Sorginak Magic

In game terms, the sorginak are a folk witch tradition, as described in chapter 3 of Hedge Magic. Some covens involve darker elements in their magic, like the manipulation of spirits. The primary difference is that the Cursing ability may be replaced by a variation of Hex, and sorginak may Initiate certain new Virtues.

The seven Favored Abilities of a sorgina are Animal Ken, Dowsing, Flight, Healing, Hex (or Cursing), Second Sight, and Shapeshifter. UnGifted sorginak must purchase these as separate Virtues, and obviously cannot begin with them all. A Gifted sorgina begins with all seven of these Abilities, with variations depending upon the nature of her coven and lineage. Some aspects of these abilities are considered sinister, and pious sorginak and those who do not wish to be tainted avoid them. Hex is considered unclean, and Shapeshifter is considered unnatural. Many sorginak have the Skinchanger Virtue in place of Shapeshifter, which is considered acceptable, and some have Wilderness Sense replacing Hex or another ability. A few have Premonitions balanced by Visions at no extra cost.

The sorginak reputedly practice wicked initiations and unclean magic. Most sorginak Initiation Scripts contain pagan elements, but there exist a few "clean" variations for many of the basic Favored Abilities. The Inner Mysteries have their basis in a more sinister nature, and no effort has been made to revise them as they are kept secret from non-sorginak. These include the Goetic Arts of Summoning and Command, Ecstatic Magic, a modified version of Chthonic Magic, and their own version of Ceremony. Details of these Virtues and Arts are discussed below. Initiations take place at an akelarre, and follow the usual rules.

The following new Virtues and Flaws are available for sorginak characters, some during character creation and others only from Initiations (see Initiations, above). These can be used as ideas for other witches as well.

Chthonic Sorginak Magic

Major, Supernatural

This grants a variant of the Supernatural Ability of Chthonic Magic beginning at a score of 1. Similar to the Hermetic Virtue, this magic, said to spring from instruction by Mari, grants the sorgina the ability to tap into sinister powers. The sorgina is attuned to both the Magic and Infernal realms. She gains botch dice from neither, and enjoys the benefits of both. She can use Infernal vis without penalty, and adds her Chthonic Magic to her Folk Witch Magic Theory when determining how many pawns of Infernal vis she can use in a season. Neither Faerie nor Magic-aligned detection can sense this tainted Infernal alignment, but Divine and Infernal powers can.

Finally, if she incorporates a knowingly blasphemous action in her magic, the sorgina gains a +6 bonus to the roll or total in question, and she may optionally incorporate Casting Items to also add their Shape & Material bonuses (up to her Folk Witch Magic Theory score). She does not gain the additional Ranges, Targets or Durations ordinarily associated with Chthonic Magic, such as Crossroads, Cursed, or Passion. See Realms of Power: Infernal, page 123 for additional details.

Ecstatic Magic

Minor Supernatural Virtue

The sorgina gains the ability Ecstatic Magic at 1 and she may stray from her body in an intangible spirit form for one hour during akelarre with a successful Stamina + Ecstatic Magic + stress die roll against an Ease Factor of 12. For every 3 by which the roll exceeds the Ease Factor, the sorgina may stray for an additional hour. While straying, she may move with a Stamina + Athletics roll (Ease Factor 3) to visit places she sees daily. For every 3 the roll exceeds the ease factor, she may travel to places she has seen in the last week (Ease Factor 6), the last year (Ease Factor 9), not been in the last year (Ease Factor 12), and places she has never been but possesses an associated arcane connection (Ease Factor 15). While straying, she has the Second Sight ability equal to her Ecstatic Magic ability. The character manifests any carried accoutrements and may harm spirits in

Uncommon, but slightly more prevalent than those found in other folk witch traditions, male sorginak are perceived as inept or effeminate by mundane society, and receive less training with their magic than their female counterparts. The Minor Flaws of Social Handicap and Poorly Trained Folk Witch are recommended, as well as one or more Flaws in their use of magic. A sorgin skilled with his magic or perceived as effective and masculine is rare. To possess both these qualities is very rare, and those who do are thought to be descended from Mikelatz, the son of Mari and Sugaar, lord of the raging storm. A sorgin still transforms into a lamia with sufficient Warping.

