Magic

Sorcery

There are three aspects to sorcery: rituals, spells, and skills. Full discussion of ritual magic is found in the next chapter, Ritual Magic, in this book. The rest of this chapter is composed of the spells and skills of sorcery.

Spell Concepts

A user of sorcerous magic has a percentage chance to successfully cast spells, which is increasable through experience. His spell-manipulating skills allow him to alter the casting range, duration, intensity, and number of spells cast. His proficiency in such skills can be increased only by research or training.

Spell Limits

All sorcery spells cost one magic point each to cast (unless the spell is manipulated), and each requires one point of INT to memorize. If not otherwise indicated, the casting range of all spells is 10 meters, and the duration of effect of all spells is 10 minutes.

Memorizing Spells

Any number of sorcery spells can be learned by any one sorcerer, provided that he can find a teacher to teach him or a book from which he can learn. Each memorized spell requires allocation of one point of INT for that purpose. A sorcerer may never learn more spells than he has INT. However, sorcerers also require INT to use their sorcery skills.

Learning New Spells

New spells can be gained through training under another sorcerer or through researching an ancient scroll or book that contains spells.

To begin learning a spell, the adventurer must spend two weeks in either uninterrupted study supervised by a teacher or spend a full month on research. Payment for this study is a month of work or 100 drachma (depending on the prestige of the instructor). At the end of the study period the player must roll D100 equal to or less than the character’s INT X3. If the roll is successful, then the sorcerer has learned the spell and has a beginning percentage in the spell of 1d6 plus the average of their INT and PSY scores. A failed roll indicates that the adventurer failed to learn the spell and must repeat the entire procedure.

Increasing Spell-Casting Chance

An adventurer can increase his or her ability to cast sorcery spells through the use of the Spellcraft skill and through a standard experience check. Using the Spellcraft skill to temporarily increase a magician’s spell casting skill is described under the Spellcraft skill.

Concentration

Sorcerers must maintain concentration when casting spells. This limits them to no more than a simple nod or shake of the head in response to simple questions, a movement rate of no more than a half-meter per strike rank, and no Dodge or Parry in response to physical attacks while casting. If a sorcerer sustains damage while casting a spell, his player can try to roll D100 equal to or less than the caster’s INT X 3 to maintain adventurer’s concentration. If a sorcerer’s concentration is broken while he is casting a spell, then the spell is automatically aborted. A sorcerer automatically loses his concentration if he goes into shock or unconsciousness.

Aborting a Spell

A sorcerer can abort the casting of his spell at any time. He loses the time spent in the casting plus one magic point. A spell once cast ordinarily cannot be aborted, although an active spell can be stopped by deliberately shifting concentration.

Boosting Spells

A sorcerer may boost his spells by adding additional magic points to the spell. This may help the spell overcome defensive magics. Each additional magic point added to the strength of a spell increases the time needed to cast the spell by one strike rank. Abortable spells that are boosted can be aborted without loss of additional magic points.

Incompatible Spells

Some spells cannot be cast on the same target without use of the Multispell skill. When a spell is cast on a target which is already influenced by an incompatible spell, then only the spell with the greater magic point value takes effect. If the spells are of equal value, then the already-existing spell remains in effect.

Combining Spells

Different spells cast by the same sorcerer cannot be combined unless he uses his Multispell skill. Spells cast by different sorcerers cannot be combined at all.

Spellcraft

With the spellcraft skill a sorcerer can alter the basic qualities of a spell; he can manipulate the intensity, range, and duration of a single spell, he can combine the effects of several different spells so that those effects occur at the same instant and strike the same target, and he can extend the casting of a spell to increase his chances of success.

Beginning Spellcraft Skill Percentage: The initial training period for a the spellcraft skill is equal to two weeks (100 hours) with access to appropriate scrolls or instruction. At the end of that time the magician’s player must make a roll less than INT X3. If successful, the adventurer will gain their Sorcery skill category bonus in the spellcraft skill.

Increasing Spellcraft: The spellcraft skill can be increased through research and training. Refer to the Game System chapter in the Player’s Book for a full treatment of the research and training rules.

Using Spellcraft: There are five different abilities of spellcraft that a sorcerer can use: Intensity, Duration, Range, Multispell, and Ceremony. Only Ceremony may be applied to a ritual.

The Five Spellcraft skill abilities:

Intensity

All sorcery spells have an automatic intensity of one. Sorcerers can increase the intensity of a sorcery spell with this skill. Each magic point added to the cost of a spell can increase the multiplied intensity of the spell by one. One magic point of intensity added to a spell doubles the effect of the spell in a general fashion, while 2 magic points added triples the intensity of the spell for general applications. See the Spell Description section of this chapter.

Duration

The normal duration of a sorcery spell is 10 minutes. This skill increases the duration of a spell’s effects. Each additional magic point spent using this skill doubles the duration of the spell. The Duration/Cost table below summarizes durations and magic point costs.

Range

This skill manipulates the range of a spell. The basic range for sorcery spells is 10m. Each additional magic point added to the cost of a spell doubles the spell’s range. This is summarized on the Range/Cost table below.

Multispell

With this skill the sorcerer can combine the effects of two or more spells so that they affect the same target in one casting. First determine the magic points required for each of the combining spells. Each spell may be manipulated by the spellcraft skill. Add up the magic points of all spells to be cast together, and the result is the total magic point cost that must be provided by the caster. For each spell combined in this way the

Ceremony

With this skill, the sorcerer can exchange time for increased spellcasting ability. Add 1d6% to the Spell or Ritual roll for each increment (rounds/hours) they spend casting. The bonus cannot exceed the caster’s INTx3. There is no magic point cost for this Spellcraft skill.

Use Procedure

To be successfully cast, sorcery spells require chant, gesture, and concentration. All of these elements must be present for a sorcerer’s spells to work. If a sorcerer loses a hand or tongue, then he will have to relearn to cast magic, and all of his sorcery spells and skills drop to one-quarter of their original percentages.

During the Statement of Intent phase of the melee round, the sorcerer’s player declares that his adventurer is casting a spell and states the spells target.

