SpellRelay
Previous Themes
- Consumption
- Birds
- Metamagic
- Servitors
- Dwellings
- Emotions
- Dream
- War
- Flowers
- Ruination
- Healing
- Dueling
- Excessive
- Curses
- Multi-Elemental
- Lost Things
- Turning It Up To Eleven
The Eighteenth theme is Music
To a certain extent, sound will also do. The weaving together of themes to create or change is my focus. But go crazy!
To Clarify the Cacaphony - Terrestrial Circle Sorcery -- Paincake
Cost: 15 motes 1 wp
Duration: One Week.
This spell has grown from the simple musings of poet-sorceror Gre'arus Tol into a useful tool for many wandering sages, even those not artfully inclined. This spell brings into focus the great Celestial rhythm of the world for the entirety of the week, or one 'verse' in the universal concierto. After spending the essence, the sorcerer becomes aware of the relations that tie everyone together; much like a listener can untangle a symphony's many varied chords (though they combine seamlessly), by concentrating upon a person or object and making a simple Occult+Perception roll he may determine where the notes interject, or separate the different instruments so to speak. Mechanically, he may detect Backgrounds; by eyeing a Dynast he may see how strong their blood ties are to their family, or follow the musical chord back to someone's prized posessions. He becomes aware of Contact Jimmy the Hand, or mighty Ally The Monkey King. A simple success would allow the sorcerer to note that the Dragon Blood's blood is strong. Several successes would allow him to see that he is a scion of House Sesus by way of strong Mnemon blood. Likewise, a simple success would allow you to be aware of a contact in a general area, whereas several successes would tell you exactly where the target and Jimmy the Hand take their first drink the first Saturday night of each month. To cast this spell, a small music piece must be played or sung by the caster as the motes are spent. Upon crescendo, the instrument disappears into the caster's body for the duration. (This spell may also be whistled.)
To Shatter the Harmony - Shadowlands Circle Necromancy -- Sz
Cost: 20m
Duration: (Essence) Week
Even the most beautiful of orchestras may be ruined with but one misplayed sound. Sometimes, human life is like that orchestra. Though one instrument may be sweet even when played alone, it can never be as sublime--or fragile--as hundred strings playing at once. To achieve greatness beyond itself, one human being depend on one another. Yet, it is in these dependencies that make them strong where the weakness lies. One bell strikes a note at the wrong time and the rhythm of hundred bells staggers. One string plays a note at the wrong tone and the harmony of hundred strings shrieks. It is always the one mistake that shatters the harmony.
To cast this necromantic curse, the necromancer must play a musical instrument loud enough to be heard by everyone she wishes to affect. They need not listen to it or even be aware of it--merely hearing it in their subconscious is enough. The sound is inherently wrong--it is simply not within the tones no musician recognizes. All mortals who hear this sound lose a dot in every statistics to the minimum allowed. The victims are unaware of the decrease in their capacities, however, and are rather compelled to blame their amplified ineptitude on others. Not only is the productivity of the populace decreased, an air of hostility and scorn builds and plagues the region as everyone begins to blame everyone else.
In the Mandate of Heaven rules, the affected Dominion loses a dot of Compassion or Temperance and incurs a point of Limit every week. Also, while the curse lasts, the populace is placed on a hair trigger--the Dominion possesses permanent Limits equal to the necromancer's Essence. Once the curse fades, the Dominion recovers one lost Virtue dot per week.
Property of Sound - Celestial Circle Sorcery -- Paincake
Cost: 25m, 10 mote commitment
Duration: Until Commitment is removed, or Essence in months pass.
Using this spell is highly likely to draw the attention of many, and in the past it was for this purpose used. The caster must compose a masterpiece; an exceptional, catchy, or merely 'good' song will not do. Once created they must perform the music as they cast the spell; a full performance culminates in the song becoming reality. Music is inspiration and madness, a gateway allowing dreams into Creation. When this spell is complete, the area is sanctified in the Caster's name and the area shifts to match the theme of the music. The air vibrates with the feel of the song; for miles the world is as the music intends it to be. It allows the caster to shape as though he were in the Wyld for a radius equal to their essence in miles. Anyone entering the radius is affected as though the music were being performed at all times. If the music is stirring they are charged, if it was romantic their hearts burst with love, if it was a dirge they constantly weep, and unless the essence is higher than the caster's they cannot stop this effect without expending willpower.
