Ferrological Mechanics - Affinities and Skills

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Affinities of Ferrology

The Affinity of a Ferrologist refers to their unique perspective and approach to wielding the arcane power of Ferrology. Each Affinity offers a distinct method for tuning into the ferrological fields and manifests in their own unique ways.

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Siru (Study)

Siru is a state of consciousness achieved through detachment from one's beliefs, opinions, and emotions. It is a challenging technique, mastered by only a few, that allows for rational thinking and heightened focus. Siru is honed through preparation, reading, and memorization of the techniques required for Ferrology. This state of mind provides a significantly stronger Affinity, as the Arcanist is able to focus all of themselves into the energy of the Ferrousto.

Traits

• Ability Bonus: +2 Wisdom - Siru Affinity practitioners are known for their heightened focus and rational thinking, making Wisdom a natural choice for their primary ability bonus.
• Starting Ferrological Skill Points:4 - Siru Affinity practitioners begin with a poor foundation in Ferrology, reflecting their need to dedicate time for preparation and reading.
• Skill Point Acquisition: Arcane Study - Siru Affinity practitioners do not gain additional Ferrological Skill Points to spend as they please, but instead progress in their proficiency by spending downtime studying Ferrological texts, using the "Learn" skill of the Investigation skillset. This represents their commitment to deepening their knowledge and understanding of Ferrology.
• Risk-Reward Trade-off: Controlled Power - Siru Affinity practitioners can choose to take a -1 penalty per proficiency rank on their Ferrology skill check in exchange for a +2 bonus per proficiency rank to the effect DC. This represents their ability to manage risk while maintaining a focus on efficiency and precision.
• Special Feature: Eidetic Memory - Siru Affinity practitioners can prepare and maintain twice as many bindings as other Affinities per proficiency rank, reflecting their exceptional memory and ability to recall the techniques and bindings they have learned.

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Mayar (Intuition)

Mayar is a manifestation of personal will and faith, forceful enough to shape reality. An Arcanist must possess a strong Mayar to maintain a belief, such as igniting the wick of a candle. This Affinity is honed through study of the local environment and meditation, and can be trained through exercises that split the mind into separate parts and require the belief of two conflicting things at once.

Traits

• Ability Bonus: +2 Intelligence - Mayar Affinity practitioners are intuitive and insightful, making Intelligence a fitting choice for their primary ability bonus.
• Starting Ferrological Skill Points: 8 - Mayar Affinity practitioners begin with a moderate pool of Ferrological Skill Points, representing their innate connection to the ferrological fields.
• Skill Point Acquisition: Intuitive Growth - Mayar Affinity practitioners can gain additional Ferrological Skill Points by spending downtime in meditation and self-reflection, allowing them to strengthen their intuitive understanding of Ferrology.
• Risk-Reward Trade-off: Intuitive Gambit - Mayar Affinity practitioners can choose to take a -3 penalty per proficiency rank on their Ferrology skill check in exchange for a +5 bonus per proficiency rank to the effect DC. This represents their willingness to trust their instincts and take risks for potentially greater rewards.
• Special Feature: Focused Insight - Once per day, Mayar Affinity practitioners can reroll a failed Ferrology skill check, representing their ability to tap into their intuition and access hidden reserves of knowledge.
• Special Feature 2: Intuitive Power -The Mayar Ferrologist has the ability to use creative thinking and problem-solving to lower the difficulty of a Ferrological effect. This reflects the Affinity's focus on rational thinking and heightened focus, allowing the Ferrologist to find novel solutions to complex problems. The DC reduction is determined by the GM based on the cleverness of the Ferrologist's description of how they intend to achieve the desired effect..

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Hari (Bravado)

Hari is the polar opposite of Siru, a state of mind where the Arcanist lets their thoughts wander freely and acts without hesitation. While their Affinity may not be as certain as those who focus their intellect or intuition, Hari can lead to dramatically powerful results as the Arcanist seems to tap into the true, chaotic ferrological fields held within the Ferro Shards. This Affinity is honed through emotion and experience.

