Table of Contents

Black Stars Uncounted 3

On the Use of this Book
Seeds of Strange Fruits 8
The Future History of Magic
The Science of Magic 14
Rules for Sorcery and Spellcasting
Arcane Character Classes 28
Wielders of Metadimensional Power
The Arcane Arts 62
Spells and Foci of the Eldritch
Arcane Research and Development 98
Gaining and Using Occult Lore
Sanctums 110
Places of Labor for the Arcane
On the Nature of Shadows 114
Shadows and their Cults
Objects of Power 130
Implements of Sorcerous Might
Index 150

©2018, Sine Nomine Publishing, Inc.

ISBN 978-1-936673-98-8
Written by Kevin Crawford
Art by grandfailure@Adobe Stock and Kittiphat@Adobe Stock
 BLACK STARS UNCOUNTED
There has always been a strain of sorcery in science fic- of classes and erase others, or relegate certain types of
tion. Whether the thinly-veiled magic of space monks magic strictly to NPCs. Do not assume that everything
with laser swords, the once-serious belief in psychic in this book must be allowed as a playable option.
powers and untapped human mental abilities, or the Next, you should work the desired amount of sor-
inevitable compromises with known physical reality cery into your sector. Identify a few magical academies
necessary to allow faster-than-light space travel, there or sources of instruction that PCs might use for back-
has always been a niche for the impossible. Only the ground origins, patrons, or antagonists. Decide wheth-
most rigorous, diamond-hard sci-fi is entirely free of er magic is a widespread, pervasive power in your set-
witchery, and that often for no longer than it takes for ting that is known to most worlds or if it is something
scientific discovery to leapfrog the text’s assumptions. rarer and more esoteric. A sector where magic is an
Yet just because science fiction often involves the extremely rare gift may have made no accommodations
impossible, it does not follow that every sci-fi game at all to dealing with it on a societal or governmental
must inevitably include space wizards. There are cer- scale, while one in which every world has a handful of
tain impossible or unproven marvels that readers and magical academies is going to experience some inevi-
players are more likely to accept as expected: faster than table changes because of that.
light travel, sapient alien life, artificial intelligences, Finally, put that magic into motion. Have it mean
and some variety of “unknown human potential” such something in your world, either as an antagonist, a
as psionics. Individual groups might take or leave parts patron, the root of some sector-wide conflict, or some
of this list for their own campaigns, but few would find other element that has an active, consequential effect
it jarring to encounter them in a random Stars Without on your sector. If magic is something very rare and
Number campaign. niche, put there only to allow your players to choose
Straight-up magic, however, is different. Players magical classes, then you can get away with having it be
who wouldn’t bat an eye at an alien telepath in their a non-factor in interstellar affairs. If you’ve given magic
sci-fi campaign can find it shocking to encounter an a bigger role in your sector, however, it should actually
outright wizard, and a campaign that includes the in- change something about the existing situation, whether
evitable societal infrastructure and world-building con- or not the PCs choose to get involved with that change.
sequences that come from known, widely-circulated If you already have an existing sector, or if you’re
space magic can turn off a lot of participants. Some a potential player who wants to sell his or her GM on
players just like to keep such things in separate genre allowing a new magical PC, your considerations are
categories, and there’s nothing wrong or close-minded a little different. The first consideration, of course, is
about having such tastes. whether or not space magic fits with the tone of the
The Codex of the Black Sun is for a different group campaign itself. If you’re playing ultra-hard sci-fi or
of players. In these pages, GMs and players alike will be some gritty space trucker campaign then the addition
given the tools for adding sorcery to their sci-fi cam- of magic, however peripheral, may just not fit.
paigns, either as an important part of their world-build- If the group isn’t against the idea, the easiest way
ing or as something eldritch and strange to discover out to introduce this content is to make it a rare, esoter-
among the stars. Everything in these pages should be ic force practiced only by the new PC and their NPC
taken as optional material, to add as desired to your tutors. The art might be preserved only in a handful
personal rendition of the Stars Without Number uni- of locations, far distant from the common space lanes,
verse and to be folded, trimmed, and tweaked as is best such that most outsiders would fail to recognize it as
for you and your group. anything but a strange breed of psychic power. If these
magical traditions are small enough, subtle enough, or
How To Use This Book distant enough the GM can add the new PC without
If you’ve gone to the trouble of purchasing this book in having to retrofit their existing campaign world.
the first place, it can be assumed you are at least consid- If you do retrofit magic into a campaign, make
ering adding magic to your campaign. You might be a sure the entire group is on the same page about its role
GM brewing up a brand-new sector for your group to in the game. If you’re just adding in a few niche occult
explore, or you might have an existing campaign and traditions so that a specific player can play a magical
want to take up more wizardly options for your inter- PC, nobody should expect magic to suddenly become
stellar freebooters. How you use this book will depend a major force in the campaign world or the topic for a
on your particular situation. dozen different adventure hooks. If you really do want
If you are a GM creating an entirely new campaign, to make magic something important and significant in
you should decide at the very start how much of this play, the entire group should be on board with the idea,
book, if any, you will be adding to your world. You may or else you’re apt to encounter irritation from players
choose to permit certain magical traditions or types who want a little less sorcerous focus in their sci-fi.
4•How to use this book

Eldritch Flavors Space Fantasy campaigns related to this book,

The sorceries within this book can be used to support however, will have at least one major group of people
several different styles of space magic, but it’s import- in the setting who are able to use magical powers. The
ant that you first have a clear idea of what that style specific scope and nature of these abilities may vary
should be. It’s not impossible to successfully mix the from game to game, but the authorities of such a setting
different tropes and sub-genres below, but you need are almost certainly aware of these abilities and their
to have a clear idea of what you’re doing. The pages societies have made some accommodation to their ex-
that follow have several tables describing how you can istence. Space Fantasy spellcasters may have their own
use the tools in this book to serve the flavors of these organizations and groups recognized by others.
particular styles. Street Magic settings have much less to do with
Sword and Planet games draw inspiration from technological tropes and much more to do with noir or
classic pulp fiction and early sci-fi, where iron-thewed gritty sensibilities. Cybernetic mercs for hire might rub
Earthman heroes face the ineffably alien sciences of shoulders with cigar-smoking combat wizards, or alien
foreign worlds and forgotten races of thinking beings. adepts might share a drink with washed-up holovid
While there may be some scientific justification for the stars. Magic in this world is not something inevitably
wonders they wield and the horrors they face, it’s never wondrous or spectacular; it’s just one more tool for ad-
anything more than a thin skin over sorcery. venturers to use to accomplish their purposes, and it’s
This “magic” is an open commonplace in most not necessarily any more remarkable than a hardwired
Sword and Planet campaign settings. While some types targeting implant or a hacker’s black deck.
of alien sorcery might be mysterious to the heroes, ev- GMs who want to play a very near-future or cy-
eryone in the campaign world accepts it as a reality to berpunk flavor of Stars Without Number might adopt
be taken into account. Some forms of magic may be Street Magic conventions to allow for modern-day
acceptable for PCs, while others might be entirely the wizards along with special-ops soldiers, fixers of for-
domain of inimical species or depraved adepts. tune, hackers who know too much, and all the other
Space Fantasy games have all the trappings of usual archetypes of modern adventure.
conventional sci-fi, with starships, laser pistols, flying Most readers can doubtless think of a number of
vehicles, and assorted alien lifeforms. Yet at least some additional sub-genres that mix science fiction with
widespread ability in the campaign world is nothing magic, but the three listed here will be the main con-
short of magical, with abilities and effects that can siderations in this book. A GM can certainly mix-and-
hardly be entertained by even the most speculative match among them, adding tropes from several into
sci-fi. Many people would include any campaign world their home campaign, but the class notes that follow
with psionic powers under this heading, while others will help those with more specific interests remain fo-
give psychic abilities a sci-fi pass out of genre tradition. cused in their desired direction.
 How to use this book• 5

Sword & Planet Campaign Framing

A GM with a taste for pulp excitement might wish to
put together a Sword & Planet-style campaign. The d4 How Consistent is the Tone?
tables below offer some basic framing ideas. 1 Total; every place has the pulp flavoring
Most Sword & Planet settings tend to be bloody,
2 Extensive; a few peripheral areas don’t
dark, and brutal. Even the sympathetic figures tend to
be appealing chiefly by contrast to the monstrous ty- 3 Mixed; pulp and non-pulp are adjacent
rants and relic-horrors that surround them. Even so, 4 Pocket; the pulp is only in one area
it’s important to make sure the players can identify with
at least one reasonably appealing group or element of
the setting, or else they might have a hard time finding d12 Who Rules the Setting?
anything to fight for except their own personal glory. 1 Barbarian warlords of savage lands
This may not be a problem for some groups, of course.
2 Decadent, depraved kings and queens
Most Sword & Planet settings focus largely or en-
tirely on a single world. If you do plan to keep the PCs 3 A crumbling remnant of former tyranny
on one planet, make sure the players are on board with 4 Mad wizard-lords of strange passions
the idea or they might feel unduly hemmed in. 5 A cruel and heartless alien species
d6 How Do People Relate to Magic? 6 Possessors of ancient artifacts of power
1 Magic is known to bring horrors with it 7 Shadow entities of godlike hungers
2 Those greedy for power seek it hungrily 8 Brutal crusaders who seek to bring “order”
3 Mystified awe at its alien, ineffable powers 9 Mega-creatures that must be placated
4 It is a signature tool of mighty rulers 10 Robots programmed to pitiless dominion
5 It is from outside, a fearful intrusion 11 Once-human things, warped and divine
6 It’s a curse borne by unwilling mages 12 No one rules more than a bowshot of land

d8 Who Most Often Employs Magic? d20 Common Tropes

1 Adepts of dark cults of darker gods 1 Armor and clothing is extremely minimal
2 Scholar-mages of sinister organizations 2 The environment is barely habitable
3 Aliens or non-humans of a particular type 3 There are man-eating creatures in plenty
4 Brutal tyrants with priest-praetorians 4 It’s been terrible here for a very long time
5 Defiant rebels against great powers 5 The savage tribes are brave and honorable
6 Crazed, isolated, self-taught lunatics 6 Strength is revered over talk
7 A specific nation or group of humans 7 Some types of people are trophies to gain
8 Those who self-sacrifice terrible prices 8 Most people are illiterate
9 Civilized people are base and treacherous
d10 Why Isn’t Magic Yet More Widespread? 10 Ancient infrastructure is vital to survival
1 Only a tiny handful of people can use it 11 Endless blood feuds between groups
2 It dies with the wizard who made it 12 Brutal tyranny by a hidden, feared group
3 Sorcerers are purged by fearful populaces 13 Travel is never particularly safe
4 It’s the soul-equivalent of terminal cancer 14 Outsiders have some innate advantage
5 It changes the wielder terribly over time 15 Personal loyalties are critically important
6 Mage organizations hate each other 16 The law is crude, bloody, and capricious
7 There’s a limited supply of magic to share 17 Wealth is in precious things, not credits
8 Lasting magic goes rotten and dangerous 18 Disagreements are resolved by fighting
9 Its rules keep subtly changing over time 19 Slavery is considered perfectly normal
10 A mage must sacrifice power to teach it 20 Survival is possible only by cruel sacrifices
6•How to use this book

Space Fantasy Campaign Framing

A classic Space Fantasy setting is usually well-studded
with alien mystics and a level of technology largely d4 How Consistent is the Tone?
indistinguishable from magic. The tables below offer 1 Universal; the whole galaxy is like this
some suggestions in assembling the framework.
2 A few grittier or harder sci-fi zones exist
Most Space Fantasy settings are characterized by
easy travel between worlds, starships as commonplace 3 The SF region of space has a clear bound
things, and a fairly high universal tech level. Many 4 Only this particular area is like this
include faster-than-light communications between
worlds, which can have a drastic effect on your cam-
paign if you include it. It’s common for these settings d12 Who Rules the Setting?
to have a single dominant ruling power as well, with 1 Benevolent but ineffective space republic
greater or lesser control over the individual worlds of
2 Bureaucratic confederation of worlds
the setting. A cosmopolitan interstellar culture is also
the norm, with individual planetary cultures and alien 3 Ruthless militaristic dictatorship
customs being an overlay on top of it. Few worlds are 4 Decadent imperium losing control
totally disconnected from the greater galaxy. 5 Alien species with poor opinion of humans
d6 How Do People Relate to Magic? 6 Ancient but now decayed ruling house
1 It’s a major element of an ancient religion 7 Recently-successful conquerors from afar
2 It’s a pragmatic trade taught openly 8 Transhuman nobility of strange minds
3 It’s strongly associated with an alien race 9 A quirky and semi-alien True AI autarch
4 It’s a common tool, like any other tool 10 Constellation of petty star kingdoms
5 People with magic are socially set apart 11 Roll twice; these two factions of a civil war
6 It’s just one more odd thing in the galaxy 12 There is no hegemonic power center

d8 Who Most Often Employs Magic? d20 Common Tropes

1 Government mages employed by rulers 1 Personal starships are cheap and common
2 Priests of a particular ancient faith 2 Magic has distinct spiritual connotations
3 Ordinary professional mages-by-trade 3 Magic is very old but semi-discredited
4 Specially licensed and authorized wizards 4 Rulers know how to deal with wizards
5 Aliens of a specific type and their followers 5 There are good and wicked magic groups
6 Criminals, rebels, and lawbreakers 6 Particular worlds are very magical
7 Remnants of a former galactic power 7 Some magic-tech hybrid items exist
8 Certified members of particular academies 8 Most people have basic magic knowledge
9 Certain magic is forbidden and evil
d10 Why Isn’t Magic Yet More Widespread? 10 Magic use is the badge of a caste or role
1 Tech is more reliable and cheaper to use 11 A basic universal culture is common
2 No mages are born in some space regions 12 Interstellar travel is a commonplace
3 Its users were almost wiped out once 13 Capital ships are much less uncommon
4 Government powers mistrust its use 14 Very few worlds are entirely isolated
5 It has potentially dangerous side-effects 15 Most worlds are TL4, even backwaters
6 Its teachers are very particular in pupils 16 There have been prior galactic empires
7 Very few people are suitable as mages 17 Humans are a minority, but still rule
8 It’s got a very bad public reputation 18 Interstellar FTL comms exist
9 A particular group hates and hunts mages 19 Technological advances are semi-static
10 It was once, but it ended very badly 20 Poverty is only caused by malicious people
 How to use this book• 7

Street Magic Campaign Framing

Like a Sword & Planet setting, a Street Magic campaign
usually takes place on a single world or in a restricted d4 How Consistent is the Tone?
area. While the former setting style lends itself to oc- 1 Everywhere is gritty and mercenary
casional displays of barbaric splendor or ancient glory,
2 Most people live cyber-noir lives
a Street Magic setting tends to have more of a gritty
noir flavor. 3 The street setting is biggest, but not only
Mages in this setting aren’t more than notionally 4 The street setting is one tone of many
special compared to other adventurers. They just have
a different set of tools than the cybered-up gunman or
expert hacker, and the capabilities of those tools are d12 Who Rules the Setting?
likely well-understood by teammates and targets alike. 1 A totalitarian but corruptible government
The ruling powers of a Street Magic setting tend to be
2 Heartless competing megacorporations
cynical, greedy authorities with no concern for moral
values. As with Sword & Planet settings, make sure 3 Balkanized little polities constantly fighting
the players are either keen on this trope or else have a 4 Shambling shells of former great nations
genuinely sympathetic cause to pursue. 5 Ruthless ethno-cultural interest groups
d6 How Do People Relate to Magic? 6 A corrupt and decadent theocracy
1 It’s a tool of the corps and governments 7 Armies with vestigial states attached
2 Just one more line of work for the talented 8 Struggling factions of a collapsed empire
3 Queasy distaste for its freakish powers 9 A corp-puppeted nation-state government
4 Everyone knows mages are degenerates 10 Crazed ideological zealot-cults
5 Likely fatal to users, but a source of power 11 City-states with few larger groups
6 It’s purely for rebels, freaks, and outlaws 12 Modern Earth nation-states, reskinned

d8 Who Most Often Employs Magic? d20 Common Tropes

1 Fixers who hire deniable sorcery assets 1 Cyberware is cheap and common
2 Government or corp-owned wizards 2 Anything can be bought for the right price
3 Traditional mercenary mage-academies 3 The people you need will betray you
4 Degenerate heirs of an idealistic past order 4 Sacrificing your soul brings great rewards
5 A rebel group or anarchist faction 5 The middle class is extremely precarious
6 Desperate users of a maybe-fatal power 6 Only corp jobs give any social standing
7 Scions taught with an alien tradition 7 Human lives are an expendable resource
8 Scavengers of forbidden magical lore 8 Powerful entities hire deniable agents
9 Democracy is a facade over true power
d10 Why Isn’t Magic Yet More Widespread? 10 The rich live lives of gross decadence
1 The governing powers crack down on it 11 There are no flawlessly good causes
2 It’s a long-term toxin to users 12 The poor do horrible things to survive
3 The corps tame and control most of it 13 Former mages were much better wizards
4 Very few people get the chance to study it 14 PR is everything to the powers that be
5 Ordinary tech seems more practical 15 The law is slanted to money and power
6 It tends to wear out or go haywire in time 16 De facto slavery is considered normal
7 Mage groups tend to hate each other 17 Advancement requires betraying others
8 The power of magic is slowly fading 18 All power comes at a personal cost
9 Magic is only recently-discovered 19 Most people are numb to injustices
10 Mages guard their secrets jealously 20 Fairness is for your own people only
 SEEDS OF STRANGE FRUITS
Before the Scream psychic powers were a known and Yet by the same token, learning one trick never
well-researched phenomenon throughout human made learning another any easier. The psychic invari-
space. The existence of Metadimensional Extrover- ably began from zero in mastering every technique they
sion Syndrome was a well-known fact and the com- ever gained. More advanced expertise might make new
plex regimen of mental exercises and training protocols techniques possible, but the actual process of learning
necessary to contain it were standard throughout Man- them was never any easier over time.
date-influenced systems. The psychics resulting from The semi-mythical “Black Sun Project” of the Psy-
these training methods were capable of remarkable chic Academy is widely thought to be the source of
feats of psionic power, but tended to gravitate to a few modern “arcane” techniques. Their original goal and
individually-developed techniques and specialties. In the means by which they pursued it remain unclear
theory, any full-fledged psychic not limited by natural even at this late date, and there are unsettling paral-
neurophysical blocks could develop any psychic ability. lel legends of certain agreements made with certain
In practice, the painstaking effort and neuroadaptive non-human powers. Even so, the fundamental insight
practices each technique required limited the number of these researchers was soon widespread; with the
of techniques any psychic could practically master. right structure for developing techniques, the same
Each individual technique required the psychic to neural adaptations could be made to serve multiple
adapt his or her own neural structure to handle the spe- different techniques.
cific influx of metadimensional energy that produced By voluntarily restricting their development ef-
the effect. Without the correct neural lensing and ce- forts to a few basic types of metadimensional energy
rebral restructuring, the raw energy would punch a channels, the researchers were able to create a stan-
hole through human cognition, eventually resulting dard arcane neural interface specification: the SANIS.
in inevitable brain damage, madness, or death. Any MES-active subject who developed a fundamental
These protocols, so crucial to the history of magic, set of cerebral adaptations could theoretically use any
were originally designed by the Psychic Academy, and of these techniques, and do so with far less effort and
were developed with flexibility and wide applicability training than a conventional psychic. A few relatively
as primary design goals. Because of this, almost any modest adjustments would need to be made to accom-
zone of neural tissue could be adapted to channel any modate the individual quirks of a practitioner’s brain
given technique. The psychic had to start from scratch tissue, but with a SANIS-compliant interface, a psychic
in adapting to every technique they learned, but noth- could exhibit dozens of different abilities without need-
ing they learned would foreclose other options. They ing to undertake any serious neural adaptations.
could always work to develop a different neural zone Such flexibility, of course, came with its own set
along different principles, ones suitable for whatever of tradeoffs. Standard psychic training protocols pro-
new technique they were learning. Of course, simple duced very responsive neural zones. Provided the psy-
systemic strain and neural flexibility exhaustion would chic hadn’t exhausted their net neural flexibility for the
limit the number of adaptations they could practically day, every technique they mastered was instantly ready
undertake, but they had no theoretical limits. to receive the metadimensional energy that fueled their
powers. Every technique they had learned was con-
stantly at their fingertips.
Other Origin Stories Arcane practitioners did not have this luxury.
The origin story of sorcery provided here is simply While the SANIS allowed for great flexibility, the neu-
one possibility for your game. In your campaign, ral adaptations had to be primed for specific effects,
magic might be the product of some utterly alien charged and aligned in brief morning meditations so as
power, one totally unrelated to the metadimen- to prevent neural damage when the energy actually was
sions. It might be the ossified remnants of pre- made to flow. Thus, where a conventional telekinetic
tech science controlled by dimly-comprehending could use any of their powers so long as their strength
adepts. It might even be some profound mystery held out, an Arcanist could only discharge a limited
that doesn’t even have an explanation, at least one number of specific pre-chosen arcane effects before
that its practitioners can agree on. they exhausted their SANIS priming. The more devel-
Having an origin story for magic, however, oped the Arcanist, the more neural zones they could
can make a GM’s life easier in play. If you know adapt to the standard interface and the more effects
how magic relates to the other powers and phe- they could channel before exhaustion, but they would
nomenon of your campaign world, you’ll have an never have the constant availability of a conventional
easier time stitching together plot hooks and his- psychic and their techniques. Once the neural zones
torical facts about the occult arts. discharged their priming, it would take a significant
rest period before they could be re-energized.
 The history of magic• 9

Later arcane researchers refined the standard ar- the broader psychic techniques, but that very specificity
cane interface. By further restricting the types of energy often allowed them to produce more subtle or complex
flows it would support and compelling the practitioner effects than traditional disciplines. Many calculations
to shoulder more of the neural adaptation load, they and neural energy constructs that would be impossible
were able to mitigate some of the availability limita- for a traditional psychic to integrate on the fly could
tions of a standard Arcanist. These focused arcane in- be analyzed beforehand for specific spell effects and
terfaces were coded for specific bodies of arcane study embedded in the spell’s formula.
and the specific techniques they developed. Once a By some indeterminate point before the Scream,
practitioner had adapted his or her own neural tissues the practice of arcana had solidified into two main
to the specific limitations of the corpus, they could use streams. The Academic tradition produced Arcanists,
the same neural zones to trigger any of the techniques who could use their generalized standard neural in-
they had prepared, rather than dedicating specific tech- terface to “cast” an arbitrarily wide range of academic
niques to specific zones. While superior in flexibility, spells, provided they primed their neural tissue after
these “Magisters” were compelled to do a great deal each rest with the specific spells they wished to have
more adaptation to the specific effects of the corpus, available. The Heritor traditions of the Magisters were
leaving their minds incompatible with the standard in- restricted to a much narrower, more specific range of
terface’s techniques and making it much more difficult potential spells, but once they had primed their focused
to develop new techniques that could be used with their interface, they could use it to invoke any of the spells
body of learning. they had mastered, a range that steadily grew as the
Some historians believe that some of these so- Magister increased in their proficiency.
called Magister schools were actually precursors to the It was difficult but practical for Arcanists to devel-
SANIS. According to these scholars, the original Arcan- op new spells, because the SANIS required only that
ists were inspired to generalize the focused interfaces of the spell utilize specific, fixed channels of metadimen-
their predecessors, rather than by a leap away from the sional energy. It was far more difficult for Magisters
conventional psychic training protocols. Some Magis- to develop new spells, however, because each spell’s
ter schools do insist that they predated the practice of structure needed to cooperate with the far narrower
standard arcane interfaces, while others were undeni- specifications of their tradition’s focused neural inter-
ably developed after the advance. The truth may well face, and each spell required substantially more person-
vary from sector to sector. al neural adaptation by the psychic. For many Heritor
By general convention, the specific techniques de- traditions this was a perfectly acceptable exchange, as
veloped by the various schools were characterized as their founders had already developed all the techniques
“spells” in contrast to standard psychic techniques. Due that were necessary for the tradition’s function in its so-
to the limits of the arcane neural interface, spells were ciety. Academic Arcanists, however, were often driven
much more restricted and specific in their effects than to innovate even at considerable personal risk.
10•The history of magic

Metadimensions and the Shadows a few displayed an uncanny level of intelligence and
One of the basic techniques developed by the early communicative ability. Most disturbingly, some spells
arcane researchers was that of material instantiation. and techniques seemed to bring forth creatures with
By a series of complex mathematical equations and independent, continuous existence, such that repeated
calculations a spell could be designed to channel meta- summonings would conjure what appeared to be the
dimensional energy into a static, material form. This same creature, with memories and awareness of all that
conjuration could produce objects useful to the Arcan- they had done during prior beckonings.
ist, though it usually proved prohibitively difficult to Most spells were designed to control the behavior
maintain their existence indefinitely. Sooner or later of the creatures they summoned. Some did so crudely,
the necessary flow of metadimensional energy would by allowing the summoner to inflict pain or damage on
falter, and the object would dissipate. the creature if it behaved inappropriately, while oth-
Naturally, early researchers were determined to ers embedded complex sub-formulas that aligned the
push the limits of this technique. The formulas used Shadow’s Principles with a specific intended purpose.
to create the spells were adjusted, amplified, and ex- The more sophisticated the control and complex the
haustively explored until it became possible to manifest behavior desired, the less reliable these shackles proved
not only inert matter, but actual “living” creatures. The to be. Full and reliable control of the most intelligent
correct formula could weave a seemingly living entity Shadows was elusive; some of these creatures were fully
into existence, their bodily form fueled by threads of capable of outwitting their summoners or rationalizing
metadimensional energy and contained by the rigors their way through rules of behavior.
of mathematical art. And the more intelligent and powerful the Shad-
Many of these fractal formulas only served as the ow, the more likely it was to have its own goals quite
seeds around which the metadimensional energy could separate from those of its summoner. Sometimes these
coalesce and self-organize. Like the speck of grit within urges were relatively harmless, such as a craving for
an oyster’s shell, the spell served as a channel for the en- certain activities or material indulgences. Other times,
ergy to pass into the conventional universe, whereupon the Shadow had a hunger for deeds or things that were
the forces would fold in on themselves and organize not good for anyone within its reach. Sometimes the
in seemingly organic fashion. Strange and wondrous rationale of a Shadow’s desire was comprehensible to
creatures unfolded from these spells like automatic humans, but other times these Principles seemed to
origami, self-built by rules of alien logic and fueled by be woven into the creature itself, compelling it with
uncanny forces. the force of an alien logic to ends that humans could
These “Shadows” varied tremendously in appear- neither understand nor appreciate.
ance and behavior. Some seemed to be nothing more The ultimate recourse for a summoner was to cut
than beasts, alien animals that operated on primal in- the flow of metadimensional energy that sustained a
stincts. Others had almost human levels of intellect, and Shadow’s existence. Without the help of the summoner,
the energies that formed and maintained the Shadow
Canonical Sorcery would collapse, and indeed, most spells simply could
not maintain a metadimensional channel for very long
It is entirely up to an individual GM whether even if the caster wished it. Unfortunately, the more
or not magic even exists in the “canonical” Stars powerful the Shadow, the more likely it was that it
Without Number game setting. Future material would be able to maintain its own existence unaided
may contain options related to space sorcery or for a shorter or longer period of time, burning through
content related to it, but nothing will be written metadimensional energy that it was capable of harvest-
that assumes or requires that the magical verities ing through its own alien biology or through the per-
described in this book be true for the canonical formance of strange, often-terrible acts.
setting of the game. So long as a Shadow could get this energy and
For a GM without strong feelings on the avoid physical destruction, it could continue to exist
topic and no immediate plans to use magic, it can indefinitely. Some intelligent Shadows were capable
often be most convenient to just let magic be one of performing rituals or specific types of behavior that
more ineffable mystery somewhere out there in opened a channel from which they could feed. Others
the cosmos. Maybe some actual, no-doubt wiz- naturally gravitated to places where the skin between
ardry exists in some sector out there, and maybe a dimensions was thinnest, feeding on the bleed of sub-
dozen different styles and flavors of magical may- tle energies. A few made bargains with other Arcan-
hem could be discovered if you venture far enough, ists, trading their services in exchange for human help
but if it never shows up in your home campaign, in sustaining their energies. Almost all free Shadows
it doesn’t really matter. You don’t need to let it seemed to prefer continuing their existence in this re-
matter until you actually want to use it. ality, even those who evidently found our world repug-
nant and disturbing. It was as if free life, once sparked,
was reluctant to return to inanimate existence.
 The history of magic• 11

Free Shadows and Ritual Needs

Most Shadows are shackled by the formulas that sum- The Reality of Shadows
mon them. The process of instantiating their forms in Modern arcane thought on Shadows is divided
our reality imprints them with unbreakable instincts, into two main streams: the Nominalists and the
needs, and compulsions that make them serviceable Realists. Tension between these two schools is
minions to whatever sorcerer calls them forth. The often pronounced, but usually kept to a civil level.
magics that summon them create an active channel With one group convinced the Shadows are mere
between the Shadow and the metadimensions, and empty constructs and the other that they are “peo-
this steady flow of arcane energy allows their unnat- ple”, however, passions can run high.
ural, otherworldly existence to continue. When the Nominalist Arcanists are convinced that
spell ends or their summoner dismisses them, the link Shadows have no independent reality beyond the
is cut, and the Shadow must inevitably dissolve. Most formula that manifests them. Those that claim to
controlled Shadows show no distress or concern over be members of some extradimensional race are
this fate, but a few dread it as humans fear death. merely expressing the thoughts and ideas that
On rare occasions, however, a Shadow will be are logical fractal outcomes of the mathematics
called into this world without any effective control. that create them. Shadows that seem to have an
Either the formula was flawed, or its execution was independent existence between summonings are
botched, or esoteric local metadimensional weather has merely the product of memories and awarenesses
opened a way for a Shadow by chance. Whatever the embedded in the energy flows that a specific for-
reason, these “free” Shadows have no master and may mula inevitably taps.
serve their own alien instincts alone. Realists insist that the Shadows really do exist
These free Shadows require metadimensional en- independently of conventional reality. They posit
ergy no less than their shackled brethren, however, and whole parallel dimensions inhabited by Shadows
often lack an active spell link to acquire it. A few rapidly and entire realities operating on the strange rules
fade back into nothingness, but others have enough and alien principles exhibited by these creatures.
of a stored charge to have the time they need to find a The formulas used to summon them do not con-
different source of energy, a source most often found struct their forms, they merely unlock them from
in specialized rituals and human servitude. the foreign universe they naturally inhabit.
The right patterns of action, vocalization, mental Nominalists dismiss the idea, pointing out
states, or physical stimuli can produce a limited, eva- that the Realists seem unable to explain how they
nescent connection between an ordinary human mind could possibly tell the difference between a formu-
and the metadimensions. A Shadow can feed off this la that summons a creature that thinks it has a past
energy, with the greater Shadows requiring greater against a formula that summons a creature that
numbers of devotees. This feeding process is not in really does have a past. The “independent realities”
of itself harmful to a devotee, but the rituals required that the Realists posit all seem to coincidentally
to create the right mental state can sometimes be fatal. match perfectly with the constructed entities that
Some Shadows can get by on relatively harmless rites, the formulas create.
but others demand blood, suffering, and horror to slake Realists point to the repeated instances of
their need. Only free Shadows can be sustained by ritu- unexpected behavior, strange phenomenon, and
al; conventionally-summoned ones cannot. disturbingly coherent descriptions of alternate
Shadows unable to find acolytes to serve their existences provided by the most powerful and
needs can sometimes find refuge in energetical- intelligent Shadows. While they admit that there
ly-charged artifacts and arcane relics, using them as is no iron-clad proof, the repeated unexpected
anchors to remain in this world. Others can fall into observations and unanticipated results of certain
long periods of torpor or dormancy, awaiting the ap- summonings are compelling evidence that exist-
proach of serviceable minds. ing Nominalist theories do not fully describe the
While ordinary men and women can sustain free reality of the Shadows.
Shadows with the right rituals, many of the more intel- In the end, the truth of the matter is unclear
ligent entities prefer to negotiate with more satisfying to either school, and the reality may be of a third
devotees such as active psychics or trained sorcerers. kind altogether. In practice, the way a summoner
These subjects can give far more energy to a Shadow behaves toward their summoned Shadows tend to
with their ritual service, and a single capable priest can vary significantly based on whether or not they be-
substitute for a whole congregation of lesser minds. lieve the creature is “real” in any non-mathemati-
There are numerous stories of diabolical pacts made cal sense. Nominalists tend to treat their Shadows
between Shadows and ambitious young sorcerers, with as mere tools to be used and discarded, while Re-
promises of ritual servitude in exchange for the Shad- alists sometimes become disturbingly emotionally
ow’s help. Most such patrons have ways of ensuring involved with their creations
that the pact is duly honored.
12•The history of magic

The Origins of Magic in this Sector

The default explanation for the development of arcane
magic in the Stars Without Number setting can be use- d4 When Was Magic Developed?
ful as an overview, but it can often be helpful for a 1 Ancient past, possibly by pre-human aliens
GM to have a more concrete idea about who exactly
2 Some time in the early Mandate era
was the first to use significant amounts of magic in a
sector. These pioneers may have been the first to take 3 Relatively soon before the Scream
advantage of Academy research, or they might have 4 Sometime in the recent post-Scream past
been independent discoverers of occult truths.
There may even have been multiple major early
arcane powers, each of which can be generated in- d12 What Was Their Downfall or Problem?
dependently and then woven together in the sector’s 1 Internal strife or a civil war of mages
backstory. It’s assumed that these primordial powers
2 Unwise Shadow pacts and dark bargains
have since collapsed or degraded, but some of them
might still be hanging on to their influence in a given 3 Decadence, self-indulgence, and depravity
sector and remain ripe for the interference of a plucky 4 Crushed by enraged mundane enemies
band of heroes. 5 Reckless magical experimentation or arts
d6 Who First Used Magic on a Large Scale? 6 Usurped by a rival group of mages
1 Aliens who were or are active in this sector 7 Wiped out via a war of assassins
2 A mage-powered planetary government 8 Slaves or servitors broke free and rebelled
3 A zealous religious group with many mages 9 A mad leader led them to a ruinous end
4 A Shadow cult with powerful sorcerers 10 Their magic was toxic over the long term
5 An academic group of scholar-mages 11 Other magic was easier and more popular
6 A rebel group that gained power via magic 12 A zealous religious uprising broke them

d8 Why Did They Take Up Magic? d20 What Relics of Old Magic Persist?
1 Intellectual curiosity about its secrets 1 The basic teaching texts are from that era
2 Defense against some dire invader 2 Particular structures once used by them
3 Pursuit of control or conquest over others 3 A race of servitor-creatures made by them
4 Enticed to it by a lust for personal power 4 Areas scarred by dire magical side-effects
5 An idealistic ambition to aid the sector 5 A type of magical item they favored
6 A tool to pursue some grand mundane goal 6 A cult dedicated to reviving their glory
7 An implement of vengeance against a foe 7 A language they used for magical workings
8 Religious dedication to its divine secrets 8 A monstrously changed group of people
9 A state claiming to inherit their authority
d10 What Was Their Greatest Achievement? 10 A religion dedicated to their gods or patron
1 An interstellar web of arcane structures 11 Rigid hostility to magic in some areas
2 A magically terraformed world or citadel 12 Devices meant to counter their magic
3 A sector-spanning political hegemony 13 Scattered quarreling inheritor schools
4 A corpus of fundamental lore for the ages 14 Fragments of a sector-spanning great work
5 A godlike Shadow summoned into reality 15 Ruins of their eradicated great foes
6 Defeat of a seemingly invincible foe 16 A forbidden or dangerous type of magic
7 Uplifting of sector tech or society 17 Unstable but powerful artifacts of the age
8 An artifact of world-shaking power 18 A rump remnant of their old power
9 An extended golden age of peace 19 Areas protected by ancient guardians
10 One or more new forms of magical life 20 Wreckage of the event that ruined them
 The history of magic• 13

Current Attitudes Toward Magic

In sectors where magic is a known quantity, it’s import-
ant that the GM have some idea of how it is viewed by d4 How Prevalent are Mages?
the general populace. If you’re going to allow the use 1 Vanishingly rare or extremely new-found
of magic by PCs, it’s usually necessary to have some
2 Very uncommon, but not unknown
conception of how these sorcerers are trained and how
they are treated by normal humans. 3 A rare profession, but a real one
Depending on how tightly-knit the sector is in 4 As common as any other very skilled trade
terms of culture and laws, a single roll on these tables
might be applied to an entire sector, or to a particular
cluster of associated worlds, or even to a single plan- d12 Who Are the Most Well-Known Mages?
et. When using the results, keep playability in mind; 1 Official government mage-agents
if every world in the sector simply hates magic-users,
2 Notorious criminal gang mages
then a PC is going to have a hard time explaining how
they acquired their abilities and a difficult time actually 3 More advanced offworlder mages
using any of them. “Death to sorcerers” worlds should 4 Zealous cult-affiliated mage-priests
be no more common than “death to psychics” ones. 5 Governmental or de-facto mage-cops
d6 How Open is Magical Training? 6 Dedicated mage-artists of new media
1 Totally hidden, by careful invitation only 7 Spiritual teachers and guru-mages
2 It exists, but there’s no easy way to find it 8 Famous martial war-mages
3 Known but very restrictive groups teach it 9 The traditional mages of an ethnic group
4 Groups take applicants, but are careful 10 Alien mages of a xeno-tradition
5 Any semi-decent pupil can find a teacher 11 Daring scientific mage-researchers
6 Open teachers exist almost everywhere 12 Hidebound traditionalist mage groups

d8 What’s the Public Attitude? d20 Popular Beliefs About Magic and Mages
1 Mages are blamed for almost everything 1 Mages all make pacts with Shadow patrons
2 Profound mistrust of mages and magic 2 Mages are mercenaries and criminals
3 Uneasy distaste for magic and its users 3 Magic turns you inhuman after a while
4 Significant misconceptions about magic 4 Mages only look like they’re human
5 Wary, but not particularly hostile 5 Mages are all very spiritually-enlightened
6 Positive attitude, but with misconceptions 6 Magic is psychologically addicting
7 Respect and honor toward magic 7 Magic is hated by a prominent deity
8 Mages are considered superior beings 8 Magic is physically poisonous over time
9 Magic causes brain damage and insanity
d10 What do Governments Think? 10 Magic is associated with a particular faith
1 Magic is a tool of traitors and rebels 11 Magic produces dangerous radiation
2 Magic is dangerous and must be contained 12 Magic can do anything for the right mage
3 Magic is currently a problem for our rule 13 Magic is a sign of a deity’s personal favor
4 Magic is a tool of our political opponents 14 Magic is fake; it’s all really psionics
5 Magic needs to be carefully regulated 15 Magic is for unscientific primitives
6 Magic is a useful tool for our ends 16 Meddling with magic curses a user
7 Magic needs to be cultivated for our use 17 Mages are just incompetent psychics
8 Magic has tremendous potential if studied 18 Mages are fearsome supernatural beings
9 Magic is a right for those who can use it 19 Magic is tied to particular bloodlines
10 Magic is vital to our future success 20 Mages are just naturally superior humans
 THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC
Introducing sorcery into your campaign is a significant grimoire, the spell is successfully prepared, and will
step. The rules in this section explain how to create remain a viable standing arcane wave until it is dis-
characters with magical powers and provide three class charged. The more expert and proficient the Arcanist,
frameworks that each have different ways of accessing the more flexible their SANIS interface is, and the more
their occult talents. complex and numerous the spells they are capable of
Some of this content is reproduced from the “Space preparing at one time. Once all the “room” in the inter-
Magic” chapter of the Stars Without Number: Revised face is taken up with charged imprints, the Arcanist can
deluxe rulebook, in order to spare readers from need- prepare no additional spells until they discharge some.
ing to have that tome as well, but it has been tweaked Magisters of the arcane Heritor traditions operate
and adjusted to fit with the specific spellcasting tradi- differently when preparing spells. Instead of individu-
tions and context described in this book. If you use the ally preparing specific spells on a daily basis, their entire
rules and classes in this book, use the rules printed here. early training period is devoted to “hardwiring” their
This chapter is divided into two parts. The initial SANIS interface to accept a small number of spell im-
section describes the specific processes and mechanics prints on a permanent basis. An apprentice Magister
of spellcasting as the denizens of the far future under- will usually spend several years training and disciplin-
stand it. It’s intended to provide an in-game explana- ing their mind to accept the permanent neural imprint
tion of effects and assist GMs and players in roleplaying of a handful of spells from their tradition. As they de-
the particulars of arcana. The second section is a strictly velop in expertise and SANIS flexibility, they carefully
mechanical description of how these abilities work in add additional spells to their repertoire, integrating the
game terms. patterns with their existing selection much like an ar-
tisan might piece together a mosaic.
The Process of Spellcasting While the result is far more sturdy and stable than
When a SANIS interface user intends to “cast a spell”, the transient chalk drawings of Academic spell imprints,
a number of complex activities must be undertaken it’s commensurately more difficult to change. Only a
in the correct order. Each of these steps must be per- well-educated Magister understands the complex, in-
formed efficiently and without significant distraction, terlocking relationship between different spells in their
or else the metadimensional energy summoned to tradition well enough to revise their initial selections.
actuate the effect will spill through the caster’s brain They can substitute alternate portions of neural tissue,
uselessly, washing away the loaded spell imprint to no jury-rig cerebral connections, and change out prior
profitable effect. spell selections for new ones, but even for the most
For Arcanists of the Academic magical tradition, erudite Magister, such change is a matter of weeks of
the first step is to prepare the spell they intend to cast. work for every spell exchanged. Most Magisters devel-
This preparation must take place shortly after a period op a corpus of prepared spells from their tradition and
of REM sleep, when their neural structures are most la- rarely if ever significantly alter it.
bile and capable of accepting the spell’s energy imprint. As a consequence, Magisters do not need to pre-
Casters who do not get adequate, refreshing sleep have pare spells on a daily basis. So long as they get adequate
a SANIS interface too “stiff” to successfully accept the amounts of REM sleep and can refresh their interface’s
imprint of a prepared spell. flexibility, they can wield any of their mastered spells
The actual spell preparation requires an object for casting later in the day. They do not need grimoires,
commonly known as a “grimoire”; a text, coded object, though they are capable of using them as research and
or physical data source imprinted with the metadimen- study texts much like any Academic Arcanist.
sional energy pattern of the spell. An ordinary data file Once the spell is imprinted, the user must cast it.
or printed piece of paper is quite useless in capturing They must use their own nervous system as an anten-
the complex, almost living energy imprint of a spell, na for the focusing and direction of metadimensional
and so grimoires must be carefully constructed by Ar- energy, using this power as a catalyst to trigger the
canists through a variety of time-consuming processes. spell imprint and unleash its effect. Needless to say, this
If their personal grimoire is lost or destroyed and no is an extremely taxing process on the wielder’s neural
equally-difficult-to-make backup copies are available, tissue, and normally requires at least several seconds of
an Arcanist must spend considerable time re-creating concentrated focus to safely direct the energy. Casters
it as described on page 100. without extensive practice at casting under high-pres-
With the grimoire in hand, the Arcanist studies sure situations may require several minutes to success-
the pattern of the spell they wish to imprint, meditating fully channel the energy into a spell.
on their own SANIS interface and carefully charging In addition to the concentration required, the
their brain with a matching energy imprint. When caster must correctly tune the metadimensional energy
their imprint is in resonance with the model in the flowing through them, maintaining the correct mental
 The science of magic •15

state and physical configuration to fuel the SANIS in- uneven rate. The end result is almost never anything
terface. Invocations are a normal part of this process, but a brief, harmless flicker of energy and a uselessly
requiring clearly-enunciated words, sounds, or other discharged spell imprint.
vocalizations to focus the caster’s attention. In addi- Once a spell is cast, a thread of metadimensional
tion, the process also requires “arcane physiokinetics”, connection remains with the caster until the energies
known more commonly as “magic gestures”. Without are completely discharged. Thus, a spell that creates an
the centering, focusing effect of the words and rigor- illusion or enthralls a target’s mind would retain some
ously-imprinted gestures, the energy will not interface connection with the caster to allow them to control
correctly and the spell imprint will be lost. the illusion or influence the target. A spell that simply
These gestures are very precise, and any kind of triggers an explosion or has some other instantaneous
constricting clothing or armor will render the process effect will have no such connection, as the caster has
prohibitively difficult. Many varieties of advanced nothing further to control once the spell has discharged.
technological material also serve to disrupt the free Some advanced magical techniques, metapsionic meth-
flow of metadimensional energy, making it virtually ods, and esoteric devices can trace a controlling thread
impossible to cast spells while wearing advanced power back to the original caster.
armor, even if the gear is otherwise unhindering. The consequences of discharging a spell imprint
Such limits are in clear distinction to the fast, im- vary between Academic Arcanists and Heritor Mag-
perceptible effects of traditional psychic techniques. A isters. For an Arcanist, discharging a spell imprint
psychic who wishes to use a technique can do so very leaves nothing behind. An Arcanist who has prepared
rapidly, with no chance of disruption. Some tech- only one spell for the day can cast it only once, even if
niques can be mastered so effectively that they don’t their mind is otherwise fresh and unstrained by excess
even impart any significant mental strain to the user, metadimensional friction. They must wait until after
allowing the psychic to use them repeatedly without another night’s peaceful rest before they can prepare
rest. Such benefits come from the bespoke nature of a new imprint. Of course, an Arcanist may choose to
psychic technique training, where every unique effect imprint multiple “copies” of the same spell so they can
is the product of its own complex neural structure and cast it multiple times between rests.
specific optimizations that are impossible to translate Magisters work differently. As their spell imprints
to a generalized, universal interface like the SANIS. are “hardwired” to their SANIS interfaces, they can cast
Any significant mental distraction or physical any of them as often as they wish until their brain has
damage will spoil the casting of an arcane spell. While been saturated by metadimensional energy and their
some specially-trained casters are capable of fighting conduit structures have been exhausted. For a novice
through sudden pain, most spellcasters will find their Magister, this exhaustion might happen after they cast
spells “shorting” if they are hurt while casting them. their third spell for the day. A master might hurl a doz-
The directed metadimensional energy will not make en powerful effects before they start to show the strain.
full SANIS interface contact with the primed imprint, Only a good night’s sleep can allow the conduit struc-
and the spell will only partially catalyze, or do so at an tures to regenerate and restore their original flexibility.
16• The science of magic

What Spellcasting Looks Like Spellcasting and Psionics

Whether for an Arcanist or a Magister, spellcasting While the SANIS interface and modern spellcasting
tends to look very similar. The caster must have at least protocols are very different in execution from the fo-
one arm free for arcane physiokinetics, and they must cused, elaborately-developed techniques of a conven-
be capable of vocalizing distinctly at a normal speech tional psychic, they both wield the same fundamental
volume. Most casters look somewhat distracted while energies. Whether a psionic telekinetic construct or an
forming the spell’s energies, and in some cases there arcane conjured barrier, both structures are fabricated
are visible glows, hums, or energy shadows that form of solidified metadimensional energy, and the only dif-
around the caster as they mold the metadimensional ference between the two is how that energy was shaped.
energy. Some casters have particularly characteristic There is generally little overlap between the two disci-
energy signatures or sonic phenomena to their spell- plines due to the very different ways in which energy is
casting, either from their native tradition or their own directed, but there have been some steps taken toward
personal qualities. cross-disciplinary research.
The casting itself usually takes approximately three Metapsionics is perhaps the most pronounced ex-
or four seconds for a mage trained in high-pressure ample of this. Metapsionics is traditionally the art of
casting, though a very few spells can be executed al- detecting, amplifying or suppressing psionic powers,
most instantaneously thanks to their particular priming and in most sectors those are its only functions. Due to
structure. If the caster is physically hurt, significantly the nature of the SANIS interface and the very complex,
jostled, or substantially distracted during this casting idiosyncratic qualities of a spell formula, convention-
process, the spell will short out and the imprint will al metapsionics is of very limited use in augmenting
discharge harmlessly and uselessly. Due to the individ- arcane spells. It is much easier to destroy than to cre-
ual distinctions necessary in metadimensional energy ate, however, and metapsionics is no exception in this.
tuning and vocalization choice, it’s not normally possi- While only rare specialist techniques do anything to
ble to discern which spell is being cast just by looking at boost a spell, it does have methods for suppressing the
the spellcaster unless the viewer has seen that particular active use of arcane effects through extinguishing the
caster use a particular spell before. metadimensional energies that fuel them.
When the energy is fully channeled through the More exotic metapsionic-magical techniques tend
imprint, the spell takes effect. Many spells require at to be specific to those sectors where magic is a signif-
least some degree of attention from the caster in or- icant force, and they remain unknown outside these
der to maintain or control them, but others are simply areas. Metapsions who wish to be capable anti-magic
launched and forgotten. Sometimes there is an obvious specialists are advised to apply themselves accordingly.
connection between a caster and a spell effect, such as
when a bolt of metadimensional force erupts from their
outstretched hand, but effects that are not obviously
centered or emitted from the caster are not necessarily
obvious in their source to non-metapsionic observers.
The spellcasting process is not loud or flamboyant,
but it is obvious. A spellcaster might be overlooked if
a normal speaking tone and brisk gesticulation would
be overlooked, but a person being directly observed is
never going to be able to cast a spell discreetly without
some special custom Focus. Lay persons with no mag-
ical training or experience of magic may be excused in
misunderstanding the display as a confusing seizure or
bodily tic, but persons with some social awareness of
spellcasters are likely to suspect the truth. Denizens of
sectors where magic is a known and accepted fact are
likely to recognize spellcasting, even if they can’t tell
what spell is being cast.
Different magical schools will have different fla-
vors to their spellcasting styles. Most of them will bor-
row heavily from whatever occult tradition is native
to their original culture, perhaps borrowing magical
phrases from dead languages or exhibiting similar
forms of arcane gestures. It’s not uncommon for visible
energy traces or sounds to be similar between members
of the same group. Apprentices are also often known
for picking up the “fist” of their master’s style.
 Arcane classes •17

Arcane Classes
Now that you know the in-world details of how a spell can cast any spell they have mastered until they exhaust
is prepared and formulated, you need to understand their neural reserves, but they cannot exchange mas-
the game mechanics that represent the process. The tered spells with the ease of an Arcanist.
material below describes three new class frameworks, Adepts are magical PCs who have occult abilities
two alternate classes for use in magical campaigns, and unrelated to conventional spellcasting. They might be
the specific rules for preparing and casting spells. esoteric warrior-monks, natural fonts of arcane ener-
Arcanists are standard practitioners of Academ- gy, consecrated agents of some supernatural power, or
ic magic, ones who prepare individual spells and can some other sort of concept that relies heavily on occult
wield only those powers they have prepared for the day. powers. Like Magisters, Adepts each have a specific
Arcanists may vary in faction allegiance, academic affil- class related to their magical tradition and arcane abil-
iations, and common spell selections, but they share the ities. The Free Nexus, Godhunter, Sunblade, and Yama
same mechanical rules for their spellcasting regardless King classes in this book are all Adept classes.
of their associations. Arcane Warriors and Arcane Experts are versions
Magisters practice Heritor traditions of mag- of the conventional Warrior and Expert classes meant
ic, ones that are more thematically narrow than the for use in campaigns that include magical PCs. They’re
broad Academic spell list, but potentially more effective drop-in replacements for those classes that provide
in their specialty. Magisters come in different flavors conventional Warrior or Expert players with some
with different, exclusive spell lists; Shadow-summon- extra options to help bring them up to par with their
ing Pacters, transhuman Rectifiers, and martial War more magical teammates. Their full descriptions are
Mages are three example classes in this book. Magisters provided on page 30 if you choose to use them.

