Thaumaturgy

Unfinished

Thaumaturgy (or mortal sorcery) is the school of sciences, magics, summonings and other minor sorceries and spells that mortal magicians — alternately called thaumaturges, witches, exorcists, alchemists and enchanters (among other titles) — study in lieu of Charms and the powerful spells of the three circles of Sorcery or Necromancy.

Savants believe mortals learned thaumaturgy back far beyond the reach of history from beings known as the Dragon Kings, possibly as their assistants or possibly as an act of rebellion against them. Almost anyone might know a procedure or two, as mortal sorcery draws not on the power of the caster but the nature of Creation and the properties of ritual ingredients. The Enlightened have a major advantage because they can substitute Essence for knowledge or a long and involved ritual, but there is nothing that thaumaturgy can achieve that is beyond the most skilled mortal practicioners.

Creature Types

Many rituals affect one category of creature, and procedures only a sub-class of one of the categories. The standard categories are: Beasts, the Dead, Demons, Elementals, Exalted, Fair Folk, Gods, and Humans. Sub-classes include Erymanthoi (a species of demon), Hungry Ghosts, or Lunar Exalted.

Paying the Costs

In game terms the cost of a mortal spell is represented by the difficulty of the roll to cast, which quickly becomes implausibly high. The mechanisms below grant a bonus to the roll:

Blood

Drawing blood from themselves or another living creature also grants the caster a bonus to their spell. Some traditions consider this evil, but most accept it for animal or self-sacrifice. If the ritual is being cast over multiple days then enough damage for the bonus must be inflicted each day. If less than the maximum bonus for a creature is claimed then it is injured but not immediately killed. The Art of the Dead can enhance the use of blood in rituals.

Sacrifice	Bonus
Small animal at least the size of a pigeon or rat	+1
Large animal .e.g. dog or cow	+2
Human	+4
Exceptional human or animal	+1 per point absorbed by a Moderate or Sereve Consequence, +1 additional for death

Chiminage

The caster can negotiate with magical beings to donate power to a spell. All spirits can do this, other beings require a specific Charm. The being agrees to the ritual or type of ritual they will power and then can spend any number of Essence tokens, each of these grants the caster a +1 to one agreed upon spell. The donor can cancel all or part of the chimnage at any time (but cannot change the terms), until they do or the Essence is spent they cannot regain that Essence.

Essence

Casters with awakened Essence can spend it for a +2 for each token spent. Geomancy can provide a small amount of extra Essence for this purpose

Exertion

Vigorous chanting, extended dancing or katas and similiar activities by the caster draw extra power into the spell and so grant a bonus. This is damage (level depending on the bonus), usually absorbed by stress boxes or consequences. If the spell is being cast over more than one day the damage is taken each day. In a dire enough situation, the caster can choose the lowest level on the table that would kill them, they die as the ritual is rolled.

Damage	Bonus
2	+1
4	+2
8	+3
16	+4
32	+5

The Science of Geomancy has ways of allowing people who are not the caster to donate energy via exertion.

Ingredients

Some rituals require materials that are consumed in the casting and some do not, but all can benefit from increasing amounts of such ingredients.
Increasing the cost of ingredients by one Resources level (including from none to Resources 1) grants a +2, this can be done repeatedly (to a maximum of a Resources 6 purchase). The final cost might be modified by how hard it is to find the specific ingredients, generally this will be +1 Resources for one direction difference or +2 for two directions. For example if a nothern shaman was in the Lap and attempting to boost a command animal ritual it would be a Resources 3 purchase for a +2 (going from 0 to 1, then another +2 resources because water melted from snow and the leaves of a plant common in his homeland are expensive to buy this far south).

Investment

Charms exist that can lend Essence to others, which allows thaumaturges to power rituals (as above).

Known Charms include: Essence-Gifting Method (Spirit), Power-Investing Prana (Solar) and Wise Commander's Gift (Dragon-Blooded)

Time

Each spell has a minimum time to cast, but while this cannot be reduced it can be increased for a bonus. Find the smallest time in the table below that matches or exceeds the time to cast the ritual. For each line the caster chooses to go down in the table gain a +1.

