Conjuration Rules

This article serves to explain the secondary magic systems in this world, also known as "Oxurian Magic". (The primary being Breath). Conjuration combines Sorcery and Summoning from the base game, with a few additions and exceptions for the sake of clarity. This system is a more forgiving than the base rules too. Original mechanics by Luke Crane. Inspired by The Dying Earth and Amber magic systems. Adapted by Seraaron.

Conjuration—and by extension spell-casting—is a sorcerous art form in this world. Everything in this universe is made from patterns within a great mandala of energy. The Cosmic Mothers are but one part of that tapestry; and she is sewn to all Her Kin by forces beyond our understanding. In a very real sense, all of creation is ultimately of the same substance. Conjuration is an esoteric way to pierce holes through that veil and call out for resonant life. It is both cryptic art and oral tradition.
There are about half a dozen accompanying skills that any magician worth his salt would be remiss to not practice as well, but Conjuration is the key skill. A sorcerer need not be Gifted to learn to how to summon magic, but without a Gift he will not be able to learn or cast 'spells'. Often, the majority beings that are summoned are referred to as 'demons' but these are not the only sort of souls that can be pulled through the veil. Anything with a Great Soul that is not already bound to something can be summoned, including ghosts, elemental spirits, certain gods, and perhaps even the aspect souls of the Ishvara themselves...

History

Conjuration has a poorly documented early history. All that is known is that its use dates back way before the beginning of the current era, probably at least as far back as the so-called Age of Darkness. Old World Summoning was less consistent, more experimental, and very secretive. It was a primal art, with it's roots in folklore and spirit binding. Towards the end of the Age of Fire though three prominent names start to appear in surviving texts from time the time: Silur, Ordov, and Cambria. It is thought that this cabal of wizards bargained with something mighty; and beckoned it to change the world. Opinions on what changed vary, but prevailing theorists say that this is what created 'the Gifts'.
After that, the art of summoning as a form of spell-casting gained traction. Powerful demons were used to wreak havoc in wars that almost destroyed the earth; and many great magicians of that time became victims of their own hubris. The world survived, but the magic was almost forgotten. It's taken centuries to rediscover certain spells, and contemporary sorcerers are rightfully a lot more secretive about their contacts in higher places. Spells and spirits still have their place in this world though, of course, their miracles are not unwanted. The Gift is useful, but not completely necessary, so the fact that anyone can with the aptitude and a mentor can learn this skill means that almost every village has a resident conjurer and maybe an apprentice too. To this day though, there are very few true 'schools of magic' in Loke; instead there are specialised and secretive guilds and exclusive religious sects.
Without one of the Gifts a character only has access to the "Old-World Summoning" rules with their Conjuration skill, see the side-bar on the right.

The Gifts

There are four known ways to get the 'Gifted' trait and each has a different effect on how you learn and use magic: Sacrifice, Faith, Hermitage, and Heritage. All versions of the trait cost 5 pts normally. If 'Gifted' shows up in as a lifepath trait then decide with your GM which version it is. You can only be Gifted once, so choose carefully.

Those Who Walk With Fire

This is the simplest of the gifts; the Gift of Sacrifice. Simply, you must make a great personal sacrifice in a pivotal moment to an unknown entity. The sacrifice may be the life of a loved one, a memory, one of your body parts (e.g. a hand, an eye, a kidney, or your genitals perhaps), or something else entirely—discuss it with your GM—which may be represented by another trait. A sorcerer who has the Gifted trait via sacrifice uses a set of rules for obtaining and using spells that is very similar to the base game rules on BWG pg 499 onward, with two major differences: first, all of the spells you buy with rps are sold at half their usual price (rounded up) during character creation; second, you must still obey the system described in the 'Execution' section below (which is a variant of the 'Arsenal Method' BWC pg 372).

Special Failure for the Burnt

When a character with the gift of Sacrifice fails to conjure and cast a spell, instead of Taxing normally, they can opt for an 'Unwanted Summoning' (see BWG pg 511), which may then demand a price for their service—a mark or tribute, possession, physical sacrifice, or souls, as per the 'Summoning' rules on BWC pg 331—meaning that the spell is still successfully cast if you submit to their demands; or they may simply flee and do whatever they want for a while, they're free now after-all. Alternatively, if the GM has something else planned, waiting in the wings, they they can use this opportunity to introduce that now.

