New Rituals!!! (Was New AdC: Witch and Rituals to Follow)

[Mordane76]

Here is the first draft ritual. It's a minor ritual, and follows the following DC schema for Simple Failure, Simple Mishap, and Major Mishap:

Missed the DC by 1-4: Simple Failure
Missed the DC by 5-9: Simple Mishap
Missed the DC by 10+: Major Mishap

I apologize if this appears stereotypical; it was not my intention to offend anyone's ethnic background by attributing something to them that may or may not be construed as derogatory or stereotypical.


Tongues of the Departed (Séance)
Original Language: Rumanian
Minimum Intelligence: 12
Concentration DC: 18 and higher
Required Components:
· A personal item from the departed person
· A focus made of crystal
· At least three people, two of which must have known the departed person

An old Gypsy ritual, the numerous séances conducted are normally the work of charlatans attempting to cash in on people’s desire to speak with the departed, for whatever reasons. Some elder Gypsies, and few outside these clans, still know the real ritual, but are loath to use it; the dead are not to be trifled with, especially for the petty concerns of this world.

Those involved in the ritual normally sit in a circle around the focus object, which must be made of crystal. Those involved join hands, and the person conducting the séance recites the incantation. If the initial Concentration check is successful, one question may be asked of the departed person. Each additional question requires the person conducting the séance to make an additional Concentration check with a cumulative +1 to the DC for each question asked.

Simple failures to activate the ritual generally end in no result. Simple mishaps to start the ritual generally result in minor poltergeist activity that may result in minor injuries. Major mishaps can sometimes result in summoning of a malevolent spirit, psychic assaults, or possession.

Simple failures during extended questioning normally end the ritual. Simple mishaps can result in similar poltergeist activity, or could result in the departed person giving untrue information. Major mishaps generally result in possession, psychic assault, or major poltergeist activity.

Witches and Warlocks using this ritual: A witch using this ritual receives one question per caster level for each successful Concentration check.

 

[Mordane76]

As I sat and thought about it, I realized an important aspect of the ritual is missing -- how long it takes...

Tongues of the Departed (Séance)
Original Language: Rumanian
Minimum Intelligence: 12
Concentration DC: 18 and higher
Casting Time: 10 minutes or longer
Required Components:
· A personal item from the departed person
· A focus made of crystal
· At least three people, two of which must have known the departed person

An old Gypsy ritual, the numerous séances conducted are normally the work of charlatans attempting to cash in on people’s desire to speak with the departed, for whatever reasons. Some elder Gypsies, and few outside these clans, still know the real ritual, but are loath to use it; the dead are not to be trifled with, especially for the petty concerns of this world.

Those involved in the ritual normally sit in a circle around the focus object, which must be made of crystal. Those involved join hands, and the person conducting the séance recites the incantation. If the initial Concentration check is successful, one question may be asked of the departed person. Each additional question requires the person conducting the séance to make an additional Concentration check with a cumulative +1 to the DC for each question asked.

Each additional question asked past the first adds one minute to the length of the ritual.

Simple failures to activate the ritual generally end in no result. Simple mishaps to start the ritual generally result in minor poltergeist activity that may result in minor injuries. Major mishaps can sometimes result in summoning of a malevolent spirit, psychic assaults, or possession.

Simple failures during extended questioning normally end the ritual. Simple mishaps can result in similar poltergeist activity, or could result in the departed person giving untrue information. Major mishaps generally result in possession, psychic assault, or major poltergeist activity.

Witches and Warlocks using this ritual: A witch using this ritual receives one question per caster level for each successful Concentration check.

 

[Vigilance]

I really dig that Seance Mordane

In Blood and Relics we took a darker spin, here's one of the nasty rituals we did:

Bloodletting (Profane Ritual)

By sacrificing a portion of the character’s own lifeblood, he may attempt to curry favor with his Dark Masters.

Prerequisite: Profane Ritual; Knowledge (Ritual) +8

Effect: This Ritual allows the character to gain the ability to cast a single sorcerer spell once. The character announces how much blood he is going to let (in dice of damage), what spell he wishes to acquire, and makes his skill check. The maximum spell level a character can acquire is equal to half the amount of blood (in dice) the character sacrifices to the Dark Lord. If the skill check is failed, then the character did not gain the attention of his Dark Power. Only one such Ritual may affect a character at any given time.

Normal: Characters without the Profane Ritual feat may not perform this Ritual. Characters without this feat suffer –4 to their Knowledge (Ritual) skill when attempting this skill check.

Special: If this ritual is performed over a Blood Altar the character gains a +3 to his Knowledge (Ritual) skill check.

 

[Mordane76]

I'm presently working on a Great Ritual that works to animate a classical golem, with all the Kabbalistic trappings...


I'm glad you like the Séance -- I enjoyed working on it.
Be on the look-out for more rituals soon!




Has anyone looked at the Witch/Warlock? Any feedback?

 

[Vigilance]

I liked the Witch AdC a lot

For my part, the AdC's Ive done dont get spells. I think they're too predictable. As you might have noticed from the ritual I posted (which grants a single use spell from the Wizard list), Im using rituals instead of magic.

