Seismic Trigger
by RobinThe following spell I took from Dragon Magazine 265 page 34-41 by Jennifer Tittle Stack and readjusted it slightly to Fit Mystara with its cellular structure.
Fault lines are the lines between the cells. as such Mystara has many more fault lines like a non-living planet
Seismic Trigger
Rare 3rd level Alteration spell
Range: 1 square mile
Duration: One Hour
Area of Effect: 1 square mile
Save: none
Component ; two lodestones shaken inside a tinderbox
This spell is used to release pent-up seismic force points in small doses in a given area, preventing SFPs from reaching a critical level. To determine the number of SFPs released, roll 3d100. To determine what seismic events are triggered by the spell use following table. The force released by a single casting of this spell triggers mudpots, splattercones, solfatara, and sulphurous fumes. Multiple castings on a single area are cumulative, so several careless casters could trigger more dangerous effects. The number of SFPs returns to normal (as low as possible for the are) at a gradual rate of 10 SFPs per day for the are affected. Other spells cast in the effective region also effect the amount of SFPs, look at the descriptions of the spell themselves ( at the end of the spell descriptions which will effect Seismic Force Point is listed the number of SFPs affected.)The area affected as thus will always be the area directly underneath the affected area by that particular spell. A natural build up SFP amount will thus be released in lower amounts of power, and thus reducing the damage. But there is a chance that an area will release the amount by itself, or increase the amount (DM). A natural SFP release will always create minor releases of SFPs in the affected area and thus revealing the impending Doom!! This means that no volcanic eruption will go without also creating fumaroles, mudpots etc. Earthquakes could also do this but mostly they are only quackes or gas releases, geyser stops or creations etc.
The sort of eruption depends on the amount of water in the ground (DM), Ash eruption come to existence in areas with more water within, often they are accompanied by mudstreams., dryer materials (again DM!!) will always erupt in lava eruptions. When a SFP release happens naturally it will only release the SFPs in the method mentioned in the area where the method is possible. Thus an earthquake can happen anywhere, while a volcanic eruption can happen only near existing volcanoes or near fault lines. When enough SFPs are stored within the affected area, it will release them in the easiest way possible. Thus a volcanic eruption is always preceded by tremors and earthquakes, splattercones, solfatara, and maybe even other symptoms. Nature creates its own SFPs but does this only near “openings” from its interior to the surface (being fault lines, volcanoes, holes, areas of wild magic, etc.)
These areas create 1d100 SFPs per happening, and this will be stored if not released. Several areas are unable to release SFPs in an amount smaller than a specific number. Mountains will for example never release SFPs in an amount lower than 50. Some volcanoes will not release SFPs until it has reached a specific amount, and then releasing it all at once in different ways with different amounts. This means that an area can have literally thousands of SFPs without erupting in a global disaster, but releasing it in different ways over a prolonged period. As example are the Hawaii islands which release continuous more than 800 SFPs, with only splattercones, Solfataras, mudpots, and some tremors, this all depending on the ground affected (DM has to determine this if he plans geological happenings in the area of effect), as this spell can greatly change these effects. When this spell is cast it will always release the SFPs in the amount given nearest to the one possible in the affected area. This means that the SFPs will not always be releases as geysers or such. A fault line has a SFP build-up of 1d100/month, a volcano 2d100/month, all other areas about 1d2/year at minimum or 1d10/month at most. A layer of stolid magma, or granite layer or similar hard rock can hold up to 10SFP per feet thickness(DM), and thus store great amounts.
| SFP's Released | Radius effect | Natural Release Chance/month | Possible near; | Event | Effect | Side effects |
| 2500 | Variable depending on sort eruption | 90% | existing Volcano | Global Disaster | volcanic explosion | no non-magical survivors in affected area |
| 1000 | Variable depending on sort eruption | 50+1d30% | existing Volcano | cellular movement | reshapes landmasses catastrophic eruption form | can create/destroy continents-lives lost number in tens of thousands-every creature in 1d6 mls sv DR or perish |
| 900 | Variable depending on sort eruption | 30+1d10% | volcano fault lines | Fissure eruption | great quantities fluidic lava spilling | every creature in 100 yrd sv DR or perish-every creature in 2 mls sv TS+2 or 1d10 dm |
| 800 | Variable depending on sort eruption | 40+1d20% | fault lines(0-100 mls away) | Volcanic eruption creates new volcanoor activates old one | slow lava, buildings covered | creatures may escape-every creature in 2 mls 25% sv TS+2 or 1d10 dm-Every creature 1% sv DR or perish |
| 500 | 500+50yrd/SFPover 500 | 50+1d30% | anywhere | Earthquacke scale 9+ | 1d8 earthquackes (as spell)/Turn | as earthquacke spell |
| 100 | 100+10yrd/SFP over 100 | 60+1d20% | anywhere | Earthquacke scale 6+ | as earthquacke spell | as earthquacke spell |
| 75 | 100+10yrd/SFP over 75 | 60+1d20% | anywhere | Large Tremor scale 4+ | Large vibrations, Buildings crack | animals afraid |
| 65 | 100+10yrd/SFP over 75 | 60+1d20% | anywhere | Moderate tremor scale 2+ | many vibrations, minor structural damage | animals afraid |
| 60 | 1d30yrd | 25+1d10% | fault lines(0-25mls away) | Fumarole | A hole forms spitting steam, gasses | all within 5' 1d10 steam damage/r=>Every creature sv TS or KO for 2 r |
| 50 | 1d30yrd | 10+1d100% | underwater resources fault lines | Geyser | erupting jet of boiling water | all within 10' 1d10 steam damage/r=>SFP will not go beyond 100 as long geyser remains working each eruption releases 1d3 SFP, and creates 1d3 SFP due water in silent moments if it creates 100SFP or more it dies in the volcano created |
| 40 | 1d6x100yrd | 75% | fault lines(0-25mls away) | Sulfurous fumes and gasses | spread out from cracks in ground | every creature sv P/r or 1d8 dm |
| 35 | 100+10yrd/SFP over 35 | 60+1d20% | anywhere | minor Tremor scale 4+ | Large vibrations, Buildings crack | animals afraid, reasonable safe way releasing SFP's, especially if ground is 'perforated' enough |
| 25 | 1d3 mls | 50+4d6% | anywhere | Thermal disruption | wells dry out, or change temperature | Hot spring only within 1 mils of a fault line, reasonable safe way releasing SFP's, especially if ground is 'perforated' enough |
| 15 | 1d6x100yrd | 50+1d20% | anywhere | Solfatara | vent releases sulfurous gasses | every creature in 3' con. Check or KO 1 T. exist as long SFP's stored in ground safe way releasing SFP's, especially if ground is 'perforated' enough |
| 5 | 2d4 feet | 25+1d10% | underwater resources fault lines | Splattercones | 2d8' high spray of mud | every creature in 1d4' 1d4 dm/r. exist as long SFP's stored in ground. safe way releasing SFP's, especially if ground is 'perforated' enough |
| 2 | 1d4 feet | 25+1d10% | underwater resources | Mudpot | 1 foot square area of hot mud | every creature entering 1d4 dm/r. exist as long SFP's stored in ground. safe way releasing SFP's, especially if ground is 'perforated' enough |