Cantrips
Cantrips are minor magics learned and used by apprentice mages as well as inherently known to certain Fae beings.
Cantrips are simple spells of no great effect—they are successfully cast at will on a roll of 4 or more on a spell casting roll or a roll of 3 or more for the cost of 1 power point (PP) - the caster may decide after the roll but before any effects occur. In game terms, when a player rolls a 1 on her casting die, she must then roll on the Unravelling Effects Table (see below) unless she chooses to spend a Benefit to re-roll. A snake-eyes roll is considered a critical failure and always results in an Unravelling Effect.
Casting a cantrip is considered a normal action. Cantrips cannot be maintained, and may be countered by anyone besting the caster’s Spellcasting total with an opposed roll of their own. Cantrips cannot be used while engaged in combat or on targets engaged in combat.
All casters start the game knowing a number of cantrips equal to half their spellcasting Attribute die (e.g., 4 for a caster with a Smarts/Spirit of d8). Additional cantrips may not be learned - even if the player later increases their Attribute die.
ARCANE MARK This cantrip allows the caster to permanently inscribe his personal mark on any single object he touches. The mark is only visible to the caster unless he chooses otherwise. Casting detect arcana will reveal a concealed arcane mark, while dispel will permanently remove it.
INSECTS This cantrip summons a small swarm of normal insects. The insects appear next to the target, needless to say they are angry and will attempt to sting/bite the target! The target suffers a –2 modifier to all actions for the remainder of the round, after which time the insects simply leave.
BELCH/YAWN/GIGGLE This cantrip causes the target to emit a single loud belch, yawn, or giggle. Treat the target as having a –2 Charisma modifier to all within hearing for one round.
BLINK/COUGH/SNEEZE/ITCH/TWITCH This cantrip causes the target to blink/cough/sneeze/itch/twitch uncontrollably for one round—all actions during the round are at –2.
BLUELIGHT This cantrip summons a small globe of glowing blue light that floats around his head. The light has an eerie appearance when viewed from a distance and provides light sufficient to read by in an area equal to a small burst template. The light does not cast reflections beyond the area of effect and does not affect Infravision (or other types of vision) in any way. The globe is static unless cast on an object. Its effect lasts for one turn.
CHANGE By means of this cantrip the caster can alter the appearance of one non-living object (man-sized or smaller) to appear as something else. Thus, a piece of parchment may be made to look like a colored square of cloth or a sword may appear as a simple walking stick. The cantrip will not increase or decrease size or volume. The effect lasts for one round.
CHILL/WARM This cantrip affects one cubic foot of non-living liquid or solid matter which the caster touches to instantly become about 40 degrees cooler (or hotter) than it was. The material returns to room temperature within 10 minutes.
CLEAN/DIRTY/POLISH/TARNISH Clean allows the caster to remove heavy soil, dirt, and like foreign objects from floors, walls, dishes, windows, etc. All the surfaces of a like type (e.g., all floors or all windows) may be cleaned in a single casting. Dirty simply sullies all surfaces within range.
The cantrip can also be used to magically smooth and brings a luster to material—such as wood, metal, stone, leather, or ceramic—which he handles. Tarnish and rust may be removed. A single object, such as a pair of boots, a floor, an armoire, or a suit of leather armor, may be affected. Tarnish has the opposite effect. The effect is permanent, but such objects may be cleaned or tarnished by non-arcane means.
COLOR/FLAVOR/WHIFF This cantrip allows the caster to restore faded hues or to tinge the target with a different hue. A single bolt of cloth or set of clothing may be affected. Only non-living items may be targeted, and the effect lasts for 10 minutes.
This cantrip also allows the caster to permanently change, for good or bad, the taste of a single serving of food which he touches. The wholesomeness and quality is unaffected— only the perceived taste.
Finally, this cantrip allows the caster to envelop an area equal to a medium burst template with an odor of his choosing. The odor may be any with which the caster is familiar.
DAMPEN/DRY Dampen permeates an area of up to one cubic yard with a fog-like dampness that leaves all material within it damp to the touch for the next 10 minutes. Dry instantly removes moisture from a similar area.
