Sillvatar's Flamestaff
(Enchantment/Charm, Invocation/Evocation)

Range:  0
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  1 round per level
Casting Time:  5
Area of Effect:  Special
Saving Throw:  1/2

This spell will enchant one normal staff with a temporary magical dweomer. In order to cast this spell, a ruby worth at least 300 gp is bound to the end of the staff; this gem will glow with a soft light as long as the spell is in effect. This spell may have one of two effects as decided at the time of the casting: the staff may be used to discharge a fireball as per the spell; this will have all the effects (including dice of damage) as if the wizard had cast a fireball; discharging the fireball has a casting time of 1. If used in this manner, the spell expires after the fireball is used, or after 1 round per level of the wizard has passed (if not used in that time, the spell dissipates, and has no effect).
Alternately, the wizard may employ a number of lesser effects: if the staff scores a hit in combat, the staff will discharge a burst of flames that will engulf the target; these flames inflict 1d4 points of damage, plus 1 point per level of the wizard (up to a maximum of 1d4+20). A successful saving throw versus spell reduces the damage by one half; if the saving throw fails, all possessions must save versus magical fire, or be consumed. The staff may be used in this manner once per five levels of the wizard (to a maximum of 4 times). If the staff misses its targets, no charge is used (nor may the wizard elect to do so); a charge is used only if a hit is scored. If all charges are not used in 1 round per level of the wizard, the spell dissipates, and all remaining charges are lost.
The only material components for this spell are the staff and the ruby; the ruby is consumed when the spell ends, but the staff is not affected.

