SpellRelay/Metamagic
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The third theme is Metamagic
Sleeping Dragon Sigil</b> (TedPro)
<b>Terrestrial Circle Sorcery
Cost: 10 motes
The Sleeping Dragon Sigil accepts a single Terrestrial Circle Spell and a set of instructions, and, at the appropriate time, the spell is triggered. The sorcerer must have another spell in mind while casting this spell, and must determine exactly how the spell will be cast, and what conditions will trigger it. The triggering conditions for the spell can be very complex, but can only use information and senses that the caster possesses at the time of casting. The spell must be cast immediately after the Sleeping Dragon Sigil is placed, and all cost for both spells must be paid in advance - if the spell being placed in the Sleeping Dragon Sigil has a variable cost, the cost paid must be determined during casting. Otherwise, the stored spell is triggered as if cast by the sorcerer, making all the decisions the caster made when scribing the Sigil - if an important decision is left vague or unspecified, the exact means of manifesting is unclear, or if there is not enough Essence for a spell with variable cost, then the spell fails, fading immediately. All motes for the Sleeping Dragon Sigil, and for the spell stored within, are committed until the Sigil is triggered. The sorcerer can deactivate the Sigil and release the committed Essence by touching the Sigil and willing it to be dispelled.
The Sigil takes on the form of a glowing circular symbol, which can be placed on any flat surface larger than the caster. The symbol is very clearly visible, is about the size of the caster, and takes the shape, image and color of the caster's Aspect or Caste Mark. If no Caste Mark is applicable (as, for instance, for a non-Exalted sorcerer) then the symbol will be a mark that somehow identifies the caster - the caster's family crest, perhaps, or the caster's name inscribed in a circle. The Sigil glows brightly (and, if the caster is Abyssal, bleeds) and resembles the caster's fully activated Anima. When triggered, it fades completely.
A promising student in the Heptagram, assisted by three scholarly demons, originally developed this spell a hundred years before the disappearance of the Empress. He was convinced it would make him famous. Sadly, jealous instructors and administrators buried the idea, declaring it too clumsy and inefficient. To further condemn the spell, theorists suggested that the scholarly demons tricked the inventor: a bit of the caster's mind was housed in the Sigil, and that demons could somehow corrupt a sorcerer by taking possession of the Sigil and bringing it to Malfeas. Whether or not these accusations were true, they were sufficient to halt any popularity the spell might have gained. The Sleeping Dragon Sigil spell was filed away and forgotten, and only a few known copies sit on dusty archival shelves.
The Sleeping Dragon Sigil is certainly inefficient, and only usable with Terrestrial spells. More powerful versions of the spell, usable with Celestial or even Solar Circles, or more efficient versions, which do not require committed Essence, may certainly be possible to research.
Rite of Benevolent Exclusion (Darloth)
Celestial Circle Sorcery
Cost: 30 motes
In the first age, use of sorcery for many purposes was common, but the use of spells for war was even more prevalent than it is today in the second age. Seeking a way to make battle-spells less dangerous to use, several celestial sorcerers who had been hit by the backlash or edge of several spells, often those thrown by their allies, devised this ritual. Although it is a lengthy hour long ritual, and requires a day of fasting and purification from the target beforehand, it allows the sorcerer to name a single spell that he knows from the celestial or terrestrial circle that will not affect the target until the next calibration. However, the rite only protects against that spell cast by -specifically- this sorcerer, and so is useless to protect against hostile magic. Even so, sorcerers able to cast it found that it was immensely useful under the right conditions, as with enough preparation, whole groups of men could be made immune to mistargetted battle magic from their own side, as the destructive energies would twist and wind their way around those so protected. However, as the sorcerer's found to their peril at the usurpation, there is no way of easily ending this spell without use of Sapphire countermagic, and if you have immunized someone against all of your attack spells, there is very little you can sorcerously do against them.
This spell only protects against direct effects, and cannot be used with any spell which only affects the sorcerer. In addition, sorcerers cannot immunize themselves. If the spell was not designed to protect the caster, then this magic is not of sufficient flexibility to correct that design flaw.
