“Enchanting” is the process of creating a magic item using spells from the Enchantment college. Enchantments must be performed using Ceremonial Magic (p. 12). Unlike most Ceremonial spells, however, enchantments can be performed alone (though most enchanters take advantage of the benefits of assistants). Lone enchanters cannot gain a skill bonus for using extra energy. To perform enchantments, the caster and any assistants must know both the Enchant spell and the specific spell being put on the item at an effective skill of 15 or better. Unskilled spectators cannot contribute energy to an enchantment.
Enchanting always requires time and energy. A particular enchantment might also require a specific item or material (e.g., a gem), or the expenditure of cash for “generic” magic supplies.
A given magic item may carry any number of spells. Each one requires a separate enchantment. The presence of an enchantment has no effect on later enchantments.
Power of a Magic Item
Each magic item has a “Power,” which is set upon creation. An item’s Power equals the caster’s effective skill with either the Enchant spell or the spell contained in the item – whichever is lower. The skill penalty for low mana does not apply when determining an item’s Power. Since enchanting is ceremonial magic, the caster can spend extra energy to raise his effective skill, and hence the Power of the item.
Record Power for each magic item created or found (to learn the Power of a found item, the PCs must use Analyze Magic). If an item has several spells on it, each spell has its own Power. Whenever it would be important to know the skill level of a spell cast by a magic item, use the item’s Power.
An item’s Power must be 15 or more for the item to work. Apply a temporary -5 to Power in a low-mana area; thus, an item with less than Power 20 will not work at all in a low-mana zone. No magic item works in a no-mana region!
Success Rolls for Enchanting
The GM makes all rolls to enchant magic items. As with other ceremonial magic, a roll of 16 fails automatically and a roll of 17-18 is a critical failure.
On a success, the item is enchanted. On a critical success, increase the Power of the item by 2d – and if the success roll was a natural 3, the item might have some further enhancement (GM’s discretion). The caster will know that his spell went well, but he will have to use Analyze Magic to know how well.
On a failure, the results depend on the method used to enchant the item – see below. A critical failure always destroys the item and all materials used.
This method creates a magic item quickly. It takes one hour per 100 points of energy required (round up).
Make the success roll at the end of that time. Succeed or fail, all the energy is spent when the GM rolls the dice.
A lone caster is limited to the energy provided by his FP, HP, and one Powerstone. But assistants can contribute their own FP and HP as described for ceremonial magic.
Assistants may also use one Powerstone each. The caster is at -1 to skill for each assistant; therefore, the number of assistants allowed is the number that would reduce the caster’s effective skill to 15. With more assistants, the enchantment won’t work.
If the caster uses HP to cast the spell, his effective skill is at -1 for every HP used. The same is true for assistants, but their skill does not affect the item’s power, as long as their effective skill is at least 15.
If anyone but the caster and his assistants is within 10 yards, the spell is at a further -1.
On a failure, the enchantment perverts in some way. It might acquire unpleasant side effects (see the Random Side Effects Table, p. B479), become an entirely different spell, or anything else the GM likes. The caster won’t know his spell went wrong unless he uses Analyze Magic or tries the item!
Example: Tubbs and Hawthorne decide to make some Powerstones as their first independent project, having secured three suitable gems. Hawthorne has skill 16 in Powerstone and Enchant, while Tubbs has 15 in both, so Hawthorne does the actual casting. After the minimum hour of casting, Hawthorne rolls 12 against his effective skill of 15 – success! Each enchanter spends 10 FP. Hawthorne sets aside the newly enchanted 1-point Powerstone, and they lean back in their easy chairs to recover. Since they both have Recover Energy-15, they recover fully in 50 minutes. In an eight-hour workday, they can repeat this process four times – five if they stay an hour late. A week later, they have successfully created two 10-point Powerstones (the third gem was shattered in a critical failure, but Tubbs promises he’ll keep the cat out of the workshop from now on). The following week, a mage comes in needing an emergency replacement staff. Hawthorne selects a good length of wood, and they start enchanting. Hawthorne’s skill with the Staff spell is 17. His effective skill is 15 (-1 for Tubbs, -1 for the customer, who refuses to leave them be while they work). He rolls a 9, succeeding. He spends 8 FP and 8 points from his new Powerstone, while Tubbs spends 9 FP and 5 points from his Powerstone, for a total of the required 30 points.
Use this method when the enchanter wants to be sure it’s done right. It takes one “mage-day” per point of energy required. A mage-day represents a full eight-hour workday for one mage. For instance, an item that requires 100 energy points would take one mage 100 days, two mages 50 days, and so on. A mage may work on only one enchantment at a time; he may not “work two shifts,” either on the same or different items.
All of the caster’s assistants must be present every day. If a day’s work is skipped or interrupted, it takes two days to make it up. Loss of a mage ends the project!
Make the success roll at the end of the last day. There is no FP or HP cost to the enchanters – they invested the energy gradually as the spell progressed.
On a failure, the enchantment didn’t work. The time was wasted, and any materials used in the spell are lost.
(Exception: If the mage was adding a spell to an already-enchanted item, it is unharmed, though extra materials are lost.)
Time spent enchanting with the Slow and Sure method counts as on-the-job training (p. B293); the enchanter must split these hours between the Enchant spell and whatever spell is being enchanted into an item.
An item may carry any number of spells; each one requires a separate enchantment. The presence of a spell on an item does not affect further enchantments. Exception: The Bane spell (p. 62) limits an item’s use, but makes it easier to enchant it further.
Placing multiple spells on a single item has advantages and disadvantages. A multiply enchanted item is easy to carry and use; dedicated Powerstones can be used by all the spells in the item. On the other hand, that single item is vulnerable. If it breaks, all the enchantments are lost... and a critical failure while adding a new enchantment destroys the item and all previous enchantments.
Some spells have “item” options that do not create an item. Typically, this entails making the spell permanent with the expenditure of substantially more energy – usually 10 or 100 times the usual casting cost. Generally, spells with this option take an area or person as their subject and thus cannot be enchanted into an item.
Nevertheless, the resulting effect is a true enchantment, and can only be removed with Remove Enchantment.
Some magical items are not created by enchanters. Alchemists can create a variety of enduring objects with magical power – alchemical amulets and talismans, homunculi, and the philosopher’s stone, to name a few (see pp. 220-221 for details). Other items become magical spontaneously; very-high-mana zones sometimes generate magic items with weird and potent abilities.
Remove Enchantment and Suspend Enchantment will still work on these items, but at a -2 unfamiliarity penalty.
If a mage is interrupted while enchanting using the Slow and Sure method, note the following:
He will be fatigued. Assume he will be missing 1d FP.
He must keep concentrating on his enchantment; therefore, any other spell use is at -3. (If he stops concentrating, he loses the day’s work.) A wizard who is bothered while not actively working on his enchantment is at no disadvantage!
When wizards become frustrated with the availability of magic items in their world, they will likely look into producing their own. If the GM feels that a particular item is too easy to make, or might imbalance the campaign, many approaches can make the item’s creation more difficult.
Rare Materials: Many items demand specific materials for their enchantment. The GM could change these to rarer and more precious ingredients. In addition to making it more difficult and costly to enchant the item, the search for rare ingredients can become an adventure unto itself.
Side Effects: Enchantments are unpredictable. After making an item, the PCs might discover that odd things happen whenever they use their new toy. Further obscure rituals or precautions might be necessary to make the item safe.
Additional Expenses: The GM may simply raise the cost of making magic items, demanding that more expensive materials be consumed in the item’s manufacture. This is not the same as demanding rare ingredients – the additional material is readily available, but expensive. Perhaps a workshop similar to the type required for spell research (p. 15) is required for enchantment.
Spells for creating and manipulating magical items.
Rules for Enchanting can be found here.
