24/30 Unexpected Experimentations for November

In an attempt to increase the effectiveness of his destructive tendencies, a Tytalus who believed he was descended of the first Titans designed a spell to help him destroy everything before him.

The Worldbreaker's Eyes (Intellego Terram 25)
R: Personal, D: Diameter, T: Vision
The caster of this spell is able to see the weak points in objects. This allows them to leverage their strength and apply force with great capabilities, helping them shatter stone, bend metal, break wood. This does not give the caster any ability to do super-human acts, but with the right tools, they can regularly succeed at feats that involve breaking things. While this spell is active, the caster's eyes appear to be orbs of stone. In addition to being able to see the weak points in objects, the power of their eyes allows them to see the weak points of enemy armor, halving the protective bonus of any worn armor when they strike.
(Base 4, +1 Diameter, +4 Vision)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The caster's eyes appear to be of stone, and their features become stony as well, with great craggy cracks across their features, almost as if a natural rock-face had eroded into features similar to their own.
2-3 Minor Flaw: While this spell is active, the caster's vision is entirely in black and white.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The caster's hands become slightly magnetic, with each hand repelling the other.
6 Minor Benefit: While the spell is active, the caster's body has a mild repelling force, that lowers their encumbrance load by 1.
7 Major Flaw: The weakness-detecting vision is overwhelming, showing not only the greatest weak-points in inanimate objects, but every potential weak point. This over-load of information requires a few moments of focus and an Intelligence + Concentration roll against an ease factor of 9 to find the useful information. To filter this information without spending an entire round focusing requires an ease factor of 15 or more.
8 Major Side Effect:
9 Major Benefit: While this spell is active, the ground beneath the caster's feet always becomes even and clear of debris, allowing rough terrain to be traversed easily.
10 Fatal Flaw: This spell, instead of augmenting vision, overwhelms the caster's vision. They can only see the weakpoints, making them effectively blinded to everything else, including the bulk of sturctures and objects, as well as all living things.

3 Likes

This spell was designed by Khadija of Tremere, a Mentem specialist who thrived in social circumstances. When her manipulations amongst the nobility started going against her designs, she decided to create a spell that would allow her to inflict terrors on those who displease her, and perhaps allow her to 'rescue' them in return for favors. Though her specialties usually used eye-ranged spells, the sight-ranged version allowed her to distance herself as the cause of the malady. Her sigil is rigidity.

The Terror Moon (Rego Mentem )
R: Sight, D: Moon, T: Ind
The target of this spell develops an overwhelming fear regarding something - a fear of crowds, a fear of the outdoors, a fear of being poisoned. This fear becomes overwhelming over time; A fear of crowds will keep the target away from large groups, then over time they would avoid any numbers of people, and finally avoiding people at all. As the spell continues, their fear of one thing will start effecting even unrelated aspects of their lives; for example, they may stop drinking wine because any drunkenness and they may stumble into a crowded room in their own home, and they might start sleeping very lightly, because they don't want to have any people come wake them. Khadija's sigil means that every time they experience that fear, their muscles will clench up and stiffen.
(Base 10, +3 Sight, +3 Moon)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The overwhelming sigil means that every time something triggers their fear, their entire body will seize up, going rigid, and their perceptions of the world seems to freeze in place for an instant.
2-3 Minor Flaw:
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The target's eyes are the wrong color for the duration of the spell, gradually fading back to their normal color by the end.
6 Minor Benefit: After casting the spell, the caster feels free and brave for a short time, giving them the Fearless +2 personality trait for Sun duration.
7 Major Flaw: Khadija designed this spell during the same season that Jhabbar, her beloved pet dog, had died. It affected her focus during spell creation. This means that no matter what the desired fear is, by the end of the spell it always ends up 'fear of dogs'.
8 Major Side Effect: Every time the fear takes the target's mind, their skin goes paler, and their hair goes whiter. This effect begins to fade after the spell is ended, and a moon later, they are back to normal.
9 Major Benefit: No matter what the fear is, or how strong it is at the time, everything seems better and less frightening while the target can see the caster.
10 Fatal Flaw: This overwhelming fear is so great that their minds will rebel against it - their agoraphobia means they won't look at the sky, and therefor won't notice it at all, as if their mind blanks out that fear. Their fear of dogs means that they will refuse to admit that dogs exist at all.

3 Likes

This is quite a unique item, originally an apprentice crafting project and a covenant aid as well. It was designed by an apprentice Merinita named Rekki, to help the grogs gather vis without the need of magi assistance. A lack of oversight by her master lead her to experiment on the creation.

The Stick of Getting (Rego Vim 13)
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual
This is a fire-hardened length of driftwood, with numerous trinkets and tokens hanging from its craggy surface by leather cords. To activate the item, you rap the crown of the staff against an object containing vis, and the next round, rap the butt of the staff against the object to store the vis. Due to her sigil, as the vis transfers, a cloudlike shadow seems to move from the source to the destination.
(Base 10, +1 Touch; 6 uses per day)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The object newly imbued with vis seems to shed extra shadows in numerous directions about it, and these shadows defy normal light sources including daylight. For some reason, moonlight hides these extra shadows.
2-3 Minor Flaw: If the person using the object does not transfer the vis fast enough, the Stick of Getting will deposit the vis into the bearer's shoes. When a clever grog tried to use the object while barefoot, it failed to work.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The shadows moving from source to destination leave a strange, chalky black substance in its wake.
6 Minor Benefit: After transferring the vis, the object newly imbued wit vis will hum and vibrate if brought near other vis.
7 Major Flaw: The vis transfers violently from source to destination. This causes the now-empty vessel to explode, and while transferring vis out of a cockatrice's feather seems safe enough, transferring vis out of an ornate iron bar would be incredibly dangerous.
8 Major Side Effect: A soft sobbing sound can be heard in the vicinity of the object that had its vis drained from it. This persists for a number of days equal to a stress die. On a botch, the weeping follows the person who used the item.
9 Major Benefit: After the power of the vis flows through the user, they will feel energetic and empowered for a time. For the next hour, they will have the benefits of the virtue Long Winded (Or Enduring Constitution).
10 Fatal Flaw: The Stick of Getting transfers the vis it moves into itself. It can hold 2 pawns of vis, and the vis seems to defy further attempts to move it from the Stick of Getting. It can be spent safely from the Stick of Getting.

