Re: Locate Portal conversion - Was: Whatever happened to the 3.5e conversions to the Spelljammer Spells?

[snip-snip-snip-can't tell who wrote what from it anyway]
>> >> > Dreamer wrote:
>> >> > I'm guessing that the spells that make (temporary) helms,
>> >> > replenish air (on a smallish scale), and deal with being in a
>> >> > crystal sphere foreign to your god/divine focus are the minimum.
>> >>
>> >> I'd also include the portal spells here: Locate Portal and Create
>> >> Portal.
>> >
>> > Probably needed, assuming that there isn't a mundane way of
>> > spotting them, or that anywhere on the shell can be passed as a
>> > portal, both of which anyway would probably only apply to some
>> > crystal spheres.
>>
>> Don't forget that mundane methods would not work in the phlogiston. The
>> constantly moving rainbow ocean would make long distance observation very
>> difficullt.
>
> One thing not made clear is how fast you can move over the outer
> surface of a crystal sphere - and whether size means the same
> thing on the outside as the inside. But, I would assume that for
> most spheres this will not be an issue in getting to portals.

If you are close to the sphere, I would say you moved at tactical speed, if
you were further away, I'd say spelljammer speed and if you were in a
phlogiston river...

..well I don't think the CoAS every explained the speed of phlogiston
rivers in great detail, but it would be a lot faster.

There has never been any suggestion - except in fan material (Tardisspace
anyone? LOL) - that crystal spheres are different sizes on the inside and
the outside. I'd say that the sphere area was the same (or slightly bigger
to take the sphere thickness into account and be technically correct).

Actually, now you mention it, phlogiston rivers could *hamper* travel
towards portals. If the river spins off at a different angle it would tug
your ship the wrong way - it would be very hard to maintain a heading
without stars to aid navigation.

I'm glad you mentioned this as it settles the "duration" question - an
instantaneous Locate Portal spell would *not* work outside a sphere, you
need one that lasts until you get to the portal (either "permanant" or
something like: "1/day per caster level or until the portal is reached -
whichever is sooner".)

Locate Portal can be described as giving a permanant (but dispellable)
direction sense (or as lasting a fixed time - I'd go for days as the casting
time is long). The conch shell mentioned in the spell description could be
used like a divining rod. The caster could point it around until they feel a
tug towards the portal (alternatively it could be hung on a bit of string
and could swing towards the portal's direction - looking up some divining
websites could provide an idea for the fluff of this spell). I wouldn't make
constant concentration required, but if the caster did something else, I'd
make them concentrate for a round (or action?) to get the direction sense
back (whatever other similar SRD spells do should apply).

The shell could shatter or crumble after the spell ends, (either at the end
of the duration or if the caster travels through the portal).

> Spheres where the river doesn't deliver you near a portal, and
> there are only a few portals on the surface...

I don't think Spelljammer ever explained what made phlogiston rivers flow. 
Pehaps an explanation could help gameplay. I'll cover that as another email 
as it is a new topic.

David "Big Mac" Shepheard
At Watford but missing London
UK