[Sorcerer’s Library] The Codex – The Summoning of a Dark Minion

The Summoning of a Dark Minion

Author: Selmenaric the Misshapened

Type: summoning

Effect: to call out to another plane of existence and invite a minor Outsider (1-4 Hit Dice) to serve as the sorcerer’s minion. If the sorcerer fails the required skill check against his Sorcery skill there is a 90% chance that the creature summoned will arrive hostile and attack the caster, or a 10% chance that the ritual will attract the attention of a more powerful Outsider. If the skill check is successful then the creature is summoned and under the control of the caster. What is summoned is determined by the game master.

Ritual Elements:

• Verbal: lengthy incantation found in The Codex
• Somatic: commanding arm and hand gestures made while standing within a protective magic circle.
• Material: protective magic circle drawn on the ritual chamber’s floor. This requires a stick of chalk that contains fire-stone powder. Specific runic symbols are drawn along the circle’s edge.
• Material: a triangle of evocation drawn on the ritual chamber’s floor. This triangle should point due east, and is drawn using the same chalk required for the protective circle.
• Location: prepared ritual chamber
• Time: ritual performed at midnight

Casting Time: 1 hour

Duration: the life of the summoned minion

Range: the ritual reaches out to another plane of existence. The summoned creature appears in the triangle of evocation.

Sorcery Skill Level: Sorcery at level 2

Sanity Cost: 3d6

Saving Throw: none

Possible Minions:

• Imp
• Blink Dog
• Small Elemental
• Homunculus
• Shadow
• Hellhound

Note: The game mechanics discussed can be used for any edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but are specifically written for Castles & Crusades. As with most game materials I will present, this article is considered Open Game License (OGL).