Stasis

Ability Type: Spell, Difficulty 19
Provided By: Basic Life Magic

Spell Type: Essence, Life Magic
Form: Direct Touch/Contained (touch required to cast, but spell remains contained within target)
Function: Utility
Power Cost: 1 to 6
Duration: Maintainable
Notes: Resisted (victim receives a +5 bonus to resist)

By freezing the flow of life-force within the target's body, Stasis locks them into a state of suspended animation for as long as it is maintained. As well as being useful for taking captives, Stasis is sometimes used to keep critically injured or ill subjects alive long enough for a treatment to be found – since all biological processes stop while Stasis is in effect, thus halting the progress of poisons, diseases and drugs and even stopping bleeding. Someone who is held in stasis can receive further injury while in this state, but cannot die until the spell ends.

In addition to its uses on the living, Stasis sees relatively widespread use as a method of preserving the recently deceased. If the spell is cast on a corpse before the life energy within it has fully dissipated, and before the target's spirit has gone on, then their body can be prevented from deteriorating – while the spell also helps to anchor their spirit. Although such cases are beyond the remit of ordinary healing magic, Stasis provides an opportunity to find a healer who is capable of performing a ritual of resurrection.

Stasis on a living body can be broken by magic designed to wake someone who is asleep, in such a situation the Waking Strength of the spell in question must equal or exceed the Waking Difficulty of Stasis. In addition Stasis is easier to resist than many spells, with potential victims granted a bonus to Resistance checks against it. Stasis has no affect on anyone whose Physique is greater than its Maximum Physique Affected.

Maximum Physique Affected: Power x 3
Waking Difficulty: Equal to Casting Total + 10
Physical Processes (ageing, hunger, effect of toxins, etc.): Stopped entirely