Unwanted Summonings

2d6	Spirit Type	Price
2	Greater Avatar (Ob 11+)	Souls / Obscure / Possession / Harm
3	Major Corporeal Spirit (Ob 8+)	Souls / Tribute / Theft
4-5	Ancient Ghost (Ob 4+)	Tribute / Possession
6-7	Hungry Ghost (Ob 1+)	Harm / Theft
8-9	Minor Corporeal Spirit (Ob 5+)	Mark / Hinder
10	Corporeal Spirit (Ob 7+)	Hinder / Harm / Possession
11	Lesser Avatar (Ob 9+)	Souls / Obscure / Mark / Theft
12	True Deity (Ob 12+)	Souls / Obscure / Harm / Tribute

Note: For Unwanted Summonings the GM should moderate the 2d6 DoF roll by comparing the result with the original obstacle of the failed spell to ensure that a magic whistle doesn't accidentally summon the Wrath of God.

Those Acolytes Dutifully Rewarded

This is probably the most common type of gift seen in the modern day, since almost all religions use it. (Any time you see the 'Faithful' trait in a lifepath, for example, you should replace it with the Gift of Faith). This gift gives you access to a spell list, containing up to 10 common spells, for free; but the spells are decided on by your patron or pantheon—and discussed with your GM. Furthermore, these spells are only available to you so long as you uphold a 'Vow of Faith', which must be written as a fourth special belief (or take up one of your normal belief slots if you already have a 4th belief). Should you break this vow you will suffer retribution: you gain the 'Lost Faith' trait and loose access to all of the spells under the oath until you either make amends in the eyes of your gods (see 'Rituals' BWC pg 276) and make a new vow; or you may turn towards dark gods or demons and swear a new vow to them instead—and thus gain a new, different, spell list—but that is a path of no return.

In addition to spells that you can conjure by channelling the power of your gods, you may learn any other spells of your choosing with rps in character creation or by using the normal in-game rules.

Special Failure for the Faithful

When a character with the Gift of Sacrifice fails to conjure and cast a spell, instead of Taxing normally, they can opt to take one of the 'Divine Afflictions' (see BWc pg 273): empowering your enemies, taxing thine allies, suffering an awful revelation, gaining enmity or infamy, or losing your faith entirely.

Those Who Practice Great Austerities

The Gift of the Wise or the Hermit's Gift as it is interchangeably known is only accessible by character who have taken an 'Elder' lifepath or the 'Thinker' lifepath or something similar (or any lifepath which normally gives the Spirit Binding skill). To obtain this gift you must immerse yourself in a environment of your choosing, you must submit yourself to it completely; wittingly threatening your own life by the extremity. Only by this long-drawn ritual, and by virtue of wisdom and peace, can you gain this power. When you take this gift and learn Conjuration you must also choose an Element: 'Fire (Light)', 'Water (Shadow)', 'Earth (Silence)', 'Air (Sound)', 'Heaven (Order)', 'Arcana (Chaos)', or 'Anima (Life / Death)'. You then gain access to all common spells listed under that given Element, for free. You can also use any common spells that share an element with your chosen type but at a +2 Ob penalty. There are only two catches: first is that you cannot change your mind or take another Element later; and second is that this gift leaves a physical cosmetic mark associated with the elemental immersion, such as: 'Eyes Burning Like Coals', 'Clinging Shadows', 'Unnatural Stillness', 'Windswept', 'Astral Skin', 'In Flux', or 'Bestial Features'.

In addition to spells that you can conjure by calling upon the spirits you tamed in the wilds, you may learn any other spells of your choosing with rps in character creation or by using the normal in-game rules.

Special Failure for the Ascetic

When a character with the Gift of Asceticism fails to conjure a spell, instead of Taxing normally, they can opt for one of the spirit binding 'Retributions' instead (see BWC pp 312-314): to obscure information, hinder you, steal something from you, or do you harm at a later inopportune date.

Element Descriptions

AIR / SOUND

This is the element of wind and weather. It also encompasses balance, speed, alacrity, and the vigour of youth.
Opposite Elements: Earth / Silence.