Determining Strike Rank

The number of strike ranks needed to cast a spell equals the DEX strike rank of the sorcerer plus one strike rank for each magic point involved in casting the spell. A sorcerer can choose any strike rank of a melee round on which to begin casting a spell. The time required to cast a spell is counted from the melee round strike rank on which the spell casting begins.

If a spell requires more than 10 strike ranks (including strike ranks for magic points spent, the DEX strike rank, and boosting magic points), then more than one melee round is needed to cast the spell. A spell requiring 37 strike ranks will take 3 melee rounds plus 7 strike ranks to cast if the casting began on strike rank 1.

Determining the Success of the Cast

At the end of the round that the sorcerer completes his spellcasting, On the strike rank that the sorcerer completes his spellcasting, the player of the sorcerer rolls percentile dice for a simple success based on his character’s chance of casting the spell. If the roll is equal to or less than the sorcerer’s simple success chance then the casting was successful and the spell takes effect. The player of the magician must mark off the magic points used in casting the spell as soon as the casting is completed. If the player’s percentile die roll was a critical success, then the spell will only cost his character 1 Magic Point and the spell will take effect as usual.

If the roll was greater than the sorcerer’s chance of casting the spell but less than a fumbled roll, then only one magic point is lost and the spell has no effect. If the roll was fumbled, then all magic points used in the spell’s casting are lost as if the spell roll were successful, but there is no spell effect.

Using Spellcraft Skills

A sorcerer may use one or more spellcraft skills to manipulate a spell. Total the magic point costs for each skill for the final cost. The sorcerer’s chance of successfully casting a spell is equal to his lowest ability in his modified spellcraft skill and the spells involved in the casting of that spell.

Limits to Manipulating Spells

A sorcerer can perform a limited number of manipulations upon his spells, as determined by his free INT. Each raising of the level intensity, duration, and/or range requires one point of free INT. Sorcerers can never cast spells that require more free INT than they possess. Sorcerers may forget spells (at one spell per hour) to gain more free INT.

Subtracting Magic Point Costs

Once the spell is cast, the player must subtract from the adventurer sheet all of the magic points used in the spellcasting. The number of magic points that must be subtracted are equal to the total magic point cost of the spell.

Sorcery

Command

A combination of magical compulsion, negotiation and willpower, the Command skill is used to direct the actions of a summoned magical entity. A Command test is always opposed by the summoned creature’s Persistence. If the sorcerer is successful, the creature is compelled to carry out a single task in line with its nature and abilities. An air elemental can be commanded to carry the sorcerer over a ravine, for instance, but could not be commanded to provide permanent flight. The task must be worded specifically and carefully by the sorcerer, and the creature will carry out the instruction to the letter. For example, ordering a demon of combat just to fight is too vague; it requires a specific foe (‘fight that warrior with the poleaxe and bronze helm’). However, a command such as ‘protect me from being attacked’ is acceptable, although there is no explicit foe mentioned. Every command must contain a subject and a verb. Issuing a command costs 1 Magic Point.

If the creature successfully resists the Command, it refuses to perform the action. The sorcerer can repeat the Command, but at a cost of 1 Magic Point for each attempt. If the opposed test is fumbled by the sorcerer or he runs out of Magic Points, the sorcerer’s control is broken and the creature may act as it pleases. Elementals usually return to their respective plane, but demons and other creatures may behave differently, perhaps becoming troublesome, malicious or violent, but this depends on the demon’s type and requires Games Master adjudication.

Evoke (Substance)

Ranged, Active, Temporal

When used, Form/Set allows caster to shape 1 kilogram of solid substance, or 1 cubic meter of fire, liquid, darkness, or other ethereal substance. He must concentrate on the form one round for simple shapes (club, stick, ball), two rounds for more complex shapes, up to a maximum of five rounds for the most complex shapes, as decided by the DM. The sorcerer must be intimately familiar with the shape he is forming.

When the magician finishes the forming process, the shape will be fixed for the duration of the spell. He can return his concentration to the substance later, as long as the spell is still in operation, and reform it. Substances which will normally hold a shape (stone, metal) will retain their final form when the spell ends. Fluid substances will lose their final form when the spell ends. The form must be applied to the spell as on the strike rank that the spell is cast. Once formed, the shape of the object can be changed only when the caster of the spell concentrates, and only during the spell’s duration.

A sorcerer can use this spell to mend damage done to stone or metal. He must Form the entire damaged thing to mend it, and this will result in the object regaining its full hit points.

While the sorcerer is actively manipulating the appropriate substance with the Form/Set (Substance) spell, he can cause the substance to arc toward the target for a magic point cost of one per cubic meter of substance thrown. The magical lance of material has a chance of hitting equal to the caster’s DEX x3 as a percentage. If successful, the target sustains 1D3 points of damage per cubic meter thrown. If the Lance roll is unsuccessful the sorcerer still loses the Magic Points. Armor and spells which protect against physical damage will work normally. The substance under the effect of the Form/Set can be used again and again as a Lance, for the Form/Set spell’s duration.

Holdfast

Touch, Passive, Temporal

This spell will cause two adjacent 10cm x 10cm surfaces to commingle, becoming one. The patch has a STR equal to one. Each increase in intensity will increase either the STR of the interminglement or the area covered. This spell will work on both organic and inorganic materials. If one or both surfaces to be joined are portions of a creature’s body (any being possessing magic points) then the caster must overcome the target’s magic points with his own. If the caster is trying to join limbs, etc. from two creatures, then the magic points of each must be overcome in a single roll.

Illusion

Ranged, Active, Temporal

This is the spell of casting illusions. A sorcerer can learn to affect any physical sense, but typically only deals with the five common senses (sight, touch, taste, hearing, and smell).

When a sorcerer creates an illusion he is fabricating a temporary bit of reality. Though the Mage Sight spell can detect the illusion for what it is, the illusion will remain in effect nonetheless. If it is a physical illusion it could still be deadly just the same, whether you know it is an illusion or not. The caster of the illusion must concentrate on it to cause the illusion to change or move at a rate of 5 meters per round.

For each point of  intensity of an illusion, the caster may include another sense. For each additional point of intensity the loudness, strength of odor, size, or type of taste of the illusion is increased.

