Magazine
During her sojourn across the lands of the Forgotten Realms, but before her return to the city of Waterdeep (and eventual disappearance), the wizard-bard Glorindel put much effort into creating a number of small, exquisitely crafted paintings depicting places she had visited on her extensive travels. As suited her peaceful nature at this time, they were typically uninhabited areas of great scenic glades, wilderness lakes, and forbidden plateaus. Some paintings, however, depicted some less scenic areas that were of importance to her, such as the Market in Waterdeep and the courtyard of her villa. These small paintings, gates, were GlorindePs favored means of transport.
Any human, or humanoid with
Intelligence not less than and Wisdom not less than 12 may harness the power of one of these paintings. If the painting is stared at, for two rounds, the viewer experiences the sensation of the image in the painting enlarging it fills his or her entire field of vision, becoming ever more real as it enlarges. After a further the viewer is able to "step into" the
Living Painting
painting. The effect is identical to the spell tele-port without To someone standing nearby, the viewer seems to simply along with all items The painting does not teleport with the user (although if the viewer has another of gate paintings in his or her backpack, the second does teleport).
Although Glorindel's home in Waterdeep was destroyed by undead foes, her body was never found. Some believe that she used one of her gates to effect her escape when it became appar-ent that all was lost. Whatever the case, Glorindel has not been seen since. No one knows how many of gates were created or may still exist. Only three are known for certain to have survived, all owned by the bard of Waterdeep, All of gates are small paintings, usually less than square. Unlike most other magical paintings, they have no innate resistance to harm; they can be damaged and
like any normal painting.
Living Painting XP Value: — GP Value: 36,000
DRAGON Magazine
Further triumphs of Glorindel's art were her "liv-ing paint"liv-ings." These are generally square, and up to 6 feet per side, usually depicting scenic
panora-mas. The magic involved in these works is more apparent than that of the gates as the scenes in these paintings actually move. In a seascape, the clouds may race, sea gulls fly, and waves wash over the rocky shore. In a forest scene, the sun may cast shifting beams of light through the gen-tly moving branches. These paintings are, without exception, strikingly beautiful, and it for their be mistaken for windows.
Although their major purpose is to please the eye, each of these paintings has additional pow-ers. When triggered by a command word
each has the effect of the spell, hyp-notic pattern. This effect lasts until dispelled by another command word "en." In addition, the following spells may be cast upon creatures cap-tivated by the painting, each spell triggered by its own word of command: blindness,
and sleep, These spells have no effect on anyone not previously captivated by the hyp-notic pattern effect, and the spells do not count as being cast from the viewer's mind. Each is usable once per day.
As with no one is sure
pre-cisely how many living paintings Glorindel cre-ated or how many have survived. Due to their
312
Portrait
great value gp is a bare those that still exist may probably be found in the col-lections of rich merchants, nobles, and other per-sons of wealth.
Portrait
XP Value: GP Value: 54,000
DRAGON Magazine
In her dual roles as Court Wizard and Court Painter of the minor barony Pass, created a number of remarkable portraits for her liege, Lord
Although many of these paintings perished (as did Igraine herself) when Freeman's Pass was overrun by an army of some have survived the last century and a half to the present day.
Each of these paintings depicts one
close a trusted counsellor, close advisor,
or family whom Lord Balto
would often have cause to consult. The purpose of these paintings was to make such consultation easy. Simply concentrating on the painting sets up a strong mental rapport between the viewer and the person depicted. The rapport takes one complete round to develop; after that time, it allows the two people to communicate fully as though through telepathy. There is no limit to the
duration of the rapport or to the number of times it can be established. All that is required is for the viewer to look at the painting and concentrate on establishing the rapport. During rapport, both participants can engage in no other activity.
As the rapport is being the person depicted becomes aware of a chilling cold and a sensation of presence. If the person is willing to enter communication, rapport is established after one round; if unwilling, a save vs. spell must be made to terminate contact. A successful save means that contact is broken and cannot be for a period of one hour. If the save fails, the person being contacted has one last chance to resist rapport. During the round that establishes rapport, contact may be resisted by the use of mind-shielding spells, devices, or Once rapport can only be broken by the viewer or through the death or loss of consciousness of one of the
is no range limit.
All of Igraine's portrait still in exis-tence, except for one to be discussed later, depict people who have died since the creation of the paintings. If anyone, through ignorance or design, tries to establish rapport through such a painting, there is a fixed 50% chance of estab-lishing rapport with the spirit of the dead per-son. Treat the rapport as the spell contact other To determine the chances of insanity, knowledge, and veracity, assume the spirit is nine planes removed from the viewer of the painting. The viewer can ask one question for each two levels of experience (only wizards receive benefit for Intelligence scores over Since rapport with a dead person requires much more of the painting's power, this can only be attempted once per day.
Rumors tell of one surviving painting that does not depict a dead confidant of Lord Balto. This is the painting that Igraine was working on at the tune of her death. The background is complete, as is the body of the person only the face is missing. Perhaps because its dweomer was not bound by the completion of the painting, this famed "unfinished portrait" has an additional power over and above those possessed by
other works. By concentrating strongly on the painting for a period of two rounds, the viewer can make the likeness of anyone well known by the viewer to appear in the portrait. The painting can then be used to rapport with that
Timely
person (in this case, a saving throw is automatic whether the person being contacted is or If rapport or is broken, the face van-ishes from the portrait again. This power can be used once every two full days. Although no firm information is available, there is a persistent rumor that unfinished portrait hangs in the halls of a dwarf king.
Timely Portrait
XP 750 GP 4,000
POLYHEDRON Newszine 8
This small, inset in a wooden frame, fits into the palm of one's hand. To use it, a command word is spoken and the canvas is held up to a liv-ing subject for 10 minutes. At the end of that an image of the subject appears on the can-vas. During the life of the subject, the painted fig-ure mimics the portrayed individual, showing age and well At the point when the subject passes from this world (even if just leaving the plane), the canvas is wiped clean and is ready to be used again.