Summon monster VIII was a powerful arcane conjuration spell and one of the series of summon monster spells available to spellcasters. Its use was first recorded around the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR.[1]
Effects[]
This spell summoned a powerful extraplanar monster to aid the caster. Besides greater elementals, it could summon lillends, hellcats, or vrocks. It also summoned celestial versions of dire bears or triceratopses; fiendish versions of the largest monstrous centipedes, spiders as big as houses, dire tigers or tyrannosauruses could be summoned.[1]
In aquatic environs only, the spell could summon a celestial cachalot whale or fiendish giant squid.[1]
Good-hearted casters could use this spell to call upon hollyphants, lupinals and warden archons.[5]
More rarely, some black-hearted casters learned to summon solamiths using this spell.[6]
The version most popular prior to 1372 DR summoned instead a number of monsters native to the Prime instead. The number varied between one and three in all cases, and there was a delay of up to three minutes:[7] the summons could be answered by giant rhinoceros beetles, fire giants, frost giants, stone golems, gorgimeras, hydras, brown puddings, remorhazs, rust monsters, will-o'-wisps, and purple worms.[8]
In freshwater, the summons could be answered by giant sea slugs, dragon turtles, kuo-toa monitors, and mottled worms. In saltwater, it could bring forth eyes of the deep, dragon turtles, krakens, giant sharks, the largest of vodyanoi, killer whales, small herbivore whales, and mottled worms. However, the summoned kraken or a vodyanoi were too willful for the spell's power to control them completely, and were they commanded to act against their nature, there were a slim chance they might spurn the spell's yoke on their intentions and act free-willed for as long as the summon lasted.[9]
Components[]
In addition to verbal and somatic components, this spell required as its focus a small bag and tiny candle to cast. The candle did not need to be lit for the spell to function.[1]
History[]
This spell was used by Dyrr, the Lichdrow of Menzoberranzan.[10]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
- summon monster I
- Summon monster II
- Summon monster III
- Summon monster IV
- Summon monster V
- Summon monster VI
- Summon monster VII
- Summon monster IX
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 285–287. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
- ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 95. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
- ↑ Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 95. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), p. 190. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ (July 2007). Monster Manual V. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 29. ISBN 0-7869-4115-4.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 190. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), pp. 377–378. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 378. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Richard Baker (October 2003). “Rogues Gallery: The Heroes of the War of the Spider Queen, Part 2”. In Chris Thomasson ed. Dragon #312 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 84–85.