Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition Wiki
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When cast, this spell generates its own ink and animates a quill pen as if it were in an invisible scribe's hand (though there is in fact nothing tangible or sentient present) to precisely duplicate nonmagical writing. The animated quill writes as fast as the caster can and copies as much of any writing the caster assigns it to copy as can be duplicated before the spell expires. The quill vanishes when the spell is done or earlier if the caster wills the magic to end.

Though the ink created by amanuensis is unique and does not duplicate the copied work, the penmanship of the copy is exacting. Perfect forgeries can be made by means of this spell.

Once the quill is set to its task, the caster need not be present or in range for it to continue; only destruction of the writing surface or the casting of dispel magic upon the quill prevents the writing from being completed. If necessary to complete its assigned task, the quill becomes intangible and follows the writing surface if it is moved; it cannot be grasped or struck aside in an effort to make it cease. No being except the caster can control or influence the moving quill. If the quill finishes its copying and some time remains before the spell ends, the caster must be within range, however, to direct it to begin copying a second writing or making a second copy of the same writing.

An amanuensis spell cannot copy any magical writing or markings. If directed to do so, the quill hangs motionless. A diary, grimoire, or other work containing passages of text interspersed with spells and magical symbols is copied as text with gaps where the original displays magical markings. Many powerful priests have pleaded with Deneir to allow this spell to be modified so that their prayers would allow them to copy spells, but Deneir has steadfastly refused to grant this power.

The material components of this spell are a quill pen and a blank sheet or sheets of parchment, some vellum scrip, a chapbook, or another writing surface onto which the writing will be copied. The quill is consumed at the end of the spell's duration; the writing surface is not.

Notes: Granted by the god Deneir. Lord of Glyphs, of the Forgotten Realms setting.

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