Ars Magica 5E Standard Edition, Chapter Nine: Spells
Chapter Nine: Spells
The Order of Hermes has collected and created hundreds of spells that have been passed down to apprentices and traded among magi for centuries. Those listed here are representative of the most useful, interesting, and exemplary of those spells — in no way are the spells listed here a definitive list of those available. Instead, they should be used as examples so that you may invent spells of your own. Many of these spells serve as good examples for creating other, similar spells. For instance, a spell to turn you into a wolf can be used as a model for a spell to turn you into another animal.
Levels
The level of a spell is a measure of the amount of magical power needed to create the spell effect. The higher the level of the spell, the less of a magus’s power is left over for breaking through Magic Resistance.
Magnitudes
The magnitude of a spell is equal to one fifth of its level, rounded up. This is also the number of pawns of vis needed to cast a ritual spell, and changing the range, duration, or target of a spell generally changes its level by one magnitude (five levels) at a time. Spells of level one to five are all first magnitude, although the rules for changing ranges, durations, and targets work differently for such spells (see page 114 XXX).
| Spell Magnitude | Level / 5 (rounded up) |
Spell Design
Spell design is an important part of any magus’ life.
The Central Rule
The storyguide or troupe may always intervene and declare that a certain combination of range, duration, target, and effect warrants a higher or lower level than that described by the guidelines and the system below. The range of effects possible in Ars Magica is so large that any system is bound to allow some effects that strike a given troupe as too hard or too easy (different effects for different troupes). The system gives sensible levels in the vast majority of cases, but storyguides should not let players use the system to force things past common sense.
Level Guidelines
This chapter contains a selection of example spells, and guidelines for what can be achieved with a formulaic or spontaneous spell of a given level. For the guidelines, the range of the spell is Personal, the duration is Momentary, and the target is Individual. These are the lowest members of their classes, so that the given level is the lowest level at which a formulaic or spontaneous spell can have that effect.
| Spell Guidelines | Range: Personal Duration: Momentary Target: Individual |
| Spell Guidelines | Range: Personal Duration: Momentary Target: Individual |
Ranges, Durations, Targets
The range, duration, and target of a spell determine what it can affect. The range governs how far the target can be from the magus, the duration determines how long the target will be affected, and the target describes what the spell can affect. Each parameter has a number of possible ratings, which can be arranged in order from least difficult to produce to most difficult to produce. This is done in the chart below. Parameters which are listed together below but are separated by a slash (like Touch/Eye) represent different actual ranges that share the same level of difficulty. They are not interchangeable, simply equivalent.
Each category of range, duration, and target is described below.
Ranges
The range of a spell is the distance to the nearest part of the target of the spell. Thus, if the caster is touching the external wall of a room, he can cast a Target: Room Corpus spell on the people within at Touch Range, even though he is not touching any of those people, and indeed cannot see them. The target of the spell is the room, and thus the spell does not violate the Limit of Arcane Connections.
A spell that has a continuing effect remains in effect even if the caster moves out of range. A spell that allows the caster to control the effect only permits that control as long as the caster is within range. However, it does not expire if the caster moves out of range, and he may control it again if he moves back into range.
Personal
The spell only affects the casting magus or things that he is wearing or carrying. The target is thus never larger than Individual.
Touch/Eye
Touch: The magus or anything he touches, whether a person or thing.
Eye: The magus may target any person or creature that he has established eye contact with. A human being who knows of no reason to avoid eye contact makes it automatically if dealing with the magus in a social setting. The Gift does not make people avoid eye contact. It is impossible to make eye contact with an unwilling human without getting at least two people to hold the victim down. It is effectively impossible to make eye contact with an enemy in combat; they aren’t looking at your eyes. It typically takes a combat round to establish eye contact with a calm animal, before the magus can start casting the spell. (Touch and Eye are the same “level” of range.)
Voice
Anything to which the magus’s voice carries. Typically, firm words carry about 15 paces, while a shout carries about 50. Magical enhancement of the voice does not increase this range, and a spell cast silently at this range can affect only the caster. The range is based on the distance that the caster’s voice carries, not on whether the target can hear it. Deaf targets, stones, targets in a noisy environment, and targets under the influence of PeIm spells that stop sounds from reaching them can all be affected at the normal range. However, if the caster is silenced or quieted by magic, the range is reduced. Such a spell must penetrate the caster’s Magic Resistance. Magic items use the wielder’s voice; independent items need to be given a voice (CrIm) to use this range. The range is established when the spell is cast, and remains the same even if the magus changes the loudness of his voice. Thus, a Voice range spell can allow silent control, but only as long as the target is within the distance that the magus’s voice carried when he cast the spell.
Sight
Anything that the magus can see. If the magus is standing on the highest point for miles, this range can be immense. A blind magus can only affect himself. A magic item uses the wielder’s sight; independent items need to be able to see (InIm) to use this range.
Arcane Connection
Anything that the magus has an Arcane Connection to. Distance is immaterial unless the storyguide chooses to impose some limit. Such limits are usually provided in the example spells. Note that while Arcane Connection is a range, it is different from a physical item that is an Arcane Connection. This distinction is important, because some spells require that the caster have an Arcane Connection, but the spell must be cast as some range other than Arcane Connection.
Durations
If a spell with a momentary effect, such as healing a wound, creating a fire, or opening a pit, is cast with a longer duration, it generally sustains that effect for the duration, rather than having its effect multiple times within the duration. Thus, a wound healed with duration Sun stays healed for that length of time, and reappears at the end. The target can still take other wounds. A fire created with duration Diameter burns for two minutes, and may inflict damage every round over that period. A pit opened for duration Moon with a Perdo Terram spell cannot be filled in with earth for that period; any more earth dumped in it is destroyed as well. Wood, animal products, or water could fill it, though, as they are not of the same Form as the spell. The destroyed earth still does not reappear at the expiration of the spell.
Momentary
The spell lasts but a moment and then dissipates. In many cases the effects of the spell will endure long after the spell itself finishes. For example, a Rego spell that moves a rock from the bottom of the hill to the top might have Momentary duration, but the rock stays at the top of the hill. Similar considerations apply to most Perdo spells; the magic lasts but a moment, but the target stays destroyed. Ritual Creo spells with Momentary duration create things that last as any other thing of that type. The magic is gone in a moment and so cannot be dispelled. This also applies to ritual healing spells.
Concentration/Diameter
Concentration: The spell lasts as long as the magus concentrates. In the absence of distractions, assume that a magus can concentrate for fifteen minutes per point of Concentration ability. If there are distractions, see the rules in the Hermetic Magic chapter, page 82.
Diameter: The spell lasts for the time that the sun takes to move its diameter in the sky — almost exactly two minutes (twenty combat rounds). (Diameter and Concentration are the same “level” of duration.)
Sun/Ring
Sun: The spell lasts until the sun next rises or sets.
Ring: The spell lasts until the target of the spell moves outside a ring drawn at the time of casting, or until the ring is physically broken. A ring must actually be drawn while the spell is being cast. The magus may use magic to do so, but that magic must not have a range greater than Touch, and the magus must physically trace out the ring. The magus may not move more quickly than ten paces per round (five feet per second) while doing this. The casting of a non-Ritual spell may be extended out to allow the drawing of a large ring. However, the caster must make Int + Concentration rolls of 6+ every round to maintain concentration on the spell, and if someone breaks the ring at any point before it is completed, the spell automatically botches. Really large rings are unlikely to be worth the risk. The ring may already exist, for example as a band laid into the ground. In this case, the magus must trace the full circumference of the ring, moving no more quickly than ten paces per round.
Moon
The spell lasts until both the new and full moon have set.
Year
The spell lasts until sunrise on the fourth equinox or solstice after its casting. A spell with this duration must be ritual.
Targets
Individual/Circle
Individual: The spell can affect a single discrete thing, such as one person or one object. A huge boulder is a discrete object, a mountain is not (because it is joined to the ground). Clothes on a person or moss on a boulder are part of the person or boulder for these purposes.
Circle: The spell affects everything within a ring drawn by the magus at the time of casting, and ends if the circle is broken, even if that is before the duration of the spell expires. The spell also ends when its duration ends. See “Ring,” above, for restrictions on drawing the circle. One circle may serve to underwrite both Ring duration and Circle target. Individual and Circle are the same level of effect.
Part
The spell can affect a part of a discrete thing, such as a person’s arm or a section of the ground. This target refers to spatial parts, parts that you could, at least in theory, cut off and put in a bag. A person’s mind is not a part of him in this sense, nor is his sense of humor. His heart, however, is. Something is only a Part target while it is actually a part of something else; things, like severed arms, that used to be part of something, or, like bricks, which could become part of something, are Individual targets as long as they are not currently part of something else. Part is harder than Individual because whole things are metaphysically important. It is easier to affect a thing as a whole than to affect a part of it.
Group/Room
Group: The spell can affect a group of people or things. The components of the group must be close together in space, and the group itself must be separated from any other things of the same type. Three grogs huddled together or a ring of standing stones are a group: six people out of a crowd are usually not. The things in the Group when the spell is cast are affected for the entire duration, even if they split up. Things that join the Group during the spell duration are not affected. It is possible to target a “Group” with a single member, although an Individual target will always be lower level.
Room: The spell affects everything within a chamber. This room can be very large (the nave of a cathedral, for instance, or a natural cave), but it must be enclosed and have definite boundaries. A courtyard would often count, a valley would not. A spell with target Room is useless if there is no Room containing the targets; it cannot affect a “roughly room-sized volume” in open space. Group and Room are the same level of effect.
Structure
The spell affects everything within a single structure. The structure itself counts as within the structure for these purposes, as the limit is the outer edge of any walls. The structure can range in size from a hut to a castle keep, but it must be a single, linked edifice. As a rule of thumb, if it is all covered by one roof, it is one structure, but storyguide dis- cretion applies. As with Room, target Structure is no use if there is no pre-existing structure bounding the target.
Boundary
The spell affects everything within a well-defined natural or man-made boundary. This could be the wall of a city, the edge of a village, the shores of a lake, the edge of a forest, or the bottom of a mountain. Since the ocean is not obviously bounded, it cannot be affected in this way. As with Room and Structure, there must actually be a boundary for this target to be useful. It cannot be used to simply affect a really big area. A spell with this target must be a ritual.
Targets and Creo
The target of a Creo spell that actually creates something is the thing created. The target is thus always Individual or Group. A spell to create a part of something is either a healing spell or a Muto spell, depending on the part created. A Creo spell with target Room cannot be used to fill a room with something. Instead, use target Group with an appropriate size modifier.
The Creo guidelines for each Form give the level required to create different kinds of thing. The size is determined using the standard rules for target sizes.
Targets and Sizes
The Ars Magica spell targets depend on the kind of thing that the target is, not how big it is. A pebble and one of the stones at Stonehenge are both Individuals, and the inside of a tiny hut and the nave of a cathedral are both Rooms.
However, the size of the target does make a difference to the level of the spell, with the sole exception of Intellego magic. Every Form has a base size for Individual targets, and targets of that size or less can be affected by a spell of the basic level. Adding one magnitude (five levels) to the spell multiplies the maximum size of its target by ten. This depends on the mass of the target, so a five level boost to a Corpus spell would allow the magus to affect a giant up to fifteen feet tall, not sixty feet tall. A spell designed to affect a certain size of target can affect any target up to that size. However, it is not possible to invent lower level spells that affect smaller targets; the level of the spell to affect the base target is an absolute lower limit.
This rule should not be applied with absolute mathematical precision. A rough guess by the storyguide is fine, as long as the troupe agrees. In the event of disagreement, however, a precise calculation can be made to resolve the issue, although as this takes time it is probably best reserved for working out exactly what a formulaic spell can do.
A 'Part' targeted by a spell can be up to the size of the base Individual. Again, every five levels added increases the size that can be affected by a factor of ten. Note that a spell to affect an Individual is five levels lower than a spell to affect a Part of the same size.
A base Group contains about as much mass as ten standard Individuals of the Form. This can be split up in any way desired, so it could be two Individuals, each of five times standard size, or ten Individuals of standard size, or ten thousand individuals, each one thousandth of standard size. Every five levels added multiplies the size affected by a factor of ten. Note that a spell to affect a large Individual is five levels lower than a spell to affect a Group of the same total mass.
A base Room is large enough to fit a hundred standard Individuals with some squashing. For Corpus, this means that a base room is about four hundred square feet in area. Because the Room already exists to create a boundary, this is easier than affecting a Group, and a spell to affect a number of Individuals within a Room can be lower level than a spell to affect an Individual of similar mass. Note also that, because a Room cannot be internally divided without becoming two Rooms, the height of the ceiling does not normally matter. For every five levels added to the spell level, the area of the Room is multiplied by ten.
A base Structure contains ten base Rooms, spread over one or more floors. For every five levels added the size of the Structure is increased by a factor of ten.
A base Boundary is the same for all Forms, and is one hundred paces (three hundred feet) in diameter. As for Rooms, every five levels added multiplies the area by ten, or the diameter by a little over three.
| Intellego Spells | Not affected by Target size |
| Base Individual | Determined by Form |
| Base Part | Same as Individual |
| Base Group | Mass of ten standard Individuals |
| Base Room | Large enough for 100 standard Individuals |
| Base Structure | Ten base Rooms |
| Base Boundary | An area 100 paces in diameter |
| Increasing Size | Multiply size by ten for each magnitude added to the spell |
Magical Senses
Intellego spells can grant magical senses to a person. These spells allow the recipient to detect things that he could not normally sense, and they have different targets, corresponding to the kind of sense that the recipient gets. The range of the spell is the range to the recipient.
It is possible to grant magical senses to many people at once, but this requires Muto Mentem magic, with Intellego Form requisites.
Each magical sense target grants the recipient information through one of his senses. This information is easily distinguished from mundane information coming through the same sense, but it is subject to the same limitations as the mundane sense. Thus, a magical sense that works with the sense of smell is very bad at giving direction, and can be avoided by staying upwind of the sensor, while a magical sense that works with vision is no good in the dark.
Magical senses must penetrate the Magic Resistance of creatures sensed, as well as the Magic Resistance (if any) of the person granted the sense. Thus, the Penetration of a magical sense should be recorded for future reference. The mundane sense through which the magical sense grants information does not need to penetrate Magic Resistance.
A single spell grants a single magical sense. To gain several magical senses, you must cast several spells.
Taste
The information comes through the sense of taste. This target is equivalent to Individual.
Touch
The information comes through the sense of touch. This target is equivalent to Part.
Smell
The information comes through the sense of smell. This target is equivalent to Group.
Hearing
The information comes through the sense of hearing. This target is equivalent to Structure.
Vision
The information comes through the sense of sight. This target is equivalent to Boundary, but, unlike Boundary, it does not require Ritual magic.
Magical Wards
Rego spells can create wards which protect the target from things of the appropriate Form. These use the normal targets, but the target is the thing protected, rather than the things warded against, and the range is the range to the target, not to the things warded against.
Wards with a Circle target are of particular note. They prevent things warded against that are within the circle from leaving, and prevent things warded against that are outside from entering. Warded things cannot act across the circle, no matter which side they are on, nor can they damage the circle, directly or indirectly. It is quite common to create such spells with a duration of Ring, as then the ward can be made to last indefinitely, with care. However, this is not required, and the spell can be created with any duration. The spell guidelines for wards against magical things are listed with a base range of Touch, base duration of Ring, and base target of Circle, because a ward with these parameters wards against creatures with a Might equal to or less than its level. The parameters of the spell can be changed in the normal way, so that a ward which only protected the magus (Range Personal, Target Individual) for a duration of Moon would have the same final level.
Changing Ranges, Durations, and Targets
To calculate the level for a spell using those Arts but with different characteristics, refer to the lists above. For every step by which a category is raised, add one magnitude (five levels) to the level of the spell. For every step by which one is lowered, subtract one magnitude (five levels).
Below level 5, adding a magnitude only adds one level, and subtracting a magnitude only subtracts one level. Thus, one magnitude lower than level 5 is level 4, and one magnitude higher than level 2 is level 3.
For example, consider a level 15 spell with range Voice, duration Sun, and target Group. A variant with the same effect but with range Sight, duration Moon, and target Room would be level 25 (+1 magnitude to increase range Voice to Sight, +1 magnitude to increase duration Sun to Moon, and no change for changing the target Group to Room, because they are at the same level). A different variant with range Personal, duration Concentration, and target Individual would be level 2 (–2 magnitudes to decrease range Voice to Personal, –1 magnitude to decrease duration Sun to Concentration, and –2 magnitudes to decrease target Group to Individual). Note that since –2 magnitudes takes the level from 15 to 5, the additional –1 magnitudes only lower the level by –1 per magnitude.
The categories described here were built into the structure of Hermetic magic by Bonisagus. All spontaneous spells must conform to these requirements (the magus is making the spell up on the fly — he cannot also push the limits of magic theory). Formulaic spells, on the other hand, can be invented with ranges, durations or targets that are not listed here. This is usually slightly more difficult than if the closest category were used, but is largely left to storyguide interpretation.
Ritual Spells
Ritual spells take longer to cast than formulaic spells and require vis. However, they do have some advantages.
- Formulaic and spontaneous spells may not have Year duration
- Formulaic and spontaneous spells may not have Boundary target. They may have Vision target, if they are magical sense spells.
- Formulaic and spontaneous spells may not have a level greater than 50.
Ritual spells are always at least level 20, even if the level calculation would make them lower.
Requisites
Most spells involve a simple combination of two Arts, one Form and one Technique. Some spells, however, involve more than two. For instance, a spell that turns a human into a bird uses Muto because you are transforming something, Corpus because you are affecting a human body, and Animal because you are turning the human body into an animal body. In addition to involving the two primary Arts — Corpus and Muto in this case — casting the spell concerns your Animal score as well. This third Art is a requisite.
There are two kinds of requisite. The first simply allows the spell to have its effect. This includes the Animal requisite on a spell to turn a person into a bird. These requisites do not add to the spell level, as the difficulty of doing such a thing is already accounted for in the guidelines.
The second adds an effect to a spell. In this case, the base Arts and level for the spell are those for the highest-level effect it has. For example, a magic item that changes a picture to show what is happening at a distant location is an Intellego Imaginem spell with a Muto requisite, not a Muto Imaginem spell with an Intellego requisite, as the Intellego effect is of much higher level.
As a general rule of thumb, if the spell would still do something without the requisite, but it would do significantly less, then each requisite adds at least one magnitude to the level of the spell. Thus, the Herbam and Terram requisites that allow a spell to change a clothed man into a bird do not add any levels, because they do not significantly increase the power of the spell. However, a Rego requisite added to a Creo Ignem spell to prevent the fire from burning the caster would require additional levels. In addition, a single spell that could turn a human into a wolf, or a wolf into a human, would require a additional magnitude for the Animal requisite, as without it the spell could only effect the transformation in one direction. Most such requisites add only a single magnitude to the spell level, but if the additional effect is sixth magnitude or above, it is often appropriate to add two magnitudes.
Additional effects may not require a requisite if they are purely cosmetic. Thus, a spell that creates fire that looks like flaming skulls does not require an Imaginem requisite. A spell that allowed the caster to choose how the fire looked would, because that flexibility is more than a cosmetic effect.
Requisites, if any, are listed for each formulaic spell. (See the spell Curse of Circe on page 131 XXX as an example.) Requisites make it more difficult to cast spells, as they demand the caster have wider knowledge. You must use the lesser of your score in the requisite and your score in the spell’s main Technique or Form – Technique if the requisite is a Technique, Form if the requisite is a Form. For example, if you have the scores Animal 6 and Corpus 13, and you cast the Muto Corpus spell Curse of Circe, which has a requisite of Animal, you treat your Corpus score as if it were only 6. Note that if your requisite happened to be higher (for example, if your Animal were 15), you would use the lower basic form (your Corpus of 13 in this case).
Sometimes a spell has a requisite for both its Technique and Form. You must use the lowest in each case. And, if several requisites apply to the same primary Art (for example, if there are two Form requisites), your effective score is the lowest of the group. Furthermore, any Deficiencies you have with an Art apply when you use that Art as a requisite.
Requisites listed with a spell’s statistics apply when you are learning, inventing, or casting that spell, but do not apply for determining the defender’s Magic Resistance. The defender’s Magic Resistance is determined by the spell’s primary Form, not that listed as a requisite, even if the caster’s requisite Form score is lower than that of his primary Form score, and thus determines the Casting Total.
| Requisite Necessary For Spell's Effect | +0 magnitudes |
|---|---|
| Requisite Enhances Spell's Effect | +1 magnitude or more |
| Added Effect Is Purely Cosmetic | No requisite |
| Requisite Necessary For Spell's Effect | +0 magnitudes |
| Requisite Enhances Spell's Effect | +1 magnitude or more |
| Added Effect Is Purely Cosmetic | No requisite |
Casting Requisites
Some requisites are not listed along with a spell’s statistics because they only apply when the spell is being used in a certain way, not when learning or inventing it. These are called “casting requisites.” You choose which Arts you use as casting requisites when casting the spell, so what you can affect is limited by your choice. The lowest Technique score and Form score among the primary Arts and all the chosen casting requisites are the ones you use when you cast the spell.
Spontaneous Requisites
Requisites work the same way for spontaneous spells. When the Arts to be used are determined, determine whether requisites are involved. If so, they limit your Arts just as they do for formulaic spells.
Spell Format
Each spell has several factors that describe it for game use. They are discussed below.
Technique and Form
The Technique and Form are listed in the heading the spell is found under. Spells are arranged first by their Forms, then by their Techniques, in alphabetical order. Following each Technique/Form heading are guidelines that will help you create your own spells, as well as help you determine the necessary level to cast a spontaneous spell.
The base Range, Duration, and Target for almost all guidelines are the lowest categories: Personal, Momentary, Individual. Thus, a useful spell will often be of significantly higher level than the guideline for that effect, because it has a higher Range, Duration, and Target. There are some exceptions, primarily guidelines for wards, and these are noted explicitly in the guideline. If the guideline does not specify a Range, Duration, or Target, they are Personal, Momentary, and Individual.
Techniques and Forms are often abbreviated by the first two letters of each word; thus a MuTe spell is of Muto Technique and Terram form. The level is often added after the abbreviation — thus Flash of the Scarlet Flames becomes CrIg 15.
Title
The titles given are the actual names of spells as known by Hermetic magi. When inventing new spells, try to give them creative names that will add color to the game. “Fireball” is not interesting; “Ball of Abysmal Flame” is — you get the idea.
Level
Most spells are assigned a level, which is usually a multiple of five. It need not be, however, and magi may well invent spells of intermediate levels. Spontaneous spells often have other levels, as well.
Some spells are General spells (abbreviated to Gen), which means that they may be learned at any level of difficulty — the higher the level, the more powerful the spell.
The level at which you know a General level formulaic or ritual spell depends on where you obtained it. If you learned a General level spell that was designed for effectiveness at level 15, then that is the level at which you know it. You cannot produce effects that exceed level 15 effects with that spell unless you invent a version with a higher level or learn such a version from another source. General level spells are open-ended only in the sense that they may be learned at any level. They may not be used at a level higher (or lower) than that which is known.
Ritual
Spells requiring rituals are those that fall outside the categories listed for formulaic and spontaneous spells described under “Ritual Spells” on page 114. Certain powerful spells and spells inherited from the Cult of Mercury are also Ritual spells. Storyguides should use their discretion in declaring other spells Ritual.
Requisites
Requisites make it more difficult to cast spells, as they demand the caster have greater knowledge. See “Requisites” on page 114 XXX for a full description of how they limit the casters of particular spells. Requisites that always apply are listed along with a spell’s statistics. Casting requisites are listed within the body of the spell description.
Description
Describes the effects of the spell. Descriptions cover about 95% of the circumstances in which spells are used, but since magic is variable, unpredictable, and can be used in a number of ways, the responsibility for determining the effects in unusual situations lies with the storyguide.
Many of the spell descriptions include visual descriptions, hand gestures, and wizard’s sigils. It should be noted that these are all examples and that you shouldn’t feel bound by them. In fact, you should customize all your spells in ways appropriate to your own magus. When you give special details to your own customized versions of these spells, you are rewarded with a more interesting game.
Spell Damage
Many spells have damage listed in the form +X. This is an abbreviation for stress die + X. The damage inflicted by such spells varies from one casting to another.
Design
A parenthetical line at the end of the description gives the calculations for the spell level. The base level is given in levels, and other modifications in magnitudes. Remember that adding a magnitude adds one level up to level five, and five levels thereafter.
The Wizard’s Sigil
When you invent a spell, some amount of your personal magical style is likely to manifest itself, giving the spell some small quirk or minor detail that identifies it as yours. This recurrent mark or quirk in a magus’s spell (which doesn’t usually change the effectiveness of the spell) is termed his “wizard’s sigil.” Once known, these quirks can identify certain magi as having cast certain spells. Throughout this chapter, various sample spell sigils are listed in the descriptions. Keep in mind that these are just guidelines. They’re meant to give you ideas to better personalize your spells, and perhaps to aid you in choosing your own sigil. See page 86 in the Hermetic Magic chapter for further details.
Note that even when you learn a spell from another magus, or from a lab text, you are actually inventing it, with guidance, so it is always your sigil that manifests in your spells.
Animal Spells
Animal spells affect all natural living things that are not plants or humans, doing to animals what Mentem and Corpus spells do to people. Animal spells may affect any animal-like mind or body. They also affect things made with animal products, such as leather, bone, or wool.
To tell if an Animal spell will affect the mind of a creature, determine from the animal’s Characteristics if it has Cunning or Intelligence. If the creature has Intelligence, a Mentem spell must be used. If it has Cunning, an Animal spell must be used. When a creature or person who has an Intelligence Characteristic is shapechanged, Animal spells that affect the mind are not effective. Instead, Mentem spells are needed. However, the body of such a being may be affected by Animal spells, including spells like The Falcon’s Hood (PeAn 20).
If a human body has animal parts (such as bat wings), those parts can be affected by Animal spells, even though the rest of the body is only affected by Corpus spells.
A Bjornaer magus in animal form is truly an animal, so his mind is affected by Animal spells rather than Mentem spells, and his body by Animal spells rather than Corpus spells. However, spells with continuing effects cast on one form continue to affect the other. Most shapechangers do not change their essential nature, which remains human, so their bodies can still be affected by Corpus spells.
A basic Individual for Animal is an animal of about the same size as a pony, Size +1 or lower.
