Uncommon Spells
Arclight - Effusion
The Arclight formula was developed as an attempt to meet growing demand for light sources in Nafgalla without improving the current infrastructure of many buildings and the city. It was a part of a large initiative to fund spell refinement at multiple municipal levels in 95 Era Nocte.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Flux
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - A continuous arc of galvanic energy harmlessly buzzes between two objects producing bright, pale blue light. The arc creates light in all directions up to 30 ft away or the entirety of one Arena at the Judge's discretion. The objects can be anything so long as they don't leave melee range with eachother. Contacting the objects ends the spell.
Spell Traits
- Sustained - This takes a Free Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Pyroclast - Effusion
Heavily regulated, Pyroclast and other Class 1 Spells are normally only available to active military personnel due to the large collateral damage intrinsic in using any spell with a blast radius. They are often employed in "scorched earth" operations and artillery strikes.
Markets – Military
Required Theories - Flux
Defense - Reflex
Range - Long (A few hundred feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale to deal Radiant Damage. A roiling inferno erupts at the point of impact, bathing everything in fire.
Spell Traits
- Blast Form - All characters within a single Arena are affected.
- Igniting - Spend a Set, target gains the Burning Alive Hazard if this spell dealt damage.
- Focus - A specially tuned object made of metal or crystal, is requires to cast this spell. The Focus glows when used in this way.
- Foci cost at least 10 sterling, are made of metal or crystal, and take 1 downtime action to tune to the caster.
Cauterize - Effusion
With increased demand for frontline sorcery, Cauterize was a frontline spell developed by the Dragoon's 23rd Armored Sorcery Brigade. It was a way for minimally trained sorcerers to deal with battlefield casualties before help could arrive.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Flux
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - A dying character is stabilized upon touch.
Spell Traits
- Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Thunderflash - Effusion
Originally a deterrent for attackers, this formula is used offensively during breaching tactics by the modern day Knights in the Order of the Griffin. It saw enhanced use during an outbreak of cultists within the city of Duma and priority was placed on capture over other lethal methods.
Markets – Law
Required Theories - Flux
Defense - Reflex
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - A blinding flare of light is effused. Roll Rationale to deal the Blind Hazard. Affected Characters can roll Reflex to negate this effect.
Spell Traits
- Splash - This spell targets everything in melee range of the initial target indiscriminately. Gain a die.
Puncture Shot - Effusion
The preferred method for big game hunters and Outriders on the frontier towns, where felling armored creatures from The Wälder is a part of the rigorous life there. Sometimes, it is more reliable to fire a single clean shot than try to take several less reliable ones.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Kinematika
Defense - Reflex
Range - Long (A few hundred feet)
Effect - Rationale Roll deals Trauma Damage.
Spell Traits
High Impact - The first Set of this spell, ignores Armor.
Grindsaw - Effusion
A typical spell for cutting steel and other metal work, ironworkers use it to cut plating to size and cut bulk metal before filing processes. It is advised you exercise caution when using this spell. Some eye protection may be required.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Kinematik, Flux
Defense - Athletics
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - A spinning, white-hot, flat ring, 1 foot in diameter, hovers at the end of your fingertips. It can cut through a square inch of steel per turn. If used as a weapon, an Athletics Roll deals Trauma Damage; Gain a die on this attack.
Spell Traits
Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Sustained - This takes a free action to maintain the spell each round.
Traumacoustics - Effusion
The caster violently vibrates everything in melee range, blasting the surroundings with high intensity noise. Depending on the force exerted, this can shatter bones or take the fight out of an enemy. Nafgallan Dragoons of the 21st Detention and Punitory use this spell to quell prison riots and control choke points.
Markets – Law
Required Theories - Kinematik
Defense - Mettle
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - Rationale Roll deals Trauma Damage. The caster is excluded from any damage of this spell and does not have to roll defense. Any characters that take damage from this spell are automatically pushed out of melee range, gain the Deaf Hazard, and gain the Prone Hazard. Defending characters can spend a set to negate each effect individually.
Spell Traits
Splash - This spell targets everything in melee range of the initial target indiscriminately. Gain a die.