ANIMA / ANIMUS

Also known as ‘Yin / Yang’, ‘Life / Death’, or ‘Body / Pysche’, this is the element of body and mind and perceptions, it relates to the souls of all living beings; spirit, man, animals, plants, fungi, and all the other creeping things that creep across this earth.
Opposite Elements: Animus / Anima. (Yes, it is it's own opposite).

ARCANA / CHAOS

This element is black and dangerous, also occasionally known as ‘Quintessence / Umbra’ (infernal darkness), it encompasses the magic powers of discord, uncertainty, and maybe even warping the shape space itself.
Opposite Elements: Heaven / Order.

EARTH / SILENCE

This is the element of mountains, stone, dirt, metal, and dead wood. It also encompasses strength, integrity, and the wisdom of old age.
Opposite Elements: Air / Sound.

FIRE / LIGHT

This element is a tool most useful, that of heat and light and ash. Light may guide your way, but it may also burn.
Opposite Elements: Water / Shadow.

HEAVEN / ORDER

This element is white and dangerous, also occasionally known as ‘Numina / Aether’ (divine brightness), it encompasses the magic powers of fate, harmony, and perhaps even skewing the flow of time.
Opposite Elements: Arcana / Chaos.

WATER / SHADOW

This element is a wellspring of purity, of rivers, rain, and oceans. Though the depths of the abyss are also crushing, dark, and cold.
Opposite Elements: Fire / Light.

The opposite elements are noted for the purpose of determining appropriate counter-spells.

Note: The 'White' Element has been remove from the game because it is poorly defined and only originally consists of two and a half spells. Thus, 'Emperor's Hand' now has the elements Anima + Arcana, while both 'Storm of Lightning' and 'White Fire' are now Air + Fire. You may notice that certain other spells have slightly altered elements too; if in doubt check the Spell List which is ordered by element.

Those Born Of Strange Powers

This gift is for those lucky few with parents in high places; or for those whose mortal parents made some prior bargain with a demon; though sometimes even the otherwise normal children of an Incarnate or other Kindred type may end up with this trait. (Note that there is a lifepath called 'Gifted Child' which is guaranteed to give you "The Gift of Heritage", but you can also take it by spending 5 rps as per the usual rules). Those who are Born Gifted may call upon any common spell of their choosing at any time by innate force of will and careful practise. This functions in a similar fashion to the 'Universal Library Option' (on BWC pg 373) except that you must still obey the system described in the 'Execution' section below. A new common spell may be added to your spell list up to once per session by attempting to summoning it to you, which counts as its own scene (test Conjuration at an obstacle equal to the spell's Ob, with +1 Ob if it has a caret ^, or use base Ob 5 if it uses a target stat). If you fail, then that particular spell can never be learned.

In addition to spells that you can conjure by simply demanding they serve you, you may learn any other spells of your choosing more permanently with rps in character creation or by using the normal in-game rules.

Special Failure for the Amateur

When a character with the Gift of Heritage fails to conjure a spell, instead of Taxing normally, they can opt for a 'Garbled Transmission' instead (see BWG pg 510).

Relationships with Spells

Since every spell is a spiritual creature—infernal, undead, divine, or dragonic—if there are particular spells that you would like to be particularly good at casting you can name it and take a relationship with it. Spending 5 rps gives you +1D, 10 rps gives +2D, and 15 rps gives +3D. These values can be affected by all the usual reducing factors as well (see BWG pg 94), though they must be properly justified and agreed upon by the GM... Beware a hateful miscast spell! These sorts of relationships can also develop over time, in game, through play.

Obscure Spells

The Spell List is divided into two parts, common and obscure. Typically, these spells can only be bought at character creation at their full rps price regardless of how your are Gifted, or found in game through difficult means: via Old-World Summoning, Research, or simple exploration and roleplaying. Obscurity does not necessarily correspond to power-level though, the list is not separated in a feigned attempt to "balance the system" by hiding all the most useful spells away. Often the fact that the spell is obscure is just a reflection of how well-documented their use is by other sorcerers. In fact the more useful a particular spell is the more likely it is to be researched and recorded so that as many versions of it (and of spirits that do similar things) can be found as possible. The most obscure of all spirits of all are also probably the most useless from a sorcerer's perspective. Of course, there may also be numerous powerful beings out there who go to great measures to keep their identities secret; but they are the exceptions.