Scroll
Adjustable Clothing
Enchant
Leak
Manastone ✧
Temporary Enchantment
Weapon Enchantment Spells
Accuracy
Bane
Defending Weapon
Ghost Weapon
Graceful Weapon
Loyal Sword
Penetrating Weapon
Puissance
Quick-Aim
Quick Draw
Armor Enchantment Spells
Defending Shield
Deflect
Fortify
Lighten
Amulet
Attune
Charge Powerstone ✧
Crystal Ball
Effigy ✧
Hex
Hideaway
Homunculus
Impression Blocker
Limit
Malefice ✧
Name
Password
Power
Powerstone
Remove Enchantment
Resist Enchantment
Speed
Spell Stone
Staff
Suspend Enchantment
Talisman
Weapon Enchantment Spells
Cornucopia
Blank Spell Arrow ✧
Dancing Weapon
Spell Arrow
Weapon Spirit ✧
Armor Enchantment Spells
Dancing Shield
Ensorcel
Golem ✧
Link
Simulacrum ✧
Doppelganger
Soul Stone ✧
Write a magical scroll charged with a spell from one of the other colleges. If a mage who understands the scroll’s language at Accented comprehension or better reads it aloud, the scroll casts its spell, after which its power dissipates and the writing on the scroll vanishes. Reading a scroll requires twice the normal casting time for the spell; the mage reading the scroll pays the normal energy cost. No skill roll is required when the spell is read unless it is Resisted. In that case, roll using the skill level of the mage who wrote the scroll.
Pronunciation is important when reading a scroll aloud! If the mage reading the scroll has Accented spoken comprehension of the scroll’s language, the scroll casts its spell at a -1 penalty; if he has Broken spoken comprehension, the scroll casts at -3. If he has None, he cannot articulate the words properly and cannot cast the spell.
A scroll can be read silently, to see what it says. Any mage who understands the language will know what spell it is supposed to be. This does not cast the spell!
Spells may be written on any material, but parchment is traditional.
Damage to a scroll does not affect its power as long as the scroll is legible.
Time to cast: The number of days needed to write a scroll is equal to the energy cost required to cast the spell originally (base cost for area spells), not counting any bonuses for skill. Multiply this by $33 (or the setting’s usual per-point enchantment rate; see pp. 21-22) to get the normal market value of the scroll.
Example: The Rear Vision spell normally costs 3 energy to cast. A Rear Vision scroll would take 3 full days to write, and would normally cost $100.
At the end of the writing time, the GM rolls against the writer’s skill with Scroll or the spell being written – whichever is lower. A successful roll means the spell is good. A failure means the scroll will not work. A critical failure means it will cast a flawed spell!
Duration: As long as the spell would normally last. The mage who reads the scroll can maintain the spell, if it could normally be maintained.
Prerequisites: Magery 1 and must have at least Accented written comprehension in the language the scroll is to be written in. A mage may not write a scroll for a spell he does not know.
Causes an item of clothing to adjust to fit whoever wears it, within limits. The adjustment occurs as the wearer begins to put it on, so the enchantment won’t be discovered if someone picks up the item and immediately discards it as “obviously” the wrong size. When removed, the item returns to its original size. The change in size does change weight as well; an object that doubled in size would increase in weight eightfold. This enchantment is rare; few enchanters need to make “any size fits all” enchanted clothing. It is sometimes found in extremely expensive theatrical costumes. It is also used when the item is intended to outlive its original wearer, and often commissioned for intended heirlooms.
Energy cost to cast: The cost to enchant a cloth shirt or pair of pants that can increase or decrease in every dimension by 10% is 50. This cost varies widely depending on size, materials, and adaptability; round fractions up.
For gloves, boots, shoes, a belt, a hat, or similar small items, halve the cost. For something ring or earring-sized, use one-third cost. For overalls, or a full-length gown, double cost. For a pressure suit or other item that literally covers the whole body, triple the cost.
An item with a few incidental metal parts (zippers, buttons, etc.) counts as “cloth,” as does thin leather.
Leather thick enough to have DR doubles cost. Scale armor, chainmail, or similar items triple the cost. Plate armor and other solid metal clothing multiply cost by five. For exceptionally light clothing (a veil or lingerie), halve cost.
If the item can adjust in size by 25%, double cost. If it can halve or double in size, triple cost. If it can decrease to 1/5 size, or grow to five times size, quadruple cost.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Reshape.
A prerequisite for all other Enchantment spells except Scroll. To enchant an item, the caster must also know this spell. The caster rolls against the lower of his skill with this spell and the specific spell he wishes to place on the item. If he has assistants, they must have skill 15 or higher with both spells, but the roll is based on the caster’s skill.
Duration: Magic items are permanent until destroyed.
Cost and Time: See Enchanting.
A perversion of the Cornucopia spell (p. 64). The bag, purse, quiver, backpack, or other container enchanted will have an uncanny tendency to “lose” whatever is put in it (coins, arrows, clothes, etc.). A Leaky purse would lose a coin or two a day, a Leaky quiver would lose an arrow or two a day, a Leaky back-pack would lose a piece of equipment once in a while . . . The lost items may “drop” out of the container, be whisked away by thieving magpies, or magically vanish into thin air (as the GM’s fancy takes him). Living beings are unaffected.
Energy cost to cast: 100.
Prerequisite: Hideaway.
A Manastone is an unrechargeable Powerstone. Use all normal Powerstone rules (limits by value, etc.), except that a Manastone does not recharge its power – although the item may be re-enchanted with multiple applications of the spell. If a Manastone “quirks” in enchanting, the quirks (naturally) must be appropriate to a non-recharging object (no quirks about recharging limitations!).
Manastones have no effect on the recharge rate of nearby Powerstones.
Energy cost to cast: 5. Each casting charges the stone with a single point of energy.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
This lets the enchanter create magic items that only function a few times before losing their enchantment, at a substantial savings in energy cost (and therefore time).
An item can be temporarily enchanted at an energy cost of 15% the normal cost for an item of that type per use. An item with only a single use can be created for 15% of the normal energy, two uses would cost 30%, four would cost 60% (very cost-ineffective under most circumstances) and the cost for an item limited to 7 or more uses actually exceeds the cost of a permanent item.
The temporarily enchanted item acts, in all respects, as a normal item of that type until all of its uses are consumed. Once all the uses of the temporary item are gone, the item is no longer magical.
The Temporary Enchantment spell is used in place of the Enchant spell. A single item may not be enchanted with both temporary and permanent spells simultaneously.
Temporary Enchantment can only be used to give items a one-time ability to cast a certain spell – not to cast the spell on the object. For example, a mage couldn’t make a one-shot set of invisible armor – it would never wear off. He could give the armor the ability to cast the Invisibility spell on itself at normal energy and duration costs.
Temporary Enchantment cannot be used in conjunction with any Enchantment college or Meta-Spell college spells except the following: Hex, Limit, Link, Name, Power, and Speed. Temporary Enchantment absolutely cannot be used to further reduce the cost of enchantments that already have limited uses (e.g., Skull-Spirit).
Duration: Until all of the item’s uses have been expended.
Cost and time: See Enchanting.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
Makes a weapon more likely to hit by adding to the user’s effective skill.
Cost: See table below.
Divide cost by 10 if the subject is a missile (e.g., an arrow or a bullet).
Bonus Cost
+1 250
+2 1,000
+3 5,000
Prerequisites: Enchant and at least five Air spells.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
This is also considered a Limiting Enchantment (p. 68). It is used to make a magical weapon with powers that work only against one type of foe.
Successfully cast before any offensive weapon enchantment, it reduces the energy cost of those spells, but they will work only against the named foe.
For instance, a sword could be made that did +3 damage, but only against orcs – and this would be easier to enchant than a weapon that did +3 against everything. Note that a Bane spell cannot be removed unless the enchantments it controls are also removed.
The same caster who placed the Bane on the sword must cast the enchantments limited by the Bane.
The more specific the bane (GM’s decision) the greater the reduction in the other spells’ cost(s). Banes like “All my foes” are not allowed!
Examples of legal Banes:
Against a specific nation, religion, or race:
Divide costs by 2.
Against a specific type of creature, or folk of a certain city:
Divide costs by 3.
Against all members of one specific family:
Divide costs by 4.
Against one specific foe:
Divide costs by 10.
Energy cost to cast: 100.
