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    Postfest IV: The Invoked Devastation
    Posted on Mon, April 04, 2005 by Dongul
    duicarthan writes "From Xodast’s Tome of Research comes a spell steeped in Suel arrogance. The very harbringer of their own doom. The Invoked Devastation!


    The Invoked Devastation
    By: duicarthan
    Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

    History of the Invoked Devastation

    The Invoked Devastation was a spell developed by Xodast Xuel-Crix, arguably one of the most brilliant minds of the last two millennia. Xodast, used an ancient and mysterious tome, titled the Codex of Infinite Planes. Within this tome, Xodast discovered the means to temporarily transpose one plane over another, effectively producing a major planar bleed. During this “bleed”, properties of the transposing plane would affect the entire area. Early experiments were tested within the confines of his various laboratories, with varying though staggering results. Though, it was not until he had tapped the Gray Wastes, that he discovered the true destructive power of such a planar conjunction. He quickly, scribed several scrolls on the process, and entered the entire experiment into his spellbook, (now called Xodast’s Tome of Research). Years later, while pouring over these notes, Xodast, developed a wondrous artifact used to enhance the effects of all spells that involve extraplanar activity or planar transposition. Fearing the epic implications of using such a device, he quickly secreted the device away with the vaults of the Royal Academy of Magic, and warned the headmasters that it was not to be used, for it was the bringer of all doom.

    Many years passed and Xodast’s work was all but forgotten until, the Suel, forewarned of impending cataclysm sought out the arcane device. The greatest of all the Suel wizards from each house (As listed below) were hastily summoned to the Imperial Council Chamber at the city of Xaxaellen. As the hour grew dim, they finally agreed to remove Xodast’s Tome of Research from the vaults and to activate the Bringer of Doom. Assembled in the grand Council Chamber, many of the spellcasters used various scrying devices to determine the width and depth of the magical assault they had been planning. Finally after much consultation, Xolan began casting of the ritual, aided by the other eleven wizards. Within minutes, a gout of grey smoke emitted from the bringer of doom as the spell struck the Baklunish Empire.

    Meanwhile, on the Baklunish plain, thick clouds of virulent grey vaporize all living matter they touch. As the decaying nature of the Gray Wastes bled into the Baklunish Empire, all life for hundreds of miles was annihilated in a single strike, leaving no trace of habitation. As the two planes bled into one nightmarish realm, thousands of hordlings of the Gray Wastes suddenly found themselves on the Prime Material Plane along with their master, the god Incabulos, whose realm was within the area. During this time, Incabulos delighted at the invitation to this realm, tore, rampaged and razed through the Baklunish capital of Udrukanka, on his gaunt nightmarish mount. He left a path of fallen souls under his great scythe.

    As horrible as this was, the Bakluni were not completely annihilated. Gathering at the sacred site of Tovag Baragu, they gathered and prepared their counterstrike.

    The Twelve Suel Mages of Power
    1. Slerotin, House Zelred
    2. Rellimirck, House Rhola
    3. Xiomara, House Malhel
    4. Maquel, House Zolax
    5. Saeryn, House Neheli
    6. Itzal, House Cruski
    7. Xolan, descendant of Xodast, House Xuel-Crix
    8. Ferrelen, House Shnai
    9. Jekova, House Fruztii
    10. Mareena, House Lerera
    11. Gargerenis, House Linth
    12. Kevellian, House Maure

    Invoked Devastation (Ritual)
    Conjuration [destruction]
    Spellcraft DC: 56 or with artifact boost 65
    Components: V, S, Ritual, XP
    Casting Time: 10 minutes
    Range: (See below)
    Effect: 1d6 damage/ level (60ft. radius) or with artifact boost 1d6 damage/ level per round (900 mile radius)
    Duration: Instantaneous or with artifact boost 1 round/ level.
    Saving Throw: None
    Spell Resistance: No
    To Develop: 360,000 gp; 8 days; 14,400 XP. Seed: destruction (DC 29). Factors: Vaporization (+10 DC), No Spell Resistance +10, 1d6 Damage/ Level, max 35. (+15 DC), Range (Long 400ft. + 40ft./ level), 60ft. radius (+2 DC); Mitigating Factors: burn 1,000 XP (-10 DC)

    Factors with artifact boost: Vaporization (+10 DC), No Spell Resistance +10, 1d6 Damage/ Level per round (+45 DC), Extended Duration (+20 DC), Unlimited range on current plane (+200 DC), 900 mile radius (+200 DC); Mitigating Factors with artifact boost: eleven additional casters contributing an epic-level spell slot (–209 DC), burn 2,000 XP per caster (-120 DC), Artifact contributor (-120 DC).

