Unleash Monolith

A form of elemental summoning, this spell brings a barely sentient creature made of elemental matter to the Prime Material Plane. The creature, called an elemental monolith, is composed of either elemental fire, water, air, or earth-in accordance with the caster's calling. It proceeds to destroy everything and anything that stands in its way. It is stronger and less intelligent than an ordinary elemental of its type-and is therefore much more dangerous.

Ordinary elementals are detailed in the Monstrous Compendium Tome. The same statistics apply to monoliths, with the following changes: All monoliths have 30 Hit Dice. They are nonintelligent, and inflict twice as many damage dice as ordinary elementals. (The wind monolith inflicts 4d10, sand monolith, 8d8; flame monolith, 6d8; and the sea monolith, 10d6.)

It is not easy to open an interplanar gate to one of these creatures. A wizard must spend a full day of careful meditation and chanting to cast the spell. During that time, he may not rest, sleep, or eat, else the preparation is ruined. Any disturbance during that time also disrupts his casting, ruining the spell.

When the day ends, the caster must make a successful Constitution check to see if he has performed the spell correctly. If he has unleashed a monolith, he must make an immediate system shock roll. Bringing such creatures into this plane is stressful. If the system shock roll fails, the caster dies.

The monolith is uncontrolled upon arrival. Magic that normally brings elementals to “heel” has no effect on elemental monoliths. The creature sets about to destroy as much of the surrounding countryside as possible before the end of the spell's duration. When the spell expires, the monolith fades out, returning to its native land (provided it was not destroyed or banished earlier).

Given the time and risk involved, wizards tend to reserve this spell for a special occasion. If he intends to survive, the caster should plan an escape route of some type-e.g., a teleport or other gate. In that way, he can avoid the vengeance of the monolith, as well as that of any surviving citizenry.

The material component for this spell varies according to the type of monolith being summoned:

A sand monolith requires a huge amount of loose sand or dust. A stretch of beach or desert is sufficient; the material in a dusty, abandoned room or on a dusty street is not. The sand monolith resembles a huge, 30-foot-tall humanoid made of dripping sand. Its eyes are yellow and glowing. Its maw is wide, open, and lipless.

Aflame monolith requires a great amount of fire. The flame from a burning building (or another fire this size) is sufficient. The fire does not have to be burning during the entire casting time, but it must be present for the conclusion of the spell. The flame monolith appears as a 30-foot-long serpent with jade-green eyes and ivory fangs, which drip hot magma.

A wind monolith requires a huge amount of moving air, such as that of a storm front, hurricane, or tornado. Such conditions are not required throughout the entire casting time, though they are required at its conclusion. The storm can be magically created by someone other than the monolith's caster. The wind monolith is a 30-foot-tall thunderhead with a humanoid shape. Its eyes appear as lightning bolts all over its body.

A sea monolith requires at the very least a small lake, and more likely a good-sized chunk of ocean. Anything less causes the spell to fail. Once conjured, the sea monolith appears as a 30-foot-tall humanoid mass of water with wide, thick limbs. Sea creatures may be seen swimming within the monolith's body. The monolith's eyes are a hellish red.

Notes: Common for spellcasters from an Arabian setting; otherwise, very rare.