Nameless Spell of Entropic Doom
by James MishlerThis is the spell that Darius used on Shma-Uai. Hope you all find it useful...
Nameless Spell of Entropic Doom (Evocation, Necromancy)
7th Level Wizard Spell, Reversible
Range: 20 yards + 5 yards/level
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 3
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: special
This spell was developed by the Necromancer-Kings of ancient Taymor for use against their powerful undead enemies... including other Necromancer-Kings. It utilizes the entropic nature of the undead target against itself. Undead are creatures that are at least partially material and partially entropic in nature; this spell works by creating a "condition of opposition" between the targets material and entropic portions. Thus, the greater the entropic energies within the creature, the greater the effect of the spell on that creature. As the spell is most potent on the more powerful creatures of undeath, it is rarely used against the lesser undead, such as skeletons, zombies or ghouls. Note: this spell has ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT on living creatures, nor on creatures from the various outer planes (i.e., Fiends)!
The effect of the Nameless Spell varies according to the HD or type of undead. The spell causes 1d6 damage per HD or level of the target undead (to a maximum of 20d6). The level of the caster is *not* applicable to the amount of damage; the entropic energies released upon the material portion of the undead is based solely on that creatures own HD or level. If an undead has levels (such as a vampire, mummy or lich), then the higher of the HD or levels is used (example: a 7 HD nosferatu with the abilities of a 5th level cleric would suffer 7d6 damage, while a 9 HD vampire with the abilities of a 19th level wizard would suffer 19d6 damage).
There is NO saving throw against this damage; after all, the creatures' own nature is working against it. If the target undead is brought to zero or fewer hit points through this damage, it will fall into dust, and can never be brought back as an undead creature (though a properly worded wish might work). Should the creature survive the damaging effects of the spell, it must make a saving throw vs. spell or be held, as the Hold Undead spell, for 1d4 rounds plus 1 round per HD or level (again, of the target creature).
The reverse of the Nameless Spell of Entropic Doom (called the Nameless Spell of Entropic Potence) will actually "heal" the targeted undead creature. There are two options: either the caster can "heal" 1 point of damage per level of the *caster* of the spell at no danger to the target (the caster is evoking the entropic energies of the creature in such a manner as to "heal" the target without releasing too many of the energies, which would be damaging to the target), or, the caster can heal the target undead of all but 1d4 points of damage. If the second option is taken, then the target undead must save vs spell; if it fails, it will take 1d4 points of damage per level of the caster (the energies were too powerful, and the caster lost control).
The material component for either application of the spell is an amulet containing at least one ounce of ichor from a Fiend native to an Entropic Plane. The amulet must be worth no less than 5,000 gp, may hold up to 5 ounces of ichor at a time, and is reusable (it is not consumed in the casting of the spell). One ounce of ichor is consumed per casting. Various types of ichor may be more or less efficacious, depending on the type of Fiend it was culled from and the type of undead involved (i.e., ichor from a Bone Fiend may be more potent when used on a skeleton, though such would be a waste).
Note that the only place you might find this spell today is either in the ruined palace of one of the Necromancer-Kings (now buried under the Sea of Dread), or in the repertoire of one of the very few surviving Taymoran wizards (an extremely elite group of Nosferatu, Vampires, Mummies and Liches).