The caster must also possess some item or relic pertaining to the person, creature, race, etc. involved.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
The subject weapon permits its wielder to parry more skillfully; each level of enchantment will give the wielder a +1 to Parry, up to a maximum of +3. The spell does not protect the weapon from being broken (p. B401).
If this enchantment is combined with Dancing Weapon, the weapon attacks opponents engaged with the owner and wards off blows from attackers when possible. It uses the weapon’s skill as per Dancing Weapon, plus this spell’s bonus. The owner can command it to defend a given side of him (much like Dancing Shield) and to either defend (in which case it gets two parries per turn) or attack (in which case it gets a single attack and a single parry each turn). If a dancing, defending weapon does not parry a blow, the owner may still use any of his own applicable defenses.
This spell can only be cast on a balanced weapon that can normally parry.
Energy cost to cast: 500 for +1 to parry,
1,000 for +2,
2,000 for +3.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Dancing Object.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
A weapon enchanted with this spell affects ghosts (and other insubstantial beings and spirits) as if they were tangible. If the weapon itself is made intangible (through whatever means the GM deems feasible), the weapon still affects the physical world at the whim of its wielder.
Energy cost to cast: 250 per pound of weight (minimum 1 pound).
Prerequisites: Enchant and Solidify.
This enchantment is a toned-down version of Quick-Draw (below). The item does not become unready after attacking or parrying, even on a critical miss. If Graceful Weapon encounters Turn Blade or Bladeturning, it resists those spells with its Power.
Energy cost to cast: 150 per pound of weight (minimum 1 pound).
Prerequisites: Enchant and Apportation.
The subject weapon seeks to return to the wearer’s hand if it is dropped or thrown – even if the wearer becomes unable to fight. When dropped, it returns on the next turn, as though Quick-Drawn (below). When thrown, it flies until it hits something or falls to the ground, and then returns in as straight a line as possible, with a Move of 12. It avoids enemies and obstacles when returning! If its owner dies, it returns to the body – but after that, it becomes loyal to the next person to pick it up.
A loyal weapon can be trapped, captured out of the air, etc., while returning, but it requires a DX-4 roll to catch it, and its constant attempts to return to its owner give anyone else a -4 to fight with it.
A loyal weapon can be sold or given away at any time, but the transaction must be wholly voluntary; it is then loyal to the new owner. It may have only one owner at a time. Limiting spells may be used to limit the class of people who can use it.
Note that if this spell is placed on a Dancing Weapon (below) it makes the Dancing Weapon spell almost worthless. The effect will be a Loyal weapon that strikes at foes on its way back to its owner (but at no other time).
Energy cost to cast: 750 per pound of the weapon (minimum 1 pound).
Prerequisites: Enchant and Apportation.
Cutting, impaling, or piercing weapons with this enchantment pass through armor as if it were butter. Specifically, the spell grants the weapon an armor divisor (p. B268).
Such a weapon does not do extra damage to unarmored foes. Hardened DR defends against the armor divisor conferred by this spell as normal.
Energy cost to cast: Depends on the armor divisor conferred on the weapon.
Armor Divisor Cost
2 250
3 750
5 2,500
10 7,500
Ignores DR 25,000
Double the cost if the subject is a missile weapon (e.g., a bow).
Divide the cost by 10 if subject is a missile (e.g., an arrow).
If the item falls in more than one class (weapon, missile weapon, missile), use the higher enchantment cost. In addition to weapons, any sort of cutting tool may be enchanted. Note that this spell may be recast at a higher level as per Accuracy.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Find Weakness.
Adds to the basic damage a weapon does when it hits.
Cost: See table below. Divide cost by 10 if the subject is a missile (e.g., an arrow or a bullet). Double cost if the subject is a missile weapon (e.g., a bow or a gun).
Damage Bonus Cost
+1 250
+2 1,000
+3 5,000
Prerequisites: Enchant and at least five Earth spells.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
The subject missile weapon (bow, sling, etc) gains uncanny responsiveness; in game terms, an Aim action taken with the subject weapon has the effect of two turns of aiming.
Energy cost to cast: 100.
For 200 energy, one Aim action may count for three turns of aiming.
Halve the cost if subject is a missile (e.g., a javelin or throwing axe).
The enchantment doesn’t work on ammunition (like arrows).
Prerequisites: Enchant and Grace.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
The weapon will leap to the owner’s hand when he wants it, becoming ready instantly (no Ready maneuver required!). Only the owner’s mental command is required; no die roll is needed.
The enchantment does not work if the weapon is more than a yard away, or if it is tied down, peacebonded (tied into the scabbard with rope or wire), within a pack, etc. A weapon with this spell does not become unready after attacking or parrying.
Energy cost to cast: 300 per pound of weight (minimum 1 pound);
2,000 for a quiver, bag, etc., from which ordinary missiles will leap into the wearer’s hand at need.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Apportation.
Adds a Defense Bonus to armor, clothing, a shield, or a weapon. This adds to all active defense rolls made by the user.
Cost: See table below.
DB Cost
+1 100
+2 500
+3 2,000
+4 8,000
+5 20,000
Prerequisite: Enchant.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
The enchanted shield allows its wielder to block more skillfully; each level of enchantment gives the wielder a +1 to Block, up to a maximum of +3. The spell may not be combined with Dancing Shield.
Energy cost to cast: 500 for +1 to Block, 1,000 for +2, and 2,000 for +3.
Cost: See table below.
Block Bonus Cost
+1 500
+2 1000
+3 2,000
Prerequisites: Enchant and Grace.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
Increases the DR of clothing or a suit of armor.
Cost: See table below.
DR Bonus Cost
+1 50
+2 200
+3 800
+4 3,000
+5 8,000
Prerequisite: Enchant.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
Makes armor or shields lighter and easier to carry. The subject becomes lighter only when it is actually being worn. Armor in a backpack would still have its full weight.
Energy cost to cast: 100 to cut the item’s weight by 25%.
500 to cut its weight in half.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
An amulet is an item that grants the wearer magic resistance against a specific spell. Amulets are often enchanted with several Amulet spells, to cover a wide spectrum of effects.
Although most amulets are pieces of jewelry, any item may be so enchanted. It is even possible to tattoo an amulet onto its wearer!
The enchanter uses the lower of his skills with Amulet and the spell being opposed. Amulets also work against variants of the base spell: an amulet against Fireball also works against Explosive Fireball.
Alchemists can create magical objects called amulets (p. 220); although they have a similar function, they are not the same as the items produced by this spell.
Energy cost to cast: 50 per point of magic resistance the amulet grants (maximum of 5).
Prerequisite: The appropriate Talisman spell (that is, to learn the Amulet spell to protect from Panic, the caster must know the Talisman spell for Panic).
This limiting enchantment, a derivative of Bane, makes a magic item work better against a specific target. It works on any Resisted spell, providing a penalty to the target’s resistance roll.
If enchanted into a magic item before the spell to be affected, the cost to enchant the affected spell is halved.
The enchanter must possess something connected to the target. The accuracy of the symbolic representation determines the penalty to the resistance roll.
In every case but the last, the representation must be incorporated into the magic item, though it need not remain intact (e.g., a videotape may be crushed to powder). If the target is present, presumably he has either been misled as to the purpose of the enchantment, or has agreed to it for more complex reasons (for instance, he’s worried he might run amok in the future).
The downside of this enchantment is that, when the item is used against other targets, they get a +5 to their resistance roll. An Attune Enchantment cannot be removed from an item unless the enchantment or enchantments it controls are removed first.
Energy Cost to Cast: 100.
Prerequisite: Bane.
Recharges a Powerstone at a higher rate than the stone recharges itself.
Every 3 energy spent by the caster restores 1 point of energy to the stone, but every point restored is counted as an “advance” against future “natural” recharging. Thus, if a 10-point Powerstone is recharged with this spell in a normal-mana area, it will not begin to recharge for 10 days after it is used. If it is used, and then recharged again using this spell, it will be 20 days until the stone begins to recharge normally, and so on. The presence of multiple Powerstones does not inhibit the casting of this spell.
