Rites of the Undergods (Yellow)
Home-world: The Four Monarchies
Spells
| Name | Type | Undergod |
| Patriarch of Nothing | Instant (caster) | The Yellow Scepter |
| Opaque Ichor | Instant (packet or touch) | Austrologaris |
| Subverting the Fallen Meat | Instant (special) | Fyun |
| Precedence of All Knowledge | Instant (special) | Ya-Ba-Ur |
| Scythes of Misfortune | Instant (caster) | Mertsiger |
| Maggot-Flesh Blessing | Instant (caster) | Ghannuum |
| Tatter-Ward Wrappings | Instant (caster) | |
| Handful of Dust | Readied (packet) | |
| Sounding the Nightmare Depths | Instant (special) | |
| Baleful Vintage | Instant (special) | |
| Opening the Seven-Eyed Mystery | Ward | |
| Keeper of the Least | Readied (packet) |
Rituals
| Name | Duration |
| Herald of the Ways Beneath | 5 minutes |
| The Death of Memory | 3 seconds |
| Language Beyond Reason | 5 minutes |
| Litany of the Anti-Faith | 1 minute |
| Tremble Before the Vastness | 10 minutes |
| The Space Beyond | 5 minutes |
| Little Fears | 5 minutes |
| Gathering the Faithful | 1 minute |
| Outrage of Usurpation | 1 minute |
| Knife of Absolution | 5 minutes |
| Glory in Atrocity | 1 minute |
| Knowledge Without Comprehension | 15 minutes |
Patriarch of Nothing
Type
Instant (Caster)
Requirements
The caster must bear the symbol of a golden or yellow eye on their forehead, and bear a sizeable chain around one wrist, or the spell ends immediately.
Casting Verbal
“I steal for myself the empty mantle of The Yellow Scepter. Bound in his chains, I become a champion of ignorance, a fool most glorious, and a patriarch of nothing.”
Description
This spell enchants the character with the maddening, purposeless authority of the Yellow Scepter. For one hour per Mastery, this enchantment allows the caster to ignore any feat of charisma (Basic, Greater, or Heroic) called in their presence. In order to do so, the caster must rattle their chain in an unsettling and conspicuous fashion at the user of the feat, calling the name of this spell. In addition, any time the caster responds to an Inspiration effect of any kind, if they also loudly intone the name of this spell, they gain an additional feat. Note that this effect stacks with Rapport (Empathic) and other such abilities.
Opaque Ichor
Type
Instant (Packet) or (Touch)
Requirements
None
Casting Verbal (packet)
“I baptize you with Opaque Ichor, and in its M-Fold Absence you will sicken and die!”
Casting Verbal (Touch)
“I beseech you, Austrologaris, space beyond space: let this weapon bleed your Opaque Ichor; let its victims seethe in your (X-fold) glories unknowable.” (After one minute of concentration)
Description
This packet-based spell does the caster’s (Mastery x 2) in magic damage to the location it hits. If the target suffers a wound from this spell, they are Diseased at a strength equal to the damage they took from it. If this spell does not cause a wound, no other effect takes place. A Feat of Toughness may be used to resist the Disease, but not the damage.
The touch version of this spell, cast after one minute of concentration, enchants a melee weapon such that it may be used to call a single Disease-Strike X, where X is equal to the caster’s Mastery. This enchantment lasts for one event or until used, whichever comes first. Disease Strikes do their called number in damage and if they cause a wound, they cause Disease at a level equal to that damage, as above. As with all enchantments, this casting may not stack with itself. If cast on a weapon bearing this spell, it merely replaces the effect. For one hour after this spell has been cast, any other spell the magician casts causes them to take a Disease 4 effect upon completion of that spell, with additional castings of Opaque Ichor resetting the hour count. The activation of a readied spell triggers this effect as does its primary casting. This effect cannot be warded or magic-resisted, though it may be resisted as a normal disease effect. Note it does no resilience damage to the caster, regardless.
While someone is Diseased, they become Prone and cannot stand without aid; they must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way to move from their position under their own power is by crawling on their hands and knees, though they may attack and defend as normal. After one hour of suffering from Disease, death ensues. Note that those who die from Disease, or who die in any other fashion while Diseased, may not receive a Coax Life. As a strict roleplaying requirement, Diseased characters must act as if they are terribly nauseous and/or wracked with choking coughs.
