The spell "Erase trail" (16) found as a combat magic spell in
Adventure Source book mercenary adventures
10 minutes per level for duration
So does the spell prevent the caster from making tracks for the duration, THEN the tracks appear after the duration is up?
In that situation, the trail can be found after the time is up.
Or do the tracks never get made?
So the tracker cannot find them after the duration of the spell is up.
Spell Erase Trail
Moderators: Immortals, Supreme Beings, Old Ones
Re: Spell Erase Trail
Interesting question that would have been a non-issue had the spell used more consistent use of verbs in the description.
My thought would be that your second outcome is correct.
Let me explain...
I ignore spell names to define a spell, as time and again they are misnomers (ahem... Create Steel).
The description starts off saying the spell erases signs left by the person, but that implies the person leaves signs that then get magically resolved. However, the next line and in the note, the person leaves no signs, implying the signs never manifested in the first place. This is the source of the inconsistency as, if there are no signs left in the first place, "erase" is the wrong word to use - it should be "prevent" or something similar.
Assuming "erase" is the wrong word to use, then no signs would appear at the expiry of the spell since they never existed in the first instance.
Assuming "erase" is the correct word to use... the word "erase" isn't prefaced by "permanently", but "utterly" is still a very strong word indicating the intention of permanence. Otherwise, a better word would be "masked" indicating a potential of being revealed in the future. Therefore, the utterly erased signs should in all likelihood not appear at the expiry of the spell.
So, whether signs are left or not, either way the trail would not appear on expiry. Therefore, the duration is only indicative of how long the spell affects the person upon whom it is cast.
Clear as the mud a footprint is left in?
My thought would be that your second outcome is correct.
Let me explain...
I ignore spell names to define a spell, as time and again they are misnomers (ahem... Create Steel).
The description starts off saying the spell erases signs left by the person, but that implies the person leaves signs that then get magically resolved. However, the next line and in the note, the person leaves no signs, implying the signs never manifested in the first place. This is the source of the inconsistency as, if there are no signs left in the first place, "erase" is the wrong word to use - it should be "prevent" or something similar.
Assuming "erase" is the wrong word to use, then no signs would appear at the expiry of the spell since they never existed in the first instance.
Assuming "erase" is the correct word to use... the word "erase" isn't prefaced by "permanently", but "utterly" is still a very strong word indicating the intention of permanence. Otherwise, a better word would be "masked" indicating a potential of being revealed in the future. Therefore, the utterly erased signs should in all likelihood not appear at the expiry of the spell.
So, whether signs are left or not, either way the trail would not appear on expiry. Therefore, the duration is only indicative of how long the spell affects the person upon whom it is cast.
Clear as the mud a footprint is left in?