Wizards, vampires and mutants: my take on “contemporary occult roleplaying”

[AppleJax]

Directing Passions
One rule I forgot to repeat from Chronicle of the Awakenings was “Directing”.

Once per Passion per Incarnation, a player may apply a Direction to a Passion by noting it on the character sheet. This is a type of situation in which the player really likes to roleplay the Passion. E.g. directing Angry or Cruel or Vengeful toward Initiates of anti-Nephilim conspiracies, or directing Curious or Creative or Industrious towards specific types of arts or crafts. (The CotA supplement has lists of examples for each listed Passion.)

When the Direction comes up during play, then the Passion is considered one Level higher in that situation (or more at GM’s discretion, depending on the situation). That Passion’s Approach is more effective and any Manifestation is more pronounced. E.g. an Angel’s vestigial wings grow large enough to fly with, an Ophidian’s budding fangs grow to syringe sized and inject neurotoxin, or a Genie’s high body heat becomes hot enough to spontaneously generate flames…

Once a Direction is chosen, then it may not be changed until the character reincarnates. Directions reflect the personality of the current incarnation.

Errata: Passions and Adjectives
On the character sheet, Passions are listed with an Adverb and an Adjective. E.g. from Not Emotional to Very Emotional. The Adjective is the name of the Passion, not “Emotional.”

E.g. the Angel Casmaron is Enlightened Enough (Air-Ka; 9 bullet points). His Passions are listed on his sheet as: Calm (4 points), Very Creative (7 points), Very Curious (6 point), Honorable (3 points), Spiritual (2 points).

 

[AppleJax]

Lunar Entropy
[This is a patchwork of the French 3rd and 5th editions, which worked very differently. Forgive any vague wishy-washy writing. I'm still working on this. If desired, Lunar Entropy and Khaiba may be tracked separately (this was how it was done in 3rd and 4th). I opted to condense them in order to cut down on bookkeeping (this is how it was done in 5th).]

Lunar Entropy is a special form of Khaiba, representing a growing contamination by and connection with the Black Moon Fields. Nephilim most commonly accrue Lunar Entropy points as a result of fumbling the Occult Sciences, being exposed to sufficient concentrations of the Black Moon, or casting those rare elemental spells that cross into the Tenebrae. If a Nephilim ever performs the Grand Ritual of Sacrifice for a Moon spell, then their Khaiba form immediately and irrevocably becomes Lunar Entropy.

If the Nephilim hasn't already accumulated any Inkhaibated levels, then their Khaiba form permanently becomes Lunar Entropy upon accruing any Lunar Entropy points for the first time. If they already have levels of Inkhaibated, then track the Lunar Entropy points on an index card and save them for later under the adjective Doomed. Doomed cannot exceed the character's Enlightened (Moon-Ka) level, as the infection hides within the Moon-Ka to protect itself from Entropy. At the end of the adventure, campaign, when Doomed maxes out, or whenever the GM desires, test the character's Doomed vs Inkhaibated. On success, the character's Khaiba form permanently becomes Lunar Entropy. Erase the previous Inkhaibated levels and bullets, then transfer the levels and bullets from Doomed. On failure, erase all levels and bullet points of Doomed. (If the GM feels this makes it too weak, then don't erase Doomed on failure.) Alternatively, if Doomed is higher than Inkhaibated when tested then Lunar Entropy automatically wins. But at some point soon, either one has to give: the character sheet only permits three rows for Degenerations.

Lunar Entropy has persistent side effects. The Nephilim is "haunted": he daydreams and overhears whispers of the Tenebrae, his Passions grow increasingly morbid, and he becomes reticent to cast spells other than Moon (any attempt inflicts 1 magical damage at the Li'l Hurt level, but otherwise works normally). For the haunted, Lunar Entropy points are accrued by both situations that accrue Khaiba points and by situations that accrue Doomed points. For the purposes of rules acting on either those adjectives, his degeneration is considered both Inkhaibated and Doomed. Whenever he suffers a Khaiba Seizure, instead of a Mahrimè he becomes a Sapmulo. A Sapmulo's transformation is similar, but instead of any of the usual four forms, it appears as a terrifying shadowy version of itself that preys on negative emotions like fear (compare the Nesheni or "Terrify" technique practiced by Devils).

If Lunar Entropy ever reaches its maximum (Very Inkhaibated, 10 bullet points) then the character must make an Enlightened (Moon-Ka) check against Inkhaibated. Upon Failure or Fumble, the Nephilim becomes a Sapmulo indefinitely. On Success, the character transforms into a Selenim and begins with 1 point in Black Moon Pool (10 points on Critical Success). If the Nephilim capitulates with the assistance of an experienced Selenim acting as "midwife", then the transformation into Selenim is automatic. The Ex-Nephilim's Ka-elements other than Moon-Ka detach from his Pentacle and rejoin his Stasis item, expelling any charges.

Temperance knows spells to reduce or cure Lunar Entropy, as well as to reattach the lost Ka-elements and reverse the transformation into Selenim. The Unnamed Arcanum knows how to reduce or cure Lunar Entropy, but have no spells to reverse the transformation into Selenim once completed. Lunar Entropy doesn't prevent a Devil from continuing to use Khaiban Techniques and The Devil accepts postulants of this form. Some Devils and Selenim have managed to "tame" Sapmulo using their Techniques, though this is strongly frowned upon.

Mortals can develop Lunar Entropy as a result of being contaminated by Selenim, either accidentally as a result of "overfilling" while Assuaging or intentionally with a Necromancy spell. This doesn't turn them into beings of the Black Moon, as it attaches to but is not integrated with their Solar-Ka, but they do develop a Doomed adjective. Their Doomed level cannot exceed their Enlightened (Solar-Ka) level. They spontaneously lose 1 bullet point every solar midnight. Contaminating a mortal this way, living or dead, is required to create the Living Dead and the Restless Ones, respectively.

Selenim and Ar-Ka'im cannot develop Lunar Entropy, as they naturally integrate Black Moon-Ka into their magical aura. Cruxim (Nephilim with only 4 Ka-elements) who lack their Moon-Ka branch are completely insensitive to Lunar Entropy.

 

[AppleJax]

Entropy
Entropy refers to the spontaneous and inevitable decay of Black Moon-Ka. Selenim spontaneously lose 1 point from their Black Moon Pool every night at solar midnight, when the astrological day shifts. If the moon is new or full, then this loss is doubled!

If their Black Moon Pool ever falls to 0, then the Selenim suffers an Entropy Seizure. This only ceases when the Black Moon Pool rises to at least 1 point. An Entropy Seizure has the following two effects:

1. The Selenim cannot recover from magic damage.
2. The Selenim spontaneously takes 1 magic damage every hour until death ensues.

Assuaging
Selenim spend points from their Black Moon Pool to cast spells. The Pool spontaneously evaporates nightly due to Entropy (see above). These two phenomena push the Selenim to replenish their Pool by siphoning or Assuaging the emotions of mortals. This transubstantiates the victim's Solar-Ka into points in the Black Moon Pool. Selenim may only Assuage the emotions of living mortals, not other Immortals nor the shades of the dead.

All Selenim may read mortal auras in mystic vision, like the Air spell Read Aura. This allows them to readily identify emotions and their intensity.

Creativity, joy and jubilation, love of knowledge and reflection, confusion, compassion, dreams and so forth are all valid opportunities. Selenim and Nephilim alike have spells specifically to affect dreams. Sociable Selenim maintain harems/herds of willing victims.

Selenim readily Assuage individuals, and may Assuage groups if they are experiencing the same emotion. The Selenim's player confronts his Enlighted (Black Moon-Ka) Characteristic against a Difficulty equal to the target's Enlightened (Solar-Ka) Characteristic, or equal to the highest Characteristic in a group targeted; this isn't modified by any skills.

The GM assigns the Assuaging a Satisfactory level, as given on the table below. The more intense the emotion, the more points siphoned. This amount is inflicted on the target as magic damage. This damage cannot check the Dead Box and any excess damage is ignored. An equal amount to the magic damage inflicted is added as points to the Selenim's Pool, even if this would be less than the value given on the table. When Assuaging a group, the magic damage is randomly distributed among the members.

Assuaging	Examples of victims*	Points siphoned from an individual	Points siphoned from a group
Not Satisfactory	Coma.	0	1
Li'l Satisfactory	Watching a b-movie. Deep sleep.	1	2
Satisfactory Enough	Amorous. REM sleep (dreaming).	3	4
Satisfactory	Lottery winner.	4	5
Very Satisfactory	Fundamentalist witnessing a miracle.	5	7

* These examples are flexible. A feeling of desire or a dream may be Satisfactory or Li'l Satisfactory. The level is up to the GM's discretion.

The victim recovers from this magic damage normally. While recovering he feels tired, sluggish, depressed, and indecisive. The Selenim must wait for the victim to recover some or all magic damage boxes before Assuaging him again (GM's discretion).

If the player Fumbles the Assuaging check, then the following two effects occur:

1. The number of points that the Selenim should have siphoned is subtracted from her Pool. If this reduces the Pool to 0, then any excess loss is ignored and the Selenim suffers an Entropy Seizure.
2. The points lost contaminate the victim, causing him to develop a Doomed Characteristic. For a group, the points are distributed randomly among the victims.

If the Selenim overfills her Pool, then the excess points are simply lost. These excess points don't contaminate the victim(s).

 

[AppleJax]

Notes on spell editions
Between Liber Ka and Enlightened Magic, the writeups of spells were revised or changed. I will be using both as my resources since neither substitutes for the other. EM does genericize the rules from LK, but it also introduces new spells and tweaks that I think would be nice to backport.

Names
Between Liber Ka and Enlightened Magic, the spell names were changed. In LK the names are flowery pseudo-Egyptian like Obsecration of Renenet and Silver Mask of Khenti-Kheti. In EM these were changed to self-explanatory names like Acquisition and Disguise, respectively. I leave it up to individual groups to use what names they prefer. For gameplay it makes sense to use the self-explanatory names, while during roleplay it makes sense to use the flowery names... depending on the pretentiousness of the caster. ;)

Elements
Between Liber Ka and Enlightened Magic, the elements of some spells were changed. Since Moon was removed as an element in EM, its spells were redistributed among the other elements (mostly Air, Fire, and Water). I note both of these for completeness and to expand the scope of the elements for ease of player use. If the GM prefers, then refer to the tables of associations to determine what effects are appropriate for which element and veto any spells that the GM thinks don't fit the element's associations. Sorcerers may cast spells of any element, but the spell's element makes it easier or harder to cast based on the Sorcerer's Ka-element values.

Foci and Grimoires
Before performing the ritual, the sorcerer must first acquire or create a Focus for the spell. This is a record of the spell’s design, instructions for performing the ritual, that must be consulted before and during the ritual similar to a recipe in a cookbook. Foci classically take the form of pages in a grimoire (spellbook), but can be written (and encrypted) in any information storage medium: sheet music, crafted artwork, digital files, etc.

Designing a spell: A sorcerer can create the Focus for any spell he can imagine, subject to the Circle’s limitations. This simply requires several hours of consulting research material and composing the design, rolling the corresponding Technique to determine whether it is successfully designed or not. Sorcerers typically keep personal grimoires of all their work.

At the GM's discretion: if a sorcerer has designed or cast the same spell before, then he is assumed to have memorized it enough that he doesn't need to refer to a Focus or Grimoire to perform the ritual. This is not Inscription: he must still perform the ritual to cast the spell.

Spell variants: Some spells have multiple versions, e.g. Dowse Water Plexus and Dowse Water are variants of the same spell, Read Aura and Reverse Aura are likewise variants, and Discern Location works slightly differently depending on whether the target is a person or an object. At the GM’s discretion, these may be considered two different rituals or different applications of the same ritual for the purpose of keeping Foci.

Optional: collecting special Foci in play. Foci acquired in the course of occult research may have unique benefits that the PCs cannot replicate. Such Foci are often written in idiosyncratic formats and encrypted, requiring the PCs to decipher before using. The rituals require esoteric components that make little sense to the PCs, but enhance the effect nonetheless.

Optional: degraded copies of Foci. A Focus may be copied or reverse-engineered, even from a character’s Inscription or an artifact’s enchantment. However, iterations of handwritten or analogue copies can introduce errors that apply a penalty to the spellcasting roll. The only way to reverse this "Xerox effect" is to recreate the Focus from scratch, which isn’t feasible for unique Foci.

Casting Sorcery
The table below gives the respective Techniques, Difficulties, and Ch'awe Costs for casting spells of the corresponding Circle:

Circle	Technique	Difficulty	Ch'awe Cost
First Circle Sorcery	Casual Magic	Li'l Hard (2)	1 point
Second Circle Sorcery	Ritual Magic	Hard Enough (3)	2 points
Third Circle Sorcery	High Magic	Hard (4)	3 points

To cast a spell of Second or Third Circle Sorcery during step 3 of the ritual, the primary caster must roll Enlightened (Ka-element corresponding to spell) versus the Difficulty given on the table above modified by the corresponding Technique. Circumstantial modifiers are applied to rituals from daily astrology, ritual paraphernalia, ritual preparation, assistants, etc.

The Grand Ritual of Sacrifice and the Grand Ritual of Stasis can be used in any Circle. Magic circles do not cut Nephilim off from their Stasis objects: Nephilim inside a magic circle can still tap their Stasis object to increase their chance of succeeding in a Technique roll, even if the Stasis is outside the circle.

Limits of Sorcery
Below is a table comparing and contrasting the limits of Sorcery at each Circle:

Limitation	Casual Magic	Ritual Magic	High Magic
Limited in range and duration. Cannot be used to affect or gain information from anything beyond the range of the sorcerer's mystic vision and never lasts longer than 10 minutes.	Yes	N/A	N/A
Can affect things distant in space and time, but only if there is some magical connection to these people or events.	No	Yes	Yes
Closely tied to the fluctuations of magical energy and may only be cast upon the day of the week that corresponds to their element, or on a Sunday (when all elements are dominant).	N/A	N/A	Yes
Limited in its ability to affect the physical world. It works best when is used to obtain information or to influence the target's thoughts and perceptions. However, it can be used to subtly manipulate events in the physical world or to make minor positive or negative changes in life processes.	Yes	Yes	N/A
The results always occur by seemingly natural means, if they are noticed at all by the unawakened.	Yes	Yes	N/A
Can be used to cause extremely improbable events to occur, but it cannot be used to cause impossible events to occur. A sorcerer could work a spell for luck at gambling, but not cause the roulette wheel to fly up into the air and explode.	No	Yes	N/A
Can produce obvious physical effects. Rituals can raise the dead, summon a hurricane, or transport the sorcerer across the globe in an instant.	No	No	Yes
May only affect a single specified target at a time.	Yes	Yes	N/A
Can affect multiple people, as long they are all present within the magic circle.	No	Yes	Yes
Can affect large groups of people who are not within the magic circle, but only if there is some magical connection to these people or events. Spells that affect large groups of people are limited to causing specific single effects.	No	No	Yes

In general, if the spell has no direct physical effects and only affects the vicinity of the caster it is a First Circle spell. If the spell only affects the physical world in subtle ways it is a most likely a Second Circle spell, and if the spell causes obvious impossible things to happen, or affects more than a small number of individuals, it is a Third Circle spell. There are limits even to Third Circle magic; even Sorcery cannot stop time or destroy all life in a city.

 

[AppleJax]

Second Circle Sorcery Spells
All Second Circle spells are cast as rituals using the Ritual Magic Technique. Targets beyond visual range may be affected using a magical connection, although in many cases the effects are more powerful if the target is present in the ritual space.

Universal Spells
First Circle spells may be cast as rituals in order to take advantage of the increased power and versatility of the Second Circle. The Second Circle version of the spell's name is generally prefixed by the adjective "Greater" or "Major". For brevity, I haven't listed these versions in the lists below.

Air Spells

• Bonds of Connection: Forms a connection between caster and target. The caster may concentrate and know the approximate direction and distance toward the target. He may only roughly locate the target on a map, but will unfailingly walk or drive to them.
• Bond of the Senses: Links the senses of two targets, allowing them to share their sight, hearing and communication.
• Discern Location (of a person): Locate the target on a map.
• Discern Location (of an object): Locate the object on a map. If the caster is the rightful owner, then he doesn't need a magical connection. Although Nephilim can always sense the general vector of their Stasis item, they will use this spell to divine its precise location to save time.
• Reveal Character: Makes the target's true character obvious to viewers, albeit subtly. Con-artists appear untrustworthy, serial killers appear menacing.
• Speech of Reason, The: All present within the circle may communicate regardless of language barriers. This even works on animals, Paredri within Stasis items, ghosts and corpses dead for less than a day. This may be cast on a document to allow everyone present to understand it. When cast on a Paredrus in Stasis, this spells allow the caster to channel the personalities of past lives. Using this spell to speak with the dead inflicts Lunar Entropy points, as this opens the caster to the Tenebrae, so Nephilim consider séances taboo.
• True Speaking: The target automatically determines whether a statement(s) is a deliberate lie(s). This doesn't reveal lies of omission, honest mistakes, or statements the speaker believes true.
• Visions of the Past: The participants perceive events that occurred in the past at the same location, similar to rewinding and reviewing a recording. The vision cannot be detected or recorded with instruments.

Earth Spells

• Acquisition: Aids the caster in the acquisition of some specific item inside the next week. E.g. cars, houses, rent money. It temporarily boosts their Wealth Characteristic for this purpose.
• Bless the Land: Restores life and health to an area. Boosts soil fertility, animal health. Helps damaged or polluted land recover faster.
• Healing: Boosts the effectiveness of mundane first aid and medical treatment. Cures all but the most serious illnesses.
• Intrusion Ward: Wards a dwelling from intrusion or disturbance, or an object from theft or vandalism. Doesn't work if the intruder has a sufficiently pressing reason.
• Protection of the Hearth: Protects a dwelling and anyone currently inside from magical spells cast from outside the dwelling.
• Shield of Protection: protects target from physical harm. Aim is slightly deflected and force of blows is slightly softened.
• Tool Blessing: Enhances the effectiveness of a single tool or device, like lockpicks, a car, or a computer, but not weapons.

Fire Spells

• Awakening the Inner Fire: Permanently awakens the Solar-Ka of a mortal, allowing them to use mystic vision. Casting this spell costs ODP from the caster.
• Banish Magic: Dispels or destroys a single spell of any occult science afflicting the target.
• Curse: The target suffers bad luck, either penalizing all skills for a day or causing one important roll to Fumble.
• Flames of Inspiration: The target is filled with creativity and inspiration, boosting applicable skill rolls.
• Invisible Attack: causes the target (person or object) to spontaneously suffer a non-fatal amount of damage. The cause appears to be something mundane, like a pulled muscle, accident or malfunction.
• Ties of the Heart: Increase or decrease the target's affection for the caster temporarily. The stereotypical love spell.
• Weapon Blessing: Blesses a single weapon to become considerably more accurate and deadly.

Water Spells

• Bond of the Senses: As the Air spell of the same name.
• Cause or Remove Gullibility: Makes the target more gullible or more skeptical, affecting fast talk rolls used on them. They become more likely to believe in unlikely stories, or more likely to disbelieve unlikely stories even if true.
• Deflect Pursuit: If the caster knows who or what is investigating the target, then this spell penalizes their efforts. If the investigation fumbles, then the pursuer gives up or pursues the wrong person.
• Disguise: The target is perceived differently, as a specific sort of person like a military officer. While their actual appearance doesn't change and physical disguises and credentials are still useful, their subtle cues are perceived as those of the profession being impersonated.
• Dream Sending: Sends the target a dream according to the caster's specifications. This is a perfectly mundane albeit vivid dream, but is able to send secret messages.
• Pool of Scrying: Using a reflective surface like a mirror, bowl of water or ink, the caster may spy remotely on a target or location. Everyone in the ritual space can see and hear the target through the surface.
• Ties of the Heart: As the Fire spell of the same name.
• Tongue Twisting: The target is badly misunderstood by listeners, even through broadcasts and recordings. Their actual words don't change, but are perceived in the worst light by listeners.
• Vanishing: Enhances the target's stealth, making them appear to have vanished whenever they make an effort to hide themselves. The effect only works while hiding, not when the target can be clearly seen.

Moon Spells

• Alter the Bonds of Emotion: This spell works similarly to Ties of the Heart, but affects the emotions and reactions of all the relations close to any chosen target. In other words, this temporarily alters their Relationships Characteristic.
• Disguise: As the Water spell of the same name.
• Dream Sending: As the Water spell of the same name.
• ⁠Mirror's Wandering Reflection: Similar to the Water spell Pool of Scrying. The caster sends his own reflection to spy on the target through any nearby reflective surfaces, indefinitely. It may even send a message to the target. Another ritual must be cast to recall the reflection and debrief it, whereupon it verbally shares everything it observed. Otherwise, the reflection cannot cross magic circles in either direction. If noticed (requires a Critical perception check) and captured (requires Ritual Magic vs Agile), then the reflection provides a magical connection to the owner that may be used an unlimited number of times.
• Reveal Character: As the Air spell of the same name.
• Shadow’s Cloak: As Vanishing, but only affects caster and reliant on bad lighting conditions. The sorcerer draws nearby shadows to envelop him into a inky cloak. Even with a direct line of sight, opponents' aim and observation is penalized. If line of sight is ever broken, or wasn't established to begin with, then the caster appears to have vanished even if line of sight is later regained unless the caster draws attention to himself.

Addendum: Immortals and magical connections
Immortals add an additional dimension to magical connections. Anything that provides a magical connection to one of their past lives, even long dead, still provides a magical connection to their current life. A memento from a past life or the physical remains of a past life may be tapped for this purpose, as if a memento or family member of the current incarnation, but as usual these connections only work once before they must be refreshed.

However, a Stasis item provides a magical connection that may be used an unlimited number of times. This goes in both directions: the current possessor may target the owner an unlimited number of times, but the owner may target the current possessor an unlimited number of times.

Addendum: Stasis items and Magic Circles
When participating in a ritual, a Nephilim doesn't requires their Stasis item to be within the magic circle in order to tap it and the magic circle doesn't prevent them from tapping it. However, if the Nephilim isn't touching the Stasis item then they must roll against Difficulty based on the intervening distance to tap charges.

 

[AppleJax]

Sorcerous Paths and the Initiatory Adventure (Optional)
Once a sorcerer masters Ritual Magic, he cannot learn High Magic until he completes the Initiatory Adventure. To begin the Initiatory Adventure the sorcerer must select a Sorcerous Path, which may be chosen as soon as the sorcerer learns Ritual Magic at A. There are five Paths: the Soul's Daedalia favored by Onirim, the Sinuous Saunter favored by Faerim, the Schematic Labyrinth favored by Eolim, the Estrayed Principles favored by Pyrim, and the Spiral of Elevation favored by Hydrim. Each is favored by a different Dominant Ka, but the player is free to select any.

Choosing a Sorcerous Path provides three “domains”, a benefit and a drawback. Spells involving the Path's domains are easier to cast. The Path's benefit opens new applications for spellcasting. The drawback is a danger of obsession with the Path's purview, much like a Passion.

The Soul’s Daedalia: the sorcerer devotes himself to sociality and hedonism. He must discover the potential hidden in his own mind.
Domains: mirror, plentitude, equilibrium
Benefit: Create vivid illusions using any Ka-element.
Drawback: Risks losing self in the minds of targets.

The Sinuous Saunter: the sorcerer is driven to know and understand the natural world, both physical and magical.
Domains: order, renewal, mystery
Benefit: Readily affect immediate natural surroundings.
Drawback: Risks obsession with that place.

The Schematic Labyrinth: the sorcerer turns to pure occult knowledge for guidance.
Domains: spirituality, artisanry, kaleidoscope
Benefit: Target pure knowledge as if it was magical energy.
Drawback: Risks obsession with new knowledge.

The Principles Estrayed: the sorcerer turns to direct action, to raw and cruel reality, to find the truth that justifies his struggle.
Domains: conflict, solidity, illumination
Benefit: faster reaction time to threats.
Drawback: risks berserk rage directed at target.

The Elevation Spiral: the sorcerer loves the path of wandering, being a jack of all trades and master of none, testing every option to find his truth.
Domains: inconstancy, subjectivity, liberty
Benefit: readily cast spells conjoining multiple Ka-elements.
Drawback: risks obsession with experimenting on new variations.


The Sorcerous Path is a metaphorical path through a maze representing the sorcerer's own thoughts and perceptions. Solving this maze and confronting the Minotaur at its center is the goal of the Initiatory Adventure. Over the course of the Initiatory Adventure the sorcerer will glimpse her Minotaur involving itself, however briefly, in her adventures. Near the end of the path the Minotaur will confront the sorcerer in the form of a unique Elemental (which may or may not actually be real, it’s all very symbolic and mysterious). The sorcerer will have to defeat it using her personal understanding of Sorcery. Once she vanquishes her Minotaur, then she has solved the maze and automatically gains High Magic at L.