Traits

• Ability Bonus: +3 Charisma - Hari Affinity practitioners are bold and charismatic, making Charisma an ideal choice for their primary ability bonus.
• Starting Ferrological Skill Points: 3 - Hari Affinity practitioners start with a smaller pool of Ferrological Skill Points, reflecting their reliance on natural talent and experience rather than formal study.
• Skill Point Acquisition: Experiential Learning - Hari Affinity practitioners can gain additional Ferrological Skill Points by actively engaging in daring and challenging experiences, allowing them to learn and grow through real-world practice. Hereby, they gain a skill point on any critical roll involing a ferrological skill in a tense situation (i.e., not in a case where they could comfortably keep rolling). They may also earn a skill point from the GM for an interesting use of Ferrology.
• Risk-Reward Trade-off: Bravado Surge - Hari Affinity practitioners can choose to take a -5 penalty on their Ferrology skill check in exchange for a +10 bonus to the effect DC. This represents their willingness to embrace risk and uncertainty in pursuit of impressive feats and dramatic power.
• Special Feature: Unyielding Confidence - Once per day, Hari Affinity practitioners can automatically succeed on a Ferrology skill check with a DC equal to their maximum roll +2 per their proficiency bonus . This represents their ability to tap into their boundless confidence and fearlessly push the limits of their abilities. This can be used in combination with the Bravado Surge, but the -5 penalty is taken into account on their maximum roll .

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Ferrological Skills

Ferrological Fields can be wild and chaotic. Arcanists often attempt to literally convey that disorder into the physical world. Like mystic scientists, they seek to build reliable principles that allow them to create the same basic effects time and again. Ferrology’s unpredictability remains its greatest hurdle to becoming a truly useful tool. Arcanists seek to erase this uncertainty, yet their efforts have yielded only limited results. Many theorists believe that Ferrology, as a fundamentally chaotic force, can never be truly controlled. Instead, Arcanists can only hope to guess at how it reacts to specific, carefully defined attempts to shape it.

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Arcana (Siru, Mayar, Hari)

The Arcana skill represents an Arcanist's ability to harness and manipulate the ferrological fields through their chosen Affinity, allowing them to cast powerful binding effects that can shape reality and influence the world around them.

• Key Ability: Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (Depends on chosen Affinity)
• Armor Check Penalty: Yes

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Cast Binding

Check

When casting a binding effect, the DC of your Arcana check depends on the specific effects of a given binding, as detailed in the binding's description. Every Arcanist can adapt bindings with various arcane techniques. By incorporating additional components or expending binding energy, a caster can enhance a binding's effects without altering the binding's Arcana DC. When multiple Arcanists collaborate, they can achieve superior results by reducing casting time, performing Aid Another attempts to assist with the Arcana check, contributing binding energy to accelerate the binding, or even distributing the binding's energy drain.

Action

The required action for casting a binding varies. You make the Affinity check during the last action of the binding's casting time.

Try Again

Yes, but each failed attempt drains you as if you had successfully cast the binding.

Special

A caster's Prowess grants a bonus to Arcana checks. If you have the Abandonist background, you receive a +2 bonus on Arcana checks.

Armor can be uncomfortable and interfere with casting binding effects. Arcana checks are subject to the standard armor check penalty and encumbrance penalty; for example, full plate imposes a '–6' penalty on Affinity checks. If you have the Armored Caster feat, you no longer suffer the encumbrance and standard armor check penalties to Affinity checks.

Restriction

You must have at least one Affinity token to use this skill to cast binding effects.

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Coherence

• Key Ability: Wisdom
• Trained Only: Yes
• Armour Check Penalty: No

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Detect Aura

You can use Coherence to detect arcane auras and sense the ability to cast binding effects on others, revealing hidden magical energies and the presence of powerful Arcanists.

Check

On a successful check, you detect arcane auras. The range of your sense depends on the prowess of the creato, as the work of powerful Arcanists is far easier to sense from farther away than those from mere students. Casters who wish to prevent their aura from being detected can make an opposed Detect Aura check against any that are attempted to sense them. If the detector wins this opposed roll, their total roll must still equal the DC's listed to attain any information. This skill’s range of effectiveness as it applies to Arcanists is as follows:

Prowess of Subject	Range
Dabbler	30 ft.
Student	60 ft.
First Prowess	240 ft.
Second Prowess	1000 ft.
Third Prowess	2500 ft.
Fourth Prowess	1 mi.

