Ritual Scrolls

All formal magic requires a Ritual Scroll, which contains the description, directions and limitations for the specific Ritual. The Ritual Scroll will typically appear in a laminated pouch that can be easily inserted into a notebook for player convenience. A Ritual Scroll may actually constitute several pieces of paper with a coded top sheet that prevents people without the High Magic skill from reading it. Players should not look into the scroll sheets within the laminated pouch unless they possess the skill High Magic.

Although Ritual Scrolls do not expire, almost all Ritual Scrolls are consumed immediately after use. Those that do not will be so noted on the scroll. After a casting has completed, the Ritual marshal will take the Ritual Scroll to Logistics to verify its validity. The use of an invalid scroll will cause a Ritual to immediately fail and may subject the caster to disciplinary proceedings.

All Ritual Scrolls are for use in the local chapter and campaign only. The use of a Ritual Scroll outside its chapter of origin is strictly forbidden to ensure that a chapter can properly validate its own Ritual Scrolls as genuine.

Every scroll contains the following information:

Validating information: Ritual scrolls are always signed by at least two members of a chapter’s staff and may have a specific code to be used by the chapter to ensure its validity.

Name: The Ritual’s name may not adequately describe the effect, so casters and marshals should always refer to the description of the effect, rather than just the name. For example, a Conjuration scroll might conjure any type of elemental, even if the Ritual name says only “Summoning.”

Aspect:This lists whether the Ritual is general, Celestial, Earth, or Necromancy.

Difficulty Rating: Unmodified, this number represents how difficult the Ritual is to cast. This number might be adjusted at the time of casting by the actions of the Ritual caster or other factors, as specified in the description of the effect.

Ritual Type: This gives a general idea of what the Ritual does. Enchantment Rituals deal with adding powers to a person, place, or item. Extension Rituals will extend the duration of a batch of Enchantment Rituals. Divination Rituals are about learning something specific from a Ritual target. Summoning Rituals will summon a creature or item to the caster. Manipulation Rituals are about changing something about the Ritual target.

Ritual Target: This defines what the Ritual can legally be cast on. Spirit Rituals can be cast on anyone with a Spirit; these Rituals will survive the target’s resurrection. Body Rituals can be cast on anyone with a Spirit but affects only their physical body, which means that these Rituals will go away if the target resurrects. Item Rituals can be placed on any physical item (but not a person); many Item targeted Rituals will specify one or more specific types of Item on which they may be cast. Location Rituals must be cast on a specific location; staff members must approve any adjustments to the location of a Ritually active area (such as the location of a Healer’s Guild Circle) due to out-of-game concerns. For instance, if a cabin assignment must be changed due to out-of-game considerations, Rituals cast on the cabin should transfer to the new assignment.

Duration: Each Ritual has a specific duration listed. Instantaneous: the effect occurs immediately after casting and then ceases. Times Ever: the effect is in abeyance until invoked, according to the description of the effect. Once the Ritual has been activated, it is used up and will not return. One Hour/Five Days/Special: the effect lasts a specific defined duration from the casting of the Ritual, as described in the scroll. X Logistics Periods: the Ritual will last a certain number of Logistics Periods. When brought to an event, it will be marked down for each Logistics Period of the event. Once all Logistics Periods are marked off, the Ritual fades and disappears. Permanent: Permanent Rituals last until the item, body or spirit is destroyed or other specified criteria occurs.

Casting Time: If no casting time is listed on the Ritual Scroll, the casting time is five minutes. No Ritual will have a casting time exceeding one hour. Ritual scrolls with a casting time of one hour are rare and are usually that long in order to give other players enough time to attempt to stop its invocation.

Some Rituals refer to a “batch” of Rituals. This is defined by the character casting the Rituals, which are all of the same Aspect and cast no more than five minutes apart. If more than five minutes passes between Rituals intended to be part of the same batch, the batch is closed and a new batch must be started.

Extenders may be cast at any time during the Ritual batch. If an extender is cast as the last Ritual in a batch, the Difficulty/Reagent Cost is calculated off of the previous Rituals which were successful and on the item.

If a Ritual is cast at the beginning or any time in a batch other than as the last Ritual, the Difficulty and Reagent cost of the extender is based off the intended number of Rituals in the batch and is not modified by failing Rituals which occur after the extender is placed. Once a specific level of difficulty has been chosen for the extender, the maximum Rituals which can be affected by that extender is set for the remainder of the batch.

Ritual Instructions: This explains the effect of the Ritual and how Logistics will be required to resolve the effect in-game, as established by the Plot Committee. It will also indicate if the Ritual can be Spellcrafted and whether the Ritual requires Plot Committee approval or notification before invocation.

Components: This identifies the specific reagents and catalysts required for the Ritual. Reagents required for a specific Ritual are usually generated randomly so no two Ritual Scrolls are ever identical, even if they have the same name. Even copies of a scroll will require different components (and thus the wording on the “copy” will change). If a scroll can be Spellcrafted, the scroll will specify how many of the specified reagents listed on this entry (usually one to three) are required for spellcrafting.

Failure: This specifies the possible flaws and backlashes that might occur if the casting fails.

Every scroll has completely different flaws and backlashes. The Ritual marshal will write any long-term negative effects on the player’s character card. Some backlashes and flaws may simply say “See Plot.” Others may have effects that will only appear in that particular chapter.

Backlashes are always detrimental, and may even include the caster’s death. Backlashes can affect the caster, those inside the Circle during the casting, and even those watching the Ritual. All possible results are printed on the Ritual Scroll itself, so a caster knows in advance what the risks of casting the Ritual are.

Flaws are not always negative in nature. Sometimes a flaw may even enhance the effect of the Ritual.

Flaws and Backlashes that affect a character count as targeting the character’s spirit only if the source Ritual were targeting a spirit. Otherwise, Flaws and Backlashes are considered to be targeting the character’s body.

Note that Destroy Magic backlashes targeting the caster will destroy all Rituals on the caster’s body and/or spirit.

Ritual Levels: Some Rituals can be cast a multiple levels based on the choice of the caster. For example, an Arcane Armor Ritual can be cast at six different levels to create a suit of armor from 5 to 30 points. The caster must state their choice when the Ritual is started and fulfill all requirements of the desired Ritual level.