However, the High Magic Occult Quest has only just begun…

 

[AsenRG]

Man, I just realized that your write-up of Nephilim is longer than I'd require to run or play in the setting...

Keep up the good work!

 

[AppleJax]

Third Circle Sorcery Spells

High Magic is much more powerful than previous circles. It is capable of creating obvious physical effects and affecting groups of people. However, it still has limitations: in many cases, naturally conducive conditions are required for a spell to take effect. Any permanent enchantments generally cost ODP.

To cast a Third Circle spell, the primary caster must roll Enlightened (spell’s Ka-element)+High Magic vs Hard during step 3 of the ritual. Circumstantial modifiers are applied from daily astrology, ritual paraphernalia, ritual preparation, assistants, etc.

Third Circle Sorcery introduces two additional limitations on spellcasting: Enthronement and Power Threshold.

• Enthronement: Third Circle spells may only be cast on the day of the week that the spell’s element is Enthroned. As a reminder, the Enthronements are: Moon on Monday, Fire on Tuesdays, Water on Wednesdays, Air on Thursdays, and Earth on Fridays. All elements are Enthroned on Sundays.
• Power Threshold: Each Third Circle spell has a Power Threshold ranging from 4–18. The Threshold on the d20 roll, after applying all circumstantial modifiers, must match or exceed the spell’s Power Threshold. Otherwise, any attempt to cast the spell automatically fails. This is independent of the Third Circle’s Difficulty (Hard). Power Thresholds are listed after the spell's name in parentheses.

Universal Spells
These spells either have no specific element or have multiple versions for each element.

• Create Stasis (6): Requires Initiate Lore (any Arcanum): J or Initiate Lore (Black Star): M. Links a Nephilim permanently to a chosen object, typically a personal memento. This link allows their Paredrus to survive indefinitely outside of a human bearer and for past life memories to persist across incarnations. The spell's element is the target's Dominant Ka, but there is only one version of this spell.
• Destroy the Spirit of [Element] (6): The caster targets an Elemental Beast of the spell's element and attempts to destroy it. The Difficulty of this spell is equal to the Elemental Beast's Ka. If the spell succeeds, then the Elemental transforms into an inoffensive form of its element, such as a salamander turning into simple flame. If the spell fails, then the Elemental attacks the caster. There is a different version of this spell for each element: Destroy the Spirit of Air, Destroy the Spirit of Earth, Destroy the Spirit of Fire, Destroy the Spirit of Moon, and Destroy the Spirit of Water.
• [Powerful Natural Phenomenon] (12): creates a localized but powerful natural phenomenon of the spell's element, such as a hurricane, firestorm, eclipse, earthquake or tidal wave. The existing environmental conditions must already be conducive to such an event. E.g. the caster can cause a fault to quake, or a volcano to erupt, or a mirage of the Moon eclipsing the Sun, but cannot create a fault or a volcano where none exists, cannot cause a tidal wave in a pond, and cannot produce a false eclipse if the Sun and Moon aren't above them. Each phenomenon is a different spell: E.g. Typhoon Thrust (Air), Seismic Concussion (Earth), Eruption (Fire), Eclipse (Moon), Tidal Wave (Water).
• Channel the [Elemental] Rays (14): This spell allows an Artifact to be enchanted with one spell, but unlike other enchantments it may be cast any number of times to enchant multiple spells onto the same Artifact. Each element requires a different spell: Channel the Airy Rays (Air), Channel the Earthly Rays (Earth), Channel the Fiery Rays (Fire), Channel the Lunar Rays (Moon), Channel the Watery Rays (Water). This spell must be cast in a Nexus or a Plexus of the corresponding element.
• Manifest [Element] Plexus (18): Creates a Plexus of the spell’s element at the site of the ritual, the size of the magic circle cast, that lasts until the end of the current Planetary Month. This provides all the benefits of a natural Plexus, including recharging magic items, healing magical damage, and autocasting spells of that element. There is a different version of this spell for each element: Manifest Air Plexus, Manifest Earth Plexus, Manifest Fire Plexus, Manifest Moon Plexus, and Manifest Water Plexus.

Air Spells
These spells must be cast on a Thursday or a Sunday.

• Ghostly Visitation (4): the caster enters a trance and projects their image invisibly and intangibly to the target. The caster may spent ch'awe to manipulate objects, but is considered Not Strong. The image is clearly visible in Ka-Vision.
• Whirling Winds of Protection (6): The caster summons strong winds to deflect harm. This reduces the accuracy and damage of missile weapons directed at the target.
• Open the Airy Door (8): A magic doorway opens in the magic circle, connecting to the targeted location or vicinity of the targeted person. This door is one-way only, allowing instant travel from the circle to the target but not back. (Note: If enchanted on an item, the destinated is fixed upon enchantment but allows travel there from anywhere the enchantment is activated.)
• Open the Airy Gateway (10): As Open the Airy Door, but allows two-way travel.
• Attainment of New Knowledge (10): The target temporarily knows the desired Skill at the same level as the caster's High Magic Technique, provided they don't already know it higher than A. The target may gain any Skill possible in the campaign, including dead languages known to no living being, but cannot gain any Occult Techniques or Arcane Techniques allowing them to cast spells or other paranormal feats (e.g. Sorcery, Alchemy, Command, Travel). This spell has a different version for each skill.
• Command the Weather (12): The caster may direct the local weather to produce any phenomena appropriate for the location and time of year, such as calling a thunderstorm at a temperate latitude, a blizzard during a cold winter, or a tornado in Tornado Alley. The phenomena may not be directed with any precision.
• Lightning Bolt (12): The caster may call down a lightning bolt to strike the target, provided that the target is already underneath a thunderstorm (such as that called by Command the Weather). The target takes damage and must succeed an Endurant check versus Hard Enough or die instantly. Magical armor is effective against this damage. If cast on an object, then it causes appropriate damage; anyone inside the object (e.g. a car or house) suffers only minimal harm.
• Touching the Collective Unconscious (18): The caster learns the answer to any question that has ever been known to a human being. A different version of this spell must be prepared for each question. The answer cannot be longer than what can be written on a single page in moderately large type (or 250-300 words if that's too vague).

Earth Spells
These spells must be cast on a Friday or a Sunday.

• Animate Object (4): Temporarily animates an object or device up to SUV-sized, or all objects in an average-sized room, a la The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The objects obey the caster's commands.
• Restoration (6): Heals the target of all injury and illness, including diseases, poisons, old injuries, congenital defects, quadriplegia, lost limbs, scars, tooth cavities, etc. Foreign objects are forced harmlessly out of the body. Anything, short of old age or death, is fully cured. If cast on an object, no larger than an SUV, the object is restored to mint condition. A wrecked car or ancient manuscript chewed by rats becomes good as new. This spell will cure mental illness, whether physically, emotionally or magically caused.
• Eternal Warding (8): The targeted location is permanently warded against magic at the cost of ODP. It and its contents cannot be divined by magic, while magical or summoned beings cannot enter without an invitation. The target may be as large as a house or shop, but must have obvious boundaries.
  • Note: If this boundary separates a Nephilim from his Stasis object, then the link is suppressed but not broken: he cannot tap charges from it and his Paredrus cannot rejoin it after bodily death regardless of its current capacity, but his Paredrus won't disperse upon entering Narcosis. If he can use any form of Magic Resistance, then he suffers a −4 penalty to these checks for as long as the block persists.
• Call the Land (10): The sorcerer temporarily awakens the land around the target, allowing him to communicate with the plants and animals. He may ask them to assist the movements of himself and his companions, as well as to hinder or even attack specific intruders or anyone other than himself and his allies. The enchantment becomes permanent if the caster spends ODP.
• Restore Life (18): As Restoration, except that it can cure old age and/or death. Each application costs ODP. An elderly person can be restored to a young adult. This will resurrect any corpse, dead for no longer than a month, to full health and functionality. The target's soul, including any magical aura, must be intact and free to return or the spell will fail (e.g. a Nephilim who reincarnated or was destroyed by Orichalc cannot be resurrected).

Fire Spells
These spells must be cast on a Tuesday or a Sunday.

• Touch of Flame (4): Starts a fire in the vicinity of the target. This is a natural fire that requires combustibles to burn and spread. This spell cannot directly ignite living things.
• Distant Death (6): The target instantly suffers a life-threatening injury such as a stroke, heart attack, aneurysm, etc. regardless of health. The target must make an Endurant check versus Li'l Hard or die instantly, but can be resuscitated if paramedics arrive within 5 minutes. On a success, the target becomes Not Endurant and requires medical treatment to recover their original level. Magical armor is effective against this damage. Interference will cancel this spell if cast the same round the pain is felt. If cast on an object, then the object immediately becomes visibly damaged and any device non-functional.
• Charismatic Presence (8): The target radiates an overwhelming aura of charisma. Everyone likes and agrees with him. Children and animals follow him around. Nobody can attempt to attack the target unless he provokes them or someone else with direct threats or outright violence.
• Blessing of Mars (10): Everyone in the circle becomes a superb warrior and their weapons inflict more damage.
• Flash of Inspiration (12): The target is filled with a sudden flash of seemingly divine inspiration and understanding, never useless or false. They might realize that a deeply held belief conflicts with their ethics, instantly understand an elusive concept, realize seemingly unrelated events are part of a dastardly plot, etc. The players can ask the GM to instantly solve an appropriate social or intellectual problem this way. This spell cannot be cast more than once a week on the same target, or else it just knocks them unconscious and wakes up with a severe headache.
• Spontaneous Combustion (18): The target, such as a person, objects no larger than an SUV, or the contents of a single average-sized room, immediately spontaneously combusts and burns to fine ash in 1 minute. The fire doesn't spread beyond the target unless in contact with highly flammable material. Only magic or immediate, total immersion in water prevents the target's destruction. Interference will cancel the spell if cast the moment the target feels heat or objects warm up.

Water Spells
These spells must be cast on a Wednesday or a Sunday.

• Undetectability (4): The target becomes effectively invisible. While not transparent, people will ignore them, electronic alarms won't go off, and recording equipment only shows bursts of static (that are also ignored by onlookers at the time) instead of their image. The spell ends immediately if the target acts in a way that deliberately draw attention, such as producing loud noises or attacking people.
• The Wild Hunt (6): This spell must be cast at night and ends at morning. The target becomes convinced they are being pursued by monsters until sunrise, like that scene in Disney's Snow White. They will flee blindly until morning, but while exhausted will be unharmed. If restrained or confined, the target will panic and may attempt suicide or suffer permanent trauma unless sedated.
• Flow Through Obstacles (8): Locks and other barriers don't restrain the target, as though they were authorized to open with the key. Locked doors open at their touch, cars start for them, handcuffs release them, alarms are disarmed, etc. Cameras and observers still notice the target.
• Erase Memory (10): The targets, who must be connected in an obvious way and cannot exceed a hundred people, permanently forget one fact. This cannot be something core to their identity like their name, years of marriage, close friends, etc., but anything else is fair game. What they observed on a particular date, a case the police department is working on, all knowledge of an acquaintance/casual friend/co-worker, an important task they were expected to perform, etc. The memory is gone and won't return naturally, but someone who does remember can spend at least an hour convincing the target recall fuzzy and instinct memories.
• Influence Local Events (14): The caster may influence a group of people, connected by an obvious link and numbering no more than two thousand. All members of a local Teamster's union, all police officers in a city, everyone who lives and works in a specific building, etc. The caster may change a single attitude, action or behavior, but it must remain within the bounds of socially acceptable. The workers in an office building all spend 15 more minutes at lunch, the air-traffic controllers monitoring Denver skies become more tense and irritable, etc. This cannot change strongly-held dispositions or cause out-of-character behavior: cheerful people don't become irritable, determined voters don't change their vote, and violence or illegal behavior won't be carried out except by criminals who already do such things.
• Influence Global Events (18): As Influence Local Events, but up to the population of a large city, small US state, or even a small nation. This can shift the result of an election, provided there are sufficient undecided voters.

Moon Spells
These spells must be cast on a Monday or a Sunday.

• The Wild Hunt (6): As the Water spell of the same name.
• Charismatic Presence (8): As the Fire spell of the same name.
• Cause Madness (8): The target is driven permanently insane by exaggerating one of their existing personality traits to delusional levels, such as a suspicious person becoming clinically paranoid. The illness can be treated by modern psychotherapy, but never completely alleviated. Only sufficiently powerful healing magic can cure it.

The Grand Secret
While the High Magic spells above are basically "super-spells", the Sorcery Quest involves the creation of a dynamic spell known as a "Grand Secret". This is the secret of Sorcery, the path to Agartha via sorcerous means. Once the sorcerer has begun construction of their Grand Secret, they gain the Sorcery Quest at A and it cannot exceed their High Magic level. Each level in the Grand Secret Quest provides unique benefits to the sorcerer based on the nature of their particular Grand Secret. The Grand Secret is up to the sorcerer to devise, but one example is the Elemental Realm: the sorcerer constructs an Elemental Realm within the astral plane, populates it with landscapes, architecture, and elementals, and becomes one with it before finally solving the riddle of Agartha.

Inscriptions
Second and Third Circle Sorcery spells may be tattooed onto a character’s magical aura. This is Inscription. An Inscription may be cast without performing a ritual, as easily as Casual Magic (Ch’awe cost 1 point, Casual Magic Technique roll) but without reducing its parameters. The Nephilim uses his magical aura’s own Pentacle to substitute for the ritual space and magic circle.

Casual Magic spells need not and cannot be inscribed. Casual Magic spells cast as Ritual Magic spells for increased power and versatility may be inscribed, just like other Ritual Magic spells.

Inscription involves fully understanding and mastering the spell. To inscribe a spell, the caster must successfully design and cast the spell alone and without any assistants. This doesn’t need to be roleplayed, but is abstracted by spending ODP during downtime.

Inscribing High Magic doesn’t change the spell’s Power Threshold. Likewise, a Nephilim cannot inscribe a High Magic spell she is incapable of casting without assistants. Additionally, High Magic Inscriptions still cannot be cast outside the appropriate day of the week.

During character creation, a sorcerer begins play with free Inscriptions for his Techniques equal to his number of corresponding Technique Boxes checked. For the Casual Magic Technique, these are inscribed as Ritual Magic since Casual Magic cannot be inscribed. If the character doesn’t begin play with access to Ritual Magic because the player picked a different primary Occult Science, then he may spend these Inscription slots on Summoning and Alchemy instead.

Sorcerous Artifacts
An Artifact is an object onto which a single spell and a pool of Ka charges has been enchanted. This allows anyone in possession of the artifact to use the enchantment by activating it with the artifact’s keyword. The keyword may be a literal spoken word or phrase, one or more gestures, a symbol drawn with ink or finger in the air, etc., but it always takes no more than a few seconds to perform. This costs charges from the artifact’s pool, but requires no roll. The artifact spontaneously regenerates 1 charge per day. An artifact may have additional enhancements to the spell’s function. Protective artifacts are Amulets, while all other roles are Talismans.

Only Second and Third Circle spells may be enchanted onto objects. This requires crafting the object from scratch, ritually purifying it, and spending ODP during the enchantment ritual. This allows the spell to be cast by anyone who holds the item as easily as Casual Magic and even if they have no levels in any Magic Techniques or Ka-Elements. High Magic enchantments may be cast on any day of the week! Normally, only one spell may be enchanted per Artifact, but the High Magic spell Channel the [Elemental] Rays allows for more.

Over time, Artifacts can pass through multiple hands and accumulate effects from various enchanters, making them especially rare and sought after. The various anti-Nephilim conspiracies love to misuse Artifacts, while The Magician creates them as another way to entice mortal allies. Over the course of play the PCs may discover Artifacts with unique properties outside their own ability to create, or take Artifacts as perks at character creation. Other even rarer types of Artifacts include Relics (living artifacts) and Masterpieces (unique artifacts).

So that's sorcery down. Next up, I start on Alchemy!

 

[AppleJax]

Alchemy basics
While the origins of Sorcery are lost to the mists of time, the history of Alchemy is relatively well-documented. It was first developed in Egypt at some point after the birth of Christ, shared and refined across the Silk Road, and its secrets written on the fabled Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus. However, the Tablet was lost and Alchemy remained obscure until it was gradually rediscovered and propagated across the Old World.

Alchemy is divided into three ascending Circles: the Black Work, the White Work, and the Red Work. The preceding Circle must be mastered before the alchemist can progress to the next. All three operate on similar principles, but applied to different targets: the body, mind, and soul, respectively. (The final stage is the Yellow Work, i.e. Agartha.)

At the Black Work, the alchemist uses an alchemical laboratory to create substances that produce a desired physical effect when applied or subjects a target to alchemical processes in the lab. The alchemist uses a mundane trade to give form to his lab and substances, such as perfumery, microchip manufacture, baking, animal husbandry, and so on. The Black Work was rediscovered in circa AD1000; PCs may not learn it before then.

At the White Work, the alchemist creates a work of art that produces a desired mental or emotional effect in witnesses. The alchemist uses a mundane art to give form to his alchemy, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, musical composition, and so on. The White Work was rediscovered in circa AD1400; PCs may not learn it before then.

At the Red Work, the alchemist meditates and prepares a spiritual effect within their own body before applying it to the target’s soul by pointing at or touching them. As with prior Circles, the form this takes varies by the mundane meditation specialty the alchemist has chosen. The Red Work may only be learned during play; learning it requires either meeting a tutor who already knows it or finding a grimoire that itself was created by the White Work (such as the fabled Emerald Tablet), which would be an adventure(s) in itself!

Alchemy spells, or Formulas, operate on the principle “as above, so below”: the same Formula has a version for each Circle. For example, a healing formula heals physical maladies at the Black Work, mental maladies at the White Work, and spiritual maladies at the Red Work.

As with Sorcery, the effects of Alchemy are typically subtle and easy for mundane folks to dismiss. Alchemy is far more time consuming to prepare than Sorcery, and cannot be used at range, but the effects are more powerful and precise. Unlike Sorcery, Alchemy can permanently transmute living beings and non-living matter in the lab. For example, the Black Work procedure Purification of Gold allows the alchemist to transmute base metals into gold!

The Alchemy Quest becomes available once the alchemist starts learning the Red Work, but cannot exceed his level in the latter. To pursue the Alchemy Quest, the alchemist must work on their Magnum Opus (“Great Work”). The Magnum Opus is personalized to each alchemist, but some famous examples include the Philosopher’s Stone, the Elixir of Life, the Philosopher’s Mercury, and the Golem.

Performing Alchemy
To perform alchemy, the alchemist must acquire or create the desired procedure (i.e. the Focus) and then prepare it. How this is prepared varies by Circle, as described above, taking anywhere from a day to a week or longer. He spends Ch’awe equal to the Circle and rolls Enlightened (spell’s element)+the corresponding Technique versus a Difficulty that varies by Formula. He can add circumstantial modifiers by using high quality equipment and materials, including alchemically enchanting a lab by spending ODP identically to a magical tool.

Between the original unpublished draft for Nephilim and the rules printed in Enlightened Magic, the alchemy formulas underwent significantly more changes than sorcery spells did. I will note where these versions differ.

 

[AppleJax]

List of Alchemical Procedures
As with sorcery, I left the descriptions of spells brief and vague to give groups leeway and to encourage you to read the original books. You can buy Enlightened Magic on the Chaosium webstore, and I maintain a copy of the original unpublished alchemy rules. Feel free to tweak the effects at your leisure, these are just guidelines.

Like sorcery, elemental associations affect what alchemy can do. Keep that in mind when devising new procedures. For example...

• Fire: Destruction, burning, changes in essential nature, irreversible changes.
• Air: Gathering information, changes in motion, or speed, birds and flight.
• Water: Growth, increase, decrease, changes in degree and state, reversible changes, fish and swimming.
• Moon: Disguises, changes in appearance, nocturnal beasts of all kinds.
• Earth: Healing, repair, stability, solidity, mammals.

Note: procedures with opposite effects cancel each other out when applied to the same target. E.g. Strengthen and Weaken mutually cancel, Enhance and Inhibit mutually cancel, Immunity to Influence cancels any effect current affecting the target.

Air Procedures

Name	Difficulty	Black Work	White Work	Red Work
Draft of Understanding	Not Hard	Material increases known physical manipulation skills	Student gains bonus to existing intellect and knowledge skills	Understand target's character and motivations
Binding Attraction of the Alchemical Tide (EM)	Not Hard	Links a dowsing rod to an object or to a certain substance	Viewer's memory of event like that depicted may be read via mystic vision	See the ties between people
Coagulation of Understanding	Li'l Hard	Translate text from one language to another, including programming language	Viewers may communicate together regardless of any barriers to understanding. EM: Viewer gains a skill they don't possess (compare Waxing of New Beginnings).	Directly contact target's spirit
Revealing Dissolution	Hard Enough	Material renders target transparent to mystic vision	Viewers become incapable of deceit	Read target's memories
Craft the Alchemical Key	Hard	Material turns into key for the first lock encountered	Viewers become more agreeable	Contact the dead
Craft the Vessel of Winds	Very Hard	Vessel may safely contain any substance	Art captures viewer's thoughts and emotions. EM: Viewer imagines they are in the scene depicted.	Create a stasis object. EM: Steal target's soul and place it inside object.

Earth Procedures

Name	Difficulty	Black Work	White Work	Red Work
Draft of Healing	Li'l Hard	Material speeds and augments healing, or repair inanimate object	Art soothes the mind and emotions	Heal damage to Ka. EM: "Heal" mistakes by sending mind back one hour (compare Waxing of New Beginnings).
Immunity to Influence	Hard Enough	Target rendered immune to Black Work	Viewers become resistant to White Work. EM: Viewers become more disagreeable.	Target rendered immune to Red Work
Strengthen	Hard Enough	Material increases damage resistance	Viewers become more resistant to manipulation of emotion, perception, or magic	Increase target's magic resistance
Miracle of Creation	Hard	Construct any device or object seen before	Viewers compelled to recreate the subject of the work	Imbue physical object with spirit
Create the Golem	Very Hard [or Hard (EM)]	Create body of human or animal	Create rudimentary mind for golem	Give the golem a soul
Ultimate Purification of Gold (EM)	Very Hard	Refine 1lb metal into 1oz gold	Viewers receives vision of future event	Imbue physical object with spirit (compare Miracle of Creation)

Fire Procedures

Name	Difficulty	Black Work	White Work	Red Work
Ignite the Fire	Not Hard	Material combusts when triggered	Student filled with inspiration and creativity	Awaken target's Solar-Ka
Weaken	Li'l Hard	Material reduces target's resistance to damage	Viewer is less resistant to emotional manipulation	Reduce target's Ka score
Fires of Obliteration	Hard	Material is the antithesis of one specific object	Art destroys one specific memory about one person, physical object or event	Destroy a person's spirit or an elemental
Fires of Purification	Hard	Remove damage and wear from person or object	Student sees past own prejudice and deceit. EM: Notice lies made to them in the past.	End target's Khaiba or Shouit seizure. EM: Target realizes own prejudice and deceit.
Ultimate Purification of Gold	Very Hard	Refine 10kg metal into 1kg gold	Student pierces confusion and better appreciates their life	Ascend to Agartha(?!)
Renewal (EM)	Very Hard	Not included in book? Refer to the Water procedure.	Viewers see a specific ideology, event, or person in a new light	Reshape target's mind and personality

Moon Procedures

Name	Difficulty	Black Work	White Work	Red Work
Binding Attraction of the Alchemical Tide	Li'l Hard	Links a dowsing rod to an object or to a certain substance	Viewers are haunted and share a communal dream	See the ties between people
Removal	Li'l Hard	Material renders object invisible or appear cosmetically different	Art suppresses a specific emotion	Remove part of target's spirit
Alteration	Hard Enough	Change appearance of living target	Viewer gains a new memory	Change Nephilim's Dominant Ka and Metamorphosis
Waxing of New Beginnings	Hard	Material imparts new knowledge of physical manipulation skill	Viewer gains knowledge skills they didn't have	Mentally time travel up to one hour earlier
Universal Solvent	Very Hard	1 liter vitriol dissolves 1 liter any other substance except vessel of the winds	Art dissolves social barriers	Dissolve barriers within target

Water Procedures

Name	Difficulty	Black Work	White Work	Red Work
Waters of Growth	Li'l Hard	Induce immature subject to reach adult size, or crystals to grow further	Viewer experiences single overpowering emotion	Double one Ka-element score
Alteration (EM)	Li'l Hard	Change or duplicate appearance of living thing or inanimate object (compare Removal)	Viewer experiences single overpowering emotion (compare Waters of Growth)	Switch mind and soul with target
Destruction of Order	Hard Enough	Material causes target to malfunction	Viewer experiences synesthesia and minor hallucinations	Destroy target's mind
Inhibit	Hard Enough	Material inhibits all natural processes: devices, physical processes, living things	Viewer's emotional reactions reduced. EM: One or all emotional reactions depressed (compare Removal).	Block target's ability to use magic
Enhance	Hard	Material speeds natural processes	Viewer's emotional reactions increased. EM: One or all emotional reactions increased.	Boost all metamorphosis traits to maximum. EM: Target automatically succeeds POW contests or Luck rolls.
Renewal	Very Hard	Wash away effects of age from living thing or inanimate object	Viewers see a specific ideology, event, or person in a new light	Transform target into another type of Nephilim or awakened being
Universal Solvent (EM)	Very Hard	As the Moon procedure	As the Moon procedure	As the Moon procedure

Special considerations for alchemical materials and works of art
A material produced by Black Work produces the effect when applied to or consumed by the target. The mundane form of the material is irrelevant: the magic makes it work. E.g. preparing Alchemical Key by cooking produces a biscuit that, when pressed against a door lock, breaks open to reveal the key.

