Defixio Lore

Defixio Lore is a Major, Supernatural Virtue and corresponding Ability that allow a character to perform the rituals necessary to create a defixio. They are presented for illustrative purposes only. Magi are generally incapable of acquiring the Virtue or learning the Ability; the only practical way for a magus to utilize the secrets of defixio magic is to integrate its effects into Hermetic theory.

Defixiones allow their creator to use a Supernatural Ability or spell against a target that is not sensed and for which the creator has no Arcane Connection. A defixio itself does not possess any power other than the ability to provide a conduit to the target. Defixiones are not Arcane Connections. Although they allow their creator to cast spells or use Supernatural Abilities without regard for the distance to the target, they can never be used to improve a magus's Penetration multiplier.

For every level in the Defixio Lore Ability, the character may select one cult from the list below. The cult limits the type of magic that may be used in conjunction with the defixio. The character may not utilize any spell or Supernatural Ability that has a Technique and Form combination or requires a requisite that falls outside of those listed for the cult specialties known by the character.

For every level in Defixio Lore, the character may choose one of the following cults:

Cult of Ceres: Creo Mentem Cult of Hecate: Perdo Corpus/Animal Cult of Minerva: Rego Corpus/Animal Cult of Pluto: Rego Mentem Cult of Proserpina: Muto Mentem

The process of preparing a defixio is very involved. During the creation of the defixio, the preparer must designate the spell that he is going to use against the target. The spell or Supernatural Ability selected must meet the Technique and Form requirements of the cults known by the character. The creator must spend one day and expend one pawn of vis per magnitude of the spell or Ability in preparing the defixio. The vis expended must match the Technique or Form of the cult specialty utilized.

The defixio must contain both a description of the spell to be cast and a description of the target of the spell. An accurate and complete description of the target makes the defixio more effective. A defixio can target someone who is not yet known. For example, a defixio may be created that contains a trigger that occurs in the future. If the target of the defixio is not yet knowable because the triggering event has not occurred, then the spell is cast and does not affect anyone until the target is identified.

The Ease Factor is increased by one for every magnitude of the spell or Supernatural Ability used in conjunction with the defixio. A Minor Supernatural Ability is the equivalent of a fourth magnitude spell and a Major Supernatural Ability is the equivalent of a seventh magnitude spell for these purposes.

After the defixio is created, the preparer must roll Intelligence + Defixio Lore + a stress die. If the total equals or exceeds the Ease Factor, then the character may cast the spell or use the Ability previously selected. If the spell or Ability botches, the defixio is destroyed, otherwise a failure merely requires a repeat attempt. Once a spell or

Ease Factor	Examp le
0	The target's full name and an Arcane Connection to the target are incor porated into the defixio: "Marie the Perfumier, daughter of Claude," and a lock of Marie's hair.
3	Only the target's full name is used in creating the defixio: "Marie the Perfumier, daughter of Claude."
6	Only the target's pseud onym or a nickname is known: "Jarvis," "Lucky," or "The Weasel."
9	The target is precisely described without using his full name or a pseudonym: "The shield grog of Carolus," "the covenfolk of Semita Errabunda," or "the per son who stole my cloak."
12	The target cannot be known at the time of cre ation: "Any person who defiles my grave," "my killer," or "the next per son to attack me."

Supernatural Ability takes effect, it continues until it would normally expire or the defixio is destroyed. For the spell or Supernatural Ability to penetrate a target's Magic Resistance, both the Defixio Lore and the underlying magical effect must penetrate. Defixio Lore's Penetration total is equal to the amount that the stress roll exceeds the target Ease Factor.

Specialties: a particular cult. (Supernatural)

must penetrate for the event to be triggered, otherwise nothing happens. If an incident that would trigger the condition occurs within an Aegis of the Hearth, the spell must penetrate the Aegis or be cast by a member of the covenant for it to take effect. Should a new Aegis ceremony take place before the condition occurs, the spell must penetrate the new Aegis.

The triggering event must occur within the spell's range for it to be detected. The range is measured from the point where the spell was cast, so Touch Range means that the triggering event must happen at that point. A spell with Event Duration and Voice Range is triggered if the described event occurs within 50 paces of the casting point. A spell with Sight Range is ineffective unless an Imaginem requisite is used and the triggering event occurs somewhere that would be "visible" from the casting point. For these reasons, Arcane Connection or Unlimited Ranges are the most useful for Event Duration spells that are meant to cover a large area.

The Event Duration adds +1 to the magnitude of the spell cast. The duration of the underlying effect is also considered when calculating the final level of the spell. If the spell triggered has a Duration longer than Momentary, the level is increased appropriately. For example, a spell with Event Duration that lasts for Moon, after being activated, has an effective magnitude of +4 (+3 for Moon and +1 for Event). Concentration is not an available Duration for Event spells.

At the storyguide's discretion, the investigator may integrate the Event Duration, imperfectly, before a Breakthrough is reached. The spell that increases the magus's breakthrough point total past half the total required for the Breakthrough, and all those invented thereafter, provide all of the benefits of the Event Duration, except +3 magnitude is added to the base Duration. The spells created must follow all of the other requirements of an Event Duration spell. If a spell is beyond the capability of the magus, then he invents a spell as described above without the Event Duration and with an accompanying Watching Ward spell.

