Tower of Shadows: Sorcery

Sorcery Rules

In effect, Sorcery replaces all of the rules for the use of the Force found in Force and Destiny and other Star Wars RPG supplements.

Unless otherwise noted, all of the rules associated with the use of the Force apply to Sorcery. And a summary is as follows:

• Casting a spell through the use of Sorcery is always an Action unless the Spell, Talent or similar specify otherwise.
• Characters with magical aptitude have an Arcane Rating, instead of a Force Rating. Arcane Rating functions identically to Force Rating in all respects and is used in an identical way.
• Characters with an Alignment score of 30 or above, use Results unless otherwise noted by the Spell, Talent, or effect. Characters with an Alignment score of 29 or less use unless otherwise noted by the Spell, Talent, or effect.
• Characters may choose to use Arcane Results other than / but to do so, the Character suffers a number of Strain and Conflict equal to the Results used. The Character must also Spend a Destiny Point.
• NEW RULE: Channeling - Often an Arcanist will be unable to generate sufficient in a single role to get their desired effect. This does not mean, however, that they are unable to do so, simply that they must take more time to gather power - this is known as Channeling or Ritual Casting. Once a character with an Arcane Rating has rolled as part of a Sorcery Check, they may choose to hold the generated and roll again the subsequent turn, adding the generated by both rolls together. They may do this a number of times equal to their Arcane Rating (so a Character with an Arcane Rating of 1 could make and combine two rolls). Each time a Character chooses to do this, they suffer 3 Strain.

In order to Cast Spells and make Sorcery Checks, Characters must be able to clearly speak and their hands must be free and carrying no objects.

• NEW RULE: Sustained Effort - While Committing can grant powerful effects that remain in place - keeping the Arcane energies contained requires effort on the part of the Caster. For each you have committed, you suffer 1 Strain at the end of each Combat Round or Minute, as appropriate.

Sorcery in the Realms

Arcane energies permeate everything within the Realms. While true Magical Objects are rare to the point of Mythical, there are many who possess the ability to call upon the Arcane and perform amazing feats.

The terms Sorcery, Arcane, Occult, and Magic are used interchangeably and have the same meaning. Arcane power is known to be divided into two energies, that of the Light and that of the Shadow. While either can often be used to achieve the same effect, the Light is most commonly considered to be a source of inner strength, peace, and order. The Light is also the fundamental foundation of the beliefs of the Holy Church. Its polar opposite is the Shadow. Known to be deceptive and corruption, the Shadow is commonly believed to be a source of aggression and enslavement.

Further, the Holy Church teaches that the Light has a will of its own, driving all of the peoples of the Realms to their destiny. But the Shadow, with it's corruptive influence, actively tries to undermine the will of the Light and twist others to stray from their predetermined path.

Because of this corruptive influence, untrained or unsanctioned Sorcerers are universally feared. Arcane power can turn a common man into a near god, and abuse of that power has driven many to become tyrants, warlords, and villains of every sort. The history of the Realms (such as it is) is filled with such accounts, and these Eclipsed (the term for someone that has been turned to the Shadow) individuals have become the antagonists that legendary heroes have defied and defeated.

Within The Kingdom practicing Sorcery is outlawed unless the practitioner is Sanctioned by either the Throne or the Church. The Throne maintains an organization where it puts such individuals to use - known as the Order of Battle Mages. They are trained within Enclaves scattered throughout The Kingdom, and can be called upon at any time by the Throne, the Court or a member of the local Nobility. When not in such service, Battle Mages are free to travel the lands as they wish. It is customary for any local authority or Nobility to provide a Battle Mage with room and board, if so requested, while they are within their lands.

The Holy Church is also authorized to sanction practitioners of Sorcery within the Kingdom. This is normally reserved for clergy of the Holy Church and the Holy Order of Justicar Knights, though it is not unheard of for the Church to offer Sanction to others that have proven themselves devout and of great service to the Holy Church and The Kingdom. It should not be mistaken, however, to assume that the Holy Church only exists within The Kingdom. The Holy Church spans across all of the Realms, though in most cases, the individual dioceses generally have no true authority over their neighbors.