On any ordinary failure with this spell, the Powerstone gains a new quirk (p. 69). On a critical failure, the Powerstone cracks and is destroyed.
This spell can safely recharge Powerstones with quirks that limit recharging only if the conditions imposed by the quirk have been met.
Attempts to ignore those conditions may cause the Powerstone to shatter.
This spell does not work on Manastones.
Duration: The energy remains in the Powerstone until needed.
Cost: 3 per point of energy recharged.
Time to cast: 10 minutes.
Prerequisites: Powerstone, and Lend Energy.
Used in the Crystal-Gazing variant of Divination.
Requires a ball of flawless crystal at least 2” in diameter (value $1,000).
A 3” ball (value $5,000) gives +1 to divinations.
A 4” ball (value $20,000) gives +2.
Energy cost to create: 1,000.
Prerequisite: Divination (Crystal-Gazing).
A mage can enchant an effigy, a life-size statue of himself, which attracts hostile magic directed at him to itself.
Like Malefice, Effigy is a lasting spell, which continues until its Endurance is reduced to zero. Every time a spell attacks the effigy’s maker, the effigy resists with its current Endurance, modified for the distance separating it from him (use the long-distance modifiers, p. 14). If the effigy succeeds, the spell affects it rather than its maker, The GM must decide what constitutes a “hostile” spell; for instance, Deathtouch is, but Mind-Reading isn’t. Redirected spells that have no effect on inanimate statues (such as Paralyze Limb or Death Vision) instead “attack” the enchantment. The effigy then resists with its current Endurance. Every such successful attack reduces the effigy’s Endurance by one; when the effigy’s Endurance drops below 0, it ceases functioning. A critical failure by the effigy or a critical success by the attacking spell also breaks the enchantment, as does physical destruction. An enchanter may only have one effigy at any one time.
Energy cost to cast: 1,000.
Prerequisites: Enchant, Scryguard, and Ward.
Makes the item impossible to put down/take off/get out of/etc. In itself, this effect is merely inconvenient, and can even be useful – for instance, you will never drop a hexed weapon, and a hexed pair of glasses will never fall off. However, if the hexed object has another malign spell on it, it becomes much more dangerous. The hex effect is “always on.”
To escape from a hexed object, you must remove or suppress the enchantment, find someone to cast a Remove Curse spell, or amputate the body part involved. Attempts to break or cut off the hexed item will fail (or result in amputation). GMs should permit this rule to have illogical results, if necessary, to keep the hexed object on the victim. Hexes aren’t logical!
A hex may be limited by a Link or Password spell. For instance, a ring could be made with a Hex, the Strike Blind spell, and the password “Gesundheit.” Anyone wearing the ring would go blind – but should they say the magic word, the ring would fall off!
Energy cost to create: 200.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
When cast on an object, Hideaway makes it larger inside than it is out-side. Can be used on a pocket, pouch, drawer, pitcher – anything that can normally hold other things. The caster may add any amount of pound-capacity he can afford, while increasing the size of the “inside” by 2 cubic feet for each pound; the extra space may be hidden by a false bottom, etc.
Depending on the energy used to cast the spell, objects within the Hideaway may or may not count as encumbrance. The contents vanish forever if the object is destroyed. The time required to find an object in a Hideaway depends on how deep it is!
A large enough Hideaway could hold a person. There is no problem with air unless the Hideaway is sealed off.
Energy cost to cast: 50 per pound of extra capacity if the objects count as encumbrance; 100 if they do not.
Prerequisite: Enchant, Create Object, and Lighten.
Grow a miniature image from your flesh. This image, called a homunculus, has ST 1, DX 0, and no IQ or HT. It must be kept inside a glass bottle and fed at least 1 HP worth of human blood each day to remain alive. If the bottle is broken or submitted to intense heat or light, the homunculus dies.
Whenever he wishes, the caster can move his spirit into the homunculus, no matter how far away it is (as per Possession, p. 49), at an energy cost of 4 for the first minute and 2 for every minute thereafter. He may then observe and communicate with anyone in the homunculus’ presence.
Although the caster can cast spells from the homunculus (using his own energy), he cannot perform any physical action, since the homunculus is trapped inside the bottle. The caster may return to his original body at will.
If a hostile wizard gains possession of a live homunculus, he can cast Communication and Empathy spells at the homunculus’ creator at no range penalty! The creator also resists any such spells at -5 when cast through the homunculus. A homunculus is thus a great vulnerability and is only entrusted to the most faithful of servants.
The caster may own several homunculi; he can move his spirit to only one at a time. While thus “away,” the caster’s body is very vulnerable and should be safeguarded.
Energy cost to cast: 800.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Mind-Sending, Magery (Soul) 2
Seeker (p. 105) and related spells require an object associated with the item or person sought in order to work. The Impression Blocker Enchantment creates a container that allows people to carry items without them becoming “associated” with the carrier.
An object in a closed blocker container retains the impressions it had when the container was shut. If removed, handled briefly, and replaced, the object will acquire a very faint impression of the handler, but it won’t be enough for a Seeker spell unless the handler does so once a day for decades. It is possible for an object in a blocker container still to be useful; for example, a book open to an important page, and stored in a glass container, can still be read!
At sufficiently advanced tech levels, a “waldo” or remote-manipulation box can be enchanted, allowing handling of the object without opening the box.
In some settings, these containers can also be used to preserve evidence.
If an object is owned for one person for a long time, and then transferred to a new owner, the original owner’s impressions may wear off. A blocker container preserves the original owner’s impressions. (In other settings, impressions never wear off; they just accumulate, so an item can be used to cast Seeker on any previous owner.)
Energy cost to cast: 20 per pound of capacity, minimum 20.
Prerequisites: Enchant, Seeker, and Scrywall.
The enchanted item works only for the user, or class of users, specified by the caster when the Limit is cast. This class of users may be as simple or complex as the caster wishes. A Limit spell may affect all the spells on the item, or just some of them.
Energy cost to cast: 200.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
Through this foul enchantment, the caster can put a victim under his thrall. He must fashion a doll (usually out of wax, but clay, straw, and other materials may be appropriate with the GM’s permission) with something personally relevant to the target imbedded in it. Parts of the body (nail clippings, hair, blood, spittle, etc.) allow a casting at base skill. Other items allow a casting at a varying penalty; for example, threads from a shirt worn for years might be worth -2, while dirt from a fresh footprint might be worth -6.
Malefice is a lasting spell that continues until its Endurance is reduced to 0. It starts with an Endurance equal to its caster’s effective skill.
The doll can be used by its maker (and no one else) to cast harmful spells (such as Pain) on the target, at normal energy cost, while ignoring distance penalties. The caster uses the lower of the Malefice’s Endurance and his skill with the channeled spell. The target resists all such attacks, even if the spell is normally not Resisted (spells without normal resistance rules are Resisted by HT when cast through a Malefice doll).
If the victim resists the very first spell cast upon him through the doll, the enchantment is immediately broken. Otherwise, every successful resistance simply weakens the Malefice, reducing its Endurance by 1.
Upon reaching Endurance 0, the Malefice dissipates (though the doll is still a viable item for re-enchantment, and its magical association with the target offsets one point of casting penalty). A critical failure by the channeled spell or a critical success by the subject also breaks the enchantment, reducing the doll’s Endurance to zero.
Destroying the doll breaks the spell, but it also inflicts on the target a Deathtouch (p. 41) of as many dice as the Malefice’s current Endurance divided by 5 (round down, maximum of 3d). This damage occurs as long as the Malefice has any Endurance remaining. Remove Curse frees the target from the Malefice without harm to him.
Energy cost to cast: 250.
The wax and special ingredients cost $500.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Seeker.
Gives a magical name to an enchanted object. The magic of the subject functions only for someone who knows its name. The user must speak the item’s name the first time he tries to use it, to show he knows the name.
Energy cost to cast: 400, or 200 if the name is written on the item.
