Spells
Ghost Heart Blade
Type – Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must hold onto the blade at all times, or the spell ends.
Casting Verbal
“I know the secret of the Ghost-Heart Blade, child of the (Mastery)-fold emptiness within me; at the touch of its edge, my enemies fall to darkness.”
Description
The caster summons a dagger or shortsword seemingly from their flesh itself, and which glows a faint, otherworldly blue. The caster must have a physical representation for the blade, usually a regular boffer weapon prop, which is noted as out of play (a white ribbon wrapped around its pommel) until this spell takes effect, and it must have a strip of blue tape or marking visible on its blade. The blade persists as long as the caster maintains the spell, holding onto it at all times.
During the blade’s existence, the caster can call Ice Strike 3 for a number of attacks up to their Mastery. These attacks do not need to be made consecutively. Ice Strikes, like Fire Strikes, may be stopped by any normal combat defenses as per a Power Strike. Note that the weapon that this spell creates is as vulnerable to break/destroy effects and disarms as a normal weapon, and may also be enchanted as such, though blade coatings cannot be applied to it.
Empowered: This spell is cast at +2 Mastery. Instead of a single Dagger or Short sword, the caster of this spell may choose to create a pair of Daggers, a pair of Short swords, a single Longsword, or a single Greatsword. Trait requirements for wielding these weapons are still in effect, and note that the paired weapons “share” the normal number of Ice Strikes.
Breath of the Snow Owl
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must keep their flattened palms together, while raised over their head, else the spell ends. Nothing can be held while maintaining this spell.
Casting Verbal
“I steal for myself the form of the Snow Owl, whose breath disappears upon the wind. My wings shall beat in (Mastery)-fold silence.”
Description
Once cast, this spell renders the caster Invisible. While Invisible, a character cannot be attacked or directly sensed in any way (even through sound), however, they can only walk up to (Mastery x 5) steps, or the spell ends. Perceptive characters, though they cannot spend a Feat of Perception to discover the Invisible, will still know that something is not quite right in their general area. Those under this spell become visible if they run, attack, cast/use a spell, speak, or drop the required gesture. The absolute maximum duration of this spell is its caster’s Mastery in hours.
Empowered: The caster may speak (though only softly) or run without breaking this spell’s effects, and they are no longer limited in the number of steps they may take.
God-Killer’s Prayer
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must bear a sash of prayer strips about themselves up to their Mastery in number, at all times, or this spell ends immediately
Casting Verbal
“I recite the prayer of the God-Killer, and my voice becomes a (Mastery)-fold echo of the nothingness that waits, for I will die in an act of perfect annihilation.”
(after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This enchantment lasts the caster’s Mastery in hours (or the number of prayer strips they bear, whichever is lower), during which time they may “burn” it to cast any other WoA spell they know without spending a charge, though with their Mastery constrained as above.
Alternately, they may “burn” the enchantment to freely call a packet-based instant spell they know with the Arcane Might tagline, also limited by the requirement. After doing so, whether the Arcane Might spell is successful or not, the caster is instantly slain just as if they had received a killing blow. If the caster uses the latter effect more than once per day, then their soul passes on as an additional effect when doing so.
This ability is activated by the caster saying “Arcane Might!” in a loud voice, followed by them speaking the spell verbal as normal. If the target is hit, the spell takes effect, in all probability. Arcane spells cannot be Dodged, they cannot be defended against with other combat maneuvers (though they may be evaded mundanely), nor can they be Warded or resisted by magical or feat-based means. The only way to stop an arcane effect, if hit, is for the victim to expend a use of Arcane Might (“Arcane Might: Resist!).
Arcane enhanced spells will ignore threshold, damage reduction, or other similar effects of all types, and they will affect categories of targets normally untargetable by the spell in question. Immunity to a type of magic does not apply, either: magic finds a way. Arcane spells which harm items may not be resisted by either the holder of the item or the item itself.
