Memory Harvest

“I don’t need to interrogate you, sweetie. I can simply tear the information from your mind.” - Auntie Hrath, the witch of the Hachijima Island

6th-level Enchantment

Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Warlock Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material (a crystal of Memorite worth 100 gp, which the spell consumes) Duration: Instantaneous

Description:

You reach into the mind of a creature, extracting a fragment of knowledge tied to a question of your choosing and placing it in the Memorite crystal. Choose a creature within range that you can see. The target must make an Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, you glean a memory or piece of information relevant to your question, displayed as vivid images, words, or sensations in your mind.

If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, it resists the spell, and you gain no information. Creatures immune to being charmed or telepathically influenced automatically succeed on this saving throw.

You may choose if the creature maintains the memory or forgets it after the spell is cast.

The nature of the extracted memory depends on the success of the spell and how deeply the information is buried:

• Common Knowledge: The memory is clear and easily accessible, such as a recent event or basic knowledge.
• Buried Knowledge: If the information is obscured or suppressed, the DM may impose a penalty to your spell save DC based on the memory’s protection (see below).

This spell has no effect on constructs, undead, aberrations, or creatures without memories.

A creature once targeted by this spell is immune to its effects for 24 hours.

Memory Obscurity and Penalty System:

When attempting to extract particularly hidden or protected memories, the DM applies penalties to the target’s saving throw DC:

• Recent or Surface Memories (No Penalty): Memories from the last 24 hours or unprotected knowledge.
• Minorly Hidden Memories (-2 Penalty): Information that is not consciously at the surface but not actively concealed.
• Suppressed Memories (-5 Penalty): Knowledge the target is trying to forget or intentionally hide.
• Magically Protected Memories (-8 Penalty): Secrets guarded by wards, psionic barriers, or similar effects.

At Higher Levels:

When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the creature has disadvantage on its saving throw.