Spell Turning Rebuke</b> -By Issaru
<b>Solar Circle Sorcery
Cost:40 Motes
The exalt gathers the essence around him in a golden aura and purple lightning arcs charging him with power. This energy lasts for the duration of the scene. The Exalt can now redirect the energies of hostile magic directed at him, allowing the caster to reflect the effects of any spell of a lower circle targeted at the caster
In the case of area effect spells or spells that create something, the Solar using this spell takes control of the effect (i.e. causing Golems to attack their creator or her allies and causing Death of Obsidian Butterflies to spring in the direction the solar wishes).The spells radius of control is equal to the Solars Essence+Occult multipled by fifty yards([Essence+occult]x50yd)Radius. Creations/ Constucts made by spells are usurped as the spell is cast. The Solar may also direct the redirected spells of others to originate from any area within this spells Area of Effect. However, it only has this effect on sorcery cast after it is in place, and it has no effect at all on purely personal spells.
This spell was created by the Solar Ara Daru of the Twilight Caste as her attempt to quell the newest foes of the deliberative the Dragon Bloods. Unfortunately for Ara, she never got the chance to use her spell for she was wisked away by an unidentified Demon soon after it was finished. The spell can still be found in her manse 'Quiet lies the Heart' which lies forgotten in the Wyld of the deepest South.
Dread Apprentice (TedPro)
Shadowlands Circle Necromancy
Cost: 10 motes (committed), 1 Health Level (committed)
This spell can only be cast in the Underworld, and requires a helpless or cooperative hungry ghost. The ghost is then compelled to serve as a form of terrible necromantic battery to the caster, and is bound to the caster. A pale silhouette follows the necromancer who has this spell in place, whether in Creation, the Underworld, or elsewhere.
Any other necromancy spells cast by the necromancy do not use the necromancer's own Essence, but instead use the Essence of the hungry ghost. This Essence does not recharge, and when the last mote of Essence is spent, the hungry ghost is delivered permanently to the Void. The caster cannot spend her own Essence on necromancy while the Dread Apprentice is in place, but can end the effect and remove the committed Essence as a standard action.
A Necromancer willing to commit enough Essence and Health levels can have multiple Dread Apprentices.
Aegis of Emptiness (Darloth)
Labyrinth Circle Necromancy
Cost: 15+ motes (5 committed per circle)
When this spell is cast, the necromancer names a single spell from any circle of sorcery or necromancy that he has knowledge of. The necromancer does not need to know the spell, but he does need to know how it works and at least a basic understanding of the essence flows. Seeing a spell cast while under an essence-sight effect such as All Encompassing Sorcerer's Sight is sufficient, as is making an extendedintelligence + investigation roll at difficulty 3 + circle with an occult library, each roll taking a week of research.
When the necromancer has knowledge of the chosen spell, they cast the Aegis for 15 + the cost of the other spell, of which 5 motes are committed for each circle of the other spell.
Once it is cast, the Aegis waits over the necromancer as an invisible protective sigil. It can be seen by anyone that can percieve immaterial spirits, although they will not necessarily know what it means. Someone that sees it can make a non-reflexive Intelligence + Occult roll at difficulty 3 to determine what it does, and if they achieve 5 or more successes, they can also tell which spell it is primed for.
If the named spell is cast at the necromancer or cast within his Essence x 20 yards, then the sigil explodes into a vast gaping maw of the void, which absorbs essence from the targetted spell. The opposing sorcerer casting the spell -must- pay twice the mote cost of their spell, or they pay as many motes as they have and the spell is sucked into the void and negated. The sigil activates automatically in the instant the target spell is completed, and -any- casting of the chosen spell within range will activate it, no matter who is casting it. If appropriate, it will even activate against the necromancer's own spells, if they are idiotic enough to use the selected spell. It should be noted that if the essence cost is paid, the other spell will work as effectively as normal, and the sucking void sigil will implode as it is paid for. Spells which are stopped through use of this spell never have aftereffects or splash damage, because all of their essence has been drained away. It was originally invented by a Solar in the first age who sought a non-dangerous way of countering magic use, but was discarded as being too focused and not effective enough. It is ironic that it is more effective against spells the higher their circle, but such is the nature of the ever-hungry void. The Aegis of Emptiness lasts for one month per point of permanant Essence the caster has, and the necromancer may not have more sigils from this spell than their permanant Essence at any one time. Each sigil must additionally be keyed to a different spell.