Odor: 1 water after a rainfall, 3 a rose, 5 frying onions, 8 ammonia, 13 fresh skunk oil

Taste: 1 clean river water, 3 bland gruel, 4 orange peel, 12 coffee bitters

If the sorcerer is attempting to affect the CON of a target with an odor or taste illusion, he must match the intensity of the illusion vs. the CON of the target. Success in the odor attack will result in nausea.

Sight: 3SIZ/intensity, plus 1 basic shapes/colors, 3 simple objects/images, 6 complex creatures/patterns, 12 intricate detail

Sound: 1 a leaf on paper, 2 whisper, 4 conversation, 7 close shout, 10 loud horn

A Sound illusion that is loud enough will deafen a target for 1D10+5 minutes if the intensity of the sound overcomes the target’s CON.

Touch:

Touch illusions manifest as invisible solid force with a SIZ of 1. They can be combined with the others to give them substance, and touch illusions can do damage. Armor will protect the target from this damage.If a sorcerer wishes to attack with a touch illusion, he has his DEX% chance of succeeding. Adding a Sight illusion will increase his chances to hit to 3 x DEX percentage, but can be dodged.Mage Sight

This is the ability to perceive and read sorcerous powers and emanations. It is the ability to shift the perspective of one’s mind to peer between the planes of existence, gaining a glimpse of how magical power has been caused to manifest. A mage Sight practitioner can learn if a sorcerer is more, or less, powerful than himself by using his Mage Sight to bend his perception to view the aura surrounding the target. When used this way the sorcerer can only tell in general terms what the power of the opponent is (‘more powerful’, ‘much more powerful’, ‘a pathetic fool’); it is impossible to discover anything more precise. Mage Sight can also be used to see the emanations of magical and chaotic creatures and to detect signs of their passing. For every 8 full points of Mage Sight the sorcerer can detect a magical trail or aura 1 day in age, and in a 1 metre area. So, for example, a sorcerer with Mage Sight of 35% would be able to sense any magical residue up to 4 days old, anywhere within a 4 metre radius of the sorcerer’s position.

Rituals

A ritual is a powerful, time-consuming magical procedure. To use a ritual effectively, the performer must be in a place of relative calm-perhaps a quiet clearing in the woods, or a lofty castle tower-with his concentration undisturbed during the ritual. The requirement for calm generally prohibits the performance of lengthy rituals in the midst of battle.

Every ritual requires components and props (incense, candles, etc.) to establish the atmosphere and mood necessary for a successful procedure. If a ritual requires additional specific props, these will be described in the description of the particular ritual.

Learning Rituals

An adventurer’s knowledge of the ritual spells requires INT to memorize. An adventurer must have a positive magic skills category modifier even to begin learning the rituals.

Beginning Percentages in Rituals

An adventurer wishing to use the Rituals must be trained in those skills. Without initial study, no adventurer can Summon an outsider or Enchant an item, regardless of his or her inclination toward magic.

To gain a beginning skill in a ritual, the adventurer must spend three weeks in either uninterrupted study supervised by a teacher or spend two months on research. Payment for this study is two months of work or 200 drachma (depending on the prestige of the instructor). Once completed, the student gains a skill percentage in that ritual equal to 1d6 plus the average of their INT and PSY scores.

Ritual List: Animate Dead, Bind, Charm, Curse, Divination, Enchantment, Speak with Dead, Summon

Animate Dead

A terrible and reviled ritual of Khamatian necromancers which calls the dead to rise as permanent, mindless servants.

Cost: MP cost equal to half the SIZ of the dead to be animated. Casting time equal to MP spent in hours.

2 PSY per individual undead animated may be additionally spent to control the freshly risen. PSY spent this way returns at a rate of 1d3 per day after the caster releases control, or the undead is destroyed. 1 PSY per individual undead animated may be allocated to control the freshly risen. MP derived from the allocated PSY is effectively spent. If the necromancer releases the undead from his control, the undead is destroyed or the allocated PSY itself is expended in any way, the caster’s MP returns as normal. If uncontrolled, undead viciously attack living things.Undead created through this ritual have basic Brawl attacks equal to the caster’s PSYx4, and retain any armor or weapons they were wearing in death (weapon skill PSYx3). They do not have a CON score, and so have HP equal to their SIZ.Fumble: the undead are brought forth, but in mindless rage they attack the necromancer who summoned them.

Bind

This ritual binds otherworldly creatures and spirits to places, within magical items, or (very rarely) to another being.Binding Beings Within Items: To capture a creature, the binding ritual is performed with both the item and being in question present. The caster must expend 1PSY per type of characteristic possessed by the creature. The ritual takes 1 hour per PSY point spent. If successful, the caster traps the creature’s spirit and physical form, if any, within the substance of the binding object. Those outsiders with SIZ do not add to the item’s weight, nor would elementals add heat, wetness, etc., to it.

Capturing a creature in an enchanted item violates its natural instincts and requires a successful Dominate spell roll or opposed PSY roll (PSY spent on the binding vs. being’s PSY) to succeed. Binding enchantments are species specific so an enchantment created to capture one species of creature cannot be used to capture another species. Once a creature is captured in an object it will remain that way until the object is destroyed or the creature is released. The destruction of a particular creature that is bound to an item does not mean that the item is useless, though the owner must Dominate another creature and again bind it into the item.

A creature bound within an item has no natural senses and cannot perceive the world about it unless it uses magic. People in physical contact with an enchanted item can mentally communicate with a creature bound inside (if there are no conditions to the contrary) and can automatically command the creature to use its abilities.

Some creatures have knowledge or abilities which the wielder can use while it is bound within an item (i.e. knowledgeable or magical spirits). However, many creatures are not very effective when so trapped and must be released to be useful (i.e. beasts, healing spirits, elementals, etc. ). Without the use of a dominate spell, a creature can be released from an item to perform one function, then it is free. If a dominate spell is used before the creature is released, then it can be commanded to perform many actions and return to the Binding item. Dominate spells automatically work against creatures while they are bound in items.

Also, a dominate spell supersedes the innate control held over a creature bound into an item. A caster who does not use conditions to restrict the use of his items may find his bound creatures stolen from him or turned against him by crafty opponents using the proper spells. Anyone who can use the item can also cast spells on the creature trapped inside, and he does not need to be in physical contact with the item to affect the creature with spells. He must use magical means of seeing on the mundane plane (Mystic Vision) to target spells against a Bound creature.

