Retardant Hand

This spell retards the natural growth and maturation of an immature creature touched by the caster. The spell is temporary unless the creature has been neutered. If the creature has been neutered the spell is indefinite. The rate of retardation in growth and maturation depends on success: With the basic spell CS/MS = growth and maturation is 1/4th normal and the spell is indefinite; MF = no effect; CF = MS Verdant Hand (Fyvria/I). The spell will not affect normal growth and ageing of adult/sexual mature creatures. "Fade" (Fyvria/VI) with CS/MS will restore normal growth and maturation from the developmental point at which it is cast successfully if the spell is temporary. If the spell is indefinite "Fade" must be (Fyvria/VII) to work. In any event Retardant Hand fades when the effected creature enters puberty.

Bonus Effects: ML 51+: Touch is no longer necessary.
ML 76+: If the effected creature has been gelded/neutered prior to the casting there is, with CS, 50\% chance that the spell will become permanent. In case of gelding/neutering with MS the spell will be indefinite and growth/maturation with be 1/4th normal, and with MF the spell will be temporary.
ML 96+: With CS if the effected creature has been gelded/sexually neutered prior to the casting the spell will be permanent. With MS, the spell has a 50% chance of becoming permanent. With MF the spell is temporary unless the creature has been gelded/neutered in which case the spell is indefinite with growth at 1/4th normal. With CF the spell is temporary if the creature has been gelded/neutered with growth at 1/2nd normal otherwise there is no effect.

Notes: Retardant Hand is used to increase the value of pretty children intended for service as pleasure slaves. Boys, intended as catamites, are usually gelded prior to the casting of the spell and are usually enspelled at ages seven to nine. Shek-Pvar regard the casting of this spell, except on plants or animals for purposes of research by those Varian having a license to do such research, to be a violation of the first rule of the code.

If the creature has been gelded/neutered and the spell is indefinite maturation stops at the apparent age of about 18. If the creature receives the effect of a Regenesis at a ML of 71+ then, once the Regenesis is fully effective which will take at least 30 days after the creature has reached the physiological age at which it would normally have entered puberty, the spell is dispelled.

If the spell becomes permanent the creature will, one year after the spell is cast, start acquiring Sindarin additions to its basic attributes. These attributes are acquired at the rate of +1 for each eligible attribute per year until, after four years of attribute accrual, all attributes have received the maximum number of pluses. With the development of Sindarin attributes growth/maturation will be at 1/4th normal for the first four years, followed by eight years in which there will be no noticeable growth. Then growth will be at 1/8th normal for the next year, 1/16th normal, the year after that at 1/32nd, then 1/64th, 1/128th, and 256 more years for the victim appear to be about eighteen years old. Further effects after this point have not been studied. If "Fade" (Fyvria/VIII) is used to reverse the permanent effects of the spell then there is an 10% chance after Retardant Hand has been in effect for more then one year, a 25% chance after Retardant Hand has been in effect for more then two years, a 50% chance after Retardant Hand has been in effect for more then three years, and a 95% chance after Retardant Hand has been in effect for more then four years that the effect of a "Fade" (Fyvria/VIII) will be to cause the victim to start aging at 7 times the number of years that it has been developing Sindarin attributes plus the number of years it has had fully developed Sindarin attributes. For example if a victim has developed and had Sindarin attributes for a total of ten years it has a 95% chance of aging 70 years in the year after "Fade" is cast. For this reason honorable Shek-Pvar will test victims of Retardant Hand very carefully before attempting a "Fade" and if they believe that the spell has become permanent they will not attempt a "Fade" on it.

In this case Regenesis does not dispel Retardant Hand although it does reverse the effects of gelding/neutering. Casting of Regenesis is at a penalty of EML/1 to 4 depending on the progression of the Sindarin attributes. A second casting a year later is at an EML penalty of 50% of the first attempt. A third casting a year after the second is without penalty. It is best to wait a full year between castings to be sure the previous attempts have failed. Having two regenesis spells trying to do the same thing at the same time can produce some very odd effects!

This spell was first noted about TR 220 with one of the earliest known victims being Leoffled. The spell is believed to have been developed by a renegade Gray Virana named Egil. Most of the research on this spell was done at the Fyrvian Chantry of Gelimo in Melderyn. Among other creatures tested were a number of cats, where effects seem to be similar to those observed in humans. No solution has be found for the accelerated aging effects but those cat enchanted with permanent results four hundred years ago have matured to be adults but show no signs of old age as yet. It should be noted that in cat years these cats are about 3,500 cat years old and have long out lived the original group of researchers.

In addition to those Virana licensed to do research some other Shek-Pvar are licensed to have this spell in their Grimores for the sole purpose of being able to cast Fade upon victim's of temporary and indefinite enchantments.

Range: See description
Duration: See spell description