Subverting the Fallen Meat
Type
Instant (special)
Requirements
The caster must have at least a piece of a body available, and living participant to act as a sacrifice, or this spell cannot be cast.
Casting Verbal
“Fyun! Sleep-Maker! In your fecundity was born the subversion of all life, and even death becomes a mere shift in its pattern. I give these specks of fallen meat to you, that you might shape them as primeval clay; return them to us changed utterly by your fathomless will.” (after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This potent spell allows the caster to use the lifeblood of a willing participant in order to resurrect someone whose soul has left their body, so long as the soul has not been disembodied for more than the caster’s Mastery in hours. After the caster concentrates for one minute and then speaks the verbal, Subverting the Fallen Meat causes the participant to spill out their life’s blood (going Critical) over the body of the deceased. Once this is done, the corpse is resurrected and they are treated just as if they had undergone a Coax Life. At this point, the “sacrifice” becomes Stabilized as normal and suffers no other immediate ill effect, but there are negative spiritual consequences for giving of oneself in this fashion, the details of which are FOIP. This spell may only be cast in the presence of a marshal. Note that any character whose soul has passed on must seek out plot out-of-play before they may be resurrected through any means. This spell cannot be used as a Coax Life directly.
Precedence of all Knowledge
Type
Instant (touch)
Requirements
None
Casting Verbal (reading)
“Ya-Ba-Ur calls to me out of the static age, speaking words from a language without precedent, granting knowledge unmoored from thought, and demanding wisdom outside of consciousness.”
Casting Verbal (writing)
“Let Ya-Ba-Ur, precedence of all knowledge, guide my hand that I might write these alien words twisted away from mortal understanding; only [name], who hears the voice in the static, shall know my secrets.” (where the name is the chosen reader)
Description
The first version of this spell is cast upon a text prop or text-based puzzle during an Investigation and provides a number of facts about the object and its subject matter equal to the caster’s Mastery. The marshal involved will reveal these facts between the general description and question/answer portion of the investigation. Note that the caster need not participate in the actual Investigation; those that do will get the results of the casting. The first version of this spell can only be cast once per item, per event. If cast on a text enchanted as per the writing version of this spell, the enchantment will be broken if the caster’s Mastery is higher than that of the original writer’s. The facts generated by this spell will often be communicated in an unsettling, alien fashion, and they may reveal more than expected.
In order to invoke the second version of the spell, the caster writes up to their Mastery in lines on a piece of paper no larger than a standard sheet. At the top of the message, the caster writes “Precedence of All Knowledge: (name),”where (name) is a person or class of people who can read the note. They then fold the paper in half, or enclose it as part of a book, and they may write whatever mundane words they wish on the outside. Finally, they speak the verbal, completing the spell. Except to its designated target, its original caster, or a caster of the secondary version of this spell, the message will appear to be written in a strange, ever-changing alien language that cannot be understood. This spell ends only when the pages are destroyed or defaced, erasing all of the text generated by this spell.
Scythes of Misfortune
Type
Readied (special)
Requirements
The caster may not hold anything in their hands except the claws, or the spell ends. Upon casting, the caster must let loose a roar of pain, or the spell ends. Finally, if the caster drops one or both of their claws, the spell ends.
Casting Verbal
“By Merstiger, the unseen throne, I become the path that leads to confusion, the law that breeds injustice, and the scythes that harvest only misfortune!”
Description
The caster instantly manifests great, red bone spears (claws up to longsword size: 46″) which they may use immediately in battle. These “weapons” ignore trait requirements for dual wielding and allow the caster to call up to their Mastery in “Power-Strike 3’s” at will as activated effects. The talons cannot be disarmed or broken and they last for as long as the caster maintains the spell. After the spell ends, through whatever means, the caster immediately suffers a wound to each arm. This effect will cause the character to immediately take a torso wound if they already have an arm wound(s) beforehand. Resilience is not harmed by the ending effect. This spell may not be cast if it is already in effect, and if dropped in order for it to be recast, the caster suffers wounds as above.