Adepts
By default, Adept classes have a few basic qualities. The
Free Nexus, Godhunter, Sunblade, and Yama King Partial Adept Classes
classes described in this book are all Adept classes. New Most Adept classes can be taken as partial classes by an
Adept classes you might create for your own campaign Adventurer PC. Unless specified otherwise by the class
world should follow this general outline. description, the following rules apply.
Partial Adepts gain their class abilities as if they
Adept Class Abilities were half their character level, rounded up. Thus, a
Adepts roll 1d6 for hit points each level, modified by brand-new Partial Yama King/Partial Warrior would
their Constitution modifier. get Adept abilities as if they were a first level Yama
Adepts have a base attack bonus equal to half their King. At third level, they would gain new abilities as
level, rounded down. Thus, it’s +0 at first level, +1 at if they were a second level Yama King, and so forth.
second level, and so forth. Some Adept classes give bo- The Adept abilities they possess are used at their
nuses to this. full character level. Thus, a second level Partial Sun-
Adepts gain the particular special abilities of their blade might not get any new powers, but they can use
class as they rise in character level. The particular perks their Sunblade Wielder ability as if they were a second
they get will depend on their specific class; a Yama King level Sunblade.
will get some benefits at first level, while a Sunblade
will get an entirely different set. Heroic Adepts
Adept special abilities are not spells. They function Most Adept classes do not have a Heroic analog for
as described and cannot be interrupted by damage and those campaigns that use Heroic PC rules. In general,
do not require a specific declaration of intent to use such a superlative PC should take the Heroic Adventur-
them at the start of the round. er class, choose to be a full-classed Adept, and then fill
Some Adept classes may allow access to the spe- out their abilities with a matching partial class.
cial General Arcane, Arcane Expert, or Arcane Warrior The Yama King and Free Nexus classes in this
lists of foci starting on page 90, allowing them to use book roll 1d4 for their Fray dice. The Godhunters and
their initial and later earned focus picks on them. If not Sunblades roll 1d6 for their Fray. In both cases, they
specified by the class description, however, an Adept may apply their Fray die even to targets with more hit
cannot choose from these lists. dice than they have character levels.
An Adept does not get any bonus focus picks like
Experts or Warriors do. They get only their normal
single free focus level when creating their character.
18• Arcanists

Arcanists
Arcanists practice the traditional Academic style of ar- Arcanist Spells Prepared per Day
cane spellcasting. While they may belong to varying
Spell Levels
factions, traditions, and schools, their abilities all work Arcanist
the same way mechanically. Level 1 2 3 4 5
1 1 - - - -
Arcanist Class Abilities 2 2 - - - -
Arcanists roll 1d6-1 for their hit points, modified by
3 2 1 - - -
Constitution. This roll cannot be less than 1, even with
the penalty. 4 3 2 - - -
Arcanists have a base attack bonus equal to their 5 3 2 1 - -
level divided by five, rounded down. Thus, their bonus 6 3 3 2 - -
is +0 until it reaches +1 at fifth level and +2 at tenth.
7 4 3 2 1 -
Arcanists must be able to move freely to channel
undisrupted metadimensional energy. They cannot cast 8 4 3 3 2 -
spells while wearing any kind of powered armor, or 9 5 4 3 2 1
any other sort of armor with an Encumbrance value 10+ 5 4 3 3 2
higher than zero.
Arcanists may choose foci from the General Ar- The entries list the number of spells an Arcanist can
cane list on page 90. They get a bonus focus chosen prepare each day of a given spell level. There is no
from this list as an addition to their usual free pick at limit to the number of spells an Arcanist can learn
character creation. at each level, assuming a source is found for them.
Arcanists get Cast Magic-0 as a bonus skill. If this
would increase their skill level above level-1, they may
instead pick any other non-psychic skill. Partial Arcanists are still subject to the armor
Arcanists start play knowing two first-level spells limitations of a full Arcanist when casting spells. Any
from the Arcanist spell list on page 64, plus one more powered armor or any other armor with an Encum-
for each point of bonus Intelligence modifier. If not us- brance value higher than zero will prevent effective
ing the Occult Lore rules from the Arcane Research and spellcasting.
Development section, they can pick two more Arcanist Partial Arcanists gain Cast Magic-0 as a bonus skill.
spells of any level they can cast each time they advance If this would bring their Cast Magic skill above level-1,
a character level. they may instead pick any non-psychic skill in its place.
Partial Arcanists may choose General Arcane foci,
Partial Arcanist Abilities but unlike full Arcanists, they do not get a free bonus
An Adventurer PC might choose to be a Partial Ar- focus from that list.
canist as part of their class selection. In that case, the
following rules apply. Heroic Arcanists
Partial Arcanists suffer a -1 penalty to their hit A campaign that includes Heroic PCs might also include
point rolls. Thus a Partial Warrior/Partial Arcanist a Heroic Arcanist. In such a case, the PC gets a few
would roll 1d6 for their hit points at each level. additional benefits.
Partial Arcanists suffer a -1 penalty to their attack A Heroic Arcanist gets an additional spell slot of
bonus, as calculated by the other class. Thus that same every level they are capable of casting. Thus, a fifth
Partial Warrior/Partial Arcanist would start play with level Heroic Arcanist has four first-level slots, three
an attack bonus if +0 instead of +1. This penalty cannot second-level slots, and two third-level spell slots.
bring the character’s attack bonus below zero. If the A Heroic Arcanist also gets an additional number
other partial class also has this quality, such as a Partial of “open” spell slots equal to their character level. These
Arcanist/Partial Pacter, then the PC’s attack bonus is +0, open spell slots do not require preparation. They can
becoming +1 at fifth level and +2 at tenth. use these slots to cast any spell they know, whether or
Partial Arcanists can learn and prepare spells as not they’ve prepared it, and whatever the level of the
an Arcanist of half their level, rounded up. A fifth level spell might be. If you use an open slot to fuel an arcane
Partial Warrior/Partial Arcanist can prepare spells as focus that requires the use of a spell, treat it as a spell
if they were a third-level Arcanist, so they can prepare of the highest level you can cast.
two first level and one second level spell each day. A Heroic Arcanist rolls 1d4 for their Fray die, but
Partial Arcanists cast their spells at their full level. unlike most other classes, they can apply their Fray die
Thus, the spells that PC casts would be cast as if they to any enemy, even if the PC has fewer character levels
were a fifth level Arcanist. than the target has hit dice.
 Magisters •19

Magisters
Magisters are members of various Heritor magical tra- Magister Spells Usable per Day
ditions, ones more rigid and specific than the broad
Spell Levels
scope of Academic practice. While less versatile, they Magister
have a much easier time bringing their abilities to bear Level 1 2 3 4 5
and their specialties often far surpass what Academic 1 2/3 - - - -
magic can accomplish. 2 2/4 - - - -
The Rectifier, Pacter, and War Mage classes pro-
3 3/5 2/2 - - -
vided in this book are all Magisters, and all use the
character rules given below. 4 3/6 2/3 - - -
5 4/6 2/3 2/2 - -
Magister Class Abilities 6 4/6 3/4 2/3 - -
Magisters roll 1d6-1 for their hit points, modified by
7 5/6 3/4 2/3 2/2 -
Constitution. This roll cannot be less than 1, even with
the penalty. 8 5/6 4/5 3/4 2/3 -
Magisters have a base attack bonus equal to their 9 5/6 4/5 3/4 3/3 2/2
level divided by five, rounded down. Thus, their bonus 10+ 5/6 4/6 3/5 3/4 2/3
is +0 until it reaches +1 at fifth level and +2 at tenth.
Entries list the total spells known each level followed
Like Arcanists, Magisters must be able to move
by the spells castable each day. Thus, at second level,
freely in order to cast. They cannot cast spells while
a Magister knows two first-level spells, and may cast
wearing any kind of powered armor, or any other sort
any combination of first-level spells up to four times
of armor with an Encumbrance value higher than zero.
a day.
Magisters may choose their foci from the General
Arcane list on page 90. They get a bonus focus chosen
from this list as an addition to their usual free pick at Heroic Magisters
character creation. A Heroic Magister in a campaign that uses Heroic PCs
Magisters get Cast Magic-0 as a bonus skill. If this uses the same rules as a normal Magister with the ad-
would increase their skill level above level-1, they may dition of a few extra abilities.
instead pick any other non-psychic skill. A Heroic Magister knows one extra spell from
Magisters start play knowing two first-level spells each level they are capable of casting. Accordingly, a
from their class’s spell list. As they advance in character first level Heroic Magister knows three first-level spells.
levels, they learn to master addition spells as given in When they reach third level, they’d know four first-lev-
the adjacent table. They do not require a trainer or a el spells and three second-level spells.
source for these spells; their secrets are implicit in the A Heroic Magister may also pick one known spell
Magister’s basic training. Magisters cannot add addi- from every level they are able to cast, gaining the ability
tional spells to this allotment, though they can trade out to cast these spells freely without expending spell slots.
their choices slowly as described on page 22. These free spells may not be used to fuel foci that re-
quire expending a spell slot. The Heroic Magister can
Partial Magister Abilities change which spells are nominated for this ability with
A Partial Magister uses the exact same rules as a Partial a day’s work.
Arcanist, barring their special spellcasting methods. A Heroic Magister rolls 1d4 for their Fray die, but
A Partial Magister learns and casts spells as if they unlike most other classes, they can apply their Fray die
were a Magister of half their character level, round- to any enemy, even if the PC has fewer character levels
ed up. Thus, a third-level Partial Magister knows two than the target has hit dice.
first-level spells from their tradition and can cast them
a total of four times a day. Multiple Partial Casters
When actually cast, however, these spells use the
Partial Magister’s full character level. A fifth level Par- If a PC has multiple partial classes in different cast-
tial War Mage would thus cast an Ammo Drop spell as ing classes, they keep the slots and spells known
if they were a fifth level caster. separate for each class. They cannot cast spells
If a Partial Magister mixes with another class that from one class with the slots of another.
has a penalty to their hit point rolls, such as a Partial Such polymaths have access to considerably
War Mage/Partial Arcanist, or Partial Pacter/Partial more spells than their focused peers, but they’ll
Rectifier, this penalty is applied only once. Thus, the never master the most powerful invocations of
PC in question would roll 1d6-1 each level for their either class.
hit points.
20• Spellcasting rules

Spellcasting Rules
In order to cast a spell, a mage needs to know the spell, class spell list, and do not require a grimoire or a spell
have an available spell slot for it, and cast it without copy to learn them. Magisters can cast any spell they’ve
interruption. Given the rigors of an adventurer’s life, mastered until they run out of available spells per day
this is sometimes easier said than done. for that spell level. Unlike Arcanists, however, it is very
difficult and time-consuming for Magisters to change
Spells and Spell Slots the spells they have prepared for casting.
Arcanists and the Magister classes both are capable of Both Arcanists and Magisters have spell slots repre-
learning and casting spells. Every spell’s complexity and senting how many spells they can prepare or cast each
difficulty is measured in levels from 1 to 5, with level 1 day between nightly rests. A first level Arcanist has one
spells being the simplest incantations and level 5 spells first-level spell slot, as indicated by the table for their
requiring a master spellcaster to execute them prop- class. That means they can prepare one first-level spell
erly. As a spellcaster increases in character level, they each morning from the first-level spells known to them
become capable of learning and casting more complex and cast it when they wish. Once they cast the spell, the
spells of higher levels. slot is expended and cannot be re-imprinted until the
Each spellcasting class has its own list of allow- next day, after a good night’s sleep.
able spells to learn: an Arcanist has one list, a Pacter Magister spell slots work slightly differently. A
has another, and a War Mage has a third. Spellcasters Magister can cast any known spell of a given level
cannot learn or cast spells from any list but their own. until they’ve used up all their available slots for that
Spellcasters can develop new spells to expand their list, level. Thus, a first level Pacter can know two first level
or uncover usable spells that were lost in the distant spells and cast three of these spells per day. They might
past, but both processes tend to be difficult, expensive, choose to master the Call Lesser Servitor and Analyze
and uncertain. Shadow spells. From these two spells, they can cast any
Arcanists can theoretically learn any number of mix of them a total of three times before they exhaust
spells from their list, provided they’re experienced their available energy and must get a good night’s rest
enough to cast spells of that level, but they must first to restore it. They may elect to cast the same spell three
create a usable grimoire copy of every spell they intend times, or use Call Lesser Servitor once and Analyze Shad-
to master. The way they do this depends on whether ow twice, or so forth.
or not the GM intends to use the rules in the Arcane Both Magisters and Arcanists can use higher-lev-
Research and Development chapter. Once an Arcanist el slots for lower-level spells. Thus, an Arcanist could
has a copy of a spell available, they can prepare it for use. prepare a first-level spell in a second-level slot if they
Magisters can master only a limited number of wished, and a Magister could use a spare second-level
spells from their list, depending on their character spell slot to cast a first-level spell they knew if that was
level, but they can choose these spells freely from their the only energy they had left for the day.
 Spellcasting rules •21

Know Magic and Cast Magic Skills Preparing Spells

Two new skills are added to magical campaigns in or- Both Magisters and Arcanists need a good, peaceful
der to represent a PC’s familiarity with esoteric facts eight hours of sleep before they can refresh expended
of arcane spellcasting and their facility with wielding spell slots. Such rest can be had only once per day; a
these powers. spellcaster can’t launch their loadout and then imme-
Cast Magic is a measure of the PC’s general ability diately nap for eight hours to refresh themselves. Such
to easily cast a spell. It might also be checked in situa- rest is also impossible if the caster is deeply drugged,
tions where a spell is used in a marginal, maybe-it-will- recovering from mortal injury, woken up in the mid-
work situation or when a wizard’s sorcery is opposing dle of the night, or otherwise prevented from getting
that of another mage. If a mage doesn’t have a Cast good sleep.
Magic skill equal or greater than the spell’s level minus A Magister’s expended spell slots are automatically
one, it will take them at least five minutes of careful ef- refreshed when they awaken. They can cast normal-
fort to successfully cast it, and it will be quite impossible ly on rising without taking any extra time to prepare,
for them to do so if there’s any kind of distraction or though many traditions might have minor rituals or
threat. Only spellcasters can learn the Cast Magic skill propitiations that are customarily performed shortly
because only they have any opportunity to practice it. after they wake up.
Thus, if an Arcanist was trying to cast a level 2 Pat- An Arcanist must spend half an hour studying their
terned Energy Flare spell but only had Cast Magic-0 skill, grimoire and harmonizing with the desired spell ener-
it would take them five minutes of painstaking work gy patterns to prepare their spells. This must be done
to successfully invoke it, and any sort of disruption or almost immediately on waking; an Arcanist can’t wait
disturbance would spoil the effort. If that same Arcanist an hour into the day before deciding to prepare spells.
had Cast Magic-1, however, they could cast the spell Any slots not filled after the initial preparation remain
at its usual speed. empty. An Arcanist without their own grimoire to
Know Magic measures a PC’s knowledge of magi- hand generally cannot prepare spells; borrowed or
cal topics and occult creatures. Questions about Shad- stolen grimoires aren’t usable without laborious trans-
ows, magical artifacts, esoteric spell traditions, and lation of their content to the Arcanist’s own personal
other topics that a wizard ought to know about are idiom and brain physiology.
all covered under Know Magic. Any PC can acquire Arcanists can fill a spell slot of a given level with
the Know Magic skill, whether or not they’re actually a simpler spell. Thus, of a third level Arcanist could
spellcasters, representing a more academic knowledge normally prepare one second-level spell in the morn-
of the topic. Know Magic also determines how quickly ing, they might choose to fill that slot with an extra
a Magister can change their mastered spells, assuming first-level spell instead. In similar fashion, a Magister
they can do so at all. can always choose to cast a simpler spell with a high-
Know Magic may have some overlap with the con- er-level spell slot. The reverse is not possible; a caster
ventional Know skill and vice-versa. If the common cannot prepare or cast a third-level spell by sacrificing
magical lingua franca in a sector is Sumerian, Know both a second-level and first-level slot.
Magic might make its possessor familiar with it, while
if the fall of the Urukian Magocracy was a famous his- Casting Spells
torical event, someone with the normal Know skill Spells are cast very slowly compared to psychic powers,
might be familiar with the various Shadow monsters and they are much more easily disrupted. As soon as
that were involved in its collapse. a spellcaster rolls initiative, or at the very start of lat-
An adventuring Arcanist or Magister PC will au- er rounds, they must declare whether or not they are
tomatically start with Cast Magic-0 skill at least, and intending to cast a spell and which spell they intend to
possibly Cast Magic-1 if they have an occult back- cast. They don’t need to decide on specific targets or
ground. Beyond that point, however, spellcasters will other details of the spell’s effect, but they must make
need to keep spending skill points on it if they intend the decision to cast as soon as the initiative die is rolled.
to use their more powerful spells quickly and easily. Spells that can be cast as Instant or On Turn actions
The need to keep this skill developed is an intended do not need to be declared and cannot be interrupted.
drain on a mage PC’s available skill points, to reflect For the remainder of that round until it is their
the focus and attention they need to keep their sorcery turn to act, they are occupied in gesturing, incanting,
up to snuff. A spellcaster is always going to have less and otherwise visibly casting a spell. This spellcasting
free time and focus available to apply to mundane skills is no louder than normal conversation, but it and the
than an Expert or Warrior might have. Know Magic gestures are obvious to any attentive onlooker. If the
is less critical for practical spellcasting, though many caster suffers so much as a single hit point of damage,
PCs will want to develop it if they intend to use the or is violently jostled or otherwise distracted, the spell
optional rules provided in the Arcane Research and shorts out and is wasted. Nothing happens, the spell
Development chapter, or if they want to craft magical slot is lost, and the caster loses their Main Action for
items or summon up Shadow servitors. the round, though they can still perform a Move action
22• Spellcasting rules

on their turn and enact On Turn and Instant actions as Learning and Exchanging Spells
usual. The caster might also choose to abort the spell Arcanists and Magisters learn their spells in very dif-
to use their Main Action for some other purpose if ferent ways. Magisters automatically learn a number
allowed to do so, such as aborting it to instead use the of spells of each level according to the table for the
Total Defense action. Magister class. Thus, a first level Pacter automatically
If the caster manages to make it to their turn in the knows two first level spells from the Pacter spell list.
initiative order without getting hit, they may use their When they ascend to become a third level Pacter, they
Main Action to cast the spell. At this point, they choose learn an additional first level spell. They do not need
the target for the spell and determine any other details a mentor or a source document to gain these spells, as
of its effect. If they’ve changed their mind about casting the basic rudiments of each are hard-wired into their
the spell or if the situation has changed so as to make it tradition’s training process.
inapplicable, they can voluntarily halt the casting. Such Magisters who wish to exchange a spell they know
a voluntary stop on their turn still wastes the caster’s for a different spell of the same level have a difficult
Main Action, but the spell slot is not discharged or lost. time doing so. A Magister must have at least Know
Some spells are cast much more quickly than this, Magic-0 skill to exchange spells at all, and it takes one
and can be thrown off as Instant actions or as On Turn month to exchange a mastered spell for a different spell
incantations. These spells don’t require a full round of of the same level from the Magister’s class list. For each
casting. All the same, however, note that a caster can level of Know Magic skill above level-0, subtract one
only every be casting one spell at a time. If they’re half- week from this time, down to a minimum of one week.
way through casting an invocation and suddenly need Thus, a Magister with Know Magic-2 skill could swap
to use an Instant spell, they have to halt the first one to out a spell in two weeks. Exchanging spell choices is
cast the quicker incantation, losing their Main Action too distracting to perform any other magical work at
and spell slot as usual for aborting their spellcasting. the same time, such as the research work described in
They could, however, choose to use the Instant spell the Arcane Research and Development section, but it
immediately after completing the first one without doesn’t interfere with adventuring or other intermit-
spoiling the longer incantation. tent activities.
Casters with underdeveloped Cast Magic skills are Arcanists learn spells differently. All Arcanists start
much slower spellcasters. If a caster has a Cast Magic play knowing two spells from their first level class list,
skill more than one point lower than the spell level, plus one more spell per point of positive Intelligence
it’s too complicated for them to cast with any degree modifier. Beyond this, their learning method depends
of alacrity. They need to spend at least five minutes on whether or not you’re using the optional Arcane
carefully assembling the energies required by the spell, Research and Development rules from this book. If so,
and any disruption during this time will spoil it. NPC the rules for Arcanists learning new spells are on page
casters are assumed to be competent enough to cast all 103, and require investing Occult Lore points earned
their spells quickly, unless they’re a specifically theoret- through research and “salvaging” arcane tomes. Such
ical-minded wizard with no need for rapid invocations. research can reveal the secrets of any Arcanist spell,
The magical powers of Adept classes such as God- whether or not the researcher has a grimoire copy or
hunters or Sunblades are not spellcasting, and do not tutor to teach it.
need to use this process. Magical items that contain If you are not using those rules, then the proce-
spell-like powers use their own rules for discharge. dure is simpler, but more restrictive. An Arcanist learns
Only actual spellcasting such as Arcanists or Magisters two new spells each time they advance a character lev-
perform must be executed this way. el. These can be from any spell level the Arcanist is
capable of casting; thus, a PC who reaches 3rd level
as an Arcanist could pick their spells from the first or
Variant Rule: Decisive Casting second-level choices on their class spell list.
The requirement that the PC choose which spell to Learning any Arcanist spells beyond this requires
cast at the start of each round can sometimes result either a tutor who knows the desired spell or a gri-
in a PC choosing to abort their spell and lose their moire with the spell imprinted on it. A tutor can teach
Main Action when the spell is no longer useful. a new spell in one day per spell level. A grimoire or
Some tables find this frustrating, and would rather other magically-imprinted object can teach a spell in
let the PC cast with greater flexibility. one week per spell level.
You can optionally just allow a PC to cast a Tutoring is expensive in most places. Even as-
spell on their turn if they haven’t yet suffered dam- suming a willing NPC Arcanist tutor can be found, the
age that round. This will increase the flexibility prices usually start at 500 credits for a first level spell,
and power of PC spellcasters, however, and if you doubling with each level after. Many adventuring Ar-
allow PCs to do this, you should also allow NPC canists find it more efficient to “liberate” the grimoires
casters to perform the same trick. of magi who no longer require them, or perform favors
that win them free tuition.
 Spellcasting rules •23

Focus, Haze, and Surge in Spellcasting

Certain spells have additional limits placed on them, Haze check. Haze checks are rolled only once per scene
or demand unusual amounts of physical energy from per spell, the first time the spell makes a target do or
the spellcaster. Three particular limits are common think something unnatural to them.
in many different schools of magic: the Haze effect of To roll a Haze check, the GM rolls 1d6 and com-
mind-influence spells, the Surge induced by violent en- pares it to the Haze caused by the spell. If greater than
ergetic magics, and the Focus requirement to control the total, nothing happens. If equal or lesser, the target
complex or long-lasting magical effects. stands confused for a round, unable to do anything but
defend themselves as they try to reconcile the conflict-
Focus ing thoughts and urges in their head. They are obvi-
Some spells require that the caster commit either Light ously confused and disoriented during this time, and a
Focus or Deep Focus to maintaining the spell. These trained observer with at least Know Magic-1 skill or an
spells either are so complex or last so long that the NPC with experience in mind-affecting magics can no-
caster must constantly dedicate some portion of their tice the subtle physiological signs that they are Hazed.
attention toward maintaining the spell. When the Fo- The next round, the confused subject rolls another
cus is dropped, the spell will unravel, with the precise Haze check. If that one is also equal or less than the
remaining time depending on the spell itself. Focus is Haze total, the NPC snaps out of the spell entirely, with
committed as an Instant action as part of casting the full memory of everything that they did or perceived
spell and can be withdrawn also as an Instant action. under its influence. If this check is greater than the
Light Focus allows the caster to cast other spells Haze total, the target falls back under the spell’s influ-
while maintaining it, provided those other spells don’t ence and behaves accordingly.
also require Focus. It does not interfere with other ac- If a target is under multiple effects that inflict Haze,
tivities the caster undertakes, but they can only main- checks are made separately for each spell as the situa-
tain Light Focus on one spell at a time. tion arises. Someone who was both induced to ignore a
Deep Focus is more demanding. While a caster target and made to be friendly to another would check
maintains it they cannot cast any other spells. They the second spell’s Haze score once the first time their
cannot maintain any other Focus while supporting a “friend” asked a favor and roll against the former spell’s
spell that requires Deep Focus. Haze score the first time they had to ignore the target.
If a caster has ten minutes to compose their If the spell’s effects take place over the long term,
thoughts and align their metadimensional energies such as a buried impulse to betray an enemy at some
before sleeping, they can hold Focus even while asleep opportune time, the GM should check Haze when the
or otherwise unconscious. Thus, a caster can hold Fo- spell’s effects cause the target to take action. Eventually,
cus on a spell indefinitely, so long as they can prepare a mind-bent target will snap out of a spell; a target con-
themselves before falling asleep. stantly acting in compliance with a spell probably won’t
A caster knocked unconscious by damage or some stay under it more than a week or so before they break
other rapid effect automatically drops Focus. Mere free. Less oppressive influence may last far longer.
damage alone is not enough to cost a caster their Focus.
Surge
Haze Some spells channel disruptive, potentially dangerous
Mind-affecting spells are notoriously unreliable, as it’s amounts of metadimensional energy too quickly to be
extremely difficult to code a SANIS interface with a safely vented by the caster. This Surge can exhaust the
pattern flexible enough to compel a particular action caster, draining physical reserves and making it more
from a living, squirming mind. While a telepathic difficult for the caster to survive future traumas.
Psychic has specialized tools for countering mental re- When a caster employs a spell that inflicts Surge,
sistance, arcane magic often causes the phenomenon they must make a Physical saving throw at a penalty
known as Haze when it tries to cloud sentient minds. equal to the spell level. On a failure, they gain one point
Some mind-affecting spells induce a certain num- of System Strain. If their new total would put them
ber of points of Haze, such as “Haze 1” or “Haze 2”. If a over their maximum allowed System Strain, they do
target is affected by multiple Haze-causing spells, they not gain the point, but instead fall unconscious and
are counted separately, and don’t stack together. cannot be revived until at least ten minutes have passed.
The first time a Hazed creature is meaningfully Surge checks are made after the spell is cast, so a caster
influenced by a spell during a scene, whether to ignore may potentially knock himself out with the Surge of a
the caster standing in front of him, to do a significant successful spell.
favor for a magically-induced “friend”, to forget a par- Surge is found most often in direct-damage com-
ticular event that just happened, or otherwise comply bat spells. Such incantations often channel hazardous
unnaturally with a spell’s requirements, the GM rolls a amounts of energy, and cannot be safely used too often.
24• Psionics and spellcasting

Psionics and Spellcasting

Both arcane magic and psionic disciplines draw on the
same metadimensional energy and share many basic Metapsionic Techniques and Magic
principles in their operation. For most purposes, magic Psychic Refinement: The saving throw bonus and detec-
is psionic, and psionics are magic. The guidelines below tion abilities apply to magic as well. An enchanted
specify how these powers interact in most cases, when or magically-empowered entity will trigger the
it becomes relevant. level-0 power if the metapsion gets a clear look at
Bonuses to saving throws versus magical effects them or if they actively use a magical power in the
also apply to psionic effects, and vice-versa. They do metapsion’s presence. At level-2, they can identify
not stack; if one ability grants a +2 on saving throws spellcasters or magically-empowered classes just
versus magical powers and another ability grants +1 as they can psychics.
to save versus psionic powers, the subject gets a +2 on Cloak Powers: This conceals psionic use from magical
saving throws versus magical or psionic powers. detection as well. Only a caster with equal or high-
Psionic powers detect as magic, and magical effects er Know Magic skill than the user’s Metapsionics
are perceptible to metapsionic senses. Practitioners skill can contest it. Multiclassed caster metapsions
from sectors where both magic and psionics are well- can use this technique to cloak their spells from
known will be able to tell the difference between the magical detection as well, though it cannot con-
two, though with no more precision than the detection ceal the actual physical act of spellcasting or the
power itself allows. obvious effects of the spell.
It’s possible for a PC with the Adventurer class Mindtracing: This ability can be used on a currently-ac-
to acquire both partial Psychic and partial arcane class tive magical effect. Instantaneous magical effects
abilities. Effort and spell slots are tracked separately, are over too quickly to be traced.
and cannot be used to reinforce or fuel each other. Neural Trap: This ability can also be used by voluntarily
Some Adept classes have class-specific Effort scores; failing a saving throw against a hostile magical
these are kept separate from psychic Effort as well. spell or ability, thus making the next psychic pow-
Psychics do not count as mages for purposes of er used against the target automatically successful.
the requirements for magical item creation or other This technique cannot be used to make a magical
subjects specific to arcane magical casters. Conversely, spell irresistible, however, should the metapsion
mages do not count as psychics for the purposes of ar- be a multiclassed caster.
tifacts or objects that require a psychic for proper use. Psychic Static: This power can be used against a spell
or magical ability being cast by a target. If the tar-
Metapsionics and Magic geted caster lacks psychic Effort, they can accrue
The following adaptations apply to use of the psychic System Strain instead.
Metapsionics discipline when used in a campaign Suspended Manifestation: This technique cannot be
where magic exists. A trained metapsionic is an ex- used to hang a spell, should the metapsion be a
tremely effective anti-magical defender, and arcanists multiclassed caster.
are advised to be wary of engaging such specialists. Concert of Minds: This gestalt can only be used to fuel
While metapsionics is quite potent in neutralizing psychic powers.
hostile magics, it does have certain limitations. Masters Metadimensional Friction: This ability also triggers
have proven unable to discover a simple, general-pur- when the target attempts to cast a spell or use a
pose technique for dispelling magical powers, and their magical power. Shadows and other extradimen-
ability to deal with Shadows is limited to more physical sional creatures do not suffer damage for using
means of banishment. Even so, a metapsion can make their natural weaponry or for simply existing in an
it very hazardous to for a Shadow or a caster to actually uncanny way, but any explicitly magical powers
use their unearthly powers. they attempt to initiate while under the effects of
Some metapsionic powers refer to “magical abil- the friction will cause the damage.
ities”. These include any strictly impossible powers Surge Momentum: This technique only aids psychic
granted by an Adept class or Arcane Focus. They do power use.
not include augmented natural abilities or any other Flawless Mastery: This technique is only applicable to
benefit that could theoretically be acquired through psychic techniques.
training and aptitude. Impervious Pavis of Will: The immunity granted by this
For some campaigns, a GM will have to make some technique applies to analogous magical powers.
judgment calls. An Arcane Warrior whose Mageblade Thus, immunity to Telepathy makes the metap-
focus represents their tremendous innate skill may not sion immune to mind-reading and mind-affecting
be subject to the same nullification as one who conjures spells as well. The GM decides whether a particu-
a blade of eldritch force. lar effect is close enough to count.
 Using other old-school systems •25

Using Other Old-School Systems

Stars Without Number is part of the very loose genre of First, avoid importing direct-damage combat
games known as the “Old School Renaissance”. Most of spells without adding Surge requirements or other
these games derive their basic mechanics from the clas- drawbacks. Mages should especially not have damaging
sic TSR-published role-playing games of the seventies spells that reliably dish out more pain than the party
and eighties, and they great majority of them are largely Warrior can distribute. Magic should be a clumsy, dan-
cross-compatible with each other. Modern games such gerous artillery strike rather than a precision weapon.
as Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC, Lam- Second, make sure any buffing or PC-boosting
entations of the Flame Princess, Adventurer, Conquerer, spells come with a Light Focus limit at least. If you
King, and B/X Essentials follow these basic outlines to let PC wizards throw multiple buff spells on people at
greater or lesser degrees of fidelity. once, you have to keep track of everything to ensure no
Because of this, you can freely loot spells, magic combination of buff spells turns out to be unexpectedly
items, and monsters from most of these games and use powerful. So long as you know that only one buff per
them in your Stars Without Number campaigns. Not wizard will ever be in effect, it simplifies your job.
all spells will fit the idiom of space-faring wizards, and Third, don’t bring in spells that boost mundane
it may be necessary to tweak things around the edges, skills or eliminate the need for them. A spell that fault-
but there is a tremendous amount of material out there lessly picks any lock is bad. A spell that carves a 3-meter
that can be freely looted for your game. hole in a surface might accomplish the same thing, but
Conversely, you might decide to play an aggres- it comes with situational drawbacks. A wizard with a
sively retro campaign and use the Stars Without Num- pack full of engram charges should never be able to
ber: Revised rules to power a classic fantasy game. War- replace the party Expert.
riors wield sword and axe instead of mag rifles, and Fourth, and lastly, prefer spells that create impos-
Arcanists use grimoires of vellum and tanned leather sible effects over spells that simply augment abilities
instead of polycomposite dataslabs. Some tech-based or produce a normal effect at the caster’s convenience.
spells may not make sense in such a campaign, and you A spell that causes something impossible to happen
might choose to replace them with incantations from is something the PCs can work with. They can build
other old-school games. plans around it and it opens up new possibilities of
If you do mean to import magic, however, a few action. A spell that simply buffs numbers they already
guidelines should be kept in mind. have doesn’t change anything in actual play.
26• An example

An Example of Character Creation and Play

A player has just decided to roll up a spellcaster. A few Mei wraps up character creation by picking the
throws of the dice later, they have a smart, sturdy, and Civilian equipment package. The secure clothing that
singularly clumsy young apprentice named Guo Mei. comes with it has an Encumbrance value of 1, howev-
The player wants to build a sci-fi flavored traditional er, making it too bulky to cast spells in. Mei’s player
wizard, so they make her an Arcanist. A glance through convinces the GM to let them trade it out for an ar-
the Magister classes offered in this book gives some mored undersuit instead, paying the difference from
alternate options, but as the player doesn’t see Mei as her starting credit total. Naturally, she also has her
being a particular specialist, they decide to go with the trusty grimoire with her, which her player decides that
broader talents of an Arcanist. it takes the outward form of an ancient Chinese book
The player could pick a standard background if of silk-tied bamboo slats, reworked in high-tech poly-
they wished and just explain how Mei came late in composites. If she loses her grimoire, it’ll be expensive
life to her magical abilities, but they decide instead to and laborious to remake it.
pick the background “Arcanist Scholar” from the class Some time later, Mei finds herself on the cusp
description later in this book. As the player is feeling of adventure. As a novice Arcanist, she can prepare
inclined to see what the dice would make Mei, they roll one first level spell each morning, assuming she’s got a
randomly on the background tables. peaceful night’s sleep beforehand. She knows the group
By the time they’re done, Mei has the skills Know is going to be going to be investigating an abandoned
Magic-0, Know-0, Notice-0, and a +2 bonus to her starport on the border of a city destroyed by civil war,
already-impressive Intelligence score, leaving it at 18. so she’s tempted to load up with the combat spell Neural
Because she’s an Arcanist, she also gets Cast Magic-0 Burn Cascade. Even so, there’s a Warrior in the party
for free as a bonus skill. After some consideration, the already who can do much more with his laser rifle than
player decides that Mei’s made a lot of friends in her in- she can with her spell. She instead picks Manipulatory
satiable search for arcane wisdom, and picks Connect-0 Shadow Manifestation, as an extra pair of hands is always
as her free bonus skill pick. good to have around.
Mei gets to pick one General Arcane focus as a Once the party arrives at the edge of the crumbling,
bonus from her class and one free focus as the usual desolate starport, Mei takes a moment to cast her spell.
beginning character pick. Since she’s an Arcanist, she Manipulatory Shadow Manifestation summons a Shadow
could pick both from the General Arcane list on page that lasts as long as Mei maintains Deep Focus on it.
90 if she felt like it, but she cannot pick from the Since Mei hasn’t got any other spell slots, there’s no
Arcane Expert or Arcane Warrior lists. disadvantage in being prevented from casting them
Her player decides that Specialization in Know by the Deep Focus. Her little Shadow-wisp will stick
Magic is an obvious choice for Mei. Not only does it around until Mei drops her Focus or gets knocked out.
improve her Know Magic skill to level-1, but it makes Twenty-four hours later, Mei and her comrades
her much more likely to succeed on the tough Know are hiding in a burnt-out maintenance shed, trying to
Magic skill checks involved in creating arcanotech de- rest up before escaping the band of feral refugees who
vices or summoning Shadows. infest the shattered starport. Mei manages to rest well
For her General Arcane pick, Vast Erudition seems enough to refresh her spell choice with Neural Burn
an obvious choice. Even though the GM is using the Cascade, since the group needs all available firepower.
spell-learning rules from the Arcane Research and De- In the middle of a pitched firefight later that morn-
velopment section of this book, the focus still lets Mei ing, at the start of a new round, Mei decides to cast her
pick up a couple of free spells each time she advances a spell. She’s hiding behind a broken concrete support
level, and gives her access to the full range of first level pillar, hastily incanting and gesturing, hoping no feral
Arcanist spells as she begins play. shoots her before she can get the spell off. Any damage
Normally, the next thing that Mei would do is at all would be enough to spoil it, but luckily she evades
pick her starting first level Arcanist spells. With an 18 their notice until it’s her turn to act in the round.
Intelligence and a +2 attribute modifier, she’d usually Using her Move action, she steps out from behind
pick four of them from the list. Thanks to Vast Erudition, the pillar, and with her Main Action she releases the
however, she already knows all of them. spell. She decides to take out a sniper atop the con-
Next, she rolls her hit points. Being as Arcanists trol tower, As he has only one hit die, he’s instantly
have bodies and minds taxed by the rigors of the SANIS knocked unconscious by the spell’s power.
interface, she only rolls 1d6-1 for her starting maxi- Neural Burn Cascade causes Surge, however, and
mum hit points. Luckily, her Constitution of 14 gives Mei must make a Physical save at -1 for the spell’s level
her a +1 bonus on the roll, and she manages a total of to avoid gaining a point of System Strain. She can only
4. Her player doesn’t see her as being much inclined to hope the potential cost won’t come back to bite her
violence, and that’s a good thing. when it’s time to heal the party’s wounded….
 SPELLCASTING QUICK REFERENCE
Casting Spells Light and Deep Focus
At the very start of every round, the caster must choose whether Some spells require active attention from the caster, either
or not to cast a spell and which spell is to be cast, though they Light or Deep Focus. Even a sleeping caster can maintain focus,
need not choose details of targeting or specific effects. The spell provided they take a few minutes to prepare themselves before
goes off as a Main Action when their turn arrives. going unconscious. Casters knocked unconscious by damage
If the caster takes hit point damage or is significantly or some sudden effect lose all focus. Only one spell can have
shoved or jostled before the spell is finished, they lose the spell. Light Focus at a time, and it cannot be reestablished on a spell
It fizzles harmlessly and they lose their Main Action. This also once it’s dropped.
happens if the caster aborts the spell to do something else. Deep Focus is more demanding. While maintaining Deep
If the caster gets to their turn in the initiative order and Focus, a caster cannot maintain Light Focus and cannot cast
decides not to cast the spell, they lose their Main Action but the any other spells until the Deep Focus is dropped.
spell itself is not wasted and may be used later.
Spells that are noted in their description as being able to be Haze
cast as Instant actions or On Turn actions may be used without Haze is a deep mental confusion caused in the victims of certain
this process, and are too quick to be disrupted by hostile action. mind-influencing spells. Such spells are listed as inflicting “Haze
Casters without the Cast Magic skill at least one point less 1” or “Haze 2”. Haze points stack from different spells.
than the spell level cannot cast it rapidly at all. It takes at least The first time in a given scene that a Hazed target is about
five minutes of casting for them to work it out successfully, with to do something uncharacteristic due to a specific spell, the GM
any disruption spoiling the whole effort. rolls a Haze check on 1d6. If the roll is less than or equal to the
target’s total Haze, they stand visibly confused for the round
Preparing Spells before a second check is rolled. If this check is also equal or less
Arcanists must prepare their spells for the day within a half- than their total Haze, they snap out of the spell that provoked
hour of waking. They need their personal grimoire and at least the check. Otherwise, the magical control reasserts itself and
eight hours of good rest beforehand. They can prepare any spell no further Haze checks are rolled for this scene.
they have in their grimoire, using a spell slot of the same or
higher level. They may prepare multiple copies of the same spell Surge
if they so wish. Each imprinted spell can be cast once. Spells that induce Surge physically tax the caster. After casting
Magisters do not need a grimoire, but they also need eight such a spell, they must make a Physical save at a penalty equal
hours of good rest to refresh their powers. Once their abilities to the spell level. On a failure, they gain one System Strain.
are refreshed, they may cast any spell they have mastered. Their If this would put them over their maximum, they instead fall
available spell slots for casting are noted in the table adjacent. unconscious for ten minutes.

