Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

casting it monthly means you do not need to keep ordering it. its effect is to summon a few vinemen or a single orgre (multiple ogres if cast by master druids, vine kings or models wearing an ivy crown) and ogres (being the more popular of the 2) are often used as meatshields (especially for mans longbows ect)

Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

The spell itself is a ritual, which creates vinemen. Vinemen are mindless units. Mindless units die, instead of retreating, if all commanders are dead or routing. Normal commanders who don't know magic can command Vine men, while mindless undead need a Death or Blood mage or an undead commander. They would die if living commanders are left, but all commanders that could command undead are dead or routing.

Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

summon vinemen and summon vine ogres are ritual spells, not battlefield spells. they summon permanent troops of the relevant variety. Currently, summon vineogres is probably the cheapest way to accumulate a bunch of reasonably tough frontline troops. If you press "shift + M" on the relevant summoning mage it will give you the option to set that mage to auto-cast the spell each month.

Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

To clarify, vinemen and vine ogres are summoned outside of battle, and they do NOT go back to their "slumber state" after you summon them.

They stick around unless you are in a battle and your commanders all die or retreat.

Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

Thanks for all the clarification. I misread the manual. I did not realize that they remain as permanent troops.
BTW, are they still summoned even if the ritual mage enters battle on that turn?

Re: Temple Marsh/Empoisoners question
 

Yes, rituals happen before troop movement. Be sure to consult the stickied FAQ at the top, it has a lot of good info. Turns are executed in phases (ritual spells, assassinations, preaching, and so forth) and knowing the phase order is useful when planning coordinated actions.