AD&D: The Damned Grimoire, Warlock Spells

Spells for AD&D Warlocks...

When I was a teen in the late ‘80s, I was very much obsessed with AD&D, I had the DMG in my backpack with my DM Journal and I would often spend time during study hall writing for my campaign or just planning shit out.

Today I decided I would channel that inner-teen and write some spells. See when the Warlock movie came out in 1989, I kind of became obsessed with having Warlocks in my game. AD&D really didn’t have a warlock class per se, but any old magic-user with the right fine tuning could be a warlock. It’s a matter of picking the right spells, or as a DM creating the right spells. I mean you are the DM, it’s your rules, your world, so make shit up, right? Well that’s what I (and many others) did back then before we had internet and resources to collaborate with others.

SO I wrote three spells here. They are built for AD&D style play. They are meant to feel like power with a stain on it. Use them as warlock spells, Magic-User spells, or hand them to a villain and let the party find the notes.

HELLBRAND SIGIL (Conjuration)

Level: 3 (Warlock)
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 turn + 1 round/level
Area of Effect: One creature
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 3 segments
Saving Throw: Neg.

The warlock presses a thumb smeared with ash and blood onto a creature’s flesh or armor.
If the warlock hits with a normal melee touch attack, the target must save versus spell.

If the save fails, the target is branded. The brand is not always visible, but everyone
feels it when they get close.

Effects while branded:

1. Pain Mark
At the start of each round, the branded target takes 1d4 hit points of damage. This
damage is real. It is not stopped by armor. It is stopped by magic resistance, if the
creature has it.

2. Coward’s Gap
All allies of the branded target within 10’ suffer -1 to hit rolls against anyone except
the warlock. They do not want to stand near the marked one. If you use morale checks,
they check morale once when the mark appears.

3. Temptation
Once per round, the warlock may “tug” the mark. The branded target must make a new
saving throw versus spell. If it fails, it must spend its next action moving at least
10’ away from the warlock, or dropping what it holds, warlock’s choice at the time of
the tug. This does not force suicide. It forces a bad choice.

If the initial save succeeds, the spell fails and the warlock eats it. The warlock takes
1d6 damage per spell level (3d6). This damage cannot be healed for 24 hours.

Material Components: A pinch of grave ash, a drop of the warlock’s blood, and a thin
strip of skin or leather taken from a dead humanoid. Consumed.

BLACK THROAT CHOIR (Necromancy)

Level: 2 (Warlock)
Range: 0
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level
Area of Effect: 30’ radius centered on the caster
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 2 segments
Saving Throw: Neg.

The caster’s voice splits into layered undertones and the air turns thick around tongues.
Any creature within 30’ that can hear the caster must save versus spell.

Failure: The victim cannot speak above a whisper. It cannot shout warnings, call for help,
or speak any command word. Spellcasting with verbal components fails, the spell is lost,
and the slot is spent.

In addition, the victim’s whisper is not safe. The first time each round the victim tries
to speak (even a whisper), the Choir steals a piece of it. Roll 1d6:

1-2. Blood Word: The victim takes 1 hit point of damage. This loss cannot be healed for
     24 hours.
3-4. Confession: One short, ugly truth slips out with the whisper, 3 to 7 words. The DM
     chooses the content. It is always something the victim wanted hidden right now.
5.   Choke: The victim coughs and loses its next action.
6.   Marked: The victim’s next saving throw versus spell suffers -2.

Success: The creature can speak normally and ignores the Choir.

This does not stop non-verbal spellcasting, it does not stop telepathy, it does not stop
drums or bells. It stops words, and it punishes the attempt to use them.

Backlash: While the spell persists, the caster cannot raise their voice above a whisper
either. The caster also cannot benefit from bardic song, inspirational effects, or any
friendly morale boosts caused by speech. If you use morale rules, allies within 30’ take
a flat -1 on morale checks while they can hear the caster.

Material Components: A pinch of grave dust, and ash from burned scripture rubbed onto the
caster’s tongue. Consumed.

CONTRACT OF IRON BREATH (Conjuration/Summoning)

Level: 5 (Warlock)
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: One willing creature, or one restrained creature
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 turn
Saving Throw: None (willing), or Neg. (restrained target)

The caster drafts a short infernal contract on the air and seals it with the subject’s
breath. The contract grants an immediate service, then collects later.

Service:
The caster touches the subject and names one service the subject receives immediately.
Keep it tight and practical. Examples:

“You will not bleed for one fight.”
“You will breathe in poison smoke.”
“You will walk through flame.”
“You will not sleep and still recover (name thing like spells, health..etc).”
“You will be unseen by normal darkness patrols.”

The DM sets the exact effect. It must be real, useful now, and clear enough to adjudicate.
No vague wishes. No permanent benefits.

Term:
The service lasts for 1 hour, or until the named service clearly ends, whichever comes
first.

The Hook:
While the service is active, the subject carries a faint infernal “scent.” Creatures of
fiendish nature, cultists, and anyone dealing in infernal bargains react to it. The DM
may apply a -2 reaction adjustment with lawful good NPCs who sense something wrong, and
a +2 with creatures inclined to corruption.

Collection:
Payment is due later. At the end of the service, or at the worst reasonable time within
the next 24 hours (DM’s choice), roll 1d8 or choose one:

1. Thin Blood: All healing received by the subject restores minimum possible for 24 hours.
2. Closed Wound: The subject cannot be magically healed for 1 turn.
3. Name Tax: The subject must speak aloud a true name it knows (person, place, or thing)
   the next time silence matters. It slips out in a normal sentence.
4. Shadow Debt: The subject’s shadow lags. Surprise checks against the subject gain +1 for
   24 hours. Hide in Shadows or similar checks suffer -10% (or -2) for 24 hours.
5. Oathbite: The subject cannot speak a deliberate lie for 24 hours. Attempts come out as
   a stammering half truth.
6. Hunger of Ash: The subject must consume raw, foul matter (ash, grave dirt, spoiled meat).
   If it refuses, it suffers -2 to all attack rolls and saving throws for 1d6 turns.
7. Favor Due: The subject owes a favor. The next fiend, cultist, or infernal agent
   encountered knows it and asks for something small but ugly. If refused, the subject
   suffers a -2 reaction adjustment with that faction permanently.
8. The Caster Pays: The caster owes the favor instead, same terms. If the caster refuses,
   the caster loses 1 point of Wisdom until a full day of rest.

Unwilling Use:
If cast on an unwilling subject, the target must be restrained and receives a saving throw
versus spell. On a successful save, the spell fails and the caster is punished. The caster
is fatigued, move at half speed for 1d6 turns, no running, no charging, and the caster
cannot regain this spell if it would normally be regained within the next 24 hours.

Material Components:
A strip of iron chain and a drop of the subject’s breath caught in wax (a candle held to
the lips for a moment does it). The chain is heated in the candle flame during casting.
Consumed.

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