Mari takes many forms and has many names, and is represented in multiple Realms. Mari is essentially a Primal Spirit (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 109), a Kosmokrator, an earth-mother goddess governing weather and fortune, and a protector of the ruling class. As such, Mari is also a Daimon that can manifest in multiple different aspects. As a being of magic, Mari has no need of human interaction and cares little for their activities. Indeed, she is often portrayed as shallow and capricious. Faerie manifestations of

Mari exist, craving adoration and manipulating the fates of humanity in her role as a mistress of fortune. These versions of Mari derive power from their worship, communing with sorginak priestesses at akelarre. Demons likely impersonate Mari, or she may be Infernally tainted. This would explain the darker chthonic aspects of her worship and the magic of the sorginak. The truth is hard to discern. A magical Mari wouldn't care about the existence or activities of imposters, the deceptions of a demonic Mari could not be penetrated, and the Pretenses of a Faerie could account for any of these details.

Regardless of the Realm association of a particular manifestation, Mari's facets remain the same. She usually appears as a lovely young woman wearing a flowing red gown, but can also manifest as a woman radiating fire, a woman-shaped tree, or a thunderbolt. As a shapeshifter, she favors animals with red hides, like a cow, a mare, or ewe, but also a black male goat, which suggests an Infernal aspect or the presence of a demonic imposter.

intangible form; spirits may also harm her. She may become tangible with a Stamina + Concentration roll (Ease Factor 12), and may be harmed normally when tangible. She must make an additional roll to remain tangible if wounded; wound penalties apply to the roll.

Sorgina

Free Social Status Virtue

The character is a member of the folk witch tradition of the Pyrenees, with members in Provence and Iberia. Basque villagers respect or fear the character, but members of the Church might persecute a sorgina for heretical behavior. This Virtue is equivalent with the Folk Witch Social Status (See Hedge Magic, page 34) and may be taken in addition to the Hermetic Magus Social Status Virtue. It is also compatible with many other Social Status Virtues and Flaws, and with Wealthy and Poor. The character has been trained as a sorgina. She may perform folk witch laboratory activities such as brewing potions, she uses sorgina casting methods with her Supernatural Virtues and gains the associated magical defenses, and she is a member of a coven who attends akelarre meetings. As she is not supported by a covenant, like a magus is, she must spend two seasons each year supporting herself– normally by performing magical services for the local community. She may not take Virtues and Flaws associated with Witch's Moon. (Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 42)

Existing Virtues & Flaws

Hermetic Virtues & Flaws suggested for Folk Witches are listed on page 36 of Hedge Magic Revised Edition. The Folk Witch Virtues & Flaws detailed in that chapter also apply to the sorginak. Further suggestions follow. Note that since Folk Witch powers are based on a single Ability, a Magic Focus would not be appropriate. Instead, use Potent Magic, granting a bonus to Casting Scores and Lab Totals to magic within a specified field (+3 Minor, +6 Major), and allowing her to incorporate Casting Items into powers that require preparation time.

Major Hermetic Virtues: Major Potent Magic, Mythic Blood

Minor Hermetic Virtues: Minor Potent Magic

Other Minor Virtues: Intuition, Wise One

The magic of a sorgina is much the same as any other folk witch (see Hedge Magic Revised Edition, Chapter 3). The complexities of that system are too numerous to summarize here. Troupes lacking access to the book are encouraged to improvise by substituting similar spell-like effects. This section explains the few ways that the sorginak powers are different from other Folk Witches.

Casting Methods

Sorginak use the same Casting Methods as other folk witches, with a few slight changes.

Potions: Sorginak brew drinkable potions, but are also create alternative applications such as herbal salves or incense. Potions can be used with Animal Ken, Dowsing, Ecstatic Magic, Flight, Healing, Premonitions/Visions, Second Sight, Shapeshifter, and Wilderness Sense.