Empowered: Any spell cast by burning this enchantment, in either capacity, is done so at +2 Mastery. The caster may use the Arcane Might burn effect once per day without killing themselves. Using it again triggers the death effect as normal, and a third time kills them and passes their soul on.
Devil-Hunter’s Lantern
Type
Instant (special)
Requirements
The phys-rep for this spell must be a small decorative lantern, capable of accepting a glowstick. The lantern must be a tagged item made with the Artistry specialty, of Accomplished work or better. During the 1 minute concentration requirement, the Lantern must be tied with a fine blue cloth bearing the character of the caster’s name and/or titles, and this cloth must be removed when the enchantment ends.
Casting Verbal
“I bring forth the Lantern of the Devil Hunters, so that by its (Mastery)-fold light all shades and monsters are drawn to me, and I become the means of their destruction!”
(after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This spell enchants a handheld lantern for the caster’s Mastery in hours such that when any active magical light (glowstick), regardless of source, is placed within it, it becomes anathema to Spirits and Accursed creatures. Anyone who holds the Lantern or bears it visibly on their person may add 1 to the damage any Power Strikes they would call against the Accursed or Spirit beings; these altered maneuvers are instead called as “Bane Strike X,” where X is their normal power strike damage + 1. If any non-accursed, non spirit being is struck with a Bane Strike, they are not harmed at all (“No Effect”). If a bearer of one of these lights cannot call Power Strikes in some way, then it is of no real benefit to them. Note also that spirits and the accursed despise this magic and will tend to aggressively target anyone who bears the lantern, though they cannot be forced to do so as a compulsion. Without an active magical light, the lantern has no effect whatsoever.
Obviously, the lantern itself may not be used actively in combat (i.e. you can’t block attacks with it), as with any other held prop.
As an additional effect of this spell being cast, it generates a single magical light, which must be blue or white in color. Like all light effects, the glowstick is entirely physical, and it may be handed off or used at the holder’s discretion. Each individual light lasts as long as the lightstick does, it is turned off (for non-chemical glowsticks), or one event has passed, whichever comes first.
Empowered: As a permanent, passive ability, the caster adds 1 to the damage of all Bane Strikes they call, and they gain a level of enhanced healing if they hold or wear a magical light of any sort, which obviously includes the phys rep for this spell.
Dead Maiden’s Tears
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must hold a small hand mirror, or gaze into a natural body of water at very close proximity, or this spell cannot be cast.
Casting Verbal
“I cast about me Dead Maiden’s Tears, and call the (Mastery)-fold rain of sorrow. Reflected in it, all will see the face of oblivion turned against its master.”
(after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This enchantment, which persists for the caster’s Mastery in hours, allows them to burn a WoA charge whenever they are targeted by a packet-delivered, damaging effect, in order to call True Reflection on the caster of that effect. This enchantment cannot be used to reflect any other sort of packet-delivered spell: the effect must explicitly do damage, destroy resilience and cause a wound, or outright kill its target whenever it strikes someone. Thus, Mortal and Killing spells (most notably Thorn of the Last Flower) are explicitly reflectable by Dead Maiden Tears. Note that the effect need not ONLY do damage in order to be reflected.
True Reflection means that the effect does not take place on the target, and instead affects the caster. Wards and Resists can be used, but True Reflected spells cannot be defended against by combat maneuvers.
Empowered: While this enchantment is active, the caster gains Threshold 2 vs. all packet-delivered, damaging effects.
Robe of the Yama Lands
Type
Instant (caster)
Requirements
The caster must wear funerary garb in the style of the Shinigami, or the spell ends immediately. No armor of any sort, nor any shield or buckler, may be used while this spell is active.
Casting Verbal
“I shroud myself in the Robe of the Yama Lands and the (Mastery)-fold humility of the newly dead, for I have been given respite from the cycle of rebirth.”
