Magic
Infernal Taint
The magical arts practiced by Guorna and Tytalus included the Ars Goetia (see Realms of Power: The Infernal, Chapter 11: Ars Goetia), which deals with the summoning, binding, commanding, and punishment of spiritual entities of all realms except the Divine. While these powers are not inherently evil, their association with spirits and the underworld make them tainted, socially and supernaturally. Modern Titanoi claim to employ only Hermetic practices, and thus avoid any sorcerous taint of the Ars Goetia. They do not admit to also preserving the original magics of their Founder (in the form of Goetic Magic), but it is known for a certainty that Tasgillia did, and it seems unlikely that this knowledge was completely purged from the House by the Quaesitores.
At the option of the storyguide, the Mystagogues of the Titanoi can also Initiate the Goetic Arts of Summoning, Ablating, Binding, and Commanding as Major Mystery Virtues, and teach Goetic Spell Mastery.
Critias said that more men are good from practice than from nature. A magus who does not practice will never be good, no matter what his nature.
— Analects of Tytalus
Tytalus magi have different interests, and thus may have very different tastes in magic. However, all show a fascination for intrigue, which lends itself well to the practice of Mentem magics. The following sections describe some useful spells for activities in which Tytalan magi usually excel.
Magic for the Debating Arena
The use of magic in the debating arena is heavily frowned upon by the Order of Hermes. Several Tribunal meetings take place under an Aegis of the Hearth cast by the praeco and the presiding Quaesitor specifically to inhibit magic that might influence the democratic processes of the Order. In other Tribunals, the Quaesitores specifically request that enchantments not be used in the debating arena, and run periodic checks against them. Not all Tribunals take such precautions, however, and a member of House Tytalus can often benefit from some judicial use of debating magic. Magi taking this perilous route should concentrate on magic that enhances their own abilities rather than directly affecting the audience. For example, Aura of Ennobled Presence changes the magus's image so that he emits species of sight and hearing that make him appear more convincing, granting a +3 bonus to all debating Defense Totals that use the Leadership Ability. Tytalan magi have developed similar spells that make them seem more likeable (and thus affect Charm defenses) or more believable (and thus improve Guile defenses); see the spells Aura of Beguiling Appearance and Aura of Childlike Innocence below. At the option of the storyguide, Aura of Ennobled Presence might warp the manifestation of The Gift in the same way as these two spells; while still giving the usual bonus against mundanes, the character expresses his enhanced leadership as a harsh taskmaster or cruel lord.
Other magi are quick to cry foul if they discover that such spells have been used during a Tribunal meeting, but there is no provision in the Code of Hermes to prevent these tactics. Of course, should their use become widespread then either the advantage will be lost to the Tytali, or magical or legal countermeasures will be taken to negate them. Tytalan magi are warned by their parentes to use these spells with care (or with a good Masking the Odor of Magic spell!).
Aura of Beguiling Appearance
MuIm 10
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell is a variant of Aura of Ennobled Presence, except that it causes the target to appear more friendly, conciliatory, and credible. The character gets a +3 on rolls to win trust and make friends. In a debate, the target receives a +3 to Defense Totals based on Charm. The social penalties caused by The Gift are not negated by this spell; the caster merely seems to be suspiciously over-friendly.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
Aura of Childlike Innocence
MuIm 10
R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell is a variant of Aura of Ennobled Presence, except that it causes the target to appear more guileless, gullible, and naïve. The character gets a +3 to rolls to deflect suspicion or convince others of his innocence. In a debate, the target receives a +3 to defenses based on Guile. To those affected by the caster's Gift, his apparent innocence and unblemished honor appears sanctimonious and self-righteous.
(Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun)
The Magic of Impersonation
Those magi who have spent time and effort developing personae often learn or invent spells that assist them in maintaining these separate identities. Most Tytalan magi do not rely upon a magical disguise when using a persona because of the need to renew it on a regular basis, and the fact that some individuals are gifted with Second Sight or Magic Sensitivity, and can destroy their cover easily. Nevertheless, a magical enchantment can overcome these limitations with a constant effect in an enchantment, particularly if coupled with Mask the Odor of Magic. Despite the problems associated with a magically maintained persona, some magi do employ such tricks. Occasionally it is necessary to create a persona of the opposite sex, with a specific characteristic such as red hair or dwarf stature, or even with all the particular features of a certain real person. In such cases, spells such as Disguise of the Transformed Image and Disguise of the New Visage can prove very useful. Members of House Tytalus even trade Lab Texts of such spells that cause the caster to become a specific individual; those versions can only be used to adopt the guise of the person determined when the spell was invented, but that disguise is flawless, and does not rely on the caster knowing the individual whom he is copying.
The Tytalan spell Donning the Mask of Another allows a magus to acquire a deep cover disguise by stealing one from another. This spell is most commonly used to pass a cover on to another magus once it is no longer useful to the magus who initially developed it, perhaps because he has finished with the schemes that precipitated its creation. In this case the spell is often cast through a Wizard's Communion, and the caster extends his Parma round the donor (ArM5, page 87) so that only the Form Resistance of the donor needs to be overcome by the spell's Penetration. Such an arrangement usually places the new owner in the debt of the former owner. However, this spell may also be used to steal a persona from another; with a Perdo requisite added to the spell during its invention, it can even remove all memory of the identity from the donor's mind.
The Succubus's Trick
MuCo 5
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell causes a female caster to adopt male physical characteristics. A similar spell (The Incubus's Trick) turns a male caster into a woman. Eye color, hair color, hairstyle, stature, build, and similar characteristics are not changed by this spell, so anyone familiar with the caster's original appearance can easily recognize her after the change (although the enchanted maga is sometimes instead assumed to be her own "twin brother"). The names of these spells derive from demons of lust who can change their gender.
(Base 3, +2 Sun)
The Far-Speaking Voice
CrMe 20
R: Arc, D: Diam, T: Ind
The caster can deliver two minutes of conversation directly into the mind of the person to whom he holds an Arcane Connection, although the target cannot communicate back. This spell is often placed within an enchantment (either a charged item or one with an effect which expires) with the caster's own Arcane Connection, allowing a spy to communicate with him.
(Base 3, +4 Arc, +1 Diam)
Donning the Mask of Another
MuMe 35
R: Touch, D: Year, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell creates a persona from the identity of another (henceforth called the donor). The donor must be present during the Ritual spell, but need not be willing or even conscious for the correct operation of the spell, though it must penetrate any Magic Resistance as usual.
The caster acquires the full memories and personality of the donor as a deep cover disguise with a Reputation score of 3, but which offers no reduction in the social penalty of the caster's Gift. This spell can also be used on characters who have established a deep cover disguise of their own, in which case it confers the Reputation at the same score as the donor's, with the same reduction in The Gift's effects that he enjoyed. If, in the year that the caster maintains this foreign identity, he is able to apply at least 5 experience points to the Reputation, then the Reputation persists once the spell's Duration expires.
The caster must employ further magic to acquire the physical resemblance of the persona. The caster could even fool close friends and family, if his physical disguise is good enough. This spell inflicts one Warping Point on both the caster and donor when it is cast (from the powerful mystical effect), and the caster suffers an additional Warping Point at the end of the spell's duration (from the constant mystical effect).
(Base 10, +1 Touch, +4 Year)
The Magic of Intrigue
Magi of House Tytalus often employ magics that assist them in their intrigues. Scrying on the agents and antagonists of one's plots is an important facet of a Tytalan intrigue, although naturally the magus should take care if he has embroiled other members of the Order of Hermes in his schemes. To be on the safe side, a Tytalus maga may employ forceless casting (Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 72), ensuring that her magic has no ability to penetrate even a Magic Resistance of zero. Spells such as Prying Eyes and Whispering Winds can prove very useful, as can The Invisible Eye Revealed, to foil the scrying of one's rival. Tytalan magi often need to discover what plots they have become embroiled in without their knowledge, which is the purpose of the spell Betraying Whispers of the Jealous Mind, detailed below.