Maggot Flesh Blessing
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
Except for intoning verbals, the caster may not speak, nor in any way make a vocal utterance, or the spell ends.
Casting Verbal
“Ghannuum, Gifter of Flies! I offer up my flesh to you that it might be blessed and sanctified by your brood of maggots: in their feasting, my mind falls away, and I am freed from the curse of self-awareness!”
Description
While under this spell, which lasts 1 hour per Mastery, the caster gains two levels of enhanced healing (see Healing skill). Additionally, The caster can prematurely end this spell to stabilize a critical target (after a 3 second count) as a touch effect, as if they had been treated with basic aid (See Healing skill). To invoke this latter aspect of the spell the caster must say in a normal speaking voice “Maggot Flesh Blessing.”
Tatter-Ward Wrappings
Type
Instant (Caster)
Requirements
The caster must tie about their person numerous large, tattered cloth strips scrawled with nightmarish black markings.
Casting Verbal (Caster)
“Wrapped in the tattered panoply of the divine dead, I am warded against their cruelty; I find the truest kinship in their plague-born suffering.”
Description
This spell enchants the caster such that they are guarded against the attacks of accursed creatures. In order for the spell to have an effect, the caster must conspicuously brandish its material requirements to the appropriate targets and announce the name of the spell, which prevents those Accursed beings from attacking them unless directly attacked first, or unless they bear a personal grudge against the caster. In addition, this spell adds 1 to all Power Strikes the caster calls against Accursed creatures, if they have the ability to make such attacks. Making such an attack would obviously violate the primary effect. This spell last a number of hours equal to the character’s Mastery, or the number of tatters they display as per the spell’s requirement, whichever is lower.
Handful of Dust
Type
Readied (Packet)
Requirements
The character cannot carry any weapons or shields, and they must bear conspicuous smudges of dirt and grime about their face and hands, or the spell ends.
Casting Verbal
“Before the Undergods we are naught but handfuls of drifting dust; in knowing this, I become a giver of terrible freedom, that all may exult in the purity of insignificance!”
Activation Verbal (Strength Drain)
“Your strength is cast away like a handful of dust!”
Activation Verbal (Will Drain)
“Your will is cast away like a handful of dust!”
Description
While this spell is active the caster cannot call Feats of any kind, from any source. Each instance of this spell can be used to cast a Strength Drain or Will Drain effect, determined at the time of activation.
Strength Drain means that an affected target cannot call any offensive weapon tag-lines or Feats of Strength. Will Drain prevents the target from calling upon any Feats of Will, activating rituals, or casting spells. Both of these effects end after the victim gets ten minutes of standard rest.
Sounding the Nightmare Depths
Type
Instant (special)
Requirements
Must have a sizable bowl of water to peer into.
Casting Verbal
“By the Rites themselves I am granted passage to the nightmare reaches. As my will sounds their depths, I will come to know the truth hidden behind false faces, and what awful things shudder just out of sight of history.”
Description
The caster calls forth powerful images of terrible, unimaginable horror related to a unique or potent location, revealing the events of its history. This can reveal the grisly history of ancient ruins, the identity of an infamous murderer, or the presence of long forgotten terror, as examples. This spell cannot be cast everywhere, however, as the site must have a powerful, dark history. The power of this vision is governed by the Mastery of the caster. A plot member or marshal must be present to cast this spell, and a character may only do so once per location, per event.
Baleful Vintage
Type
Instant (special)
Requirements
The caster must drink the entire contents of the cup in one minute, or the spell fails. The drinking cup must be a tagged item of Novice Work or better (Artistry).
Casting Verbal
“I offer up my very life essence in communion with the Anti-Pantheon. At their whim it is transformed, and I shall slake my thirst on this most baleful vintage.”
Description
During the 1 minute concentration requirement of this spell, the caster must pour a sizeable amount of “wine” (water or juice of some sort) into a large cup. When they then complete the verbal, the liquid is “replaced” by the “blood” of the caster, which the caster–and they alone–must drink for the spell to have an effect.