FIREFINGER This cantrip causes a single jet of normal flame (about 3” in length) to shoot from the caster’s finger. The effect last for but a second; however, the flame will ignite combustible material.
GHOST SOUND This cantrip allows the caster to create an auditory illusion. Any sound, other than a specific voice, the caster is familiar with can be recreated.
GUIDANCE This cantrip will reveal the direction of magnetic North to the caster.
HAIRY/SHAVE This cantrip causes hair, fur or fur-like growth (such as that on a peach) to increase and lengthen by up to 6”. The effect is permanent and the hair or fur must be cut to restore its former length. Shave will shorten such growth by up to 6”. Such growth will return to its former length naturally.
MEND This cantrip allows the caster to make minor repairs to simple objects he handles. Thus, a torn piece of parchment or a broken bottle could be made whole again; a broken wheel on a child’s toy could be repaired, or a cracked mirror made functional. The GM is the final arbiter of what can be repaired with mend and what requires the use of the Repair skill. All of a broken object’s pieces must be present for this cantrip to be effective. The effect is permanent, although the object may be broken again.
MESSAGE This cantrip allows the caster to pass a message of up to 10 words to a target within range. The message is delivered as a faint whisper in the target’s ear.
SMOKEPUFF This cantrip causes a small puff of smoke of the desired color to appear anywhere within range. The smoke puff is of sufficient size to envelop the head of a normal human, and imposes a –2 modifier on Notice rolls.
TIE/UNTIE/TANGLE/UNRAVEL This cantrip allows the caster to cause the object of the magic—thread, string, cord, or rope—to tightly knot itself to its other end, the end of a similar object, or a specific object such as a pole or tree limb. Each casting allows a single knot, of the caster’s choice, to be created. Untie will cause any single knot within range to come undone. Tangle causes all like objects to become tangled in a jumbled mess that will require 2d6 minutes to untangle. Unravel will reverse the effects of tangle.
Cantrips are simple spells of no great effect—they are successfully cast at will on a roll of 4 or more on a spell casting roll or a roll of 3 or more for the cost of 1 power point (PP) - the caster may decide after the roll but before any effects occur. In game terms, when a player rolls a 1 on her casting die, she must then roll on the Unravelling Effects Table (see below) unless she chooses to spend a Benefit to re-roll. A snake-eyes roll is considered a critical failure and always results in an Unravelling Effect.
Casting a cantrip is considered a normal action. Cantrips cannot be maintained, and may be countered by anyone besting the caster’s Spellcasting total with an opposed roll of their own. Cantrips cannot be used while engaged in combat or on targets engaged in combat.
All casters start the game knowing a number of cantrips equal to half their spellcasting Attribute die (e.g., 4 for a caster with a Smarts/Spirit of d8). Additional cantrips may not be learned - even if the player later increases their Attribute die.
Unravelling Effects Table
| d12 ROLL | EFFECT |
|---|---|
| 1 - 2 | Spell Fails |
| 3 - 4 | Suffer Fatigue |
| 5 - 7 | Shaken |
| 8 - 9 | Lose spell-casting ability for 1d6 rounds |
| 10 - 11 | Lose spell-casting ability for 1d6 hours |
| 12 | Lose spell-casting ability for 1d6 days |
CANTRIPS LIST
ARCANE MARK This cantrip allows the caster to permanently inscribe his personal mark on any single object he touches. The mark is only visible to the caster unless he chooses otherwise. Casting detect arcana will reveal a concealed arcane mark, while dispel will permanently remove it.
INSECTS This cantrip summons a small swarm of normal insects. The insects appear next to the target, needless to say they are angry and will attempt to sting/bite the target! The target suffers a –2 modifier to all actions for the remainder of the round, after which time the insects simply leave.
BELCH/YAWN/GIGGLE This cantrip causes the target to emit a single loud belch, yawn, or giggle. Treat the target as having a –2 Charisma modifier to all within hearing for one round.
BLINK/COUGH/SNEEZE/ITCH/TWITCH This cantrip causes the target to blink/cough/sneeze/itch/twitch uncontrollably for one round—all actions during the round are at –2.
