Post by Phsycodelic on Apr 5, 2017 21:43:25 GMT
Enchantment
Mystic Sorcerers
Mystic Sorcerers
Creating a Talisman first takes talent; an enchanter must usually handcraft the object to be enchanted, whether it is a blade, a ring, a pair of shoes or a book. (This is not always the case, especially with items that have a close personal attachment to the enchanter.) Many enchanters choose one field of study and specialize in it, creating pieces of art for sale when they aren't working on pieces to be enchanted (after all, a sorcerer has to earn a living somehow). Others develop enough skill to create serviceable tools that can be enchanted in a number of different Crafts, relying on their magical abilities to suffice where their craftsmanship does not. Every ritual, therefore, starts with a Crafts roll to determine the quality of the item being enchanted; an exceptional result on this test may make the actual Enchantment easier. Depending on what is being made, this may take anywhere from a day or so, to months of careful crafting.
The next part of the process is the Enchantment itself. This normally takes one to three days per level of the item, depending on the Tradition of the enchanter and the particulars of the Enchantment (the more complex the Enchantment, in terms of who can use it, how many times it can be used, and when it can be used, the longer the initial work). At the end of this period, make an Intelligence + Occult roll (difficulty 4 + level of the Enchantment), spend a point of Willpower and the Enchantment is completed.
Enchantments are never a matter of numbers and creation systems; they should flow from the story and roleplaying, not die rolls. While we've given some examples, a smart enchantress can come up with many more.
Roll: Intelligence + Alchemy / Brewing / Herbalism / Science (As appropriate to paradigm).
Cost: 1 Willpower.
Modifiers: -1 difficulty for Mastered Enchantments (+1 xp to ritual cost).
Duration: As appropriate to item. Usually permanent.
Price Of Failure: The best a sorcerer can hope for on a failure is that his time and effort will be wasted. It is more likely that the sorcerer will end up with a cursed item, one that has some side effect that was not anticipated, an accident that blows the workshop to bits or worse. Botching a creation roll is never a good idea: Enchanters have been engulfed in conflagrations or have simply disappeared, along with their workshops.
[ 1 - 6 ] Enchantment Levels 1 - 6 ( XXX - Page X )
Time: 1-3 days per level of the Enchantment, plus the time to craft the item itself.
Level | Ability |
1 | Minor items that have a very limited utility and very limited effects that will never be seen as magical by any who don't know what to look for. They might add one (or, less frequently, two) dots to an Attribute or Ability, grant a bonus to an attack or skill (never more than a + 1) or some other boon. |
2 | A more powerful version of a Talisman that could be previously made (adding + 2 to an Ability or Attribute or to some task), or a Talisman capable of changing reality in some subtle but more noticeable or magical fashion. |
3 | These items perform functions that are obviously magical to those looking for such things and that will be considered very weird by those who aren't. |
4 | Talismans of this power can defy reality to a large degree, as long as they work within certain restrictions. They can increase Attributes and Abilities past normal human maximums, duplicate low-level supernatural abilities (no more than the second dot of Disciplines, Gifts, etc.) and otherwise work wonders. |
5 | Items made with this level of skill are almost mythic; their powers are sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant and always unpredictable. When they work, they can perform minor miracles. |
6 | Talismans of this potency are more rumor and myth than they are quantifiable face. If items of this power still exist or anyone can still make them, they would be capable of feats that would be impressive even to the most powerful sorcerer. |
[ 1 - 6 ] Enchantment Rituals ( XXX - Page X )
All enchantment effects require a ritual to create the appropriate item. There are also a couple of 'general' rituals, too.
[ 1 ] Eldritch Mark ( XXX - Page X )
The sorcerer scribes a symbol or mark into an object or onto the forehead of an individual. This mark then fades from view, but any student of the mystic Arts who looks at the object or individual will be able to discern the mark and will know the name of the sorcerer who marked it. This ritual takes five minutes co cast and has no cost in Willpower.
[ 2 ] Enhance Craftsmanship ( XXX - Page X )
The enchanter uses his power to enhance the craftsmanship of an object he is making (something enhanced in this fashion can not thereafter be further enchanted). Thus, he can forge a blade that will never break, knit a sweater that will never unravel or ensorcel a mirror so that it will never crack. An object made in this fashion is not inherently magical in any way, but an alchemist or another enchanter can discern the methods used to enhance it with a Perception + Occult task (difficulty 6). This ritual rakes as long to cast as it takes to make the object (15 to 20 minutes for something that is being ensorceled after the fact) and costs no Willpower.