I love the Golem idea as well

I havent dealt with Kabbalists yet in the Blood and Relics material, but it would be cool to do in the future.

 

[Mordane76]

Great Ritual

Here is my first draft of the Golem ritual, which is a Great Ritual.

Breath of Life (Golem)
Original Language: Ancient Hebrew
Minimum Intelligence: 18
Concentration DC: 25
Casting Time: 7 days
Required Components:
• A humanoid body made from clay by the caster (Craft: Sculpture)
• Access to an original copy of the Kaballah
• Knowledge of one of the True Names of God

This ritual should never be undertaken lightly. Rumors and legends abound about rabbi who have used this ritual in the past to bring to life a humanoid creature made from clay to serve them, giving life to that which was dead. Most of these stories end in horrific tales of the creature gone mad, killing its creator.

The ritualist must seclude himself for the entire length of the creation process and the ritual itself. While crafting the body, he may eat and drink as normal, but may not leave his creation’s side. Once he begins the ritual itself, he may not rest until it is completed, else the ritual fails.

If the ritual is successful, the ritualist creates a clay golem that will do his bidding. Every day, the ritualist must make a new Concentration check to maintain control of the golem. A golem is not capable of speech, and it usually not capable of conducting intricate or complex tasks.

Simple failures to activate the ritual generally end in no result. Simple mishaps to start the ritual generally result in a golem who functions for only a set number of days, or one that is more difficult to control. Major mishaps generally create a golem that is uncontrollable and immediately hostile.

Any form of failure during a daily control roll result in a golem that is uncontrollable. Simple failures usually result in a golem that is characterized as Neutral in attitude, or non-responsive to commands. Simple mishaps generally result in a golem that is characterized as Unfriendly in attitude, and actively seeks to exploit loop-holes in its creator’s commands. Major mishaps generally result in a golem going on an uncontrollable killing spree.

Witches and Warlocks using this ritual: A witch must only make a control check every (Caster Level) days.

 

[Mordane76]

Major Ritual

This is my first draft of a major ritual -- it is a Dark Ritual as well.


Dark Rituals will work like Dark Side Powers in Star Wars; they slowly corrupt their users to evil. They will also work to allow access to PrC I'm looking at allowing... from the BoVD...


Taking the Form of the Serpent God (Warrior of Set)
NOTE: This Ritual is a Dark Ritual.
Original Language: Hieratic
Minimum Intelligence: 18
Concentration DC: 20
Casting Time: 1 full round
Required Components:
• A talisman constructed from the following:
o A piece of pure jade
o The scales and fangs of an asp
o Translated from Egyptian “Dust of the Snake God”
o Copper
o Cooled in the waters of the free flowing Nile

A ritualist may invoke the power of Dread Set by speaking this simple incantation while holding the talisman. The ritual itself is simple, but the ingredients and creation process for the talisman is what makes this ritual very difficult. Also, the ritual itself is very dangerous, as one does not always regain control after invoking the power of Set.

The results of this ritual turn the ritualist into an amalgamation of man and snake – a Warrior of Set. The benefits of this form are numerous – the ritual conveys great physical power, poisonous venom, and an incredibly malleable of form which allows the ritualist to fit through cracks and escape bonds like a snake might. However, the ritual is transformative and possessive, and sometimes the spirit invoked does not willingly leave the ritualist’s body.

The transformation lasts until the ritulist wills it end, or until one fortnight passes. The ritualist can attempt to throw off the Form of the Serpent God at anytime, but must make a Charisma check to do so. Even at the end of the fortnight, the ritualist must make the Charisma check as well to end to ritual.

Simple failures to activate the ritual generally end in no result. Simple mishaps to start the ritual generally result in lessened results or greater difficulty in evicting the spirit at the ritual’s end. Major mishaps generally result in a permanent transformation and enslavement by Set, or in an agonizing death.

A simple failure while attempting to end the ritual usually means the ritual simply does not end. Simple mishaps generally result in an increased difficulty in subsequent attempts to end the ritual. Major mishaps generally result in a permanent transformation and enslavement by Set, or in an agonizing death.

Witches and Warlocks using this ritual: A witch adds her caster level to the check for ending the ritual.

 

[Mordane76]

BUMP!

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Awesome, I was just contemplating how I would create a PrC like this after the show as well, although it was more a 3e version than D20 Modern.

I don't have much to add, although have you considered simply making just a rule set for creating spell rituals?

I'm not sure how hard it would be, but depending on how much points (after the statistics and drawbacks of a spell) it would be classified as Minor, Moderate, Major, or Greater ritual (you might want to check the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer book for their categories, they split everything up into 4 as well)

Although those types of systems can't cover anything, it may work in general for the feel of this class.

Great work btw

 

[Mordane76]

I've seen the Buffy book -- I paged through it once at my LGS. I might take another look at it again. Didn't they do a strictly magic book as well?


I don't know if a rule-set would cover it very well; I worry about the potential for abuse, and I don't think that PCs should necessarily be making their own rituals inside a more or less static (once engineered) rules set.


Thanks for the compliments...