| Time Stop
|
|
|
|
Time Stop or Negate Time or Freeze Time suspends time for a short duration as experienced by the caster.
Spell Description[edit]
Casting this spell makes everyone except the caster and companions stop in their tracks for several moments. This leaves enough to either flee the battle site, or to kill the enemies that are now unable to defend themselves against the caster’s confederates. Only the drain of resources prevents this spell from being used too often.
History[edit]
In earlier ages, the effects of this spell were duplicated by various magical articles, as well as the wizard enchantment Altair during the time of Exodus. With the Age of Enlightenment, the modern spell came into use. In Ultima IX, this spell rapidly drained mana, so that the effect from the viewpoint of the caster only lasted a few seconds. Once mana was used up, time returned to its normal flow.
| “
|
Perhaps the most difficult of spells, An Tym appears to stop time itself. For eons, scholars of thaumaturgy have tried to learn the secret of controlling the universe, and the more they discovered, the more convinced they became that they could never control this power even if they understood it. It is a tribute to the brilliance and creativity of Britannian minds that experts, undaunted by their failures, simply turned the problem around and found a way to achieve every advantage of briefly controlling time without actually controlling it at all.
Those capable of this spell will witness their foes paralyzed in mid-motion. After a few moments, all returns to normal, just as though time had actually stopped and started up again. However, the caster’s party remains active throughout the spell.
An Tym requires a mixture of mandrake root, well-preserved blood moss and a garlic clove.
|
| “
|
Temporarily suspends the flow of time while the caster continues his journeys.
|
| “
|
Stops the flow of time for all but you.
|
| “
|
This spell stops the passage of time for the entire world, with the exception of the mage and his party.
|
| “
|
This spell stops the flow of time for all save the caster.
|
| “
|
This spell renders all but the caster and any friends immobile for what appears to be twenty seconds. As the spell actually halts the passage of time, the real duration of Time Stop has been a subject of great debate.
|
| “
|
Often mistook by lay people for a kind of Telekinesis, the Time Stop spell interrupts the flow of time in the vicinity of the mage. In the histories, warriors showed little interest in Time Stop, as one can do no damage against foes while holding the spell. However, in desperate times, it is a convenient means of escape or of borrowing items to prolong the life of the caster. Though your mana may suffer for the theft, pay the price and step forthwith into the future. Time Stop drains mana until it is dispelled or mana is exhausted.
|
Ultima Saga[edit]
This article or section is about the Ultima Saga series of novels. The information within may not apply to Ultima V or other Ultima games.
After touching the temporal curtain created by Balthan at the end of The Forge of Virtue, Jordan is blinded by magic. The spell scrolls used to construct the time wall are An Tym, Xen Corp and Vas Lor. Balthan had been illuminating scrolls of Eighth Circle magic when Blackthorn took his master Felespar, including "spells that could freeze time".[1][2]
- The magician sank slowly to his knees. "I used three scrolls: An Tym, to slow time; Xen Corp, to kill; and Vas Lor, great light to bind them together and because it was the only scroll I had left. I don't know what happened to the Xen Corp--" The gleaming wood fell from Balthan's fingers, "--but it's the other two that are blinding you."
– from The Forge of Virtue (Ultima Saga)
- "Balthan admits he used an An Tym scroll to negate time. An Tym is an illusion--the power of time cannot be negated--but, as Anabarces meant it to be cast, An Tym surrounds the spellcaster with an anomaly in which time--perceived as movement--stands still. The illusion does not last long but, as I'm sure your swordmasters taught you, a single moment can be the difference between life and death--"
- "This illusion's lasted three weeks."
- "Our clever friend has found a way to make An Tym last longer by reducing the anomaly to the size of a dust mote--That is what you did, isn't it?"
- Balthan moistened his lips. "Smaller."
– from The Temper of Wisdom (Ultima Saga)
- In Ultima IX, this fourth circle spell is only found near the end of the game.
- Using the Arms of the Magi makes the spell a bit more useful in Ultima IX.
- The spell is broken in Ultima VII Part Two, always fizzling out. It still worked in the 1.07 Beta. This perhaps is intentional, as it could be used to circumvent triggers.
Gallery[edit]
Time Stop scroll in Ultima VII Part Two
See Also[edit]
References[edit]
