Enthrall (spell)
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| Range | self |
| Duration | special |
| Area of Effect | 30 ft. radius sphere |
| Casting Time | 1 round |
| Saving Throw | negates |
| Level | bard (2nd); cleric (2nd) |
Enthrall places creatures under a bewitchment, causing them to cease what they're doing and — once the caster begins to speak — to listen, enraptured. Those affected by the spell can comprehend what's said. Following the spell's duration, what's said will also be remembered. The listeners will act on this information according to their own volition, protecting themselves or taking advantage of an obvious opportunity. If the caster wishes to press the audience to perform a worthy labour, or take up arms against a legitimate threat, then each listener should make a morale check, assuming standard morale. Those that succeed this check will participate as asked.
Saving Throws
When the spell is discharged, creatures within the area of effect are permitted a saving throw vs. magic. Those with less than four hit dice suffer a -4 penalty to this roll. Creatures that aren't humanoids receive a +4 modifier. Creatures with an intelligence of 4 or less aren't affected by the spell.
Listeners who fail their save will, in any event, continue to listen so long as the caster keeps speaking. The maximum time will be 5 minutes, multiplied by 1d4 per level. For example, a 5th level caster can speak for 40 to 200 minutes. The caster can pause for effect, but cannot make another action without breaking the spell. The subject material is whatever the caster chooses.
Those who succeed in making a save may act freely; however, they will be unaware that a spell was cast, and so will have no reason to resist the castor or dissuade other listeners, unless the listeners were engaged in melee prior to the spell. If this is the case, then those making a saving throw will most likely attack the caster directly, rather than busy themselves otherwise.
Bringing the Spell into Play
It's not unusual for a cleric to employ the spell while preaching a sermon, to enhance the effect of congregation's attention. Doing this more than twice a month encourages the listeners to remain loyal to the caster, increasing their morale by +2.
Wishing to urge a crowd to save themselves in an emergency, a player might cast the spell and shout, "Run for your lives!" If there was an evident threat, everyone in the area of effect would automatically pay attention, see the danger and run. And if no evident threat existed, at least those who made their morale checks would act nonetheless.
If the goal is to distract one or more subjects, a caster might cast the spell from a safe distance, move up slowly while concentrating and then begin speaking, discharging the spell, once the subjects were in the spell range. If they failed their saves, the caster could keep talking for as long as it was needed to distract them.
The spell would be excellent for inducing students to listen to lectures.
