Tag: Occult
Mana Reservoir ( Occult Anima)
Posted on May 6, 2021 in D20 Feature iCore Trait
A Mana Reservoir is the Occult form of Anima Reservoir (granting both Well and Pool). This energy is also used to make and/or trigger Occult Empowered Items and Places. The act of manifesting specific Occult Power/Capability using Mana (see hereafter) is referred to as Casting.
Feature Type: Occult
This reservoir grants a measure of the Anima energy known as Mana.
Acquiring and Improving Synergy Reservoirs: Follows standard Anima Reservoir’s methods. Its applicable aptitude is Occult.
Meditative Flows
The following capabilities can be enacted using Chi, but requires Meditation.
Dangers and Weaknesses
The reservoir can suffer Mana Corruption from several external sources.
Occult Aptitude
Posted on November 19, 2018 in Aptitude
A permanent change in the Talent Level of this Aptitude triggers an instance of Actuated Awareness.
iCore™Occult Engagement: Having Occult Aptitude and/or occult capability (powers, traits, features using occult [Mana] energy). It is fundamentally the power of revealing the energy of creation to alter The Pattern. A character who takes on this engagement as a primary path of character development is referred to as a Magus. A permanent change in the score of this Aptitude triggers an Actuated Awareness. The act of manifesting specific Occult Power/Capability using Mana (see hereafter) is referred to as Casting.
Petitioning for Occult Power: For more information of the actions and perspectives on this, see the Guide for the Magus.
Occult Energy: Mana
Mana allows a character to manipulate object, powers, and features based on occult bonds to The Pattern. To consciously and freely gain and use Mana, a character must have a Essence and a Mana Pool. Occult Aptitude provides a basic amount in a Mana Pool, but Mana can be developed independent of it.
D20d20™ Occult Aptitude Mechanics
Requirements: Adoption of a Primary Class and Primary Ability. * No Aptitude power can be exercised unless the character’s level is equal to the Aptitude rating. *
Primary Classes: Bard (College of Lore only), Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard, Fighter (Eldritch Knight – Occult Chronicle or Minor Pact), Rogue (Arcane Trickster – Occult Chronicle or Minor Pact)
Primary Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom
Characters must choose their Primary Class if they have not already (they may only possess 1). This class must be one in which they have a level in. The character must choose their Primary Ability if they have not already (they may only possess 1); It must be on the list of the class’s Proficient Abilities.
Occult Group: A Coven; Requires 3+ occultists can combine powers
All occult abilities manifest as if it were a normal spell for requirements and effects, unless specifically noted. All spells are cast at the Occult Class level, or minimum level needed to cast (whichever is greater). If an aptitude power is not normally usable by the Occult Class, the character can still use it.
- Major Occultists: These have a deep background of regimen, discipline, and experience.
- Minor Occultists: This represents a tangential, minimal, or passing interest only. These include: Magic Initiate and Ritual Caster that use Wizard/Bard/Sorcerer/Warlock spells with Occult Chronicle or Minor Pact as their source.
