FAQ

General questions

What happens if I break a code of conduct imposed on me by an elemental?

The spirit will react accordingly. If the spirit is bound to you or an item, it will generally unbind itself (see above), and it may also manifest and attack you.

If I’m playing an offworlder, can I take Followers to represent other people who fell through a rift with me?

Yes. For instance, you could use the skill to represent an Archipelagan ship’s crew, or a Praesidian political entourage.

Rules questions

How deceptive you can be when performing rituals?

It must be clear that you are performing a ritual, but you need not make it clear what kind of ritual it is. Another thaumaturge with Analyse Power can determine the true intent of a ritual by examining it. Explicitly calling upon themes that are dissonant with the effect (such as emphasising strengthening the target, while actually weakening them) may have adverse effects.

Will more skills (such as more powerful invoker abilities) be added in the future?

No. New formulaic rituals can be developed in play, but otherwise there's no intent to add new skills to the game. It is however possible to gain new abilities through other means, many ideas for which are described on the advancement page.

Setting questions

What calendar is used in Clare?

The date IC is generally the date OOC with 1000 taken off the year number, so the campaign will take place late 1019 and early 1020.

What languages exist in the setting?

Everyone speaks a common language, physrepped by English. There are no other languages in the setting. Language is not really a theme of this game.

Can I define my own elementals?

Not explicitly no, though if you try to summon an elemental with a particular agenda, you may well find a compatible one that answers. This is far more likely to work if you inform the refs of the sort of elemental you're looking for in advance (through downtime minor actions or in person).

System Questions

Can I use the Obscura system myself?

Yes. Obscura is licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Can I run player events in the Obscura universe?

Yes - though those events will only be canon in the main campaign with the agreement of the main campaign’s refs.