Mao Ceremony

4th-level necromancy (formula)

Casting Time: 1 hour (5 phases of 12 minutes and fails automatically if interrupted when cast as a formula)

Range: Self

Components: V, M (a gallon of blood from the target, which the spell consumes; collecting it over the course of the casting kills the target), D (5-foot-radius circle centered on target, using the target’s blood for the glyphs), SC (3 to 6, chanting from text; +1 bonus on nondiagram formula ability checks for every 3)

Formula Ability Checks: Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) DC 19 (diagram), Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) DC 19, Intelligence (Arcana) or Wisdom (Yog-Sothothery) DC 19

Formula Backlash: 4d4 psychic damage to primary caster and 4 psychic damage to secondary casters

Formula Failure: Magically frightened for 8 hours and one level of exhaustion

Duration: Instantaneous

You sacrifice a restrained giant or humanoid you touch to replenish the primary caster’s magical power. You can cast spells that deal damage to the sacrificial victim and make weapon attacks on the sacrificial victim with your action to continue casting the spell. If the victim dies within 1 minute of the casting time’s completion, the primary caster gains two spell slots, each of a different level less than or equal to half the sacrificed target’s challenge rating or level (maximum 5th). These spell slots can be gained in excess of the primary caster’s maximum number, but they are lost after the primary caster next gains or regains spell slots by any means.