Execution

Conjuration is a sorcerous skill. It is naturally open-ended. It requires Instruction from a tutor to begin learning: it cannot be learned from a book. (Consider taking a relationship with this tutor). It also requires a sorcerous skill tool-kit (see the 'Components and Tools' section below). Conjuration is a subtle art; at it's core it requires ritualistic incantations and gestures and bargaining. Recent developments in mathematics have shown that the process is aided by drawings of complex circles which are the abstract solutions to higher dimensional analytical problems; but casting a pre-prepared spell can actually be quite quick—almost instantaneous—if your execution is just right.

Summoning a Spell

Once you have a spell in mind you can attempt to summon it to you: Make a Conjuration test at an obstacle equal to the Ob of the spell. The process takes a number of hours equal to the Ob.

Bonus Dice

During the Conjuration test for a spell you can only FoRK Aura Reading if you also have Second sight / Magesense. Circination can be FoRKed for another +1D but this adds an extra 2 hours onto the summoning time (since you are effectively drawing a small 'Summoner's Gate' first). You may recieve Help, but only from a magician who knows the same spell that you are currently casting. You may work also carefully for +1D, but this doubles both the base summoning time and the base release time.

If you succeed the test then you can spend any marginal successes and release the spell there and then to cast it; but because this takes hours, releasing a spell immediately is often somewhat pointless (or must be very well timed). Instead, the Gift allows sorcerers to do something very special:

Hanging Spells

Instead of releasing a spell as soon as it's cast, a Gifted sorcerer may 'hang' the spell in their mind instead. Marginal successes may be spent as per the usual rules to increase the base effect (if it had a caret ^ in the Ob), or the duration, or the area of effect, etc, as per the usual rules; but the obstacle can also be increased to reduce the 'release time'. The base release time of a hung spell is normally half of the original Obstacle (rounded up) in actions, or 5 actions if it uses target's stat as the Ob or if it uses a range of obstacles (+/-). While hanging a spell the sorcerer may opt to add so-called "lynchpins" to it which reduces the release time down by 1 action each in return for +1 Ob to their test. More than one lynchpin can be added, they stack, down to an absolute minimum release time of 1 action.

Example: Say you want to hang an Ob 4 spell. Its base 'release time' is 2 actions. You can increase the obstacle to Ob 5 to add a lynchpin and reduce the release time down to 1 action.

Spell Slots

A sorcerer may have a maximum number of prepared and hung spells equal to his Perception exponent minus 1 (and an extra +1 slot for Grey Perception, or +2 for White). These do not 'Tax' the sorcerers Perception like sustained spells do for Will, this is simply a measure of how many spirits the you can comfortably fit in your head. Additional spells must be hung in a Spell Matrix (see the 'components and tools' section below). Also: injuries do not decrease this number.

No Double Dipping

You may not hang the same spell more than once. Unless you have gone out of your way to find another spirit who can produce a roughly similar effect as another spell you already know (effectively meaning that you've learned the same spell more than once). Remember, they are living creatures. The 'fire fan' spell that you know is probably very different from the one that your friend knows, but the end result is roughly same: your enemy gets burned.

Note: These mechanic replaces the normal 'Working Hastily' and 'Coup de Magie' rules. They are a variant of the 'Arsenal Method' seen in the Codex.

Releasing a Spell

Once a spell is hung, releasing it can be done at any time. There is no extra Ob here, it just takes time to mentally untangle the demon from your cortex. This is where lynchpins help to do some of that work in advance. In a Fight or similar action-based conflict releasing a spell only requires a number 'cast spell' actions equal to the release time minus any lynchpins that you assigned it. In DoWs or RnCs timing matters a lot less, so you needn't worry about lynchpins.
Once a spell is hung, it cannot be released without a target. It cannot be forgotten or replaced, it must be cast. It yearns for freedom.
Once released, the spell-slot that it once occupied is allowed to be filled by another spell once you get some downtime again.
Important Note: Spells cast under this system are still hampered by the positioning disadvantage and other factors in a conflict, but these penalties do not count towards the Ob to successfully cast the spell. That, for example, you can successfully cast a weapon-spell like 'Shards' at Ob 2, with three successes, but it then misses because of positioning disadvantage or bad lighting (+2 Ob). Similarly, if the spell fails to be cast and you opt to Tax, the situational penalties aren't added to the Tax test.