Subduing - Instead of Normal damage, you may deal stun damage and gain a die before you roll.
Cacophonic - Gain the Deaf Hazard until the end of your next turn when casting this spell.
Flash Freeze - Effusion
As an industrial procedure, pipes are temporarily blocked off by freezing them so repairs can be issued without having to drain the entire section. This spell was developed by Delaney Pyroworks to assist in field repairs of boiler mechanisms without having to shut off the district's pumps.
Markets – Industry
Required Theories - Entropy
Defense - Mettle
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Rationale Roll deals Cold Damage. All open water is frozen in melee range of the target, all fires are extinguished, and all characters affected by this spell lose 1 Action Point, unless they spend an additional Set.
Spell Traits
Splash - This spell targets everything in melee range of the initial target indiscriminately. Gain a die.
Low Impact - Armor values are doubled against this spell.
Flux Suppressor Field - Effusion
Used by the Hekadian Fire Brigade, and refined by the Hekadian Merchant Militia for damage control teams, Flux Suppression works on both normal and sorcerous fire, allowing everything from rescue teams to gunner crews to operate near uncontrolled flames.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Entropy
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Removes the Burning Alive Hazard, and gain one die to all defense rolls against Radiant and Galvanic Damage.
Spell Traits
Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Minor Concentration - This takes a Minor Action to maintain till your next turn.
Ablative Defense - Effusion
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Entropy
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale. Ablative layers of sorcery neutralize and dissipate incoming attacks before they reach the body.
Failure - The Ablative layers are poorly stacked and dissipate after the first hit, forcing the spell to end.
Success - Gain Armor equal to the Size of the Bid Set. Each time you are dealt damage, reduce this bonus Armor by 1.
Critical - Gain increased armor equal to the Size of additional Sets spent.
Spell Traits
Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Sustained - This takes a Free Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Separate - Transduction
A common formula used in alchemical refinement. It has seen a rash of illegal uses by mixing valuable or illegal reagents with flour and other staple goods to hide it from port authorities. This formula works by causing each part in a mixture to repulse every other part and attract only elements of its own kind.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Transmateria
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - Liquids and solid mixtures in melee range are levitated and separated into their individual parts. This spell assists with chemical purity and doubles the yield of any attempt to produce reagents.
Spell Traits
Glyphs - Glyphs, runes or sigils must be drawn and touched to cast this spell. These markings glow when being used and are specific to each spell.
Polymacerate - Transduction
Used by sculptors to carve intricate work into hard materials, this spell softens hard, inanimate materials, and gives them the consistency of clay. It is heavily controlled by masons and other trade guilds, but has never been popular among the manufacturing industries due to it's poor scaling and expensive catalysts.
Markets – Industry
Required Theories - Transmateria
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - One object you are holding gains the hardness of soft clay, allowing you to mold it with your hands.
Spell Traits
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Catalyst - A specific reagent (Galvanic Sublimate) is consumed in the casting of this spell
Pyrophoresis - Transduction
The Salamanders were an insane cult from 44AE that cracked the Equipermanence equation and began drastically altering their bodies via Transmateria spells. In 49 AE they became a notorious cell of mutated assassins. They were finally wiped out when Dumahim knights from the Order of the Griffin hunted them to annihilation in 70AE. Only highly illegal volumes covering their breadth of research are left of their terrible legacy.
Markets – Criminal
Required Theories - Transmateria
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - The arms from the elbows down erupt into fire and the skin glows like a hot ember. Unarmed attacks deal Radiant Damage instead of Stun Damage, gain an additional die, give the Burning Alive Hazard when an additional Set is spent, and the target also gains a die to resist Radiant Damage.
Spell Traits
Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Sustained - This takes a free action to maintain the spell each round.
Render Inert - Transduction
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Transmateria
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - TO BE COMPLETED LATER
Spell Traits
Quick Cast - This spell takes only a minor action to cast.
Sustained - This takes a free action to maintain the spell each round.
Shrapnel Burst - Transduction
One of the leading spell formulas that boosted General Mechanics and Aviation, Shrapnel Burst formulas and Machina were sold at cost to the Hekadian Merchant Militia in a price war with Nafgallan arms manufacturers. Eventually, General Mechanics won several key contracts and now supplies most of the arms and equipment to the militia fleet.