Time
1 Action
2 Actions
5 minutes
1 hour
5 hours
1 day
5 hours each day for a week
... each day for a month
... each day for a season
... each day from the day after Calibration to the day before Calibration

Workshop and Tools

A prepared and well stocked ritual space with re-usable tools and references makes casting rituals easier. A workshop must be specialised in a single Craft (e.g. Craft(Fire)), Art, or Science.A Portable or Basic workshop must be specialised and works for Craft or all the Arts or a single Science, higher levels can be used for any purpose but building one is likely to attract attention. Maintaining a workshop that is in use requires a monthly expenditure of Resources one level below purchasing it. A Master's Workshop is the assumed baseline for constructing Artifacts. Constructing anything more than a Basic workshop is likely to attract attention, from longer distances and more powerful entities the more powerful the workshop.

Workshop	Resources	Thaum Bonus
Portable tool roll	2	+1
Basic Workshop	3	+2
Master's Workshop	4	+4
Flawless Workshop	*	+8
Ideal Workshop	**	+12

* Building a Flawless Workshop is similiar to building a level 3 Manse (plus Resources 4 for monthly maintenance), and the spiritual impact can be felt. These are also called Shogunate-style Workshops and a handful are known to exist
** An Ideal Workshop must be part of a powerful Manse, none have been constructed since the First Age and there are no known functional examples.

Greater Orrery

Astrology involves using an orrery to help track the movement of celestial objects, but a sufficiently accurate one can also be used to suggest when destiny has changed because objects are diverting from their predicted paths. In addition to the normal bonuses for tools, the following orreries grant a bonus to Art of Astrology rituals

Greater Orrery cost	Thaum bonus
Resources 4	+1
Resources 5	+2

The Arts

The Arts are a common body of knowledge, to attempt a spell the caster need only have a sufficiently high Occult and the general knowledge of a Degree, though specialised knowledge makes the process easier.

The Art of Astrology

With a complete chart for a subject (using Scale for groups) and a period of observations of the night sky something of the future can be predicted. The future is never fixed, but the information provided by this art remains useful.

Apprentice Rituals

The first task of an astrologer in making a prediction is to gather as much information about the subject and his family as can be gathered — births, deaths in the family and dates of certain relevant events. This information is then entered into charts of data, and correspondences with heavenly events are drawn up. These tables can then be used, in conjunction with formulas, tables and information gathered from checking the night sky, to compile a chart that can be used in future predictions and rituals; Determine one ability the subject has (or will have for a child) at 3+ (or highest ability under 3)

Initiate Rituals

Determine whether a child will favour Physical, Social or Mental abilities; After a Divination create an advantage for an Aspect to achieve a specific goal; Generate a chart (and determine date & place of birth) for an adult based on their deeds - information must be gathered first; Lesser Divination: predict the subject's future (either vaguely for a month or extremely vaguely for a season, vaguely for a season or month on success with style).

Adept Rituals

Determine which Virtue a child will favour; Determine if a person has a significant destiny; Standard Divination: predict the subject's future (either incomplete but enlightening for a year or somewhat accurate for half a year, somewhat accurate for a month to a year on success with style)

Master Rituals

Determine whether an object contains starmetal; over a year make observations to plan a Greater Orrery (resources 4 or 5 orrery Greater Divination: predict the subject's future (either reasonably accurate for ten years or accurate with details for three years, accurate with details for a month to ten years on success with style)

Divination results

Accuracy	Example
Extremely vague	The road ahead is difficult
Vague	Trouble is coming for you
Enlightening	Old enemies will darken your path
Somewhat accurate	A former rival will seek vengeance
Mostly accurate	A former classmate seeks to vindicate his belief in his superiority over you
Accurate with details	Shao Yin will seek to disabuse his compatriots of the notion that you are the superior martial artist by challenging you

The Art of Warding and Exorcism

Wards protect an area against different beings. With a Degree a thaumaturge can create a Ward against an entire category of beings (e.g. Beasts) while a Procedure can only cover one sub-class (e.g. Vermin, or Solar Exalts).