Sustaining Spells

If the sorcerer hangs and then releases a spell with the 'Sustain' duration, then it takes up one of their Will dice as per the usual rules (BWG pg 508). After sustaining a spell for a number of hours equal to your untaxed Forte, you must make a Forte-based 'Tax' test for every sustained spell. This type of Tax cannot overtax you though; if current Forte reaches zero you simply pass out.

While sustaining a spell not placed in a Sustainer a sorcerer can suffer a "may not" (as described on BWG pg 508) which causes them to test their Will at the base Ob of each spell sustained (counting as a series test) (in any order of their choosing) to determine which spells they're able to hang onto and which ones fizzle out. A sorcerer may take 'physical action' at any time to transfer a sustained spell from his mind to a Spell Sustainer (see below), or visa versa, which helps to nullify this mechanic.

Ritual Spells

Not all spells can be hung! They are either too complex to fill the sorcerer's mind, or their effects are simply not conducive to granting near-instant effects. These are called 'ritual spells' and, as their name implies, they usually require some sort of crazy ritual. They are marked as Rituals in the Spell List, or for base Burning Wheel spells, they are typically any spells with a casting-time greater than 100 actions. Generally, the effects of ritual spells fall closer in-line with the 'Old World Summoning' style (see the right side-bar).

Preparing a 'Spells Hung' list

The point of the hanging / lynchpin system is to give the wizard a chance to think ahead and prepare the spells they think they'll want or need in their trials to come. But preparing multiple spells at once can take a lot of time, potentially dozens of hours if done back-to-back. If time is of the essence then the GM should impose strict time-keeping regulation. Another factor to consider in this is that there are only 20 hours in a day on Loke. And since the process takes hours, this can eat into any time you might want to reserve for practise during downtime.
You may write an instinct such as "always make time to prepare X-specific spell", but you may not write an instinct like "always have all my spell ready". You can't carry your entire magical arsenal around in your head at all times and whip just the one you need out at the last second! You have to think ahead.

Free Refills

If you're starting a new game, or have just moved out of a period of downtime longer than a couple of weeks, then you can completely refresh your currently hung spells list with as many bonus dice as you can cram in from FoRKs and working Carefully, etc. But be aware that this will cut into your available daily practice time for other skills, and spending hours preparing spells does not count as practise for Conjuration.

Retroactive Rolls

For the purpose of preserving the pacing, and to make sure every test matters, we don't actually make the Conjuration test when the spell is cast and hung; rather, we make it when it's released. So you write down your prepared spells list at the start of an adventure, say, and then only make the test when they're about to be released. This might at first sound slightly counter-intuitive, after all: why would you release a dangerous spell that your character has known for days that they failed summon properly, for example, while we the players are only just finding that out? But this is more a matter of correct framing. The best way to frame this is simply to say that your character doesn't know the result of their spell casting attempt until they release it. It's more fun that way anyway.

Failed Castings

A summoner does not really know whether a spell has been successfully cast until it is released. So even 'failed spells' will get hung and released eventually. Woe-be to the sorcerer who's convinced his mind is full of failed experiments that he's too afraid to set free. There are numerous potential consequences when you failed a Conjuration test for spell-casting which, as with every roll in the game, you should decide upon before making the test. The options depend on the type of Gift you have (see the 'History' section above), but two options that are always available are:

1. Tax

Tax means that the spell does nothing once released. The spirit escaped without your noticing, or was never bound there in the first place. The abject hole it left by the tangle of mental lynchpins that just imploded in your psyche forces you to make Will-based Tax test at an Ob equal to that of the failed spell (including lynchpin penalties but not including situational penalties). If you overtax on this test then you'll suffer from intracerebral haemorrhaging and take immediate damage equal to Ob of the spell multiplied by any margin of overtax. (This will undoubtedly make you fall unconscious, so any other spells you're already mentally sustaining will be automatically interrupted too).