The Holy Order of Justicar Knights is an anomaly within The Kingdom. While technically a part of the Holy Church, it stands apart from the clergy and is not directly answerable to it. The Justicars maintain their own fiefdoms and fortresses, which stand outside of the authority of the Nobility. They pay no taxes to the Holy Church or the Throne, but are duty bound to answer a call for action. By ancient law, the ruling of a Justicar is final and not even a Bishop or the King himself can reverse it. In practice however, Justicars are often careful to prevent such conflict between themselves and such bodies of authority. Justicars act, in many cases, as roving judges and enforcer or the will of the Holy Light and in many cases the Kings Law.

Outside these sanctions, the use of Sorcery by the people of The Kingdom is forbidden, though treaties with neighboring Realms often makes exception for their people - such as the Stoneshapers and Mystics of the Dorrin. Those found practicing Sorcery without such sanction are subject to harsh punishments in some circumstances. Generally, if found by an the Throne, the Church, or the Justicar Knights, if such an individual has not fallen to the influence of the Shadow, they will be inducted into that organization - so long as they have not serious violated any other laws. Poor souls that do not meet this criteria are subject to summary execution in many cases.

Because of this harsh penalty, there are many who are born with Arcane potential that practices their powers and spells in secret. This has created an entire underworld of persecuted and secretive Spell Casters. Unfortunately, in most cases these underground movements succumb to the corruption of the Shadow - severing to reinforce the belief that only sanctioned Orders are safe.

Powers of Sorcery

In addition to various Talents that Characters can develop through one of the four Arcane Classes, there are three broad categories of mystical spells. They are Divination, Evocation, and Enchantment.

Divination

Divination is the term used to define the broad category of Spells that are used to gather information, read minds, and foretell the future or past. Such Spells are:

• All Seeing Eye (15xp) - you may make an All Seeing Eye Sorcery Check. Spend to gain the ability to see in all directions, up to Short Range until the end of the Encounter.
  • Empowerment - Keen Sense (10xp) - Following an All Seeing Eye Sorcery Check, you may Commit a up to your Arcane Rating to Upgrade all Perception checks made by the number of Committed.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) - You may now spend during an All Seeing Eye Sorcery Check to increase the distance by 1 Range Band per Spent.

• Detect Life (5xp) - you may make a Detect Life Sorcery Check. Spend to detect all living beings within Short Range until the end of the Encounter. This spell does not cause Stealth Checks, Illusions, or other ways of remaining hidden to fail, it does grant a to any subsequent check to find someone hidden but detected by this spell effect.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Detect Life Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.

• Discern Weakness (10xp) - You make a Discern Weakness Sorcery Check. Spend to then Commit one to Upgrade any Attack you make once. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn or 5 minutes. Additional may be used to extend the duration of this spell by 1 round or 5 minutes for each spent.
  • Empowerment - Pierce Defense (10xp) - While you have an Committed for Discern Weakness, you may spend generated on your attack to gain or increase the Pierce Quality equal to the Spent.
  • Empowerment - Shatterpoint (15xp) - Before you Commit the for Discern Weakness, you may make a Shatterpoint Sorcery Check. Spend to gain an automatic to all Attacks made against your opponent.

• Mind Link (15xp) - You may make the Mind Link Sorcery Check. Spend to grant engaged allies equal to your Presence to gain an automatic to any Skill Check until the end of your next action or 5 minutes. You may now spend to increase the number of affected allies by Spent.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) You may now spend to increase the Range of this Spell by 1 Range Band per Spent.
  • Empowerment - Efficiency (5xp) you may now spend to grant allies an additional for the duration of this spell.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) After you make the Mind Link Sorcery Check, you may Commit to extend the effect of the spell by 1 additional Combat Round or 5 Minutes per Committed.

