recitation imbues a fairly harmless flask or other alchemical good with a fairly insane measure of utter paranoia.

Your target, a thrown splash weapon that requires the Craft (alchemy) skill to produce, becomes utterly paranoid even though it is otherwise mindless. Upon reciting this recitation, if the subject is held in the reciter’s hands, then it may be placed in a square occupied by the reciter as a free action. If any living creature other than the reciter approaches to within 10 feet of the subject, it immediately explodes. All creatures within 10 feet of the alchemical good are treated as though they were directly hit by the alchemical good. Saving throws are as per the item. There is no splash damage.

Reverse: Your recitation claims that an individual is a master of stealth.

Your target becomes exceptionally difficult to detect by magical means. Spells and abilities that detect the presence of a creature, such as alarm or traps with a magical detection trigger, sometimes fail to notice the subject. Whenever the subject enters or begins his turn in a square warded by such a spell, the spell must make a DC 20 caster level check or fail to notice the subject.

Repair Manual Excerpt

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: normal 1 hour? reverse 5 rounds
Target: a weapon, a suit of armor, a shield, a tool used by a skill, or a wand in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: Generations of gnomish truenamers have devoted their careers to translating gnomish into the First Language. Though they have met with very limited success, one of their great triumphs is the translation of three slim volumes on the proper maintenance of equipment into a series of tomes that take up several shelves at the local library. This size increase is a necessary part of the First Language actually having a distinct word for “slightly rusty monkey wrench made approximately eight years ago by a dwarven blacksmith with a peeling coating of green paint on the handle” as compared to, say, a blue wrench.

Your target is miraculously repaired for a short time. The subject gains temporary hit points equal to the its maximum hit points its current hit points. Gaining temporary hit points in this matter removes the broken condition temporarily, if present. If the item receives a point of magical or non-magical repair, then all of the temporary hit points granted by this recitation are converted into permanent hit points and the recitation ends immediately. In what seems to be direct contravention of the Law of Flowing Rhetoric, if the recitation ends early in this manner, it may be used again immediately.

Reverse: Though a particularly inventive bunch, the gnomish truenamers didn’t even bother trying to speak their creation in reverse for many years. Once it was tried, funding for their projects became commonplace. The repair manuals had been weaponized.

Your target is miraculously dinged and damaged for a short time. The subject gains the broken condition.

Rig the Game

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: divination
Duration: 3 rounds
Target: weapon in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: As established time and time again by a number of recitations, pronouncing something as more effective than it actually is brings about a rather dramatic shift in that thing’s efficacy.

The first time an attack made with the affected weapon results in a miss each round. The wielder must reroll its attack roll. If this second roll would retroactively make the miss a hit, then the attack hits.

Reverse: As thoroughly established in easier recitations, using the First Language to spit upon the efficacy of something is fairly similar to cursing that object.

The first time an attack made with the affected weapon results in a hit each round. The wielder must reroll its attack roll. If this second roll would retroactively make the hit a miss, then the attack misses.

Ringbearer

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: normal illusion? reverse necromancy
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: ring in range
Saving Throw: normal Will negates (harmless)? reverse Will negates

Normal: When this recitation is used, the universe groans, as if there were something about it that it wanted to forget.

The wearer of the affected ring, if any, becomes invisible as the greater invisibility spell, and all weapons he wields have the ghost touch weapon special ability.

Reverse: The universe groans when the recitation is spoken in reverse, as well.

The wearer of the affected ring, if any, takes a -2 penalty to saving throws against poisons and diseases, plus an additional -2 penalty to saving throws against poisons and diseases delivered via injury, such as a poisoned knife or the bite of a rabid dog. This penalty persists after the duration of the recitation expires for any poison or disease delivered during its duration.

For example, if infected with a disease that has an incubation period of 2 weeks by the bite of a diseased dog made during the duration of this recitation, the subject takes a -4 penalty to all of his saving throws made against that disease even though the recitation is long over.

Riotous Stoning

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: normal transmutation? reverse abjuration
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal a palm-sized stone in range? reverse a creature in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Will negates (harmless)

Normal: It seems that no matter what the race or the era, a people will eventually want its leader dead. This endless string of revolutions has been given a fairly extensive vocabulary of its own in the First Language.

Your target becomes a high-powered explosive. Select acid, electric, or fire. The subject becomes a thrown splash weapon that deals 6d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type to creatures it hits directly. Creatures within 5 feet of this square take 6 points of splash damage of the chosen energy type.

Reverse: Just as the universe understands that revolution is a thing, it also understands that the established power structure wishes to stay established and has countermeasures in place.

Your target becomes surrounded by a strange, plastic-like shell. The subject is immune to splash damage from mundane sources. Further, the splash damage dealt by magical or supernatural sources is reduced by half.