Arcanist Spells Prepared per Day Magister Spells Usable per Day
Arcanist Spell Levels Magister Spell Levels
Level 1 2 3 4 5 Level 1 2 3 4 5
1 1 - - - - 1 2/3 - - - -
2 2 - - - - 2 2/4 - - - -
3 2 1 - - - 3 3/5 2/2 - - -
4 3 2 - - - 4 3/6 2/3 - - -
5 3 2 1 - - 5 4/6 2/3 2/2 - -
6 3 3 2 - - 6 4/6 3/4 2/3 - -
7 4 3 2 1 - 7 5/6 3/4 2/3 2/2 -
8 4 3 3 2 - 8 5/6 4/5 3/4 2/3 -
9 5 4 3 2 1 9 5/6 4/5 3/4 3/3 2/2
10+ 5 4 3 3 2 10+ 5/6 4/6 3/5 3/4 2/3
The entries list the number of spells an Arcanist can prepare Entries list the total spells known each level followed by the
each day of a given spell level. There is no limit to the number spells castable each day. Thus, at second level, a Magister
of spells an Arcanist can learn at each level, assuming a source knows two first-level spells, and may cast any combination
is found for them. of first-level spells up to four times a day.
 ARCANE CHARACTER CLASSES
Now that you know how magic works in the far fu- A Free Nexus is an occult wellspring of power ca-
ture, and how Arcanists, Magisters, and Adepts differ pable of significantly boosting allies with extra actions,
in their occult prowess, it’s time to give some specifics. augmented abilities, and other blessings they control.
In this section you’ll find several fully-developed classes Godhunters are martial Adepts specializing in
for introduction into your campaigns. Naturally, you hunting Shadows and destroying malevolent Shadow
should feel free to cherry-pick only the ones that fit the cults. They have special powers of detection, destruc-
tone and style of your particular game. tion, and resistance against hostile Shadow forces.
Aside from the drop-in replacement classes of Ar- Pacters are Magisters specializing in a school of
cane Warrior and Arcane Expert, each class includes summoning magic. They can call forth Shadows far
a description of its general history, its special abilities, more easily than other mages, and control them with
and its particular role in the game. Details are given for greater certainty, albeit their magic can do very little
integrating the class into four major sci-fantasy genres. directly aside from such beckoning.
These classes also include three example back- A Rectifier is a transhumanist Magister devoted to
grounds that players can use when generating a PC of the control of living tissue in subordination to human
that class. These backgrounds work just as any other, choice. While they are competent healers, they are sig-
defining the character’s starting skills and giving an nificantly more adept at the molding and augmenting
outline of the sort of things they’re proficient at ac- of living creatures. Their transformation effects are
complishing. Being clear about a spellcaster’s past work much longer-lasting and more easily accomplished
experience is often necessary in a campaign, because than Arcanists can manage.
“I’m a wizard.” tends to carry much less useful informa- Sunblades are a catch-all martial Adept class useful
tion about what the PC actually does with their time to depict mystical warrior-monks who have a number
than “I’m a street thug.” or “I’m a psychiatrist.” of occult abilities to go with their martial competence.
Arcane Experts and Arcane Warriors are drop-in While not a match for a Warrior in a direct confronta-
replacement classes for the Expert and Warrior classes tion, their abilities do allow them to shape the situation
in the main rulebook. They function almost identically to one more to their liking.
to their mundane equivalents, except they have access A War Mage is a martial Magister in a somewhat
to Arcane Expert and Arcane Warrior foci, which help more modern idiom. Instead of being a personal engine
give them a leg up on matching wielders of impossible of destruction, a War Mage specializes in support spells
cosmic forces. and conjurations that are particularly useful to soldiers
Arcanists are exactly as they were described earli- and military operations.
er, but this section gives a few more details on back- Yama Kings are Adepts who follow a venerable
grounds and integrating them into your campaign. tradition of diplomacy, mediation, and occasional mur-
Their Academic magical tradition is flexible and broad. der. These wandering judges can blend in anywhere.
 Arcane character classes •29

Building New Character Classes

While the selection of arcane character classes provided Adept powers are particularly tricky. An Adept
here will be enough for many GMs, it’s inevitable that needs to be able to be very good at their concept, but
some people will need something special for their own not so good that they utterly trivialize challenges based
campaigns, or just take pleasure in fashioning their on it. In addition, if you’re writing the class for general
own eldritch professionals. If you’re going to make up use, you need to make sure that any mundane special-
your own arcane character classes, the following steps ty the Adept excels at isn’t so broad or potent that a
can provide a general outline of the process. corresponding Expert or Warrior would be regularly
First, decide who you are building this class for. outclassed. It can be a considerable temptation to make
Is this a class meant to define the special abilities of a various flavors of Eldritch Slayer-type martial Adepts,
group of NPCs? If so, you really don’t need a class at but such concepts very easily trample on Warriors.
all; NPCs are NPCs, and you can just glue whatever For a magical concept focused on combat, it can
abilities you need on to them. If players will never be often be easier and wiser to simply use the Arcane
touching these powers, you don’t need to worry about Warrior class in this section and write up a few appli-
balancing them. cable Arcane Warrior foci dealing with the concept.
Is the class meant to be an option for PCs in your In the same vein, a magical adept of peerless stealth or
campaign or something you want to share with other wondrous technical expertise might be best portrayed
tables? Then you need to write up a full class, and bal- by an Arcane Expert with some custom foci.
ance it for tables that might be very different than your Fifth, decide whether or not the class should have
own. If the class is instead meant to be for a specific access to Arcane foci, whether General Arcane, Arcane
player, to satisfy a specific concept they want to play, Expert, or Arcane Warrior types. Usually, spellcasting
then you only need to balance it for that specific player. classes should have access to General Arcane foci, but
You likely know them well enough to have a pretty not to the others. Adepts should only have access to one
good idea about what they want and how they’re likely of these classes if their magical abilities are extremely
to use their newfound powers. Some classes that would narrow, and they need a little something extra to make
be grossly unbalanced in the wild might be perfectly them more generally useful If you want to give the PC
safe in a particular player’s hands, so use your table a chance to tweak how their class powers work, you
knowledge to assess such things. might write a few unique foci specifically allowed to
Second, if you decide you do need to write up a full the class.
class, pick a basic foundation for it: Arcanist, Magister, Sixth, take a moment to compare your creation
or Adept, most usually. This foundation class will give with the existing main classes of the game. Is your Ad-
you the basic details of hit dice, attack bonus, and any ept a better Warrior than the Warrior? Is your Magis-
spellcasting methods and spell slot totals. Unique class ter equipped with spells that would render the Expert
abilities and perks like the various magical abilities in your party totally superfluous? It can be tempting to
gained by an Adept should be left aside for now. You’ll offset some dramatic magical power with a severe lim-
be determining those soon enough. itation elsewhere, but remember that limits that cripple
Third, for spellcasters, see if you can fit your con- a PC at things they were never going to do anyway ar-
cept into the framework just by changing spell lists. en’t very limiting. If your martial adept has powers that
One Magister is usually pretty much the same as an- hit as hard as a mag rifle, it doesn’t slow him down any
other mechanically, except with a very different spell to forbid him from using physical weapons. Stacking
list. You should feel free to loot and pillage other old- an extra hit penalty on a Magister who had a miserable
school games for interesting spell lists. Just about any hit bonus to begin with won’t affect him much, as he
game compatible with Labyrinth Lord, Lamentations of was never planning to pull a trigger anyway. If you’re
the Flame Princess, Swords & Wizardry, or other sim- going to balance a class with limitations, limit it in its
ilar game should provide spell lists you can plunder. strengths, not its weak points.
In many cases, you can get the class you want just by Lastly, once you’ve got the class down, decide how
shuffling their choices of incantations around. it is that it fits into your campaign world. Figure out
Fourth, for Adept classes, give the PC one or two who teaches its arts, what most people think about
fairly significant first-level abilities in line with their them, and if there are any major groups in the cam-
concept. If the ability starts out weak, you might want paign that are made up by its practitioners. If anything,
to let it automatically improve as the PC levels up. You a player who wants to make up a new PC from the class
can then give the Adept one additional power at each is going to have to be able to answer these questions
level up. Generally, these should not be particularly when deciding on a background. And once your new
broad abilities. They need to be very tightly focused on creation finally hits play, don’t hesitate to reach in and
the Adept’s concept. Potent abilities might be limited make some adjustments after each session. No clever
by Effort or a limited number of uses per day. plan ever entirely survives impact with a player.
30•Arcane expert and arcane warrior

ARCANE EXPERT AND ARCANE WARRIOR

Any campaign that includes magical powers can end up It is not strictly necessary to be a “magical” PC in
leaving standard Warriors and Experts in something of order to take these special foci. An Arcane Warrior PC
a quandary, as the abilities of these classes are limited might just be such a good combatant that his abilities
to what is generally physically possible. This can leave seem near-magical in nature. He might be such a poly-
them feeling a little underpowered when their team- mathic weapon master that every object he picks up is
mates are doing flatly impossible things with the ease a deadly implement, emulating the Mageblade focus, or
and elan of an Arcanist or Magister. Even if they re- he might have extensive cybernetic endurance implants
main excellent combatants or peerless masters of mun- that mimic the effects of Occult Resilience. The key thing
dane skills, it can be tough to balance “normal human” is that he should not be forced to stick to gritty realism
concepts with “doer of impossible things” concepts. in his abilities as long as other members of the party are
The Arcane Warrior and Arcane Expert classes are conjuring up Shadow servitors. So long as a player can
recommended for campaigns that intend to use magical come up with a vaguely plausible description of how
PC classes. These classes are drop-in replacements for their mundane knack equates to a focus, they should
conventional Warriors or Experts, and retain all the be allowed to take it.
abilities of the conventional class while adding access Depending on the style of the campaign, the oc-
to special class-specific foci that allow them their own cult knacks of these classes may not even be considered
share of impossible capacities. particularly magical. If every gunslinger etches auspi-
These Arcane Warrior or Arcane Expert foci are cious sigils on their revolver in order to make it shoot
sometimes noticeably more powerful or effective than straighter, the only marvel for a PC is that her sigils
their strictly-mundane counterparts, as they are under reliably work. A master technician might know a dozen
no obligation to be physically possible feats. Access to petty charms for speeding a job and have an intuitive
these foci should be restricted specifically to Arcane grasp of how to mate arcane components, but he may
Warriors, Arcane Experts, and a few Adept classes not- not think such expertise at all uncommon for a tech-
ed as having access to them. If you allow conventional nical worker. Players should not feel obligated to wrap
spellcasters or psychics to dip into them as well, you their character concepts around a magical self-concep-
may be giving them too many shiny new toys. tion just because they take one of the classes below.

Arcane Experts
Augmenting their natural talents with a touch of sor-
cery, Arcane Experts might be very specialized mages Arcane Expert Abilities
who focus on a particular field of mundane expertise, Arcane Experts are treated and created exactly the same
or they could be jack-wizards with a host of minor in- way as normal Experts, except that they are also al-
cantations that help them sort out worldly difficulties. lowed to take Arcane Expert-exclusive foci. They may
Other Arcane Experts could simply be superlatively spend any focus pick on Arcane Expert foci except
talented mundane experts with an uncanny knack for those exclusively limited to combat-based foci, which
resolving difficulties with their expertise. may be the case if a player makes up a Partial Arcane
Arcane Experts are the undisputed kings of gen- Expert/Partial Arcane Warrior as their character.
eralized skill. Individual Adept classes may be better at
specific activities, but none of them have the ability to Partial Arcane Experts
deploy a quick reroll on any failed skill check and they Characters who take the Adventurer class might choose
also lack the extra skill points that let an Arcane Expert to be a Partial Arcane Expert. Such heroes are treated
broaden their general skill base. An Arcane Expert can just as Partial Experts are for purposes of class benefits,
be good at almost anything they try to do, or at least but they can also take Arcane Expert foci.
good when it really counts in a session.
In a magical campaign, however, an Arcane Ex- Heroic Arcane Experts
pert’s real edge comes in the special foci they are able to Players in a Heroic campaign who choose to play He-
take. The unique special abilities granted this way are roic Arcane Experts get the normal benefits of being
often much easier to deploy than conventional spells a Heroic Expert. The Arcane Expert class in a Heroic
and often include a degree of flexibility or versatility campaign uses the usual 1d6 Fray die.
that’s not easy to mimic with ordinary spellcasting.
 Arcane expert and arcane warrior •31

Arcane Warriors
Wielders of blade, fist, and mag rifle, Arcane Warriors
add a measure of magic to their conventional martial Arcane Warrior Abilities
prowess. They might be initiates of some exotic tradi- Arcane Warriors are treated and created exactly the
tion of war, natural prodigies who take advantage of same way as normal Warriors, except that they are also
their intrinsic magical talents, or just ordinary men and allowed to take Arcane Warrior-exclusive foci. They
women with near-supernatural levels of skill in some may spend any focus pick on Arcane Warrior foci ex-
particular field of mayhem. cept those exclusively limited to non-combat-based
Arcane Warriors are the best generalists of blood- foci, which may happen if a player makes up a Partial
shed, focusing on hardiness, martial versatility, and Arcane Expert/Partial Arcane Warrior. In addition,
brutal efficiency in killing. Against a single ordinary any weapon or unarmed attack they use is treated as
thug or common soldier, an Arcane Warrior’s victory magical for purposes of overcoming the defenses of
is almost a foregone conclusion. Only groups of ene- creatures immune to mundane weapons.
mies or trained, skillful foes can pose a consequential
threat to their prowess, challenges where their class Partial Arcane Warriors
ability to shed an enemy hit or ensure a hit from their A Partial Arcane Warrior is treated just like a Partial
own attack isn’t enough to save them. Warrior, albeit with the ability to take Arcane Warrior
Some Adept classes may be superior combatants foci. They do not get the benefit of naturally magical
against specific foes or in particular situations, howev- weapon or unarmed attacks.
er. Godhunters have a clear edge in fighting Shadows,
for example, while Sunblades have a selection of mys- Heroic Arcane Warriors
tical powers that can prove useful in shaping a fight. Heroic Arcane Warriors get all the usual benefits of a
Despite this, the sheer variety of life-threatening sit- Heroic Warrior, in addition to the opportunity to take
uations that befall most adventuring parties ensures Arcane Warrior foci. The Fray die for Arcane Warriors
that the rock-solid competence of the Arcane Warrior in a Heroic campaign is 1d8.
still retains its place.
32•Arcanist

ARCANIST
Acolytes of Academic magic exist in numerous sectors.
While they may have nothing in common in their pol-
itics, allegiances, language, or styles of sorcery, the root
of their power remains unified in the secrets of the
Academic tradition. The Arcanist class is a catch-all for
all the initiates of this subtle and flexible tradition.

Arcanist Abilities
As might be expected, Arcanists work exactly as de-
scribed in the class description on page 18. While
different Arcanist schools and traditions may have sub-
stantial differences in their styles and cosmetic features,
they all share the same tradition of Academic sorcery
and the spells derived from it.
Particularly heterodox schools of Arcanists might
share similar unusual abilities, as defined by a particular
General Arcane focus. Rather than writing an entire
custom class for such a tradition, it’s easiest to just re-
quire that all PCs from that school take that focus.

Arcanists in Play
Arcanists fill the typical magic-user role for most par-
ties, providing a flexible range of spells for whatever
need they might have. In many ways, Arcanists are
even more hyper-specialized miracle workers than Psy-
chics are, with spells that have even narrower effects
than psychic disciplines but which are much easier to
change or create. Space Fantasy: Arcanists in a Space Fantasy setting
A well-prepared Arcanist with the correct spell are members of a clear, widely-recognized professional
loadout and a good plan in hand can be a tremendously class. Most citizens of the sector may not understand all
effective PC. Even spells with relatively minor effects the details of Academic magic, but they see enough of it
can have an outsized consequence when a group’s plan to know its general outlines. Societies will usually have
hinges on one small, necessary, impossible tweak of a clearly-marked social role for mages… and also know
normal reality. how to deal with the ones who run amok.
While Academic magic is broad, flexible, and pow- Street Magic: Magic in a Street Magic campaign is
erful, it does have its limits. While it’s possible to cast useful, but it’s not powerful. Governments are powerful.
spells in combat, they’re easily disrupted and rarely in- Corporations are powerful. Money, guns, and secrets
flict much direct damage. Academic spells also have a are powerful. Magic is a useful tool for employers who
hard time repairing living tissue, or maintaining easy want more of these things, and Arcanists in such a set-
control over Shadows, or imbuing allies with lasting ting are useful technicians who can use this tool. Street
buffs and magical augments. Academic magic can do Magic settings do not usually have grand occult works
many things, but it does none of them as well as a more or mages working large-scale or socially-pervasive
focused Heritor school can. wonders, but they very often have hirespells and other
The particular function of an Arcanist in a cam- mercenary wizards doing jobs for conventional powers.
paign can vary based on the nature of the game. The These employees are not always entirely reliable help.
campaign forms below offer some specific suggestions. Conventional Fantasy: Very little elaboration is
Sword and Planet: Pulp wizards tend to have a necessary to explain the role of an Arcanist in a stan-
bad reputation, whether they’re in Hyperborea or on dard fantasy world. Given the old-school roots of Stars
Mars. Almost all spellcasters are probably meddling Without Number, it’s quite possible to lift spell lists from
with powers not meant for human use, often employ- other old-school-derived games and simply replace the
ing unfathomable alien technology or lost relics of a Arcanist spell list with them. GMs should be careful
former age. PC Arcanists may be members of one of the about allowing PCs to gain spells higher than fifth level;
less malevolent groups of mages, or they might just be in many game systems, spells beyond that level start to
capable of working with fellow PCs without reaching become so powerful that they trivialize some other PC
for their sacrificial knife. concepts and contributions.
 Arcanist •33

Arcanist Backgrounds
While it’s fashionable for the public to imagine Arcan- velop a functional SANIS. Such prodigies are extremely
ists as all off dwelling in crystalline towers, spending uncommon, however, and the vast majority of Arcan-
all day frowning at glowing implements of unfath- ists are trained by a master or an established school.
omable purpose, sorcerers need to eat too. The three The educational process requires years, and so
backgrounds below describe three common kinds of most PC Arcanists will not have a conventional back-
Arcanists and their gainful employment. ground. A few talented mages might have been missed
As part of any background, a PC should establish by whatever common screening was used in their so-
how it was that they learned to master their potential. ciety, however, and these late bloomers might finish
Some PCs might’ve been talented enough to come to their studies after a lengthy career in a more common
it naturally, or self-studied with enough success to de- line of work.

Arcanist Scholar
Bookish even by wizardly standards, this PC is ded- Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
icated to scholarship. They may or may not have
a particular knack for actually casting spells, but Know Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
they have a rock-solid foundation in the academic 2 +2 Mental 2 Cast Magic
subtleties of spell design, Shadow summoning, and Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
arcanotech construction. Many such scholars are
Know Magic-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Fix
obsessed with specific magical topics or particular
grand plans for arcane edifices. The need for the Know-0 5 Know Magic 5 Know
resources and lore necessary to carry out these Notice-0 6 Any Skill 6 Know Magic
desires often forces them into activities distinctly 7 Notice
more adventurous than are common to a scholastic
8 Program
wizard’s lifestyle.

Hirespell
Have grimoire, will travel; this PC hires out their
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
particular talents to employers in need of magical
backup. Even very modest magical skills can com- Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
mand a high premium from buyers who lack any 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Any Combat
sorcery of their own. Unfortunately, such employ- Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Cast Magic
ers often have an inflated idea of what magic can ac-
complish, and surviving their excess confidence can Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Exert
be a challenge to a hirespell. Experienced merce- Trade-0 5 Exert 5 Notice
nary wizards are always aware of the importance of Any Combat-0 6 Any Skill 6 Sneak
looking out for their own health and best interests, 7 Talk
because they know their employers certainly won’t.
8 Trade

Government Mage
Any talent as useful as magical ability is going to Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
draw interest from established powers. A govern- Connect-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Administer
ment mage is simply an Arcanist in the employ of
a government or other civil authority. They may 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Any Combat
have some degree of legal authority in their home Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Any Skill
jurisdiction, or at least know how to manipulate Connect-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Cast Magic
the system to get license for their intended actions.
Administer-0 5 Connect 5 Connect
Government mages appear often in law enforce-
ment, where they’re used to help contain hostile Work-0 6 Any Skill 6 Know
magical forces. When “Work” is rolled or chosen as 7 Notice
a background skill, the PC may replace it with any 8 Work
other skill appropriate to their specific role in the
government bureaucracy.
34•Free nexus

FREE NEXUS
There is power in the human mind, and it was perhaps The market for their services was excellent. Such
inevitable that scholars of the arcane should seek a way was the value of a well-trained Nexus that governments
to borrow that power from others. Some sought to and powerful individuals would spend tremendous
barter for what they took, but others were less scrupu- amounts of money and influence to acquire the best
lous about the price they were willing for others to pay. for their own benefit. Governmental scientists, military
A Nexus is a person who is capable of augmenting strategists, occult researchers, and jaded plutocrats all
others in a symbiotic arcane partnership, lending their vied for the kind of advantages that only a Nexus could
own physical and mental resources to help others per- give them.
form with superhuman excellence. Given their ability Their advantages were, perhaps, too great. Once
to improve the powers of any partner they choose, it a patron had a Nexus, many of them were singularly
was perhaps inevitable that many of them would be reluctant to let them go. Some used soft means of co-
bound to the service of some powerful patron. Not all ercion, offering fabulous rewards that were always just
are so shackled, however, and some have been able to slightly out of reach. Others were less gentle, threaten-
use their selfless powers for their more personal ends. ing pain to the Nexus or their family if their assistance
was withdrawn. Efforts in developing genetic modifica-
Free Nexus History tions for tractability and improved control were made
Early students of metadimensional energy flows inev- in some dark sectors, and others developed religious or
itably came up against the same galling limitation; the ideological frameworks to keep each Nexus in obedient
human mind can endure only so much metadimension- service to their patron.
al current before the tissue is physically damaged. All Not every Nexus was subject to such abuse, and
the arts of the SANIS interface and the Psychic Acad- many patrons found it much wiser to ensure that
emy’s mentor protocols could not overcome the basic, their Nexus did not bitterly resent them. Some groups
fundamental limits of human flesh. trained their candidates to become free agents in the
In retrospect, it was perhaps obvious to expect that sector market, selling their services to the highest
less scrupulous researchers would turn toward ways of bidder. Others encouraged cooperation toward some
“borrowing” other human brains to accept these meta- greater cause, but still allowed their students to find
dimensional currents. If one mind could only handle their own way in life.
so much energy, why not use two? The principle was A Free Nexus is one unburdened by any shackles.
simple and obvious enough that it must have been de- Some are trained by organizations that seek no obe-
veloped independently in several sectors, though tech- dience. Others have broken free from their former
niques and specifics doubtless varied. patrons, escaping whatever hold they had. A few are
The end result was the Nexus, a MES carrier natural prodigies, random men and women who find
shaped to be able to channel metadimensional currents themselves capable of offering strength to those around
directed by other minds. Much to the excitement of re- them. Most are determined to keep their freedom at all
searchers, however, it wasn’t only arcane energies that costs, and seek the friends and the means to ensure it.
the Nexus could boost. Even perfectly ordinary human
cognition could be amplified and accelerated by the Free Nexus Abilities
lending of the subject’s cerebral processing resources. The Free Nexus class is meant for players who enjoy an
The key was “psychic symbiosis”, an arcane link active support role in play. While it has very few abil-
that could be established and controlled by the Nexus. ities that benefit itself, a Free Nexus can enormously
A willing partner could link with a Nexus to offload boost the effectiveness of an allied party member. Their
much of their unconscious cognitive processing into abilities are largely fueled by Free Nexus Effort, so they
the mind of the Nexus, improving their performance have to be somewhat selective in who they help, but
in almost any activity. More developed Nexus abilities they also have gifts that allow them to regularly and
deepened the symbiotic bond, allowing for the trans- consistently grant extra actions or other major benefits.
fer of physical trauma, psychic influence, or even the
complete physical override of the Nexus or the partner. Partial and Heroic Free Nexuses
Unfortunately, only a relatively small percentage A partial Free Nexus works as is usual for a partial Ad-
of subjects were suited for Nexus training. Not only did ept class. Note, however, that their Free Nexus Effort
a candidate need to be a MES carrier, but they need- pool is based on how many Nexus gifts they have, not
ed to have the correct cerebral structure to accept the their character level or a skill total. Thus, a partial Free
symbiosis process. In some sectors the available candi- Nexus will have fewer gifts, and so less Effort, than a
dates were so rare that the protocols were regretfully full one. There is no Heroic Free Nexus class equiva-
shelved as uselessly impractical. In other sectors, how- lent, so PCs in a Heroic campaign should take Heroic
ever, there were enough candidates to form a market. Adventurer to add an additional partial class.
 Free nexus •35

Sword and Planet: In the usual savage idiom of this

Free Nexuses in Play genre, a Free Nexus is likely some planetary warlord’s
A Free Nexus is strictly a support character, but they trophy or a sorcerer’s familiar. It’s possible, however,
can provide enormous boosts to other PCs with their that the schools or training orders that teach them have
abilities. Some of their powers would be quite excessive their own plans for their pupils, and a shadowy web
to grant to most classes, but since they usually sacrifice of influence is masterminded from within the private
their own actions and resources to apply them to other chambers of the mighty.
PCs, that’s much less of a concern. Nobody likes playing Space Fantasy: In a campaign setting as broad as
a support class that can only give marginal bonuses. the usual Space Fantasy game, there may not be any
The Free Nexus class is best included in a group predictable social role for a Nexus. Some might be serfs
when you have a player who really enjoys playing a sup- to their patrons, while others might be well-paid pro-
port character and deciding how to dole out advantages fessionals, with the only difference being a week’s drill
and extra actions they might grant. Some players love travel. You’re usually best off taking your cues from the
this, and so the Free Nexus is a good pick for them. Be PC’s background when setting baseline assumptions.
careful, however, of players who think that optimiza- Street Magic: If this class exists in your Street Mag-
tion requires that somebody in the group play a Free ic campaign, it almost certainly is worth a great deal
Nexus so everyone else can enjoy the benefits. If the of money to anyone with its talents. Operators who
main reason someone is playing the class is to satisfy a run dangerous missions can’t afford to have a resent-
need to optimize, then you might want to drop the class. ful Nexus drop the symbiosis link at a crucial moment,
If you want to reskin the Free Nexus, you could so they pay well… but corporations sometimes like to
just as easily use it as a template for a Shadow familiar have tighter leashes on their employees. A Free Nexus
offering occult benefits to a mortal petitioner. It might might end up taking up with a group of PCs just to en-
serve as a model for an arcane battery PC, one capable sure nobody gets any ideas about “long-term contracts”.
of charging up allied casters with their own reserves of Conventional Fantasy: The Free Nexus is a drop-in
metadimensional energy. You could even use it as the replacement for the traditional old-school bard class.
basis for a “bard” class, one that lends benefits to allies Give the PC a level or two in Perform, maybe take the
through traditional fantasy tropes of song, verse, and Specialist focus as their initial starting focus, and pick
inspiring encouragement. You may need to disallow a Nexus gift to represent the kind of encouragement
some Nexus gifts or tack on a few new ones to fit a they can lend their allies. Other campaigns might use
particular reskin, but such tweaks are rarely difficult it as a template for a saint or holy person, one capable
to arrange. of bringing the blessings of their god on a loyal ally.
36•Free nexus

Free Nexus Class Abilities

A Free Nexus tends to develop in different ways, often Full Override: As an On Turn action, you or your part-
demonstrating new nexus gifts based on what kind of ner may concede full control to the other. The
associations and companionship they’ve found. They controlling subject’s body becomes motionless;
gain Symbiosis and Free Nexus Effort at first level. At first they instead take their actions with the controlled
level and every even-numbered level thereafter, they subject’s body, using their own attack bonus and
can also pick one of the Nexus gifts listed below. They skill levels, but the controlled subject’s physical
may also exchange a focus pick for one of the gifts when attributes and hit points. Spells available, Effort,
they gain a pick on advancing a character level. and System Strain remain those of the controlling
subject. Thus, if a psychic PC took control of the
Symbiosis (Level 1): As an Instant action once per round, Free Nexus, they’d use their own Effort and incur
nominate a visible, willing target within 30 meters their own System Strain for any activities involv-
that is not you. Until you change your selection, ing psychic powers. An override may be ended
the target counts as your symbiotic partner for use as an On Turn action on either participant’s part.
of your Nexus gifts, provided they remain within Group Symbiosis: Your Symbiosis ability expands, al-
300 meters. Only one Free Nexus can partner with lowing you to have up to a half-dozen partners at
a given target on any single round. once. When using a gift that involves Committing
Free Nexus Effort (Level 1): You have a Free Nexus Ef- Effort, however, the benefits of that commitment
fort score that fuels all your abilities. It is commit- apply to only one partner per action. Thus, you
ted and recovered just as psychic Effort is, but is could Diffuse Strain for the whole party, but you
tracked separately. Your total Free Nexus Effort can only Commit Effort to reduce System Strain
equals your number of Nexus gifts, plus the better for one partner at a time.
of your Wisdom or Charisma attribute modifiers. Psychic Battery: Once per round as an Instant action,
Commit Free Nexus Effort for the day to refresh
Nexus Gifts one point of Committed Effort for a Psychic part-
ner. You can use this gift once per scene per Psy-
Arcane Battery: You gain the Eldritch Battery focus at chic partner, or any number of times if you have
level-2, with the difference that it only applies to ten minutes to focus on it.
your partner, and you can fuel two spells they cast Red Well: Your partner automatically stabilizes at zero
each day before risking damage. hit points, assuming the injury was not impossible
Borrowed Brilliance: Commit Free Nexus Effort for for anyone to survive. In addition, you may com-
the scene as an Instant action immediately before mit Free Nexus Effort for the scene as an Instant
making an attack roll or a skill check. You make action when your partner takes damage or incurs
the attack or skill check as if your partner was the System Strain. You receive the damage or System
one making it, using their bonuses and skills. Strain instead, even if that damage would kill you.
Cognitive Backup: Commit Free Nexus Effort for the Reflexive Action: Commit Free Nexus Effort for the
day as an Instant action when your partner fails scene as an Instant action. Your partner immedi-
a skill check or attack roll. They may reroll the ately can take a Main Action of their choice. This
skill check at a -2 penalty or the attack roll at a -4 gift can only be used once per scene per partner.
penalty. This gift can be used only once per roll. Shared Mind: You and your partner may voluntarily
Diffuse Strain: When you remain partnered with a share thoughts and sensory input, and your senses
single target for a full night’s rest, your partner count as both “unaided sight” and “personal pres-
sheds two additional points of System Strain be- ence” for your partner’s use of teleportation, telep-
yond what they would ordinarily recover. Once athy, or other abilities that require such.
per day per partner, you can Commit Free Nexus Symbiotic Healing: Commit Free Nexus Effort for the
Effort for the day to remove a point of System day as an On Turn action to heal your partner for
Strain from them. up to 1d6 lost hit points per two character levels
Distributed War Mind: Commit Free Nexus Effort for you have, rounded up. You may use this gift once
the scene as an Instant action to refresh a Warrior per round.
partner’s class ability, allowing them to use it a Two Minds, One Flesh: Whenever you or your partner
second time in the scene. This gift can be used must make a Mental saving throw, both of you
only once per scene per partner. roll it. If either roll is a success, the target’s roll
Distributive Action: During your turn in a round, you counts as a success. If both are failures, only the
may confer either or both of your Main Action or original target suffers the consequences. In addi-
your Move on one partner, sacrificing it to grant tion, food, drink, sleep, or oxygen taken by one of
them a bonus action of the appropriate type. you also nourishes or rests the other.
 Free nexus •37

Free Nexus Backgrounds

A Free Nexus tends to have a past that revolves around cases, however, the PC might have acquired their gifts
relations to other people. Their gifts are so useful to later in life, and have led a relatively normal existence
others that it’s almost inevitable that they’d become ex- until they found themselves capable of sharing a sym-
tremely important to someone in their past. In some biosis with another. In those cases, the PC might have
cases, this was a willing partnership, or a voluntary a perfectly normal background with the implicit com-
commercial exchange. In others, the relationship may petence that goes with it.
not have been so evenly matched in benefits. In most others, however, some variation of the
Free Nexuses are usually known or trained to backgrounds below will better fit a PC. Each of them
be such from their youth onward, so most have their has their past shaped by a kind of service and they can
whole lives sharply influenced by their powers. In some be expected to be implicitly competent in such work.

Arcane Muse
You have led the life of a hired experience, a per- Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
son capable of giving the kind of encounters that
are simply impossible for one not a Nexus to grant. Talk-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
Some muses are frankly carnal in nature, but oth- 2 +2 Mental 2 Connect
ers offer altered states of shared mind that can fuel Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Exert
artistic creativity, arcane expertise, or personal en-
Talk-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Notice
lightenment. You should decide what kind of gen-
eral assistance your PC has offered to patrons in the Perform-0 5 Talk 5 Perform
past. Some of them may not have been eager to part Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Know Magic
with your help, particularly if their achievements 7 Talk
are owed chiefly to your assistance.
8 Trade

Escaped Familiar
You were someone’s property once, until the chains
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
that bound you were severed. Whatever hold they
had on you was lost; perhaps they died, or the hos- Any Skill-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
tage they used to compel your cooperation perished, 2 +2 Physical 2 Any Skill
or the prize they dangled in front of you turned out Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Sneak
to be false. They may still be looking for you, or they
may no longer be in a position to look for anything. Any Skill-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Notice
You spent your life providing a particular kind of Sneak-0 5 Any Skill 5 Talk
help or service to them. You likely have consider- Notice-0 6 Any Skill 6 Perform
able competence at whatever purpose you formerly 7 Exert
served, but now you can use it for your own ends.
8 Survive

Occult Proxy
Everyone likes a little help, and you’ve made a pro- Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
fession out of being that help… especially when it Exert-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
involves going places or doing things that tend to
get people killed. You may have the Full Override 2 +2 Physical 2 Exert
gift, allowing your patron to use you as a living re- Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Notice
mote drone for their activities, or you might just be Exert-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Sneak
brought along to give your employer an extra edge
Notice-0 5 Exert 5 Survive
that can’t be found elsewhere. You’ve cultivated
your personal resilience, hardiness, and survivabil- Sneak-0 6 Any Skill 6 Heal
ity, knowing that your patrons rarely have your best 7 Pilot
interests in mind. 8 Connect
38•Godhunter

GODHUNTER
Hungers live in the dark between worlds, and some
thirsts can only be slaked by souls. Some Shadows are Godhunter History
harmless creatures, obedient servants or benevolent The tradition that became the Godhunters appears to
strangers from far foreign dimensions. Others are date back to the same period as the original discovery
more dangerous, driven by bloody ambitions or alien of the SANIS psychic interface. With the discovery of
passions that have no patience with human frailty. And Shadows and their occasional tendency to seek human
a few are terrible threats indeed, proto-divinities that servants, it became clear that some sort of countermea-
thirst for human worship and the accumulation of psy- sure would be needed to discover, control, and purge
chic energy for their own dark purpose. undue metadimensional influence in human society.
Godhunters are those men and women dedicated It's hypothesized that the Godhunter protocols
to the expulsion of these otherworldly threats and the were first developed by the Psychic Academy, though
destruction of their cults. They hunt those intruders there are suggestions that independent researchers be-
who seek to accumulate forbidden worship, driving longing to several major faiths may have independent-
them back into the metadimensions with fire, plasma, ly devised the basic principles of the techniques. The
and steel. developers spent considerable effort learning how to
Godhunters can arise from numerous sources. catalyze impressive effects by parasitizing the psychic
Some are impassioned paladins of a traditional faith, signatures created by Shadows and their worship. The
templars and fedayeen trained to wield their psychic very metadimensional energy currents that Shadows
gifts as weapons against blasphemous pretenders to di- used to feed and maintain their existence could be
vinity. These paladins may have entire orders dedicated redirected by a properly-trained psychic, sapping the
to their cultivation and coordination, sending them out Shadow’s powers and imbuing the Godhunter with
to deal with known Shadow cults or investigate signs tremendous prowess when fighting them.
of the presence of hidden evil. Others are more inde- Whatever the specifics, the rigid, fixed nature of
pendent, having received their holy orders and their the protocols made it feasible to teach them without the
purpose but allowed to carry it out as they see fit. personal instruction of a psychic mentor, which aided
A few are government agents, either of planetary the rapid dissemination of the techniques throughout
bureaucracies or remnants of Perimeter agencies. An- magically-active human space. The AI clergy of the
cient “Judas teams” of Perimeter operatives once mon- Imago Dei were known to cultivate the protocols in
itored some sectors for signs of Shadow cults, wielding certain sectors, while orders were established by sev-
the pretech of the Mandate and the carefully-cultivated eral major interstellar faiths for the training and culti-
minds of their Godhunter agents to snuff out these as- vation of Godhunter adepts.
piring deities before they could cause too much harm. In particular, the Perimeter agency of the Terran
While these Perimeter bureaus have almost all col- Mandate established numerous sector bureaus respon-
lapsed since the Scream, some governments still retain sible for the monitoring of theological commerce with
vestiges of their old arts and still train operatives in the extradimensional entities. Like most Perimeter bu-
ancient techniques. reaus, these agencies were invariably overstretched and
Other Godhunters have nothing to do with orga- understaffed. "Judas teams" of conventional personnel
nized religion or governmental bureaucracies, or in- were organized to support and assist agency Godhunt-
deed any organization at all. Some are naturally-gift- ers in uncovering, reaching, and eliminating Shadow
ed men and women moved to fight Shadow cults for proto-divinities. Many of these teams were eliminated
their own reasons, whether out of personal revenge in the course of their duties, and most of the Perimeter
or a sense of duty. Others are renegade cultists, their agencies on the frontier collapsed during the Scream,
latent psychic gifts triggered by their past service to an but here and there inheritors of these ancient Mandate
otherworldly master. A few aren't even human at all, protocols can still be found in a sector.
being specially-designed VIs built as autonomic spiri- Currently, Godhunters can be found in some mag-
tual defense systems against Shadow incursions. ically-active sectors, usually as members of surviving
While it may seem natural for Godhunters to hate religious orders, heritors of Perimeter Judas teams,
and despise all Shadows, many of them have no par- agents of planetary governments, or the occasional nat-
ticular objection to Shadows that do not seek human urally-occurring prodigy. Those populations that are
worship. Ordinarily-summoned Shadows and those aware of their existence and understand their purpose
that feed exclusively off of natural metadimensional generally welcome their activities in theory, though in
leakages are usually ignored by Godhunters. A few ex- practice most structures of authority do not appreci-
ceptional groups even overlook those Shadow cults that ate the disturbances and panics their revelations may
don't seem to have any harmful effects on humans or produce. Some Godhunters are not above using false
their societies, but few are so naturally trusting. accusations to obtain their own desired ends.
 Godhunter •39

Godhunter Abilities unless the Godhunter is the only combat-focused PC in

Godhunters are all competent combatants, but they the group, with no Warrior to outshine.
also tend to focus on investigative and social skills as As a general rule, Godhunters will be perceptibly
well, the better to reveal hidden cults and make the inferior to Warriors in general combat situations, but
connections they need to discover Shadow manipula- will be able to trivialize some kinds of Shadow or Shad-
tions before they get too big to manage. Once the issue ow cultist encounters with their class abilities. The tips
comes to steel, however, Godhunters are unparalleled below give suggestions on how to introduce Godhunt-
Shadow-killers and can unleash tremendous damage ers into your own game, based on the kind of genre
on Shadows and on humans who have offered their you’re looking to reproduce.
psychic energy to extradimensional entities. Sword and Planet: Godhunters fit best into this
Many Godhunter powers affect Shadows and campaign style when Shadows and their cults are
Shadow cultists. For the purposes of these powers, a known factors in the game world but not an over-
Shadow cultist is anyone who has voluntarily ritually whelming threat that will define most PC conflicts.
offered their psychic energy to a Shadow within the Such Godhunters might be paladins of an official or
past six months. These rituals vary from cult to cult, accepted faith, renegades who’ve broken away from a
but are invariably intense and require the active co- dark cult and who use their sinister arts against them,
operation of participants. The cultist may not realize or avengers who’ve been blessed with arcane power
that they're fueling a Shadow with their activities, but in pursuit of righteous revenge. Others might be frag-
they can clearly tell they're doing something intentional. ments of some ancient defense against intrusion from
metadimensional realms, the VI or human acolytes of
Partial Godhunters a tradition or purpose no longer fully comprehended.
Characters who take Godhunter as a partial Adept class Space Fantasy: Godhunters in a looser Space Fan-
gain the class abilities as usual for partial Adepts, as if tasy context tend to work well as regional organizations
their character level was halved, rounded up. Thus, a or relatively isolated groups. Only make them part of
first level partial Godhunter would gain the Purity of coherent, setting-spanning organizations if you want
Arms, True Hand, and Grim Determination abilities. At Shadow cults to be generally suppressed and secretive
third level, they'd gain the Sacrilegious Scorn and Armor on any world touched by those organizations. Because
of Contempt abilities, and so forth. Whenever an abil- of the generally wider-ranging scope of Space Fanta-
ity's bonus is based on character level, however, their sy games as compared to Sword and Planet or Street
full level is used. Thus, at third level, their True Hand Magic games, it can be harder to ensure that PCs have
ability would give them a +2 bonus to hitting Shadows the chance to face Shadow cults, so you may want to
and Shadow cultists, and at sixth level they'd gain the create a very mobile or widespread organization to en-
+4 bonus to saves from Sacrilegious Scorn. sure the party gets at least the option of meddling with
otherworldly powers.
Heroic Godhunters Street Magic: The usual noir tones of Street Magic
There is no specifically Heroic version of the class campaigns tend not to have much room for zealous
for Heroic campaigns, so PCs who wish to be Heroic faith, so paladins and other holy warrior versions of
Godhunters would take the Heroic Adventurer class, Godhunters may not fit well unless they’re used as spe-
choose being a full Godhunter as part of their class, and cific foils for the overall cynicism of the setting. Bitter
then pick a second partial class to round out their hero’s avengers and cult renegades tend to fit in better as
class abilities. Godhunters, and rarely belong to any larger ideologi-
cal organization. If such an organization does exist, it’s
Godhunters in Play much more likely to act as a kind of theological pest
The Godhunter is an example of a very specifically-fo- control, hiring out specialized agents for dealing with
cused combat concept, granting the PC tremendous metadimensional incursions.
competence at fighting one kind of enemy at the cost of Conventional Fantasy: If you’re importing the God-
more general expertise. This sort of class can be tricky hunter class into a normal fantasy campaign, you can
to use in play, because if the chosen target never shows convert “Shadows and Shadow cultists” into “extrad-
up in the campaign the PC can end up feeling superflu- imensional creatures and their empowered servants”.
ous, while if the chosen target is constantly in play the Demons, devils, elementals, and other extraplanar
Warriors in the group can feel consistently outclassed. entities might take the place of Shadows, and magical-
If you do include Godhunters in your campaign, ly-empowered clerics and some kinds of wizards might
you’re going to have to include at least the option of qualify as Shadow cultists. Creating a Godhunter ver-
dealing with Shadow cults and their otherworldly mas- sion that only targets undead is another option, but
ters. The party might not choose to engage with them, undead alone may be a bit too much of a niche unless
but they need to be thrown the hook and given the they’re a significant factor in your campaign. Undead
chance to meddle with them if they so choose. In the rarely have “cultists”, so to speak, but necromancers
same vein, don’t make it completely about Shadow cults, may qualify.
40•Godhunter

Godhunter Class Abilities

Purity of Arms (Level 1): Any weapon or unarmed at-
tack counts as a magical weapon for the purposes
of affecting targets only subject to magical weap-
ons. The Godhunter may take Arcane Warrior
foci with their initial focus pick and any other they
may accrue. If taken as a partial Adept class, no
more than half of their total foci, rounded up, can
be Arcane Warrior foci unless their other partial
class also allows access to them.
True Hand (Level 1): The Godhunter receives a bonus
to hit rolls against Shadows and Shadow cultists
equal to half their character level, rounded up.
Grim Determination (Level 1): Gain a +1 bonus to max-
imum hit points at this and every odd character
level thereafter.
Sacrilegious Scorn (Level 2): Gain a +2 bonus to all sav-
ing throws against magical or mundane effects
created by Shadows or Shadow cultists. This bo-
nus increases to +4 at level 6.
Armor of Contempt (Level 2): The Godhunter gains an
AC bonus against Shadows and Shadow cultists
equal to half their level, rounded up.
True Eyes (Level 3): The Godhunter may make a Mental
saving throw to automatically pierce any magical
illusions created or magical disguises adopted by Nemesis Pursuit (Level 7): As an On Turn action, a God-
a Shadow or cultist. Failure means a new attempt bound can tag a visible Shadow or a Shadow cultist.
cannot be made until a new scene begins. Until the Godhunter tags a different target, they
Stench of Heresy (Level 4): By accepting a point of Sys- have an intuitive knowledge of the exact position
tem Strain, the Godhunter can concentrate on of their target, regardless of the distance between
their surroundings as a Main Action, detecting the them. By accepting a point of System Strain and
presence of Shadows, Shadow cultists, or the past taking a Move action, they can teleport to a point
performance of Shadow cult worship rites within within 10 meters of the target, provided the target
the past week anywhere in the immediate vicinity. is within 100 meters. This teleportation can be
The radius of the sense extends up to 30 meters performed only once per round.
and penetrates all barriers. The sense only indi- Storm of Desecration (Level 8): Once per scene as a
cates whether or not there are Shadows, Shadow Main Action the Godhunter can erupt in a frenzy
cultists, or past worship rites within the area, not of violence that allows them to make an attack
specific identities or locations. Magical cloaks that roll against up to six targets within range of their
would interfere with this sense can be penetrated weapon, or within 10 meters for melee weapons.
on a successful Mental save. Each attack is rolled separately and each target can
Righteous Fire (Level 5): The Godhunter's personal be attacked only once.
weapons or unarmed attacks are limned with True Rebuke (Level 9): The Godhunter's attack rolls
crackling arcane energy, adding their character against Shadows and Shadow cultists are always
level in damage to all successful hits. Against automatically successful, assuming a hit is phys-
Shadows and Shadow cultists this damage is al- ically possible. This ability applies even to vehi-
ways inflicted, whether or not the attack roll hits. cle-mounted weapons if the target is being helmed
Feed the Fury (Level 6): As an On Turn action whenever or controlled by Shadows or Shadow cultists.
the Godhunter is within 30 meters of a Shadow, Deus Vult (Level 10): The Godhunter automatically
they can choose to regain twice their character lev- succeeds at all saving throws against magical or
el in lost hit points. They may do this even when mundane effects created by Shadows or Shadow
incapacitated or unconscious, but they can do this cultists. For damage rolls and other variable ef-
only once per scene. This ability only functions if fects inflicted by such actions, the result is always
the Godhunter is trying to kill or otherwise fight the minimum possible. Weapon damage or other
the Shadow in question; allied or neutral Shadows mundane damage inflicted by Shadows and Shad-
will not enable this ability. ow cultists is always the minimum possible.
 Godhunter •41

Godhunter Backgrounds
Not all Godhunters are specifically trained to the role, experience. Someone with the Entertainer background
and some who are still retain enough of their prior his- and the Godhunter class would be implicitly compe-
tory to be fairly represented by a character background tent at being whatever kind of entertainer they were,
from the main Stars Without Number core book. Those ignoring most ordinary skill checks that a professional
heroes who have been entirely given over to their role entertainer wouldn’t need to make. That same PC with
can instead use one of the backgrounds below to rep- the Godhunter Inquisitor background would have im-
resent their particular training and focus. plicit skill in interrogation, investigations, and possibly
For characters with a “mid-life crisis”, such as a contacts with any organization they belong to, their
Vengeful Renegade, it’s important to credit the PC with past life as an entertainer distant enough to them that
only one background worth of implicit skills and life it no longer confers any intrinsic benefits.

Godhunter Inquisitor
You have been trained in sniffing out the stench Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
of Shadow cults and their abominable heresy. This
investigative skill may not be a matter of religious Notice-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
zeal; a government investigator trained in count- 2 +2 Mental 2 Connect
er-Shadow techniques might just as well use this Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Know Magic
background as an itinerant priest. You may or may Notice-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Lead
not belong to a larger organization. If so, you may
be expected to give obedience and favors in ex- Talk-0 5 Notice 5 Notice
change for any requested help from them. Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Perform
Secular PCs for this and the following back- 7 Sneak
grounds replace the Perform skill for religious rites 8 Talk
with the Know skill.