• Pierce Illusion (5xp) - You may make a Pierce Illusion Sorcery Check. Spend to automatically see through an Illusion.
  • Empowerment - Additional Allies (5xp) - You may now spend to extend the effect of Pierce Illusion to one engaged ally.
  • Empowerment - Dispel Illusion (10xp) - You may spend an additional to cause an Illusion to be dispelled entirely.

• Precognition (10xp) - You may add your Arcane Rating to all Initiative Checks, spend to add or to your results.
  • Empowerment - Precognitive Defense (5xp) During the first round of Combat, you increase your Defense by 2.
    • Empowerment - Improved Precognitive Defense (10xp) Following a successful activation of Precognition, you may Commit to Upgrade the Difficulty of the first attack against you each round by 1.
    • Empowerment - Supreme Precognitive Defense (15xp) You now Upgrade the difficulty of the first two attacks against you by two.
  • Empowerment - Preempt (10xp) When you take add no greater than your Arcane Rating to Initiative Checks, you may spend to take a Free Maneuver before combat begins.

• Read Thoughts (10xp - reduce this to 5xp if you already know Sense Emotion) - you may make the Read Thoughts Sorcery Check. Spend to read the current surface thoughts of an engaged target. Additionally you may spend to probe deeper into their thoughts for hidden information.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Read Thoughts Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Magnitude (5xp) you may spend on a Read Minds Check to increase the number of Targets of the power 1 range per spent.

• Sense Emotion (5xp) - you may make a Sense Emotion Sorcery Check. Spend to sense the emotion state of any one living target you are engaged with. This grants on the first Social Skill Check you make against the affected Target this Scene.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Sense Emotion Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Magnitude (5xp) you may spend on a Sense Emotion Check to increase the number of Targets of the power 1 range per spent.

• Translucent Sight (10xp) - You may make the Translucent Sight Sorcery Check. Spend to see through one object at Short Range. This may remove a do to obstructions and allow you to perceive something over wise hidden.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) - you may now spend to increase the Range of this Spell by 1 Range Band per spent.

• True Vision (10xp - 5xp if you already have All Seeing Eye) - You may make a True Vision Sorcery Check. Spend to ignore the penalties imposed by Darkness up to Medium Range for until the end of your next action or 5 Minutes. You may spend to increase the duration by 1 Round or 5 Minutes per Spent.
  • Empowerment - Fine Detail (5xp) When you make a True Vision Sorcery Check, you may spend to make out fine details up to Medium Range.
  • Empowerment - Heightened Awareness (10xp) While True Vision is active, all Vigilance and Perception Checks are now Combined Sorcery Checks.

• Divine Location Seek Basic
  • Additional Track
  • Additional Detail

• Foretelling (10xp) - You may make a Foretelling Sorcery Check. Spend to gain vague hints about events to come during the next day.
  • Empowerment - Time (10xp) - You spend to increase the time into the future you can see.
  • B

• Clairvoyance

Evocation

Evocation is the power to channel energy. It covers the ability to move objects, shield and protect, direct bolts of force, fire or lightning, and heal.

• Arcane Shackles (15xp) - you may make a Arcane Shackles Sorcery Check. Spend to Immobilize a target within Short Range until the end of your next turn. Additional may be spent during this check. Each additional inflicts 1 Wound, ignoring Soak.
  • Empowerment - Overwhelm (15xp) During a Arcane Shackles Sorcery Check, you may spend to inflict on your target. If the number of exceed the targets Willpower, they are Staggered instead.
  • Empowerment - Crushing Bonds (15xp) When you make an Arcane Shackles Check, it also becomes an opposed Discipline vs Resilience Check. If you succeed, the target suffers a Critical Injury adding +10 per spent.

