Magical diagrams are used as an aid when dealing with creatures from non-Prime planes. Many diagrams can be used either as a protective ward (with the inscriber inside) or as a binding cage (with the entity, typically summoned, inside). Diagrams can be hand-drawn for immediate, but temporary use, or permanent, inlaid in a permanent foundation.

Hand-drawn Magical Diagrams

A quickly drawn diagram with typical ingredients has a 20% chance (d%, 01-20) of failing outright. If carefully drawn and rare ingredients admixed, the chance of failure can be reduced: For each 10 rounds spent drawing with rare ingredients (1,000 g.p. per 10 rounds of drawing to be spent), the failure chance is reduced by 1% (to a minimum of 0% chance of failure).

Inlaid Magical Diagrams

Inlaid diagrams are permanent and can be re-used. A basic diagram requires an expense of 10,000 g.p. and a minimum of 1 week of construction time. When the diagram is first used, a failure chance is checked to confirm the quality of the diagram. The base chance of failure for an inlaid diagram is 10% (d%; 01-10). If the diagram passes this check, it can be used afterward without a chance of failing (due to construction). If the inscriber wishes to reduce the failure chance to zero, specialists can be consulted and rare materials can be used. This increases the expense of an inlaid diagram to 50,000 g.p. and construction time is 1 month.

Who can use a magical diagram? Typically, only those will years of training in magic will obtain the required knowledge to inscribe diagrams: high level clerics (9th+) or magic-users. Other classes attempting to use them will have a failure chance equal to five times normal (if a spell-caster) or the base failure chance is 90% for a hand-drawn diagram or 80% for an inlaid diagram (if a non-spell caster). In any case, the inscriber must go through rigorous training and this will certainly take away from their ability to pursue other (class-related) interests and training (the GM will assess an XP-based expense).

USING A MAGICAL DIAGRAM

1. The inscriber draws the diagram or prepares the inlaid diagram.

2. If hand-drawn, the diagram must be drawn continually, without pause, lifting the implement or retracing any line. There must be no gaps. A flawed diagram is imperfect, and affords no protection or effect.

3. If used to protect, the inscriber must complete the drawing from within the diagram (or simply step into an inlaid diagram).

4. If used to contain, the entity must be summoned or conjured into a waiting diagram.

5. Once the entity appears (whether summoned/conjured or happens by), the entity will immediately (mentally) test the diagram's strength.

6. The diagram must make a failure check equal to the base chance of the diagram to fail (based on the type of diagram and materials used, as per above) plus the difference in the combined Intelligence + Level or Hit Dice; entity vs. inscriber (the entities score minus the inscriber's score). If the diagram fails, the entity is free to operate as it desires. If the diagram is successful, the inscriber can parley with the entity.

7. If multiple entities are present, the diagram will be tested against each.

8. NOTE. It is possible for an inscriber to use multiple diagrams at once, depending on their planned activities, it may be best to do so (prudence does not enter the discussion when dealing with extra-planar entities!). Thus, using a diagram for warding one's self before summoning and imprisoning a creature to negotiate with.

Diagram as Ward

Using a diagram to shield one within it provides absolute protection from creatures it is designed to ward against. No attacks of any type can pierce it's ward, magical or mundane, if they originate from the warded creature. The ward encompasses the entire space within the outer ring including the surface inscribed. Creatures summoned by the warded entity are likewise protected against (although, if they are of the type the diagram wards against, they will force another failure check). Thus, the entity could collapse the building or create a ring of fire and nothing will harm or affect those within the ward, although they could become entrapped.

Those within the warding diagram can attack at range and interact (at range) with creatures outside of the ward without hindrance, although they must take care not to break the ward (see below).

The ward exists until it is broken (see below) or the inscriber or other creature inside the ward leaves it's confines.

Diagram as Prison

Using a diagram as a prison can only be done if an entity is summoned or conjured into it. The diagram must be large enough for the entity to fit within it's confines. An entity summoned into a prison will typically become hostile if freed (no matter the type of entity). Once inside the diagram, the entity cannot affect any creature, area, or object outside of it, although it is permitted to communicate using verbal, signs, or telepathy, as it desires but limited to it's normal ability. If the entity has the ability to teleport (without error), and there is no other force keeping it from leaving, the entity can leave. The entity can cause any effect it desires within the confines of the diagram, but these cannot affect anything outside of the diagram. An entity in a prison diagram cannot summon aid using any method (innate, spell, spell-like ability, sendings, conjurings, callings, etc.).

Those outside of the diagram cannot affect the entity within without breaking the diagram (see below) unless they use very special types of magic (spells). A partial list is provided below.

The prison exists until it is broken (see below), the entity leaves (using it's natural ability), or it is attacked (without special magic being used) from without. For every day spent in the prison diagram, an entity trapped there will lose 1 point of Intelligence and Wisdom to a minimum of 3 each. Such entities are easy to dupe and trick, however, they also cannot remember much. Their metal ability returns at a rate of 1 point per round once freed.

BREAKING A DIAGRAM

A diagram can be broken in one of the following ways:

1. The diagram fails due to the result of a failure check.

2. Any creature leaves (or even extends a limb beyond) the confines of a warding diagram.

3. Any attack is made (of any kind, unless using special proscribed magics) targeting an entity confined within an imprisoning diagram.

4. Any creature or effect, not affected by the diagram, breaks the diagram. Breaking the diagram means obscuring the inscription in any way (even dust or a single hair) or a creature (not affected by it) obscures the diagram in some way (stepping on it, etc.).

SPELLS AND MAGICAL DIAGRAMS

Aerial Servant. The spell caster is required to use a thaumatugic triangle or thaumatugic circle as a warding diagram. Once the servant is conjured and begins it's mission, the caster can exit the ward, but does so at their peril as aerial servants that cannot complete their mission will return to destroy their conjurer.

Cacodemon. The spell caster is required to use a prison diagram and is cautioned to use a warding diagram as well, due to the nature of the spell and strength of the creatures summoned. Typically, a pentagram for binding and a thaumaturgic circle for warding.

Conjure Elemental (any). Diagrams are typically used by non-druids for added protection from loss of control of an elemental. A thaumatugic triangle or thaumatugic circle is used as a warding diagram.

Gate. A dangerous spell unless used by the very powerful or well-connected. The gate can open into a prison diagram, but the caster cannot be sure what will appear (possibly making the prison useless). A gate also allows beings from beyond to bring associates and if these are not warded against, they could break the diagram.

Summon Monster. Diagrams are not required to deal with summoned monsters using this spell. In any case, if summoned into a prison diagram, the monsters will still disappear once the spell's duration is complete.

Wish. A wish used to summon a creature will typically do as if using a gate spell. See the gate spell.

Other Spells. Accounts exist of a plethora of special spells used to entreat with Outer (typically Lower) planes entities. These spells are risky and earn the caster the notice and enmity of the creatures they would deal with. Diagrams are a required element if going down this (highly dangerous) road.