It must be readable (GM’s decision). It may be small, hidden, or even disguised, but a person examining the item must be able to see it. This provision is a major reason for the popularity of dead and obscure languages among wizards – writing your item’s name on it in an extinct language is almost as safe as not writing it at all, and much cheaper.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
The reverse of the Name enchantment. A magical item with a Password functions unless the Password is spoken. If the Password is spoken, the item will be inert until the next time its powers would normally be invoked – or for one minute (choice of person making the item). An item may have some spells that are passworded and others that are not. The details, of course, depend on the spell.
Examples: (a) a magic ring that gave the power of flight – but puts the wearer in Suspended Animation unless the password was used;
(b) a Pentagram that can be “turned off” with a word;
(c) a Dancing Sword that stops swinging for one minute if the password is said.
Energy cost to cast: 400.
Halve this cost if the password is written on the item (must be readable).
Prerequisite: Enchant.
Makes a magic item partially or completely “self-powered.” Each point of Power reduces the energy cost to cast or to maintain any spell on the item by one. Halve this bonus in a low-mana area (round down); double it in a high- or very-high-mana area. Power has no effect on the energy cost of the user’s spells!
If Power reduces the cost to maintain a spell to zero, treat the item as “always on” after the cost to cast is paid – but the wearer must stay awake to maintain the spell. If Power reduces the cost to cast to zero, the item is “always on” for all purposes, although the owner may turn it off if he wishes.
Energy Cost: See table below.
Power Cost
1 point 500
2 points 1,000
3 points 2,000
4 points 4,000
Double the cost for each additional point.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Recover Energy.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
Infuses mana into an object for later use by a wizard. Traditionally, a gemstone serves as the subject of this spell (for this reason, “Powerstone” is the generic word for an object containing stored mana), but any object can potentially be used. Any wizard touching a Powerstone may take any or all of the energy it contains, using it instead of his body’s own energy to cast a spell.
Each Powerstone is said to have a “capacity.” This is the maximum amount of energy it can hold. Since a wizard can only use one Powerstone at a time, a large Powerstone is more useful than a handful of small ones. A large Powerstone can be used to cast a large spell; a group of small ones can be used one at a time to help maintain a spell, but cannot be used all at once.
A Powerstone “recharges” itself after use, by absorbing mana from the surrounding area. The rate of recharge varies with the area’s mana level.
Local Mana Recharge Rate
None None
Low 1 point/week
Normal 1 point/day
High 1 point/12 hours
Very High 1 point/6 hours
A Powerstone does not recharge if it is within six feet of a larger Powerstone. Stones of the same size split the available mana and recharge at slower speed. This unfortunate fact means that the owner of several Powerstones must let some of them out of his sight to get them recharged!
A Powerstone is enchanted one step at a time. The first time Powerstone is cast on an object, it becomes an uncharged Powerstone with capacity 1. Each additional casting increases its capacity by 1. Thus, 15 castings would create a Powerstone with a capacity of 15. But note that with this many castings, there would be a cumulative chance of nearly 1 in 4 that a critical failure would be rolled at some point, destroying the stone. For 60 successive castings, the cumulative chance of critical failure is 2 in 3!
Further, each ordinary failure while casting puts some sort of magical “quirk” on the stone. Thus, it is possible for work for months and end up with a 20-energy Powerstone that smells like fish and can only be used on Wednesdays . . . This makes big stones without serious flaws more valuable than others of the same strength. The quirks of a Powerstone are set by the GM, and can be used as a tool for campaign balance. Most of them will be peculiar, arbitrary limitations on how the stone can recharge (e.g., only while bathed in bat blood) or how it can be used (e.g., only on Fire spells; only by a green-eyed virgin; not by anyone wearing a hat). A severe quirk affects the user of the stone (e.g., renders him mute for an hour).
The caster knows if his spell has failed, but not what quirk his Powerstone now has. The Analyze Magic spell can determine what quirks a Powerstone has. Two failures in a row indicate that no further growth is possible for that stone. Any object may be used to produce a Powerstone. However, it is easier to enchant a Powerstone using an item with intrinsic value. The cost to cast Powerstone is quadrupled if the item being enchanted has a value of less than $10xP2 + $40xP, where P is the target capacity of the Powerstone.
This is one reason gemstones are popular; a valuable stone is compact and durable.
A Powerstone is uncharged when created (though if it already contained energy, that energy is unaffected by a casting to increase its capacity). The energy from a Powerstone cannot be used for further enchantments on that stone – a Powerstone cannot be used to help enchant itself!
Energy cost for each casting: 20.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
“Dedicated” Powerstones
If a Powerstone is attached to an item before that item is enchanted, the Powerstone becomes a part of the magical item. It is then a “dedicated” Powerstone. The item’s user may tap its energy – but only to power the spells cast by or through that item.
If a dedicated Powerstone is removed from a magical item, the magical item is automatically broken and loses its enchantment, but the Powerstone is intact, and becomes a “normal” Powerstone again. (Of course, if the Powerstone is built into the item in some way – e.g., set in a magic ring – a successful skill roll may be required to remove it without breaking it.)
The advantage of a dedicated Powerstone is that its energy, being specifically channeled, is used twice as efficiently. A one-point dedicated Powerstone gives two points of energy (but still recharges in one day in a normal-mana area).
“Exclusive” Powerstones
An item can also be made with a built-in Powerstone, in such a way that only its integral Powerstone(s) can power it. This is done exactly as for dedicated Powerstones, but the energy of an exclusive Powerstone is three times as efficient – i.e., a one-point exclusive Powerstone delivers three points of energy, but then the item is useless until the stone recharges.
One-College Powerstones
This is a variation that follows all normal Powerstone rules. A One-College Powerstone is enchanted in such a way that it can provide energy only for spells of a particular college.
One-College Powerstones may not be Dedicated or Exclusive.
The advantage of a One-College Powerstone is that each casting only requires 12 energy, not 20.
Takes one enchantment spell off the subject item. This does not affect other enchantments on that same item. Exception: A failed attempt to remove a Limiting Enchantment removes all enchantments from the item.
Skill modifiers: -3 if the caster does not know how to cast the enchantment he is trying to remove.
-3 if he does not know exactly what that spell is.
-3 for each other spell on the item.
These are cumulative.
Duration: Removal is permanent.
Cost: 100 or 1/10 of the cost to place the enchantment originally, whichever is more.
Time to cast: see Enchanting (p. 16).
Prerequisite: Enchant.
An item enchanted with this spell resists attempts to enchant it further, imposing a penalty on the enchantment skill roll. Further, this enchantment itself resists any attempt to remove or suspend it, imposing twice the regular penalty.
It is possible for the enchanter to set Resist Enchantment to not resist specific further enchantments, but the enchanter himself must cast those spells or be present for the entire casting.
Energy Cost: See table below.
Penalty Cost
-1 50
-2 100
-3 200
-4 500
-5 1,000
Prerequisite: Any Limiting Enchantment.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
Decreases the casting time of any other enchantments on an item enchanted with Speed. Each point of Speed cuts the casting time in half, just as high skill does for a mage. If the casting time is reduced below 1 second, the item can be used to cast the spell without concentration.
Energy Cost: See table below.
Speed Cost
1 point 500
2 points 1,000
3 points 2,000
4 points 4,000
Double the cost for each additional point.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Haste.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
A spell stone stores a spell until someone (even a nonmage) uses it. The stone’s user concentrates for a second while crushing the spell stone in his hand, thus casting the spell. At the beginning of his next turn, roll against the spell stone’s Power. If the roll is successful, the spell is cast. If it is failed, the stone is simply wasted. If the stone is crushed without the requisite second of concentration, it is like-wise wasted.
The spell’s energy is included in the enchantment; none is required of the user, who also may not opt to supply any power to maintain the spell.
Likewise, he may not cancel the spell once cast, although the creator of the stone may specify a shorter duration than ordinary and may also invest extra energy into the enchantment so that the spell will maintain itself. A person may use only one spell stone per second.
A spell stone must be made from a jewel worth $10 x P2 + $40 x P, where P is the maximum energy of the spell that may be contained.
