Learning Defixio Magic

Although the practice of using defixiones is largely unknown in medieval Europe, there are several sources available to the magus that describe the practice in varying levels of detail. Several ancient Greek and Roman authors describe the practice of using defixiones in their writings. Pliny the Elder describes the common fear of defixiones in his chapter on magic in Natural History. Plato also references the use of defixiones by sorcerers in both Laws and Republic. Likewise, Tacitus describes a curse placed on Germanicus and the process of discovering and destroying the defixio to free him in Annals. An astute magus, one who succeeds in an Intelligence + Magic Theory roll against an Ease Factor of 9, recognizes that the effects of the defixiones mentioned by the ancient authors violate the Hermetic limit by not requiring an Arcane Connection.

The references in works of ancient authors might lead a magus to look for similar references in the writings of the Founders. Defixiones were still in use in some areas as late as the seventh century, and the Roman Founders had at least a passing familiarity with the practice. Of course, because many of his followers were members of the cult of Hades, Tremere was the Founder most likely to be familiar with the practice.

Another avenue to introduce the investigators to defixio magic would be for a character to discover a defixio. If the saga is located in an area formerly under Roman control, covenant excavation might uncover an old Roman gravesite. Likewise, the discovery of a cave or well that served as an ancient sanctuary or oracle to a Roman god might uncover defixiones that could spur the magus to research the tradition.

To fully understand defixio magic, the investigator must discover and comprehend the secrets of each of the five specialties that comprise the whole of defixio magic. Gaining

Insight into each cult grants the ability to invent spells that utilize that cult's specific Art and Form combination (see the Defixio Lore insert). Before inventing a spell, the magus must investigate a defixio and formula for that cult in the laboratory. If the magus investigates a defixio and formula from the same cult simultaneously, the magus adds +3 to his Insight roll.

A defixio that has released its magic is useless for investigatory purposes, and each defixio or formula may only be studied once. A magus need not necessarily know the specific cult that created a defixio. An Intellego Vim spell (base level 4) reveals the following details about an "active" defixio: the spell or Supernatural Ability channeled, the level of the effect, the cult specialty of the creator of the defixio, the target of the defixio, and the triggering condition of the defixio.

Once the magus has gained Insight, he must invent a spell by experimentation that uses the appropriate Technique and Form for that cult. Because Event Duration and Unlimited Range (see below) both require Rituals, any spell invented to achieve a Breakthrough must also be a Ritual. The spells the magus invents cannot utilize the Event Duration or Unlimited Range until she achieves a Breakthrough. The final spell invented that reaches the Breakthrough total incorporates the appropriate Range or Duration, but before the Breakthrough, the spells are slightly flawed, in that they do not incorporate the Breakthrough the magus seeks.

Some members of House Tremere possess the Leadworker Virtue, which is derived from the defixio magic tradition (see Houses of Hermes: True Lineages, page 143). House Tremere probably gained access to this Virtue from one of two sources. Tremere may have learned it from his master, Guorna the Fetid, who was the leader of the remnants of the cult of Pluto and may have practiced defixio magic herself. The other possible source is the necromancers from Dacia who accompanied Tremere to the First Tribunal. Because the Leadworker Virtue is not widespread among the followers of Tremere and its practitioners use the Greek terminology for defixiones, it is more likely that the Virtue derives from the eastern Hades worshipers. Regardless of the source of the Virtue, however, Tremere magi familiar with the history of their House are a potential source of information in researching this ancient tradition. Possessing the Leadworker Virtue neither hinders nor helps in the integration of defixio magic, but may provide the researcher with access to additional sources for study.

Before making a Breakthrough, the spells the magus invents for the Unlimited Range require an Arcane Connection, but add +6 to the magnitude of the spell rather than +4. A spell invented for the Event Duration Breakthrough requires the magus to invent two spells: a Watching Ward spell and the spell that the Watching Ward triggers. The two spells are permanently linked and may not be cast individually, unless re-invented independently.

After the magus successfully invents a spell, he gains breakthrough points equal to the magnitude of the spell. If the magus invents a spell that attempts to integrate both the Event Duration and Unlimited Range, she must allocate the breakthrough points for that spell between the two goals.

The investigator must understand the magic of all five cults to completely integrate the components of defixio magic. The magus must make a Minor Breakthrough (30 breakthrough points) for Event Duration and a Hermetic Breakthrough (60 breakthrough points) for Unlimited Range. The storyguide should not allow breakthrough points from a single cult to count toward more than one-fifth of the total points required to make either Breakthrough.

This Duration is only available for Ritual spells. When the Ritual spell is cast, it is held in abeyance until a specific condition occurs. The circumstances necessary to activate the spell must be fully described when the Ritual is cast. A spell with Event Duration may be suspended in perpetuity, if the specific criteria never occur. No spell that requires aiming to affect its target may be used with the Event Duration. Unlike Defixio Lore, which is limited to specific combinations of Arts, a spell with Event Duration may have any combination.

Any spell that uses the Event Duration must have an Intellego requisite. If the triggering condition is dependent on the identification of some person, place, or thing, the appropriate Form is also required as a requisite. If the person who would activate the Event condition is protected by Magic Resistance, the spell