Mystical Discernment (service)

Posted on September 12, 2023 in Mystic

The identification of magic items is a risky proposition. Many entities, institutions, organizations, and individuals can perform the Rituals of Knowing or Aura discernment to make basic perceptions of an item or effect; the full spectrum of assessing are referred to as the practice of Mystical Discernment. Most often, this full operation is performed at high cost and risk by professionals who are set up to handle the eventualities that may go with this – such as a magus using a safe Place of Focus, standard material reagents and following strict safety protocols using mystical protections.

Powers/effects that manifest this are capable of discerning Marks of Impact from such things as taints and corruptions of the target’s Aura.

Culture of Discernment: Most specialize in their own related mystical practice (by Aptitude) instead of the entire mystical spectrum. Open operators will often perform assessments for money for outsiders, and either reduced cost or as a service for members, subscribers, or followers. Very few settings will have “magic shops” per se, though they could be sellers of curios, charms, etc. It is more cost effective for larger organizations to offer this than individual purveyors of related mystical practices.

Mystic Services/Identifying Properties of Mystical Items

There are no “magic shops” per se, in the realms. There are individual practitioners and purveyors, in addition to a a pair of arcanist mercantile outfits. The competition between the institutions of Quizmans Magusterum and Theurgi Emporium stays in peaceful and this is closely monitored to prevent violence by the Guild of Solars.

Typical/Expected Reveals: Magic/Mystic items are typically Singularly Bound, requiring Essence.

Base Cost: 50% Cost Portion for the setting on average; This includes basic properties, charges, name, and whether or not it is cursed or sentient in any way.

Extended Cost(s): A additional 50%-100% Cost Portion for the setting. If the item was cursed, an added cost is required to rid the experimenter of it. If the item requires Attunement to discern its properties, an additional fee is required to break it quickly.

Typical Base Discernment Outcomes

1. If it is in fact mystical, its related capabilities (Aptitude), and what type of dweomer (domain/schools) are present.
2. The presence of The World Beyond properties.
3. The presence of sentience, the name it goes by, its basic stated purpose/motivations and rough Code of Conduct required to wield it in service to its purpose.
4. The aura projected for its origins: creature type, and suitability as material reagents.
5. The presence of a specific Divine Bond, Conviction, and related faith.
6. The presence of curses (though not always their results).
7. Requirements to activate: Anima energy, command word, etc.
8. The presence of a Lesser Attunement (1 Essence) and its details.
9. The presence (though no details about) of a Greater Attunement (2+ Essence).
10. The presence (though no details about) of a Superior Attunement (3+ Essence).

Typical Extended Discernment Outcomes

1. Additional histories, major attunement properties, etc. are not part of the “report” on an item. This can be done or may have to be done purely as a mundane research project.
2. The presence of a Greater Attunement (1 Essence) and its details.
3. The presence of a Superior Attunement (1 Essence) and its details.

Empowerment (on items, places, reagents, etc.)

Posted on September 28, 2022 in Mystic

Magical Empowerments are the application of mystical powers to a target to enhance its normal function beyond its normal capabilities. They are accomplished using consumable reagents and various methodologies – Alchemical (a type of mystic chemistry), Expression (mystic movements, maneuvers and poses), Inscription (mystic writing and attendant materials – inks, etc.), and Recitations (mystic words of power, etc.) – and Aptitude Engagement. Most require some form of permanent Anima energy using the energy pools. All mystic empowerments are made with sterile and typically expensive materials and processes; Failure to do so results in a high chance of corruption and/or failure. Some are Singularly Bound (typically to the creator), and can only be wielded or triggered by a specific Essence/Entity.

Simple Empowered Items contain a single or limited use application (charges), and are actuated by a trigger. The vast majority are Mystic Universals. Mystical Universals do not require any Affinity to wield or trigger. Once they are created, they can be wielded or triggered by anyone using them appropriately. After that, Aptitude Affinity is the most common requirement, along with Anima Energy to trigger.

Complex Empowered Items have permanent effects that are can be activated repeatedly or have passive effects that are always employed. Simple empowerments have a limited cost to the creator and are more prevalent.

Empowerment Properties

Empowerments affixed to a place or item share a set of common properties.

• Standard Augmentation: Uniform “pluses”.
• Affinity: Basic Attunement or a Bond, Aptitude Measurement, Code or Compulsion that must be shared with the item to wield it.
• Trigger: A trigger is an act which, when performed, manifests an instance of the empowerment. An Empowered Trigger is a trigger that also requires the use of Anima Energy (ex: “point the wand at a target, utter the command word and spend 1 Mana”). Weak Aptitude Affinity allows the wielder to spend one of the associated Anima Pool for each measure of Aptitude required. Once an instance is used, if that is the only or last remaining charge, the item experiences Dissolution – the anima used is returns to its native Weave in The Pattern. Many different triggers (and multiple) can exist on an empowerment drinking a potion, saying a trigger word of a wand, waving a fan as a triggering gesture, stepping a certain way on holy ground.

Stacking Empowered Effects

The highest level of empowerment is what will be applied – normally combined empowerments are not cumulative.

Anima Manifestation

Posted on June 28, 2022 in Mystic

Using Anima to replace Material consumption (Manifestation Aspect) in Low Art spell castings of Magic.

An entity may use 1 [anima] to manifest elements for a tier of Materials for Casting. A character may empower a casting to substitute for the Pervasive/Common materials (1% Cost Portion) or increase the material empowerment by 1 + a [related Aptitude]. Example: A character without any materials or Mystic Focus Point Item may use 1 anima {Mana} to substitute or increase the material empowerment to the Uncommon (10% Cost Portion). If they have {Occult} Aptitude, they may increase the material empowerment 1 level for each point of Anima (5 {mana} for 100% Cost Portion).

A Mystic Focus Point Item, a Place of Focus or Anima Manifestation can be used to create the necessary elements that would normally be consumed in the casting of a spell. An entity must have an anima pool in order to manifest for material consumption.

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Energy Pools

• Negation Reservoir (Void)
• Anima Energy Reservoirs
• Synergy Reservoir ( Divine Anima)

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Spell Manipulation using Blood Magic

Posted on January 18, 2022 in Mystic

Blood Magic can use Vital Reserves to recover reservoirs of spell power or dynamically cast a spell. A Measure is the volume of what is affected, and the Means is how Measures are gained. Using Blood Magic will often leave a Mark of Wickedness, regardless of the intent or nature of what is to be gained.

Common Requirements:

• Significant time to acquire/achieve outside of Character Inception.
• Advanced concepts like this require progressively more advanced communication skills; This Requires Study + A Measure of Understanding = a specific and appropriate phenomenological Lore level (Accomplished for Lesser and Expert for Greater). Each Vital Reserve is a separate learned process that the practitioner must acquire.

  Mixing Vital Reserves when doing blood magic manipulation: Using different reserves for each measure requires that the procedures for all to be used are known (learned), AND having proficiency in a Mystic Practice, and a level of Lore in the associated Phenomenology GREATER than the Vital Reserve level is required.

Lesser Blood Magic Spell Manipulation

Involves replenishing a spell reservoir.

Greater Blood Magic Spell Manipulation

Involves casting a spell directly.

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