Godhunter Templar
Your hero has been consecrated to war, trained in
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
the violent methods of expelling those Shadows
who seek to create a theological foothold in this Any Combat-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
dimension. Whether a weary-souled professional 2 +2 Physical 2 Any Combat
exorcist or a zealous paladin, you know how to pry Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Connect
loose the tendrils of the Shadows from the souls of
Any Combat-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Heal
your world. Your background’s details will depend
considerably on whether or not you are a secular Exert-0 5 Exert 5 Know Magic
Godhunter and whether you are responsible to any Notice-0 6 Any Skill 6 Notice
larger organization for your actions. 7 Perform
8 Sneak

Vengeful Renegade
Not all Godhunters are the product of intentional Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
training. You were a cult member until some event Any Combat-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
shattered your loyalty. You use the skills and se-
crets you learned as a weapon against your former
2 +1 Any Stat 2 Any Skill
comrades. Conversely, you might be a victim of a Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
cult, an ordinary man or woman subjected to some Any Combat-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Know Magic
otherworldly cruelty or brutal personal loss, and Any Skill-0 5 Connect 5 Lead
your focused hatred now fuels your uncanny pow-
ers. In both cases, you’ll want to spend a little time Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Perform
thinking about your PC’s prior life before the cult 7 Sneak
and its actions, and note a few words about their 8 Talk
prior profession or role in society.
42•Pacter

PACTER
Bargainers with entities beyond human knowledge, the
tradition of sorcerers known as the Pacters was per- Pacter Abilities
haps an inevitable result of the discovery of the Shad- Pacters are treated as Magisters with access to the
ows. Whether mere sentient-seeming automatons of Pacter spell list. They gain the same number of known
metadimensional force, as the Nominalists would have spells per level and spell slots usable per day as any
them, or true natives of the Burning Void as the Real- other Magister, as given on page 19.
ists would say, the Pacters are determined to make the Pacter abilities all revolve around the summoning,
most of the Shadows and their strange powers. control, and augmentation of Shadows. While their
minions are very versatile, they have no personal mag-
Pacter History ical abilities unrelated to Shadow manipulation.
As soon as the existence of Shadows was confirmed by
the early arcane researchers, it was predictable that cer- Partial and Heroic Pacters
tain scholars should become obsessed with summoning, Partial Pacters are treated just like any other partial
categorizing, and studying these eldritch entities. These Magister. Thus, they’d learn spells and have available
ur-Pacters were responsible for some of the earliest daily spell slots as if they were half their character level,
advances in arcane summoning technologies, and the rounded up, but would cast those spells at their full
fruits of their research can still be found in the limited character level.
but potent spells available to modern Academic mages. Heroic Pacters have all the usual abilities of full
Not all the researchers were satisfied by the limits Pacters, but also learn one extra spell of each spell level
of the standard SANIS interface and formal Academ- they are capable of casting. In addition, they can pick
ic sorcery. The chief difficulty they faced was the vast one spell from each spell level they are capable of cast-
amount of cognitive processing that was necessary to ing; this spell may be cast as often as desired without
control and maintain a Shadow. Conventional Aca- expending spell slots for the day. These unlimited spells
demic practitioners simply could not easily manifest a may not be used to fuel arcane foci or other abilities
Shadow in mundane reality without exerting burden- that require expending a spell slot. They may change
some amounts of arcane energy. their unlimited spell choices with a day’s work.
These researchers developed a modification of the In Heroic campaigns, Pacters roll 1d4 for their
standard SANIS interface, one studded with multiple Fray die and may apply it to any foe, not just those
metadimensional energy conduits that did not con- with equal or fewer hit dice than they have levels.
nect to conventional arcanoactive brain regions. Oth-
er portions of the interface were adjusted to prioritize Pacters and Shadows
command and control operations rather than the direct Pacters have unusual control over Shadows and flu-
instantiation of arbitrarily-defined energies. ency in summoning them, but this power comes at a
The end result was a mage with virtually no abil- price. All Pacter Shadow summoning is subject to two
ity to perform conventional Academic sorcery and no additional limits. These limits do not apply to Shadows
direct ability to manipulate traditional spell energies. they bind via the ritual means described on page 104.
The torrent of free metadimensional energy they could Pacters cannot automatically dismiss their Shadows.
channel, however, was positively irresistible to a wide Without use of the Put Down spell, a Shadow must be
variety of Shadow entities. These “Pacters” could bar- allowed to remain its full allotted span before returning
ter access to the energy currents they controlled in to the Burning Void. Shadows may be destroyed pre-
exchange for a Shadow’s cooperation, controlling it maturely, but that runs into the second limit of their
effectively with brain regions specialized for the work. particular discipline.
Customized spells were developed to exploit these Pacters cannot betray their Shadows. Intentionally
capabilities, coding pre-designed Shadow formulae and harming one’s own summoned Shadow, trying to force
manipulatory techniques into the mage’s repertoire. it to act in ways contrary to its Principles, or otherwise
While the mage himself might be capable of very few abusing their Shadow breaks their control over the en-
effects not contingent on manipulating Shadows, the tity. It then becomes a free Shadow, one very likely to
Shadows he commanded could do a great deal indeed. be antagonistically disposed toward the Pacter. Most
In the years since those early discoveries, Pacter free Shadows will disappear by the end of the scene, but
orders spread throughout many magically-active sec- powerful or intelligent ones may last long enough to
tors. Most saw their Shadow minions as convenient find a substitute source of metadimensional energy to
tools for mortal ends. Others had a more theological consume. Note that this stricture is intimately wound
relationship with their constructs. In some cases, an up in the caster’s own psyche; betrayals that they don’t
imprudent order has found itself a servant to a master realize or foresee won’t break this stricture, but trying
they raised up that they could not put down. to sidestep the ban via schemes will trigger it.
 Pacter •43

Pacters in Play Sword and Planet: There’s no doubt about it;

The first thing to decide when introducing Pacters sorcerers who truck with alien powers in a Sword
into your campaign is what kind of relationship most and Planet setting are almost always dubious people.
worlds have with Shadows. If these otherworldly enti- Whether slaves of dark powers, crazed demon-mas-
ties are universally feared and despised, then a Pacter is ters, or scholars meddling with perilous lore, Sword
going to be unwelcome anywhere, and any that do exist and Planet Pacters are unlikely to be welcomed by their
will do so as hunted purveyors of blasphemous lore. neighbors and may face a likely-terrible eventual end,
If Shadows are treated as just another variety of even if they don’t use their powers for overt evil.
potentially-dangerous aliens, then a Pacter may have Space Fantasy: Pacters in a Space Fantasy campaign
more pragmatic value to a society as a negotiator and are more likely to be fringe mystics who deal with dan-
guide to the mysteries of their ways. Societies that gerous powers in ways that probably aren’t appreciat-
revere or serve powerful Shadow entities may have ed by the conventional authorities. Conversely, they
Pacters as priests or chief enforcers of their god-king, might be the conventional authorities, the government
using their powers to augment and anchor the Shadow officials charged with managing incursions of Shadow
lieutenants who command them. entities and their potential complications. In a setting
The second thing to decide when introducing as broad as the usual Space Fantasy campaign, it’s very
Pacters is the relationship the Pacter order itself has likely that there are multiple groups of Pacters, each
with its summoned entities. Are they Nominalists, with their own relationship with the denizens of the
convinced that their Shadows are nothing but math- Burning Void.
ematical constructs with no true awareness? Are they Street Magic: In the cynical tones of a Street Magic
Realists, certain that Shadows are actual beings made campaign, Pacters are just one more kind of fixer. They
manifest in mundane reality? Does the order even provide the things that Shadows need, and the Shad-
agree on one interpretation? ows in turn provide their own services. This may be a
In addition, why are they having commerce with bloodless exchange of interests, with no greater mean-
Shadows? It could be for pure academic knowledge, ing, or it might be tinted with a whiff of brimstone and
or as a tool of mundane influence, or as implements danger to the other powers in the setting. In a setting
by which to attain greater occult power, or ways to like this, monolithic orders of Pacters are less likely to
achieve some deeply-desired future, or even as acolytes exist than individual mages who happen to have the
of some otherworldly demon-god. The Shadows might right talent for the job.
be desperately-needed protectors against some other Conventional Fantasy: Demon-summoning is an
alien peril, or they might be tutors and teachers of a easy stand-in for Shadow conjuration, but other forms
society that needs their knowledge for some purpose. of Pacters might exist who call on elemental powers,
Of course, there could well exist several different spirits of their ancestors, nature spirits, or any other
Pacter orders in a single sector, each with their own source of otherworldly aid. Animal-summoning dru-
motivations. Depending on your campaign genre, sev- idic concepts could easily be reskinned as Pacters who
eral possibilities should be kept in mind. call forth beasts instead of alien powers.
44•Pacter

Pacter Spell List

Level 1 Pacter Spells Effect
Analyze Shadow Target a Shadow to get details of its Principles, hit dice, and abilities
Call Lesser Servitor Summon a Lesser Servitor Shadow to perform mindless tasks
Call Manipulatory Manifestation Summon a Manipulatory Manifestation Shadow to remotely move objects
Conjured Implement Summon a Shadow-object of no more than TL3 mechanical complexity
Put Down Banish a Shadow you have summoned before its natural dissolution
Shadow Nourishment Sustain yourself on metadimensional energies, like a Shadow might
Shadow Reinforcement Heal 1d6+2 HP of damage per caster level on a visible allied Shadow
Shadow Ward, Lesser Weak Shadows cannot cross a warding line you indicate without damage

Level 2 Pacter Spells

Afflictive Focus Pact Pact with a Shadow to exchange the damage suffered by each to the other
Call Drudge Summon a Drudge Shadow to provide intelligent if obsequious labor
Call Myrmidon Summon a Myrmidon Shadow to fight for you or guard you
Call Odalisque Summon an Odalisque Shadow to blandish or distract another
Shadow Cyst Fold a summoned Shadow into a hidden cyst to carry it around discreetly
Shadow Displacement Exchange locations with a summoned Shadow within 10 meters per caster level
Shadow Impulse Compel a Shadow to obey a sentence of command for a few rounds
Telepathic Shadow Link Forge a telepathic communications link with a visible Shadow

Level 3 Pacter Spells

Call Minion Summon a Minion Shadow to provide a wide variety of competent services
Call Shadow Chariot Summon a Shadow Chariot to serve as a flying vehicle
Call Vigilant Summon a Vigilant Shadow to act as a guardian and observer
Prolong Pact As an Instant, triple the duration of a summons after you withdraw Focus
Shadow Compulsion Compel a Shadow to obey a simple command for the rest of the scene
Shadow Puppetry Take remote control of a summoned Shadow’s body, at some risk if destroyed
Shadow Ward, Greater Shadows cannot cross the ward-line you draw without risk of damage
Substitutionary Focus Pact Accept a persistent point of System Strain to maintain a Shadow without Focus

Level 4 Pacter Spells

Call Deceiver Summon a clever, shapeshifting Deceiver Shadow
Call Render Summon a sluggish, stupid, but immensely strong Render Shadow
Directive Focus Pact Grant a Shadow continued existence by giving it a specific task to achieve
Shadow Domination Implant a Shadow with an overriding compulsion to carry out a particular task
Summon Forth the Servant Teleport a summoned Shadow into your presence if they’re in the same system
Sustaining Focus Pact Expend costly ingredients to permanently fix a Shadow in this world

Level 5 Pacter Spells

Blood Sacrifice Feed sentient lives to a Shadow to fix it permanently in this world
Call Devourer Summon a blindly murderous Devourer Shadow to kill everything around you
Call Stellar Phoenix Summon a Stellar Phoenix to carry you to any in-system destination
Shadow Enslavement Utterly enslave a visible Shadow at a cost of a persistent System Strain point
Shadow Ward, Perfected Shadows cannot cross your ward line safely, and weak Shadows can’t at all
Summoner's Font Consecrate an area to fuel friendly Shadows without need for Focus
 Pacter •45

Pacter Backgrounds
Building the necessary relationships with eldritch pow- options, but if they’ve led a notably different life before
ers takes time, effort, and focus. While some Pacters coming into their powers they should take some time
may have led more mundane lives before they came to explain why they linger in their attachment to their
into their powers, it soon becomes necessary for all prior life rather than throwing themselves fully into
of them to spend a great deal of time maintaining the their new arts.
necessary rituals, meditations, and offerings needed to Most Pacters require several years of training at a
keep their Shadow minions in order. minimum to obtain their powers. Natural prodigies or
The backgrounds below offer suggestions on the those assisted by powerful Shadow patrons might skip
kind of proficiencies a Pacter might focus on develop- much of this delay, though sometimes at a cost to their
ing. It’s not necessary that a PC choose one of these health or sanity that can be difficult to pay.

Pacter Chosen
The vast majority of Pacters are trained, proper- Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
ly-initiated mages who belong to established tra-
ditions of the art. You, on the other hand, have re- Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
ceived your powers through other means. You may 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Any Skill
have a personal relationship with a powerful Shad- Quick Skills 3 +1 Any Stat 3 Any Skill
ow who instructed you in the necessary techniques,
Cast Magic-0 4 +1 Any Stat 4 Cast Magic
or you may be a natural prodigy with an intuitive
grasp of the art, or you might be an ordinary soul Work-0 5 Cast Magic 5 Connect
who just had the chance to meddle with the wrong Notice-0 6 Any Skill 6 Notice
piece of alien arcane technology. You may wish to 7 Talk
note down the kind of life you led before you came
8 Work
into your powers.

Pacter Controller
Some Pacters are negotiators and dealmakers with
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
Shadows. Your relationship with them has always
been a more… supervisory one. You use your abili- Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
ties to summon and control Shadows in the service 2 +2 Physical 2 Cast Magic
of your employers or your cause, controlling and Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Exert
directing your minions to achieve your own ends.
The need to be close to the action has encouraged Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Know Magic
you to develop your own personal survivability. Lead-0 5 Lead 5 Lead
You may have a firm but conscientious attitude to- Exert-0 6 Any Skill 6 Notice
ward your Shadows, treating them like valued sub- 7 Sneak
ordinates, but it’s also possible that you use them as
nothing more than Nominalist tools.
8 Trade

Pacter Dragoman
A Pacter can control a Shadow via sorcery, but Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
it’s often much more effective to do so via speech. Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
Pacter dragomans are diplomats, interpreters, and
guides to the arcane and esoteric world of Shadows. 2 +2 Mental 2 Cast Magic
While they have access to the same summoning and Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
compelling powers as their peers, they specialize in Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Cha 4 Know Magic
negotiating terms and agreements that all parties
Talk-0 5 Talk 5 Know
involved find tolerable. You may have acquired your
skills through a conventional order’s training, or Know Magic-0 6 Any Skill 6 Lead
you may have had a past as a less socially-accept- 7 Notice
able cultist, educated by hard experience in the right 8 Talk
words and the right offerings needed to satiate a
powerful Shadow’s desires.
46•Rectifier

RECTIFIER
The power of the arcane is the power to control. This
control extends not only the brute forces of the metad- Rectifier Abilities
imensions, but also the more physical entanglements of Rectifiers are treated as Magisters with access to the
sinew, bone, and skin. The Followers of the Doctrine Rectifier spell list. They gain the same number of
of the Rectification of Names are of a Heritor school known spells per level and spell slots usable per day as
that wields tremendous control over flesh and bone. any other Magister, as given on page 19.
Rectifier spells almost all revolve around physical
Rectifier History transformation and augmentation. They have very lim-
The Rectifiers are a heterogeneous school, one that in- ited ability to create new matter or manipulate unliving
cludes many different groups motivated by the acqui- forces, but they are sublimely talented at the molding
sition of their particular arts. The earliest known sect of living flesh.
was a group of militantly Confucianist Arcanists who As with most spells of transformation, Rectifier
believed that their newfound magical abilities would spells that alter a subject’s appearance can also alter
assist them in rectifying the confusion of labels and the seeming of their clothing and equipment, making
identities that people adopted in the world. By means it match the newly-adopted face or form. Such trans-
of magic, what the common people said they were formation lasts as long as the spell does. When the
would be the thing they would become, and what the new form has no clothing or gear, such as an animal
world needed the Magister to be, the Magister could transformation, the subject’s carried belongings are
magically supply. displaced into metadimensional space, reappearing on
These early Rectifiers were soon joined by numer- their person when they die or resume their real form.
ous groups of transhumanist researchers who eagerly
exploited their Confucianist scholarship to learn mag- Changes
ical means of approaching the physical perfection they For most mages, transformations and other lasting
sought. While most of these groups thought little of spells require either Light or Deep Focus to maintain.
the Rectification of Names, they were desperately in- Rectifiers are so skilled at maintaining transformations,
terested in techniques of imposing their own will on however, that they can do so without the need for Fo-
unruly human flesh. cus. Instead, Rectifiers can have a maximum number of
Certain ascetic religious or philosophical groups “Changes” active at any one time.
also found benefit from the techniques of the Rectifiers, A Rectifier can have one Change active per level,
seeking to overcome the limits of mortal tissue and plus their Cast Magic skill level. The description for
bone through magical reinforcement or transforma- a given spell indicates whether or not it counts as a
tion. While the transhumanists glorified the physical Change to be maintained by the caster. A Rectifier can
form, these ascetics held it in contempt. It was an ob- drop a Change as an Instant action; the spell indicates
stacle to be overcome through magic rather than a tool how long it will last after this support is withdrawn.
for personal satisfaction.
In the latter years before the Scream, some Rec- Partial and Heroic Rectifiers
tifier schools had all but entirely abandoned the early Partial Rectifiers are treated just like any other partial
idealism of the tradition, seeking only to use its pow- Magister. Thus, they’d learn spells and have available
ers for purely pragmatic ends. Some were benevolent daily spell slots as if they were half their character level,
healers who used their abilities when biopsionic adepts rounded up, but would cast those spells at their full
were not available. Others were depraved voluptuaries character level. They can maintain a number of Chang-
who sold their magical services to the highest bidder. A es equal to half their character level, rounded up, plus
few groups had no interest in anything but extending their Cast Magic skill.
their own healthy lifespan as long as possible. Heroic Rectifiers have all the usual abilities of full
Since the chaos of the Scream, the Rectifier tra- Rectifiers, but also learn one extra spell of each spell
dition has shown itself to be exceptionally resilient. level they are capable of casting. In addition, they can
While it may lack the ideological unification of some pick one spell from each spell level they are capable of
other Heritor traditions, its sorcerous arts are superbly casting; this spell may be cast as often as desired with-
suited for ensuring the survivability of its practitioners, out expending spell slots for the day. These unlimit-
and the gifts they can grant cooperative mundanes are ed spells may not be used to fuel arcane foci or other
the sort that find a market almost anywhere. Some Rec- abilities that require expending a spell slot. They may
tifier groups still cling to the principles and dreams of change their unlimited spell choices with a day’s work.
their ancient forebears, but most schools in this latter In Heroic campaigns, Rectifiers roll 1d4 for their
age have been forced to make compromises with the Fray die and may apply it to any foe, not just those with
necessities of modern practicality. equal or fewer hit dice than they have levels.
 Rectifier •47

Rectifiers in Play Sword and Planet: Rectifiers are easily reskinned

For a pragmatic group, a Rectifier can be a useful as debauched adepts of carnal sorceries or mad ascetics
source of healing when a biopsion or a stim-equipped with uncanny control over the coarse clay of their body.
Expert healer isn’t available. Between Font of Persistent These types of sorcerers tend to be very mercenary, as
Life and Reinforce Tissue, a Rectifier can provide some their talents are widely valued by the powerful. The
hit point recovery to a group, albeit not so easily as a particular arts they provide might be the only way for
focused biopsion. some natives to survive the brutal environment of their
Rectifiers have a much greater ability to alter the unfriendly world.
physical shapes of their comrades and their own per- Space Fantasy: Space Fantasy campaigns tend to
son. Sometimes these alterations can grant bonuses to hit heavier on the transhuman tropes of the Rectifiers,
the target’s attributes, while other times they’re simply using them as apostles of new and superior states of
convenient disguises. Rectifiers are considerably more being, or voyagers into strange experiments of identity.
capable and effective “buffers” than most other mages, Rectifier groups in these settings might have more ex-
largely because they can use their class Changes ability plicit ideological roots, potentially fighting one another
to keep more than one boosting spell going at once. over whose idea of perfection is to be implemented.
Even so, some Rectifier spells do still require Focus. Street Magic: Rectifiers in a Street Magic campaign
In play, a Rectifier PC is an option for a player are almost always mercenaries of some kind, selling
who wants to focus on support casting and healing their medical services or body-shaping arts to people
without being a Psychic. While their general ability who may not be able to afford the luxury of sci-fi med-
to heal damage isn’t as great as a competent biopsion, icine. In the harsh, gritty environs of a typical Street
they can usually afford to develop enough Heal skill to Magic campaign, a Rectifier’s shapeshifting arts are
effectively use mundane stims as well. more likely to be used for survival than as a tool of
Rectifier NPCs can serve as arcane healing sourc- personal expression.
es, disguise-makers, and cosmetic shapeshifters for the Conventional Fantasy: Unless you’re running a fan-
party. More antagonistic Rectifiers also make very ser- tasy campaign with very modern ideas, Rectifiers are
viceable villains, either warping others out of zealous apt to be viewed with considerable suspicion by most
conviction that it’s for the better or using their talents people in a Conventional Fantasy setting. There may
as ruthless tools of discipline and control over others. be a profound revulsion toward the idea of physical
One thing to be careful about is an over-emphasis on remolding, or a tendency to view Rectifiers as makers
sexual alterations or body-horror tropes with villain of monsters rather than body-sculptors. The aggressive
NPCs. Use of such elements should be predicated on exertion of personal will over physical form is usually
clear group buy-in rather than being sprung on them. far out of step with traditional fantasy mores.
48•Rectifier

Rectifier Spell List

Level 1 Rectifier Spells Effect
Adaptive Modification Change one target per character level to survive a hostile environment.
Biometric Imposture Cast Instantly to fool any biometric identification device
Font of Persistent Life Stabilize all nearby mortally wounded targets at 1 System Strain/target healed
Reinforce Tissue Heal a visible wounded target by 2d6 hit points, more if cast at a higher level
Siphon Strain Touch a target to shift one System Strain/level to the caster’s total
Superficial Tissue Sculpture Shape surface tissue and coloration in a target as desire; persists as a Change
Temporary Limb The target sprouts extra manipulatory limbs as a Change
Truth of Flesh and Bone Diagnose a target; gain +2 on Heal checks on them. Sense magical transformation

Level 2 Rectifier Spells

Disjunctive Shift Shift objects into metadimensional storage and carry them with you
Feral Guise A touched target gains the shape of a non-sentient animal as a Change
Flowing Form Turn liquid for one round per level, flowing through holes and along walls
Means of Ascent Only usable with a shape-altering spell; allows flight in the new shape
Sanctity of Self Instant defense to ignore 3 HP damage/level for one System Strain and an action
Temporary Excellence Let a visible target treat Strength or Dexterity as 18 for 1 System Strain/round
Ten Thousand Senses A touched target gets a new sense that exists in some creature as a Change
Toxin Purge Purge a poison or disease in a visible target for 1 System Strain

Level 3 Rectifier Spells

Manifest Aspect Become an arbitrary organic shape as a Change and gain various benefits
Perpetual Molding Permanently alter a willing target’s shape within the parameters of their kind
Physical Perfection Grant a visible target boosted attributes and hit points while Deep Focus is held
Proprioceptive Crash Cripple a visible foe’s ability to control their body until they save
Resolve Strain Shed one System Strain per two levels, rounded down. Usable once per day
Restore Organ Repair organ or limb loss or damage in a willing or unconscious subject
Return to the Root Dispel the magic of physical transformations or mental influences
Sensory Leech Use Light Focus to eavesdrop on a target’s sensory impressions

Level 4 Rectifier Spells

Accelerando Grant a target a bonus Main Action per round so long as Deep Focus is held
Arcane Cyst Encyst a spell in your flesh to cast it later as an On Turn action
Balance of Power Shuffle attribute points in a willing target as a Change
Mask of Passion Pick an emotion and a visible target; shift to force that emotion in them
Polymorphous Pervasity Swap shapes with a visible target instantly, whether or not they’re willing
Sloughing Curse Inflict continuous rotting damage on a target until a save is made. Induces Surge

Level 5 Rectifier Spells

Bodily Panoply Transform body parts to gain functions equivalent to TL4 tech
Compel Change An Instant adjunct spell that lets alteration spells affect even unwilling targets
Eternal Persistence While this spell is maintained as a Change, the target is eternally young
Mend the Shattered Vessel Grant resurrection to a body with an intact brain as a temporary Change
One In All Explode as a swarm when mortally wounded; regenerate if any survive
Rectify Completely reset a target’s physical health, at considerable cost to the Rectifier
 Rectifier •49

Rectifier Backgrounds
Rectifiers tend to be unified more by their magical tra- initiate, ones usually begun in adolescence or as soon as
dition than by their ideology. PCs trained in the disci- their innate magical potential was detected.
pline may belong to widely-varying groups with dis- This detection can take some time, however, par-
tinctly different motivations for studying the Rectifier’s ticularly if the PC was brought up away from easy ac-
art. Players should take a moment to decide what their cess to magical education. In those cases, the PC might
particular group’s motivations were, whether idealistic be a latecomer to the discipline, having taken up the
or strictly pragmatic. Rectifier’s arts after a long career in another line of
Training as a Rectifier takes time, and it is uncom- work. In such cases a more traditional background
mon for a mage to come to it very late in life. The three can work for a Rectifier PC, and they can rely on their
example backgrounds below are possible choices for an Magister class abilities to provide Cast Magic as a skill.

Amender of Flesh
Adepts of a more moderate tradition of the school, Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
the Amenders of Flesh concern themselves with
healing the sick, correcting deformities, and alter- Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
ing bodily forms to be more in line with the owner’s 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Cast Magic
wishes. Practicality often pushes them to the use Quick Skills 3 +1 Any Stat 3 Connect
of modern medical technology in the latter case,
Cast Magic-0 4 +1 Any Stat 4 Fix
though capable Amenders sometimes use their sor-
cery to provide temporary changes for the sake of Heal-0 5 Cast Magic 5 Heal
variety or experimentation with new shapes. More Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Heal
militant Amenders are known, however, who are 7 Notice
perfectly willing to “correct” bodies into the shapes
8 Talk
they ought to have, whether desired or not.

Identity Artist
Some Rectifiers are perpetually discontented with
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
a static form and mode of existence. These identity
artists seek enlightenment through change, altering Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
both physical form and societal role to experience 2 +2 Mental 2 Cast Magic
a full range of human life. Some have ambitions of Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
making a great work of art out of their own exis-
tence, a splendid kindling of fire from many differ- Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Cha 4 Exert
ent self-owned sparks. Others are simply insatiable Connect-0 5 Connect 5 Know
for human experience, desiring the sensations of Talk-0 6 Any Skill 6 Perform
terror and anguish as much as joy or blissful success. 7 Sneak
Some few are left constantly in search of a self they
can tolerate more easily than the person they were
8 Talk
born to be.

Vessel of Will
Some Rectifiers have a very aggressive conception Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
of the physical form as a tool for the true self, the Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
untrammeled will of the mage. The arcane arts are
used to hone and strengthen that vessel, making it 2 +2 Physical 2 Cast Magic
more perfectly capable of carrying out the bidding Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Connect
of its cerebral master. Pain, weakness, and mortal Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Exert
frailty are to be extirpated as much as possible, so
Exert-0 5 Exert 5 Heal
that the true fire of the body-bearer’s will can be
wielded without hindrance. Some of these Magis- Survive-0 6 Any Skill 6 Know
ters have an equal interest in honing their will as 7 Know Magic
much as their body, but others find such exercises 8 Survive
pointless. The will is the self, they argue, and it is
the duty of the flesh to carry out what is desired.
50•Sunblade

SUNBLADE
There are many players and GMs who would not con-
sider playing in a space fantasy setting without includ- Sunblade Abilities
ing at least one breed of mystical warrior-monks, with Sunblade combat abilities revolve around their order’s
or without laser swords. The Sunblade Adept class is sacred weapon, an implement designed to channel their
meant to provide a framework for such mystics. arcane powers. While not as resilient or accurate as a
full Warrior, they remain effective front-line combat-
Sunblade History ants thanks to these sacred weapons.
With the development of the SANIS psychic interface Aside from their sacred weapon, each Sunblade
and the blossoming of countless new techniques of also develops one or more special arcane abilities, many
arcane mastery, it was inevitable that certain groups of them with significant non-combat utility. They have
would find mystical or religious meaning in the mys- substantial flexibility in picking which abilities to mas-
teries that they uncovered. These men and women ter, but can only ever develop a limited number of them.
grouped together under the leadership of charismatic
prodigies and insightful sages, learning of the deeper Partial and Heroic Sunblades
meanings of the cosmos. Partial Sunblades are treated as is usual for partial Ad-
Most of these orders were fundamentally harmless, epts, with abilities being gained as if they were half
dedicated to self-mastery, meditation, and the manifes- their character level, rounded up, and being applied
tation of occult powers that served as indicia of inner with their full character level. There is no specific He-
enlightenment rather than as any practical tool. Many roic Sunblade class, so PCs in a Heroic campaign will
practices involved intense dedication toward mastering need to blend it into a Heroic Adventurer’s mix.
particular skills or abilities not because there was ever
any intention of using them for mundane ends, but Sunblades in Play
because the process itself was an enlightenment. Sunblades almost all need some sort of order or orga-
Inevitably, these orders drew the unwelcome nization to belong to, unless they’re some kind of rare
attention of hostile powers. The arcane abilities they natural prodigy. If you include Sunblades in your cam-
developed and esoteric teaches they taught, however paign, you’ll need to come up with at least one order
peaceful they may have been, were a threat to existing that trains them, though that order may not place much
authorities. Tyrants, heartless scholars, alarmed reli- in the way of service obligations on their students.
gious leaders, and frightened common folk all proved Sword and Planet: Sunblades can be used to fill the
to be potential hazards to the new orders. “warrior monk” archetype by making their unarmed
Out of the necessity of self-defense, these orders attacks serve as the order’s sacred weapon. Malevolent
developed techniques of imbuing weapons with ar- Sunblades can also serve as enforcers or darkly-em-
cane power. These “Sunblades” became their name- powered palace guards of sinister alien tyrants.
sake, even though many orders chose entirely different Space Fantasy: Few readers need hints on how an
weapons to consecrate to their purposes. Most orders order of space monks with laser swords might fit into a
desired only peace with their neighbors, and labored space fantasy setting. Remember that you don’t need to
to build diplomatic relations with frightened or hostile make every order draw from the same source of power
outsiders. A few used their sacred weapons as a more or understand their powers in the same way. Even two
pragmatic means of influence, taking control of that mechanically-identical orders might gain their abilities
which once threatened them. in very different fashions, and belong to very different
Few of these orders have ever expanded past their organizations with mutually-hostile goals.
small, insular roots, especially after the chaos of the Street Magic: Most Street Magic settings won’t
Scream threw the galaxy into a desperate struggle for blend well with an order of flashy, magically-loud
survival. Their esoteric teachings and the often-harsh sword monks jumping around. Individual adepts of
demands on their acolytes remain unappealing to most occult martial traditions may fit in better, or innocent
of the wider cosmos. bystanders taken over by the will or gifts of an ancient
Still, isolated orders of Sunblades still remain in magical weapon. If Sunblade orders do exist in this
some sectors, each dedicated to their ancient, mysti- campaign, they’re not likely to be very idealistic.
cal pursuits. A few have become more secular powers, Conventional Fantasy: The Sunblade can serve as a
taking responsibility for maintaining the peace on mul- proxy class for a magically-gifted weapon specialist, but
tiple worlds, while some have become more conven- you may have to limit which of the class alternate pow-
tional tyrants. The more pacifistic orders tend to view ers can be chosen, as not all of them fit the trope. Some
each other as well-meaning, if misguided, but all are such PCs might be magical sword-saints dedicated to a
united in their fear and detestation of the more violent, specific weapon, while others might be the muscle for
domineering sects. an arcane order of sorcerous power.
 Sunblade •51

The Sunblade Skill Sunblade Sacred Weapons

Those belonging to a Sunblade order have a special All Sunblade orders have a sacred weapon, created and
class skill, the “Sunblade” skill. This skill represents a wielded as a symbol of the order’s teachings. Whether
facility with the mystical powers of the order and a a plasma sword, blessed revolver, or occult martial art,
mundane familiarity with the knowledge and rituals the sacred weapon is potent in the Sunblade’s hands
appropriate to their order. It can be acquired and raised and useless or dangerous when wielded by unbelievers.
just as any other skill, though non-Sunblades cannot Assuming ordinary TL4 parts availability, any Sunblade
take it. can build a replacement for a lost sacred weapon with
The Sunblade skill may be used in place of Know no more than a day’s work. It is theoretically possible to
Magic when the topic is one that the Sunblade’s order make or discover enchanted sacred weapons, but such
ought to know about. It can also substitute for Connect artifacts tend to be extremely rare.
in getting favors or help from members of the order, When a Sunblade order is created, the GM should
and might qualify in place of other skills specifically choose a sacred weapon for it. Such weapons use the
related to the Sunblade’s organization and training. statistics provided below, regardless of what they look
Most often, the Sunblade skill will be used when like. A blessed revolver may look and act like a revolver
fighting with the order’s sacred weapon. Regardless of in mundane hands, but it has the small ranged weapon
the weapon’s form, it is always used as the weapon’s stats given below for a Sunblade.
relevant skill for attack roll purposes. In addition, the Large sacred weapons require two hands to use,
skill is added to all successful damage rolls inflicted by and large ranged weapons can be bound up in me-
the sacred weapon. lee combat. Ranged sacred weapons do not run out
Other skills do not stack with the Sunblade skill’s of ammo in the hands of a Sunblade. Thrown sacred
hit bonus. If using a laser sword as a sacred weapon, the weapons always return to the wielder’s hand.
PC would add Sunblade to the attack roll, not Sunblade Foci that apply to all melee or all ranged weapons,
and Stab both. Sunblade is used as the skill for weapon like Armsman or Gunslinger, apply their benefits nor-
damage Focus benefits, such as those for Armsman. mally to matching sacred weapons.

Sacred Weapon Type Damage Shock Attribute Range

Unarmed Combat 1d8+Skill Sunblade skill+1/AC 20 Str/Dex/Wis Melee
Small Melee Weapon 1d8+Skill Sunblade skill+1/AC 20 Str/Dex/Wis 10m throw
Medium Melee Weapon 1d10+Skill Sunblade skill+1/AC 20 Str/Dex/Wis Melee
Large Melee Weapon 1d10+1+Skill Sunblade skill+2/AC 20 Str/Wis Melee
Small Ranged Weapon 2d6+2+Skill None Dex/Wis 50m
Large Ranged Weapon 3d8+Skill None Dex/Wis 500m
Sacred weapons always use Sunblade for the weapon skill and add it to the damage of all successful hit rolls.
52•Sunblade

Sunblade Class Abilities

Sunblades tend to develop different abilities at different or not they understand your words. The target
times, based on their interests and the focus of their or- gets a Mental save to resist; on a failure, they will
der. First level Sunblades all acquire the Sunblade Wield- believe what you have stated or carry out the re-
er, Esoteric Secrets, and Sunblade Effort abilities. At sec- quest you made, unless it would expose them to
ond, fourth, and every even-numbered level thereafter, physical danger or inflict deep emotional anguish.
they can pick one additional ability from the list given Targets who save against this ability are immune
below. They may also exchange a focus pick gained by to it for a scene. Compliance or clearly incorrect
advancing a character level for a power from this list. belief never lasts more than one scene.
Long Step: The Sunblade may Commit Effort as an On
Sunblade Wielder (Level 1): When using the sacred Turn action; as long as it remains Committed, they
weapon of their order, the Sunblade gains a bo- may use a Move action to make a leap of up to 10
nus to their hit roll equal to half their class level, meters horizontal or vertical distance. This leap
rounded up. Their sacred weapon always counts counts as a Fighting Withdrawal for escaping melee
as a magical weapon. engagements.
Esoteric Secrets (Level 1): The Sunblade may pick Arcane Mastery of Motion: The Sunblade may Commit Effort
Expert or Arcane Warrior foci with their choices, for the scene as a Main Action to use the Tele-
but each level in either type requires two picks kinesis discipline’s Telekinetic Manipulation tech-
instead of one. They may save focus picks for later nique for one round at a skill level equal to their
levels in order to afford such abilities. Sunblade skill.
Sunblade Effort (Level 1): You have a Sunblade Effort Mystical Resilience: The Sunblade may Commit Sun-
score which is committed and recovered just as blade Effort for the day as an Instant action to re-
psychic Effort is, but is tracked separately. Your roll a failed saving throw. They may reroll a saving
total Effort equals your Sunblade skill plus the throw with this ability only once. In addition, they
higher of your Wisdom or Charisma modifiers. gain +1 maximum hit point per character level,
retroactive to first level.
Other Abilities Robes of Discipline: When unarmored and carrying
a Readied sacred weapon, whether or not it is
Cosmic Insight: The Sunblade may Commit Sunblade drawn, the Sunblade’s base AC equals 16 plus their
Effort for the day as a Main Action to contem- Sunblade skill level. This AC can be modified by
plate a particular action they intend to take within Dexterity, but not by shields.
the next ten seconds. The GM describes what the Self-Sustenance: The Sunblade needs neither eat nor
Sunblade would likely perceive as that action’s drink, and is impervious to hostile environments
immediately consequent result, up to a minute as if they were wearing a vacc suit at all times.
afterwards. These results are based on what the Sense the Unseen: The Sunblade gains an intuitive sense
GM thinks is most likely to happen. of any magical energies within 30 meters, includ-
Deflect Bolts: When wielding a Readied sacred weapon, ing items, spellcasting or otherworldly entities.
the Sunblade may Commit Effort for the day as Sunblade Healer: By touching a living target as a Main
an Instant action to negate an otherwise success- Action, the PC can Commit Sunblade Effort for
ful ranged attack from a foe with equal or fewer the day to heal lost hit points equal to their Sun-
hit dice than the Sunblade’s character level. The blade skill level plus one in d6. Thus, a PC with
weapon may knock a bullet aside, disrupt a plasma Sunblade-1 skill would heal 2d6 damage when us-
blast with a counter-shot, or otherwise deflect it. ing this ability. The Sunblade may instead Commit
False Visions of the World: The Sunblade may Commit Sunblade Effort for the day to cure a non-con-
Sunblade Effort for the day as a Main Action to genital sickness rather than cure hit point damage.
conjure an audio-visual illusion within 30 meters Torrent of Energy: The PC may Commit Sunblade Ef-
consisting of figures or scenes occupying no more fort for the day as a Main Action to hurl a torrent
than five meters in radius. These illusions sound of mystical energy at one target within 30 meters.
and look real, but are intangible to the touch. The The torrent does 1d6 damage per character lev-
Sunblade can control and maintain the illusions so el, with a Physical save for half. Using this ability
long as they continue to spend a Main Action each more than once per day forces the PC to take half
round to do so, but they cannot make them move the damage they inflicted on the target.
out of the initial area of effect. Universal Speech: You can speak with and understand
Insinuating Will: You may Commit Sunblade Effort for any creature with a language. You gain a level in
the day as a Main Action to make a verbal sugges- the Diplomat focus as a bonus, acquiring level 1
tion to a single listener within 10 meters, whether in it, or level 2 if you already have the first level.
 Sunblade •53

Sunblade Backgrounds
Being a Sunblade is usually a lifetime commitment, a taking up their sacred weapons and embracing the
process begun in youth as an acolyte or oblate of the teachings of the elders. Such PCs might choose a more
order and culminating in an adulthood dedicated to conventional background, having come to their cur-
the order’s goals. A Sunblade raised in such cloistered rent abilities after several more years of teaching under
surroundings might choose one of the backgrounds the guidance of an experienced Sunblade.
listed below to represent their training and ties with In some sectors, the local Sunblades are an op-
their order. pressed and hunted group, forced to maintain a low
Not all orders recruit exclusively from acolytes, profile and spread their teachings one-on-one from
however, and particular groups of Sunblades might masters to trusted pupils. Such adepts might come from
include members who led very different lives before any background common in the sector.

Sunblade Mystic
You have been brought up to embrace the mysteries Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
of your order, dwelling on the deep spiritual and
esoteric significance of your powers. Mystics often Sunblade-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
serve as chaplains and spiritual guides for members 2 +2 Mental 2 Heal
of the order and devoted lay associates, and have Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Know
experience in diplomatic negotiations and peaceful
Sunblade-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Talk
resolution of differences. While all Sunblades have
at least moderate expertise with their sacred weap- Talk-0 5 Know 5 Connect
on, Mystics have been trained to seek alternative Know-0 6 Any Skill 6 Lead
methods of resolving difficulties before reaching for 7 Perform
their holy steel.
8 Exert

Sunblade Warrior
Your hero was consecrated to the sword, a warrior
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
in the cause of your order and a soldier of your
esoteric path. Even otherwise pacifistic orders of Sunblade-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
Sunblades usually have at least some such warriors, 2 +2 Physical 2 Any Combat
trained in ancient arts and exploring the myster- Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Exert
ies of sinew and will on the path to enlightenment.
Some such warriors may spend their whole lives Sunblade-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Sneak
without ever drawing their sacred weapon in anger, Any Combat-0 5 Exert 5 Lead
but such is their discipline and arcane training that Exert-0 6 Any Skill 6 Know
few find it profitable to engage them. 7 Notice
8 Survive

Sunblade Burnout
The Sunblade’s life is usually wound about with a Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
maze of taboos, restrictions, demands, and duties. Sunblade-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
Not every Sunblade finds such a life tolerable forev-
er. Some depart their orders in wrath and bitterness, 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Any Skill
while others just sink down into a weary mire of Quick Skills 3 +1 Any Stat 3 Any Skill
indifference. Such burnouts tend to use their abil- Sunblade-0 4 +1 Any Stat 4 Know
ities in ways their teachers would find scandalous,
Connect-0 5 Any Skill 5 Talk
either to advance their own interests or just make
a bearable living in the sector. Most Sunblades with Any Skill-0 6 Any Skill 6 Sneak
this background will have extensive experience in 7 Survive
living on the wrong side of social approval, even in 8 Connect
those sectors where they are not actively hunted or
persecuted by their upright brethren.
54•War mage

WAR MAGE
Given the potential utility of magic on the battlefield,
it was inevitable that some traditions of military mag- War Mage Abilities
ic should be developed by aspiring galactic hegemons. War Mages are treated as Magisters with access to the
While the details of these military orders vary from War Mage spell list. They gain the same number of
sector to sector, the universal requirements of the mod- known spells per level and spell slots usable per day as
ern battlefield have given most of them a very similar any other Magister, as given on page 19.
set of capabilities. Unlike other Magisters, their martial training
gives them a better attack bonus. They have a base at-
War Mage History tack bonus equal to half their character level, rounded
After the development of the SANIS interface it was down. Partial War Mages share this quality.
only a matter of time before governmental researchers Contrary to popular imagination, War Mages do
throughout human space turned their attention to ways not particularly specialize in directly damaging spells.
of making military use of this new capability. Persistent Their usual access to heavy artillery and a squad of elite
stories suggest that some of these research programs soldiers makes most direct-damage spells superfluous.
even predated the SANIS project, with certain breeds Instead, War Mages focus on support spells that
of “War Mages” coming into existence well before the are useful to small, highly-trained groups of military
spread of conventional Academic magic. Others insist operatives. Emergency injury stabilization, carrying
that these supposed predecessors were simply conven- heavy burdens long distances, resupplying ammo, cre-
tional psychics using specialized techniques that have ating quick firing positions, getting messages through
since been lost with the prevalence of more convenient to headquarters, and getting damaged vehicles func-
arcane spells. tioning long enough to get to a target destination
It was rapidly understood that a military spellcaster are the sort of spells that absorb a War Mage’s focus.
was most effective as a force multiplier for small groups They’re particularly known for using engram charges,
of well-trained soldiers. A single skilled War Mage described on page 145, to provide situational spells.
could provide a host of support functions that would War Mage spells can often be theoretically dupli-
normally require a much larger number of soldiers to cated by the effects of ordinary TL4 technology, but
provide, along with certain tactical options that were often only by shipping in vehicles or constructing
literally impossible to acquire without their help. A weapon emplacements in ways that would be totally
War Mage could change the terms of any engagement. impractical in the kind of small-unit situations that
Military bureaucracies thrive on classification and War Mages usually find themselves in. Having access
predictability, and so the SANIS interface was restrict- to an effective heavy weapons platform is not much
ed, focused, and keyed to Magister-type spell access. It of a miracle to an artillery battalion. It is a consider-
was not necessary for each War Mage to have access ably greater advantage to an adventuring party pinned
to every possible spell in the corpus of their art, it was down in an alien tyrant’s palace gardens. War Mages
only necessary that they have flexible use of the abilities can provide access to the kind of options that usually
they did acquire, and that such abilities could be reli- require a fully-supplied military unit to provide.
ably deployed by their superiors. The right War Mage
could be paired with the right mission, and their Ma- Partial and Heroic War Mages
gister-style spell access ensured that they could wield Partial War Mages are treated just like any other partial
whatever spell was necessary to deal with the imme- Magister. Thus, they’d learn spells and have available
diate situation. daily spell slots as if they were half their character level,
These War Mages were all initially students of rounded up, but would cast those spells at their full
governmental organizations or particularly martial character level.
religious or business groups, but it was inevitable that Heroic War Mages have all the usual abilities of
their techniques should gradually bleed out into the full War Mages, but also learn one extra spell of each
wider world. Certain mercenary groups soon picked spell level they are capable of casting. In addition, they
up similar capabilities, and their survivors and alumni can pick one spell from each spell level they are capa-
spread the arts still further. Many War Mages in the ble of casting; this spell may be cast as often as desired
modern day are simply affiliated with particular em- without expending spell slots for the day. These unlim-
ployers on a contract basis, relying on the reputations ited spells may not be used to fuel arcane foci or other
they’ve built or the fame of their training institution to abilities that require expending a spell slot. They may
win the trust of potential patrons. Governments still change their unlimited spell choices with a day’s work.
greatly prefer to use “in-house” talent trained by their In Heroic campaigns, War Mages roll 1d8 for their
own military forces, but such luxuries in loyalty are not Fray die. Unlike some other arcane classes, they can
always available. only apply this die against lesser foes.
 War mage •55

War Mages in Play spells that invoke or interface with tech elements that
Almost all War Mages are veterans of some kind of don’t exist in your world. Alternately, the War Mages
military experience. Not all of them have been formal might be some of the few arcane wielders who actually
soldiers, but their talents and abilities are intimately understand the ancient tech well enough to invoke it..
entwined with the use of martial force on a battlefield. Their spells might be reskinned as activation of un-
It’s possible that a particularly green apprentice might fathomable alien science or lost human technology to
have received her training without ever actually put- create their military marvels.
ting it into use, but such cases are rare at best. Space Fantasy: War Mages tend to fit well in most
If you include War Mages in your campaign, you’ll Space Fantasy campaigns, as the magic in such settings
want to think about the degree to which magic is in- tends to revolve around enhancing or enabling many
volved in conventional warfare in your sector. It may of the tropes of modern sci-fi. If starship drives operate
be that military engagements are still overwhelmingly based on combined fusion cells and metadimensional
mundane, with magic so rare or poorly-understood containment runes, it’s a small stretch to have an arcane
that armies have no meaningful involvement with it. artillery strike called in. Some War Mages might not
War Mages in such sectors would be extremely rare, even find their magic to be particularly magical at all,
perhaps the product of secret research programs or the instead considering it just one more piece of battlefield
last heirs of forgotten martial traditions. technology to deploy.
In sectors where magic is a more active, common Street Magic: War Mages fit perfectly into most
part of public life, it’s much more likely that each major modern Street Magic-styled campaigns. A mercenary
army has at least one group of War Mages available past or actual institutions of neutral military instruc-
to train apprentices and deploy as needed. In practice, tion might produce more of their kind, and plenty of
these agents might cancel each other out more often patrons are usually available to hire the services of a
than not, resulting in a status quo that looks a lot like mage optimized for small-unit tactics. Other War Mag-
warfare as we know it. You can choose this option if es might be ordinary soldiers gifted with uncanny pow-
you’d prefer not to deeply rethink how military sci-fi ers due to some wartime experience or contact with an
tropes might change with the addition of magic,. otherworldly patron.
The War Mage can fulfill a number of different Conventional Fantasy: The biggest alteration nec-
roles depending on the particular style of campaign you essary to fit a War Mage into a standard fantasy world
intend to run. is to strip out or reflavor those spells that are specifi-
Sword and Planet: Many War Mage spells imply cally intended to interface with advanced technology.
the existence of common, high-tech military resources The actual effects might be the same, but they’re now
in a setting, such as artillery and advanced comms. This much more overtly arcane marvels, and not duplica-
tech is sometimes absent in a Sword and Planet setting, tions of effects that local technology could produce. As
with tech being altogether less reliable, understood, or a selected military elite, War Mages might be consid-
strictly scientific in its operation. If you introduce War ered much closer to mundane knights in society than
Mages to such a campaign, you might simply disallow to pointy-hatted sorcerers.
56•War mage

War Mage Spell List

Level 1 War Mage Spells Effect
Ammo Drop Reloads allied weapons and keeps them full for a short time
Combat Stabilization Temporarily stabilizes a mortally-wounded ally
Consecrated Arms Grants a +1 bonus to weapon hit and damage for the party while Light Focus is held
Field Report Opens a brief telepathic speech link to a willing target while Deep Focus is held
Force Shelter Conjures a metadimensional tent shelter that also conceals those inside it
Meta-rations Feeds and waters allies for a day per caster level, but can’t be kept up constantly
Ruck Platform Summons a floating platform to bear heavy loads or downed allies
This Is My Rifle Calls a personal weapon owned by the caster to hand from any intra-solar distance

Level 2 War Mage Spells

Commando Invocation Hides the caster and allies from some TL4 sensors and grants night vision
Fighting Withdrawal Short-range group teleport that goes off at the end of the round
Firing Position Conjures metadimensional barrier that serves as a wall or a covered firing position
Ghost Soldiers Create illusions of the caster and allies that remain as long as Light Focus is held
Roof Instantiation Call up an overhead screen that moves with the caster and screens from aerial view
Rookie Courage Imbue allies with tremendous courage and +2 to hit, at a cost of -2 to AC
Salvage Gear Repair a vehicle, object, or other piece of gear so long as Light Focus is held
Stifle Explosion Instantly squelch a grenade, explosion, artillery blast, or other concussive detonation

Level 3 War Mage Spells

Artillery Strike Invoke a 1d8/level metadimensional blast, but it goes off at the next round’s end
Breaching Charge Disintegrate a section of wall or other structure on an instant or delayed timer
Double Tap Doubles a chosen ally’s attack speed while Light Focus is held, costing System Strain
High Road Invocation Grant the caster and two allies per level a limited flight at 10m per Main Action
Tank Kill Touch a vehicle to instantly disable it for a short period, forcing open any hatches
Team Liaison Grant an ally the ability to speak with anyone and read, but not write, anything
Terror of Battle Causes all targets in a small burst area to suffer a Morale check
Walking Wounded Stabilize and get mobile all downed targets in a 10-meter zone, but they remain fragile

Level 4 War Mage Spells

Entrenchment Kinesis Move earth and soil to create structures such as berms and trenches
Forced March Make the caster and 2 allies/level tireless for one day per level, with 1 HP/hour healing
Metadimensional Minefield Conjures an invisible minefield in an area; moving into it risks 4d6 mine explosions
Radio Intercept Protocol Detect and overhear all nearby pertinent comm messages, even encrypted ones
Voice of Command Issue a one-sentence order that targets will obey; induces Haze 2
War Gas Cloud Creates a toxic gas cloud that does 2 HP/caster level in damage to susceptible targets

Level 5 War Mage Spells

Air Cover Creates mobile overhead shield that deflects aerial attacks and TL4 sensors
Forlorn Hope's Charge Very brief, impervious group force field that also prevents attacks from the subjects
Infectious Despair Instantly triggers a group Morale check at -3 when an ally kills or defeats one of them
Murphy's Law Cause a visible vehicle or equipment piece to malfunction or disintegrate
Summon Fire Support Conjures a fixed gun emplacement that can be manned to provide fire support
Ten Thousand Bullets Invoke 1d10 dmg/level rain of death on target, but with dire effects if interrupted
 War mage •57

War Mage Backgrounds

Virtually all War Mages get their training from some Not all War Mages consider themselves soldiers
established organization, usually beginning in their late first and foremost, however. The backgrounds below
teens. Viable candidates are identified among a mass offer some suggestions for a PC who’s known nothing
of conscripts and recruits, training for several years is but their service, but characters who’ve left the mili-
provided, and then those lucky graduates pay off the tary and spent significant time in some other profession
investment in one or more tours of duty. Independent might choose a Background more suitable for their new
schools affiliated with mercenary groups or martial life, whether as a Technician or a Worker or some less
religious orders might teach outsiders with no inten- martial pursuit. Not all of these peacefully-employed
tion of joining a military force, but payment is almost former mages left their old employers on good terms,
always exacted in service, one way or another. and some might have reckonings yet owed.

