Measure of Character (3.5e Spell)

''Since you would not lift your hand to shelter this old crone in her time of need, you shall be without shelter and live as a beast in the wilds until the day you can learn to love mankind again. So be it!''

This powerful curse is subtle in its application. The actual casting time varies, as the casting is part of a task or request lasting anywhere from 1 minute to 8 hours. The caster must attempt to convince the target to pursue a course of action which they are capable of achieving that their level and within 24 hours of the request. Requests such as "Please let me inside.", "Give your money to the poor." or even "Knock down this tree with no tools." are all valid, while requests such as asking a single classed barbarian to cast wish is not, nor can the request lead to the target's certain death (danger is fine). The target can use whatever things they have access to to fulfil the request, as long as it can be done in 24 hours. If the request cannot be done, the spell fails and the caster is aware the request was impossible. A target action's under magical compulsion (such as dominate person) don't count as his own actions for the purposes of this spell.

If the request is denied and at least 1 minute has passed, the caster can activate the curse as a 1 round casting time, denouncing the target for their crimes and explaining the nature of their curse. They fall under the effects of bestow curse, though this version cannot be removed by anything short of a wish or miracle spell, and only if they expend the 5000 XP of casting it themselves. Creative curses are common.

The curse must come with a known goal, a punishment, and optionally a time limit.

Known Goal: The known goal can be difficult but not impossible, such as falling in love or giving all their money away. When the known goal is achieved, the effects of this spell are dismissed and the curses removed.

Punishment: The punishment is a seperate curse which comes into effect if a condition is met, typically the opposite of the goal. A punishment can happen only once, such as at the end of a time limit, or it can happen many times over the course of the duration, such as becoming cursed whenever a creature says the word "IT". These punishment curses cannot be cured but are always temporary, lasting only as long as the contingent event and 1 minute afterward with exception if the curse only can occur once. In the latter case, the curse is permenant as well, and cannot be lifted by ANY means short of deific interference, or the use of specific artifacts. The punishment also mimics the effect of bestow curse.

Time Limit: A time limit, often measured in years, can be established. This is usually done for punishments which are long lasting, such as needing to fall in love or being turned into a toad forever.

Like the above request, the known goal and time limit must be able to be achieved and reasonable. An impossible goal or time limit automatically fails.

The target gets a Will save to negate the initial application of this spell. However, they take a -1 penalty for each 5 minutes the caster takes trying to convince the target to ceade to their request, to a maximum of -20 penalty after 100 minutes.

This spell can be placed in a 7th level or 9th level spell slot, raising the DC accordingly and altering the effects of the spell. At 7th level, the spell may apply to the target and either the target's immediate family, or the target's effective family if possessing vassals and the like, within 1 mile. They are all subject to the curse, which isn't fair for them but is usually used to "encourage" the target to do it for the sake of friends and family. Alternatively the punishment may remain single target but include eternal unaging slumber, petrification, and death as punishments. They are usually used as punishments with time limits, as being unable to act usually violates the clause that they must be able to complete their known goal.

At 9th level, the effect can expand to any blood relatives, or to an entire kingdom if cast upon someone with legal rule over it (such as a king with subjects) up to 10 miles. The effects of the curse now mimic greater bestow curseSpC instead of bestow curse. Alternatively for single targets only, the punishment may now involve imprisonment in another plane to be tormented or jailed.

Special: Part of the components of the spell is the initial request. The caster must actively make attempts to convince the target to perform the request, making whatever skill checks and other actions required to do so. This is a requirement of casting the spell, but not spellcasting in and of itself.

XP Cost: 1000 xp. No XP is expended if the spell fails (such as due to an unreasonable request).