2 Likes

Vulcanos of Verditius was specialized in metal-crafting, with magical arts surpassing many of his bretheren. However, after a terrible assault by rivals on his boon companion and friend, Incarnos of Flambeaux, he spent years studying Mentem to help defend him. After a particularly... enlightening Twilight vision, Vulcanos decided to push his limits and combine the two disparate foci. He found that there were few real reasons to use this spell instead a normal Creo Terram conjured blade. But he still used the spell all the time.
Design notes: This spell was designed under the assumption that a blade created from hatred with Muto Terram will have no real special effects. This is because by the rules, the blade would have no special effects. If this spell was actually made in a saga I was adjudicating, I would give it some neat abilities by default, probably the listed Minor Benefit.

The Shard of Hatred (Muto Mentem [Terram] 40)
R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Part
As the spell is cast, a long blade of shimmering red-hued sword appears in the target's hand. This blade is the target's anger and rage given solid, sharp form, and if the target's hands are not closed, it will fall to the ground at their feet. While this spell is active, the target gets the Personality trait Angry -3, or an appropraite trait of theirs lowers by 3. Due to the designer's sigil, the forming blade is accompanied by a sound like breaking glass. This sword is well-made, but otherwise has no special traits beyond a normal blade, and if it breaks, it flows back into its original target, ending the spell.
(Base 25, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +1 part)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: In addition to the breaking glass sound when the blade forms, every time it is swept around a tinkling sound like falling glass shards rings out, louder or quieter based on how aggressively the blade was swung.
2-3 Minor Flaw: If the target has the Angry (or matching) personality trait at +3 or greater, the summoned sword is a long sword. If their Angry (or equivalent) personality trait is -3 or less, the blade summoned is a dagger. Otherwise, it is a short sword.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The blade, formed of a fraction of a mind, can be wielded by a ghost or spirit of the Mentem form.
6 Minor Benefit: The blade's sharpness is affected by the anger of the target. The conjured blade's damage is increased by the target's original Angry Personality trait.
7 Major Flaw: After the spell duration ends, the target of the spell has trouble remembering what happened during it, as parts of their memory are crystalized. They must make an Intelligence + Concentration roll of ease factor 9 to remember the time where their mind was split. Furthermore, if the blade breaks, they lose consciousness.
8 Major Side Effect: if the target wields the conjured blade themselves, each of their Personality traits are doubled instead of the normal effects on their Personality traits.
9 Major Benefit: If the target is wielding the blade, they gain control over their emotions while it is held in hand. They can allow their other emotions to flow into the blade (appearing as decorations upon the otherwise simple blade and pommel) which will allow them to alter their own personality traits towards +0 with but a moment's concentration.
10 Fatal Flaw: Creating the sword draws way more out of the target than actually intended, and out of the caster of the spell as well. Both caster and target gain the Flaw Simple-Minded for the duration, though only the target gets the Angry -3 Personality trait.

2 Likes

Maga Expectora ex Miscellanea was the fillia of a very vigorous Quaesitor who was active in the Theban Tribunal, despite their Latinate roots. Both were experts of Intellego. After her parens disappeared amid a flurry of infernal activity, Expectora invested the time to get Room-targeted spells to deal with demoniac interference, and then designed a spell to make a targetable room in a hurry. With her Flexible Formulaic magic, she could easily conjure a room to last all through a hot day, or only the instant necessary to cast her room-targeted spell.

Shelter from the Sun (Creo Herbam 15)
R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Group
With a gesture and word, the caster conjures up a small sukkah-style hut, crafted out of wooden staves and woven reeds, vines, and large leaves. This can make shelter from sun with an Intelligence + Finesse roll of 6+, keep off the light rain with a roll of 9+, and can become more protective as the crafter's Finesse improves. As an additional bonus, things inside the hut are now inside a room. Due to Expectora's casting sigil, the woven vines and leaves making the walls of the small sukkah seem to dance and sway against the wind.
(Base 1, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter, +2 group, +1 magnitudes for conjuring different types of plant product)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The leaves and vines that make up the roof and walls of the spontaneous shelter dance and sway and shimmy constantly, whether there be wind or no. Even the stout wooden branches making up the corners and roofbeams seem to dance about like a shy ingenue at a ball.
2-3 Minor Flaw: The dancing sigil of the caster makes the hut skitter around for a few moments (the first round after its conjuration), which can be bad for unstable ground and is likely to knock over any piles near it.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The room inside the hut is fragrant with flowers from the vines that make up its lashings and walls. As wind or breeze blows through the loosely-bound hut, it spreads the delightful scent about.
6 Minor Benefit: The vines that make up the walls of the hut seem to easily move to allow the caster a good view through them.
7 Major Flaw: Each of the differing plant-product components of the shelter seem to not fit well with each other, requiring an Intelligence + Finesse roll of 6+ to make it count as a room at all, and a 9+ to shelter from the sun. It would never shelter from wind or rain without someone taking the time to re-bind and re-weave the fronds and vines that make up the walls and roofs of the shelter.
8 Major Side Effect: After casting the spell, the maga's footsteps leave strange seeds scattered upon the ground in their wake for a time. The exact type of seed is determined by the local flora where the spell was cast, and many of the seeds are viable for planting. Expectora was quite surprised to find that places she had travelled to were beginning to show signs of burgeoning wildflower populations.
9 Major Benefit: The vines that are conjured from the Magic Realm seem fresh-cut, and bedecked with ripe, perfect bunches of grapes, berries, and other edibles. Eating these can quench hunger and thirst for a time, but cannot substitute for real food. These foodstuffs will last even after the spell's duration expires, but despite their sweet flavor, they are not very nutritious.
10 Fatal Flaw: The conjured hut is very unstable, and no matter the Finesse and skill of the caster, it will collapse into piles mere moments after it is conjured. The truly determined can use the materials to rebuild a more usable hut afterwards.