Moratamis creates a spell to warn the turb if anyone enters the covenant without the knowledge of the guards on duty. The target of the spell is the grog barracks. Moratamis wants the entire covenant to be monitored; therefore, Voice and Sight Ranges are inadequate. Moratamis uses an Arcane Connection to allow the entire covenant to be covered. Because a person surreptitiously entering the covenant triggers the condition, the spell must have a requisite of Corpus.

Call to Arms

Re(In)Me(Co) 35

R: Arc, D: Event (Mom), T: Room, Ritual

This Ritual wakes all of the grogs (or any other predefined group) in one room of the covenant if the condition described at the time of casting occurs within the walls of the covenant.

(Base 4, +4 Arc, +1 Event [Mom], +2 Room)

Darius wants to set a trap for anyone who might try to assassinate him in his sleep. He decides to cast a Perdo Corpus Ritual that wounds anyone who enters his sanctum and was not present at the casting of the spell. Because the triggering condition and the Form of the spell are both Corpus, no requisite is required. If Darius had created a spell that was triggered by the target's intentions, it would have needed a Mentem requisite.

Trap for the Thief in the Night Pe(In)Co 25

R: Voice, D: Event (Mom), T: Ind, Ritual

Inflicts a Medium Wound on any person who meets the definition of the target determined at the time of casting and who comes within the range of the casting point.

(Base 10, +2 Voice, +1 Event [Mom])

Although a spell with Duration Event is a continuous magical effect, it is not generally cast on anything until it takes effect, and thus does not cause Warping. On the other hand, it cannot move.

This range is only available for Ritual spells. As part of the Ritual, the caster must have a single sympathetic connection to the target, or multiple connections that combine to provide at least a +2 bonus on the Sympathetic Connections table (see ArM5, page 84). An Arcane Connection is not required. Distance is immaterial for a Ritual with Unlimited Range, unless the storyguide imposes some limit. This Range adds +6 to the magnitude of the spell or, for spell guidelines that require an Arcane Connection, it adds +2 magnitudes to the base.

There are multiple ways the caster can acquire the +2 bonus needed from the Sympathetic Connections table. For instance, knowing the target's nickname (+1) and casting his horoscope for the day (+1) is sufficient to use Unlimited Range to cast a spell on him. Likewise, a simple drawing or clay model of the target created by the magus (+2) is sufficient to cast an Unlimited Range spell.

If the storyguide allows it, the investigator may partially integrate the Unlimited Range before achieving a Breakthrough. The spell that increases the magus's breakthrough point total past half the total required for the Breakthrough, and all those invented thereafter provide all of the benefits of the Unlimited Range, except that they require sympathetic connections totaling +5 bonus multipliers. A partially integrated spell must follow all of the other requirements of an Unlimited Range spell.

Unlimited Range Examples

Moratamis wants to create a spell that mimics The Inexorable Search*, but does not require an Arcane Connection. Creating a representation of the quarry in the form of a small figurine is sufficient to fulfill the +2 sympathetic connection requirement.*

Draw on Diana's Hounds

InCo 30

R: Unlimited, D: Conc, T: Ind, Ritual

Locates any person named in the Ritual on a map. Before the Ritual begins, the caster must create a figurine of the target of the spell. The caster then places the figurine on a map. At the completion of the Ritual, the figurine moves toward the person's location at the rate of one inch per minute. When the figurine reaches the location, it spins rapidly. The target is located somewhere within the area covered by the spinning figurine. If the quarry's location is not on the map used, the figurine does not move.

Although only one map is required to cast the spell, multiple maps of various scales provide the best results. A character may draw a map for use in the spell with a successful Dexterity + Area Lore roll against an Ease Factor of 6. If the roll is unsuccessful, the figurine does not move. The figurine is the focus of the spell and, as long as the magus maintains concentration, the figurine may be placed on any number of maps.

A Dexterity + Craft roll of 9 is required to create the figurine depicting the quarry. The figurine created is approximately three inches tall. To determine the location of the target more precisely, the caster may create a smaller figurine. For each halving of the size of the figurine, increase the Ease Factor by 3.

(Base 3, +6 Unlimited, +1 Conc)

Darius wants to create a spell that replicates The Leap of Homecoming*, but allows the caster to travel anywhere. Because the range for the base spell is Personal, but it requires an Arcane Connection, the Unlimited Range Breakthrough allows the Arcane Connection to be replaced by a +2 sympathetic connection and adds +2 magnitudes to the final level of the spell.*

Passage to the Place Pictured

ReCo 45

R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind, Ritual

This spell transports the caster anywhere. As part of the Ritual, the caster must paint or draw a picture of the location to which he wishes to travel. If the player succeeds in making a Dexterity + Craft roll of 9 and the spell is cast successfully, the magus is transported to the site depicted. If the roll is botched the character may be transported to the location but buried in a wall, be sent to a place that merely resembles the intended location, or be sent to a Faerie regio.

(Base 35 with Arc, +2 Unlimited)

The magus who understands Defixio Lore and incorporates it into Hermetic theory is able to utilize its underlying concepts to great tactical and strategic advantage.