Thaumaturgical Ritual Merits

Thaumaturgical Ritual Merits
Note: these are largely reserved for characters that are not members of the Conspiracies, as a game balance measure. In particular, they are most common among members of the Keepers of the Source and the Loyalists of Thule.

Alchemy (External) (•• or ••••)
Prerequisites: Occult •• or Science ••

Effect: In simplistic terms, external alchemy is the art of transforming one physical substance into another. Fairy tales and legends speak loudest of the ability to change base metals into gold, because dreams of wealth captured the imaginations of influential sponsors of court magicians. Clever alchemists invent endless other applications for the art, while wise ones avoid demonstrating their capabilities to the greedy or powerful.

The two-dot version allows a thaumaturge to transform a simple, common, non-precious substance into a different simple, common, non-precious substance.

The four-dot version allows an alchemist to create or transform a complex, rare or precious substance. A simple compound may be refined into a complex one, a rare substance might be turned into a common one or a precious material might become a different precious material.

The player must succeed in a roll of Intelligence + her choice of Occult or Science. The roll is penalized by –1 for each point of Size above 1 that’s transmuted, and the entire body of transformed material must be one mass (a single chunk of metal, a pool of liquid or a sack of power, for example).

The alchemist’s efforts suffer an additional penalty equal to the sum of the highest Durability involved (original or new) or the highest Resources necessary to purchase the materials involved, whichever is highest.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult or Science

Ritual Length: One hour

Duration: Indefinite (permanent unless dispelled somehow)

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: An accident occurs. It may be anything from transmuting the wrong material to mild acid burns to an explosion. Alternatively, the material may transform, but reverts to its original state at an inopportune time.

Exceptional Success: The final product is also imbued with magical energy. As enchanted material, it can be used to cause bashing or lethal wounds to ghosts or spirits in Twilight.

Alchemy (Internal) (•• or ••••)
Prerequisites: Occult •• and Medicine •

The two-dot version allows the alchemist to hone her body or mind toward a more perfect state. Choose any Attribute and roll Resolve + Occult, with a –1 penalty per dot already possessed in the Trait. A successful roll grants a bonus of one dot to the Attribute, though the trait cannot be raised above the human limit of 5. The alchemist gains all of the benefits of the increased Attribute for the duration of the scene.

The four-dot version represents the alchemist’s great strides toward the achievement of spirituality. A successful use causes the character to transform into an ephemeral being, immaterial in the manner of a ghost for the duration of the scene. If the alchemist chooses to return to physical form, it takes her one action spent

concentrating to bring the ritual’s effect to an end. Any clothing worn or personal objects carried are transformed as well. Anything held in hand that’s larger than Size 3 cannot be changed.

A transformed character cannot affect the material world at all as she passes harmlessly through physical objects. She moves as fast as she normally would travel were she still physical. Being ephemeral allows her to affect other ephemeral beings, with “physical attacks,” social interaction or other powers.

Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult

Ritual Length: 30 minutes

Duration: One scene

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The jarring experience prevents the mystic from using this Merit again for the remainder of the scene.

Exceptional Success: The two-dot version grants an extra dot to the chosen Attribute (for a total of two). The four-dot version allows the alchemist to end her ephemeral existence reflexively at any time, returning to material form.

Communion (•• or ••••)
Effect: The thaumaturge is capable of connecting his consciousness to that of another being, generally a figure of godly intellect and incredible power. The experience is usually deeply personal and highly religious — one does not communicate directly with one’s divine inspiration without being changed by the experience.