Riotous Stoning, Greater

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: normal transmutation? reverse abjuration
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal a palm-sized stone in range? reverse a creature in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Will negates (harmless)

Normal: It seems that no matter what the race or the era, a people will eventually want its leader dead. By reciting to a rock, you can make it an instrument ready to destroy the established power structure.

Your target becomes a high-powered explosive. Select acid, electric, or fire. The subject becomes a thrown splash weapon that deals 12d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type to creatures it hits directly. Creatures within 5 feet of this square take 12 points of splash damage of the chosen energy type.

Reverse: Just as the universe understands that revolution is a thing, it also understands that the established power structure wishes to stay established and has countermeasures in place.

Your target becomes surrounded by a strange, plastic-like shell. The subject is immune to splash damage.

Riveting Conversation

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: normal an unattended, unintelligent object in range? reverse an intelligent object in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Will negates

Normal: Sentient creatures tend not to think about what things may be watching when they do something. With this recitation, it is possible to make that a tactical error.

Your target becomes capable of answering questions for a short time. Simple intelligence is bestowed upon the subject. The object, not having been intelligent for long enough to understand that knowledge has a price and that blurting everything it knows could be a bad idea, is happy to answer any questions the reciter has for it. An object is not equipped to hear, see, or smell, though it can feel. Weapons can also taste and many do enjoy blood. An assassin’s blade, for instance, may be a connoisseur of fine poisons and may dislike those that have been prepared poorly. The object remembers all that has happened to it in the last 24 hours, such as spells cast upon it or its wielder? whether it was used at all? whether it was used in combat and, if so, if it tasted blood? or an approximation of its user’s size based on hand or body size (depending on the sort of object it is).

Magically-enhanced equipment is intimately familiar with its own capabilities and is happy to tell exactly what it can do to anyone who cares to listen. Some weapons are fairly vain and this topic ends up being their favorite conversation piece, much to the annoyance of those trying to drill the object for other, more situationally-useful information. In this way, magical equipment can be identified. Objects are not, however, able to understand the concept of economy and do not know how much gold they are worth. As such, gems and the like cannot proudly report their value.

An object can answer a single question per round. Particularly difficult questions, or enthusiastic objects, can take multiple rounds to answer a single question at the discretion of the game master. Given granting an object sentience can be particularly jarring for the object, a particular object can only be affected by this recitation once every 24 hours.

Reverse: Some objects have been made sentient by magic means. Your recitation can take this away for a time.

Your target becomes mindless, like an object should be. Sentience is removed from the subject. The object cannot use any abilities that its sentience grants, has an Ego of 0, and cannot impose its personality on its current wielder or wearer, if any.

Snag

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: normal conjuration? reverse transmutation
Duration: normal instantaneous? reverse 5 rounds
Target: a creature in range
Saving Throw: normal none? reverse Will negates (harmless)

Normal: Proclaiming to all who care to listen (the universe) that an object in another creature’s grip is yours (it probably isn’t), the listener (the universe) gets fed up and hands the object to you to get you to shut up (you probably won’t).

You steal the target’s belongings. When the duration of this recitation expires, if the subject is within 60 feet, you attempt to steal a single object that is currently being actively wielded by the subject. Make a combat maneuver with a combat maneuver bonus equal to your reciter level + your Intelligence modifier. If successful, the object targeted vanishes from the creature’s grip and appears in your hands. You must have empty hands capable of holding the object stolen in this fashion, else this recitation has no effect.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Reverse: Proclaiming that your target’s belongings are most definitely your target’s belongings, the universe helps to ensure that theft does not occur.

You protect the target’s belongings. The subject has a +5 insight bonus to CMD against the steal combat maneuver.

Tinkering

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: construct in range
Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless)

Normal: Gnomish truenamers and gnomish engineers have been at odds ever since a certain little translation the former made many years ago. As it turns out, fancy upgrades to constructs have excellent profit margins, and anyone who can spontaneously create such upgrades for free becomes a bitter rival.

You add a new feature to a construct for a time. Choose a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +1 or less. The subject’s natural weapons have this weapon special ability.

Reverse: As with weapons, so it is with armor.

You help protect your investment. Choose an armor special ability with an enhancement modifier of +1 or less. The subject has this armor special ability.

Tinkering, Greater

Recitation Level: 5
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: construct in range
Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless)

Normal: Gnomish rivalries being what they are, the truenamers rapidly refined their work, just to hork the engineers off.

You add a new feature to a construct for a time. Choose a weapon special ability with an enhancement modifier of +2 or less. The subject’s natural weapons have this weapon special ability.

Reverse: As with weapons, so it is with armor.

