Lower Water (spell)

Lower Water

Range	20 ft./level
Duration	10 rounds per level
Area of Effect	20 ft. cube per level
Casting Time	2 rounds
Saving Throw	none
Level	cleric (4th)

Causes water in the area of effect to sink away. The water is not destroyed, it is driven back.

Water that is adjacent to that being lowered will not rush in to take its place; instead, it will hold its place, so that the cleric will be able, in effect, to create a pathway between walls of water for the duration of the spell.

The sinking process will require 1 round per 8,000 cubic feet to be lowered.

If the source of water is sufficiently shallow enough that all the water may be driven away to the bottom, then the ground revealed will be dry as a bone. Otherwise, a trough or ‘hole’ will be created which shows water as its bottom.

Once the duration ends, the water lowered (and any adjacent water) will sweep back into the emptied area — sufficiently fast enough to sink rowboats or drown persons unable to swim — those who can swim, who are caught in the wake, must make a dexterity check or be drown also.

The reverse of the spell, raise water, will cause an equal amount of water to rise up—provided there is a water table from which is will rise.

The raising process, if done from an inexhaustible open water source, will require 1 round per 4,000 cubic feet to be raised. If done from a water table beneath the ground, the raising process will require 1 round per 1,000 cubic feet to be raised.

This water will hold its cubic shape for the duration of the spell, but when the duration is past (or the magic dispelled), the water will rush outwards in every direction. The following will occur per 20’ x 20’ x 20’ cube able to have an effect (i.e., is higher than the person or thing affected).

Medium or small-sized creatures will be swept d4 x 5’ and suffer 1-3 damage; large creatures will be swept zero or 5’ (d2) and suffer 1 damage. Sailboats or rowboats on water have a 5% or 15% chance of floundering; large ships on water will be pushed back but otherwise unaffected. Constructions of wood on the ground smaller than 10’ cubed will be destroyed 10% of the time and will lose doors, shutters, windows and their interiors be flooded; larger wooden constructions will suffer likewise but will not be destroyed. Stone structures will turn the water aside.