The amount of information revealed depends on the level of your success on the check.

Task	Amount over DC
Presence or absence of magical auras in area, object, or individual	0
Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.	5
The strength and location of each aura.	10
The binding (if any) used to create the effect’s aura.	15

An aura’s power depends on the Arcana check rolled during its creation. If the aura falls into more than one category, such as in the case of a blended binding effect, a Detect Aura check indicates the stronger of the two. A magical aura lingers after its source dissipates (in the case of a binding) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). A Detect Aura check identifies an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power.

Aura Strength	Prowess	Lingering Time
Faint	Dabbler or Student	1d6 rd.
Moderate	First	1d6 mins.
Strong	Second	1d6 hrs.
Powerful	Third	1d6 days
Overwhelming	Fourth	1d6 weeks

This skill can penetrate barriers but can be blocked by roughly 10 feet of wood or dirt, 5 feet of glass, 1 inch of common metal, or a thin sheet of lead.

Action

It takes a full-round action to detect magic in a 60-foot cone; 4 full rounds to detect magic in a complete circle.

Special

Detect Aura can also be used passively. The GM may call for you to make a Detect Magic check when you aren’t actively looking or searching. In such instances, you are not honing your affinity and so take a –10 penalty on your roll.

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Telepathy

You can use Coherence to establish a telepathic connection with other Arcanists and Rhysar, enabling you to sense their motivations and potentially influence their thoughts and actions.

Check

On a successful check, you establish a telepathic link with the target, allowing you to communicate silently and sense their emotions. The range of your telepathic connection depends on your skill level and the target's resistance to telepathy. Targets who wish to resist the telepathic connection can make an opposed Telepathy check against your attempt. If you win this opposed roll, you can establish the connection and gather information based on your check result. The amount of information and influence you can exert through the telepathic connection depends on your level of success on the check.

Amount Over Target's DC	Level of Success	Information and Influence
0-4	Minimal	Basic emotions and surface thoughts; no influence
5-9	Moderate	More complex emotions and clearer thoughts; minor influence on thoughts and emotions
10-14	High	Deep emotions, hidden intentions, and detailed thoughts; significant influence on thoughts, emotions, and some actions
15+	Exceptional	Complete access to memories, thoughts, and the ability to strongly influence actions

Telepathy can penetrate most barriers but may be blocked by certain magical effects or intense mental defenses.

Action

Establishing a telepathic connection takes a full-round action. Maintaining the connection requires concentration and a standard action each round.

Special

An expert proficiency allows you to probe deeper into a target's thoughts, uncovering hidden secrets or intentions. At master proficiency, you can also plant subtle suggestions or commands, potentially influencing the target's actions. Finally, at legendary proficiency, you can establish a telepathic network among multiple individuals, allowing them to communicate with each other through your connection. Telepathy can also be used passively. The GM may call for you to make a Telepathy check when you aren't actively attempting to establish a connection, such as when sensing a strong emotional presence nearby. In such instances, you are not actively focusing your affinity and take a -10 penalty on your roll.

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Deduction

Deduction is a crucial skill in the world of Ferrology, representing your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations effectively. It bridges the gap between theoretical understanding gained through the Arcane Broad Lore skills (Synvesi, Sygaldry, Surgery, and Synthery) and the practical expertise needed to harness and manipulate Ferrological phenomena. As a practitioner of Ferrology, your Deduction skill reflects your talent for recognizing, analyzing, and deciphering Ferrological effects in your environment. Whether you're encountering a complex Ferrological device, identifying the workings of a mysterious binding, or even attempting to reverse-engineer an unknown Ferrological technique, Deduction is the key to unlocking these enigmas.