Description
When this spell is cast, the caster is granted an enchantment that renders them completely immune to Mental effects of all types (calling “No Effect” when targeted with such). While under the effects of this spell, if the caster responds to any inspiration effect, this enchantment is broken and they must revoke all charges they bear, regardless of source. Robe of the Yama Lands lasts a number of hours equal to the caster’s Mastery.
Empowered: While under the effects of this spell, the mage increases their maximum Vitality by 1 and they may take inspirations as normal. They may also burn a WoA charge any time they are targeted by a packet-based mental effect; if they do so, they may call “True Reflection” against the caster of that effect.
Honor-Like-Reeds Curse
Type
Instant (packet)
Requirements
none
Casting Verbal
“I speak the curse that bends Honor Like Reeds, and by its doom you shall become a (Mastery)-fold betrayer!”
Description
A target struck by this spell is stricken with Betrayal as a Mental effect, and they must immediately turn on those who they perceive to be their allies, attacking them with weapons and magic to the best of their abilities. This spell ends after 1 minute passes, when its victim becomes Critical or Unconscious, or when they have made a number of successful attacks on their allies equal to the original caster’s Mastery. A successful “attack,” for the purpose of this spell, is a weapon strike that causes damage and/or a special effect to a target, or a hostile instant/readied spell use that actually takes effect on them.
If the target has no ability to attack, they will attempt to seize a nearby weapon; failing that, they will “attack” their allies with a number of cruel statements, each of which must be as hurtful as possible. As with all mental effects, a Charismatic character can spend a feat to talk their ally out of this condition.
Empowered: This spell is cast at +2 Mastery. As a permanent, passive ability, the caster becomes entirely immune to Betrayal and Will Drain.
Thorn of the Last Flower
Type
Instant (packet)
Requirements
The caster must bear on their person a prominent example of a death fetish (Memento Mori) such as a skull, scythe, demon mask, etc. This can be a pendant, pin, or some other bauble the caster bears on their person, or it can be a prominent piece of embroidery. Without the fetish, this spell cannot be cast.
Casting Verbal
“I pierce you with the Thorn of the Last Flower, for as the year fades ever into winter, your mortal life shall bleed into the cold earth!”
Description
Upon taking effect, this spell immediately destroys its target’s Resilience and inflicts a Torso wound on them, assuming it hits a legal area of any kind. Note that extremely powerful foes may be resistant to the instant critical effect, but will still take a great deal of damage. As soon as they cast this spell, the magician takes damage equal to their current Resilience, meaning they lose all of it, with nothing able to prevent or reduce this effect in any way, though obviously this effect will never cause a wound. In addition, the caster’s Critical bleed out time becomes their Mastery x 10 seconds instead of their normal count, until Sunset. No known game effect can ameliorate this latter condition in any way, though if the character dies and has their soul pass on, the effect fades.
Empowered: The mage may cast this spell a number of times per day equal to their Mastery without triggering any of its ill effects. Additional castings beyond this are treated as normal.
Writhing Black Tresses
Type
Instant (packet)
Requirements
The caster must bear a sizable (6″ minimum) braid of black hair, leather, or silk about their person, or this spell cannot be cast.
Casting Verbal
“I call to the spirit of the Black Tresses, who writhes in (Mastery)-fold torment; may she strangle the life from you!”
Description
This packet effect inflicts both the Bind and Slow effects on its target and deals the caster’s Mastery in shadow damage to the struck location. If the target is categorically immune to both Bind and Slow effects, this spell will not harm them in any way: “No effect!” Resists do not confer immunity, as a reminder: even if the target calls both a Bind and a Slow resist, they still take the damage.
While Bound, the target must keep one foot of their choice anchored to the ground until 5 minutes pass or they break free. The target can pivot freely, and only one foot can be Bound at a time. Bound characters may break free by spending a Feat of Strength and taking a three second count: “Strength 1, Strength 2, Strength 3.” Alternately, another character may similarly spend a feat as a touch effect, in order to free the victim.