• Blur (10xp) - you may make a Blur Sorcery Check. Spend allow you to move to any location within Short Range. During this movement, you ignore any environmental penalties and are so swift, appear to blur to your new location.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Blur Sorcery Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Blink (10xp) you may spend on a Blink Check to perform this movement as a Maneuver and are so swift, you appear to teleport to your new location.

• Bolt of Force (10xp) - you may make a Bolt of Force Sorcery Check. Spend to strike an Enemy within Short Range with a Bolt of pure Arcane energy. This is resolved as an Ranged Attack using the Casters Perception and deals 5 Damage.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Bolt of Force Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Volley (10xp) you may spend on a Bolt of Force Check to gain the Linked Quality on your attack with a Rating equal to the number of spent.

• Death Touch (20xp) - you may make a Death Touch Sorcery Check. Spend to cause an Engaged Target to suffer Wounds equal to your Intellect plus Ranks in Medicine.
  • Empowerment - Agony (10xp) when making a Death Touch Sorcery Check, you may spend to cause the target to suffer Strain instead.
  • Empowerment - Dark Destruction (10xp) you may spend on a Death Touch Check to inflict an additional Wound per spent.

• Energy Leech (15xp) - you may make an Energy Leech Sorcery Check. Spend add an automatic per spent, to any Sorcery Check made against you by an enemy within Short Range until the Start of your next turn.
  • Empowerment - Grounding (10xp) after making an Energy Leech Check, you may Commit a number of up to your Arcane Rating to cause any Sorcery Check targeting you made by an enemy within Short Range to also reduce the generated by 1 per Committed.
  • Empowerment - Suppression (20xp) When making an Energy Leech Sorcery Check spend to also make an opposed Discipline vs Discipline Check against an Enemy within Short Range. If you succeed, the target immediately Uncommitts all and ends all ongoing Sorcery effects.

• Fire Lance (15xp) - you may make a Fire Lance Sorcery Check. Spend to strike an Enemy within Short Range with a Bolt of Arcane Fire. This is resolved as an Ranged Attack using the Casters Perception, deals Damage equal to 3 plus the Casters Willpower, and has the Burn 2 Quality.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Bolt of Force Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Fire Ball (10xp) you may spend on a Fire Lance Check to gain the Blast Quality on your attack.

• Heal (20xp) - you may make a Heal Sorcery Check. Spend to cause an Engaged Target (including yourself) to regain Wounds equal to your Intellect plus Ranks in Medicine.
  • Empowerment - Restoration (20xp) when casting Heal, you may also make a Medicine () Check. If successful, your target may also instantly heal one Critical Injury, with Recovery Difficulty equal to the number of rolled. This also temporarily removes permanent effects, such as deafness, blindness, or lost limbs - this extra effect lasts until the start of your next turn or 5 minutes. You may choose to permanently reduce your Strain Threshold by 1 to make this effect permanent.
  • Empowerment - Mass Heal (10xp) you may spend on a Heal Check to heal an additional Engaged Target per spent.

• Levitate Living (10xp) - you may make a Levitate Living Sorcery Check. Spend to target a Character within Short Range and make an opposed Discipline vs Resilience Check. If successful, you may life and move that individual up to 1 Range Band.
  • Empowerment - Range (10xp) you may spend on a Levitate Living Check to increase the maximum Range of the power or the number of Range Bands you may move your target by 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Hurl (5xp) you may spend on a Levitate Living Check to throw the target following moving them, knocking them Prone.

• Levitate Object (10xp) - you may make a Levitate Object Sorcery Check. Spend to lift and control a Silhouette 0 object within Short Range. This power may be used to pull an object out of the grip of another character. To do so against an unwilling target, an opposed Discipline vs Athletics Check is required.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Levitate Object Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Strength (5xp) you may spend on a Levitate Object Check to increase the Silhouette you can lift and control by 1 per spent.