Creo Animal Guidelines
Most Animal spells cannot be used with Personal range, so the level of a spell must be higher than the guidelines given.
When creating a magical creature, the Magical Might of the creature cannot exceed the level of the spell, and requisites must be included for any special powers (for example, Ignem if it can breathe fire, Rego and Mentem if it can control people’s minds). A Vim requisite, for the magical nature, is always required.
To create treated animal products (like leather, jointed meat, and cloth) add one magnitude to the level necessary to create the equivalent amount of dead animal. To create treated and processed animal products, such as a leather jacket or a woolen tunic, add two magnitudes to the level necessary to create the equivalent amount of dead animal.
To influence the behavior of created animals, a Rego requisite is required, and as this is an additional effect it adds at least one magnitude to the spell level. Otherwise they just do what comes naturally. Creo Animal botches often produce the wrong sort of animal, or produce an animal enraged with the caster.
| Level 1 | Give an animal a +1 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 2 | Give an animal a +3 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 3 | Give an animal a +6 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 4 | Give an animal a +9 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 5 | Create an animal product, such as spidersilk or wool. (Note that an Individual is a single hair, a single hide, or a single tusk.) Create an insect or similar bug. |
| Level 10 | Create the corpse of an animal. Create a bird, reptile, fish, or amphibian. |
| Level 15 | Heal a Light Wound. Give an animal a +18 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 20 | Heal a Medium Wound. Give an animal a +21 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 25 | Stop the progress of a disease. Heal a Heavy Wound. |
| Level 30 | Heal an Incapacitating Wound. Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than the average score for that kind of animal. |
| Level 35 | Heal all wounds. Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than one higher than the average score for that kind of animal. |
| Level 40 | Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than two higher than the average score for that kind of animal. Cause an animal to reach full maturity in a moment. |
| Level 45 | Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than three higher than the average score for that kind of animal. |
| Level 50 | Create a magical beast. Such spells always have a Vim requisite, for the beast’s magic, and normally have other requisites, for its powers. Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than four higher than the average score for that kind of animal. |
| Level 55 | Increase one of an animal’s Characteristics by one point, to no more than five higher than the average score for that kind of animal. A greater increase is not within the natural range for the animal, and thus cannot be effected by Creo magic. |
| Level 75 | Raise an animal from the dead. |
Creo Animal Spells
Level 20
Soothe Pains of the Beast
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell looks much like a ritualistic “laying on of hands” seen in many churches. You kneel and press your hands to the wound while reciting a quiet incantation. The spell cures one Light Wound suffered by the animal.
Asaron of Flambeau believes his mission in life is to repopulate the world so there will be more to kill, and thus spends seasons healing animals and people throughout Europe. In his version of this spell, a black patch in the shape of a tongue of fire is left where the wound was. A symbolic flame is seen in almost all of Asaron’s spells, making it his wizard’s sigil.
(Base level 15, +1 Touch)
True Rest of the Injured Brute
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
The injured target gets a +9 bonus to all Recovery rolls made while the spell is in effect.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Level 35
Weaver's Trap of Webs
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group
In casting this spell, you point and from this initial location, a huge net of spider webs grows, filling an area 5 paces by 5 paces by 6 feet high. With supports, the webs can hang vertically, forming a wall; otherwise they act like a net. When the webs are through growing after a few seconds, they are as thick as string and as strong as iron. Everyone caught in the area of the webs is immobilized. Getting free requires a Strength stress roll of 12+, or someone who is not trapped may use an edged weapon to free a victim, which takes three rounds. Contrary to widespread rumor, fire is ineffective against these webs. Webs may continue to trap victims in the future, as long as the spell lasts and they aren’t completely hacked apart.
(Base level 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group (total mass of the spiderwebs is still less than ten basic Individuals, so no size adjustment))
The Wizard's Mount
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Creates a horse, which is normal in every way except that it is not disturbed by The Gift.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 size)
Level 50
Curse of the Ravenous Swarm
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Group, Ritual
Req: Rego
Calls a swarm of locusts or other destructive insects upon an area, which destroys wild plant life and fields. When the spell’s duration ends, all the insects disappear, leaving nothing but the damage. The Rego requisite ensures that the insects only devastate the area desired by the caster.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +2 Group, +2 size, for a swarm weighing as much as one thousand pigs, +1 extra effect from requisite, ritual because it has a really major effect)
Intellego Animal Guidelines
When you try to get information from an animal, remember that its memories are gathered through its particular senses, with their particular strengths and weaknesses. For example, dogs remember much about odors of various things, but often forget details of how they looked. Animals do not remember human words, but might remember tone of voice and such. You may not get the exact information you are looking for.
To communicate with an animal, you must bring yourself to the animal's mental level — a process that might have strange, though temporary, effects on you. For example, you might have a craving for raw meat or speak very slowly for a moment after communicating with a bear.
Since Animal includes aspects of both Corpus and Mentem with regard to beasts, guidelines that apply to the latter two may apply to Animal. InCo and InMe may be referred to for additional ideas. Botches with InAn normally result in false information.
| Level 1 | Get a mental image of an animal. |
| Level 3 | Sense the state of consciousness of a beast. Get general information about its body. |
| Level 4 | Sense the dominant drive of a beast. Learn a specific fact about its body. |
| Level 5 | Learn the origin, age, and history of something made of animal products. |
| Level 10 | Speak with an animal. Read an animal's surface thoughts. |
| Level 15 | Read the recent memories of a beast. |
| Level 20 | Thoroughly probe the mind of a beast. |
Intellego Animal Spells
Level 5
Image of the Beast
R: Arc D: Mom, T: Ind
Gives you a hazy mental image of an animal you have an Arcane Connection to.
Wounds caused by an animal are an Arcane Connection to that animal with a lifetime of a few hours. This spell can thus be used to find out what was responsible for an attack.
All spells cast by Chavin of Tytalus can be recognized because they promote or advocate war or violence. In his version of this spell, the claws and teeth of the beast appear more dangerous.
(Base 1, +4 Arcane Connection)
Level 10
Shiver of the Lycanthrope
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Touch
You feel a sudden shiver if you are touching a person or beast that is actually a lycanthrope. Variants of this spell detect other types of shapechanger, but not Bjornaer with Heartbeasts.
(Base 4, +1 Concentration, +1 Touch)
Level 25
Opening of the Animal's Mind
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
You touch the head of the animal in question and read its memories of the past day. The further the animal is from human, the harder it is to read its memories accurately. If you simply scan the beast’s memories, not looking for anything special, you get the memories the beast thinks are most important. If you are trying to get a specific fact, you need a Perception + Finesse stress roll of 6+, or 12+ if the fact is obscure. Since normal animals are sensitive to magic, they resist your touch and try to shy away from you both when the spell is cast and while the spell continues to function. This can be quite a problem with larger animals.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)
Level 30
Hunter's Sense
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Hearing
You sense the shapes and primary motivations of all animals above a certain size that you can hear, or could hear if they were making a noise. You decide the size threshold when you cast the spell, such as “all animals larger than a fox.” The “noise” of an animal’s shape is louder the larger it is, while the “noise” of its motivations increases depending on how intense the motivation is. A rabbit fleeing from a fox would sound fearful, very loudly. The fox’s motivation might be fairly quiet, especially if recent hunting had been good.
(Base 4, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing, +1 for shape and primary motivation)
Muto Animal Guidelines
Animals granted new abilities, such as wings, will need a few minutes to get used to them. When transforming things, you can transform things that they are carrying with appropriate requisites. For example, you could transform a horse and its armor with a Terram requisite.
Animals are not infinitely mutable, and using too many of these spells for too long on an animal can warp its natural constitution and even destroy it. Muto Corpus spells may be examined to get additional ideas and guidelines for Muto Animal Spells. Common sigils seen in Muto Animal spells involve animals being changed in some strange way. Beasts transformed by Julian of Flambeau, with The Beast Remade (MuAn 25), might have bright red hair in their new form, while toads created by Silva of Merinita, with Transformation of the Ravenous Beast to the Torpid Toad (MuAn 30), might have a comical coloration.
MuAn botches often change the caster instead of the target, or change the target in a way very different from that intended.
| Level 1 | Make a superficial change to something made of animal products (like changing its color). |
| Level 2 | Make a major change to something made of animal products that preserves the substance (for example, turn a leather jerkin into a saddle). Gradually turn meat into vermin. Make a superficial change to a beast. |
| Level 3 | Change an animal’s limb. Change something made of animal products into a different animal product. |
| Level 4 | Make a major change in a beast, while leaving it recognizably the same sort of animal (for example, make a horse bigger and change its color). Change something made of animal products in a minor unnatural way. |
| Level 5 | Change an animal into a different animal. Change an animal in a minor way so that it is no longer natural (for example, change the color of a horse’s coat to match the covenant’s coat of arms). Change something made of animal products in a major unnatural way. |
| Level 10 | Change an animal into a human (though it retains its animal mentality and does not gain a soul, requires a Corpus requisite). Change an animal into a plant (requires an Herbam requisite). |
| Level 15 | Change an animal in a major unnatural way (for example, give a horse claws, fangs, and scaly armored skin). Change an animal into a non-living item (appropriate requisite required). |
| Level 15 | Radically change an animal in an unnatural way (for example, give a horse wings). Give an animal a “magical” ability, such as the ability to breathe fire (requires a requisite for the ability). |
Muto Animal Spells
Level 15
Beast of Outlandish Size
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Changes the Size of an animal by +1. This change modifies Strength by +2, the range for each wound level increases by one, and Quickness falls by one. The new beast is of huge size, and looks much more impressive than its previous self. Townspeople may run in fear of it, and there is little doubt among them that it is a creature of magic.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Doublet of Impenetrable Silk
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind.
Change an item made of animal material — silk, wool, or leather — so it cannot be cut or penetrated by weapons. A simple cloth doublet becomes the equivalent of armor with no Load and a +3 Soak bonus. Armor made of quilted material or any kind of leather improves its Protection by an additional +3. The magic does not make the armor better at absorbing shock, so this +3 bonus is the limit that can be bestowed without changing the material into something completely different. At the storyguide’s option, the bonus given by this spell may not apply against strictly blunt weapons like clubs and staves.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Growth of the Creeping Things
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Causes an insect, mouse, toad, or other small (Size –9) creature to grow to four times its normal size. If it was poisonous before, it is even more poisonous now. Semi-poisonous creatures, like most spiders, have poison with an Ease Factor of 6 that does a Light Wound.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Beast of Minuscule Proportions
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Reduces the size of an animal by 2. This modifies Strength by –4, reduces the range for each wound type by two points, and increases Quickness by +2. The beast appears to be the runt of its litter, unfit to live.
(Base: 4, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 25
The Beast Remade
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Corpus
Gives one land beast a human form, though its intellect remains the same. Some feature of the animal is retained in the human form. A former dog might have an exceptionally hairy human body, and a former cat might let loose an occasional “meow.” Once transformed, the beast is disoriented for a while before it becomes used to its new body.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, no addition for requisite)
Transformation of the Ravenous Beast to the Torpid Toad
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Turns any animal into a toad. A newly created toad will hold a certain terror for peasants and serfs, because many believe toads exude a poisonous substance from their skin.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 35
Steed of Vengeance
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Turns a horse into a ferocious magical mount. Its coat becomes a deep black and its eyes a fiery red, its teeth transform into fangs, its hooves become razor sharp, and it occasionally breathes steam from its mouth — the horse seems a creature from Hell itself. All Attack and Damage rolls get a +5 bonus. The horse tolerates a magus rider. When the spell wears off, the horse must make a Stamina stress roll of 9+ or die from shock.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 size)
Perdo Animal Guidelines
There is normally no Soak against Perdo Animal — the magic does not create something that causes damage, it just causes damage. Magic Resistance is the only way to withstand it. A common sigil among Flambeau magi, and others who cast Perdo spells, is to leave some type of mark with the damage they do. When inventing new spells, you may wish to consult Perdo Corpus for guidelines and ideas. PeAn botches might affect the caster, or affect the wrong animal.
| Level 2 | Damage something made of animal products. |
| Level 3 | Do superficial damage to a beast (for example, remove its hair). |
| Level 4 | Destroy something made of animal products. Cause a beast pain, but do no real damage. Make a beast lose one Fatigue level. |
| Level 5 | Injure an animal so that it is hampered, but not damaged. For example, make a horse lame, a bird lose its voice, or weaken the scales of a serpent. This roughly halves the effectiveness of the targeted thing. Recovery as from a Light Wound. Destroy an animal’s corpse. Inflict a Light Wound. |
| Level 10 | Inflict a Medium Wound. |
| Level 15 | Destroy one of a beast’s minor senses. Inflict a Heavy Wound. Cripple a beast’s limb, so that it is unusable but could heal. Age a beast by one-twelfth of its natural lifespan. Only affects beasts that have already reached maturity. |
| Level 20 | Inflict an Incapacitating Wound. Destroy or sever a beast’s limb, so that it cannot naturally regain it. Destroy one of a beast’s major senses. |
| Level 30 | Kill an animal. |
| Level 40 | Destroy one property of an animal, such as its weight or aggression. |
Perdo Animal Spells
Level 10
Decay Fur and Hide
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Destroys an object made of animal fur or hide, including wool and leather. Marius of Tremere’s version of this spell has the target disappear in an impressive puff of smoke.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Agony of the Beast
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
After you point at the beast and cast this spell, it begins lashing wildly about, upsetting any nearby objects, and howling in great pain. In order to do anything else, the beast must make a Stamina + Size stress roll of 9+ each round.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Concentration)
Level 20
Blunt the Viper's Fangs
R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Individual
Blunt the claws, teeth, talons, or other natural weapons of a beast. Only sharp weapons may be affected: this spell does not affect a weapon such as a horse’s hoof or a giant snake’s coils. The blunted weapon has its total damage (including Attack Advantage) reduced to half (round up). The beast may recover from the effect as if it were a Light Wound. The spell may affect animals of size up to +4.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 size)
Level 25
The Falcon's Hood
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Destroys an animal’s vision. The blindness heals as if it is a Medium Wound. The title refers to the hood used to cover a falcon’s eyes when it is not hunting. When cast by Asaron of Flambeau, this spell causes the animals it targets to bear a faint silhouette of a flame in their eyes.
(Base 20, +1 Touch)
Cripple the Howling Wolf
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
When casting this spell, you commonly make an abrupt snapping motion with your hands. One of the target’s legs breaks cleanly. The animal cannot walk on that leg, but the damage heals as a Medium Wound. Note that the target need not be a wolf, and that you cannot choose which leg.
(Base 15, +2 Voice)
Rego Animal Guidelines
You may further refer to Corpus for ideas and guidelines on controlling an animal’s body, and Rego Mentem spells for ideas and guidelines on controlling an animal’s mind.
Sigils typical in Rego Animal spells are those that cause beasts to act in certain ways.
ReAn botches could put the caster under the control of the animal, or make the animal act in a way opposite to that intended. They could also appear to work, and then suddenly reverse at an extremely inconvenient moment.
| General | Create a circle warding against animals from one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) with Might less than or equal to the level of the spell (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle) |
| Level 1 | Manipulate items made from animal products. |
| Level 2 | Plant a single suggestion in the mind of an animal. Protect the target from animal attacks (only affects animals without mystical abilities). |
| Level 4 | Calm an animal. |
| Level 5 | Manipulate an animal’s emotions. Paralyze an animal. |
| Level 10 | Make an animal completely passive. |
| Level 15 | Completely control an animal. |
Rego Animal Spells
General
Ward Against the Beasts of Legend
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
No magical beast whose Magic Might is equal to or less than the level can affect anyone within the Circle or, if it is within the Circle, affect those outside. When a magus is making this and most other wards, a common gesture employed is the Fig Sign. The magus balls his or her right hand into a fist, placing the thumb between the index and middle fingers. A magus traveling to Italy should be warned that this sign is a deadly insult in that country.
(As ward guideline)
Level 5
Disguise of the Putrid Aroma
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
(The target takes no interest in you as long as you continue to concentrate, and do not threaten it. A carnivore treats you as if you were simply something it does not eat. It retains normal interest, however, in anyone else nearby.
)
Circle of Beast Warding
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
The caster inscribes a circle that no normal beast will cross.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Ring)
Level 10
Soothe the Ferocious Bear
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Calms an animal until it is threatened or aroused again. You must speak soothingly or musically to it, and something as simple as approaching it may arouse it again.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Panic of the Elephant's Mouse
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
Makes an animal afraid of the target by preying upon its instinctive fears, causing it to attempt escape by the quickest, most feasible means possible. The animal may make a Size stress roll of 9+ to resist. The title refers to the elephant’s legendary fear of mice, but note that this spell cannot actually affect elephants, as they are too large.
(Base 5, +1 Eye, +1 Concentration)
Viper's Gaze
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
Holds an animal rigid as long as you maintain eye contact with it and concentrate on it.
(Base 5, +1 Eye, +1 Concentration)
Level 25
The Gentle Beast
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
Calms an animal, making it nearly fearless. It does not resist being ridden, shaved, or whatever else you can think of. If the animal enters combat, is extremely frightened, or incurs any kind of wound, the spell ends. The animal must be Size +4 or less.
(Base 10, +1 Eye, +1 Concentration, +1 size)
Mastering the Unruly Beast
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
You can make an animal perform any act it is capable of. You can only issue new commands while touching the animal, but the animal will carry them out without requiring constant contact. Further, the animal will allow you to touch it throughout the duration of the spell. It is difficult to maintain control of particularly stubborn or fierce animals, such as mules or boars — creatures with appropriate Personality Traits may roll against an Ease Factor of 12+ each round.
When Chavin of Tytalus casts this spell, the creature acts surly and unfriendly while going about its tasks, even when Chavin doesn’t specifically tell it to act that way.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)
Level 30
Commanding the Harnessed Beast
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
You implant a complicated command into an animal, which it carries out to the best of its abilities. The command must involve completing a certain task, such as finding a certain person. Vague orders, like “protect me,” do not work. If the animal does not complete the task before the end of the spell approaches, it becomes desperately ferocious, especially at night.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Aquam Spells
Aquam spells affect water and all other liquids. They cannot affect liquids in a body, such as blood; that requires a Corpus spell.
The application of the target categories to Aquam magic is not as obvious as it is for some other Forms, so further guidelines are given here. If the standard targets do apply, they may also be used.
Individual: A stretch of water with the same composition and current. A small pond, part of a stream, or a spring.
Part: A part of an Individual. This category applies easily.
Group: A number of Individuals. This can include a large river, where there are several different currents, a number of rivers flowing together, or a lake.
Room, Structure, and Boundary: These work as for other Forms; the spell affects all the liquid within the target area.
A base Individual for Aquam is a pool of water about five paces (fifteen feet) across, and two paces deep at the center. Naturally occurring liquids, such as fruit juice or olive oil, have a base Individual one-tenth the size, about two paces across and about one deep. Processed liquids, such as wine or beer, have a base Individual one hundredth the size, a pool about one pace across and half a pace deep. Corrosive and otherwise dangerous liquids have a base Individual ten times smaller again, a puddle about a foot across and about six inches deep. Poisons have a base Individual of a single dose.
Creo Aquam Guidelines
Water created temporarily quenches thirst but provides no lasting benefits to the drinker. It can be used to wash, and the things washed stay clean. Common sigils for Creo Aquam spells include water with a specific scent, color, or flavor.
CrAq botches might create far too much water (think of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice), or the wrong kind of liquid.
Slightly unnatural liquids are one magnitude harder than water, very unnatural liquids are two magnitudes harder.
Poisons created at the guideline level have an Ease Factor of 3. Each magnitude added to the level of the spell adds 3 to the Ease Factor.
| General | Create a corrosive substance doing +(Level) damage. Increasing the range to more than Touch is a very good idea. |
| Level 2 | Fill a container with water (or some other natural liquid, with appropriate requisites). |
| Level 3 | Create water (or some other natural liquid) that is not contained (for example, spread over a surface). |
| Level 4 | Create water (or some other natural liquid) in an unnatural shape (for example, in a sphere over someone’s head) — but water so created will behave normally. Create a spring with a low rate of flow. |
| Level 5 | Create a poison that causes a Light Wound. Create a spring with a high rate of flow. |
| Level 10 | Create a geyser with a very high rate of flow. Create poison that causes a Medium Wound. |
| Level 15 | Create poison that causes a Heavy Wound |
| Level 20 | Create a poison that causes an Incapacitating Wound. |
| Level 25 | Create a poison that causes a Fatal Wound. |
Creo Aquam Spells
Level 5
Footsteps of Slippery Oil
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Ind
From each of the next ten footsteps the caster of this spell takes, nonflammable grease spreads out, leaving a slick area 10 paces wide. Dexterity stress rolls are required to remain upright whenever a character on the oil does something more challenging than walking. A roll of 6+ is needed for the average maneuver, with rolls of up to 15+ needed to (for example) make a right turn at full speed on a smooth, greased surface. The duration is the length of time that the oil lasts.
This spell was invented by a rather good-natured magus, and the gestures associated with the most common variations of the spell are as comical as the effects themselves. You can stand first on one leg, and then the other, vigorously rubbing the bottom of each upturned foot, as if spreading on a salve.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Diam)
Level 15
Creeping Oil
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Saturates a porous material with flammable oil. When casting this spell, you make a flicking motion with your index finger and thumb, as if propelling something at the target. A dot of oil appears on the target after the spell is finished, and slowly spreads over the target, saturating enough cloth to cover a person. If used on a person’s clothes and ignited, the oil does +12 damage the first round, +6 the second, and +0 the third.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Mighty Torrent of Water
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
A 3-foot-diameter jet of water sprays from your outstretched arms towards your target. The target of this gusher of water takes +10 damage and must make a Strength + Size stress roll of 9+ or be sent flying back.
Marbaid of Flambeau’s wizard’s sigil is connected to his obsession with blood. In his version of the spell the target is hit by a gush of blood, and the stains do not go away until sunrise/sunset. This does not require a requisite, as it is a purely cosmetic effect.
(Base 10, +2 Voice)
Level 40
Deluge of Rushing and Dashing
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes a stream to flood, starting at the stream’s nearest point to you and continuing downstream. The results of this spell are generally quite impressive. As the stream overflows its original bed, it becomes a raging torrent, sucking in everything near it. Damage from the spell can last for many years.
As long as you concentrate, the stream remains at flood levels. Anyone caught near the stream when it floods is struck by the rush of water (+10 damage), caught up in the flood, and dragged along. Every round, a victim makes a Strength + Swim stress roll. A roll of 9+ means the character escapes the flood. Otherwise, the character loses one Fatigue level and takes +5 damage. Any who fall unconscious drown. This roll is repeated until the character either escapes the flood or dies.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Concentration, +3 size, so that the whole stream floods)
Intellego Aquam Guidelines
Note that Intellego Aquam spells do not normally require requisites depending on the type of liquid targeted.
Most sigils manifest in Intellego Aquam spells by causing the information to be reported in some slightly quirky way. For example, Chavin of Tytalus’s version of Voice of the Lake always makes the lake sound strong, masculine, and arrogant.
Botched InAq spells generally provide false information.
| Level 1 | Make a sense unaffected by water. |
| Level 2 | Get an image of water within range. |
| Level 3 | Get an image of water and its immediate surroundings within range. Learn the natural properties of a liquid. |
| Level 4 | Learn the natural properties of a mixture of liquids. |
| Level 5 | Learn the magical properties of a liquid. |
| Level 10 | Learn the magical properties of a mixture of liquids. |
| Level 15 | Speak with a natural body of water. |
| Level 20 | Speak with an artificial body of water (like a fountain). |
Intellego Aquam Spells
Level 5
Clear Sight of the Niad
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Vision
You can see as clearly through water as through air, for a single moment.
(Base 1, +4 Vision)
Subtle Taste of Poison and Purity
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Taste
You can taste all of the properties of any liquid or mixture of liquids. Unlike Touch of the Pearls, you can use this sense on any number of liquids during the duration of the spell, but you must taste the liquids in question.
(Base 4, +1 Concentration)
Touch of the Pearls
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Tells you whether a liquid you hold or touch is poisonous, just as a pearl sometimes does. Safer than Subtle Taste of Poison and Purity, as you don’t have to taste the possibly poisonous liquid.
In Verdan of Ex Miscellanea’s version of the spell, poisonous liquids turn a faint green. According to his sigil, all his spells involve the color green.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)
Level 15
Call of the Rushing Waters
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
Allows you to find any natural body of water for which you have an Arcane Connection (for example, a vial of water from it). Once you cast the spell, you can hear the water while you concentrate. Following the sound eventually brings you to the water, but you must make simple Perception rolls of 6+ to follow the sound accurately (roll once per day for long journeys). If you break concentration, you must cast the spell again. A body of water that does not move or that makes little noise requires a roll of 9+ to be traced.
(Base 2, +4 Arcane Connection, +1 Concentration)
Level 25
Voice of the Lake
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
You can hold a conversation with a body of water. A body of water usually knows about things directly in contact with it, such as boats and fish. Genuine lakes are generally too large for this spell to affect.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Concentration)
Level 30
Enchantment of the Scrying Pool
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Ind, Ritual
Req: Imaginem
Turns a body of water into a scrying pool. Innately magical people (including most companions with mystical powers) who look into the pool can see any spot they know of that is within sight of some natural body of water. The view you get is the same view that someone would have from a low boat on the water — either close to shore or far from shore, as desired. Maximum range for scrying is 500 miles; the range of the spell is the range to the pool when the spell is cast. This ritual is not entirely of Hermetic magic, and does not conform to the normal InAq guidelines. It is an old Mercurian ritual that has become known throughout the Order, and which appears to use one body of water as an Arcane Connection to any other body of water. A number of theoreticians would like to make that work more generally, but so far this has not proved possible.
(Special spell)
Muto Aquam Guidelines
You cannot transform liquids within someone’s body unless the spell is designed that way (and has a Corpus or Animal requisite).
Muto Aquam botches might change liquids inside the caster, change the wrong liquid outside him, or change the liquid in the wrong way.