Works of art can be any form of art: jewelry, painting, sculpture, novels, sheet music, instruments, scripts, body art, etc. The effect is evoked in witnesses when the art is viewed, played, performed and heard, etc. For performance art, the effect works regardless of who plays the instrument, performs the music, plays the part, etc. For particularly complex performances, such as bands and plays, the GM may rule that the alchemist must be personally involved and spend Ch'awe to produce the effect.

(Hypothetically it may be possible for White Work to create stereotypical love potions and the like by counting tasting and smelling as a form of art, but the books never specify.)

Alchemical Inscriptions
Like Sorcery, Alchemy procedures may be inscribed on the alchemist's magical aura by spending ODP. When preparing an Inscription, the alchemist requires no focus and reduces the preparation time to one day regardless of Circle. If the procedure already requires no more than one day, then the alchemist adds a +2 circumstantial bonus to the preparation roll. Red Work procedures are the exception: the preparation time is reduced to one minute (equivalent to five combat rounds in BRP).

When inscribing, the alchemist must specify the Circle and version of the procedure. E.g. Draft of Healing may be used to repair inanimate objects, heal wounds, cure disease or cure madness, but each type must be inscribed separately. A White Work procedure may evoke any of several emotions or perceptions, but a specific one must be specified for the inscription. Inscriptions are highly specific, but save significant time and effort.

Alchemical Artifacts
The nature of alchemical artifacts varies by circle.

At Black Work, the alchemist may enchant an athanor (the alchemical oven, the nature of which varies by the mundane trade used) with a specific procedure. This enchanted athanor may be used to prepare doses of that procedure's material by anyone who knows the associated mundane trade, even if they don't know any Magic Techniques or lack the requisite Ka-Elements. However, it is rendered useless for preparing any other procedures.

At White Work, the alchemist creates works of art that evoke the desired emotion or perception in witnesses. Normally, the magic fades after a few days. By spending ODP, the work of art will produce the effect permanently and thus becomes an artifact. An artifact in the form of sheet music or a play never requires the alchemist's involvement in the performance.

Red Work procedures cannot be enchanted, only inscribed.

Errata: Magical Tattoos
I forgot to mention in the sorcerous artifacts, but ink tattoos may be enchanted as artifacts. This isn't the same as inscription, but provides similar benefits.

Next up
Summoning will probably take even longer, since I'm gonna have to devise those rules from scratch since it was never updated the way sorcery and alchemy were. Apologies in advance!

 

[AppleJax]

Basics of Summoning
(All rules tentative!)

Summoning is the art of calling entities from other worlds within the magic fields. It originally developed as an outgrowth of Sorcery by figures including Helen Dendritis, King Solomon, Melchizedek, and Simeon Bar Yokkai. Summoners generally organize the magical realms by Kabbalistic principles: Yetzirah, Briah, and Atziluth. The Agarthic Quest of the summoners is to internally trod these worlds and make contact with the Monad.

Summoning is performed via ritual, in the same way as Ritual Magic. The summoner draws the summoning circle and evokes the desired entity. This requires a test of Enlightened (summon’s element)+Circle’s Technique vs Difficulty equal to the summon’s Contract. The Contract value varies by entity as a matter of game balance.

Entities have magical names that grant power over them, similar to a persistent magical connection. These names are complex and must be spoken in full to command the entity’s respect and full cooperation. There are pitfalls to summoning without knowing the proper name…

Entities remain on Earth for the duration of their mission, often no more than a day or night. Belligerent entities retreat once a fight is over.

A summoner may only call one entity of a given element per Enlightened level in that element. The summoner may prematurely dismiss an entity with another test, but the Difficulty increases by one level. A summoner can banish an entity called by another summoner with the same test, provided he is capable of summoning it himself.

Muggles cannot directly perceive summoned beings, beyond perhaps fleeting glimpses in the corner of the eye. For example, muggles will perceive summoned armor as oddly dressed but cannot say why. They are perfectly visible in Ka-Vision.

Summoned beings have the same five physical Characteristics as human characters. They typically have only a single Ka-element Characteristic. Their levels generally scale with their Circle. They’re usually subject to physical damage, though some are invulnerable or immaterial and only subject to magic damage. Like Nephilim, summoned beings fear Orichalc.

The power of summoned beings
Summoning is divided into three ascending Circles, one for each of the higher worlds, and each with an associated Magic Technique: Lesser Theurgy, Greater Theurgy, and High Theurgy, respectively. The Circle limits the might of summoned beings. Some examples:

1. Yetzirah: First Circle summons, or Seals, generally cannot exceed Ritual Magic or equivalent Alchemy, in terms of balance. May inflict a minimum of physical damage to hinder targets, but mostly do other things like gathering knowledge, protection from harm, influencing the lives of oneself or others. Payments are usually fairly minor, while ruptures are generally inconvenient but not long term or life-threatening.
2. Briah: Second Circle summons, or Pentacles, generally cannot exceed 50% High Magic or equivalent Alchemy, in terms of balance. May inflict grievous physical or magical damage. Their ability to affect the world is greater; the cutoff point seems to be the creation of natural disasters or phenomena like eclipses or meteors, which is beyond the entities of this circle. Payments can get pretty expensive, but still within mortal means, although ruptures can be long-term or life-threatening.
3. Atziluth: Third Circle summons, or Keys, are off the scale, well beyond mortal ken. They create very permanent changes in the physical, psychological and magical makeup of people, places and objects. They can do seemingly anything, including breaking what are otherwise considered the laws of magic, but must be bargained with or cajoled to receive their services, never commanded. They can exact a frighteningly high price, and a rupture will permanently alter the course of campaigns.

The Ka-elements generally define the activities of summoned beings. Some examples:

• Air entities analyze information, help one to comprehend, and facilitate travel.
• Earth entities feed the needy, protect the vulnerable, and heal the sick.
• Fire entities fight opponents, burn things, and impress onlookers.
• Moon entities deceive, scare, and charm targets.
• Water entities find, guard, and hide things.

Relations and rapport
Summoning is the Occult Science of relations. Unlike sorcerous spells or alchemical procedures, entities are autonomous and have dispositions. While knowing their magical name allows the summoner to compel the entity to follow the terms of their contract, to command its respect and loyalty the summoner must negotiate with and reciprocate the entity. Bribery, coercion, cajoling…

Every entity has its own idiosyncrasies and taboos that the summoner must observe to maintain its allegiance. Entities of neutral disposition will follow orders to the letter, but no more and no less. Entities of positive disposition will act on their own initiative to fulfill the spirit of the contract. Entities of negative disposition will attempt to subvert the spirit of the contract at every opportunity. A sufficiently provoked entity will utilize clauses in the fine print to justify attacking or magically cursing the summoner.

Summon beings’ relationship with their summoner varies by the nature and Intelligent Characteristic of the entity. They may be pets, vassals, employees, peers, mentors, friends, even lovers!

Sufficiently powerful entities, like the Archdukes/duchesses, Princes/esses, Kings/Queens, and Emperors/esses that hold court in Atziluth, cannot be commanded or coerced. A successful summoning roll simply means they deigned to appear. They are NPCs that act at the GM’s discretion and may directly influence the course of campaigns.

Ruptures
If the summoning roll Fails or Fumbles, then a Rupture occurs. The summoner made a grievous mistake and suffers the consequences. The nature of the Rupture varies depending on the roll result and the entity’s disposition. This ranges from something innocuous like the wrong entity appearing instead, all the way to the entity attacking, possessing or abducting anyone nearby!

The GM should use their own discretion when determining the result of a Rupture, depending on the needs of the campaign.

Ethers, Veils and Watchtowers
The Summoning Worlds are associated with the 30 Enochian Aethyrs. Orders 1–10 with Atziluth, Orders 11–20 with Briah, and Orders 21–30 with Yetzirath. Each Order has multiple Good Ministers associated with it, whose names are invoked to summon entities. A full list and description may be found in Mysteria Magica. (Some of these names appear in the official rulebook, but garbled by multiple rounds of English to French translation. The descriptions and powers seem to be wholly inventions of the French writers.)

Progression into each Circle is associated with symbolically piercing one of three Veils. The Veil of Qesheth is pierced to access Yetzirah, the Veil of Paroketh to access Briah, and the Veil of Da’ath to access Atziluth.

I previously mentioned the Watchtowers. There is one for each Ka-element. They extend throughout the summoning worlds. In a similar fashion to how a sorcerer solves a labyrinth and an alchemist uncovers the prima materia, the summoner trods the shadow of their watchtower to build a fiefdom within the summoning worlds.

Hope you enjoyed! Examples of specific summons to come…

 

[AppleJax]

Example summonings (tentative)
What follows are some examples of what summonings are capable of. These rules are tentative and guidelines. The services described are those for which the entity is most commonly summoned, but entities may have other powers for summoners to discover after building a rapport...

Targets outside of visual range must be indicated using a magical connection. Some entities may be summoned from different circles or elements, and shift their capabilities accordingly.

First Circle / Magic Technique: Lesser Theurgy / Olam Yetzirah / Magic Sigil: Seals
The summons of this circle hold power over the most basic physicality, the conscious and unconscious mind, and the cycles of life and love.

These rituals take 2d6 hours to design and cost 1 ch'awe to cast. These entities must be summoned at a source of Ka (e.g. Plexus, Nexus, Sacrifice), unless a Pact has been made.

• Ashim, Doors of Adamantean, with Metal Feet: possess and mystically seal a door against intrusion. If someone attempts to force the door, they telepathically alert their summoner.
• Guardians of the Five Doors of Avalon: magical armor that protects the summoner and designated targets.
• Dark Governors of the Powers of Pestilence: really stinky gas.
• Lights of the Pharphar Fire Forests: summon will-o-wisps with infrared vision, and kamikaze attack akin to a bee sting.
• Those Who Hit the Scorpions: poisons targets with scorpion venom.
• Guardians of the Pharphar Wells: temporarily remove a target's memory.
• Implacable Ministers, Living Lamps of the Hidden Altar: terror in the form of a headless swordsman.
• Kerubim of Exasperation and Confusion: annoy and distract targets.
• Ministers of Peace, Clothed with Beryl: enforces peace upon any conflict.
• Procurators whose Eyes are Basilisks of Ruby: possesses the summoner and makes him so intimidating that targets have no choice but to answer questions truthfully.
• Quicksilver Mirrors, Ministers of Resemblance: summons a golem of limited intelligence that assumes the physical form of a chosen target. The summoner may pilot it remotely.
• Smiling Tarshishim, Sentinels of the Silver Castle: causes the targets to engage in an ecstatic dance.
• Whispering Rumors of the Lower Waters: send any sound the summoner has previously heard, or throw his voice
• Prince of the Salt of Wisdom: may cure illnesses, heal wounds, and banish curses, provided the summoner pays their fee.

Second Circle / Magic Technique: Greater Theurgy / Olam Briah / Magic Sigil: Pentacles
The summons of this circle hold power over transformation and mutation, improvement of the self, the sword of the law and its mercy.

These rituals take 2d6 days to design and cost 2 ch'awe to cast. These entities may only be summoned on Enthronements of their element, unless a Pact has been made.

• Swift Flame Portals: transforms the summoner into ball lightning, allowing rapid travel.
• Those Who Creep and Nibble: gnaw inanimate objects into fine dust.
• Those Who Whisper, the Spirits of the Basalt Forest: inspire a fear of the dark and nightmares when victims sleep.
• Invoking Voices of the Luminous Desert: provide a bonus to performances of any kind, including mundane performances, sorcery rituals, summoning rituals, and performance works of White Stone alchemy.
• Kerubim, Agile Inhabitants of the Sunset Homes: boost or grant the Approach of Water to targets.
• Spirits of the 24th Part of an Instant: boost senses and grant 360 degree vision.
• Lords of Torment with Diamond Helms: gives the target night terrors.
• Riders Armed from Head to Feet from the River of Dreams: send dreams to the target.

Third Circle / Magic Technique: High Theurgy / Olam Atziluth / Magic Sigil: Keys
The summons of this circle hold power over the wickedest curses, intellect and understanding, the mysteries of time, and may directly affect the essence of magic.

These rituals take 2d6 months to design and cost 3 ch'awe to cast. These entities may only ever be bargained with, never commanded. These entities may only be summoned on Grand Enthronements of their element, unless a Pact has been made.

• Powerful Pale Queen of Pain, with Tears of Flame: places its crown upon the target's brow, driving the target insane until someone else takes their place.
• Crystal Net, Ship on the Infinite River: provides transportation. Time passes normally for the passengers, but when they arrive at their destination no time has passed on Earth.
• Jade Flowers, Mysteries of the Dark Forests: place the summoner under a hallucinogenic trance, allowing them to see through time.
• Orichalka Trumpet, Minister of Dissension: nullifies a Nephilim's Ka-elements.
• Shadow-cloaked Sages from the White Mountain across the Misty Shores: Answer questions about the knowledge of any Nephilim currently in Stasis. They refuse to give information that would harm any Nephilim.
• Adonai, the Premier Master of Creation, Great Emerald Grail: he has mastery over the elements, making him a generic deus ex machina.
• Five Branches of the Tree of Life: princes and princesses of the magic fields, granting knowledge and power over their element.
• Inner Pentangle of the Temple of Baphomet: Lord Principalities of the Gates, who perform powerful services of their element in exchange for permanent sacrifices.

Okay, done! I'm still not satisfied with this, but it should suffice as a reference point for other rules until I revise it again.

 

[AppleJax]

On summoning and controlling Elemental Beasts
(See Nephilim Gamemaster's Companion p42 for more details on Elemental Beasts)

What is the difference between Elemental Beasts and Summoned Beings? Summoners classify Elemental Beasts as spirits of Assiah, the physical plane. By contrast, the spirits of the higher planes (Yetzirah, Briah, and Atziluth) are partly or wholly conceptual beings drawn from the personal and/or collective will and imagination of humanity. Summoned Beings have an Intelligent Characteristic, whereas Elemental Beasts use the Instinctive Characteristic instead just like mortal animals.

Spontaneous Generation: Elemental Beasts are spontaneously generated by the confluence of natural or magical phenomena (eclipses, earthquakes, house fires, plexus, etc) and the emotional potential(s) of an area. They live brief and furious lives, but some are known to have fragments of self that persist across their apparitions and dissolutions.

Via Sorcery: Using High Magic is it possible to destroy Elemental Beasts by transforming them into an inoffensive form of their element (see the spell Destroy the Spirit of [Element]), but it is possible to force their generation from a conducive environment and from there control them. This spell(s) is known as Summon the Creature of [Element]. This may presumably be the origin of how Summoning was developed.

Via Sacrifice: Any Nephilim may perform the Grand Ritual of Sacrifice and offer it to an Elemental Beast present, feeding and calming the beast. The beast will then be positively disposed and the Nephilim may attempt to convince it to follow a single order. Success = the beast follows the order and then leaves peacefully. Failure = the beast is unconvinced and leaves peacefully. Fumble = the beast is insulted and attacks the Nephilim. In this way it is possible for Nephilim to form bonds with these beasts, bonds that may potentially survive the centuries... An Elemental Beast Ally is one of the possible Advantages that a Nephilim may purchase at character creations.

Via Summoning: A Master of Lesser Theurgy can attempt to force the generation of an Elemental Beast under suitable conditions, rather than waiting for random chance. He casts Summon the Creature of [Element], using Lesser Theurgy instead of High Magic. This results in the generation of an Elemental Beast appropriate to the circumstances. Summoners have created variants of these spells that summon a specific species of Elemental Beast (e.g. Summon Lightning Wyvern), but this only works if the appropriate conditions are present. A rare few Summoners have managed to further refine these spells so that they can summon their elemental allies anywhere, but these techniques are still poorly developed and prone to disaster. These spells don't require the Nephilim to give Sacrifice and may be cast on an Elemental Beast already present in the vicinity.

Via Magical Workings: All of the magical arts have magical inscriptions or locations that make using the art simpler: sorcerous workings, summoning circles, and alchemical laboratories. For now, assume PCs cannot create these places but can discover them in play. Nephilim within them may control or destroy such beasts with a simple opposed Ka roll.

Table of Elemental Beasts

Creature	Element	Passion
Nephilim rulebook (pg. 220-4)
Basilisk	Earth	Cruel
Flame Snake	Fire	Unpredictable
Ghost Wyrm	Moon	Vengeful
Ghruuul	Earth/Fire	Destructive
Gorgon	Moon	Private
Gryphon	Air/Fire	Proud
Harpy	Air	Misanthropic
Hemogobblyn	Earth	Indulgent
Kelpie	Water	Indulgent
Lightning Wyvern	Fire	Energetic
Mantichora	Earth	Angry
Salamander	Fire	Destructive
Seethers	Water	Uncaring
Gamemaster’s Companion (pg. 50-9)
Banshee	Moon	Loyal
Fire Bird	Fire	Honorable
Foam Horse	Water	Deceitful
Frost Wyvern	Water	Private
Gapplin	Fire	Mischievous
Gargoyle	Earth	Watchful
Ghoul	Moon	Hungry
Gremlin	Fire	Mischievous
Guardian Drakes	Varies	Watchful
Kraken	Water	Calm
Kraken, Wild	Water	Misanthropic
Lune	Moon	Spiritual
Servant of Poseidon	Water/Fire	Angry
Silver Death	Orichalka	Destructive
Sprite	Air	Varies
Thought-Bat	Air	Honest
Zephyr	Air	Rebellious
“Elemental Creatures”, Chaosium Digest, v.15, n.5
Candle Flames	Fire	Creative
Dogs of the Other World	Moon	Energetic
Stymphalian Birds	Earth/Air	Hungry

 

[AppleJax]

Trivia: In the French version, Summoning is known as Kabbalah and (as of the most recent edition, 5th) its ten magic techniques are named as the ten Sefirot. During the adaptation to the US version by Chaosium, this occult science was renamed to “Summoning” and the Kabbalistic Lore skill was introduced to cover theoretical knowledge on Ka and the three magic techniques. This change was made because the writers felt it was reductive to reduce the complexity of the real Practical Kabbalah to just summoning magical creatures.

Information from a French fansite:

Arcanes secrets de la Kabbale

LA référence en matière de Kabbale

nicolas.damour.free.fr

The French summons have various (inconsistent) associations with the Elements, Olamot, Sefirot, Mondes, etc. I feel this is needlessly confusing so I opted to use just the Circles for organization. Hope you don’t mind!

 

[AppleJax]

Summoning is performed via ritual, in the same way as Ritual Magic. The summoner draws the summoning circle and evokes the desired entity. This requires a test of Enlightened (summon’s element)+Circle’s Technique vs Difficulty equal to the summon’s Contract. The Contract value varies by entity as a matter of game balance.

Entities have magical names that grant power over them, similar to a persistent magical connection. These names are complex and must be spoken in full to command the entity’s respect and full cooperation. There are pitfalls to summoning without knowing the proper name…

Entities remain on Earth for the duration of their mission, often no more than a day or night. Belligerent entities retreat once a fight is over.

A summoner may only call one entity of a given element per Enlightened level in that element. The summoner may prematurely dismiss an entity with another test, but the Difficulty increases by one level. A summoner can banish an entity called by another summoner with the same test, provided he is capable of summoning it himself.

Muggles cannot directly perceive summoned beings, beyond perhaps fleeting glimpses in the corner of the eye. For example, muggles will perceive summoned armor as oddly dressed but cannot say why. They are perfectly visible in Ka-Vision.

Summoned beings have the same five physical Characteristics as human characters. They typically have only a single Ka-element Characteristic. Their levels generally scale with their Circle. They’re usually subject to physical damage, though some are invulnerable or immaterial and only subject to magic damage. Like Nephilim, summoned beings fear Orichalc.

Some clarifications to Summoning:
(These particular rules are taken from the fourth edition published in 2012. They're based on the third edition from 2001 but heavily simplified.)

The Summoner calls upon a different contract for each creature he summons, but certain clauses are identical for all the summons of the same Circle of initiation (unless otherwise specified in the description of the summoning). This is the distance a creature is allowed by its contract to move away from the Summoner and the time it will spend with him awaiting its mission before returning to its world.

The summoned creatures are distinguished by their visibility in the eyes of third parties, their attitude in the event of failure of the Summoner and by their autonomy in relation to him in the event of success.

Circle	Range	Duration	Visibility	Autonomy	Rupture
First	cannot move more than 20 meters from the Summoner	remain in his service for 3 hours	visible to all magical beings, while mortals can only discern their shadows	incapable of showing any initiative whatsoever outside of their primary function	remain frozen in their circle for the duration of the summoning
Second	can move up to 1 kilometer away from the Summoner	remain at his side until the next dawn	can only be seen in Ka-vision	capable of adapting to accomplish the mission entrusted to them	behave erratically and harm Summoner if they get the chance — but without going so far as to directly endanger him
Third	are free to move	can stay with the Summoner as long as they wish	can be seen in Ka-vision, but they can also choose to reveal themselves, even to mortal eyes	entirely free in their actions and when they agree to respond to the Summoner's request, they choose the way in which they carry it out	may turn against Summoner or even try to take him to their original world as a prisoner...

Summoned creatures are immune to all physical damage. Elemental attacks affect them normally. They perform all their actions using their Ka value as their characteristic and can take as many points of damage as this value before being banished to their original world.

 

[AppleJax]

Necromancy
Necromancy is one of the occult sciences developed by the Selenim. The basis of this occult science is the natural attraction between Solar-Ka and Black Moon-Ka: this allows Selenim to Assuage the emotions of mortals, but it also allows them to hear the voices of the dead. The vibration of the Black Moon fields mixes with the voices of the dead to produce a mystic "audition" the Selenim call the Tenebrae, which plays an important role in both Necromancy and Conjuration (aka Black Summoning). The Tenebrae acts as a bridge between life and death, one that may be crossed in both directions.

The origin of Necromancy remains unknown, but it was practiced as early as the Pact with Menes in Egypt. Nephren-Ka and other Selenim from Iram lent their services to run the mortuary cult, developing the mummification rituals used to preserve the Nephilim Pharaohs after death. Originally the necromancers used diverse relics—amulets, sarcophagi, bandages—to preserve at least some spark of Solar-Ka (see below), but the Mysteries of Osiris discovered this could be applied to suspend the Ka-Elements that normally evacuate upon death. In concert with elaborate tombs built according to occult geometry (similar to the cathedrals built millennia later), and ritual sacrifices of Solar-Ka during the funerals, the mummified Pharaohs were able to continue progressing towards Agartha. The accumulated necromantic knowledge was collected and preserved in The Book of the Dead.

When a mortal dies, half of their Solar-Ka rapidly evaporates into the Solar Field and half of it remains within the corpse and evaporates at a much slower rate (1 level / 50 years). Only practices like embalming or suspension in formol combats this. This residual Solar-Ka retains an impression of the memories of the deceased, albeit somewhat decayed, and even a preoccupation with their unfinished business. In addition to their residual Solar-Ka Characteristic, these deceased spirits have a Torment Characteristic representing how agonized they are over their death and unfinished business.

All Necromancy spells, or rites (as in "last rites"), are performed as rituals unless inscribed. These rituals take on whatever form the necromancer prefers: raising specters, augury of corpses, parlor séances, Ouija games, etc. To cast the spell, the necromancer must roll Black Moon-Ka+Necromancy Technique versus a Difficulty equal to the sum of the spirit's Solar-Ka and Torment levels.

Torment is a double-edged sword. While it makes performing necromancy harder, a spirit's Torment level is added to their Solar-Ka level when the ghost influences others via telekinesis, possession, spiritual combat or the like. The shade of an old man satisfied with his life is Not Tormented, an assassinated victim is Tormented Enough, and a Templar Initiate who failed his mission is Very Tormented.

