New Vivimancer Spell: Nature's Secrets

A little taster of what I've been working on recently.

This spell is basically a mixture of the druidic commune with nature and the magic-user's contact other plane, with some vivimantic flavour and twists.


Nature's Secrets
Level: 5th
Duration: See below
Range: ½ mile radius per level

This spell grants the vivimancer the ability to interpret information from the subtle whisperings of plants, fungi and creeping creatures of the undergrowth. The spell may be used in two ways, as follows.

Firstly, the caster may gain mundane knowledge of the area within range. One fact per caster level may be gained, from among the  following subjects: the ground or terrain, plants, minerals, bodies of water, people, general animal population, presence of powerful unnatural creatures, or even the general state of the natural setting. It takes 1 turn to cast this version of the spell.

Alternatively, the caster may delve deeply into the alien intelligence of the natural world in order to receive advice and information on any subject. The vivimancer may ask as many questions as he wishes, and will receive answers in the form of riddles or cryptic statements with a 75% chance of containing hints at the truth – the vast and subtle intelligence of the natural world is so radically different to human intelligence that straightforward answers can never be obtained. Each question asked in this way carries with it a risk of insanity, as the caster opens himself to the inhuman mind of nature. A saving throw versus spells is required, with failure causing the caster to be afflicted with a form of insanity lasting for 1d4 weeks. The saving throw is penalized by -1 per question asked beyond the first. This process takes one hour per question asked.

It is known that some vivimancers drive themselves into a state of permanent insanity through seeking deep knowledge of the universe in this manner.