Tytali rarely control the mundane agents of their schemes directly with magic; these spells tend to inhibit freedom of thought, and Tytalan magi prefer agents who are capable of adapting to a situation over mindless automata. Furthermore, Rego Mentem spells that are powerful enough to be of use usually cause Warping, which is an annoyance for any agent who is to be used more than once. More subtle spells, such as ones to induce feelings of loyalty, or to spread malicious gossip about a rival (see Burning Issue of the Day, below), are far more popular.
For meeting with co-conspirators, Tytalan magi often preserve their anonymity with face-changing or face-blurring magic (see The Clandestine Mask, below), or else meet in total darkness. Some do both, just in case one concealment method is negated by treachery. Spells can be employed to ensure the secure transfer of information between conspirators (see Enchantment of the Pedestrian Pigeon, below), or else communications can be written in Tytalan ink (see below).
Tytalan Ink
Tytalan ink is a charged item that takes the form of colorless ink. A Dexterity + Artes Liberales roll of 9 or more is required to write legible text with ink that cannot be seen. Upon uttering the command word, the ink becomes black (or any other color determined at the ink's creation) until the Duration expires, at which point it reverts to its colorless state. Each charge produces enough ink to for approximately two pages of writing; alternatively, multiple charges can be placed in the same vial of ink, allowing the message to be read multiple times.
Reveal the Hidden Words
MuAq 5
Pen +0, 1/day, Charged Item
R: Per, D: Diam, T: Group
Any group of words written in the enchanted, colorless liquid becomes visible upon activating its magic, as the ink turns black for Diameter Duration.
(Base 2, +1 Diam, +2 Group)
The Clandestine Mask
MuIm 4
R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind
This spell blurs the face and distorts the voice of the caster, so that she may not be recognized by anyone who knows her. The caster's sigil determines what form this disguise takes; Carolus of Tytalus, whose sigil is darkness, has his face cast perpetually in shadow and his voice echoing and deep. Harpax, whose sigil is multiplicity, acquires a new face every few seconds, and his voice changes randomly between accents and pitches. A magus with a particularly obvious sigil must create a more powerful version (+1 magnitude for higher complexity) to blur this distinction further.
(Base 2, +2 Sun)
Betraying Whispers of the Jealous Mind
InMe 30
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Hearing
This spell allows the caster to hear the dominant emotion regarding himself from those who come within his earshot. He does not sense any emotions other than those which pertain to himself, and each emotion manifests as a muffled voice in his head, repeating again and again a word or short phrase which indicates that emotion. Thus, if his rival is jealous of his reputation, the caster might hear "Your fame should be mine" whispered over and over. The volume of the voice indicates the proximity of the emotion. By concentrating, the caster can single out one voice among any others within earshot; as the caster approaches the owner of that emotion, he hears an increase in the volume of the voice.
(Base 5, +1 Conc, +3 Hearing, +1 complexity — only detects emotions concerning the caster)
Enchantment of the Pedestrian Pigeon
MuMe 15
R: Eye, D: Moon, T: Ind
After telling a person a piece of information, this spell is cast to occlude the memory of that information. A key phrase or word is also set at the time of casting, and subsequently uttering this phrase unlocks the memory. If the message has not been delivered by the time the Duration expires, then the memory of the information is restored to the target. A spell to read the thoughts of the target does not reveal the protected information unless its Penetration exceeds the spell's level.
(Base 2, +1 Eye, +3 Moon, +1 complexity)
Burning Issue of the Day
ReMe 30
R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Group
After casting this spell, the caster utters a piece of information (true or false) to the target Group, and must speak in a language that the targets understand. The members of the Group are then strongly inclined to repeat that information to anyone they meet for the Duration of the spell.
