Immediate Devolution
(Alteration, Divination)

Range:  10 yards + 2 yards per level
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  Permanent
Casting Time:  Special
Area of Effect:  One creature
Saving Throw:  Special

This spell is capable of returning a creature down the evolutionary scale to a form which would be considered a base ancestor of the creature. It can be cast in combat or a laboratory situation.
In the laboratory, where the wizard is able to have the specimen under strict observation and control, the spell scans the creature for any and all aspects which can be described as a product of evolution or environment in any form, whether normal or magical. This includes Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity, organizational habits, activity level, diet, alignment, natural Armour Class, movement speeds and forms, Hit Dice, natural fighting skills (THAC0, number of and attacks and the damage per attack in game terms), special attacks, special defences, magic resistance, size, grow patterns (for example, a frog begins as an egg, becomes a tadpole, polliwog, and finally a frog), and spellcasting ability. Also, the caster is able to determine what the lowest base form of the creature would be like if all abilities were reverted back to the most common ancestor of a varied species. So, all dragons would eventually become some prehistoric lizard, horses would become miniature prehistoric ponies, etc.
The laboratory version has a casting time of one round initially plus one round for every single item listed above which the wizard would like to discover (though DMs may want to expand on this). During the laboratory casting no saving throw is allowed to avoid the analysis of the creature in question and magic resistance is reduced by a factor equal to twice the level of the casting wizard. The creature must be held in relative security so that the wizard will not be disturbed by any distractions during the casting. An initial check against any magic resistance either avoids the entire spell or allows it to function.
At the end of the analysis the wizard may force the creature to revert back to a base form of its evolutionary scale. However, the surgical abilities of this spell allows the wizard to selectively alter the above listed aspects of the creature to conform to his analogy of what he would like removed. For example, if a wizard somehow captured an adult dragon and was able to analyze it, he would reduce its strength to that of a small lizard, but then he would have the problem of a multi-tonnage creature who was unable to life its own weight unless he also reduced its size. The caster is able to alter 1 aspect for every 3 levels of experience at a rate of 1 per round. Any interruption of the spell during the alterations leaves the creature at the state it retained in the previous round. The creature in question receives a saving throw versus spell at -4 every round a reversion is attempted (although, saving throws based upon Hit Dice may change during the casting of this spell). Success versus a change in one round does not prevent the wizard from attempting the same change the next round.
The combat version of this spell is somewhat more haphazard. It allows the wizard to point at a creature and state a number of reversions which he would like to take effect, up to a maximum of 3. The analysis phase is totally bypassed and the changes take effect in the next round. Backlash from the bypass automatically stuns the caster for 1d10 rounds and he must make a successful saving throw versus spell or be knocked unconscious for 1d10 turns. The creature must make a successful saving throw versus spell at -4 to avoid the effects of reversion. Magic resistance is checked with a penalty equal to twice the caster's level of experience. Whether or not the creature saves, it will be stunned for the same amount of time as the caster. The DM should make a quick list of possible changes and insert random changes for requested ones which would not fit the logical reversion of the creature. Just remember that taking away breath weapons might just make a creature angry!
Surgical removal can be very selective. Ability scores may only be lowered and reversions should never change more than a single aspect or attribute per round. Movement requiring wings may be stripped in one round, but the wings would take another round to remove. Ability scores can be reduced by 1 per round. Size can be reduced by a maximum of 10% per round. Hit points could not be affected, though Hit Dice could, therefore lowering the hit points of a creature. Claw attacks could be altered so as to cause a mere 1 point of damage per strike, or removed altogether (the creature simply forgets the attack form ever existed). The spell makes no moral alterations and cannot change attitudes concerning a certain idea. But, alignments can be altered one step per round towards a neutral aspect. The final product does not register as being a polymorphed creature (it is a true creature of the form it now embraces) and as such is unaffected by dispel magic. Devolution can also tell if a creature has been the target of the 7th-level evolution spell, 9th-level immediate evolution spell, or any other genetic advancing spells. It may be used to specifically counteract these effects, essentially returning a creature to its normal state. DMs should be free to play with the sanity of experiment subjects.
The material component of this spell is a vial of aqua vitae (the essence of life), which can only be made by a master alchemist. Aqua vitae may be purchased at the nominal price of 10,000 gp per vial due to its rarity and usefulness in creating artificial life forms. Laboratory, for means of this spell, simply means a non-combat situation. The source of this spell is the Telnorne Mageocrat.