Example: Shadow of Bone recently had his head removed by a flying guillotine, and, while not fatal due to his dark magics, it was very inconvenient. As such, he researches the spell and then casts an Aegis of Emptiness against it. Next week, he is eradicating creation as is his wont, and an upstart dragon-blooded sorcerer attacks him with the guillotine. She must pay 20 motes, not 10, although her spell is just as effective as ever. Shadow of Bone counterspells it anyway, since the sigil activates on its own, and then procedes to easily eradicate the upstart now that she has spent so much essence.
Empowering Heart of Darkness</b> - issaru
<b>Void Circle Necromancy
Cost:30 motes + 2 commited motes per corpse empowered
Murmuring prayer and suplications to the Void, the necromancer charges the air around himself with dark energy empowering the corpses he controls, giving them strength and power. These corpses are warriors even the Solar Exalted have reason to fear. After casting this spell the necromancer must cast either Raise the Skeletal Horde or any of it variations in permenant form. The Undead created by this spell have a bonus to all physical attributes equal to the caster's Essence; they also gain the same bonus to their Brawl and Martial Arts scores. In addition to these bonuses the undead gain any Martial Arts Charm the caster posseses up to and including the Form. The minions are perfectly loyal. If controlled by anyone but the caster the minions explode, doing a number of dice of lethal damage equal to the caster's Essence to all targets within a number of yards equal to the caster's Essence. For every skeleton empowered this way the caster must commit two motes of essence. The skeletons have an essence pool Equal to the casters Essence multiplied by four. This spell lasts for one cycle of the moon, after which the corpses dissolve into nothingness.
Comments
Thought I'd archiveSpellRelay/Birds and get this moving on. I didn't participate in the last relay, so I'll leave choosing a new theme to someone who did. -- AntiVehicleRocket
Oooh, ooh! Pick me! (Ahem. Sorry.)
Anyway. I nearly participated, but someone nabbed my idea and made it better but different. Either way, can I suggest the idea of Symbols? Anyone is free to suggest others, especially if they actually put up a spell, but the idea of big mystic Symbols appeals. Interpret 'Symbols' however you will, obviously - Darloth
I dunno. Symbols is cool and all, but what about just leaving it alone and doing Your Ad Here spells. First Age Advertising anyone? --BrilliantRain
I was thinking maybe metamagic as a theme i know it sounds D&Dish but it could be really cool seeing as how it hasn't really been done yet,well thats my Idea - Issaru
- Metamagic could work. All we really have now are the countermagic spells. -szilard
- Another vote for Metamagic. It's close enough ^_^
- -- Darloth
Okay, Metamagic it is. -TedPro
- re Sleeping Dragon Sigil</b> the spell shouldn't need you to commit essence you already had to cast a spell(spending motes and willpower)to cast another spell(spending motes and willpower) just to have the later spell go off later.If the Essence commitment is for balance give the Sigils a time limit(i suggest a limit of 2hr per pt of permenant essence).A proximity limit might be nice too just to discourage Cheese monkeys. - Issaru
- Honestly, it's intended to be expensive and inefficient - storywise, it's a spell that didn't really get completely refined. It's a really flexible spell, and you can do a lot of surprising things with it. The committed Essence means sorcerers would have tremendous problems having more than one in place. A time limit would also do the job, but I like the idea of a sigil that might just hang around for decades, waiting to be triggered. --TedPro
- Only problem is that for a dragon-blooded, that's almost ALL of an essence pool. I can see why they thought it was useless... 20 committed essence for the cheapest of spells, and the sigil is large, inflexible and obvious. It's a really nice idea though. Perhaps you should mention how it might be possible to research ones for other circles, and if so what they would cost. The flexibility in triggering conditions makes it really useful though. Can it cast something on the sorcerer even if he/she(/it?) isn't around? -- Darloth
- Good point! I included such a mention. --TedPro
Only problem with metamagic is that it doesn't fit too well to the one from each Circle idea, since most metamagic should be scalable. I have a nice idea for a sorcery, but it applies to all three circles. I'll put it up if noone comes up with anything fitting the progression
-- Darloth
- Any effect that should apply to all three circles should either be broken into three different versions (like the Countermagic and Demon Summoning spells), or should be turned into a Charm. - Quendalon
- Put it up! The more content, the more goodness! -TedPro
Content up. Comments are welcome and appreciated. Note that each casting much be counterspelled separately, so it could take a while to remove all the protection you put on someone if they decide to turn on you.