Any spell except a Blocking or Enchantment spell may be stored in a spell stone. Limiting Enchantments may be put on the stone. If the spell stored in the stone requires that the caster know another spell (Counter-spell, for instance), that other spell must be specified at creation time. It is thus possible to create a spell stone that will counter one specific spell, but it is impossible to create a generic Counterspell spell stone.
It is also possible to create spell stones which, when crushed, do not cast the spell for the user, but on him!
Analyze Magic reveals which spell a spell stone contains, whether the spell will be cast for or on the caster, how much energy was invested, etc. (one question per casting).
Energy cost to cast: 20 times the spell’s casting cost, including maintenance cost if so desired.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Delay.
Enchants a magic staff for details. Though many magic items must be in the form of a wand or staff, they do not have to have this spell on them. Many mages use various Limiting enchantments so that others can’t use their staffs – but this is not automatic.
A “magic staff” is any wand or staff imbued with the power to extend your reach for the purpose of casting spells (see Staff, p. 70). It gives three main benefits:
Touching a subject with your staff lets you cast spells on that subject at no distance penalty. This is useful in situations where you must cast a spell on a subject you cannot touch with your hand (e.g., a healing spell on someone trapped under rubble). This also allows a wizard to tap a Powerstone set into his staff.
Pointing with a staff reduces the range to a distant subject by the length of the staff. This is valuable for Regular spells, as a one-yard wand shaves -1 off distance penalties, while a two-yard quarterstaff eliminates -2! You can point as part of the ritual to cast a spell. Tell the GM you are pointing at the subject when you start concentrating. (This might warn an unwilling subject!)
A staff can carry Melee spells. This gives them more reach, letting you strike and parry without putting your hand in harm’s way.
A magic staff can be any length up to two yards. A wand is Reach C, too light to do damage, and uses Knife or Main-Gauche skill. A long wand or short staff is Reach 1, functions as a baton in combat, and uses Shortsword or Smallsword skill. A full-length staff is Reach 2, counts as a quarterstaff in combat, and uses Staff or Two-Handed Sword skill. In most game worlds, a suitable ordinary item can be enchanted as a magic staff for $30, but it must be made from once-living materials (wood, bone, ivory, coral, etc.).
In some settings, magic staffs are more than mere aids, but the fundamental tool of magecraft! In these worlds, mages buy some or all of their Magery with gadget limitations (p. B116) – usually Breakable or Can Be Stolen. A mage who loses his staff may be nearly crippled.
Energy Cost: 30.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
As Remove Enchantment, but the enchantment is merely suppressed. It seems to vanish, but reappears when the Suspend Enchantment spell ends. If anyone attempts to study or detect a suspended enchantment, it resists the information spell at -5.
Skill modifiers: -3 if the caster does not know how to cast the enchantment he is trying to suspend.
-3 if he does not know exactly what that spell is.
-3 for each other spell on the item.
These are cumulative.
Duration: One hour.
Cost: 25 or 1/100 of the cost to place the enchantment originally, whichever is more.
Half this amount to maintain.
Prerequisite: Enchant.
A talisman is an item that grants the wearer a one-time boon when attacked by a specific spell or nonmagical attack or affliction. The talisman’s enchantment adds to the resistance roll, attribute check, or defense roll against its specific attack or affliction.
The talisman is always “on” while worn by or in physical contact with its owner; otherwise it is inactive. It lasts until the thing it protects against happens; then it loses its enchantment.
Talismans may protect against disease, arrows, curses, lightning, and other calamities.
Although most talismans are created using pieces of jewelry, any item may be so enchanted. It is even possible to tattoo a talisman onto its wearer! When creating a talisman against a spell, the enchanter uses the lower of his skills with Talisman and the spell being opposed.
Each protection is a different spell, to be learned separately. Talismans also work against variants of the base spell: a talisman against Fireball also works against Explosive Fireball.
Alchemists can create magical objects called talismans; they are, however, not the same as the items produced by this spell.
Energy Cost: See table below.
Protection Cost
1 point 15
2 points 45
3 points 90
4 points 150
Prerequisites: Enchant and the spell to be opposed by the talisman (if any).
Gives a quiver, bag of pellets, or other container of ammunition an “infinite” supply of one type of ammunition – but items must be taken out by hand, one at a time. Each missile exists for one minute after being removed from the container; then it vanishes (or, if picked up by anyone but the Cornucopia’s owner, it vanishes immediately). Therefore, this spell cannot be used to make a single quiver supply enough arrows for an army! It cannot be cast on a weapon.
A high-tech wizard could create a pouch that always contained one armor-piercing tracer shell; he could not enchant a .50-caliber machine-gun to fire forever.
Energy cost to cast: This is tricky, because skillful players will find many creative ways to pervert this item. GMs who find Cornucopia a nuisance may ban it entirely. In general: Energy cost is equal to 50 times the $ value, in the current game world, of the missile provided by the Cornucopia quiver. Thus, a quiver that provided ordinary arrows ($2 each) would cost 100 energy to create.
This means that a mage in a medieval world could not make a “quiver” for high-tech ammo; that ammo is priceless in his world. A Cornucopia quiver can be made to produce magic arrows, but only if the creating mage is capable of making such an arrow – and the energy cost will be tremendous.
Prerequisites: Enchant and two other Weapon Enchantment spells.
This enchantment creates a spell arrow with no spell stored. Instead, any spellcaster may, at a later date, place a spell in the blank spell arrow, and then use it as if it were a normal spell arrow.
Blank spell arrows have a capacity, representing the energy cost of the largest spell they can hold. When a spellcaster wishes to use the arrow, he casts the spell normally, but directs it into the arrow. If the spell is too big for the arrow, it is wasted. After the arrow has been filled, it must be used within one day (by the spellcaster or someone else), or the spell dissipates harmlessly, making the arrow blank again.
All other rules for spell arrows also apply to blank spell arrows, with one exception. If the caster of the spell is also the archer, he can determine its effect at firing time, and maintain it normally. (He cannot put more or less casting energy into the spell at firing; casting energy must be in the arrow.)
Energy cost to cast: 30 times the desired capacity. The Spell Arrow rules for non-arrow missiles apply to Blank Spell Arrow as well.
Prerequisite: Spell Arrow.
A weapon enchanted with this spell fights on its own at the owner’s command, hanging in the air as though wielded by an invisible warrior. It has a skill of 15, a Basic Speed of 5, and a ST (for damage purposes) equal to its Power. It uses intelligent strategy and follows its owner’s spoken or mental commands about which enemy to attack. It continues fighting until it is dealt with (see below) or its owner dies or tells it to stop. This spell does not work on a missile weapon!
Any attack on a dancing weapon is at a penalty: from -4 (for a polearm) to -5 (a sword or axe) to -6 (a dagger or pistol). If the weapon gets a critical miss, or is struck by a critical hit, it is “stunned” and out of the fight (unless it breaks, in which case it is destroyed). If its owner is killed, it falls to the floor – but if he is merely knocked unconscious, it continues to attack the closest foe. A dancing weapon can also be trapped in a net or bag (same basic roll as to hit it, but the GM can give bonuses or penalties depending on the cleverness of the method used).
The weapon can also be left with orders to attack anyone who approaches within a certain distance; a Link can be used to activate it only if a certain event takes place. Once activated, if its owner is not around, it attacks anyone in range – closest first, unless the Link had other instructions.
A dancing weapon cannot change owners while animated; grasping the handle of a dancing weapon is not enough to make it change sides.
Energy cost to cast: 1,000 per pound of the weapon’s weight (minimum 1 pound). Double the cost to get a weapon with a Basic Speed of 6, or with skill of 18. Multiply cost by 4 to get a weapon with both advantages.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Dancing Object.
Similar to a Spell Stone, a spell arrow stores a spell until it is fired.
The archer need not be a mage. The arrow’s user must concentrate for the appropriate time to cast to “arm” the spell. This cannot be simultaneous with aiming the bow, and isn’t reduced by high skill (but see Speed Skill Arrow, below). An unused spell arrow disarms after 1 minute. The spell activates when the arrow hits a solid object; roll against the effective skill of the arrow’s enchanter. If the roll is successful, the spell is cast. If it is a normal failure, the spell is simply wasted.
