Chip
(Alteration)

Range:  30 feet
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  Permanent
Casting Time:  1
Area of Effect:  One cubic yard of ice per level
Saving Throw:  None

This spell causes a volume of ice to crack and chip away. This spell starts at the point closest to the caster, and chips one cubic yard every half round. Note that the pieces remaining can be rather sharp. The wizard can also use this spell to loosen densely packed snow into powdery snow. The spell will affect one five foot cube of snow per level, each cube taking half a round to loosen. If used against an ice based creature (para-elemental), it will do 1d3+1 points of damage per level of the caster, save for half (duration instantaneous). Note that a non-solid snow based creature would take only 1 point of damage per level, save for half. Cold related creatures (white puddings, white dragons, etc.) take no damage from this spell. The material component is a hand sized ice pick, which must have a metal head, which is unharmed by the casting of this spell.
Note that the Katti'n tribes had access to native copper, as well as very basic metal working skills (they had copper swords, axes, and arrow heads, so hand sized ice picks were available). This spell is useful for creating a storage niche or even an impromptu shelter in a large ice mass, but it does not guarantee structural integrity. Still, a 10-foot cube hole in a one-mile long glacier will generally be safe.