Poisons created at the guideline level have an Ease Factor of 3. For every magnitude added to the spell, add three to the Ease Factor.
| General | Change a liquid into a liquid that does +(Level) points of damage on contact. |
| Level 2 | Change a natural liquid into another natural liquid. Change a liquid into a poison causing a Light Wound. |
| Level 3 | Change a liquid into a poison causing a Medium Wound. Change a natural liquid into a slightly unnatural liquid (for example, make blue water or strawberry flavored castor oil), or vice versa. |
| Level 4 | Change a liquid into an unrelated solid or gas (with requisites; Terram for solids and Auram for gases). Change a natural liquid into two or more different natural liquids, with the two types separate (although they will mix again normally). Change a liquid into a poison causing a Heavy Wound. Change a liquid into a very unnatural liquid (for example, a shocking pink liquid that causes bizarre hallucinations) — requisites will often be required. |
| Level 5 | Change a liquid into a mixture of any liquid, solid (with Terram requisite), or gas (with Auram requisite). Change a liquid into a slightly unnatural solid or gas. Change a liquid into a poison causing an Incapacitating Wound. |
| Level 10 | Change a liquid into a very unnatural solid or gas. Change a liquid into a poison causing a Fatal Wound. |
Muto Aquam Spells
Level 15
Incantation of the Putrid Wine
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
Makes all liquids within the target room vile, and malodorous. The room where this spell is cast may not lose the stench for weeks or months. Note that this spell only affects liquids that are in the room when it is cast, and they remain malodorous even if removed from the room.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room)
Level 20
Lungs of the Fish
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Req: Auram
Turns water into air as it enters your lungs, allowing you to breathe water as you do air.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Level 45
Vile Water of Sterility
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Group, Ritual
Ruins a body of water up to the size of a small lake, making it unfit for natural habitation and consumption. The water becomes dark and murky, and noxious fumes emanate from it. Vegetation on the banks either dies or becomes corrupt. Nearby trees become gnarled and blackened, and land animals flee the area.
(Base 4 (a very unnatural liquid), +1 Touch, +4 Year, +2 Group, +2 size)
Perdo Aquam Guidelines
As magnitudes in these spells rise, the destruction caused becomes more subtle, or more pervasive. Sigils commonly seen in Perdo Aquam spells usually involve destruction in some specific way. Destroying water that is part of something, such as the fluid in a human being, requires a target of Part. Destroying water that is merely on someone, such as the water making a person wet, only needs a target of Individual.
Perdo Aquam botches might destroy all water in the caster, as Curse of the Desert, or create water instead of destroying it.
| Level 4 | Completely dry something (up to the size of a small house) that is wet. |
| Level 5 | Greatly reduce the amount of a liquid without destroying it completely. |
| Level 10 | Destroy a liquid (requisites may be required). |
| Level 15 | Destroy one property of a liquid (like alcohol’s ability to intoxicate or sea water’s saltiness). |
| Level 20 | Destroy a small spring, so that it never flows again. |
Perdo Aquam Spells
Level 5
Parching Wind
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Removes most of the water from any object, including plants (with a Herbam requisite), possibly making the object brittle and fragile. With a Corpus or Animal requisite, the spell can affect humans or animals. This causes +10 damage, against which armor is no defense, and makes the target extremely thirsty.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Part)
Level 20
Closing the Earth's Gate
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Dries a single spring, so that it never flows again. This spell targets the spring, not the water in it at a particular time, so the spring does not start to flow again later.
(Base 20, +1 Touch)
Curse of the Desert
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Removes virtually all the fluid from the target’s body, doing +15 damage, which armor does not protect against. The target must drink within a few minutes of being struck with this spell, or it dies. Casting requisites are Animal for beasts, and Corpus for humans.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Part)
Level 50
Calling the Odious Drought
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Bound, Ritual
Req: Auram
Causes a drought over the surrounding area. Only one-tenth the normal rain falls, streams dry up, and rivers dwindle.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +4 Boundary, no increase for requisite)
Rego Aquam Guidelines
Rego Aquam can change water into ice or steam, because these are both states that water can have naturally.
Rego Aquam botches generally involve spectacular and dangerous loss of control of the water. Add one magnitude if the controlled movement is slightly unnatural, two if it is very unnatural.
| General | Ward against creatures of water belonging to one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, Magic) whose might is less than or equal to the level of the spell (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle). |
| Level 1 | Control a liquid in an extremely gentle way. |
| Level 3 | Change a liquid into the corresponding solid or gas (for example, change water into ice or steam). This does not require requisites. |
| Level 4 | Control a liquid in a forceful but calm way, such as a fast but constant current. |
| Level 5 | Ward against mundane water. Control a liquid in a violent way. |
| Level 10 | Control a liquid in an extremely violent way. |
Rego Aquam Spells
General
Ward Against Faeries of the Water
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
No water faerie whose Faerie Might is equal to or less than the level of the spell can affect those targeted by the spell. Faeries cannot directly or indirectly break the magic circle, nor can they use ranged attacks or magic to affect those within it.
Seen from certain angles at night, the ring appears as a light blue dome.
(Base spell)
Level 5
Cloak of the Duck's Feathers
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes water run off one object or creature, protecting the target and the target’s apparel from dampness. The spell is broken if the target is submerged in water.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 for slightly unnatural control)
Level 10
Break the Oncoming Wave
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
Breaks all waves and torrents of water (including magical ones) as they come within 10 paces of you. The water either crashes to the ground or flows around you in a truly impressive display.
In Ferramentum of Verditius’s version of this spell, the water breaks at precisely 10 paces, leaving a very clean line showing where the waves stopped. All of his spells may be recognized by their orderliness.
(Base 5, +1 Conc, ward, so the target is the warded Individual, not the water)
Level 15
Breath of Winter
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Turns a circle of water up to five paces across into snow.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Push of the Gentle Wave
R: Voice, D: Conc T: Ind
A low wave is formed to propel a small boat slowly through the water. When casting this spell, you commonly make a pushing gesture.
In Silva of Merinita’s version of this spell, the wave occasionally drifts or bobs about, as if it is happy and playful.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 30
Bridge of Frost
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Part
Causes a thick layer of frost (firm enough to walk on) to form on the surface of a body of water. The frost can take any shape up to fifteen paces in any direction.
In Cralian of Tremere’s version of this spell, the frost is so crystal clear that it can hardly be seen. All of his spells are very subtle.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 size, +1 to allow various shapes)
Chaos of the Angry Waves
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Part
Causes water to churn wildly, overturning small water craft and forcing Swim rolls at –6, in a circular area 20 paces across.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +1 Part, +1 size)
Parting the Waves
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Group
Parts a body of water, revealing a dry path 5 paces wide along the bottom. Very large bodies of water are too large for the Group target, and are thus unaffected.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Waves of Drowning and Smashing
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind
Raises a wave 5 feet high and 30 paces wide, which can submerge swimmers, overturn rowboats, and damage sailing ships. It starts as a small, curved wave and grows for the first 10 paces, at which point it reaches maximum size. If it travels 100 paces without striking an object large enough to break it up, it dissipates.
(Base 10, +3 Sight, +1 size)
Level 35
Ice of Drowning
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Part
Fills water in a circle 10 paces across with large, jagged chunks of ice that pound against anything on the water’s surface. The ice can punch holes in small boats but does not damage ships. Any swimmers in the area take +15 damage, and suffer –6 and two extra botch checks on Swim rolls.
(Base 5 (for the violent pounding), +2 Voice, +1 Concentration, +1 Part, +1 size, +1 additional effect, changing the water to ice)
Pull of the Watery Grave
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Ind
Creates a strong undertow that pulls any object smaller than a rowboat 25 fathoms (150 feet) into the depths. Each of those caught in the undercurrent must make 9+ on a Strength + Swim stress roll to avoid being dragged down. A roll is made each round that the spell is maintained.
(Base 10, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +1 size)
Tower of Whirling Water
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Group
From a large body of water you form a waterspout that moves under your mental direction. It causes a simple die + 15 damage to anyone it hits (no Attack roll necessary). In addition, those struck must make a Quickness stress roll of 6+ to avoid being sucked up by the waterspout. Those who fail are helplessly pulled into the spout and begin to drown immediately. When the waterspout fails, they fall up to 20 feet to the water’s surface. If you direct the waterspout to move across land, you must make an Intelligence + Concentration stress roll of 9+ each round to maintain it.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Level 40
Neptune's Wrath
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
A gigantic wave is created in a very large body of water. The wave, which is only 20 feet high but up to a mile wide, is capable of capsizing ships at sea, smashing and drowning people near shore, and seriously damaging coastline communities. The tidal wave needs 5 miles of water surface to build itself up to proper proportions. The magus cannot control the wave without casting another spell.
(Base 10, +3 Sight, +3 size, ritual for large effect)
Auram Spells
Auram spells are powerful because the element of air is ubiquitous. Their weakness is that air is not usually violent, like fire, nor strong, like earth. Auram, however, includes in its scope most weather phenomena such as storms, lightning, rain, mist, and falling snow. Auram spells usually affect air as phenomena (winds, odors) rather than as gases (a modern concept).
Some target categories for Auram require some clarification. If the normal descriptions apply, they can, of course, be used. Individual: A single phenomenon: one cloud, one wind, one bolt of lightning.
Group: Several related phenomena, such as the clouds, wind, and rain in a storm.
A base Individual for Auram is a weather phenomenon that affects the area within a standard Boundary — an area one hundred paces across.
Creo Auram Guidelines
Weather phenomena are normally created at Sight range. This is because most weather phenomena (clouds, rain, storms, and so on) naturally begin in the upper air, and so spells to create weather must have enough Range to reach this area. It is possible to create weather phenomena that start at ground level, but they are very unnatural, and the increase in level for that precisely offsets the decrease from reducing Range to Touch. A flying wizard could, of course, use Touch range to create natural weather phenomena, but such spells are not very popular in the Order.
Sigils in Creo Auram spells commonly give the air specific properties, such as special scents or colors.
Creo Auram botches may create the wrong sort of weather, or create it targeted at the caster or some other ally.
| Level 1 | Create a minor weather phenomenon: a breeze, a mist, a light drizzle. |
| Level 2 | Create a normal weather phenomenon: a cloud, wind, fog, rain from a cloud that already exists. |
| Level 3 | Create a severe weather phenomenon: deafening thunder, monsoon rain, impenetrable fog, gale force wind. Create a debilitating kind of aiR: noxious stench, mild poison, etc. |
| Level 5 | Create a very severe weather phenomenon: hurricane force winds, lightning strike, tornado. Create a phenomenon in a slightly unnatural fashion: +1 magnitude (for example, indoors). Create a phenomenon in a very unnatural fashion: +2 magnitudes Create a phenomenon wholly divorced from its normal context (for example, a lightning bolt springing from the caster’s hands): +4 magnitudes. |
Creo Auram Spells
Level 5
Air's Ghostly Form
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Ind
A thick fog forms around the magus, extending outwards for several paces. A breeze can push the fog around. The fog dissipates at its natural rate, and may be too thin to restrict sight within a minute.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diam, +1 unnatural (the spell can be cast indoors))
Chamber of Spring Breezes
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Creates a breeze of fresh air that continually moves throughout a room, keeping the air continuously breathable even if the room is airtight. Rose of Jerbiton’s version of this spell always causes the air to smell of roses. The breeze can be created outdoors, but there it has little effect.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 unnatural)
Level 10
Jupiter's Resounding Blow
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Creates a thunderclap; anyone directly underneath must make a Stamina stress roll of 9+ or be deafened. If deafened, the target gets another Stamina simple roll each minute and recovers with a roll of 9+. If the first roll botches, the victim is rendered deaf for a month.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 unnatural (the spell functions indoors))
Stench of the Twenty Corpses
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Makes the surrounding air stink horribly of rotting corpses. All those within fifty paces of the target point must make Stamina stress rolls of 6+ or act with a –3 penalty on all rolls. Anyone who botches the roll vomits and is incapacitated for (10 – Stamina) rounds.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Diam)
Wreaths of Foul Smoke
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Thick, yellow, sulfurous smoke rises up from the spot you designate, spreading and thinning naturally, but thick enough to block sight in a radius of about five paces around the point of origin. For each round anyone breathes the smoke, a Stamina stress roll of 3+ must be made or a Fatigue level is lost. Once a character is Unconscious, further failed rolls result in the character taking a Light Wound each time. The area where the spell is cast will be damaged: small plants wilt and die, and tree growth is stunted. A faint stench of sulfur clings for days to anything exposed to the smoke.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Diam)
Level 15
Broom of the Winds
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Whips up violent, swirling winds around the target. The target must make a Size stress roll of 9+ to remain standing. If the target is braced or holding onto some support, he may also make a Strength stress roll of 9+. If both rolls fail, the target is knocked in a random direction. The target may be damaged, depending on whether he strikes anything.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 unnatural)
Charge of the Angry Winds
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
A wall of wind roars away from you, starting up to 10 paces away and continuing until it dissipates naturally. The wind is confined by any existing barriers, but if unconfined it can be up to a hundred paces wide. All within the area must make a Dexterity + Size stress roll of 9+ or fall down and be blown along by the winds. The rolls must be made at the start of the gale and each subsequent round that the wind is maintained. You must concentrate on the gale. Missile fire into or out of the gale is futile, and marching against the gale requires a Strength + Size stress roll of 15+. Failure in this attempt mandates another Dexterity + Size stress roll of 12+ to keep from falling.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +1 unnatural)
Level 20
Circling Winds of Protection
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Surrounds you with winds that circle at great speed. Since the wind picks up dust and other small, loose objects, you may be obscured. Anyone standing near enough to attack you with a hand weapon must make a Size stress roll of 9+ at the beginning of each round or be blown back. Melee Attack rolls against you are at –3, and missile or thrown attacks are at –9.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 unnatural, +1 Rego effect)
Level 25
Clouds of Rain and Thunder
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Group
Creates a small but severe rainstorm, including lightning and winds. The storm gathers and breaks in a few seconds as the caster concentrates, and dissipates with similar speed when he stops doing so.
Note that reducing the Range for this spell makes the storm increasingly unnatural, so versions of this spell with lower Range still have the same level.
(Base 3, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Clouds of Summer Snow
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Group
Creates clouds that drop snow over an area about a mile across. The clouds gather over a few seconds at the beginning of the spell, and dissipate over the same sort of time when the caster stops concentrating. The spell does not affect temperature.
(Base 2, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +2 Group, +1 Size)
Level 30
Pull of the Skybound Winds
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Makes winds rise upward, pulling one object, creature, or person up to 50 feet into the sky before letting that target drop. Even a small building can be torn from its foundation, though such a building can be no larger than 20 feet to a side, and cannot be built out of a material heavier than stout wood. Uprooted objects fall randomly, unless you make a Finesse stress roll against an Ease Factor of 12 to choose where the objects will fall.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 unnatural)
Wings of the Soaring Wind
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Generates a massive gust of air around you that supports and pushes you along through the air at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. Hovering in place is difficult, and requires a Finesse roll against an Ease Factor of 9 per round. It is dangerous for extended travel, because if you lose concentration, you are likely to sustain serious injuries (+15 damage, on average, although it may be more if the magus was very high up).
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 highly unnatural, +1 Rego requisite)
Level 35
The Incantation of Lightning
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
A lightning bolt shoots forth from your outstretched hand in the direction you are pointing, doing +30 damage to a single target it hits. There must be nothing between you and the target. Those near the target must make Size stress rolls of 6+ to remain standing.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +4 unnatural)
Level 40
Breath of the Open Sky
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind, Ritual
You can call up a wind capable of devastating the countryside. You must stand under the open sky to cast this spell. While you cast the spell, a breeze picks up, blowing from you in the direction you are facing. When the ritual is completed, the wind strengthens to a gale roaring over the visible countryside and beyond, strong enough to topple wooden structures and knock down trees. The wind does not weaken while it is within your sight, but loses its force naturally where you cannot see it. If you turn away from your original facing for more than a few seconds, you have to make a Concentration roll of 12+ to maintain the spell. If you turn away for a minute or more, the spell ends. The air behind you is still.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +4 size, +1 unnatural, ritual because of spectacular effect)
Level 65
Wrath of Whirling Winds and Water
R: Sight, D: Sun, T: Group, Ritual
This spell creates an immense storm, 40 or more miles wide, of hurricane intensity. The storm builds up while you cast the ritual, and dissipates in a few seconds when the spell’s duration ends. The gale-force winds and lashing waves cause immense damage along shorelines, and the winds, rain, and lightning cause extensive damage inland as well. Visibility is reduced to a few paces, missile fire is futile, and travel is nearly suicidal. Weak structures are blown over, and all but the most seaworthy ships are certain to flounder unless they can be beached before the storm reaches full intensity. The storm is not under the caster’s control, and moves normally.
(Base 5, +3 Sight, +2 Sun, +2 Group, +5 size)
Intellego Auram Guidelines
Intellego Auram botches normally reveal false information.
| Level 1 | Make your senses unhindered by the air (for example, you can hear over a howling wind). |
| Level 2 | Sense one property of air (for example, determine if it is safe to breathe). |
| Level 4 | Learn all mundane properties of the air. Have an intuition about some fact regarding the air. |
| Level 15 | Speak with air. |
Intellego Auram Spells
Level 15
True Sight of the Air
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
Lets you see clearly through all manner of obfuscation in the air nearby, including smoke, fog, and dust, even if the obfuscation is magical.
(Base 1, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
Whispering Winds
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Ind
The winds bear their tidings to your ears, allowing you to hear words spoken by any group of people within your line of sight, provided no solid barrier (including glass) intervenes. This spell is an adaptation of an effect known to Bjornaer the Founder, and fits poorly into the normal framework of Hermetic magic.
(Unique spell)
Level 20
Sailor's Foretaste of the Morrow
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
You know precisely what tomorrow’s weather will be, and you gain a general impression about the weather for the week ahead. This intuition only applies to the place where you cast the spell, and is based on extrapolating current conditions, so it is occasionally wrong (precise, but inaccurate). Still, it would take something like an interfering magical being, or a volcanic eruption, to throw the prediction off.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Group, +1 size)
Level 25
Eyes of the Bat
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Hearing
You can move about confidently in complete darkness by sensing air and its boundaries (for example, where solid objects are). You “hear” the boundaries of the air, so it does not permit fine discriminations. On the other hand, you can “hear” boundaries behind you.
(Base 4, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing)
Muto Auram Guidelines
Transforming only one property of air generally lowers the level by one magnitude.
Muto Auram botches could change the caster temporarily into air, or change the air in an undesirable way.
| General | Transform air into a gas doing +level damage. |
| Level 3 | Transform an amount of air into another form of air. |
| Level 4 | Transform an amount of air into another element (fire, earth, or water). |
| Level 5 | Transform an amount of air into a mixture of elements. Transform an amount of air into something slightly unnatural. |
| Level 10 | Transform an amount of air into something wholly unnatural. |
Muto Auram Spells
Level 20
Rain of Stones
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Terram
Turns rain into stones as it falls, causing +0 damage every two rounds (they’re small stones), and maybe less if the rain is very light. People under cover are not affected. The stones revert to water when the spell expires. If it stops raining before the spell ends, no more rain is transformed, even if a different rain storm starts.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Talons of the Winds
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Transforms a wind into an abrasive medium that tears and claws at everything in its path. Soft materials like leaves and cloth are shredded, and people take +5 damage from innumerable bloody cuts and abrasions. This spell cannot be cast if there is not a breeze of some sort blowing, thus making it difficult to use effectively indoors. The caster is not affected by the spell, even if the wind is blowing directly at him.
In Ossium of Bjornaer’s version of this spell a strange keening can be heard in the air as it cuts through targets. Ossium’s wizard’s sigil manifests by making many of his spells eerie or frightening.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +1 Rego requisite (additional effect: protect the caster))
Level 40
Infernal Smoke of Death
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Turns normal smoke from a fire into a thick, corrosive cloud. Anyone immersed in the cloud of smoke takes +25 corrosion damage (once only) against which armor provides only half its normal Protection value. Soft materials like cloth, fur, paper, and leather are charred and ruined by exposure to the noxious vapor. While you concentrate, any new smoke becomes corrosive, but even after you stop concentrating, the corrosive smoke remains deadly. It dissipates after several hours. The smoke is heavier than air, so rolls along the ground, pooling in low spots.
(Base 25, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 45
Fog of Confusion
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Bound, Ritual
Req: Imaginem, Rego
Turns a bank of fog up to six miles across into a silvery mist too thick to see through. Random screams, thumps, hisses, and other noises harass and confuse anyone within the fog, perhaps even leading them into danger. People have extreme difficulty navigating through the fog, especially through unknown territory. No more than seven people, who must be present at the ritual, can see normally through the fog. The fog does not dissipate until the spell expires.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +4 Size, +1 Imaginem requisite, +1 Rego requisite)
Level 50
Rain of Oil
R: Sight, D: Sun, T: Ind, Ritual
Req: Aquam
Turns rain into droplets of oil. The rain of oil continues as long as the storm does, drenching the landscape with flammable liquid. The oil will evaporate at a natural rate after the rain ceases. A Creo Ignem spell can ignite the storm so that the oil burns as it falls, but this requires a Group target large enough to catch all the raindrops. Lighting the oil after it has landed is much easier.
(Base 4, +3 Sight, +2 Sun, +5 size)
Perdo Auram Guidelines
Causing the destruction of air with great precision raises the order of magnitude by at least one level
| Level 3 | Make air stuffy and poor for breathing. |
| Level 4 | Destroy still air. Destroy a minor weather phenomenon: a breeze, a mist, a light drizzle. Reduce the intensity of a weather phenomenon by one step (for example, from very severe to severe, or from normal to minor.) |
| Level 5 | Destroy a normal weather phenomenon: a cloud, wind, fog, rain from a cloud that already exists. |
| Level 10 | Destroy a severe weather phenomenon: deafening thunder, monsoon rain, impenetrable fog, gale force wind. Destroy a debilitating kind of aiR: noxious stench, mild poison, etc. |
| Level 15 | Destroy a very severe weather phenomenon: hurricane force winds, lightning strike, tornado. |
Perdo Auram Spells
Level 15
Room of Stale Air
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Room
Makes the air in a room stuffy and uncomfortable. Any creatures that breathe air suffer a –3 penalty on all rolls involving physical exertion. In addition, for each round of exertion a character must make a simple Stamina roll of 6+ or lose a Fatigue level. This may cause panic in some creatures or people. The speed at which the air refreshes itself depends on how well ventilated the room is.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Room)
Level 20
Quiet the Raging Winds
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
Stops all wind from blowing, leaving only calm air. This spell is not powerful enough to affect winds caused by Ritual magic, and only affects winds blowing on the caster when it is cast. Under normal circumstances, the winds will not pick up again for at least an hour or so.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Group)
Level 45
The Cloudless Sky Returned
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Group
This spell clears the sky within your vision of any clouds or other meteorological activity short of a hurricane or tornado, either naturally occurring or caused by magic. The clouds take a few seconds to clear, during which time you must concentrate on them. This spell only affects meteorological activity in progress at the moment of casting, and is not powerful enough to dispel a weather condition caused by Ritual magic.
In Ferramentum’s version of this spell, the clouds clear from the sky in an orderly manner, as if they were soldiers marching on parade.
(Base 10, +3 Sight, +2 Group, +2 size)
Rego Auram Guidelines
Rego Auram allows the maga to control existing weather phenomena. It is not possible to create a breeze with Rego Auram, but it is possible to direct the course of a storm. This includes starting and stopping the rain at the maga’s command.
Controlling an amount of air with great strength or great precision raises the magnitude of the spell by one level.
| General | Ward against creatures of the air from one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) whose Might is less than or equal to the level of the spell (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle) |
| Level 2 | Control a minor weather phenomenon. |
| Level 3 | Control a normal weather phenomenon. Ward someone against a type of minor weather phenomenon. |
| Level 4 | Control a severe weather phenomenon. Ward someone against a type of normal weather phenomenon. |
| Level 5 | Control a very severe weather phenomenon. Ward someone against a type of severe weather phenomenon. |
| Level 10 | Ward someone against a type of very severe weather phenomenon. |
Rego Auram Spells
General
Ward Against Faeries of the Air
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
As Ward Against Faeries of the Water (ReAq Gen), but for faeries of the air. The faerie cannot directly or indirectly break the magic circle, nor can they use ranged attacks or magic to affect those within it. From some angles at night, the ring may be seen as a violet-hued dome.
(Base Spell)
Level 5
Wind at the Back
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
An existing breeze follows you until you stop traveling for more than ten minutes. It causes phenomena you pass through (fog, haze) to follow you.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun (closest duration to special effect))
Level 10
Ward Against Rain
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
No rain falls on the caster, no matter how bad the weather.
(Base 4, +2 Sun)
Level 30
Clouds of Thunderous Might
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Group
Gathers pre-existing clouds and winds into a small storm. The storm gathers at a normal speed, but is under the caster’s control as long as he can see it. The caster may use the control granted by this spell to dissipate small storms as well. If the caster does not dissipate the storm before stopping concentrating, the storm continues as normal.
(Base 4, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Level 40
Gathering of the Stormy Might
R: Sight, D: Conc, T: Group
As for Clouds of Thunderous Might, but the storm is larger, possibly covering the entire visible sky. Again, it is under the caster’s control.
(Base 4, +3 Sight, +1 Conc, +2 Group, +2 size)
Corpus Spells
Corpus spells deal with human or human-like bodies and anything that involves those bodies. Many faeries have enough in common with humans to be affected by Corpus spells. A base Individual for Corpus is an adult human being, up to Size +1.
Creo Corpus Guidelines
Many Creo Corpus spells are most useful as ritual spells. Unless otherwise noted, a healing spell cast other than as a Momentary duration ritual actually suspends the healing process so that upon the spell’s expiration, wounds are as fresh as they were when the spell was cast. No Hermetic spell can restore Fatigue levels.
A spell that can heal something can also heal less serious versions of the same thing. Thus, a spell that can heal Medium Wounds can also heal Light Wounds. However, a spell to heal wounds cannot cure diseases, no matter how high its level, and vice versa.
The physical characteristics are Strength, Stamina, Dexterity, and Quickness, and they can be affected and improved by Corpus magic.
Creo Corpus botches often inflict damage instead of healing it.