When this spell is cast the character is inflicted with a Poison 2 effect, which is treated just as if they had consumed a poison draught. They then gain an enchantment which increases their maximum Vitality by 3 and fully restores their current Vitality. As with all enchantments, this spell does not stack with itself or any other enchantment-based vitality enhancer, and simply functions as a replacement effect. The enchantment lasts a number of hours equal to
the caster’s Mastery. The “blood” has no effect on any other drinker but the caster.
While someone is Poisoned, they become Prone and cannot stand without aid; they must lie down, sit, or kneel. The only way to move from their position under their own power is by crawling on their hands and knees, though they may attack and defend as normal. After one hour of suffering from Poison, death ensues. Note that those who die from Poison, or who die in any other fashion while Poisoned, may not receive a Coax Life. As a strict roleplaying requirement, Poisoned characters must act as if they are in terrible pain.
Opening The Seven-Eyed Mystery
Type
Ward
Requirements
None
Casting Verbal
“As the Seven eyes open, each in turn, I see that which sanity forbids. By madness transfixed, I consort with the Gods-That-Are-Not, and their Mysteries stare through me.”
Descriptions
With this spell up, a caster may “burn” a Rite of the Undergods charge to resist the effects of any single packets delivered magical effect. Such a resist is called as “Ward” when activated. The caster can end this spell for a “free” instance of such a resist, or immediately come under the sway of a Hallucination effect. Hallucination lasts 1 hour, during which it grants immunity to Mental effects, but prevents resting (Vitality and Prowess do not reset) and the performance of rituals. Players must roleplay their hallucinating state, as a strict requirement.
Keeper of the Least
Type
Readied (packet)
Requirements
The caster must hold a length of braided leather in their hands at all times, or the spell ends.
Casting Verbal
“We are nothing but crawling insects before the Undergods, though many have forgotten. To that end I become a
keeper of the least, and wield a scourge as the cruelest recollection.”
Activation Verbal
“As keeper of the least, I demand your abasement!”
Description
Any Non-Accursed creature struck by this spell takes 2 magic damage. This spell has no effect on Accursed creatures.
Ritual Descriptions
Herald of the Ways Beneath
Duration
5 minutes
Scrawl bizarre, unsettling black, blue, or red symbols on your body, face, and any exposed limbs.
The Death of Memory
Duration
3 seconds
Take an in-game (Tagged) historical document, religious text, or work of art that is of “Accomplished” quality or higher, and “destroy” it . Turn over the “destroyed” object to a marshal as soon as possible.
Language Beyond Reason
Duration
5 minutes
Speak only crazed, frantic gibberish to yourself, as if you were a raving madman. If someone attempts to communicate with you, you must continue speaking gibberish or the ritual fails.
Litany of the Anti-Faith
Duration
1 minute
With reverence, recite the names and titles of all the Undergods from memory.
Tremble Before the Vastness
Duration
10 minutes
While seated quietly rock back and forth, acknowledging no one’s presence.
The Space Beyond
Duration
5 minutes
While blindfolded (or Blind), sketch a figure from memory, sculpt an abstract shape in clay, or work a three dimensional puzzle. If the blindfold falls off or the condition is treated during this ritual’s duration, it fails.
Little Fears
Duration
5 minutes
Talking with a person about an honest frightful encounter that you have had. If the topic of the conversation changes, this ritual fails.
Gathering the Faithful
Duration
1 minute
For a crowd of at least 6 people, aggressively preach the glory of the Anti-Pantheon, decrying all the false faiths. The
ritual fails if there are not at least 6 remaining in the audience at your conclusion.
Outrage of Usurpation
Duration
1 minute
Call down an angry judgment of death upon those who wish you or your compatriots immediate, mortal harm,
speaking constantly of the nature of their offenses and how the Undergods will punish them for their insolence.
Knife of Absolution
Duration
5 minutes
(Simulate) Cutting yourself, which causes a limb wound at the end of the ritual. Self-inflicted wounds do not affect
Resilience.
Glory in Atrocity
Duration
1 minute
With great care mutilate a dead humanoid body. If you are interrupted the ritual fails, but you may begin again on the
same body.
Knowledge Without Comprehension
Duration
15 minutes
On a piece of paper or in a book write illegible words or strange symbols.