3 Likes

Anaketamalia of Tytalus was a maga originally from Thessaloniki, and a skilled weather witch. Always aggressively confident, when she finally decided on a husband, she was always worried about their safety as they were not Gifted, and only a large, powerful, and healthy male - nothing particularly special. Thus, when he was joining her on their brave adventures, she designed a spell to protect him, by turning him into a gusting wind.
(Spell design note: Our saga did not require requisites for clothing and gear to be included in the spell design, but did in the spell's casting.)

It's Just the Wind (Muto Corpus [Auram] 45)
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual
This spell turns a target's body into a swirling gust of wind, making them both swift to travel, and impossible to truly harm. They can move at a speed of 20-40 miles per hour, and can travel even faster by expending a long term fatigue every hour, gaining speeds up to 50 or 60 miles an hour. In addition to travelling at great speed safely, they can attempt to knock things over or carry them away. (rules for knocking things over are found in Transforming Mythic Europe, p 114, Form of the Zephyr). Due to her casting sigil, Anaketamalia's casting of the spell is accompanied by sweet, gentle harp music that fades into the distance.
(Base 30, +2 Sun, +1 Touch)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: For the entire duration of the spell, the strumming of harps follows the transformed target, thrumming louder and then fading. This may make it obvious when the spell is occurring, but the sigil's music always feels distant, rather than following the wind's path.
2-3 Minor Flaw: The target transformed cannot stay still. If they linger too long in one area, such as swirling around the same room or around a small area, the spell will end.
4-5 Minor Side Effect:
6 Minor Benefit: While transformed, the wind can pick up and discard objects easily. Anything not secured can get effertlessly caught up into the wind's flow, and discarded with equal ease.
7 Major Flaw: When the spell ends, the transformed individual is still moving at fast wind-speeds, and may not be properly on the ground. Safely ending the spell requires an Intelligence + Finesse roll against ease factor 9, or they take a moderate wound.
8 Major Side Effect: Something is strange with the way the wind travels, almost as if it is touching other Realms. As the wind passes, strange sounds echo from places not of this world, Faerie or Magic; Odd smells are left in its wake, and light passing through the wind gains an odd prismatic hue.
9 Major Benefit: Winds do not perceive reality the same as mortals, but for the duration of the spell, the target can understand the terrain their wind touches, and comprehend the features of things they blow across with uncanny accuracy, and this memory will linger beyond the spell's ending.
10 Fatal Flaw: The target is transformed into a gale-force wind immediately, a speed of 75 miles per hour, and this moves it 1/8th of a mile every round. Each round this costs them a fatigue level. Due to the incredible speed of movement, this requires a Quickness + Concentration stress die against ease factor 12.

2 Likes

Theseus of Flambeaux was named after a great hero, and was confident he would be one too. He desired to be a monster hunter, and his natural affinity for ice and frost magics made his path to glory clear. He had spears of ice, he could summon a ship of ice, could conjure weapons of ice and could throw javelins of ice. His path was clear for what he needed last: Armor of ice. Well, that part was tricky, but he finally managed to make it work with a lot of experimentation.
(Design notes: I decided on Metal Scale protection and then took out a bit of theLoad because... I wanted magic to be cool. For your own sagas, use numbers that feel right.)
Hero's Armor of Ice (Creo Aquam [Terram] 20
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Individual
The caster or another they touch is encased in armor of thick ice, segmented at the wearer's joints. The armor takes a few seconds to form and solidify, allowing it to mold to the wearer's body. It actually coats the individual's clothing, soaking into it before freezing solid, using existing clothing as a basis for its final form. Once the ice is fully hardened, it is as protective as a a suit of metal armor, adding 7 Protection and 4 Load. Unfortunately, being pressed against the protective ice will cause damage to those unprepared, doing a stress die +1 damage every round. Due to Theseus's sigil, the ice forming is a slight sea-green color.
(Base 4(slightly unnatural, spread over surface), +1 Touch, +2 Sun, +1 magnitude for Terram adding strength)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The frozen armor drips with sea-green liquid, leaving oozing footsteps of sea-green, and refracting light makes the wearer look entirely limned in a faint green glow.
2-3 Minor Flaw: The frost armor cracks at the joints rather than interlocks, leaving significant gaps in the armor. It counts as a partial suit of armor instead of a full suit. (Protection 4, load 3)
4-5 Minor Side Effect:
6 Minor Benefit: The armor formed from the freezing water tends to freeze in sharp points and shards, giving them the look of a spikey daemon. They can attack with the spikes on shoulder, limb, or gauntlet or boot using Brawl, with +2 attack, +1 defense, and +2 damage.
7 Major Flaw:
8 Major Side Effect: The ice armor is summoned up from the very waters of the deep sea. In addition to having surprisingly stylish decorations reminiscent of waves and sea-foam, it has small fish trapped in its waters, which will often flop out and die as the water solidifies into the armor.
9 Major Benefit: The armor's formation is so well-crafted, as if an armor beyond the quality of mortal men. Its Protection value is 9.
10 Fatal Flaw: After the first few minutes of wearing the armor, it begins to melt in the sun. In hot climates, this will weaken the armor by 1 protection every 10 minutes - faster in extreme circumstances. In more temperate climates, its melting water will re-freeze rapidly, ruining any articulation. Every 10 minutes, the effective load increases by one as the joints melt and refreeze in unfortunate positions.

2 Likes

Because it envelopes a human form, I'd probably adopt the following guideline from Ignem:

Level 5: Create a fire doing +5 damage in an unnatural shape, such as in a ring or sheet, or covering an item. (Purely cosmetic shapes are free.)

Psythiros ex Miscellanea was a magus who was one with the world around him. He was a friend to the beasts and spoke with them often. He need never fear starvation, nor drowning, nor deprivation. Unfortunately, he also lost all magical power when submerged in water. Being able to survive a year under the ocean with no water doesn't make it fun to have to walk back to land the slow way. Thus, an expert in Animal, he designed a spell to call help to him before his magic faded and the waters overtook him.
(Design notes: I believe dolphins were considered fish during the time period.)
(Design note 2: The original spell designed in game was Always a Bigger Fish, and summoned a single whale, but I preferred this version. If you go for the whale version, the 10-roll on side effects summons the whale having swallowed you.)