Creo Animal spells may be used as guidelines and examples for Creo Corpus spells.
| Level 1 | Give a character a +1 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 2 | Give a character a +3 bonus to Recovery rolls. Preserve a corpse from decay. |
| Level 3 | Give a character a +6 bonus to Recovery rolls. Prevent all of a target’s wounds from getting any worse. |
| Level 4 | Give a character a +9 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 5 | Give a character a +12 bonus to Recovery rolls. Create an entire human corpse. |
| Level 10 | Give a character a +15 bonus to Recovery rolls. |
| Level 15 | Heal a Light Wound. Give a character a +18 bonus to Recovery rolls. Resolve a minor aging crisis. |
| Level 20 | Heal a Medium Wound. Heal the debilitating after-effects of a disease, poison, or injury. Resolve a serious aging crisis. |
| Level 25 | Heal a Heavy Wound. Restore a lost limb. Resolve a major aging crisis. |
| Level 30 | Heal an Incapacitating Wound. Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no
more than 0. |
| Level 35 | Heal all wounds. Resolve a terminal aging crisis. Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no more than +1. |
| Level 40 | Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no more than +2. |
| Level 45 | Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no more than +3. |
| Level 50 | Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no more than +4. |
| Level 55 | Increase one of a person’s physical Characteristics by one point, to no more than +5. Further increases are not natural to human beings, and thus cannot be effected by Creo magic. |
| Level 70 | Raise the dead, to a point. (See The Shadow of Life Renewed.) |
Creo Corpus Spells
Level 10
Bind Wound
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell binds the target’s wounds, so that he can undertake any activity without the risk of worsening the wounds. He still suffers from the wound penalties, however, and cannot heal naturally while under the influence of this spell.
Typically, you place your hands on the target and pass them over his wounds, which magically seal themselves and stop bleeding.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Charm Against Putrefaction
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
Prevents decay of a human corpse, or of a severed body part. Necromancers use it to preserve their revived corpses.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Level 20
The Chirurgeon's Healing Touch
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell heals a single Light Wound suffered by the person touched. This spell does not heal damage from poison or disease.
(Base 15, +1 Touch)
Gentle Touch of the Putrified Body
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
The target is cured of a Light Wound caused by poison or disease. This spell does not heal damage caused by injury.
(Base 15, +1 Touch)
Pruification of the Festering Wounds
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
The target gains a +9 bonus to Recovery rolls to recover from injuries or diseases, as long as he has been under the influence of this spell for the whole of the recovery interval. The recovery interval is counted from the time that the spell is cast; any previous time is ignored.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Level 25
Restoration of the Defiled Body
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Removes the crippling or malignant after-effects of any injury, poison, or disease, or of premature aging. The effects of natural aging cannot be undone by this or any spell. This spell does not heal wounds, only extra effects.
(Base 20, +1 Touch)
The Severed Limb Made Whole
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
A limb that has been detached from the body can be reattached, but any decay that has occurred on the severed limb remains after the limb is reattached. After a day of decomposition, a limb is weak. After seven days, it is nearly useless and infects the character on whom it is replaced (Stamina stress roll of 6+ or take a Medium Wound). If it’s been severed for more than two weeks, the limb is completely useless.
(Base 25, +1 Touch, –1 since old limb needed)
Level 30
Cheating the Reaper
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Resolves a major (or less severe) crisis caused by aging (see page 170). The target still requires rest for the remainder of the season to recover fully. Each application of this spell causes Warping.
(Base 25, +1 Touch)
Level 40
Incantation of the Body Made Whole
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Heals all damage to a human body at the conclusion of the ritual. The spell can only heal wounds, not such damage as missing limbs, or diseases and damage from poisons.
(Base 35, +1 Touch)
Level 75
The Shadow of Life Renewed
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Req: Mentem
Brings a semblance of life to a corpse. During the ritual, healing spells work on the corpse, since the body must be physically whole or it dies again once brought to life. For each day the person has been dead, roll for aging.
When the ritual is complete, roll to determine the success of the attempt:
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | body dissolves |
| 2 | body possessed by a demon, faerie, or other supernatural entity |
| 3 | mindless, useless living corpse |
| 4–5 | automaton with no Abilities over 3 |
| 6–7 | automaton, Abilities as normal person’s |
| 8 | person with self-direction but no personality, and dangerously demented |
| 9–10 | person with will, but no personality |
In any case, the revived person is not truly alive and is unable to gain experience points. Also, the person must make an aging roll at the beginning of each year of its existence, regardless of age. This is the closest that the Order has gotten to raising a person from the dead.
(Base 70, +1 Touch, no addition for requisite)
Intellego Corpus Guidelines
Common sigils seen in Intellego Corpus spells usually report information in some strange or quirky way.
Like most Intellego botches, Intellego Corpus botches normally provide false information.
| Level 3 | Locate a person to whom you have an Arcane Connection. |
| Level 4 | Sense very general information about a body. |
| Level 5 | Sense a specific piece of information about a body. Speak with a dead body. |
| Level 10 | Sense all useful information about a body. |
Intellego Corpus Spells
General
Sight of the True Form
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Vision
You see the true, original form of any person whose form has been changed or masked. This spell can see through mundane masks and disguises at level 10, and can see through the effects of other spells that are equal to or lower than the level of this spell.
(Variable base)
Level 5
Physician's Eye
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Determines the general health of a single person. Specific afflictions appear to you as areas of yellow coloration on the person’s body. A Perception + Medicine stress roll is required to identify unusual diseases. The Ease Factor is determined by the rarity of the disease.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
Level 10
Revealed Flaws of Mortal Flesh
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
You are able to find any medical defects in a person or being that you are touching. This provides more, and more specific, information than Physician’s Eye.
(Base 5, +1 Touch)
Level 15
Whispers Through the Black Gate
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Mentem
You can speak through the barrier — the figurative “gate” — that stands between the dead and the living, to one corpse that has not yet decayed into a skeleton. The corpse cannot have been buried in Church burial, nor have belonged to a spirit that went straight to Heaven (for example, a saint or a crusader). The spirit that you speak with is not compelled to tell the truth; you can, of course, find ways to coerce or trick it into doing so. All those around you can hear the voice of the corpse.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, no cost for requisite)
Level 20
The Inexorable Search
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
Determines the location of a specific person. To cast the spell you need a map and an Arcane Connection. After casting the spell, you can move your finger over the map at the rate of one hour per square foot of map. When your finger passes over the person’s location as represented on the map, you sense the person’s presence. (If the person is not in the area covered by the map, no sensations result.) You can locate the person to within a thumb’s width on the map. A similar spell allows you to search for a dead body (Tracing the Trail of Death’s Stench).
(Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Conc)
Level 30
The Eye of the Sage
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Imaginem
Lets you see a specific person and what is within one pace of that person. The image is clear enough to allow reading.
(Base 4, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +1 requisite)
Muto Corpus Guidelines
These spells transform people. There are beneficial spells to cast on yourself and your compatriots, and harmful spells to cast on your foes.
Transformations do not usually completely eradicate the original form; something of the original remains. If you turn a fat, one-armed man into a wolf, the wolf is fat, three-legged, and male.
Transformations can have subtle (or sometimes dramatic) permanent effects. Someone who spends a month or more as an animal begins to act and think like that animal. Eventually, weak-willed individuals might lose their human identity altogether. When transformed back into a human, the target might temporarily or permanently retain some feature of the other shape. Someone turned into a rabbit and back might keep a fondness for carrots or retain unnaturally big ears. Transformations are tricky things.
Muto Corpus spells cannot alter a person’s mind, so they leave the transformed person’s intelligence and knowledge intact. Magi can cast spells while in animal form, but they suffer the normal –15 penalty for casting without hands or voice. The transformed person gains any abilities the animal form has though it may take a day or so of experience to get used to using them.
To change accouterments along with the body involves requisites. For example, you need a casting requisite of Animal for leather worn, Aquam for any liquids carried, and Terram for metal objects worn (including studs in armor). Accouterments are transformed only if they are actually being worn, not if they are just being carried in the hand. Simply put, equipment will not be transformed for one of two reasons: either because you choose not to use the casting requisites or because the storyguide rules that the equipment is not sufficiently part of the target’s worn equipment. This untransformed equipment falls to the ground.
Certain shapechanging spells allow the target to change back by concentrating. While concentrating, you symbolically remove some item to break the spell, such as a wolfskin cloak or some water in your hands. These foci are essential if you are to be able to break the spell in this way. If you cast the spell without them, you must either dispel the magic with Perdo Vim, or wait for the duration to expire.
Muto Corpus botches may lead to a spell lasting indefinitely, and proving hard to dispel.
| Level 2 | Change someone to give them a minor ability. |
| Level 3 | Utterly change the appearance or size of a person (though they must still remain human in form). |
| Level 5 | Make a body resistant to damage (+1 Soak). |
| Level 10 | Turn a human into a land animal (with an Animal requisite). Make a body resistant to damage (+2 Soak). |
| Level 15 | Make a body resistant to damage (+3 Soak). |
| Level 20 | Turn a human into a bird or a fish (Animal requisite). Make a body resistant to damage (+4 Soak). |
| Level 25 | Turn a human into a solid inanimate object (Terram requisite). Make a body resistant to damage (+5 Soak). Turn a human into a plant (Herbam requisite). |
| Level 30 | Turn a human into an insubstantial object (Auram requisite). |
Muto Corpus Spells
Level 5
Eye of the Cat
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
The target gains the eyes of a cat, which allow him or her to see in near darkness (but not in absolute darkness, such as a lightless subterranean cavern).
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, requisite free)
Level 15
Disguise of the New Visage
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
The target’s facial features are transformed to any approximately human configuration you choose.
In Cralian of Tremere’s version of this spell, the new visage is always as unassuming as possible.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Preternatural Growth and Shrinking
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Adds +1 to the target’s normal Size or decreases it by up to 2 points.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 because the spell allows growth or two kinds of shrinking)
Level 20
Arm of the Infant
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Part
Shrinks a person’s arm to half its original length and makes it pudgy, like an infant’s.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Level 25
Gift of the Bear's Fortitude
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Your flesh becomes resistant to physical damage. You get +3 to your Soak. Your flesh is tough and insensitive; any rolls that involve a sensitive touch (such as for picking a lock) are at –1.
(Base 15, +2 Sun)
Shape of the Woodland Prowler
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
You place a wolf skin over yourself or another, and the target changes into a wolf. The target may change back at will, ending the spell. Before casting this spell, you must first, of course, acquire the skin of a wolf.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 30
Cloak of Black Feathers
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
You hang a small cape of raven feathers on your back and transform into a raven. You can resume human form at will, but doing so ends the spell.
(Base 20, +2 Sun)
Curseof Circe
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
Turns a person into a pig.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 35
Stance of the Patient Tree
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Herbam
You turn yourself into a tree about 12 feet high, with a trunk about a foot thick. You can sense only the most basic things, such as night and day, strong winds, and things that can affect a tree. You can resume human form at will, but doing so ends the spell. While in tree form, you do not heal any wounds or restore any Fatigue levels. The tree branch you use to let yourself change back determines the kind of tree the target becomes, and you cannot cast the spell without the branch.
(Base 25, +2 Sun)
Level 40
Cloak of Mist
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Auram
You turn yourself into a thick, cohesive mist of approximately human size. You can float through the air at walking speed and can see and hear what is going on around you. You can also seep through cracks, but cannot move through solid objects. You may return to human form at any time, but doing so ends the spell. As mist, you are subject to the forces of the wind. In order to cast this spell, you must inhale some mist, and you keep the mist in your “mouth” until you want to end the spell.
(Base 30, +2 Sun)
Transform to Water
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Aquam
You turn yourself into water, one pint for every pound of the your weight. As water, you can hold yourself together unless someone makes an effort to separate part of you from the rest. You can roll slowly across the ground, but cannot move uphill. You can hear sounds, feel things that touch you, and can sense temperature. You can resume human form at will, but doing so ends the spell. You cannot resume human form if a significant part of your body/water is separated from the rest. You pour a small amount of water into your hands when you cast the spell.
(Base 30, +2 Sun)
Level 45
The Silent Vigil
R: Per, D: Moon, T: Ind
Req: Terram
You can move into and become part of a rock formation that’s at least twice your size. While in the stone, you can hear what’s going on around you, but you can’t use other senses. The spell lasts until you come out, and you must come out where you went in. You have no need for food or drink, though you do age. Rolls to recover from Fatigue or wounds take twice as long to make while you are in the stone. Casting requisites are required for items you take with you into the stone.
(Base 25, +3 Moon, +1 for special effect)
Level 60
Mists of Change
R: Voice, D: Sun & Year, T: Bound, Ritual
Req: Animal
As this spell is cast, a whipping wind arises and patches of mist begin to roll across the landscape. Sometimes, a patch of mist suddenly envelops a person for a few seconds, during which time the victim cannot move. When the mist blows away, continuing its course, the person is left transformed into a random creature.
Roll a simple die to determine the result:
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wolf |
| 2 | Horse |
| 3 | Brown Bear |
| 4 | Large Toad |
| 5 | Ferret |
| 6 | Viper |
| 7 | Boar/Sow |
| 8 | Dog |
| 9 | Cat |
| 10 | Other |
On a roll of 10, the storyguide picks a creature; be cruel. People transformed retain their human minds, but inherit all the passions and instincts of their new forms.
The mist covers the target area, which must be in sight when you cast the spell. The mists affect the area until sunrise or sunset, and transform anyone who remains in the area during that time. For important characters, roll a simple die when the spell is cast and every half hour afterwards, and on a roll lower than the number of rolls made so far the mists envelope and transform them at some point in the next half hour. The transformations last a Year.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +4 Year, +4 Bound, slightly nonstandard effect, mist/wind cosmetic only)
Perdo Corpus Guidelines
These spells harm people directly, often permanently, unless outside magics are used to repair the damage.
Diseases caused by magic have a base Ease Factor of 6. For every magnitude by which the spell level increases, the Ease Factor increases by 1. It is not possible to reduce the level by reducing the Ease Factor. (See page 180 XXX for more on diseases.)
| Level 3 | Do superficial damage to a body (for example, remove its hair). |
| Level 4 | Cause a person pain, but do no real damage. |
| Level 5 | Inflict a Light Wound. Destroy a corpse. |
| Level 10 | Inflict a Medium Wound. Cause the loss of a Fatigue level. |
| Level 15 | Age someone five years. Cripple a limb, making it unusable (but still capable of healing). The damage heals as a Medium Wound. |
| Level 20 | Destroy one of a person’s major senses. This damage heals as a Heavy Wound. Inflict a major disease. |
| Level 30 | Kill a person. |
| Level 40 | Destroy one property of a person, such as their weight or solidity. |
Perdo Corpus Spells
Level 5
Touch of the Goose Feathers
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The target lets out a loud sneeze. Spellcasters who sneeze must make Intelligence + Concentration stress rolls of 12+ to maintain concentration, and others get –1 on most activities at the moment of the sneeze.
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Dust to Dust
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Turns a dead body or mindless undead body to dust in two rounds. The spell doesn’t affect those undead possessed by spirits. To do this to an animal corpse requires a Perdo Animal spell.
(Base 5, +2 Voice)
The Wound that Weeps
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
When casting this spell, you point at the victim and a large wound opens on his or her body. The wound is not a deep one, but it bleeds profusely. This is only a Light Wound, but it looks bad.
(Base 5, +2 Voice)
Level 20
Incantation of Weariness
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The target loses a Fatigue level. The phrases used with this spell are usually singsong melodies, which lull the victim into drowsiness.
(Base 10, +2 Voice)
Level 25
Bane of the Decrepit Body
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The target ages 5 years. Determine effects normally. This spell does not work on children younger than age 16.
(Base 15, +2 Voice)
Curse of the Leprous Flesh
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell inflicts leprosy on the target, which causes a person’s flesh to rot off in a matter of weeks — a truly hideous sight. Much of the target’s flesh literally hangs from his or her frame, and there is a pungent rotting smell about him at all times. The target takes an Incapacitating Wound from the disease, and must roll as normal to recover. The target also loses a point of Stamina by the time the disease ends. If the victim somehow survives this curse, he is shunned by mundane communities. If the victim succeeds in a Stamina roll against an Ease Factor of 6 when the spell is cast, he shakes off the disease, although he still feels unwell for a few days, and may have problems if an astute doctor realizes he is leprous.
(Base 20, +1 Touch)
Grip of the Choking Hand
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
The target feels an invisible, strangling hand on the throat. Each round, the target loses a Fatigue level. Once the target falls unconscious, the spell has no further effect. The spell works by seriously constricting the target’s windpipe, hence the feeling. This constriction is not quite enough to kill, however.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 30
Incantation of the Milky Eyes
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Blinds a target, leaving the eyes milky with cataracts. This heals as a Heavy Wound.
(Base 20, +2 Voice)
Twist of the Tongue
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Twists the target’s tongue into a spiral, completely destroying the ability to speak. A grave offense to a magus. The damage heals as a Medium Wound.
(Base 15, +2 Voice, +1 Part)
Level 40
Clenching Grasp of the Crushed Heart
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
When casting this spell, you make a clenching motion with your hand. The victim doubles over and dies at once.
(Base 30, +2 Voice)
Level 45
The Kiss of Death
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
The person you kiss dies a sudden death. The only mark on the corpse is the black imprint of your lips. You do not need to speak when casting this spell, and thus gain no penalty from silence. (This is why the spell is higher level than the guidelines would indicate.)
(Base 30, +1 Touch, +2 for no words)
Level 55
Curse of the Unportended Plague
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Bound, Ritual
Starts a plague in a city or other Boundary. Everyone within the boundary is afflicted with the disease when the ritual is complete, and suffers as described under Curse of the Leprous Flesh, above. The conditions causing the disease last but a moment, so people entering the area after the spell is cast are safe. Using, or even transcribing, this spell is rigorously discouraged by most of the Order of Hermes. (Note: the disease caused by this spell is not the later Bubonic Plague, which is unknown in Europe in 1220.)
(Base 20, +3 Sight, +4 Bound)
Rego Corpus Guidelines
Rego Corpus botches often take control of the caster's body, and move it in ways he would not want.
| General | Ward against creatures associated with Corpus from one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) with a Might less than or equal to the level of the spell. Note that Hermetic magi have no Might, and thus are not affected by such spells. (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle) |
| Level 2 | Make a target lose control of a body part. |
| Level 3 | Move a target slowly in one direction, as long as the surface can support its weight. |
| Level 4 | Control the large-scale physical movements of a target. Move a target slowly in any direction you please. |
| Level 5 | Hold a target's body motionless. Move a target slowly in any direction you please, even if the target is unsupported. |
| Level 10 | Control a target's motions. Eliminate the penalties of Fatigue and wounds. |
| Level 15 | Direct the flow of bodily energy. Move a target quickly in any direction you please. |
| Level 20 | Transport the target instantly up to 500 paces. |
| Level 25 | Transport the target instantly up to one league. |
| Level 30 | Transport the target instantly up to seven leagues. |
| Level 35 | Transport the target instantly to a place to which you have an Arcane Connection. |
Rego Corpus Spells
Level 5
Curse of the Unruly Tongue
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes the target to stutter and slur words. Communication rolls are at –3. Spoken spells are at –6 to the spellcasting roll, and there is an extra botch die.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Spasms of the Uncontrolled Hand
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
One of the target’s hands spasms, causing him to drop anything he is holding in it. It keeps spasming for as long as you concentrate.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 10
Rise of the Feathery Body
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Allows the target to float vertically to any height, carrying up to 50 pounds, and rising as fast as smoke rises, slower if carrying a heavy load. The target cannot move horizontally through this spell.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Level 15
Dispair of the Quivering Manacles
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Your target shakes vigorously from side to side without falling. Those affected get –3 on rolls requiring physical movement, and –1 to most other rolls.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Endurance of the Berserkers
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
Your body acts as though it were unwounded and unfatigued for as long as you concentrate. Keep track of the actual Fatigue levels that the body loses while “berserk,” because as soon as the spell wears off, you lose those levels. If you run out of Fatigue levels, the spell terminates immediately and you fall unconscious.
A character under the influence of this spell does risk worsening wounds, but he may not notice.
Consecutive castings delay the end of the spell — that is, put off the time when accumulated wounds take effect — but a body can only take a number of consecutive castings equal to its Size + 2. Further castings have no effect.
(Base 10, +1 Conc)
Gift of the Frog's Legs
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Allows the target to leap up to 15 feet vertically or 25 feet horizontally (2 feet less for every Encumbrance point). The person must make a Dexterity – Encumbrance stress roll of 0+ to land without injury. A miss indicates that he takes a Light Wound, and a botch indicates a Medium Wound. The target can only leap once for each casting of the spell, and that leap must be made within ten seconds. As with a frog’s leap, a running start does not improve the leap.
(Base 10, +1 Touch.)
Lifting the Dangling Puppet
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Lifts a person of Size +1 or less vertically into the air. Generally, you can make the target rise or descend as fast as smoke rises, but a heavier person rises more slowly and falls more quickly.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 20
The Gift of Vigor
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Transfers bodily energy from you to any target who is at a lower Fatigue level than you. You are thus at the target’s current Fatigue level, and he or she assumes your previous level. If you lose a Fatigue level from casting this spell, the loss comes after the transfer. Magi have long looked for a way to restore their energy in order to cast more spells. This is the closest they’ve come.
(Base 15, +1 Touch)
Level 25
Awaken the Slumbering Corpse
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes a corpse to function at your verbal command. Commands have to be very simple, like “attack anyone who comes through here.” The corpse used cannot have been buried by Church ceremony.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Strings of the Unwilling Marionette
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
You can control the physical movements of a person, such as walking, standing, and turning. If the target resists the control, the movements are jerky. The target can yell, but you can prevent intelligible speech by controlling the target’s mouth. The target must be conscious to be moved about.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 30
Seven-League Stride
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind
Transports you to any place within seven leagues either that you can see or that you have an Arcane Connection with. If you fail an Intelligence + Finesse stress roll of 9+, your arrival goes slightly awry. For instance, you might fall when you appear, or just be facing the wrong way. A botch means you appear in the wrong place, perhaps even in a wall.
Praefactus of Bonisagus’s version of this spell always allows him to appear in a safe, unembarrassing place (assuming he doesn’t fail his Finesse roll). All Praefactus’s spells make him seem as dignified as possible — manifesting his wizard’s sigil.
(Base 30)
Level 35
The Leap of Homecoming
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind
Transports you to any place to which you have an Arcane Connection. Most magi use this to return to their laboratories.
(Base 35)
The Walking Corpse
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Ind, Ritual
Req: Mentem
Turns a corpse into a nearly mindless servant that can follow your simple verbal commands faithfully but unimaginatively. Unless the corpse is preserved with Charm Against Putrefaction or the equivalent, the body decays normally, but even a skeleton can be animated.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +4 Year)
Herbam Spells
Herbam spells work on plants and plant matter, both living and dead. Since wood is a common material in weapons, vehicles, and buildings, Herbam spells can be useful in improving or destroying physical things. They can also be used to bring the plant world to your aid.
A base Individual for Herbam is a plant roughly one pace in each direction.
Creo Herbam Guidelines
These spells create and heal plants. Any food created is nutritious only if the creation is a ritual. The guideline levels given below are generally for conjuring the leafy parts of plants.
Plants may be created living or dead with equal ease. To create treated Herbam products (for example, cut timber, a vegetarian meal, or linen or cotton cloth) add one magnitude to the level necessary to create the equivalent amount of unworked living or dead plants. To create treated and processed Herbam products (for example, clothes or furniture), add two magnitudes.
A single spell generally only creates a single type of plant product.
Creo Herbam botches may create plants in the wrong place, or create the wrong kind of plant.
| Level 1 | Ensure that a plant grows well for the duration of the spell. This guideline can affect a plant up to ten paces in each direction; a large tree. (That is, this guideline includes a +3 Size enhancement.) Create a plant product (like a fruit or leaf). |
| Level 2 | Create a processed plant product, like a finished plank of wood. |
| Level 3 | Create wood in an unnatural shape, such as a living wall or bridge. |
| Level 15 | Bring a plant to maturity in a single day or night. The accelerated growth only happens during the duration of the spell, so full maturity requires a Sun duration spell cast soon after sunrise or sunset. |
| Level 20 | Bring a plant to maturity in about two hours. |
| Level 25 | Bring a plant to maturity in about ten Diameters (twenty minutes). |
| Level 30 | Bring a plant to maturity in a single Diameter. |
| Level 40 | Bring a plant to maturity in a moment. |
Creo Herbam Spells
Level 5
Conjure the Sturdy Vine
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Grows 10 paces of vine from a moderate quantity of wood, or from fertile soil. The vine is extremely strong and pliable, suitable for use as rope.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 15
Trap of the Entwining Vines
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group
Causes strong, woody vines to grow rapidly from fertile earth. The vines cover a circle 2 paces across and reach 6 feet high. Anything caught within them is immobilized. To avoid the vines, the target must make a Quickness – Encumbrance stress roll of 9+. To break out requires a Strength stress roll of 12+ (allowed once a round). Someone not trapped can cut a trapped person free in two rounds, assuming proper tools. The vines weaken and wither to dust at sunrise or sunset.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
Level 20
Bridge of Wood
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Creates an ornate and exquisitely carved bridge made from living leaves, vines, and wood. The bridge can reach up to 20 paces, and is five paces wide. It is sturdy enough to support creatures of up to Size +4.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Wall of Thorns
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group
Within seconds, this spell creates a straight wall of woody, thorny bushes up to 20 paces long, 1 pace thick, and 4 paces high. The thorns, which are unnaturally resilient, have a +15 Soak, are cut by edged weapons only, and cutting through requires inflicting a Heavy Wound. Bodily forcing one’s way through the wall requires a Strength stress roll of 9+ and does +15 damage whether the attempt succeeds or fails. If the roll botches, an additional 5 points of damage are suffered. The wall grows out of existing bushes or fertile soil. An Athletics stress roll against an Ease Factor of 9 allows a character to scale the wall, but the character takes +10 damage in the process.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group, +1 size)
Level 25
Wall of Living Wood
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
A straight wall of living oak is created, growing quickly from nearby trees, other plant growth, or fertile earth. The wall is 20 paces long, 1 pace thick, and 5 paces high. It can be scaled with an Athletics stress roll against an Ease Factor of 9.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Level 35
The Bountiful Feast
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Bound, Ritual
This ritual, which must be cast at noon on the day after the winter solstice, attempts to ensure that all crops that grow within its target will be healthy and fruitful. The spell protects against non-magical blight and other diseases. It can’t control the weather or prevent others from harming crops, but it does cause crops to be healthier, larger, and tastier than they otherwise would be. The Boundary of this spell is the fields owned by those present at the ritual. The spell must be cast within the region affected by the spell, although that region need not be contiguous. Although food plants are affected most by this ritual, all plants are made healthier to some degree.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +4 Bound, +1 Size (for a total of +4 Size, including the +3 from the guideline, so that the area affected is up to about 6 miles across))
Intellego Herbam Guidelines
As with most Intellego magic, Intellego Herbam botches generally give false information.
| Level 1 | Gain an intuitive knowledge of a plant (for example, know whether a given action would harm a plant). |
| Level 2 | Locate a plant. |
| Level 3 | Learn general information, or a single specific fact about a plant or an item made from plant products. |
| Level 4 | Learn all mundane properties of a plant or an item made from plant products. |
| Level 15 | Speak with a plant. |
Intellego Herbam Spells
Level 4
Probe Nature's Hidden Lore
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Tells you what kind of plant you are touching. You also get an image of it in its natural habitat. Works with plant products as well as with plants themselves.
