From: David Smart (jurrubin@earthlink.net)
Date: Wed 27 Mar 2002 - 23:23:20 EET
Northern DM posted:
>
> Clarification on how this spell works.
>
> If I cast Detect Enemy before sneaking into an enemy camp, does it pick up
> the sentries walking around the camp? I say no as the sentries do not know
> I am there.
Agreed.
> However, if the sentries hear something and become alerted, does Detect
> Enemy pick them up? I again say no as the sentries do not know what is
> making that sound.
Agreed _unless_ the sentries intend to harm whatever is making the sound regardless of the maker's nature.
I rule the spell to be "target inclusive" rather than "target specific".
I.e. the spell warns if the caster is included in a group toward which harm is intended.
If the sentries are just curious and choose to investigate, then no.
> How about an ambush by bandits. The bandits are waiting for anybody to come
> down the trail and will attack the first person they see. Does Detect Enemy
> pick them up as they are not specifically intending to harm me but the first
> person around the bend. In this case, I say the spell warns me but just
> before the attack, not 100 m away.
For me, I would rule the same as the second case above with the spell having full range. The bandits intend harm to a group and the caster is part of the group. It's the general "violent intent" emotional emanations that the spell picks up on, IMO. Note that this is not the same as someone being angry enough to kill if something pushes them over the edge. I rule there must be a conscious intent to cause harm.
One way for murderous sentries to counter stealthy approach by someone is for they themselves to occasionally cast Detect Enemies while on duty. Because of the magic point cost over the period a sentry is on duty, they won't be able to keep it up constantly without a good number of matrixes. Rather, it would be used in a fashion similar to an occasional active sonar "ping" to spot an approaching submarine.
Just my two silver pennies' worth.
David
-- David Smart
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