Death Smoke

This spell creates a dark, billowing, noxious cloud that cannot be burned or blown away. Those trapped in the cloud fight as if in total darkness (even creatures with infravision, ultravision, or echo-location). In addition, they suffer 6d4 points of damage for each round of contact, unless they have no need to breathe (e.g., undead or non-living things) or are protected in some manner vs. poisons. When the spell duration ends, the smoke fades harmlessly away.

Like the fifth-level cloudkill spell, the death smoke is heavier than air. It seeks the lowest levels, flowing down stairs and into burrows.

Although it cannot be affected by natural or magical winds, the smoke can be deterred by physical objects in its path (such as a stone wall, or a wall of iron spell). If cast underwater, this spell causes a harmless burst of vapor that rolls water away for one round.

The material components of death smoke are a crushed insect or arachnid, plus a pinch of sand. Both are consumed by the casting.

Notes: Common in Arabian settings; very rare elsewhere.