Incantations: Sorginak incantations use the Euskara language. Incantations can be used for any sorginak Ability except Ecstatic Magic. This is a greater range than other Folk Witches.

Fetish: Sorginak use Fetishes the same ways as other Folk Witches. They are employed for Dowsing, Flight, Hex, Shapeshifter, and Wilderness Sense. Skinchanger is not an Ability, but Fetish is still the Method used.

Hex

Characteristic: Communication

Form: Vim

Method: Incantations, Fetish

Magical Defense: Accelerated Expiry; Defense against effects that target her by Voice or Arcane Connection.

Sorginak cast hexes to cause misfortune to others, similar to the way other Folk Witches use Cursing, but calling upon malicious darker forces. This is the same

power described in Realms of Power: Infernal, affiliated with the Magic Realm and modified as described. Hexes are still Infernally Tainted, a detail imperceptible to Magic or Faerie investigation but readily apparent to Infernal or Divine power.

If using Incantations to hex someone, the sorgina must make eye contact with or touch the target, and the target must be able to hear her incanting the rhymes alluding to the ill fortune that awaits him. Alternatively, using a Fetish requires incorporating an Arcane Connection to the specified target and a Season of preparation. The fetish may be used once and the hex specified when it is prepared, but it can be retained and invoked at any later time the sorgina chooses, from any distance (as long as she holds the fetish). If she uses a prepared fetish in addition to incantations (within Eye/Touch range), she gains a +1 bonus to her Penetration Multiplier.

The sorgina must specify a time-frame within which the hex takes effect, anywhere from immediately to a lifetime. Hexes are more difficult if they manifest quickly, and longer delayed hexes are easier. The Ease Factor is based on Severity, modified for Duration and Delay.

Hex Casting Total: Communication + Hex + Aura + Stress Die vs Ease Factor (Severity + Duration + Delay)

Hex Ease Factors

Base S 6	Minor	everity Examples Ensure Failure, Cause Minor Misfortune, Bestow Minor Flaw
12	Serious	for duration, Manipu- late target for duration Cripple Sense or Limb for duration, Trans-
18	Major	form Target for duration Inflict Major Disease, Cause Major Misfortune,
24	Critical	Bestow Major Flaw for duration Cripple or Incapacitate someone, Cause Aging Crisis

30 Terminal Death or Ruination

Faith & Flame

Mod Duration

• +0 Momentary
• +3 Hour/Simple Condition (any common superstitious cure)
• +6 Day/Minor Condition (a simple specific task)
• +9 Moon/Moderate Condition (a demanding or complex task)
• +12 Season/Major Condition (a difficult and challenging task)
• +15 Year/Ultimate Condition (a vague or impossible task)

Mod Delay

• +12 Moment
• +9 Hour
• +6 Day
• +3 Week
• 0 Month
• –3 Season
• –6 Year
• –9 Generation
• –12 Lifetime

Premonitions/Visions

Characteristic: Perception

Form: Imaginem

Method: Potion or Incantations

Magical Defense: Fluctuating Fortune (Art & Academe, page 134), Defense in situations where she could avoid effects with a roll, such as Defense, Soak, Personality Traits, and so on.

See ArM5, page 67 and page 60.

For a sorgina, the Premonitions Virtue is

always linked with the Visions Flaw. Sorginak use Premonitions normally, activating them through the invocation of a daily prayer, and Visions come to characters in dreams.

Wilderness Sense

Characteristic: Perception

Form: Animal, Auram, Herbam, Terram Method: Potion, Incantation, or Fetish

Magical Defense: Magical Fortitude, Defense against wilderness and weather related effects

See ArM5, page 67.

Summoning

Characteristic: Presence

Form: Vim

Method: Incantation

Magical Defense: Immovable Object, Defense against effects that try to move or conjure her

See Realms of Power: Infernal, page 114.

Commanding

Characteristic: Communication

Form: Vim

Method: Incantation

Magical Defense: Immovable Object, Defense against effects that try to control or manipulate her.

See Realms of Power: Infernal, page 117.

