Horoscopes

The horoscope for a target (either his horoscope for today or his nativity horoscope) can be used as a Sympathetic Connection to increase the Penetration multiplier bonus of an Arcane Connection. The following spells can be used to help prepare horoscopes.

Some of these spells require an Arcane Connection to the target, which is required to make use of a Sympathetic Connection anyway. It may seem that these spells are pointless, but spells such as Convergence of Place and Convergence of Birth can be used to gather Sympathetic Connections that can then be used to boost the Penetration of higher-magnitude spells to finally attack a victim.

Convergence of Birth

InCo 10

R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual This spell, which can use an astrolabe, determines the birth place and time of the target. This is sufficient information to calculate the nativity horoscope of the target, for a +2 Sympathetic Connection; Int + Artes Liberales (astronomy) roll against an Ease Factor of 9 (see ArM5, page 84). Calculating the horoscope itself takes a day.

This spell must Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the target to be effective. This spell is intended to be cast through an Intangible Tunnel.

(Base 5, +1 Touch)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (20), Two Seasons (15), Three Seasons (14), Four Seasons (13).

Convergence of Place

InCo 4

R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Individual This spell, which can use an astrolabe, determines the current celestial location of the target. This is sufficient information to calculate a daily horoscope for the target, for a +1 Sympathetic Connection; Int + Artes Liberales (astronomy) roll against an Ease Factor of 9 (see ArM5, page 84). Calculating the horoscope itself takes an hour.

This spell must Penetrate the Magic Resistance of the target to be effective. This spell is intended to be cast through an Intangible Tunnel.

(Base 3, +1 Touch)

Required Lab Total to invent spell: One Season (8), Two Seasons (6), Four Seasons (5).

Simulacrum of the Spheres

This invested item is a rock crystal, set in a complex mesh of metal wheels that are inscribed with astronomical signs. The device senses the motions of the planets and other celestial bodies, and moves the wheels to indicate the state of the heavens. The device can be used as an astrolabe, and it is so accurate it gives a +3 bonus to the calculation of horoscopes (ArM5, page 84) and astrological inceptions (Art and Academe, page 73). In order to use the astrolabe, a character must have an Artes Liberales of at least 1.

The invested device (the rock crystal) is a tiny semi-precious gem and so requires 12 pawns of vis to prepare for enchantment. This requires a Magic Theory Score of 6 and one season of work. The two effects, Sense the Heavens and Move the Wheels, require 3 and 4 pawns of vis to invest respectively.

InIm 24

0 Pen, constant effect

R: Personal, D: Sun, T: Hearing

This effect gives the device the sense to listen to the barely-perceptible sounds of the celestial bodies in motion (see Art and Academe, page 16).

(Base 3, +2 Sun, +3 Hearing; +4 constant effect)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (48), Two Seasons (36), Three Seasons (32), Four Seasons (30).

Move the Wheels

ReTe 37

0 Pen, constant effect

R: Touch, D: Sun, T: Group

This effect is triggered by the Sense the Heavens effect, and constantly moves the wheels in a way that represents the movement of the celestial bodies. This allows a character with an Artes Liberales Score of at least 1 to read the astrolabe.

(Base 3, +1 Touch +2 Sun, +2 Group +2 affect metal; +4 constant effect +3 linked trigger)

Required Lab Total to invest effect: One Season (74), Two Seasons (56), Three Seasons (50), Four Seasons (47).

The birth or nickname of a character can be used as a +1 Sympathetic Connection. The secret ritual name of a character can also be used as a +1 Sympathetic Connection. It is relatively easy to discover the nickname of a character, but a Christian magus is often careful to ensure that his nickname is his baptismal name. This is because a baptismal name cannot be used as a Sympathetic Connection.

A spell like Posing the Silent Question (see ArM5, page 149) might be used to lift the birth or secret ritual name of a character from either his own mind or the mind of others who know him well.