Multiple Wards of the same kind do not stack, only the most powerful of each counts, however different kinds of wards (e.g. Lesser & Standard) can be stacked and each will have its full effect.
A ward will always have a physical component, such as a line of salt for wards against ghosts or carved glyphs against gods, these must be created or placed when the Ward is cast and require physical maintenance for Wards that are expected to last longer than a year. Warding a house or similarly sized area costs Resources 2, a large mansion requires Resources 3, 4 a town and 5 a small city. Casting Maintenance on a Ward costs Resources 2 levels lower, this cost must be paid each year for a long lasting ward as part of the physical maintenance.

Apprentice Rituals

Detect a ward; temporarily lock a door

Initiate Rituals

Alarm Ward; see types of invisible creatures; Lesser Ward (mental aversion to entering the area)

Adept Rituals

Alarm Ward Maintenance (increase the base wards duration damage immaterial creatures; drive a possessing creature out; Lesser Ward Maintenance; Standard Ward (physical barrier against creatures, damages those that get through protection against magical mental influences

Master Rituals

Force a spirit to leave; damage or destroy wards; Greater Ward (mystic barrier that keeps a creature out and prevents them making physical or magical attacks through the barrier Keyed Ward (add conditions that allow creatures through a Ward)

Initiate Formulas

Difficulty 4

Alarm Ward Against (creature sub-class) Create a magical line that warns the caster whenever a subject crosses it, as long as the caster is within a few miles. Appropriate Charms or magical effects allow a roll of Stealth vs original casters roll to avoid triggering the ward, Sorcery or Necromancy spells bypass it automatically. Lasts 1 day. Time 1 hour, Resources costs see above.

Difficulty 6

Lesser Ward Against (creature sub-class) Creates the Aspect Lesser Ward on the area that prevents subjects from entering without rolling an Integrity Overcome with a difficulty of the casters result. Lasts 1 day. Time 1 hour, Resources costs see above.

Adept Formulas

Difficulty 8

Alarm Ward Maintenance Lengthen the time an Alarm Ward lasts, subtract the difficulty (8) from the result rolled and read these as successes on the Ward Duration table below. Time 5 minutes, Resources costs see above.

Standard Ward Against (creature sub-type) Creates a barrier subjects cannot cross, with a strength equal to the casters roll. Creatures with Essence higher than the strength can cross, which tears a hole other creatures can pass. Weaker creatures can attack the ward (difficulty 2), reducing the strength by damage caused, the ward then counterattacks using its current strength vs Resistance. Lasts 1 day. Time 1 hour, Resources costs see above.

Difficulty 10

Lesser Ward Maintenance Lengthen the time a Lesser Ward lasts, subtract the difficulty (10) from the result rolled and read these as successes on the Ward Duration table below. Time 5 minutes, Resources costs see above.

Master Formulas

Difficulty 12

Greater Ward Against (creature sub-type) Creates a mystical barrier that subjects cannot pass, nor can they use physical or magical effects through the ward. The ward has a strength equal to the casters original roll. Creatures with Essence higher than the strength can cross, which tears a hole other creatures can pass. Weaker creatures can attack the ward (difficulty 2), reducing the strength by damage caused, by itself the ward is not damaging but if combined with a Standard Ward the counterattack of that ward is equal to the sum of the strengths of the Wards (but both wards take full damage). Lasts 1 day. Time 2 hours, Resources costs see above.

Keyed Ward Cast with another Ward it limits the scope, creating a condition that allows a subject to pass. The condition must be objectively definable that can be observed voa mundane means ("those with my sigil tattooed upon them" or "my ancestor ghosts" are acceptable, "someone telling the truth" or "my followers" are not). Must be vast at the same time as the base ward, taking the sum of the duration of both and rolling each separately. Time 1 hour, Resources 2.

Standard Ward Maintenance Lengthen the time a Standard Ward lasts, subtract the difficulty (12) from the result rolled and read these as successes on the Ward Duration table below. Time 5 minutes, Resources costs see above.

