Creating Magickal Items of Power

There are myriads of items, which can be created as Magickal Items of Power. To simplify this we categorise items into Simple Magickal Devices, Lesser Devices of Power, Greater Devices of Power, Simple Focuses, Lesser Focuses and Greater Focuses.

The process of creating a Magickal device is similar in most cases. First the Mage must research the item he wishes to create. The time required is shown in the Table - Magickal Devices.

At the end of this period the Mage must make a successful Research roll (INT AR) to find out if has acquired the knowledge as to what materials are required to create the device.

The amount of materials required is determined by the type of device being crafted and Table – Magickal Devices – Materials shows the number of different materials that are required.

Correspondences

Table – Correspondences shows the various materials, which form the correspondences for the twelve astrological birth signs. To arrive at the 22 correspondences, which are required by a Magus in many of the items created, such as a focus; he must first take the seven correspondences for the birth sign of the Magus. He must then take the correspondences for the star sign either side of his own and to polarise these 21 correspondences you require the gemstone which corresponds to the birth sign 6 places away from the mages own birth sign. The weights indicate the minimum quantities required enabling the full benefits of the 22 correspondences to come into play.

The steps to creating a Magickal Item are as follows:

1. If creating a focus the 22 correspondences are assembled and fully enchanted to MR 0.

2. The base materials for the item are assembled and are fully enchanted to MR 0.

3. The remaining materials are assembled and fully enchanted to MR 0.

4. The base materials (and correspondences if needed) are assembled into the item. This may require the assistance of a Master craftsman (a craftsman who has a PSF 50% or higher in a craft skill) who must craft the item using the materials enchanted by the Magus. If a craft roll should fail then there is a 100 – (Crit Die x 10)% chance that one of the materials may lose its enchantment. If the craft roll was a Critical Failure all the materials will lose their enchantment and require re-enchanting.

5. The item is then anointed or dusted with the other materials as necessary.

6. If creating a Magick Device, the Mage then empowers the device with the spells he wishes it to contain. This involves the Mage reciting the spell formula repeatedly for a period of (7 / ML) hours x the Spell MR for each spell. He may spend no more than 10 hours reciting the formula at any one time, and no more than 3 hours can separate the periods of recitation.

7. The Mage finally makes a roll against his Method of Magick and compares the result to Table – Magick Devices – Results. In this instance the Crit Die should be rolled by the Gamemaster in secret.

Simple Devices

These devices may hold a single spell up to MR 7. It holds a number of charges of that spell up to 4 x ML of the Mage creating the item. The device may be recharged as long as one charge remains. This is achieved by repeating Steps 6 and 7 in the creation process.

Lesser Devices

These devices may hold up to 13 spells with a total of MR 21 with no spell having a MR of 7 or higher. It holds a number of charges up to 13 x ML of the Mage creating the item. The device may be recharged as long as one charge remains. This is achieved by repeating Steps 6 and 7 in the creation process.

Greater Devices

These devices may hold any amount of spells up to a total MR of 21 x ML of the Mage creating the item, with no MR limit to the spells placed in the device. It holds a number of charges up to 21 x ML of the Mage creating the item. The device may be recharged as long as one charge remains. This is achieved by repeating Steps 6 and 7 in the creation process.

The Greater Device may also become an Artefact of Power if the following is carried out. The Mage seeks out a Diviner or uses the Divination skill himself to determine when the stars are right. On a specific day (as determined by the Gamemaster) the Mage must make a skill roll against each Method of Magick used in the placing of spells into the device. If the roll fails the spells of that method fail until they can be checked on the same day in a year’s time. If all methods fail then the item cannot be used for a year.

Once the mage succeeds with all methods the device becomes self-recharging, and recharges at the rate of 7 charges per day or 13 charges if item is placed at a conjunction of lines of the Metaphysical Current. On its ‘birthday’ it will recharge 13 charges or 21 if placed at a conjunction of the current.

Simple Focuses

A Simple Focus is created in a similar manner to a simple device with the exception that the 22 correspondences of the Mage are incorporated. The 4 base materials relate to the structure of the Focus, the remaining 3 materials must be personal to the Mage and cannot be duplicated. Once these have been fully enchanted, the focus is made and the enchanted 22 correspondences are incorporated into the structure. The Mage must spend 3 weeks constructing the device during which time he becomes personally attuned to the device. Once completed the mage receives the following benefits:

• A bonus of +7% to his Method of Magick PSF%.

• Fatigue costs for spells cast while using the focus as an aid to targeting are reduced by –2 FP.

• A bonus of +5% to his Targeting TSC%

• The Simple Focus can store 3 x ML (the ML of the Mage at the time of construction) in Spell MR’s, which can be cast for the cost of 1 charge per Spell MR.

• The Simple Focus contains a number of charges equal to the 3 x ML and recharges at 1 x ML charges per week. In both instances the ML is that of the Mage at the time of construction.

If the Simple Focus is destroyed within 1,000 feet of the Mage, it results in the Mage having to make a CON AR check. If he fails he loses all Fatigue and is stunned for 1D10 rounds. If he succeeds he loses only half of his Fatigue.

Without his focus the Mage suffers a penalty of -14% to his PSF% when casting spells. This effect lasts for 3 months or until the Mage manufactures a new focus.

Lesser Focuses

The Lesser Focus is created by Mages with ML 3 or more. The 7 base materials relate to the structure of the Focus, the remaining 6 materials must have been obtained by the Mage and not simply purchased. Once these have been fully enchanted and the focus is made, the enchanted 22 correspondences are incorporated into the structure. The Mage must spend 7 weeks constructing the device commencing on his birthday and aiming to end on the first Full moon after the 7 weeks construction period has passed.

During this time he becomes personally attuned to the device. Once completed the mage receives the following benefits:

• A bonus of +13% to his Method of Magick PSF%

• Fatigue costs for spells cast while using the focus as an aid to targeting are halved.

• A bonus of +10% to his Targeting TSC%

• The Lesser Focus can store 7 x ML (the ML of the Mage at the time of construction) in Spell MR’s, which can be cast for the cost of 1 charge per Spell MR.

• The Lesser Focus contains a number of charges equal to the 7 x ML and recharges at 3 x ML charges per week. In both instances the ML is that of the Mage at the time of construction.

If the Lesser Focus is destroyed within 1,000 feet of the Mage, it results in the Mage having to make a CON AR at a penalty of –13%. If he fails he loses all Fatigue and is stunned for 1D10 minutes. If he succeeds he loses half his Fatigue.

Without his focus the Mage suffers a penalty of -26% to his PSF% when casting spells. This effect lasts for 7 months or until the Mage manufactures a new focus.

Greater Focuses

The Greater Focus is created by Mages with ML of 6 or more. The 13 base materials relate to the structure of the Focus and the remaining 8 materials must have been obtained by the Mage and not simply purchased. These items must be obtained at the full or new moon. Once these have been fully enchanted, and the focus made, the enchanted 22 correspondences are incorporated into the structure. The Mage must spend 13 weeks carefully constructing the device commencing on his birthday and adding 3 of the correspondences at each full or new moon, exactly at midnight, aiming to end on the first Full moon after the 13 weeks construction period has passed.

During this time he becomes personally attuned to the device. Once completed the mage receives the following benefits:

• A bonus of +26% to his Method of Magick PSF%

• Fatigue costs for spells cast while using the focus as an aid to targeting are quartered.

• A bonus of +15% to his Targeting TSC%

• The Greater Focus can store 13 x ML (the ML of the Mage at the time of construction) in Spell MR’s, which can be cast for the cost of 1 charge per Spell MR.

• The Greater Focus contains a number of charges equal to the 13 x ML and recharges at 1 x ML charges per day. In both instances the ML is that of the Mage at the time of construction.

If the Greater Focus is destroyed within 1,000 feet of the Mage, it results in the Mage having to make a CON AR at penalty of –26%. If he fails he loses all Fatigue and is stunned for 2D10 minutes. If he succeeds he loses half his Fatigue.

Without his focus the Mage suffers a penalty of -42% to his PSF% when casting spells. This effect lasts for 13 months or until the Mage manufactures a new focus.

Specific Items

The majority of Magickal devices are crafted into every day items such as rings, amulets, crown, staffs, rods etc. The base materials for these items can be as follows:

Jewellery (Amulets, Brooches etc.) Precious metals

Rings ...........................................................................Metals

Staffs ...........................................................................Woods

Rods ...........................................................Wood and metals

Wands ..........................................................................Wood

Crowns .........................................................Precious Metals

Other items can be produced with the base materials being agreed upon with the Gamemaster. An example could be a Gauntlet of Berserking with leather (skins) as the base material.

Common Terms

MR: Magic resistance

PMF:To calculate the Personal Magick Factor (PMF) of a Magus, add together the following:

1. The Mage’s PSF% in his selected Mode of Magick, plus

2. His Aspect Bonus. This is +10 for Well and Poor Aspected Mages and +10 for Neutral Aspected Priest-Mages.

The PMF determines the Mage’s Magick Level (ML). This affects his ability to enchant materials and learn and cast spells. Table – Magick Levels shows the Magick Level (ML) gained for the various levels of PMF.

