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A Note on these Spell Additions:
Some of these spells like Glitterdust and Know Alignment I used in campaigns when I played long ago, and others I had read about while browsing later editions that I would have liked to use such as Wraithform. Some of these spells are redundant when compared to some of the spells in the many books in 5th edition, but I actually see that more realistic in a fantasy settings, with both deities and mortal casters twisting and/or tweeking spells to fit their specific needs, preferences or a caster's ego. Though I was not fan of D&D 4th edition nor did I ever play it, I did skim the backstory of the edition and enjoyed the Spellplague storyline. Grage was struck by the same Spellplague that struck Toril and Abeir, but it was a weaker wave that entered Grage after temporarily turning humans into Shadar-Kai via the Astral Plane Gate Deterrent Systems (poor Gnomes). The effects in comparison to Toril were minimal with little damage to the environment itself (with the exception of Ahegthna) and the vast majority of races and species escaped becoming Plaguechanged with Spellscarring only possible on the continent of Ahegthna. Spellcasting was affected the most, but the mainly spells brought to Grage after Boccob reigned as the deity of magic and spells that were altered by a spellcaster from older magic formulae. Mordant Arcana:
Vitality Devitalization Syndrome (Burning Grey): The Spellplague had a lasting effect by making a great many spells ranging from a few decades old to ancient ages useless and even dangerous. Over the last twenty five years, great effort (with more success than failure) to bring these spells, incantations and rituals back to the population of Grage. Today these spells can be cast in a manageable manner with only a small portion of vital essence that is quickly replaced from the immediate area around the spellcaster, but regardless the health of the caster is put in jeopardy. VDS History:
The terms Mordant Arcana and Vitality Devitalization Syndrome (VDS) were coined by the famed gnomish transmuter/artificer Wheezy Dubstepper who after successfully decoding and casting Glitterdust, turned the palest shade of gray and wheeled backwards from his casting platform, falling into his taffy pulling machine. Wheezy survived his ordeal and informed many other mages, but unfortunately others went through similar experiences resulting in grevious injury and death. While the gnome did provide a medically viable term, the slang term Burning Grey/Turning Grey is used by most folks today.VDS Affliction and Effects:
When casting a spell that has been proven to be Mordant Arcana, the caster must make a constitution save, and on a failure the caster has sacrificed a significant amount of lifeforce. The effects are immediate: Until the end of the caster's next round, strength constitution and charisma checks are made at disadvantage. In addition, all concentration checks to maintain a spell are made with disadvantage for the next 1d3 rounds. With the loss of lifeforce, the caster skin will turn gray with veins and arteries bulging as the skin tightens unnaturally. Most casters turn an ashen gray, hence the slang term "Burning Gray", but in some cases the afflicted spellcaster will turn a gray/ice blue or the will turn dark to just shy of becoming charred black. Thankfully the effects do not stack, but another Mordant Arcana spell cannot be cast for the round that VDS is present.
Outer Mythos Arcana & Formulas:
The Miskatonic River & University: Falumisk to Brainery to University:
Somewhere lost in history, but not long after humans began spreading across the continents, a school of eldritch magic called the Falumisk was formed only two leagues from the hellgate. It is said that the practices of these humans were depraved and disgusting to the point the elves of the time killed all within the Falumisk, but the actual truth is lost to time for humanity, and the elves are not talking. The ruins of the school languished for over untold years, until after the Drowian Wars when Lothian Drow used threats against the Gromish town of Clincherville to access a cave system just past the base of the town's hilltop. These Lolthian Drow scavenged and later rebuilt the school as they tunneled and teleported to places that would eventually become outposts and the Lolthian Vault. A century later when the bulk of the Cult of Lolth moved on, a Drow Matron Mother became the first Magister of the Miskatonic Brainery for Eldritch Fortification. After a century, the gnomes were again appoached by the drow with both bullying and bribes - despite that the original Clincherville was abandoned and the town moved over twenty miles north. After push from the gnomes of Clincherville, it was negotiated that "New" Clincherville would be left alone while selected families of the town would return to the original Clincherville to work on behalf of the rebranded Miskatonic University. Prime targets were humans and goblinkind of the continent, offering access to dark secrets, outer lore and spells for the right price and loyalty. Miskatonic during the Gith Invasion & War:
The university was actually a secondary target of the Gith, but after the spectacular failure in Sharpspire multiple Rrakkmas teleported inside newer portions of the university to make quick work of mind flayer thralls acting as students as well as slaying/subduing the staff and pupils in order to establish a foothold for the taking of loot and knowledge. Despite regular divinations the attack was not forseen by the Drow and the price was paid in blood as the Gith slaughtered the student body and the lead Rrakkma sped to the chambers of matron mother. Fortunately for the matron and those taking refuge with her, they had a direct passage to the original Falumisk ruins (now hallowed ground dedicated to Lolth) and the protecting wards and traps within. Though the Gith were right on their heels, the matron and her drow did reach the sanctuary of the ruins and activated every ward of protection and deadly trap available to them. To the credit of the Gith, they came close to breaching the ruins, but were forced to relent after learning that despite the raising of Nyx, the orcs had not been scattered. In the end the Rrakkmas simply left. After regrouping, the remaining Lolthian Drow planned and waited for an opportunity to gain allies of great power, and they found the first