Ward Duration

Successes	Duration added
0	+1 day
1	+1 week
2	+1 month
3	+1 season
4	+1 year
5+	+successes-3 years

The Art of Husbandry

Several Formulas below include (Creature), this must be "Mortals" (or a subtype like "Men after puberty"), a specific type of animal (e.g. bovines, vermin) or plant (e.g. seed crop, orchids), each type is a different Formula.

other Arts. Alarm Ward against (Creature), Ward Against (Creature), Lesser Ward Against (Creature), Ward Maintenance for Husbandry and Keyed Ward for Husbandry.

Apprentice Formulas

Difficulty 4:

• Judge the Pure Beast Does the animal have any magical properties (not what they are). 1 minute, Resources 0
• Warding the Crops Forbids one kind of pest on a Tie (plus one additional type per extra success) on 1 acre of crops or 5 trees or large plants, lasts 1 week or a month with style . Time: 5 minutes, Resources 0

Initiate Formulas

Difficulty 4:

• Summon Beast (Species) Calls a nearby animal (within a few miles). Special Difficulty: +1 for a specific animal not owned by the summoner, +1 per extra animal, +1 or +2 for predators. Special Bonus:+2 if the animal considers the caster its master. Typically takes 2 hours for the beasts to arrive, or 15 minutes on a success with style. Time 5 minutes, Resources 0

Difficulty special:

• Control Beast (Species) The command must be a single action or word, or a command the creature understands. Difficulty contested roll Occult vs Integrity (+1 per extra animal), Special Bonus:+2 if the animal considers the caster its master. Time 1 exchange, Resources 0

Adept Formulas

Difficulty special:

• Summon Mortal Compel a single human (or similar) to travel to you. Only a specific individual can be summoned. On a success the target will travel to the caster but not take risks. On a success with style the caster can make the target travel as if nothing were more important, or let the target know who the summoner is (or both). On a failure the caster can let the target sense the summoning (Enlightened targets always sense it) and while the target does not know who the summoner is they can choose to travel as if the roll was a success (if they stop obeying the summons it fades). Difficulty Occult vs Integrity+6 (=2 for different region or +4 for different Direction), Symbolic Link: anything the target has given the caster. 1 hour, Resources 2

Master Formulas

Difficulty 14:

• Improved (Species) Breeding Breed animal stock unnaturally well, for instance faster horses or more venomous snakes. In addition to the casting time the thaumaturge must pick th ebest stock (for their purposes) and care for the mother throughout the gestation. Time 1 hour, Resources 3

The Art of the Dead

The Sciences

The four Sciences are vitally important to mortals in the Second Age, they are the cornerstone on which much of society functions. Unfortunately most thaumaturges may know at best a few procedures, systemic knowledge is rare and frauds and forgeries common. In order to cast a spell from a Science the caster must have a sufficent Degree (Initiate, Adept, Master) in the Science along with a Formula or know a specific Procedure for the spell

The Science of Alchemy

Alchemy is the art of producing compounds or substances that have (usually short-term) magical effects. Most alchemy is fairly simple herbalism. The alchemist uses the properties of various plant and animal parts to enhance the natural processes of the human body or to achieve other effects. At the higher levels of knowledge, alchemy truly comes into its own. By purifying and revealing the essential natures of the materials used — mixing elements or metals based on their cosmic significance, on their elemental alignment, or based on their associations — alchemy gains the ability to cause truly miraculous feats.

Requirements

In a city or large town in the correct Direction the raw materials for a dose of a potion are availble immediately and cost Resources 1-4 depending on difficulty, increase time or cost for other circumstances.

Known Potions

Initiate Rituals

Difficulty 4: Everyday medicines such as mild painkillers, cleaning agents, long lasting dyes, touchstones that last 3 months and can identify the presence of one substance or property (e.g. jade alloy).
Difficulty 6: +1 to a specific ability (cannot exceed +4) for a minute or two, allow a character to ignore the effects of a mild consequence for several minutes or start a mild consequence healing.

