Invocation
Invocation is the art of drawing or writing an inscription onto an object and investing it with magic. The object can then later be used to cast a specific spell, or to use a damage call or some other magical ability.
Invocation usually combines the efforts of a crafter (to make the object), an alchemist (to brew the special ink or amalgam for drawing the symbol) and a magician (to invest it with magic).
Using Invocation Items
Invocation items always have a limited number of charges and an expiry. Once all charges are used, or when the item expires, the invocation fades. Sometimes the item is destroyed, depending on the type of item. Invocation items cannot be recharged or extended, but if the item isn't destroyed it may be invested again.
Using an invocation item doesn't require any skill in invocation or spellcasting. It doesn't spend the user's own magic points. Items can be activated in any weight of armour.
The user of an invocation item must be able to read and understand the inscription to use it. In play, this means being able to see the item, although a blind or visually-impaired character can roleplay reading an invocation item by touch (similar to reading Braille).
Otherwise, using such items follows all the same rules as casting a spell. This absolutely includes full spell vocals – these items do not allow "snap casting"!
Invocation Items
Invocation items are crafted items, inscribed using special ink or metal inlay and magically invested. Every invocation item has an item card describing the investment and the number of charges.
Once invested, invocation items count as enchanted, and all usual rules for enchanted items apply.
Inscriptions
The inscription on an invocation item represents the spell invested in it. It is drawn onto the item in ink (which may be magical), or inlaid into the surface in metal, depending on the type of item. An inscription may be a word, a whole spell, a picture or a set of sigils.
Players may add the inscription to the suitable prop, although this is not required. The item card must describe the inscription, or at least say which spell is invested in it.
Types of Item
- Trinkets: Small baubles marked with any suitable symbol in mundane (non-magical) ink, that can hold 1 charge of a lesser spell until the end of the day. Trinkets are limited to specific spells.
- Sigil stones: Small tablets marked with sigils in magical ink, that can hold 1 charge of any spell until the end of the event. Sigil stones must be inscribed with specific sigils.
- Scrolls: Paper or vellum sheets written with spell vocals in magical ink, that can hold 1 charge of any spell for 1 year.
- Talismans: Jewellery, weapons or wooden batons, inscribed with specially created magic-rich metals called amalgams, that can hold 9 charges of any spell for 1 year. The form of the talisman determines which spells can be invested in it.
The greatest of invokers are said to create staffs, powerful talismans invested with many spells and abilities.
Tattoos
Invocations can be tattooed onto a person's skin by a surgeon. There are tattoo equivalents of all types of item above. The main benefit is that they cannot be stolen, although they also cannot be shared or given.
Tattoos function in all ways like regular invocation items. This includes the user having to read and understand the tattoo to invoke it. Tattoos cannot be invoked when concealed under clothes.
Creating an Invocation Item
There are four parts to creating an invocation item: a crafted base, a magically rich medium, an inscription describing the spell, and the investment empowering it. These parts vary depending on the type of item.
Trinkets
Trinkets hold 1 charge of a lesser spell until the end of the day they are invested. When the spell is cast, or at the end of the day, the trinket is destroyed, crumbling to dust.
Trinkets can normally only be invested with one of the spells Lesser Healing, Mend or Spirit Reading.
- Base: A trinket is a special crafting design known to all crafters (i.e. anyone with the Artisan, Blacksmith or Jeweller skill). Crafting 3 trinkets costs 1 ordinary-grade crafting material (any) and 3 work units (i.e. one third of a material and 1 work unit per trinket).
- Medium: A trinket must be inscribed with 1 ink, a very common resource that can be refined from charcoal by an Alchemist or Artisan.
- Inscription: A trinket usually has a very simple inscription. Possibilities include the name of the spell, the Corporeal, Elemental or Spiritual sigil, or just staining it a representative colour. A trinket can be inscribed by the crafter, the invoker or someone else.
- Rite: Trinkets are invested using the Invest Trinket rite. The invoker must have the Charm Invocation skill and the spellcasting skill for the spell to be invested. This is a short (2 minute) rite investing up to 3 trinkets at a cost of 2 magic points per trinket.
Trinkets may be invested with one of the spells Lesser Healing, Mend or Spirit Reading. All trinkets invested in the same rite must be invested with the same spell.
With research, a crafter can learn to craft a reusable trinket, or an improved trinket able to hold a spell to the end of the event, or a trinket able to hold the spell Countermagic. Investing a Countermagic trinket also requires research by the invoker.
Scrolls
Scrolls hold 1 charge of a lesser or greater spell for 1 year after investment. When the spell is cast, or at the end of the year, the scroll is destroyed, crumbling to dust.
