Magma Serpent
Cost: 15sm, 1wp
Keywords: None
Duration: One scene
Calling to the Essence of fire and earth that roils deep beneath her, the sorcerer wills a single tentacle of lava to erupt from the ground, shaking the earth as it bursts forward in torrents of molten stone. She designates where it appears, out to as far as long range from her. This single tentacle forms the Magma Serpent. It Joins Battle with the sorcerer's (Wits + Occult), with a base Initiative of the sorcerer's Essence. Anyone who is standing in close proximity to where the Serpent emerges must make a difficulty 2 (Dexterity + Athletics) roll to avoid it, or else be flung one range band away and knocked prone by its eruption.

The Magma Serpent may act on its turn to make a withering or decisive attack, grapple an enemy, or wreak general havoc on the scenery. It uses the sorcerer’s (Intelligence + Occult + Essence) for all attack and feat of strength rolls, and it can strike out to short range from its location. If it becomes necessary for the Serpent to make a roll for another action, such as opposing an enemy’s stealth attempt, its dice pool is equal to the sorcerer’s ([Relevant Attribute] + Occult + Essence). The Magma Serpent has Parry and Evasion values of 5, and 10 points of soak.

Withering attacks made by the Magma Serpent are treated as medium artifact weapons with the lethal, grappling, and reaching tags. Decisive attacks add the sorcerer’s Essence to their base damage. The Serpent may only attempt to grapple a single enemy each turn, and receives a flat total of (five + sorcerer’s Essence) successes on the control roll.

Destroying scenery such as setting fire to vegetation, melting through stone walls, or uprooting statues counts as a feat of strength. The Serpent is treated as having Strength 10 for determining the feats it may attempt, and doubles 7s on the roll.

The Magma Serpent cannot be grappled or defeated with standard decisive attacks; destroying the Serpent instead requires a difficulty 5 gambit, stunted in a way that could reasonably disrupt a living pillar of molten stone. At the end of the scene, the Serpent or its broken remains harden into obsidian and remain fixed where they stand or lie.

A sorcerer who knows Magma Serpent as her control spell is forever chased by magmatic flame. An open fire curls into tentacles around her, or a torch flame licks out from its sconce to light her pipe. When she is angry, the walls or ground become blistered and hot, with faint tentacle shapes writhing in rising smoke. The sorcerer can use these effects to intimidate, set fires, melt minor obstacles and perform other similar stunts.

Distortion (Goal Number: 10): Distorting a Magma Serpent renders it incapable of perceiving and attacking the distorting sorcerer as well as all allies within close range of her (though this is of limited use if it is already grappling her). If this distortion renders the Serpent incapable of perceiving any enemies at all, it will begin to lash out at random in hopes of striking a hidden foe.