Conjunctional Magic

Rather than drawing on the spheres for power, practitioners of conjunctional magics call on the supernatural planes to power their spells and rites. As natives of more mundane worlds, mortal magicians must learn first to cast spells in the pairs of spheres connecting those planes (hence “conjunctional”) before they can learn to tap into more otherworldly powers.

There are three supernatural planes whose powers are easily accessed from the True Plane.

• Demonology: Demonological spells and rites draw on the Demonic Plane, which lies between the elemental and spiritual poles.

• Necromancy: Necromantic spells and rites draw on the Plane of Undeath, which lies between the corporeal and spiritual poles.

• Thaumaturgy: Thaumaturgical spells and rites draw on the Plane of Constructs, which lies between the corporeal and elemental poles.

There are six other supernatural planes – Artifice, Chance, Fate, Love, Hope and Mastery – but they are further removed from the True Plane, and practitioners of their strange powers are rare in this world.

Blood Magic The wise keep well clear of the little-understood discipline of blood magic, which uses blood to transfer and distort the magic of the world. The most notorious use of this terrible magic is to gain power from bloodshed, but other, stranger applications await the reckless student. Exploring blood magic will require in character investigation; it’s not possible to start play as a blood magician. The curious and foolhardy are warned – this path is known to be seductive and addictive, and it is said that once someone has set their foot on it, there is no leaving it…

Conjunctional Spells and Rites

The spells and rites known to practitioners of the various conjunctional magics are listed under each skill. Magicians learn various spells and rites from both spheres associated with their disciplines:

Example

Demonologists learn Aura of Defence and Spirit Bolt, and necromancers learn Spirit Shield and Paralysis.

But the most important secrets taught in each of these disciplines are those relating to the creatures of these worlds. Every conjunctional magician learns to identify and destroy creatures of the planes they study, via the respective Discern Nature and Banish spells, and how to assert control of them with the relevant Control rite. Demonologists and necromancers learn how to raise mystical wards to contain or exclude them. All spells and rites that directly affect supernatural creatures must specify a target level, which impacts the rite’s cost in magic points and is subject to caps based on the caster’s skill and power. With research, conjunctional magicians can learn how to create or summon creatures to serve them.

Dealing With the Supernatural

The primary focus of all the conjunctional magics is dealing with creatures of other planes; and as such, the different character of those creatures influences the practice of those magics.

Demons are defined by obligation: to the spiritually-dominant oathbound, this means contracts and debts and influence, while to their elemental counterparts, that means domination and control. Demonologists who routinely deal with the former tend to be very careful in their choice of words, while those who work with the latter may grow blunt and forceful. These obligations are represented by marks, spiritual brands reflecting bonds of debt or domination, which can be seen with the Identify Demon Mark spell. Rites generally focus on summoning demons and either compelling or enticing them into sharing powers or empowering items.

Undead yield to authority: to spiritually-inclined shades and haunts, this means history and tradition, while to corporeally-strong puppets and carrion dead, this means strength and hunger. Necromancers must find a way to navigate the affiliations of the undead world and assume as high a position of authority as they can. Necromantic rites either create or raise undead as servants, or focus on the caster themselves, granting them power and emulating the strengths of the undead.

Constructs have no identities or desires at all, and thus exist wholly in response to their environment. Thaumaturges must create their own constructs, or else capture or study constructs for their purposes; their magics thus focus on analysing, manipulating or altering systems and mechanisms.

Wards

A ward is a magical barrier, impassable to a specific class of supernatural creatures up to a specific level. Sensible magicians summon creatures into an active ward to contain them until they gain control of them, while monster hunters surround themselves or their allies with wards for defence.

Creating a ward requires a rite such as Demonic Ward or Necromantic Ward, in which the caster draws a circle in a suitable powder and invests it with magic. The descriptions of each rite specify their default limitations (diameter, duration, maximum level); more advanced magicians can produce larger, longer-lasting or more powerful wards.

For the duration of the rite, no supernatural creature of the ward’s type and up to the ward’s level can cross the boundary at all, although creatures above that level, or any other types of creature, can pass it normally.

Note: If a ward’s caster crosses the line, or the line is physically broken, the ward drops instantly.