The two-dot version of this Merit allows a character to reach out to the entity he considers his patron and open the way for the divine presence to communicate directly with him. This contact is one-way; the thaumaturge is limited to receiving whatever wisdom his patron desires to send without any ability to communicate in return. Spiritual figures of great power may be omniscient (or nearly so), and thus cognizant of a follower’s wishes. If the ritual succeeds, treat the effect as the Common Sense Merit

The four-dot version allows the performer to open the same pathway with the advantage of sending as well as receiving. Although the patron figure might choose to focus on matters different from what the character asks, revelations generally consist of warnings against particular courses of action, or of suggestions that will aid the goals of the thaumaturge. In terms of game mechanics, the wisdom transmitted means the thaumaturge may choose to treat an action of your choice as a rote action provided the character begins that action before the expiration of this ritual’s duration (one scene). If the action is extended, the rote-action rule applies to each roll in the process.

Dice Pool: Composure + Wits. Storytellers may choose to make these rolls to keep players unsure about the success of contact.

Ritual Length: One hour

Duration: One scene

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The thaumaturge experiences some sort of grand self-delusion that he mistakes for success. He suffers a mild derangement for •• or a severe one for ••••.

Exceptional Success: The communion results in particularly significant information, or is unusually clear. The Storyteller decides what that means in the game.

Countermagic (•• or ••••)
Prerequisites: Wits ••

Effect: One of the first questions that a new practitioner of magic is likely to ask is, “How do I defend myself against other people who can do magic?” Most paths provide some training in the arts of protecting oneself against hostile powers.

The two-dot version is based on the idea that first defense is being able to detect an attack. This ritual extends a mystic’s senses for a single scene, allowing her to detect the first thaumaturge ritual used against her during that time, whether the magic is intended for good or ill. Rites performed through a sympathetic connection are noticed, though the source may not be. She senses the beginning of the ritual, which may give her time to try to prevent its completion via other means.

The four-dot version weaves the will into a defensive barrier against hostile magic. If the character succeeds, she benefits from the effects of the two-dot version. If the first ritual to target her during the scene is one that

she would like to avoid, her Counter-magic also applies a –2 penalty to the caster’s ritual rolls. This defense works against mental assaults as well as physical ones— the magical energy intrinsic to the attack is what is blocked. Only one Counter-magic ward may apply to a character per scene, and the effect cannot be transferred to others.

Counter-magic applies against other thaumaturge rites only, not against the spells of mages or the powers of other supernatural creatures.

Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult

Ritual Length: One minute

Duration: One scene

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The thaumaturge weaves an ineffective Counter-magic field around her, providing no protection but potentially attracting the attention of those who can sense such things.

Curse of Ill-Fortune (•••)
Prerequisites: Luck Magic (•• or ••••) and Persuasion•

The character can inflict bad luck upon others. This spell is a basic curse intended to bring about ill-fortune when another person performs a specific type of action such as driving a car or making a speech.

The performer chooses both the target and the nature of the activity to be affected before dice are rolled. If the rite is successful, the curse removes a number of dice from the subject’s pool equal to the magician’s Manipulation for a number of rolls of the designated type equal to the caster’s Persuasion. If the player rolls an exceptional success, this curse applies to all rolls of the specified type that the target makes for duration.

Dice Pool: Manipulation + Persuasion versus Composure + Supernatural Advantage (extended and contested roll)

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Duration: One day

Divination (•••)
Effect: The thaumaturge performs ritual readings to divine the future. The character declares a target — a  person, place or thing. He can then attempt to divine the future of that subject. The information revealed is typically vague and difficult to comprehend until the predicted situation is imminent. This Merit grants use of the advanced-actions rule allowing the player to roll twice and choose the most beneficial result for a single action involving the target. The same target can be divined with this rite only once every 24 hours.

The thaumaturge cannot choose himself as the target, because the divination allows him to determine the future only as it relates to his own interaction with a subject.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Occult. The Storyteller may wish to roll secretly to keep the accuracy of the divination in question.

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The thaumaturge unwittingly receives a faulty answer, suffering a –2 die penalty to the action attempted.

Exceptional Success: The divination is more clear than normal. The thaumaturge gets use of the advanced actions rule for two rolls involving the target that day.