(Base 5, +1 Eye, +2 Sun, +2 Group)
The Magic of the Titanoi
Spirits abound in Mythic Europe, present wherever an object exists which expresses a particular quality strongly. Thus, spirits of fire can be found near open flames and spirits of love can be found near courting couples. These spirits are akin to animals and plants, have no personal names, and do not involve themselves in the physical world unless forced to through magic. Spells of a specific Form can command any spirit tied to that Form, for example, Ignem can command any fiery spirit. Mentem spells (using the Rego Mentem guidelines, ArM5, page 151) can command any spirit with an Intelligence score, but some spirits have no Intelligence, and those are affected by Rego (Form) spells.
The Titanoi are also interested in the named spirits, the Daimons. Such spirits are not so easy to control, and only those versed in the Mystery of Theurgy are truly skilled in doing so. Unlike simpler spirits, a Daimon can manifest in several places simultaneously, by projecting only one Aspect of itself in each. Instead of summoning such a spirit, the Titanos instead forms a pact with one, causing it to send an Aspect to the magus to perform some task on his behalf in return for the spiritual sustenance provided by casting a ritual spell.
For more information about spirits and Daimons, see The. Mysteries. Revised. Edition.
Coerce the Spirit of Anger
ReMe 20
R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind
This spell makes a spirit of anger obey the caster as long as he can coerce it with threats. The more lurid and dramatic the threats, the more cooperative the spirit is. If the spell penetrates the spirit's Magic Resistance, make a stress roll of Communication + Leadership to see how effective the threats are. The storyguide should always give a bonus or penalty depending on the potency of the threat, but note that any roll other than a botch compels at least minimal obedience, while increasing rolls indicate a more cooperative spirit. Note that the caster must be capable of sensing the spirit to use this spell, unless it is reinvented at Range Arcane Connection.
(Base 5 [see The.Mysteries.Revised.Edition, page 28], +2 Voice, +1 Conc)
Summoning the Spirit of Anger
ReMe 40
R: Arc, D: Conc, R: Ind
This spell calls a spirit of wrath to the magus's current location, if he has an Arcane Connection or knows its full name, and overcomes its Magic Resistance. The name can be a non-magical name, and need not be a magical True Name. A wrathful person serves as an Arcane Connection to any spirit of anger; if he has a Major Personality Flaw such as Wrathful, then the spirit has a Magic Might of 30. A Minor Personality Flaw attracts a spirit of Might 20. Otherwise, the spirit has a Might equal to (5 x Angry Personality Trait). Casting this spell inflicts a Warping Point on the source of the anger, unless it is the caster himself.
Similar spells exist for summoning the spirits of other emotions.
(Base 15 [see The. Mysteries. Revised. Edition, page 28], +4 Arc, +1 Conc)
A Spirit of a Person's Anger
Magic Might: 20 (Mentem) Characteristics: Cun –1, Per 0, Pre +1, Com +3, Str +3, Sta +1, Dex +2,
Qik +1
Virtues and Flaws: Wrathful Personality Traits: Angry +6 Powers:
Incorporeal, 0 points, Init Constant, Mentem: The spirit is both invisible and intangible, and cannot be influenced by the physical world. Magic may only directly target the spirit if the caster can sense its existence. The physical characteristics of the spirit are only used when dealing with other incorporeal creatures.
Fury, 3 points, Init +2, Mentem: The target of this power must roll 9 or higher on a stress die to avoid flying into a destructive, uncontrollable rage. He gets another roll every round to try to calm down. On a botch, he tries to kill everyone around him. Appropriate Personality Traits add to or subtract from the roll.
Appearance: To those with Second Sight (or similar magic), a spirit of anger appears to be a red-faced man. His muscles and tendons are taut with his furious anger, and he is constantly bellowing his rage at the world.