Elementals and other creatures who are trapped in items cannot regain lost hit points until they manage to return to their respective plane.

Binding Beings Within Places: Binding a creature within a place means that the creature’s movement is restricted to within a specific volume of space. The PSY cost for binding an area to capture a creature is the same as binding it to an item, plus an additional PSY per 3 square meters of area the binder wishes to affect. Creatures Bound within a place can use their normal senses to survey the area within and without of the entrapping volume.

Binding Beings Within a Person: An arcane and long lost art, binding vestiges and spirits within another is a powerful but dangerous ritual. Formless or forgotten spirits wish to experience and affect the material realm, and the binder wants their power. The ritual is performed with both the spirit and recipient (typically the caster) present, who must both be willing to the binding (or Dominated) and make a pact. The PSY cost for binding a being to oneself is the same as binding it to an item. If the ritual is successful, the spirit is permanently bound to the caster and may be invoked by inscribing a unique arcane symbol (15 minutes, Inscription or Calligraphy roll).

Invoking the spirit: The binder presents the inscribed symbol and calls the being’s name, making another Binding roll (although taking only a single round).

If successful, the being is invoked and the binder is filled with its essence, granting him powers and influencing his psychology. The binders PSY characteristic is replaced by that of the bound while it is invoked (an invoked bound being’s PSY cannot be used to bind more creatures).

If failed, the being overtakes the binder’s consciousness entirely and may act as it wishes.

In any case, the symbol burns, evaporates or otherwise disappears.

The being may be shed with a successful concentration check of INT x 3, or leaves when the binder next sleeps, or dies. If the invocation was failed, it cannot be intentionally shed.

If the invocation is a critical success, the being may be shed and rebound at will until the binder next sleeps. If it is a fumble, the binding is temporarily broken and the spirit cannot be invoked for 1d4 days.

Breaking the Binding: Reenacting the ritual (without the PSY cost) and mutually agreeing to cease the pact can break the binding of a being and return some lost PSY to the binder. A successful ritual will return 1d6+1 lost PSY to the binder. A failed ritual will return 1d3 PSY to the binder. A critical returns all lost PSY. A fumble returns none, and angers the being. One cannot regain more PSY than they lost in binding the being in question.

Charm

People fear magicians because they can bring innocent victims under their sway. By using some item that has been in close contact with the victim (blood, hair, spit, clothing, etc.) the magician can enact a 3 hour ritual which could give him a hold over that victim. How strong that hold is depends on the success roll, typically a victim of the opposite sex will fall in love with the magician, while someone of the same sex is loyal and obedient. A ritual can be undertaken anywhere within 3km of the victim.

The player states how many magic points his adventurer uses, these are used against the magic point resistance of the victim.

Once cast, and the percentile dice have been rolled, conduct a Magic Point resistance roll using the spent Magic points to overcome the victim’s innate resistance to being charmed. If successful check the following table:

Fumble: The spell is reversed, so that either the target feels the opposite emotion or much more entertainingly the magician feels the emotion for the target he wanted the target to feel for him. This stops charming becoming something done at the drop of a hat, it is unwise to try to charm everyone in the game.

Failure: No effect. Another item taken directly from the victim is required for a second attempt to be made. Each additional attempt is less likely to succeed, first by -10%, then by -20% and so on.

Success: Victim ‘likes’ the caster and is well disposed toward him; the victim is friendly and finds it hard to dislike or argue with the magician. Another later attempt can be made to continue or repeat a Charm at no penalty.

Critical: Depending on the intent of the caster, the victim is in love and becomes smitten by the caster; or the victim begins a loyal friendship which may be hard to break.

Love becomes obsessive, almost verging on suicidal; or loyalty becomes fantastic hero worship.

If the caster wants the victim to fall in love with, or become loyal to, somebody else, then that person must (of their own free will) supply close contact items (blood, hair, clothes, jewelry etc.) for the ritual. The two individuals are them bound together through the ritual. Many magicians gain silver coins in this way, making someone fall in love with an ardent admirer without their knowledge. Potions (love philtres) are an even better method of charming a victim.

A Charm spell can be broken only by the caster, or by another magician who must use items from both involved parties, he must then achieve an equal or higher result than the original caster.

Create Familiar (Characteristic)

This is a complex of six spells used to create a sorcerer’s familiar. These six spells are: Create Familiar STR, Create Familiar CON, Create Familiar SIZ, Create Familiar INT, Create Familiar POW, and Create Familiar DEX. There is no Create Familiar CHA equivalent.

This ritual can be performed upon an incomplete creature or an inanimate object. It cannot be used on complete creatures. The sorcerer must be able to touch the animal or object in a friendly manner for the entire duration of the ritual. Using this ritual does not cause pain to the creature. A sorcerer can create as many familiars as he desires, as long as he expends the characteristics to do so.

Each Create Familiar (Characteristic) spell permanently transfers the specified characteristic points from the sorcerer to the familiar. If the spell is intensified, then more characteristic points are transferred at once. Multispelling the Create Familiar spells allows the sorcerer to add to several of the creature’s characteristics at once, for all of the points that the sorcerer gives to the object of the ritual must be transferred at the same time. Unlike other enchantments, a sorcerer will not be able to add additional characteristics at a later time, because the creature will be complete.

Each point transferred gives the familiar a number of points in the appropriate characteristic as indicated on the familiar conversion table. Please refer to the introduction of the Creatures book for an explanation of the results of a creature gaining characteristics that it did not possess before.

If a single point of INT is added to a creature with restricted INT, the entire INT of the creature becomes normal INT. If one point of SIZ is given to the familiar, the familiar will actually gain one to three points at the discretion of the sorcerer casting the spell. The sorcerer must decide the amount at the time the spell is cast and once the SIZ is added it cannot later be altered.

When the creature has become complete through this procedure, it becomes the sorcerer’s familiar. The sorcerer has a perpetual awareness of his familiar’s approximate distance and direction. Whenever the sorcerer mentally commands, the familiar will come to him.