Scrolls can be invested with any spell known to the invoker. It is not usually possible to invest a scroll with a rite. A scroll of any spell with levels (e.g. any Banishing spell) is usually limited to the minimum (level 2). The caster cannot use their own magic to add to this level.
- Base: A scroll of a lesser spell requires scroll paper, a special crafting design known to any Artisan. Crafting 1 scroll paper costs 1 paper (O), 1 fluid and 2 work units. A scroll of a greater spell requires scroll vellum, a design known to any Papermaker. Crafting 1 scroll vellum costs 1 leather (H), 1 fluid and 3 work units.
- Medium: A scroll must be inscribed with magical ink, a special potion brewed by an Alchemist. A pot of magical ink consists of 6 doses. Inscribing a scroll with a lesser spell uses 2 doses of magical ink (i.e. one third of a pot), while inscribing a scroll with a greater spell consumes 6 doses (i.e. a whole pot).
- Inscription: A scroll is usually inscribed with the name and full spell vocals for the spell, although some scrolls also include a description of the spell and its effects. A scroll can be inscribed by the crafter, the invoker or someone else.
- Rite: Scrolls are invested using the Invest Scroll rite. The invoker must have the Charm Invocation skill and the spellcasting skill for the spell to be invested. This is a short (2 minute) rite investing 1 scroll at a cost of 3 times the casting cost of the spell (i.e. 3 magic points for a lesser spell or 6 magic points for a greater spell).
Any invoker can invest a scroll for an exalted spell, provided they know and can cast the spell. This requires a special scroll (which must be researched by a Papermaker) and special ink (which must be researched by an Imbuer).
With research, an invoker can learn to invest a scroll with a rite, or a scroll of a levelled spell above the minimum.
Sigil Stones
Sigil stones normally hold 1 charge of a lesser or greater spell until the end of the event they are invested. When the spell is cast, or at the end of the event, the stone is destroyed, crumbling to dust.
Stones can be invested with any spell known to the invoker, with the same restrictions as scrolls (see above). Unlike scrolls and trinkets, however, a stone must be engraved and inscribed with the correct combination of sigils for the spell to be invested in it.
- Base: A sigil stone is a special crafting design known to any Artisan. Crafting 1 sigil stone engraved with up to 3 common sigils costs 1 stone (O), 1 sand and 2 work units.
- Medium: A stone must be engraved by the crafter with two or more sigils, then inscribed with magical ink, a special potion brewed by an Alchemist. A pot of magical ink consists of 6 doses, and each common sigil consumes 1 dose.
- Inscription: A stone must be inscribed with the right combination of sigils for the desired effect. A standard sigil stone requires 2 common sigils for a lesser spell or 3 common sigils for a greater spell.
- Rite: Stones are invested using the Invest Stone rite. The invoker must have the Charm Invocation skill and the spellcasting skill for the spell to be invested. This is a short (2 minute) rite investing up to 3 stones at a cost of 2 times the casting cost of the spells (i.e. 2 magic points per lesser spell or 4 magic points per greater spell). All stones invested in the same rite must be invested with the same spell.
An invoker can, with research, learn to invest a stone with a levelled spell above level 2, with a rite, with up to 3 charges, or to last up to a year. They can also learn to invest variant forms of spells in various ways. Almost all research along these lines involves unlocking special sigils, which the crafter must also learn how to engrave.
Any invoker can invest a stone for an exalted spell, provided they know and can cast the spell. This requires one or more combination sigils and special ink (which must be researched by an Imbuer).
| Magical Ink
Magical inks are a group of potions used for inscribing sigil stones and scrolls and making tattoos. All alchemists know at least one ink recipe. More advanced inks are usually not more powerful, but more efficient (i.e. cheaper) and specific.
Scrolls and sigil stones for exalted spells always require specially-researched inks. The recipe is different for each exalted spell (there is no all-purpose exalted ink!). |
Talismans
Talismans hold 9 charges of a lesser or greater spell for 1 year after investment.
When the last spell is cast, or at the end of the year, the inscription crumbles to dust and the enchantment fades. The base returns to a mundane item, which can be invested again, unless its original expiry has passed.
Talismans can be invested with any spell known to the invoker, with the same restrictions as for scrolls and stones above. The choice of spell depends on the form of the talisman:
- Amulets: Pieces of personal jewellery that can carry personal, defensive or information spells.
- Brands: Weapons that can carry any of the spells Corporeal Weapon, Elemental Weapon or Spiritual Weapon.
- Wands: Wooden batons that can carry ranged spells.
Talismans can be made in other forms, such as a glove carrying a touch spell, or a cloak carrying a concealing or defensive spell, but these require research from both a crafter and an invoker.
Creating talismans of all types follows the same rules.
