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.

By Ian Hoskins

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