You help protect your investment. Choose an armor special ability with an enhancement modifier of +2 or less. The subject has this armor special ability.

Toughening Chant

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: an object or a 10-foot cube of material in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: The tactile properties of an object tend to be fairly simple to manipulate. Your recitation increases the hardness of a material, making it harder to break using brute force.

Your target hardens. The subject’s hardness increases by +5.

Reverse: For the adventuring profession, it’s much more likely that a stone wall needs to go down rather than a wall of paper go up. Luckily, there is a recitation for that.

Your target softens. The subject’s hardness is reduced by 5.

Translate

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: instantaneous
Target: a non-magical written work in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Another grand breakthrough by gnomish truenamers, memorization of several fat volumes for each language pairing in existence allows for rapid translation of written materials.

Your target becomes translated. The subject, a written work of up to 50,000 words, or about 100 pages densely handwritten, is translated from its current language to another language you know. As this recitation is incapable of creating materials, all of the original writing vanishes and new writing in the language of your choice takes its place. If a work is written in cipher or is otherwise obfuscated, the reciter must use the Linguistics skill to discover the cipher. On a failed Linguistics check, followed by a failed Wisdom check, the original work is utterly ruined. On a failed Linguistics check, followed by a successful Wisdom check, nothing happens. You must be able to read the language from which the work is being translated in order to use this recitation.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Reverse: These same truenamers were very quick to use this recitation to obfuscate their notes. The resulting loss of scientific transparency is still hurting some gnomish pursuits.

Your target becomes obfuscated. The subject, a written work of up to 50,000 words, or about 100 pages densely handwritten, is translated from its current language to a cipher you devised. A DC 20 Linguistics check is required to decipher the script. As this recitation is incapable of creating materials, all of the original writing vanishes and new writing takes its place.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Uncork

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds or until discharged (see text)
Target: creature in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Bear fat, bacon grease, butter, and more are used to describe the state of the vials and flasks used by the subject.

The next time the subject would drink a potion, the time to do so is reduced to a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity. After increasing the consumption speed of a single potion, this recitation ends.

Reverse: Abbreviated stories of jars that simply refuse to open are used to describe the vials and flasks used by the subject.

The next time the subject would drink a potion, the time to do so is increased to a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. After reducing the consumption speed of a single potion, this recitation ends.

Volatilize

Recitation Level: 4
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: normal 5 rounds? reverse 1 minute or until discharged (see text)
Target: 2nd-level or lower potion in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Amusingly, the First Language cares a great deal more about the non-magical components keeping a potion stable than it does about the magic itself. To the First Language, a spell is a precise phrase used in a vacuum. A fireball never inherently misfires on its own, after all. It is the wizard’s surroundings that bring about misfortune.

The affected potion begins to froth and bubble, effectively making it a thrown splash weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. When thrown in this manner, creatures occupying the square in which it lands are doused in magical froth and are treated as having consumed the potion.

Reverse: As a truenamer furthers his understanding of the First Language, the precise tonality required to stifle the effects of more complicated magic becomes known to him. Once he knows enough of his craft, no potion is safe.

The affected potion does not elicit an effect when consumed. Instead, if the potion is consumed sometime over the course of the duration of this recitation, its effect occurs only when the recitation ends. You may dismiss this recitation as a swift action.

Volatilize, Greater

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: normal 5 rounds? reverse 1 minute or until discharged (see text)
Target: 3rd-level or lower potion in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: As the First Language has sway over magic itself, a few choice words can make even the most expertly-crafted potion a frothing, unstable mess.

The affected potion begins to froth and bubble, effectively making it a thrown splash weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. When thrown in this manner, creatures occupying the square in which it lands are doused in magical froth and are treated as having consumed the potion.

Reverse: Conversely, even the most unstable potion can be rendered fairly inert, for a time.

The affected potion does not elicit an effect when consumed. Instead, if the potion is consumed sometime over the course of the duration of this recitation, its effect occurs only when the recitation ends. You may dismiss this recitation as a swift action.

Volatilize, Lesser

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: normal 5 rounds? reverse 1 minute or until discharged (see text)
Target: 1st-level or lower potion in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Potions are kept stable by a very careful balance of their components, and some require additives to keep themselves from shaking apart, as it were. A clever truenamer learns what these components are, then staunchly denies that they had ever existed. The results tend to be explosive.

The affected potion begins to froth and bubble, effectively making it a thrown splash weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. When thrown in this manner, creatures occupying the square in which it lands are doused in magical froth and are treated as having consumed the potion.

Reverse: Conversely, positing that too much stabilizer is present in a potion is a great way to render that potion totally inert due to the retroactive incompetence of the creating spellcaster.