BLUELIGHT This cantrip summons a small globe of glowing blue light that floats around his head. The light has an eerie appearance when viewed from a distance and provides light sufficient to read by in an area equal to a small burst template. The light does not cast reflections beyond the area of effect and does not affect Infravision (or other types of vision) in any way. The globe is static unless cast on an object. Its effect lasts for one turn.
CHANGE By means of this cantrip the caster can alter the appearance of one non-living object (man-sized or smaller) to appear as something else. Thus, a piece of parchment may be made to look like a colored square of cloth or a sword may appear as a simple walking stick. The cantrip will not increase or decrease size or volume. The effect lasts for one round.
CHILL/WARM This cantrip affects one cubic foot of non-living liquid or solid matter which the caster touches to instantly become about 40 degrees cooler (or hotter) than it was. The material returns to room temperature within 10 minutes.
CLEAN/DIRTY/POLISH/TARNISH Clean allows the caster to remove heavy soil, dirt, and like foreign objects from floors, walls, dishes, windows, etc. All the surfaces of a like type (e.g., all floors or all windows) may be cleaned in a single casting. Dirty simply sullies all surfaces within range.
The cantrip can also be used to magically smooth and brings a luster to material—such as wood, metal, stone, leather, or ceramic—which he handles. Tarnish and rust may be removed. A single object, such as a pair of boots, a floor, an armoire, or a suit of leather armor, may be affected. Tarnish has the opposite effect. The effect is permanent, but such objects may be cleaned or tarnished by non-arcane means.
COLOR/FLAVOR/WHIFF This cantrip allows the caster to restore faded hues or to tinge the target with a different hue. A single bolt of cloth or set of clothing may be affected. Only non-living items may be targeted, and the effect lasts for 10 minutes.
This cantrip also allows the caster to permanently change, for good or bad, the taste of a single serving of food which he touches. The wholesomeness and quality is unaffected— only the perceived taste.
Finally, this cantrip allows the caster to envelop an area equal to a medium burst template with an odor of his choosing. The odor may be any with which the caster is familiar.
DAMPEN/DRY Dampen permeates an area of up to one cubic yard with a fog-like dampness that leaves all material within it damp to the touch for the next 10 minutes. Dry instantly removes moisture from a similar area.
FIREFINGER This cantrip causes a single jet of normal flame (about 3” in length) to shoot from the caster’s finger. The effect last for but a second; however, the flame will ignite combustible material.
GHOST SOUND This cantrip allows the caster to create an auditory illusion. Any sound, other than a specific voice, the caster is familiar with can be recreated.
GUIDANCE This cantrip will reveal the direction of magnetic North to the caster.
HAIRY/SHAVE This cantrip causes hair, fur or fur-like growth (such as that on a peach) to increase and lengthen by up to 6”. The effect is permanent and the hair or fur must be cut to restore its former length. Shave will shorten such growth by up to 6”. Such growth will return to its former length naturally.
MEND This cantrip allows the caster to make minor repairs to simple objects he handles. Thus, a torn piece of parchment or a broken bottle could be made whole again; a broken wheel on a child’s toy could be repaired, or a cracked mirror made functional. The GM is the final arbiter of what can be repaired with mend and what requires the use of the Repair skill. All of a broken object’s pieces must be present for this cantrip to be effective. The effect is permanent, although the object may be broken again.
MESSAGE This cantrip allows the caster to pass a message of up to 10 words to a target within range. The message is delivered as a faint whisper in the target’s ear.
SMOKEPUFF This cantrip causes a small puff of smoke of the desired color to appear anywhere within range. The smoke puff is of sufficient size to envelop the head of a normal human, and imposes a –2 modifier on Notice rolls.
TIE/UNTIE/TANGLE/UNRAVEL This cantrip allows the caster to cause the object of the magic—thread, string, cord, or rope—to tightly knot itself to its other end, the end of a similar object, or a specific object such as a pole or tree limb. Each casting allows a single knot, of the caster’s choice, to be created. Untie will cause any single knot within range to come undone. Tangle causes all like objects to become tangled in a jumbled mess that will require 2d6 minutes to untangle. Unravel will reverse the effects of tangle.
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