Monday, February 6, 2012

Spell: Verminomorphosis

Verminomorphosis
Level: 5
Duration: Permanent
Range: Special; Powder-Vector, spell delivered by agency of special powder.

A very insidious spell for eliminating troublesome pests before they learn too much or can do too much harm to one's operations. This spell transforms the victim's body into a filthy, insectoid Ungeziefer. There is no known effective means of converting a victim back to humanity from this spell's effect. A few scholars and surgeons have had partial successes, after a fashion, but so far, no one has successfully reversed the effect. For this reason alone, the very act of slipping some harmless talcum powder or flout into an enemies' bed sends a potent message--next time it could be Verminomorphosis for you.

The powder and spell operate in tandem and are in effect one and the same thing. There is no version of this specific spell that does not have the powder component that acts as the means of delivering its effect. The powder created by this spell has a shelf-life of 1 week/per level of the caster preparing it. A single phial of one good dose of this powder is worth 300-1,200 gp depending on prevailing conditions, availability, and the time of year.


Note: There is a Save associated with this spell, however the use of the powder to deliver the spell's effect to the target means that the spell affects them for as long as the powder slings to their skin, which is why the powder is usually sprinkled all through the victim's bed. Anyone able to sleep through a prolonged exposure to this powder is granted a permanent +1 bonus to all Saves versus poisoning.

Availability: Illicit, illegal and immoral this is not a spell that is in general circulation.
Provenance/Variants: Several
Requirements & Constraints: This spell requires a very special mixture of pulverized materials to serve as the vector for the spell's effect. This powder is a combination of dried insect parts, White Powder, and an extrusion of ectoplasm derived from a fresh corpse as well as a few other even less savory substances. The proportions and method of mixture and processing is a closely guarded secret.
Favorable Correspondences: Dried ectoplasmic scum collected from the site of a battle with Legionaire Ungeziefers is claimed to be an enhancer, according to certain underworld crib-sheets prepared by a long-deceased forager while they were still an apprentice to one of the more notorious distillers.


Inspiration: Metamorphosis by Kafka, as with the Ungeziefer. The free digital copy of Kafka's classic tale is available at Project Gutenberg, etc.

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