Markets – Military
Required Theories - Adsubstantia, Kinematik
Defense - Reflex
Range - Long (A few hundred feet)
Effect - Rationale Roll deals Trauma Damage. Jagged, transduced metal is violently ejected from an explosive focal point
Spell Traits
Blast Form - This spell indiscriminately targets everything in an Arena.
Grappling Line - Transduction
When boarding engagements must happen, a slower ship can catch a faster one by surprise with a well placed Grappling Line spell. Used by the Hekadian Merchant Defense Fleet for boarding operations, it is also a powerful spell for climbing and exploring.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Adsubstantia, Kinematik
Defense - Reflex
Range - Long (A few hundred feet)
Effect - A sharp spade of metal flies from the casters hand with a rope attached to the back end. The rope will extend up to the entire range before returning back to the hand and disappearing. When the spade strikes an object it will dig in securely and is able to hold several hundred pounds of force before shaking itself free, regardless of the object. The rope is able to hold the same amount of force and weight before snapping. Attempts to cut the rope with mundane tools will work as if on any other normal rope. Attacking another character with this formula is a Rationale Roll to deal Trauma Damage. No roll is necessary to hit a stationary or large object, but difficult or precise use of the spell requires an Apprentice Rational Roll to succeed.
Spell Traits
Sustained - This takes a Free Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Intricate - All sets Bid and Spent for this spell must exceed 2x3.
Stone Bulwark - Transduction
Transduced stone defense is what saved Laurelwood from being overrun in the Border Skirmishes at the beginning of the Argos Trade War. Without support from Armored Calvalry, Dumahim Knights took heavy losses against otherwise exposed Hekadian trade posts.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Adsubstantia
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale.An Arena in range is split into two new arenas, as a10ft tallstone wall springs from the ground, separating all combatants into two groups. The wall is made of smooth stone and has 10 health and 6 armor. To bypass the wall, an Apprentice Athletics Roll must be made.
Failure - A wall splits the Arena in two but it is wildly uncontrolled. Characters in the target Arena are distributed into the two new Arenas at the Judge's discretion or randomly.
Success - A controlled wall separates the battlefield to your advantage, snaking around obstacles to perfectly separate your foes. The judge distributes all enemy characters between the two new arenas, and the caster distributes all friendly and neutral characters between the two new arenas. Afterwards, you may move a number of enemy characters equal to the Face of the Bid Set.
Critical - Increase the difficulty to bypass the wall to either the size or face of a spent Set, increase the armor by the Size of any Sets spent, or increase the number of characters you can distribute by the face of any additional Set you spend.
Spell Traits
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Exhausting - Gain the Fatigue Hazard each time this spell is cast.
Unstable - The caster must make a rationale roll of 2x3 in order to maintain this spell.
Caustic Cloud - Transduction
Griffin Order Knights, during the Argos Trade War, would use an earlier version of this formula to attack Hekadian Militia taking refuge in bunkers or sealing themselves on the bridge of cruisers to avoid capture. Later it was deemed too inhumane for use in war and was agreed to be banned in the Lassica Conventions.
Markets – Criminal
Required Theories - Pharmakaustik
Defense - Mettle
Range - Long (A hundred feet)
Effect - A heavier-than-air cloud of caustic vapors is transduced from the Ström. It can eat through wood, leather, skin and most organic materials. Each round this spell is maintained, Roll Rationale to deal Caustic Damage and give all affected characters the Sickened Hazard. Additional sets can be spent by defending characters to negate gaining any hazards for that roll.
Spell Traits
Blast Form - This spell indiscriminately Targets everything in an Arena.
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Conflagrant Powder - Transduction
Conflagrant powders are commonly used in entertainment to create bright lights and smoke to add to stage performances. However, Hekadian pirates use massive outputs of this formula to mask their escapes and provide smokescreen for hit and run tactics.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Pharmakaustik
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Thick, opaque smoke fills the Arena from a transduced mineral powder that sizzles with heat when in contact with air and quickly denatures. All characters in the target Arena cannot see outside of melee range and must make an Insight Roll vs. the Caster's Rationale Roll to move to an intended target, location or exit. Characters attempting Ranged attacks in the target Arena take a -3 die penalty to do so.