While Slow, a victim can only move at a maximum of 1 step every 3 seconds, and they may physically attack no faster than once every 3 seconds, though they can defend, feint, and maneuver normally. Slow characters may break free by spending a Feat of Strength and taking a three second count: “Strength 1, Strength 2, Strength 3.”
The bind and slow effects from this spell must be broken individually, if they take effect.
Empowered: This spell is cast at +2 Mastery. As a permanent, passive ability, the caster becomes entirely immunte to Bind, Shackle, and Slow effects.
Weapon-of-Martyrs Blessing
Type
Instant (touch)
Requirements
During the 1 minute concentration requirement, the caster must tie the weapon with a fine blue cloth (at least 1’) bearing the characters of their name and/or titles, or the spell cannot be cast.
Casting Verbal
“I mark the words of the Martyr’s Blessing, and claim this weapon by my name and honor. With it, I become as a (Mastery)-fold void, guided only by the hands of the worthy dead.”
(after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This spell enchants a specific melee weapon such that the caster, and they alone, may use combat abilities with it outside its normal skill. All combat abilities from melee skills and from Shield are usable by the caster while wielding the weapon, assuming the caster has learned them, of course. In addition, as long as this effect is active, the caster adds 1 to their maximum, though not current, Prowess as a standard enchantment, meaning it will not stack with other enchantment-based prowess enhancers. Finally, a Heavy or Giant Weapon enchanted by this spell may be used by the caster even if they lack the Strength requirement to do so. Weapon-Of-Martyrs Blessing lasts the caster’s Mastery in hours. This spell has no effect on abilities from Advanced Combat Styles and does nothing to ameliorate their requirements. Note that Subdue and Greater Subdue cannot be called with a weapon lacking a pommel designed for such.
If the weapon suffers a Break effect during the duration of this spell, the caster becomes Critical. If it is Shattered, the caster dies as if they had just received a killing blow. If it is Destroyed, the caster dies and their soul passes on (in each case, the caster’s Resilience is reduced to 0). The caster may have only one weapon enchanted in this fashion at a time. Successfully casting this spell on another weapon will revoke the original enchantment, and is in fact the only way to remove the enchantment prematurely aside from Shattering or Destroying the item.
Empowered: As a standard Power Strike enhancement, the caster adds 2 to all power strikes called with the enchanted weapon and they increase the bonus prowess by 1.
Doll of the White Mask
Type
Instant (touch)
Requirements
The fetish must be an object made with the Artistry specialty, and must be of Accomplished quality or better. Any thing else is useless for this spell.
The caster must hold the fetish in order to use it in any way.
Feeding a token to the item takes 1 minute of concentration and destroys the token.
Casting Verbal
“I craft this Doll of the White Mask, house of the spirit that dies knowing only hunger. In doing my will, it shall taste an (Mastery)-fold bounty. ”
(after 1 minute of concentration)
Description
This spell enchants a white statuette, figurine, or carved likeness of a child wrapped in a funerary shroud such that any spirit token “fed” to it will infuse the object with a number of activations equal to the Mastery of the caster. These activations will remain with the fetish for one event or until they are used, whichever comes first. The caster, and they alone, may hold the object and use one of its activations to call a basic Feat of Attunement just as if they had access to the feat naturally. As an additional effect, the fetish gains a single activation whenever this spell is cast, and the caster may recast the spell on the fetish at any time, assuming the object has no current activations left. Regardless, the maximum number of activations the fetish can have is equal to the caster’s Mastery.
If the fetish suffers a Break effect while the enchantment is active, the caster becomes Critical. If it is Shattered, the caster dies as if they had just received a killing blow. If it is Destroyed, the caster dies and their soul passes on (in each case, the caster’s Resilience is reduced to 0). A caster may only have one Fetish enchanted by this spell at a time, though the enchantment itself lasts until the caster Revokes it (as per the Investiture rules from Occult), they recast it, or the item is Shattered or Destroyed.
