Mebhaighl Surge

School: Alteration
Regency: 5 RP/magic potential level Req'd Source: 1
Gold: 1 GB/magic potential level Caster Level: 18
Duration: 1 action round/level

This powerful realm spell acts similar to the Poison Source spell in
that it disrupt the normal flow of Mebhaighl through the province, but
its effects on someone who tries to draw on that flow is quite
different. When Mebhaighl Surge is cast then the Mebhaighl of that
province becomes dangerous to use, and anyone drawing on its power,
either through a source or a ley line faces the possibility of serious
injury or even death.
Casting the spell is expensive, although not as much as some other realm
spells. For every level of magic potential of a province then the spell
costs 5 RP and 1 GB. The cost for the entire province must be paid or
the spell, it is not possible just to effect one or two levels of
sources. The money is used to create special totems that must be place
around the province where the spell is to be cast.
The spell works by making the Mebhaighl surge whenever someone tries to
tap it for the casting of a realm spell. This surge usually appears in
the form of a display of crackling energy, or even strange mutations in
the local plant and animal life. The wizard who is attempting to cast
the realm spell is caught in the centre of this chaos and takes the
brunt of the energy discharge.
Normal magic does not draw on enough Mebhaighl to be effected by this
spell, so only realm spells cause this surge of energy. Wizards casting
high level magic (level 7+) will notice that something strange is
occurring however, perhaps sparks flying from the ground around them
when they cast their spells. No damage is taken however, and the spell
works as it normally would.
The table below shows the damage taken by a wizard casting a realm spell
in the effected province. The effect of the Mebhaighl surge depends on
the level of source the wizard is attempting to use.

Source Level Effect
1 No effect, the energy dissipates before the wizard can be
injured. The wizard is aware that something is very wrong
however, especially when the spell he is attempting fails.
2 The energy from the surge passes through the wizard, or
dissipates before causing damage. The wizard is left with
burnt fingers, and smoking hair. Despite this he takes no
physical damage from the spell.
3 The wizard must make a saving throw vs. death magic
or take 2d20 damage.
4 The wizard must make a saving throw vs. death magic
or take 4d20 damage.
5 The wizard must make a saving throw vs. death magic or be
killed by the energy. If he survives then he takes 2d20
damage.
6 The wizard must make a saving throw vs. death magic or be
killed by the energy. If he survives then he takes 4d20
damage.
7 The energy from the discharge is so powerful that
the wizard is burnt to a crisp. Protection from fire or
magic will work, but only is it is provided by a permanent
magical item, spells will not do. The item is destroyed by the
power of the spell though.
8 The wizard is instantly vaporised, along with everything
within ten metres of his location. There is no
saving throw against this effect, and no know spell that
can prevent the wizard death.
9 The wizard is instantly vaporised, along with everything
within a hundred metres of his location. There is
no saving throw against this effect, and no know spell
that can prevent the wizard death.

* In all cases, even if the wizard survives the attempt, the realm spell
fails as the energy that was to power it was lost. Also the wizard is
unable to cast another realm spell in this province for 1 full month
after the first attempt. Of course the Mebhaighl Surge spell may still
be in effect then, and the next attempt to cast a spell may end with the
same result.
* If the wizard is trying to cast a realm spell that does not require
all of the source (eg an Alchemy spell in a province where the wizard
controls a level 6 province) then he still takes damage equal to the
size of his source, not the level of source required for the spell.
* If a wizard is attempting to tap a source in the effected province
using a ley line then he is effected as if he had a source two levels
higher. The ley line concentrates the energy into a smaller area, so any
wizard attempting to draw on the Mebhaighl of the effected province does
so at his own risk.

This is a legendary spell, and no-one living today has even seen it
used, even the most ancient of the Awnsheghlien. It is believed that it
was created by a Dragon sorcerer in the ages before the coming of man to
Aebrynis. It has not been cast in several thousand years, although a
copy is kept in the college of sorcery in Anuire.
A wizard of the college found this spell escribed in a stone that he
recovered from an old ruin in the wastelands of northern Aduria. He
could not understand the language it was written in, despite the use of
spells to try and decipher the language. He eventually copied it onto
paper and stored it in a book he wrote on the history of northern
Aduria. There it remains to this day, with five copies of his book
currently kept in the college of sorcery, and several other copies
across Cerilia. No-one who reads it knows that the book contains a copy
of one of the most powerful realm spells in existence, along with a
complete history of northern Aduria and Mieres.
Anyone who has access to a copy of the wizards book (Alden's History of
Northern Aduria) also has access to this spell. However it is written in
an ancient Dragon tongue that is not possible to decipher with normal or
magical means. The only way to learn the spell would be to take the book
to one of the few surviving Dragons and hope they are familiar with the
language. As most Dragons still hold to their old culture and languages
then it is likely that they will know the ancient language of northern
Aduria. However getting them to decipher the spell is a considerable
task, as any Dragon with the tiniest amount of sense would never provide
a mortal with such a powerful spell. They would copy it for themselves
however, possible causing considerable concern for wizards living in the
region.

- --
Ian Hoskins

e-Mail: hoss@box.net.au
Homepage: http://www.box.net.au/~hoss
Aduria: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Labyrinth/8099/

ICQ: 2938300 AIM: IHoskins