Spell Traits
Blast Form - This spell indiscriminately Targets everything in an Arena.
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Pocket Dimension - Magisteria
Much like how matter and energy pass one way from the Ström to our world, Magisteria theory is based on the concept that this relationship can happen both ways. The introduction and proof of this concept is founded in Pocket Dimension Formulas which are minor utility spells used by traveling sorcerers.
Markets - N/A
Required Theories - Exfluentia
Defense - N/A
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - A small pocket within the Strom is created that can store small objects. Roll Rationale. If the effect is not maintained, the objects stored will reappear and are dumped unceremoniously on the ground. Objects stored can be retrieved at any time as a minor action and stored again with another Minor Action.
Failure - One object, less than a cubic foot in size is stowed in the Pocket Dimension for the duration of the spell.
Success - A number of objects, equal to the Size of the Set Spent, can be stored. Each object must be less than a cubic foot in size.
Critical - Additonal Sets can increase the size of the objects allowed by 1 cubic foot, or the number of objects allowed by the Size of the Set spent.
Spell Traits
Sustained - This takes a Free Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Slow - This spell requires both a minor and major action to cast.
Catalyst - A specific reagent (Soothstone) is consumed in the casting of this spell
Deplete - Magisteria
Saboteurs and industrial espionage grew to popularity between manufacturing houses and military alike as machinae grew to be a favored method of both war and industry. Deplete formulae work off the theory of neutralizing the charge within Machina, rendering them inert. Sometimes forceful neutralization, however, will overload the internal workings, causing a malfunction.
Markets – N/A
Required Theories - Exfluentia
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale.
Failure - 1 Charge is depleted from a target Machina
Success - A number of charges equal to the Face of the set bid are depleted.
Critical - Additional charges equal to the Face of additional Sets spent are depleted or the Machina gains the Broken Condition.
Spell Traits
Feedback - This spell deals 8 Stun Damage to the caster if it fails.
Intricate - All sets Bid and Spent for this spell must exceed 2x3.
Cataphoric Sequence - Magisteria
The Archmagi were an elite cadre of wizards, mages and sorcerors that were the first to discover the ability to magnify magical effects before the Dämmerung. They used this knowledge to amass great wealth and power.
Markets – Sorcery
Required Theories - Exfluentia
Defense - N/A
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - The caster etches, draws or makes a glyph large enough to stand in and Rolls Rationale.
Failure - You've tampered with forces beyond your control, destroying the Glyph and triggering the Feedback Trait.
Success - Spells cast within the glyph gain a die.
Edge - Spells cast within the glyph may: gain a die with each additional set spent, increase range by 1 increment, or ignore one spell trait of the spell being cast.
Spell Traits
Glyph
Minor Concentration -This takes a Minor Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Catalyst - A specific reagent (Aether Quartz) is consumed in the casting of this spell
Feedback - This spell deals 8 Stun Damage to the caster if it fails.
Fright - Magisteria
The Psychoskepsis Hypothesis suggests that the Ström is a psychic mirror reflecting our own thoughts, will and desires back against us. The basic root of this formula was just to test this theory but was weaponized by research rivals to reflect terrifying images from the user’s psyche. Terror tactics, though technically non-lethal, were banned by the Concordat and again banned from use by the Lassica Conventions during times of war.
Market - Criminal
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - Mettle
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale against a single target. They
Failure - Target gains the Fear Hazard. The spell is ended early when they next Pass their turn.
Success - Target gains the Fear Hazard. The spell can be ended early with an Apprentice Mettle Roll from the Target.
Critical - The Mettle Roll to end the spell early can be increased by one grade by spending an additional Set. This Mettle Roll cannot exceed Master.
Spell Traits
Sustained - This takes a Free Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Nerve Shock - Magisteria
Particularly difficult sorcerers are brought in for interrogation by the Concordat to betray other renegade sorcerers. This spell formula is often used by Concordat Confessors to retrieve dangerous individuals alive. This spell works by pulsing the fabric of the Ström at the point of the target, shocking the psyche and making it hard to act.