Evocation (•• or ••••)
Effect: Evocation is the art of compelling an ephemeral being to answer a summons. A thaumaturge with this Merit must choose a type of entity to be the Merit’s focus (Ghosts, Demons, Angels, Spirits, & Faeries are all examples), though she may learn other versions separately.

The two-dot version forcefully contacts a specific entity or sends out a general summoning to the nearest entity. In

either case, the being must be within visual or audible range to sense the thaumaturge. The character may summon an entity personally known to him (one that falls within any of the sympathy connection categories), or he may specify a type of entity of his choosing (males ghosts or fire spirits, for example).

At two dots, the thaumaturge cannot compel an entity to do anything other than attend his presence, though nothing prevents him from convincing or forcing the being to serve him by other means.

The four-dot version allows the performer to summon an entity and present it with a command that the entity

must follow for the duration of the scene. The Merit does not grant any special power of communication to the

thaumaturge, so the entity must be able to understand his command.

Dice Pool: Presence + Persuasion versus Resistance

(extended and contested roll)

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Duration: One scene

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The thaumaturge’s command is delivered to the entity without any force behind it. The ghost or spirit could feel anger toward the audacious caster.

Success: The thaumaturge summons the nearest entity matching his chosen description, provided that one is within range.

Exceptional Success: The evoker issues his command with great eloquence. The Storyteller should consider working with the player to eliminate potential loopholes in the wording.

Favorable Fortune (•••)
Prerequisites: Luck Magic (••••)

The magician creates a shift of destiny, effectively generating a highly directed turn of personal good luck. These small manipulations of fortune always take the form of totally plausible events. This ritual cannot provide a thaumaturge with more than $50 at a time, or produce any item whose value is greater than that unless the item has a significant drawback.

Dice Pool: Wits + Occult

Ritual Length: One minute

Duration: Lasting or one scene (minimum of one hour)

Healing (••••)
Prerequisites: Composure •• and Medicine •

The thaumaturge can use her magic to heal wounds and cure diseases for both humans and animals.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Empathy (or Animal Ken for healing animals) — the patient’s wound penalties

Ritual Length: 30 minutes

Duration: One week

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: Improperly channeled energies cause the thaumaturge to suffer one Health point of lethal

damage. Alternatively, the subject might suffer additional injury or have her disease worsen.

Failure: The thaumaturge fails to heal the subject.

Success: This ritual speeds the healing of all forms of damage by a factor of three. This ritual can cure

a mild or moderate disease such as influenza, tuberculosis, pneumonia or a mild skin cancer, and sends more serious diseases into remission for the duration.

Exceptional Success: The ritual speeds healing of all damage by a factor of five. An exceptional success is required to permanently cure otherwise “incurable” or exceptionally life-threatening diseases such as terminal cancer, AIDS

or Ebola.

Invocation (•• or ••••)
Effect: Invocation is the art of requesting an ephemeral being’s presence. This is merely a plea for help at its basic level, while advanced magicians are able to aid the supernatural entity that opts to answer by offering a gateway through which to interact with the physical world.

The mystic must choose a type of entity to be the Merit’s focus, as with Evocation, though the thaumaturge may learn other versions separately. Entities answering an invocation are generally much better disposed toward the caster than those summoned via Evocation. The Invocation Merit does not grant a thaumaturge the power to perceive Twilight.

The two-dot version allows the performer to attract the attention of a specific entity, or to send out a general call to the nearest entity. In either case, the respondent must be within range to sense the thaumaturge or the respondent does not perceive the request. The invoker may call an entity personally known to him, or may specify a type of entity of his choosing. The entity called may choose to ignore the request or answer it.

Invocation does not grant any control over an entity; the character must strike a deal of some kind in order to accomplish her goals.

The four-dot version acts as the first with the added benefit that the targeted entity gains the Possession Numen

if the entity does not normally have that power.

Dice Pool: Presence + Persuasion

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Duration: One scene

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The thaumaturge attracts the attention of the wrong spirit or ghost, probably one with mischievous or malicious intent.

