Patsy
There's One Born Every Minute
"He swears his hands are clean, yet see how the proof attends him, nestled close as guilt made flesh. I like it not. There are tricks abroad that make an honest man appear a knave."
Patsy is a conjuration spell built around misdirection, interference, and controlled inconvenience. It does not conceal the caster or alter perception in a broad sense. Instead, it places an object onto a target without their awareness and uses that object to disrupt the target’s actions in subtle but reliable ways.
When the spell is cast, the chosen nonmagical object vanishes from the caster’s possession and reappears on the target in a location that is plausible given the creature’s clothing or equipment. The placement is deliberate and constrained. The object does not appear in the target’s hands, nor does it manifest in a location that would require removing armor or accessing a sealed container. It instead settles into a natural position such as a pocket, a fold of fabric, or a piece of gear where it would not immediately draw attention.
The spell does not announce its presence. A creature that did not witness the object appear has no immediate reason to suspect interference. The object behaves as though it had always been there, and its presence is only noticed if the creature actively searches for it or becomes aware of something being wrong. This allows the spell to function most effectively in situations where attention is divided or urgency prevents careful inspection.
The primary function of Patsy is to interfere with movement and coordination at critical moments. The object disrupts the target’s ability to act smoothly, introducing small but meaningful irregularities in timing, balance, or grip. These disruptions do not prevent action entirely, but they are sufficient to reduce effectiveness. Attacks may falter, actions may misalign, and tasks that require precision become unreliable. The effect is consistent but not overwhelming, which makes it difficult to immediately identify the cause.
The spell does not apply force in a direct sense. It does not restrain the target or impose visible magical pressure. Instead, it alters the conditions under which the target is acting. The creature expects its equipment and body to behave in familiar ways. When that expectation is violated, even slightly, performance degrades. This makes the spell particularly effective against creatures relying on timing and coordination.
The caster retains limited control over the object during the duration of the spell. As a bonus action, the caster can shift the object’s position to another plausible location on the target’s person. This allows the disruption to persist even as the target adjusts or attempts to compensate. The object remains worn but not held, ensuring that it continues to interfere without being immediately obvious.
A creature can end the effect through deliberate effort. By using its action to search itself, the target can attempt to locate the object through careful inspection. This requires focus and awareness, which may not be available in active or stressful situations. If the object is found and removed, the spell ends immediately. This creates a clear counter to the spell, but one that depends on recognition and the ability to act on that recognition.
When the spell ends, the object returns to the caster. It does not remain with the target or become permanently transferred. This ensures that the spell functions as a temporary manipulation rather than a method of theft by itself, though it is often used in conjunction with other actions to enable such outcomes.
In practice, Patsy is most effective in situations where subtle disruption provides an advantage. It is commonly used in acts of theft, where interfering with a target’s ability to respond can create an opening without raising alarm. It is also used in more deceptive contexts, where the presence of an unfamiliar object on a person can create suspicion, confusion, or accusation. The object itself does not need to be valuable or dangerous. Its placement is often enough to produce consequences.
Among practitioners, the spell is regarded as a tool of manipulation rather than force. It does not resolve situations directly. It alters them in small but meaningful ways, allowing the caster to take advantage of the resulting instability. Its effectiveness depends less on power and more on timing, awareness, and the ability to recognize when a small disruption will have a significant impact.
"Good sir, I tell thee plain, this trinket is none of mine own, yet it clings to me as though I had courted it these many years. If this be chance, then chance hath grown most bold."
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