Market - Law, Clergy
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - Mettle, Athletics
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect -You can attack with a Rationale Roll to deal Scourge Damage. If this spell does any damage to the Target, they lose an action point.
Spell Traits
Subduing - Instead of Normal damage, you can deal stun damage and gain a die before you roll.
Vanish - Magisteria - MOVE TO RARE
Heavily restricted, even among military operations and lawful use, the Vanish spell formula is steeped in obvious misuses and illegal undertakings. It is highly illegal and seldomly sees sanctioned use.
Market - Criminal
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - Insight
Range - Melee (A few feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale. You begin to fade from all view, including all objects you are carrying. Further objects will remain visible if you pick them up. You can still see yourself completely. Rolls to sneak past people or remain undetected are increased by 2 dice. Attacking while invisible counts as a stealth attack.
Failure - You fade from view, but the spell is tenuously bonded and may disintegrate at any point during this scene, rendering you visible at the Judge’s discretion.
Success - You are invisible for as long as you maintain the spell.
Critical - A number of additional people can be turned invisible equal to the Size of each set spent.
Spell Traits
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Catalyst - A specific reagent (Aether Quartz) is consumed in the casting of this spell
Chessmaster - Magisteria
A political spell to know the inner values of one’s opponents. It is used in a lot of political maneuvering to gain an edge on being able to predict what predispositions your rivals have.
Market - Aristocracy
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - None
Range - Close (A few dozen feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale.
Failure - You learn two tenets of this character but one of them is false.
Success - You learn one personal tenet of the target character and all their cultural tenets.
Critical - Each additional Set spent reveals an additional tenet.
Spell Traits
None
Dowsing Sense - Magisteria
Lawmen, settlers, traders, and guides can sometimes use this low utility spell to find their way back or towards a specific goal. It’s rather fickle, however and can lead to bad directions, so it is often used as a correctional tool rather than a primary method of guidance. Especially since it can only give a direct line of location, with no capacity to navigate you around impassable terrain or obstacles.
Market - Law, Commoners, Merchants
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - None
Range - Artillery (A few miles)
Effect - Roll Rationale. You are abled to detect the rough direction of an object, place or thing you have touched before within range. However, it becomes hazy and difficult to sense once you are in Close Range and it will not give further direction once you are that close. The spell typically manifests as a buzzing sensation in the hand that touched the target but there are formula variations for high pitch humming and other methods.
Failure - The haziness is worse and anything within Long Range is too ambiguous to get an exact location.
Success - You are able to detect the target just fine up to Close Range, where it will simply
Critical - An additional Set spent brings the location ambiguity down to Melee Range.
Spell Traits
Major Concentration - This takes a Major Action to maintain the spell till your next turn.
Intricate - The difficulty of rolls to cast this spell are increased to Journeyman.
Catalyst - A specific reagent (Aether Quartz) is consumed in the casting of this spell
Foresight - Magisteria
The chronologic of the Ström is an entire field of study suggesting that the Ström itself does not reside in our time, but in all times at once. Chronoström theorists research the ability of certain formulas to predict the past present and future at the Nafgallan Academy of Sorcerous Arts in very controlled settings, as magic dealing with time is considered borderline dangerous by the Concordat.
Market - Sorcery
Required Theories - Dissimilation
Defense - None
Range - Long (A few hundred feet)
Effect - Roll Rationale. You glimpse into the myriad of future possibilities
Failure - You are overwhelmed with the future possibilities, taking damage in the process as per the Feedback Trait. You can roll any dice involved in an action before deciding to do it, once per scene. If you decide not to go through with the action, the roll is discarded and the spell ends.
Success - You can roll any dice involved in an action before deciding to do it, once per scene. If you decide not to go through with the action, the roll is discarded and the spell ends.
Critical - For each additional Set spent, you may apply this spell to one additional roll this scene.
Spell Traits
Intricate - The difficulty of rolls to cast this spell are increased to Journeyman.
Feedback - This spell deals 8 Stun Damage to the caster if it fails.