Accelerate lifeline

Accelerate lifeline is a chronomancy spell that causes a creature to age unnaturally fast.

Effect

The spell causes any creature with greater than animal intelligence, when touched by the chronomancer, to age. The maximum number of years aged is determined by the experience of the caster, with the precise amount (to the nearest month) determined before casting. The target of the spell is also at risk of instant death from the spell's effects. As the aging takes place, at a rate of 10 minutes per year, the victim's ability to take actions is reduced to half normal.

The material components of the spell are a small piece of polished amber, and an ounce of ichor from a tether beast.

Variants and related spells

Reverse lifeline

The reverse of the spell, reverse lifeline, operates in the same way as accelerate lifeline, except it subtracts years from the age of the target creature. In addition to requiring the material components of accelerate lifeline, the reversed spell also requires a cup of pure spring water exposed to the Demiplane of Time. Reverse lifeline cannot be used to revive the dead.

Other related spells

The chromonancy spell accelerate animal growth has a similar effect on creatures of animal intelligence.

Publication history

AD&D 2nd edition

Accelerate lifeline first appeared in Chronomancer (2e) (1995), and was reprinted in Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume One (1996). In both works it was an eighth-level spell restricted to chronomancers. The Wizard's Spell Compendium labeled it a common spell.