As with Sorcery, Necromancy requires the targeted spirit's Ka to be within mystic vision range or a magical connection to the spirit such as a personal memento, portion of the corpse, place frequented in life, family members, etc. Unlike typical magical connections, these don't need to be refreshed after one use but are persistent. The better the connections the necromancer has, the easier the rite: the complete remains are ideal, whereas using a memento instead worsens the Difficulty by 1 level. Conversely, ghosts themselves are limited to affecting the world within a certain range of their magical connections; this is why ghost stories almost invariably describe them as haunting the same place for decades.

Although not divided by the five elements, necromancers divide applications into multiple desma ("bond, connection," singular desmos) at each circle. These are not distinct Techniques, but used for clarity of organization and roleplaying purposes. There may be more desma than those listed here...

First Circle: Phantasmalogy
The Magic Technique of the First Circle is Phantasmalogy ("study of ghosts"). This Technique involves the direct evocation and manipulation of the lingering shades of the deceased. Necromancers divide applications into three desma: Spiritism, Clairvoyance, and Animation.

Rites of Spiritism
These rites allow the necromancer to speak with the dead and help them to speak with others. Necromancers use this to gather information and build relationships with the shades.

• Location: The necromancer may locate any corpses in range. This requires no roll.
• Conversation: The necromancer may hear and speak with one ghost of her choice.
• Final Counsel: The necromancer sends a ghost off to give one last message to their friends and family. The necromancer may Assuage the resulting emotional response if present.
• Dead Eyes' Vision: The necromancer may see, but not hear, the last moments the ghost experienced.
• Cold Messager: The necromancer sends a ghost to give a short message to any person on Earth, mundane or magical.
• Unison: The necromancer asks a question of a group of ghosts and they will work together to find the answer.
• Reduce to Essential Salts: The necromancer preserves a ghost's Solar-Ka while cremating the corpse into a small pile of ashes via mundane means, making it easy to transport. Necromancers typically keep at least one such familiar on their person to expedite other rites.

Rites of Clairvoyance
These rites allow ghosts to manifest with more power or appease their suffering. Necromancers use these rites to turn ghosts into henchmen or to make rites easier to cast on them.

• Poltergeist: lets a ghost manifest telekinetically around his corpse or any other sympathetic tie (e.g. personal mementos, family members, places frequented in life).
• Reflections from beyond the grave: lets a ghost manifest visually to a limited degree, reflecting in mirrors and casting a shadow.
• Thanatonaut Strike: lets a ghost inflict physical damage.
• Haunting: binds the ghost's Solar-Ka to a building (one that they frequented in life) indefinitely, granting the benefits of poltergeist and reflections from beyond the grave.
• Mirage for Tortured Conscience: puts the ghost in a state of bliss for one night, temporarily reducing their Torment by two levels. After the rite expires, the ghost's Torment returns to its previous value and increases by one level.
• Serenity: strip away traumatic memories to permanently reduce ghost's Torment by one level, but permanently reduces the ghost's Solar-Ka by 5 points.

Rites of Animation
These rites reanimate a corpse as one of the Restless and cultivates a magical connection with necromancer. These rites may grant supernatural abilities to the Restless similar to metamorphosis transformations, which are generally invisible outside mystic vision.

A Restless has a Black Moon Pool donated by its creator, which evaporates at the rate of 1 point every 6 hours (if it falls to 0, then the rite ends), and cannot regain points on its own. It's an intelligent zombie, insensitive to pain or morale. It may use any skills it remembers, but physical Characteristics are reduced by one level compared to life.

• Awaken the Restless: The necromancer's transfers points from his Black Moon Pool to the ghost, allowing it to reanimate its own corpse as a Restless.
• Shroud of Steel: The necromancer hardens a Restless' flesh into armor.
• Tentacles of Deceased: The necromancer makes tentacles sprout from the Restless.
• Claws of Agony: The necromancer turns the Restless' nails into sharp claws.
• Slow Entropy: The necromancer slows the Restless' Entropy rate to 1 point each night.
• Vile Glut: The Restless may Assuage mortals on its master's behalf. These points are sent directly to its master and the Restless cannot recharge itself this way.
• Tireless Return: The Restless becomes insensitive to HP damage and must be completely dismembered to de-animate it.

Second Circle: Desmology
The Magic Technique of the Second Circle is Desmology ("study of links"). This Technique involves transgressing the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead: compelling ghosts to possess the living to affect their minds, projecting the necromancer's spirit from his body in ghostly form, and contaminating the living with the Black Moon. Necromancers divide applications into three desma: Possession, Corruption, and The Beyond.

Rites of Possession
These rites invokes a ghost to possess a living target in range of the ghost's corpse. (This is what makes the rite Reduce to Essential Salts so useful.) Many of these rites place the victim in a hypnotic trance the necromancer may manipulate.

• Infamous Subterfuge: while the target is hypnotized, the necromancer plants false memories. This doesn't erase memories.
• Memory: The ghost searches the target's memory for the answer to a question posed by the necromancer.
• Hypnotic Forgetfulness: while the target is hypnotized, the necromancer may remove any memories he knows precisely. Infamous Subterfuge may fill the gap.
• Hideous Hysteria: the target becomes hysterical like a stereotypical victim of demonic possession, frothing at the mouth, making faces, contorting, speaking in tongues, etc.
• Steal Soul: The ghost possesses the target, controlling their body while their mind sleeps. This lasts for a week, or until the ghost fumbles one of the host's skills or obviously endangers the host's life.
• Impious Parasite: The necromancer chooses three skills he assumes the target knows. If the target tries to use one, then the ghost possesses him a la Steal Soul.
• Morbid Lethargy: The target enters an apathetic state for the ghost's Torment level in hours. She whispers meaningless words, marked by distress and horror suggested by the ghost.

Rites of Corruption
These rites involve contaminating a living person with the Black Moon, turning them into a "Living Dead." The Living Dead so created by necromancer may be further affected by other spells, effectively acting as familiars. The familiar suffers Entropy at the rate of 1 point per midnight: he cannot recharge himself; only his master can.

• Curse of Lilith: The necromancer contaminates the target with Black Moon-Ka, putting him in symbiosis with the Tenebrae as a Living Dead.
• Visionary Living Dead: The necromancer grants a familiar the mystic vision of the Selenim.
• Disaster Donation: The necromancer grants a familiar the use of three rites of the necromancer's choice. The familiar may use these as he pleases, splitting the cost with the necromancer.
• Armor of the Saurian Star: The necromancer grants a familiar magical armor by spending points from the latter's reserve.
• Ignoble Refreshment: The familiar may assuage targets on his master's behalf. Each successful attempt transmits two points to the necromancer.
• Surreptitious Stiff: The familiar becomes stealthier in shadows or darkness, increasing difficulty to detect him by two levels.
• Insane Nyctalopia: The familiar's sclera turn a golden color and he gains the ability to see in total darkness as if it were broad daylight.

Rites of The Beyond
These rites use a ghost as a vehicle for the necromancer's etheric body to project from his physical body, which appears comatose, and into the Tenebrae (“The Beyond”). The mundane world and magic fields appear dim, while the Black Moon fields are extremely clear.

• Travel to The Beyond: The necromancer enters The Beyond. His spirit isn't limited by gravity or physical obstacles. The speed, range and duration are based on the ghost's Solar-Ka and Torment.
• Grave Plunder: The necromancer may force any ghost to follow her and reattach it to any other corpse, including animals. Any occupant of the corpse is forced out and dissolves into the magic fields in an hour.
• Traitorous Obedience: The necromancer targets a living dead of who he is not the master. He replaces the target's BMK with his own, meaning only the necromancer can refresh that living dead now.
• Lich: The necromancer projects an object into The Beyond and entrusts a ghost to guard it.
• Deadly Caress: The necromancy may inflict damage on physical targets.
• Temporary Reincarnation: The necromancer may temporarily switch the soul of a target with that of himself and the ghost he rides. The target's soul is shoved into the ghost's corpse for the duration.
• Akashic Sojourn: The necromancer may enter the astral plane.

Third Circle: Thanatology
The Magic Technique of the Third Circle is Thanatology ("study of death"). At this circle the Necromancer has discovered that all things die, that all spirits pass through the Tenebrae, and thus are within his power. This Technique involves transgressing the boundaries between the mortal and immortal, no longer limited to targeting Solar-Ka but now able to target Elemental Ka!

This uses a magical connection in the form of Litharge (e.g. filings from the target's Stasis item, injuries inflicted by Orichalc, or other traces from the site of demise). Unlike Sorcery, this magical connection never expires... unless the Thanatologist fumbles the rite.

There are at least two desma identified: Entrancement and Resurgence. Entrancement targets living Immortals, while Resurgence targets those destroyed. The rites given below target the Nephilim's Pentacle and/or the Ar-Ka'im's Heart.

Rites of Entrancement
These rites target an Immortal who is still alive through the Litharge sympathetic to him.

• Elemental Reading: The necromancer may read the Immortal's Pentacle or Heart. He knows all the Ka ratings, any inscribed spells, any degeneration totals, a basic overview of the past lives, all characteristics and all skills. This rite allows the Necromancer to identify who the Litharge is linked with.
• Ethereal Detection: The necromancer perceives the target's current surroundings, including Ka-vision. No other senses are perceived, including sound and Ka-audition.
• Curse of the XIII: The necromancer curses the target with the evil eye. They suffer various minor misfortunes such as tax audits, impounded vehicles, friendship quarrels, losing small items, etc. The target suffers penalties to a single Characteristic too.
• Irresistible Call: The necromancer speaks a beckoning phrase aloud. The target hears her and is drawn to her location subconsciously.
• Black Offerings: The necromancer may contaminate a Nephilim target with Black Moon. The target is entitled to an Idea roll to get a psychic vision of the the necromancer casting the spell, her name and approximate location.
• Temporary Loans: The necromancer may remotely possess the target's body. She gains the use of all characteristics, Ka-elements, mundane skills, and occult skills.
• Surreptitious Mutilation: The necromancer causes the target damage as if struck by Orichalc.

Rites of Resurgence
These rites target an Immortal who was destroyed. Unlike Entrancement, the parameters of the effects are limited by the amount of Litharge available.

• Reading The Beyond: identical to Elemental Reading. This rite allows the necromancer to identify who the Litharge is linked with.
• Mnemonic Trance: the necromancer may receive flashbacks of various periods of the target's personal history.
• Mortal Enchantment: The necromancer may cast any spell inscribed by the target, using his own technique rating. (So the spell cannot be cast if the necromancer doesn't have the corresponding technique rating.)
• Words Beyond the Grave: The destroyed Immortal speaks by vibrating the Litharge like a microphone and hears the necromancer's words in turn. The necromancy may ask any questions, but has no way to force the deceased to answer barring blackmail.
• Illusory Return: The necromancer mimics the target's appearance in Ka-vision exactly, as if they were the target reincarnated. This includes the Pentacle and Metamorphosis, as well as any other readable information including that hidden.
• Return: The necromancer may resurrect the Pentacle or Heart of the target, exactly as it was upon destruction. However, the target's Moon-Ka (if any) is replaced by Black Moon-Ka.
• Control the Exhumed: The necromancer may control a resurrected Nephilim, who is forced to obey utterly and cannot harm his master. The necromancer must sustain her servant's Black Moon-Ka, similar to a living dead or restless. The control ends if the servant's Black Moon-Ka is lost to Entropy, the necromancer dies, or the magical aura enters Stasis.

Targeting a Selenim?
These rules are adapted from the third edition of the French published in 2001. The game was cancelled shortly thereafter because the publisher went bust and the promised supplement on the occult sciences was never written, so any rules for using Thanatology on Selenim were never published. But it shouldn't be too hard to reverse-engineer some. E.g. a séance for a deceased Selenim should be performed at the site they died.

Other desma?
Only the two desma of Entrancement and Resurgence were ever published, with no more being implied to exist. As this is my homebrew, I have a few ideas for what other applications could be devised:

• Targeting other elementals, such as Elemental Beasts, summoned beings, or even Orichalc spirits.
• Targeting the spirits of other forms of life, such as animals and prehuman races like the Saurians.
• Expanded applications of the preceding circles, such as contacting spirits whose Solar-Ka is completely decayed, directly compelling unwilling shades, controlling the minds of the living, more powerful Curses...
• Embalming bodies to preserve the Solar-Ka, to contain an Immortal's magical aura within the mummy, to retain conscious awareness after death...

The Agarthic Quest: Necromancy
A master Thanatologist becomes eligible to pursue Agartha through her studies of Necromancy. As the necromancer studies and practices Thanatology on others, she subconsciously practices on herself! She is thus endowed with the power of spontaneous self-resurrection: she has nine lives. Each time her body dies, a life disappears and she resurrects unscathed. It is not possible gain additional lives, leading those who waste theirs to become craven even by the standards of the Selenim—whose immortality can be ended by a simple bullet to the brain!

As you can probably guess, completing the quest in all likelihood requires overcoming the fear of death and allowing oneself to die for a final time. Like the third brother in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the necromancer can only truly master Death and reach Agartha by accepting the end of her life and welcoming Death like an old friend. Only then can she transcend death and become Agarthan.

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Hope you enjoyed! I'll be following this up with posts on Conjuration (aka Black Summoning), the Tenebrae, and Anamorphosis. Stay tuned...

 

[AppleJax]

These are mostly fluff notes, with minimal rules, in case you're interested...

Articles on summoning by Doyle Wayne Ramos-Tavener

The Nephilim Archive; Articles; A history of summoning

The Nephilim Archive; Articles; The nature of Argatha nd the subtle planes

Notes on Summoning Circles and Pacts
A sigil, "cabalistic sign" or seal, is a graphic figure which represents a being or a magical intention. The term comes from the Latin sigillum meaning "signature". Sigil magic, the tracing, is a part of the ritual of summoning. A pentacle is the generic name of a magic circle (graphic set supporting Ritual Sorcery or Summoning), but it does not necessarily represent a pentagram.

Sigils are divided into the 3 Circles in order of increasing complexity: the Seals, the Pentacles, and the Keys. Examples include:

1. Seal: The traditional seal of Saturn naming its two ruling spirits, Zazel and Agiel. https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/angelology/images/6/6c/The_Seal_of_Saturn.jpg
2. Pentacle: Grand Pentacle de Salomon from 1547 French edition of Heptameron. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...on_from_1547_French_edition_of_Heptameron.png
3. Key: Sigillum Dei Aemeth by John Dee, 1582. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sigil-ameth.gif

Inscribing Summoning has the same benefits as inscribing Sorcery, removing the need to perform rituals, but requires a Pact. When a Summoner makes a Pact with an entity, the entity inscribes its magical signature into the summoner’s magical aura. Thereafter, he can summon the entity without a ritual by using his magical aura, his Pentacle of Ka-Elements, as the magic circle. As with other inscriptions, pacts are retained between incarnations.

If the Summoner ever voids the terms of the Pact, typically to never act against the entity’s interests or otherwise harm it, then he loses the benefits. The entity doesn’t respond to any casting of the inscription, but may still be summoned by rituals. He must make amends with the entity if he ever wants to restore it.

Various grimoires contain foci, instructions for summoning entities. Summoners can design their own rituals after sufficient study and consultation with occult libraries, other summoners, and summoned beings. Summoners may memorize rituals to avoid needing to consult grimoires or their personal notes. However, memorized rituals can be forgotten between incarnations.

Sigils may be used to ward or banish entities encountered in the field.

Some philosophy of alchemy notes...
The Occult Science of Alchemy operates through a series of interactions between the residual Ka, or prima materia, present within all earthly matter and the alchemist's alchemic developers, extending like tendrils from the alchemist's magical aura and into the Athanor. At each Circle of Alchemy the form of the Athanor changes: at Black Work it is the alchemical laboratory, at White Work it is the work of art, and at Red Work it is the alchemist himself.

Like the other occult sciences, Alchemy is informed by Kabbalah. The Tree of Life was formed by the successive emanations of Aztiluth, Briah, Yetzirah and Assiah. So too does the alchemist go through the stages of Nigredo, Albedo, Rubedo and Citrinitas.

The Agarthic Quest of Alchemy is the Magnum Opus, the "Great Work". The goal is to refine, purify and concentrate the prima materia into iliaster, the substance of the cosmic ethers. The Philosopher's Stone, the Elixir of Life, the Alchemical Egg...


Hope you enjoyed!

 

[AppleJax]

Conjuration

Conjuration, also known as Black Summoning, is the second Occult Science of the Selenim. By channeling their Ka through musical instruments and performances, conjurers can manipulate the Tenebrae and induce it birth bizarre "darklings" that perform services on the conjurer's behalf.

While none of the Selenim's sciences have a one-to-one correspondence with the Nephilim's sciences, Conjuration clearly seems to be a Black Moon counterpart of Summoning. Hence, "Black Summoning." Conjuration rituals are always performed as musical performances, typically classical music, although inscription allows the conjurer to forgo ritual as usual.

As with Elemental Theurgy, practitioners disagree on whether the darklings are summoned from some other plane, conjured through the will and imagination of the summoner, or some combination thereof. Darklings are not cleanly divided into Elemental Beasts and Summoned Beings like in Elemental Theurgy: multiple species of darklings have been observed to generate spontaneously from sufficiently powerful Black Moon fields, and oneiromancers have likewise observed them "living" in the nightmare realms of the lower planes. Nephilim summoners aware of darklings believe they are summoned from Daath: the forbidden sefira, gate to the Qlippoth, associated with the Black Moon, Saturn, and Khaiba.

When a conjurer learns a Conjuration Technique, she associates it with a particular instrument and accompanying musical performance. There are several "congregations" that specialize in different types of instruments: e.g. baroque, romantic, and contemporary. The instruments listed form the "classic" congregation, but may be substituted with similar instruments with the GM's permission. The conjurer may only summon using the instruments specified on their character sheet, but may buy additional ones with ODP similarly to alchemical trades.

Although not divided by the five elements, conjurers organize each Circle into multiple "Appeals" based on shared themes. These are not distinct Techniques in terms of rules. In the kingdom of Carthage, conjurers who shared notes with the students of Melchizedek associated these Appeals with the Qlippoth and their Guardians on a 1:1 basis, as noted below.

Unlike elemental theurgy, darklings don't necessarily have fixed durations before they disappear. Rather, they suffer Entropy similarly to Selenim: their Ka steadily degrades over time until they dissolve back into the Tenebrae. This rate varies by species and increases or decreases based on the local Black Moon field strength. (It may be possible for the conjurer to feed them points from her own Pool or to attempt Assuaging mortals, but this would be highly unreliable without special adaptations. Mostly for game balance reasons.)

First Circle: Lesser Conjuration

Instrument: reed flute.
These summonings generally invoke goblin-like creatures that are able to affect the emotional states of their victims. There are also one or two creatures that can do a minimum of direct physical damage. These creatures are invariably invisible to anyone unable to sense Black Moon fields.

On a Fumble, the summoning Ruptures and something undesirable happens: a different entity from the same Appeal appears instead, an entity from a different Appeal appears instead, the entity appears deliquescent, the entity appears but flees immediately, or the entity misunderstood the summoner's orders.

Appeal of the Pacifist

Qlippah: Geh Hinnom. Guardian: Lilith.
These entities are dedicated to healing and welfare of others (sometimes relative all the same), whether alive or dead.

• The enchanting voices that erase the pains: Ghostly women wearing veils and Greek robes. Sit at the bedsides of the ill and sing to soothe their suffering.
• The golden anemone, derisory recompense for deceased dreamers: A giant sea anemone with a featureless human face. Submerges a ghost within a tailor-made dream to soothe the ghost's Torment.
• The stone of the insensitive: A dark cloud that attaches to a target and assumes the form of an inconspicuous onyx gem on the forehead. The target becomes emotionless and immune to Assuaging.
• The harmonious chorus of eternity: A fifty-member choir clad in white togas. Appears in a cemetery and sings to soothe the ghosts' Torment.
• One who knows how to render oneself amiable: An immaterial entity that makes the Conjurer seem sympathetic and everything nearby seem cleaner, prettier and shinier. Provides a bonus to social interactions.
• The double of sufferance: Mimics the designated target before merging into them. The target no longer feels pain from injuries, and thus no wound penalty.
• The sepulchral movements, protectors of chattel: A scaly glaucous writhing envelope around the target, two yellow eyes superimposed over the wearer's. Provides armor and limited melee self-defense.

Appeal of the Savant

Qlippah: Shaari Maweth. Guardian: Adramelech.
These entities reveal knowledge of the past, present, and future.

• The pitiless judge of crimes forgotten: A stern looking man carrying a ledger recording the dead's crimes. Reads the crimes of the ghost in question and suggests a suitable punishment.
• The cold librarian of lost souls: A pale fleshy flower ringed with eyes and mouths, perched on numerous insect legs. Records everything that happens in its assigned cemetery for the summoner's reference and shares the knowledge of countless generations.
• The tireless listeners with candid eyes: A stereotypical angel from Catholic art with a grief-stricken expression. Act as receptionists and therapists for the cemetery's ghosts, permanently reducing their Torment by one level (this only works once per ghost). Will warn their summoner of any unusual paranormal activity.
• One who surveys the saunter obscure: Initially appears as specter of a little man wearing glasses who fearfully whispers "I have to wake up," but the actual entity is this man's shadow that takes a different form at every invocation. It will show the summoner the location of any corpse, provided there are any remains left.
• The all-seeing eyes: A floating agglomeration of multicolored eyes. Observe everything around them perfectly and provide a full "report" if touched. Easily bored, so preferred for busy locations. If attacked, can defend themselves by materializing the fears of their attackers to drive the latter off.
• The taciturn guides with light feet: A smooth hairless muscular humanoid with maggot-ridden empty eye sockets. Name any Sovereign and it will personally guide the summoner to their Realm, or draw a precise map of the route through the lower planes.
• The horror that murmurs horrific secrets within shade: A reptilian goatish shape that hides in shadows. If defeated (usually hand-to-hand duel to the death, but open to negotiation) then it reveals occult clues. Each clue requires months of research to solve.

Appeal of the Torturer

Qlippah: Shaari Tsalmaweth. Guardian: Baal.
These entities imprison, hinder, or neutralize an enemy or other intruder.

• The servitors that engender chaos: Six five-legged black oily shapes. Caused accelerated urban decay in the places they haunt, communicate with vermin, cultivate paranoia, but have trouble with electronics.
• The thousand visages of torture: Dozens of suffering impersonal faces shouting in hopeless pain that cover a radius of 20m. Extend arms to hold designated targets, and force a sanity check on those who witness it.
• Those who impede the word: Black viscous oily thing with four eyes and four arms. Attaches to a target's mouth, preventing them from speaking but not preventing eating, drinking or breathing.
• The sniggering thieves of attention: 20 palm-sized imps, with long fangs and bright green eyes. Distract their targets, increasing the difficulty of actions by two levels.
• The redoubtable weavers with breath like ice: 4 spiders that exude an aura of cold. Weave invisible webs that may catch anyone who walks in.
• The brambles that stiffen flesh: A bramble bush. It grabs a target and renders them paralyzed and mute. The target may still cast magic that doesn't require movement or speech, but suffers increased difficulty.
• The ivy that freezes souls: Ivy that covers a section of wall or 3 medium-sized people. Those it catches are rendered unconscious.

Second Circle: Greater Conjuration

Instrument: lyre.
These creatures are distinctly more powerful than the previous circle, and they have more dire abilities, including physical damage and the destruction of various types of Ka. They are also much harder to control.

The fumbles of this Circle include: the entity behaves randomly, a tiny BMK residue attaches to the conjurer and annoys him with embarrassing whispers and visions, the entity tries to consume the conjurer's BMK, half the conjurer's pool evaporates, the entity goes mad and tries to kill the conjurer.

Appeal of the Soldier

Qlippah: Bar Shahath. Guardian: Belphegor.
These entities make war and defeat even the most seasoned fighters.

• The fearless solders with hearts of bronze: Ghostly legionnaires from Caesar's time, only understand Latin.
• The colossi of dead flesh: Monstrously obese giants that stink of suffocating putrefaction. Incredibly destructive, but incredibly stupid.
• Those whose touch is a red iron: Green will-o-wisps that shriek. Burn targets on contact and ignite flammable materials. In Ka-vision they appear as weak echoes of Fire-Ka. (Black Fire-Ka?)
• The blackness with brilliant eyes: 6 small humanoid figures of black vapor with several pairs of crimson eyes. Their gaze paralyzes victims in fear, and they deal damage by passing their limbs immaterially into the target's body and slowly burning/dissolving the organs until death ensues.
• The horror that comes from the shade: Shapeless mass of dozens of tentacles that only survives in darkness. It can capture targets within 50m or devour them at the conjurer's command. It instantly disappears if illuminated by a spotlight, projector or camera flash.
• The purulent infamy: A grey squat humanoid covered in pustules that contain acid. Extremely dangerous in hand-to-hand combat.
• The hyenas of darkness: Large black hyenas with silver reflections in their fur. They are invulnerable, but instantly dissipate after inflicting the first blow. (Briefly mentioned in passing in the Serpent Moon adventure supplement.)