Picture two arcanists: one has spent years studying engines through books and lectures (Broad Lore Skill) but has never tinkered with one, while the other has honed their skills through hands-on experience, dismantling and repairing engines (Deduction). The former may possess extensive theoretical knowledge, but the latter will likely be more adept at troubleshooting, adapting, and innovating in real-world scenarios. In gameplay, Deduction offers players a wealth of opportunities for creative problem-solving and unique interactions with the Ferrological elements of the world. By developing this skill, players can unravel the mysteries of ancient Ferrological artifacts, devise ingenious solutions to complex puzzles, and even gain an edge in combat by anticipating and countering opponents' Ferrological abilities. Embrace the art of Deduction and unlock the full potential of your Ferrological prowess, combining theory and practice to become a true master of the arcane arts.

• Key Ability: Intelligence
• Armour Check Penalty:No

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Identify Ferrology

Check

The Deduction skill represents your ability to rationalize observed arcane power, provided that you have access to a reservoir of Affinity used to harness the Ferro Shards. With Deduction, one can identify bindings and magic effects. The Difficulty Classes for Ferrology checks relating to various tasks are summarized in the table below.

Task	DC
Identify a binding being cast. (You must see or hear the character as they cast it.) No action required. No retry.	15 + twice the binding's prowess
Identify a binding that’s already in place and in effect. You must be able to see or detect the effects of the binding. No action required. No retry.	20 + twice the binding's prowess
Identify materials created or shaped by Ferrology. No action required. No retry.	20 + twice the binding's prowess
After resolving a saving throw against a binding targeted on you or an ally, you determine what that binding was. No action required. No retry.	25 + twice the binding's prowess
Understand a strange or unique ferrological or rhetorical effect. Time required varies. No retry.	25+

Action

Varies, as noted above.

Try Again

See above.

Synergy

If you are an expert or above in Knowledge and have access to the arcana area of study, you get a +2 bonus on Ferrology checks.

Extended Skill checks

Your GM may require an extended skill check to handle especially complicated or difficult situations. In this case, you must make a number of successes to complete a task. If your tally of failures equals your number of successes, your extended check fails.

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Create Sygaldry

The Create Sygaldry action represents your ability to imbue objects with Inscribed Ferro Shards, crafting powerful runes and magical enhancements. Your expertise in Deduction allows you to apply your knowledge of Ferrology to create these intricate and potent inscriptions.

Check

When creating Sygaldry, the DC of your Deduction check depends on the complexity and power of the intended enhancement. The table below summarizes the DCs for various tasks associated with crafting Sygaldry:

• Craft a simple Sygaldry (e.g., a basic enchantment): DC 15 + twice the binding's prowess
• Craft a moderate Sygaldry (e.g., a more potent enchantment or intricate rune): DC 20 + twice the binding's prowess
• Craft an advanced Sygaldry (e.g., a highly powerful or complex magical enhancement): DC 25 + twice the binding's prowess

Action

The time required to create Sygaldry varies depending on the complexity of the intended effect. Simple Sygaldry may take a few hours, while more advanced or intricate designs can take days or even weeks of dedicated work.

Try Again

Yes, but each failed attempt results in the loss of materials and time invested in the creation process. The specific consequences of failure can be determined by the GM based on the nature of the Sygaldry and the materials used.

Synergy

If you have expert or higher proficiency in Arcana, you gain a +2 bonus on Deduction checks related to creating Sygaldry.

Extended Skill Checks

For particularly challenging or complex Sygaldry, your GM may require an extended skill check. In this case, you must accumulate a certain number of successes to complete the task. If your tally of failures equals your number of successes, the extended check fails, and you may face additional consequences as determined by the GM.

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Concentration

• Key Ability: Charisma
• Trained Only: Yes
• Armour Check Penalty:No

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Keep Focus

Check

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Keep Focus

The Keep Focus action represents your ability to maintain concentration and mental clarity in the face of distractions, damage, or other disruptions while engaged in tasks that require your full attention. Successfully keeping your focus can make the difference between casting a powerful binding or failing at a critical moment.