If the caster is somehow prevented from calling Feats, the fetish cannot be activated.
Empowered: Any other spell cast with an activated FoAttunement from the doll gains a +2 Mastery bonus.
Circle of the Broken Urn
Type
Circle
Requirements
The caster must lay the circle phys-rep during the concentration requirement. When the spell ends, it must be taken up immediately. Where visibility is an issue, the circle must be marked at regular intervals with blue glowsticks. These lights are considered part of the circle phys rep and may not be used separately from it.
Casting Verbal
“I draw upon the vengeance that is the Circle of the Broken Urn, marking this barren ground with the dust of the unmourned. Let all within feel their (Mastery)-fold rage and sorrow, born back into the world.”
Description
Anyone who is fully within this circle (that is, both feet in its boundary) adds 1 to the damage of all melee, missile, and thrown Power Strikes, Persistent Condition Strikes, and all other “X Strike” effects that do more than base damage. This circle does not grant the ability to call such effects, rather it simply adds to their damage when called from other sources. Circle of the Broken Urn may measure up to 5 yards per the caster’s Mastery in circumference.
This circle takes the form of fine-grained crematory remains, powder blue and faintly luminous.
Empowered: This spell is cast at +2 Mastery. The caster gains a +2 bonus to all strike effects while in the circle, rather than +1. In addition, while in the circle, they may burn a WoA charge to call a free Power Strike with a melee or thrown weapon just as if they had spent a Feat of Strength in order to do so. Note that this power strike is enhanced as above.
Rituals
Cult of the Sword
5 minutes
Perform a series of flowing katas with a sword of any type. You may not stop for more than 3 seconds, or the ritual fails.
Three Knowing Cuts
3 seconds
After calling out the name of this ritual, strike a true enemy (who is up and armed when this ritual begins) with three consecutive melee attacks, each of which must cause damage to them. If any are parried, dodged, or resisted in some way, the ritual fails.
Child of the Moon
5 minutes
Take a lone walk out into the nighttime wilderness, returning unharmed (meaning not suffering from a wound or persistent condition) to the place from which you started. You must actually move a good distance from your starting location in order for this ritual to count.
The Illusion of Permanence
5 minutes
Slowly trickle a stream of fine sand into a bowl, box, or shallow basin, creating abstract patterns. Afterwards, destroy this pattern without regret.
Funeral of the Self
1 minute
Solemnly bury a crude wooden or stone figurine inscribed with the character of your own name. It must be covered with at least 3″ of earth. Mark the grave with a stone that also has your name. If you dig up the figurine and/or remove the stone before the next sunset, this ritual is fouled for the remainder of the event.
Rightful Mourning
1 or 10 minutes
Over the corpse of a recently dead individual, speak words of appeasement, serenity, and sacrifice (1 minute). Alternately, speak at length about the nature and deeds of someone close to you, though now departed, asking for their guidance; you need not have an audience for this (10 minutes).
Adrift in the Void
15 minutes
Sleep for at least 15 minutes (or at least lie still and seriously pretend to be asleep), without being interrupted by someone touching you or calling out for you. This is not a meditative ritual.
Kami’s Gift
1 minute
Formally offer food, which must be accepted, to any combination of 3 spirits, animals or bogies, who must all be in the character’s presence at the ritual’s start.
A Silent House
5 minutes
Participate in a tea ritual, practice calligraphy, meditatively order your belongings, or clean your living space. If you speak during this time, the ritual fails.
Disciple of Non-Attachment
10 minutes
Meditate with closed eyes while in the presence of boisterous talk, music, or laughter. The ritual fails if you open your eyes or if the energetic sounds grow silent for more than 1 minute.
The Mists of Perception
10 minutes
Meditate cross-legged on the floor, while holding a burning stick of incense in your cupped hands.
Breaking the Surface
15 minutes
Meditate on a bowl, pool, or body of water, upon which is placed a leaf, stick, or other natural object that will float.