Appeal of the Fool

Qlippah: Tithaion. Guardian: Asmodeus.
These entities drive targets insane, indefinitely or for varying periods.

• The darkness heralding sorrow: Fuzzy black cloud the size and shape of a human head, floating in the air. Sociable but unpleasant presence. It haunts its target and makes them easier for the conjurer to Assuage. (This appeared in Serpent Moon.)
• The sinister rodents of souls dissatisfied: 6 blue imps with trunks they insert in their target's ear. Torment their target by forcing him to confront his failures for 3 months. Many attack their friends and family. This gives the Conjurer a bonus to Assuaging the target, and a bonus against their friends and family if mistreated.
• The refined torturer from the land of nightmares: Initially appears as a sphere, then assumes the target's fears. Gives the target terrible nightmares, giving the Conjurer a bonus to Assuage. The Refined Torturer may attack the target through their dreams, reducing their Solar-Ka every night (magic damage) until they die of fright, a la Freddy Krueger.
• The ministers of scarlet hatred: Violet clouds, at certain angles reptilian faces and mouths dripping with dark blue fluid are visible. Attach to their target and, upon encountering a physical or moral conflict, tries to force a violent rage. The Conjurer benefits from a bonus on Assuaging.
• Those who reveal the hidden demons: Small wide faces, pair of clawed legs, linked together by indistinct mass. Fly around target, study them for an hour or two, then reduce the target's inhibitions.
• The being of blackness that engenders terror: Thick black cloud that invades target's nose and mouth, then exits seconds later and assumes the target's worst nightmare or phobia. This provokes a Sanity check, else the target goes insane until they receive therapy. The Conjurer gains bonuses on Assuaging tests.
• The mirror of degeneration: Humanoid shape made of thick black vapor, only attacks Nephilim and Ar-Ka'im. It stands in front of the target, takes on her appearance, then gains Khaiba mutations. It merges into the target, causing them to gain a level of Khaiba and to present all those mutations.

Appeal of the Annihilator

Qlippah: Abaddon. Guardian: Astaroth.
These are the most dangerous entities: they alter, erode or defile the various Ka-elements.

• The maleficent sovereigns of apathy: Jellyfish that float lazily in the air. Attach to a human target and drain SK each night (magic damage), transferring it to the Conjurer.
• The princes of sweet decomposition: Majestic dark shadows that personify aging. Their touch instantly ages the target by 30 years, causing illness immediately. Targets that are already 50 years or older must make an Endurant test or drop dead instantly.
• Those who prowl under the gallows: Deformed rotten dwarves with long black teeth, supernumerary body parts. Break into graves, steal the ghost's Solar-Ka (magic damage).
• The obtuse devourer, terror of unruly demons: Huge hounds with iron fangs. Attack other darklings by taking bites out of them
• The pernicious serpents that prosper within putrefaction: Snakes the size of boa constrictors, with eyes that shine like obsidian. Gnaw at anything containing BMK, including undead and immortals.
• The forever hungry ebon eels: Large moray eels with mouths full of sharp teeth. Once they have their target, they never stop hunting and pass through all barriers. Their bite deals physical damage, magic damage and infects Nephilim with Lunar Entropy. Unless their prey is less than 1 km away, they attack their summoner. Once 1 is summoned, there's a chance that 1-2 more will arrive opportunistically. (This appeared in Serpent Moon.)
• Those whose names are never evoked: Terrifying eyeless human shapes, mouths dripping with illusory blood. Only attack Selenim. Their touch deals magic damage.

Third Circle: High Conjuration

Instrument: pipe organ.
Qlippah: Sheol. Guardian: triumdemoniate of Satan Moloch, Beelzebub and Lucifuge.

Possible effects of fumbles include: the instrument used breaks apart and must be replaced (in case of voice, it takes five days to recover), the conjurer suffers obtrusive paranormal phenomena in the vicinity that attract mistrust and animosity for five days, the conjurer is deafened for ten days, most of the the conjurer's BMK pool evaporates and turns into a hostile entity of the second circle that immediately attacks, 10 BMK points evaporate from the conjurer's pool and infect up to 10 people within 100 meters.

Black Summoning: Keys

These creatures are almost off the scale. They are beyond control and possess the most alien and malignant knowledge beyond the ken of most Selenim. Virtually no one possesses these spells, and those who do would not be foolish enough to share them with others. (As may be inferred, at least some of these beings of the Third Circle are the lingering spirits of the great Saurians.)

An example of a Black Key would be Mictlantecuhtli, sovereign of the Aztec underworld. The Selenim lords of Mexico worked with this being to unknown ends, and some American Selenim still worship him. An adventure hook in Major Arcana involves a pair of lovers acquiring doses of peyote that allow anyone to accidentally invoke him!

Composition

Conjurers of the Third Circle may compose their own compositions to evoke darklings drawn from their own imagination. In minor scale they can compose evocations for any of the known Appeals previously described. In major scale they may compose for wholly new Appeals!

Furthermore, the conjurer is illuminated: Conjuration is not simply a Black Moon counterpart to Summoning, but to Sorcery! She can manipulate the Tenebrae to affects targets in visual range or to whom she has a magical connection. These spells are known as Executions.

Executions notably don't cost any points from the Pool! Instead, these points are drawn from the surrounding magic field based on the Conjurer's BMK level. The conjurer rolls BMK+High Conjuration versus a Difficulty generally equal to the target's Dominant Ka, plus any additional circumstantial modifiers.

• Accelerate a Darkling's Entropy: The Conjurer doubles the Entropy rate of a Darkling, causing it to dissolve faster.
• Take Control of a Darkling: The Conjurer takes control of a Darkling summoned by another Conjurer.
• Mutilate an Anamorph's Aspect: The Conjurer strips construction points from one an Anamorph's Aspects. The Anamorph will have to restore these points through the usual ritual.
• Avoid a Selenim's Entropy: The Conjurer may refill the Pool of any Selenim (including herself) currently suffering an Entropy seizure with a handful of points drawn from the surrounding magic field. This is great for emergencies, but cannot really substitute for Assuaging mortals.
• Eliminate a Nephilim's Lunar Entropy: The Conjurer may remove the Lunar Entropy infection from a Nephilim. This provokes a Lunar Entropy check on the Nephilim's part to see if he loses a Ka-element.
• Provoke Fear in a Mortal: The Conjurer may terrify a mortal and force them to flee in terror. On a critical success, sufficiently weak targets will suffer fatal heart attacks!
• Contaminate a Mortal: The Conjurer contaminates a mortal to turn then into a Living Dead. This is cheaper than the equivalent Necromancy spell, but doesn't substitute for the Corruption desmos.
• Nourish a Restless: The Conjurer draws BMK from the surrounding magic field and donates it to a Restless.
• Increase Torment: The Conjurer increases a ghost's Torment level. This can make the ghost's powers more effective, or make then unusable for Necromancy.
• Contaminate a Nephilim: The Conjurer contaminates a Nephilim with Lunar Entropy. This doesn't provoke a Lunar Entropy check.

Agarthic Quest: Conjuration

By pursuing this quest, the Conjurer discovers that the Black Moon parasitizes all the elemental fields. Supposedly a Master of Composition can exploit this link to enter into symbiosis with the five fields and cast elemental magic. The possibilities are limitless...

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Hope you enjoyed!

 

[AppleJax]

Anamorphosis

Presentation

The practitioner of this science, the Anamorph, is able to manipulate the Black Moon fields with a visual art like drawing, painting or sculpture. In a manner loosely analogous to Alchemy, she constructs an intangible elemental creature out of pure Ka: the Imago. While Selenim lack Metamorphoses, Anamorphs create their own equivalent this way by manifesting the Imago on their own body!

Anamorphosis doesn't have spells or foci like other occult sciences. Anamorphs construct body parts or Aspects for the Imago based on their personality and desires. Each Imago is unique to its Anamorph: it may be a combat monster, incredibly beautiful, or have unparalleled intellect. Aspects are categorized by their form into Morphs. At the first circle, the Anamorph constructs the Head, Skin and Extremities of the Imago. At the second circle, she constructs the Torso, Limbs and other Appendages. The Imago is "complete" when it has all these Aspects.

Anamorphosis is divided into three Circles, though the distinction between the first two is more a matter of tradition than hard logic. At the Third Circle, the Anamorph may create their own Doomed Realm, a pocket universe based on their personality and completely beholden to their will.

The Imago

The Imago is an archetypal shadow-self, an idealized self-image representing the Anamorph's personality and the emotions she prefers to Assuage, as well as a method of refining Assuaging. It is essentially a Black Moon counterpart to the Nephilim's Paredrus but, unlike the animalistic Paredrus, an Imago has a mind of its own and can hold conversations with its Anamorph. Anamorphs give their Imagoes names and treat them as familiars.

The Imago is generally invisible and intangible. Permanently bound to its creator, linked by "strings" visible in Ka-vision, it always follows and looms behind her like a malignant shadow. It is visible to other Selenim, but barely perceptible to Nephilim or mortals using Ka-vision. Conversely, Imagoes see the world only through Black Moon Ka-vision and the Tenebrae: the physical world remains theoretical to them and the elemental fields are gray and hazy.

If the Anamorph dies, then her Imago immediately disperses into the magic fields too. The Imago has a self-preservation instinct and will even turn on its creator to survive. In extreme cases, an Imago can even possess its creator's body in a fashion mimicking Shouit or Khaiba seizure!

Constructing Aspects

When the Anamorph learns the Magic Techniques of Anamorphosis, she selects a form of visual art to associate with the Technique: like drawing, painting, or sculpting. This Technique thus represents her mundane art specialty too. This is superficially similar to the art trades for the White Work of Alchemy: she begins with the first art specialty for free, but any others must be bought with ODP later.

During downtime when the player spends ODP to gain new Aspects, the Anamorph must work in her art studio for a full night to compose the physical artwork recalling the desired Aspects. Although performed in concert with mundane art skills, this is still a magical ritual that channels BMK into the new Aspects. As usual, this "self-portraiture" must be done at a site where the Black Moon field is at least Li'l Present. The art supplies and artworks are tools: damaging the studio or its contents doesn't harm the Imago, but it will certainly anger the Anamorph who poured her heart and soul into her work.

When the Anamorph is creating their Imago, the player should construct their own blueprint for a Metamorphosis akin to Nephilim. Select Passions that reflect the emotions the Anamorph prefers to Assuage. Design corresponding Transformations that will inform the Aspects as these are constructed. This allows the Imago's appearance to remain consistent and thematic, rather than a random grab-bag of what the player thinks would be most useful for various situations.

The Aspects are means of eliciting the desired emotions. An animalistic head with big teeth that represents and evokes Fear, hands with claws that represent and evoke Greed, etc. Most Imagoes are are shocking, if not outright dreadful. Some are very beautiful. All are designed to be impressive. Aspects are limited only by the Anamorph's imagination, but are immutable once constructed. All Aspects presented below are merely examples and shouldn't limit the player's imagination.

Manifesting Aspects

By manipulating the Black Moon fields, the Selenim may manifest the Aspects of her Imago upon her own body. When she does so, the associated "string" draws her Imago's Aspect into her body and expresses itself in the physical world identically to a Nephilim's metamorphosis transformations. To mystic vision, her body seemingly twists and warps into whatever dimensions the Imago's Aspects dictate. As with the Nephilim's metamorphosis, muggles are confused by this transparency and rationalize away any paranormal events after the fact.

Morphs are classified by whether they are active or passive. The passive Aspects have a fixed effect when manifested, whereas active Aspects vary depending on how the Anamorph using them and often require skill checks. Aspects of the Face, Skin and Torso are passive. Aspects of the Extremities, Limbs and Appendages are active. In all cases, they provide same benefit as Approaches where applicable (see below).

To manifest an Aspect on the Anamorph, the player must roll [lowest of the associated Passion or Enlightened (Black Moon-Ka)] plus the appropriate Technique and spend points from the Anamorph's Black Moon Pool. The Difficulty is Li'l Hard for First Circle Aspects and Hard Enough for Second Circle Aspects. The cost is a number of points equal to the level of the controlling Passion: 1 point for Not, 2 points for Li'l, etc.

The Aspect remains manifest for a number of hours equal to the controlling Passion's level: 1 hour for Not, 2 hours for Li'l, etc. When the duration ends, the Anamorph may pay the cost again to keep the Aspect manifest for the same amount of time without another roll. The Anamorph may deactivate the manifestation at any time before the duration elapses, but doesn't recover any points for premature deactivation.

In an emergency, the Anamorph may perform a version of the Grand Ritual of Sacrifice: she empties her Black Moon Pool and sacrifices ODP. This activates all Aspects simultaneously without any roll being necessary. However, the Anamorph will suffer an Entropy seizure until she Assuages to refill her Pool.

Passions and Aspects

For many Selenim, Passions are irrelevant. They have no Metamorphosis, so they don't benefit from cultivating any particular Passions. For Anamorphs, this situation changes: the Imago's Aspects are controlled by Passions, the Aspects represent and elicit that Passion, and their Passions represent their growing link with the Tenebrae.

Aspects are controlled by the level of their Passion, and provide the use of Approaches, in the same fashion as Nephilim's Passions and Transformations. The Not level represents no control, while the Very level represents complete mastery. This allows the Anamorph to compensate for their lack of Elemental Approaches. These Approaches apply to physical actions when the Aspect is manifested, and the Approaches help the Anamorph evoke a preferred emotion from its victims while Assuaging.

The easiest way to represent this is to assign six Passions, one to each of the six Morphs: Head, Skin, Extremities, Torso, Limbs, and Appendages. This is not a hard restriction and players are free to assign individual Aspects to Passions as appropriate.

Anamorphs receive bonus ODP for roleplaying their Passions similar to Nephilim, but in their case this involves eliciting and Assuaging these emotions in others rather than expressing them personally. As such, their Passions usually don't fluctuate during play. The player spends ODP to increase the Passions, using the same costs as for an Ar-Ka'im's non-dominant Ka.

First Circle: Lesser Anamorphosis

At this circle, the Anamorph cannot describe the Imago but at most evoke it.

The First Circle offers three Morphs: the Extremities, the Head, and the Skin. Whenever the Anamorph checks a Technique Box, she gains 1 Aspect for free. These free slots must be distributed equally among the three Morphs, so that at Master level the Imago has 3 Aspects of the Extremities, 3 Aspects of the Head, and 3 Aspects of the Skin. Any further aspects must be purchased with ODP.

The possible fumbles are: the Aspect aroused is paralyzed for a day and night, the Anamorph is hideously disfigured until next twilight, points of the Imago evaporate and must be rebuilt, the Aspect manifests as useless atrophy for the duration, the Anamorph's current Black Moon Pool is halved.

Aspects of the Head

These Aspects are passive.

• Feline eyes: the Anamorph can see in lowlight conditions as well as broad daylight.
• Salamander gaze: the Anamorph can see in thermal vision, even through thin walls.
• Fish face: The Anamorph can breath underwater.
• Canine muzzle: The Anamorph can track or identify someone by smell.
• Bat ears: The Anamorph can hear with superhuman acuity.
• Telescopic eyes: The Anamorph can focus on objects hundreds of meters away.
• Dark beauty: The Anamorph negates social penalties due to other Aspects.

Aspects of the Extremities

These Aspects are active.

• Dorsal spines: used for attack or defense.
• Claws: used for attack, but prevent using firearms.
• Pincers: crustacean pincers, good at grappling but incapable of fine manipulation.
• Hooves: the feet become hooves, useful for attack. Interfere with balance, but insensitive to heat, acid or other sources of damage.
• Venomous tongue: thirty centimeter tongue that injects venom, causing damage.
• Fangs: several rows of razor-sharp fangs used for combat.
• Hooks: replace the hands and make it impossible for fine manipulation or holding objects, but useful for hanging or tearing flesh.

Aspects of the Skin

These Aspects are passive. Although the Imago may have multiple Skins, only one at a time may be manifested on the Anamorph

• Epidermal chaos: the Anamorphs skin constantly shifts in color and texture like a kaleidoscope, distracting opponents.
• Reptilian skin: the Anamorph is more resistant to Spells targeted directly at him.
• Feathers: the Anamorph is easier at all movement-related tasks (running, flying, balancing, hand-to-hand, etc.).
• Hellish epidermis: the Anamorph's skin causes flammables to combust on contact and inflicts burns on contact.
• Mineral skin: the Anamorph gains minimal armor that doesn't restrict movement.
• Sclerotic carapace: the Anamorph gains heavy arthropod armor that even protects from magic damage, but restricts perception and movement.
• Chameleon epidermis: the Anamorph's skin changes color and texture to match surroundings. While not invisible, he becomes harder to spot.

Second Circle: Greater Anamorphosis

At this circle the Anamorph can construct the most important Aspects, the substance and basis of the Imago's being.

The Second Circle offers three Morphs: the Appendages, the Limbs, and the Torso. Whenever the Anamorph checks a Technique Box, she gains 1 Aspect for free. These free slots must be distributed equally among the three Morphs, so that at Master level the Imago has 3 Aspects of the Appendages, 3 Aspects of the Limbs, and 3 Aspects of the Torso. Any further aspects must be purchased with ODP.

The possible fumbles are: the Imago runs away for hours preventing activations, the Anamorph loses consciousness for minutes, the Imago spontaneously loses points that must be rebuilt, the Anamorph loses a point from his Core, the Anamorph and anyone nearby becomes hideously disfigured for a few minutes.

Aspects of the Limbs

These Aspects are active.

• Pair of humanoid arms: may be built multiple times to get an additional normal action per pair, but starting from the third pair each pair is harder to coordinate. Activation cost is only paid once for all pairs.
• Pair of humanoid legs: same as the pair of arms. Makes balance and movement easier, but each pair starting from the fourth pair are harder to coordinate.
• Telescopic arms: the Anamorph may stretch his arms up to ten meters, but doesn't grow additional elbows.
• Telescopic legs: same as telescopic arms, but the Anamorph can stretch his legs up to ten meters.
• Multi-fixations: the Anamorph can freely rearrange where his limbs attach anywhere on his body.
• Detachable limbs: the Anamorph can detach his limbs and control them remotely (e.g. a hand crawling on fingers), but only receives touch sensation.
• Illusory limbs: the Anamorph grows thirty limbs in any combination anywhere on his body, but these are illusions without materiality. This can easily frighten opponents, who have no way to pierce the ruse other than touch.

Aspects of the Torso

These Aspects are passive.

• Fetid Mist: the Anamorph's torso seems to be composed of foul black mist swirling with nightmarish faces. He gains an additional normal action per turn.
• Forest Horror: the Anamorph's torso resembles a tangled mass of brambles, foliage and humus, giving off an unbearable stench of rotting plants. He spontaneously regenerates two HP each turn.
• Aspects and Characteristics: technically five Aspects that must develop separately. Each is associated with a Characteristic and increases it by one level when activated. Respectively, these are named Biomechanics (Strong), Beast's Torso (Agile), Disturbing Charm (Charming), Disproportions (Endurant), and Cerebral Mantle (Intelligent). They're just as grotesque as you might imagine.

Aspects of the Appendages

These Aspects are active.

• Wings: the Anamorph can fly.
• Tentacles: the Anamorph grows a pair of five meter tentacles that may be used to grapple and strangle.
• Tail: the Anamorph grows a prehensile tail, five meters long and studded with barbs. It may be used twice each turn, independently of all other actions.
• Prehensile hair: the Anamorph grows long writhing hair that may be used to hold and manipulate ten objects of less than one kg each. It can operate mechanisms requiring minimal force like a switch, but not the trigger of a firearm.
• Suction cups: the Anamorph grows ten suction cups useful for climbing on walls and ceilings, grappling, etc. The grip is so strong that only cutting will release the target.
• Fins: the Anamorph swims with ease at 10 km/h.
• Eyestalks: the Anamorph grows fifteen ten centimeter flexible eyestalks. His field of vision extends to 360 degrees and he cannot be surprised.

---

I'll detail the Third Circle in a following post, as it is pretty complex.

I'm not entirely satisfied with these rules. I followed Ian Young's cue to link the Aspects with the Passions, but my implementation crudely bolts Passions on to the 3e rules. Not to mention that the conversion to 4e rules for the Technique structure doesn't work as well here; previously each Morph was its own Technique. I don't have the time or knowhow to refine it now, but I hope you can forgive me.

Hope you enjoyed!

 

[AppleJax]

Third Circle: The Doomed Realm

At the Third Circle, the Anamorph is now able to construct a Doomed Realm within the Tenebrae, similar to how a Sorcerer of the Third Circle may construct an Elemental Realm within the Astral. The Realm is anchored both to a physical place on Earth and to the adjacent Tenebrae. As it absorbs more SK for the Anamorph to paint or sculpt with, the nascent Realm grows larger and detailed. It reflects both the geography of its earthly territory and the aesthetic desires of its Anamorph. It also acts as a bridge between the earthly plane and the lower planes, allowing egress between them. With the Imago serving as her major-domo, the Anamorph may rule as her new Realm's Sovereign.

The Realm is complex and has several parameters for the Anamorph to worry about. It has 4 Characteristics (adjective) of its own: Density (Dense), Attendance (Frequented), Intensity (Intense), and Attraction (Strong). It has 7 Techniques or "Aspects" (see below).

Perils

The Realm is subject to two perils: Entropy and Depths' Syndrome.

• Entropy: The Realm suffers from Entropy like all Black Moon creatures. It must continually siphon Solar-Ka from the earthly territory in which it is anchored, or it will dissolve into the Tenebrae.
• Depths' Syndrome: The Realm is naturally drawn by gravity towards the depths of the lower planes. The denser it gets, the stronger this gravity becomes. The Anamorph is thus forced to continually secure it to Earth, to the Solar-Ka of her subjects.

Territory

When selecting a territory in which to anchor her Realm, the Anamorph must select a place based not on size but on unity of tone and atmosphere. Cities and countries are too diverse, but a huge desert like the Sahara may be suitable.

The Territory is defined by several technical parameters: Attendance, Emotional Intensity, and Extractable Solar-Ka.

• Attendance measures the average daily population of the Territory. While higher population has more SK, it more easily attracts attention. This ranges from Not Frequented (e.g. a few people in some sewers or an isolated plateau) to Very Frequented (e.g. over a thousand people in a squalid city block).
• Emotional Intensity measures the quality of the emotions experienced, identically to the Satisfactory Potential but on a larger scale. The more emotional the place is then the more SK is available, but the more publicized and famous it is. This ranges from Not Intense (e.g. leaves few memories, like an airport corridor) to Very Intense (e.g. a strong emotional machine, like an amusement park, a prison, or a torture chamber).
• Extractable Solar-Ka (ESK) measures the SK extractable over a lunar month. This is given by comparing the territory's Attendance against its Emotional Intensity. This ranges from 100 points per lunation at Not×Not to 900 points/lunation at Very×Very.

Foundation

After selecting a suitable territory according to the parameters above, the Anamorph constructs an Anchor under the full or new moon when the Black Moon fields are at their nadir and thus most permeable. At this point, the Imago falls out of the earthly plane and into a pocket within the adjacent Tenebrae: it is no longer linked to the Anamorph by strings but to the Anchor.

The Realm doesn't have a single Technique like the preceding Circles. It has 7 Aspects, and only 7, that are rated as Techniques: these start at Layman level. Upon creation, the Realm has a number of Foundation Points (FP) equal to the total number of Aspects possessed by the Imago, up to a maximum of 50 FPs. These FPs are distributed between the Realm's seven Aspects: 1 point for Apprentice level, 5 points for Journeyman level, and 10 points for Master level, not cumulative. Every Aspect must be rated at least Apprentice for the Realm to exist.

Any leftover FPs are converted to points in the Realm's Pool, 1 FP translating to 100 points in the Pool. If the Pool is too small to contain these points, then the excess is permanently lost.

Thereafter, the Realm's Aspects are increased using ODPs in the usual fashion. As with the preceding circles, this expenditure abstractly represents the Anamorph performing the construction ritual: working under the full or new moon for a night, using an art specialty to draw the landscape of her Realm (at this level, she can select miniature models as her specialty), shaping points from the Pool into the actual geography...

Density

The general power of a Realm is measured by Density: the more Aspects, the denser it is. Density is used to resist any attacks on the Realm, but increases vulnerability to Entropy and Depths' Syndrome. This is rated as a Characteristic, from Not Dense to Very Dense. To calculate the level, count the number of Technique levels in its Aspects. An Apprentice Aspect earns 1 Density bullet points, a Journeyman Aspect earns 4, and a Master Aspect earns 8. (A Characteristic has 1 to 50 total bullet points, with the level equal to that total divided by 10 and rounded up.)