Adept Rituals

Difficulty 8: +3 to a specific ability for a minute or two or +1 for an hour or two, +1 to one approach for 1 minute. Grant a non-supernatural aspect for one hour, ignore effects of a moderate consequence for several minutes or start a moderate consequence healing.
Difficulty 10: Increase an ability by +1 permanently, ignore the effects of a severe consequence for several minutes or start it healing.

Master Rituals

Difficulty 12: Add decades to life, increase an ability by +3 or an approach by +1 permanently, gain a non-supernatural aspect permanently or a supernatural one for an hour.

Limits on Alchemy

Bonuses granted by Alchemy do not stack, use only the largest. Many difficulty 10 or higher formulas do not work on Exalts or other supernatural creatures and using any Charm for an ability burns out the effects of any potion for that ability as well as the approach rolled.

Internal Alchemy

It is possible for an alchemist to save time and cost by directly consuming ingredients of a potion and using their own body to combine and transform them into a working potion, but this only works for potions the alchemist intends to use themselves and the best possible result on a failure is that they have swallowed some mildly toxic substances

The Science of Enchantment

The items created by this Science are often known as Talismans or Wonders, and while not as potent as Artifacts they are still impressive.

Apprentice Rituals

Determine if a Talisman is real, analyse a wonder or Talisman, temporary cosmetic charges (such as colour) to items.

Initiate Rituals

Enchant an item to be exceptional for decades, process lesser exotic materials (such as ironwood)

Adept Rituals

Enchant an exceptional item to be perfect for decades, process greater exotic materials (such as steelsilk or lucky rocks)

Master Ritual

Enchant a minor (one-dot) Artifact that lasts for decades.

The Science of Geomancy

Apprentice Rituals

Detect whether a person or object is under the effects of Charms, spells or Thaumaturgy; find and follow dragon lines; determine if an object is an Artifact or Hearthstone; temporarily attune to an Artifact (requires a source of Essence).

Initiate Rituals

Attune to a manse, demesne, or hearthstone; detect a manse or demesne from a distance; collect Essence taken from a demesne; cleanse an area to make a subsequent ritual safer

Adept Rituals

Bless an individual with limited good luck; Curse an individual with limited bad luck; Modify an existing building and layout, or help design a new building, to grant a specific type of good fortune; Determine how an area several acres in size needs to be altered to grant a specific form of good fortune; find the geomantic stress points of a Manse or Demesne; Use a hearthstone or Manse to detect the direction of the other; Reduce the Essence Flow into a spirit's Sanctum

Master Rituals

Awaken a mortals Essence; Disrupt thaumaturgical effects; Scry via an Arcane Link; Enhance a building with multiple forms of good fortune; Create a casting space that slowly generates Essence

The Science of Summoning

Calling the spirits, the elementals and the dead are what is commonly thought of when Summoners are mentioned, but in fact, nearly any creature can be called to a thaumaturge who knows the right words to use and the right actions to take. The hunter that whistles up prey to be slaughtered, the horse trainer who can call in the herds from the field — they are as much summoners as the black cultist making deals with the Yozis’ servants.

To summon a particular individual either their true name must be known or the caster must use a symbolic link, hair, nails or blood of the target are the most common, specific links are listed below. Otherwise a category can be specified (e.g. a Nemissary or Garda Bird) and a being who meets the criteria will be targeted. Some summonings include control, for the others bargaining will be necessary.

Worship Rituals

Many of the rituals of this science relate to the worship of a specific god, not being aware of the god and its practices increases the difficulty by +2 but being an ordained priest of the god gives +1 to effective skill.

