Desolation

8th-level necromancy (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 hour

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (an obsidian acorn worth at least 500 gp, which is consumed in the casting)

Duration: 1 year

You plant an obsidian acorn in solid ground and spend an hour chanting a litany of curses to the natural world, after which the land within 1 mile of the acorn becomes infertile, regardless of its previous state. Nothing will grow there, and all plant life in the area dies over the course of a day. Plant creatures are not affected. Spells that summon plants, such as entangle, require an ability check using the caster’s spellcasting ability against your spell save DC.

On a successful check, the spell functions normally; if the check fails, the spell is countered by desolation. After one year, the land slowly reverts to its normal fertility, rejoining the march of nature. A living creature that finishes a short rest within the area of a desolation spell halves the result of any Hit Dice it expends. Desolation counters the effects of a bloom spell.

Ritual Focus. If you expend your ritual focus, the duration becomes permanent.