WATER
SPELLS:
FREEZE
(LEVEL
V) |
Spell Effect. Next in the line of the transformation spells for the Water School is Freeze, which is a step above the spell of Liquidization. Freeze affects the cár'áll in a target in mostly the same way as Liquidization, except for one attribute: the mage invokes the ice property of Water. Thus, instead of turning the target into a liquid substance, Freeze will transmutate the object or person into a statue of solid ice, rendering the target immobile and in the case of a person, in completely suspended animation. This can be useful in several ways, such as making an object or even a roudy person easier to transport, and it can allow a mage to make a hasty retreat or even victory in a fight he/she was sure to lose, by dodging a sword sweep and then quickly casting the spell on the target, after which he may flee or use Water Extraction. In a dungeon as well, one could freeze a locked or trapped door, or any kind of obstruction, and then extract the cár'áll, thus in effect removing that blockade from existence.
This does differ from Liquidization, however, in some of its effects. A warning was mentioned in the Liquidization spell in that if a person was frozen while in Water state, they would likely revert back in a fatal condition. Freeze on the other hand will revert back safely to normal state, as the reversion process first cancels the ice property of Water, and then reverts. Thus, when the person is restored to his regular self, he/she will not revert back frozen. And on a similar note: if the frozen body is heated to the point of liquid form, reversion will still be successful. However, if boiled into a steam, then the warning stated in Liquidization is still valid. Other warnings are still in effect, such as the likely fatality upon reversion if attempting to return to natural form while in a small, enclosed area, or if the ice is shattered and spread throughout a large area.
Unlike Liquidization, even Water magi cannot move while frozen, nor can they sense their surroundings. Like everything else under the effects of this spell, the mage will also enter a state of suspended animation, which also negates any chance for the mage to force to revert himself if he desires to awake at a time before the duration of the spell has been completed. However, this only goes in effect on the self having been frozen: A Water mage can still use his skills to move another target around as much as he desires.
Like Liquidization, this spell all but increases the target's
Water
cár'áll
concentration to the maximum, and merely additionally invokes the ice property to
complete the process of transmutation.
Casting Procedure.
If he has not already done so,
the mage must acquire an aquamarine stone, crush it as best as possible, and
place it in a container full of any other ice particles, if he has not yet
advanced beyond the reagent stage. The mage must concentrate, doing so as best
to his/her abilities, and then chant the
formula as he/she holds the container in
the
right hand. The left hand will begin to feel cold, and, if done correctly,
should begin to emit frozen vapor. The mage must then touch whatever he/she wishes
to transform with that hand (the forehead if
the spell is cast on oneself), and
then chant the formula again. If all has been done correctly, the target should
begin to dissolve into a liquid substance, and then freeze into a solid form. If
desired, and if the mage has the strength to,
the caster can cast this spell on multiple
objects in the same round as long as he/she remains concentrating and holding the
reagent, by touching different entities and stating the
formula on each one. Ceasing concentration and/or
releasing the reagent will cause the hand to stop releasing vapor, and cancel
any further applications of the spell from this state.
Note: It is wise to keep the reagent resting on a flat surface if the mage is
casting the spell on him-/herself, as dropping the container after a successful
completion will make the reagent invalid and could cause ill feelings to the
caster on reversion for several days from the initiation of the reagent's
cár'áll to his own.
Magical Formula.
Still to be added.
Target.
Any object, person, or thing can be frozen,
however, entities with a low affinity towards the
Element of Water tend to be
far more difficult to have this spell cast on them. At lower levels, persons and
large objects are rather challenging, and a young mage should wait until he is
more advanced before he should expect successful attempts on these subjects.
Reagents. Crushed
aquamarine stone placed in a container along with any sort of frozen article.
Magical School.
Elemental Magic, Water School.
Spell Class.
Transformation.
Range. Direct contact is
required for this spell to work.
Casting Time.
Approximately 15 seconds, pending
any foreign factors. Up to a minute or more if the mage requires reagents and
has not yet prepared one properly for use.
Duration.
Personal skill, level, and concentration
are all a factor, it has been averaged that the duration of this spell is up to
approximately thirty minutes at lower levels, and as long as two hours at the
highest levels of training. However, at any time the mage may utter the
formula
for reversion and instantly change back. Unfortunately, if the speaker of the
formula is not himself a practitioner of
Water Magic, or is himself frozen, the
reversion process will not work, as the mage must concentrate on the mystic
workings of reverting as he speaks the formula.
The duration does not expire if the ice properties of the spell wear off
anytime during its effect.
Counter Measures/Enhancing Measures.
Beings with a low affinity
towards Water tend to be very resistant
to this spell, and a dispel can instantly null the duration and cause an instant
reversion. A counter is for another mage to use Water Extraction to absorb the
Water
cár'áll into
himself, thus strengthening his own arcane powers and destroying the frozen
object or being. Contrary to popular belief, smashing the frozen body will
not destroy the target, unless the broken shards are dispersed throughout a
great distance to prevent successful reversion. To enhance the spell, a mage can
acquire a large amount of
Water
cár'áll before hand, by extracting their
cár'áll through the Water Extraction spell.
Information provided by
Fox
|