Always Fish in the Sea(Creo Animal 30)
R: Touch, D: Diameter, T: Group
This spell creates a pod of dolphins out of nothing. While some would include a Rego requisite to make the dolphins obedient, Psythiros had faith his good nature and Animal Ken would convince the well-meaning dolphins to help him. He hasn't been proven wrong yet. Due to his sigil, the spell causes everyone seeing the dolphins appear to feel rather self-satisfied at having witnessed such a great event. Dolphins are good luck, right?
As Psythiros is a kind soul, the spell, as designed, will fail if there is no water for the dolphins to appear in.
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +1 Diameter, +2 Group)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: Not only does everyone seeing the summoned fish feel satisfied at witnessing the event, the dolphins themselves will be incredibly pleased and proud at every action they take. This will definitely color their actions, and you not easily get them to stop playing if they start.
2-3 Minor Flaw: In addition to the summoned dolphins, a number of other, smaller fish will also appear, and a number of dolphins will definitely be focused on their dinners before listening to anyone who needs help. Violence, of course, will get their attention immediately.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: Every single dolphin bears a matching mark on it's crown of a black star.
6 Minor Benefit: When the spell is cast, the dolphins are also surrounded by a flurry of bubbles that will buoy up the caster and anyone nearby, helping them swim or float.
7 Major Flaw: The spell also summons a single shark. Many of the dolphins will likely attack this shark. The shark will definitely attack the dolphins.
8 Major Side Effect: Every single dolphin is a bright, unrealistic hue of color, and they are all quite proud of their unique shades.
9 Major Benefit: One or more of the dolphins speaks the local language, and they can
10 Fatal Flaw: The conjuration summons a pair of dolphins, and a number of calves which they consider their own. They will likely be eager to flee for the safety of their young, and one may belligerently attack anyone in the water to let the others escape.

3 Likes

Bubonem ex Miscellanea was a Quaesitor in his elder days, having finally earned the respect and duties he strove for. As a new magus, however, he always was striving and proving himself to be a better and better magus of the Order. As an Ex Miscellanea magus from a backwater tradition, he always was underestimated, and his victories often attributed to others. Always striving for more, he sought out ways his covenant could find more vis to bring in and increase their wealth, status, and ability to protect their covenfolk. His casting sigil is the color green.

A Vision of Emerald Days (In Vi 25)
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Vision
This spell gives the touched target the useful magical ability to see raw vis. As the spell is in effect, their eyes glow a vibrant green, and whenever vis enters their vision, it glows with a green radiance in their perception. Originally intending to use the spell on himself, after some thought he expanded it to be usable on others, such that adventuring grogs could come back with magical wealth if luck granted.
(Base 1, +1 Touch, +3 Moon, +4 Vision)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: More than merely glowing green, the target's eyes are suffused with a vibrant green gleam, as if their eyes were pure emeralds, reflecting the light. All things in their vision appear to be seen through a green lens, though Vis glows brightly and obviously still.
2-3 Minor Flaw: The glow of vis is faint at first, growing brighter the closer the target gets to it. This makes it difficult to see any vis far away, or hidden behind other objects.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: After casting the spell, the magus (not the target) leaves strange dusty green stains on everything they touch for the day, though the stain fades away to nothingness in a few minutes.
6 Minor Benefit: For the duration of the spell, when the target has their eyes closed, they can hear the color green.
7 Major Flaw: The glimmer of vis is no glimmer, but a bright gleam and flash, which can be blinding for the bespelled viewer to see directly, like staring into a glowing fire.
8 Major Side Effect: The target's hair shifts to a wild green hue, like rich forest leaves, and unseen winds seem to sweep past them to tug at hair and clothes, though none others feel the wind. This does tend to make them look quite dramatic at times, but also can scare or worry the more mundane-minded.
9 Major Benefit: Through their verdant-stained vision, the caster can detect different hues of magic, and often can detect the edges of auras (with an ease factor of 15 - the aura strength), though regio boundaries are still hidden from this magic.
10 Fatal Flaw: The target's entire vision is overwhelmed with the hue of green, making discerning color impossible, and the green glow seen vis is hard to detect, requiring a Perception + Awareness roll against ease factor 9, as well as an active attention to searching - they are unlikely to notice the green-on-green gleam without actively studying the area.

2 Likes

A Tytalian magus with a dramatic bent, Rheon decided it was time to take down one of his agent's mundane rivals in a biblical fashion. He was easily able to manipulate things so the Duke was thought to be beginning heretical studies, but he could not find a way to finish his plan without someone else learning of his machinations. Thus, he had to create this final instrument himself, despite his lack of skill with Perdo.
(Design note: I envision this ram's horn the size of a tuba.)

The Horn of Jericho (Perdo Terram[Imaginem])
R: Voice, D: Momentary, T: Group
This horn is carved out from a massive ram's horn of epic proportions, capped and inlaid with gold and silver. When blown, it's call can be heard far, far away, extending the voice range of the magical item. When turned towards a castle and blown in thrice succession, the outer walls crumble and shatter into fragments, appearing to be torn down by dark shadows crawling up out of the ground. This last effect was added for a mixture of style and to hide his own sigil, which is a blast of sweltering hot air wafting between the horn blower and the target.
(Base 4, +2 Voice, +2 group, +2 size, +1 Imaginem requisite; 3 uses per day)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: Despite his attempts to hide his sigil, the horn's sounding is accompanied by a rippling waft of hot, smoldering wind that distorts the air between blower and target.
2-3 Minor Flaw: In addition to the target, any stone or rocks the horn-blower has in their possession will crumble to dust.
4-5 Minor Side Effect:
6 Minor Benefit: Those who hear the horn-blowing are either emboldened (Brave score +2) or frightened (Brave score -2) based on their alliance and opinion of the suddenly crumbling walls. This mood shift may last for days.
7 Major Flaw: After blowing the horn, the user is deafened by the blast. They can attempt to recover every hour with a Stamina roll against ease factor 9.
8 Major Side Effect: Strangely, after blowing the horn it feels incredibly light and easy to move for the rest of the day, despite its massive size.
9 Major Benefit: Almost as if emulating the epic of Jericho in divine mockery, when blowing the horn, anything within the targeted walls with Infernal Might loses 5 might points with a +15 penetration. For some reason, this effect is not detectable by hermetic means. Did Rheon accidentally use Infernal vis, or Divine? While Rheon's initial target did not have demons in his employ, someone may have greater plans for this Horn.
10 Fatal Flaw: Instead of destroying the stone walls targetted, the blast of the horn instead destroys and weakens any mortar. While this will weaken and crumble many walls, many will be left still standing and possibly repairable.