The Warty Prince

Ease Factor: 21, Duration: Simple Condition, Delay: 1 Day

The target is transformed into a toad at sunrise the next day; receiving a kiss breaks the hex.

(Serious transformation 12 + Simple Condition 3 + One Day Delay +6)

Silence the Mighty Knight

Ease Factor: 21, Duration: Moon, Delay: 1 Day

The target wakes tomorrow with the

Incomprehensible flaw for the next Moon.

(Minor Flaw 6 + Duration: Moon 9 + Delay: Day +6)

A Sleeping Scion for Stolen Lands

Ease Factor: 18+, Duration: Simple Condition, Delay: Generation

The target's first child falls asleep on reaching the age of majority until the sorgina's land is returned.

(Incapacitate 24 + Simple Condition 3 + Generation Delay –9)

Minor or Major Hermetic Virtue

The maga's magic is particularly attuned to a narrow field, much as in a Magical Focus. The benefits of Potent Magic are compatible with a Magical Focus; unlike a Magical Focus, a magus may have more than one area of Potent Magic, though only one Potent Magic Virtue applies to any single activity.

Potent Magic provides the maga with a bonus in her field of magic, and permits her to devise Potent spells which gain a casting bonus from the sympathetic magic in shapes and materials.

Potent Magic can be taught as an alternative to a Magical Focus. For sorginak, it may be taken during character creation.

Description

Minor Potent Magic covers the same narrow fields as a Minor Magical Focus, granting a +3 bonus to Lab Totals and Casting Score.

Major Potent Magic covers the same, wider, fields as a Major Magical Focus, granting a +6 bonus to Lab Totals and Casting Score.

A maga with Potent Magic may also invent new Potent Spells (see below) within the field of her Potent Magic, and may vary spells she knows.

Potent Spells

A Potent Spell has a bonus known as its Potency, which derives from combining one or more Casting Items into the design of the spell. Casting Items use the factors given in the Shape & Material Bonus table: each Casting Item provides one bonus. (If more than one bonus is possible, the spell design states which one is used.)

Potency:

sum of bonus from each casting item

Any magus can learn a Potent spell from a Lab Text or Teacher, and apply Potency to his Casting Score. Potency is always limited by your Magic Theory score. If a spell's Potency exceeds your Magic Theory score, you cannot learn or devise such a spell.

Potency is part of the spell design; a Lab Text for a Potent Spell includes the specified Casting Items and Potency score. A Magus teaching a Potent Spell teaches the formula they know, including the Casting Items and Potency score.

To cast a Potent Spell, the caster must touch the specified Casting Items. The items need not be large: they may be small and symbolic (for example, a shield-shaped brooch is still symbolically a shield).

Example: a Wand provides several bonuses including +2 "repel things" and +4 "control things at a distance." A Potent version of Disguise of the Putrid Aroma could use either bonus in its Potency. Combined with Magnetite (+3 Animal) allows a design with either Potency 5 (requires Magic Theory 5) or Potency 7 (requires Magic Theory 7). The caster must hold a wand and piece of magnetite (or a wand set with magnetite), and adds Potency to Casting Score.

Potency applies only to formulaic spells — spontaneous magic allows Ceremonial Casting to produce similar results, and enchanted devices use Shape & Material bonuses during enchantment.

Potent Magic and Potent Spells

A magus with Potent Magic may create new Potent spells or alter Potent spells to vary the Casting Items.

When inventing a spell within the field of his Potent Magic (including from a Lab Text), the magus simply chooses Casting Items for the design, and then invents the spell as normal. Each chosen Casting Item (up to the limit of Magic Theory) adds a single Shape or Material bonus to Potency. (If more than one bonus might apply to the spell, choose one and note it in the design). The total Potency may not exceed Magic Theory.

A Lab Text written for this spell includes the Casting Items and Potency, and is usable by any other magus.

In addition, a magus who knows a spell within the field of their Potent Magic may invent a variant spell with different Casting Items. If the only difference is a change in Casting Items, they may invent the variant in a single season. A magus cannot learn a Potent Spell if Potency exceeds their Magic Theory, so some of these spells are powerful but very difficult to learn.

