L^: mu8	-	R#: 1"	-	D^: P until broken
C^: v.s.m	-	CT: S + 1	-	S^: Neg.
A^: One creature	-	-	-	-

Effect: This spell is similar to the magic jar, except that the trap the soul spell forces the subject creature's life force
(and its material body, if any) into a special prison magicked by the spell caster.

The subject of the spell must be seen by the caster,
and the magic-user must know the subject's true name as well when the final word is uttered.
There are 2 manners in which the soul of the victim can be imprisoned.

    1) The final word of the spell can be spoken when the creature is within spell range,
but this entitles it to exercise its magic resistance (if any) and a saving throw versus magic as well,
and if the latter is successful, the gem shatters.

    2) The second method of soul trapping is far more insidious,
    for it tricks the victim into accepting a trigger objest inscribed with the final spell word which will automatically place the creature's soul into the trap. If this method is used, it will be     necessary     to name the triggering item when the prison gem is magicked.
    A sympathy spell may be placed on the trigger item.
    As soon as the subject creature picks up or accepts the trigger item, its soul is automatically transferred to the gem.

The gem prison will hold the soul trapped until time indefinite, or until it is broken and the soul is released,
allowing the material body to reform.
If the creature trapped is a powerful creature from another plane
(and this could actually mean a character trapped by some inhabitant of another plane of existence when the character is not on the Prime Material Plane),
it can be required to perform a service immediately upon being freed.
Otherwise, the creature can go totally free once the gem imprisoning it is broken.

MC: Preparatory to the actual casting of the trap the soul, the magic-user must prepare the soul prison,
a gem of 1,000 g.p. value for every hit die or level of experience the creature whose soul is to be trapped possesses,
i.e. it requires a gem of 10,000 g.p. value to trap a 10 hit dice (or 10th level) creature by placing an enchant an item spell upon it and then placing a maze spell into the gem, thereby forming the prison for the soul to be trapped.
 

Q. When casting a trap the soul spell,
are there any additional effects for
using a gem that is more valuable
than strictly necessary?
A. No.There is no extra Benefit -- or
penalty -- from using a 15,000 gp
gem to trap a 10HD monster.  The
given value of the gem required is
merely a minimum. 
    The same idea, of course, holds 
true for all other spells that require 
valuable components during casting 
-- for example, identify needs a 
100gp pearl, but will work just as 
well with a pearl worth 200gp or 
10,000gp!
    Spells that have components that 
do not have 'values' -- items such as 
rose petals, lampblack, oil, earth and 
the like -- simply require those 
components.  How easy the components 
are to obtain is up uup to the DM 
running any particular campaign, but 
making components rare, and having 
a Magical Guild that specialises in 
their supply, is an excellent way of 
soaking off excess cash from magick-using
PCs! 
(Imagine #23)