The hallow spell states that celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead can't enter the hallowed area. What would happen if such a creature is already within the area when the spell is cast? Would they be incapacitated, or forced outside of the spell's range?
Saying nothing would happen is a bit of an over simplification.
From the Hallow spell: "First, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead can't enter the area, nor can such creatures charm, frighten, or possess creatures within it. Any creature charmed, frightened, or possessed by such a creature is no longer charmed, frightened, or possessed upon entering the area. You can exclude one or more of those types of creatures from this effect."
Say a Vampire was in the area when Hallow is cast. As you note they are already in the area so denying them entry doesn't do anything and the spell says nothing about forcing the chosen creature type out or inflicting any sort of condition on them. But other notable things do happen. In our example the Vampire can no longer charm creatures around them and any creatures they already had Charmed are now freed of that condition.
And this is just the first effect of the spell. The spell also has a second affect that the caster can choose. The spell's descriptions provide some options to choose from but also states that the DM can also create an effect that the caster can choose to use too. This secondary effect either affects all creatures, creatures that follow a specific entity, or a specific sort of creatures. The spells description lists Orcs or Trolls as what it means by a specific sort of creature. One of the published secondary effects is all of the affected creatures are Frightened. So in our example if the caster suspected there was a Vampire in the area they could choose the secondary effect that all Vampires in the area are Frightened.
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The hallow spell states that celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead can't enter the hallowed area. What would happen if such a creature is already within the area when the spell is cast? Would they be incapacitated, or forced outside of the spell's range?
Looking for a second opinion.
Nothing would happen to them.
Saying nothing would happen is a bit of an over simplification.
From the Hallow spell: "First, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead can't enter the area, nor can such creatures charm, frighten, or possess creatures within it. Any creature charmed, frightened, or possessed by such a creature is no longer charmed, frightened, or possessed upon entering the area. You can exclude one or more of those types of creatures from this effect."
Say a Vampire was in the area when Hallow is cast. As you note they are already in the area so denying them entry doesn't do anything and the spell says nothing about forcing the chosen creature type out or inflicting any sort of condition on them. But other notable things do happen. In our example the Vampire can no longer charm creatures around them and any creatures they already had Charmed are now freed of that condition.
And this is just the first effect of the spell. The spell also has a second affect that the caster can choose. The spell's descriptions provide some options to choose from but also states that the DM can also create an effect that the caster can choose to use too. This secondary effect either affects all creatures, creatures that follow a specific entity, or a specific sort of creatures. The spells description lists Orcs or Trolls as what it means by a specific sort of creature. One of the published secondary effects is all of the affected creatures are Frightened. So in our example if the caster suspected there was a Vampire in the area they could choose the secondary effect that all Vampires in the area are Frightened.