(Base 3, +1 Touch)
Level 5
Hunt for the Wild Herb
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Smell
When you cast this spell, you can smell one sort of plant, and follow the scent, as long as you continue to concentrate. You must have a sample of the type of plant you are looking for. A Perception stress roll of 6+ is needed to follow the scent. If there is no plant of the relevant type fairly close by (close enough to smell), you smell nothing, although the spell still works.
(Base 2, +1 Conc, +2 Smell)
Level 10
Intuition of the Forest
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
You engage in a type of communion with the woods that you are in, giving you an intuitive sense of how to get along in the forest, and how to get the most out of the forest without causing it harm. You get a +3 to all nature-oriented rolls (not including spells) when in a forest or similar area. Causing significant harm to the forest cancels this spell.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
Level 15
Shriek of the Impending Shafts
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Hearing
Lets you know where anything wooden will be in the immediate future by a shriek that sounds in the air in advance of the wood’s coming. A piece of wood that is controlled may change course, so the spell is sometimes wrong. You get a +9 bonus on Defense scores against wooden weapons (provided that you have the freedom to dodge), and you can automatically dodge wooden missiles fired from more than ten paces away. The shriek is only audible to you, and it cannot be simulated by people making noises.
(Base 2, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing)
Level 25
Converse with Plant and Tree
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
You can speak with a plant for one conversation. The level of conversation depends on the type of plants; longer-lived and more noble plants have more to say. A single question and response takes ten to thirty minutes, with slower-growing plants speaking more slowly. Typically, plants can talk about the soil and about other plants around them, but have limited awareness of more momentary events, such as the passing of animals or people, unless that passing has a direct bearing on the plant (for example, a person cut its trunk). News can spread quickly through a forest when it has to, called from tree to tree on the wind. Bystanders cannot understand your conversation.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Muto Herbam Guidelines
These guidelines assume that when you change a plant, it’s still a plant in some way. Changing a plant into something else usually involves a spell one level of magni- tude higher than the guideline most appropriate to the action. To change plants into treated or finished material (for example, wooden furniture, a vegetarian meal, linen or cotton cloth) add one magnitude to the level necessary to change plants into natural, unworked plants.
Muto Herbam botches may turn the caster into a plant, or turn the target into an animated plant hostile to the caster.
| Level 3 | Change a plant or item made from plant products. |
| Level 4 | Change a plant or item made from plant products into metal or stone (Terram requisite). Awaken the consciousness of a plant (Mentem requisite). |
| Level 5 | Cause a plant to bend or twist rapidly in place. |
Muto Herbam Spells
Level 5
Pass the Unyielding Portal
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Ind
Makes the wood of a door pliable, allowing the magus to bend it open regardless of most locks or bars.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)
Level 10
Transformation of the Thorny Staff
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Causes a length of wood (up to 6 feet in length) to grow thick, sharp thorns at whatever spots you touch. If the spell is cast on a staff, the thorns add +4 to the damage done by the staff.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Piercing Shaft of Wood
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Turns a piece of wood into a sleek, barbed, strong shaft that flies through the air at a target. Damage depends on the size of the item from which the shaft is formed: staff (upper size limit) +10, 2-foot branch +8, wand +5. This spell cannot miss, but it is resisted.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Rego effect)
Level 15
Rope of Bronze
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Terram
Turns a piece of rope (made from plant material) into refined, superior bronze, which does not break under normal circumstances.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, no cost for requisite)
Level 20
Thaumaturgcical Transformation of Plants to Iron
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Terram
Makes any plant, dead or alive, as hard as iron. Affects any amount of continuous plant material up to the size of a small tree. Sharp-edged plants can become deadly when they are made this hard.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 size, no cost for requisite)
Level 25
Stir the Slumbering Tree
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Mentem
Raises any tree into a state of consciousness resembling that of a human. Such a tree can see and hear what is going on around it, and at a normal human level of perception. Such a tree may share some mental attributes or personality traits with the caster. The tree can rearrange its branches over the course of several hours, though too slowly for people to observe the movement from second to second. Most trees in magical areas are already awake.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Level 60
Curse of the Haunted Forest
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Group, Ritual
Req: Perdo
Turns a previously normal forest into a haunted and dangerous place. The trees become gnarled and hideous, and the imaginative can see menacing faces in them. The trees also become conscious and cruel; capable of sight, hearing, and limited movement. While they cannot uproot themselves, they can move their branches about, and can reach the ground in an hour or two. Only ill-tempered animals, such as boars and crows, live in these woods, and nothing in them is edible. The only knowledge of what might happen should this ritual be attempted in a faerie forest comes from ancient and disputed legends of the Order of Hermes.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +2 Group, +5 size)
Perdo Herbam Guidelines
These spells destroy plants and plant material. Since many items are made of wood, these spells can be quite destructive. The guidelines given are for destroying dead wood. Destroying live wood is usually a bit harder — add one level of magnitude.
Perdo Herbam botches normally destroy the wrong thing, possibly including some of the caster's clothing.
| Level 2 | Cause the leaves to fall off a plant. |
| Level 3 | Spoil an amount of food. |
| Level 4 | Destroy an amount of dead wood. |
| Level 5 | Destroy a plant. |
Perdo Herbam Spells
Level 5
Curse of the Rotted Wood
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Causes a non-living wooden object to rot and fall apart. Objects up to the size of a single door can be affected, but things that size take up to two rounds to decay. Usually, large chunks of wood start falling off the target, and slowly crumble to smaller and smaller pieces, until only dust is left.
Ferramentum of Verditius’s version of this spell is very orderly as per his wizard’s sigil. The decay of the object starts from the top and continues to the bottom, leaving only dust as it goes.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
Level 15
Wizard's Autumn
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
All the deciduous leaves (that is, those that normally fall in autumn) on the target plants turn brown and then fall to the ground. The full process takes a minute. This spell can affect a small grove of trees. The trees do not bud again until the next spring.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Group, +2 size)
Level 20
Plant's Withering Bane
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Withers and destroys one living plant, up to and including a plant the size of a small tree.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 size)
Level 25
The Great Rot
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Group
Rots and destroys a large amount of dead wood, up to the amount found in a wooden house or small inn. Wooden structures creak and groan mightily for about a minute before collapsing.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Group, +1 size)
Level 30
Treading the Ashen Path
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Group
As you walk through a forest after casting this spell, all the plant material 10 paces in front of you and 5 paces to either side withers and dies. Trees are reduced to bare trunks, while their leaves and all smaller plants turn to ash. You can walk for 7 miles with each casting of this spell. Use of this spell in faerie woods is not recommended. This spell was originally invented by a magus of House Flambeau, and he was awarded a prize for it by his primus.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Group, +3 size, +1 fancy effect (the spell effectively keeps being cast while the caster walks seven miles)
Rego Herbam Guidelines
It is equally easy to control living and dead wood.
Rego Herbam botches normally result in the wood doing something contrary to what the caster wants.
| General | Ward against creatures associated with wood from one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) with a Might less than or equal to the level of the spell. (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle) |
| Level 3 | Control an amount of wood. |
| Level 4 | Deflect a single attack by a wooden weapon. Control an entire plant, moving it around as you direct, although it remains rooted if it is a rooted plant. |
| Level 5 | Control an entire plant, moving it around as you direct, and it need not remain rooted. Summon a mobile plant. |
| Level 10 | Make a plant or thing made of plant products move with purpose and intelligence, without requiring your constant control. |
| Level 15 | Ward someone against mundane plant products. Make a tree blossom out of season, in a moment. |
Rego Herbam Spells
General
Ward Against Faeries of the Wood
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
Like Ward Against Faeries of the Waters (ReAq Gen), but for faeries of the wood. At some angles, at night, the ring appears to be a green-hued dome.
(Base effect)
Level 5
Dance of the Staves
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Causes a pole, staff, haft, or any other long, thin, non-living wooden object to bend and lash about wildly for a few seconds and then stop suddenly. A whirling staff strikes its holder and does +4 Damage, with a possible bonus if the weapon at the head of the pole hits the person.
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
Level 10
Repel the Wooden Shafts
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Deflects a single blow of any weapon made of wood, up to the size of a two-handed club. The attack automatically misses, but the attacker still rolls to see if he or she botches (with two extra botch rolls for melee weapons). If you ordinarily carry a staff, it must be tossed aside for the casting.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Strike of the Angered Branch
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Part
Causes a large tree branch to swing at a target. The branch’s Attack score is equal to your Perception + Finesse. Damage is +10. You may strike repeatedly with the branch, striking once per round for as long as the spell lasts.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +1 Part)
Tangle of Wood and Thorns
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Takes a length of wood that you designate and hurls it at a target (a Targeting roll is required). The wood wraps around and immobilizes the target (assuming that there is enough wood), who must make a Strength stress roll of 9+ to break free (one attempt per round). If the victim ever botches, he cannot escape without outside help. If the length of wood has thorns, it does +6 damage when it hits, and again each time the target tries to break free, whether successful or not. When the caster stops concentrating, the target can escape on a Strength roll of 6+.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +1 Muto requisite)
Level 20
Coils of the Entangling Plants
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Group
Animates all the grass and small plants within a field delineated from side to side by your outstretched arms and in front by no more than 15 paces of distance. The plants grab and wrap themselves around the people nearest to them (Strength stress roll of 9+ to break free, rolled once per minute). If a roll to break free ever botches, the victim cannot escape on his or her own. With a Concentration roll of 6+, you can release one individual a round.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Level 25
Lord of the Trees
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes a tree to move its branches and bend its trunk in any way you mentally direct. A large tree striking with branches has Initiative +5, Attack +7, and Damage +10. Normal weapons are practically useless against large trees.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 size)
The Treacherous Spear
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
This spell animates a wooden or wooden-hafted melee weapon in someone else’s hand, and makes that weapon attack its holder until the wielder is dead or the weapon is destroyed. When the spell is cast, the weapon tries to break its wielder’s hold (Quickness – Encumbrance stress roll of 9+ to hang on). On subsequent rounds, the wielder hangs on by making Strength stress rolls of 6+, allowed once per round. If a roll to hold on ever botches, the wielder loses control of the weapon and is hit by it automatically (see below). While still in its wielder’s grip, the weapon does not strike him or her, but does not strike on the wielder’s behalf either. Once the weapon breaks free or is released, it attacks its wielder, using his Attack and Damage scores.
The former wielder may fight the rebellious weapon. The weapon uses its defense rating as its Defense total. It has no Soak, and is “killed” after it takes a wound depending on its size. One-handed weapons must take a Medium Wound, while two-handed weapons must take a Heavy Wound. The damage of thrusting and missile weapons is halved when attacking the renegade weapon.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Diam)
Twist the Living Tree
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
You make a living tree bend into unusual positions. Depending on your needs, you can make a cage, a shelter, or a wall. Even the leaves can be commanded, maybe to form a solid roof that sheds rain. Takes one to ten minutes to complete (depending on the complexity of the new shape), during which time you must maintain concentration.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Ward Against Wood
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
The caster is protected from non-enchanted wood, so that none of it can actually contact his body. If he is walking on a wooden surface, he is actually suspended very slightly above it.
(Base 15, +2 Sun)
Level 30
Freeing the Striding Tree
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Like Lord of the Trees, above, but the tree can walk half as fast as a human can. If you botch a Concentration roll to maintain control, the tree attacks you, having been awakened and disturbed by this spell.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 size)
Level 45
Calling the Council of the Trees
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Bound, Ritual
Req: Intellego
You call all magical and potentially mobile trees within the forest where you cast the ritual to the site of the ritual. The trees are compelled to come, and will likely be interested in whoever has called them. The attitude of the trees depends on the forest and the nature of the one who called. Once gathered, the trees hold meetings, summon ancient powers, and discuss the problems facing their kind. You may speak, and understand what the trees are discussing. The results of the conference may not be entirely in your favor. The trees remain animated for a month and may seek to return home before the end of that period.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +4 Bound, no cost for Intellego effect)
Ignem Spells
As fire is volatile and dangerous, so are these spells. Magi who pursue the Art of fire do so with fine regard for the dangers and powers involved, for fire is both dangerous and mighty, to friend and foe alike. Storyguides should make Ignem botches particularly deadly. Light and heat also fall within the domain of this Form. It’s important to remember that heat also includes relative absence of heat, so spells that result in cold temperatures are possible through Ignem.
The base Individual for Ignem is a large campfire or the fire in the hearth of a great hall. Fire damage is explained on page 181 XXX.
Creo Ignem Guidelines
Spells that create fires are versatile weapons — destructive to living things, undead, buildings, and morale. Those who depend on fire spells, however, risk botching. Fire is an unforgiving element for those who lose control of it, and self incineration is always a possibility.
Typical sigils seen in Creo Ignem spells involve the flame being a specific color or shape, or giving off an unusual smell.
| Level 1 | Create light equivalent to moonlight. |
| Level 2 | Create light equivalent to candlelight. Heat an object to be warm to the touch. |
| Level 3 | Create light equivalent to torchlight. Heat an object to be hot to the touch. |
| Level 4 | Create a fire doing +5 damage. Create light as bright as a cloudy day. |
| Level 5 | Create a fire doing +10 damage.
Create a fire doing +5 damage in an unnatural shape, such as in a ring or sheet, or covering an item. (Purely cosmetic shapes are free.)
Create light as bright as direct sunlight on a clear day. |
| Level 10 | Create a fire doing +15 damage. Create a fire doing +10 damage in an unnatural shape. |
| Level 15 | Create a fire doing +20 damage. |
| Level 20 | Create a fire doing +25 damage. Create a fire doing +20 damage in an unnatural shape. |
| Level 25 | Create a fire doing +30 damage. |
Creo Ignem Spells
Level 3
Moonbeam
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes a gentle light, bright enough to read by, to shine down from above and illuminate the area described by your encircled arms. Lasts as long as you hold your arms in a circle.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Level 5
Palm of Flame
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
A flame leaps up in your palm, which must be upturned for the spell’s duration. The flame casts light like a torch, and can ignite very flammable items. It does no damage, and does not burn the caster.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Level 10
Heat of the Searing Forge
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Heats a piece of metal so that it is too hot to touch. Something the size of a breastplate or helmet does +5 damage if in direct contact with the skin for one round. For each additional round, more damage is done, the amount dropping by two points each round (+3 damage on round two, then +1). Smaller objects do less damage. Most metal armor has leather or cloth underneath that gives the victim a +3 Soak bonus against the heat.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Lamp Without Flame
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell creates a steady light as bright as daylight on a cloudy day. The light has no apparent source, but illuminates an area about ten paces across, centered on a point indicated by the caster. This point may be a mobile item.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Level 15
Blade of the Virulent Flame
R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Ind
Forms a fire along the length of a metal blade. This flame doubles the weapon damage score for the blade (or adds +5, whichever is greater), and can start fires as well. If the spell is cast repeatedly on the same blade, the blade gets hot enough to melt after half an hour, which ends the spell. Letting the blade cool for half an hour between castings avoids this.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter)
Flash of the Scarlet Flames
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
A brilliant red flash explodes in the air where you designate. If you target a person’s face the target needs a Stamina stress roll of 9+ to avoid temporary blindness. If the target botches the roll, he is permanently blinded. If temporarily blinded, he can try to make a simple Staminaroll of 9+ each minute to recover. The flash is equivalent to looking straight at the sun.
In Rose of Jerbiton’s version of this spell, there is a faint odor of roses in the area where the flash explodes.
(Base 5, +2 Voice)
Level 20
Pilum of Fire
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
A 2-foot, thick, spear-shaped jet of fire flies from your palms, doing +15 damage to the individual it hits.
(Base 10, +2 Voice)
Level 25
Arc of Fiery Ribbons
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Group
A dozen multi-hued ribbons of flame leap from your hands and fly out as far as your voice carries, covering a 60-degree arc. All those in the arc take +10 damage.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Group)
Coat of Flame
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Req: Rego
The target is swathed in fire, and takes +5 damage every round while the spell is in effect. That is, the damage must be rolled against Soak twenty times during the spell. The Rego requisite ensures that the fire does not spread.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +1 Rego requisite)
Level 35
Ball of Abysmal Flame
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
A ball of flame shoots from your hand to strike a single target, doing +30 damage. Marius of Tremere’s version of the spell causes the ball to make a loud bang when it hits the target. His sigil is a gaudiness in his spells.
(Base 25, +2 Voice; the ball appearing to shoot from your hand is a cosmetic effect)
Circle of Encompassing Flames
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Creates a circle of flames 6 feet high. The circle begins at a 1-pace radius, but you can make it shrink to a pillar or grow to a 3-pace radius as you concentrate if you cast with a Rego requisite. Anyone moving through the flames takes +20 damage. You cannot move the center of the circle.
(Base 20, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Intellego Ignem Guidelines
Intellego Ignem botches typically provide false information, although they may also render the caster incapable of detecting heat or flames for a time.
| Level 1 | Sense one property of a fire. Locate a fire. |
| Level 2 | Sense all mundane properties of a fire. Become aware of all fires within the target area. |
| Level 3 | Sense all mundane properties of ash. Detect the traces of fires which burned within the last lunar month. |
| Level 4 | See clearly through raging fire (an Auram requisite may be necessary if smoke is present as well). Learn the magical properties of a fire. |
| Level 10 | See a fire you have an Arcane Connection to and all things it illuminates (for example, see a campfire and everything within its circle of light). |
| Level 20 | Speak with a fire. |
Intellego Ignem Spells
Level 5
Tales of the Ashes
R: Touch, D: Conc T: Ind
Lets you see what the ashes you touch originally were, and how and when the object was burned. The latter two are divined from markings and signs in the ashes.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Level 15
Shadows of the Fires Past
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Vision
Allows you to see where fires have been in the past lunar month. A light red flickering haze appears where the fire was, and you gain an intuitive sense of when the fire was there. This spell does not look into the past, but detects the traces of fire.
(Base 3, +4 Vision)
Level 20
Vision of Heat's Light
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
Allows you to see the heat of objects that are of human body temperature or hotter. Excellent for use in the dark, but it doesn’t give true vision. You can see well enough to use a weapon, even a missile weapon, without penalty, but recognizing people is very difficult.
(Base 2, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
Level 35
Eyes of the Flame
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
Lets you see a fire up to the size of a large campfire to which you have an Arcane Connection. You can also see all those things which the fire illuminates.
(Base 10, +4 Arc, +1 Conc)
Eyes of the Flame
Words of the Flickering Flame
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
(Allows you to converse with a fire, commonly very chaotic and distractible. Promising a fire more fuel might keep its interest. Fires are mostly aware of what they’ve burned, but they have a limited awareness of what goes on around them as well.
)
Muto Ignem Guidelines
The intensity of a fire also affects the difficulty of changing it. For every five points by which the fire’s damage exceeds +5, add one magnitude to the spell’s level.
| Level 1 | Change one characteristic of a fire within the target area (for example, make a fire burn more brightly, or produce more smoke). |
| Level 2 | Totally change a fire into another natural fire (changing any or all of its characteristics). |
| Level 3 | Change a fire so that it is slightly unnatural (for example, make the flames colored, or make the smoke smell of roses). May require requisites. |
| Level 4 | Change a fire so that it is completely unnatural (for example, multicolored flames that form images while the popping of the fire plays music). Often requires requisites. |
| Level 5 | Change a fire into a natural example of another element, with an appropriate requisite. |
| Level 10 | Change a fire into an unnatural example of another element, with an appropriate requisite. |
Muto Ignem Spells
Level 5
The Many-Hued Conflagration
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Makes a fire burn brightly in shifting colors for an instant. Each being looking at the fire must make a Stamina stress roll of 6+ or be blinded for one round by the multicolored lights.
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
Level 10
Show of the Flames and Smoke
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Causes smoke of different colors, streams of flame, and strange popping and sizzling noises to come from a fire. The effect is so spectacular that onlookers are either entranced or horrified, depending on the circumstances. The pyrotechnics might ignite nearby flammable objects and cause minor burns to those within 2 paces of the fire.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Hornet Fire
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Turns a fire into a swarm of fireballs, each the size of a large insect, that fly and harass at your command. Their burning touch gives all those you indicate within 7 paces of the fire both a –3 penalty on all rolls and two extra botch dice, but they do not cause actual damage.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +1 Rego requisite)
Level 20
Prison of Flames
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Turns a bonfire into a prison shaped like a miniature castle. A person thrown into the middle is not burned, but takes +15 damage if he or she tries to escape.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Size)
Level 25
Trapping the Fire
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Terram
This spell turns the heat and flames of a large campfire into a small, very hard object, such as a gem or a piece of metal. If the object is broken, the flame returns, but dies if there is nothing to burn.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, requisite is free)
Level 35
Flames of Sculpted Ice
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Aquam
Turns a fire up to the size of a small house into ice. The ice forms beautiful sculptures of leaping flame, until it begins to melt. When the ice has melted halfway, the flames start again, but probably won’t spread, because of wet surroundings.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Perdo Ignem Guidelines
The intensity of a fire also affects the difficulty of destroying it. For every five points by which the fire’s damage exceeds +5, add one magnitude to the spell’s level.
Perdo Ignem botches might create fire instead of destroying it, or freeze the caster.
| Level 2 | Greatly reduce the amount of light in an area. |
| Level 3 | Completely extinguish all light in an area. Reduce the size of a fire without destroying it completely. |
| Level 4 | Extinguish a fire, cooling the ashes to merely warm. Chill an object. |
| Level 5 | Strongly chill an object. (For example, freeze water.) Chill a person so that they take +5 damage. |
| Level 10 | Destroy one aspect of a fire (for example, heat or light). Chill a person so strongly that they take +10 damage. |
Perdo Ignem Spells
Level 10
Gloom of Evening
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Room
The level of light in the target room drops substantially, making the room gloomy, with deep shadows everywhere.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diam, +2 Room)
Winter's Icy Touch
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Causes the target to feel a chill and lose body heat. The target loses a Fatigue level.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 20
Soothe the Raging Flame
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Eradicates the heat of a bonfire, which, however, continues to burn until the fuel already covered in flame is consumed. The flames do not spread, or harm anything beyond what they were already burning. If the fire is extinguished and relit, it will burn hot again, as it is now a different fire.
(Base 10, +2 Voice)
Level 25
Well Without Light
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Str
Removes light from the target structure. Only spells greater than level 25 can create light within this area. When casting this spell, magi typically clench a hand into a fist, and the light flows into the fist like a living entity, until the entire area is dark.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +3 Str)
Conjuration of the Indubitable Cold
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Cools the air within ten paces of the target, leaving it slightly below freezing. All non-living things are chilled thoroughly, not just on the surface. All living things (except you, if you cast with a Rego requisite) lose one Fatigue level. House fires become as small as campfires, bonfires become as small as torch fires, and campfires and smaller fires go out.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +2 size)
Level 30
Wizard's Icy Grip
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Chills a single target so that it takes +20 damage. If this is enough to kill, the target is frozen solid. Armor does not add to Soak against this spell.
(Base 20, +2 Voice)
Level 35
Wizard's Eclipse
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Bound, Ritual
The sun is eclipsed within the target area, making it as dark as night. The darkness begins very suddenly — the superstitious are likely to panic, especially if they see that there is normal daylight just beyond the boundary of the spell.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +1 Diam, +4 Bound, +3 size)
Rego Ignem Guidelines
The intensity of a fire also affects the difficulty of controlling it. For every five points by which the fire’s damage exceeds +5, add one magnitude to the level of the spell.
Rego Ignem spells can control heat or light as well as fire.
Rego Ignem botches normally result in the fire doing exactly what the caster does not want.
| General | Ward against creatures of fire belonging to one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, Magic) whose might is less than or equal to the level of the spell (Range Touch, Duration Ring, Target Circle). |
| Level 3 | Control a fire in a natural fashion (for example, control its direction of spread). Move a fire quickly through space while leaving it burning naturally. |
| Level 4 | Control a fire in a slightly unnatural fashion (for example, stop it from burning a person). |
| Level 10 | Control a fire in a very unnatural fashion (for example, fashion into a dancing humanoid shape). |
Rego Ignem Spells
Level 5
Tremulous Vault of the Torch's Flame
R: Voice, D: Mom T: Ind
Causes a fire to quiver a few seconds and then make a leap of up to 10 feet in any direction. A Targeting roll is required to hit a specific target. The flame stays at the spot it hits if it can burn there (see rules for fire damage on page 181 XXX). Otherwise, it simply scorches the spot and goes out (doing +5 damage).
(Base 3, +2 Voice)
Level 10
Leap of the Fire
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Causes a bonfire to leap of up to 10 paces in any direction, where it catches if there is fuel, or burns out if there is none. Make a Targeting roll to hit a target; the flames do +10 damage.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 size)
Level 20
Light Shaft of the Night
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Group
Collects moonbeams and starlight into a single vertical shaft of soft, silvery light that moves under your control. It illuminates an area 15 paces across with light nearly equal to sunlight (if the moon is out) or moonlight (if the moon is not out). If the sky is overcast, the spell does not work. Can only be cast under the night sky.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc, +2 Group)
Level 25
Burst of the Sweeping Flames
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell causes a fire to explode outwards from its source along the ground, as if a giant wind were blowing on it from above. The fire travels for no more than 10 paces, but it ferociously ignites anything in its path. The original fire is left dead, but in all probability a number of new fires will be started. The flames cause +5 to +15 damage, depending on the intensity of the original fire.
(Base 10 (4 + 2 magnitudes for the intensity of the fire), +3 Sight)
Ward Against Heat and Flames
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Keeps heat and fire at bay, unable to approach within 1 pace of the target. This renders the target immune to damage from flames or heat of intensity less than that of molten iron. The target gets a +15 Soak against all fire-related damage. Any fire doing less than +15 damage per round doesn’t penetrate the ward. Such fires simply dim at the protected person’s passing and flare back up after he or she is gone.