Apprentice Rituals

• Summon Ghost Also part of The Art of the Dead. Difficulty 4 (+2 per century the Ghost has been dead), Time 15 minutes. Symbolic links: location of death or burial, fetter. Ingredients: Fresh blood poured on the ground (Resources 1 for a small animal, or free if the caster uses a small amount of their own blood). Special Bonus: +2 if the correct funeral incantations of the ghosts culture are included in the summoning. During Calibration or in a Shadowland or the Underworld a failure means that 3-5 random ghosts per point of failure have been summoned instead. On a success the ghost is not immediately hostile without reason, on a success with style they will answer one question

Initiate Formulas

Difficulty 4:

• Summon Beast (Species) Calls a nearby animal (within a few miles). Special Difficulty: +1 for a specific animal not owned by the summoner, +1 per extra animal, +1 or +2 for predators. Special Bonus:+2 if the animal considers the caster its master. Typically takes 2 hours for the beasts to arrive, or 15 minutes on a success with style. Time 5 minutes, Resources 0

Difficulty special:

• Control Beast (Species) The command must be a single action or word, or a command the creature understands. Difficulty contested roll Occult vs Integrity (+1 per extra animal), Special Bonus:+2 if the animal considers the caster its master. Time 1 exchange, Resources 0

Adept Formulas

Difficulty special:

• Summon Mortal Compel a single human (or similar) to travel to you. Only a specific individual can be summoned. On a success the target will travel to the caster but not take risks. On a success with style the caster can make the target travel as if nothing were more important, or let the target know who the summoner is (or both). On a failure the caster can let the target sense the summoning (Enlightened targets always sense it) and while the target does not know who the summoner is they can choose to travel as if the roll was a success (if they stop obeying the summons it fades). Difficulty Occult vs Integrity+6 (=2 for different region or +4 for different Direction), Symbolic Link: anything the target has given the caster. 1 hour, Resources 2

Summon Demon

Summon Elemental

Beckon Spirit

The Science of Weather Working

Learning Thaumaturgy Rituals

In order to cast a ritual your character must know it. What this means differs between the Arts and the Sciences but generally depends on the Degree the character has with the Art or Science and access to a Formula for the Ritual.

Degrees

A Degree applies to a single Art or Science and represents general knowledge of that area of Thaumaturgy. Each Degree is a Stunt and has pre-requisites of the lower Degrees of the same Art/Science (a character can't learn the Adept Degree for Alchemy unless they already have, or are simultaneously learning, the Initiate Degree for Alchemy) and a minimum Occult level (players of characters built with Approaches rather than Abilities can decide if it makes sense for their character to already have the minimum or if they require instruction or research first).

0. Apprentice Anyone with Occult 1+ counts as an Apprentice in all Arts and Sciences, Rituals have a base difficulty of 4. Not all Arts and Sciences have any Apprentice level rituals
1. Initiate requires Occult 1+, Rituals have a base difficulty of 4 or 6
2. Adept requires Occult 3+, Rituals have a base difficulty of 8 or 10
3. Master requires Occult 5+, Rituals have a base difficulty of 12 or higher
Each Degree is specialised in a single Direction, by default this is the Direction the character learnt it.

Procedures

Each Procedure is a specialised form of a single Ritual for a specific purpose. For example, Summon Demon is a ritual of the Science of Summoning while Summon Blood Ape is a valid Procedure for that Science.
Each procedure is ⅓ of a Stunt, Adept level procedures require Occult 1+ and Master level requires Occult 3+.
Each Procedure is specialised in a single Direction, by default this is the Direction the character learnt it. Unused fractions of a Stunt can be saved up and spent later.

Expertise

Expertise with a single Procedure gives +2 to cast the Procedure and also costs ⅓rd of a Stunt, it can be purchased multiple times for a single Procedure.

Formulas

A Formula is a recorded (typically written) version of a Procedure that can be referred to while casting or used as a source to learn the Procedure. A character can research to create a Formula if they have a Degree sufficient to cast it.

Casting Rituals of Arts

To cast a Ritual from an Art the character requires either a high enough Degree or the correct Procedure. Having both grants a +2. Access to a Formula does not help with casting.

Casting Rituals of Sciences

To cast a Ritual from a Science the character requires either the correct Procedure or both a high enough Degree and uninterrupted access to a Formula. Having both a Degree and Procedure does not grant any bonus, the benefit of a Degree is that it lets the character create their own Formulas given enough time.

Creature Types
Paying the Costs
The Arts
Astrology
Husbandry
Warding
The Sciences
Alchemy
Enchantment
Geomancy
Summoning
Learning Rituals
Casting Requirements