Moss Skull (Priest Spell)

This dramatic spell causes a construct that looks like a moss-covered skull to form in the caster's hand and fly from there to strike at a chosen target. The skull travels at MV Fly 21 (A), striking with a THAC0 of 9. The skull has AC 2 and hit points equal to the caster's level. It can be destroyed on the way to its target, but unless com­pletely destroyed, it inflicts full damage if it reaches its target and hits. Touching a moss skull with either fire-based magic (not just heat) or ice-based magic (not just cold) destroys it instantly and harmlessly – it does not explode.
A moss skull that strikes its target vanishes in a flash of light, sending forth both fire damage and ice damage into its target. Unless magically protected against those attack forms, a target creature suffers both kinds of damage, as follows: 4d4 points of fire damage (save vs. spell for half), followed by 4d4 points of ice damage (save vs. spell for half). Any item (such as a shield, helm, or breastplate) worn or held by a creature directly struck by the moss skull must make a successful saving throw vs. spell or be destroyed (other items will be unharmed, the target creature's body takes the damage instead).
If the moss skull misses, the caster can send it after a different target on the next round, but then it inflicts only half damage, strikes at THAC0 15, and is MV Fl 15 (B), with an AC of 5. When so directing it, the caster cannot engage in spellcasting on that round.
A moss skull can strike the wrong person on the way to its intended target, but glances off with­out exploding or doing damage and continues to chase the target creature.
The caster of moss skull can will it out of exis­tence at any time (even just before it hits). Other­wise, it fades away by itself at the end of the first round if it misses and is not immediately directed at another target by its caster. It fades away harm­lessly if it misses its second attack.
The material components are a piece of human bone, a pinch of ash from something organic that has been burned in a fire of natural origin (light­ning, for example, not caused by magic or deliber­ately set by a person), and a bone from a creature that froze to death.
Notes: Granted by the god Silvanus, the Forest Father, of the Forgotten Realms setting. This spell is found only in a few exceptionally rare tomes.
Category:Priest Spells
Category:Spells from Priest's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells