Potions, Scrolls and Spell Books

Potions

For potions the base materials should be liquids, which are combined within a receptacle, usually of a pure noble metal such as gold or silver. The other materials may consist of any other materials, which are crushed into fine powders and then added to the liquid.

This mixture is then heated on a slow heat for 7 days to combine the mixture and fully enchanted. The number of doses that may be created is equal to the number of charges divided by the total MR of the spell or spells contained in the potion. Potions may contain combination spells.

Scrolls

A scroll requires two sets of base materials. The first material is of course the parchment or vellum upon which the spell will be inscribed. Scrolls may only contain one spell with the type of scroll dictating the level of power of spell the scroll can contain.

Simple scrolls may carry a spell with a MR of 1 to 3, Lesser Scrolls a spell of MR 4 to 7 and only Greater scrolls may carry a spell of MR 8+ or combination spells.

The scroll material is fully enchanted and sprinkled with the fine dust of gems relating to the Method of Magick of the spell. Simple scrolls require the dust of 1 gem, Lesser scrolls need 2 gems and Greater scrolls need 3 gems. These gems form part of the base materials.

The spell is then inscribed upon the scroll using a quill, selected for the purpose and enchanted. The ink used is made from the remaining base materials, which must be liquids. To this liquid is added the remaining enchanted materials, which have been crushed or powdered. These materials should be related to the spell in some way.

A Calligraphy & Illumination skill roll is required while inscribing the spell, a failure means the scroll is spoilt and the process must be started from scratch. A Critical Failure results in the spell triggering with the scroll being the point of origin. The time to inscribe the scroll is 1 hour x MR of the spell (or total MR if a combination spell). The mage also expends the normal amount of Fatigue for casting the spell while transcribing the spell formula onto the scroll.

The wording of the spell once inscribed merges into the parchment or vellum, leaving a single phrase upon the surface that may be read. This is the trigger phrase of the spell and when read aloud triggers the spell. As a result, a scroll is always discharged as a cantrip, with only the trigger phrase required.

This can be as little as one word or as much as a whole sentence. Once triggered the wording fades and the scroll crumbles to dust. Until activation the scroll to all intents and purposes does not decay, but can be destroyed by fire or water or other damaging elements such as acid.

If a scroll is found, it is necessary to divine the properties of the scroll to identify the spell inscribed, as each Mage uses an individual trigger phrase for a spell. Once the spell is known the spell can be cast providing the Mage (or even a Non-mage) can read the script used. It is possible for a Mage to ‘transfer’ the spell to their spell book if the spell is unknown. If this is done the spell inscription will appear in the spell book but the Mage will not be able to cast it until the spell has been learned. (In this instance the spell book acts as a learning aid.)

Spell Books And Other Texts

Spell Texts

Many Modes of Magick require or find useful the writing down of spell formulae, be it in a book or on a tree using oghams. Each spell will require one page per MR of the spell, after any modifications for the mode. A spell written for one specific mode is useless to another. However the whole spell text (i.e. all spells contained in the text) may be used as a reference text for reproducing any of the spells in the spell book, any other spells being used for cross referencing.

If the Mage has not learned the spell fully (i.e. enchanted it to MR 0) he may read the spell from the book, this doubles the time required to cast the spell but means the spell is automatically cast as if he had learnt it fully. Naturally the mage must have a spell fully learned to be able to scribe it.

Grimoires

A grimoire is used to store the names and information on specific individual demons rather than a broad type, each individual demon is considered a separate grimoire, though many grimoires are typical bound together in one book. Grimoires will normally require one page for an imp, ten pages for Malebrance, one hundred pages for the powers and principalities and 50 pages for other demons.

The information required to write a grimoire typically requires a great deal of research on top of the time it takes to write the book. Normally this is one day per page worth of research.

To find out whether the research in the grimoire is correct, a successful roll against Demon Lore less the number of pages used for the particular “creature” is necessary for each entry. If the roll is a Critical Success the information is completely accurate and any bonuses normally given by the grimoire are doubled.

A failed roll means that the book contains inaccuracies that make it useless as a grimoire, although the user does not know this until it is too late. A Critical Failure leads to misinformation being included (typically spread by the demons themselves), using the grimoire will alert the demon and be considered an invitation to possess the mortal.

Using a grimoire gives a bonus of +50% to the user’s PSF% and +1 to the Crit Die to spells which effect the demon and to target the demon, if the book is used in conjunction with any spell. However, the spell will take at least ten minutes per page of the book to cast. Typically grimoires are used to summon and bind the daemon.

Treatises

Treatises are similar to reference texts for Magickal research except that they are required to research spells rather than simply giving a bonus. Each treatise is written for a specific Mode and Method of Magick and is unusable for a different method or even the same method but in a different mode.

A treatise requires 100 pages per base MR of the spell being researched (base MR being the MR before the mode bonuses and penalties are applied).

A treatise can be used to research any spell of the relevant method and mode up to the maximum base MR the book was written for. The maximum number of pages a magus may write in a treatise is equal to his ML x TSC% in the relevant method.

Advanced Rules (Optional)

For those players who desire a more in depth approach to spell casting we offer the following additional rules.

Channelling

The Magus uses the process of Channelling to draw upon others to boost their Fatigue when casting high cost spells. It may be used upon both willing and unwilling participants.

The receiving mage must cast the Channelling spell (see Common Spells in Chapter – Spells) upon each participant. If the participant has volunteered through his own free will the spell is not be resisted and receives a +10% bonus to the TSC% of the spell. Participants who are unwilling to give of their energy may make a DIS AR or Willpower skill check. If successful the Mage receives a negative modifier of –10% to his TSC% (-20% if the CON AR or Willpower roll was a Critical Success).

Casting Spell Formulas

The time may come when a Mage wishes to cast a complex formula spell. This occurs when a Mage has built up a string of inter linked spells over a period of time. He must first cast the spell Prepare Combination which allows the Mage to begin stacking his spells. Combination spells may only contain fully learnt spells.

The initial spell in the combination dictates the Method of Magick used for the final casting. Combination spells are never automatic, and receive a negative modifier of 3% per spell incorporated into the formula, to a maximum of 21%. If spells of different Methods are included into the formula, using the Link spell, then there will be a negative modifier of 7% per method above the first.

These combination spells involve the Mage spending days casting the spells into the formula. At the moment the Mage is satisfied that the combination is complete, he closes the formula with the Trigger spell. This ‘trigger’ may contain the following:

Trigger Now: The spell(s) discharge immediately the formula is closed. These are cast as if they were the following:

Word of Guard Up to 3 spells in combination

Cantrip 4 – 7 spells in combination

Hex 8 – 13 spells in combination

Sorcery More than 13 spells in combination

Hold Trigger: The spell(s) are delayed until the Magus wishes the effect to occur. This enables him to expend the required FP over a period of time instead of all at once. The Trigger must include a formula which the Mage must remember to be able to cast. These spells are cast the same as ‘Trigger Now’ spells

Trigger when: The spell(s) will discharge when the conditions set down by the Magus are fulfilled. These spells always activate as if a Word of Guard.

Arm/Disarm: The Magus can temporarily disarm a conditional Trigger on the spell(s) to allow him (and companions) to pass safely by etc. Then can rearm the spell to trigger conditionally. These trigger effects require the Mage to remember the trigger formula and recite aloud as if a cantrip.

Storing Spells

One of the other abilities a Mage may have is the ability to store spells in mundane (unenchanted) materials. This is accomplished, by the Mage casting a spell, or combination spell, into a mundane artefact along with a trigger spell. This allows the mundane artefact to be thrown, or left in a particular area awaiting the trigger conditions to be met. When the trigger spell activates, the casting mage must make his targeting roll.

The duration of the spell within such an item is 1 day per ML. After half of this time (round down) has elapsed the spell begins to dissipate, giving a cumulative negative modifier of 5% per day elapsed, commencing the day the spell was first cast.

Example: A Mage of ML 7 cast a spell into a rock, after 3 days the spell would begin to dissipate. On day 4 the negative targeting modifier would be -20%.

Example: A Mage of ML 7 wishes to cast a MR 4 spell into a rock. In order to do this he would require (4 / 7) x 1 = 0.6 lb or a fair sized pebble. He could use other materials, as long as the total weight was 0.6 lb.

The minimum amount of mundane material able to store a spell is equal to the following formula: Spell MR / Mage ML x 1 lb (round up to the nearest 0.1 of a lb) Spell effects on such mundane items may be stripped from the material if thrown into Circles of Protection. If the Circle of Protection would normally stop a spell of the same method of the spell stored on the mundane material, then the spell effect is “washed” from the material. Only fully enchanted materials retain their spells when thrown into Circles of Protection.

Casting Times

If the Gamemaster allows, then revised timings may be permitted. The basic AP cost can be altered by 1 or 2 Action Points. This may increase or decrease the casting times and may be applied to each spell at the Gamemaster’s discretion.

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.