Check

When confronted with distractions or potential disruptions while performing an action that demands focus, you must make a Concentration check. Actions that may require focus include casting bindings, making use of certain feats, and executing skill checks that provoke attacks of opportunity. If an action wouldn't typically provoke an attack of opportunity, a Concentration check is usually not needed.

If you succeed on the Concentration check, you can continue your action as planned. However, if the check fails, the action also fails and is wasted. A failed skill check may have additional consequences, and a binding in progress will automatically suffer a major disaster.

The table below outlines various distractions that necessitate a Concentration check. If multiple distractions are present, make a separate check for each. Failure in any Concentration check indicates that you cannot complete the task.

Focusing Mayar

Casting a binding demands intense focus and mental clarity, which can be disrupted by a well-timed attack or sudden damage. If an opponent readies an action to strike you, or if you suffer damage during your action while focusing your Mayar, you must make a Concentration check (DC 20 + damage sustained). If this check succeeds, you gain your Mayar as usual. However, if the check fails, the Affinity DC for the binding increases by +4. If you sustain damage from multiple sources, you need to make separate checks for each instance of damage.

Cast Defensively

Casting defensively allows you to maintain a protective posture while casting a binding, reducing your vulnerability to attacks. To cast defensively, make a Concentration check instead of a Base Attack check against any opponents that threaten you. If your check succeeds, you can cast the binding without provoking attacks of opportunity. However, if your check fails, the Affinity DC for the binding is increased by +4.

Heart of Stone

Through sheer willpower, you can push pain and distractions from your mind, allowing you to act while ignoring certain penalties. As a standard action, make a Concentration check (DC 20 + twice the value of the penalty you wish to ignore). Success allows you to disregard the penalty on your next action.

Action

Standard or none. Often, making a Concentration check is either a free action (when attempted reactively) or doesn't require an action (when attempted actively as part of another action). Other uses of Concentration, unless stated otherwise, are standard actions.

Try Again

Yes, although a successful check does not cancel the effect of a previous failure, such as the disruption of a binding you were attempting to cast.

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Resistance

• Key Ability: Constitution
• Armor Check Penalty:Yes

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Resist Environment and Arcane Effects

The Resistance skill allows you to harness your mental fortitude and even manipulate your body's response to better resist various environmental or arcane effects. This skill helps you mitigate the impact of poisons, endure extreme climates, or avoid the influence of bindings.

Check

You can use this skill to temporarily enhance your saving throws, gain a bonus on a save against a specific ailment, or reduce the negative effects of harsh environments. The DC varies depending on the desired outcome.

Adapt

With a successful check, you receive a +2 resistance bonus to Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments.

Boost Save

You can make a Resistance check to grant a +1 resistance bonus to any saving throw for 1 round. If you step on a caltrop and suffer a movement penalty, a successful Resistance check removes the penalty for 10 minutes.

Resistance to Disease

Before making your Fortitude save to prevent recurring damage or recover from a disease, perform a Resistance check. If successful, you gain a +1 bonus to your Fortitude check for every 5 points you surpass on your check result (minimum +1).

Resist Fear

If you fail a save against a fear effect, you may attempt a Resistance check against the effect's DC on the following round. Success means you shake off the fear effect, but failure prevents any further attempts to resist that specific fear effect.

Tolerate Poison

Before making a saving throw against a standard poison's secondary damage or effect, make a Resistance check. If successful, you receive a +1 bonus to your save for every 5 points you surpass on your check result (minimum +1). You cannot use the Tolerate Poison effect of Resistance against a poison's initial saving throw, but you can use the Boost Save effect.

Effect Resistance	DC
Adapt	10
Boost Save	15
Ignore a Wound	18
Resistance to Disease	Disease's DC
Resist Fear	Fear effect's DC
Tolerate Poison	Poison's DC

Action

Varies. Making a Resistance check to adapt requires a full-round action. Otherwise, Resistance is either an immediate action when attempted reactively (such as boosting a save or ignoring a caltrop, limited to once per round) or part of another action when attempted actively.

Try Again

No.

Special

If you are an expert or higher in this skill, you consistently gain a +2 bonus to your Fortitude saves made to resist nonlethal damage from natural hot or cold environments.