    Casting this spell invokes the decaying nature of the Gray Wastes to transpose over the current targeted plane area. (In this case boosted by the bringer of doom, a device rumored to intensify spell effects that involve planar bleeds from one plane to another. As detailed in Manual of the Planes pg. 220).

    The spell completely destroys anything it touches, whether it is plant or animal. A near invisible gray mist sweeps through an area obliterating all life. Any target hit by this spell suffers 20d6 points of damage/ round for 1 round per level of the spellcaster. If a target is reduced to –10 hit points or less (or a construct, object, or undead is reduced to 0 hit points), it is utterly destroyed as if disintegrated. Yet in this case even the dust is vaporized leaving behind no remains whatsoever.
    XP Cost: 1,000 or 2,000 XP (per caster).

    Exceptional thanks to the following reference: Secrets of the Twin Cataclysms by Denis “Maldin” Tetreault

    "
     
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    Article Rating
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    Votes: 16


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    Associated Topics

    Arcana of OerthGreyhawk- D&D 3.0/3.5/D20/Pathfinder

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    Re: The Invoked Devastation (Score: 1)
    by Duicarthan on Tue, April 05, 2005
    (User Info | Send a Message | Journal) http://www.greyhawkonline.com/duicarthan
    It was kind of an afterthought.. but if anyone is interested the follwing post, the bringer of doom should probly go along with this.
    http://www.canonfire.com/cfhtml/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=597&mode=&order=0&thold=0



    Re: The Invoked Devastation (Score: 1)
    by GVDammerung on Wed, April 06, 2005
    (User Info | Send a Message | Journal)
    I like this post as well as the companion piece on the Bringer of Doom (I like this better, actually). I think you are correct. The two should go together as they have a natural relationship. You will otherwise split your vote. They are better together.



    Re: The Invoked Devastation (Score: 1)
    by Argon on Sun, April 10, 2005
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    It figures somebody called Dennis would have to put out a submissionthis good and I thought you were retired from posting new articles. Yes I think the two articles would of been better together however each one stands well on it's own.



    Re: Postfest IV: The Invoked Devastation (Score: 1)
    by peyre on Thu, August 08, 2019
    (User Info | Send a Message) http://peyre.x10.mx/
    I know this is a very old post, but I just ran across it.  I have found an even older post where Gary was asked about the Invoked Devastation.  He said there were no hordelings involved, and that some things did survive the Devastation.  Unfortunately the link no longer works, but this is what I copied when it was still up.  Maybe someone can find it on the Wayback Machine.

    Hello,

    ----- Message d'origine -----
    > On Fri, 12 May 2000, James Sullivan wrote:
    >
    > > I know the Suel destroyed the Baklunish in the Invoked Devastation and
    > > the latter destoryed the Suel in the Rain of Colorless Fire.  The Rain
    > > was a colorless near invisible fire that reduced the Suel Empire to
    > > ashes.  What I need to know is what did the Invoked Devastation do?  I
    > > know it destoryed most of the area know as the Dry Steppes, but doesn't
    > > give any details.
    > >  Any help?

    Here's what I saved from the subject :

    *******************************************************
    INVOKED DEVASTATION
    *******************************************************

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > In the Suloise-Bakluni wars there are two events that are a bit foggy,
    > namely, the Suel Invoked Devastation (ID) and the Baklunish Rain of
    > Colorless Fire (RoCF).  My questions are:
    >
    > #1: What was the nature of the Invoked Devastation (in the Monster Manual
    > II, under the hord[e]ling description you say: "The only known method of
    > drawing more than 1 hordling to the Prime Material Plane is the bringer of
    > doom, a strange device created by arcane magic during the Invoked
    > Devastation and now lost.")?

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    No!  hordelings were not a feature of the Invoked Devastation.  The Bringer
    of Doom was a MINOR artifact from the age, BTW.

    John R. Troy Wrote:
    > I believe the Invoked Devastation was a mass summoning of Hordelings (see
    > 1st ed AD&D, MM2), which then ended up war[r]ing with the entire Baklunish
    > Empire...the resulting war must have lasted weeks, and in that time the
    > entire civilization (such as cities, social works, people, and even the
    > ecology) was wrecked in the process.

