Homeworld: The Nightmare Dominancy
| Farys’s Wild Cruelty | Instant | Beast of Teeth |
| Guarin’s Shameless Excess | Instant | Beast of Smoke |
| Ultima’s Absolute Contempt | Ward | Beast of Mirrors |
| Merle’s Withering Gaze | Readied (Touch) | Beast of Eyes |
| Gulliston’s Dreadful Verdict | Readied (Packet) | Beast of Knives |
| Cahier’s Poisonous Regard | Instant (Touch or Caster) | Beast of Bones |
| A Light to Bear Me Home | Instant (Touch) | – |
| The Ticking of Mortality | Instant (Touch) | – |
| Brawler’s Brew | Readied (Special) | – |
| A Spanner in the Works | Readied (Packet) | – |
| Humble Pauper’s Rags | Instant (Touch) | – |
| Emboldened by the Night | Instant (Touch) | – |
Though magic exists in Dominancy, the abundance of “natural gifts” among monsters are often mistaken for more occult abilities. Magic in a traditional sense is a mostly lost art at this point, with wild stories originating from old nomadic culture of the First Humans before and during the Human Flight. In the same vein, what some may view as “spells”, human Heretics consider merely superstitions, rituals, potions, and good habits for keeping one’s self alive. Quislings, however, once their pact with the Beast they serve is formed, hone their magical abilities and marr themselves physically with the Weirding; their physique and abilities reflecting the Beast that “chose” them. Most humans are not Attuned nor familiar in ways of the Occult after the Night of Orphic Eradication. Those who naturally fall even further into the study and practice of magic find themselves shunned by a more practical human society, and many become Heretics and flee to the relative isolation of the Untamed Woods or disappear into the inner sanctums of the Beasts. Specific tomes no longer exist, but the Athenaeum officially documents these “abilities” as “The Weirding Words and Hermetic Superstitions”, though many humans simply refer to it as The Weirding.
Quislings may purchase the the Weirding Words at 5 CP for level one, but they MUST first purchase the spell associated with their handler.
Humans may purchase the the Weirding Words at 15 CP for level one, and may take spells in any order.
SPELLS
Farys’s Wild Cruelty (“Fer-rees”)
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must be wearing fur of some type, be it an article of clothing or part of their armor or costume, and at a minimum of 2”x6” in total. As well, they must adorn themselves with a toothy necklace or bracelet, of (tagged) rustic quality or better.
Casting Verbal
“I exalt you, Lord Farys, The Beast of Teeth, prowler of the Untamed Woods. Mark me in (Mastery)-fold ways, becoming wild and cruel as savage night, fearful of nothing save yourself.”
(1 minute concentration)
While under the effects of this enchantment, which lasts their Mastery in hours, the caster may expend any natural physical, mental, or spiritual feat as if it were a basic Feat of Will. In addition, they may expend a feat of Will (the above included) to resist any Cage/Paralysis effect on the caster, called as “Wild Cruelty.” Finally, the caster may call “Revocation!” under this enchantment, ending it to instantly cast any other WWHS spell that they know, as per a Feat of Attunement.
Guarin’s Shameless Excess (“Guah-rin”)
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
In order to cast and maintain this spell, the caster must wear lavish robes or other extravagant costuming, and at least one ostentatious piece jewelry (as a tagged item of Fine Quality or better).
Casting Verbal
“I beg of you, Lord Gaurin, Beast of Smoke; grant me the (Mastery)-fold trappings of your shameless excess, so that those beneath me live in nothing but squalor.”
(1 minute of concentration)
This spell immediately enchants the caster such that they are granted 2 points of Magical Protection for a number of hours equal to their Mastery. If, during this time, the points are lost, the caster may meditate for 1 minute to restore the protection to full.
Ultíma’s Absolute Contempt (“Ull-teem-ah”)
Type
Ward
Requirements
The caster must have six or more of small, yet prominent, mirrors as part of their costuming, and/or dress in fine silken robes.
Casting Verbal
“I sing to you, Lady Ultíma, Beast of Mirrors and holder of a beauty beyond all mortal absolutes. Let me cast my eyes from my lessers, feeling nothing but contempt.”
(5 minutes of concentration)
With this spell up, a caster may “burn” a WWHS charge to resist the effects of any single packet-delivered magical effect. Such a resist is called as “Ward” when activated. The caster may also “burn” the ward for a free instance of such an effect, or to call a free Feat of Charisma.
Merle’s Withering Gaze (“May-er-l”)
Type
Readied (touch)
Requirements
The caster must have a “humanoid” eyes applied with makeup of several colors covering both arms and the backs of both hands in prominent fashion. The recipient, similarly, must be marked on their arms with a number of stylized eyes equal to the caster’s Mastery as an explicit requirement to receive this spell.