- Base: Any talisman requires a suitable mastercrafted item. This may include a piece of jewellery for an amulet, or a small or one-handed weapon for a brand. A wand is a design known to any Carpenter. Crafting 1 wand costs 1 wood (H), 1 oil and 9 work units. The base must be inscribed with amalgam by the crafter.
- Medium: Any talisman must be inscribed by the crafter with amalgam, a special metal smelted by an Imbuer. Inscribing a talisman with a lesser spell uses 1 amalgam, while inscribing a talisman with a greater spell consumes 2 amalgams.
- Inscription: A talisman is usually inscribed with the name of the spell, although some may feature the spell vocals, or the sigils for the spell.
- Rite: Talismans are invested using the Invest Talisman rite. The invoker must have the Talisman Invocation skill and the spellcasting skill for the spell to be invested. This is a short (2 minute) rite investing 1 talisman at a cost of 2 times the total casting cost of the spells (i.e. 18 magic points for 9 charges of a lesser spell or 36 magic points for 9 charges of a greater spell).
With research, an invoker can learn to invest a talisman with a rite, or with a levelled spell above the minimum.
Other, more complex and powerful talismans – including exalted spells – require sigil research.
| Amalgam
Amalgams are a group of alchemical metals used for making talismans. They serve the same purpose as magical ink on a scroll. The crafter uses the amalgam to work the inscription into the surface of the base. Imbuers know four common amalgam recipes. Like inks, more advanced amalgams are usually not more powerful, but more efficient (i.e. cheaper) and specific.
Talismans for exalted spells always require specially-researched amalgam. The recipe is different for each exalted spell (there is no all-purpose exalted amalgam!). |
Tattoos
In a tattoo, the inscription is written directly on the subject's skin and magically invested.
Tattoos vary in size and detail. Smaller, simpler tattoos can be invested in the same way as trinkets, sigil stones or scrolls, while larger tattoos can be invested as talismans with multiple charges.
In all cases, the "base" of a tattoo is the subject's own body, and doesn't need crafting. The inscription is made by a Tattooist, using ink (usually magical).
- Trinket Tattoo: A tattoo around 1" (2.5cm) in diameter, costing 1 mundane ink and 1 work unit.
- Sigil Tattoo: A tattoo around 2" (5cm) in diameter, consisting of 2 or 3 common sigils, costing 1 dose of magical ink per sigil, and a total of 1 work unit.
- Scroll Tattoo: A tattoo around 3" (7.5cm) in diameter, costing 2 doses (for a lesser spell) or 1 pot (for a greater spell) of magical ink, and a total of 1 work unit.
- Talisman Tattoo: A tattoo around 6" (15cm) in diameter. A talisman tattoo for a lesser spell costs 2 pots of magical ink and 6 work units. A talisman tattoo for a greater spell costs 4 pots of magical ink and 12 work units.
Trinket, sigil and scroll tattoos can hold the same spells as the equivalent items, above. Talisman tattoos can usually hold any personal, defensive, information or touch spell.
The charges and duration, the details of the inscription, and the requirements for the investment rite are otherwise all as for the equivalent items above.
The Sigils
For most investments, an inscription can be any representation of the spell. But for sigil stones, the magician must use the sigils, the ancient language of symbols discovered by the fae.
This requires the right combination of sigils for the investment. Some combinations are well known, while others are yet to be unlocked.
For the spell itself, this involves two or more common sigils, describing the spell. The common sigils needed for some of the best known spells follow:
| Spell | Names of Sigils | Sigils |
|---|---|---|
| Aura of Defence | Elemental, War, Mastery |   
|
| Fear | Spirit, War | 
|
| Fumble | Corporeal, Corruption |  
|
| Lesser Healing | Corporeal, Creation | 
|
| Mend | Elemental, Artifice | 
|
| Paralysis | Corporeal, Solid, Stasis |  
|
| Repel | Elemental, Movement | 
|
| Sleep | Spirit, Mastery, Stasis |
|
| Spirit Reading | Spirit, Hope | 
|
Special Sigils
With research, invokers can combine sigils to produce special effects. This includes number of charges, expiry of the item, increasing the duration of the spell, or even devising new effects entirely. This usually requires a special sigil, based on one of the common sigils. Special sigils are more intricate and harder to engrave (costing the crafter more work units).
Special sigils can be used on sigil stones or talismans.
Combination Sigils
The highest levels of research – especially anything to do with exalted magics – require combination sigils. These are special sigils combining two common sigils together. Combination sigils often require unique inks or amalgams that must be researched by an alchemist.
Capturing Ether
Invokers can also coax the mysterious vapor known as ether into suitably crafted glass spheres to produce ether spheres. These are of use in the ritual circle, to maintain enchanted items and in the creation of magical focuses. This requires the Capture Ether rite.