A Realm with only Apprentice Aspects would be Not Dense (7 bullets), while a Realm with all Master Aspects would be Very Dense (10 bullets).

Entropy

The Realm suffers Entropy once every lunar month. It first attacks the Realm's Pool. The amount depends on the Realm's Density. At Not Dense it loses 10 points/lunation, while at Very Dense it loses 600 points/lunation.

When the Pool is empty, Entropy attacks the Aspects: each day, an Aspect loses a level until all are reduced to Apprentice (no Aspect may have a lower level). When the Realm's Aspects are all reduced to Apprentice, Entropy attacks the Imago's Aspects: it destroys one Aspect per day. When all the Aspects are annihilated, the Imago and the Realm disappear.

Depths' Syndrome

All Doomed Realms are drawn to the depths of the lower planes. This tendency is measured by a Characteristic, from Not Strong to Very Strong. When the attraction is Very Strong (10 bullets), then the Realm detaches from Earth and is sucked into the lower planes.

The Strong level increases by 1 bullet per lunation. This is multiplied by the levels of Density: 1 bullet per lunation at Not Dense to 5 bullets per lunation at Very Dense. At the time of foundation, it is Not Strong (1 bullet).

Aspects of the Realm

The Realm has 7 Aspects, measured like Techniques: Extraction, Pool, Fascination, Domination, Entropy Resistance, Depths' Syndrome Resistance, and Defense.

• Extraction: The Realm casts a shadow over its earthly territory, extending tendrils to caress the spirits of the inhabitants to absorb their Solar-Ka. At Apprentice it draws 10% of the ESK, while at Master it draws 100%.
• Capacity: The Realm has its own Black Moon Pool, though has a limited capacity and any excess escapes back into the Tenebrae. This Pool is drawn from to continue construction of the Realm. The Anamorph may draw points from it in lieu of personally Assuaging. At Apprentice the maximum capacity is 200 points, while at Master it is 1000 points.
• Fascination: The Realm's mere presence influences the territory, exerting a fascination on the inhabitants and others who frequent it. They are less and less keen to leave, so the population tends to grow and increase the ESK. At Apprentice there is no variation, while at Master the ESK increases by 20% each year. The only limit is how easily the territory supports its population. (This Aspect may be used to attract darklings from adjacent lower planes if the Anamorph doesn't practice Conjuration.)
• Domination: The inhabitants are subject to the Realm's domination. The higher the Domination, the more control exerted. At Apprentice, the Anamorph may give simple orders that don't contradict the target's deep conviction or transgress strongly against local social norms. This requires a Density+Domination test vs Difficulty (=target's SK). At Master, the Anamorph has absolute control and the population obeys blindly. By passing a Very Hard test, the Anamorph may transmigrate her Core to a new person's body; her former body becomes a regular inhabitant of the territory, but behaves like a zombie. (This Aspect may be used against darklings that wander into the Realm or are summoned by other conjurers.)
• Entropy Resistance: The Realm spontaneously resists Entropy. The higher the resistance, the weaker Entropy is. At Apprentice there is no change. At Master the Entropy loss is halved (at Not Dense it loses 5 points/lunation, while at Very Dense it loses 300 points/lunation).
• Depths' Syndrome Resistance: The Anamorph can strengthen the anchoring to resist the gravity. At Apprentice the attraction decreases by 1 point/lunation. At Master the attraction decreases by 5 points/lunation, rendering it harmless.
• Defense: Realms may come under assault by enemies among the Immortals or the mortal conspiracies. This Aspect abstractly represents the Realm's defenses, such the inhabitants becoming aggressive, the Imago's Aspects emerge from the very shadows, or the Imago attacks enemies directly. The Realm resists with Density+Defense. At Apprentice, the Realm induces aggression in the inhabitants against any attackers and instantly warns the Anamorph wherever she is, but cannot unleash supernatural forces. At Master, the Imago can attack intruders directly. The player makes a Not Hard Density+Defense test and pays 20 points from the Realm's Pool; on success, the Imago manifests all its Aspects at once and is only vulnerable to magic damage. The Realm can equip each inhabitant with an Imago's Aspect, paying for each manifestation from its Pool.

Advantages of the Realm

The Anamorph can freely transfer points back-and-forth between her personal Pool and the Realm's Pool at will. Whenever she needs to spend points, such as to perform the Occult Sciences, she can draw them from the Realm's Pool instead of her personal Pool.

Each point in the territory corresponds to point in the Realm and vice versa. The Anamorph may freely teleport between her Realm and its territory. She cannot teleport between points within her Realm or its territory, but she can circumnavigate her Realm to appear anywhere within the territory regardless of mundane obstacles.

When she reaches Apotheosis (i.e. all Aspects mastered), the Anamorph is omniscient within her Realm, its territory, and its entire population. She can appear anywhere and in "psychic vampirism."

The founding of her Realm doesn't prevent the Anamorph from using her Imago normally, even outside the Realm.

Agarthic Quest: Apotheosis

An Anamorph who has mastered of the Third Circle merges with her Realm, becoming a place herself. She is omniscient and can project her spirit and omnipresence throughout her earthly territory. Perhaps she will become a god within the nightmarish landscapes of the lower planes. She has reached Apotheosis, a sinister counterpart to the Nephilim's Agartha... or so it is rumored...

---

As The Realm involves tedious management and fixes the Anamorph to a single territory, an alternative Third Circle will be provided for PCs that allows full mobility. Stay tuned!

 

[AppleJax]

Selenim Sciences and the Grand Rituals

The "grand rituals" are special rituals that are performed in conjunction with the Occult Sciences or which are cast outside the usual purview of the Occult Sciences. As Selenim don't have the five Ka-elements of the Nephilim and practice their own unique set of Occult Sciences, the Grand Rituals don't work the same way for them. Where applicable, these rituals have been adapted to their own sciences.

Grand Ritual of Stasis

Selenim cannot use this ritual. Even if he is linked to a Stasis item, such an Ex-Nephilim who keeps his former Stasis item and its useless Ka-elements as a memento of his former self, or a natural Selenim who was forcibly bonded to one by the Church of Apophis, he cannot use it to store or tap charges.

Grand Ritual of Sacrifice

Selenim can perform this ritual for their own Occult Sciences. Like Nephilim, they are loath to make such a permanent sacrifice unless forced to by extreme circumstances.

Grand Ritual of Inscription

Selenim can inscribe spells of Necromancy and Conjuration, allowing them to perform these spells without needing rituals.

Darklings are instinctive elementals conjured from the Ka of the Tenebrae by their summoner rather than called from the Summoning Worlds, so they cannot make Pacts nor are Pacts necessary to summon them. This is not the case for Black Keys.

Anamorphosis Aspects are automatically "inscribed" as part of their construction.

Magic Circle Protection

Selenim may cast Magic Circles for protection just like mortals can. They spend 1 point from their Pool instead of Ch'awe.

Grand Ritual of Recuperation

Although Selenim cannot tap charges from Stasis items, they can immerse themselves within Nexi or Moon Plexi to heal magic damage faster. Other Plexi don't offer this benefit, as the lunar field is closest to the Black Moon. The Black Moon fields have no rays, and thus cannot produce Plexi.

Grand Ritual of Enchantment

Selenim can enchant magical items to provide a bonus on their practice of Occult Sciences, such as Ouija boards for Necromancy, instruments for Conjuration, and art supplies for Anamorphosis.

Selenim may create magic artifacts that draw upon the Black Moon fields, replicate the effects of Necromancy or Conjuration spells, or produce wholly novel effects. Selenim users can refresh the artifact's charges with points from their Pool, but not vice versa. These artifacts otherwise work the same as elemental artifacts: they spontaneously refresh charges (i.e. don't suffer Entropy) and anyone can activate them.

Artifacts cannot replicate Anamorphosis Aspects.

 

[AppleJax]

Addendum: Welcome to my humble abode...

This section provides additional information on Realms, geared towards roleplaying and adventures, adapted from the French GM book.

Touring the Realm

Entrance

There are two ways to enter a Realm. The first is to be invited by the Anamorph who authored it. All you need to do is enter the territory: there, at the bend of a street or obstacle, a visitor may enter. The second is to sneak inside: to do this, you must defeat the Realm's Defense.

If you trick the Anamorph into inviting you, then you can bypass the Defense. This may be done for many purposes.

The scenery

The landscape reflects the Anamorph's personality and is shaped according to her whims. Generally, it appears as a dark twisted reflection of the territory on Earth: sunlight never penetrates, the atmosphere is tortured and sordid. At the heart, the Imago sits on a throne, seemingly asleep. Around it gravitates a malign whirlwind, the Realm's Pool.

Realms overlook those lower planes that are symbolically close to them. A door or window allows you to contemplate the dreamscapes. The player is recommended to make a detailed plan of his Anamorph's Realm and agree with the GM on which lower planes are immediately adjacent.

The denizens

The only regular inhabitants are the Anamorph and her Imago. That said, the Selenim can summon darklings with Conjuration to populate the Realm and perhaps defend it. No creatures of the Black Moon, including the Anamorph and darklings, suffers Entropy in the Realm: the Realm's Pool acts a shield.

Darklings blindly obey the Anamorph who summoned them to her Realm. Any foreign darkling that enters the Realm risks falling under the Anamorph's domination. To maintain control, the other conjurer must pass a Conjuration test against the Realm's Density modified by its Fascination. If he fails, then the darkling falls under the Anamorph's control and only leaves on her order.

Escape

Leaving a Realm is as easy at entering it. If the Anamorph allows the visitor to leave, then he leaves without problem. If the Anamorph refuses, then the visitor must pass an Enlightened test against the Realm's Density modified by its Fascination.

Assaulting the Realm

If an Anamorph is protected by her Realm and the wall of her territory, then destroying the Realm is the only way to reach her. Likewise, destroying her Realm is the only way to claim the territory from her. This is the surest way to ruin the Anamorph's morale: of the few who experienced this sad fate, who saw the collapse of centuries of work, most took their own lives.

In any event, assaulting a Realm with the intent to destroy it is always a long, costly endeavor. This campaign lasts months, if not years or more.

Besieging resources

Depriving the Realm of Solar-Ka is the surefire way to make it collapse on itself, eaten by Entropy. You must physically eliminate the population from the territory. This has the major flaw of ruining any future attempts to establish a Realm on that territory, given the lack of inhabitants. This abuse attracts authorities who will get involved to protect the population, as well as alerting the Major Arcana and other secret societies.

Another complementary method is to send gluttonous darklings to exhaust the Realm's Pool. This weakens the Realm: it cannot use the Imago's Aspects and it suffers Entropy seizures.

Besieging the Aspects

It is possible to damage the Realm's Aspects. This requires extensive occult knowledge, and the methods are too diverse to summarize here. Sending greedy darklings is the most common solution, but here they devour the Aspects instead of the Pool.

Any attack on the Aspects involves confronting the attacking parameter against the Realm's Density modified by Defense. It can be quite arduous.

Besieging the Imago

The Realm is based on the Imago, which links it to the territory through the Anchor. If the Imago is destroyed, then the Realm collapses on itself and the debris sinks into the lower planes.

First you must reach the Imago. You can trick the Anamorph into inviting you, then take advantage of their lowered guard to attack the Imago with a destructive spell or artifact. The blow must be fatal, otherwise the response will be quite violent.

You can enter the Realm from an adjacent lower plane. This has the advantage of bypassing the earthly territory, whose inhabitant may be hostile.

Conclusion

There are many ways to assault a Realm not described here. However, this always remains limited by the immensity of Realms. Even after successful assaults, you must still wait for Entropy or Depths' Syndrome to finish the job. This decline may take a while, giving the Anamorph time to counterattack and consolidate the defenses, such as bringing reinforcements through a passage to an adjacent lower plane.

The weapons are never equal in this confrontation. Darklings may be shock troops, but always risk falling under the Realm's Fascination and turning on their conjurer.

Perhaps an aspiring sovereign is better off looking for another territory...

---

Below a repost of Jeff James' rules for handling Selenim Realms. These were originally shared on the (now defunct) mailing list on July 14, 2003. These use random generation tables and thus are appropriate for the GM to generate NPC sovereigns and their realms.

Selenim realms

These are my rules for creating selenim realm. Their from my slow revamp of my neph-hunter crossover rules. Basically transtory selenim are on the run, residential selenim are in residence, basically. A note to the French newcommers. I know these aren't how realms are but we've never had any real english selenim rules

—Jeff James (July 14, 2003)

Transitory Selenim

A transitory selenim (or a weak residential selenim) has not had the opportunity to create a true realm but its Black moon ka has had its irresistible effects on the selenim's surroundings.

1–8	The building the Selenim occupies has not physically changed but the Selenim can control the environment inside the building at will (e.g. blood running down walls, inexplicable temperature changes, opening, closing and locking doors at will).
9–14	The Selenim can change the layout of the occupied building but the building's structural integrity must remain intact or it will collapse. Generally this means that walls and floors can move but the cannot disappear.
15–18	The occupying Selenim has complete control of the building but, while the internal dimensions conform to its wishes, the outside of the structure remains identical.
19–20	The Selenim has enough power to create a mini-realm that only comprises of a palace and a throne. One doorway in the building acts as a threshold and gateway to the mini-realm.

Residential Selenim

Residential Selenim have the time and resources to build a realm. These realms are comprised of four components; A palace, the selenim's throne, the palace grounds and the lands of the realm. To get to the realm a threshold will act as a gateway to the realm. Physically the Selenim is on the other side but anyone crossing the threshold is now inside the black moon world. Thus the only way to attack a residential Selenim is to either coax it past the realm's threshold or destroy its residence.

Palace

If the imago is an expression of the Selenim's personality then the palace is the expression of its power. The more powerful the Selenim, the bugger and more ornate the palace

1–2	The Selenim's palace built in the style of the Selenim's original culture. The most common of these are Aztec, Mayan and Egyptian though any architecture style is possible.
3–6	The Selenim's palace is built in the Classical style. The Palace is mass of white marble and a maze of columns and avenues that seem to stretch for miles.
7–10	The Selenim's palace takes the form of a medieval castle. Turrets, walls, moats, and siege defences create ring after ring around the castles great keep. Whether or not these defences have worked and the castle stands in all it's glory or if it's a broken ruin has to be decided.
11–14	The Selenim's palace is built as a massive Gothic cathedral. From the high vaulted ceiling blasphemous saints look down on the pews where vast numbers of nameless things must come to worship their masters altar and throne.
15–16	The Selenim's palace is less a palace and more an incredible Industrial Machine. Whether the Machine is a dark reflection of a Victorian poorhouse or Ford's production line, whatever purpose of the vast expenditure of energy, it's is noisy, loud and everything is shaking.
17–18	The Selenim's palace is constructed in some other style that takes the Selenim's fancy. In fact the palace may change upon every visit. Other styles include; Saxon long house, Roman Villa, Hollywood art deco mansion.
19–20	The Selenim's palace is constructed as a grim remembrance of Atlantean architecture. "The geometry of the dream-place he saw was abnormal, non-Euclidian, and loathsomely redolent of spheres and dimensions apart from ours."

Throne

The throne is the seat at which the selenim controls its realm

1–4	A child of indeterminate sex wears expensive clothes and sits on a large velvet cushion on top of a golden throne, fidgeting with a crown that is slightly too big.
5–8	An old person, either decrepit man or withered hag, wrapped in layers of old, moth-eaten and slightly mouldering fur. It sits on an old worn wooden throne that has been upholstered with red leather.
9–12	A knight clad in heavy black armour sits on a wooden chair furnished with a fur. It leans heavily on a large broadsword. Around its throne are the trophies and banners it has accumulated over the long years.
13–16	A statue stands immobile and impervious to everything. Around the foot of the statue are offerings to the living god of this realm, incarnated as a sentinel. Closer examination of the statue reveals that ghostly images play over the surface. These images may impart knowledge, orders or madness.
17–18	A nearly grown foetus, wrapped in an amniotic sac hovers a few feet of the grown. While it's all too human eyes may regard any visitors. Any emotion or feeling cannot be read from its unchanging expression.
19–20	A monster sits in its sanctuary. The Selenim has given full form to it's imago and now, as this terrible creature, it rules the realm.

Palace Grounds

The environment that surrounds the immediate vicinity of the palace.

1–4	The palace is built on a featureless plateau.
1–8	The palace is surrounded by wild, overgrown vegetation that may have invaded the palace.
9–12	The palace has ornamental gardens laid out around it.
13–16	The palace grounds have been laid flat and featureless by artificial means like paving stones or poured concrete.
17–20	The palace is built atop a large out crop of natural rock. Paths have been worn down the side of the mountain.

Lands

The environment that stretches from the palace grounds to the edge of the horizon.

1–4	The palace looks out onto the top of a vast labyrinth. The movement of shadows indicates that there might be something trying to escape.
5–8	The palace looks out onto a desert plain. At the horizon, the plain meets a chain of jagged mountains.
9–12	The palace looks out onto a mist bound moor. The mist never approaches the palace but one might fancy seeing shapes looming towards them.
13–16	The palace and its grounds are as island in an ocean that stretches from horizon to horizon.
17–20	The palace is surrounded by ruins that were once buildings that shared the same style as the palace.

---

Hope you enjoyed!

 

[AppleJax]

Selenim Origins

Although Selenim don't have the Five Humors (Eolim, Faerim, Hydrim, Onirim, Pyrim) like Nephilim do, they do have Origins. The main distinction is between the Former Nephilim and the Natural Selenim. These provide minor mechanical benefits and drawbacks. (Adapted from the French Selenim Codex.)

Natural Selenim

The Natural Selenim are former mortals whose astral body briefly entered the lower planes during a nightmare or near-death experience during a suitable astrological conjunction. While there, they encountered a "proto-Selenim" Core that piggybacked their astral body back to Earth and eclipsed their Solar-Ka. This rebirth or "Apparition" caused a dramatic slowing of their metabolism: their consumption of food and drink was severely reduced and their aging seemingly ceased. But in exchange for their new immortality and their ability to learn the Selenim's occult practices, they must now Assuage the emotions of mortals to sustain themselves.

Natural Selenim have never known the elemental occult practices or the lunar taboo, so they don't experience any angst over it and are mystified by the very idea. The elemental fields produce beautiful symphonies that they hear with talented ease, beyond the Ka-senses of the current and former Nephilim.

Benefit: +2 circumstance bonus to Assuaging "negative" emotions (what qualifies is situational, not fixed). Their birth in the lands of nightmares gave them a profound understanding of humanity's worst fears and desires.

Drawback: −1 circumstance penalty to Enlightened tests within the lower planes. The natural Selenim are terrified of losing their body and being trapped in the lower planes again.

Tenebrae: Natural Selenim start play with the Tenebrae Technique at Master level for free. This simple Black Lunar Technique allows them to "hear" the magic fields and compensate for their monochromatic Ka-Vision.

Former Nephilim

The Former Nephilim are former Nephilim who lost their Ka-elements and had their Moon-Ka refracted into Black Moon-Ka. They live in ageless bodies rather than reincarnating, but have lost their ability to manipulate the elemental fields. They have a complicated and tumultuous relationship with other Nephilim and with their own existence.

Broadly speaking, there are two ways for a Nephilim to become a Selenim: losing their Ka-elements to infection by Lunar Entropy, or sundering their Ka-elements with a Shadow Blade. Both origins provide different benefits and drawbacks.

Additionally, there are three categories of Ex-Nephilim based on the circumstances that led to their transformation. These don't provide benefits or drawbacks, but inform backstory and roleplaying.

1. The first category, and by far the largest, are those who lost their Ka-elements gradually to infection by Lunar Entropy. Most of them were Onirim. They are very depressed about their transformation, with many choosing to sacrifice their lives before or after completion.
2. The second category, much smaller by contrast, were forcibly and quickly transformed against their will. They may have been subjected to a conjurer's Executions, a callous recruiter's shadow blade, etc. They never take well to their new nature, but when push comes to shove they find their survival instincts taking over.
3. The third category, the smallest, are those who voluntarily sundered themselves. The quickest way is with a shadow blade, but deliberate exposure to Lunar Entropy or the help of a conjurer's Execution works just as well. Few Nephilim are willing to sunder themselves, with almost all doing so as a last resort to escape the hands of conspiracy initiates, "cure" terminal Khaiba infection, alleviate the agony of partial Elixirfication, or even because they tired of searching fruitlessly for Agartha.

A note on Stasis items: Upon becoming Selenim, regardless of the cause, their other Ka-elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Water) were sucked into their Stasis item and remain within thereafter. The sundering severs the Selenim's link to their former Stasis item: their Black Moon-Ka doesn't rejoin it upon death, they cannot track it by concentrating, they cannot tap charges, cannot channel past lives, etc. It is now nothing more than a depressing memento of their former self.

Temperance knows rituals to reverse the sundering, but only if the Stasis item containing their other Ka-elements is present to be reunited. Many have lost track of their Stasis item and some search vainly for it in the hope of reversion.

Tenebrae: Former Nephilim begin with the Tenebrae Technique at Layman. They can develop it further if they wish, but it isn't necessary to practice the Selenim's Occult Sciences.

Via Contamination

These Nephilim witnessed the slow sundering of their Ka-elements under Lunar Entropy. They bitterly regret the transformation, expressing melancholy and/or violent impulses. Curiously, their contamination developed its own minimal sentience…

Benefit: Pay 1 point less from Pool to manifest the Imago's Aspects. Their Imago inherited their contamination's sentience, resulting in greater independence.

Drawback: −1 circumstance penalty to casting Conjuration Evocations. The Entities are close to the sentience that sundered their Ka-elements, so summoning them always briefly reminds them of it.

(Note: These modifiers are very situational. The Selenim won't get any benefit unless he specializes in Anamorphosis, and is likewise disincentivized to learn Conjuration. Necromancers ignore it entirely!)

Via Sacrifice

These Nephilim used, or had used upon them, a Shadow Blade to quickly sunder their Ka-elements. The sudden loss of their ability to manipulate the Elemental Fields renders them unstable and bipolar, yet oddly sensitive to their lost connection.

Benefit: Immediately distinguish Elemental Ka in Ka-Vision without scrutiny checks. They retain a vestige of their mastery of the Elemental Fields.

Drawback: Reduce Black Moon astrological bonuses by 1 degree. Their forced transformation forged a weaker link to the cycles of the Black Moon.

 

[AppleJax]

Physical and Magical Damage
(These rules are very tentative. The French version varies dramatically between editions and fairly convoluted, so these are largely my own invention.)

Characters have two Tracks for tracking damage: Physical Health and Magical Health.

Physical damage is inflicted by physical objects and phenomena: injury by weapons, burns from fires or chemicals or electricity, trauma from falling or being thrown, etc. Magical effects and creatures may inflict physical damage, depending on the nature of the attack. Physical damage is applied to the character's body: bruises, scratches, cuts, scrapes, gashes, broken bones, etc. The pain and harm inflicts an injury penalty to all actions.

Magical damage is inflicted by magical effects and creatures, depending on the nature of the attack. Magical damage is applied to the character's "magical aura": the Nephilim's Pentacle, the Selenim's Core, the Ar-Ka'im's Heart, or the mortal's Solar-Ka. The spiritual pain and depression inflicts an injury penalty to magical actions, but doesn't necessarily apply to mundane actions.

Most characters have both Physical Health and Magical Health. Bodiless spirits lack Physical Health and are immune to purely physical damage, but still have Magical Health and are subject to magical damage from spells, enchanted weapons and spiritual combat.

The Tracks are divided into multiple Health Levels, ranging from "Not Hurt" to "Dead". Each has a certain number of Health Boxes for tracking damage, noted on the character sheet by an empty box ("☐") and damage by putting a slash in it ("⧄"). The number of Physical Boxes per Physical Health Level is typically equal to the sum of the character's Endurant and Enlightened (Earth-Ka) Levels, whereas the number of Magical Boxes per Magical Health Level is typically equal to twice the character's Enlightened (Dominant Ka) Level.

See the table below for details:

Health Levels	Minimum Difficulty (for simple combat)	Circumstantial penalty (for advanced combat)	Physical Boxes	Magical Boxes	Healing Time per Box	Color Code on Sheet
Not Hurt	Not Hard	−0	Usually none	=Enlightened (Dominant Ka)×2	One hour	Green
Li'l Hurt	Li'l Hard	−1	=Endurant+Enlightened (Earth-Ka)	=Enlightened (Dominant Ka)×2	One day	Yellow
Hurt Enough	Hard Enough	−3	=Endurant+Enlightened (Earth-Ka)	=Enlightened (Dominant Ka)×2	One week	Orange
Hurt	Hard	−6	=Endurant+Enlightened (Earth-Ka)	=Enlightened (Dominant Ka)×2	Two weeks	Red
Very Hurt	Very Hard	−9	=Endurant+Enlightened (Earth-Ka)	=Enlightened (Dominant Ka)×2	One month or longer	Magenta
Dead	N/A	N/A	1	1	N/A	Violet

Example: The Satyr Philoctetes' Earth-Ka is Enlighted (4) and Endurant Enough (3). Thus most of his Physical Health Levels have 7 Boxes each for a total of 28 (+1 Dead Box), while most of his Magical Health Levels have 8 Boxes each for a total of 40 (+1 Dead).