The affected potion does not elicit an effect when consumed. Instead, if the potion is consumed sometime over the course of the duration of this recitation, its effect occurs only when the recitation ends. You may dismiss this recitation as a swift action.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Recitation Level: 2
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: instantaneous
Target: a worn suit of armor in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: Your recitation causes a suit of armor to pop and shift on the body of its wearer.

Your target shifts about and becomes uncomfortable. The creature wearing the subject now counts as having hastily donned his armor.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Reverse: Your recitation causes a suit of armor to shift about to become more comfortable.

Your target shifts about and makes itself fit perfectly. If the creature wearing the subject had hastily donned his armor, he now counts as having donned his armor.

Though this effect is instantaneous, once this recitation is recited, it cannot be recited again for 5 rounds in accordance with the Law of Flowing Rhetoric.

Wyrdbramble

Recitation Level: 3
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: personal
Target: wand and potion in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: In the First Language, the words for magic spells do not change when the medium changes. The medium is more like an adjective than anything else.

The affected potion uncorks and douses the wand, consuming the potion. If the spell level of the spell contained in the affected wand is greater than the spell level of the spell contained in the affected potion, the wand becomes a wand of the spell contained in the affected potion for the duration of this recitation. The wand‘s caster level remains unchanged.

Reverse: Adjectives are readily interchangeable.

The affected wand strikes the affected potion with a blast of magic, consuming one charge of the wand. If the spell level of the spell contained in the affected potion is greater than the spell level of the spell contained in the affected wand, the potion becomes a potion of the spell contained in the affected wand for the duration of this rectiation. The potion‘s caster level remains unchanged.

It is possible to create potions that would be impossible to craft normally in this manner, such as a potion of fireball.

Yowling Pebble

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: evocation [sonic]
Duration: 3 rounds
Target: pebble in range
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial? see text

Normal: Sound is one of those things with a wide variance in the First Language, mainly due to its differing behavior in various media.

Creatures that begin their turn within 20 feet of the affected stone are subjected to horrible caterwauling, taking 5d6 points of sonic damage with a Fortitude save for half damage. Creatures dealt 20 or more sonic damage at once in this manner are deafened for 1d4 rounds. Deaf creatures are immune to the effects of this recitation.

Reverse: In addition to its medium of travel, Truespeech cares a great deal about how long a particular burst of sound lasts before it ends. The shorter it is meant to be, the easier it is to recite.

When the duration of this recitation expires, the pebble lets out an all-consuming scream, dealing 13d6 points of sonic damage in a 20-ft.-radius with a Fortitude save for half.

Zephyr Cloak

Recitation Level: 6
Similar School: transmutation
Duration: 5 rounds
Target: cloak in range
Saving Throw: none

Normal: The wind is one of the most ridiculously complicated natural phenomena to pin down in the First Language. Not only is the precise nature of the wind painstakingly described therein, but the very composition of the air itself must be recited? this is a language for all worlds, after all.

The wearer of the affected cloak has both total concealment and a +4 dodge bonus to AC against ranged attacks.

Reverse: Once the composition is hammered out, simply saying the wind does not stir is actually very easy.

Ranged attacks made against the wearer of the affected cloak ignore concealment and have a +4 bonus to hit.

The Wordforged Construct Template

The advent of various recitations that can temporarily enhance constructs led to a bitter rivalry between gnomish truenamers and gnomish construct engineers. The former were incredibly excited about their latest discovery, and, gnomes being gnomes, weren’t exactly quiet about its dissemination through the usual channels (scholarly journals, circles of friends, accosting random passersby on street corners, etc.). As anyone who purchases engineered equipment knows, the bells and whistles of the product have a better profit margin than the nuts and bolts. The truenamers, in their excitement, ruined the market for some of these bells and whistles. This, in turn, significantly cut into the engineers’ earnings, singlehandedly eliminating most of what they refer to as “whimsy money”, or extra cash used to develop new ideas for their own sake.

Though evil gnomes are rare, most any gnome will act like one if his capacity for whimsy is reduced. The gauntlet had been thrown down. The engineers, scraping together what cash they could, responded in kind with constructs that leveraged the First Language itself. The truenamers were not pleased.

Creating a Wordforged Construct

“Wordforged construct” is an inherited template that can be added to any construct (referred to hereafter as the base creature) as part of its construction. A wordforged construct uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a wordforged construct by 25% over normal, to a minimum of +1,000 gp per Hit Die.

Special Qualities: A wordforged construct gains the following.

Echoing Body (Su): Whenever the wordforged construct is the subject of either the tinkering recitation or the greater tinkering recitation, the duration of that recitation is set to permanent, but all other instances of tinkering or greater tinkering currently in effect on the wordforged construct end immediately.

CR: As base creature +1.

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