Ærth Animus Formula

E/F/M:

This formula is a slightly weaker version of the Green School castings Call Up Nature Spirits Ritual and Hostileland Ritual, summoning the nature spirits active in surrounding soil and stone to hamper (and possibly harm) opponents of the caster within the area of effect. The spirits are of neutral attitude towards the caster and their comrades and they will not actively harm them; but neither will they assist them if they should get into the path of the spirits’ actions…

Immediately upon completion of the casting the following effects occur to the victims:

The terrain in the area of effect alters so as to render it difficult to traverse. Sand or soil shift and subtly flow against the direction of travel, mud and silt flow and cling, rocks slip and settle. The result is a 50% reduction in the rate of movement across the affected terrain. In addition, the following effects occur according to terrain type:

Grasslands & Forests - Soil forms sudden hillocks or dips, possibly tripping mounts or men- one check each per AT at BAC of 20 for the spirits, 25% chance of a mount breaking a leg, 1D3 points of Impact Damage to any who fall.

Desert & Dunes - Sand will shift to such an extent that it has a 10% chance/AT of “swallowing” one person and/or mount, inflicting suffocation Damage and killing in 1D3+1 BT’s if rescue is unsuccessful.

Bog, Marsh & Swamp - Mud and silt will form quicksand pools with a 10% chance/AT of miring down and drowning one person and/or mount. Drowning will occur in 1D3 BT’s.

Hills & Mountains - Gravel and rock falls will occur once every AT at a BAC of 30 for each potential victim doing 1 - 20D6 of Impact PD to any hit. For each 10 STEEP the caster possesses, one boulder of 20 cubic feet (or whatever size up to this maximum is available) will animate and topple towards the victims. If a Special Success occurs, the victim takes 120 points of Impact PD and if a precipice is nearby they are swept over it if they fail a check versus their PN Cap at ‘Difficult’.