Designing Covenant Libraries

When creating a Covenant and choosing Lab Texts for the library, add Potency (if any) to spell level when counting Build Points, and record the casting-items required.

Ecstatic Magic

Characteristic: Stamina

Form: Mentem Method: Potion

Magical Defense: Accelerated Expiry, Defense against effects that try to affect her mind or control her body.

This ability is similar to the ability of Nightwalkers, as described in Hedge Magic Revised Edition, page 104.

Unlike a nightwalker, a sorgina may not take anyone with her, may only stray during akelarre, may not take alternate forms while intangible, and may not affect dreamers. While intangible, she has all the limitations of a straying nightwalker, including: appearing dead while straying, having the Magical Air Flaw while intangible, suffering any injuries on her physical form inflicted on her intangible form, vulnerable to harm from any spells that affect spirits or ghosts while intangible, and vulnerable to harm while tangible from anything that would harm their mundane physical form. A straying sorgina must Penetrate an Aegis of the Hearth, or any ward against people or spirits, to pass through it.

Certain lineages of sorginak do not experience the Witch's Moon. While part of their lore, their magic changed (or was corrupted), and these covens instead experience Ecstatic Catharsis. Similar to the Trollsynir (as experienced by gruagachan), the process gradually physically transforms the sorgina into one of the laminak. Ecstatic Magic makes resisting Catharsis more difficult, but increases the chances to benefit from it. Some call these witches "True Sorginak."

Whenever a sorgina receives two or more Warping Points from a magical botch or other event, she may undergo Catharsis. While experiencing Catharsis, the sorgina suffers a sort of seizure, falling to the ground and convulsing in ecstasy, as the magics affect her body. The sorgina has one opportunity to avoid the experience.

Catharsis Avoidance Total: Stamina + Concentration

• + Premonitions + stress die
• vs. Warping Score + Number of Warping Points Gained
• + Ecstatic Magic + local aura

If successful, she spends a few minutes bringing her ecstasy under control.

Avoidance Time: 40 Rounds minus (Avoidance Success + Second Sight)

If she fails, she undergoes Catharsis. If she botches, she cannot Assimilate Catharsis and suffers Debasement. A sorgina may choose not to resist Catharsis, instead embracing it willingly, attempting to quickly Assimilate it. Regardless, the sorgina now attempts Assimilation.

Catharsis Assimilation Total: Intelligence + Ecstatic Magic + stress die vs Warping Score + stress die

Time Spent in Ecstasy: One hour per point of Warping Score

Reducing Time Spent in Ecstasy: Cost: 1 Confidence Point

Time Spent becomes: Warping – (Stress Die + Perception +

Occasionally, a sorgina will be trained Hermetically by one of the few magi belonging to the descendants of the coven which managed the Hermetic integration of sorgina powers. They tend to aggressively protect their secrets and look down upon other sorginak, knowing they are far more powerful than their sisters. This creates jealous rivalries which occasionally erupt with fatal results. When such a feud involves only sorginak, neither party tends to involve Quasitors or Redcaps; they feel it is "sorginak business."

The first sorginak joined the Order of Hermes in the 10th century, inducted by members of House Flambeau searching for resources to turn against the Moorish invaders of Iberia. The sorginak provided limited assistance through their traditional Folk Witch powers, and in the end, turned inward to care for the Basque communities where they lived. However, one coven continued working with a pair of Bonisagus brothers on sorginak integration with Hermetic Theory. They succeeded, but most were killed shortly afterwards (and before widespread publication of their findings) by drakes lured to their covenant by Moorish Sahirs. By 1220, the tradition remains very small, as most members or descendents of the original coven perished before training a successor.

Key Facts

Favored Tribunals: Provençal, Iberia, a very few in Normandy

Major Non-Hermetic Virtue: One Major Sorginak Ability (Healing, Hex, Shapeshifter, or Summoning)

Major Hermetic Flaw: Necessary Condition (Potions, Euskara Incantations, and Fetishes)

Minor Hermetic Virtue: Exotic Casting

Second Sight) hours, see later.