War Mage Veteran

While few militaries have so many War Mages that Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
they can afford to treat them like ordinary grunts,
you were on the dirty end of the spear all the same. Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
In all likelihood, you’ve been a lot of places, killed 2 +2 Physical 2 Any Combat
a lot of people, and seen a lot of friends die. Some Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Cast Magic
such veterans are scarred by their experiences, but Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Connect
others from less pacifistic cultures or with different
temperaments can find it to be just another job, and Any Combat-0 5 Cast Magic 5 Exert
perhaps a thoroughly enjoyable one. For one reason Exert-0 6 Any Skill 6 Heal
or another, however, you’re now at liberty to seek 7 Notice
your own future among the stars. 8 Survive

War Mage Officer

You had some form of leadership responsibilities
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
during your service, possibly as an NCO in charge
of a fire team or a lieutenant on the front line with Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
your platoon. Many military forces are reluctant to 2 +2 Physical 2 Cast Magic
give War Mages significant leadership duties, find- Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
ing that it distracts them from the focus necessary
Cast Magic-0 4 +2 Cha 4 Exert
for their arcane arts. Sudden casualties and prag-
matic necessity can change that calculus, however, Any Combat-0 5 Lead 5 Know
and for whatever the reason, you know what it’s Lead-0 6 Any Skill 6 Lead
like to lead soldiers in battle. Now that you have 7 Notice
your liberty, your ability to coordinate allies in com-
8 Talk
bat may be the best trick you have in your arsenal.

War Mage Rebel

However rigorous and focused a training regimen Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
might be, there will always be those who don’t quite Cast Magic-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
fit. You may have been the black sheep of your unit,
or a burnout who’s seen death too often for comfort,
2 +2 Physical 2 Cast Magic
or a zealous outsider who’s learned a War Mage’s Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
skills through independent talent and study of de- Cast Magic-0 4 +1 Any Stat 4 Exert
classified documents, but you aren’t part of any Sneak-0 5 Any Skill 5 Pilot
standing military force and you probably wouldn’t
be suited for it even if you were. Your freelancing Any Combat-0 6 Any Skill 6 Sneak
may or may not be licit in the society you come 7 Survive
from, and there may be prior instructors or employ- 8 Talk
ers with a vested interest in making a discouraging
example out of you.
58•Yama king

YAMA KING
The Black Magistrates, the Ten Merciful Sages, the The wealth of the Exchange allowed it to employ
Judges of Hell… the adepts known as the Yama Kings mercenaries, or to inflict financial punishment on
have worn many names in the centuries since their malefactors, but both hired guns and market crashes
path was first formulated. They are reckoners of sins tended to be far too imprecise a tool of chastisement.
and discerners of broken bargains. Employed for cen- The goal of the Exchange would hardly be furthered if
turies by the banker-monks of the Exchange of Light, just rebuke always came with collateral damage.
offshoots and private sects of this teaching have also The Yama King program was born out of this
spread to other organizations and governments, not conundrum. The tremendous material resources of
always without changes to their purpose. the Exchange allowed it to enlist some of the finest
minds of human space to create multiple protocols
Yama King History for enhancing and augmenting human agents, ones
The original Yama Kings were intimately intertwined that the Exchange could control precisely and direct
with the interstellar diplomatic and banking consor- with pinpoint accuracy. Numerous different types of
tium known as the Exchange of Light. This organiza- augmentation programs were devised: genetic boosts,
tion was dedicated to a Buddhist-infused philosophy of cybernetic hardware, external augmentation tech, and
strict impartiality and neutrality, offering its banking the methods described here of wielding arcane energies.
services and diplomatic assistance to any planetary gov- These other Yama King subgroups each had their
ernment that elected to make use of them. In many own function, but the magically-augmented agents
sectors, the persistence of the credit as a medium of were carefully developed as investigators and conflict
exchange and the very existence of interplanetary com- resolution specialists. Modifications to the basic psy-
munications hinged entirely on the neutral brokerage chic SANIS interface allowed a trained Yama King to
provided by the Exchange. tap into the ambient telepathic context of the sentients
The Exchange was a particular mix of hard-eyed around them, providing an uncanny degree of social
high finance and Buddhist philosophy. The original awareness in its most basic form, and permitting exten-
founders of the Exchange had been convinced that the sive psychosocial engineering for skilled practitioners.
elimination of involuntary poverty, worldly conflict, The Yama Kings were roving judges and magis-
and avoidable fleshly suffering was crucial if the gal- trates, charged with the mandate of the Exchange to
axy was to be brought to understand the wisdom of resolve all difficulties and ameliorate all conflicts. They
the Buddha. The truth of existence was suffering, but would be dispatched to correct broken contracts, re-
that very suffering made it impossible for ordinary men buke treacherous partners, and resolve honest differ-
and women to ever quietly contemplate the Four No- ences of interpretation. Their magical abilities allowed
ble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Such distractions them to understand situations perfectly and gave them
would need to be cleared away until the whole galaxy the tools necessary to enforce their judgments on oth-
was serene and capable of receiving proper instruction. ers, whether by word or by a well-placed sniper round.
As a consequence, the Exchange found itself deal- Yama King training protocols rapidly spread
ing with a tremendous variety of human societies and throughout magically-active sectors with an Exchange
organizations throughout human space. Very few presence, and other agents were initiated into the com-
sectors were entirely without an Exchange consulate plex and subtle arts of the discipline. Over time, the
somewhere, and their comm buoys, messenger ships, classified research that the Exchange had sponsored
and secure ledgers often formed the backbone of a sec- leaked to other groups and organizations, both gov-
tor’s financial stability. They rarely directly involved ernmental and private.
themselves in a sector’s finances. Instead, they were With the Scream and the collapse of most inter-
content to serve as brokers and tabulators for the locals, stellar travel, the Exchange disintegrated as well. Rem-
the better to facilitate mutual prosperity and peace. nants exist here and there, and the ancient financial
While the Exchange had no official interest in substrate of many sectors still runs on Exchange proto-
secular control over distant worlds, and were scrupu- cols and hardware, but the Yama Kings are now more
lously careful about remaining neutral in conflicts, it myth than reality to most worlds.
was an inevitability that they would find themselves Even so, some groups retain the core of the teach-
threatened by ambitious planetary rulers or cheated by ings, and are able to initiate new adepts into the arts of
powerful outsiders. Financial instruments would not cultural metamorphosis and psycho-legal imprinting.
be honored, Exchange property would be seized, and Some groups actively seek to use their powers to gain
deals brokered through Exchange diplomats would be control over their host society, while others act as en-
torn up at a planetary ruler’s convenience. Without forcers and diplomats for governments and religions. A
some recourse, there was little the Exchange could do few retain their Buddhist principles, but most modern
to discourage such behavior. Yama Kings have a much more secular mind.
 Yama king •59

Yama King Abilities Yama Kings in Play

The Yama King’s class abilities revolve around laws, The Yama King class works best when the campaign
bargains, and social rules. They can fit perfectly into is likely to involve a lot of negotiation, exploration of
any society they encounter, understand its rules intui- new societies, and social interaction. A Yama King in
tively, and manipulate their own societal role and the a party exploring a derelict space station or roaming an
community’s own laws to achieve their purposes. alien jungle might not have much of an opportunity to
Outside of social interactions, however the Yama employ their class abilities. Occasional sessions where
King has few special abilities. Without a social context the PC’s talents aren’t in the spotlight are fine, but if
to manipulate, they’re just an Expert with no class abili- you’re envisioning an entire campaign of gunplay or
ty, no bonus skill points or focus, and the ability to pick one entirely revolving around space-palace intrigue,
Arcane Expert foci. the Yama King may be too tangential or too powerfully
Yama Kings are not a combat-oriented Adept class, focused to suit your campaign.
but they do excel at assassination, particularly when The basic archetype of the Yama King is “wander-
using their diplomatic talents to get close enough to the ing magical judge”, for those GMs who want to strip
target to administer the necessary adjustment. Masters off the class history and reskin it with something more
of the path can execute people in broad daylight, with specific to their game. In any situation where you need
any bystanders finding themselves unable to articulate a class to represent some itinerant magistrate or special
any reason why such action was inappropriate or illegal. inquisitor, the Yama King class can serve as an outline.
Sword and Planet: Most of these campaigns won’t
Partial and Heroic Yama Kings have any use for the Yama King’s history or context,
Partial Yama Kings are treated as is usual for partial but you can still use them as magically-empowered
Adepts, with abilities being gained as if they were half judges and magistrates for some larger organization. In
their character level, rounded up, and being applied some cases, they might be the outright rulers of partic-
with their full character level. There is no specific He- ular nations or isolated asteroids, their arcane decrees
roic Yama King class, so PCs in a Heroic campaign will enforced by magical vigilance over a populace they rule
need to blend it into a Heroic Adventurer’s mix. for their own good.
Partial Yama Kings may have only received a frag- Space Fantasy: Space Fantasy can be a little tricky
mentary instruction in the arts, either due to a cor- for Yama Kings because it’s customary in a lot of Space
rupted transmission tradition or a premature depar- Fantasy settings to blur lines of cultural difference. Ev-
ture from the program. Others might simply be social ery space station is a floating cantina of similar-minded
prodigies with incredible powers of instinctive insight. strangers, and PCs tend only to encounter clearly dif-
ferent, separate cultures when the GM wants to make
a point about how isolated or xenophobic the locals are.
Most developed places seem to have a generic default
“space civilization” that everyone seems to subscribe to,
maybe with a few flavor details changed. If you include
Yama Kings in such a setting, be watchful for the lines
of actual cultural difference and be able to tell when a
certain place is or isn’t part of a certain culture. If you
don’t, their class abilities may not work correctly.
Street Magic: Given the usual tone of a Street
Magic game, “wandering judge” is rarely a good fit.
Still, a magical pact-enforcer, a dealmaker who can be
trusted to make sure a deal gets executed as written, is
a much more attractive archetype for the class. The
Yama King’s talents might be employed by patrons who
need to ensure a deal gets resolved correctly. Not fairly,
mind you, just correctly.
Conventional Fantasy: A Yama King translated into
a normal fantasy setting might be attached to a particu-
lar religion as a diplomat, spy, and assassin, particularly
if the faith is one that needs extremely discreet agents
in polite society.
Conversely, the Yama King might be an actual em-
issary of the afterlife, either an otherworldly entity or a
human possessed by an infernal judge. Such an entity
could be charged with upholding the principles of their
patron in the world, whether or not the world likes it.
60•Yama king

Yama King Class Abilities

Passport of Hell (Level 1): You instinctively blend into context and may optionally immediately inflict
whatever culture or society you are physically oc- 1d8 hit points of damage on the culprit per hit die
cupying. You can speak, read, and write the local or character level of the offended party.
language flawlessly so long as you are involved The Scent of Offense (Level 5): When personally com-
with that society, and intuitively know enough missioned by a subject who has suffered a broken
about the culture to avoid breaking important ta- bargain or been the victim of what their society
boos or standing out with odd behavior. This does would consider a significant crime, you may un-
not change your physical appearance. erringly trace the primary offending party, having
Uncanny Bargain (Level 1): You may choose Arcane a constant sense of their direction and rough dis-
Expert foci with your focus picks. If taken as a tance provided they are in the same solar system.
partial Yama King class, no more than half your The victim must know the culprit’s name or have
foci, rounded up, can be Arcane Expert foci unless a clear idea of their real appearance to invoke this
the other class also grants access to them. ability. You may track only one culprit at a time,
Tallies Thrown Down (Level 1): When making an Exe- and cannot pick up an abandoned trail unless you
cution Attack, your attack roll or skill check to hit visit the victim personally again. You do not count
is invariably successful. as a victim for your own use of this ability.
Judicious Understanding (Level 2): You acquire an in- The Magistrate’s Fist (Level 6): Against the current tar-
nate comprehension of whatever legal jurisdiction get of The Scent of Offense you roll your attack rolls
you currently physically inhabit or have physical- and damage rolls twice, taking the better result.
ly inhabited in the past. You have a profession- The Magistrate’s Edict (Level 7): Once per day, as a Main
al-grade legal understanding of all local laws or Action, you may decree one law that all NPCs in
law-equivalent customs. When making Know, your presence will obey to the extent that they
Administer, Connect, or Trade skill checks relat- obey any important local law or custom. NPCs
ed to legal matters or social customs, roll 3d6 and will obey even irrational or inexplicable laws if
drop the lowest die. they have orderly habits or are not greatly in-
Colorless Face (Level 2): Your Passport of Hell ability is convenienced by it. Laws that will clearly cause
upgraded, allowing you to adopt the appearance them harm to obey or threaten significant injury
and ordinary clothing of a mathematically aver- or loss will be ignored. NPCs pressed to perform
aged member of the society you physically occupy. distasteful acts by their inclination to compliance
This false face remains static for any given culture, can make a Mental save to resist the decree. The
and you can only have one false identity per cul- law remains in effect only for the rest of the scene.
ture, but it has its own DNA and physical form Silent Leges (Level 8): As a Main Action, accept a point
and cannot be detected by non-magical means. of System Strain to become imperceptible to sen-
Shifting into and out of this face takes a Main Ac- tient living creatures around you. The shroud lasts
tion, and you can do it whether or not you are for five minutes, or until you act to draw attention.
currently physically occupying the cultural space Censor’s Gaze (Level 9): An NPC in your presence who
from which you originally derived the identity. attempts to lie to you or deceive you must make
Constable’s Inducement of Truth (Level 3): The same a Mental saving throw before they can attempt to
round in which you or your comrades personally do so. Success makes them immune for the scene.
strike and cause pain to a target, you may ask the Bearer of the Vermillion Rescript (Level 10): Once per
target a single question, assuming they are still day, you and your present allies have one scene
alive. The target makes a Mental save; on a failure, worth of time in which they are entirely outside
they must provide one sentence of a truthful, un- the local laws and customs. You may do anything
deceptive answer made to the best of their knowl- with legal impunity; data recording the event will
edge. If they succeed on the save, they resist the somehow become corrupted or lost, and NPCs
inducement to speak. This ability can be used on learning about it later will forget the information,
a particular target only once per day. rationalize your behavior as reasonable, or blame
Consecrated Bargain (Level 4): When you make a deal someone else for it. NPCs present at the time you
with an NPC, you may accept a point of System perform unlawful or unacceptable acts may act
Strain to charge the bargain with magical force. to stop you in the moment if you are personally
The NPC is aware of this if you do so, as well as the threatening or endangering them, but otherwise
consequences of breaking the deal. If either you or require a Mental save to act against you. You will
the NPC break the agreement or violate its good- never suffer formal legal or cultural repercussions
faith intent, this ability ends and the counterparty for your actions, but offended individuals may still
becomes instantly aware of the violation and its respond with extra-legal measures and actions.
 Yama king •61

Yama King Backgrounds

Those with the gifts of a Yama King have usually cul- It’s not impossible, however, for a PC with a de-
tivated them from youth onward. The arcane arts that cidedly different past to become a Yama King. In such
fuel their uncanny abilities are not easily mastered, cases the PC might show a remarkable aptitude for the
and relatively few practitioners come to the profes- protocols, or their past life might have been such as to
sion late in life. Most candidates arrive as an early-re- ideally suit them for the learning. Other PCs may have
cruited member of a Yama King cell or a likely young inherited their powers in a much more quickly-imbued
government agent trained in inherited protocols. The way, perhaps receiving an ancestral blessing or becom-
backgrounds below provide three different flavors of ing the magically-appointed successor of an earlier ad-
training for creating PCs with somewhat different ap- ept. Such rapidly-made Yama Kings may not have the
proaches to fulfilling a Yama King’s duties. best grasp on their abilities or their consequences.

Accountant of Life and Death

You are an investigator and a judge, trained in Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
countless methods of discernment, adjudication,
and analysis. You specialize in finding out the real Notice-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Notice
facts behind tangled circumstances and seeming- 2 +2 Mental 2 Any Combat
ly-clear situations, extracting meaning from the Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Talk
complex contexts that surround so many crimes
Notice-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Connect
and broken bargains. What is hidden, you find, and
what is done, you judge. You may be an adept of Talk-0 5 Notice 5 Program
a surviving Yama King cell once employed by the Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Trade
Exchange or you might be a governmental agent 7 Administer
trained in venerable arts of arcane adjudication.
8 Notice

Celestial Loss Preventer

Sometimes it is necessary to prevent a bad situation
Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
from becoming worse. As a Celestial Loss Preventer,
you are a diplomat and negotiator, trained in salvag- Talk-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
ing bad situations and forging new, more durable 2 +1 Any Stat 2 Talk
arrangements out of broken bargains… and able Quick Skills 3 +2 Mental 3 Connect
to recognize when no future mitigation is possi-
ble. You may be a diplomat who has inherited the Talk-0 4 +2 Mental 4 Trade
ancient techniques of the Exchange, a Yama King Connect-0 5 Talk 5 Administer
with a naturally light touch for justice, or a native Trade-0 6 Any Skill 6 Talk
prodigy with nigh-magical abilities to bring har- 7 Heal
mony and agreement no matter where you roam.
8 Know

Devil’s Incense
Sometimes there can be no negotiation and no mit- Free Skill d6 Growth d8 Learning
igation. Sometimes it is simply necessary to enact Any Combat-0 1 +1 Any Stat 1 Any Combat
an appropriate consequence for crime, treachery,
or inadequate performance of an agreement. Like 2 +2 Physical 2 Any Combat
infernal smoke, you have been trained in infiltrat- Quick Skills 3 +2 Physical 3 Sneak
ing the most closely-guarded places and most xe- Any Combat-0 4 +2 Physical 4 Connect
nophobic groups, becoming part of the air around
Sneak-0 5 Any Combat 5 Exert
your target before you finally strike. You could be
a sublimely talented social assassin, a Yama King Connect-0 6 Any Skill 6 Survive
cell executioner, or a government hit man with a 7 Talk
more-than-mundane license to kill. 8 Program
 THE ARCANE ARTS
A mage without spells is of little consequence, and a
SANIS-equipped sorcerer has need of the fruits of for- Developing New Spells
mer scholarship. This chapter provides spell lists for Each spell lists includes guidelines on what sort of ef-
the Arcanist, Pacter, Rectifier, and War Mage classes, fects are and are not within the scope of the tradition.
and a selection of new Arcane foci for those classes If you’re using the Arcane Research rules from the
allowed to take advantage of them. chapter in this book, you can use the guidelines there
Both Magisters and Arcanists, but particularly the on page 103 for developing new arcana. If you are
latter, must be careful in choosing their available sor- not using Occult Lore in your game, simply use the
ceries. A mage who seeks to be ready for anything is rules anyway, but replace the Occult Lore cost with the
a mage who will succeed at very little; they simply do limitation that the PC can’t develop more than one new
not have the free power and flexible abilities necessary spell per six in-game months.
to be ready to handle any circumstance. A Psychic can In the larger sense, a GM should be willing to let
choose abilities that are useful in wide ranges of situa- PCs develop new spells. It’s a useful sink for excess
tions. A Warrior knows they will always excel in armed credits and the promise of new lore can provoke a mage
conflict, and an Expert knows that they will be useful in to mighty feats of adventuring.
any situation where mundane talents are relevant, but There are always concerns about balance when-
a mage is limited to a very few special tricks at a time. ever approving new magic, but as the GM, you should
The key for such spellcasters is not to seek excellence in be more concerned with the balance at your table and
all things, but to be able to shape the situation so that in your campaign than more abstract general consider-
their specific tricks are exactly the impossibilities the ations. Some spells that might be totally unsuitable for
party needs for success. the general public could be a perfect fit for the specific
The arcane arts are tools. Specific, specialized, pre- mix of players and situation you have.
cise tools, ones requiring a sufficiently intelligent and Be wary of new spells that solve problems directly.
sophisticated user to get the best results. A party that A spell that simply eliminates one class of challenge or
seeks to get the best benefit from a mage’s assistance problem is much less desirable than a spell that opens
is advised to shape the situation as much as the mage. up new possibilities for the caster. Arcana that amounts
An Arcanist can produce a theoretically limitless range to “You can’t lie to me.” is much less interesting than
of small miracles. The wise party ensures that those a spell that produces “You can’t tell when I’m lying.”
specific small miracles are exactly the ones their plan Encourage spells that create new methods of problem
needs to succeed. solving rather than those that are mere universal keys.
 The arcane arts •63

Spell Terminology
For the sake of conciseness, certain limits and assump-
tions are not written into every single spell. The defini- Range
tion of a “visible target” is not repeated in each spell en- Some spells specify particular ranges in meters, while
try, but is just given here before the individual entries. others simply indicate that the target must be visible.
Other ambiguities and particulars are also clarified here. In the latter case, the target can be no further than one
In cases where things seem ambiguous to the kilometer away. Even if some small glimpse of them
GM and it could go either way, they can call for a Cast is visible at that distance, they are just too far away for
Magic skill check at some appropriate difficulty, usually the spell to reach.
ranging from 8 to 12.
Targets
Duration A “target” qualifies as any person or object within
Spells last as long as they indicate in their description. range of the spell. A target that must be touched can
Some simply last for a flat number of rounds or hours be touched automatically outside of a combat situa-
based on the casting level of the mage. tion, assuming the caster is adjacent. If the target is
Many are tied to maintaining Focus; when the intentionally avoiding the caster’s touch, it requires a
caster ceases to dedicate Focus to the spell, it either conventional hit roll. Touching a subject’s clothing or
ends immediately or drops after a certain amount of armor is sufficient, provided firm contact is made.
time, depending on the spell’s description. Thus, if it A caster is always a valid target for their own spell,
says that it lasts an hour per level after Focus is lost, a unless the spell description specifically says otherwise.
5th level Arcanist will keep it going for five hours even Thus, when a spell says it can be “cast on a visible target”
after he ceases to dedicate Focus to it. It is not possi- it can be cast on the mage himself as well.
ble to re-establish Focus on a spell after it is dropped, An “enemy” is any target specifically nominated
even if it is still in effect. Remember that Focus can be as so by the caster. Thus, if a spell affects all enemies
maintained even while the caster is asleep, provided within an area, all targets that the caster intends to be
they have a few minutes to mentally prepare them- affected will be hit while no other target will be.
selves before resting. Casters always nominate targets and other specif-
ic details of a spell’s casting at the very moment it is
Levels and Hit Dice cast. They do not have to decide such things at the start
Many spells have effects based on the level of the caster. of the round, when they must choose whether or not
When these spells are being cast by NPCs who have hit to cast a particular spell. Thus, a PC might choose to
dice instead of levels, just use the NPC’s hit die in place launch a Neural Burn Cascade at the start of a firefight,
of the level, up to a maximum level of ten. but wait to choose which gunman to aim it at until the
Unless otherwise specified, spells never do more very moment he releases the magic.
than ten dice of damage and their caster level is never
treated as being more than ten, regardless of the level Visibility
or hit dice of the character casting them. Some spells require a visible target. By default, this
means that the caster must be able to see the target with
Mind-Influencing Spells their own unaided vision. Cybernetic augmentations,
If a target fails a saving throw associated with a mind-in- magical scrying, telecommunications, mirrors, or other
fluencing spell or effect, they are unable to realize that tricks cannot bypass this limit.
they are under magical influence. A Haze check might If the caster cannot directly see the target but
snap them out of it, but barring that they will attempt knows where they are, they can be targeted normally.
to rationalize and explain any uncharacteristic urges Thus, standing behind a curtain won’t prevent a subject
or impulses the spell may induce. They will do so even from being targeted if their real location is obvious. If
in defiance of common sense; sure, the Arcanist just the target is hidden, however, such as in deep darkness
made arcane gestures at them and spoke magic words, or behind cover that obscures their position, the GM
but that’s got nothing to do with their sudden urge to may force a Wis/Cast Magic skill check based on the
be the fellow’s best friend. Of course, onlookers who completeness of the cover. Targeting such a subject re-
see the exchange are likely to recognize the reality of quires some hint of their location, by sound or glimpse
the situation and act accordingly. or some other means, with the difficulty ranging from
A target that resists the spell or snaps out of it due 9 to 14 based on how little a clue is available. Failure
to a Haze check will be fully aware of the influence means the spell is targeted off-center by 1d10 meters.
and anything they did or thought while under the spell.
Most worlds with magical traditions have legal systems
capable of pursuing and punishing such chicanery.
64• Arcanist spells

Arcanist Spells
Arcanists have a distinctly larger number of spells in three first level spells, while a five hit die NPC might
their compass than their more specialized Magister know nine first level spells, six second, and three third
peers. The ones listed in this section are just some of level invocations.
the more common ones spread throughout human GMs who wish to import Arcanist spells from oth-
space. Individual traditions in particular sectors might er old-school games should generally feel free to do so,
have a very different selection of abilities. but they should keep mindful of the particular limits
Unlike Magisters, however, Arcanists need to have to Arcanist spells in the Stars Without Number setting.
the necessary study material to master each of their High-level mages are not meant to be omnicompetent
spells, rather than having the entire corpus embedded problem-solvers or to outdo a more combat-focused
in their early training. As such, a particular Arcanist character in damage or martial conflict resolution.
usually knows only a modest number of spells, however Some classic spells like Fireball or Teleport may not
large their tradition’s body of knowledge might be. suit at all, and spells of more than fifth level should
For NPC Arcanists, you can assume that they be avoided barring careful consideration. Spells should
know three times as many spells of each level as they also not be allowed if they stomp on existing PC niches;
are actually able to cast. Thus, a one hit die NPC Ar- magical divination spells don’t fit well in a campaign
canist who casts as a first level character might know where Psychic precognitives have a place.

Level 1 Arcanist Spells Level 3 Arcanist Spells

Aspect of Elegance Arcane Grounding
Cerebral Buffer Regeneration Cryptographic Control Protocol
Energetic Construct Evocation Extradimensional Pocket
Evoked Image Projection Gravitic Control Rubric
Implanted Whim Hot Zone Invocation
Manipulatory Shadow Manifestation Kinetic Siphon
Neural Burn Cascade Metadimensional Power Font
Personal Shielding Field Projectile Repulsion Field
Variant MES Perception Quantum Jamming Field
Void Flow Scan Random Organic Failure
Void Slip
Level 4 Arcanist Spells
Void Transceiver Emanation
Cerebral Scramble Code
Level 2 Arcanist Spells Clairvoyance Window Probe
Aversive Impulse Projection Energy Amplification Boost
Blindside Skip Orbital Insertion
Combat Shadow Manifestation Shadow Adjutant Manifestation
Concussive Pinhole Gate Solid Image Matrix
Doppleganger Manifestation Spatial Realignment Warp
Genetic Privacy Field Spatial Ripcord Shift
Ghost Field Emission
Level 5 Arcanist Spells
Patterned Energy Flare
Devourer Manifestation
Shadow Disruption Rubric
Gravcar Pattern Instantiation
Universal Translation Rubric
Metadimensional Passage
Protocol Amplification
Psychic Compulsion Induction
Uncontrolled Metadimensional Rift
Void Barrier Instantiation
Zero Energy Sink
 Arcanist spells •65

Arcane Grounding Level 3 Blindside Skip Level 2

The barriers between metadimensional space and the A surge of metadimensional energy briefly numbs a
current location are briefly hardened, hopefully dis- single visible target to the caster’s activities. For the
rupting arcane effects within the target zone. The caster duration of the spell, activities the caster takes are not
chooses a visible location when casting this spell. All noticed or remembered by the target, who will ratio-
arcane spells in effect within five meters of the target nalize their observation of any consequences of those
point are immediately ended as if the caster had termi- actions. If the caster takes some violent or threatening
nated them. Shadows are not dispelled, but must make action directed toward the target or something the tar-
a Physical save or suffer 1d6 damage per level of the get cares about deeply, the skip is automatically negated
caster. If the caster attempts to neutralize spells cast by in time for the target to react normally or defend itself
a higher-level spellcaster, they must make an opposed appropriately. The spell lasts for one round per two
Int/Cast Magic check at a penalty equal to the differ- levels of the caster, rounded up, and the victim gets a
ence in level; if successful, all spells are neutralized, and Mental saving throw to resist the spell.
if unsuccessful, none of the enemy caster’s spells are
ended. Permanent magical effects cannot be neutral-
ized by this spell, and will at most be suppressed for one Cerebral Buffer Regeneration Level 1
round per caster level at the GM’s discretion. Psionic This spell restores Effort to a friendly Psychic or to an
powers are unaffected by this spell. Adept who has Effort, one point plus one per three
levels, rounded down. A target can only benefit from it
once per day, and it does not work on the caster, should
Aspect of Elegance Level 1 they happen to have Effort scores of their own.
A combination of telekinetic scrubbers, holograph-
ic fields, and slight biopsionic physiology tweaks are
applied to a willing touched target. They are immedi- Cerebral Scramble Code Level 4
ately rendered clean, groomed, and pleasantly-scent- The caster unleashes a cerebral shockwave that stuns
ed, and their clothing is holographically masked by an and disorients selected visible targets within ten meters
intangible outfit of the caster’s choice. They cannot be of the caster. Affected enemies who are not exception-
rendered dirty or disheveled while the spell remains in ally motivated or personally threatened will tend to do
effect, and contact substances are scrubbed off almost nothing but avoid danger while under the shockwave’s
instantly. The energies remain as long as Light Focus influence. Enemies who seek to do more than avoid
is maintained, or two hours per caster level afterwards. physical peril on their turn must make a Mental saving
throw; on a success, they can act normally, while on a
failure, their intended action is directed at a random-
Aversive Impulse Projection Level 2 ly-selected target or object. Enemies who suffer physi-
The caster produces a sudden, intense mental aversion cal injury snap out of the effect. The scramble lasts for
in a single visible subject toward a particular type of one round per caster level, and a target can be scram-
action, whether that is physical violence, remaining in bled only once per scene. This spell induces Surge.
a location, leaving a place, communicating with others,
talking about a particular topic, or some other action
that can be described in a sentence or two. The impulse Clairvoyance Window Probe Level 4
involves only physical, tangible actions and not internal The caster focuses on a location within ten meters per
mental processes. character level and creates a spatial window that allows
Provided the impulse does not threaten the sub- a view into the desired locale. The caster can tilt and
ject’s life or something they hold dear, they will obey turn the window to view the target site as if present,
the aversion to the limits of their ordinary character. and can hear any sounds that are present. One inani-
If they are attacked or something they hold precious is mate object no more than one kilo in weight and not
threatened, the aversion is instantly dispelled. composed of multiple parts can be dropped through
Subjects get a Mental saving throw to resist the the window into the target location, though such an
spell. If failed, the aversion persists for the remainder act disrupts it and ends the spell. Full translation of
of the scene. If a subject is not given reason to suspect the inserted object requires one round, during which
magic in the impulse, they will tend to rationalize the the object gradually and visibly coalesces at the desti-
aversion as best they can afterwards. nation. The window is invisible to conventional senses
This spell is unusual in that it requires no verbal or sensors from the other side, though anyone with
invocation, and can be performed in complete silence. Teleport-0 or Metapsion-1 skill can see it clearly. The
Typical arcane gestures are still required. window lasts for one scene. Substances or fields that
prevent teleportation also block the window.
66• Arcanist spells

anything that gets in its way. A Devourer seems to be

Combat Shadow Manifestation Level 2 as intelligent as most humans, but it cannot be com-
manded to do anything but kill a target. Being attacked
The caster manifests a Myrmidon Shadow as described by the caster’s allies will immediately break the caster’s
on page 123. The Myrmidon appears adjacent to the control over it.
caster, acting on the caster’s initiative on the next
turn, and persists until it is destroyed or Light Focus
is dropped. When called by an Arcanist the Shadow Doppleganger Manifestation Level 2
accepts no other commands than to move to a location, The caster duplicates the metadimensional pattern they
kill a target, or stop fighting. This spell induces Surge. know best, creating a copy of their own person out
of precipitated energies. This copy appears adjacent to
them, and they can spend their actions to act either as
Concussive Pinhole Gate Level 2 their real person or as their doppleganger. Thus, the
The caster opens a microscopic gate to the local metad- caster could use a Move action to either personally
imensional frequencies, causing a shocking flash of heat move or to cause the doppleganger to move. They can
and concussive force to erupt at the target point. The sense everything the doppleganger senses. The double
target location must be visible and within 100 meters. can speak and act as the caster, and appears to be wear-
The explosion does 2d6 damage to all creatures within ing the same gear, but these objects are only useless
3 meters, with a Physical save for half. Creatures with 1 superficial props, and any close tactile inspection of the
HD are automatically killed if they fail their save. Crea- double will reveal its false nature. The doppleganger
tures in vacc suits or similar sealed armor are immune has the same physical statistics and abilities as the caster,
to the explosion. This spell induces Surge. but only 1 hit point and an AC of 10. The double lasts
as long as Deep Focus is maintained. If it is destroyed
by damage rather than dropped as an On Turn action,
Cryptographic Control Protocol Level 3 the caster suffers 2d6 damage in neural feedback.
The caster may target a communication within their
possession, whether in text, video, or some other me-
dium. They immediately become aware of whether or Energetic Construct Evocation Level 1
not there is any hidden message buried in the commu- The spell creates a solid, sturdy object up to 2 x 2 x 1
nication, and may make an Int/Cast Magic skill check meter in volume per caster level out of congealed meta-
against the encrypter’s skill to decode it. On a failure, dimensional force. It can be shaped as the caster wishes
they cannot use this spell on it again but are still aware with a sophistication up to a TL3 firearm, mechanical
that some secret message exists. Alternately, they may tool, or suit of clothing, but it can’t be electronic or be
cast this spell on any tangible physical object no larger made into more than one object. It lasts for one hour
than one kilo in mass, imbuing the object with a se- per caster level or until the caster uses this spell again.
cret telepathic message that is conveyed to a specific If made into a barrier, it can take the caster’s level in hit
intended recipient when the object is touched by them. points of damage per meter of thickness before being
The secret message remains tied to the object until the broken.
recipient has received it.
Energy Amplification Boost Level 4
Devourer Manifestation Level 5 The caster targets up to one visible target per character
The caster picks a target location within 30 meters to level. As long as Light Focus is maintained, the damage
instantiate a type of Shadow known colloquially as inflicted by those target’s weapons or unarmed attacks
a “Devourer”, a horrific creature of tentacles, scythe- is increased by half the caster’s level, rounded up, their
like multi-jointed limbs, and a lamprey mouth broad wielders get a +2 bonus to hit with them, and they’re
enough to consume an entire shrieking human. The treated as Heavy weapons for purposes of overcoming
statistics for this horror are given on page 119. Once vehicle armor damage resistance. This bonus does not
summoned, a Devourer will remain for two rounds add to Shock. Due to the nature of the spell, the cast-
per caster level, and can only be voluntarily dismissed er cannot benefit from their own Energy Amplification
while they remain under the caster’s control. The caster Boost. The spell continues for up to one round per caster
can direct the Devourer to target any living creature level after Light Focus is dropped.
within sight, but each round the Devourer doesn’t kill
something, it gets a Mental saving throw to break free
from the caster’s control. A Devourer that breaks free Evoked Image Projection Level 1
of the caster’s control will initially seek to kill anyone The spell creates a visual illusion within a 3-meter radi-
within melee range, but as soon as no such targets re- us within sight range. The caster can cause it to move
main, it will make a beeline for the caster, slaughtering as long as they spend a Move Action each round doing
 Arcanist spells •67

so, but it can’t leave its original target radius. The spell only serves to deceive scans and spells. If the subject is
is unable to produce sounds or other sensory illusions, targeted by a discerning spell from a higher-level caster
and is intangible to the touch. This spell lasts while than the one who cast this spell, the two make opposed
Light Focus is maintained, or one minute per caster Int/Cast Magic skill checks to see whether the disguise
level afterwards once it is dropped. holds. TL4 tech cannot pierce this veil, and TL5 lets the
caster make a difficulty 10 skill check to fool it. The veil
lasts as long as the caster maintains Light Focus on it,
Extradimensional Pocket Level 3 persisting 24 hours after Focus is dropped.
A small trans-dimensional cyst is constructed by the
caster, which they may open or close as a Main Action
while the spell is in effect. The cyst travels with the Ghost Field Emission Level 2
caster and is always adjacent to them. When open, the The caster bubbles the area in a two-meter radius
cyst appears to be a pocket of empty space big enough around their person, making them and any other per-
to contain one person and their carried belongings, or sons and their belongings invisible. The bubble travels
up to 30 items of other gear instead. Objects placed into with the caster. Anyone else who completely enters the
the cyst, including willing or incapacitated creatures, two-meter radius will also become invisible and clearly
are kept in timeless suspended animation while the cyst see affected subjects within the zone. Due to the bent
is closed. TL4 scanners cannot detect the cyst, and even light rays, subjects and objects that are entirely inside
specialized TL5 ones allow the caster to make an Int/ the bubble are unable to see anything outside it; if del-
Cast Magic check at difficulty 10 to avoid detection. icate maneuvering is required, a Notice check may be
If the spell ends or the caster is knocked unconscious, required of the caster to keep them moving in the right
objects in the cyst appear immediately adjacent to them. direction. Laser weaponry cannot penetrate the bubble
The spell lasts while Deep Focus is maintained, plus from either side, and blind-firing ranged weapons into
one hour per caster level. or out of the bubble applies a -4 penalty to hit. The
bubble lasts as long as Deep Focus is maintained.
Genetic Privacy Field Level 2
The caster cloaks the target’s genetic signature and Gravcar Pattern Instantiation Level 5
conceals their true code from spells or technology that The caster manifests a gravcar out of congealed metadi-
scans it. Such scans will only detect a normal, semi-ran- mensional energy. The vehicle requires no fuel and op-
dom genetic pattern consistent with the target’s appar- erates much as any other vehicle of its type would per-
ent form, one without any evident magical aptitude form. It has the same hit points as a vehicle of its type,
or MES signatures. A specific genetic code can be du- though it self-repairs five hit points every hour. The
plicated if at least an ounce of blood or flesh is used in details of the vehicle’s appearance can be determined by
casting the spell; this sample is destroyed by the process. the caster. Items or materials broken off the vehicle will
The mimicked DNA has no effect on the target, but evaporate instantly. The vehicle lasts for 24 hours or
68• Arcanist spells

until reduced to zero hit points. Other versions of this

spell exist for fairly narrow types of non-consumable Kinetic Siphon Level 3
objects, such as versions for laser rifles or for combat
armor, or for other complex devices, but such variants A single target within visual range no larger than a
must be learned separately. groundcar has its kinetic energy siphoned off into
metadimensional space. If the target is a living creature,
it loses its next round of physical action and every sec-
Gravitic Control Rubric Level 3 ond round afterwards for as long as the spell is in effect.
Manipulation of the gravitic flow around a target On these “lost” rounds the target can still take purely
within visual range allows them to fly at their normal mental actions, such as triggering psychic powers. If
movement rate. The target controls the flight, and may the target is an inanimate object, its speed is immedi-
hover freely and otherwise act without hindrance due ately slowed to a pace no quicker than 10 meters per
to unfamiliarity with such motion. They may carry up round. Living creatures can make a Physical save to
to their usual maximum Encumbrance while flying. resist this spell, but inanimate ones get no resistance.
The spell lasts as long as Light Focus is maintained, up Targets under this spell’s effect are immune to falling
to the end of the scene at most. When terminated, the damage. The spell lasts as long as Light Focus is main-
subject immediately floats gently to the ground. tained and the target is within visual range.

