Deafness (spell)
| Range | 60 ft. |
| Duration | see text |
| Area of Effect | 1 creature per 2 levels |
| Casting Time | 1 round |
| Saving Throw | negates |
| Level | bard (2nd), illusionist (2nd) |
Similar to blindness, the caster compels a creature to believe that they have been struck deaf, and are unable to hear any sound at all. This perception will continue to persist so long as the caster remains certain of the creature’s exact location—even if under a blanket or obscured by another creature.
However, if the creature affected is put completely out of the caster’s line of sight, whether hidden by a large natural feature, put beyond a door, teleported and so on, the deafness will be dispelled and the creature will be able to hear within two melee rounds (there is an emotional/mental transitional period).
Dispel magic or dispel illusion with counteract the effects of the spell—a phantasmal feature is not sufficient to fool an illusionist as to the location of the blinded creature.
Creatures affected are unbalanced by the hearing loss, suffering a -2 penalty to their armour class. Moreover, the spell will counteract the effects of martial music, either by disrupting the ability of a bard to play well, or by impeding the ability of others to hear.
The spell will make an individual more approachable by an attacker, but the deafness will be apparent at once, causing any creature to immediately raise an alarm that something is very definitely wrong. The modifier for advancing upon a deafened person is -6 hexes.
Only creatures that ‘hear’ by means of vibration will be unaffected by the spell.