2 Likes

Emporos of Troy was a Merinita who was focused on longevity rituals and aging, but his personality directed him towards more social interests. He was particularly allied with merchants, and had a slew of spells dealing with bargains and deals. His casting sigil is growing darkness.

Bargain with the Heart (Perdo Corpus 35)
R: Touch, D: Bargain, T: Individual
Upon a deal seal and a promise made, and Magic shall bind the poor soul. Should the bargain be broken, then the offending individual will feel the touch of death claw closer to their heart.
Breaking the bargain causes the target to suddenly age five years, and a dark hue seems to ooze through their veins.
(Base 15, +1 Touch, +3 Bargain

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: After the casting of the spell, the target's veins darken, carrying the sign of their impending doom to those who look closely. Should the bargain curse trigger, their skin will sweat out a black oily substance that leaves them aged.
2-3 Minor Flaw: If the spell expires at the end of the year, it then triggers as if the bargain was broken.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: While the spell is waiting for its bargain to be broken, the target's eyes reflect the hue of the caster's.
6 Minor Benefit:
7 Major Flaw: The onset of the curse is surprisingly delayed, allowing the target to find a way to break it. Instead of suddenly aging them five years, they make an extra aging roll every year for five years, before the spell fades.
8 Major Side Effect:
9 Major Benefit: Should the target break their bargain, the caster gets a -2 to their next aging roll.
10 Fatal Flaw: The caster is bound by the deal as well, and should either of them break the bargain, both suffer the consequences.

2 Likes

This spell was designed by a manipulative Dagos of Tremere, focused on dealing with the mundane lords and ladies ruling over the area his Covenant inhabited. He designed this spell to feed on vanity and make his gifts and overtures be better taken. While most Tremere would use their Rego magics to control their target, Dagos was rather inept at that Technique. Instead, he used Muto to convert the emotions felt when he gave 'gifts' to Lords, to ones of pride and vanity. This helped him get around the penalties of the Gift during initial overtures. He found casting this spell on a Duke and his advisors was often needed, so he designed the spell to be group targeted.

Snare for Aphrodite (Muto Mentem 20)
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Group
Meeting the caster's eye when they enact this spell causes a surge of pride in the target. The target will interpret any favors or gifts as justified, and they are prone to accept them. Though the actual social acumen of the gift giver will matter most of all, often when the spell wears off, the gifts will no longer seem as justified, which allowed him to leverage them into debts. Due to his lavender-scented sigil, Dagos was prone to wearing or carrying sprigs of the flower to hide his spellcasting. Due to the difficulty of meeting the eyes of larger groups, this spell is usually only cast on a lord and their nearby councilors.
(Base 3(change to emotion), +1 Eye, +2 Sun, +2 Group)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The scent of lavender accompanying the spell is poignant enough that it will linger in the minds of the targets when they think of the event. This is why Dagos started giving sprigs of fresh-cut lavender with his gifts.
2-3 Minor Flaw:
4-5 Minor Side Effect: Inexplicably, the caster's clothes shed off any dirt when this spell is cast.
6 Minor Benefit: After the spell is cast, the targets are often more focused on the caster's words and actions for a diameter. While this offers no numerical benefits to social rolls, it will negate many of the effects of distractions during ensuing negotiations.
7 Major Flaw: Though the targets are unaware of it, the caster seems to exude an aura of strangeness, not akin to the gift, that makes them incredibly memorable to others in the area.
8 Major Side Effect: The targets of the spell will all feel the draw of vanity. For the duration of the spell, they will gain the Personality Trait Prideful +3 (or it will increse by +3), and the effect will fade over the course of the following day.
9 Major Benefit: After gifts are offered, the caster is well-disposed towards the targets for the duration of the spell, which can offset social penalties of the gift or other circumstances. After all, the caster noticed how incredible the councilors all are. Th
10 Fatal Flaw: The spells' mutation of the target's mind is more firm than intended, and though the spell will wear off over time, even when it is gone the targets will still feel completely justified in whatever gifts they accepted, and will feel no debt in the slightest towards the giver.

2 Likes

The Merinita Cantori, of Venice, focused his efforts into bringing the muse-spawned songs of the Theban Tribunal to the Latinate world. This focus came after an enlightening Twilight event. He designed the Orphean Lyre, a glimmering masterwork of craftsmanship by a Verditius that was then enchanted to draw music out of the mind of those who touch it. Even with the experimental flaws and side effects, a pair of notable Jerbiton artisans commissioned Lyres for themselves to use in their work creating music.