2. Broken Marriage

Another alternative option for all sorcerers is that this is the correct spirit and the correct spell—the one that you just summoned, that is—but that this summoning is the last straw, and it no-longer respects you. It performs its duty one last time, out of obligation—counting the failed test as a success—but afterwards you can no-longer cast that particular spell again until you go find and apologise to it and make amends (which will probably also have the 'Enmity Clause' invoked, for +2 Ob against social skills or +4s in a DoW), or you must find a different spirit who can produce a similar effect as the spell and re-learn it all over again.

Note: These mechanics replace the normal 'Tax' and 'Failed Casting' rules.

Components and tools

Conjuration also requires a sorcerous skill tool-kit, which costs 8 rps at character creation, or 16 rps for a powerful conduit that always grants a +1D balance die. Without a conduit all base obstacles for Conjuration are doubled.
This is your magical conduit. Classically, these take the form of wands, holy symbols, amulets, staves, masks, or animal companions; but they can be anything really so long as they are either made by the summoner themselves using an Artist or Craftsman skill (usually Ob 2 or 4) or created in some fashion related to how they first obtained their Gift. Think about your personalised idioms and aesthetics during character burning. The conduit should be unique to your character.

For example, the archwizard Mandor forged himself a simple set of iron boding balls to store his excess spells in, the witch of Cereza was said to have woven her own hair into a suit that puppeteered her demons, it was famously revealed that the so-called Unshattered Thorn was using gemstones inset under the plates of his armour that he hung mending spells in, and the shamen of Mbali supposedly tattoo themselves with arcane sigils that each sustain a unique blessing.

Useful Magical Devices

Along side your normal conduit there are also three other 'minor enchantments' that can be applied to objects which can aid or supplement Conjuration use. They are: Matrices, Sustainers, and Multipliers.

Matrices ⸻ Ob 3-9

This enables the object to have spells hung in it, as though it is virtually adding to your Perception score to increase your total number of spell-slots. The obstacle to turn an object into a Matrix depends on how many extra slots you want to have: Ob 3 for 1 extra slot, Ob 6 for +2 slots, or Ob 9 for +3. The skill you must test to create a Matrix must be Artistic, like Illuminations, Painting, Engraving, Sculpture, or Body Art (n.b. this is the closest thing to traditional spells scrolls, runes, and tomes that you'll find in this setting). Matrices make for good loot rewards, since they can still contain random lost spells which long for freedom. Deciphering which spell is contained in a found Matrix requires an Aura Reading or Cryptography test at an Ob equal to the spell's Ob.

Sustainers ⸻ Ob 5

This item can sustain exactly one spell of your choice. You must choose this spell at the time of creation, and thereafter it may only sustain that specific spell only (or, more accurately, spirits who can produce that same spell effect). The Obstacle to create a Sustainer is always 5, regardless of the spell, but the skill you must use depends on the element of that spell: use Alchemy to create a Fire, Water, Air, or Earth spell Sustainer, or use Ritual to create a Heaven, Anima, or Arcana spell Sustainer. Afterwards that spell must be successfully cast and then transferred to the Sustainer with a physical action. In theory, the sustained spell then lasts indefinitely—not depleting a Will slot and not requiring a Forte-based Tax test every [Forte] hours—until the Sustainer leaves the sorcerer's Presence (paces = Will) or the sorcerer dismisses the spell.

Multipliers ⸻ Ob 4-8

A most powerful object indeed, a Multiplier may be used to increase a spell's area of effect (AoE), breadth, or the number of affected targets on the following scale: Ob 4 increases by one level, Ob 5 increases by two levels, Ob 6 increases by three levels, Ob 7 increases by four levels, and Ob 8 increases by five levels (choose which before testing). A Multiplier must also be made with a specific spell 'Element' in mind. If the spell you want to put through it has a mixed element then the Multiplier must be made for that specific mix. The skills used to turn a vessel into a Multiplier are typically Craftsmen skills which incorporate a lot of careful faceting or layering of surfaces, such as Lapidary (gem cutting), Embroidery, Etching, Carving, or Chandler, but Weaving, and Cryptography can also work. When you release a spell of the chosen element through the Multiplier it gains the desired bonus effect. A Multiplier can work indefinitely, but if a failed spell or garbled transmission is cast through it then it has DoF chance of breaking afterwards.

Note: For 'AoE Multiplers' the levels increase in the following order: Self / Single Target, Half-Presence, Presence, Double-Presence, 10s of Paces, 100s of Paces, Miles, 10s of Miles. Whereas a 'Natural Effect' uses the scale on BWG pg 520.