Reveal the Lurking Watchers
InVi 30
R: Per, D: Conc, T: Vision
This spell allows the caster to see any creatures of the Magic realm within his field of view and identify them as possessing Magic Might. The spell does not distinguish between what is spiritual and what is not, so if a spirit has an animal form, the caster may mistake it for a magical animal. The caster receives no information about the type of creature except that which can be deduced from its appearance. This spell must penetrate the Magic Resistance of the creature; if it fails to penetrate a spirit's Might, then the spirit cannot be seen by the caster.
(Base 5, +1 Conc, +4 Vision)
An Aspect of Zelos
Magic Might: 20
Characteristics: Int +3, Per +4, Pre +2, Com +2, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex +1, Qik +2
Virtues and Flaws: Puissant Intrigue Personality Traits: Sly +3
Abilities: Folk Ken 4 (rivalries), Intrigue 6+2 (competition)
Powers:
Incorporeal, 0 points, Init Constant, Mentem: The spirit is both invisible and intangible, and cannot be influenced by the physical world. Magic may only directly target the spirit if the caster can sense its existence. The physical characteristics of the spirit are only used when dealing with other incorporeal creatures.
Grant Incorporeality, 5 points, Init +1, Corpus: Zelos can share his incorporeal nature with another; this Power lasts until he breaks contact with the target. This Power must penetrate, so a magus usually has to drop his Parma for it to work.
Navigate Contention's Ocean, 2 points, Init +5, Mentem: The spirit can perceive all the plots currently surrounding an individual, and instantly travel to the location of any active rival. He can take any incorporeal being with him when he travels in this way.
Appearance: Zelos appears as a Greek youth dressed in a simple tunic, with a huge pair of black-feathered wings. He holds a laurel crown.
Zelos is the Daimon of rivalry, envy, and competition, and as such he never assists a character to resolve a conflict with another, but he has no difficulty with providing assistance to propagate contention. To Zelos, the network of rivalry and jealousy around a person appears as a web of intrigue, and he can follow those threads back to their sources.
Invoke the Pact of Zelos
ReVi Gen
R: Arc, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
This spell represents the formation of a pact with Zelos, the Daimon of rivalry and contention. It targets a duplicate (called an Aspect) of Zelos, rather than the spirit itself, and if the spell penetrates the Aspect's Might (see insert), that Aspect appears before the caster to perform a specific service. This spell does not exert any control over this spirit.
Without the Mystery Virtue of Hermetic Theurgy, this spell must have a level of at least 40 (twice the Might of the Daimon's Aspect), and it usually needs to be cast using Wizard's Communion, to achieve sufficient Penetration. As a spell adapted from non-Hermetic theurgic practices, it requires knowledge of a Mystery, or a Hermetic Breakthrough, to invent, although nontheurgist Hermetic magi can learn the spell from a Lab Text or from a teacher. Acquiring an Arcane Connection to a Daimon such as Zelos is no simple task, and may be the focus of a story in its own right.
(General effect, +4 Arc, see The Mysteries Revised Edition, Chapter 9: Hermetic Theurgy for more details)
ANew Corpus Guidelines
Creo Corpus
Level 25: Improve all wounds by one level of severity.
The Magic of the Leper Magi
The leper magi employ all of the magical techniques of other Tytali, but they also have a strong focus in spells of health and healing. Nearly every magus aegrotus knows Chirurgeon's Healing Touch, as well as other spells that heals more serious wounds. It is the combating of diseases at which they excel, however, as well as the prolongation of life through the creation on Longevity Rituals and the resolution of Aging Crises.
Ward the Cruel Touch of Pestilence
CrCo 20
R: Touch, D: Moon, T: Ind
The target gains a +9 bonus to Stamina rolls to avoid contracting diseases (see ArM5, Debilitation, page 180).
(Base 4, +1 Touch, +3 Moon)
Gentle Caress of Aesclepius
CrCo 30
R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual
All of the target's wounds immediately improve by one level of severity; an Incapacitating Wound becomes a Heavy Wound, a Heavy Wound becomes a Medium Wound, and so forth. Light Wounds are healed instantly.
(Base 25, +1 Touch)