3rd-level abjuration

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (incense and powdered diamond worth at least 300 gp, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Until dispelled or triggered

When you cast this spell, you inscribe a detection glyph that later activates a magical effect at the site of a separate, linked glyph. You inscribe the detection glyph either on a surface (such as a table or a section of floor or wall) or within an object that can be closed (such as a book, a scroll, or a treasure chest) to conceal the glyph. The glyph can cover an area no larger than 10 feet in diameter. If the surface or object is moved more than 10 feet from where you cast this spell, the detection glyph is broken, and the spell ends without being triggered.

Both glyphs are nearly invisible, and finding either requires a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

You decide what triggers the detection glyph when you cast this spell. For glyphs inscribed on a surface, the most typical triggers include touching or standing on the glyph, removing another object covering the glyph, approaching within a certain distance of the glyph, or manipulating the object on which the glyph is inscribed. For glyphs inscribed within an object, the most common triggers include opening that object, approaching within a certain distance of the object, or seeing or reading the glyph. Once a glyph is triggered, this spell ends.

You can further refine the trigger so the spell activates only under certain circumstances or according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight), creature kind (for example, the ward could be set to affect aberrations or drow), or alignment. You can also set conditions for creatures that don’t trigger the glyph, such as those who say a certain password.

When you inscribe the detection glyph, choose an alarm glyph or spell glyph to link to it.

Alarm Glyph. You create and magically link two glyphs: a detection glyph and an effect glyph. Each of these two glyphs must stay within 100 miles of the other or the spell effect ends. When the detection glyph is triggered, the effect glyph reacts like an alarm spell, creating a mental ping in your mind if you are within 1 mile of the effect glyph. This ping awakens you if you are sleeping.

Spell Glyph. You create and magically link two glyphs: a detection glyph and an effect glyph. These two glyphs must be within 100 feet of each other. You can store a prepared spell of 4th level or lower in the effect glyph by casting it as part of creating the glyphs. The spell must target a single creature or an area. The spell being stored has no immediate effect when cast in this way. When the detection glyph is triggered, the spell stored in the effect glyph is cast. If the spell has a target, it targets the creature that triggered the glyph. If the spell affects an area, the area is centered on the effect glyph. If the spell summons hostile creatures or creates harmful objects or traps, they appear as close as possible to the effect glyph. If the spell requires concentration, it lasts until the end of its full duration.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher to create a spell glyph, you can store any spell of up to the same level as the slot you use.