Vessels and Antecedents

In addition to the right skills and a successful test, creating any of these magical devices requires its own tools and components. Specifically: a 'vessel' to contain the enchantment, and an 'antecedent' to power it. The vessel may be anything you want it to be really, though if you make your own vessel you gain +1D to the test to create the magical device. The antecedent meanwhile must be a trait appropriate to the intent, extracted from a magical being and added to the vessel using Alchemy or Taxidermy (whichever is more appropriate for the trait). The obstacle is the points cost of said trait (or Ob 3 for common traits, and Ob 4 for unpriced lifepath traits). This extraction process counts as a Linked Test for the test to create the magical device.
Note: These rules apply to creating new magical conduits too.
Important: All magical conduits and useful magical devices are magical—meaning they contain a 'dweomer' or maker's mark—and they are non-expendable—meaning that you don't normally have to roll a DoF every time you use them. They can however still be lost, stolen, destroyed, killed, or made redundant; this is usually an explicit failure consequences decided on by the GM and based on context presented in the fiction though.

Magic as an Oral Tradition

Both Conjuration and Abjuration require instruction to learn. And Conjuration also needs immersion in an element to gain an affiliation. This is not a process that can be simply written about and learned from a book; it must be shown. One can write about magic, in an academic sense. But one cannot write down a spell as one would write a poem. A powerful enchanter might be able to imprison a spirit into a book, and it's pages may blur and twist like the splotches of ink in a Rorschach painting, but that is not a process that can be easily learned and studied and reproduced like a science experiment; unless you happen to use precisely the same spirit.
This is to emphasise that your magic is unique to you. You may have had a mortal instructor, one of the great masters, you may have even apprenticed at a guild to learn from them; or perhaps this is a technique only passed down through the elders of your isolate village; but they had to learn somewhere too? Most likely, the fist people to ever be taught these subtle arts were taught by spirits who knew them innately. If every magician in the world died tomorrow then all their knowledge would die with them, and only the spirits and their secrets would remain.

Localisation

Conjuration may be performed anywhere in the universe except in Heaven. In heaven they have powerful wards and sigils and essence-eating gods to protect the bureaus against magical sabotage. If you hung a spell outside of heaven then you won't be able to cast it inside; if you try to prepare one inside of heaven then you'll suffer a double obstacle penalty, and you better hope you don't get caught!
Other parts of the world may have legal laws against magic use, but few can impose them without the aid of a spirit or incarnate.
There are also a few 'hot-spots' and 'dead-zones' or Jhars in the world. Active ley-lines may provide a bonus die or three to your next sorcerous skill test, while other places might simply not let you cast spells at all, or will at least impose an obstacle penalty.

OLD WORLD SUMMONING

Of course, Conjuration can also be used in a traditional sense too. Spell-casting is a core-refinement of this larger process. The normal 'Summoning' rules start on BWC pg 324, and most of everything in there can be applied here as well, with the following changes and emphases: We treat Old World Summoning a lot more like a Circles test—but for spirits—and there's also a blend of Spirit Binding in here. You may purchase or gain Affiliations with specific cults or orders and / or gain Reputations can within certain courts of spirits. These only add bonus dice to summoning attempts and normal Circles use; they don't add to spell-casting tests described in the main body of this article. The only exception are Relationships; which can grant +1-3D bonus dice to cast specific spells, or can be summoned 'for free' at any time just to chat or to call favours on like any other relationship. (N.b. Like Circles, using summoning in this fashion means that nothing can be explicitly FoRKed).