Exceptional Success: The mystic’s performance pleases the target. For beings of very negative bent, this may simply mean the thaumaturge’s Invocation is ignored. Otherwise, apply a +1 bonus to Social rolls made with the entity for the duration of the scene.

Longevity (•••••)
Prerequisites: Medicine ••• and Alchemy (Internal) •••• and/or Alchemy (External) ••••

Effect: Your character possesses alchemical secrets of long life, achieved through a combination of medicinal and magical elixirs. Each application of alchemical Longevity keeps him from aging for the duration of the magic.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Medicine (or Science for plants or animals)

Duration Dice Penalty

24 hours               0

One week             –1

One month          –3

Duration: Varies

Minimum Successes Required (target’s real age): 10 (25 years or less), 15 (26–50 years), 20 (51–75 years), 25 (76+ years)

Ritual Length: One hour

Roll Results'''

Exceptional Success: The elixir is of twice the normal potency, effectively preventing aging for twice the intended duration.

Luck Magic (•• or ••••)
The thaumaturge gains the ability to control chance and bend luck in his favor, improving his success at specific tasks. No character can be affected by more than one luck ritual (of any type) at a time, and the magician can successfully perform this ritual only once per day.

At two dots, the thaumaturge can grant himself the 9 again effect (reroll results of 9 and 10) on a number of his future dice rolls equal to his Manipulation, as long as all of these rolls are of a specified type and they all take place during the duration of this ritual. The player must choose the exact nature of the situation benefited before rolling dice for the ritual.

Dice Pool: Manipulation + Occult

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Duration: One day

At four dots, the thaumaturge can grant himself the 8 again effect (reroll results of 8, 9 and 10) on a number of rolls equal to his Manipulation. Alternatively, the magician can grant another subject a 9 again effect on a number of rolls equal to his Manipulation.

Scrying (•••)
Prerequisites: Wits •• and Occult •

Effect: The magician can view a location remotely. She can both see and hear the location normally, allowing her to overhear conversations or read text on a distant computer screen, all as if she were physically present.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Investigation

Ritual Length: One minute

Duration: Trance

Ritual rolls are modified by the thaumaturge’s magical connection to the location. Because the mystic is in a light trance, she can talk softly, write or type while continuing to view a distant location. She must use a magical connection to perform this ritual and can see the location only from the point of view of the subject to which her magical connection is linked.

Second Sight (•••)
Prerequisites: Wits ••

Effect: a thaumaturge temporarily gains the ability to see and hear Entities hidden in a state of Twilight.

Dice Pool: Wits + Occult

Ritual Length: One minute

Duration: One scene

Warding (•••)
Prerequisites: Resolve •• and Occult •

Effect: Your magician can create a magical barrier around an area to keep out ghosts and spirits. This barrier can be created as a general ward that keeps out all low-level entities, or as a powerful barrier designed to protect against a single supernatural being.

When creating a ward against a specific ghost or spirit, a mystic does not need to know the name of the entity — an obvious designation, such as “the ghost of the young man who was murdered here” or “the spider-like spirit that has been attempting to possess the inhabitants of this house” is a sufficiently accurate description.

All wards have a Strength rating. This score is subtracted from the Power of any affected ghost or spirit that seeks to enter the area. If the entity’s Power would be reduced to zero, the entity cannot enter the area.

Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult

Ritual Length: 10 minutes

Duration: One day (against all spirits and ghosts) or one week (against a specific spirit or ghost)

Success: The thaumaturge creates a ward with a Strength equal to his Resolve. Alternatively, a mystic can create a ward against a specific spirit or ghost with a Strength equal to his Resolve +1

Exceptional Success: The thaumaturge creates a ward against all spirits with a Strength equal to his Resolve +1. General wards last for three full days. Alternatively, the thaumaturge can create a ward against a specific spirit or ghost with a Strength equal to his Resolve +2. Specific wards''' last for two weeks.'''