Smoke Ghost

Priest's Spell Compendium

A priest can use this spell to affect smoke, drawing it into a wraithlike cowled form that flies or glides, drifting up to 150 feet per round in the direction the caster wishes. The smoke ghost is not a living creature or sentient force. It cannot wear clothing, carry things, or be made to speak. It is merely an apparition with one attack ability: It can envelop a being and suffocate it with thick, choking smoke and ash.

A smoke ghost is a cloud of thick, billowing gray smoke approximately 9 feet high by 2 feet in diameter. It is roughly man-shaped. It cannot achieve a greater stable volume, and its precise form is variable in accordance with the caster's wishes. A smoke ghost can rise into the air 10 feet per level of the caster or be made to sink to the ground, flowing along the earth like some sort of living blanket. It can seep and maneuver through cracks and crevices precisely as the caster wills. It can shift into a globe form or wall form in one-quarter of a round (15 seconds).

The smoke ghost attacks by attempting to envelop a creature. A saving throw vs. breath weapon must be made each round against the smoke ghost attack until the spell expires or the smoke ghost is moved to another target. If the saving throw is successful, the affected creature's attacks are at a -1 penalty, and 1 point of damage is inflicted upon the *smoke ghost**s victim at the end of the round. Affected creatures who make their saving throws are able to utter item command words, power words, or cast other spells that require only a single spoken word. Doing so wracks the affected creature with uncontrollable coughing fits for the following round, making them unable to take offensive action that round (but not affecting their saving throw).

The failure of this saving throw vs. breath weapon (either in the first round or a successive round) means the creature is enveloped. Enveloped victims are partially blinded; all their attacks are made at a - 2 penalty. They also take 1 point of damage at the end of the round. Enveloped victims find spellcasting and even normal speech impossible, resulting in violent retching and coughing when these are tried. These penalties and this rate of damage continue until the third round of envelopment.

Beginning with the third round of envelopment, a creature must make a successful saving throw vs. death magic each round or be rendered unconscious through suffocation. Each following consecutive round of envelopment adds another -2 penalty to the roll (for a -2 penalty on the fourth round, —4 on the fifth, and so on).

Assuming she or he is not killed through the accrual of damage (hit points reduced to below 0 or -10, if that optional rule is in use), an unconscious character eventually recovers. One-quarter (25%) of the smoke damage is actual, the rest is temporary.

The caster must be able to see the smoke ghost to direct it, and controlling the apparition requires the caster's full attention. The caster can cast no other spells nor take any other offensive action while controlling the smoke ghost, although the caster may voluntarily release control of it. An undirected smoke ghost hangs motionless until the caster takes control again, it is dispelled, or the spell expires. A victim who was being assaulted by a smoke ghost which becomes undirected is considered to automatically find himself or herself in fresh air (if such is available) on the round that the ghost becomes undirected. If subsequently reattacked by the smoke ghost, the entire attack sequence must be restarted from its beginning. Previous damage caused by the smoke ghost is assumed to linger until about a turn after the ghost finally disappears. A ghost that reaches the caster's maximum range stops and remains in place until directed elsewhere. The caster can will the ghost to disappear into nothingness at any time, an action that takes the smoke ghost takes half a round (30 seconds).

It can be destroyed by a gust of wind, dispel magic, or strong natural winds. Any magics that affect vapors also affect it. It is not affected by weapons.

The caster creates the smoke ghost by means of a pinch of dust and some mistletoe that are cast into an existing fire or cloud of smoke of magical or natural origin.

*Notes:' Granted by the god Silvanus, the Forest Father, of the Forgotten Realms setting.

Encyclopedia Magica

By means of a pinch of dust and mistletoe, cast into an existing fire or cloud of smoke (of magical or natural origin), a druid can affect smoke, drawing it into a wraithlike cowled form which will fly or glide up to 140 feet per round in the direction he or she wishes. The smoke ghost is not a living creature or sentient force, and cannot wear clothing, carry things, or can be made to speak. It is merely an apparition with one attack ability: it can envelop an opponent and suffocate it with thick, choking smoke and ash. This causes 1 point of damage per round the victim is within the ghost (the druid can cause the smoke ghost to move with an opponent) and blinds the victim so thaj all attacks are at -2 on attack rolls. Spellcasting and even normal speech is impossible for the victim (violent retchhing and coughing will occur when these are tried). The victim is rendered unconscious through suffocation after ld6+3 successive rounds of envelopment.

A successful saving throw vs. breath weapon must be made each time a creature is enveloped, even if the same creature has escaped from within the ghost once or several times before); reduces the victim's attacks to -1 and damage to -1 point at the end of each two successive rounds of envelopment (no damage for lesser time periods, or fractions). This means that suffocation occurs at the end of nine successive rounds of envelopment. Creatures who make a successful saving throw vs. spell can manage to utter item command words, power words, or cast some other spells and cantrips that require only a single spoken word; doing so usually wracks them with uncontrollable coughing fits for the following round. A smoke ghost is a cloud of thick, billowing gray smoke approximately 9 feet high by 2 feet in diameter, and cannot achieve a greater stable volume, but its precise form is variable, in accordance with the caster's wishes. A smoke ghost can rise up into the air 10 feet per level of the druid or be made to sink to the ground, flowing along the earth like some sort of living blanket, and can swoop and maneuver through cracks and crevices precisely as the druid wills. It can shift into a globe-form or wall-form in one-quarter round. A druid who cannot see his or her smoke ghost cannot direct it, nor can a druid whose concentration is turned elsewhere (such as casting another spell) do so. In both cases, the smoke ghost will hang motionlessly until it is dispelled or the spell expires—a ghost that reaches the caster's maximum range will also stop and remain in place until disappearing or until directed elsewhere by the caster. The caster can will the ghost to disappear into nothingness at any time (which takes one-half round). It can also be destroyed by a gust of wind, dispel magic, or strong natural winds.

Immerse the pegasus heart in crucible and heat mixture steadily to boiling, stirring occasionally. The heart will dissolve slowly: when it is gone, add the powdered gems, and remove from heat, allowing the crucible to cool undisturbed. When cool, add the quicksilver: do not stir. Cover, keep in a dark place for at least four days and nights, and then uncover under the light of the moon (which must be waxing or full). Decant into a flask or vial, add human blood shake well.

Boil the umpleby flesh and volt tail in a copper vessel, until the liquid has boiled away. Remove from heat and add the giant octopus ink and powdered copper, gemstones, stirring with the rod of ferrous metal. Pour into a stone bowl or depression and add the volt blood a drop at a time. Leave an end of the rod in the mixture. Lightning must then be induced to strike the rod: lightning of a natural storm is best, although magic such as lightning bolt, call lightning, and control weather-induced storms will do. Electrical charges of smaller magnitude (such as those produced by an umpleby, an electric eel, or a shocking grasp spell) can also be used but these must be applied repeatedly: once a night for six successive nights. (A combination of these sources may be employed.) After that, let stand. When the mixture turns blue, it is ready for use.