Services & Payment

It's worth emphasising that the difficult part of using Conjuration this way is the actual summoning part. That is, the magic bit: correctly calling the name of the wanted spirit, performing it's rites, etc. This depends predominantly on the overall power of the creature in question, and on what kinds of wards protect them from being summoned in the first place. Failure, from this point of view, might mean that a lesser creature is summoned in its stead. Once the thing is summoned, it will want to discuss the terms of its service. This is where the actual intent of summoning the spirit will most likely come into question, so it's good to establish this before you make the roll to summon it.
There are thousands of unique spirits in this world. So a rigorous list of all possible things that they might be capable of doing would be pointless. In essence though, the list of services on page 325 is only a sample. We recommend allowing the 'Revelation' service to be usable as per the 'Reveal' powers on page 310, or as 'Guidance' or 'Inspiration' in BWG pg 525, for example. Similarly, since gods and demons both effectively have access to a Breath exponent of 10 or more they can more-or-less do anything that the Faith rules can do for you, so long as the intent falls within their Domain of influence. There shouldn't be a separate Breath test for the spirit to do this, rather the price should be increased if one summons a deity and then asks them for a major miracle, say. This price is set by the summoned being at the start of the negotiations, and can only be reduced by Bargaining. If the summoner does not like the price they've been offered and can't haggle them down, their only option is to release the spirit into the world, which will likely have it's own consequences (especially if you're not standing in a Fortress Circle), or to issue them a challenge (see below).
The standard list of prices can also include a Geas, Quest, or Contract,—or sometimes multiples of these for higher beings—which must be written into one's beliefs; but which you can still earn Artha off of as per the usual rules. In other words, if the spirit is going to do something for you then they can ask you do something else in return. The belief must stay on your character sheet until it is completed (and it must be completable, no matter how far-fetched), so if you choose not to engage with it you're only hampering yourself. The spirit, meanwhile, will complete their end of the bargain as quickly as they're able so they can regain their freedom.

Challenges

You may, at any time during the negotiation process, decide to challenge the spirit instead. (Even if you don't have any marginal successes to bargain normally). The contest takes the form of a versus test of the spirit's choice, and is always an all-or-nothing ordeal: Gambling, Dancing, Philosophy, Poetry, Intimidation, and Riddles are popular choices, but it can be anything really. Failing this game will mean you must pay their price without receiving their service, but success means they must fulfil your request for free! If you have the spirit trapped in a Prison Circle, then the skill to is your choice; and in this case they must either accept or remain your prisoner indefinitely (i.e. until the situation changes, or until the circle is broken).

Circination

Circination comes into it's own for traditional summoning as well. Rather than just being a FoRK, it can be used as described on page 335 to draw Prison Circles, Gates, and Fortresses. You may only draw one of these Circles per summoning test. Potential FoRKs for Circination include Astrology, Calligraphy, Cartography, Illuminations, Painting, and Symbology; and if you have the 'Geometric' trait then take a bonus dice from that too; plus Wises.
Without any kind of circle, the spirit must still stick around and listen to your intent. Only with marginal successes can you bargain for a better price, as a versus Bargaining test. And only by trapping the summoned creature in a Prison Circle when you summoned it do you have another option available if you don't like the terms of service:

Research

The more you know about a particular spirit—such as it's names and titles, duties, domains, and sanctums, etc.—the easier time you'll probably have bargaining with it. Thus it can be useful to try to do some research before-hand as well. This takes the form of a Research linked test, usually. FoRKs, Help, and linked tests can include anything from Augury, Demonology, or Empyrealia, to Astrology, Illuminations, Cryptography, or even Name Ritual; all depending on the context. Oscure History, Ancient Languages, or Jargon, or Riddles, and appropriate Wises might be useful too.

Food for Thought

How do you know about this spirit? Have you summoned them before? What might they look like? What's their speciality? What sort of spells or other magical powers do you think they'd be capable of replicating? If they got free how bad would that be for your friends and immediate surroundings?

Orders

In a broad sense, there are 5 orders of spirit that can be summoned: Avatars, Deities, Demons, Dragons, and Ghosts. Within those orders there are numerous types, species, or courts, but attempting to list all these kinds of spirit would be relatively fruitless. So let's leave it at that.

To Do List:

This article is complete for now, but if I ever get time to work on more stuff for this system here's a list of reminders for myself:

Write rules for learning new spells in game. Use BWG pg 518 for now, but replace the First and Second 'Readings' with 'Summonings' followed probably by a conversation with the spirit and a Bargaining attempt, then practicals, then 'sealing the deal'. Also maybe something about how to get a relationship with a spirit in game?

Add more spells to the Spell List (Conjuration), specifically some more example spells from 'The Nameless Grimoire', and maybe add "spell schools" or "themes" for extra flavour.

Explain 'Natural Effects'

More compelling counter-spell options?

And I should write some more lore stuff.