Death
A character reduced to Dead (Physical) suffers physical death. A Nephilim's Paredrus exits the body and searches for a new bearer, allowing the player to continue playing by assuming a new mortal identity or "Simulacrum." A Selenim's Core and an Ar-Ka'im's Heart disperses into the magic fields, unless they have the means to transmigrate into a new body. A dead mortal's Solar-Ka splits in half: one half disperses into the magic fields while the other half remains in the corpse and becomes a shade contactable by Necromancy.

A character reduced to Dead (Magical) suffers spiritual death. Their soul and magical aura is dispersed into the magic fields. Only Third Circle Necromancy may contact them now.

The High Magic Earth spell Restore Life may resurrect any body dead for no longer than a month, but cannot restore a soul destroyed by magical damage or already transmigrated. Thanatology (Third Circle Necromancy) may resurrect souls destroyed by magical damage.

Elemental Damage and Orichalc Damage
Because of their elemental oppositions, Nephilim interact with elemental sources of damage differently. A Nephilim is immune to magical damage of the same type as their Dominant Ka-element: a Pyrim is immune to magical fire damage, a Hydrim is immune to magical water damage, etc. Any physical damage is still applied to their body, however. Conversely, magical damage of the same type as their Opposed Ka-elements is doubled: a Pyrim takes doubled magical damage from moon or water, a Hydrim takes doubled magical damage from earth or fire, etc. Any physical damage is not similarly doubled, however.

A similar phenomenon is seen among Elemental Beasts: a salamander is immune to both physical and magical damage from fire, a kelpie is immune to magical water damage and cannot drown, etc. (Conversely, an Elemental Beast may be vanquished by the High Magic spell Destroy the Spirit of [Element] corresponding to its Dominant Ka. This transforms the elemental into an inoffensive form of its element, such as turning a salamander into a simple flame or a kelpie into a puddle of water.)

Selenim, Ar-Ka'im and mortals don't modify elemental magical damage. However, Nephilim and Elementals are uniquely vulnerable to magical damage from Orichalc weapons. To Selenim, Ar-Ka'im and mortals, a cut from an Orichalc dagger is indistinguishable from a regular knife. To a Nephilim target, the Orichalc violently reacts with the elemental Ka in their blood and mutually annihilates the two. This reaction produces a bright flash and a loud bang that mundane folks confuse for fireworks or other chemical explosions. Orichalc damage is noted on the sheet by filling the box ("■"): this doesn't heal on its own but must be healed by the Temperance Initiate Spell Restore Ka.

I have some revisions to make to my damage rules, as I said I would.

There are now two types of physical damage: light damage, and serious damage. Light damage represents mild cuts, bruises, short falls, and fatigue. Serious damage represents gashes, cracked bones, bullet holes, burns and serious illness.

A character has two rows of boxes for tracking damage ("☐") equal to their Endurant level ×4, one for each type of damage. These are known as the Lifeline. (E.g. an old man in hospice who is Not Endurant has two rows of 4 damage boxes each, a twenty something jogger who is Endurant Enough has two rows of 12 damage boxes each, and a body builder who is Very Endurant has two rows 20 damage boxes each.)

When a player marks damage, then the character suffers penalties to mundane actions. Either the injury level sets the minimum Difficulty for actions, or actions take the circumstance penalty in parenthesis, at the GM's discretion. If less than half of the damage marked is light, then the character is Li'l Hurt. If half or more of the damage marked is light, then character is Hurt Enough. If less than half of the damage marked is serious, then the character is Hurt Enough. If half or more of the damage marked is serious, then character is Very Hurt.

This is abbreviated on the table below:

Injury level	Damage marked
Not Hurt (−0)	None
Li'l Hurt (−1)	<½ Light
Hurt Enough (−3)	≥½ Light
"…" Hurt (−6)	<½ Serious
Very Hurt (−9)	≥½ Serious

Light damage naturally recovers at the rate of 1 point per hour, so long as the character is resting. Serious damage recovers at the rate of 1 point per day, so long as the character is resting and receiving medical attention.

If all of a character's light damage boxes are marked off, then they fall unconscious until they recover at least one light damage box. If all of a character's serious damage boxes are marked off, then they fall unconscious and start bleeding to death unless they receive prompt medical attention.

Immortals add a number of bonus serious damage boxes equal to their Earth-Ka level, if any. These are part of the Not Hurt level. (E.g. An apprentice Satyr who is Li'l Enlighted adds +2 damage boxes to those provided by his Endurant level.)

Occult practitioners spend Ch'awe points to power spells or lose it to psychic attack. This is marked not as a separate pool, but as light damage.

Immortals add a number of bonus Ch'awe boxes equal to their Dominant Ka level. These are part of the Not Hurt level. Physical damage is never marked in these boxes, but they provide an additional buffer against psychic attack.

Magic damage track is calculated differently:

Dominant Ka	Damage boxes
Not Enlightened	Dominant Ka bullet points (i.e. 1–10)
Li'l Enlightened	10 + Dominant Ka bullet points (i.e. 11–20)
Enlightened Enough	20 + Dominant Ka bullet points (i.e. 21–30)
Enlightened	30 + Dominant Ka bullet points (i.e. 31–40)
Very Enlightened	40 + Dominant Ka bullet points (i.e. 41–50)

This makes Dominant Ka bullet points more important, since I previously replaced Ka bullet sacrifice with spending ODPs due to you buying Ka bullets with ODPs anyway. (I might reverse that decision, hence why I haven't specified ODP costs for enchantments and the like yet.)

EDIT: I still haven’t devised the combat rules. If I use damage/soak roles in combat, then the Earth Approach would be applicable there to reduce incoming damage. In that case, Earth-Ka would not provide bonus health.

 

[AppleJax]

This is a brief fluff post in anticipation of my posts on Ar-Ka'im Talents and other capabilities.

Like the Nephilim, the origins of the Ar-Ka'im date back to the Golden Path, to the continent of Atlantis and the Sun Lookers' gruesome experiments on hominids. They were created as part of the hybridization experiments, specifically an attempt to recreate an elemental's birth within a Nexus but with living Solar-Ka incorporated into it at that moment. Rather than a symbiosis like the Nephilim's union of Paredrus and Sol, these new Ka-beings would be true hybrids. Where their experiments with Orichalc samples had failed with the Nephilim, here they discovered that it worked well in tandem with living Solar-Ka. The subject's Solar-Ka "sublimated" the Ka so that they could come close together, while the subsequent presence of Saturnian-Ka within the hybrid "softened" the Ka so that it could mix together in a mosaic. The Sun Lookers conducted numerous experiments to created hybrids, ranging from adult subjects to unborn subjects.

Ultimately thirteen children hybridized in utero survived to adulthood, one for each House of the Zodiac including the thirteenth "hidden" sign of Serpentarius. Their capabilities were crude and limited in comparison to the Ka'im, but they could they exercise their Ka in the form of Talents. Not only that, but their magical aura—their Heart—acted as a microcosm of the Earth's core and produced its own miniature magic field directly from the planetary and stellar Ethers. Their powers could propagate even in the absence of the magic fields of Earth, something previously only feasible via the Ka'im's arcanotech. If the Sun Lookers could incorporate their Ka-elements into a Heart, then they could potentially survive in outer space without resorting to bulky spacecraft and external power sources. Perhaps they could even travel the stars!

The first(?) Ar-Ka'im weren't treated as peers, but as second class citizens equal to their Nephilim brothers, but they weren't slaves like their mere mortal kin. This allowed them to form cults around themselves, conducts experiments on magic themselves. The first Serpentary was considered a curiosity due to his Black Moon-Ka, which the Atlanteans had little context for understanding. Like the Tlalocans, Orishans, Shenxian, Jukurrpans, and other exiles who had left Atlantis in disgust when they saw the horrors of the Golden Path, Serpentarius wasn't content to see his mortal kinsmen tortured and exploited as slaves. Nobody knows how he did it, but Serpentarius discovered a way to link the Ka of multiple living beings together. While magic oaths weren't unheard of, this went far beyond that. This circle of brotherhood allowed the members to share any magical powers held by one, even if the other members were only mortal.

Fearful of what could result from this, his Immortals peers murdered him. However, his followers escaped and fled Atlantis for the other continents. Before any serious pursuit could begin to ascertain what secrets they kept, Atlantis was struck by Orichalka. The experiments came to a definitive end. While their original birthplace disintegrated and the Ka'im were doomed to extinction, Nephilim and Ar-Ka'im continued to be born from the Nexi. As humans proliferated and their dreams and nightmares fed back into the Moon fields, Selenim were born from the astral plane. These new generations of Immortals, hybrids of human and elemental, were the inheritors of the Earth.

Then the Orichalka Men came. They didn't distinguish between the Sun Lookers who tortured them and the Ka-beings were tortured alongside them. While Orichalc didn't annihilate their Hearts they way it did the Nephilim's Pentacle, the Ar-Ka'im's Heart perished along with their body and could not persist to find a new bearer like the Paredrus. If they weren't slain by the Orichalka Men, the Ar-Ka'im inevitably died by other means. Then the Ritual of Transmigration was discovered, allowing the Ar-Ka'im to transmigrate their Heart to a new bearer drawn from their own bloodline. Occult dynasties were founded and protected by secret societies, hidden among ethnic minorities and traveling folk.

Jesus, Galahad, Akhenaton... many wonder whether they were Ar-Ka'im.

But the Ar-Ka'im would remain quite rare until the peak of the Victorian Age, when the Golden Dawn's experiments and discoveries of forgotten knowledge would disrupt the magic fields globally and cause the Great Awakening. Not only were countless ancient Nephilim awakened as forgotten Stasis items were nourished by erratic magic fields, but many new Ar-Ka'im and Selenim would be born from the magic fields.

In the 1990s the Templars attempted to exploited the upcoming conjunctions to turn humanity's skyscrapers into conductors of the Saturnian field so that they could control the magic fields and enslave humanity. Fortunately for humanity, alliances among the Immortals and mortal occultists averted this apocalypse. With their charismatic Grand Master dead, the Templars have splintered into factions who pose a far smaller threat to humanity.

2012 heralded the start of the Age of Aquarius. The forgotten Xibalbans have reappeared after a long silence, having secretly gathered power in the centuries since the fall of Tezcatlipoca's Black Crescent. The internet has ushered a new age of techno-magic, which both the Immortals and the conspiracies have exploited in countless moves and countermoves. The revelation of Qiyas, the Solar Occult Science, has thrown the occult scene into disarray. Indigenous Immortals cultivate increasingly violent social justice movements and revolutions, seeking to overturn human civilization so that they can take over the world and usher a new era of peace and understanding between mortals and Immortals. Artificial intelligence advances at an accelerating rate, threatening to cause global economic collapse.

The Wars of the Apocalypse are far from over...

 

[AppleJax]

Real life is taking longer than I expected, so here's a small rules addition to pass the time:

Memorized rituals

Spell designs come in three forms: foci, memorized, and inscribed. Foci and Inscriptions have already been explained. Memorized rituals provide a benefit midway between the two. An Immortal who has memorized a ritual doesn't need to consult the grimoire (or other focus, whatever form it takes) before preparing and casting the ritual. However, this isn't an inscription and must still be cast as a ritual.

For ease of play, a ritual is considered sufficiently memorized if the character has cast it successfully a few times already. Two or three castings should be sufficient, at the GM's discretion. Not ODPs or Ka need be spent. However, the drawback of memorized rituals is that they can be forgotten if enough time passes between castings or if the character reincarnates during play.

EDIT:

Quick errata on Anamorphosis III

The Realm doesn't begin with Technique levels for free based on the number of Imago's Aspects constructed. When the Anamorph starts building her Realm, she spends ODP to buy levels in the Realm's Techniques. The Realm will not take form until she buys all seven Realm Techniques at Apprentice level or higher, but this may be spent in multiple installments if the player doesn't have enough saved up all at once. These ODPs are an abstract representation of the Anamorph taking the time to collect and funnel large amounts of Black Ch'awe into the construction.

Having 7 Techniques rather than one may seem strange compared to the other Occult Sciences. Remember that the Third Circle of Anamorphosis doesn't have any spells or inscriptions that can be bought with ODPs. The Technique levels and their fixed effects are the only available advancement.

 

[AppleJax]

Effects of Orichalc Damage

Orichalc damage is one of the worst experiences a Nephilim can suffer, as their Ka (and thus their soul) is annihilated piecemeal by every successful strike or prolonged contact with their blood. It is unimaginably painful and leaves the Nephilim vulnerable to being sacrificed, sublimated into an elixir, or transfigured into a homunculus, depending on the intent of their attacker.

There are special considerations to take into account compared to other magic damage. Any amount of injury by Orichalc will cause the Nephilim to develop a Ka-imbalance if left untreated, which can result in Ka-element values shifting from the stable norm, increased sensitivity to Khaiba gain, and even spawning elemental beasts!, but those consequences will not be explained here and may be ignored for simplicity.

If Orichalc damage raises the Nephilim's magical injury level to the same level as their Dominant Ka, then their Dominant Ka is reduced to 0. They become a Cruxim (a Nephilim with only four Ka-elements, visible as a cross in Ka-vision instead of a pentacle) and their Major Neutral Ka-element becomes their Dominant Ka-element. Once their magical health reaches the "Dead" level, then their Dominant Ka-element is reduced to 0 and they are no longer playable. Nephilim cannot maintain consciousness or stability with only three Ka-elements.

The Nephilim isn't completely annihilated on the spot. They enter a permanent state of Narcosis and their remaining Ka-elements gradually dissociate into the magic fields. This happens slowly enough that the Nephilim can still be bled for use in sacrifices or feeding elixirs, but they're too damaged to become a homunculus.

Orichalc and mortals

Raw Orichalc only repels the magic fields and doesn't have the Capacity to annihilate elements unless it is "awakened" by exposure to Solar-Ka. This occurs naturally and gradually through exposure to sunlight and the ambient solar fields, forcing conspiracies to harvest Orichalc ore under cover of night. The Ethers of Saturn are too dispersed to regenerate it. Thus, the total amount of Orichalc on Earth has been gradually depleting since it was introduced 100,000 years ago and remaining deposits become increasingly difficult to exploit.

Bleeding on Orichalc and sacrificing a few bullets of SK will awaken it, giving it a capacity to annihilate elemental Ka. The conspiracies refined this process using mass human sacrifice and alchemy. The amount of Capacity created by this is based not on the amount of Raw Orichalc present, but on the amount of Solar-Ka sacrificed to awakened it. Thus, a single Orichalc sword dating to a period of mass human sacrifice has the potential to destroy countless Nephilim despite being the same size as any other sword. This process is extremely delicate: a fumble will result in a massive deadly explosion as all the present Orichalc, Solar-Ka, and magic fields react to become Litharge.

Even uninitiated humans have an innate sensitivity to Raw Orichalc: its proximity causes Solar-Ka (or perhaps the body's humors) to uncomfortably vibrate, potentially resulting in tremors, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, etc. depending on their personal sensitivity. It's almost like they're subconsciously aware of what happens when SK comes into contact with Raw Orichalc. Although not immediately fatal, prolonged exposure to Orichalc has similar effects to heavy metal poisoning and radiation exposure, particularly if particles of it somehow enter the body. Some conspiracies have experimented with injecting people with Orichalc particles in solution as a method of preventing possession and resisting magic, but these attempts have been abandoned due to the deleterious effects.

The conspiracies use special Litharge sheaths to protect Orichalc weapons from being degraded by exposure to the ambient magic fields. These sheaths also prevent these weapons from provoking innate sensitivity, though they still appear as a "hole" in the magic fields under Ka-vision. Awakened Orichalc doesn't provoke as much of a response in Solar-Ka sense, but it remains perceptible this way. Touching an Awakened Orichalc blade inspires an instinctive feeling of revulsion in those not used to it.

Raw Orichalc may be fashioned into medallions that render the wearer resistant to magic, even if they aren't trained to resist magic. However, these medallions cannot be used as direct weapons.

 

[AppleJax]

Ar-Ka’im Talents

Ar-Ka’im don’t have their own occult sciences, but do have instinctive Talents. These are similar to the Elemental Effects that Nephilim can produce, but with more diverse effects learnable. As with other kinds of magic, the effects are either too subtle or obscured for muggles to notice or are actively disbelieved and rationalized away.

There are eight Talent Techniques, each linked with a specific Essence, used for the Talents: Attack, Defense, Emotion, Perception, Movement, Magic, Dark side, and Exaltation. However, all of these Techniques are rolled with the Ar-Ka’im’s Enlightened (Dominant Ka) level, not the linked Ka. Talents are fueled by points of the linked Essence, but a different Essence may be spent at increased cost (mandatory if the Ar-Ka’im lacks it).

Quick refresher: Ar-Ka’im have Essences rather than Ka-elements. They have a Dominant Ka like Nephilim do, which the level of their other Ka cannot exceed, but otherwise their Essences aren’t strictly organized like the Nephilim’s Ka-elements. The Dominant Ka is measured with levels and bullets (which also determines the character’s magic damage track), as is the Solar-Ka (if SK is not the Dominant Ka), while the other Essences are only measured with levels. Instead of Ch’awe, the Dominant Ka and Essences determine the maximum values of the character’s Pools, which are only measured with points. Each Ka has its own linked Pool, which can hold a maximum number of points equal to the linked Ka ×10. Each Pool has an effective level equal to its current points ÷10 rounded up, or one level for every increment of 1–10 points, which is not used for any checks but only to determine the character’s Instability level.

Talents are similar to spells, but their effect and cost scales with the Technique level. This may be a simple quantitative increase or a distinct effect at each level, depending on the Talent. The Ar-Ka’im may always use the lower level versions. Each House has eight Talents, one for each Technique. An Ar-Ka’im may learn their House’s Talents through practice, but other Houses’ Talents require a teacher of that House. Additionally, other Houses’ Talents cost more Essence points.

Unlike the Occult Sciences, Talents don’t require the presence of the magic fields. The Heart generates its own field directly from the Ethers, like the Earth’s core in miniature. As such, an Ar-Ka’im can exercise his Talents anywhere, even if a Nephilim or Selenim would be unable to practice the Occult Sciences due to the lack of a corresponding magic field to propagate the effect. He can exercise Earth and Fire Talents in the middle of the ocean, Moon and Water Talents in the caldera of a volcano, any Elemental Talents inside a Saturnian Plexus, etc.

Cost of Activation

The Cost of Action is affected by the level of the Talent exercised, the type of Essence Pool spent, the House the Talent belongs to, and the current astrological circumstances.

The base cost is equal to the level of the Talent used. An additional +2 points are spent if the character spends a Ka other than that linked to the Talent.

If the character exercises a Talent other than those belonging to his House, then he spends additional points. +1 point for the House opposite his own on the Zodiac, plus an additional point for each space from his opposite House. Serpentarius has no space in the Zodiac, so it levies a flat +4 points. If the character’s House is Serpentarius, then he spends a flat +3 points to exercise the Talents of any other Houses.

If the Talent is associated with the Ka of the current astrological day, then the character spends 1 less point. Likewise if the Talent is associated with the Ka of the current astrological month (the Zodiac sign is irrelevant). These stack, so a Grand Enthronement of the Talent’s Ka means the character spends 2 less points. This can reduce the cost to zero, but not negative. Darkside Talents never benefit from favorable astrology.

Table: Cost of Activation

Level of Talent	No. of points spent by Ka associated with Talent	No. of points spent by Ka different from Talent
Apprentice	1​	3​
Journeyman	2​	4​
Master	3​	5​

Table: Correspondences

Type of Talent	Ka associated	Type of Talent	Ka associated
Attack	Fire	Movement	Water
Defense	Earth	Magic	Saturnian-Ka
Emotion	Moon	Dark side	Black Moon
Perception	Air	Exaltation	Solar-Ka

Table: The Houses

Talent belongs to...	Cost of Activation
His opposite House.	+1 point
A House next to his opposite House.	+2 points
A House two spaces from his opposite House.	+3 points
A House halfway between his House and its opposite. House Serpentarius.	+4 points
A House two spaces from his own.	+5 points
A House next to his own.	+6 points

Note: the Ar-Ka’ims of Serpentarius deviate from the rules on the table above. For them, using a Talent from another House sees the cost increased by 3 points—regardless of the House.

Table: Astrological Modifiers

Situation	Cost of Activation
Talent associated with the Ka of the current astrological month	−1 point
Talent associated with the Ka of the current astrological day	−1 point

List of Talents by House

Talents of House Aries

• Attack: Fireball. Throw a fireball.
• Defense: Ring of Fire. Create a ring of fire.
• Emotion: Fuel Anger. Inspire anger in others.
• Movement: Light Race. Run fast.
• Perception: Thermal vision. See heat signatures.
• Magic: Antimagic wave. Expel a wave that counters spells.
• Dark side: Lava transmutation. Transmute nonliving matter into lava
• Exaltation: Blazing Strength. Boost Strong Characteristic.

Talents of House Taurus

• Attack: Furious Charge. Charge unstoppably at an opponent.
• Defense: Stone skin. Skin becomes armor.
• Emotion: Indomitable Assurance. Targets don't feel fear or doubt.
• Movement: Massive Telekinesis. Move large objects by telekinesis.
• Perception: Lethal Knowledge. Analyze an opponent's combat ability
• Magic: Lift Protection. Remove protective spells.
• Dark side: Minotaur. Turn into a "minotaur", a muscle man with the head of a bull.
• Exaltation: Unshakable Constitution. Boost Endurant Characteristic

Talents of House Gemini

• Attack: Splitting. Project an illusory double
• Defense: Saving doubt. Defense bonus
• Emotion: Contradictory psyche. Target is incapable of complex judgment
• Movement: Ubiquity. Be in two places at once and act independently.
• Perception: Crowd feeling. Sense Solar-Ka. Selenim exempt.
• Magic: Double effect. Reflect spell against caster, so that both suffer the effects.
• Dark side: Disturbing silhouette. Create an illusory disguise.
• Exaltation: Double limbs. Grow additional pair of arms or legs.

Talents of House Cancer

• Attack: Unstoppable feint. Make almost unstoppable melee strike
• Defense: Shining Armor. Dress in superb plate armor.
• Emotion: Seductive clarity. Charm person
• Movement: Invisible movement. Move while being invisible.
• Perception: Mind reading. Read a person's thoughts
• Magic: Time Race. Go back in time a few rounds. Causes a weird time problem
• Dark side: Untimely mutation. Temporarily mutate target's skin.
• Exaltation: Irresistible appearance. Increase Charming Characteristic

Talents of House Leo

• Attack: Burst of power. Throw an energy grenade
• Defense: Burst of light. Burst of light blinds onlookers
• Emotion: Stupefaction. Brilliant appearance paralyzes onlookers
• Movement: Instant run. Teleport
• Perception: Knowledge reading. Know what an interlocutor knows about you
• Magic: Mastery of enthronements. Change the enthronement
• Dark side: Destructive Roar. Roar paralyzes and breaks small objects
• Exaltation: Total Increase. Boost any one Characteristic

Talents of House Virgo

• Attack: Infallible Weapon Guide. Telekinetically direct a knife
• Defense: Water Barrier. Create a wall of water
• Emotion: Artificial candor. Appear innocent and truthful.
• Movement: Flight. He flies
• Perception: Increased hearing.
• Magic: Counter-Spell. Counters next spell cast
• Dark side: Harpy Face. Become a harpy
• Exaltation: Elusive. Boost Agile Characteristic

Talents of House Libra

• Attack: Sword of Damocles. Summons a sword over the target.
• Defense: Backlash. Attacker suffers same injury
• Emotion: White indifference. Target feels no emotions
• Movement: Chthonic displacement. Move through the ground
• Perception: Sense intention. Sense enmity or hostility
• Magic: Just destiny. Counter a Fumble on an Occult Skill or Talent
• Dark side: Berserker. Enter a fighting frenzy
• Exaltation: Balance physique. Equalize physical Characteristics

Talents of House Scorpio

• Attack: Sting. Inject psychic venom by touch.
• Defense: Prompt response. Counterattack an opponent's back in close combat, even while he faces you.
• Emotion: Mistrust. Inspire distrust or fear in a target.
• Movement: Silence. Create a zone of silence around oneself. Even necromancers cannot hear the dead.
• Perception: Subtle omen. Sense opponent's intentions a few seconds in advance.
• Magic: Mirror. Turns a harmful spell against the caster, or transfers a beneficial spell to their opponent.
• Dark side: Spurs. Grows ten 15cm stingers useable in close combat, injecting magic poison.
• Exaltation: Vicious blows. Enhances weapon used.