Orphean Lyre (Creo Imaginem 30)
R:Voice, D: Concentration, T: Group
The Orphean Lyre is a masterfully crafted musical instrument, inlaid with gold and ivory, and strings that vary from gut, to silver, to what looks like glass. It counts as an Item of Quality(+3 to create music), though it takes a bit of practice to not accidentally trigger the enchantment while playing. Striking a particular chord on the enchanted Lyre causes the desired music to spring into being, filling the area where the Lyre is. The person enacting the effect must make a Communication + Music stress roll against an ease factor 6 to create intelligible music, with higher rolls producing better music. Those who understand music but have no personal experience can try to use the instrument using Finesse or Artes Liberales(music theory) rolls, but the ease factor should be 3 higher. When the enchanted effect is activated, light surrounding the lyre seems to refract in a prismatic fashion for a moment, due to the crafter's sigil.
(Base 1, +1 Voice, +1 Concentration, +2 group, +2 intricacy: Fine music; Unlimited use, item maintains concentration)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: When the musical enchantment is enacted, the air surrounding the Lyre seems to refract light into its prismatic colors, and the effect continues to replicate through the entirety of the song being played. It's a Disco Ball.
2-3 Minor Flaw: Striking the musical chord to trigger the songs causes a sharp pain on the fingers of the user, and repeated uses can even create shallow cuts on the fingertips. Lyrists tend to have the calluses already on their fingers so they won't notice.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: Striking the activation chord causes a number of small crystalline prisms to appear in the area the music is affecting, as part of the prismatic sigil effect. These crumble to chalky dust when the song ends.
6 Minor Benefit: The area the music is playing in can be contained in a particular area, which would allow different melodic tunes to be played in different corners of the same room, with no audial disruption from other activations.
7 Major Flaw: Due to a quirk in the vis used to craft the item, the Music roll gets a penalty in Divine or Infernal auras as if a magical power.
8 Major Side Effect: Birds and other musical animals nearby will begin to sing along with any music they hear from the lyre.
9 Major Benefit: With a musical quality roll of 12+, a particular mood or feeling can be enacted, exemplified, and distilled. This gives a +2 to any relevant personality rolls by the affected listeners. Despite lack of requisites, this counts as a Mentem effect with a +0 penetration - although many faeries are affected despite their magic resistance. For some reason, this doesn't work with Finesse rolls.
10 Fatal Flaw: The musical instrument can only follow the intent of the activator imperfectly - while the item is maintaining concentration, the effective roll for musical quality is lowered by 1 every minute. For example, if a Finesse roll of 12 was rolled, after 3 minutes, the music would become only passable (effectively 9), and a minute later the music would devolve into a bit of a chaotic mess of sound.

2 Likes

The Sicilian Tytalus, Vezzini, was known for his subtle mastery of intrigue and politics. He often managed to arrange foppish noblemen to duel one another, but found more often than not, he was not pleased with the outcome of the duel. Thus, he went to his laboratory to see if he could subtly rig the results of fights or duels. He took time perfecting the spell so that the weapon would not leap from the wielder's hand, and look like the attack was natural. Vezzini enjoyed casting this spell in response to someone performing a skilled parry, making it look insufficient.

The Sinister Duelist's Inconceivable Thrust (Rego Terram 20)
R: Sight, D: Momentary, T: Individual
This spell was designed to subtly interfere with duels and fights. The caster targets a weapon he can see, held by another or laying near the focus of their ire. The weapon will jump point-first towards the intended victim, attacking using Perception + Finesse. If unattended, the damage is as per the weapon, wielded with Strength +3. Should the targeted weapon be held by someone at the time, they may chose to add +2 to their strength for the attack, or instead subtract their strength if they resist the strike. When cast by Vezzini of Tytalus, the spell is accompanied by the scent of red wine.
(Base 4, +3 Sight, +1 for delicate control)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: In addition to the scent of wine, both the wielder of the weapon and the target feel a sudden, heady sense of being drunk for a moment. This does not actually create any game penalties, but Vezzini's shield grog, a drunk, rather enjoys having the spell cast on his weapons.
2-3 Minor Flaw: The thrust of the targeted weapon tends to follow the gestures of the caster, giving onlookers a chance to notice the magus doing something strange before the amazing, unexpected attack.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The spell seems to grab a glittering flash of light, drawing attention of anyone paying even the remotest attention to the duel, making the inconceivable strike look exceptionally classy.
6 Minor Benefit: When casting the spell on a wielded weapon, the magus can gain a sense of the skill of the wielder, within 2 levels of Ability.
7 Major Flaw: This spell tends to create a sudden, unexpected stress the targeted weapon. Roll two botch dice, and should it be confirmed, the weapon will break or crack. Exceptionally durable weapons can roll one or even zero botch dice. Shoddy blades would roll three or four.
8 Major Side Effect:
9 Major Benefit: The spell's precision and skill can be used for defense as well as offense, should the caster desire it. The targeted weapon can deflect a single incoming attack that round with a defense total of Quickness + Finesse -3. The wielder of the weapon can also dodge, if desired, though cannot use their own weapon skill.
10 Fatal Flaw: Should the spell target a held weapon, the attack total and damage are both reduced by the wielder's strength, if positive, unless they were prepared to act along with it instead of their normal action that round.

2 Likes

Lux Pel, a Tremere, was rather inept at spellcasting, and focused his time with the Order in crafting items and creating devices to aid his house. While he often designed mystic wands and staves for his compatriots, after a campaign against aggressive Giants in northern Rhine, he befriended a Flambeaux who had come to hunt them, and decided to show his House's appreciation with this gift (and his Archon's permission). His wizard's sigil is the form of squares.
(Design note: His sigil is pixilation.)