He can use its INT to store spells as well as its magic points at a maximum range of 10 kilometers. Beyond that range the sorcerer can only call the creature to him, as described above. The familiar will obey the sorcerers commands to the limits of its ability. It will retain its own personality, and is a fully sentient being. While it is not acting under the orders of its creator, the familiar will do as it will. It is able to cast its own spells and use its own magic points to fuel them. A familiar can- not draw on the sorcerer’s knowledge or magic points. Some gamemasters may want to allow a different player to play a sorcerer’s familiar.

Emotion-affecting spells such as Befuddle or Demoralize may affect the sorcerer if the familiar is affected by it. Use the same die roll that indicated that the familiar was overcome, and compare it to the sorcerer’s magic points to determine if the sorcerer was also overcome. This also works in reverse-if the sorcerer is affected by an emotion-affecting spell, the familiar may also be affected.

A sorcerer can release a familiar from his service simply by declaring that he is doing so. The familiar will retain its new characteristics for as long as the sorcerer lives, but it must always come when the sorcerer beckons. If a sorcerer dies, then all his familiars, whether or not he retained them or released them from his service, begin to lose their added characteristics at the rate of 1 point per week in each characteristic that was augmented. If the magician is resurrected somehow, then the familiars are once again his, unless they have degenerated to the point that they are once again incomplete. They will not regain lost characteristics. If a familiar dies, the characteristic points spent on that familiar remain lost.

Beings made into familiars are permanently embodied, as well as bound to the mundane plane, and any restrictions they may have possessed formerly (such as being bound to a specific locale) are removed. However, they retain any other normal abili- ties. For example, a ghoul familiar could howl chilling- ly or use its venom bite. A familiar dryad could not dis- solve its body (since it now has permanent SIZ, CON, and STR), but if its old tree were chopped down, the dryad would still die, and it is still capable of controlling animals native to its old locale.

Curse

Even more feared than the power to control a person, is the magician’s alleged power to cripple or even kill someone. This is a good cash earner, and nearly every magician has some knowledge of this black ritual. Just as with Charm, some item that has been in close contact with the victim is utilised in a 3 hour ritual which might cripple the victim. How badly he or she is crippled depends on the success roll. A ritual can be undertaken anywhere within 3km of the victim.

Once cast, and the percentile dice have been rolled, conduct a Magic Point resistance roll to overcome the victim’s innate resistance to being cursed. If successful check the following table:

Fumble: The curse rebounds so that the magician suffers the effect of his own curse. This makes characters a little more careful when throwing curses about.

Failure: No effect. Another item taken directly from the victim is required for a second attempt to be made. Each additional attempt is less likely to succeed, first by -10%, then by -20% and so on.

Success: Lower either the victim’s STR, DEX, INT or CHA by 1D6 points when the victim wakes the next day (or during some dramatic moment the same day). 1d3 points are restored the next day, and each day after until the victim is fully restored.

Critical: As above, but lower the stat by 3D6 points.

The characteristic to be lowered is chosen by the magician. Note that if a stat is lowered to 0 or below, then he is in a coma and his stat will not begin to recover of its own accord. The victim is magically afflicted and needs help! The curse must be reversed by a magician casting this very same spell. He pits his Magic Points against those of the original magician and if successful breaks the curse and restores the afflicted characteristic to a score of 1D3, it recovers as described above. If unsuccessful the victim wakes, and his stat begins to recover, but only to a maximum of 1D6+2. He is, effectively, permanently crippled. A special or critical result may well inflict a curse upon the offending magician!

Divination

Also known as fortune-telling, the art of parting the veil of time to behold events yet to pass is a major part of Achaean culture, and the only magic truly embraced west of the Chorimes. Some are practiced in the skill of reading omens, while others are born with the unearthly sight.

The intended result is stated, the divination ritual is performed (often with witnesses present) and a number of his Magic Points (or even PSY points) are allocated to increase the skill chance (up to a maximum of 1 point per witness). Every MP adds +5% to the Divination chance, each point of permanently sacrificed PSY adds +60% to the reading of the omen (note that the Spellcraft Ceremony skill cannot be applied to this ritual). The GM rates the intended result either as Minor, Moderate or Major and applies a penalty to the skill roll which he then rolls in secret. Sacrificing PSY is intended to allow a seer to predict incredibly important events, wars, murders the fall of cities and so on. It takes a brave soothsayer to invest such an amount of effort tipping the balance of Fate and Destiny to reveal such important events.

Minor: no penalty Trivial events (plotwise), predicting a happy marriage, predicting good weather, predicting a healthy birth, etc.

Moderate: -20% Events of import to the PCs. A door left open, a rival delayed, something catching fire, finding a lost key, bumping into a fortuitous stranger, and so on.

Major: -80% Predicting a catastrophe, serious injury or death, a fight won or lost, etc.

Note that to effect a Major prediction, a PC will almost certainly have to permanently sacrifice one or more PSY points. Note also that the final effects aren’t magic. There are no fireballs, illusions or bizarre and impossible physical effects. There are only coincidences. The final desired outcome must already be possible to some logical extent and believably so. Events initiated by a diviner cannot create NPCs or situations or wealth or resolve actions or the fights and conflicts of the PCs themselves (that would be too easy, wouldn’t it?!).

Enchantment

The ritual of enchantment is used to permanently empower objects, locations and beings with magic. This skill is rare, typically associated with hubris and arrogance in the face of the gods who would award enchanted objects to worthy individuals.

The Enchanting ritual is used in conjunction with Enchanting ritual spells to store the knowledge of spells in physical items, magically defend places against intruders, gain control over other creatures, and for many other purposes. Later in this chapter are given descriptions of the Enchanting ritual spells that are available to the three types of magicians.

General Conditions and Definitions

Through Enchantment, a permanent change in the environment is magically caused. The type of Enchantment performed depends on the ritual spell focusing and directing the procedure. Enchanting requires that the enchanter permanently lose something in order to effect the permanent change-usually the loss is current PSY. As a permanent change in the world, an Enchantment cannot be Dispelled, Dismissed, or Neutralized, though the runes of the Enchantment can be broken and the effect of the ritual thus cancelled.

Anything can be Enchanted: one or more hit locations of complete, incomplete, or otherworld creatures, and inanimate objects (up to 25 SIZ points per point of PSY used in the enchantment). To Enchant an area, thing, or creature the enchanter must inscribe the runes of the Enchantment on, in, or about the ritual object. The appropriate craft of calligraphy or inscription known to 30% by the enchanter is considered sufficient to competently inscribe the runes. The enchanter can have another person with a higher craft skill work the runes into the item, though the enchanter must perform the ritual.