Level | Ritual |
1 | An army surplus jacket that adds two dots to Arcane whenever the character is in a crowd. |
1 | A custom made handgun that subtracts 1 from the difficulty increase of all aimed shots made with the weapon (or, alternatively, as a separate ritual, one that adds 1 to the Accuracy of non-targeted shots). |
1 | A small stuffed animal that brings restful sleep, no matter the recipient's state of mind or state of intoxication; anyone sleeping in the same bed as the toy will sleep like a baby. |
1 | A small medallion with a chrysoprase in the middle of it, carved in the shape of a hawk's eye, carried on a fine silver chain. Once a day, when rubbed, it will give the wearer the vision of a hawk for the space of one scene. (This adds 2 dice to Perception, for purposes of seeing things at long distance or noticing movement). |
1 | A silver toe ring which protects its wearer from incoming projectiles if she is barefooted at the time (+2 to dodge missiles). |
1 | A colored candle that grants the user some one-time favor after it is burned (two points of Resources, Arcane, Allies or Influence, depending on the color of the candle). The Background works once to provide a favor, then fades. Each success creates one candle. |
1 | A handful of grave dust that enables the user to sleep soundly. He will wake immediately if someone approaches him with hostile intent. |
1 | An oak picture frame that preserves any painting or document placed in it for as long as the frame remains intact. Both frame and contents must be sealed with almond oil and sprinkled with pure water. |
1 | An oak box that protects a single, specific item inside it from thievery. The magic is good until the item is removed from the box. Both the box and the item must be treated with willow smoke. |
1 | An array of Mentat Stones: A variety of these stones are known to exist, each with different properties or strengths; they are all said to aid psychics in their mental workings. The most common stones are either Inhibitors or Matrices. A Matrix stone allows the psychic to better focus his abilities; carrying a Matrix lowers the difficulty of Psychic Phenomena rolls by 1. An Inhibitor stone interferes with psychic activity. Those carrying an Inhibitor are somewhat protected from psychic interference: the use of any psychic affinity which would directly affect the bearer has the difficulty increased by 1. Making either type is a separate ritual. |
2 | A liquor flask that, when carried in a breast pocket, will unerringly attract the first bullet that would hit the carrier to itself. This provides three dice of lethal soak. After, the flask is useless. (Apparently this Enchantment was very popular with Allied sorcerers during World War II). |
2 | A handful of bullets ( l per success rolled on the Enchantment) that do an additional 2 dice of damage to whatever they hit. |
2 | A silver ankle bracelet, with many hanging baubles, that gives the wearer an additional two levels in Dancing whenever it is worn, if it is plainly visible. |
2 | An iron nail which enables the user to cause someone to painfully stub his toe. The nail must be driven by an enemy into a footprint left by the target. |
2 | A golden charm that alerts the wearer when the talisman maker (or some other single party) is in danger. The charm must be sprinkled with wine each time it is used and works once for each success. |
2 | A rowan ring which negates any form of fae magic (called Glamour) used to bewitch the wearer. This works for one incident per casting success. |
2 | A black "Shadow Cloak" that makes the wearer almost invisible in darkness or shadow; she automatically has three dots (or three additional dice) of Stealth when traveling in dim light. Of course, wearing a cloak in public will draw attention to you. |
3 | A pair of running shoes that doubles the running speed of the wearer. This ability only works when the wearer is trying to evade pursuit. |
3 | An amulet inscribed with arcane symbols, on a leather thong. When grasped, it will act as a personal ward against sorcery, up to three times a day (number of dice subtracted equals the successes rolled on the Enchantment). This amulet must be kept in a jewelry box carved out of a single crystal when not worn or the Enchantment will fade (one success per night) until it becomes a simple piece of jewelry. |
3 | A sword with a core of liquid mercury that does aggravated damage against the Risen and lethal damage to wraiths (if they can be seen; it provides no inherent ability to see the Restless Dead). A priest must bless the sword every fortnight, or the magic fails. |
3 | An obsidian bull torque which strengthens the wearer once after it is blooded (three points of Strength that last for one scene per success after blood is wiped across it). |
3 | A handkerchief which wipes away any normal thing it is used to clean (blood, ink, spilled food, fingerprints). The user must hum softly while mopping up. This works once for every success rolled during creation. |
3 | An intricately wrought silver ring that indicates the blessing of the fae (Which a creator must have to be able to make this); whoever wears this "Faerie Ring" is considered a friend of the fae folk and will be welcomed by them; likewise, the ring's bearer may be sought by the fae in times of need. The Faerie Ring increases the difficulty of fae magic used against the wearer by 2. |