Casting Verbal
“I beseech you, Merle, Beast of Eyes and all things Unbeheld. Grant us your (Mastery)-Fold incisive gaze, that we might see the inadequacies arrayed before us in this blighted world.”
(after 5 minutes of concentration)
This spell enchants the target such that they gain a free Greater Feat of Perception usable only on their next investigation, or until X hours pass, where X is equal to the caster’s Mastery.
Gulliston’s Dreadful Verdict (“Gu-lee-sto-n”)
Type
Readied (packet)
Requirements:
The caster must hold a dagger or shortsword in their offhand, or this spell may not be cast or activated.
Casting Verbal
“I whisper to you, Lord Gulliston, Beast of Knives. Grant me your razored smile, that I might deliver a (Mastery)-fold verdict against the weak, who will know nothing more.”
Activation Verbal
“I invoke Gulliston’s Dreadful Verdict!”
The caster manifests their Mastery in packets. Targets struck by this spell anywhere take a single point of magical damage.
Cahier’s Poisonous Regard (“Kai-yeh”)
Type
Instant (Touch) or (Caster)
Requirements:
The caster must bear a conspicuous scar of visible injury, such as a blade mark over the eye or cheek, a visible burn, or other mark of violence, which must be openly displayed at all times.
Casting Verbal (Touch or Caster)
“I adjure you, Lady Cahier, Beast of Bones and Mother of fell bounty. Anoint this meager vessel with your (Mastery)-fold poison, that I might regard those before me as worthy of nothing but their final agonies.”
(1 minute of concentration)
When the touch version of this spell is cast after 1 minute of concentration upon a melee weapon, and the weapon marked with a verdant green rune, it gains the caster’s Mastery in activations. The wielder of the enchanted weapon can, at will, expend an activation to call Poison Strike 2 for one melee attack, which is lost regardless of whether it hits or not. Any normal defense can be used against this attack as if it were a Power Strike. As with all enchantments, this spell will not stack with itself, and it instead simply replaces a duplicate effect. This spell remains on an item until the Poison Strikes are used or for one full event, whichever comes first. Note that the rune must bear a number of accent marks equal to the Mastery of the caster at time of casting.
The caster version of this spell creates an enchantment which provides a single Poison Resist. This version lasts for the caster’s Mastery in hours, or until used, whichever comes first.
A Light to Bear Me Home
Type
Instant (Touch)
Requirements:
A lantern, torch, or other Victorian-style light source. This phys-rep must be appropriate and is subject to plot approval. After intoning the verbal, the caster must audibly sing a song of home and comfort for at least 1 minute, or the spell fails.
Casting Verbal:
“It is said that all a traveller needs are a good pair of shoes, a cloak, and a light to bear them home. All these and a song, just like this…”
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
The caster must reside in darkness to cast this spell. When cast, this spell allows the caster to manifest a glow stick inside an old fashioned lantern, a (false) flame torch, or another appropriate representation approved by plot, of orange, white, or yellow color that lasts a number of hours equal to the caster’s Mastery. While this light is held, the caster adds 1 to the Mastery of any other WWHS spell they cast, and they are expressly immune to Blindness and Stillness.
The Ticking of Mortality
Type
Instant (touch)
Requirements:
This spell must be cast on a timepiece, which is a tagged Tinkered item.Casting Verbal
“As the hour, so our allotted years. As the minute, the sun’s appointed span. As the second, the beating of our mortal hearts, ticking away…”
(5 minute concentration)
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
When cast, this spell enchants a timepiece for a number of hours equal to the caster’s Mastery such that the person holding the device now has the time it takes for their Soul to leave the body increased by 5 minutes. If their soul passes on regardless, they then gain a Boon: a ‘gift’ of sorts that a death entity can use in a positive fashion. Boons are powerful sources for Beasts as well as death entities, and accepting one will undoubtedly create a favorable outcome for the recently dead. Metaphysically, the timepiece will accompany the departed on their spiritual journey, thus it may not be used on another person while the original bearer deals with their passing. As with anything that bridges the realm of Death and Life, there might also be other strange effects, at plot’s discretion.
Brawler’s Brew
Type
Readied (special)
Requirements:
The caster must hold onto a vessel of drinkable liquid, traditionally Black Mold Ale; If the drink runs out or the caster lets go of the vessel, all remaining uses are lost. Only one instance of it may be cast per intoxicant consumed, and casting this spell immediately intoxicates the caster, though they do not gain the additional benefits unless they also drink one of the uses.
Casting Verbal
“Grundylows, wights, and shadows abound,
There is little courage to be found,
In a Brawler’s Brew these dark things drowned
We’ll shake a flannin ‘fore we meet the ground.”