Critical failures go to the Critical Spell Failure Table (p. 7). If the arrow is fired without the required concentration, the spell is wasted, but the arrow still does normal damage.
The spell’s energy is included in the enchantment. The archer need not (and cannot) provide any to cast the spell or maintain it. Similarly, the archer may not cancel the spell once cast, though the enchanter may specify a shorter duration than normal, and may also invest extra energy so the spell will maintain itself.
The head of a spell arrow must contain a jewel worth $10xP2 + $40xP, where P is the maximum energy of the contained spell. The gem is destroyed when the spell activates. (The rest of the arrow may be recoverable, but is now nonmagical.)
Any spell that can be enchanted into a magic item can be placed in a spell arrow, except for Blocking spells, Enchantment spells, Melee spells, or spells whose magic item description specifies “must touch.” Note that some permissible spells are pointless (e.g., Beast-Soother), since the archer must hit the target with an arrow anyway. Enchantments may be placed on the arrow itself normally, including limiting enchantments.
The only decision the archer can make is what he’s aiming at. If the spell requires a subject, whatever the arrow hits is the subject. (If it is not a legal subject – e.g., a wooden wall for Strike Blind – the spell is wasted.)
What constitutes a “solid object” may require the GM’s judgment (for example, drops of rain are not enough to trigger the spell). If it is an Area spell, the point of impact is the center of the area. If it is a Missile spell, the effect is as if the missile hit the target, in addition to the arrow (the missile does not launch itself from the point of impact). If the spell creates an object, the object appears as close as possible to the point of impact. If the spell would normally affect both a subject and the caster (e.g., (Animal) Control) the archer is treated as the caster. If the spell requires a human target, the spell still works even if the arrow hits clothing instead of skin. The enchanter specifies everything else: duration, area, precise effect, etc.
Analyze Magic can reveal what spell a spell arrow contains, how much energy was invested, and so on (one question per casting). Arrows intended for the consumer market are usually color-coded.
Energy cost to cast: 30 times the contained spell’s casting cost, including maintenance cost if desired, so long as the item is an arrow or crossbow bolt.
The GM may decide this spell can work on other kinds of missiles (e.g., bullets). If so, for those missiles, multiply the contained spell’s casting cost by 1/10 the missile’s Max range, instead of 30. If the missile should pass beyond the Max range (for example, if fired from a more powerful gun) the spell is wasted. (This last rules does not apply to actual arrows and bolts.) Note that the need for a jewel still applies to bullets!
Prerequisite: Spell Stone.
Transfers the personality and some of the intelligence of a recently deceased being (humanoid or not – dogs are popular subjects) to a weapon, usually a sword. The enchantment is at -1 for each full day that elapsed between the donor’s death and the beginning of the enchantment. Most of the body must be present at the beginning of the enchantment, but may disposed of after it commences.
The enchanter can pass on as little or as much of the donor’s IQ as he wishes to the weapon, as well as some of the donor’s skills, advantages, and disadvantages. The weapon has no memory of its former existence.
Although it has no sensory organs, it possesses sight and hearing (Per 10). Quirks (or disadvantages reduced to quirk level) are sometimes transferred from the donor to the weapon, whether the enchanter wants them or not (this is why dogs are popular; their personalities tend to make biddable but effective weapons).
The weapon can communicate with its wielder through an extremely basic empathy. When the wielder takes a course of action the weapon approves of, he gets a “good feeling,” and if he takes one the weapon disapproves of, he gets an equivalent “bad feeling.” The weapon may be enchanted with the Voices spell to give it a voice. Various Communication and Empathy enchantments may be added to the weapon to enhance the communication.
Each time it gets a new wielder, the weapon must make a single reaction roll, which sets the tone for its relationship with the wielder from that point on. On a very good reaction, the weapon will do literally anything for its wielder; on a very bad one, it refuses to communicate or cooperate in any way. The GM should record the result; the weapon cannot be forced to roll a new reaction by being passed back and forth between wielders!
The weapon’s skills cannot be improved, although skills such as History or Area Knowledge may be kept current through the absorption of new knowledge.
Energy cost to cast: 100 per point of IQ transferred, plus 25 times the CP cost of each skill, plus 50 times the total CP cost of all the advantages and disadvantages (minimum of zero).
Add 300 for Voices.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Summon Spirit.
The enchanted shield allows its wielder to block more skillfully; each level of enchantment gives the wielder a +1 to Block, up to a maximum of +3.
The spell may not be combined with Dancing Shield.
Energy cost to cast: 500 for +1 to Block,
1,000 for +2,
2,000 for +3.
Cost: See table below.
Block Bonus Cost
+1 500
+2 1000
+3 2,000
Prerequisites: Enchant and Grace.
Note: If a weapon already has this spell at a low level, a caster may recast the spell at a higher level (making the weapon more accurate). The cost for the new spell is the difference between the levels; the “old” spell does not add to the item’s resistance to the “new” one.
Enchantment Spell; Special Resistance
An ensorcelment is a durable spell, usually malign but sometimes beneficial, cast on a single being. The process requires something that is personally relevant to the subject; use the modifiers listed under Malefice.
The caster’s spell roll is determined by the lower of his skills with this spell and the specific spell being placed on the subject. If the caster has assistants, their skills with both spells must be 15 or greater, but the roll is based on the caster’s skill.
Possible ensorcelments include quite a few Body or Mind Control spells and others such as Shapeshift Other, Flesh to Stone, the various “Body of” spells, Walk on Air, the various “Resist” spells, Hide, Invisibility, the various “Vision” spells and Plant Form Other. In all cases, it must be a maintainable Regular spell.
When the spell is cast, the subject gets a resistance roll if the object spell allows one; distance is not a factor.
Remove Curse is effective against any ensorcelment.
The cost of the enchantment can be reduced if the caster includes an “escape clause” – a particular action or condition that will break the spell.
Examples include speaking a magic word, being kissed as a gesture of true love, abstaining from speech for three years, and so on. The value of the energy reduction depends on just how difficult the condition will be to meet – and the “escape clause” must be at least possible to be worth any reduction. The “discount” can be anything from 10% (for truly difficult or unlikely conditions) to 90% (for something that the subject could easily and automatically do, and easily discover).
Energy cost to cast: 200 times the casting cost of the spell being placed on the subject.
Prerequisite: Malefice.
Create and animate a permanent servant or warrior. Golems make excellent warriors; they never grow tired, and are immune to stunning, pain, and the like. Likewise, there is no known spell to “steal” a golem from its maker. The spell is permanent; the golem is “always on.” A golem follows verbal orders from its maker; the maker may instruct it to obey others.
It understands only one language (which must be spoken by the caster). It takes no initiative, and ignores any situation for which it has been given no orders. However, it never forgets anything it sees or is told.
Golems do not heal on their own, and are destroyed if reduced to -HP. They may be repaired with Healing spells (except Resurrection) if cast by the golem’s creator. There is no other way to repair a golem. To create a golem, the creator must make its body – doing all the work himself – then animate it with this spell. Once animated, a golem lasts until reduced to 0 HP or until its creator commands it to cease functioning. No concentration or maintenance is required to control a golem.
A basic clay golem (see box) costs 250 energy to enchant. A more powerful golem costs an additional 2 energy for every extra character point of abilities added to the golem. In most cases, additional abilities should be restricted to extra ST, HP, and DR (a rule of thumb: 20 points of energy buys 1 ST, 5 HP, or 2 DR); however, GMs may allow more sweeping changes to the basic golem if they feel comfortable doing so. More powerful golems may require more durable (and more costly) materials, adding to the cost and time required to create the golem’s body. (Optionally, the GM may allow less powerful golems; golems worth less than 0 points cost 2 less energy for every character point below zero, to a minimum of 130 energy.)
Energy cost to cast: 250 or more.
Prerequisites: Enchant, Shape Earth, and Animation. Other spells may be necessary to work with unusual materials, such as Shape Plant for a wood golem or Restoration for a flesh golem.