4 | The fabled Heart~Seeker: a stiletto that aims unerringly for the heart when drawn and used in rage. This inflicts Strength + 5 dice of lethal damage, and the dagger may be thrown. It must be bathed in the blood of those it has killed after each combat or lose its potency. |
4 | A solid silver torc that, when worn, grants the wearer superhuman Strength. The wearer's Strength rises to 5 when the torc is worn. In addition, a number of times per day equal to the successes rolled on the Enchantment, the wearer may boost his Strength past normal, gaining 3 automatic successes on all task rolls involving Strength (these successes are added directly to damage rolled, etc.). The tore must be kept in view of the moon whenever it is not worn, if the moon is visible. |
4 | The skull of a long-dead wizard, which can be used to contact him for assistance. The sorcerer using this Talisman must donate a pint of blood and can ask the wizard as many questions as successes rolled on the Enchantment. These do not have to be yes/no questions, and follow up questions on the same immediate topic are allowed without using up a question (the Storyteller is the final arbiter of what is or isn't a question). This Talisman can only be used during the new moon, and the sorcerer must make a Willpower test (difficulty equal to the number of times the Talisman has been used + 4) or the skull crumbles to pieces after the final question is asked. |
4 | A byrnie of silvered mail that converts up to 4 dice of lethal damage taken m a tum of combat into bashing damage. Each time this ability is used, a few more links fall out of the coat, until, eventually, it falls apart, unusable. The mail can never be cleaned or repaired, or it automatically loses its abilities. |
4 | Bones which allow the user to contact the person they came from. Note that this is not always successful! If it is, however, the user can ask one question per creation success. Whether or not the ghost answers accurately is the spirit's prerogative, but it will answer if it can. These bones work only three times, then crumble to dust. |
4 | A book which translates anything written in it into the reader's native language. This book must be sprinkled with paper ash before the magic works. The translation effect works once per creation success, then reverts to the original language when set down. |
4 | "The" Silver Chalice: A small number of these Chalices have been found; each time, the finder usually believes he has discovered the Holy Grail. Although the Chalice's finders have eventually been disappointed, these are still powerful and important items. Drinking pure spring water from a Chalice while standing on holy ground - of any religious tradition- will immediately heal all damage the drinker has sustained, aggravated or not. This may be done only once each full-moon, however, and it is said that a man once healed by the Chalice can never benefit from it again. |
5 | A money pouch that will always have five dollars in quarters (or 5 Canadian loonies or three pounds sterling or whatever- always in small, but not annoying, sums) in it, as long as at least one quarter is left in the pouch. It can only be drawn from four times a day, or it will lose its power forever. |
5 | An amulet that, when worn, renders the user almost immune to any kind of physical harm (granting the user five dice of soak that is also usable against aggravated damage). Every time this ability is used (per scene, not roll), it subtracts five years from the user's life. The user evinces no outward change, but when he finally expires, he will appear to be an old man internally. |
5 | An amulet that wards the user against all magical detection. The amulet adds 4 successes to the number required to find the user with any kind of magical ability (Auspex, Divination, Sphere magic, etc.). The sorcerer will be presented with a different riddle, puzzle or other enigma she must solve before the amulet will activate. Once activated, the amulet will be effective for a number of weeks equal to the number of successes rolled on the Enchantment. |
5 | An animated servant. This might be the classical golem from Jewish mythology, a homunculus or some kind of robot. A servant like this is created like a character, but has only 10 points to spend on Attributes and 7 to spend on Abilities. It has human senses, Health levels equal to a normal human (but does not suffer wound penalties) and does not need to eat or sleep, though technologically based servants will usually need recharging. |
5 | A black cloak that masks the user's footsteps, even if he walks across a squeaky floor. While this magic is active, the wearer will be effectively silent unless he speaks aloud. Silver threads must be sewn into this garment; they break and fall away if the magic is dispelled. |
5 | An exquisite piano which plays beautifully for anyone who strokes its keys, even if she knows nothing about music. A prayer to the nine Muses (by name!) must be recited before the piano will play. |
5 | An amulet that protects the wearer from physical vampire attacks. The Kindred might employ Dominate, Auspex or some other “long range” Discipline against the protected one, but may not touch her so long as she wears the amulet. As a side effect, the wearer feels cold whenever she's wearing the amulet. |
6 | Items of this level are generally highly personalized and dependent on paradigm, and so each individual ritual should be discussed with an ST. |