(Base 4, +2 for up to +15 damage, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Imaginem Spells
Imaginem is the Form of sensations and illusion. By using Imaginem, you can alter what others perceive. Imaginem, however, means “image,” not “illusion.” Thus, one creates, transforms, perceives, destroys, and controls images, not necessarily illusions. A clairvoyance spell, therefore, is Intellego Imaginem because it detects real images. By manipulating sensations, however, you can create effective illusions. The Art of Imaginem rewards the creative magus by fooling people into actions they would otherwise shun: for instance, they might walk off a cliff, while their eyes tell them there is a bridge over the chasm. Imaginem cannot affect light, as that is part of Ignem, but it can affect the things that light allows you to see.
Stenches and perfumes, tints and stains, color and shadow, melody and cacophony, sweet and sour; all these are perceptions, and so can be manipulated by the Art of Imaginem. An image works on the senses, not on the mind, so an unthinking beast is as likely to believe an image as an imaginative human. Similarly, everyone can sense an illusion created by Imaginem magic. Nevertheless, Imaginem spells are still most effective at fouling the communication on which human society depends. Beasts are likely to be fooled by illusions, as are the simpler undead. Demons are very hard to deceive, while faeries often see through illusions and manipulate them to fool you in turn. Certain members of the Church have proven remarkably adept at discerning truth from illusion, though the talent is not dependable.
It is more difficult to mimic a specific object or person using an Imaginem spell than it is to mimic a general image, and requires a Perception + Finesse stress roll. For example, it is easier to imitate a generic gold ring than it is to reproduce the gold ring with inscriptions that the baron presented to his wife on the occasion of their tenth wedding anniversary. The higher the roll, the better you can fool people. You get a bonus to your roll for familiarity with what you are mimicking (–3 for an unfamiliar object, +3 for highly familiar objects or for having the subject available for modeling). For mimicking people, a roll of 6+ lets you fool acquaintances of the person, 9+ lets you fool friends, and 12+ lets you fool close friends and relatives. Use a similar scale for mimicking objects. If you botch the Finesse roll, you may think the image is satisfactory, but it’s immediately seen through once in use.
A base Individual for Imaginem is the equivalent of an adult human being; whether a visual image of about that size, an auditory illusion making that much noise, or whatever.
Creo Imaginem Guidelines
These spells create and restore images. It is important to note that Creo Imaginem spells only create the images of things, not the things themselves. An image of a bucket will not hold water poured into it, nor will the image of a horse be able to carry a rider. This is often the first (and most important) clue that the image is just an illusion. On the other hand, the illusion of a wall may feel solid, but will present no resistance if someone pushes a hand through it.
Increasing the complexity of a sensory perception, such as making a moving visual image or making clear words instead of noise, adds an additional level of magnitude. Making an image move or make noise at your direction as you concentrate adds two levels of magnitude. In addition, very intricate images (for example, an intricately ornamented bridge) are generally one level of magnitude higher as well.
Wizard’s sigils can be very obvious in Creo Imaginem spells. The illusions commonly have some small quirk that marks them as belonging to a certain magus. For example, illusions cast by Fortunatus of Jerbiton often have some small religious icon worked into their structure, due to the manner in which he invents his spells.
Creo Imaginem botches might create obvious illusions which are clearly linked to the caster, thus marking him as a wizard.
| Level 1 | Create an image that affects a single sense. |
| Level 2 | Create an image that affects two senses. |
| Level 3 | Create an image that affects three senses. |
| Level 4 | Create an image that affects four senses. |
| Level 5 | Create an image that affects five senses. |
Creo Imaginem Spells
Level 10
Phantasm of the Talking Head
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Creates an illusory face on a wall or other flat object. The visage can speak during the spell’s duration. Individual wizards’ sigils can produce very interesting differences in how the voice sounds, how the face looks, and so on.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +1 intelligible speech)
Level 20
Phantasmal Animal
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind
Creates an image of any animal or beast up to the size of a pony (Size +1). Under your direct mental command, it moves about (within range) and makes appropriate noises. You need to be able to concentrate, and be within range, whenever you wish to direct the illusion to move in some manner. If you move out of range or stop concentrating, the illusion just freezes in place. The image does smell like an animal, but it has absolutely no effect on the sense of touch. Of course, a magus may not use this spell to create the image of an animal he or she does not know exists.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +2 move under your command)
Phantasmal Fire
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Ignem
Makes an image of a fire (up to the size of a large campfire) that dances, illuminates, crackles, and (apparently) warms. It does not spread, burn, or protect against cold. Makes a great joke at gatherings of House Flambeau, although creating a real fire is even more popular.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 for light from Ignem requisite)
Level 25
Phantasm of the Human Form
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes an image of a clothed and equipped person that can make noise. Under your direct, unspoken command, the person can move about, speak, and behave as a human does.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 move at your command, +1 intricacy)
Level 35
Haunt of the Living Ghost
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Intellego
With this spell, you can instantly project your own image and voice to any designated spot that you have an Arcane Connection to (though storyguides may wish to limit this range to some absolute distance like 300 miles). You can see and hear through the image. The image must appear in some medium, such as a fire, mirror, or pool.
Some magi use this spell to attend inter-covenant councils without traveling the intervening distance. Because other magi can see you, this spell is not held to constitute scrying by magic. Using it through another covenant’s Aegis counts as showing off, however.
(Base 2, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +2 move at your command, +1 intricacy, +1 Intellego requisite)
Level 40
The Shadow of Human Life
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Mentem
The human image created (as in Phantasm of the Human Form) has limited freedom and simulated intellect. It functions as an independent human, albeit a stupid one, capable of interpreting general orders in new situations.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 intricacy, +6 Mentem requisite, for a very elaborate effect)
Intellego Imaginem Guidelines
Generally, these spells have the least to do with illusions of all the Imaginem spells, because one detects an image without altering or controlling it. These spells improve upon your senses by bringing in images (usually sounds and sights) not normally available.
Note that seeing or hearing into another room or a hundred miles away does you no good if there is no light or sound there. As in CrIm spells, each additional sense you wish to perceive increases the level of the spell by one magnitude.
As with most Intellego magic, Intellego Imaginem botches normally give false information.
| General | Discern illusions caused by spells of equal or lower level than the level of this spell (Vision target). |
| Level ` | Use one sense at a distance. Memorize or perfect your memory about an image you have encountered. |
| Level 2 | Use two senses at a distance. |
| Level 3 | Use three senses at a distance. Enhance one of your senses in one way (to see clearly at a distance, to see small things, or to see in the dark, for example). |
| Level 4 | Use four senses at a distance. |
| Level 5 | Use all senses at a distance. |
Intellego Imaginem Spells
General
Discern the Images of Truth and Falsehood
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
You can tell whether an image has been created or altered through a spell, seeing both the original and false images in the case of alterations. Illusions caused by a spell with a level higher than five lower than the level of this spell are not discerned. If you botch the roll, you mistake illusions for the real thing and reality for illusion. Your discernment is not limited to visual illusions, although you can only tell that a sound is illusory if you are looking at the apparent source.
(Base effect, +1 Conc)
Level 5
Prying Eyes
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Room
You can see inside a room, as long as you can touch one of its walls. If the room is unlit or poorly lit, you can only see as much as you could if you were inside, but magical enhancements of your senses do apply. You may change your viewpoint within the room throughout the duration of the spell.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +2 Room)
Level 15
Discern Own Illusions
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
This spell makes your own illusions largely transparent, but still discernible.
(Base 1, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
Level 20
The Ear for Distant Voices
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Room
You can hear what is happening in the place you designate. You must have an Arcane Connection with the place or with a person there.
(Base 1, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +2 Room)
Level 25
Eyes of the Eagle
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Vision
You see distant things clearly. No matter how far away something is, you can make out details as if it were only a foot or so from you. Things do not all appear to be a foot away; you can simply make out details as well as if they were. You can still judge distance accurately; in fact, more accurately than normal, to within an inch or so at a distance of several miles, since you can see as clearly as if you were judging distance a foot away.
(Base 3, +2 Sun, +4 Vision)
Summoning the Distant Image
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Room
You can see and hear what is happening in a distant place if you have some sort of Arcane Connection to either the location or a person there.
(Base 2, +4 Arc, +1 Conc, +2 Room)
Muto Imaginem Guidelines
These are useful and powerful illusion spells, altering the visual image, noises, smell, or taste of some object or being. The image remains altered without your concentration and adapts itself appropriately to the medium. The accuracy of duplication depends on your knowledge of the subject. For instance, if you want to make a voice like that of a specific person, you must be familiar with the voice that you want to mimic. Those more familiar with the face, voice, body, or other aspect being mimicked might see through an illusion by mundane means (“Duke Tybol, isn’t your scar on your left cheek?”).
Muto Imaginem, or indeed other Imaginem magic, cannot overcome the effects of The Gift, although it might offset them a little.
Muto Imaginem botches often change the caster’s appearance in dangerous or embarrassing ways.
| Level 1 | Change one sensation of an object (for example, make a leaf look like a coin), but not its type (i.e. not from sight to sound). |
| Level 2 | Change two sensations of an object. |
| Level 3 | Change three sensations of an object. |
| Level 4 | Change four sensations of an object. |
| Level 5 | Change an object completely, in all things except touch. |
Muto Imaginem Spells
Level 5
Taste of the Spices and Herbs
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
A setting’s worth of food or drink tastes and smells exactly as you designate.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 10
Aura of Ennobled Presence
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target appears more forceful, authoritative, and believable. Numerous subtle changes in appearance bring about this change, including a slight supernatural illumination of the face, a more erect posture, and a louder and smoother voice. The character gets a +3 on rolls to influence, lead, or convince others.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Notes of a Delightful Sound
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
Causes all sounds in a room, particularly music, to be especially clear and sonorous. The notes are clearer, sharper, and more distinct.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room)
Level 15
Disguise of the Transformed Image
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes someone look, sound, feel, and smell different, though at least passably human.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Image Phantom
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Any one thing, including a living thing, can be made to appear as if it were something else of approximately the same shape and size. The illusion cannot be cast on things that have a shape or size improper to the final appearance. If the target moves or is moved in such a way that the illusion is inappropriate, it looks very strange indeed.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Perdo Imaginem Guidelines
In addition to destroying created images, these spells dull the sensual properties of things — making wine tasteless, sneaks silent, and magi invisible. Destroying changing images is more difficult — add one level of magnitude to spells that do so.
Note that images are naturally generated constantly, so that a Perdo Imaginem spell with Momentary duration merely makes an object seem to flicker for a moment. Longer durations are required if the image is to stay gone.
Note also that shadows are due to the physical body blocking the light. Destroying something’s shadow is thus Creo Ignem, or possibly Rego Ignem, not Perdo Imaginem. Mirror images, however, are caused by the species bouncing off the mirror, so a spell destroying (or changing) the species also changes mirror images.
Perdo Imaginem botches might make the image more intense, or destroy the wrong image.
| Level 2 | Destroy an object’s ability to affect taste or touch. |
| Level 3 | Destroy an object’s ability to affect smell or hearing. Destroy an object’s ability to affect taste and touch. |
| Level 4 | Destroy an object’s ability to affect sight. Destroy an object’s ability to affect any three of taste, touch, smell, or hearing. |
| Level 5 | Destroy an object’s ability to affect any four senses. |
| Level 10 | Destroy an object’s ability to affect all five senses. |
Perdo Imaginem Spells
General
Dispel the Phantom Image
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Destroys the image from any one CrIm spell whose level you match or exceed on a stress die + the level of your spell.
(Base effect)
Level 5
Taste of the Dulled Tongue
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Hides the taste of any substance, liquid or solid.
(Base 2, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 10
Illusion of Cool Flames
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
A source of heat, such as a fire, seems to lose its heat and drop to the surrounding temperature. It still, however, has its normal beneficial and harmful effects (that is, glowing coals still cook meat or burn a person’s hand, though they do not feel hot).
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 15
Invisibility of the Standing Wizard
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target becomes invisible, but the spell is broken if he moves (aside from breathing and shifting slightly in place). He still casts a shadow.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Veil of Invisibility
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target becomes completely undetectable to normal sight, regardless of what he does, but still casts a shadow.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 changing image)
Removal of the Conspicuous Sigil
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Grooves, runes, writings, and similar markings are obscured so that they are not visible, but the overall shape of the medium remains constant. For example, runes carved into a sword blade can be made invisible, making the sword appear normal.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Silence of the Smothered Sound
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes one being or object incapable of producing sound. Magi who cannot utter their magic words suffer the normal penalties to their spellcasting rolls.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 changing image)
Level 25
Chamber of Invisibility
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group
Causes a Group of creatures to become invisible. Any affected character who moves or is touched makes everyone visible. All members of the Group still cast shadows.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
Rego Imaginem Guidelines
These spells make things appear to be somewhere other than where they actually are. As with CrIm and PeIm, it is slightly harder to affect changing images. Add one level of magnitude to spells that do so. Add a further level of magnitude if the image is to change along with the object. Add one level of magnitude to the guidelines for each additional sense to be affected.
Rego Imaginem botches might control the wrong image, or do something completely inappropriate to the targeted image.
| Level 2 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be up to one pace away from its actual position. |
| Level 3 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be up to five paces away from its actual position. Make objects appear to move rapidly in a disorientating way. |
| Level 4 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be up to fifteen paces from its
actual position. |
| Level 5 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be up to one hundred paces from its actual position. |
| Level 10 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be in Sight of its actual position. |
| Level 15 | Make an object appear (to one sense) to be in a location to which the caster has an Arcane Connection. |
Rego Imaginem Spells
General
Restore the Moved Image
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Cancels a ReIm spell that moves an image, putting the image back where it belongs, as long as you can match the spell’s level on a stress die + the level of your spell. This spell targets the image.
(Base effect)
Level 10
Illusioon of the Shifted Image
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes any person or object appear to be a pace away from its actual position. The image cannot be placed in a solid object. As soon as the original or image moves, the spell ends.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Wizard's Sidestep
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
Your image appears up to 1 pace from where you actually are, so attacks aimed there are likely to miss you. Whenever the image is successfully struck, it disappears and reappears in another spot.
In combat, early attacks are aimed at the image, and so automatically miss you. Once the image has been hit once, you have a +9 bonus to Defense, as attackers must try to find you in a fairly large area.
(Base 2, +2 Sun, +1 changing image, +1 moved image matches changes)
Level 25
The Captive Voice
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Part
Captures a person’s voice and places it in a bag. The person may not speak unless the bag is open, in which case the voice comes from the bag, not the victim’s mouth. If the victim screams while the bag is shut, the bag vibrates visibly.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Level 30
Confusion of the Insane Vibrations
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Vision
The target of the spell sees everything vibrate back and forth at varying high speeds. In addition, sounds and scents are displaced and seem to come from the wrong areas. Anyone trying to fight in these circumstances suffers –3 on Attack and Defense scores, and must roll two extra botch dice. The target is likely to become desperate and terribly confused. Navigation is exceedingly difficult. The visual effects of this spell are negated if the target is in complete darkness or if they close their eyes.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +4 Vision, +1 additional senses)
Image from the Wizard Torn
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Ind
Req: Intellego
Your image separates from your body and moves as you do. It can speak whatever you say and do so in your voice, and you can see through its eyes. You must make an Int + Concentration stress roll for each solid object the image passes through and for each mile it travels. If you wish the image to be able to leave your sight, you must use an Arcane Connection to yourself (for example, a fingernail or a lock of hair) when you cast the spell. That connection becomes an integral part of the image, and when the spell ends, it falls to the ground wherever the image was located.
As your image is away from your body, you are invisible and silent at your actual location. The image is your image, so while you may move it in space you may not have it sit down if you are standing. Further, it appears as if illuminated by whatever light is falling on you, no matter what the level of illumination is at the image.
(Base 15, +1 Conc, +1 additional sense, +1 Intellego requisite)
Level 50
Illusion of the Misplaced Castle
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Bound, Ritual
Moves the image of any bounded structure or set of structures the size of a castle or less up to one mile from its actual position.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +4 Bound)
Mentem Spells
Mentem spells govern thoughts, emotions, and memories. Intelligent minds are affected by Mentem spells, while the minds of beasts are affected only by Animal spells. The mental Characteristics are Intelligence, Perception, Presence, and Communication, and they can be affected by Mentem spells.
Since the effects of Mentem spells are not usually visible, they give you a great deal of power when dealing with the common folk. Even spells requiring eye contact are relatively inconspicuous when cast without voice or gestures, but only powerful magi can cast spells this way in the Dominion.
Minds do not have a size, so size modifiers do not apply to Mentem effects with Individual targets. However, minds can be counted, so for Groups you still need to boost the size to affect more people. Similarly, Mentem spells affecting everyone in a Room, Structure, or Boundary have size modifiers in the normal way.
Creo Mentem Guidelines
In addition to healing minds, these spells can also create thoughts, emotions, and memories in another person’s mind. These creations interact normally with the target’s other thoughts, and may be changed in the process.
Typical sigils for Creo Mentem spells involve some small quirk in what is created. A specific idea may lie in the background of all memories created, for example.
Creo Mentem botches might create inappropriate emotions in the caster’s mind.
| Level 3 | Form words in another’s mind. |
| Level 4 | Put a thought or emotion into another’s mind. |
| Level 5 | Create a memory in another’s mind. |
| Level 30 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than 0. |
| Level 35 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than +1. |
| Level 40 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than +2. |
| Level 45 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than +3. |
| Level 50 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than +4. |
| Level 55 | Increase one of a person’s mental Characteristics by one point, to no more than +5. |
Creo Mentem Spells
Level 10
Words of the Unbroken Silence
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind
Lets you say two words directly to the mind of a target. The target can recognize your voice and knows that the message is of supernatural origin.
(Base 3, +3 Sight)
Level 15
Panic of the Trembling Heart
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Creates an overpowering fear in one person of a specific object, person, or place.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Rising Ire
R: Eye; D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes the target furious at someone or something of your choice. A stress roll of 9+ using an appropriate Personality Trait (like Calm) can hold the anger in check, but it is felt strongly regardless of the roll.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Memory of the Distant Dream
R: Eye; D: Sun, T: Ind
Inserts a full and complete memory into a person’s mind. If the target gives the memory some thought and concentration, and makes an Intelligence roll of 9+, the memory is revealed as false. When the duration expires, the memory vanishes, although the subject may remember remembering it.
(Base 5, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Pains of the Perpetual Worry
R: Eye; D: Moon, T: Ind
Gives someone a nagging, taunting, painful emotion — a recurrent sense of anxiety, a fear of something he or she does not know, a fear of everything, and a fear of nothing. To have this spell cast on you is truly a curse.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +3 Moon)
Level 25
Weight of a Thousand Hells
R: Eye; D: Moon, T: Ind
Causes the victim to feel the despair, anguish, pain, and sorrow of a thousand sinners in Hell. This is a horrible spell, for the victim loses almost all motivation and earthly cares. All he can feel is his own pain — endless, inexorable, and searing. Appropriate Personality Trait rolls suffer a harmful adjustment of –5, and the target suffers –2 on any rolls that require thought or concentration. The target has a strong tendency to do nothing but brood.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +3 Moon, +1 complex effect)
Level 35
Gift of Reason
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Permanently increases the target’s Intelligence by 1 point, to no higher than 0.
(Base 30, +1 Touch)
Intellego Mentem Guidelines
These spells are superb for cutting through the confusion of social interaction and the endless banter of the rabble. InAn spells that deal with the mind may also be used for ideas and guidelines for this section.
Note that writing does not contain any information of itself, and is generally Animal and Herbam or Terram, for the materials, not Mentem. To translate writing, you need someone who can read it, although you could read the translation from their mind.
A momentary Mentem spell can answer a single question, although it’s not necessary that the answer be expressible in a brief form. A Momentary spell could, for example, tell you exactly how the target felt about his father, no matter how complex the feeling, but it wouldn’t tell you why he felt that way. Finding out a lot of information takes time.
Sigils for InMe spells usually involve information transmitted in unique ways.
Intellego Mentem botches normally supply false information.
| Level 4 | Sense the state of consciousness of one intelligent being (for example, asleep, awake, meditating, dead, drugged, insane, or comatose). |
| Level 5 | Sense a single emotion in a being. Understand the meaning behind spoken sounds. |
| Level 10 | Sense all of the emotions in a being. Discover the truth of a statement. |
| Level 15 | Speak with any one human. Read a person’s surface thoughts. |
| Level 20 | Read the last day’s memories from one person. |
| Level 25 | Learn all the information you wish from a person’s mind. |
Intellego Mentem Spells
Level 10
Sight of the Transparent Motive
R: Eye; D: Mom, T: Ind
Detects the general motive most powerfully influencing the target at the moment. General motives are such things as fear, anger, and greed, not specific things like the desire to look good before one’s superiors.
(Base 5, +1 Eye)
Level 15
Perception of the Conflicting Motives
R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind
You can detect the conflicting motives behind one target’s actions. Thus you might learn that a guard feels conflict between fear and duty. This spell is often used before application of a Muto or Rego spell, since it is usually easier to change a target’s emotions after you’ve sensed them than it is to create emotions.
(Base 10, +1 Eye)
Level 20
Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
For as long as you maintain this spell, the target exhales a misty breath with each spoken lie. Small bits of ice form on the person’s lips if the lie is particularly severe. In winter, when breath is visible anyway, lies produce a greater than normal amount of mist (the mist actually billows out). A target who makes a Communication + Guile stress roll of 15+ can determine whether any given statement will be taken by the spell as a lie. The spell can be defeated through extensive and judicious application of Creo Auram and Perdo Auram spells, and a demon is able to manipulate it in any way it wishes, as demons are the embodiment of deception and are never caught in a lie if they do not wish to be.
House Guernicus brought the Order this spell, and it is a very poor Quaesitor who is without it.
(Base 10, +1 Eye, +1 Conc, mist is a purely cosmetic effect and thus is free)
R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind
You can ask one silent mental question of the target, then detect the answer. The truth of the answer is limited by the knowledge of the target. Questions to the effect of “What would you do if . . . ?” often receive inaccurate replies. You are likely to get what the target thinks he would do, not necessarily what he would really do. The target of this spell does not notice the questioning unless he or she makes a Magic Resistance roll.
(Base 15, +1 Eye)
Level 25
Thoughts Within Babble
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Hearing
You can understand the speech of those within the target area. Perception or Communication stress rolls are needed for difficult exchanges. You also understand people who misuse a language that you do speak; you know what they meant to say, as well as hearing what they actually said.
(Base 5, +1 Conc, +3 Hearing)
Level 30
Peering into the Mortal Mind
R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind
You can thoroughly probe and understand the contents of the mind of the target, including his or her immediate and long-term motives, personal strengths and weaknesses, and other pertinent information.
(Base 25, +1 Eye)
Muto Mentem Guidelines
Muto Mentem spells give a mind properties it could not naturally acquire. These fall into three main categories.
First, changing memories. While memories may decay over time, they do not naturally change radically, so making them do so is Muto.
Second, emotions and thoughts that people cannot normally feel. This includes the thoughts of animals and similar.
Third, non-mental properties. This covers making a mind physical, and is very difficult.
Muto Mentem botches might change the mind of the caster, thus making this magic potentially very risky.
Granting a magical sense to multiple people has a base level one magnitude higher than granting it to one person using Intellego, and has requisites of Intellego and the appropriate Form. The necessary increases to Range and Target increase the level further.
| Level 1 | Make a minor change in a person’s memory of an event. |
| Level 2 | Make a major change to a person’s memory of an event. |
| Level 3 | Make a major change to a person’s memory of a series of events. Make a major change to a person’s emotion. |
| Level 4 | Make major changes to a person’s memory of a period of their life. Completely change a person’s emotions. |
| Level 10 | Completely rewrite a person’s memories. |
| Level 15 | Make a mind or spirit visible. (Imaginem requisite) Utterly change a person’s mind. |
| Level 25 | Make a mind or spirit solid. (Requisite of the Form of the shape.) |
Muto Mentem Spells
Level 4
Recollection of Memories Never Quite Lived
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Changes the target’s memory of a detail into a similar, though different, memory. The target is no more sure of this manufactured memory than of the authentic one, so he may discover strange fabrications to be false.
(Base 1, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Level 30
Mind of the Beast
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
You turn the mind of the target into that of an animal of your choice. The victim acts and thinks like that animal as much as possible; a person who thinks he is a bird will try to fly, but will not be able to. This can be dangerous for the target.
(Base 15, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Level 35
Past of Another
R: Eye, D: Year, T: Ind, Ritual
The target’s memories are completely rewritten, and he is unable to remember his actual life until the effect is dispelled or expires.
(Base 10, +1 Eye, +4 Year)
Level 40
Inmost Companion
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Req: Animal
The target’s mind is made physical as a bird. This bird normally stays close to the target’s body, but need not. If the target has Magic Resistance, it protects both his body and mind, as normal. No matter how far it travels, the target’s mind controls his body, as well as the bird’s, as normal. In particular, it can see through both sets of sense organs. If the bird is killed, the target also dies, as his mind has been killed.
(Base 25, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Vision of the Haunting Spirits
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Room
Req: Imaginem
All spirits within the target area become visible, although they might remain unseen if hiding behind something. This includes the spirits of living people, which appear as the person normally does. If the person is invisible or otherwise changed from his normal shape, his normal appearance is superimposed on his current appearance.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 Room)
Perdo Mentem Guidelines
Emotions naturally reappear in a person, so spells that destroy them must have a continuing duration to ensure that they do not come back. Memories do not naturally return, so Momentary duration spells remove them for ever, although a person could be told what he had forgotten, or reconstruct the memory from things he does remember. A continuing spell would prevent a person from relearning that information, however.
Perdo Mentem botches can destroy more than intended, or destroy elements of the caster’s mind.
| Level 3 | Remove a minor detail from a person’s memory. |
| Level 4 | Remove an important detail from a person’s memory. Diminish a single mental capability in a person. |
| Level 5 | Quell an emotion in a person. |
| Level 10 | Remove a minor or short memory from a person’s mind. Reduce all of a person’s mental capabilities. |
| Level 15 | Remove a major or long memory from a person’s mind. Remove all emotions from a person. |
| Level 25 | Leave a person a mindless husk. |
Perdo Mentem Spells
General
Lay to Rest the Haunting Spirit
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
If your spell penetrates the resistance of a ghost or similar spirit, it loses a number of points from its Might equal to the level of this spell. If this reduces the spirit’s Might to zero, it vanishes, apparently destroyed. Philosophers concur that the spirit goes to the afterlife, or is perhaps weakened to helplessness, but is not actually destroyed. Souls, after all, are immortal.