Postpones the activation of one or more linked spells cast in its area of effect, until a certain thing happens in the Link’s presence. This triggering event may be as simple or complex as the caster desires, and is governed like Delay (above). The Link may also be triggered by the activation of a spell placed on the area after the Link, such as Watchdog, Delay or another Link.
The caster pays the energy costs and makes the skill rolls for the Link spell and all linked spells at the time of casting. Linked spells may not benefit from cost reductions for high skill. If the intended subject of a linked spell is not present at the time of casting, there is an additional -5 penalty for the linked spell (but not for the Link) for not being able to touch or see the subject – see p. 11.
The size of the area of the Link spell is determined at the time of casting.
Any linked spells may go off anywhere within the Linked area; for instance, if a one-yard-radius Create Fire and one-yard-radius Glue spell were linked to a 20-yard-radius Link to catch intruders, the first intruder to enter the Link’s area would find himself in a zone of flaming glue, but subsequent intruders would be safe (from that Link, anyway). The size of the linked spells must be set at the time of casting. If the subject is larger than the estimated target, the spell either has no effect, or a weaker effect, depending on the spell. The GM’s ruling on this is final.
Only subjects within the Linked area are affected, unless the spell results in an effect that would not be bound to that area – summoning a demon, for example! The triggering event may occur outside of the area, however. The time to cast the linked spells is spent when initially set up. There is no delay when the Link is triggered – all linked spells are activated instantly.
The linked spells do not count as a spell “on” for any purpose. Every three Link spells on count as one spell on, rounding down. A mage cannot detect a Link simply by looking at it. The Mage Sight spell or the Detect Magic spell will reveal the Link, however.
If the mage knows the Conceal Magic spell, the Link may be made harder to detect by magical means.
Simply adding the Conceal Magic costs to the base cost of the Link spell accomplishes this effect. The mage must know Conceal Magic to use this option.
If the subject of a linked spell is not present at the casting, and has Magic Resistance, refer to the original die roll to determine the results. If the original die roll of the linked spell is not recorded, reroll the spell for this purpose only.
Blocking and missile spells cannot be Linked – other spells can. An “instantaneous” spell like Thunderclap will happen once, when activated; then the spell will be gone. A continuing spell like Voices will start when activated, and then operate until it expires.
A single Link can be made to activate a spell when the area is entered, and deactivate the spell when the area is left. This may continue until the linked spell expires. As an example, a mage may cast Link on Continual Light. If he then rolls seven days for the duration of the Continual Light spell (168 hours), he can have the Link set up to turn the Light on when he enters the room, and turn it off when he leaves. When 168 hours of light have been used, both spells expire. For instantaneous spells, the Link vanishes after activating the other spells.
No maintenance of a Link is required, either for the Link itself, the linked spells, or any information spells cast on the Link to tell it when to trigger.
Link may also be set in reverse, to stop one or more spells when a triggering event occurs. In that case, the linked spell will last only while the caster maintains it, but the Link itself requires no maintenance.
Link can also be used for Limiting Enchantments (see pp. 68-69).
Duration: Until triggered, and its linked spells expire.
Base cost: 8; linked spells cannot be maintained.
Time to cast: 4 hours – there is no reduction in time to cast, no matter how well Link is learned.
Prerequisite: Delay.
Create a golem in the exact image of a particular victim. The golem must be prepared for a specific target; this requires the incorporation of something from the original’s body (hair, blood, etc.) into the creation.
Otherwise, any materials appropriate for golems (clay, stone, flesh, etc.) may be used, along with any other materials that the GM approves. An appropriate Shape spell or Artist (Sculpting) skill roll at -10 is necessary to achieve a good likeness – the caster need not do this himself. The simulacrum, once enchanted, appears identical to the target (including such details as eye color and skin tone) through a sort of always-on Perfect Illusion Disguise.
The simulacrum has the same attributes as the underlying golem.
Golems intended as simulacra are often designed with higher IQ than ordinary golems, to improve the deception.
Once the simulacrum is activated, it takes on the persona and knowledge of the target, as the caster perceives them. That is, the Simulacrum cannot know something that the target does if the caster didn’t. IQ rolls may be required of the caster as challenges come up (what was the name of his great-uncle, anyway?). Like any golem, the simulacrum is under the direct control of the caster.
Time to build body: As for the underlying golem, adding a week of work.
Energy cost to activate: Double that of the underlying golem.
Prerequisites: Golem, Perfect Illusion, and Illusion Disguise.
A Doppelgänger is a duplicate of a person, fabricated through powerful magic. The Doppelgänger must be prepared for a specific target; both a sample of the target’s body (hair, blood, etc.) and a cherished personal possession of the target are required.
A statue of the original must be sculpted, using some pure elemental “material” – pure ice or snow from a mountaintop, stone or fire from the bowels of a volcano, and so on are all appropriate materials. The likeness is achieved with an appropriate Shape spell or Artist (Sculpting) skill roll at -10.
The Doppelgänger has all the attributes, skills, and knowledge of the original, with the exception of magic; it has no Magery and cannot cast any spells. It gets its knowledge from the embedded object; anything that the History spell could divine, it will know. It acts as the original would, had the Doppelgänger’s creator enslaved him. Suspend Curse paralyzes it, and Remove Curse destroys it.
When destroyed, all that is left is a mass of the original material (a puddle of water, a mound of earth, a sudden rush of flames) and the personal possession.
It is very difficult to detect the trickery. Whenever the GM judges an Information spell does not altogether fail to tell the copy from the original, he should let the Doppelgänger spell resist. The Aura spell and the Empathy advantage would be Resisted, for example.
Time to build body: 6 weeks of work.
Energy cost to activate: 1,000.
Prerequisites: Golem, History, and Enslave.
A spell stone stores a spell until someone (even a nonmage) uses it. The stone’s user concentrates for a second while crushing the spell stone in his hand, thus casting the spell. At the beginning of his next turn, roll against the spell stone’s Power. If the roll is successful, the spell is cast. If it is failed, the stone is simply wasted. If the stone is crushed without the requisite second of concentration, it is like-wise wasted.
The spell’s energy is included in the enchantment; none is required of the user, who also may not opt to supply any power to maintain the spell.
Likewise, he may not cancel the spell once cast, although the creator of the stone may specify a shorter duration than ordinary and may also invest extra energy into the enchantment so that the spell will maintain itself. A person may use only one spell stone per second.
A spell stone must be made from a jewel worth $10xP2 + $40xP, where P is the maximum energy of the spell that may be contained.
Any spell except a Blocking or Enchantment spell may be stored in a spell stone. Limiting Enchantments may be put on the stone. If the spell stored in the stone requires that the caster know another spell (Counter-spell, for instance), that other spell must be specified at creation time. It is thus possible to create a spell stone that will counter one specific spell, but it is impossible to create a generic Counterspell spell stone.
It is also possible to create spell stones which, when crushed, do not cast the spell for the user, but on him!
Analyze Magic reveals which spell a spell stone contains, whether the spell will be cast for or on the caster, how much energy was invested, etc. (one question per casting).
Energy cost to cast: 20 times the spell’s casting cost, including maintenance cost if so desired.
Prerequisites: Enchant and Delay.
Clay is the default material for golems; it is easily molded, both physically and supernaturally. Golem enchanters often go on to work with more difficult materials – stone, plastic, flesh – but if a golem is needed in a hurry, most enchanters return to clay.
Attribute Modifiers: ST+5 [50]; DX+1 [20]; IQ-2 [-40]; HT+4 [40].
Advantages: Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Doesn’t Eat or Drink [10]; Doesn’t Sleep [20]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous, No Blood) [45]; Single-Minded [5]; Unaging [15]; Unfazeable [15]; Vacuum Support [5].
Disadvantages: Automaton [-85]; Cannot Learn [-30]; Disturbing Voice [-10]; No Sense of Smell/Taste [-5]; Reprogrammable [-10]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]; Unhealing (Total) [-30]; Unnatural [-50]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Features: Neither has nor spends Fatigue Points.
Skills: 10 points of skills appropriate to the golem’s intended function [10].