BLUE WIZARD MANC:

AKRAN'S FREEZING CARPET

Akran Paruthif Yictu

This Manc is both defensive and offensive. The caster must place a finger or fingers upon a horizontal surface and with a mind word, from the finger tip or tips spreads a thread-like weave of white frost roots that spread outward and somewhat to the side forming a crackling, frosty covering of ice. Once fully formed it creates an area of rectangular shape, much longer than it is wide, glistening white as if a heavy frost has been laid down.

The size of the frost carpet is dependent upon the caster's or creator's level. Default size is a 4' x 4' carpet, added to this size is 4 feet longer and 1 foot wider than the default size per level of the caster or creator. This applies to level 1 acolytes also. (E.g. A level 1 Mancer creates a 8' x 5' carpet, while a Lok of level 7 creates a carpet 32' x 11' in size. The size can not be reduced, nor can the shape be altered.

The creeping frost envelops everything it touches causing frost bite damage and minor solidifying of liquids. Objects and small creatures are fixed to the carpet due to the frost, while larger creatures or strong creatures may be able to move, but with difficulty. Creatures caught in the creeping frost carpet must make a Save Vs Manc and a Save Vs Paralyse. The Manc save prevents the creature suffering the damage, but not the difficulty in moving, while the Paralysis save prevents the movement difficulty but not the damage.

Only horizontal surfaces will accept the freezing carpet. They need not be flat or uniform but must be predominately horizontal. Casting the carpet across a hill-side is possible as long as over half is on horizontal ground, the remainder will follow a slope of 45º maximum, either up or down. Should the drop or climb be more than this the carpet simply halts at the edge of the horizontal plane. The carpet is always straight also, although if the corridor narrows or has obstructions in the form of walls, the carpet will simply cover what floor it can, it does not climb the walls at all. The freezing carpet does not damage the surface it is cast upon. Grass, stone or soil are all as before once the carpet has ended. Also should by some means a creature decide to come up and under the carpet, they will be affected as normal.

Firstly creatures take frost-bite damage, this is equivalent to a Level 2 wound on the first round and a further Level 1 wound each round while still in contact with the carpet. Even on leaving the carpet the damage continues for 1D4 rounds but can not damage more than a Light Wound. Creatures stuck on the carpet, take up to a maximum of 2 level 4 wounds. Should the damage continue to a 3rd level 4 wound the creature instead becomes frozen in place and is effectively comatose. Successful Saves prevent damage for that round only, successive saves must be made while on the carpet until a failure occurs, then treat it as a first round of damage. Resist Cold protects a creature from any damage. Creatures composed of ice or of a freezing nature are impervious to the Akran's freezing carpet damage.

Secondly the movement of the creature is halved (DEX and speed all reduced by 50%), then on subsequent rounds following the first their movement is further halved each time they remain on the carpet for a round. Once the movement is reduced to zero movement the creature is stuck fast and can only move by pulling each limb touching the carpet off and moving forward that way. It takes a STR of 70+ to be able to break free of the carpet. All belongings on the creature or anyone touching the creature also becomes frozen but only up to the edge of the carpet, the frost never passes beyond the carpet, even in liquids such as water. Successful Saves prevent movement restrictions for that round only, successive saves must be made whilst on the carpet until a failure occurs, then treat it as a first round of movement restriction. Free movement removes any movement problems and Resist Cold reduces movement by only a quarter, rather than a half. Speed and Swift Manc have no effect in speeding up movement on the carpet.

Other effects from the freezing carpet on a victim are all the usual effects from being covered in a deep frost or covered in ice. Cloth and leather becomes rigid, metal may become brittle, food and liquids freeze solid, wood may swell, it depends upon the time spent on the carpet.

The freezing carpet simply melts away at the end of its duration, this water seems to vanish into the surface it was cast upon. Any objects caught in its effect are unharmed and as before. Creatures, however, are still damaged, but are only restricted in their movements for 1D4 rounds afterwards, as they seem to be still frozen. Once the duration has completely ended, the creatures are free to move as best they can, remembering their damage.

The freezing carpet may be cast before it is touched by anything, or while victims are in its path. Hence it may be used as a barrier, slowing or even preventing creatures from passing across it, or as an offensive Manc, attacking objects and creatures already in its path. The Caster may dispel the carpet as wished. Items however, can not be dispelled, except by Banish Manc, Alter Form can be used to disrupt the surface of the carpet thereby dispelling it, and any form of disturbance that effects over half of the surface the carpet is cast upon will cause it to dispel.