in Chauntless. When King Hallowythe received the first intel report from Ahegthna, he was in shock that a loose army of wood elves only backed by tribes of wild elves was pushing against the scattered orcish forces. The high elves were on defense and retreating from the continent. Was it safe to assume that the more organized high elves had an offensive plan after observing their woodland cousins engage the Gith? The king was unsure, and that was the exact time that a group of Miskatonic Drow emissaries approched the gates of Sharpspire seeking to meet and confer while waving the white flag of peace.What happened next was unprecedented. The King took an audience with the emissaries, and Lothian Drow wasted no time in presenting a strategy in dealing with what they called a Grage ending invasion. They wanted the King of Chauntless to host representatives from the Drow majority that worshipped the twin deities of Vulkoor/Arasta and sway them to unite both dark elf factions under one banner that would reinforce the military might of the Chauntlessian Empire for total war with the Gith. If this did not happen, the emissaries warned that due to the extent of the Illithid problem the Gith would not merely stop with raiding and slave taking - they would reduce Grage to a world of permanent struggle and savagery. The rest of the story is now recent history. Miskatonic during the Spellplague:
After the deaths and damage to the university itself (the eldritch wards in the original ruins held) from the inital plague entrance passed, interested parties coming to Miskatonic U actually picked up. Using new students for repair and pledges from organizations of note to gather intel, the Matron Mother sent over half of her surviving senior spellcasters to gain information from surface mages and organizations about the nature of the plague and the damage it had done. These traveling "teachers" from the university were invited to join with the Mage Magistratum to discover which spells proved dangerous and/or unreliable and how to fix them. Unfortunately for the university, the Magistratum found the Miskatonic casters to be more interested in hoarding knowledge than sharing it and were ejected from the Mage Magistratum before it concluded it's studies and shut down.Admission to enter Miskatonic today:
As it is said, those who seek knowledge may deliver up more value to those providing it, than any knowledge gained. This is the case for the students of Miskatonic, for those who want to learn more than what many other magic knowledge institutions offer will get much more than gold and magic items. Miskatonic University today still retains it's same goals and methods to serve the Lolthian Drow in regaining control of the entire Drow population on Grage. The teaching methods, practices and classes have changed over the decades, but the goal of recruitment and indoctrination remains mainly intact, with the only recent significant change being bringing high elves into the fold.Regarding the curriculum, the standard entry level set of classes would include several cantrip courses (assuming that the DM allows cantrip swapping) and different spell school classes of first and second level which are divided primarily (but not always) by spellcaster class. Tutelage includes older incantations (Mordant Arcana) that were altered by the spellplague, but not Outer Mythos Arcana unique to the university. Entry level admission prices can vary, depending on the race, creed and country since these Lolthian Drow are seeking agents and information to further Lolth's agenda. So a human from Chauntless may have to pay 200 gold for six months of schooling, while a Grung from the Fatherlands may be admitted for the same term at a token fee of 15 gold. Schooling at this point is determined by the DM. The D&D Strixhaven book gives a somewhat basic structure of a university of magic Harry Potter style, but a large amount of 3rd party books/PDFs that provide an excellent campaign infrastructure.
Playing with Eldritch Fire:
Despite using the secrets of the Miskatonic Ruins for her own schemmes, Lolth is not foolish. She, herself has personally observed the ancient texts as well as each rune carved into every ruined wall (through the safety of the eyes of the Matron Mother), and has been extremely careful in what information and rituals/spells are released even to her loyal Drow.University Exclusive Feats:
Yep! The two feats below are from the Strixhaven Sourcebook. Unless noted, only the names of the feats and mascots have been changed with a more Lovecraftian bent:Miskatonic Initiate: You have studied some magical theory and have learned a few spells associated with Miskatonic University. Choose one of Strixhaven's colleges: Lorehold, Prismari, Quandrix, Silverquill, or Witherbloom. You learn two cantrips and one 1st-level spell based on the college you choose, as specified in the Strixhaven Spells table. You can cast the chosen 1st-level spell without a spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have. Your spellcasting ability for this feat's spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (choose when you select this feat). The Drow have changed the original names of the ancient orders to stop student s (and others) from researching further eldritch secrets in other places in the world. The drow names (translated to common below) were applied to these as a veiled insult to the very students they teach.
Miskatonic Mascot: Prerequisites: 4th level, Miskatonic Initiate (Strixhaven) feat You have learned how to summon a Miskatonic mascot to assist you, granting you these benefits: You can cast the find familiar spell as a ritual. Your familiar can take the form of the mascot associated with the college you chose for the Strixhaven Initiate feat: Pup of Tindalos (Avarice), an art Ember Vampire (Hubris), a Nightgaunt (Callous), a Cat of Ulthar (Animus), or a Gnoph-Keh Hatchling (Fracas). When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can forgo one attack to allow your mascot familiar to make one attack of its own with its reaction. If your mascot familiar is within 60 feet of you, you can teleport as an action, swapping places with the familiar. If your destination space is too small for you to occupy, the teleportation fails and is wasted. Once you teleport in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 2nd level or higher to do it again.
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