We encountered our first need of an elder rune. I have a few questions connecting the following 3 descriptions:
Elder Rune on Gates:
When a gate opens, a random elder rune appears within its vertical plane. Draw a card from the Elder Runes Deck to determine which rune appears. Halaster usually has the rune target the first creature that passes through the open gate. Every so often, to keep the players guessing, you can have the rune trigger when the second or third creature passes through. Once an elder rune is triggered, it vanishes until Halaster recasts the symbol spell on the gate.
Rules from the game on Elder Rune:
Elder runes function as symbols cast using the symbol spell, with these changes:
An elder rune has two possible effects: one beneficial (called the boon effect) and the other harmful (called the bane effect). The elder rune’s creator chooses which effect occurs or can randomize it so that a die is rolled to determine whether the bane effect (odd die roll) or the boon effect (even die roll) is triggered.
A triggered elder rune targets one or more creatures within 60 feet of it, according to the caster’s specifications. Once the effect activates, the elder rune disappears and the spell ends.
A creature doesn’t make a saving throw against an elder rune’s boon effect. Saving throws made to resist the bane effect of Halaster’s elder rune have a spell save DC of 22.
Description of Symbol:
When you cast this spell, you inscribe a harmful glyph either on a surface (such as a section of floor, a wall, or a table) or within an object that can be closed to conceal the glyph (such as a book, a scroll, or a treasure chest). If you choose a surface, the glyph can cover an area of the surface no larger than 10 feet in diameter. If you choose an object, that object must remain in its place; if the object is moved more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell, the glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered.
The glyph is nearly invisible, requiring an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC to find it.
You decide what triggers the glyph when you cast the spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or stepping on the glyph, removing another object covering it, approaching within a certain distance of it, or manipulating the object that holds it. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most common triggers are opening the object, approaching within a certain distance of it, or seeing or reading the glyph.
You can further refine the trigger so the spell is activated only under certain circumstances or according to a creature’s physical characteristics (such as height or weight), or physical kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect hags or shapechangers). You can also specify creatures that don’t trigger the glyph, such as those who say a certain password.
When you inscribe the glyph, choose one of the options below for its effect. Once triggered, the glyph glows, filling a 60-foot-radius sphere with dim light for 10 minutes, after which time the spell ends. Each creature in the sphere when the glyph activates is targeted by its effect, as is a creature that enters the Sphere for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.
It was Anarath Bane Effect: The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or it can't regain hit points until a remove curse or greater restoration spell is cast on it.
Questions:
When a gate opens, a random elder rune appears within its vertical plane. Can the PCs see this rune when it appears or is it actually part of the mirror gate (in this case)?
Would a detect magic spell detect an aura of magic from the boon/bane effect? If the answer to question 1 is yes, would they be able to detect it prior to activating by passing through the gate?
Ex: For this case a necrotic aura from the Anarath Bane effect.
3. In our campaign, the PC asked if he felt any different. Would he feel any different before the effect is realized if it cannot be detected prior? Is it actually a 'curse'?
Really just want to gain clarification to understand how to implement these the best. I can't tell if it is something that is meant to be a mystery, or something the PCs should be allowed to figure out.
As always, than you all for your support and input!
For question 1, I would say yes, the rune is visible within the gate.
[Edit]It would probably be nearly invisible as described in the symbol spell.
Questions 2 and 3 are "maybe" or "it depends."
Which rune it is can be identified by its shape. Detect magic would only detect abjuration magic from the symbol/rune itself, it would be impossible for PCs (or any creature besides the caster) to know if it is the bane or boon effect before the spell is triggered.
Whether a creature knows what happened to them or not depends on DM interpretation of some rules, and may be a case-by-case basis. But I would definitely let them know that a magical effect has stuck to them even if they dont know what. And it is a curse if it says it is a curse or is removed by remove curse (which it does in this example).
For question 1, I would say yes, the rune is visible within the gate.
[Edit]It would probably be nearly invisible as described in the symbol spell.
Questions 2 and 3 are "maybe" or "it depends."
Which rune it is can be identified by its shape. Detect magic would only detect abjuration magic from the symbol/rune itself, it would be impossible for PCs (or any creature besides the caster) to know if it is the bane or boon effect before the spell is triggered.
Whether a creature knows what happened to them or not depends on DM interpretation of some rules, and may be a case-by-case basis. But I would definitely let them know that a magical effect has stuck to them even if they dont know what. And it is a curse if it says it is a curse or is removed by remove curse (which it does in this example).