Hot Zone Invocation Level 3 Manipulatory Shadow Manifestation Level 1

A target point within visual range is lit up with an in- The spell summons a Manipulatory Manifestation
visible sleet of uncontrolled metadimensional energies, Shadow as described on page 122. The little imp is
out to a radius of up to 5 meters at the caster’s discre- incapable of doing anything but manipulating objects,
tion. Any target within the zone at the start of their but it persists until destroyed or Deep Focus is dropped,
turn takes damage equal to twice the caster’s level un- and will serve with suicidal obedience.
less they are wearing a vacc suit or otherwise capable
of surviving in similar environments. This damage is
also taken by creatures that move into the zone on their Metadimensional Passage Level 5
turn, though a creature can’t suffer this damage more The caster alters the cohesion patterns of their own
than once per round. The zone is invisible to ordinary person and up to one willing sapient target per char-
human senses, though geiger counters, advanced optics, acter level, provided all targets are within five meters
and other hazardous-environment sensors can pick it of the caster. While affected, the subjects are visible
out easily, and the damage inflicted is obvious to on- but intangible, capable of passing through empty space
lookers. Creatures who take damage from the zone or solid matter at their full movement rate. Intangi-
must make a Physical save or die of radiation poisoning ble subjects cannot affect or be affected by anything in
in a month unless TL4 medical aid is provided. The the mundane world save for certain exotic pretech or
spell lasts as long as Deep Focus is maintained. This substances that bar teleportation effects. Once affect-
spell induces Surge. ed, targets do not need to remain within five meters
of the caster. Targets can become tangible again as an
On Turn action. This decohered condition is highly
Implanted Whim Level 1 stressful for a subject, and every target adds one System
Invocation of this spell charges the caster’s skin with a Strain at the end of each of their turns in which they
parasitic psychic pattern, a charge that remains as long are still intangible. If a target cannot accept this System
as Deep Focus is maintained. If they can then touch Strain point, the spell immediately ends for them. If any
another intelligent creature while the charge persists, part of a target is embedded in a solid or liquid at that
they can discharge it to implant a single minor impulse time, they will be mortally wounded at best.
or desire in the target, one that can be described in no
more than a sentence or two. The target gets a Mental
saving throw to resist. Otherwise, they will carry out Metadimensional Power Font Level 3
the impulse unless there is a clear and compelling rea- The caster opens a modulated energy channel from
son for them to restrain themselves. While carrying metadimensional space to a visible object that requires
out the compulsion, they are affected by Haze 1. The a Type A or Type B power cell. The object’s power cell
compulsion’s duration never lasts more than a scene. is immediately recharged, and as long as Light Focus is
maintained by the caster, the object’s energy cell will
remain fully charged no matter how long it is used. The
caster can target up to one visible object per charac-
ter level to recharge and support. The benefits of the
support continue as long as Light Focus is maintained.
 Arcanist spells •69

Neural Burn Cascade Level 1 Projectile Repulsion Field Level 3

This spell blasts a visible living target for 1d6+1 psychic The caster invokes a hazily-visible defensive bubble
damage per three levels of the caster, rounded up. At up to five meters in radius around their location, one
the caster’s discretion, targets brought to zero hit points which moves with the caster. Any projectile or energy
are either killed or unconscious for an hour. Targets bolt from outside the bubble has its damage reduced by
with only one hit die are always dropped by the spell, the caster’s level if it hits anything inside the bubble, a
regardless of the damage roll. This spell induces Surge. reduction which may result in zero damage being done.
Weapons fired out of the bubble are not hindered. The
bubble lasts for as long as Deep Focus is maintained,
Orbital Insertion Level 4 plus 1d6 rounds afterwards. This spell induces Surge.
A specialized protocol for emergency use and stealthy
planetary insertions, this spell may be cast as an In-
stant action and allows the caster and up to one visible Protocol Amplification Level 5
ally per level to drop from orbital distances safely to a This spell is unusual in that it can be cast as an Instant
planet’s surface, while concealing them from all stan- action just as another spell is being completed, and
dard visual or TL4 detection. TL5 sensors can be beaten serves only to increase the amount of energy being di-
on a successful Int/Cast Magic skill check at difficulty rected into that spell. The amplified spell may roll any
10. The caster has finely-tuned control over the fall of damage or effect dice twice and take the better result,
subjects under this spell, and can accurately land within and any saving throws allowed by the spell are made
1d6-1 x 100 meters of the chosen target below. The at a penalty equal to the caster’s Cast Magic skill. This
caster and their allies are immune to radiation, pressure, spell may not be used more than once per round and
oxygen loss, re-entry heat, or other conventional perils induces Surge.
of orbital descent while affected by this spell and for
twelve hours thereafter, giving them time to find pro-
tection should they have landed in a hostile environ- Psychic Compulsion Induction Level 5
ment. The spell’s protection against falling damage lasts An intelligent visible living target is implanted with
until the subjects have safely landed. It may be used for a single overwhelming compulsion, one that can be
shorter falls as well if desired, allowing pinpoint land- described in no more than one or two sentences. While
ing accuracy if used from less than orbital heights, or the spell remains in effect, they will consider the com-
as an emergency vacc suit substitute in other situations. pulsion to be their most important goal and will attend
to other matters only insofar as is necessary to keep
them from being disturbed in their primary pursuit.
Patterned Energy Flare Level 2 The compulsion must be a specific task or goal; it can-
The caster traces a pattern on an inanimate object not be some open-ended compulsion to service or a
within reach, describing an opening no more than suicidal task. The target will do everything within their
arm’s-reach taller or wider than they are. The traced normal character to achieve the goal. If the goal is one
pattern immediately ignites with metadimensional en- that is not particularly unpleasant or onerous to them,
ergy flows hot enough to cut through anything short of the spell induces Haze 1. Unpleasant or harmful goals
reinforced military fortifications, creating a hole that induce Haze 2, and a goal that seems ruinous or horri-
can pierce a barrier no thicker than one third of a meter ble to the victim causes Haze 3. The spell lasts as long as
per character level or completely destroying an object Deep Focus is maintained, plus one day per caster level.
no larger than such a hole. The precision of the tracery
required means that it does not work on moving or
resisting targets, nor does it work on living or sapient Quantum Jamming Field Level 3
creatures. This spell induces Surge. The caster emits an intense field of quantum ECM, pro-
hibiting all non-hardwired remote control within 50
meters per character level. Only direct line-of-sight la-
Personal Shielding Field Level 1 ser control of physical wiring connections can maintain
This spell bubbles the target in a protective field that remote control of drones, robots, or devices within the
works as a vacc suit and renders the user immune to any area, and “smart” targeted munitions will fail. Parallel
radiation weaker than that requiring a save per minute. radio emissions also jam any civilian communications
The target gains a base armor class of 15 plus half the device used by non-allied persons, and will even halt
caster’s level, rounded up. If the target already wears military comms in the area for one minute per level
armor, use the better AC. This spell requires Light Fo- after casting it, provided Light Focus is maintained for
cus, but lasts one hour per caster level after focus is lost. that duration. The ECM effect lasts as long as the caster
maintains Light Focus and for a scene afterwards.
70• Arcanist spells

Random Organic Failure Level 3 Spatial Realignment Warp Level 4

The caster performs the biopsionic equivalent of jam- Up to one visible living target per caster level is tele-
ming a wrench into a running engine, disrupting a ported to a single chosen point within thirty meters
visible living target’s biological processes with a surge of the caster. The point must be visible to the caster
of random metadimensional energy. The victim must or one they have physically occupied within the last
make a Physical saving throw or collapse, mortally 24 hours. The point cannot be a location of imminent
wounded and dying within six rounds. If the target has physical danger, and any location that would not be
more hit dice than the caster has levels, they instead valid for psychic teleportation is not valid for this spell.
take 1d6 damage per caster level on a failed save. This Unwilling targets can make a Mental saving throw to
spell functions only once per day on any given target resist the teleportation. This spell induces Surge.
and causes dangerous feedback to the caster, inflict-
ing 1d6 damage on them per two hit dice of the target,
rounded up. This spell induces Surge. Spatial Ripcord Shift Level 4
The caster targets a willing visible creature with this
spell. At some point thereafter, up to one hour per
Shadow Adjutant Manifestation Level 2 caster level after the spell is cast, the target may trigger
The caster calls forth a Minion Shadow as described on the spell. If they do so as a Main Action they suffer no
page 123. It persists as long as Deep Focus is main- harm, but if they use it as an Instant action, they suffer
tained, plus ten minutes per caster level. It will obey 1d6 damage for every two character levels or hit dice
the caster’s orders dutifully while under control, even they possess, rounded up. Once triggered, they and all
if the commands are suicidal. If the caster ever goes un- their carried possessions are immediately teleported
conscious while the Shadow is summoned, however, it back to the exact spot they were when the spell was
will immediately seek to murder the closest visible hu- cast on them. The spell dissipates once triggered, and
man being before committing suicide in as destructive a creature can be affected by only one ripcord at a time.
a manner as is convenient. Control cannot be reclaimed
in such cases, though a still-controlled Shadow can be
banished as a Main Action. Uncontrolled Metadimensional Rift Level 5
The caster tears open a catastrophically large rift to
metadimensional space at a visible location within 300
Shadow Disruption Rubric Level 2 meters, creating an explosion within a radius of 1 to 10
The caster cuts off the flow of metadimensional energy meters at the caster’s discretion. The ensuing confla-
that supports the existence of a single Shadow with- gration of heat, radiation, and concussive force inflicts
in visual range that has equal or fewer hit dice than 1d6 damage per caster level on all targets in the area,
the caster has levels. The Shadow suffers 1d6 damage with a Physical saving throw for half damage. Targets
per caster level, with a Mental save for half damage, within twice the explosion’s radius will die of radiation
rounded up. Shadows with hit dice no greater than half poisoning within one month unless TL4 medical help
the caster’s level, rounded down, are automatically dis- is available. Construction materials less sturdy than
pelled without a save. This spell induces Surge. military fortifications will be destroyed within that area,
and the damage counts as Heavy weapon damage for
the purpose of harming vehicles or killing people. Use
Solid Image Matrix Level 4 of this spell is extremely dangerous to the caster, inflict-
A holographic illusion is produced by the caster, com- ing half the rolled damage on them, or one-quarter on a
plete with auditory, olfactory, and light tactile compo- successful Mental save. This damage instantly kills the
nents. The illusion can withstand casual physical con- caster if it reduces them to zero hit points, but they do
tact up to the weight of a normal human being, but not suffer radiation poisoning. This spell induces Surge.
any contact sharp enough to inflict hit point damage
passes through it, as does any attempt to push or move
through it. The image must fit within a ten-meter cube Universal Translator Rubric Level 2
and must be within visual range of the caster at all The caster targets a visible living creature. While
times, though the caster can move it around within that the spell is maintained, everything the creature says
range as a Move action, and can control the appropriate is understood perfectly by the caster, and everything
movements, sound, and activities of the illusion. If the the caster says is understood perfectly by the creature.
image takes damage equal to twice the caster’s level, it This spell can translate even non-vocal forms of com-
disappears. The illusion cannot inflict hit point damage munication, though non-sapient animals may not have
on targets. The spell persists as long as Light Focus is very sophisticated messages or the ability to understand
maintained, plus one minute per caster level. complex ideas. This spell translates the true meaning
 Arcanist spells •71

of phrases and words, stripping out metaphor and cir-

cumlocution; “Bless his heart” thus may be translated Void Transceiver Emanation Level 1
as “He is an idiot” if that is the actual meaning of the The caster creates an artificial comm grid including up
phrase. This bluntness hinders efforts at verbal grace to four other willing visible targets per level. While the
on either side, applying a -2 skill penalty to any social spell is in effect, the participants can mentally commu-
skill checks made through it. The spell lasts as long as nicate with each other as a Main Action using metadi-
Light Focus is maintained. mensional channels that cannot be detected or jammed
by conventional technology. Only speech can be sent
over the connection, and the maximum transmission
Variant MES Perception Level 1 distance is 10,000 kilometers. Once established, the
This spell allows the caster to visually perceive the link lasts as long as the caster devotes Deep Focus to
signatures of an active SANIS interface or MES-influ- it. Once that ends, the link itself will collapse one hour
enced genetic code. Provided the subject is not magi- later per caster level.
cally cloaked in some way, they can detect Arcanists,
Magisters, Psychics, or others with intrinsic magical
abilities on sight, distinguishing between the types. Zero Energy Sink Level 5
The spell lasts as long as Light Focus is maintained. A siphoning field is created in a ten-meter radius
at a point within sight. Within the field, all Type A
and Type B power cells are instantly exhausted, as if
Void Barrier Instantiation Level 5 completely discharged, and other power sources are
A curtain-like barrier of charged metadimensional suppressed for one round per caster level. If cells are
energy is summoned by the caster, summoning a wall carried or used by a living creature, the bearer can make
3 meters high with a length up to 3 meters for each a Mental saving throw to prevent their power cells
character level. The wall can be placed anywhere with- from being discharged. Unattended cells and devices
in one hundred meters of the caster, provided it rests are automatically drained. If an object within the zone
completely on a solid surface, and it may be shaped as is being powered by a remote source, it is depowered
the caster wishes so long as the overall area is the same. for one round per caster level before it can draw power
Between the energies of the barrier and the conceal- again. This spell induces Surge.
ment provided by the opaque field, ranged attacks that
cross it can only hit a target on a natural 20. Objects or
living creatures that cross the barrier suffer 1d6 dam- Arcanist Spell Limits
age per two levels of the caster, rounded down, with a Designing new Arcanist spells can be tricky, as
Physical save for half. This damage counts as damage their class angle is flexibility in their potential
from a Heavy weapon. The barrier cannot be brought powers. Even so, a few guidelines remain.
up where a living creature is located, but must be ini- Divinations are limited. There should be very
tially routed around them. If it’s brought up in front few spells that divine secrets, predict the future,
of a moving vehicle, the caster makes an opposed Int/ or reveal hidden facts. The Arcanist is manipulat-
Cast Magic check versus the driver’s Dex/Pilot skill to ing raw energy flows, and any fact-finding spells
catch it in the field. should be limited to those that can be justified by
manipulating metadimensional energy.
Arcanists can’t outdo specialists. No Arcanist
Void Flow Scan Level 1 spell should be better than what a specialized Ma-
While Light Focus is maintained, the caster can visually gister could do. If a spell does the same thing, it
perceive metadimensional energy flows, allowing them should have some additional serious drawback to
to detect active magical effects or arcanotech objects. If it, and in many cases it shouldn’t be possible to
an effect is being supported by Focus or other magical mimic a Magister’s special focus at all.
connection to a caster, they can see the lines of force Arcanist spells aren’t easy damage. Spells that
leading back to the origin of the effect. When con- inflict hit point damage or debilitate foes in com-
fronting strange magical effects, a Wis/Know Magic bat should always at least have Surge and probably
skill check at a difficulty of 8 or more might be able to have other drawbacks as well. Powerful combat
get a sentence worth of description of the magic’s effect. spells are slow, clumsy, dangerous artillery, not
fast-and-convenient combat staples.
No benefits are forever. An Arcanist spell that
Void Slip Level 1 buffs a target should always require at least Light
With this spell, the caster may teleport up to 10 meters Focus, and never last long enough to simply be
to any visible location. This spell is usually cast as a “left on”. Otherwise it’s effectively a bonus ability
Main Action, but can be cast as an On Turn if the user for the price of a spell slot committed to the spell.
is willing to accept Surge for it.
72• Pacter spells

Pacter Spells
Level 1 Pacter Spells
Afflictive Focus Pact Level 2 Analyze Shadow
The Pacter binds a specific visible Shadow they have Call Lesser Servitor
summoned into a unity of shared pain. Whenever ei-
Call Manipulatory Manifestation
ther one would take hit point damage, the damage is
actually suffered by the other party. If the damage is Conjured Implement
actually enough to kill or mortally wound the other Put Down
party, then both subjects take the full damage. Because Shadow Nourishment
of these shared consequences, the use of this spell is
Shadow Reinforcement
not considered a betrayal by a summoned Shadow. The
pacted Shadow must be within 30 meters of the caster Shadow Ward, Lesser
for this spell to have effect. Once cast, it persists until
the targeted Shadow is banished or destroyed or the Level 2 Pacter Spells
caster drops the spell as a Main Action. A caster can Afflictive Focus Pact
have only one Afflictive Focus Pact active at once. Call Drudge
Call Myrmidon
Analyze Shadow Level 1 Call Odalisque
The caster may target any visible subject within one Shadow Cyst
hundred meters. If the target is a Shadow, the caster Shadow Displacement
learns its hit dice, its Principles, a few sentences de-
Shadow Impulse
scribing any special abilities it may have, and can dis-
cern whether or not it has been summoned by a caster Telepathic Shadow Link
or is supported by other channels of metadimensional
energy, albeit not specifically what those channels are. Level 3 Pacter Spells
This spell can penetrate conventional shapeshifting Call Minion
guises adopted by Shadows; only defenses that specif- Call Shadow Chariot
ically allow for resisting magical detection allow the
Call Vigilant
Shadow a Mental save to resist being found out.
Prolong Pact
Shadow Compulsion
Blood Sacrifice Level 5
Shadow Puppetry
While the use of this knowledge is forbidden by all
Shadow Ward, Greater
respectable Pacter schools, a master of the art knows
enough about the synchrony of human lives and Shad- Substitutionary Focus Pact
ow hungers to use the one to feed the other. This spell
is cast as an Instant action when the Pacter personally Level 4 Pacter Spells
kills an intelligent creature who knows that the caster is Call Deceiver
killing them. A victim who lacks the frisson of personal Call Render
horror and recognition does not provide the necessary Directive Focus Pact
energy to the process. One visible Shadow of no more
hit dice than the victim is then fixed in the world for Shadow Domination
one month, with no need for Focus or other sustenance. Summon Forth the Servant
The Shadow need not be one summoned by the caster; Sustaining Focus Pact
free Shadows may be fed by this spell. If the Shadow
has too many hit dice to be fed by one victim’s death, Level 5 Pacter Spells
the caster may kill additional targets during the same Blood Sacrifice
scene without re-casting the spell. So long as enough
Call Devourer
hit dice of sentient creatures have been murdered with-
in the same scene, the spell can benefit the Shadow. Call Stellar Phoenix
Extremely powerful or insatiable Shadows may require Shadow Enslavement
more than these few deaths to fuel them, or the murder Shadow Ward, Perfected
may not be able to satisfy them for as long as a month.
Summoner's Font
 Pacter spells •73

Call Deceiver Level 4 Call Minion Level 3

A shapeshifting Deceiver is called up by this spell, with While most Shadows are apt for particular kinds of
the statistics given on page 118. The Shadow is quite service, there are times when a Pacter requires a more
intelligent and capable of exerting its own judgment in versatile tool. This spell calls up a Minion as described
service to its summoner’s will. The Deceiver remains on page 123, a Shadow capable of almost any form of
as long as Light Focus is maintained, plus one hour per service. The Minion remains as long as Light Focus
caster level thereafter. is maintained, persisting ten minutes afterwards per
caster level.
Call Devourer Level 5
A horrific Devourer, as per page 119, is summoned Call Myrmidon Level 2
forth. While tremendously lethal in combat, these The Pacter beckons forth a Myrmidon Shadow as
Shadows are constantly struggling against their sum- described on page 123. The Myrmidon is suicidally
moner’s will, and require intense focus to control. loyal but is limited to the kinds of service normal for
Maintaining control of a Devourer requires the caster its breed; combat and guardianship. The Myrmidon
to maintain Deep Focus and spend a Main Action each remains until destroyed or until Light Focus is dropped,
round directing it. Devourers can only be ordered to after which it persists for one round per caster level
move to particular locations or eat particular living before evaporating.
creature. If the caster loses Deep Focus or is incapac-
itated, the Devourer will break free, remaining in ex-
istence for one round per caster level and seeking to Call Odalisque Level 2
eat all flesh around it, starting with the caster and then The Pacter invokes a Shadow known as an Odalisque,
moving on to the nearest creature. A Devourer can be as described on page 123. The Odalisque is suicidally
safely sent back by the caster provided they still have loyal to the summoner, but cannot perform actions
control, but the Devourer must be fed 3d6 hit points contrary to its Principles. It persists until it is destroyed
of the caster’s own life force in order to go quietly. If or until Light Focus is dropped, vanishing one round
the damage is enough to mortally wound the caster, per caster level thereafter.
the Devourer breaks free instead. Devourers cannot be
controlled or pacted by spells cast by their summoner.
Call Render Level 4
The Pacter summons up a hulking Shadow of iron
Call Drudge Level 2 claws and tremendous strength, as described on page
The wretched and slavishly fearful Shadows known as 124. While sluggish and stupid, a Render can lift, dig,
Drudges are useful for a Pacter who requires manual and crush with inhuman ease. The creature remains
labor services, as per page 119. A Drudge called forth as long as Light Focus is maintained, plus one round
by this spell will be fearfully obedient to the Pacter, per caster level.
but cannot effectively fight or use tools more complex
than picks or shovels. A Drudge will remain as long
as Light Focus is maintained, plus one hour per caster Call Shadow Chariot Level 3
level afterwards. The Pacter summons up a Shadow Chariot vehicle as
described on page 124. The vehicle is sentient and
can pilot itself with human intelligence. It persists un-
Call Lesser Servitor Level 1 til destroyed or until Light Focus is dropped, plus ten
This spell summons a Lesser Servitor as described on minutes per caster level thereafter.
page 122. The servitor will obey the caster with sui-
cidal devotion and a human degree of intelligence, but
it has no sentience or personal will, and is unable to Call Stellar Phoenix Level 5
fight effectively. The Lesser Servitor remains so long as The strange and magnificent Stellar Phoenix is sum-
Light Focus is held and it is not destroyed by violence. moned up by this spell, as per page 125. The Phoenix
is an aerial transport capable of flying its occupants
between worlds within a solar system, though it has no
Call Manipulatory Manifestation Level 1 meaningful offensive ability. It has a human-like intel-
A Manipulatory Manifestation is summoned up as lect and can operate itself without need for a pilot. The
described on page 122. The manifestation persists as Phoenix persists as long as Light Focus is maintained;
long as Light Focus is maintained, or for ten minutes if Focus is lost, the Phoenix will continue to its last in-
per caster level thereafter. dicated destination, deposit its passengers, and vanish.
74• Pacter spells

specific task to accomplish. This task can be somewhat

Call Vigilant Level 3 open-ended, such as “Guard my residence” or “Kill this
man”, or “Maintain my household and entertain my
The Pacter calls up a Shadow known as a Vigilant, as guests”, but extremely open directives like “Fight the
described by the entry on page 125. These Shadows enemies I indicate” or “Impersonate this city councilor
are largely useless except as guardians, but quite effec- and enact my political plans” are too loose. Once the
tive for that purpose. The Shadow persists while Light Shadow is so directed it will carry out its task indef-
Focus is maintained, or one day per level afterwards. initely until it becomes impossible to do so or until
A Vigilant will not leave the general environs into this spell is dropped. Once the task is inapplicable or
which it has been summoned, usually a single building the spell is ended, the Shadow becomes free. Most free
or starship, or a less defined zone no more than a hun- Shadows will evaporate by the end of the scene, but in-
dred meters in diameter. telligent or powerful ones may be able to find a substi-
tute source of metadimensional energy to sustain them.
Conjured Implement Level 1
Metadimensional energy is drawn forth and forged Prolong Pact Level 3
into a mechanical device no more complicated than a This spell is cast as an Instant action performed when
TL3 firearm and no larger than can be carried by the the caster drops Light Focus from a Shadow they have
caster unaided. While this object appears to be normal summoned. When Focus is withdrawn from the sum-
to casual inspection and is as sturdy as most objects of moned Shadow, any remaining summoning duration
its kind, it’s actually nothing but a thin energetic force is tripled. Thus, if a Shadow normally remains for 5
shell, and cannot mimic properties that require specific hours after Light Focus is withdrawn, it will instead
chemical makeups such as foodstuffs, consumables, or remain for 15 hours.
explosives. The object persists as long as Light Focus
is maintained, and then for one hour per caster level
thereafter. If the object is broken, it vanishes instantly. Put Down Level 1
Unlike most spells, this invocation can be cast as an
Instant action. One visible Shadow within 10 meters
Directive Focus Pact Level 4 that the caster has summoned or created is instantly
A specific mission or task is assigned to a summoned banished. Note that this or a similar spell effect is the
Shadow, providing it with the necessary metadimen- only way to get rid of a summoned Shadow before its
sional nourishment necessary to remain in this world natural duration has elapsed without destroying it, and
even without the aid of its summoner’s Focus. The thus betraying a Pacter’s implicit bargain with a sum-
spell must be directed at a visible Shadow the caster moned entity. A free Shadow is immune to this spell,
has summoned, and the Shadow must be given a single even if the caster was its original summoner.
 Pacter spells •75

Shadow Compulsion Level 3 Shadow Enslavement Level 5

The Pacter targets a visible Shadow within 30 me- A visible Shadow within 30 meters is utterly enthralled
ters and issues it a single sentence of command. This to the caster’s will. The Shadow gets a Mental saving
command cannot be suicidal or entirely contrary to its throw to resist this effect, with a +4 bonus if it has more
Principles. The Shadow gets a Mental saving throw hit dice than the caster has levels. On success, the Shad-
to resist the command; on success, it’s immune to this ow is immune to this spell for the rest of the scene. On
spell for the rest of the scene. On a failure, the Shadow failure, the Shadow must obey the caster to the limits
will carry out the command until it is completed or of its own nature for as long as it exists, until this spell
until the end of the scene. If the Shadow is harmed or is dispelled from it, until the caster releases it, or until
attacked by the caster or their allies, however, the spell it is banished or destroyed. Maintaining this control is
breaks immediately. very taxing for the caster, and adds one point of System
Strain that cannot be discharged until the spell is ended,
after which it can be restored by normal rest.
Shadow Cyst Level 2
A specific Shadow summoned by the Pacter is folded
down into a transdimensional space attached to the Shadow Impulse Level 2
caster, escaping conventional detection by TL4 sen- The Pacter targets a visible Shadow within 30 meters
sors. The affected Shadow vanishes when the spell is and issues it a single sentence of command. This com-
cast; it may be called forth or put back into the cyst as mand cannot be suicidal or entirely contrary to its Prin-
a Main Action so long as the spell is in effect. It can be ciples. The Shadow gets a Mental saving throw to resist
put into the cyst from any range, but when called out the command; on success, it’s immune to this spell for
of it, it manifests within 10 meters of the caster. While the rest of the scene. On failure, it will carry out the
encysted it is undetectable by conventional sensors, and command until it has completed it or until 1d6 rounds
even spells that detect magic will only discern it on have passed, whichever comes first. A Shadow affected
a successful opposed Wis/Cast Magic skill check be- by this spell is immune to it for the rest of the scene. If
tween the investigator and the caster. The spell lasts the Shadow is harmed or attacked by the caster or their
for one hour per caster level. allies, the impulse breaks instantly.

Shadow Displacement Level 2 Shadow Nourishment Level 1

The metadimensional linkage between a Pacter and The caster is capable of subtly instantiating critical
their Shadows can sometimes be manipulated in phys- bodily necessities, acquiring sustenance and nourish-
ical forms. By casting this spell, the Pacter can exchange ment from an infusion of metadimensional force. Only
places with any Shadow they have summoned, provid- the caster can be affected by this spell, but it spares
ed it is within ten meters per caster level. Effects and them from needing food, water, air, or rest for the next
substances that prohibit conventional teleportation bar 24 hours at the cost of one additional System Strain.
this spell as well. They may regain hit points and decrease System Strain
as normal if they choose to remain still for eight hours
in lieu of sleep.
Shadow Domination Level 4
A single driving, overwhelming compulsion can be
implanted in the mind of a visible Shadow within 30 Shadow Puppetry Level 3
meters. The compulsion may not involve more than This invocation allows the Pacter to adopt remote
a few sentences of direction, but the Shadow will car- control of a Shadow’s form, provided it is one sum-
ry out those directions to the best of its intellect and moned by them and that it’s within the same solar sys-
ability until the task is completed. The more ambigu- tem. While controlling the Shadow, they’re oblivious
ous the command and the more personal initiative is to their real body’s surroundings and instead use the
required to carry it out, the greater the Haze inflict- senses of the Shadow they’re possessing. They use
ed; at its simplest, a command to perform a particular the abilities, hit points, and skill bonus of the Shad-
physical action would be Haze 2, while a command to ow rather than their own attributes. While possessing
plot against its summoner to obtain a particular end the Shadow they can make it perform actions that are
would be Haze 4. The command cannot be suicidal to contrary to its nature, such as using complex tools or
the Shadow or directly contrary to its Principles. Shad- behaving in a way antithetical to its essence, and as
ows get a Mental save to resist this spell. On a successful they are the ones performing the action the Shadow
resistance, the Shadow is immune to this spell for the will not consider it a betrayal of the pact. The Pacter
rest of the scene. cannot cast spells while possessing a Shadow, but can
76• Pacter spells

use the target’s natural powers. The Pacter must use making a Mental saving throw to do so; on a success,
a Main Action to safely end this spell; if the Shadow they suffer 1d6 damage per caster level in crossing it.
is killed, banished, or dissipates while the caster is in Shadows with more hit dice than the caster has levels
control, the Pacter must make a Physical saving throw may cross it without difficulty. If the Shadow is phys-
or be immediately reduced to zero hit points. This spell ically dragged across the line by some force, it can do
lasts until the Shadow is no more, the spell is ended, nothing but try to escape back. The ward lasts as long as
or the caster’s true body is reduced to zero hit points. Light Focus is maintained, or until a Shadow is attacked
The strain of using this spell adds one point of System or harmed by someone or something on the other side
Strain to the Pacter. of the line. In such a case, the ward evaporates instantly.

Shadow Reinforcement Level 1 Shadow Ward, Perfected Level 5

The caster can heal damage that has been inflicted on a The finest ward available to a Pacter without recourse
Shadow, patching it with a surge of metadimensional to advanced arcanotechnological engineering, the Per-
energy. The spell affects one visible Shadow within 30 fected Shadow Ward functions much as a Greater Shadow
meters and heals 1d6+2 damage per caster level. This Ward, but Shadows with equal or fewer hit dice than
spell can also repair damaged Conjured Implements. the caster do not even have the opportunity to make a
Mental saving throw to cross the line. It is maintained
as long as Light Focus is held, and can be broken by
Shadow Ward, Greater Level 3 hostilities just as the other wards can be.
This spell works much like Lesser Shadow Ward, except
the line created can bar even Shadows with more hit
dice than the caster. It lasts as long as Light Focus is Substitutionary Focus Pact Level 3
maintained, but can be broken just as a lesser ward is by A portion of the caster’s intellect is walled off and used
any proffered hostilities from the other side of the line. to direct and fuel a Shadow the caster has summoned.
Each time this spell is cast, the Pacter gains one point
of System Strain that cannot be shed until this spell
Shadow Ward, Lesser Level 1 is ended, after which it can be restored through nor-
As part of the spellcasting, the Pacter may indicate a line mal rest. While the spell is in effect, one summoned
up to ten meters long per character level, placing it on Shadow of the caster’s choice no longer requires Light
any visible solid surface and shaping it in any config- Focus to remain in existence. The caster cannot have
uration desired. Shadows with equal or fewer hit dice more instances of this spell in operation than their Cast
than the caster has levels cannot pass the Ward without Magic skill level.
 Pacter spells •77

Pacter Spell Limits

Summon Forth the Servant Level 4
Pacter sorcery is powerful, but it has several fun-
The caster may teleport in any single Shadow they have damental limits that apply to whatever effects it
currently summoned, provided the Shadow is within might try to create. The guidelines below can be
the same solar system at the time. Shadows bound to helpful if a PC tries to expand the tradition’s spell
particular locations cannot be teleported by this spell. list, or if a GM wants to create a new spell as an
Effects and materials that block conventional telepor- adventure reward for a Pacter PC.
tation also block this spell. Spells only involve Shadows. Pacter magic only
involves the summoning, augmentation, and
manipulation of Shadows and Shadow energies.
Summoner’s Font Level 5 Everything the spell does should have some sort
This spell shapes the metadimensional currents of a of relationship to a Shadow, either to conjure it,
particular area into a zone that is highly nourishing boost it, or control it. This relationship should not
to summoned Shadows. When cast, the Pacter conse- merely be a fig leaf of justification for an unrelated
crates an area up to a frigate or a large building in size. power; if the player wants to create a spell that
Shadows they summon into this area do not require conjures an extremely temporary Shadow that
Light Focus to maintain their existence, and persist as just happens to explode like a fireball where they
long as the Summoner’s Font spell is maintained. If the conjure it, the idea should be declined.
caster wishes to take one of these Shadows outside the Spells don’t borrow Shadow powers. A caster
area, they must maintain any necessary Light Focus can summon a shapeshifting Deceiver, but they
on it as long as it is outside the zone. A caster can have can’t create a spell that merely borrows a Deceiv-
only one Summoner’s Font active at a time, and the spell er’s shapeshifting power. If a caster wants a magi-
persists until they are reduced to zero hit points or drop cal effect to happen, they have to call up a Shadow
the effect, upon which all affected Shadows instantly that can create that effect on their own.
vanish. This spell can be maintained almost indefinitely, Pacter magic is cooperative with Shadows. The
but the spell slot used to fuel it cannot be reclaimed for normal relationship between a Pacter and a sum-
a different use until the spell is allowed to lapse. moned Shadow is cooperative, unlike most other
forms of summoning. The Shadow and the mage
might not like each other much if their natures
Sustaining Focus Pact Level 4 aren’t in sympathy, but the Pacter is providing
The caster can permanently fix a Shadow into the valuable metadimensional energy to the Shadow,
terrestrial world by forming a ritual pact with it. The and the Shadow is trying to do their job correctly.
energy of the pact itself is sufficient to sustain the Spells that torment, drain, or take unfair advan-
Shadow, and no other attention or Focus on the cast- tage of a summoned Shadow aren’t in the tradi-
er’s part is necessary. The details of the pact vary, but tion’s style.
most Shadows can be satisfied by a day-long ritual in- Spells don’t directly harm Shadows. While a
volving components with a credit cost equal to their Pacter can control Shadows, they have no spells
hit dice, squared, times 1,000 credits. Once the pact that cause direct, intentional harm to them. Even
ritual is complete, the Shadow is securely embodied their Put Down incantation only works on their
into this world until it is destroyed or banished. This own summoned entities, and their Shadow Ward
process does free the shadow from the direct control spells only harm Shadows that intentionally try to
of the caster, however, and strips it of any Principles cross them. Creating a spell that is expressly de-
that would compel obedience. Thus, most casters have signed only to hurt Shadows would be considered
reason to ensure that the recipient Shadow is a very a betrayal of their fundamental relationship.
trustworthy friend to begin with. This spell will not It’s hard to keep a Shadow in existence. Pacters
function on Shadows with more than three hit dice. who want a Shadow army are going to have to
conjure them up a few at a time as per the rules
on page 104. Some Pacter spells can cause a Shad-
Telepathic Shadow Link Level 2 ow to stick around without Light Focus, but all of
This spell forges a telepathic connection between the these spells impose significant costs on the caster
caster and a visible Shadow. The caster becomes capa- and aren’t really suited for conjuring a swarm of
ble of communicating with the Shadow, assuming it is disposable servants who follow them around all
intelligent and wishes to do so, and the bond persists the time. GMs should not allow players to create
out to any intra-stellar distance for one hour per caster spells that let them easily maintain a large group
level. If the targeted Shadow is one the caster has sum- of Shadows that can go with them on adventures
moned, the effect lasts as long as the Shadow remains or otherwise act as constant retainers.
in this world.
78• Rectifier spells

Rectifier Spells
Level 1 Rectifier Spells
Accelerando Level 4 Adaptive Modification
A visible willing target is infused with a tremendous Biometric Imposture
burst of physical speed. So long as Deep Focus is main-
Font of Persistent Life
tained, to a maximum number of rounds equal to the
caster’s level, the target gets a bonus Main Action each Reinforce Tissue
round. This action must be used to take a physical Siphon Strain
action, and cannot be used for spellcasting or psychic Superficial Tissue Sculpture
power use. Due to the extreme disorientation of this
Temporary Limb
acceleration, the target of this spell cannot maintain
Deep or Light Focus. Truth of Flesh and Bone

Level 2 Rectifier Spells

Adaptive Modification Level 1
Disjunctive Shift
One visible willing target per character level is bio- Feral Guise
logically altered to withstand a particular set of envi-
Flowing Form
ronmental conditions, the entire group of alterations
counting as a single Change. The altered subject can Means of Ascent
survive any specific chosen natural environment, Sanctity of Self
whether deep space, the surface of a molten planet, or Temporary Excellence
the airless pressures of a sub-sea trench. These alter-
Ten Thousand Senses
ations do not protect the target from energies inten-
tionally used to harm them; thus, protection from a Toxin Purge
flaming hell-world won’t protect the user from being
hurt by a flamethrower. Adapted subjects do not need Level 3 Rectifier Spells
to eat, drink, or breathe while so altered. The adapta- Manifest Aspect
tions last as long as the Change is supported, and then Perpetual Molding
fade in one hour per caster level. Alterations are not
Physical Perfection
usually externally visible, but can be easily detected on
closer inspection. Proprioceptive Crash
Resolve Strain
Arcane Cyst Level 4 Restore Organ
Return to the Root
You encyst a spell within your tissue as a Change, creat-
ing a crude, specialized SANIS node that maintains its Sensory Leech
own energy potential at the very cusp of release. When
you cast this spell, you must follow it immediately with Level 4 Rectifier Spells
a second spell you know that requires no more than Accelerando
one round to cast. This second spell is suspended at the Arcane Cyst
very moment before its release, and may be discharged Balance of Power
as an On Turn action, even on the same round you
choose to cast a different spell. Both spell slots remain Mask of Passion
committed, one to the Arcane Cyst and the other to the Polymorphous Pervasity
suspended spell, and may not be recovered until both Sloughing Curse
are discharged or the Change is no longer supported.
Level 5 Rectifier Spells
Balance of Power Level 4 Bodily Panoply
Compel Change
The Rectifier can tune and adjust the physical prowess
of a willing target within three meters, shifting attri- Eternal Persistence
bute points around. Each use of this spell counts as a Mend the Shattered Vessel
Change, and the shift vanishes as soon as the Change is One In All
no longer supported. For each given subject, the target
Rectify
can move as many attribute points between Strength,
 Rectifier spells •79

Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma as the Rectifier

has caster levels. Thus, a 7th level Rectifier would let
Disjunctive Shift Level 2
the target shift up to 7 points between the four attri- A fruit of the Rectifier research into shapeshifting and
butes in question. A target can be under the influence its consequent effect on carried objects, this spell allows
of only one Balance of Power spell at a time. the caster the ability to shift carried or worn objects
into metadimensional space without actually shape-
shifting. Up to the caster’s character level in unliving
Biometric Imposture Level 1 encumbrance points can be shifted into metadimen-
Whenever a person or device is conducting a biometric sional space with this spell, each casting counting as
or physical diagnostic test within ten meters of the cast- a Change. These objects follow the caster, and one or
er, such as testing DNA, comparing retinas, screening more may be withdrawn from the void as a Main Ac-
for diseases, or checking thumb prints, the person who tion. When all objects are withdrawn or the Change is
has mastered this spell becomes intuitively aware of it no longer supported, the spell ends and any unclaimed
and may choose to cast Biometric Imposture. If so, the objects fall at the caster’s feet. Objects continue to decay
test will produce whatever results the caster wishes for while in metadimensional space, and living creatures
it to produce. If the caster isn’t sure what the test is cannot be shifted. The effects of this spell are invisible
checking for, the spell will confirm whatever expected to normal TL4 sensors, but magical detection spells
or ordinary result the test usually obtains. This spell can discern it.
automatically defeats technological devices, but if the
biometric scan involves purely human analysis, such as
comparing fingerprints or using a magical ability, the Eternal Persistence Level 5
target gets a Mental save to resist. This spell may be The Rectifier is unshackled from the limits of cellular
cast as an Instant action. senescence and physical decay. When this spell is cast
upon a touched willing target that has aged beyond the
peak of their physical capacity and health, the subject
Bodily Panoply Level 5 immediately begins regressing back toward that phys-
The Rectifier has such finely-honed control over their ical optimum at a rate of one year per day. Once they
own tissues that they can create temporary organs and reach their physical peak, they remain there indefinite-
extrusions that mimic the effects of standard TL4 tech- ly so long as the Change the spell induces is maintained.
nology as a single Change. When this spell is cast, the If the Change is no longer supported, the subject begins
Rectifier gains the benefit of any TL4 weapon, armor, aging back toward their true chronological age at the
or piece of portable equipment they so wish, up to four same rate of one year per day, dying when they reach
encumbrance points worth of gear. These items count the end of their natural lifespan. Note that while this
as Readied and do not run out of energy or ammunition spell can cure all the organic, physical harms of aging,
so long as the Change is sustained. A Rectifier can be it does nothing to alter strictly psychological forms of
under the effects of only one Bodily Panoply at a time. degeneration, ennui, or insanity, consequences that can
prove eventually self-limiting to most people.
Compel Change Level 5
Cast as an Instant adjunct to another spell of trans- Feral Guise Level 2
formation, and counting as a separate Change, Compel The Rectifier or a touched willing target may be trans-
Change allows the spell to affect even unwilling or un- formed into the shape of a normal non-sapient animal,
cooperative targets. The victim gets a Physical saving the alteration counting as a Change and persisting as
throw at a -2 penalty to resist the spell; on a success, long as the Change is sustained, or up to one hour per
it has no effect. On a failure, the spell alters them as caster level thereafter. The animal must be no smaller
the Rectifier so chooses, within the limits of the spell’s than a cat and no larger than a horse, and the preci-
original scope. This spell cannot be used on transfor- sion of the spell isn’t sufficient to grant effective flight
mation spells that only affect the caster. Even if the without the help of Means of Ascent. The Rectifier must
transformation spell usually allows the subject to end have a fairly precise knowledge of the physiology of
it at their discretion, spells altered with Compel Change the animal in question. Such knowledge can be as-
end only when dispelled or the Change is abandoned sumed for common fauna in the sector, but truly alien
by the caster. creatures may require a dissection before the Rectifier
understands them well enough to use this spell. This
animalistic shape grants no changes to the target’s at-
tributes or mind, but only the purely external seeming
of the creature.
80• Rectifier spells

the limits of their natural character, doing anything to

express the emotion that is not unthinkable to them.
Flowing Form Level 2 The emotion lasts for the rest of the scene or until the
You briefly disorganize your physical form and carried Change is abandoned.
inanimate equipment, becoming liquid and capable of
flowing at your full movement rate through any bar-
rier or obstacle that is not water-tight. This plasmic Means of Ascent Level 2
form lasts for as much as one round per character level. This spell is unusual in that it is only cast as an Instant
While so transformed you cannot attack or cast spells, adjunct to another physical alteration spell, such as
and remain subject to damage as usual, but you can Temporary Limb. The augmented spell can be used to
flow up or down any surface, including vertical ones. If create wings, gas sacs, or other means of aerial maneu-
reduced to zero hit points while plasmic, you turn back vering, including methods that function in a vacuum.
into your original shape. The flight movement rate allowed by the organs is 30
meters per Move action, and hovering is possible. This
spell’s flight ability counts as a separate Change, along
Font of Persistent Life Level 1 with any required by the original spell.
You discharge a portion of your own vitality to stabi-
lize and revive all mortally-wounded targets within a
twenty-meter range. All such victims revive with one Mend the Shattered Vessel Level 5
hit point five minutes later, and you gain one point Even a clinically dead creature may be revived by a Rec-
of System Strain per target so stabilized. A target can tifier, provided the brain is intact and un-decomposed.
benefit from this spell only once per day. Under battlefield conditions, this usually obtains for up
to ten minutes after the target’s death, assuming their
head was not explicitly destroyed by the trauma that
Manifest Aspect Level 3 killed them. Brains specifically harvested for preserva-
The Rectifier can adopt any organic form no smaller tion may be kept indefinitely, provided the right TL4
than a cat nor larger than a horse, of whatever appear- tools are available. The spell rebuilds the body the crea-
ance or arbitrary shape might be desired. The trans- ture possessed at the time of its death and restores it to
formation counts as a Change and persists as long as life with one hit point and maximized System Strain.
the Change is supported, or one hour per character Such life is unfortunately provisional; it persists only
level thereafter. Unless adapted otherwise, the Rectifier as long as the Change of the spell is maintained. Once
cannot regain System Strain while so transformed. As the spell is terminated or the creature dies again, its
part of the transformation, the caster can pick one ben- body disintegrates and it cannot be revived once more.
efit conferred by the form for every three caster levels,
rounded up: a natural Armor Class of 16, intrinsic im-
munity to a particular hostile natural environment, an One In All Level 5
effective Strength attribute of 18, an effective Dexterity The Rectifier may cast this spell as an Instant action
attribute of 18, an effective Charisma attribute of 18, when they are reduced to zero hit points. They explode
ten bonus maximum hit points, immunity to toxins and in a mass of mobile biological fragments that often ap-
diseases, or the ability to recover System Strain while pear vaguely insect-like. This swarm scatters into an
under the spell’s effects. expanding cloud of scuttling and flying life, fleeing with
human forethought and intellect. If an area-effect at-
tack that inflicts at least 10 points of damage is used
Mask of Passion Level 4 against the swarm, it will be destroyed, but this usually
The Rectifier must choose a visible sapient target when must be done within two rounds of the spell’s casting
casting this spell and select a single powerful emotion: or a fragment is likely to escape. If even one mobile
fear, lust, awe, compassion, or some other clear pas- fragment escapes destruction and is able to find a hu-
sion. Once invoked, the Rectifier’s external appearance man-sized place to hide for 1d6 days, it can regenerate
shifts and alters as a Change in subtle, superficial ways the Rectifier’s entire body and mind. The Rectifier so
to perfectly match the deep, physiologically-imprinted restored revives with maximized System Strain and
responses of the target, forming an appearance, how- cannot use this spell for one month thereafter. The
ever alien, that cannot help but provoke the chosen fragments cannot attack or manipulate objects, but
passion in the subject, directed toward the Rectifier. they move with an intelligence directed by the Rec-
The target will invariably feel the emotion, but may tifier’s mind, which can choose which fragment to be
make a Mental saving throw. On a success, they will re-embodied from. Any fragments that don’t result in
feel the emotion, but not act unreasonably or in con- a reborn Rectifier die and dissolve afterwards.
tradiction to their important goals. On a failure, they
are utterly swept away by the emotion and will act to
 Rectifier spells •81

Perpetual Molding Level 3

A specialized spell used to grant a subject a form more
suitable to their desires, Perpetual Molding must be used
on a willing sapient target within three meters. The
target may be transformed into any shape that shares
the same basic body structure and a mass no more than
50% lesser or greater than the original, such as one
bipedal humanoid to another. Unlike most Rectifier
transformations, this modification is permanent until
the target voluntarily ends it, and it does not count
as a Change that must be sustained. While under the
influence of a Perpetual Molding spell, the target gains
one point of System Strain that cannot be shed. Due to
the specialized precision of the spell, a subject does not
show as magically transformed to any non-Rectifier
investigative spell, and will appear to have been always
and naturally their transformed self right down to a
DNA-level medical investigation.