(Base effect)
Level 5
Tip of the Tongue
R: Eye, D: Diam, T: Ind
Causes the target to forget one word of your choosing. The target cannot remember that word for the spell’s duration, but afterwards he can come up with the word without assistance by making an Intelligence + Concentration stress roll of 9+. If the target fails he may try again, but each additional roll adds +1 to the difficulty.
(Base 3, +1 Eye, +1 Diam)
Level 10
Trust of Childlike Faith
R: Eye, D: Diam, T: Ind
The target loses judgment and believes almost any passable lie for the duration of the spell. An Intelligence stress roll of 6+ is allowed to resist. Truly incredible lies allow easier resistance rolls.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +1 Diam)
Level 15
Calm the Motion of the Heart
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Removes one emotion from the target until it appears again naturally. An angry person stops being angry, and a curious one stops being inquisitive. Many a magus finds this spell useful for keeping his apprentice’s nose out of his immediate business.
(Base 5, +2 Voice)
Enchantment of Detachment
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Calms and greatly lowers the intensity of the target’s current emotions.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Loss of But a Moment's Memory
R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind
Removes up to five continuous minutes from a target’s memory, leaving a blank. You target the loss of memory to a specific event or time. With an Intelligence stress roll of 9+, the target realizes that memories of a certain period are missing. This Ease Factor can change, depending on how important the missing memory is and what sort of circumstances surrounded the event. Careful introspection over a period of time can allow reconstruction of much of memory, but some details are lost forever.
(Base 10, +1 Eye)
Level 25
Blessing of Childlike Bliss
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Reduces an adult mind to a child’s level. The target solves problems, reasons, and expresses emotions as would a three-year-old. Magi affected cannot cast spells. At first, anyway, the target is likely to be happy at having lost a world of cares and troubles that are no longer imaginable.
(Base 10, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Passion's Lost Feeling
R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind
The target is unable to feel any sort of emotion and acts listlessly, without motivation or cares.
(Base 15, +1 Eye, +1 Conc)
Level 40
Black Whisper
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
You whisper a magic sentence in the target’s ear. It takes several seconds to speak the sentence, so an unwilling, able-bodied target can stop you. If you speak the whole sentence, the target must make a Stamina stress roll of 15+ or go completely insane. You need not use your hands for this spell, but you must be able to speak.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +1 for not needing to gesture)
Level 65
Poisoning the Will
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Bound, Ritual
You curse a place, be it a valley, town, city, or covenant. The curse gradually saps the will and vitality from the people there. They become less energetic, and slowly stop caring about the place, what happens there, other people, and finally themselves. Colors seem more drab and the days longer, and there is an all-pervading sense of boredom and lassitude. Strong-willed individuals and those with strong Personality Traits are less affected, but still suffer to an extent. All Personality Trait rolls while in the area suffer a –3 modifier. This spell affects only those who are within the cursed area, including visitors to it. Those who leave the area are overwhelmed by the return of their vigor and sense of purpose.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +4 Bound, +5 size)
Rego Mentem Guidelines
The Rego Animal spells that deal with the mind may also be used as good guidelines for levels of Rego Mentem spells. Many changes to the mind are Rego effects, because the mind could naturally assume that state.
Rego Mentem botches can change the target’s mental state in the wrong way, or change the state of mind of the caster.
| General | Ward against spirits belonging to one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) with a Might less than or equal to the spell level. (Touch, Ring, Circle) |
| Level 3 | Make a subtle difference to the target’s mental state. |
| Level 4 | Control a target’s mental state (for example, awake, asleep, or confused) |
| Level 5 | Control a natural emotion (for example, calm, fear). The target must feel the emotion before you can control it. Control a disembodied spirit. |
| Level 10 | Control an unnatural emotion (for example, cultivate a person’s feelings of bravery where he is usually cowardly). Imbue all of a person’s responses with a particular emotion. |
| Level 15 | Control a human being as long as you can see him. Summon a ghost. (Ritual) |
| Level 20 | Give a person one complex command, which he tries to carry out to the best of his ability. |
| Level 25 | Completely control a person’s mind and emotions. |
Rego Mentem Spells
General
Ring of Warding Against Spirits
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
Only ghosts with current Magic Might higher than the spell’s level can enter the ring you create. At certain angles, the ring may be seen as an orange-hued dome. This spell does not affect ghosts or spirits associated with the other realms.
(Base effect)
Level 10
The Call to Slumber
R: Voice D: Mom, T: Ind
The target becomes sleepy and falls asleep within a few seconds.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Snap of Awakening
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
When you snap your fingers you instantly awaken the target from sleep to alert consciousness. Does not work on someone unconscious from Fatigue-level loss, wounds, or magic.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Confusion of the Numbed Will
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
Confuses a person, who must make an Intelligence stress roll to take any direct action. A roll of 12+ ends the spell, while a roll of 9+ lets the character take the intended action, but the spell remains in effect. Any lower roll means the character is confused and takes some other type of action. When it is imperative for the victim to take an action, the storyguide should allow an appropriate modifier to the roll. While under this spell, a character always strikes last in combat and gets at least a –1 on all attacking and defending rolls.
(Base 4, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Level 20
Aura of Rightful Authority
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target of the spell is strongly inclined to obey you, as if you were his natural superior.
(Base 5, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Coerce the Spirits of the Night
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Makes a ghost obey you as long as you can coerce it with threats, such as a threat to defile its grave or to banish it to Hell. The more lurid and dramatic the threat, the more cooperative the ghost is. If the spell penetrates the ghost’s Magic Resistance, roll Communication + Leadership to see how effective your threats are. The storyguide should always give a bonus or penalty that depends on the potency of the threat, and any roll other than a botch will compel at least minimal obedience.
(Base 5, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Scent of Peaceful Slumber
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Room
Everyone in the room falls asleep over a few seconds, with the smell of lilacs in their nostrils.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 Room)
Level 30
Visions of the Infernal Terrors
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Causes everything the target sees to look and sound terrifying. The world looks basically the same, save that everything is hideously transformed somehow. The target must roll a stress die, adding his Stamina and adding or subtracting an appropriate Personality Trait to see what the effects are. The nature of the Personality Trait used determines how it affects the Stamina roll. A Trait like Brave makes you resistant to fear, while one like Cowardly reduces the result of your roll.
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 0 or less | Scared to death (literally) |
| 1-5 | Incapacitated with fear, permanent –1 to Stamina |
| 6-9 | Incapacitated with fear |
| 10-15 | Flee, fight at –6 if cornered or obstructed |
| 16+ | Carry on, –3 on all rolls |
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 40
Enslave the Mortal Mind
R: Eye; D: Sun, T: Ind
Enables you to completely control the loyalty, emotions, desires, interests, and activities of any person. People revert to normal when the spell ends, and may be extremely angry with the magus.
(Base 25, +1 Eye, +2 Sun)
Incantation of Summoning the Dead
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind, Ritual
Calls up a person’s ghost. You must be on the spot where the person died, or must have the corpse (either of these constitutes an Arcane Connection). Alternatively, you can summon any ghost that haunts the area you are in, if you know the ghost’s full name, according to the Law of Names. Those buried by Church ceremony and those have who gone straight to heaven (that is, saints and crusaders, as opposed to the normal folk who must wait for a time before going on) are not available for summoning.
If the ghost has Magic Resistance, you must penetrate that resistance in order to summon it.
(Base 15, +4 Arc, +1 Conc)
The Shrouded Glen
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Bound, Ritual
Enchants the Boundary in which the ritual is cast so that anyone moving through it is subtly diverted, effectively keeping some place within it from being discovered accidentally. Anyone not actively searching for the hidden place never finds it. Those actively searching can find the place by making a Perception stress roll of 12+ (allowed once per day). If the surrounding terrain is more difficult to search than the average forest, the Ease Factor increases. Likewise, the Ease Factor drops if the terrain is more open than a forest, and completely open terrain is unsuitable for this spell. Once a searcher spots the hidden place, the spell does not prevent approach. Those who are present for the ritual are unaffected by the spell. This spell mimics the properties of many faerie forests.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +4 Bound)
Level 55
Exchange of the Two Minds
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Group, Ritual
This spell switches the minds (but not the souls) of two creatures. A new body greatly confuses those who are unprepared for the shock, and even those who are ready take a day to adjust completely. Magi who transport their own minds into younger, healthier bodies usually find that having a strong body entails having powerful passions that interfere with the clear thinking needed to pursue the magical Arts. Both people involved must make a Stamina stress roll of 3+, rolled before the switch is made, to survive the transfer. If only one person fails the roll, that person dies and the spell fails. The other target is unaffected.
(Base 20, +1 Touch, +4 Year, +2 Group)
Terram Spells
Terram spells, in addition to covering earth, stone, clay, metal, and glass, can sometimes affect inanimate objects in general. For instance, Wielding the Invisible Sling (ReTe 10) throws all manner of nonliving things.
Though Terram spells affect all manner of solid objects, it is harder to affect certain materials: Here, in increasing order of difficulty, are the materials Terram spells affect: earth (sand, dirt, mud), clay, stone, glass, metal, gemstones. Each level of difficulty does not necessarily represent an increase in one level of magnitude.
The base Individual for Terram depends on the material involved. For sand, dirt, mud, clay, or similar substances, it is about ten cubic paces of stuff. For stone, it is a single cubic pace. For base metals, it is a cubic foot, while for precious metals it is a tenth of that. For gem stones, the base individual is one cubic inch in size.
Creo Terram Guidelines
Creating earth in an elaborate shape or with some unnatural property is one level of magnitude higher than the listed guidelines.
Wizard’s sigils commonly visible in Creo Terram spells involve the object created being bizarre in some way, such as dirt being a specific color or texture.
Creo Terram botches can entomb the caster in earth or stone, as well as creating the wrong sort of material, or creating it in the wrong place.
| Level 1 | Create sand, dirt, mud, or clay. |
| Level 3 | Create stone or glass. |
| Level 5 | Create base metal. |
| Level 15 | Create precious metal. |
| Level 25 | Create gemstone. |
Creo Terram Spells
Level 15
Seal the Earth
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group
Creates enough dirt to fill in a pit of up to 6 paces across and 3 paces deep.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
Level 20
Touch of Midas
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell creates a roughly spherical lump of gold about six inches across. This weighs about 80 pounds, and is enough money to keep a peasant family in comfort for about 300 years.
(Base 15, +1 Touch)
Level 25
Wall of Protecting Stone
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes a wall of granite up to 25 paces wide, 4 paces high, and 1 pace thick. One needs miner’s tools to break through it, though it can be toppled if it is not connected to a support on its side or top.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 size)
Level 35
Conjuring the Mystic Tower
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
An elaborately carved tower, formed from a single block of stone, rises out of the ground. The tower stands 80 feet high and is 30 feet wide, with a foundation set 20 feet into the ground. You determine the design of the chambers within.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +4 size, +3 elaborate design)
Intellego Terram Guidelines
Intellego Terram spell levels are not affected by the material of the thing affected.
Intellego Terram botches normally provide false information.
| Level 2 | Learn one visible property of an object (a property that someone with appropriate skills could determine just by looking). |
| Level 4 | Learn one mundane property of an object. See an object and its surroundings. |
| Level 5 | Learn all components of a mixture or alloy. |
| Level 10 | Learn all the natural properties of an object. |
| Level 15 | Sense all the mundane properties of a composite object. |
| Level 20 | Learn the magical properties of an object. Make your senses unhindered by earth (for example, see right through a rock). Speak with a natural rock (for example, a boulder). |
| Level 25 | Speak with an artificial rock (for example, a statue). |
Intellego Terram Spells
Level 4
Probe for Pure Silver
R: Per, D: Mom, T: Smell
You can smell silver, and follow the scent.
(Base 2, +2 Smell)
Level 10
Eyes of the Eons
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Determines the age of any nonliving target to within 10% of its actual age.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Eyes of the Treacherous Terrain
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
You can tell intuitively if any natural terrain you see is treacherous, such as if a rock field is prone to sliding.
(Base 2, +1 Conc, +4 Vision)
Level 20
The Miner's Keen Eye
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
You can see any one type of mineral (gold, diamond, sand), specified at the time of casting, through up to 3 paces of intervening material. You have a good idea of how much is there and how pure it is, if appropriate.
(Base 2, +1 Conc, +4 Vision, +1 see through intervening material)
Level 25
Tracks of the Faerie Glow
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
Causes even faintly perceptible tracks of a specific being to glow with a faint magic light, making them stand out when you are within 30 paces of them. The glow provides a bonus to Tracking rolls, which depends on the relationship between the target being tracked and the terrain.
If the target is magically related to the terrain, +2;
native to the terrain, +4;
neutral to the terrain, +6;
inimical to the terrain, +8.
Tracking at night without a light source doubles the bonus. The more faint the tracks are, the more dimly they glow, so the storyguide may also modify the bonus based on the length of time since the target passed.
(Base 4, +1 Conc, +4 Vision)
Level 30
Stone Tell of the Mind that Sits
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Allows you to talk with natural stone. A stone’s answers feel slow and ponderous, but do not actually take any longer than a normal conversation. Though a stone is usually willing to talk, its direction sense and awareness of quickly moving things (such as people) are limited.
(Base 20, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Sense the Feet that Tread the Earth
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Part
You touch the earth and feel what is moving along the ground within a mile of where you stand. You can tell the direction, distance, weight, number, and manner of movement of moving things. For instance, you might sense “a single 50-stone creature slithering toward us, a hundred rods in that direction.”
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc, +1 Part, +3 size)
Muto Terram Guidelines
The targets below are for changing dirt. To change to or from sand, mud, or clay, use the same level of magnitude as for dirt. To change to or from stone or glass, add one level of magnitude. To change to or from metal or gemstone, add two levels of magnitude. These adjustments only apply once, so that changing metal to metal is only two magnitudes higher.
The amount of material you can change is limited by the guidelines for each end. Thus, you can turn a cubic pace of stone into a cubic inch of gemstone with a base Individual.
Serious Muto Terram botches have a tendency to turn the caster to stone or metal, but lesser botches transform the wrong thing, or transform things in the wrong way.
| Level 1 | Change one property of dirt. |
| Level 2 | Change dirt to another type of natural earth (for example, sand to loam). |
| Level 3 | Change dirt so that it is slightly unnatural (requisites may be required). Change dirt into a liquid or gas (with requisites). |
| Level 4 | Change dirt so that it is highly unnatural (requisites will often be
required). |
| Level 5 | Change dirt into a slightly unnatural liquid or gas (with requisites). Change dirt into an animal (with requisites). |
| Level 10 | Change dirt into a highly unnatural liquid or gas (with requisites). |
Muto Terram Spells
Level 10
The Crystal Dart
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Req: Rego
A 10-inch crystal dart rises from the ground at your feet, floats into the air, and speeds off like an arrow at a target that is within Voice range. It does +10 damage, and always hits its target, although it must penetrate Magic Resistance to have any real effect.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Rego requisite)
Supple Iron and Rigid Rope
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Makes a flexible object stiff or a stiff object flexible. Casting requisites of Forms appropriate to the materials affected are required.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Level 15
Object of Increased Size
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell enlarges an inanimate object originally no bigger than a large chest. The object doubles in each dimension and increases its weight eight times. The size increase is based on the object’s original, natural size, so casting the spell more than once on an object has no effect. Noble elements like gold, silver, and gems, are not affected by this spell. If any part of the item resists growth, the item as a whole does not grow. Casting requisites are required for the appropriate Form for the target.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Rock of Viscid Clay
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Softens rock enough that it may be dug out, molded, and otherwise manipulated in the same way that hard river clay can be. The rock is slightly sticky. The spell affects rock in a roughly spherical shape with a three-foot diameter.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part)
Level 20
Edge of the Razor
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Sharpens any metal edge to a degree unequaled by manual methods. An edged or pointed weapon gains a +2 bonus to Damage. Good-natured magi reward grogs by enchanting their weapons in this way, although since the resulting sword is resisted by Magic Resistance they rarely do this for all their grogs.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +2 metal)
Earth that Breaks No More
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Part
Turns a volume of packed dirt up to one hundred cubic paces into stone.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 size)
Level 35
Teeth of the Earth Mother
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Group
You cause twenty pointed pillars of white marble to spring up from the ground to a height of 12 feet, forming a circle 3 paces in diameter. At their tops, the pillars are thin and as sharp as spears. At the base, where they touch, they are 18 inches thick. When the pillars spring up, they can be used to cage people, to form a wall, or simply to skewer enemies. Climbing to the top of the pillars requires three Athletics stress rolls against an Ease Factor of 12, and the tops break away when the target reaches them, causing the victim to fall. Skewering a target does +25 damage, possibly more on following rounds if the victim struggles or is exceptionally heavy. When the spell ends, the pillars crumble to dust.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +2 Group, +2 fancy effect)
Perdo Terram Guidelines
To destroy sand, mud, or clay, use the same level of magnitude as for earth. To destroy stone or glass, add one level of magnitude. To destroy metal or gemstone, add two levels of magnitude.
Perdo Terram botches, as well as destroying the wrong thing, can destroy the ground that the caster is standing on, or metal objects that he is holding.
| Level 2 | Weaken dirt. |
| Level 3 | Destroy dirt. |
Perdo Terram Spells
Level 10
Fist of Shattering
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
An object of stone or weaker material up to a pace across breaks apart. The appropriate Form for the target is a casting requisite.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Rusted Decay of Ten-Score Years
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
After the spell is cast, the metal of the target becomes so thoroughly rusted that it breaks if used in any demanding way (for example, used to strike a blow with in combat or to pry open a door). It also loses any sharpness it might once have had.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
Level 15
Pit of the Gaping Earth
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
The dirt in a circle 6 paces across recedes into the ground, leaving a pit 9 feet deep. If the target area contains material other than dirt, that material is not affected.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +1 size)
Level 20
Obliteration of the Metallic Barrier
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Req: Rego
Shatters a barrier of metal or stone up to one foot thick. Those within one pace of the barrier, on the opposite side from you, take +10 Damage. Alchemically refined and magical metals may be able to withstand this spell.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 size, +1 Rego to fling the fragments away)
Stone to Falling Dust
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind
One solid non-living object turns to a pile of dust. The object must be a base Individual or smaller, so a stone item can be a pace across while a metal item can only be one tenth that size in total. A casting requisite may be required, of the Form appropriate to the target.
(Base 5, +3 Sight)
Level 25
End of the Mighty Castle
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Str
A single stone structure, such as a castle keep or manor house, crumbles to dust and small pebbles. Anyone inside at the time takes +10 damage from falling and having stones land on them, possibly more if the structure is particularly large.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +3 Str)
Level 40
Cascade of Rocks
R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Part
Makes a cliff collapse, causing an avalanche. The effects depend on the size of the cliff and what lies below it.
(Base 4, +3 Sight, +1 Part, +4 size)
Rego Terram Guidelines
The guidelines for controlling dirt, sand, mud, or clay are listed below. Add one magnitude to control stone or glass, and two for metal or gemstones. Manipulating objects with great precision may also be higher, depending on the level of precision.
Rego Terram botches often result in the caster being struck by large amounts of flying stone.
| General | Ward against stone creatures from one realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magic) with Might less than or equal to the spell level. (Touch, Ring, Circle) |
| Level 1 | Control or move dirt in a natural fashion. |
| Level 2 | Control or move dirt in a slightly unnatural fashion. Keep dirt away from you, under your conscious control (that is, you must be aware of its presence). |
| Level 3 | Control or move dirt in a very unnatural fashion. |
| Level 5 | Keep all dirt away from your body, or ward a target against dirt. |
Rego Terram Spells
General
Ward Against Faeries of the Mountain
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
As Ward Against Faeries of the Waters (ReAq Gen), but for faeries of earth and stone. At some angles at night, the ring may be seen as a dark brown dome.
(Base effect)
Level 5
Unseen Arm
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Slowly moves a nonliving thing, like a mug, instrument, or small pouch of coins; it cannot oppose intentional resistance. Magi use this spell to manipulate things at a distance, but the spell cannot be used to pull something from a person’s hand or to move something that is held. Casting requisites of an appropriate Form for the target are required.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 10
Trackless Step
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
You leave no tracks in the earth until you come to a stop, such as to rest or fight.
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Wielding the Invisible Sling
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Hurls any nearby object that could normally be thrown by a person at any target within range. The object must not be held down or otherwise restrained. Damage depends on the object thrown, up to +5 for a fist-sized stone. Casting requisites of an appropriate Form for the target are required.
(Base 4, +2 Voice)
The Unseen Porter
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
Like Unseen Arm (ReTe 5), but it can carry large objects such as crates. Roughly speaking, it has the capabilities of a very strong person (Str +5). The heavier the object is, the slower the unseen porter moves. If delicacy is required, high Finesse stress rolls (12+ or so) are needed. The spell can only carry inanimate objects, and cannot carry you. It also cannot lift things more than 6 feet above the ground. Casting requisites of an appropriate Form for the target are required.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Level 15
The Earth's Carbuncle
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Req: Muto
Causes a 1-pace circle of ground to become jagged stone, just under the surface, and those fragments burst into the air. Anyone standing on the circle is thrown into the air and hit with flying debris. Damage is +10.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +1 Muto requisite)
Hands of the Grasping Earth
R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Part
Req: Muto
Earthen hands from beneath the target rise out of the ground, and grasp the target’s ankles. To break free requires a Strength stress roll of 15+. (One attempt is allowed per round, and each requires a Fatigue roll.) Each hand can be destroyed by beating its +25 Soak roll (hacking weapons do double normal damage) and inflicting a Light Wound.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Diam, +1 Part, requisite free)
Level 20
Crest of the Earth Wave
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Creates a wave in the earth that starts at your feet and travels out to the range of your Voice in a designated direction. It starts as a narrow ripple and within 5 paces reaches its full size of 5 feet high and 30 paces wide. It moves about 50 paces per round. Those caught in its path must make Dexterity stress rolls of 12+ to leap over the wave, or they are tossed aside and take +10 Damage. The wave overturns trees and damages buildings in its path.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +2 size)
The Forgiving Earth
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Part
Weakens earth in a 15-pace-by-15-pace area, making packed dirt as loose as plowed ground.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 size)
Unyielding Earth
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Part
Makes the surface of the ground in a 15-pace-by-15-pace area become more solid. Mud becomes as soft earth, and soft earth becomes as packed dirt.
(Base 2, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 Part, +1 size)
Level 30
Earth Shock
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Shakes the ground in a 100 pace radius. All affected by this spell must make a Quickness – Encumbrance stress roll of 10+ or fall. Apply these modifiers:
standing still, +2;
on solid stone, +2;
moving slowly, +0;
on earth, +0;
running, –2;
standing on a narrow bridge, –6.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +4 size)
The Earth Split Asunder
R: Voice, D: Spec, T: Part
Creates a 5-foot-wide, 60-foot-long, 10-foot-deep crack in the ground. It opens on one round, stays open for another round, and closes at the start of a third round, crushing all within it for +25 damage. You must maintain concentration for all three rounds, or the pit slowly closes, over an hour’s time, rather than shutting quickly and violently. To avoid the pit, those in its vicinity other than the caster must make a Quickness stress roll of 9+. Falling in incurs +10 damage. To escape, another such roll is made. Unless outside help is provided, people in the pit only get one chance to escape.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Mom, +1 Part, +2 size, +1 fancy effect)
Level 35
Creeping Chasm
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Part
Creates a chasm that runs from the ground in front of your feet towards some target within range that you designate. The chasm travels about 4 paces per round, growing slowly wider as it travels, reaching a maximum width of 20 feet at a distance of 30 paces. The chasm is 20 to 30 feet deep, and the sides are likely to collapse, so any caught in it are in a bit of a bind. To avoid the growing chasm, a target must make a Quickness stress roll of 9+. The chasm closes naturally in a week.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +1 Part, +4 size, +1 fancy effect)
Level 75
Hermes' Portal
R: Arc, D: Year, T: Ind, Ritual
Creates a magical portal through which people, animals, and objects can travel almost instantaneously. The ritual must be cast twice, simultaneously at two different locations, and after the rituals are performed, there is a magical connection between them. The magi conducting each ritual must have an Arcane Connection (such as a clod of dirt) to the other location when they are conducting the ritual. The portal is activated by some command word or ritual determined when the portal is enchanted. Inanimate things and unwilling creatures may be transmitted if someone else says the command word, and pushes the subject through.
(Mercurian Ritual)
Vim Spells
Vim spells are very useful. They help you use your spells to better effect, and since using spells efficiently is what being a master magus is all about, these spells are very important. With imagination, you can use these spells to make wards, alarms, one-use magic items, and other interesting things. Many Vim spells are meant to be cast along with other spells, and modify or change their effects.
Vim magic also encompasses dealing with demons. Summoning and dealing with demons is prohibited within the Order, but fighting them is allowed.
Magi often use Vim to counteract magical phenomena. Storyguides should assign spell levels for all magical phenomena that those using Vim counterspells will have to match.
Most Vim spells are of General level, because the magic that Vim spells affect varies widely in power. A spell to dispel a first magnitude spell needs to be much less powerful than a similar spell to dispel a fifth magnitude effect. The guidelines provided for Vim spells take account of this, and rather than giving an absolute level for a corresponding effect, they give the relationship that the level of the Vim spell must bear to the level of the target.
As usual, these guidelines refer to a spell with the basic range, duration and target. When changing these parameters the change in level should be taken account of before multiplying or dividing the spell level to get the effect. Thus, a version of Wind of Mundane Silence (PeVi) with Sight range would dispel a spell with a level of up to half (spell level – 5 + stress die). Ten levels of the spell’s power are devoted to increasing the Target and 15 to increasing the Range, so only the remaining power is available for the spell.
The Individual target for a Vim spell can refer to either an individual spell, or an individual object or person, and similarly for Group. If the target is an object or person, the Vim spell will affect any suitable magic affecting that person, not just one spell. Most such spells can only be cast on either other spells or individuals, but, if the description suggests that they could be cast on either, then they can. For example, Mirror of Opposition can only be cast on other spells, while The Invisible Eye Revealed can only be cast on people or objects.