-- Darloth
- Great spell! The usefulness and risks are very clear, the Usurpation tie-in is brilliant, and every PC will want this for their Circle. The only thing I can think to change would be to mention that this only protects directly, so it doesn't, say, make you able to attack through Bronze Skin, or immune to Wood Talons - or to specify indirectly. Also, who needs to fast and purify? The sorcerer, the target, or both? --TedPro
- Thanks for the suggestions and pointing out the little bits I forgot - I'll add them in. I also have another suggestion, but it really fits everywhere, as in one version for all circles of sorcery and necromancy, although perhaps a necromantic only version would be okay...
-- Darloth
Well this is my Spell i was trying to make a spell-redirector without negating the need for countermagic hope it works - Issaru
Fiddled your grammer and punctuation a little. Hope you don't mind! I originally thought it was too powerful, but realised that... no, for solar circle, it's not. You might want to state whether it takes effect on area effect spells which are not cast at the protected sorcerer, and clarifying the range at which it can effect things like Golems would be useful too - does it automatically effect the spells as they are cast, or does it only take control of golems when they attack the caster. Finally, where is the start-point for redirected effects? As an example, if a dragon-blooded casts DoOB on the protected sorcerer, does the sorcerer get to pick both the start and the target of the butterfly swarm, or just change the target (which would leave the original caster of the butterflies uninjured, as they'd start from him, but would make it look as though he intentionally cast it at allies etc.)
-- Darloth
No problem my Grammar sux but as far as the other changes i should have thought better about them but i'll make those additions now. - Issaru
I hope noone minds, but I'm going to drop an idea for a necromancy as well. If someone else has a better one for Shadowlands circle, please do replace mine, I'm just trying to keep it going. -- Darloth
Hmm... It ended up a little more powerful than I expected... Either there should be a separate version for every circle, or it should probably be Labyrinth Circle. I'll change it to Labyrinth for the moment, so someone else can fill in Shadowlands anyway. Sorry about that. -- Darloth
- Darloth, I will take you up on that! Shadowlands Circle spell added. --TedPro
Great relay! Anyone up for finishing with a Void Circle Necromancy? --TedPro
issaru, you need to create a new theme and archive this one, or leave it open for someone else to do so. Also, please follow normal grammatical rules for the English language if possible. One question: how do the undead PAY for these MA Charms? - Telgar
- sorry thought i copied the whole txt over and didn't have time to check or edit, and i kinda don't know how to archive a page.As for a Theme how's about Servitors?sorry thought i copied the whole txt over and didn't have time to check or edit - Issaru
All that archiving requires is creating a subpage under "Previous Themes", which I have done for you, and copying all these spells and comments over to it. Then clear the spells and comments off here and post your new theme. That's it. Glance at the previously archieved themes if you're lost. Also, how DO the undead pay for their MA Charms? - Telgar
- they gain an essence pool equal to the casters essense multiplied by four and are treated as essence one for all essence effects. - Issaru
One interesting thing I noticed about <b>Sleeping Dragon Sigil</b> is that it says is can use as triggering conditions only "information and senses that the caster possesses at the time of casting" which can be rather handy if the caster has, say, All Encompasing Sorcerer's Sight or Unsurpassed Sight Discipline active while casting. Load in Emerald Counter Magic in it's offensive form set to activate when somone with an active spell currently on is nearby and watch the fun.
--BrilliantRain
- Yep, very true! That's a cool use of it. Thanks for catching that, BrilliantRain --TedPro