Talents of House Sagittarius

• Attack: Sacred bow. Conjures a bow with infinite arrows.
• Defense: Regeneration. Regain lifeline squares per round.
• Emotion: Self-confidence. Persuade someone to perform risky behavior, as long as it is not obviously suicidal or betrays their relationships.
• Movement: Extreme jump. Jump incredible distances.
• Perception: Motion detection. Detect the presence of moving objects, even behind obstacles, as well as their distance and direction.
• Magic: Track magic. Perceive the trace any person leaves in the magic fields, similar to tracking by scent, following them and identifying their occult nature.
• Dark side: Bloody Robe of Nessus. By staining an article of clothing with your freshly spilled blood, it turns to poison that inflicts magic damage to the wearer.
• Exaltation: Velocity of Pholos. Increase speed, granting additional action in combat.

Talents of House Capricorn

• Attack: Heart of ice. Projects icy breath that slows down or paralyzes target.
• Defense: Broken blade. Damage opponent’s weapon’s by lowering their temperature.
• Emotion: Terror. Inspire fear in several people you can see.
• Movement: Unwavering balance. Never lose balance and move on vertical surfaces.
• Perception: Sonar. Project ultrasound to echolocate similar to bats and dolphins.
• Magic: Protective circle. Project an anti-magic zone around the user that moves with him.
• Dark side: Winter harness. Conjure warrior equipment linked to the cold.
• Exaltation: Thermal insensitivity. Become resistant to temperature extremes.

Talents of House Aquarius

• Attack: Sudden decay. Disintegrate, rot, mold and decompose any material.
• Defense: Hypnotic gaze. Immobilize a target with eye contact and give simple orders.
• Emotion: Telepathic communication. Communicate telepathically with anyone you know.
• Movement: Aquatic walk. Move without breathing, primarily but not exclusively underwater.
• Perception: Chameleon’s view. Extends vision to 360°.
• Magic: Elemental explosion. Condense and explode the nearby magic fields, preventing the practice of occult sciences and inflicting magic damage.
• Dark side: Bloody stream. Drain the lifeline squares from another person and dispense it to yourself and/or your companions.
• Exaltation: Brilliant imitation. Perfectly imitate the target’s skill level.

Talents of House Pisces

• Attack: Lightning bolt. Cause a target to be struck by lightning.
• Defense: Wall of wind. Generates strong winds to deflect projectiles.
• Emotion: Sterile agitation. Confuse targets.
• Movement: Walk on water. Move on water as though it were dry land.
• Perception: Astral perception. Project your mind outside your body to see distant places.
• Magic: Substitution of Ka. Switch the values of a Nephilim’s Ka-Elements or move points between an Ar-Ka’im’s Essence Pools.
• Dark side: Troubling erasure. You gradually fade into transparency, becoming harder to see and target.
• Exaltation: Blazing intelligence. Increases Intelligent Characteristic.

Talents of House Serpentarius

• Attack: Venomous fangs. Grow viper fangs.
• Defense: Endless defenses. Parry or dodge an attack as a free action.
• Emotion: Ophidian madness. Curse a target with madness.
• Movement: Trod omitted. Leave no physical or magical traces in your wake.
• Perception: Detect chaos. Detect disorder, weakness, confusion… chaos.
• Magic: Essence absorption. Steal and absorb Ka from others.
• Dark side: Elliptical gaze. Acquire various ophidian attributes. Eyes become serpentine.
• Exaltation: Increased perception. Boost perception checks.

 

[AppleJax]

Ar-Ka'im Manifestations

Although Ar'Ka'im don't have a metamorphosis as such, they do exhibit environmental manifestations of their Essences. Each Essence Pool is rated using the adjective Powerful and has a Hidden Characteristic rated inversely to its current Powerful level. The Hidden level sets the Difficulty on Spot checks to detect the manifestation. As the Essence Pools fluctuate, the manifestations become more or less pronounced.

Current Essence Pool	Powerful Level	Hidden Level	Reactions
1–10 points	Not Powerful	Very Hidden	The manifestation is invisible to muggles. It can only be felt unconsciously, sometimes as an "anomaly."
11–20 points	Li'l Powerful	Hidden	As Very Hidden, above.
21–30 points	Enough Powerful	Hidden Enough	He can attract the attention of passers-by and an interlocutor may be distracted by his appearance.
31–40 points	Powerful	Li'l Hidden	The manifestation is visible to muggles, who rationalize it but may harass.
41–50 points	Very Powerful	Not Hidden	As Li'l Hidden, above.

The manifestations vary by Ka:

Essence	Manifestation
Earth-Ka	visible plant growth around him
Fire-Ka	increased combustion (a lighter makes a flame of 20cm, etc.)
Air-Ka	the air is constantly in motion, agitated around him
Water-Ka	condensation on surfaces
Moon-Ka	in photos, his shadow is poorly oriented in relation to the light
Saturnian-Ka	the surrounding plants wither and rot (animals too at Powerful or Very Powerful)
Black Moon-Ka	a shadowy double appears on the films and photos in which he appears
Solar-Ka	when he turns towards a reflective surface (mirror, window, etc.), it becomes shiny

Like the Nephilim's Metamorphosis and Elemental Effects, an Ar-Ka'im may exploit this radiance of his Ka to produce limited magical effects beyond what his Approaches normally allow.

In the French, each House has certain personality traits associated with it, like the Nephilim's emotional natures. At some point in the future I intend to write a post applying Passions to each House and linking them to the Essences.

 

[AppleJax]

After some thought, I’ve decided to cleanly separate Characteristic bullets and levels. Characteristics would be measured from 1–25 “degrees”, with every increment of 1–5 degrees translating to a level. The levels are used for task resolution on the Universal Resolution Table.

Degrees (average)	Adverb (levels)
1–5 (3)	Not (1)
6–10 (8)	Li’l (2)
11–15 (13)	Enough (3)
16–20 (18)	“…” (4)
21–25 (23)	Very (5)

These values are adapted from the 4th edition rules.

NPCs usually only have levels given. If it becomes necessary to determine the exact degrees, then the average value is given in parentheses for quick reference.

 

[AppleJax]

Exaltation of the Arcana

Whether your Atenist character is an initiate of a Major Arcanum or an “outer member” that self-identifies with the Tablet’s message, s/he benefits from an Exaltation. Membership in a Major Arcanum boosts Dominant Ka rolls in certain circumstances: astrological months, planetary days, and elemental influences.

An outer member receives a +2 circumstance bonus, whereas an Initiate receives a +4 bonus. This stacks with astrological modifiers.

ARCANUM	EXALTATION
0 Fool	Air*
I Magician	Wednesday
Il High Priestess	Monday
Ill Empress	Friday
IV Emperor	Aries
V Hierophant	Taurus
VI Lovers	Gemini
VII Chariot	Cancer
VIII Strength	Leo
IX Hermit	Virgo
X Wheel of Fortune	Thursday
XI Justice	Libra
XII Hanged Man	Water*
XIII Unnamed	Scorpio
XIV Temperance	Sagittarius
XV Devil	Capricorn
XVI Tower	Tuesday
XVII Star	Aquarius
XVIII Moon	Pisces
XIX Sun	Sunday
XX Judgment	Fire*

*: The reduction applies to the listed Ka-element, constantly.

Ar-Ka’im instead reduce the cost of Talents when paying from the exalted Ka, regardless of the Ka linked to the Talent. Outer members reduce the cost by 1 point, Initiates by 2 points.

Selenim apply elemental exaltations to any Black Moon spells with effects symbolic of the exalted element. They reduce the cost of the spell, identically to Ar-Ka’im, for all exaltations.

Arcane Approaches

Membership in an Arcanum opens the Nephilim's mind and allows him to apply the Approach bonus of his Dominant Ka to a skillset of the Arcanum's teachings. If this situation is already covered by his Dominant Ka, then he reduces the Approach's Difficulty by one level.

Arcanum	Approach
0 Fool	draw on the creative, counterintuitive portions of the human brain
I Magician	correlate not only the magical world and its correspondences, but the mundane world as well
Il High Priestess	become attuned to the hidden in the mundane
Ill Empress	adept at instinctively reading the psychic "ripples" put off by humanity both individually and in the herd
IV Emperor	instinct for command, extends not only to humanity but to all domesticated animals
V Hierophant	instinctively sensitive to the nuances of human worship
VI Lovers	resonates strongly with the physical interactions of humanity and its world, especially those that beautify it or create pleasure in it
VII Chariot	harmony with the mundane physical laws of the universe
VIII Strength	warrior ethos, skill with weapons
IX Hermit	imperative of isolation, ruggedness of character
X Wheel of Fortune	sense of the mystical currents and tides is reflected in an innate understanding of their earthly counterparts
XI Justice	an (occasionally unwelcome) insight into what passes for human laws
XII Hanged Man	their magical energies are totally focused through mundane tasks
XIII Unnamed	occult research on the Black Moon fields and the obscure sciences
XIV Temperance	mystical instincts for rebalancing, healing, and conservation
XV Devil	any physical skills that correspond well with its Metamorphosis
XVI Tower	twin nature reflects itself in the mundane talents it amplifies, complementary offensive skill and defensive skill
XVII Star	knowledge of the hidden courses of the stars and their influences, celestially attuned
XVIII Moon	affinity with the animal nature, primary sensory attribute, specific animal skills
XIX Sun	understanding deep ties of Solar energies to all life on Earth
XX Judgment	spiritual alignment with vision of all kinds, even the mundane

 

[AppleJax]

Initiates and Awakened Solar-Ka

Initiates of certain secret societies and conspiracies are trained to awaken, cultivate, and harness their Solar-Ka. This grants them three distinct benefits:

• Solar mystic vision: Initiates may cultivate mystic vision that allows them to better discern magical phenomena. This includes metamorphoses and enchantments. However, this vision is monochromatic and limited.
• Solar Approach: Initiates may apply a circumstance bonus to actions involving their awareness, identity and will, such as perception checks and resisting social manipulation. Additionally, they can apply it to attack rolls for Orichalc weapons used to strike Nephilim. As usual, the bonus is equal to their Enlightened (Solar-Ka) level: +1 at Not, +3 at Enough, etc. If the roll fumbles, then they suffer the same amount in magic damage.
• Solar Resistance: Initiates may resist spells that directly target them, but not area effects or the natural weapons of magical creatures. The Initiate tests Enlightened (Solar-Ka)+Initiate Lore (secret society concerned) vs Difficulty (spell’s Difficulty +1 level more). If the check succeeds, then the Initiate throws off the spell’s effect.

It is possible for Immortals to join a conspiracy and learn both the Solar Approach and the Solar Resistance, but this is rare. Malevolent secret societies that teach these techniques are violently opposed to the Immortals and would subject any postulants to human sacrifice, elixirfication, or transmutation into a homunculus slave. The most promising are the Rosicrucians, Priory of Sion, Mithradites, Cultes des Goules, and other secret societies positively disposed towards the Immortals.

Metamorphoses and espionage

Nephilim sometimes attempt to infiltrate secret societies to gather intel. If the Initiates are trying to detect Nephilim, then a perception check against the Metamorphosis's Hidden level is required. If the Nephilim is actively concealing their Metamorphosis, then the Hidden level rises. However, the downside of this is that the Nephilim loses the benefits of their Transformations, suffers a penalty to practicing the Occult Sciences, and risks aggravating Khaiba. Various espionage spells and artifacts exist for this purpose.

Ar-Ka'im may have slightly better luck with their less direct Manifestations.

Selenim find it easy to infiltrate secret societies, as their Black Moon-Ka is undetectable to mortals. Even the most enlightened will only feel a vague strangeness. Only their ageless face risks arousing suspicion...

 

[Turkey Lurkie]

I read through this game a long time ago. There was nothing so original about it that enticed me to purchase or play really. Lots of history for the game but not really needed

 

[AppleJax]

Lots of history for the game but not really needed

It’s not needed to have history when the game revolves around past lives and conspiracies spanning history? I can understand lore being unnecessary when it is irrelevant to gameplay (I won’t name any specific games, but you can guess which ones), but the premise here is specifically about going on adventures to do research, have flashbacks, even time travel. In my homebrew everything before 10,000 BC is irrelevant and PCs aren’t gonna know it, yeah, but past lives from 10,000 BC onward are still there.

 

[Turkey Lurkie]

It’s not needed to have history when the game revolves around past lives and conspiracies spanning history?

Right. Only dose as needed for the current adventure. No player is going to digest all at once.

 

[AppleJax]

Right. Only dose as needed for the current adventure. No player is going to digest all at once.

You could’ve fooled me with all these terminally online people being obnoxiously obsessed with lore for [insert currently trendy but ultimately transient IP].

But I get what you’re saying. That’s why I’m treating past lives as skills that are recalled as the adventures go. Players can discover it alongside their characters.

 

[AppleJax]

Immortals and Magic Resistance

In general, each Occult Science has different ways of resisting the effects. For example, a Necromancy spell where a ghost possesses a Nephilim requires the ghost to overcome the Nephilim’s Dominant Ka as the Difficulty on the Universal Resolution Table, or an alchemy procedure that releases noxious gas requires those in the area to make Endurant checks to avoid passing out. Resisting the spell directly requires its own maneuver.

Immortals may resist spells that directly target them, but not area effects or the natural weapons of magical creatures. The Immortal tests Enlightened (Dominant Ka)+[a relevant Esoteric Lore, see below] vs Difficulty (spell's Difficulty +1 level more). If the check succeeds, then the Immortal throws off the spell's effect.

There are four different Esoteric Lores that may be used to resist magical effects, in addition to their other applications:

• Astrological Lore: used to resist the Ar-Ka’im’s Talents. Otherwise used for divination and locating magical places and times.
• Kabbalistic Lore: used to resist the Nephilim’s Occult Sciences. Otherwise used to understand and identify elemental magic.
• Qlippothic Lore: used to resist the Selenim’s Occult Sciences. Otherwise used to understand and identify black magic.
• Tarot Lore: used to resist the Major Arcana’s Arcane Techniques. Otherwise used to understand tarot symbolism, for divination, and (at Master) an overview of the Major Arcana tribes.

Because of their magical aura’s cardinal balance, the Nephilim apply circumstance modifiers to these rolls based on the effect’s source. They apply a +5 circumstance bonus to resist effects of the same element as their Dominant Ka, but apply a −5 penalty against effects of their Opposed Ka-elements. If resisting a Saturnian effect, they suffer a −5 penalty.

Selenim and Ar-Ka’im don’t apply modifiers based on the effect’s source.

 

[AppleJax]

Some updates to my old post on metamorphoses

Focused Onirim: Sandman

Passion	Manifestations
Creative	Hair shifts to ash-gray, bone white, ethereal glowing white, feathers; fully black eyes; shapes dreams and hallucinations
Deceitful	Fine coat of shiny black scales, outline distorted and blurred like mirage, looking at it too long aches
Indulgent	Smells of opium and tobacco, chronic sniffles, heroin chic
Manipulative	Fluid and suggestive expression, movement and speech
Reckless	Tough black claws, tough constitution, selectively negate detrimental effects of drugs and toxins

Upon examination the Sandman's "feathers" are actually chitinous, like a moth's antennae, "fur" and wing scales. They're moth-like, not avian (except maybe owl-like?). This reinforces the nocturnal themes.

A quick refresher on the Passions and Hidden:

Average Passion Level	Hidden Level	Modifier to Occult Science checks
Not Emotional	Very Hidden. The metamorphosis is invisible to muggles. It can only be felt unconsciously, sometimes as an "anomaly."	−2
Li'l Emotional	Hidden. Ditto.	−1
Emotional Enough	Hidden Enough. The Nephilim can attract the attention of passers-by and an interlocutor may be distracted by his appearance.	0
Emotional	Li'l Hidden. The metamorphosis is visible to muggles, who rationalize it but may harass.	+1
Very Emotional	Not Hidden. Ditto.	+2

The modifiers to Occult Science checks from Passions are cumulative. If all Passions are Not Emotional, then the Nephilim suffers a −10 penalty. If all Passions are Very Emotional, then the Nephilim gains a +10 bonus.

Eolim: Inkheart Oracle

Passion	Manifestations
Adaptive	Mesmerizing tattoos reflecting scenes from current and past incarnations, even events occurring far away or in the future (GM's discretion). Head becomes bald and smooth. Skin turns to leathery vellum. Body enlarges to provide more surface area. May turn into pure information to travel through any handy transmission medium (e.g. electronic, semaphore light flashes, voice across chasm), so long as an audience is present at the destination—otherwise, immediately upon arriving he suffers an Etherealism Khaiba Seizure!
Curious	Develops psychometry allow reading of objects, electronic data, people's minds... Conversely, the eyes (and later the body) become a window to experiencing the Oracle's memories.
Exacting	Hands and later rest of body become flexible and malleable as impression putty. May temporarily take impressions of objects or surfaces. Eventually may impose the copied form on another target, object or person.
Melancholic	Introspective and longs for past lives. Musty odors like an old library and books. Hints of ozone as substance becomes pure information.
Social	"Speak in tongues." Voice becomes intelligible after several minutes of conversation to learn the other's speech, regardless of language barriers. The effect fades after the conversation ends.

The fourth Passion should be Melancholy, not "Melancholic" like the humor. The difference is the -y at the end.

Pyrim: Sky Father
Other names: Dyaus Pita, Zeus Pater, Jupiter, King of the Gods, Deus

I would change the default name to Thunderer. The Thunderer archetype represents both the Indo-European Sky Father and the storm deities of other religions, such as some native American tribes.

 

[AppleJax]

Conditions for casting a spell

The Occult Sciences and Talents have various conditions that must be fulfilled before a Spell may be cast or a Talent may be exercised.

Occult Trance

Practicing Magical Techniques requires concentration and focus. To cast a Spell or exercise a Talent the Immortal must enter a trance during which he can perform no other actions. This trance lasts for however long it takes to cast the Spell or exercise the Talent. If the trance is interrupted, then the casting fails and must be restarted, but no points are lost (see below).

The exception is Alchemy. No trance is necessary to prepare a Procedure. No trance is necessary to apply an alchemical material or work of art, but these do require contact with their target. Casting a meditation requires the trance.

E.g. a Casual Sorcerer cannot both cast Magic Bolt and shoot a gun, or cast Read Aura while holding a conversation. He may scrutinize someone’s aura while talking to them after casting the spell, however.

Magic Fields

All Occult Sciences require the presence of the magic field associated with the Spell being cast to produce their effects. Sorcery, Summoning, and Alchemy require the presence of the elemental fields. Necromancy, Conjuration, and Anamorphosis require the presence of the Black Moon field. If the required field is not present, then any attempt to cast a Spell automatically fails.

Exercising Talents does not require the presence of magic fields. The Heart generates its own Ka-energies directly from the Ethers.

Integrity of Ka-Elements

Practicing the Occult Sciences requires the Immortal to possess the Ka associated with the Spell being cast.

Talents may be exercised without the associated Ka being present in the Heart.

Nephilim Sciences

The Nephilim’s Occult Sciences generally requires one or more of the five Ka-elements that compose their magical aura, or Pentacle. If they have suffered a magical injury or disability that has atrophied or amputated one of their Ka-elements, then they cannot cast Spells of that Element. They may cast Spells of their intact Ka-elements normally.

Selenim lack the Ka-elements and cannot cast elemental Spells.

Ar-Kaïm can potentially cast elemental Spells if they have the corresponding Ka in their Heart.

At the GM’s discretion, summoned beings may be offended if they are summoned by a Cruxim, but can still be placated.

Selenim Sciences

The Selenim’s Occult Sciences require the practitioner to have Black Moon-Ka integrated into their magical aura. A Doomed Characteristic is not sufficient.

Nephilim cannot cast Black Moon Spells. If they attempt to, then they suffer Lunar Entropy.

Ar-Kaïm can potentially cast Black Moon Spells if they have Black Moon-Ka in their Heart.

Ritual Space

The Occult Sciences generally require rituals to cast Spells, with some exceptions.

Sorcery: Ritual Magic and High Magic require a ritual space consisting of a magic circle and ritual paraphernalia. Casual Magic Spells do not require rituals. Ritual Magic and High Magic Inscriptions do not require rituals.

Summoning: Summoning requires a ritual space a la Sorcery. Summoning Inscriptions (“Pacts”) do not require rituals.

Alchemy: Alchemy Procedures require preparation. The type of preparation depends on the Circle.

Necromancy: Necromancy Spells require a ritual or “séance” to cast, unless Inscribed.

Conjuration: Conjuration Spells require a ritual space with instrumental performance to cast. Inscription reduces this restriction to voice.

Anamorphosis: Anamorphosis requires artistic portraiture to construct Aspects. Aspects are activated without rituals.

Targeting

Casting a Spell or exercising a Talent requires the practitioner to identify the target of the effect. Exact restrictions vary by Occult Science.

Sorcery: The target must be within visual range or the caster must have a magical connection to a target outside visual range. The target's name and identity help with targeting.

Summoning: the Summoner should know the name of the entity being summoned. Attempting summons without a proper name is possible but invites danger. A summoned being is assigned to its target using the same restrictions as Sorcery.

Alchemy: Alchemical substances must be brought into physical contact with the target. Works of art must be perceived by the target. Meditations may only affect a target within visual range.

Necromancy: To affect a spirit, the necromancer requires the spirit’s corpse in whole or in part, or a profound magical connection to the spirit such as a personal memento.

Conjuration: For conjuring entities, the restrictions are the same as Summoning. For affecting targets on Earth, the restrictions are the same as Sorcery.

Anamorphosis: Aspects only affect the Anamorph.

Cost

To cast a Spell or exercise a Talent, the practitioner needs to expend points from their respective magic point pool.

Nephilim spend points of Ch’awe to perform their Occult Sciences. (This is equivalent to Light Damage.) If they lack the requisite points, then they cannot cast the spell.

Selenim spend points from their Black Moon Pool to perform their Occult Sciences. If they lack the requisite points, then they cannot cast the spell.

Ar-Kaïm spend points from their Essences to exercise their Talents. They may spend points from any of their Essences, regardless of the Ka associated with the Talent.

Practicing the Occult Sciences requires the acquisition and maintenance of physical goods, such as grimoires, ritual paraphernalia, alchemical laboratories, art supplies, esoteric ingredients, musical instruments, grave robbing, etc.

Summoned beings must be treated respectfully or they will grow hostile to their summoner. Hostile summons attempt to subvert orders or even outright attack, depending on their intelligence and proclivities. Furthermore, summons often demand corresponding fees in exchange for their services such as goods, favors, Ka, oaths, or other desires. (This is abstracted into modifiers on the roll.)

 

[AppleJax]

Qiyas

Qiyas (Arabic for “analogy”) is a recently discovered occult science that is based on the expression of Solar-Ka. Practitioners are known as Qiyasims. Mortals and Immortals alike are all capable of learning Qiyas, but it comes most easily to mortals and Ar-Ka'im.

Qiyas dates back to Akhenaton’s studies of Solar-Ka and was refined by figures like Solomon and Hiram. However, it remained largely unknown until the Great Awakening gave the opportunity for wider dissemination. The basis of Qiyas relies on the relationship between the Earth, the solar fields and the subtle planes. Just as the subtle planes reflect the memories and dreams of humanity, and just as the magic fields that fuel sorcery are ultimately refracted from the solar Ether, so too can this mirror be reversed to affect reality.

Qiyas is similar to both White Stone and Anamorphosis in that its application relies on the creation of seemingly mundane art. To cast a spell, the Qiyasim must come into accord with a group of spectators by showing them the produced work of art or the construction process. The esoteric symbolism subliminally embedded in the artwork is then propagated by the spectators through the solar fields, imposing the desired effect on reality.

At the first circle the symbolic Qiyasim is free to draw from a variety of symbols, such as the bee, the ruby, or gold. The range and duration of his spell is limited, but the effects are quite immediate and impactful. However, he generally requires a close circle of spectators to work his spells.

At the second circle, the Qiyasim must dedicate himself to a single scheme such as the king, the prophet or the brave. The effects are less immediately powerful, but their influence is extended through space and time. The schematic Qiyasim isn’t so reliant on a consistent circle of spectators, but needs only have left the memory of his exhibition to maintain the spell thereafter.

The third circle remains to be discovered, but the logical progression is predicted to be the manifestation of occult archetypes like the Major Arcana and the Zodiac Houses. The archetypal Qiyasim could hypothetically imperceptibly influence the course of history and current events.

More information will be provided in future posts.