| Rating | Cost | Description (Cumulative Effects) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 Essence |
Natural Discernment: +1 on checks for Occult Phenomenon Natural Affinity: The character may Attune a single Empowered Occult Item without Pledging Essence. |
| 2 | 4 Essence(9 total) |
|
| 3 | 3 Essence(12 total) |
|
| 4 | 2 Essence(14 total) | Vital Conduit = Gleaning Retrieval: [1 Mana] as part of a Mystic Offering to Glean Mana from a magical/mystical object. |
| 4 @ time of Character Inception | ||
| Aspect | Aptitude 1 | Aptitude 2 | Aptitude 3 | Aptitude 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aegis Power | Occult Aegis (As an Action; +2 AC; treated as abjuration or conjuration; lasts 10 minutes and shimmers – Stealth is not possible; no concentration needed) | +1 Greater Resilience, Non-Detection | +1 Counter Spell (targeting self only), +1 Greater Resilience (can spend both at once) | |
| Attunement | Can attune an additional occult item (requiring the OCcult Class). | Can attune an additional occult item (requiring the Occult Class). | ||
| Occult Alacrity | Can use 1 Mana to suspend a readied spell to persist for up to 1 hour. | A readied spell gets the occultist’s Occult Aptitude rating as an Initiative bonus and it cannot be interrupted when cast. | ||
| Occult Assistant | Unseen Servant gains a movement rate same as Occultist’s species normal | Unseen Servant gains bonus HP and Strength = Occult Aptitude | If the occultist is within 100’ of an object that they own or are attuned to, the assistant can fetch the item and return if the occultist does not move more than 30’ before it returns. | Unseen Servant enhances Mage Hand so that its activity once cast runs as a Bonus Action |
| Occult Inspiration | 1 Mana gains a +1 on an Arcana check (maximum bonus +4 on any single check) | |||
| Occult Power | +1 Spell Slot (1st level only). | +1 Spell Slot (1st or 2nd level) | ||
| Ritualist | The character gains knowledge of one 1st level spell of their class that can be ritualized. | Swap out a prepared ritual spell per Short Rest (10 minute * spell level) | Character can prepare an extra spell as long as it a spell that can be ritualized; or The character gains knowledge of one 1st level ritual spell of any class. | |
| Sense Magic | Detect Magic uses a Bonus Action instead | Detect Magic range is x Occult Aptitude | Detect Magic duration is x Occult Aptitude | Detect Magic requires no Concentration |
| Student of Magic | +1 Spells Known (of 1st level only) | +1 Prepared Spell or +1 Spells Known (1st or 2nd level) | +1 Spells Known (1st or 2nd level) & +1 to Spell Attack Modifier | +1 Prepared Spell or Spells Known |
| 1/Short Rest Powers | Detect Magic, Unseen Servant | Long Strider, Occult Aegis | Arcanist’s Magic Aura | Shield |
| 4 @ time of Character Inception | ||||
High Occultist
Once the Occult Level has exceeded aptitude (5th).
- Bard: They gain a wizard school, and Bardic Inspiration is doubled when used resisting spells, +1 Spells Known and +1 Spell Slot
- Sorcerer: +1 Sorcery Point, +1 Metamagic, Regain +1 Sorcery point per Short Rest, +1 Spell Known
- Warlock: +1 spells known. +1 Spell Slot and +1 Eldritch Invocation when they get their pact boon OR can use their 6th level warlock powers twice as often. Their curses after they get their pact boon are stronger as well. Bane is always maximum penalty, and Bestow Curse has disadvantage on its save.
- Wizard: Gains a 2nd level ability from another school (not any tradition – must be a school of magic) at 5th and another at 10th (or the 6th level ability in the first one), +1 cantrip, can use 5 mana to cast Detect Magic, +1 to Arcane Recovery, +1 prepared spell.
House Narcosa (Necromancer Order of Salt Shore)
Posted on November 8, 2016 in Steel-Realms
House Narcosa is a standard Occult Order of the Steel Realms with standard benefits geared to the magus.
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution generally follows the Occult Culture of the Realms; It maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members and the Mystical Discernment service of the Ryadian Oblis in most of its chapter houses and affiliate locations.
Sorcerers Prohibited: This order, as with all formal and accepted Occult Orders and Institutions & Factions of the Steel Realms Heartlands, does not accept Practitioners of Sorcery into their ranks since the Purge of the Hidden in CY 5009 – CY 5311, and is duty bound to report them to the Guild of Solars when they are encountered.
“Order of Narcosa, The House of Necromancy”: House Narcosa (sometimes referred to as a ‘guild’) is one of the only 2 major notable institutions to focus on Necromancy in the realms. Understandably so, as their livelihood deals with the undead mostly, and there is a lot of fear and misunderstanding of their order. The order also has a special relationship with the fallen death god Djerduth. The order promotes the old gods ways, carrying on the religious traditions of death as a natural part of life, and seeking its mysteries to better understand the living. Far from the “death-worshiping anemic” its enemies portray it as, its members are the most physically fit and robust of wizardly orders – they practice medicine and are adherents of physical exercise and know the body and its workings like few others. The order serves as healers even in some places, such as North Gate Garrison They are THE premier operators against the undead there and other places in the north, though they number few and ways are kept secret. The Narcosan Watchers is a sect in the order that learns to repair the worst bone and tissue breaks, and can even repair animations.
