Ritual Magic in the Northern Alliance
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Ritual Magic in the Northern Alliance
The Academy of Magic has one more trick up its sleeve, the use of ritual magic.
About Ritual Magic(top)
Ritual magic is a highly specialised and somewhat theoretical art which is rarely performed in the wider world outside the Vale. A few rituals are known, but the scarcity of mana makes it difficult to obtain the power necessary to utilise magic in this way, so they seldom work. Even where sufficient mana crystals can be gathered to power the ritual, finding places where working such magic is possible is not easy - only a handful have ever been reported and they tend to be inconsistent, coming and going as the mana ebbs and flows. More often than not, the mana put into the ritual simply leaks away without much effect or occasionally, where a lot of mana has been used, causing unintended random and sometimes disastrous consequences. As a result, the study of these rituals has historically been the preserve of eccentric mages, shamans and necromancers, convinced that they hold the key to great power but unable to reliably produce anything but the most minor effects at great effort. Historically, such magic users have often been thought of as more than a little deluded by their colleagues.
In the Northern Alliance, mages and wizards have long theorised how ritual magic might be performed and there are legends of the great mages of the past finding caches of magical energy to be able to perform them. The Republic was a huge place and surely somewhere this must have been true. The Academy of Magic and Practical Studies seem to know something of ritual magic, no doubt this knowledge has come from the same source as knowledge of the new magical crafting skills.
Among those versed in ritual magic, the discovery of the Vale has caused a great stir. Since its initial discovery it has been thought likely that the greater concentration of magical energy in the Vale might make rituals a more practical form of magic, particularly if places can be found where magical energy can be confined and focused, therefore, allowing it to be be funneled and bent to the ritualist's will rather than flowing away in an uncontrolled, sometimes dangerous fashion. It is greatly hoped that rituals will work more reliably and more powerfully at such places, and that the abundance of magic might open up the possibilities of rituals which could create great and mighty effects. Though whether this is in fact the case remains to be seen and experimentation will be needed once the expedition commences to see just what ritual magic is capable of.
The early scouting efforts In the Vale seem to have confirmed the initial hopes of ritualists from both camps. The much higher levels of magical energies in the Vale create the rare resources and high levels of mana. This mana however, seems to pool and flow like water flowing to a single point. The scouts, however, are a superstitious bunch and have reported unusual tracks in the area, but sightings of strange creatures moving in the high mana areas must surely be inaccurate as nothing can live in the Vale when the mana storms tear the ground and lightning rends the air.
The Academy have theorised that this place will have sufficient magical energy to allow ritual magic to be performed. The goblin spell casters are somewhat more disorganised but the shaman have brought them word from the demons that rituals can be performed there. The necromancers have been informed by the voice that they will be able to create greater Undead at this site.
Ritual Runes
Whilst the knowledge of the runes exists, and their general meaning, understanding them is in the hands of the ritual magic users.
Example Rituals(top)
Below are some simple examples of rituals. These are designed to help Players understand the sorts of things we are looking for in a ritual, and the types of things which are encouraged. The list is by no means exhaustive, and Players are welcome to use this as a springboard for other ideas, and to express their character's own personality through the rituals they perform.
Ritual to create a lasting pact between two allies(top)
Rebecca, head of house Tabors of the Kingdrom of Elland, and Eric, head of house Hajda of the Northlands, have recently been through a period of enmity between their two houses. What started with a simple misunderstanding grew into a feud which disrupted and threatened the peace and safety of the Northern Alliance's expedition to the Vale and, thus, the entire war effort on the side of the Kingdom of Elland and its allies. Both houses were close to being banned from further expeditions when a truce was finally agreed upon but, with previous truces having been broken by both sides, in the interest of harmonious relations it is decided that this one should be enforced magically, with a long lasting pact being created between the two leaders. Erinth, a mind mage and ritualist from the Kingdrom of Elland, has been tasked by the Duchess to perform the ritual which will enforce the pact. He heads to the ritual site accompanied by Rebecca and Eric, along with four other mages who will assist him in the ritual, and a group who will defend them while they perform it.
