The Riddle of Steel Revised Sorcery Rules, Podreczniki RPG, The Riddle of Steel
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The Riddle of Steel
Book Six:
Sorcery
K
NOW
ME
AS
O
UJHA
, the last of the Nine.
Here begins the era of my 10,000th year of life. The
dawn burned the sky with colors and shone down on
my humble abode. Thunder broke the sky later that
afternoon. Dust speckled mud fled the sudden impact
of the rain. A torrent raged that day, yet I found my
mind at peace. Images swirled and formed in my mind
a glittering black universe, in which…
Crashing lightning broke my mental reverie, timed
in tune with the splintering door. The hallway swirled
with darkness as torchlight projected his shadow amidst
the splinters. The smell of heat was vanishing from the
air. The torrent thundered on oblivious to my smashed
door.
I looked impassively on whilst the hulking barbarian
boldly strode into the room.
“WIZARD! I wesh ahn oudience witch yue. I kom
doo see yue avoud ze Reddul! Vhat deez it,
‘Longvhered’?” His accent was unbearable.
“And if I refuse to tell ye, cretin? Nehummhh?”
“ Zhen yue DHIEH!” He grunted, hefting his blade.
“Go away, ye already have it.” I dipped my pen, and
returned to my scrolls.
“Vhat?“
“Fool, Ye lack insight.”
“Tell mi ore dhieh!”
I focused a fragment of my energy towards him.
“Vhh… Vhuttttttt? Eeeeeeee eeeeep!” screeched the
small figure suddenly floating at the end of my fingertip.
He fl ailed wildly about, desperately trying to land a
killing blow to my outer cuticle. “Knowledge of the
Riddle means ye are no longer afraid of death. Ye must
already have this knowledge to be foolish enough to
threaten me. Behold the error of thy thinking.”
I placed my fingertip over the flickering candle atop
its ancient wooden desk. The little fellow screamed a
little scream as the fire ripped the flesh from his body.
The smell of burning blood wafted up on black waxy
smoke. The barbarian smoldered and sizzled away,
dropping small chunks of burnt flesh into the wax.
As the candle hissed, a low voice slithered behind
me.
“Yet I know the Riddle all too well. A pity, for now
you die.” An assassin, or an apprentice…either way not
the first.
The intruder’s sword passed cleanly through my
neck, blood trickling down the blade.
“Indeed, it seems ye do. However ye know nothing
of the Sorcerer’s Rule,” I noted unimpressed. “Thy next
assassination shall fare better if ye don’t speak.”
My bloody illusion vanished, as well as the man’s
weapons. The assassin quickly glanced about, searching
for me.
“Stay if ye like, I could use an apprentice. But thy
attempt to slay me shall have to wait until thou hast better
learned thy arts. Steel is no match against magic, only
flesh.”
The man stood there as if puzzled, considering my
words.
His sword appeared at my neck, as his illusion
vanished.
“Very well, Longbeard, but never underestimate me
again.” Power glowed from his blade as it sat frozen,
f lashing the candle’s light.
I sent him to the kitchens… the fast way.
102 The Riddle of Steel
inevitably cost the character his youth. Every spell cast
has the potential to age the character, as well as to
knock the sorcerer unconscious from the strain.
Sorcerers must temper their actions with wisdom,
patience and cunning in order to retain their vitality
and often their lives. The payoff is unparalleled,
however, for there are no “weak” sorcerers.
Undoubtedly, all this is terrifying—or should
be…really.
II. Mechanics of Magic
All Gifted (or Fey) characters create their own
spells using fast, accessible rules. These rules, however,
required a degree of interperetation. The preferences
and goals of your gaming group and the Seneschal
will often determine how hard and how demanding a
spell will be. Magic can be one of the most rewarding
elements of play in
The Riddle of Steel
, but only if
everyone is working under the same set of
assumptions.
I. Magic with a Bite
In
The Riddle of Steel
, magic is unshackled.
Sorcerers wield incredible power, and have the
unmistakable ability to disrupt the balance of anything
and everything. These are no mere mages, nor
practitioners of “hedge magic” and simple
incantations. These are the Gifted men and women
that wield the power of the Fey. Such individuals are
rare, secretive, patient and dangerous.
Each sorcerer learns and uses magic
differently. Magic is a precious gift so rarely
bestowed that only one in a many tens of
thousands may wield it. For those Gifted few,
only a handful of books on magic are available
in the entire world, treasured and guarded in
secret places by those who wish the knowledge
kept secret. Most sorcerers must, therefore, be
responsible for their own advancement and
development.
Magic in
The Riddle of Steel
is both
dangerous and powerful. In contrast to what
many players are accustomed to, magic in this
game can prove dangerous to a reckless user.
Wasteful and thoughtless use of magic will
1. Derived Attributes for Sorcerers
Sorcerers, as stated in
Book Two: The Birth of a
Legend
, have an additional set of Derived Attributes. These
are used in magic-related Tests and in formulating your
Sorcery Pool
. After assignment of Priorities and Attributes in
the character creation system (again, see
Book Two
), a player
Book Six: Sorcery 103
How will your selection of Vagaries further the
philosophy of the character? How do your Spiritual
Attributes reflect upon your Vagary choices, and your
Vagaries on your Spiritual Attributes? Deciding who and
what you want your character to be should take priority
in defining the style the character will inherit. Consider
as well which Vagaries are compatible and might make
an interesting or useful spell, as multiple Vagaries may
be combined into a single spell. Table 6.3 lists the Nine
Vagaries.
