346073-Sample.Pdf

Sample file Credits

Design: Ken Pawlik Editing: Kelly Pawlik and Ken Pawlik Layout: Kelly Pawlik Art: Samantha Darcy

Table of Contents

Learning an Incantation ...... 1 Invoking an Incantation ...... 1 Reading an Incantation ...... 2 Dispelling an Incantation ...... 3 Sample Incantations ...... 4 Creating an Incantation ...... 7

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creatures performing it. This step assumes you have gathered the material components and performers of your incantation at Incantations the correct location at the stipulated time of day, month, or year, if such considerations are required.

Incantations are formalized magical rites that can be performed STEP 2: INITIATE THE INCANTATION by any character, not just those who can cast spells or who have supernatural abilities. Once all elements of the incantation are in place, one creature, called the invoker, begins by making the initial ability check While each incantation is unique, there are certain laws they required by the formula. This is often, but not always, an have in common: Intelligence check such as Arcana, Nature, or Religion to • Its formula must be known by the invoker. ensure all elements of the incantation are correctly arrayed. • They require time to perform; invoking an incantation If the invoker fails the initiation check, they can choose to end takes minutes, hours, or days. the incantation at that point, pay only the sacrifice demanded • They require a sacrifice. The description of each by the incantation, and not suffer the consequences of failing incantation informs the invoker what is needed. the incantation. • Their effects are very specific. Each invocation does If the invoker succeeds at the initiation check, or chooses to exactly what its description says, no more and no less. proceed after failing the initiation check, they must remain • There is no guarantee of success. Invoking an conscious at the incantation site until it is complete. If they incantation shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. There are leave, are knocked unconscious, or killed, the ritual fails. always consequences for failing. STEP 3: MAKE THE REQUIRED SACRIFICE LEARNING AN INCANTATION All invocations require a sacrifice from the caster, and Learning an incantation is often an event in itself, and can be sometimes the other performers. Often this is blood, the impetus for many adventures or even an entire campaign. represented by hit points, or energy, represented by levels of Knowledge of some minor ones might be relatively widespread, exhaustion, but the incantation’s description will let you know but even the least of incantations can be dangerous in the hands what sacrifice the incantation requires and when it needs to be of the unprepared or overconfident. made.

There are many ways for the characters to learn the formula of STEP 4: INVOKE THE INCANTATION an incantation. Perhaps they found an old tome while delving a tomb. Maybe they learn it from the near-incoherent outbursts An incantation requires that a number of ability checks be of a wizened elf speaking in tongues. If they have contacted a made to invoke its effect. The formula tells you how many powerful fiend or celestial, they might convince it to teach them ability checks are required, at what interval they must be made, an incantation. and what the acceptable types of ability checks are, and the activity each check represents. Some incantations only allow a If learning an incantation is not part of a larger story, it can be certain number of a particular type of ability check to be made. done between adventures or during downtime at the GM’s discretion. It’s suggested only minor or, perhaps, major Usually, once the incantation has been initiated, the skill checks incantations be learned in this way; mythic incantations should required can be made in any order. If not, the description will only be able to be learned as part of an adventure. stipulate the order they must be made in. The other performers participating in the incantation can make INVOKING AN INCANTATION – any or all of the required ability checks, the invoker doesn’t need to make them. STEP BY STEP FAILURE: If two consecutive ability checks are failed, the Performing an incantation is a ceremony. The following steps incantation fails and the consequences of the failure are need to be followed in order to determine its success or failure: experienced immediately. STEPSample 1: PREPARE THE INCANTATION SITE file STEP 5: COMPLETE THE INVOCATION Even if a specific location isn’t required by the formula of the At the end of the invocation time, a final ability check is incantation being invoked, it will require a space of sufficient required to complete the invocation. Any performer of the size to lay out the physical elements of the rite and hold all the incantation can make this check.

1 Incantations: Skill-Based Magic If the final ability check is failed, the invoker gains a level of from the description. In these cases, the effects of the exhaustion, regardless of who made the final check. incantation manifest inside the incantation area.

Once the invocation is complete, its success or failure can be COMPONENTS determined. Components are the incantation’s physical requirements and READING AN INCANTATION can be verbal (V), somatic (S), or material (M). If you can’t provide all the incantation’s components, you can’t initiate it. Each incantation is presented in a similar format to a spell. This section explains how to read and use the incantation VERBAL (V) block. Most incantations require the recitation of specific words. The words alone are not enough to set the incantation in motion. INCANTATION NAME They must be said in a precise order, tone, and cadence. A character who can’t speak clearly, or who is in an area of This is exactly what you think: the name or title of the magical silence can’t supply the verbal components of an incantation. incantation.

INCANTATION TYPE SOMATIC (S) This is expressed in italicized text, and lets you know the rough These are the gestures, motions, and body positions required power level of the incantation (minor, major, or mythic) and to invoke the incantation. A creature that can’t move, such as which of the classic schools of magic it belongs to. someone who is paralyzed or incapacitated, can’t supply the somatic components for an incantation. INVOCATION TIME MATERIAL (M) This is simply the amount of time it takes to invoke an All incantations require one or more material components, incantation from the point the initial ability check is made until which are specified in parentheses in the component entry. At the final one is complete. the GMs discretion, small items without a monetary value RUSHED: If the incantation can be invoked in less time at the attached to them may be able to be found in a spell component cost of increased difficulty, the reduced time is listed here. The pouch. increase to the DC for rushing an invocation is detailed in the Unless otherwise stated, the material components of an Ability Checks section of the incantation. incantation are consumed in the process of invoking it. AREA NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS Most incantations require a specially prepared area. This The number of people required to fulfill the verbal and section stipulates the size of the area required, as well as any somatic components of the incantation are listed here. The other requirements that must be met such as the presence of an invoker who leads the incantation is included in this number. altar, or circle of ash. Some incantations allow for a reduction of the DC of each If an incantation doesn’t need a specific area prepared for it, ability check if there are more than the required numbers of this section is omitted from the description. performers. In these cases, the DC for each ability check RANGE decreases by 1 for every additional performer up to a maximum number of performers indicated by a slash and The range indicates the maximum reach of the incantation second number. from the center of the area it has been prepared at. If the incantation produces an attack, such as eldritch storm, it can’t For example, diabolical contract has P (5/10) which means it target a creature beyond the indicated range. Most incantations requires a minimum of five performers express their range in feet, though wide ranging ones may be and decreases the DC of the ability able to reach miles. checks required by one for every extra performer to a maximum of ten IncantationsSample with a range of self target the invoker. If there is a performers, which gives a total file line or area of effect that extends from the invoker to reduction to the DC of 5. encompass the incantations range, it is expressed as self with the size and shape of the area of effect following in parentheses. Incantations that don’t have an effective range omit this section