Deepstone Archive of Rhylan in the Forest of Rhyl is overseen by the Duke of Rhyl’s house mages and priests, in addition to Rhylander Green Conjurists and House Narcosa – helping to keep copies of a lot of it in the Libraries of Port Towne.The small order has been around for thousands of years. It is a fortified tower atop a granite 120’ x 70’ shelf that pushes 20’ above soil level.
Resolute: The lands and city of Reedbed was sacked, it stood. The town of Salt Shore burned, it stood. The shipyards of Salt Shore burned and the city sacked… it stood. Pirates took control of Salt Flats for years… it stood. The Purge of Hermenna ousted every malign master and apprentice along the shores of Lake Caolite in 9120 – it was left untouched. Each time the order survived and came out to treat the wounded and bury the dead. Every time some would-be ruler of the town surrounding it threatened the order, the threats quickly stopped. It is unknown what leverage the order has, but no one has tested it. The order is famous in the north, all around the massive Lake Caolite. Disease outbreaks, seasonal debilitation’s, crop death, clashes of armies, plague… always will they be there. The clergy of Aerna, even the White Sisters, admit to their prowess (albeit grudgingly). When possible, they maintain a fast sloop in Salt Shore, and can go anywhere on the shores of the lake to aid after any disaster – no questions asked, no port dues, no tithes.
- Occult Theme/Motif: Red & White Feathers/Streamers
- Presence Levels: Preeminent in northern heartlands; Order houses all over the north…
- Major: Township of Saltmarch, Lake Caolite (shores)
- Minor: North Gate Garrison, Lim, Arminsted
- Trivial: Twin Springs, Karolak, Soriano, Thurlow
- Alliances: None
- Occult Focus: Schools of Magical Study…
- Major: Necromancy
- Minor:
- Trivial:
- Familiar Specialty: Lesser Homonculous
Fetus like flesh creation @6th (in addition to any other familiar!); AC 12, HD: 1/HP = 4 [Cost = 180 silvers] Dexterity/Wisdom 15, Strength (half creators current; 5), Charisma 3, All Others 10
Never sleeps, never tires, cannot be charmed or slept; sees through illusions. Speaks with creators voice.
Stealth +4, Perception +3, Athletics +3 & Gets creators proficiency bonus. - Potion Specialty: Detect Life [Major Cost Portion/unlimited (2 at a time) for Major Presence]; INT x 10′ range, per Detect Magic
- Scroll Specialty: False Life- “Stolen Life”; Ritual (DC 13) practiced in the Heartlands using special oils and written on prepared skin of a fallen foe (150 silvers) gains an extra +1 HP and immune to Chill Touch until the spell ends or HP used.
- Lore Specialty: +1 Lores when trained for Cleric 1: Undead, Animations/Constructs, Diseases, Poisons.
Standard Rank Links
- Apprentice: A character just graduating is given 4 apprentice chain links. This symbolizes the awareness of the living, the eyes that behold north, south, east and west and allow the apprentice to determine their direction; They are painted to look like an eye.
> 5th Apprentice link; “Inner Eye”: If the apprentice can survive a test of physical endurance (DC 10 Constitution) while reciting the proper ritual seeking knowledge (DC 10 Arcana) they are given a 5th link -a black eye – to add to their Chain of Authority, and allow them to seek Eye of the Child.
Honors and Medals Links
- Eye of the Child:
- Square Link: Essentially 2 eyes. It allows the wearer to remove 2 of the apprentice links and use them in a Lesser Homunculus – where they transform into real eyes and allow the Necromancer double the bonded range.
- Rounded Link: The Necromancer may have the guild tattoo an eye upon the palm of their hand. It requires a 1 HP sacrifice permanently. The eye can see as the dead see up to 60′ – even in total and magical darkness. When the Necromancer casts False Life, it grants them 1 extra HP.
