With this spell, a wizard causes the ground to vibrate violently, turning loose gravel and sand into deadly abrasives. The spell can be cast in the following terrains: rocky badlands, stony barrens, sandy wastes, salt flats, and boulder fields.
During the preparation time, the caster must enchant and mix the spell components, spending at least eight hours per day in isolation.
Once the enchantment is cast, the wizard shapes the area of effect. This totals ten 100 yard by 100-yard squares, plus five additional squares per level of the caster above 20th (a 25th-level wizard could, for example, lay them end to end in a barrier 100 yards wide and 3,500 yards, or just over two miles, long. The area of effect can be shaped as desired. The spell does not affect any vegetation in the area.
Any creature putting its full weight on the affected area suffers damage. The first round of contact inflicts 1 point of damage; the second round, one point of damage per Hit Die; on the third and subsequent rounds 1d3 points of damage per Hit Die. Especially tough footwear may postpone damage for one or, at most, two rounds. Creatures suffering more than half their total hit points in damage may be unable to free themselves from the area, at the DM's option.
The material components are sands caught in a driving wind and fragments of bone from creatures blasted clean in sandstorms.
Notes: Restricted to defilers and preservers, common.