Physical Perfection Level 3

A visible target is imbued with tremendous physical
prowess so long as Deep Focus is maintained. The sub-
ject gains an effective Strength and Dexterity of 18 and though they still retain their AC. Psychic powers can
a bonus of three extra hit points per caster level so long be used, but spellcasting or other activities requiring
as the spell is maintained. When the spell terminates, physical motion are impossible.
the extra hit points are lost, and a damaged creature
might drop directly into mortal injury if their hit points
are thus reduced to zero. Rectify Level 3
A visible willing target experiences a sudden and total
physical reset, restoring them to full normal hit points,
Polymorphous Pervasity Level 4 perfect health, and minimum possible System Strain.
The Rectifier becomes a pervasive presence when this Lost organs are regrown and any diseases or poisons
spell is employed. Unlike most arcana, this spell may are eliminated. The Rectifier immediately loses half the
be cast as an Instant action. The Rectifier must target a hit points that the target just regained, rounded down,
visible living or recently-dead creature within ten me- and gains half the lost System Strain, rounded down.
ters no larger than a horse and no smaller than a cat; If this would cause them to exceed their maximum al-
the subject immediately assumes the Rectifier’s current lowed System Strain, they immediately fall unconscious
appearance and clothing while the Rectifier instantly for 24 hours. If the hit point damage would reduce
shifts to perfectly mimic the target. If the subject is them to zero hit points, they are stable but unconscious.
conscious and resisting, they get a Physical save to resist This spell may be used only once per scene, and never
their own transformation. The paired alterations count more than once per day on a given target. The Rectifier
as a single Change and persist until the Change is no cannot cast this spell on their own person.
longer supported or the effect is dispelled. The changes
are perfect down to a DNA level. This spell does not
alter the minds of the affected creatures. Reinforce Tissue Level 1
The caster catalyzes the latent organic energy within
a visible wounded target to provoke immediate heal-
Proprioceptive Crash Level 3 ing of physical injuries. This spell is unusual in that
A visible living target may be struck with a complete once it is mastered, it can be cast with any level of spell
confusion of the proprioceptive brain centers, render- slot. The healing provided is equal to 2d6 per level of
ing them incapable of intuitively sensing where their the spell. Thus, if cast as a first level spell, it heals 2d6
limbs are or the relation of their body parts to each damage, and if cast as a fifth level spell, it heals 10d6.
other. The target gets a Physical saving throw to resist Each use of this spell on a target causes it to gain one
the spell at the start of each round; if successful, the point of System Strain. This spell can only heal physical
spell ends. If unsuccessful, the target is incapable of trauma, and cannot regrow lost limbs, cure diseases, or
effectively performing any physical action that round, detoxify poisons.
82• Rectifier spells

Resolve Strain Level 3 Sensory Leech Level 3

The Rectifier may discharge a certain portion of their The Rectifier targets a visible sapient creature, which
own System Strain by casting this spell, unraveling it gets a Mental save to resist the spell. While Light Focus
with a burst of metadimensional energy. One System is maintained, the Rectifier can eavesdrop on the tar-
Strain point is lost for every two caster levels, rounded get’s senses, hearing what they hear, seeing what they
down. This spell can only benefit the caster, and the see, and otherwise experiencing the target’s current
caster may only be aided by it once per day. environment. The caster is oblivious to their own sur-
rounds while leeching the target’s senses, though they
can swap focus back and forth as an On Turn action.
Restore Organ Level 3 The spell has an effective range out to orbital distances.
The Rectifier may repair organ damage in a willing or The target is not aware of the effects of this spell, and
unconscious subject, including limb loss and congeni- even a successful Mental save will not necessarily alert
tal deformities, but not hit point damage. The process them that some attempt was made on their mind, albeit
induces two points of System Strain in the target. This the spellcasting itself may be obvious to them and they
spell cannot create organs or physical structures not will show up to magical detection effects.
naturally part of the subject creature’s DNA, though
alterations to sex can be made. The spell’s effects are
permanent as any other magical healing. Siphon Strain Level 1
By touching a willing target, the caster is capable of
absorbing a portion of their System Strain. Up to one
Return to the Root Level 3 System Strain point per caster level can be absorbed
A spell of bodily or cerebral unbinding used to revert with each casting of this spell, the System Strain accru-
unintended changes or hinder hostile Rectifiers, the ing to the Rectifier.
Return to the Root must be targeted at a visible living
subject. Any spell or magical effect that has physically
altered their body or influenced their mind is immedi- Sloughing Curse Level 4
ately dispelled if the source of the magic comes from One of the very few direct offensive spells known to
a caster of equal or lower level than the Rectifier. If the Rectifiers, the Sloughing Curse is directed at a visible
the origin of the magic is from a higher-level caster, living creature. Their body begins to melt away in a
both make opposed Int/Cast Magic skill checks, while terrifying liquefaction of skin, tissue, and bone. At the
non-human sources of magic have a set difficulty from beginning of every round this spell is in effect, the tar-
9 to 12. If the caster fails, their Return to the Root spells get takes hit point damage equal to the Rectifier’s level.
can never break the enchantment in question. All crea- Targets can make a Physical saving throw at the end of
tures affected by this spell are forced back into their each round to end the spell, and the caster can end it
original, unaltered shape. A creature that genuinely has at any time, including just short of death if so desired.
no natural shape merely shifts and warps wildly for a The damage done by this spell cannot be healed without
moment before settling back into its current guise. magical or TL4+ medical assistance. This spell induces
Surge in the caster.
Sanctity of Self Level 2
A defensive measure against unwanted biological al- Superficial Tissue Sculpture Level 1
teration, the Rectifier may use this spell as an Instant The caster can rework external physical features as
action when suffering hit point damage from physical if they were clay, either on their own person or on a
trauma. Their tissue hardens to resist the damage or willing touched subject. Facial features, skin, eye, and
regenerates rapidly around the torn flesh. The spell re- hair colors, external scars, and other superficial details
duces incoming damage from a single source by three can be reworked, but height, build, and limb or organ
points per character level, but the shock of the sudden placement remain immutable. Each subject’s alterations
response adds one point of System Strain to the Rec- count as a single Change for duration purposes. Al-
tifier and costs them their next Main Action. In addi- terations unsupported by the caster’s Change capacity
tion, this spell may be used to automatically counter revert after one day per caster level, or instantly if the
any magical effect used to transform the mage’s body, caster so desires. Disguising a target as a specific person
whether or not the effect normally allowed a saving may require a Dex/Cast Magic skill check at a difficulty
throw. This spell may be used only once per scene. of 9 or more, depending on the original closeness of
the subject; failure means the caster cannot replicate
the target’s appearance perfectly.
 Rectifier spells •83

Physical saving throw. On a failure, Toxin Purge cannot

Temporary Excellence Level 2 cure the affliction in this particular target. Toxin Purge
cannot cure congenital diseases, and it does not repair
A visible target is imbued with a temporary burst of any damage done by the disease or poison.
physical vitality as a Change. So long as the Change is
maintained, each round for the remainder of the scene,
as an On Turn action, they may choose to treat either Truth of Flesh and Bone Level 1
their Strength or Dexterity score as if it was 18 for the You target a visible subject for a deep analysis of their
remainder of the round, gaining the corresponding physical structure and health. You immediately iden-
+2 attribute modifier on any applicable rolls or saves. tify any injuries, diseases, toxins, or implants they
Each round they use this benefit, they gain one point may possess, and can grant a +2 bonus to any Heal
of System Strain. The spell ends at the end of the scene. checks related to treating their health problems, either
to yourself or to a cooperating physician. If they have
been enchanted by a spell or have received mundane
Temporary Limb Level 1 or magical physical alteration, you perceive it and the
The Rectifier or a visible target sprouts one or more target’s original form unless it is somehow concealed
additional limbs as a Change. The descriptions and na- by some special effect, in which case an opposed Wis/
ture of these limbs may vary, whether as arms, tendrils, Know Magic skill check is usually required against
wings, or otherwise, but they all have functionality sim- some appropriate opposing skill.
ilar to that of an ordinary human hand and arm and
a maximum length of two meters. The limbs can be
used to grip or manipulate things, but they do not grant
Rectifier Spell Limits
extra actions or allow additional weapons or items to The flesh-mending and shapeshifting powers of
be effectively wielded, and they do not allow additional a Rectifier are versatile, but when a PC wants to
movement types such as flight. The limbs persist as create new spells for their Magister a few limits
long as the Change is supported. Lacking that, they should be kept in mind for this tradition.
vanish in ten minutes per character level. Spells only change living creatures. Rectifiers
can do absolutely nothing with robots, inanimate
objects, or the like. They might be able to mold
Ten Thousand Senses Level 2 flesh to behave like inanimate substances or tools,
Alternate sensory apparati are developed in a willing but they can’t alter such materials with their spells.
touched target, the senses counting as a single Change No permanent augmentations without a Change.
and persisting as long as the Change is supported. One No spell should give the target some permanent
new sense or augmentation may be added for every advantage or boost unless it is supported by a
two full levels of the caster. Augmented human senses Change. Only cosmetic changes should be sus-
are undetectable short of a medical examination, but tainable without requiring a commitment from
entirely alien senses always leave some obvious physi- the caster’s limited supply of Changes.
ological mark while they persist. Common possibilities New shapes don’t have intrinsic benefits. This
for improved senses include perfect vision in complete limit is a little tricky, since it has to do with the
darkness, the visual acuity of a raptor or other bird of potential advantages of being able to transform
prey, scent abilities akin to those of a bloodhound, or into different creatures with different innate
hearing acute enough to pick out single conversations powers. One would intuitively assume that if you
in a noisy club. More exotic senses include the ability to transform into a horse you’re as strong as a horse,
sense magnetic north, see electrical charges, echolocate or that if you become an eagle, you can fly like
within enclosed spaces, utilize sonar while underwater, one. This is not the case. Normally, when you
or other mimicry of senses found in natural animals. A transform, all you get is the outward appearance
subject can be affected by only one casting of this spell of the creature, possibly with the ability to survive
at a time. When these new senses are applicable to a in its native medium, like a fish’s ability to breathe
Notice check or similar skill test, they count as a +2 in water. The spell may then grant you addition-
bonus to the skill roll. al perks based on the form you adopt, but these
should be paid for in Changes and balanced the
same as any other buffing spell. The caster doesn’t
Toxin Purge Level 2 get free benefits just because they can think of a
A visible subject may be purged of a single toxin or creature that has the perk they want. The default
disease at a cost of one point of System Strain. Nat- benefit of shapeshifting is that you no longer look
ural toxins and diseases are automatically removed. like yourself and can pass for people and things
Afflictions that have been designed as bioweapons or that you are not. Extra perks are just a bonus.
are of exceptional virulence force the target to make a
84• War mage spells

War Mage Spells

Level 1 War Mage Spells
Air Cover Level 5 Ammo Drop
The caster conjures a temporary defensive shield five Combat Stabilization
meters overhead, protecting everything within thirty
Consecrated Arms
meters. The shield moves with the caster as long as it is
maintained. While up, any incoming directly-targeted Field Report
damage delivered by plunging fire or aerial attacks is Force Shelter
reduced by thirty points of damage, down to a mini- Meta-rations
mum of zero. If attacked by area-effect damage such
Ruck Platform
as artillery strikes or mortar rounds, the subjects be-
neath the air cover shield are safe from the explosions This Is My Rifle
and shrapnel. Only direct-fire attacks from the same
approximate horizontal plane as the caster can avoid Level 2 War Mage Spells
the shield. The shield also disrupts conventional TL4 Commando Invocation
sensors, requiring direct visual observation to discern Fighting Withdrawal
anything beneath it. Maintaining the air cover requires
Firing Position
Light Focus. It lasts for one minute per caster level once
focus is lost. Ghost Soldiers
Roof Instantiation
Ammo Drop Level 1 Rookie Courage
Salvage Gear
The caster pulses a charge of metadimensional energy
through the weapons of their allies, recharging pow- Stifle Explosion
er cells and constructing temporary metadimensional
force analogs of physical ammunition. All weapons car- Level 3 War Mage Spells
ried by the caster and up to six allies within thirty me- Artillery Strike
ters have any loaded type A power cells fully recharged Breaching Charge
and any physical ammo magazines replenished. For
Double Tap
one round per caster level after casting this spell, these
weapons expend no ammunition when they fire. This High Road Invocation
spell isn’t powerful enough to replenish type B power Tank Kill
cells or Heavy weapon munitions, and due to the ar- Team Liaison
cane sympathies involved in the spell only power cells
Terror of Battle
currently loaded into actual weapons are recharged. If
these spell-charged cells are used for anything but fir- Walking Wounded
ing a weapon, they deplete instantly.
Level 4 War Mage Spells
Entrenchment Kinesis
Artillery Strike Level 3
Forced March
The caster invokes a tremendous blast of metadimen- Metadimensional Minefield
sional energy on a visible target point within 50 meters.
Everything within 10 meters of the target point takes Radio Intercept Protocol
1d8 damage per caster level from the blast and ensuing Voice of Command
shrapnel, with an Evasion save to take half, with the War Gas Cloud
damage counting as Heavy for purposes of disabling ve-
hicles and instantly killing targets it reduces to zero hit Level 5 War Mage Spells
points. This energy takes about six seconds to coalesce, Air Cover
however, and the blast only goes off at the end of the
Forlorn Hope's Charge
next round after the one in which this spell is cast. The
ominous wail of the impending blast charge may be Infectious Despair
enough to convince those near the target point to seek Murphy's Law
cover, given that it sounds remarkably like an artillery Summon Fire Support
shell passing overhead. This spell induces Surge.
Ten Thousand Bullets
 War mage spells •85

Breaching Charge Level 3 Double Tap Level 3

The caster touches a wall or other barrier and choos- An ally’s firing speed is drastically increased by this spell.
es a delay ranging from instant to up to ten minutes. The chosen ally must be within 30 meters of the at-
When the delay elapses, a metadimensional energy tacker; so long as the caster maintains Light Focus the
surge disintegrates a large portion of the barrier. The target may attack twice with each Main Action, wheth-
caster can punch holes in anything short of military er with melee weapons or ranged attacks. Each round
fortifications to a depth equal to one meter per two the target takes advantage of this option, they accrue
caster levels, rounded up and a diameter of up to three one additional System Strain. The spell ends when the
meters. Due to the arcane sympathies involved, the caster drops their focus, or after one round per caster
spell can only be used to damage walls and structures, level at the maximum. The caster cannot be the target
including starship bulkheads. The detonation does not of their own Double Tap spell.
harm creatures around the broken barrier, but taking
out support walls may cause additional damage. This
spell induces Surge. Entrenchment Kinesis Level 4
Physical trenches and earthworks can be molded by this
spell, provided the soil in question is soft enough to
Combat Stabilization Level 1 be worked by hand tools. Simple trenches and earth-
The caster may choose a visible mortally-wounded tar- en mounds can be shaped by the caster, up to a 3x3x3
get and automatically stabilize them for the rest of the meter cube of earth being moved for each minute of
scene. If the target does not receive some sort of med- Deep Focus maintained by the caster. The earth must
ical assistance by the end of the scene, however, they be within 50 meters of the caster, and the spell cannot
will die. If some modicum of help is provided, they will be maintained for more than two minutes per caster
recover and be functional with 1 hit point at the end level. This spell cannot directly destroy structures, but
of the scene or ten minutes later, whichever is sooner. may cause undermining that results in a collapse. The
tendrils of energy that connect the caster to the worked
earth are extremely visible, however.
Commando Invocation Level 2
The caster and up to two adjacent allies per caster level
are protected from a number of conventional sensing Field Report Level 1
technologies and imbued with natural night vision. Al- The caster may focus on a single person they have per-
lies need not remain adjacent after receiving the spell’s sonally met before casting this spell. A brief telepathic
benefits. Conventional TL4 motion detectors, IR sen- link is forged between the target and the caster, provid-
sors, or night-vision goggles will not read the subjects ed the target is willing to accept the link and is on the
of this spell, and all participants can see as clearly in same planet. Voice-only communication between the
perfect darkness as they could at midday. This tech-in- two subjects may be maintained so long as the caster
visibility does not grant any bonus to Sneak skill checks, sustains Deep Focus, and then for one round per level.
but it may lessen the difficulty when attempting to
infiltrate a well-guarded location. The effect lasts as
long as the caster maintains Light Focus, and then ten Fighting Withdrawal Level 2
minutes per character level afterwards. On casting this spell, the caster nominates a point with-
in ten meters per caster level that they can either see
or have physically occupied before. At the end of that
Consecrated Arms Level 1 round, after all combat participants have acted, the
The weapons of the caster’s fire team are charged with caster and up to two willing allies per caster level with-
metadimensional energy, granting them a +1 bonus in 10 meters are teleported to the nominated location.
to hit and damage rolls and causing them to count as While this spell is commonly used to retreat from battle,
magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming the it can be used out of combat as well.
defenses of creatures immune to mundane steel. Every
weapon used by the caster and up to six allies within
30 meters is so blessed, though targets can move out of
this range afterwards without losing the benefit. This
spell does not affect weapons which are already en-
chanted. The spell lasts as long as the caster maintains
Light Focus, and then one round per character level
afterwards.
86• War mage spells

Firing Position Level 2 Forced March Level 4

The caster conjures up a temporary construct of meta- The caster and up to two allies per caster level with-
dimensional force that can serve as effective cover in 30 meters are infused with tremendous vitality and
against small arms fire. The construct takes the form endurance. For one day per caster level, they need
of a wall up to two meters high and up to two meters neither eat, sleep, nor rest, and can perform repetitive
long per level, transparent on one side, with firing slits physical exertion without ceasing. They heal lost hit
positioned as the caster wishes. While behind cover, points at a rate of one hit point per hour. Their or-
melee attacks are impossible and ranged attacks suf- dinary Move rate increases by 50% and any ordinary
fer a -4 penalty against targets behind the construct. overland marching rate is increased by 300%, This spell
Ordinary small arms fire cannot meaningfully harm cannot be used a second time on a given subject until
the construct, but melee weapons, explosives, or other a week has passed.
structural damage can bring it down with five points
of damage per caster level. The wall impedes normal
movement and can act as a conventional barrier if de- Forlorn Hope’s Charge Level 5
sired. The wall lasts as long as Light Focus is held, plus The caster and up to one ally per two full levels with-
one round per caster level thereafter. in ten meters are briefly mantled in an invisible but
powerful metadimensional energy shield. Until the
spell ends, they are effectively immune to any phys-
Force Shelter Level 1 ical damage inflicted by shrapnel, small arms, melee
The caster creates a temporary shelter out of metadi- damage, falling, or anything short of a direct hit with
mensional force. The shelter must be conjured within a Heavy weapon. Injuries from psychic attacks or dam-
10 meters on a solid surface, and takes the shape of a age that comes from a source inside the shield is not
floored dome up to five meters in diameter and three mitigated, but gases, radioactivity, and energy hazards
meters high. The dome is colored and patterned to are also shielded. Unfortunately, the shield is so per-
match its surroundings and is opaque from the outside fect that no dangerous levels of energy can be exerted
and transparent from within; ranged attacks against outward from it either, and the recipients are unable to
targets hidden inside the dome are made at a -4 penalty fire personal weapons, wield carried melee implements,
to hit. The atmosphere within the dome remains warm, or otherwise do harm with objects they were carrying
dry, breathable, and comfortably pressurized regardless when the shield went up. Objects cannot be dropped or
of the environment outside, and may be lit or darkened otherwise leave the field while it is being maintained.
at the caster’s discretion. The walls of the dome allow At the end of each round this spell was in effect after
solid objects to pass in and out freely, but they will the first round, the GM rolls 1d10; on 6 or less, the spell
protect against precipitation, winds, and dust. It lasts ends. The caster cannot end this spell voluntarily; they
as long as the caster maintains Light Focus, plus one must wait for it to wear off.
hour per caster level.
 War mage spells •87

objects invariably hit a mine, taking damage as if from

a Heavy attack with no saving throw to lessen it. The
Ghost Soldiers Level 2 caster can see the mines, as can any target capable of
Illusions of the caster or their allies are conjured to detecting magic, but other allies cannot. The minefield
distract enemy attention. The spell may conjure the lasts as long as Light Focus is maintained, or one round
illusions at a point within 30 meters of the caster, cre- per level thereafter. This spell induces Surge.
ating an illusion of up to one person per caster level
performing whatever actions the caster wishes. The
illusion has full audiovisual components, but is intan- Meta-rations Level 1
gible. The caster can only create illusions of their own The caster channels metadimensional energy to refuel
person or allies within ten meters, and these illusions depleted biological reserves. The caster and up to six
cannot manipulate or otherwise affect their surround- additional allies per caster level within 10 meters have
ings, though they can dodge behind cover or appear to all hunger and thirst eliminated, with no additional
use their own illusionary equipment. The caster can need to eat or drink for 24 more hours per caster level.
control the illusions as a Main Action so long as they While clean and easy, metarations cannot sustain a sub-
maintain Light Focus. Once Focus is dropped, the il- ject indefinitely, and cannot be used twice on the same
lusions continue their current activities for one round subject without at least a day’s true food and drink to
per level before vanishing. replenish missing nutrients.

High Road Invocation Level 3 Murphy’s Law Level 5

The caster and up to two allies per caster level within The caster invokes the grim and terrible chance of the
10 meters become capable of limited flight. As a Main battlefield to cause one visible piece of equipment, ma-
Action, the subjects may travel up to 10 meters through chinery, or electronics no larger than a gravtank to fail
the air in any direction, provided they remain within dramatically. Individual components of a larger struc-
30 meters of the caster. If the spell ends or they exceed ture or vehicle cannot be affected by this spell. Person-
this distance, they float harmlessly back to the ground. al-scale equipment no larger than a suit of armor will
The spell lasts as long as Deep Focus is maintained. collapse, short out, suffer a catastrophic fault, or other-
wise becomes totally useless and irreparable. Larger ob-
jects or magical objects of any size are not permanently
Infectious Despair Level 5 damaged, but are totally inert and unusable so long as
This spell can only be cast at the immediate moment Light Focus is maintained. Flying vehicles affected by
when an ally of the caster has just killed, disabled, or this spell will crash.
otherwise defeated a member of an enemy group. Un-
like most spells, it may be triggered as an Instant action,
but it must be an ally who deals the harm; the caster’s Radio Intercept Protocol Level 4
violence can’t empower this spell. In addition to what- The caster gains an intuitive awareness of any radio
ever Morale check the death may have forced on the transmissions, comm calls, or other technological
enemies, they must make a separate Morale check at communications being made or received within one
a -2 penalty or flee in a disorganized rout. If a group kilometer, provided they are pertinent to their current
succeeds in this Morale check, they are immune to this activities or interests. The caster does not receive a ver-
spell for the rest of the scene. All affected members of batim transcript of the call, but instead gets a sentence
the enemy group must be within at least 30 meters of or two describing the general content of the exchange
the triggering violence. and the persons talking. This spell can crack standard
military encryption; ultra-secure transmissions force
an Int/Cast Magic skill check at a difficulty of at least
Metadimensional Minefield Level 4 11. The spell lasts as long as Light Focus is maintained,
Pockets of invisible metadimensional force are scat- plus ten minutes per character level.
tered over a zone of ground, detonating with lethal
force when disturbed by more than ten kilograms of
weight. When the spell is deployed, the caster indicates Roof Instantiation Level 2
a zone up to twenty meters wide and twenty meters The caster conjures a sheltering metadimensional con-
long. Anyone who moves into or inside of that zone struct above their head, extending up to 15 meters in
runs the risk of stepping on a mine; after each applica- radius and hanging up to five meters above the cast-
ble Move action is taken, the subject should roll 1d6; er. Any aerial viewer looking down through the roof
on a 3 or less, they’ve hit a mine; they and anything else will simply not see the caster or their allies, and any
within three meters takes 4d6 damage, with a Physical conventional TL4 sensors that ping through the roof
save for half, rounded down. Vehicles or other large will report nothing but ordinary ground below. The
88• War mage spells

roof protects all below it from precipitation and in-

tense sunlight. The roof itself cannot be destroyed by
conventional damage, and lasts as long as Light Focus is Stifle Explosion Level 2
maintained, plus ten minutes per caster level thereafter. The caster reflexively uses an explosion’s energy to cre-
ate a countervailing pressure, stifling small explosions
and weakening larger blasts. Unlike most spells, this
Rookie Courage Level 2 one may be cast as an Instant action. A single explo-
Hearts are emboldened with blithe, unthinking bravery sion within 30 meters has its damage reduced by 1d6
by this spell. Up to five willing allies per caster lev- points per caster level. This effect applies to grenades,
el within thirty meters are charged with tremendous artillery blasts, explosive projectiles, or magical effects
courage while this spell is in effect, with NPCs gaining that create an explosive detonation, but not to beams
a Morale score of 11 and all subjects gaining a +2 bo- or conventional bullets.
nus to their hit rolls. This bravery induces a degree of
recklessness, however, and affected targets take a -2
penalty to Armor Class. This spell lasts as long as Light Summon Fire Support Level 5
Focus is maintained. The caster creates a metadimensionally-fueled weap-
on emplacement at a visible point within 30 meters.
The turret-mounted gun fires visible bolts of charged
Ruck Platform Level 1 metadimensional force for 3d8 Heavy damage, can
The caster conjures up a flat, waist-high plane of fire to suppress, and has a range of up to four kilome-
metadimensional force, usually appearing as a slight- ters. Its ammunition is inexhaustible while the spell is
ly concave, translucent sheet up to two meters long maintained. While the turret can be operated by any
and two meters wide at their discretion. The sheet can human-sized creature, it does require a gunner to fire
bear up to four normal humans and their gear or 400 it, granting them a +4 AC bonus against ranged attacks
kilograms; weight in excess of this will cause it to sink for the cover it provides. The emplacement itself can-
down and refuse to move. The platform automatically not be physically destroyed, and it inflicts damage as if
remain within 5 meters of the caster if not detained by it were a magical weapon against targets immune to
physical obstacles, and can float over liquids or difficult mundane injury. The emplacement lasts while Light
terrain. The caster can voluntarily move the platform Focus is maintained, plus one round per two full caster
within a 20-meter range as a Main Action, but as soon levels thereafter.
as their attention lapses the platform will return to
hover close to them. It cannot exert force on objects
in its path. The platform has an effective AC of 15 and Tank Kill Level 3
can take 5 plus the caster’s level in hit points of dam- If the caster can physically touch a vehicle no larger
age before shattering. The platform remains as long as than a gravtank, they can disable it. When this spell
Light Focus maintained, and then one hour per caster is invoked, the caster’s touch becomes charged with a
level thereafter. It vanishes instantly if the caster gets disabling vortex of arcane energy. This charge lasts as
more than 100 meters distant. long as Deep Focus is maintained, until it is discharged
by successfully touching a vehicle. A touched vehicle
is immediately immobilized and inert for one round
Salvage Gear Level 2 per character level, with any doors, hatches, or other
The caster can temporarily restore a destroyed vehicle, seals automatically flying open. Touching a vehicle is
robot, or other inanimate, non-consumable piece of automatic if the caster can get within arm’s length of it.
equipment by fabricating substitute components from
metadimensional energy, provided the device is no big-
ger than a gravtank. The equipment must be within Team Liaison Level 3
thirty meters of the caster, and regains two hit points The caster imbues their own person or an ally within
per caster level, up to its usual maximum, and is treated ten meters with the ability to communicate with any
as being fueled or powered so long as this spell is main- intelligent creature. This communication ability func-
tained. Gear without hit points is restored to operating tions both in person and over remote comms, and also
condition. If the device is broken again while this spell allows the reading, but not the writing, of foreign or
is in effect, it is smashed beyond the power even of alien texts. Extremely ancient or esoteric scripts may
this spell to revive it. The repair provided by this spell not be recognized by this spell. The spell’s effects last
lasts as long as the caster maintains Deep Focus, and as long as Light Focus is maintained, plus one hour per
then one round per level afterwards. Devices cannot be character level thereafter.
repaired while this spell is in effect on them.
 War mage spells •89

Ten Thousand Bullets Level 5 Voice of Command Level 4

The caster instantiates and multiplies a storm of meta- The caster loudly issues an order that can be expressed
dimensional projectiles, hurling a torrent of gunfire in a single sentence, affecting up to one intelligent lis-
directly down on a target within 50 meters. All targets tener per caster level within 30 meters, whether or not
within ten meters of the focal point take 1d10 damage they speak the language used. Affected creatures can
per caster level, with any structure or cover less durable make a Mental save to ignore this order and become
than military fortifications torn into splinters. If this immune to this spell for the scene. On a failure, they
spell is disrupted before it is successfully cast, however, will carry out the order unless it seems patently suicidal
it goes off automatically with the caster as the focal or involves harm to loved ones. Obedience to the order
point. This spell induces Surge. never lasts longer than one scene. This spell induces
Haze 2.
Terror of Battle Level 3
The caster catalyzes the instinct of self-preservation Walking Wounded Level 3
within most living creatures into a full-fledged panic The caster charges a recuperation zone with arcane
attack. A visible target is selected within thirty meters. energy that seals open wounds and supports damaged
The target and all living enemies within five meters tissues, albeit the subject is still perilously fragile. The
must immediately make a Morale check to avoid being zone can be up to 10 meters in radius and may be placed
overcome with dread. On a failure, they will withdraw anywhere within 50 meters of the caster. Any mor-
as they would on a normal Morale check failure. This tally-wounded or stabilized subjects within the zone
spell can affect a given creature only once per scene. when it manifests are automatically restored to 1 hit
point before the zone’s energy dissipates. They may
move and act normally, but cannot fight or engage in
This Is My Rifle Level 1 any activity that would Commit Effort or accrue Sys-
A weapon properly consecrated to the caster’s use can tem Strain. If they suffer any damage before they have
be summoned to hand by this spell, provided it’s within had a chance to be healed by some other effect or rest
the same solar system. The caster must spend an hour overnight, they will die instantly.
consecrating a weapon beforehand, charging it with
metadimensional energy and etching particular occult
sigils on it. Once a weapon has been consecrated, cast- War Gas Cloud Level 4
ing this spell will call it and any ammunition loaded A torrent of acrid fumes billows from the caster out-
into it instantly to the caster’s grasp unless the sigils ward in a strip five meters wide, extending forward
are defaced or removed. A caster can have up to one out to five meters long per caster level. All living crea-
weapon per level consecrated, and any weapon light tures caught within the cloud must make a Physical
enough to be carried by the caster’s natural strength save or suffer two points of damage per caster level
can be so marked. Unlike most spells, this invocation unless they’re wearing vacc suits or the equivalent. The
requires only an On Turn action to cast. cloud remains for 1d6 rounds after casting, though a
given creature is only affected the first time it contacts
the cloud. This spell induces Surge.

War Mage Spell Limits

War Mage spells are direct and practical. All of them No go-to attack spells. Any spell that does direct
revolve around satisfying needs that might occur in damage should come with both Surge and some
the field for a small military unit. Within this general drawback in execution that makes it impractical to
scope, there are a few limits to keep in mind when use in every fight. War Mages are supposed to get
approving newly-designed War Mage spells. most of their kills with mag rifles, not spells.
No major healing. The tradition can stabilize No powerful Shadow summons. At best, War
downed troopers and get them walking, but it can’t Mages should be able to summon a few low-pow-
substitute for a medic. ered but martial Shadows. Potent single creatures
No subtle divination. A spell might give the kind are beyond the school.
of recon intel that a good drone could, but it’s not No caster combat buffs. Spells that boost targets
going to predict the future or pry into a target’s mind. in combat should never be caster-exclusive. Buff-
Only tangible, present realities can be revealed, and ing allies is acceptable with Focus limits, but a War
those only if they’re nearby. Mage isn’t meant to be their own buff machine.
90• General arcane foci

Arcane Foci
Some character classes have the option of choosing
arcane foci, special talents that are clearly magical or
supernatural in nature. There are three types of these
arcane foci.
General Arcane foci can be taken by Arcanists and
Magisters. They generally alter the ways in which the
PC casts or learns spells.
Arcane Expert foci can be taken by Arcane Experts,
Sunblades, and Yama Kings. They provide a wide range
of practical magical abilities that are more convenient
than conventional spellcasting.
Arcane Warrior foci can be taken by Arcane War-
riors, Godhunters, and Sunblades. They augment the
PC’s martial abilities and give them additional magical
forms of offense and defense.

General Arcane Foci

Armored Technique Imprinted Spell
Applicable only to Arcanists, Magisters, or other Applicable only to Arcanists, this focus is for a hero
spell-casting PCs, this focus reflects a hero’s determined who has so perfectly readied a spell that they no longer
practice at channeling arcane energy flows around the need to prepare it before casting it. They may cast it in
encumbrance of heavy armor and unnatural high-tech place of any other spell of equal or higher level, losing
protective materials. the spell in that slot in order to fuel the sudden casting.
Level 1: You may cast spells while wearing street or Level 1: You may imprint one spell of any level you can
combat armor with an Encumbrance value no cast. You can change this spell once per experience
higher than one, or in powered armor with a zero level to another spell you know.
Encumbrance value. Level 2: You may change your imprinted spell once per
Level 2: You may cast spells regardless of the bulk of day, when you prepare your other spells.
your armor.
Initiate of Healing
Cross-Disciplinary Study This focus can only be taken by Arcanists or Magis-
Applicable only to Magisters, this allows a hero to learn ters with access to healing spells in their regular spell
a spell from the Arcanist list or from a Magister school lists, not including those who add them via other foci
other than their own. They must find a source willing or means. For this book, that includes Arcanists, War
and able to teach them the spell, and it must be of a level Mages, and Rectifiers. With it, a magic-user can trans-
they can cast, though if taken at first level, it’s assumed late the potential energies of their available spells into
that a tutor or grimoire was found for the spell. enchantments of physical mending and revitalization.
Note that this spell does not come with any of the These simple magics can only cure physical injuries and
other benefits of the tradition. A War Mage learning exhaustion, but they are versatile enough to function
a Rectifier spell does not thereby gain the ability to even on VIs and AIs, albeit not mindless robots.
support Changes, and some spells may be impossible Level 1: The user may expend a spell slot to heal a visible
to use because of that. ally within 30 meters for 1d6 points of damage per
Level 1: You may pick one spell of any level you can cast. spell level expended, plus the caster’s Cast Magic
This spell is now known to you. You can change skill. Invoking this healing takes a Main Action,
this spell once per experience level, assuming you but it is not a spell and cannot be interrupted.
can find a source for the new spell. Level 2: The user is so efficient at triggering natural
Level 2: You may pick one spell for each spell level you healing in a subject. As a Main Action, they can
are capable of casting, and may change each of touch a willing target and heal up to 1d6 points
them once per experience level as noted above. of damage for every three character levels the user
possesses, rounded up. This healing adds one Sys-
tem Strain to the target. A target can be healed this
way only once per hour.
 General arcane foci •91

Limited Study Savage Sorcery

This arcane focus is special in that it can be taken by The spellcaster’s powers are keenly attuned to violence
anyone, even those otherwise unable to take General and destruction. Some casters can hurl bolts of crack-
Arcane foci, assuming the GM allows it in their cam- ling lightning, while others could employ lasers, pillars
paign. It reflects a limited or partial study of the arcane of flame, or lances of concussive telekinetic force.
arts, just enough to master the casting of a handful of Level 1: As a Main Action invocation, the spellcaster can
spells. An Arcanist or Magister may also take it, to blast a visible target within 100 meters with a bolt
reflect an outside research topic, but they cannot cast that does 1d8 damage plus their character level if it
these learned spells with their usual spell slots. successfully hits, with the hit roll modified by their
Level 1: You may learn a single Arcanist or Magister Cast Magic skill. They may use this bolt as often as
spell of a spell level no greater than half your own, they wish. Any spell they cast that rolls hit point
rounded up. You can change this spell once per damage does an additional +1 damage per die.
level if you can find a tutor for the new spell you Level 2: The spellcaster can convert their magical en-
want to study. You do not need to prepare this ergy into raw damaging force. The user casts a
spell, and can cast it once per day. Your familiar- spell normally, but at the moment of release, they
ity with it is such that you can even cast it while transform it into a blast of violent energies that
wearing armor, without needing Armored Tech- inflicts 1d6+1 damage per level of the converted
nique. The spell is cast using your full character spell to any single target within 100 meters. This
level for any level-dependent effects. damage includes the bonus level 1 grants to harm-
Level 2: Your limited study has expanded. You may learn ful spells.
a second spell of a level no greater than half your
character level, rounded up. You may cast this Vast Erudition
spell once per day with the same limits as above. Applicable only to Arcanists, the hero is extremely well-
versed in magical theory and practical spell deployment.
Petty Sorceries They automatically know all the usual Arcanist spells
The character is capable of producing minor effects in of certain levels. This does not include any esoteric en-
line with their general style of magic: phantom sounds, chantments that may have been devised by individual
small and obvious illusions, non-damaging puffs of en- practitioners.
ergy or light, minor physical transformations, or any If the campaign is using the spell learning rules
other trifling magical effect that fits with their tradition from the Advanced Research and Development chap-
and isn’t so powerful as to cause damage or directly ter, an Arcanist who takes this focus frees up any Occult
affect an unwilling target. This focus has only one level. Lore they committed to learning spells which the focus
Level 1: The caster can invoke these abilities freely for would grant them.
flavor and role-playing style, but they can only be Level 1: You automatically know all standard first level
concretely useful in play once per game session. Arcanist spells. When you advance a level, you
The GM decides whether or not the concrete use learn four new spells instead of two. If you are
proposed for an effect is appropriate in scale. using the Arcanist spell learning rules from the
Arcane Research and Development chapter, you
Psychic Synergy instead learn two free spells at each new level.
Some magic-using heroes have both arcane and psychic Level 2: You automatically know all standard Arcanist
powers. This focus allows them to blur the lines be- spells of levels less than the maximum spell level
tween their abilities, fueling different spheres of effect you can cast. Thus, if you can cast fourth level
with their separate pools of energy. spells, you know all standard Arcanist spells of
Level 1: Once per day as an Instant action, Commit Psy- levels one through three.
chic Effort for the day to be allowed to cast any
spell you have prepared, if an Arcanist, or known, War Caster
if a Magister, or fuel an Adept power that requires Your hero is accustomed to casting in combat, and can
Effort to be Committed. This casting must follow keep focus when less hardened minds would crack.
the usual rules for casting spells; it does not take Level 1: When injured while casting a spell, you may
place instantly. Conversely, you may instead trade make a Physical saving throw to avoid losing it.
one available spell slot of your highest level to re- Even if your spell is interrupted, you do not lose
fresh half its level in Committed Effort, rounded the spell slot; only your action is wasted.
up, or Commit a point of Adept class Effort for the Level 2: Whenever you would lose a spell to an inter-
day to restore a point of Committed Psychic Effort. ruption, accept damage equal to twice the spell’s
Level 2: You may convert your power twice per day. level to continue casting it. If this extra accepted
damage would reduce you to zero hit points, you
complete the casting before passing out, stable but
at zero HP.
92• Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci

Arcane Expert and Arcane Warrior Foci

The foci listed below are simply a selection of possibil- attacks. You can use it against starship-grade weapons,
ities appropriate to an arcanely-imbued hero. Each one howitzers, or other specific types of fixed weapons if
is listed either as an Arcane Warrior focus, an Arcane you have some reason to suspect that it would be per-
Expert focus, or one that can be selected by either class. tinent, though it won’t help any vehicle you’re riding
In some marginal cases a GM might allow a PC to pick in, and truly giant weapons may make your physical
a focus not normally allowed to them, but just point- surroundings into a largely unsurvivable environment.
ing out that the focus “fits their background” shouldn’t
normally suffice for this. Level 1: For each successful hit or Shock you suffer from
a nominated weapon, its damage is reduced by 2
points per character level, down to a minimum
Arcane Mind Expert of zero.
Your cogitation has been streamlined and amplified Level 2: You are entirely immune to non-magical weap-
by eldritch powers, either through occult meditation, ons of that class, and decrease magical weapon
Shadow pacts, quasi-independent thought clusters, or damage by the amount given in the first level of
arcane mental training. This focus has only one level, the focus. At seventh level, you can ward against
but it can be taken more than once if applied to differ- two weapons at once.
ent mental attributes.

Level 1: Pick any mental attribute; its modifier increases Compelling Gaze Expert
by +1, to a maximum of +3. If this attribute score You have uncanny powers of influence over the wills
is increased later in the game and its base modifi- of others, though the full exercise of such abilities is
er improves, the benefit then applies to the new draining to you. You do not need to share a language
modifier. with the target of your influence, but without it you can
impart only simple, direct ideas. Your target must be of
approximately human intelligence, though VIs and AIs
Arcane Physique Warrior are subject to your abilities. Note that meeting a target’s
Your physical form has been enhanced by arcane en- gaze is automatic unless the target has some reason not
ergies, perhaps improving its functionality beyond to be looking at the PC or intentionally avoiding their
normal human maximums. This focus has only one eyes. In combat, this results in a -4 penalty to hit a tar-
level, but it can be taken more than once for different get if the attacker is avoiding their target’s gaze.
physical attributes.
Level 1: At the cost of a point of System Strain and a
Level 1: Pick any physical attribute; its modifier increas- Main Action, you may implant a simple sugges-
es by +1, to a maximum of +3. If this attribute tion in any single target who is meeting your gaze.
score is increased later in the game and its base The suggestion must not be firmly contrary to the
modifier improves, the benefit then applies to the character of the target, but it will be performed so
new modifier. long as it does not imperil or significantly incon-
venience the target. You need not verbalize the
suggestion when you make it, but if you do not,
Blade Ward Warrior the target gets a Mental saving throw to ignore it.
You have made pacts, occult preparations, or arcane The suggestion must be one that could be com-
arrangements to grant yourself tremendous resilience pleted in the same scene.
against a particular source of martial harm. After fifteen Level 2: You can amplify your influence to paralyze a
minutes of preparation, you can nominate one type of target under the force of your gaze at the cost of
weapon from the weapon lists given in the core rule- a second System Strain point, provided they are
book, such as “laser rifles” or “heavy machine guns”. For looking at you. The target may make a Mental sav-
a melee weapon, it must be a general class of weapon, ing throw to resist the paralysis at a -2 penalty; if
like “swords” or “knives” or “clubs”, and applies to both they fail, they will remain frozen in inaction, blind,
TL3 and TL4+ versions of those weapons. Until you unthinking, and oblivious, for the remainder of
change your nomination with another quarter-hour the scene. Any subsequent mental intention by
of preparation, you are extremely resistant to harm someone present in the scene to harm the target
from that class of weapon, whether direct damage or or something they love will break the paralysis,
Shock. In ambiguous cases, the GM decides if a weap- the stasis ending rapidly enough that Execution
on qualifies or not. You cannot use this focus to resist Attacks are not practical on them.
non-weapon damage, claws, fangs, or other unarmed
 Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci •93

You resist 2 HP of damage from your chosen energy

Eldritch Battery Expert/Warrior type per character level, per round. Thus, at 3rd level,
You have been trained as a companion and adjunct to an Elemental Warrior of heat could ignore 6 points of
a tradition of arcane casters. Provided you cooperate, heat damage per round and dismiss all but the most
these casters can channel some portion of their pow- catastrophically overheated environmental climates.
ers through your own neural tissues, sparing them At any level of the focus, you can use the energy
the loss of the spell slot or other magical energy they for appropriate minor effects and tricks, though these
would normally expend. Your training is flexible, and effects shouldn’t be anything that couldn’t be repro-
you can assist any allied Magister or Arcanist provided duced by someone with ordinary, commonly-available
you have spent at least ten minutes coordinating your TL4 tech. This focus may be taken more than once for
mental state with them at some point during the past different energy types.
24 hours. When the caster draws on your energies, they
must be within 30 meters of you and have your Instant Level 1: Your energy adds your Stab or Punch skill to
consent to do so. The spell is cast normally, but the melee or unarmed damage rolls, and your Shoot
caster loses no energies, spell slots, or other resources. skill to ranged damage rolls. This bonus does not
Level 1: You can fuel a caster’s spell once per day. stack with other foci that allow you to add a skill
Level 2: You can fuel an additional number of spells level to a damage roll. Without a ranged weapon,
per day equal to one plus the higher of your Con- you can still fire the energy with the same range
stitution or Wisdom modifiers. These additional and damage as a standard TL2 rifle, adding your
spells tax your system dangerously, however, and Shoot skill to the damage roll as above. A foe
each one so supported inflicts 1d6 damage per two in melee range will prevent this attack as if you
levels of the spell supported, rounded up. This were using a long firearm. This ability and any
damage can only be healed by conventional rest. augmented weapons do damage as a TL4 weapon
If reduced below one hit point by this strain, you for purposes of interacting with advanced armor.
fall unconscious but automatically stabilize, and Level 2: By straining yourself, you’re able to create sav-
can’t use this ability again for 24 hours. age bursts of energy centered within 30 meters
as a Main Action. Gain one System Strain point
and inflict 2d6 damage plus your character level
Elemental Warrior Warrior on everyone within a radius of up to one meter
You’ve been trained in channeling arcane energy into per character level, with the damage counting as
conventional physical manifestations: heat, cold, elec- Heavy damage for purposes of penetrating vehicle
tricity, or laser light are usual choices, but more exotic armor, inescapable lethality, and other consider-
forms are not impossible. You must choose a specific ations. Those in the area can make an Evasion sav-
type of energy when you select this focus. This energy ing throw to escape damage. You can control the
can be used to augment conventional weapon attacks blast sufficiently to exempt one potential target or
or used somewhat clumsily as an independent weapon. object in the area per character level.
94• Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci

Ghost Tech Expert damage, though such a bonus does not stack with
other foci that also let you add a skill to rolled
You have the ability to conjure equipment equivalent weapon damage. The melee weapon has a Shock
to standard commercially-available TL4 tech, barring value of 2 points of damage/AC 15 and if used as a
items explicitly intended as weapons or armor. For ranged attack has an effective range of 100 meters.
some traditions, this may involve actually instantiat- Ranged attacks are silent at your discretion.
ing shadowy simulacra of equipment, while others may Level 2: Your mageblades are abnormally effective. At
simply have a host of minor spells and abilities that end first level and every odd-numbered level there-
up being equivalent to TL4 tech. Only you can carry or after, you can pick one of the following benefits:
use this technology, and it cannot summon consumable +1 to hit and damage which can be cumulative up
drugs, ammunition, power cells, or foodstuffs. Sum- to +3, your mageblades can be invisible, the AC
moned objects disappear once they leave your person affected by its melee Shock increases by +2 up to
and have no Encumbrance. This ghost tech is inex- a maximum of 21, its Shock damage increases by
haustibly powered while you maintain it, though this +2 up to a maximum of 6, or its range now extends
energy cannot be transferred to other devices. Tech out to 1 kilometer. If this level of the focus is taken
used as an improvised weapon never works better than after character creation, its benefits are retroactive.
a small advanced melee weapon or a laser pistol, both
at -2 to hit.
Maskwalker Expert
Level 1: Conjuring an item requires a Main Action. You You know techniques for limited but versatile shape-
can have a number of items or item-equivalent-ef- shifting, altering your appearance and the appearance
fects conjured at once equal to your character level; of your couture to mimic others or disguise your true
items or effects vanish instantly once you die, stop seeming. Clothing and gear can be veiled under your
carrying them, or stop maintaining their existence. alterations, but you must have at least an hour before-
You can conjure anything that could reasonably hand to attune your equipment to your particular sor-
be obtained in a common TL4 marketplace and ceries. Once you’ve aligned the gear with your arts, it
carried by a single person. can be hidden or seemingly transformed by any further
Level 2: Conjuring an item requires only an On Turn changes you choose to make. Unattuned gear does not
action. In addition, you can extemporize with your change to match your disguise.
tech. Once per game session, as an On Turn action
before you make a non-combat, non-social skill Level 1: As a Main Action, you can adjust your appear-
check, you can take one System Strain to conjure ance and the appearance of your attuned gear
up a unique piece of tech which greatly assists with within any range normal to your species. These
the task you are trying to accomplish. You may alterations are physical changes, not mere illu-
roll that skill check twice and take the better roll. sions, and will pass standard TL4 genetic tests or
The tech or magical effect evaporates immediately physical gear inspections. Changed gear does not
after the check is made. function, however, unless its new shape is com-
patible with its original function. You revert back
to your original shape as an Instant action or when
Mageblade Warrior you die, as does any changed gear. To mimic a
You have the ability to manifest arcane energy as a vis- specific other person you need a sample of their
ible weapon, often in the form of sorcerous blades or DNA and gain one point of System Strain that
hurled bolts of perforating force. Many possessors are cannot be lost until you leave the shape.
known to favor specific manifestations for their weap- Level 2: Your mimicry is deeper and more profound. By
onry, though both melee and ranged weapons may be gaining an additional point of System Strain when
called at your discretion. These weapons can be sum- you adopt a specific person’s identity, you gain the
moned or dissipated as an On Turn action and require ability to speak any language they speak, carry out
no more than one free hand to use. All mageblades any social interactions they would normally en-
count as TL4 weapons for the purposes of overcoming gage in, and otherwise maintain a flawless external
armor. Ranged mageblade attacks cannot be hindered imposture of their person. If pressed to respond
by foes in melee range. Mageblades can be manifested to a specific challenge to your identity, such as
as dual weapons if the wielder desires. by being forced to remember a password or prior
interaction, you may make a Wis/Connect skill
Level 1: When called as a melee weapon, the blades check at a difficulty of 9 to bring information to
count as a 1d10+1 damage weapon using any at- mind. Facts that the original subject wanted to
tribute modifier the wielder wishes, provided they keep secret from others may incur additional diffi-
can provide some explanation of how it helps. You culty penalties up to +3. Others who know you are
may add your Stab skill to this weapon’s rolled an impostor cannot press you to remember facts.
 Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci •95

Occult Healer Expert Shadow Companion Expert/Warrior

You have methods of restoring vitality in a wounded You’ve been bonded with a particular Shadow, whether
compatriot. While less versatile and powerful than a as a familiar, as a loyal companion, as a barely-chained
full adept of Biopsionics, the emergency medicine pro- demon, or as an echo of your own psychic self. The
vided by this focus is often adequate in the field when specific nature and shape of this Shadow varies from
conventional drugs are unavailable or impractical. The tradition to tradition, but its attributes are usually those
occult methods of this healing are effective on VI and given below and it requires no conventional sustenance
AI armatures, though not on mere inanimate material or human-miscible environment. This Shadow can be
or expert system robots. dismissed or summoned adjacent to you as a Main Ac-
tion. If reduced below 1 hit point it is banished. Any
Level 1: By touching an injured target and spending a damage it has suffered is erased after 24 hours of dis-
Main Action, you can form a healing bond with missal. The Shadow cannot take any objects with it
them. As soon as the bond is formed, a mortally when it is dismissed. The Shadow cannot go more than
wounded target is stabilized at a cost of one point one hundred meters from its summoner; if dragged
of System Strain to the target. If the target is not beyond that distance, it is instantly dismissed.
mortally wounded, or has just been stabilized by If a companion is banished by damage, it can be
the power, it gains a point of System Strain and re-summoned after 24 hours have passed, but the PC
heals 1d6 damage. For each round the bond is needs to do it some favor or give it some gift appropri-
maintained with physical contact and a Main Ac- ate to its nature and desires before it will serve again.
tion, the target heals another 1d6 damage. If you If purely a material gift, it shouldn’t cost more than
stop and restart later, the initial point of System 10% of the PC’s funds. Chances to indulge a Shadow’s
Strain is incurred again. You can maintain a bond Principles or its own desires may be much cheaper, if
for a total number of rounds equal to your char- perhaps more far-reaching in potential consequences.
acter level before you must let it drop and can no
longer heal the same PC with it for the remainder Level 1: You can describe the appearance and nature of
of the day. your companion, but it is always visibly uncanny
Level 2: By adding one point to your System Strain in some way. It has 5 hit points plus two more for
and spending a Main Action, you can form the each of your character levels, a hit bonus equal to
above-described healing bond with a visible tar- your character level with 1d10 melee damage and
get within 30 meters without having to physically no Shock, a movement rate equal to your own,
touch them. You can maintain this bond at a dis- an AC of 15, Morale of 12, and a Save roll of 16
tance with a Main Action each round, even if line minus your character level. It gains a +1 on any
of sight is broken. Whether ranged or by touch, skill checks appropriate to its nature. It has human
your healing now does 2d6 hit points of repair intelligence and can communicate with you, but
each round the bond is maintained. not directly with others. It will carry out any order
not contrary to its nature or suicidal; if ordered to
do something against its Principles or apparently
Occult Resilience Warrior suicidal, you need to make a Cha/Talk skill check
Your body is fueled by eldritch energies rather than against at least a difficulty 9 to persuade it. You
conventional nourishment. You can survive environ- define one Principle for your Shadow and the GM
ments that would kill normal people and you require defines another that seems appropriate to it.
no conventional sustenance. Level 2: At first level and each odd-numbered level after
that, your companion grows stronger. Pick one
Level 1: You neither eat, drink, nor sleep. You do not of the benefits that follow: it can communicate
breathe and can survive normally in hard vacu- normally with other people, it can take a perfect-
um or other hostile environments as if you were ly ordinary-seeming shape, it gains +1 hit point
wearing a conventional vacc suit. Gaseous toxins per character level up to a maximum of +2 HP/
do not affect you. level, its AC increases by +2 up to a maximum of
Level 2: You are immune to toxins and diseases of all 21, its melee attack gains Shock 3/AC 15, its skill
kinds. You automatically stabilize when reduced bonus increases by +1 up to a maximum of +2, it
below 1 hit point and will recover with 1 hit point becomes capable of flight at twice your normal
within an hour if unattended. You regain one lost movement rate, it can carry up to your level in
hit point per hour. If dropped by Heavy weap- non-living encumbrance points into and out of
ons or other catastrophic damage, you can make wherever it goes when it’s dismissed, keeping the
a Physical saving throw to stabilize rather than be items in stasis until they are recalled, it becomes
immediately killed. suicidally obedient to your every command, or its
melee damage becomes 1d6+4 instead of 1d10.
96• Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci

Soul Shield Warrior

You have been consecrated against the effects of hostile
arcana or other psychic powers, either through sophis-
ticated rituals, long training, or esoteric arcanogenetic
manipulation. You may suppress these abilities to allow
friendly effects to be applied, whether or not you are
conscious, but you must choose to drop your defenses
before the caster in question chooses what effect they
will actually cast or apply.

