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PriestLv. 4

Control Giant Insect

This spell works on any giant or magically enlarged insect that fails a saving throw vs. spell. Only one insect can be controlled per spell. The insect cannot be used as a steed by the caster because of the particular nature of the magic, which enables the caster to precisely control the insect from afar. This involves the caster making movements that are imitated as precisely as possible by the insect (given differing body types). Thus, a priest could force a beetle to follow a complex route, pull a lever, push chess pieces about on a board, and perform other complex tasks, to the limits its body allows.

This spell (originally known as control aratha) was developed by the priests of the Dawnspire in Myth Drannor to enable them to control local giant killer beetles, or arathas, and force them to serve as temple guardians.

The material component is a scale, piece of chitin, or body part of the same type of insect. This can be a dried husk or remnant, and can be from any size of related insect (for example, a giant wasp can be controlled using the wing of a normal wasp).

Notes: Common for priests of Lathander of the Forgotten Realms setting; otherwise, uncommon to very rare.

Sources: Priest's Spell Compendium

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