The Glorious Shield (Perdo Terram [Herbam] 25)
R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual
This hearty and stout heater shield that protects its bearer in a most aggressive fashion. Any incoming oject or weapon of stone, metal or wood that strikes the designs etched on the shield will crumble away. Due to Lux Pel's sigil, a destroyed sword will appear to decay into cubes that then disperse into smaller and smaller squares. A defender wielding the shield can explicitly target an opponents weapon by taking an action to attack (using the shield's +0 attack). Any attacker who misses the wielder will strike the shield if they are unaware of the effect, and if they are trying to avoid the shield, if they miss by more than 3, they will have struck the shield by accident. Incredibly large objects, such as doors, walls, and wagons, will not be affected.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 magnitude for requisite; +10 levels unlimited uses)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: When the effect triggers, the destroyed item will crumble into tiny little cubes, falling in a neat little stack on the ground in the shape of the original object. Although embarrassed at the result in experimentation, Lux Pel refused to give a spare copy of the Glorious Shield to his kitchen staff to aid in food preparation.
2-3 Minor Flaw: While holding the shield in position, a radiation of energy flows from the shield's enruned surface, in tiny little squares. This usually gives sufficient warning to incoming attackers to avoid hitting the shield with their weapons on initial blows, unless they happen to be Reckless.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: The shield also destroys dirt, blood, and grime. The face of the shield is always incredibly clean and polished. The face of the shield can be hidden with cloth or similar, but that will prevent attacks from hitting the surface unless they tear through the covering.
6 Minor Benefit:
7 Major Flaw: The effect flows beyond the forwards surface of the shield. The bindings and straps of the shield, as well as the leather-bound grip, are too close to the magical aura of the enchantment, which weakens them over time, requiring frequent replacement. Similarly, the sides and back of the shield can accidentally break things they make firm contact with, such as the owner's weapon, their ally's shield, the chair the shield was just slung over, or the wielder's metal gauntlet.
8 Major Side Effect: Despite not being polished and mirrored, the surface of the shield reflects light as a mirror would, practically gleaming in firelight and sunlight directly. Any light reflected can be easily directed by the one holding the shield, but it is not actually reflective, so one cannot see their own face in it. Strange.
9 Major Benefit: If used as an offensive weapon, shield-bashing against enemies can shatter their weapons, their shields, and their armor. Battering an opponent with the weapon will likely break one of those, increasing any damage the shield strike does by +5, and depriving them of armaments.
10 Fatal Flaw: Every time the shield destroys metal or stone, the object it strikes explodes violently into a cloud of cubic shrapnel, doing a stress die +10 damage to those nearby - most likely only the wielders of shield and weapon. The splintering cubes of wood from items of such construction only deal +5 damage to those caught nearby in the chaotic explosion.

2 Likes

Khadija of Tremere was a Gently Gifted maga, and rather delighted in the machinations of intrigue and social manipulation. Unfortunately, her overconfidence and pride mixed with noble preferences, Maga Khadija often ruined conversations with dirty peasants. Whether impatience, rudeness, or otherwise, she often had to employ magic to fix conversational mistakes with the farmers and tradesmen of lower class. Her ability to cast spells subtly made it easy for her to use her manipulations whenever needed.
(Design note: One of my players cast Perdo Mentem spontaneously to restart conversations. This version of the spell draws inspiration from the movie Memento.)
A Conversation Caught in Time (Perdo Mentem 25)
R: Eye, D: Concentration, T: Individual
Casting this spell upon an unfortunate soul allow the caster to destroy the target's ability to turn a short-term memory into a long-term memory. Khadija used this spell to re-play introductions and greetings, demands and bartering, redoing the same conversation repeatedly until she got the desired result. She could re-start the conversation with a sudden distraction, such as a shout, or clap or other unexpected gesture. While the spell is in effect, Khadija's casting sigil subconsciously makes the target stand straight and rigid.
While conversation is often difficult while concentrating on spells, as this spell was designed for conversational use, it only requires a roll of Stamina + Concentration with an ease factor of 9, whenever the caster tries to distract the target. Outside distractions have no reduction in difficulty.
(Base 10, +1 Eye, +1 Concentration, +1 intricacy of conversation)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: Not merely standing tall, the target stands stiff and rigid like a puppet during the spell.
2-3 Minor Flaw: Laces, ties and ribbons on the caster become undone over the course of the conversation(s).
4-5 Minor Side Effect: There is something in the caster's eyes that holds attention, a reflection... a strange hue.. something... strange?
6 Minor Benefit: For the duration of the spell, the caster gets a +3 to any concentration rolls required other than the ones for this spell.
7 Major Flaw: The spell actually requires more focus than a normal conversation, and this gives the caster a -3 on any social rolls they make due to the attention required on the magic.
8 Major Side Effect: Nearby solutions and mixtures slowly separate into their component parts, ruining any stews, sauces, and many drinks within conversational distance. Ewww.
9 Major Benefit: In addition to the reset of memory, the target seems to grow more used to the magus with every moment. Reduce the penalty of the Gift by 1 for every conversational reset during the spell. Once the spell is over, the target will be affected once again, and wonder at the odd familiarity.
10 Fatal Flaw: The concentration required by the spell is almost distracting. The caster must make a Stamina + Concentration roll vs 9 every round of conversation.

2 Likes

Rheon of House Tytalus was a man with a plan, a magus ready to ruin his enemies. Some enemies he could defame with religious tactics, and others he had to ruin their reputation. Magus Rheon found one of the noble rivals for a persona of his was reputed to be eternally brave, so he designed a spell to play on the man's perceptions, and prove the man was a lunatic. His sigil is sweltering wind.

Terror in the Shadows (Muto Mentem 35)
R: Sight, D: Moon, T: Part
This spell, designed to be cast upon a target subtly and from a distance, brings the nightmares and dangers of the unknown to the fore of their perception. While this spell does not actually generate emotional responses - fear or cowardice would be obviously misplaced in some - it will make the target's perception of shadows and darkness become something worth fearing or fighting. They will begin to see strange things in the shadows, that will slowly build over the course of the spell until they spy ghosts and goblins hiding in the shadows outside their home. By targeting Part, the spell only alters what the unfortunate subject perceives in the darkness, rather than all the time.
Rheon's chosen target for this spell spent many a night assaulting the terrors that were hiding in the fens outside his manor house, until finally he was deemed unfit for rule. Due to his casting sigil, the target feels a hot breath across his skin when the spell takes effect and when it ends.
(Base 3, +3 Sight, +3 Moon, +1 Part, +1 intricacy (building intensity))

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: Every time the target stares into the darkness and night, they feel a warm wind across their skin, building up to a sweltering heat when the spell is at its crescendo.
2-3 Minor Flaw: Whenever the target is seeing a false vision given by is spell, they feel an odd itching on their chest.
4-5 Minor Side Effect:
6 Minor Benefit: The visions given by the spell are of a particularly consistant style, which manifests when they first see the terrors, and then maintain that dangerous theme throughout - whether that be rats that turn into rat-monsters, or goblins growing into trolls, or strange plant-growths turning into walking murdurous trees.
7 Major Flaw: Brighter lights are sufficient to dispel any strange terrors. While torches are likely going to exacerbate the problem, with flickering dim light, a good lantern or magical spells will easily show the truth of the visions.
8 Major Side Effect: Crows and ravens who see the target will begin to follow them, until they are fed some carrion.
9 Major Benefit: In addition to adding strange terrible things in the night, the spell also somewhat ruins the target's night-vision, which makes their ability to do anything about their visions quite difficult. Also, easier to spy on!
10 Fatal Flaw: The spell's alterations to perception start strong and stay strong. In fact, the sheer hideousness of the visions - while likely to induce terror on the faint-hearted - are like to make the target suspect the visions are not real.

