Black Scarabs — Drow
(Conjuration/Summoning)
(Shadow)
Level: 6
Range: 50 yds. + 10 yds./level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 rd./level
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Special
This spell summons a horde of shadowy, black scarab beetles to attack and consume his enemies. These beetles attack anything and everything that moves and they cause damage equal to 6 points of damage per round they are in contact with a victim’s flesh for every 6 levels the caster currently possesses (at 12th-level the beetles inflict 12 points of damage/round, 18 damage at 18th-level, etc.). These beetles can tear through any armor or protective skin in mere seconds.
Any purely physical missile attacks bounce off the beetles as per a Hornung’s baneful deflector spell. Otherwise the beetles can take up to triple the damage the caster can take at full health before they are all destroyed. No matter how many beetles are left, they still cause the same amount of damage! They can detect all creatures within a 120’ radius and also possess infravision out to that same distance. Furthermore, they cannot be fooled by illusions and/or spells that inhibit or cancel visual perceptions.
As created by this spell, the beetles take the form of a unit of deadly insects that has the dimensions of a “carpet” that is 30-feet long and 20-feet wide; although this may change depending of the terrain and limitations of their current environment. The deadly bugs move at a movement rate of 9 and never tire, and they can also move over any surface, much as do other beetles and their relatives, spiders.
They set out at full movement rate at the beginning of the round after which this spell is cast. They move first every round thereafter and continue to chase down all creatures in their path. Thus if a being can get away from the mass of insects while there are still others to be chased, then it may escape as they continue on in the easiest path before them. Once they kill and devour all within their path, they then change course and move towards the closest living creatures they can detect.
The material component for this spell is a dead scarab beetle that has had shadow magic cast upon it in the past, prior to the casting of this spell.
Notes: Restricted to the drow; very rare.
