Ethereal Chains

Ethereal Chains

1st-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a link of chain and a wisp of smoke)
Duration: 1 minute


Ethereal Chains is a conjuration spell that summons bindings from the ethereal plane, creating ghostly shackles that bind not just the body but also the essence of the target. When this spell is cast, the air shimmers as if disturbed by an otherworldly wind, and translucent chains materialize from the ether, their links clinking softly with a sound that seems to come from another world. The caster's hands mimic the act of binding as the chains respond, snaking towards the target with a purpose that defies the normal constraints of physical space.

Upon casting Ethereal Chains, you target a creature within range, invoking the ancient pact between the material and ethereal realms. The chains that appear are not of this world; they are forged from the essence of the ethereal plane, a place of spirits and phantoms. They wrap around the target, seeking to bind not just their limbs but also their spectral form, limiting their ability to move both physically and on other planes of existence.

The target must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (their choice), battling against the ethereal bindings that seek to ensnare them. On a failed save, the target becomes restrained as the chains wrap around them, their movements hindered by the ghostly restraints. The ethereal nature of the chains makes them difficult to break or escape, as they are not entirely of this world.

While restrained by the Ethereal Chains, the target's actions are limited, their form bound by the will of the caster. The chains, though seemingly insubstantial, are incredibly strong, a testament to the powers that govern the ethereal plane.

Ethereal Chains is a spell that speaks to the ancient bond between the material and the immaterial, the seen and the unseen. It is favored by those who understand the delicate balance between worlds, by casters who seek to harness the powers that lie just beyond the veil of reality.

The spell, however, requires concentration to maintain. The caster must focus on the ethereal bonds they have created, for any lapse in concentration can cause the chains to dissipate, returning to the plane from which they were summoned.

Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard, Warlock
Source: Custom Creation


Ethereal Chains is more than a mere tool of restraint; it is a symbol of the connection between all planes of existence, a reminder that what we see is but a fraction of what is. The spell embodies the idea that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy, that the universe is a tapestry woven from both the material and the immaterial, the physical and the ethereal.