Cost: A Fatigue Point cost is typically associated with an Act of Faith and will be assessed against the person(s) named.

Crit Die Result: A certain result on the Spirit AR Crit Die is needed for Act of Faith to be successful or else there is an enhancement to the benefit received.

Time: This is the time needed to perform an Act of Faith, Sacred Ritual or Special Power. Duration: The length of time the effects of the Acts of Faith, Scared Ritual or Special Power last.

FP: Fatigue Points

Fatigue is a measure of a character’s endurance and general level of energy. Fatigue is measured in Fatigue Points (FP).

Determining Basic Fatigue Points

To calculate a PC’s Fatigue Points choose the most favourable of:

• The sum of the character’s Constitution and Strength attributes, or

• That of the character’s Constitution and Discipline Recovering Fatigue Points

Fatigue is typically quickly used up in highly stressful situations, particularly during combat or in during Magickal practice. The Fatigue Recovery Rate (FRR) reflects how quickly they can recover personal energy levels and is dependent on Constitution. After 10 minutes of rest a character will regain an amount of Fatigue Points, as shown in Table - Fatigue Recovery Rates. This is the amount of Fatigue Points recovered in the first 10 minutes of rest following any activity. The PC is simply required to rest and do nothing to 'get their breath back'.

This resting period can be extended up to a maximum of 1 hour to recover additional Fatigue Points. After the first 10 minutes of rest the recovery rate drops to 1 FP per 10 minutes of additional rest for PCs with CON 15 or less and 2 FP per 10 minutes of additional rest for those with CON 16+. If a PC wishes to recover more, sleep is required. Recovering Fatigue Points at the sleeping rate has no maximum time period.

Total Success Chance (TSC%)

By this point the character will have all the numbers necessary to calculate his chance to succeed in a skill. The Total Success Chance (TSC%) is calculated as follows:

1. Basic Chance of Success (BCS%) as shown in Table – Difficulty Factors (either skilled or unskilled as appropriate plus

2. The character’s Personal Skill Factor (PSF%) in the skill; plus

3. Any modifiers effecting the character’s performance of the skill, these may relate to the circumstances in which the skill is being performed, etc.

It is conceivable that a character that is highly skilled with many levels in a particular skill may possess a TSC% above the Maximum Chance of Success (Max%) for a skill at that DF. Table – Difficulty Factors shows the minimum and maximum chances of success available for each Difficulty Factor.

In this instance the TSC% is equal to the Maximum Chance of Success (Max%) for the given skill. The reverse may also be true in that a character’s TSC% may be lower than the Minimum Chance of Success (Min%) for a given DF especially if he is unskilled. In this case the character’s TSC% is equal to the Minimum Chance of Success (Min%) for the skill.

However, any amounts above or below the maximum and minimum levels are not ignored, they provide either bonuses or penalties to the Crit Die result. For further details see the section Min% and Max% Success Chances later in this Chapter.

Making a Skills Check

A skills check is made to find out whether a character succeeds or fails with a particular skill at a given moment. The skill check is made up of two elements, the result of the Percentile Pair or 1D100 roll and the result of the Crit Die or 1D10 roll.

The Percentile Pair (1D100)

The Percentile Paid are a paid of ten-sided dice with one die having '0' after the number (this is the 10’s die) and the other being the units die.

If you do not have these specialised dice, roll two ten-sided dice of different colours, one designated a ten’s die and the other the one’s die.

The Crit Die (1D10)

The third ten-sided die should be a different colour from the percentage dice. This is the Crit Die and it should be rolled at the same time as the Percentile Pair.

It is used to indicate the magnitude of the skill check, the larger the result the greater the magnitude of the skill check whether it is a success or failure. The Crit Die result is compared to the appropriate table and the result noted.

A 10 (or higher) result is always a Critical whether it is a Success or Failure. Certain occasions give modifiers to the crit die to increase the chance of a critical result for example using a charging Lance. A critical result brings its own special penalties and bonuses.

Example:

A Well Aspected Magus with a PSF 78% in his Mode of Magick will have a PMF of 78 + 10 = 88. This equates to a ML of 11. If the Magus gained a further 11 levels in his Mode his PSF% would increase to 111 which along with his Aspect bonus equates to a PMF of 121, giving him an ML of 16. When his PMF reaches 128 his ML increases to 17.