Azura's Death Shadow
(Conjuration/Summoning, Necromancy)

Range:  0
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  1 day per level
Casting Time:  1 round
Area of Effect:  Person touched
Saving Throw:  None

Upon casting a death shadow, the wizard brings forth a special creature from the elemental plane of shadow. The recipient of the death shadow feels a chilling sensation followed by warmth as it merges with his actual shadow. Thereafter, once a situation occurs where the recipient takes a death stroke of any sort (failing to save versus poison, taking damage from an attack which causes death etc.) the shadow pushes him to a place of safety and takes the death stroke itself, disappearing in a black puff of smoke. The spell may last up to one day per spell level of the wizard before the shadow departs.
Note that the death shadow does not provide an instant escape route from certain death (being immersed in acid, falling off a cliff, etc.). It merely takes one death blow which would have normally killed the character, and there must be an immediate place of safety within 10 feet for the shadow to place its host. The material components for this spell are coal, special incense (value 200 gp), and a drop of blood, all of which are burned at the start of casting.