2 Likes

Vespera of Tremere was trained by her covenant's librarian, and then took the position herself, and then moved to become a founder of a new covenant focused in gathering of knowledge. As her skill grew, she had more and more spells designed to make her job managing the library and its upkeep better. This spell was a bit of a desperate masterpiece, designed to gather every misplaced or lost book of the library and return them to their proper shelves. Sadly her slightly lacking Terram meant she had to experiment a bit to get everything working correctly.
(Design notes: Using Covenants rules that a library catalog can be used as an arcane connection to the entire library, and the Transforming Mythic Europe ruling of base 4 to transport inanimate object.)

To Retrieve the Lost Leaves of Knowledge (Rego Terram 60)
R: Arcane Connection, D: Momentary, T: Group, Ritual
This spell is the librarian's last resort to fixing organization and loss. Cast while holding the library catalog, it will instantly transport every book in the catalog to its correct place on the shelves. Getting them all to land in correct places requires a stress roll of Intelligence + Finesse against ease factor 6, and getting them to appear in particular placing or orders requires a roll against ease factor 12. The spell can summon roughly a hundred cubic paces of books. Due to her casting sigil, Vespera's version of the spell causes the caster to flush a bright and exited hue.
(Base 4, +4 Arcane Connection, +2 Group, +5 for range, +1 size)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: As the books appear into place, all alongside each other, the caster feels a rush of heat, excitement, embaressment, arousal, and delight. Reportedly, after casting this spell, Vespera looks as red as a beet for a few minutes.
2-3 Minor Flaw: Mental images of every single book, words or illuminations from them, will flash through the caster's mind, requiring a Stamina + Concentration roll against ease factor 9 or the target is unable to act for a round from the information overload.
4-5 Minor Side Effect:
6 Minor Benefit: By default, the spell will organize the books in the order they are recorded in the catalog, with the ease factor of 6.
7 Major Flaw: If any of the books on the catalog have been damaged enough to be considered destroyed, the spell's definition of the group has been ruined and the spell fails. Vespera immediately designed an Intellego spell to check for this eventuality before she ever cast the spell.
8 Major Side Effect: The sudden conjuring of so many items causes a brief flutter and flurry of wind to rush through the library or space of the casting, which will not only kick up dust and dirt and sand from the breeze, but somehow the space always seems even dirtier afterwards, as if the books brought back even more dust and dirt from whence they came.
9 Major Benefit: This spell has been designed for a particular target library, and as volumes of books are added to the registry, they become part of the library itself, as far as this spell is concerned. After a book has been in the library for a year, it is considered part of the original library and receives no warping for being conjured.
10 Fatal Flaw: The books appear in whatever state they were in when the spell was cast. Books laying down appear laying down, books upright appear upright, books left open appear opened. This means when the caster attempts to organize them into place, the will crash and damage each other unless every book has been given more than enough space on the shelves. The Finesse roll to place the books is at a -3 to the

3 Likes

Ignatius of Flambeaux was an Elementalist magus who fought against the Sahir in Iberia. Due to a terrible Twilight experience, he found himself able to convert his own life essence into Aquam vis, which the aggressive Flambeaux helped fuel his personal battles by rarifying water elementals out of the ocean. After gaining the allegience of a number of them, he developed an array of spells to transform them into other elemental types for his use.
(Design note: Totally up to your saga if this actually works. Or how it works. Does it change a water elemental into a fire elemental? Or a Water Elemental whose body is on fire, but maintains the water elemental powers?)

The Tidal Shift of Elemental Alignment (Muto Aquam[FORM] 35)
R: Voice, D: Diameter, T: Individual
This spell transforms a rarefied water elemental into another Form of elemental, and extra care was taken during the design of this spell to allow the elemental to flow naturally into a new Form: Earth, Air, or Fire. It must penetrate the elemental's magic resistance to have effect. The spell requires a casting requisite of the new Form. It can effect an elemental up to size +4. Due to Ignatius's casting sigil, the elemental being transformed creates a sound like mad laughter that fades as the spell continues.
(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Diameter, +1 to decide which Form on casting, +1 size)

Side Effects table (1d10)
1 Exaggerated Sigil: The elemental's body is twisted into a form where it appears to have monstrous human-like features twisted in a rictus grin, and the sound of laughter follows it everywhere.
2-3 Minor Flaw: Despite its change of form, the former water elemental thinks of itself as a water elemental. It may seek out bodies of water to plunge itself into, and not react how an elemental of its new form should act, like a fire elemental not realizing that its body will burn people it touches, rather than getting them wet.
4-5 Minor Side Effect: Transforming the water elemental into a new Form, the noises made by its movements, actions, and powers still sound like crashing waves.
6 Minor Benefit: The elemental maintains its affinity with its previous element, as well as its new; Elementals of both forms will consider the new elemental one of its own.
7 Major Flaw: The transformation into a new form is uncomfortable, and the elemental will feel a great rage towards the caster - Rego control magic may be recommended.
8 Major Side Effect: As all elements are mutable, when the elemental is transformed, a counter-elemental reaction will also follow it around. Fire elementals will chill the ground beneath them while still burning things nearby; Earth elementals will weaken and disrupt earth they pass by, as if they were a giant plow; Air elementals will leave a strange, stale air in their wake, as if in a locked tomb.
9 Major Benefit: Should the elemental be damaged while it is transformed, the vis that is left behind can be used as either form.
10 Fatal Flaw: The transformation of the elemental into a new Form causes incredible damage, as the magic does not change it all at once. The water elemental's body boils away, gets dispersed as a wet mist, or rudely is displaced by sudden surging rocks in its depth. Casting the spell immediately causes the elemental to lose 10 might, scattering the bits of itself everywhere and likely destroying the vis those parts of its body held.

1 Like