Firetrail - Dragon

The firetrail spell was developed by an ancient, and long-dead, red dragon named Thermal for a specific purpose: setting fire to towns and other settlements that the creature wanted to attack. This is a very rare spell, and only a few evil dragons are aware of it.

The spell must be cast by a dragon while in flight. As its name implies, it creates a trail of tiny, fiery droplets in the air behind the dragon. These droplets fall to the ground at a rate of 30 feet per round. When they touch the ground or any solid object, they burst into flame, each burning for only a few seconds but with the same amount of heat as a burning torch. This fire has an 80% chance of igniting anything flammable (usual modifiers apply for wet material, etc.). The length of the trail is 40 feet per effective level of the casting dragon. Thus, a red wyrm (effective level 20) could create a firetrail 800 feet long.

While the trail is still falling, it can be disrupted by spells like gust of wind or by natural winds. These effects won't prevent the droplets of the trail from reaching the ground, however; they just spread it out, possibly enhancing its effects. (The DM must carefully adjudicate this depending on circumstances.)

Although the spell's main purpose is to fire a town, firetrail can also cause serious personal damage. Anyone under the firetrail when it reaches the ground is struck by 1d20 droplets, each of which inflicts 1d2 points of damage (a saving throw vs. spell for half damage is allowed). Any creature foolish enough to fly through a descending firetrail is struck by 3d10 droplets, each inflicting 1d2 points of damage (save for half damage).

Notes: Restricted to dragons; known only to a few evil dragons. (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)