Difference between revisions of "Preserve (spell)"

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[[File:Preserve (spell).jpg|right|525px|thumb]]
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[[File:Preserve (spell).jpg|right|560px|thumb]]
'''Preserve''' affects organic edibles of every kind, causing them to remain fresh and whole for the spell's duration, as though just harvested, cooked or baked. Affected food won't rot or be touched by insects — and though it won't improve or ferment over time, it remains of precisely the same quality it had when the spell was cast.
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'''Preserve''' is a spell that arrests the natural decay of organic edibles, maintaining them in the exact condition they possessed at the moment the spell was cast. [[Food|Foods]] remain fresh, wholesome and intact, as though newly [[Farming (sage ability)|harvested]], prepared or [[Baking (sage study)|baked]]. Spoilage does not occur; mould, rot and infestation are entirely prevented, and insects will not approach or settle upon the affected matter. The quality of the food is fixed — it neither improves nor degrades, and processes such as ageing or fermentation are halted.
  
 
{{Spelltable
 
{{Spelltable
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| range = touch
 
| range = touch
 
| duration = one month
 
| duration = one month
| area of effect = 1 [[Measurements|cub.ft.]] per [[Experience Level|level]]
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| area of effect = 1 cub.ft. per [[Experience Level|level]]
 
| casting time = 1 [[Combat Round|round]]
 
| casting time = 1 [[Combat Round|round]]
 
| save = none
 
| save = none
 
| level = [[Mage 2nd Level Spells|mage (2nd)]]
 
| level = [[Mage 2nd Level Spells|mage (2nd)]]
 
}}
 
}}
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The spell also fixes the temperature of the food. Hot dishes remain hot, cold items remain chilled and frozen goods do not thaw. A pot set to simmer will continue to do so in appearance, steam rising as before, while a chilled drink retains its coldness indefinitely. Despite this, the food does not transfer heat or cold to its surroundings. It may be handled without discomfort, as though it matched the ambient temperature, though those who consume it will experience the intended warmth or chill.
  
Moreover, hot or cold foods retain the temperature each possessed at the time of casting, so that tea continues to steam, a pot of soup bubbles or simmers, a block of ice remains frozen and so on. Foods will retain their smell, also.  Heat or cold from these items cannot impart their energy to other objects — and will cool or warm normally when individuals wish to imbibe or add the food as an ingredient to some other product.
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Scent is likewise preserved. Aromas neither dissipate nor intensify, remaining constant for as long as the spell endures. This can make preserved food conspicuous in close quarters, as its smell does not fade with time.
  
An additional like amount of food may be affected each day, so that even a mid-level caster could preserve hundreds of cubic feet of food over the space of a month. And since a pot of boiling soup won't heat the container it's kept in, many difficulties in transporting even complicated foods can be circumvented.
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The spell may be applied repeatedly, allowing a caster to build a sustained reserve. Over successive days, even a caster of modest experience may preserve a considerable quantity of provisions, amounting to hundreds of cubic feet over the course of a month. With multiple casters, it becomes possible to maintain the supply needs of large groups, including military forces or extended expeditions.
  
The spell can only be used to preserve food, so it cannot be used to maintain the vitality of a severed limb or a dead body. The spell also cannot be used to preserve magically affected liquids or items, such as [[Firewater (spell)|firewater]], [[Magic Stone (spell)|magic stones]] or [[Grease (spell)|grease]].
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The effect is limited strictly to substances recognised as food. It does not extend to other organic matter, such as severed limbs or corpses, nor to substances that fall outside ordinary sustenance. The products of the spells [[Firewater (spell)|firewater]], [[Grease (spell)|grease]] or alchemical preparations like [[Lamp Oil|lamp oil]] and [[Equipment Notes|four-thieves vinegar]] are unaffected, as are compounds intended for non-nutritional purposes. The spell preserves nourishment, not matter in general.
  
[[Category: Magical Spells]]
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[[Category: Magical Spells]][[Category: Reviewed]]

Latest revision as of 20:07, 14 April 2026

Preserve (spell).jpg

Preserve is a spell that arrests the natural decay of organic edibles, maintaining them in the exact condition they possessed at the moment the spell was cast. Foods remain fresh, wholesome and intact, as though newly harvested, prepared or baked. Spoilage does not occur; mould, rot and infestation are entirely prevented, and insects will not approach or settle upon the affected matter. The quality of the food is fixed — it neither improves nor degrades, and processes such as ageing or fermentation are halted.

Preserve
Range touch
Duration one month
Area of Effect 1 cub.ft. per level
Casting Time 1 round
Saving Throw none
Level mage (2nd)

The spell also fixes the temperature of the food. Hot dishes remain hot, cold items remain chilled and frozen goods do not thaw. A pot set to simmer will continue to do so in appearance, steam rising as before, while a chilled drink retains its coldness indefinitely. Despite this, the food does not transfer heat or cold to its surroundings. It may be handled without discomfort, as though it matched the ambient temperature, though those who consume it will experience the intended warmth or chill.

Scent is likewise preserved. Aromas neither dissipate nor intensify, remaining constant for as long as the spell endures. This can make preserved food conspicuous in close quarters, as its smell does not fade with time.

The spell may be applied repeatedly, allowing a caster to build a sustained reserve. Over successive days, even a caster of modest experience may preserve a considerable quantity of provisions, amounting to hundreds of cubic feet over the course of a month. With multiple casters, it becomes possible to maintain the supply needs of large groups, including military forces or extended expeditions.

The effect is limited strictly to substances recognised as food. It does not extend to other organic matter, such as severed limbs or corpses, nor to substances that fall outside ordinary sustenance. The products of the spells firewater, grease or alchemical preparations like lamp oil and four-thieves vinegar are unaffected, as are compounds intended for non-nutritional purposes. The spell preserves nourishment, not matter in general.