• Sorcerous Shield (15xp) - you may make a Sorcerous Shield Sorcery Check. Spend to make a Discipline () Check. If successful, you may add your Willpower plus 1 for each to your Soak against the next attack you suffer, until the beginning of your next turn. You may spend additional to increase your Soak by an additional 1.
  • Empowerment - Mage Armor (10xp) you may spend on a Sorcerous Shield Discipline Check to increase your Melee and Range Defense by the spent.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) after you make on a Sorcerous Shield Check, you may Commit up to your Arcane Rating, to extend the duration of this spell by 1 round or 5 minutes for each committed.

• Summon Lightning (10xp) - you may make a Summon Lightning Sorcery Check. Spend to strike an Enemy within Short Range with arcing Lightning that leaps from your finger tips. This is resolved as an Ranged Attack using the Casters Discipline and deals Damage equal to 2 + the Casters Willpower, and has a Critical Rating 4.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Summon Lightning Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Thunderous Blast (15xp) you may spend on a Summon Lightning Check to either increase the Damage of the attack by 1 or reduce the Critical Rating of the attack by 1 for each spent.

• Whirlwind (10xp) - you may make a Whirlwind Sorcery Check. Spend to fill an an area within Short Range with a vortex of flying objects. Target an enemy within Short Range and make a Range Attack using Discipline. This attack deal Damage to the target equal to your Willpower. Further this attack has the Blast Quality.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) you may spend on a Whirlwind Check to increase the Range of the power 1 range band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Gale Force (10xp) you may spend on a Whirlwind Check to cause a target affected by Whirlwind or its Blast Quality to become Immobilized until the start of your next action.

Enchantment

Enchantment is the term used to define Spells that influence the mind, manipulate the earth, and cast illusions.

• Calm Beast (10xp) - you may make a Calm Beast Sorcery Check. Spend to add up to your Arcane Rating to your next Ride or Survival Skill Check to affect an animal within Short Range. You may spend on this subsequent Check to gain or
  • Empowerment - Duration (5xp) During a Calm Beast Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the effect of this Spell to 1 additional subsequent Ride or Survival Skill Check per spent.
  • Empowerment - Pack Leader (10xp) When you make an Calm Beast Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the number of affected targets by your Willpower.

• Charm Mind (15xp) - you may make a Charm Mind Sorcery Check. Spend to add up to your Arcane Rating to your next Social Skill Check against a character up to Short Range.
  • Empowerment - Duration (5xp) During a Charm Mind Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the effect of this Spell to 1 additional subsequent Social Skill Check per spent.
  • Empowerment - Mass Charm (10xp) When you make an Charm Mind Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the number of affected targets by your Presence.

• Conjure Illusion (15xp) - you may make a Conjure Illusion Sorcery Check. Spend create a single illusionary person or object, up to Silhouette 1, that is perceptible by one character within Short Range until the end of your next turn or 5 minutes. Additional may be spent to increase the Silhouette of the illusionary object by 1 per spent.
  • Empowerment - Duration (5xp) After you make a Conjure Illusion Sorcery Check, you may Commit to extend the duration of your illusion by 1 additional Round or 5 Minutes per Committed.
  • Empowerment - Mass Illusion (10xp) When you make a Conjure Illusion Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the number of affected targets by your Cunning.

• Domination (15xp) - you may make a Domination Sorcery Check. Spend make an opposed Discipline Check. For each , a target within Engaged Range will adopt an emotional state of your choice or believe something untrue until the end of your next action or 5 minutes.
  • Empowerment - Emotional Torture (10xp) During a Domination Sorcery Check, you may spend to Inflict 2 Strain on your target for each spent.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) After you make an Domination Sorcery Check, you may choose to Commit to increase the Duration of this Spell by 1 additional round or 5 minutes for each Committed.
  • Empowerment - Mass Domination (10xp) When you make an Domination Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the number of affected targets by 1 per spent.