- Caress of the Dead: At 3rd level/2nd level Cleric, the character may Offer to Djerduth 1 hp permanently to transform one of their hands into a Crawling Claw that operates as a normal black hand but can detach. If it dies, it will reform after a Long Rest.
| Threshold | Offering |
|---|---|
| 1st | |
| 4th | |
| 7th | |
| 11th |
Death God’s Servants
The guild members can gain Piety from the death god; they must have Religion as a skill
Adventures
Narcosa CycleOrder of the Stone Hand/Graven Glyph
Posted on June 28, 2016 in Steel-Realms
Order of the Stone Hand is a standard Occult Order of the Steel Realms with standard benefits geared to the magus.
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution generally follows the Occult Culture of the Realms; It maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members and the Mystical Discernment service of the Ryadian Oblis in most of its chapter houses and affiliate locations.
Sorcerers Prohibited: This order, as with all formal and accepted Occult Orders and Institutions & Factions of the Steel Realms Heartlands, has an official policy to not accept Practitioners of Sorcery into their ranks. This has been true since the Purge of the Hidden in CY 5009 – CY 5311, and is duty bound to report them to the Guild of Solars when they are encountered.
Also known as the Order of the Graven Glyph. When it was created, it was created under the this name, and it attempted to bridge the efforts of House Malor in Dunstrand and the Northern Merchant Cities in providing a neutral party for peace negotiations and monitoring arcane perils between the two territories.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
Karolak
Paul Dorn
All mages of the order carry a rod of power, attuned to the Graven Glyph. The rod allows them to enter the formal audience chambers in the guild hall, and identifies them. Each apprentice must find a unique material or item out of which to craft their own rod. Rods average around 1m in length – some have been used as maces and are made for physical combat, others purely for magical powers and status display.
House Mataff (Occult Order of the Hinterlands)
Posted on June 3, 2016 in Steel-Realms
House Mataff is a standard Occult Order of the Steel Realms with standard benefits geared to the magus.
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution generally follows the Occult Culture of the Realms; It maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members and the Mystical Discernment service of the Ryadian Oblis in most of its chapter houses and affiliate locations.
Sorcerers Prohibited: This order, as with all formal and accepted Occult Orders and Institutions & Factions of the Steel Realms Heartlands, has an official policy to not accept Practitioners of Sorcery into their ranks. This has been true since the Purge of the Hidden in CY 5009 – CY 5311, and is duty bound to report them to the Guild of Solars when they are encountered.
House Mataff of South Drift – a small order of mages which pursue academic ends; recovery of lost artifacts and knowledge from the ancient northern kingdom. They have long sought out ways of holding back the undead from the ancient places of the north – despite being focused on divination and seeking out lost knowledge (they are rumored to have unearthed their signature ‘frost sigil’ from ancient sources in Fallen Dundaria), they are known as excellent defenders against minor undead. It helps maintain a “Scroll Vault” of the Thanes Library in South Drift that is erected and maintained there – safeguarding knowledge of the northlands.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
- Presence Levels: Preeminent in South Drift only; Major, Minor, Trivial
– Order Houses in the Hinterlands only. - Alliances:
- Occult Focus: Schools of Magical Study…
- Major: Divination
- Minor:
- Trivial:
- Familiar Specialty: Owl [+5 hp]
- Potion Specialty: Clairvoyance [Major Cost Portion/unlimited (2 at a time) for Major Presence]
- Scroll Specialty: Augury – “The Voice in the Cold Mist”; Ritual practiced in the Hinterlands or Fallen Dundaria can get an extra use per day without penalty by invoking Frost Sigil Power
- Lore Specialty: Undead, Monster, Kaald, Dundaria, Kalascor, Hinterlands
Sigaek’s Breath Variant: Sigil of Frost (“Mist-Sigil of Mataffrey”) – Those not of the order take 1 Cold Damage each sunrise while wearing it; -1 damage from any cold damage source (Occult Affinity or Aptitude); Chill Touch +1 damage and undead -1 saves
> Frost Sigil Power [-1 Essence; tied to Frost Sigil/only Major Presence members or better] they damage increase for Chill Touch happens 1 level less, i.e @4th, etc. If they are in Kaald or Dundaria, for each 4 levels the undead save is additional -1 vs. Chill Touch.
| Threshold | Offering |
|---|---|
| 1st | |
| 4th | |
| 7th | |
| 11th |