Generally, Enchanted items can be easily carried and touched by their owner. There is no limit to the number of Enchantments performable on an item. (Remember though, that Enchanted items can be lost or stolen and are therefore somewhat vulnerable.) Usually Enchanted items hold some symbolic or magical significance for the owner or the user. Rings, amulets, wands, and staves are commonly Enchanted. Adventurers may try to enchant any item, subject to gamemaster supervision.

Unless the Enchantment includes limiting conditions (see below) that indicate otherwise, anyone can use an Enchanted item.

A place can also be Enchanted. Perhaps intruders will trip activation of one or more spells, or perhaps an adventurer will have stored magic points or spells at a particular location a sprite’s glen, a cursed tomb, a ghost’s haunt, a sorcerer’s study, a temple’s inner-sanctum, or the vale of thorns shielding a sleeping beauty.

Preparation for Enchantment

The enchanter must inscribe the runes of power that will focus the energies to be released during the ritual. If Enchanting a place, then these symbols must be inscribed into ground, trees, rocks, or other substances within the area of Enchantment. The symbols need not be visible, but they must be made of or from substance. Enchantments of animals or people must be accomplished through runes tattooed onto the particular creature to be affected. Inscribe the runes in as permanent a fashion as possible: if the symbols are destroyed the enchantments are also destroyed.

Procedure for Enchantment

The Adventurer’s player must inform the gamemaster that his adventurer is attempting to Enchant an item or a place and he must indicate the place or item.

The player must announce the Enchanting ritual spell that his adventurer is going to use, any conditions that he will include, and the amount of PSY that he is going to expend.

For each point of current PSY that will be expended, one hour must be spent performing the Enchantment. At the end of the time spent performing the ritual, the adventurer’s player must successfully roll D100 equal to or less than his magician’s Enchanting ritual skill.

The current PSY used in the Enchantment must be expended at the conclusion of the ritual whether or not the player’s D 100 roll succeeded.

If the Enchanting ritual skill roll succeeds, then the allotted current PSY is expended and the item or place is Enchanted as desired. If the Enchanting skill roll fails, all of the current PSY used in the Enchantment is lost and the item or place is not Enchanted. There is no further penalty or bonus for fumbling the Enchanting roll or for rolling a critical result.

Breaking the Rune of an Enchantment

Since enchantments are permanent changes in the environment of the magician, they cannot be Dispelled, Dismissed, or Neutralized. To remove an enchantment, the runes used to focus and contain the magical energies must be broken. To do that, they must be found. (That could take some time if the enchanter was clever.) Then the thing inscribed with, bearing, or containing the runes must be destroyed by eliminating all of its hit points; only then is the Enchantment broken.

Restoring Broken Enchantments

A broken Enchanted device can be repaired without redoing all of the Enchantments. First the pieces of the broken device must be collected, reassembled, and reconnected. Then, to restore the Enchantments, an adventurer who can use the item must spend one point of PSY for each ritual spell that was used on it. (It does not matter how many PSY points originally were used for those ritual spells.) This procedure also restores any conditions attached to the Enchantment. Only an entire Enchantment can be restored. An enchanter cannot restore only part of an Enchantment.

Conditions on Enchantments

Every enchantment can be modified by attacking conditions during the Enchantment. An enchanter learns how to add conditions as part of his training. The enchanter’s player states the conditions that he desires and expends the appropriate amount of his adventurer’s current PSY when he makes his success roll. Once a condition has been added to an enchantment, it can never be removed or expanded, though later the enchanter can further restrict it.

There are six classes or kinds of conditions. Each class costs 1 point of current PSY to include in the Enchantment but, except for Area-Effect Conditions, each class of condition will never cost more than 1 point of current PSY to include, no matter how complex the stated condition within the class. The gamemaster naturally rules as to the number of classes actually within a stated condition.

Area-Effect Conditions: The Enchantment affects an area rather than a specific object; the size of the area is determined by the number of PSY points expended. An area Enchantment using only 1 PSY point will affect a 1-meter-cube. A 3-PSY-area-Enchantment will affect an area the volume of a 3-meter cube, and so on. Anyone eligible can use the magic point storage capacity of spell matrices Enchanted into an area. The magical strength of an area-effect attack is equal to the total number of PSY points used to enchant the area.

Attack Conditions: An attack condition added to a spell causes it to be cast when a target defined by additional target conditions violates the space or touches the item.

Link Spell Conditions: This Enchantment links together specified spells to create unusual effects. Expending 1 point of current PSY allows the magician to tie together any or all spells that are Enchanted in the device. This essentially creates one very complex spell. To cast any one of the spells that are linked together requires casting the others as well. If, at a later time, the enchanter wished to link more spells he must expend another permanent point of PSY.

Link Magic Point Conditions: This Enchantment links the magic point storage capability in a device to a spell or spells (if the spells are linked as well) so that when the spells are cast the magic points used automatically come from that storage. Of course, magic points must exist in storage for the spells to draw from it.

Target Conditions: These conditions are used to define exactly who will not be affected by the Enchantments in an item. If target conditions are not specified then the item will work against anyone. If target conditions are included as part of the Enchantment then the spells in the item will not be triggered by any target who fulfills the conditions. If the spells are cast by someone using the item, they will automatically fail against protected targets.

User Conditions: Normally, anyone can use an item. User conditions make it possible for the enchanter to restrict the use of the item. A point of current PSY spent allows the creator to bar one specific person or group of people from using the item. Any number of people can be included in the group as long as the group is clearly identified. It could be so large as to exclude everyone but the enchanter. Once this condition has been added to an item, the specified people can never use the item. If the enchanter later wants to restrict another person or group of persons, he must spend another permanent point of PSY in an Enchanting ritual. If no one but the enchanter can use an item, then it will become useless when he dies. Only people who can use an item can add to the Enchantments or conditions in that item.

It is possible to tie a condition to only part of the Enchantments on an item, for example while anyone could use the magic point storage capability of a ritual sword, only a storm-priest could use the Bladesharp spell matrix.