(1 minute concentration)
Activation Verbal
“Drink deep of the brawler’s Brew”
(while taking a drink)
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
The caster gains their Mastery in uses of this spell. The caster gives the target a sip or pours them a draught of drinkable “wine” (a beverage such as juice or water) only saying the activation verbal as they take a drink. The target then gains two points to their maximum Vitality for one hour, during which time they are intoxicated. As this adds to maximum vitality, it can be regained as normal during that hour through rest or other means, though if they become sober by any effect, the vitality is lost. This spell has no effect on characters already under its effect or on characters who are Critical or Dead.
Intoxicated characters are technically under no mechanical penalties, but they must act quite drunk; in particular, the kind of intoxication this spell creates leads to boisterous laughter and jesting or other shows of bravado and strength. They need not be suicidal, but recklessness is appropriate.
As many alchemical brews hailing from Dominancy contain more than one effect, this spell will function with any that include the ‘intoxicant’ keyword. However, the magic will essentially ‘cancel out’ the other properties of the alchemical, reducing them to a base intoxicant.
Spanner in the Works
Type
Readied (packet)
Requirements:
The caster must hold a vial of liquid or goo, else all remaining uses are lost.
Casting Verbal
“They say nothing does more violence to the bolt than the spanner. When hammer strikes anvil, the hammer suffers most. Nothing sticks like grease, but the machine won’t work without it.”
(5 minutes concentration)
Activation Verbal
“I trip you up like a spanner in the works!”
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
The caster manifests their Mastery in packets. Targets struck by this spell are inflicted with a Knockdown effect. The caster may, at any time, end the spell to resist any bind, shackle, slow, or knockdown effect inflicted upon themselves. (called as “Resist”).
Humble Pauper’s Rags
Type
Instant (Touch)
Requirements:
The caster must wear a cloak or other covering clothing that is torn, dirty, patched, and altogether unkempt. This garment need not be tagged, but must be large (no hats or belts, though they can be added for extra effect) and must be in disrepair. If this garment is removed, the spell instantly drops.
Casting Verbal
“You may mistake me for a man of wealth,
But I’ve no weight, and barely have my health!”
(5 minutes of concentration)
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
After five minutes of concentration and intoning the verbal, the caster manifests the aura of a pauper, assuming a humbled and downtrodden attitude. While the spell is active and the garment worn, the caster has Affinity for Humans as long as the caster does not draw attention to themselves (hostile actions, or interfering with the actions of the hostile creatures, will break this effect).
As an additional effect, the caster may declare ‘Pauper’s Rags’ when encountering humans. This may provide unknown advantages in dealing with or avoiding them, at a Marshal’s discretion.
Emboldened by the Night
Type
Instant (Touch)
Requirements:
A small, black necklace worn around the caster’s neck. This item does not have to be tagged.
Casting Verbal
“What prowls and creeps from leering, garish light,
In shadow lies, emboldened by the night “
This spell does not require a charge in order to be cast.
This spell may only be cast while the caster is somewhat hidden in shadow, or mundanely attempting to hide as per the concealment ability. They instantly assume a Concealed state. If they are revealed for any reason by a hostile force–assuming they were concealed for at least 3 seconds–they may instantly activate a free use of the Haste ability, gaining a number of extra dodges equal to their Mastery. This Haste must be used within reason to escape the being that revealed them.
After casting this spell, it may not be cast again for 1 hour.
RITUALS
Note: the first six spells in this school of magic are explicitly tied to the ritual that bears that Beast’s name. Each requires 5 minutes of conspicuously intoning the virtues (and vices) of that figure in a public area. These must be done in an area with witnesses, or if none are around, loudly enough to be obvious. Attempting this ritual improperly (including other effects or items such as Maulk’s Cooling Pillow) will result in the caster losing ALL charges, regardless of source. A Feat of Learning may be used to reduce this time to one minute, but they still must perform the ritual. Additionally, you can activate this ritual in conjunction with a long performance, as long as the performance meets the requirement of the ritual in it’s entirety.
For Quislings, this penalty is more severe. If a Quisling attempts to circumvent this ritual requirement, each ritual they possess (including those from other schools of magic) is instantly fouled. There will likely be other, very violent reactions, as the Beasts do not take lightly of those who would steal their gifts without proper reverence.
The remaining six spells in this school, when taken, do not give a caster a ritual slot at all. Instead, those spells are cast for no charge, though they have significant limitations in that regard. Having these spells does not generate a charge as well; however, they can be cast as often as desired, with no charge or need to reset with a ritual.
Rituals
| Entreat The Beast: (Name and Title) x 6 | 5 minutes |