A word of advice when choosing Vagaries:
Summoning is an important Vagary for all sorcerers, as
the creation of a Constant Spell (explained below)
requires its incorporation in order to be effective. The
capability of refreshing a character’s Sorcery Pool dice
through the use of the Instant Spell “Mana” is an
additional reason for the selection of Summoning.
must calculate their derived sorcery attributes based on the
Table 6.1.
2. The Sorcery Pool
Just as bladeslingers have a Combat Pool and archers
have a Missile Pool, sorcerers have a Sorcery Pool. Once
proficiencies have been assigned, the Sorcery Pool (SP)
must be tallied. Calculate your Sorcery Pool using Table
6.2. The Sorcery Pool represents the number of dice used
when casting spells and resisting the harmful effects of
magic (self inflicted or otherwise). The sorcery pool can
also be modified based on the kind of spell being cast,
but more on that will come later.
The Rules of Three
The “Rules of Three” were discovered and codified
by Xanar Stormbringer, said to be the first of the Gifted.
They state that all concepts and energies of magic fit
within a three-sided polyhedron. This is found in all
aspects of the universe, and applies to gods, men, and
the Siehe.
Following the Rules of Three, the Nine Vagaries of
Sorcery produce thrice as many effects and are contained
in three categories. Three are based in the Temporal (or
physical) realm, three in the Mental, and three in the
Spiritual. The number of Vagaries that may comprise a
spell are varied according to the type of spell cast and
the desired effect, although
using more than three
Vagaries requires the
construction of a Ritual spell,
described later on.
3. The Nine Vagaries of Magic
(or Sorcerous Proficiencies)
Next the player assigns scores to Proficiencies in the
magical arts. Henceforth referred to as the nine Vagaries,
they represent facets of what can be done using magic.
Up to three points may be placed in each Vagary; the
number of points available is based on the Proficiency
assignment in character creation. Remember that these
points come from the same place as Weapon
Proficiencies, and trying to put a lot in both weapons
and magic will quickly deplete a character’s available
Proficiency points.
Vagaries should be selected on the basis of the type
and manner of spells a player wishes to use. What are
you as a player going to enjoy doing most with magic?
The Nine Vagaries
Described
Vagaries have three levels
of proficiency:
Novice (1) –
Apprentice (2) – Master (3)
.
Each Vagary is broken down
104 The Riddle of Steel
into three effects, which in turn have three level-based
characteristics. The more points placed in a Vagary
(between 1 and 3), the greater the Level of Effect a
sorcerer may use. Novice level (1) is a rudimentary
familiarity with the vagary and its capabilities. Apprentice
level (2) is most common. Spells generated by this
proficiency level are generally the core of a sorcerer’s
repertoire. Mastering a Vagary (3) includes a number of
benefits, especially when creating a Ritual Spell.
Both the Vagaries chosen by the character and the
spells he selects define his role in the magical community.
The player is responsible for creating all of his character’s
spells. Thus a sorcerer who wishes to be known as a
necromancer would focus on creating spells that utilize
spirits in some dark and spooky fashion; sorcerers going
for the “battle-mage” approach should design spells that
are best used in combat and war. If your campaign
revolves around combating an advancing horde, your
character may be essential in repelling them. Spells may
be patterned after the example spells (at the end of Book
Six), though a personal touch—in title or in function—
should be added to each. As always the Seneschal has
the final say in all spell creation.
Intricacy
is the level of detail that the sorcerer can shape
the target into.
1)
The sorcerer can create basic geometric shapes.
Pyramids, cubes and spheres, for instance.
2)
This level of mastery allows complex polygons and
surface structures of inanimate objects.
3)
A sorcerer can replicate the complex forms of living
things.
Composition
defines the number and type of materials a
sorcerer may use to combine or separate.
1)
Two types of materials may be joined or separated,
affecting inanimate objects.
2)
Ten different materials may be affected, including
plants and inanimate objects.
3)
100 various elements may be integrated into a
composition, finally effecting animals. This level of
skill allows a target to be disintegrated as well.
Concept
stratifies the complexity of the creation.
1)
The sorcerer can duplicate something that he is
currently viewing.
2)
The sorcerer is capable of duplicating something that
he or another has seen and described.
3)
The sorcerer is able to create things from his
imagination.
Temporal
realms are those that affect physical matter
in some tangible fashion. They generally change, move,
or alter the size of the target. As they may affect large
areas as well, these spells are useful for both offense as
well as defense.
MOVEMENT
: Magic that enables a target to defy
Newton’s laws (albeit Newton isn’t around in this world)
and animate things.
Movement spells may be the most useful and deadly of
all spells. The effects of rapid movement and acceleration
realistically affect a target, including any harmful side-effects
from sudden acceleration/deceleration or being tossed about
like a doll.
SCULPTURE
: Magic that changes the physical form
or shape of matter.
The use of Sculpture assumes that the materials sculpted
are already present. Miniscule/cellular uses of Sculpture
require Vision3 (clairvoyance 3) to see the reduced area
clearly. Some Seneschals may require the use of an Artistic
Skill when using Sculpture for complicated shapes.
Speed
is how fast a target may be accelerated or decelerated,
and the maximum rate of movement it may achieve. This
also includes the element of Lift, or how high a target can
be moved from its current location.
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