• Doppelganger (10xp) - you may make a Doppelganger Sorcery Check. Spend to make one person within Short Range, up to Silhouette 1, appear as someone else until the end of your next turn or 5 Minutes.
  • Empowerment - Convincing Mask (10xp) When you make a Doppelganger Sorcery Check, you may spend to grant per on any subsequent Check to convince others the Doppelganged target is who they appear to be.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) After you make a Doppelganger Sorcery Check, you may Commit to increase the duration of this spell by 1 Round or 5 Minutes per Committed.

• Endless Endurance (10xp) - you may make an Endless Endurance Sorcery Check. Spend to add up to your Arcane Rating to your next Athletic or Resilience Check. You may spend on this subsequent Check to gain or
  • Empowerment - Duration (5xp) During a Endless Endurance Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the effect of this Spell to 1 additional subsequent Athletics or Resilience Check per spent.
  • Empowerment - Enhancement (10xp) After you make an Endless Endurance Sorcery Check, you may choose to Commit a to increase your Brawn by 1 for the Duration of the Spell.

• Heighten Reflexes (10xp) - you may make a Heighten Reflexes Sorcery Check. Spend to add up to your Arcane Rating, to your next Coordination or Stealth Check. You may spend on this subsequent Check to gain or
  • Empowerment - Duration (5xp) During a Heighten Reflexes Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the effect of this Spell to 1 additional subsequent Coordination or Stealth Check per spent.
  • Empowerment - Enhancement (10xp) After you make a Heighten Reflexes Sorcery Check, you may choose to Commit a to increase your Agility by 1 for the Duration of the Spell.

• Mend Steel (10xp) - you may make a Mend Steel Sorcery Check. Spend to touch and repair or inflict 1 level of damage on a metal object.
  • Empowerment - Range (5xp) During a Mend Steel Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the Range of this Spell by 1 Range Band per spent.
  • Empowerment - Artisan (10xp) During a Mend Steel Sorcery Check, you may spend to grant or increase by one level, a Quality on the object, this effect lasts for until the end of your next turn or 5 minutes. You may permanently reduce your Strain Threshold by 1 to make this effect permanent.

• Minor Invisibility (20xp) - you may make a Minor Invisibility Sorcery Check. Spend to make one object or person, up to Silhouette 1, unseen to a character within Short Range until the end of your next turn or 5 Minutes. Additional may be spent to increase the Silhouette of the object you can affect by 1 per spent.
  • Empowerment - Affect Crowd (10xp) When you make a Minor Invisibility Sorcery Check, you spend to increase the number of affected targets by your Presence.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) After you make a Minor Invisibility Sorcery Check, you may Commit to increase the duration of this spell by 1 Round or 5 Minutes per Committed.

• Shape Earth (15xp) - you may make a Shape Earth Sorcery Check. Spend to alter the shape of an area of earth (such as dirt, mud, and stone) up to Silhouette 1 until the end of your next action or 5 minutes. This can create or seal openings, thicken or thin small portions of wall, ect. In Game System terms, you may increase or decrease the Wound Threshold of such objects by 1 and this effect may be activated multiple times. Additionally this spell may be used to create Cover or block line of sight completely.
  • Empowerment - Solidify (10xp) When you make a Shape Earth Sorcery Check, you spend 3 Strain to make the changes you have created permanent.
  • Empowerment - Move Mountain (10xp) When you make a Shape Earth Sorcery Check, you may spend to increase the Silhouette you can affect by 1 per Spent.

• Summon Mist (10xp) - you may make a Summon Mist Sorcery Check. Spend to fill an area within Short Range with obscuring mists, imposing a or as appropriate to any check requiring clear sight until the end of your next action or 5 Minutes.
  • Empowerment - Fog Bank (10xp) When you make a Summon Mist Sorcery Check, you spend to increase the or by 1 per spent.
  • Empowerment - Duration (10xp) After you make a Summon Mist Sorcery Check, you may Commit to increase the duration of this spell by 1 Round or 5 Minutes per Committed.