>The one where they take a deep breath and blow you into the next room....is that considered a spell or a maneuver?

Well, it ain't a spell...

[Elemental Confluence]
The ground slopes sharply downward as a constant flow of mud erodes its surface. At the bottom of the hill, a lake of bubbling mud is blanketed by a noxious miasma. A spire of metamorphic rock rises from its center, accusingly pointed skyward. You also see a huge ice elemental, a huge air elemental, the Raincail disk and the Kaldonis disk.
Also here: House Envoy Raincail
Obvious paths: north, northeast, east, southeast, west
You feel mana pulse within the area, but it does not reach you.
>incant 703
A salty sea breeze stirs as you chant an old sailor's ditty, invoking Corrupt Essence.
Your spell is ready.
You gesture.
CS: +495 - TD: +414 + CvA: +25 + d100: +32 == +138
Warding failed!
A huge ice elemental is suddenly surrounded by a blood red haze.
CS: +495 - TD: +419 + CvA: +25 + d100: +63 == +164
Warding failed!
A huge air elemental is suddenly surrounded by a blood red haze.
Cast Roundtime 3 Seconds.
Raincail quietly asks, "Mind if we head off actually?"
Your silk cloak feels somewhat heavier.
A huge ice elemental pounds at you with an icy fist!
AS: +450 vs DS: +592 with AvD: +38 + d100 roll: +26 = -78
A clean miss.
You exhale a virulent green mist toward a huge ice elemental, but it is unaffected.
Another fist bursts forth from the ice elemental!
A huge ice elemental pounds at you with an icy fist!
AS: +450 vs DS: +592 with AvD: +38 + d100 roll: +39 = -65
A clean miss.
You exhale a virulent green mist toward a huge ice elemental, but it is unaffected.
A huge air elemental takes a deep breath, opens its mouth and blows a forceful gust of air at you!
You stand your ground as the air blasts by you!