There are several effects that the Enchantment ritual can have:

Mystic Power Enchantment

Each point of PSY sacrificed in such an Enchantment can be used to store one magic point. These stored magic points can be used to power or to boost spells by anyone who can use the item. Magic points stored in Enchanted items do not regenerate on their own (they have no characteristic PSY), but the user of the item can refill the magic point storage capacity by expending his own magic points. It will take one melee round to store one magic point in an Enchanted item. An Enchanted item cannot hold more magic points than it has capacity to store them.

Spell Power Enchantment

Using a spell, an enchanter can store the knowledge of a spell in an item. Anyone who can use the item will gain the knowledge of the spell whenever he is in physical contact with the item, though he will forget the spell as soon as he loses that contact.

Even though practitioners of the different magic systems use the same procedure to enchant the knowledge of a spell into an item, the results for each differ. Spirit magicians and sorcerers do not lose the knowledge of spells for which they create matrices. Divine priests do lose the knowledge of the spell.

Spirit Spell Matrix: The user of such an enchanted item has a chance of casting that spell equal to his PSY X 5. The person also needs to spend 1 magic point per point of spell.

Divine Spell Matrix: a divine spell that is Enchanted into an item will be cast with 100% skill. If the casting fails, the user can try again the next melee round. Once used, the user must take the item back to the proper temple and perform a worship service before the spell can be used again. In essence, the Enchanted divine spell works like priestly magic.

Only priests can Enchant divine spells into items. One-use spells cannot be Enchanted. When the Enchantment is completed the priest will lose the use of the re-usable spell himself but can re-sacrifice the PSY to regain its use.

A person who uses an item containing a sorcery spell must develop his own casting skill. He starts with a percentage chance to use each spell in the item equal to his magic skills category modifier. He increases his skill at casting such spells only through experience. If he later truly learns the spell (so that he remembers the spell when not touching the magic item), he will retain his developed skill.

If he is already skilled at using a spell contained within an Enchanted item, then he can cast the spell at his normal percentage.

Once a spell has been Enchanted into an item it may not be changed, though more spells could be later added. A point of PSY expended during an Enchantment will form a matrix for 1 point of spell. Divine spells can be stacked in an item (i.e. more powerful versions of the spell can be held in the item). Stackable spirit spells can be slowly Enchanted into the item, a point at a time. A Bladesharp 1, would have to be followed by a Bladesharp 2, and a Bladesharp 6 with a Bladesharp 7. Adding a Bladesharp 1 to a Bladesharp 1 only results in two Bladesharp 1 matrices. A sorcery spell enchanted into an item can be manipulated to make it more powerful. (This will, of course, raise the PSY that must be sacrificed.) A more powerful sorcery spell Enchanted into a device will not cost a sorcerer using the item free INT. Thus, if Nikolos made or found an item containing an intensity-5 Smother spell, he could use his full free INT of 10 points to further manipulate the spell. The 5 levels of intensity enchanted in the item do not cost Nikolos free INT.

Enchanting Spells

There are several common effects that an Enchantment can have through combination with spells. A magician can learn to do each of these things through Enchanting by learning the appropriate spell.

Armoring Enchantment

Associated Spell: Shield

This enchantment is used to increase the armor points of an object or to give armor points to an object. Each point of PSY sacrificed in the Enchantment imbues the object with the equivalent of 1D6 points of armor. These armor points become one with the object. If this enchantment is used to create or increase the armor points of a living creature, each hit location must be magically treated.

Strengthening Enchantment

Associated Spell: Empower Weapon

This enchantment is used to increase the deadliness of an object. Each point of PSY sacrificed in the Enchantment imbues 1 bonus damage to the object. This damage boost becomes one with the object. If this enchantment is used to create or increase the damage of a living creature, each natural attack or limb must be magically treated.

Vitalizing Enchantment

Associated Spell: Treat Wounds

With this enchantment the hit points of a creature can be increased. Strengthening cannot be used on weapons, object, or creatures that do not have hit points. At the casters discretion, each point of PSY that is expended during the Enchanting ritual will increase the creature’s total hit points by 1D6.

Speak with Dead

Many Achaeans turn to a magician for information. Magicians who can raise the dead do so not for some temporal or supernatural power, but for information. “Aunt Apollonia wishes to know if her dear departed husband Anaximander is faring well and is happy with the new grandson just born”, or “Euylichus of Megalopolis wishes to ask his great grandfather if the lost tomb of Agamemmnon is south of ruined Mycenae, or east of that ancient citadel”. The dead cannot tell the future, nor can they dispense information about which they can have no knowledge (such as attitudes, thoughts, feelings or intentions). Through converse with other spirits, a ghost can give information on almost any subject, however!

Typically, a magician carries out a 3 hour ritual under the stars. He digs a shallow trench and fills it with pig’s blood (food for the hungry ghost). Incense is burned in a brazier and songs sung. The magician calls a spirit by name and then enters a frenzied trance, the ghost possessing his body and speaking with his voice. At least one witness is required to put the question to the ghost and to interpret the answer.

The magician enters a trance during the ritual and then rolls percentile dice. A trance inflicts 1d3 points of damage on the magician, or 2D6 if a Fumble. Check against the spell chance for the result. Also, for every witness present, the magician can (if he wishes) spend 1 Magic Point to gain a +5% on his casting chance.

Fumble: The caster loses 2D6 Hit Points instead of 1D3. The ghost appears, feasts on the blood, but then goes crazy and attacks the summoner, inflicting a loss of all his Magic Points, and (if he fails a PSY x 5 roll) suffers an additional 1D6 damage. He is physically ill from the shock and fear of the supernatural attack. It then attacks a random person present at the ritual! Someone suffers a loss of all their Magic Points and 1D6 damage. Everyone else rolls PSY x 5 or suffer 1D3 points of damage.

Failure: The spirit seems to appear and answers one question, but it is the wrong spirit, or a disturbed spirit or an angry spirit and tells a lie or deception. The fact that so many poorly trained magicians call this ‘rogue’ spirits is the reason that courts cannot accept otherworldly evidence. It is simply too unreliable - there is no way to tell the difference between a true spirit and a hateful rogue spirit.

Success: The spirit is willing to answer one question with a one word (often yes or no) response.