False Heartbeat Army - Labyrinth Circle Necromancy -- Han'ya
Cost: 20m
Duration: Indefinite, see below
To cast this spell, the necromancer must first procure a great tanko drum made from the wood of the black ash and stretched with tanned human hides, engraved with foul Labyrinthine sigils. As he casts the spell, he must beat upon the drum with two hammers made of human bone that still houses wet marrow. While his music persists, a single mass-combat unit of the caster's choice, which must consist entirely of the walking dead, is disguised as a unit of the corresponding size consisting of still-living troops. The troops can hold inconsequential conversation, although on close interaction it is only a difficulty 1 (Perception+Awareness) roll to notice something unusual. They sound, smell, and move like normal humans, as well as having apparent heartbeats and the warmth of living flesh, and not counting as the walking dead for purposes of magical effects backed by an Essence, Artifact, or Manse rating no greater than the caster's, although still counting as creatures of darkness. The relentless undead hunger is temporarily banished. All such undead's illusory heartbeats will appear to beat in unison with each other and the drumbeats of their caster. If the caster ceases to play the music, the Illusion effect ends, and the zombies will immediately rampage. If the caster's music is interrupted, the effects of the spell end and the caster loses an additional 5 motes to Oblivion as the magic satiating his army's hunger is pulled out of his soul by the roots. This magic will affect the unit regardless of distance, but can only cross realms of existence if the sound of the drum can be heard from the portal (which must remain open, or at least passable, for the duration).
Fair Trade - Terrestrial Circle Sorcery -- WarpedNTwisted
Cost: 10 motes 1 wp
Duration: 1/3 Day
[E3]
A Twilight Caste who loved to travel crafted this spell to pay for her passage on ships, and her accompaniment of caravans. At Dawn, Noon, and Sunset, the Sorceress casts this spell on her instrument and then plays for a minimum of 20 minutes. This will appease Storm Mothers for one full day, and will give the following benefits to the crew of a ship, or the caravan team: Roll Performance + Dex, one success gives anyone who hears the song one automatic success on doing their job (Sails get furled faster, Oxen respond quicker, lines get stowed neater) and it moves 10% faster without being fatigued. This is due to ships finding good currents, or caravans choosing the best part of the road to use. At three successes this is increased to 20%, and 30% at 5. Should the sorceress get 8 successes on her performance check, something happens that is interpreted as a "good omen". Examples would be Dolphins (water elementals) in the bow wake, red tinged sunsets, or a breeze from the rear. A performance of this level negates the need to cast the spell for the rest of the day and still retain the benefits of the free success and travel speed bonus, though after playing this well, people may ask her to play at the times she has been playing because they have been looking forward to it. Should the sorceress fail her performance check, that would be an indication that her instrument fell out of tune and no bonuses are granted to the crew or speed, but Storm Mothers are appeased by the successful casting of the spell and the attempt itself. Botching the performance check means a string broke, a peg was lost, etc and at least one hour must be spent fixing it. Storytellers are free to have storm clouds on the horizon until the next time she is supposed to play, and then have them dissipate if successful at the following interval. You may also note that the casting of this spell correlates to 3 out of the 4 regularly scheduled times for praying to the Unconcerned Sun. Travelling Immaculate Order may also notice this.
Comments
I'm too tired to be doing this. - Sz
- Seconded. Someone else make a spell, I is saddened no one likes the theme. =( Paincake
I'm not sure if this spell is any good, but I just wanted to get this moving. Feel free to tear me to pieces. - Han'ya
- Seems okay. I'd just dump the essence/artifact/manse requirement entirely, since A) at an essence level high enough to cast Labyrinth Circle necromancy, the rating has to be 5+ anyway, and B) the necromancer can't really take any other action while the spell's in effect due to the drumming, which is enough of a restriction.
- As an aside, you need to pick a new ManseRelay theme. - LeumasWhite
