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Brechtur » Danigau » Magic spells of Danigau » Shape Realm

Shape Realm (Realm Spell)

Overview

The caster can terraform the province they are standing in. It should be noted that this requires four castings of the spell – one on each equinox/solstice, takes place over the succeeding year, and is likely to cause substantial damage to any works of civilization in the area.

Description

The spell is actually part of a year-long ritual, and must be cast four times (once each domain turn) in order to be effective.

The spell reshapes a province within the wizard’s domain. Mountain can crumble to hills, hills to plains, plains to swamps or vice versa. The changes occur in the year following the casting of the spell, although those attuned to the land will feel changes throughout the year of casting. More severe changes (i.e. more than one step of ‘flatness’) require multiple castings of the spell.

If an area one mile square is affected, the base cost is 2 GB per casting. If it is 25 square miles, the base cost is 3 GB. If it is 400 square miles (i.e. the whole province), the base cost is 5 Gb per casting. The regency cost is 10 times the GB cost.

Alternatively the mebhaighl of the land can be focused into plant growth with the province gaining up to 4 source levels worth of growth (possibly causing damage on a province wide level) (1 in spring, 2 in summer, 1 in autumn) or losing same, all increases coming the year after the spell is cast. This version requires components costing 1 GB per casting; the regency cost is 10 RP.

The spell can be enormously damaging to populations in the area, if the population exceeds 2, there will be some cost as people are forced to flee homes damaged in the shaping; if the population level exceed 4, loss of life is near certain and substantial damage is likely to be suffered with whole towns potentially being destroyed unless the population is heavily concentrated away from areas being affected (DM’s option).

Note. The spell can cause great forests to grow, but a desert or glacier is normally barren for a reason, and any ‘excessive’ growth will likely wither swiftly.

Use

• Magic School: Transmutation
• Level: Sor/Wiz 8
• Duration: permanent
• Saving Throw: No
• Spell Resistance: No
• Special Requirements: Source (6)
• Regency Cost: see above
• Components: see above

History

This spell was the crowning achievement of Erik Danig although the Count never actually lived to cast it.

The Count had considered using the spell to raise a natural barrier (a cliff or dyke for example) between Danigau and Urga-Zai in Goblynslaughter Pass, in encouraging forests to grow in the hills, in deepening the harbor at Blackruft, in making Danig Isle fit for habitation, etc. Wary of the spell and the enormous cost, he was determined only to use it when he was sure of the consequences.

Notes

The spell should be used with extreme caution; its extraordinarily high cost is likely to deter random casting. However a regent with a long-term perspective could appreciate the benefits perhaps a little too much.

Tips and Tactics

The spell has the distinction of being both the slowest realm spell in recorded history and one of the least subtle spells in existence – people notice new mountains, areas of land ripped from the sea bed etc. The power of the spell will inevitably attract substantial interest when it is cast and its cost is likely to drain the caster substantially.