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    Proves even JRT can err now and then ;)  However did you arrive at such an
    odd notion?  hordelings indeed!  They would have been littering the whole
    of oerth after cleaning up in the area in question.  Besides, a summoning
    can be countered by a summoning of opposing critters.  Trust me on this
    one, folks.  There were no masses of hordelings at all.

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > #2: What was the nature of the Rain of Colorless Fire (the 1983 WoG boxed
    > set only says "...in return for the terrible magical attack [ID], the
    > Suloise lands were innundated by a nearly invisible fiery rain which
    killed
    > all creatures it struck, burned all living things, ignited the landscape
    > with colorless flame, and burned the very hills themselves into ash.")?

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    No!  It was not thermonuclear.  It, the Rain of Colorless Fire, as was the
    Invoked Devastation a magic of incredible power not ABSOLUTELY LOST to
    Oerth--and especially to all NPCs and PCs alike.  What else?  One can't
    have DMs and/or players wiping out large portions of the world, can we?
    Nope . . . .

    So to all wondering about those mighty magical powers, FORGET THEM!!!

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > I am of course interested in the caster's[sic], type of spell, device, effects,
    > etc.  I just want to have a better grasp of the two events so that I can
    > run a campaign involving them.  The player's[sic] will be right in among the
    > catastrophes so I wish to be able to describe what is going on. Especially
    > if they try to intervene.

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    Sure, sure;)  If the PCs are to be there, they can kiss their "lives"
    goodbye.  What happened was a release of power akin to what a major god
    would employ, like one making land of sea.

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > Howdy All, Gary,
    >
    > O.K., Then in the split second the players have to live, or if they arrive
    > to see the aftermath of the Invoked Devastation, how would you describe
    > its effects.

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    Case One:  Argh!  Huge globs of transparent, slightly iridescent flame
    pouring from the sky . . . . everywhere.  Trees are aflame!  Houses are
    burning, even stone ones!  The soil is on fire!  In fact, I am being
    incinerated too :(

    Case Two:  Hey, guys.  Everything looks like all burned and covered with
    ashes and stuff.  Suppose there's been a bad fire here recently?  (Think of
    a flatter Mt. St. Helens without the downed trees . . .)

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > I know how to describe the effects of the Rain of Colorless Fire, as it is
    > detailed by you in the 1983 World of Greyhawk boxed set and in the earlier
    > folio:
    >
    > "...in return for the terrible magical attack [the Invoked Devastation],
    > the Suloise lands were innundated by a nearly invisible fiery rain which killed
    > all creatures it struck, burned all living things, ignited the landscape
    > with colorless flame, and burned the very hills themselves into ash."
    >
    > The Invoked Devastation, on the other hand, is a little more vague - are its
    > effects a massive, instantaneous disintegration?  Or is it a rapid erosion,
    > crumbling the Baklunish Empire in a sudden sweep of time - an unmaking of
    > things?  Are their[sic] ruins left behind?  Dead bodies?  What are the effects
    > on the landscape?

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    Here we have it, a very sound guess, all of which are correct, as I
    envisioned the effect.  A wave of *something* sweeps over the land.
    Buildings begin to crumble as if being powdered by an oerthquake, only the
    ground is not shaking.  All living things within the area are sickened,
    although some survive, most others are less fortunate.  The wind is black
    and howling, and under its strange force the work of the hands of man decays
    as if time were running a thousand times faster for such non-living matter.
    Living things suffer increased aging, but not so severely.  Trees grow
    suddenly, deplete their soil, and die.  Animals age and die.  Children
    become adults, but lacking the nutrients for growth die.  A handful of the
    young adult folk escape as near- and middle-aged wrecks.  The remains of the
    dead are visible for some period, but the habitations are naught but powder
    and dirt.  It is a desolate place that only time will restore.  In a
    score of years, though, the whole is covered by weeds and struggling plants,
    and slowly, as the bacteria and worms and insects make their way into the
    soil, the land becomes a wilderness that can support normal life again.

    Okay!  Not too eloquent, but it will have to do.  I am in a hurry;)

    Paul Stormberg Wrote:
    > More than adequate:-)  You just sated 16 years worth of wondering in one
    > parargraph!  Woo hoo! :-)  (-:  :-)  (That was a flip BTW.)

    Gary Gygax Wrote:
    Do not applaud, throw gold pieces, preferably old ones with numismatic
    value!


    SOURCE: http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0005b&L=greyhawk-l&P=7491





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