{"name":"Genius Loci","level":"9-level","school":"Abjuration","classes":"Wizard","castingtime":"1 hour","range":"180 feet","duration":"Permanent","components":"V, S, M","materials":"A paste made up of silver, mithral, and holy water, worth a total of 3,000 gp","description":"Choose a location no smaller than 10 by 10 feet and no\r\nlarger than 100 by 100 feet within range. The spell grants\r\nthe location a permanent guardian. As part of casting the\r\nspell, you must task the guardian with a specific purpose,\r\nand that purpose must in some manner involve protecting\r\nthe location to which it is attached. The task can be very\r\ngeneral, such as \u201cSlay any creature who comes through\r\nthat door,\u201d or far more specific, such as \u201cKill any elf who\r\ntries to take the black sword from the sarcophagus.\u201d The\r\ntask can\u2019t mention the names of individual creatures\r\nor require unseen knowledge such as alignments,\r\nallegiances, or true names. Finally, the task must be\r\nsimple enough to clearly convey in one or two sentences.\r\nIf the triggering event occurs, the genius loci manifests\r\nin the location you specified when you cast the spell,\r\ntaking the form of an elemental (MM, p124). When you\r\ncast the spell, choose air, earth, fire, or water. When the\r\nguardian manifests it immediately attempts to carry out\r\nthe task you specified.\r\nOnce the casting is complete, you have no control\r\nover the spirit\u2019s actions. If you trigger the manifestation,\r\nit attacks you just as it would any other creature which\r\ntriggered it. The elemental behaves in all ways as a\r\nnormal elemental of its kind, within the parameters of\r\nthe task you assigned it. If the manifested spirit\u2019s form\r\nis slain, it can\u2019t manifest again for 24 hours after being\r\n\u201cdestroyed.\u201d\r\nImportantly, the spell is not broken. The only way to\r\npermanently break a genius loci spell is to permanently\r\ndefeat the guardian spirit\u2019s purpose. If, for instance, the\r\nspirit was commanded to \u201cPrevent the Book of Magius\r\nfrom being destroyed,\u201d the destruction of that item\r\nrenders the guardian\u2019s existence moot.\r\nWhen not actively involved in protecting its territory\r\nor following its task, the spirit shows no sign it exists.\r\nWhen it manifests, the creature springs into being out\r\n\r\nof nowhere. Anyone viewing the area with detect magic\r\nor a similar effect sees an overwhelmingly powerful\r\naura of conjuration magic. True seeing reveals the spirit\r\nwandering its territory, appearing as a vague, hazy\r\nsilhouette.","higherlevels":"","source":"Mordenkainen's Lost Notebook","tabledata":"","tags":"Spell, Wizard, 9th-level","templateId":"19","blockId":"223914","isShared":"1"}