Formulaic Rituals

From Obscura

Consecrate

  • Element: Any
  • Power: 1 or 3
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: No (with exceptions, see below)

Consecrate a small area an element, creating a roleplaying effect of your choice in line with an element, such as:

  • Creation: You feel energetic, confident and dismissive of consequences.
  • Destruction: You feel focused and decisive, and any feelings of guilt are muted.
  • Order: You feel driven to achieve your goals and inclined to ignore distractions.
  • Chaos: You feel inspired and creative, and inclined to buck convention.

This ritual creates an EFFECT on the location as an area up to a 5m diameter circle that causes anyone in the area to feel the effect while they’re there. The area should be delimited in some way. A 5 minute consecration can be created with 1 poncelet of power. With 3 poncelets the consecration lasts until sunrise.

If you're creating a roleplaying effect you've created before, this can be done without a ref. If you're trying something new, you must consult with a ref.

Alteration

  • Element: Chaos
  • Power: 4
  • Thaumic Refrain: Yes
  • Requires a Ref: No

You can weave magic to temporarily change a willing person. This can be used to alter appearance to conceal, change or add an elemental touch until sunrise for 4 poncelets of power. This changes appearance only; the benefits and drawbacks of concealed touches remain.

Alternatively you can enchant the target to take an elemental stress WOUND immediately and gain EFFECT: you RESIST all non-MAGIC non-EPIC damage to SINGLE for the next encounter. If you take a MAGIC call (even if RESISTed), the effect ends. You must wear a Mundane Resistant tag when using this.

Transference

  • Element: Chaos
  • Power: 4 or Variable
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: Varies

Moves an EFFECT or COMPEL from a character, item or location to a target item or willing character. Transferring a non-EPIC EFFECT or COMPEL reduces the duration to 5 minutes if over that. Transferring an EPIC EFFECT or COMPEL will diminish it in some way. The power required depends on the EFFECT or COMPEL’s level.

  • non-EPIC: 4 poncelets
  • EPIC: Variable

Transferring non-EPIC EFFECTs and COMPELs from characters to characters or items to similar items will always work as described and doesn't need a ref. Transferring EPIC EFFECTs, or transferring to a target of a different type requires a ref.

Abjuration

  • Element: Order
  • Power: 2+
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: No (with exceptions, see below)

Prepares repulsive magical energy to be thrown at enemies. Upon success the ritual lead gains one charge of MAGIC REPEL per two poncelets of power. If the ritual lead moves from the ritual site the charges are discarded. The ritual lead may not attack or use other active skills until the charges are used or discarded (but they may block and parry). Holding the power of this ritual and for more than 5 minutes may be hazardous to your health. You can’t be the target of this and a similar ritual like Ruination at the same time.

This ritual can potentially be used to set up an EFFECT on an area to try to contain or exclude certain creatures, especially elementals. This use of the ritual requires a ref.

Attunement

  • Element: Order
  • Power: 0+
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: Yes

Allows the contributors to attune their psyche to an unknown EFFECT, COMPEL or item to get information about its elemental properties and potentially history. More power may yield more information. You can expect stress and consequences, shared between the participants.

Ruination

  • Element: Destruction
  • Power: 1+
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: No (with exceptions, see below)

Prepares destructive magical energy to be thrown at enemies. Upon success the ritual lead gains one charge of MAGIC DOUBLE per poncelet of power. If the ritual lead moves from the ritual site the charges are discarded. The ritual lead may not attack or use other active skills until the charges are used or discarded (but they may block and parry). Holding the power of this ritual for more than 5 minutes may be hazardous to your health. You can’t be the target of this and a similar ritual like Abjuration at the same time.

Ruination can potentially be used to destroy things that can’t normally be destroyed. This use of the ritual requires a ref.

Conviction

  • Element: Destruction
  • Power: 6
  • Thaumic Refrain: Yes
  • Requires a Ref: No (with exceptions, see below)

A willing target gains an enhancement allowing them to push on despite horrific injuries. The target takes an elemental stress WOUND immediately, and gains EFFECT: Until sunrise you can CURE ALL and WOUND yourself once. This can be used while healthy or within 10 seconds of incapacitation.

This ritual could potentially help a target to endure other physical trauma, such as dangerous surgery or painful wounds and poisons, but will not help to heal them of it. This use requires a ref.

Amplify

  • Element: Creation
  • Power: Variable
  • Thaumic Refrain: No
  • Requires a Ref: Yes

This ritual targets an EFFECT or COMPEL and strengthens it, causing it to have a much greater effect or duration than before and potentially to change the effect to be more comprehensive. The ritualists can guide the way in which it changes, but not reliably. This may cause unexpected side effects. If the EFFECT has drawbacks, expect them to be amplified more than the benefits.

For example, an emotion effect caused by Inspire could be amplified to encourage a lasting change in behaviour. Side effects may include the effect spreading to those casting the Amplify ritual, or the entire interactive.

Empower

  • Element: Creation
  • Power: 4
  • Thaumic Refrain: Yes
  • Requires a Ref: No

A willing target gains an enhancement allowing them to push themselves further in combat. The target gains an elemental stress WOUND and EFFECT: Until sunrise you gain one Hit or a combat resource.

  • Rogue: Gain Quick Wits if you don’t have it.
  • Warrior: Gain one stamina.
  • Invoker: Gain one energy.