Spells and magical effects do not have sizes, so size modifications do not apply to the levels of Individual Target Vim spells. However, Vim spells affecting areas, or number of spells, must be increased in level for large areas or large numbers, as normal.
The guidelines below refer mainly to spells. This is for the sake of brevity, as Vim spells can affect magical effects proceeding from magical items, magical creatures, or demons. However, unless specifically stated otherwise, the spells do not affect magical items, only the effects that they produce. Thus, Wind of Mundane Silence could dispel a stone wall produced by a magical item, but Disenchant is needed to dispel the magic of the item itself.
It should be noted that Hermetic magi, and some non-Hermetic wizards, do not have Might scores, and thus are not affected by wardings or other spells that act against Might scores.
Creo Vim Guidelines
There are few Creo Vim spells known throughout the Order.
Creo Vim botches often give the caster additional Warping Points, as the raw magic runs out of control.
| General | Create a magical shell which looks real to Intellego spells with a level less than twice its level plus one magnitude (this aura is generic “magic” only — no misleading information can be supplied). Create a magical shell which prevents Intellego spells with a level less than its level plus one magnitude from learning any details about the magic on the target. |
| Level 3 | Taint something with magic. |
| Level 5 | Create a burst of magic that gives the target one Warping Point. Spells that grant Warping cannot have a duration of greater than Momentary. Note that doing this to a magus is an attack, and clearly against the Code. |
| Level 10 | Give the target two Warping Points. |
| Level 15 | Give the target three Warping Points. |
Creo Vim Spells
General
Shell of False Determinations
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
Creates a “shell” of magic on an item, helping to shield it from investigation by other magi. All attempts to investigate the magic item give false information about its powers unless half of the level of the shell is exceeded by the magus’s Investigation roll.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
Shell of Opaque Mysteries
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell is similar to Shell of False Determinations (above), but it causes all attempts to investigate the magic item to utterly fail, unless the level of the ritual is exceeded by the magus’s Investigation roll. Once a magus determines the presence of a particular shell (that is, by overcoming it), it has no more power against him or her.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
Level 15
The Phantom Gift
R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Ind
The target of the spell becomes tainted with magic as most magi are. Beasts and people react to the target as though he were a magus. Those who normally associate with the victim do not become hostile, but do give him or her a wider berth. The spell has no effect on those who already have The Gift, including those blessed with the Gentle Gift.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun)
Level 30
The Enigma's Gift
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The target of the spell gains four Warping Points and, if a Hermetic magus, must check to see whether he enters Twilight in the normal way. Although the burst of magic that causes the Warping lasts but a moment, the resulting Warping is permanent.
(Base 20, +2 Voice)
Intellego Vim Guidelines
Since magic is a tricky thing to understand, spells that detect magic are at once difficult and important. Although demons deal in Vim, they are made of the essence of deception itself. If a demon does not wish to be detected, it cannot be (at least to the common knowledge of the Order), and for this reason there are no demon-locating magics. Magic items cannot be investigated with simple magic spells. Investigation requires that you spend at least one season in the laboratory to discover what magic an enchanted item contains (see the Laboratory chapter). A spell will suffice to tell you that an item is magical, however, and may give you some idea of its powers. Spells will never tell you how to use an item.
| Level 1 | Detect magic of tenth magnitude or higher. Detect the presence of a mystical aura. |
| Level 2 | Detect magic of eighth magnitude or higher. Determine the power of a mystical aura. |
| Level 3 | Detect magic of sixth magnitude or higher. Detect regio boundaries. If cast with a Vision target, this provides enough information to find a way between levels, for regiones that allow that sort of entrance. Otherwise, it reveals the presence of a regio, and possibly its rough shape. |
| Level 4 | Detect magic of third magnitude or higher. Judge the amount of vis present. |
| Level 5 | Detect any active magic |
| Level 10 | Detect the traces of powerful magic. Detect the recent presence of weak magic. |
Further increases in level will give increased sensitivity to residues. The base level of a spell also gives a fairly good idea of the strength of the magic (within a magnitude). The addition of one magnitude will say whether the effect is Hermetic, and a magus familiar with other types of magic will be able to identify them as well. The addition of two magnitudes will give information about Technique and Form, or nearest equivalent for other types of magic. Further increases in level will yield further information, depending on the design of the specific spell.
Different spells may be invented to detect Faerie, Divine, or Infernal effects. Each spell only affects one realm, and storyguides may wish to disallow spells to detect the Divine or Infernal.
As a general rule, residues of magic decline as follows. As soon as the magic finishes, the magnitude halves. It then drops by one for every duration of the spell that passes. Storyguides should employ this as a guideline, not a rigid formula, and may, if they wish, allow high level detection spells to pick up residues with “negative magnitude.”
Magical items have an effective residue magnitude equal to the number of pawns of vis used to open the enchantment (or the total pawns used for lesser enchanted devices). Magnitudes of non-Hermetic items must be set by the storyguide. A spell to detect items will not also detect effects or creatures, and vice versa. Variants will detect items enchanted by different Realms, as above.
Magical creatures can also be detected. Treat their Might as the level of the effect; for Hermetic magi, use their highest Art. Divide Might or highest Art by five (rounding up) to get the effective residue magnitude. Again, this requires a different spell, and variants may detect Faerie and possibly Divine creatures. Demons may not be detected. Storyguides may, at their option, allow spells that detect other Infernal creatures, such as diabolists and undead.
Raw vis will show up as magical, simply as raw vis, under any magical detection. The level of the detecting spell is irrelevant, as is the realm of power that it was designed to detect. However, only specially designed spells will yield any information other than that it is raw vis.
Intellego Vim botches generally give false information.
Intellego Vim Spells
General
The Invisible Eye Revealed
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Touch
The caster can feel any magical means currently being used to spy on him. The representation varies in a way that depends on the spell, but it often feels like something touching the magus’s back. For example, a magus being spied upon with Enchantment of the Scrying Pool might feel wet fingers, while a magus who is being tracked by The Inexorable Search might feel a finger running over his skin. This spell detects the use of Intellego spells of up to double the level of this spell. A special spell is required because most Intellego spells are designed to be subtle, and they are more subtle at higher levels.
(Base effect)
Level 2
Sense of Magical Power
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell tells the caster whether he is currently in a magic aura. It does not give any further information. Other spells do the same for other kinds of aura.
(Base 1, +1 Touch)
Level 5
Scales of the Magical Weight
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
When casting this spell, you typically hold your hands straight out from your body, place a known amount of Vim vis in your left hand (usually one pawn), and then place an unknown amount of vis in your right hand. After casting the spell, you may sense how heavy the unknown vis is in relation to the known, determining the number of pawns present. If you cast the spell without anything to measure the unknown vis against, you only have a very general idea of how valuable it is. The spell cannot be used to determine the amount of raw vis invested in an enchanted item.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
Sense the Nature of Vis
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
You can tell what Art a supply of raw vis is connected to. To you, the vis appears to glow with an aura that is appropriate to the Technique or Form that the vis is associated with. Creo is white, Intellego gold, Muto constantly fluctuating, Perdo black, Rego purple, Animal brown, Aquam blue, Auram violet, Corpus dark red, Herbam green, Imaginem pearly blue, Ignem bright red, Mentem orange, Terram dark brown, and Vim silver. Some of the colors are very similar, but are easy to distinguish if the item is held steadily and studied for a few seconds.
(Base 4, +1 Touch)
Level 20
Piercing the Faerie Veil
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision.
This spell allows the caster to see through the boundaries of regiones, and therefore divine the path to the next level (more details about regiones are given on page 189 XXX). There are separate but related spells for Divine, Magical and Infernal regiones.
(Base 3, +1 Conc, +4 Vision)
Level 30
Sense of the Lingering Magic
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Hearing
This spell can detect the presence of many magical residues, even from weak spells, as well as giving the presence and power of active spells. It does not grant any information apart from the power, however.
(Base 10, +1 Conc, +3 Hearing)
Level 40
Sight of the Active Magics
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
You can see spells as “auras” around things and people. The color of the aura indicates the Form of the spell working on a subject, the color matching the appropriate one described in Sense the Nature of Vis. The Technique of a spell working on the subject is recognized by the aura’s shape, not color. Creo and Rego are both very orderly auras. Muto is constantly shifting, and Intellego usually is as well, but more slowly. A Perdo aura is usually in fragments. Thus, a magus with both Endurance of the Berserkers and The Invisible Eye Revealed upon him has a very controlled, orderly aura of deep red around his or her entire body, and the magus’s eyes are surrounded with slowly shifting auras of a silvery hue. You should be warned: Imaginem or Vim spells may be used to disguise auras. Also note that this spell will detect the residues of some spells.
(Base 5, +1 Conc, +4 Vision, +2 Techniques and Forms)
Muto Vim Guidelines
These spells let you change other spells. Most Muto Vim spells last as long as the spell that they have altered, with a nominal duration of Momentary. It is not normally possible to have a Muto Vim spell that lasts longer than the target spell.
These meta-magical spells have certain special restrictions, which apply to all Muto Vim spells invented according to Hermetic theory. First of all, they cannot be cast on spontaneous spells. Such magic is being manipulated at whim — any attempt to alter it further would make the caster lose control. (This is necessary for game balance.)
Second, you must make an Intelligence + Concentration roll of 9+ if you are casting both spells (that is, the MuVi spell and the spell it is affecting). If this fails, the spells do not go off. If it botches, they botch. (This is slightly easier than normal.)
If you wish to cast one of these spells on a spell being cast by another magus, you must either be cooperating, or you must fast cast the MuVi spell. There is no other way to get the timing right. In addition, your Penetration total for the Muto Vim spell must beat the other magus’s Penetration total for the spell to be changed, unless you are cooperating.
Touch range is sufficient to affect your own spells, but Voice range, at least, is needed to affect another magus’s casting. You cannot touch the spell itself.
These spells can only be used on Hermetic magic, as they depend on a good understanding of the processes involved.
You may only put a Muto Vim effect into a magical item if it is to work with another effect in that item. All Muto Vim spells require some tailoring to the specific use, and a magical item effect cannot be so tailored.
Note that a spell invented according to one of the guidelines below will change another spell in a specific way: it is not possible to invent a single spell which changes another spell however the caster wants. See the example spells for ideas on how specific this should be.
It is not possible, for reasons that Hermetic theorists do not well understand, to use Muto Vim to affect another spell after it has been cast.
Muto Vim botches can have any conceivable effect, as they alter the other spell in unpredictable ways.
A Muto Vim spell, like any other Muto spell, can only change its target for as long as the Muto Vim spell is in effect. Thus, its duration should normally be at least as long as the spell that is its target. The spells below have a duration of Momentary, but versions with longer Durations can be invented as normal.
| General | Superficially change a spell of less than or equal to twice the (level + 1 magnitude) of the Vim spell. This may not change the primary effect of the spell, or its power. Significantly change a spell of less than or equal to the level + 1 magnitude of the Vim spell. This may not change either the Technique or Form of the target spell. A change in power of plus or minus on magnitude is a significant change, as is a change of target, if the target was possible for the original spell. |
Muto Vim Spells
General
Mirror of Opposition (Form)
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Cast on another spell while the other spell is being cast, this causes the targeted spell to have the exact opposite of its normal effects. This effect works on spells up to half the (level–5) of the Mirror of Opposition spell. The effects of the inversion are up to the storyguide to determine, but the target of the inverted spell usually remains the same as that of the original spell. The inverted spell cannot overcome any limitations of Hermetic magic. For example, if a Momentary Perdo Corpus spell is cast, the inversion is probably a Creo Corpus spell of Sun duration. There are ten versions of this spell, each affecting spells of one of the Hermetic forms.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Shroud Magic
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell allows a magus to suppress or alter the sigil in a spell that is currently being cast. The spell to be shrouded can be up to double the Shroud’s level.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
The Sorcerer's Fork
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell splits another spell (whose level must not exceed the level of this spell) into two or more identical spells of reduced power, which may be cast against two or more sepa- rate targets. Each resulting spell has the same Range and Target (target category, that is, the actual target may be different) as the original spell, but the power of the effect is divided by the number of resulting split spells. If Sorcerer's Fork expires before the main spell does, the full effect of the spell moves to one of the targets, chosen at random. The precise effect is at storyguide discretion. One casting die is rolled, and the Penetration total is split between the spells. The Sorcerer’s Fork must be equal to or greater than the level of the spell that is to be split. The split spell has a targeting penalty as for multiple casting (see page 87). If the casting magus is not cooperating, all the split spells will strike the original target.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
Wizard's Boost (Form)
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
You cast this spell as another spell of a level less than this one is cast. The effect of the other spell increases 5 levels in power, but not past the level of the Wizard’s Boost. The effects of the extra 5 levels of power are for the storyguide to determine. A Wizard’s Boost may never affect a single spell more than once. There are ten versions of this spell, one for each Hermetic Form. There are other versions of this spell, each of which affects one of range, duration, and target, for any Form. This does not allow spontaneous or formulaic spells to reach Year duration or Boundary Target, unless the Wizard’s Boost is a ritual.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
Wizard's Communion
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Group
This spell lets magi combine their power to cast spells. The group of magi work together to cast a specified spell through the unified power of the Communion. Only one extra magus may join the Communion for each 5 levels of the specified spell being cast. One of the magi in the group must also know the specified spell.
All the magi in the gathering who know Wizard’s Communion add the level at which they know it to get the effective level of the Wizard’s Communion. This combined total must be at least twice the level of the specified spell being cast.
One magus must roll for success as if casting the specified spell himself. However, the target number for the spellcasting roll is the spell’s level divided by the number of magi participating in the Communion. So if five magi participate to cast a 50th level spell, the caster would have to successfully cast a 10th level spell — with all the relevant requisites, of course. This method of casting adds one botch die per magus participating. If the spell botches, all participants gain Warping Points and thus must check for Twilight.
Communion is a remnant of Mercurian rituals, so spontaneous spells may not be cast by this means, and it does not perfectly fit into the guidelines of Hermetic theory.
(Base effect)
Wizard's Reach (Form)
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
The range of the targeted spell increases by one category. You may not affect a single spell more than once with this spell, and the targeted spell must be at least one magnitude lower in level than this spell. There are ten versions of Wizard’s Reach, one for each Form.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Perdo Vim Guidelines
If you want to cast a Perdo Vim spell on a character who has Magic Resistance, you must overcome the Magic Resistance.
| General | Make something (including a magical item) seem non-magical to any Intellego spell of less than or equal to twice the (level + 2 magnitudes) of this spell. Dispel effects of a specific type with a level less than or equal to the level + 4 magnitudes of the Vim spell + a stress die (no botch). A specific type could be Hermetic Terram magic, or Shamanic spirit control magic. A magus must have some knowledge of a type of magic (although not necessarily ability to use it) to invent a spell to affect it. All Hermetic magi have some knowledge of all Hermetic magic. |
| Level 5 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by one step on the table on page 84. If this reduces the duration below Hours, the connection expires immediately. Does not work on connections that naturally have Indefinite duration, but can make an Arcane Connection that was fixed in the laboratory expire. Note that the Range is the range to the Arcane Connection, and you must know what you are targeting, just as for any other spell. |
| Level 10 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by two steps on the table on page 84 XXX, subject to the same limits as above. |
| Level 15 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by three steps on the table on page 84 XXX, subject to the same limits as above. |
| Level 20 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by four steps on the table on page 84 XXX, subject to the same limits as above. |
| Level 25 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by five steps on the table on page 84 XXX, subject to the same limits as above. |
| Level 30 | Reduce the duration of an Arcane Connection by six steps on the table on page 84 XXX, subject to the same limits as above. This level of effect is sufficient to make almost any Arcane Connection expire instantly. |
Perdo Vim Spells
Level
Demon's Eternal Oblivion
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
Weakens and possibly destroys a demon. If the spell penetrates the demon’s Magic Resistance, the demon loses Might Score equal to the spell’s level.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Disenchant
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
You make a Hermetic magic item lose all its powers permanently if the level of this spell + a stress die (no botch) equals or exceeds the highest level of the enchantments in the item. The enchantment is utterly destroyed, as is all of the vis that was used in the magic item. The object left is in all ways a mundane item, but could be invested with enchantments again at a later time.
(Base effect, +1 Touch)
Masking the Odor of Magic
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
Prevents the detection of a magic spell, or of a magic power in an item or being, by InVi magic, unless the level of the InVi spell exceeds twice the level of this spell – 5 (for example, exceeds 20 for a level 15 version).
(Base effect, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Unravelling the Fabric of (Form)
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Ind
This spell will cancel the effects of any one spell of a specified Form whose level is less than or equal to (spell level + 10 + stress die (no botch)). There are 10 variants that cover each Hermetic Form, and a number of much rarer variants for different kinds of non-Hermetic magic.
(Base effect, +2 Voice)
Wind of Mundane Silence
R: Voice, D: Mom, T: Room
You raise a metaphorical “breeze” that blows the magic away from an area, canceling the effects of any spell there. You can cancel the effects of any spell if, with this spell, you can double the level of the spell on a stress die + the level of your spell. The spell must penetrate to affect effects on a creature with Magic Resistance, including Parma Magica. If the spell penetrates, and its level + the stress die is double Parma Magica x 5, then this spell dispels the Parma Magica. Wind of Mundane Silence does not affect spells of Momentary duration. Magical things near the area of the Wind wave slightly from the “breeze.”
(Base effect, +2 Voice, +2 Room)
Rego Vim Guidelines
Rego Vim spells repel demons and other mystical creatures. Theoretically, it is possible to conjure and control demons through Rego Vim spells, but this knowledge and its use are forbidden by the Hermetic Code. Any who find and dare to use this knowledge face dangers from both the beings they deal with and those in the Order of Hermes who strongly object to such practices.
Rego Vim would also be the combination of Arts that granted Magic Resistance, but not even Bonisagus was able to turn Parma Magica into a spell. Aegis of the Hearth is the best that has been managed, and that spell is not fully integrated into Hermetic theory.
| General | Ward the target against creatures with Might less than or equal to the level of the spell. A creature warded against cannot directly affect the target physically or by magical means. A spell of this nature will only ward against creatures from one Realm (Divine, Faerie, Infernal, or Magical). Note that wards against magical and faerie creatures can also be constructed using other Forms, but that those wards are more limited in effect. (Touch, Ring, Circle) Sustain or suppress a spell you have cast whose level is less than or equal to the level + 2 magnitudes of the Vim spell. |
| Level 10 | Move raw vis from one physical object to another, without needing a laboratory. |
Rego Vim Spells
General
Aegis of the Hearth
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Bound, Ritual
This ritual protects a covenant in the way a Parma Magica protects a magus.
If any spell is cast toward the Aegis (originating from outside it) by any magus who was not involved in the Aegis ritual, the Aegis resists the spell. Furthermore, spells that bring objects into the Aegis, including teleportation spells such as The Seven-League Stride', are also resisted unless the caster was involved in the ritual. If the foreign spell cannot penetrate a resistance equal to the level of the Aegis, it fizzles out. The Aegis is also able to block foreign Intellego spells, even if they cannot normally be blocked by a Parma Magica, and spells that were cast before they entered the Aegis, such as an invisibility spell cast on a magus outside the Aegis.
Magi who were not involved in the ritual and who cast spells within the Aegis must subtract half the level of the Aegis from all their Casting Totals. Spells successfully cast have otherwise normal effects (e.g. Ignem spells still do full damage). Penetration totals for magical creatures are reduced by the same amount.
Effects from enchanted devices are resisted by the Aegis unless the item was within the Aegis at the time of casting, or was created within the Aegis by someone who was part of the ritual or in possession of a token.
Creatures with a Might score cannot enter the area protected by the Aegis unless they have a higher Might than the Aegis’s level. When approaching the border of an Aegis, a magical person (including a Hermetic magus) feels a slight tingle in the extremities. Magical, Infernal, Faerie, and Divine creatures and persons may be brought within the Aegis, if they are formally invited by one who participated in its casting and given a token to represent the invitation. (The tokens are used during the casting of the ritual, and thus conform to the Law of Sympathy.) Such a person is also not affected by the penalty to casting within the Aegis. The invitation may be withdrawn at any time. This does not require retrieving the token or even notifying the individual who is no longer welcome. Withdrawing an invitation will not expel the person beyond the Aegis, but will prevent them from re-entering after they leave (unless their Might is high enough), and subject them to the Casting Total penalty while they are within the Aegis. The invitation and expulsion must both be issued by magi who participated in the ritual, but not necessarily by the same magus. A magus may only invite or expel specific, known, individuals. He may not expel someone he does not know has been invited in.
The Aegis is typically cast on the winter solstice, since magical auras can be slightly higher at that time, and the Aegis then lasts for the entire next year. The entire covenant usually participates in the Aegis ritual, which often ends with the participants walking around the perimeter of the protected area in order to define it. Quite often, the covenant holds a major council meeting, or perhaps a large feast, after the ritual of the Aegis. Magi do not need to be able to cast the spell to participate in the ritual, and, indeed, non-Hermetic wizards can participate as well. Only one magus needs to actually cast the spell.
Aegis of the Hearth was invented by Notatus, the first Primus of House Bonisagus. It was a major breakthrough, incorporating Mercurian rituals as well as Hermetic theory, and was the reason Notatus was chosen to succeed Bonisagus. As a result, the spell is more powerful than it ought to be, and has no Perdo requisite. By 1220 Notatus’s discoveries have spread, and any magus trained in the Order is capable of inventing versions of the Aegis with the above parameters, but at different levels. Inventing a version with different parameters, however, would require a similar breakthrough, and years of research.
(Base spell)
Circular Ward Against Demons
R: Touch, D: Ring, T: Circle
All creatures with Infernal Might equal to or less than the level of the spell are unable to enter the circle or harm those within it. If you cast the spell again, the stronger ring dispels the weaker, regardless of the order of casting. Some magi cast this spell before going to sleep at night. At night, from certain angles, the ring may be seen as a silver-hued dome.
(Base spell)
Maintaining the Demanding Spell
R: Touch, D: Diam, T: Ind
You cast this spell on a spell that you have already cast and are maintaining through concentration. The spell that requires concentration is then automatically maintained for the duration of this spell, whether you concentrate or not. You cannot change the effects of the first spell without concentrating on it again. For instance, you can use The Unseen Arm (ReTe 5) to hold an object in the air without concentrating, but to move the object still requires concentration. A Stamina + Concentration stress roll of 6+ must be made in order to cast this spell while keeping the first one going (a lower roll than normal because this is what the spell is designed for). This spell only works on spells of equal or lower level.
(Base effect, +1 Touch, +1 Diam)
Opening the Intangible Tunnel
R: Arc, D: Conc, T: Ind
You can open a magical channel from yourself to some target, allowing you to cast any spell with a range greater than Personal on that target. The tunnel does not, of itself, grant any sense impressions of the target — you must cast appropriate spells through it if you wish to see. Spells cast through the tunnel cannot be of higher level than that of this spell. You must make standard Concentration rolls to maintain concentration on the Opening spell as you cast other spells.
A magus who magically recognizes the tunnel (through The Invisible Eye Revealed or a similar spell) may cast spells through the tunnel back at you, and he need not concentrate on keeping the tunnel open. If this magus is the target of the spell, he is considered to be touching you. Otherwise, his effective range to you is his range to the target of the tunneling spell.
If the target of the spell has Magic Resistance, you must penetrate that resistance to open the tunnel. Spells cast through the tunnel must also penetrate Magic Resistance normally.
(Base effect, +4 Arc, +1 Conc)
Suppressing the Wizard's Handiwork
R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind
Cancels one spell that you have cast, but only as long as you concentrate. When concentration is broken the effects of the spell return. The level of the spell to be suppressed must not exceed the level of this spell. The effects of the spell being suppressed take about one round to fade out, and then another round to return after concentration is broken. The spell to be affected must be active to be suppressed — in particular, it may not be of Momentary duration.
Common uses of this spell include providing access to some place normally blocked by magic (for example, having a MuTe blocking the door to your lab, and then suppressing it to enter), and avoiding traps (such as suppressing a Watching Ward [ReVi Gen] on your rear door). This spell is designed to be held while you do something else, so the magus gets a +3 bonus to all Concentration rolls.
(Base, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)
Watching Ward
R: Touch, D: Spec, T: Ind, Ritual
Watching Ward puts another spell on a given target on hold until that spell is triggered by a simple condition, which is determined when this ritual is cast. The target of the Watching Ward must be present for the entire casting ritual. When the conditions you specify come to pass, the suspended spell takes effect.
Only one Watching Ward can be placed on any one person or object. The level of the Watching Ward must at least equal the level of the spell held in suspension. You can put multiple spells in the Ward, provided that its level at least equals the sum of the levels of the contained spells. If Intellego spells are included in a Watching Ward, they may be used to trigger the other spells. Thus, if you put Frosty Breath of the Spoken Lie (InMe 20) into the Watching Ward, you can also put in a spell that is cast when someone lies. An Intellego spell in the Watching Ward has no effect other than to cast other spells when the proper condition is detected. Thus, in the example, one’s breath is not frosty when he or she is caught in a lie.
If someone tries to dispel the Watching Ward and fails, the suspended spell is cast. Flambeau and Tytalus magi commonly put highly destructive spells upon their persons, to be cast if they die so they may have vengeance upon their killers. The Ritual nature of this spell supports the potentially indefinite duration.
The Watching Ward is dispelled when it releases its spell.
A version of this spell with target Room, known as Waiting Spell, is also well known in the Order. It can contain spells up to the level of the Waiting Spell – 10, and is also a Ritual.
(Base effect, +1 Touch, Duration is nonstandard)
Level 15
Gather the Essence of the Beast
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind
Concentrates the raw vis in a corpse into one part of that corpse, which can then be removed. This spell lets you gather all the raw vis you find without lugging around entire corpses of beasts. Note that the vis in many magical creatures is already concentrated in this manner in some specific organ, though this spell will allow you to relocate that vis if you wish.
(Base 10, +1 Touch)
Attribution
Based on the material for Ars Magica, ©1993-2024, licensed by Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games®, under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license 4.0 ("CC-BY-SA 4.0). Ars Magica Open License Logo ©2024 Trident, Inc. The Ars Magica Open License Logo, Ars Magica, and Mythic Europe are trademarks of Trident, Inc., and are used with permission. Order of Hermes, Tremere, Doissetep, and Grimgroth are trademarks of Paradox Interactive AB and are used with permission.
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