Canonfire! - Two recently rediscovered spells by Evard

A description of the two heretofore unknown spells penned by Evard: Evard's Noxious Tentacles and Evard's Draining Demise.

Author: grodog

Evard's Noxious Tentacles and Evard's Draining Demise: Two new spells by Evard

by grodog (see also http://www.rpg.net/ehp/imrryr/greyhawk.html)

Copyright 2001 by Allan T. Grohe, Jr.

Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

The following spells were discovered by the drowic demonologist Iscladoc, a former apprentice to Lyme, High Mage of House Eilservs. How Lyme acquired Evard's spells is not known, since the Noquar mage would never have shared them with rivals of his house. Iscladoc stole these and several other rare and valuable manuscripts after the destruction of his house, when he fled Lyme's tower for the Astral Plane in 76 CY. Lyme swore revenge, although Iscladoc was never found.

The spells were rediscovered within a spell scroll given to the Despotrix of Hardby in the year 578 CY. An unnamed warlock provided the scroll in exchange for magical tutoring. The scroll was freshly penned, and bore Iscladoc's personal rune. Through agents of the Slave Lords, word of this scroll's recovery eventually reached Lyme, who began to seek his traitorous apprentice anew. Iscladoc's whereabouts for the past five centuries remain a mystery, although Lyme seeks further evidence of Iscladoc's possible reappearance.

The frequency for these spells is Rare, and few copies of them are known to exist outside of the strongholds of the Noquar. The Despotrix is not known to have provided copies of them to any mages outside of her family.

Evard's Noxious Tentacles (Evocation)

Level: 6
Range: 3" + 1"/3 levels
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: Special
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 8 segments
Save: Special

This deadly dweomer creates grayish-vapor tentacles which writhe about, seeking victims to attack. They behave in the same manner as Evard's Black Tentacles (see the fourth level MU spell in Unearthed Arcanca). The caster may create up to one tentacle per two levels of experience, plus one tentacle; each tentacle is 10 feet long. The tentacles attack as 7 HD monsters, and inflict 4-16 hit points of damage (1-8 if a saving throw vs. spells is made). Evard's Noxious Tentacles are AC 6, but may only be hit by magical weapons; they have 2 hit points per level of the caster.

If a tentacle is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, the tentacle is destroyed and its misty vapors disperse in a 5' radius. Any victim within the secondary area of effect (including any attacker in melee with the destroyed tentacle) suffers the effects of a stinking cloud (as the second level MU spell) and takes 1-4 hit points of damage due to blocked respiration and choking. If Evard's Noxious Tentacles is cast in a windy area, saving throws against the stinking cloud effect are at +2 and damage is reduced to 1-2 hit points.

The material components are the essence of a vapor rat (1 rat per tentacle to be created), two troglodyte scales, and a rotten egg. All are wrapped in the intact stomach of a blow fish, and sealed.

Evard's Draining Demise (Necromantic, Alteration)

Level: 7
Range: Touch
Duration: Special
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 3 Segments
Save: Negates (natural save)

This terrible incantation causes the creature touched ('to hit' roll if the creature is unwilling) to make a natural saving throw vs. Spells at -2 (no bonuses apply due to magical, racial, etc. adjustments). A successful save negates the spell.

If the saving throw is failed, however, the victim must immediately make a second saving throw vs. Death Magic. Failure results in wracking agony and the loss of energy levels at the rate of one level per round until the victim is fully drained. Success results in the loss of one-half of the victim's energy levels.

Any levels drained by Evard's Draining Demise radiate outward from the victim in a 1" radius, as blue-purple-red energies that pulse in time with the victim's heart rate. Anyone who stands within this radius will feel refreshed, awake, and alert. They will be refreshed as if they slept for one hour, and healed for 1 hit point of damage; both benefits accrue per round of exposure (i.e., per energy level lost by the victim). In addition, poisons are slowed while under the benefits of Evard's Draining Demise. Other, less well-known effects are rumored to occur, based on a longer, constant length of exposure.

The material components are two pinches of spectre essence, a bit of flesh from the slain victim of energy draining attacks (the source of the energy draining can be undead or spell effects; however, the victim cannot have also risen as undead), 1 drop from a Potion of Life, and either a bit of morkoth flesh or dust from a shattered gemstone used to power Maze (at least 80% of the gemstone's dust).

Victims of this spell die, do not become undead, and cannot be raised save by a wish. This spell will function against undead if they are not immune to death magic.

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Evard, drow, First Edition AD&D