If successful, the sorgina Assimilates Catharsis, achieving Epiphany. Unsuccessful Assimilation results in Debasement. Either way, Catharsis is accompanied by an ecstatic reaction. The sorgina is incapacitated with intense sensation and cannot comprehend the world around her. This leaves her vulnerable until she manages to control her ecstasy. The time necessary to control the sensations is not based upon Assimilation success or failure. Rather, ecstasy lasts one hour per point of her Warping Score. She may attempt to gather her wits by force of will, by spending a point of Confidence and using Second Sight to discern reality. Rolling a Stress Die + Perception + Second Sight, subtract that many hours from the recovery time. If the result is 0 or less, the sorgina regains control instantly. She is not confused, and is not forced to make any Concentration rolls. If the attempt botches, multiply the time by (1 + the number of botches). Cathartic Ecstasy lasting extremely long periods of time can have detrimental effects, such as Long-Term Fatigue and deprivation.

Once the sorgina reaches a Warping Score of 10, she becomes one of the laminak and is no longer human. Laminak are river fae who live near the edge of settlements, unable to step on hallowed ground, but performing tasks such as plowing and bridge building in the night. Seven sorginak laminak supposedly directly serve Mari. Once fully transformed into laminak, the storyguide assumes control of the character. Suggestions for Epiphany and Debasement are as follows.

Epiphany

Increased Knowledge: The sorgina gains experience points in a pre-existing Supernatural Ability, equal to (the character's Warping Score + a simple die).

Sorginak Virtue: The sorgina gains a new sorginak Ability, Mystery, or other Virtue.

Lamia Virtue: The sorgina gains a Virtue appropriate for laminak. Examples include: Entrancements, Faerie Blood (laminak), Great Presence, Puissant Charm, and Venus' Blessing.

Debasement

Lost Knowledge: The sorgina loses experience points in a pre-existing Supernatural Ability, equal to (the character's Warping Score + a simple die).

Sorginak Flaw: The sorgina gains a new Supernatural or Hermetic Flaw.

Lamia Flaw: The sorgina gains a Flaw appropriate for laminak. Examples include: Curse of Venus, Delusion, Disfigured (chicken, goat, or webbed feet), Envious, Lecherous, Obsessed (obtain and keep a gold personal comb), Offensive to Animals, Tainted with Evil, Weakness (personal comb).

Relative to other traditions, the sorginak comprise a relatively large and well organized community of hedge wizards. However, they are concentrated in a small area dominated by a more powerful magical tradition, the Order of Hermes. In several situations, sorginak have come into conflict with Hermetic magi, and rivalries still occur occasionally. However, these are minor affairs, and most sorginak covens cooperate with the Order or try to avoid it. Basque magic has been of interest to several magi in the past, and some aspects have been incorporated as new Virtues. There is also a small Ex Miscellanea tradition of sorginak, but most Basque magi are actually of a traditional Latin House.

There are also Gifted Basques who have pursued other forms of Hermetic magic, the most famous being Apromor, the filius of Flambeau and first Primus to lead that House. Many Basque magi, and especially those of House Ex Miscellanea, possess the Minor Hermetic Virtue of Exotic Casting.

Exotic Casting

Minor, Hermetic

The magus uses non-Hermetic methods to cast Hermetic spells. While he still needs to employ obvious ritual actions, these are not the same words and gestures taught as part of Magic Theory within the Order, and other magi who are unfamiliar with the magus' tradition find it very hard to recognize which spell he is casting. Any attempt to determine the Form of his magical effect (ArM5, page 83) is made against an Ease Factor of 15, without the magnitude of the effect being subtracted from this Ease Factor as normal. If the character has any Supernatural Abilities, then he uses the same methods to cast his Hermetic magic as he does to use his non-Hermetic magic. The magus cannot choose to use the standard Hermetic methods instead of those of his native tradition, but can choose to reduce or forgo words and gestures in the usual fashion (ArM5, page 83).