Snow Tread

Dragon Magazine #229]]

This rather simple but valuable spell allows those affected to tread through snow without fear of slipping and at their normal movement rate, thus making it possible for the recipients to travel through terrain covered with ice and snow without being bogged down (ignore modifiers for snow when determining the daily movement rate for the party, including the approximate time needed to complete the trip). Another benefit offered by this spell is that it makes it harder for others to follow the party, for it magically brushes snow into the tracks behind them (-3 penalty on top of all other tracking modifiers). Up to five creatures can be affected by the snow tread spell, plus one additional creature per level of the caster over 5th level (a total of 10, maximum).

The material component of the spell is the snow or ice that is to be traversed, in which the caster traces the last words of the spell (a sure sign that the spell is in effect is that the traced words are swept away by its magic).