Transmute rock

Transmute rock to mud was a transmutation or alteration spell that transformed natural stone into an equivalent volume of viscous mud. The reverse of this spell, transmute mud to rock, caused normal mud or quicksand to become a solid but brittle quantity of stone (like alabaster, pipestone, or sandstone) of equal volume.

Effects
This spell only worked on uncut, un-worked rock. Any shaping, polishing, or other alterations by non-natural processes prevented the transformation. The maximum depth of stone that could be changed was 10 ft (slightly over 3 m). Upon transformation, gravity caused the mud to fall, slide, ooze, subside, or pour to the lowest level possible. Any creatures or objects that were using the rock for support rapidly sank partway into the mud unless they were able to climb, fly, levitate, or use other means to escape.

Falling mud was likely to cause damage to any beneath the affected area. If cast on the ceiling of a cavern, structural integrity could possibly be compromised, causing further damage and destruction. The change was permanent until dispel magic or the reverse of this spell was successfully cast on the affected area. Note that restoring the material to its original composition did not necessarily restore its original shape.

Components
This spell required verbal, somatic, and material components to cast, including a small amount of clay and water. Divine spell casters could use their divine focus in place of the material components. Transmute mud to rock required verbal, somatic, and material components as well, including a pinch of sand, lime, and some water.

In the Rashemen spellcasting tradition of the vremyonni the somatic component and the material component for this spell was to toss a ball of wet clay at the area to be effected by the spell.

History
The arcane version of this spell was invented by Netherese arcanist Proctiv in and was originally called Proctiv's rock-mud transmutation.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Council of Blades