Publication:Unearthed Arcana/Fires of Dis (Incantation)

This incantation, dreamed up by insane cultists, opens a fell rift between the Material Plane and Dis, the fiery second layer of the Nine Hells. This rift brings about a massive conflagration that destroys almost everything in the immediate area, then releases a powerufl devil who capers over the smoldering ruins and begins to rampage across the countryside. The fires of Dis ignite everything they touch- except for the caster, who is transported to Dis as the result of the incantation's backlash.

When the incantation is complete, the fires of Dis fill an 80-foot-radius spread around the caster's former location, dealing 18d6 points of fire damage (Reflex half) to all creatures and objects. Additionally, everything flammable in that radius is now on fire.

In the following round, a pit fiend comes through the rift, which then closes. The creature begins to destroy everything in sight.

Material Component: Rare unguents and dark alchemical concoctions worth 5,000 gp.

XP Component: 1,000 XP

Backlash: The caster is knocked unconscious and transported to Dis (no save).

Extra casters: Six required; they chant choruses and supplications to various dark deities throughout the incantation.

Campaign Use: Obviously, the backlash component is significant enough that most PCs will not seriously consider casting this incantation. But even a low- to mid-level character has a decent chance of making all the skill checks without failing twice in a row, so the incantation could show up in a number of different circumstances. For instance, the PCs must discover who stole rare alchemical compounds. A routine investigation takes on new urgency when the PCs find out that the missing vials can be the material component for a fires of Dis incantation.