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Slashing Dispel Development Documentation
Written by: Bryce Aldemann
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The development of the spell I have dubbed 'Slashing Dispel' was a process initially prompted by an incident in my later Academic years, where my friend Caldin Brogue had been trying to develop a defensive Abjuration designed to absorb, AND reflect arcane missiles and the like to the attacker. When he thought he had a Zero-sum equation, he asked of me to aid him by being the first caster to test the spell so he could observe it's reactions.

I agreed wholehartedly, and was honoured to aid him in the developmental process of his own personal spell. Regrettably, however I ended up discovering that the spell while almost successful did have a critical flaw. While it would absorb the energies without question, it seemed to not be entirely capable of reflecting them, instead they would build, and the Sheild would destabilize. When it did, the energies within flowed inward, forcing me to channel the energy away before it overwhelmed me. A side effect seems to have manifested in the form of permanently altering my hair colour to Stark White.

After some analysis, we discovered that in the Shield's creation, there was a very slight break in what should otherwise be an entirely full Arcane circuit. Specifically though, this break subtle though it is , is found in other Incantations that affect oneself. However, unlike this particular one, the breaks are consistant and unshifting whereas the small breaks in the Shield themselves, were influenced by the energies being absorbed.

At about this point, we graduated from the Royal Academy of Cormyr and while he elected to take a Clerk's berth in the War Wizards, I chose to leave and come to the island of Amia. It was in the Tower of Mystra where I met Halen Von Calanor, who in passing had offered an alternative concept to my friend's Reflective shield, to achieve the same result. While talking of this, something came to mind in regards to dispelling techniques and how typically what they would do is simply place equivical Arcane pressure on the entirety of a spell affecting a person to disrupt it.

In thinking about the instability of the break, I pondered what would happen if instead of focusing the Arcane energies on an encompassing pressure, I modified my dispelling technique to instead seek out one of these breaks and disrupt it.

My first experiment with this modification of Dispellings was carried out with Mairin, a Weave Knight in service to the Tower. He was a moderately efficient Arcanist, who I was able to disrupt two thirds of his active spells in the barrage of Dispels I myself had used. Similar results occured with the second test series, and in the Third series of tests, I had managed to with three castings, completely remove the three spells he had brought up in the final test series I had done with him. No major modifications had come about at this point.

My second experiment, was with Xyrkha-Sarr Vanzan, a more potent Arcanist of general leanings from what I can glean. In the first test series, I could only bring down a Third. She at this point for practicing purposes, recommended I mix in the use of the 'Spell Breach' series of spells where possible. Combining them with my modified dispellings, I managed to dispel four of her six spells that she had brought up, two through conventional dispelling, two through 'Spell breaches'. In my third test series with her, I could only bring down two of her six spells through dispelling. She had offered a point regarding converting the process into a Transmutation which would force the arcane energy back into it's raw form. I pondered this, but did not actively take it into my equations as yet.

My third experiment series with this process was with a Druidess named Tindra Le'limiion. Against the first Test series, I was only able to render one of her six spells inert with four castings. In the Second test series, I dispelled Four spells of the six, with three cast spells, most of the spells having dropped with Greater Spell Breach. The Third test series, I managed to dispel three of her six spells, one of which from Greater Spell Breach. At about this point, I had began refining the process more.

My Fourth experiment series in this process, and Final was with Riia of the Weave Knights. In all three of my test series with her, I was unable to dispel any of the spells she had brought up. However, given as she is a Weave Knight, and I was in the process of trying to come closer to the spell I developed, I had not been able to find a specific hole to focus the breach in.

After these Test Series, I began by taking the spells 'Greater Spell Breach' and 'Dispel Magic' , and slowly worked towards removing characteristics from Dispel magic, such as the ability to use it over an area and instead of focusing the dispelling on either the spell as a whole, or an area of the spell, I managed to refine the nescessary incantations and balance between Greater Spell Breach's more narrow focus, and Dispel Magic's broad approach to the neutralizing of spells.

Eventually, after much refinement I successfully managed to make the spell work, specifically to be able to create an optical and auditory burst that also to a lesser extent must have directly influenced the mind as well in the disruption of spells. Though initially, the successful implementation of Slashing Dispel did not occur often, my first major success was against one 'Angel' Riker who elected to attempt to try to buck the law using potions to augment himself. When I cast Slashing Dispel on him, it stunned him sufficiently enough for Guard personnel to secure him. Possible refinements to the spell could entail trying to find components from Higher potency dispelling spells and similar, or components from other spells that could be written in to influence it.

The one disadvantage which I do not think can be escaped, is that I must focus the spell on a Singular target. This is however, quite reasonable.

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A footnote added by the Librarians of the Ruathym Monolith: It is evident based on the documentation recieved he had further intention to write more, but his passing came before he could accomplish such.