Spells to Make and Shape a Bone Book Cover

Bequeathing Salome's Request

CrCo 20

R: Touch, D: Mom, T: Part, Ritual

This spell creates a human head, complete with skin, eyes, teeth, and hair. The particulars of the head's appearance are up to the spell's inventor. Castor of Sicily's version of the spell makes created heads look like his own. The spell is named after Salome, the stepdaughter of King Herod, who asked for and received the head of John the Baptist, according to Biblical history.

(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Part: however the lowest level a ritual can be is 20)

Base Level Interpretation: According to Magi of Hermes, page 84, the base level to create part of a corpse is the same as the base level to create the whole corpse, adjusted by the increased Target: Part.

Required Lab Total: 1 season (40), 2 seasons (30), 3 seasons (27), 4 seasons (25)

Forging the Bone Cover

MuCo 5

R: Touch, D: Conc, T: Ind

This spell changes the inelastic nature of bone, making it elastic and able to be reshaped under pressure. The skull becomes as pliable as clay for the duration of the spell. Once this spell is cast, a human skull can be pressed into a book-shaped wooden frame. When the spell ends, the skull reverts to its inelastic property, but retains its new shape. If later used in an enchanted item, the reshaped skull still gives the magus the same Shape & Material bonus (ArM5, page 110).

(Base 3, +1 Touch, +1 Conc)

Base Level Interpretation: A base level 1 Muto Terram spell will change one property of dirt. The base level to create dirt is Creo Terram 1, and the base level to create stone is base level 3. A base level 3 Muto Terram would change one property of stone. Bone is harder than dirt but softer than stone, so a base level 1 would not be enough, but base level 3 would. Thus: Muto Corpus base level 3, change one property of bone.

Required Lab Total: 1 season (10), 2 seasons (8), 3 seasons (7), 4 seasons (7)

no longer protected by the ghost's Magic Resistance. Note that once the living corpse is created, the book does not have to touch the revenant to allow the ghost to control it.

These books are similar to the Necromancer's Grimoire in appearance and function. Each is also a compound item, but with only two elements: a lead cover and a turquoise stone for adornment. The stone costs 12 pawns to prepare for enchantment (semi-precious stone [12] x tiny size [1]) and the lead cover costs 15 pawns (base metal [5] x medium size [3]). Most magi will prepare the item for enchantment by only paying the most expensive cost (15), which requires a Magic Theory of 8.

Two books are necessary. The first is instilled with The Turquoise Stone-Soul and Detect the Presence of the Specter. Together these powers cost 13 pawns of vis. The second volume is instilled with Rousing the Receiving Fleshy Host, Grant Control to the Ghost, and Perceive the Presence of Magic. These three powers cost 14 pawns of vis to instill. A pair of Necromantic Manuals will achieve the same effects as the Necromancer's Grimoire.

Talismans

If a necromancer wants to become a living corpse, he can instill the necessary spell-like effects into his talisman. Unlike other types of enchanted devices, a talisman is not restricted in the number of powers, it can hold by its shape and material form. Rather, the sum of the magus' highest Technique and Form determines the talisman's maximum capacity of pawns of vis, which in turn determines the number of instilled powers the talisman can hold, and the limit increases as the magus improves his Arts. A second benefit of using a talisman is the Range of the instilled powers. Because a talisman is considered part of a magus, the spell-like effects can be instilled with Personal Range. This decreases the final spell-like effect total by a magnitude and bypasses any residual Parma Magica the magus may have (see "A Personal Living Corpse," later). Two example talismans