First, Erinth ensures that the ritual site is laid out in the inwardly directed ritual form which he knows and intends to use. He asks Rebecca and Eric to stand at the centre of the site, within the inner triangle, so that the power of the ritual will be directed onto them. His four helpers stand two behind Rebecca and two behind Eric. In each pair of assistants, one is dressed in black and the other in white. Then Erinth sacrifices the mana he has brought along to power the ritual, along with some of the currency of the Duchess' camp, so activating the ritual site and beginning the ritual itself.
“We seven are gathered here today to cast in magic, as strong as stone, a pact of peace between Rebecca of House Tabors and Eric of House Hajda. Who will tell their tales?”
His four assistants answer simultaneously “We will!”
Erinth asks “First, who will tell the tale of House Tabors?”
The assistant dressed in white standing behind Rebecca steps forward. “I will! I will tell the tale of House Tabors, mighty house of the Kingdom of Elland, I will tell of its triumphs and its glories, its history and its greatness.” This assistant then tells a short tale of the history of House Tabors, its greatest highlights, and in particular great tales of its leader, Rebecca. During this, Rebecca stands tall and proud. When this tale is done, the assistant dressed in black standing behind Eric steps forward. “But that is only half the tale. I too will tell the tale of House Tabors, deceitful house of the Kingdom of Elland. I will tell of its betrayals and its lies.” This assistant then tells a short tale of the recent deeds of House Tabors, and its leader Rebecca, which have caused grievance to House Hajda. During this, Rebecca looks ashamed, and Eric begins to get angry. Next Erinth asks “Who now will tell the tale of House Hajda?”
The assistant dressed in white behind Eric steps forward and, similarly, tells a short tale of the greatness of house Hajda. Afterwards, the assistant dressed in black behind Rebecca steps forward and completes the tale, telling of the recent deeds of House Hajda which have caused grievance to House Tabors. When they are finished, Erinth proceeds. “Rebecca, Eric, you are the leaders of two great houses. You have both been wronged. But you have each wronged the other. On one shoulder you have a voice who reminds you of the greatness of the house that you serve, a greatness which can overcome any adversity.” At this, the two assistants dressed in white place a hands upon one shoulders of the leader in front of them. “On the other you have a voice which reminds you of the injustices done to you.” At this, the two assistants dressed in black place a hand upon the other shoulders of the leader in front of them. “To which voice will you listen? You have the power to choose. Choose now!”
At Erinth's urging, Rebecca and Eric each draw a sword, turn and pretend to slay the assistant dressed in black who stands behind them. The assistants take the swords under their arm and fall to the ground, pretending to be dead.
“Thus”, cries Erinth, “we end the feud which has torn these houses apart.” As he speaks, he draws the rune w.jpg, symbolising the ending of things. “No more shall these disagreements be remembered. They are gone. They are finished. They are dust beneath our feet.” Once more he addresses Rebecca and Eric. “Now, we must look to the future. If you truly wish to form an alliance, a lasting pact between your houses, reach out and grasp each other's hands.” Rebecca and Eric do this. As Erinth continues to speak the two remaining assistants bind Rebecca and Eric's hands together with a length of cloth, and he draws l.jpg. “In this way we form a connection between you, and thus between your houses, and bind it to keep it strong against all forces which would tear it apart.” Once the binding is complete, the assistants return to their positions behind Rebecca and Eric and Erinth draws a final rune, é.jpg, saying “Rebecca, Eric, may the pact between you forged this day remain strong, and may your houses be stronger combined than apart, from this day forwards.”
Rebecca and Eric embrace as friends and, the ritual complete, Erinth turns to draw a chit from the ritual ref and determine the outcome. - Loading...
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