Icy Past

School divination; Level druid 4

CASTING

Casting Time 10 minutes

Components V, S, DF

EFFECT

Range touch

Target glacial ice touched

Duration 1 min./level

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

When you cast this spell and touch your hand against the surface of a glacier, a 1-inch-radius core sample of compressed ice or snow measuring up to 1 foot in length per caster level erupts from the surface. Each 1- foot-long section of glacial ice records ten years of history. Thus, a 20-foot-high ice core contains 200 years of history. The compacted snow and ice only keeps a record of general events affecting an extensive area including the glacial ice’s present location, if any.

For instance, the core sample would reveal evidence of a volcanic eruption, an asteroid impact, a massive flood, an abandoned settlement, or even a pitched battle encompassing the entire region. But it would provide no information about more localized activities such as a small skirmish in the immediate vicinity or details about a local resident unless that creature occupied the area for the ice sample’s entire existence.

By placing your hand onto the icy surface, the core sample reveals information about one such generalized event per two caster levels. In the case of natural occurrences, the ice reveals the event’s general nature, the approximate date, its duration, its overall impact, and consequences arising from the event. For instance, the ice sample might reveal that a giant asteroid struck the area 103 years earlier. The impact incinerated all plants and animals in a twenty-mile radius around the crater and then plunged the land into a deep freeze for the next ten years. When providing details about the activities of creatures, the ice describes the general nature of its interaction with the creatures, such as battle or long-term residency, the approximate date of the event, and the creature types involved (undead, humanoids, dragons, and so on). The ice cannot confer individual names or even the creatures’ races.

At the time of casting, you designate whether you want to learn about events in chronological order, either oldest to most recent or vice versa, or in order of significance and impact. Unlike the former option, the latter choice only allows you to discover the most significant events first. You also have the option of designating whether you would like to learn about natural events or humanoid activities first.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Icebound Copyright 2021, Michael Mars; Author: Tom Knauss

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