Divination

Level: Sor/wiz 2
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Special
Effect / Target: 1 creature
Duration: 1 round / level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
_________________________________________

The true bearing spell, used primarily by mariners,
allows the recipient to pinpoint the direction in which
a familiar landmark or geographical site lies. For one
turn, he has a mental compass reading for a particular
city, town, significant land feature, or the like. He
must have visited this place before, even if it occurred
by means of teleport or a magical gate. Further, the site
sought by true bearing must be on the same plane of
existence as the recipient. Its distance is irrelevant; the
spell still reveals the proper direction, though not how
far away it lies.
If the site is hidden by magic (i.e., concealed from
magical detection), the spell fails. It also fails if the site
no longer exists (e.g, an oasis that has dried up or a
town that has been completely razed). The spell will
not guide the recipient toward a living thing. Nor can
it locate anything portable such as a gem or a magical
item, even if it’s currently stationary.

In order to cast this spell, the wizard seeking a true
bearing must have water at least 10 feet deep beneath
his feet. This, coupled with the “beeline” nature of the
spell, makes it most useful to mariners far from land.

Yet stories are told of one Habib Al-Anzaro,
nicknamed “The Squishy,” who made great stilts out of
hollow tubes and filled them with water. Habib was
last seen galloping across the open desert like a crazed
stork in pursuit of some ruins he had visited as a child.

The material component of this spell is a pinch of
iron filings, swallowed by the caster.

Return to the Mage spell list.