Critical: The spirit is willing to answer one question with complex and involved phrases.

Once the ghost has arrived the magician can wrestle more information out of it if he wishes. Begin at CHA x5 for the second question. If successful make a CHA x 4 roll to force a third question, and so on. Stop after CHA x1, and after a failed roll the ghost departs.

Summon

Summoning Rituals are different for each creature or demon being summoned. They can be complex and time consuming to prepare, requiring seclusion, privacy and utter concentration. A summoning is a mixture of the written, the aromatic, the aesthetic and the meditative disciplines. Whilst the detail varies according to the summoning, the process is broadly similar: the sorcerer spends 1D8 hours preparing the area with the runes, scents and sacrifices prescribed in the ritual, all the while placing his mind into a semi-trance. Once the area is ready the sorcerer commences the summoning, chanting the creature’s name repeatedly until the barriers between the planes of the Aether shift, separate and allow the creature through.

The Summoning ritual is used in conjunction with Summon (Species) ritual spells to call otherworld creatures to the caster. Outsiders do not usually live on the material plane, and a magician must use Summon (Species) to draw them to him. Then he may be able to magically control the creature using the Dominate spell.

Even though followers of the three approaches to magic may learn the Summon (Species) spell in different ways, it works identically for each.

Props for Summoning Rituals

In addition to quiet surroundings and the fog of incense invariably accompanying rituals, the summoner must constantly keep in his mind the image of the creature to be summoned. Usually he will use a picture of the creature or will wear, hold, or stare at portions of a similar creature’s body. Braziers full of roaring flames could be used for a fire elemental or wolf fur and teeth for a wolf-demon.

Procedure to Augment Casting Success

To use Ceremony to augment a spell during a game, the player must announce that his adventurer’s spell will be augmented with the Ceremony ritual; find in the first column of the Ceremony/Time Skill table the time interval (melee rounds or hours) that the adventurer must spend on the ritual; read across the table to find the number of six-sided dice that he must roll at the ritual’s conclusion; add the result of the D6 roll to the adventurer’s chances of successfully casting the announced spell.

Summoning Otherworld Creatures

A summoner can only Summon a creature not normally residing on the mundane plane. Ghosts, all spirits, wraiths, demons, hellions, and elementals usually must be summoned before the magician can attempt to use the control spells. A player who wishes to have an adventurer summon an otherworld creature must use this procedure.

The player informs the gamemaster of the Summon (Species) spell that his adventurer is using, and his adventurer’s skill in performing the Summoning ritual.

If the adventurer is Summoning an elemental, his player also must state the size of elemental wanted. The adventurer must have enough of the appropriate substance available from which the elemental can form its body. If the adventurer lacks enough material (water, for instance, for an undine) then the Summons will automatically fail.

The adventurer’s player must attempt a D100 roll equal to or less than his adventurer’s Summoning skill percentage. If the roll succeeds, the gamemaster then randomly generates the creature that was summoned.

The player states how many magic points his adventurer uses. If the number of magic points used is less than the magic points possessed by the specific creature being Summoned, as generated by the gamemaster, then the ritual automatically fails.

The magic points powering the Summons are expended whether or not the Summons succeeded. The summoner cannot use more magic points than he has available. The summons ritual requires one hour per magic point spent in attempting the summons.

Results of the Summons

Success: Typically, a random specimen magically appears at the spot where the Summons was performed, one melee round after the Summons was completed. The creature will be stunned for several moments after it arrives, and will be unable to act until the gamemaster rolls below the creature’s magic points X 1 on D100. (Make this roll on strike rank 1 of each melee round after the creature appears.) Once activated, the creature can act. Summoned otherworld creatures automatically are hostile to the summoner and everyone in the area of the summoning. Depending on the relative strengths of the Summoned entity and the summoner, the gamemaster may choose to cause the being to attack the summoner, to flee and remain on the mundane plane, or to return to the other world.

There are no special bonuses for a critical success Summoning roll.

About 10% of the time, a successful summoner invokes an exemplary, huge, and/or more powerful version of the Summoned entity than he expected. Just as there are powerful lords and kings on Earth, so are there equivalently more powerful lords and kings for otherworld creatures. Such beings can choose to pass to the mundane plane when a foolish summoner shows them the way by trying to summon one of their subjects. The statistics given for discorporate creatures and elementals in the Creatures book cover about 30 % of the creatures’ population. There are spirits with PSYs of 35, 50, and 100, though not many. There are also colossal elementals and some very nasty wraiths and demons.

Failure: No creature appears. The magic points spent on the summons are lost, as if the ritual was successful.

Fumble: If the simple success roll is fumbled, then the gamemaster rolls percentile dice on the Summons Encounter Table to determine what actually appears. Creatures appearing as the result of a fumbled summons always will be malign and will remain and attack the summoner for as long as they desire. If the creature begins to lose the battle, it will either flee or return to the otherworld. Some Summoned creatures have no effective attacks (healing spirits, intellect spirits, etc.).

Other Uses and Consequences of the Spell

An adventurer can learn the True name of any Summoned creature by succeeding with a Control / Command/Dominate (Species) spell and asking that question. The answer usually will be pulled up from the being’s unconsciousness. This method also can reveal specific information about the creature’s characteristics or skills. Each specific question requires an additional use of a control-type spell.

Sometimes a magician will desire to Summon a creature that he has Summoned before, perhaps a creature powerful enough to do the job, but not dangerously overpowering an achievement only possible if the adventurer knows the creature’s True name. (A True name is the magical, unique name which every being has individually, one ordinarily not consciously known.) The Summoning of a known creature is performed identically to any Summoning, except that a named request is made. This is also safer than random summonings, for no unexpected monstrosities will appear.

An adventurer can lose control of a creature in several ways. The creature can be destroyed through the loss of characteristics or hit points. Any time that a control-type spell fails, then the Summoned creature is free. An adventurer can steal control of a Summoned entity by dispelling the control spell and casting his own, or by casting a control spell on a creature which is bound into an item that the adventurer can use (see conditions for Enchantment).

Normal Summoning Targets The following species are normally summoned with the Summon (Species) spell. Any such spells can be learned by any adventurer, as long as the gamemaster indicates that it is available. Usually Summons spells are learned only for entities that they can control, using the control spell.