Level 1: Once per day as an Instant action, automatically

succeed on an otherwise-failed saving throw ver-
sus a magical effect. You are always aware of the
presence and source of any magical effect targeted
at you, even if the effect is normally imperceptible.
You may not fully understand what the magic is
meant to do to you, but you can detect it and its
source.
Level 2: Roll twice on all saving throws to resist magi-
cal effects, taking the better result. Once per day,
you can choose as an Instant action to complete-
ly resist or end a hostile magical effect that kills
you, paralyzes you, reduces you to zero hit points,
transforms you, or otherwise inflicts a condition
you find unacceptable; you immediately lose all
but one hit point when you do this, however, and
cannot use this ability if you do not have at least Waymaker Expert
one hit point left. You have eldritch powers of navigation and pathmak-
ing, perhaps from the guidance of familiar Shadows,
an intrinsic grasp of transdimensional space, or arcane
Supernal Mobility Expert/Warrior methods of pattern-shaping. While potent, these gifts
You have uncanny powers of mobility, either through are not generally applicable to aiding spike drills.
gravitic adjustments, superhuman agility, dimensional
rifting, or some other exotic arcane grace. Level 1: You always know your exact location, whether
on a planet or in space, and the correct bearing to
Level 1: In place of your normal movement, you can any other location known to you. You have an ei-
make a leap up to your normal movement dis- detic memory for paths and travel routes. You can
tance, either horizontally or vertically. Such a gain a point of System Strain to automatically de-
leap automatically disengages you from melee activate, unlock, or bypass any single sealed door,
foes without incurring any free attacks. You can hatch, or other barrier within your sight, forcing
travel across inverted or vertical surfaces as part it to remain open for at least one round per char-
of your normal movement, provided you end your acter level. Such arcane opening never triggers any
turn standing on a horizontal surface or otherwise associated automated alarms or magical counter-
secured. You are impervious to fall damage of less measures, but sentient guardians may notice it.
than 30 meters. Level 2: Your abilities have sharpened to the point of
Level 2: Pick one of these two additional modes of opening temporary short-range dimensional rifts
movement: you can hover or fly at your normal allowing travel between two points. By gaining
movement rate, or you can replace a normal two System Strain as an On Turn action you can
Move action with teleportation equal to your open a rift adjacent to you that leads to any loca-
movement rate to any visible safe location within tion that you can see or that you have occupied
your movement range. Such teleportation cannot before, provided the destination is within ten me-
take along living cargo, but can carry your usual ters per character level. You can keep this rift open
encumbrance. It is treated as normal psychic tele- for up to one round per character level, or close
portation for all other purposes. it as an Instant action. While the rift is open, ob-
jects no larger than a gravcar can travel through it
from either direction. Sight and sound are clearly
perceptible through an open rift.
 Arcane expert and arcane warrior foci •97

Witchfinder Expert/Warrior Creating New Arcane Foci

It’s not unlikely that players might come up with new
You’ve been trained in methods of identifying the pres- ideas for Arcane Expert or Arcane Warrior foci. It can
ence of magic. For some witchfinders, this is a matter be difficult, however, to get a clear idea of whether or
of natural talent, while others have been educated or not a given focus is appropriate for your game. A few
consecrated to the work. Experienced witchfinders are general guidelines should be kept in mind.
also capable of breaking enchantments and dispelling First, only worry about your table and your play-
existing hostile magical effects. ers. You don’t have to balance a new focus for the gen-
eral public; you only need to make it work with the
Level 1: Gain Know Magic as a bonus skill. Magical en- specific people and situation you’re in. If you know the
ergies are clearly visible and audible to you, both player can be trusted not to spoil a game if you let them
in the form of static enchantments and spells that have a given power, then you should let them have it.
have been cast. You can identify the general pur- Conversely, if a player is the kind who’ll push a new
pose of a spell or enchantment, getting a sentence power to the bleeding edge of acceptability, you’ll need
worth of description of its overall intent. Only en- to take that into account when allowing them new toys.
chantments specifically designed to avoid detec- Second, don’t create “feat trees” of foci, where you
tion have any chance of avoiding this notice, in have to pick one before you can pick another. Aside
which case you can make an opposed Wis/Know from practically pre-allocating the focus picks of a PC
Magic versus Int/Cast Magic skill check against who takes the first one, they also tend to excuse disrup-
the original creator to overcome the deception. tively powerful end abilities by pointing to the large
Level 2: You have a chance of being able to dispel an investment players made to get there. It doesn’t matter
existing enchantment or magical effect, provided if a PC spent all their focus picks to get an ability that’s
at least part of it is within arm’s reach of you. The bad for your game. The issue is the ability, not the price.
attempt requires a Main Action and the gaining Third, make sure the focus won’t trivialize the
of one System Strain. The witchfinder may then abilities of another member of the party. A focus that
make a Cha/Know Magic or Wis/Know Magic makes the PC a peerless musician isn’t necessarily a bad
skill check against a difficulty of 7 plus the original thing on its face, but if there’s another PC in the party
caster’s Cast Magic skill; on a failure, the witch- with a strong focus on musical ability then the focus is
finder cannot attempt to dispel this magic again, going to cause problems. If the focus makes the user
while on a success, the magic is broken. Particu- plainly and generally better at doing X than anyone
larly vast or wide-ranging enchantments may not else in the party, then you need to be sure nobody else
be susceptible to this power. in the party wants to be really good at X.
Fourth, remember that “a space wizard did it” is
not a universally-acceptable justification for any ability
Weapon Unity Warrior imaginable. If a player brings you an idea that seems
Through some esoteric combat technique or arcane too implicitly powerful or that draws on tropes you
insight, you are capable of wielding your weapons want to keep out of the game, then just saying that it’s
in ways that take advantage of your greatest personal magic doesn’t mean that it should be allowed. There
strengths. You might have such a brilliant mind that are a lot of things that magic can’t do, especially when
your gun is aimed more by instant math than instinct, those things seem bad for your game.
or you might be so terrifying that foes try to evade Fifth, don’t let a focus cherrypick another class’s
your dread presence rather than your monoblade. Ev- best tricks. A lot of Adept classes have impressively
ery weapon you wield seems to partake of the same powerful abilities in their sphere of expertise, and it can
innate mastery. be tempting for some players to ask for just one or two
of them to go along with a character being made for a
Level 1: Pick an attribute. You may use that attribute’s different class. In some cases this isn’t an issue, such as
modifier in place of any weapon’s usual associated when the powers being sought are relatively peripheral,
attribute modifier. or are significantly weaker than the true class abilities.
Level 2: You gain the “Fight” skill at a level equal to your Other times, however, the player wants the core perks
highest combat skill. You may use Fight in place of the other class without having to commit to it.
of any other combat skill, regardless of the weap- Lastly, remember that new foci should be used to
on or focus involved, and may raise it just as you enable new options at the table, not just add bigger
would any other skill. For example, Fight could numbers to old ones. Foci that merely increase damage
be used in place of Stab for determining Armsman rolls or add skill bonuses are conceptually trivial. In-
focus benefits. You are refunded the skill point stead, favor foci that give the PC entirely new choices
values of your other combat skills. If taken at first of action or enable situational options that can’t be at-
level, you may instead pick other skills in place of tained without it. Foci should often change how a PC
your now-superfluous excess combat skills. plays and not merely optimize their current playstyle.
 ARCANE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
This section provides an optional system for learning
spells, creating new sorceries, and devising magical Occult Lore
items. GMs who don’t want to add this superstruc- A mage’s general erudition, magical resources, and
ture to their games can safely ignore it and stick with arcane learning are measured in points of Occult Lore.
the simplified methods for handling these things, but Mages earn Occult Lore through personal research and
groups with a considerable focus on magical PCs might acquiring or creating magically-active texts and equip-
find the system useful and engaging. ment. Mages then expend Occult Lore to learn spells,
The term “mages” is used in many places in this devise new sorceries, and enchant magical items.
section. It includes Arcanist and Magister PCs, or any Occult Lore points come in two flavors: Research
custom class that involves actual spellcasting. Adepts Points and Enlightenment Points. Research points are
and others with magical abilities are not included. recorded in occult tomes, encoded in esoteric magical
This system is intended to make active magical re- equipment, and preserved in research notes. If these
search an important goal for mage PCs. Accumulating books or instruments are lost or destroyed, the mage
occult texts, building reference libraries, and conduct- loses that many points of Occult Lore. Conversely,
ing mystical experimentation aren’t just background Enlightenment Points are insights or sagacious under-
flavor for such a PC, they’re critical activities for ad- standings earned by the mage, independent of any re-
vancing their own magical powers and devising arcane cords or instruments. Enlightenment Points can never
devices. Only by acquiring occult treasures and expend- be lost.
ing considerable sums in magical experimentation can If a mage loses his arcane library and the Research
their own powers blossom. Points it contains, he might actually find himself at a
deficit in Occult Lore, having used the lost books to
Changes From the Default master a number of new spells or build a range of magi-
If you use this system, the rules that Arcanists and cal devices. Without having access to the lost tomes, he
Magisters use change slightly. Under this system, Ar- will struggle to integrate new research into his arcane
canists never automatically gain new spells. They do understanding, and he will have to expend enormous
not get any new enlightenment when they advance a time and effort to make up that deficit with new studies
level, though they may be capable of casting more or and new books. He will not be able to learn any new
more powerful spells. Only through expending Occult spells or create any new magical items until the deficit
Lore as described below can such spellcasters ever gain is remedied, though he will retain the use of any sor-
new spells. Magisters continue to gain new spell picks ceries or items he’s already learned or created.
normally, choosing new spells from their tradition each Duplicating a text or instrument that gives Re-
time they advance a level. search Points is not simply a matter of turning on a 3-D
Even acquiring another caster’s grimoire will not printer or copying a file. Magically-active instruments
necessarily allow an Arcanist to add any new sorceries and books must be physically encoded with intricate
to their repertoire, as such books are simply a source of metadimensional energy signatures in order to prop-
Occult Lore to them. In the same vein, creating mag- erly convey the data or instrument readings they offer.
ical items, binding otherworldly Shadows, and other While the physical text or structure of these items can
activities described below can only be performed by be copied normally, such inert duplicates are as useless
the means given in this system. as a video-only recording of an opera; the viewer can
Using the system in this section is most advisable get a general idea of what it’s about, but the important
when the group involves more than one mage. Add- parts of it are lost. Crucial data can only be conveyed
ing the extra factor of Occult Lore into your campaign through active metadimensional imprints. Any com-
means the mage PCs are going to be highly motivated petent mage can create these imprints with time and
to loot library materials from arcane foes and do their effort, but the labor required to do so ensures that the
own research and development during party down- number of magically-active books or instruments in
time. If there is more than one mage in the party, this the sector is strictly limited.
focus will be shared by several players. If there’s only The same arcane library can be used by multi-
one, the rest of the group might not be too interested ple mages, allowing more than one PC to share the
in spending game time helping the mage pursuit their same pool of Research Points. Indeed, this sharing of
own specific interests, even if that Occult Lore is later resources is common among adventuring mages. Of
transformed into arcanotech gear and helpful Shadow course, the loss or destruction of that library is then
minions. If you think the group as a whole doesn’t want a calamity for multiple casters. The total number of
to spend time minding the wizard’s arcane develop- mages that can use a library at the same time is usually
ment, you’re better off just sticking with the default limited to no more than four, unless special facilities
class rules as described in the prior section. are provided as described in the Sanctums section.
 Arcane research and development •99

RP Size of the Library

Projects and Research Months
1-10 2 Encumbrance Many occult activities require time measured in re-
11-30 4 Encumbrance search months. A research month simply marks out a
31-60 Cabinet, not readily man-portable given month as being chiefly devoted to that particu-
lar research. A mage can still adventure and do other
61-100 Several bookshelves/1 ton cargo things during that month, but they can’t undertake a
101-150 Small room/5 ton cargo different project until the time is up or they abandon
151-210 Large room/10 tons cargo their original effort. If a mage is completely consumed
with an activity, or imprisoned, or otherwise deprived
211-280 Several rooms/25 tons cargo
of all possible downtime, research is also impossible.
281-360 Small building/100 tons cargo For convenience, it’s often easiest to just measure
361-450 Large building/500 tons cargo things out by discrete months rather than count thirty
Library complex/2,500 tons cargo days from the present. Thus, if a mage takes up a proj-
451+
ect that takes one research month on November 11th,
A caster need not physically carry around their ar- the GM might just mark it finished at the end of the
cane library in order to retain access to their Research month, rather than calculate out thirty days forward.
Points. So long as the library is in the same solar system The point of using research months isn’t to be fussy
and nothing is preventing the PC from referencing it about the calendar, it’s just to keep a mage PC from
when necessary, it is treated as being accessible and the doing more than twelve major projects in a single year.
PC can draw on it when they need to spend Occult Lore. Some magical projects do not require a research
Even if the library isn’t immediately accessible due to month, and may instead only take a few days or weeks
distance or lack of communications, it only counts as of work to complete. These minor projects can be un-
lost if it is actually stolen or destroyed. dertaken without interfering with a major effort, so
Some adventuring mages prefer to build a a mage can learn a spell that takes a week to master
well-guarded sanctum in some friendly star system and during the same month that he’s undertaking magical
store their library there, returning to that star system research that requires a full research month.
whenever they need to develop new magic or build Normal PC adventuring and other activities do not
an arcane device. Other mages feel safest in keeping interfere with projects that require research months.
their library close to hand, filling some spare space in Most mages are assumed to be able to fit such activities
the party’s starship with their magical equipment and into the lulls or quiet spots in their labor. Only if a PC
occult tomes. The amount of space necessary to store is being actively imprisoned or kept away from normal
a given arcane library varies with the number of Re- activities will it interfere with their research projects,
search Points it contains. The above table gives general and might force them to spend additional time after-
physical dimensions, or total tons of ship cargo space if wards to catch up. Credits spent on a project are lost if
the PC stores it aboard a ship. it is abandoned, but not if it is simply delayed.
100• Gaining occult lore

Grimoires Arcane Components and Materials

Arcanists and Magisters both need to maintain spell- Many of the projects listed below require that the mage
books for reference and consultation, and must have spend credits on necessary ingredients and compo-
access each time they want to refresh their spell slots or nents. Most of these things can be acquired at the listed
prepare new spells. These grimoires take many forms, price on any world where magic is a known quantity.
whether the traditional codex, metadimensionally-en- Component dealers and exotic artificers can ordinari-
coded dataslabs, occult crystals, or any other inanimate ly be found to sell the necessary glasswork, hardware,
object that can be metadimensionally imprinted. A gri- extracts, and body parts.
moire counts as one encumbrance item. On worlds where magic is unknown, the mage
If a grimoire is destroyed and no copy is available, might need to make a Connect skill check at varying
a mage must recreate it, requiring one week and 2,000 difficulties of 9 or more to find someone who’s selling
credits per character level. If the mage wishes to make a the exotic substance they need, or who can make the
copy of their grimoire, they can encode a new object for obscure hardware they require. If magic is flatly forbid-
only a quarter of the time and expense, assuming they den or viewed with hostility, it might require an entire
have an original to work from. An old grimoire copy adventure just to find someone who can set the mage
can be updated with new lore when the caster advances up with the necessary components.
a level by paying the difference in credits and time. Components might also be found as an element
Mages are reluctant to make too many copies of of a trove or as a reward from a grateful patron. It’s
their grimoires. If another mage acquires the tome, not necessary to track the specific type of components;
they will be able to interrogate the owner’s magical 5,000 credits of materials will serve adequately for any
techniques as noted below, under “Studying Grimoires”. project that requires 5,000 credits worth of materials.

Gaining Occult Lore

Experimental research is as above, but costs 200
Personal Research credits per character level and the skill check is against
A mage can gain a better understanding of the occult difficulty 10. On success, two Enlightenment Points are
arts through personal research and study. This is rare- gained. On a natural 2 on the skill check, roll on the
ly a very quick way to gain arcane power, but it can experimental mishap table below.
be cheap, simple, and sometimes even relatively safe. Dangerous research is as above, but costs 400 cred-
In addition, Occult Lore gained this way is earned as its per character level and the skill check is difficulty 12.
Enlightenment Points and so cannot be lost or stolen. Success grants four Enlightenment Points. A natural 2
Personal research takes up one research month. or 3 on the skill check roll forces a roll on the dangerous
When a mage decides to perform personal re- mishap table below.
search, they must choose whether to perform routine, Multiple mages can cooperate together on per-
experimental, or dangerous research. The greater the sonal research, though all must do the same type of
boldness, the greater the difficulty, cost, and danger. research and all must pay research costs individually.
Routine research costs nothing, takes one research If any of their skill checks succeed, all participants gain
month, and requires an Int/Know Magic roll against Enlightenment Points as if their own check was suc-
difficulty 9 for success. If successful, the researcher cessful. If any participant rolls a Mishap, however, that
gains one Enlightenment Point. particular mage suffers it accordingly.

d6 Experimental Mishap Dangerous Mishap

Scorched grimoire; need to spend a week fixing it Do 1d6 x 1,000 credits of damage to the place you’re
1
before it can be used studying in
Psychic burn; lose one spell slot from the highest Psychic scar; lose all highest-level spell slots for a
2
you have for a month month
Dead end research; lose your next research month Delusional theory; lose two research months find-
3
untangling things ing out it’s wrong
Tissue damage; lose 1d6 maximum HP for a month, Crippling surge; lose 1d6 maximum HP per 2 levels
4
down to a minimum of 1 HP for a month, down to 1 HP minimum
Mental block; one random known spell is unusable Ruined spellbook; your grimoire is destroyed
5
for a month
Smoke and noise, but no other harm is done. Not as bad as it looks; roll on the Experimental Mis-
6
hap table instead
 Gaining occult lore •101

Arcane Tutelage Artificing and Scribing

A mage can receive instruction from another caster, Personal research is a slow and painstaking means of
gaining Enlightenment Points from the new ideas they gaining power, and tutors are not always available
offer and alternate perspectives on magic. Any Arcanist or amenable. The second-fastest way to accumulate
or Magister can serve as a tutor, even one of a slightly significant amounts of Occult Lore is to build arcane
lower level, though such less advanced mentors may instruments and scribe occult tomes. Specific devices
not be able to offer much insight. Player characters can can be crafted to greatly ease magical processes, and the
choose to tutor each other. Arcanists and Magisters work inherent in crafting a tome of arcane lore helps
can freely instruct each other; they may not be able organize and solidify a mage’s understanding. While
to apply the same exact techniques, but the alternate such devices have no practical use to non-mages, the
perspectives are still enlightening to a pupil. wisdom encoded in their metadimensional patterns
The table below shows how many Enlightenment and data structures is a ready source of enlightenment
Points a given tutor can ultimately offer to a pupil, with and reference for those lucky enough to possess them.
higher-level teachers offering more potential learning Just as with personal research, the caster first
than lower-level ones. If the teacher is an NPC, their decides whether to build a routine artifice, an experi-
hit dice can substitute for character level. A pupil can mental artifice, or a dangerous artifice. All take one re-
absorb a number of Enlightenment Points of teaching search month for construction purposes. The expense
each research month equal to twice the total formed of the creation depends on the creator’s character level,
by the student’s Int modifier, Know Magic skill level, though a mage can voluntarily choose to build a device
and the tutor’s Charisma modifier. Both the tutor and as if they were a lower level than they actually are.
the pupil must dedicate a research month to tutelage Routine artifices require an Int/Know Magic skill
to convey this teaching. Once a tutor has taught a pu- check at difficulty 9 and the expenditure of 500 credits
pil everything they can, they can offer no further help per character level. On a success, the resulting artifice
unless they advance a level, after which they can teach grants 1 Research Point per character level to its new
the difference between their new and old level. owner. On a failure, the process isn’t complete; the PC
A tutor gains no can abandon it, losing any invested money, or continue
particular benefit from Tutor Enlightenment it another month to try again to complete it, spending
teaching, so they usu- Level Points 250 credits per level on the fresh attempt.
ally need to be induced 1 1 Experimental artifices require an Int/Know Magic
with either money or 2 2 skill check at difficulty 10 and the expenditure of 2,000
personal favors. As- credits per character level. On a success, the artifice
3 4
suming an NPC is grants 2 Research Points per character level. As with
well-disposed toward a 4 6 routine artifices, failure means the PC can either aban-
potential PC pupil, one 5 9 don it or spend another month’s time and 1,000 credits
month of instruction 6 12 per level trying to complete it. On a natural roll of 2
can usually be hired or 3, a experimental Mishap occurs as if with personal
for the NPC’s charac- 7 16 research and the project automatically fails.
ter level or hit dice x 8 20 Dangerous artifices require an Int/Know Magic
500 credits. In many 9 25 skill check at difficulty 12 and the expenditure of 5,000
cultures, seeking the credits per character level. Success grants 4 Research
10+ 30
instruction of another Points per character level, while failure lets the PC ei-
wizard is a tacit social admission of magical inferiority, ther abandon it or spend another research month and
and a wizard who seeks the teaching of their near-peers 2,500 credits/level to try again. On such perilous under-
might get a reputation as someone clearly too inept to takings, a natural roll of 2, 3, or 4 will cause a dangerous
have learned the basics when they ought to have. Mishap and abort the entire project.
Once a mage reaches a certain level of arcane As with personal research, multiple mages can
might, the insights of greatly inferior sorcerers are no combine their efforts to create a single artifice of any
longer useful. A mage cannot get useful instruction degree of difficulty. This is an expensive undertaking,
from a tutor more than two levels below their own however, as every participant must spend money as
character level. if they were a mage of the lowest level involved in it.
A pupil need not learn everything a tutor can If any of them succeed on the skill check, the process
teach in one stretch. If a tutor advances a level, they is a success, and grants 1, 2, or 6 Research Points per
can teach former pupils the additional Enlightenment character level of the lowest-level mage involved in the
Points their new level allows. Thus, if a 4th level PC process. Any of them that roll Mishaps, however, suffer
Arcanist has already taught his Magister companion six them normally, even if the overall effort was successful.
Enlightenment Points worth of insight, his attainment The resultant instrument or book can be shared using
of 5th level would allow him to teach an additional the usual rules for sharing a library, provided it’s kept
three points of wisdom to his friend. where all of them can access it.
102• Gaining occult lore

Studying Another Mage’s Grimoire Looting Other Wizards

Every mage needs a spellbook, and a wizard who gets The fastest way to occult power is to steal another wiz-
their hands on someone else’s can often obtain con- ard’s stuff. Looting “abandoned” libraries and plunder-
siderable insights into arcane mysteries. A mage can’t ing neglected laboratories can provide a wealth of excit-
benefit from the spellbook of a caster more than two ing tomes and enigmatic instruments for a lucky mage
levels or hit dice lower than their own at the time they to enjoy. The amount of Research Points these troves
first study it; such an inferior mage’s insights are of no will offer to their new owner will vary from case to case,
help to them. but most experienced mages can be expected to have
Studying a spellbook grants Research Points pre- some kind of library or laboratory set up somewhere.
cisely as if the spellbook was a tutor of the owner’s level Of course, few of these casters are liable to carry
or hit dice. It takes at least one research month to study that laboratory with them into the field, so acquiring
a spellbook, and the reader can absorb a number of their belongings may necessitate an unannounced vis-
Research Points per month equal to twice their totaled it to their residence or sanctum. It may be somewhat
Int modifier and Know Magic level. It may take several safer for adventurous PCs to unearth the lost laborato-
months to fully absorb all the esoteric insight to be had ries and abandoned libraries of long-vanished wizards,
from a high-level caster’s spellbook. extracting the valuable components from hoards no
Most mages are deeply averse to allowing others longer needed by their former owners. Of course, other
to study their grimoires. Such an intimate insight into acquisitive wizards may have the same ideas.
a mage’s arcane practices and occult frameworks gives Mages can always identify useful arcane instru-
another caster a significant advantage against them and ments and tomes with a cursory inspection. It may take
their spells. Assuming a caster has spent at least one some time to fully catalog a facility, but a PC can get a
research month studying another wizard’s spellbook, general idea of the magnitude of a find with no more
they gain a +4 bonus on all saving throws they make than a few minutes of investigation.
against the other mage’s spells, and the other wizard If for some reason a PC can’t fully loot a particular-
suffers a -4 penalty on all saving throws they make to ly copious hoard of lore, either because they don’t have
resist the reader’s spells. This insight is useful only to the time or simply don’t have the carrying capacity to
mages; non-Arcanist or non-Magister PCs who study pillage the whole thing, then they can steal the most
a spellbook this way do not gain the benefit. important and useful pieces. Each item of encumbrance
Such a benefit is not normally gained from tak- worth of loot they take is worth 5% of the hoard’s full
ing ordinary tutelage from a mage. When a mage is Research Point value, up to a maximum of 25%.
instructing a pupil face-to-face, they can take pains to
obscure the finest details of their techniques, Buying and Selling Lore
Studying a spellbook and taking tutelage from the Very rarely, it is possible for a wizard to buy or sell in-
spellbook’s owner do not stack their benefits. Tute- struments or books on the open market. Most wizards
lage might transform the Research Points of a studied would never consider selling their library, as it would
spellbook into Enlightenment Points, but it cannot add directly decrease their Research Point totals. The heir
additional Occult Lore. Spellbook copies scribed at an of a dead wizard might be more open-minded about it,
earlier stage of a wizard’s development might operate assuming the decedent hasn’t already willed his mate-
at a lower level than their current enlightenment, how- rials to apprentices or allied mages.
ever, so that might result in a difference if the original Naturally, such sales attract intense interest from
author is available for lessons. other wizards, and few of them are interested in being
particularly fair toward the competition. The GM is
The Master’s Secrets well within their rights to make an adventure out of
any attempt to purchase such relics, forcing the PC
While it doesn’t usually come up in most cam- wizards to do some favor for the seller or overcome
paigns, a mage’s initial instructor is very likely to some underhanded competitor before they can buy any
know every minute detail of their pupil’s tech- materials. In many cases, there simply won’t be any
niques, thus allowing them to get the same bene- materials for sale.
fits they’d get from studying their grimoire. If a GM does make it possible to buy or sell Re-
While less common, it’s not unknown for search Points, a good rule of thumb is to have each one
long-time apprentices to have similar insights into cost 2,000 credits if the trove is under 10 points, or
their master’s practices, if only through years of 5,000 each if it’s from 11 to 50 points, or 10,000 each
close observation and shared study. or more if some grand library of 50+ points is for sale.
Even so, mages taught by committee in ma- The smaller the library, the less notice and competi-
jor academies or large schools may not have any tion it will draw. PCs who want to sell materials rather
single tutor or pupil with the necessary personal than keep them for their own end can usually get half
experience required for these benefits. these prices without an issue. Seeking better returns
may require an adventure to find a suitably needy buyer.
 Spending occult lore •103

Spending Occult Lore

Occult Lore that is invested in learning a spell, or cre-
ating a new enchantment, or crafting a magical item is Creating New Spells
tracked as a running total. Thus, a wizard might have a Both Arcanists and Magisters can create entirely new
library worth 50 Research Points and personal studies spells, if they have access to the appropriate facilities,
that have given them 20 Enlightenment Points. They cash, and Occult Lore. The required facilities for de-
have then learned spells that total 62 points. They still vising new spells are discussed in the Sanctums section.
have 8 points they can use to research a new spell or A GM is always the final arbiter over whether or
craft a minor magical item. not a spell is an appropriate fit to a campaign and to the
If a library is stolen or destroyed and the Research mage’s magical tradition. If the spell proves a poor fit
Points are lost, this total might go into a deficit. If the for play, the spell formula will prove to be unstable and
wizard above loses his library in a tragic spike drive the PC will be refunded their Occult Lore and credit
accident, he’s left with only 20 Enlightenment Points costs as they sell off the broken fragments of research.
against his total investment of 62 points. He must re- Creating a new spell requires one research month
cover the lost books or plunder new loot to make up and costs twice as much in Occult Lore and credit costs
the deficit before he can learn any new spells or other- as it would to simply learn an existing spell of that lev-
wise spend more Occult Lore. He does not lose access to el. Thus, devising a new 5th level spell would cost 80
the spells he has already mastered, and the magic items points of Occult Lore, 40,000 credits, and one month
he has crafted still work, but he cannot learn or build of research time.
anything new until he has made up the loss. Given that At the end of the month, the caster rolls an Int/
the library may have taken a lifetime to build up, such Know Magic skill check against a difficulty of 8 plus the
a loss can drive a mage to desperate ends. spell’s level. On a success, the spell is created. Arcanists
can add it to their grimoires, and Magisters may swap
Learning New Arcanist Spells out one of their existing spells of that level to replace
Arcanists may use Occult Lore to learn new spells from it with the new spell.
the Arcanist spell list, adding them to their grimoire. If the skill check fails, the caster may abandon the
All of the spells on their spell list are familiar enough effort, losing the credits but not the Occult Lore, or
to the Arcanist that they require no special guides or they may spend another research month and half of
hints to master them; all they need is enough Occult the original credit cost to continue the research. They
Lore to add the spell and enough credits to cover the may then make another skill check at the end of that
experimental costs and they will be able to puzzle out month, repeating the process until they either succeed
the intricacies of performing the enchantment. or abandon the effort.
The table below lists the number of Occult Lore If the skill check is a natural 2, 3, or 4, something
points and credits they need to expend on a spell of goes catastrophically wrong with the research and the
a given level, and how long it will take to master it. mage suffers a Mishap as if they botched a dangerous
Learning a spell does not interfere with projects that personal experiment. The project automatically fails,
require research months; it’s something a PC can do in losing all invested credits but keeping the Occult Lore.
their spare time. Magisters who devise new spells know them in-
Spell Occult Credit timately well, and can exchange them freely with their
Level Lore Cost Time To Master existing spell picks, provided they take a week to mod-
ify their arcane preparations. Thus, a Magister who
1 5 1,000 One day
knows four 1st level spells and then devises a new 1st
2 10 2,500 Three days level spell can swap it in or out of their original four
3 20 5,000 One week known spells with a week’s effort. A week’s effort al-
4 30 10,000 Two weeks lows a Magister to swap in or out any number of spells
they have created.
5 40 20,000 One month
This speedy exchange only works for spells that
Arcanists can learn any new spell that they are able the Magister has created, otherwise the spell exchange
to cast. Thus, a 1st level Arcanist couldn’t learn a 2nd rules on page 22 must be followed. Particularly de-
level spell, but they could master any 1st level spell on termined Magisters might choose to recreate a standard
their class list and add it to their grimoire. Magisters spell from their class list as if it were entirely new, re-
cannot use this method to learn new spells, as their building it from first principles to make it more com-
own corpus of magical knowledge is much more rig- patible with their own neural architecture. A Magister
id. They automatically gain new spell picks from their who is willing to take such extravagant efforts can then
tradition when they advance a level, and do not need swap the “new” spell in and out as if it was one he or
to invest Occult Lore in doing so. she had personally created.
104• Spending occult lore

Creating Magical Items of the Int/Know Magic skill check involved is equal to
A mage with access to the correct facilities as described seven plus the creature’s hit dice. On a success, the for-
in the Sanctum section can undertake the creation of mula appears to be usable. On a failure, the formula is
arcanotech items, arcane devices imbued with the imperfect, and all credits expended are lost. The mage
power of metadimensional energy. The simplest and can try again with another month’s effort.
most expendable of these devices may not require any The difficulty of a particular creature’s creation
Occult Lore expenditure at all, obliging only a credit may be increased or decreased by various factors, as
cost. More sophisticated or permanent items require given in the Designing Shadows section below. These
the investment of Occult Lore. modifiers apply to both creating the formula for the
The items listed in the Objects of Power section Shadow and enacting the summoning rituals for it.
of the book each have an Occult Lore cost, a credit The formula that is created is a metadimensional-
cost, and an Int/Know Magic skill check difficulty as- ly-active artifact that cannot be conveniently copied;
sociated with them. Entirely new magical items must the caster needs to hold on to the document if they wish
be vetted by the GM for appropriateness, and may be to continue to have access to it. A copy can be made
assigned costs and difficulty by comparing them with by the creator or a third party with a further research
the examples given. month and the copyist’s same expenditure of Occult
The particular details of creating magic items with Lore and credits. Copying is automatically successful,
Occult Lore are provided on page 133. and can be done from memory by the creator if needed.
If the formula appears sound, the caster can use it
Binding Eldritch Shadows to summon a Shadow. The processes, components, and
Some mages prefer to create servitors more reliable preparations required for the work cost one research
than human minions, weaving metadimensional en- month, 1,000 credits per hit die of the creature and 1
ergy into the patterns and formulae they have devised. Occult Lore point per hit die. The summoning pro-
The Shadows they call forth are usually trustworthy cess itself involves the constant manipulation of intense
servants, though imperfections in the design can some- metadimensional energies, and requires an Int/Cast
times beckon servitors with regrettably unseemly traits. Magic skill check at a difficulty of 6 plus the creature’s
Binding a Shadow requires a Summoning Cham- hit dice. More than one creature can be summoned at
ber as described in the Sanctum chapter of this book, once; each doubling adds +1 difficulty and doubles the
along with available Occult Lore and enough credits required credits and Occult Lore as well.
to acquire the needed raw materials. The mage must If this is the first time the formula has been used to
also first create or obtain the necessary mathematical summon a Shadow, the GM secretly repeats the design
formula that defines the Shadow’s qualities and shape. skill check. If the check is failed by more than 2 points,
Creating a formula requires one research month, a there is a flaw in the formula and Shadows it summons
Xenobestiary Datafile from the Sanctums section, and will be affected as rolled on the table that follows. Flaws
5 points of Occult Lore per hit die of the Shadow to be in control will not be obvious to the caster until the
summoned, plus 2,000 credits per hit die. The difficulty Shadow actually breaks free in play or otherwise twists
 Spending occult lore •105

its commands. Assuming the caster can discover the A creator may define one Principle to be followed
existence of the flaw in play, they may attempt to cor- by the Shadow, as explained on page 116. This Prin-
rect it by repeating the formula creation process. This ciple will define the Shadow’s primary motivation, but
do-over doesn’t require more Occult Lore, but it comes it is likely to have one additional one per 4 hit dice or
at the same cost in credits and time. fraction thereof, each chosen by the GM. These Prin-
d6 Shadow Flaw ciples will influence the ways in which it obeys.
Most creators ensure their chosen Principle com-
1 The Shadow is totally uncontrollable
pels a Shadow’s obedience. The degree of danger a
and will act according to its own inter-
given Shadow will tolerate will depend on its nature
ests and Principles.
and Principles; a martial Myrmidon has a much high-
2 The Shadow has a dangerous Principle er peril threshold than a non-combatant Odalisque. A
it will enact whenever it is not person- basic Shadow has a human-grade intellect, understands
ally overseen by the summoner. the basic operations of human society as its summoner
3 The Shadow is abnormally frail, rolling does, and has a personality and identity of its own.
1d4 for hit points per HD instead of 1d8. The following modifiers can be applied to the dif-
4 The Shadow will become totally un- ficulty of both formula design and summoning if the
controlled in 1d4 weeks. mage wishes to improve certain aspects of the Shadow
or is willing to accept some compromises in the design.
5 The Shadow will pervert orders in ser-
As with all elements of summoning, the GM is permit-
vice of its own Principles, flatly ignor-
ted to disallow any particular design, especially if the
ing commands to not do so.
“limitations” it includes aren’t actual hindrances in play.
6 The Shadow cannot be controlled and Additional powers or penalties might be applied to a
craves its summoner’s death. given formula if the GM permits it.
If a Shadow is destroyed, the Occult Lore invested Modifier Effect
in its creation is refunded to the mage, though the time
and credits spent in summoning it are lost. The orig- +1 It attacks for 1d10 base damage and
inal summoning formula can be used to summon that gets +2 to hit rolls
same Shadow again, if desired, and it will return with +1 It can survive hostile environments as
all knowledge and memories it had at its moment of if in a vacc suit
destruction. Optionally, a new Shadow with a different +1 Add an additional Principle of your
identity may be beckoned by the mage. Interestingly, a choice, beyond the usual free pick
given Shadow “identity” can’t be summoned two places
+1 It is small as a cat, or large as a horse
at once. A mage who attempts to call up a Shadow that
is already extant elsewhere will get a new identity. +1 It requires neither air nor sustenance
+1 Its base Armor Class is 14
Designing Shadows +1 Its skill bonus is +2 instead of +1
A summoner can either seek to summon a type of Shad-
ow described in the Shadow bestiary of this book, or +2 It is suicidally loyal
they can try to call forth an entirely unique variety of +2 It can fly at 10 meters per Move action
servitor of their own design.
+2 It’s cheaply summoned, requiring no
A basic custom Shadow is human-sized and has
credit cost for calling it forth
human intellect, manipulatory limbs, and normal sens-
es and communications abilities. It has an attack bonus +2 It’s easily summoned, requiring only
equal to its hit dice, an Armor Class of 10, performs one day and not a research month
one attack per round, and does either 1d6 damage or +2 Its base Armor Class is 18 and it ig-
the damage of whatever weapon it is using. The sum- nores Shock damage
moner can describe a role it is to serve using a sentence
-1 If intelligent, it can’t communicate ex-
or two; it has a +1 skill bonus when performing tasks
cept with its summoner
relevant to that role. Note that Shadows almost nev-
er have mundane technical competence; such topics -1 It has no manually-dexterous manipu-
are for the party Expert. It has a Morale score of 10, a latory appendages
movement rate of 10 meters per Move action, and a -2 It has only an animal level of intellect
saving throw target of 16 minus half its hit dice, round- and can obey only as a well-trained dog
ed up. It rolls 1d8 hit points for each hit die it has. It can -1 It is incapable of combat and cannot
be conjured in any shape or seeming designed by the defend itself from violence
formula, even ones seemingly indistinguishable from
normal humanity. Where it is relevant, its attribute -1 It is unconcealably terrifying or socially
scores are assumed to all be 12 with no modifiers. disruptive in appearance
106• Spending occult lore

Occult Lore for GMs could offer them a plot hook to steal a different library
As a general rule of thumb, GMs should make it rela- to replace the one they lost or a lead on recovering
tively straightforward for an Arcanist PC to find 5 Re- the stolen materials, but expect the entire party to be
search Points of Occult Lore per character level before dragged along on their quest unless they’re willing to
they advance to a new level. Thus, a 6th level Arcanist have their mage stuck where they are for a long time.
should find about 30 Research Points worth of tomes, By the same token, don’t feel obliged to pull punch-
instruments, and artifacts before reaching 7th level. es if the mage makes intentional choices to risk damage
Such a find will be enough to let an Arcanist acquire a to their library. If they prefer to keep the library aboard
new spell of their highest available level, perhaps with a ship so it’s always conveniently to hand, then they’re
a bit left over. going to have a problem if the ship gets destroyed. If
If there are multiple mage PCs in the party, you they build a vast library and are content to just store it
can assume that they’ll be sharing their libraries and in some drafty warehouse on a hive world, they may
the Research Points they find. They don’t need to in- find some or all of it abstracted by interested third par-
vest these Research Points in the same thing; if a party ties who aren’t adequately deterred from the theft. If a
with two Arcanists finds a trove of occult tomes that mage is making choices like this, however, you should
grant 20 Research Points, one of them can use the same be sure they understand they’re taking a risk; don’t
books to learn a 3rd level spell while the other uses surprise them with the realization that they’ve been
them to summon a Shadow. So long as they both retain recklessly risking their precious arcane materials.
access to the books, they both get to use them and ben-
efit from having them. As such, don’t count Research Managing Research Pacing
Points you allow them to find as separate awards; a The research month system is meant to control the
party with two 3rd level Arcanists in it should find 15 pacing of a mage’s advancement. Even if a PC relies
Research Points in total before they hit 4th level, not 30. entirely on found Occult Lore to bolster their abilities,
Magisters have much less intrinsic need for Occult there’s still a limit on how fast they can spend it on
Lore, so you don’t need to worry about making sure making arcanotech items, creating new spells, or sum-
they get any particular amount. If they want some, they moning Shadow minions.
can earn it by research or seek out occult treasures. In a campaign where there are ample pauses and
It’s not necessary to force-feed Arcanists these breathing spaces for PCs to simply relax and recover
finds, but you should be willing to let patrons pay them System Strain and personal sanity for a month between
with tomes, or let instruments be found in the posses- adventures, this pacing works well. It breaks down,
sions of enemies they overcome, or otherwise locate however, when the PCs are kept constantly on the go
these finds in situations the PCs are likely to encounter. or have the inclination to push on with a mission that
You can expect the PCs to be earning modest runs over multiple gaming sessions. Without some
amounts of additional Occult Lore through their own kind of adjustment, a mage might spend two or three
experimentations or spending their share of a party’s game sessions without being able to spend a research
loot building new research instruments. If a PC wants month on their own pursuits.
to dump all their cash on fabulous libraries and intri- As a general rule of thumb, a mage should get at
cate hardware, that’s fine; they’re making a conscious least one research month between each game session. If
choice about how they want to spend their time and the party voluntarily decides to slow things down and
credits, just like the Warrior picking up a new gun. give them more, that’s fine, but even if things are mov-
If a party intentionally decides to seek out an occult ing at a breakneck pace from session to session, you
trove, that’s a straightforward adventure hook that you should give the mage a research month after each one.
can use to build the next adventure. You can use the This bonus month can be justified as a flash of en-
general trove sizes listed on page 99 to get an idea lightenment or an exceptionally productive weekend or
of how many Research Points worth of lore should whatever other rationale fits in the mage’s desired pur-
be packed into a given library. The bigger and finer suit. Even if it is completely implausible to allow this
the library, of course, the more dangerous it will be bonus month mid-adventure, you should still award
to obtain possession of it, and the more cumbersome it after the final session. Without a steady flow of re-
to extract all its materials. Cook up a few hooks point- search months, a mage is seriously hindered.
ing to different possibilities, let the PCs decide which You should also keep an eye out for parties that
one they’re going to aim for, and use the downtime simply decide to set up camp on a world for a year
between sessions to prep an adventure that lets them and let their mage research or artifice to their heart’s
take a shot at it. content. In some campaigns, this might actually be a
As a GM, don’t make too much of a habit of direct- plausible choice, but most PCs have led lives much
ly threatening a mage PC’s library. If you destroy it or too vigorous to go an exceptionally long time with-
steal it, the mage is going to be completely absorbed out some consequence finally catching up with them.
with getting it back, because their magical development Just because the PCs don’t want to be bothered doesn’t
will be frozen until they make up the lost points. You mean the sector will respect their wishes.
 Quick magical research treasures •107

Quick Magical Research Treasures

Even after a GM has decided to put a certain number
d4 Research Artifice Bulk
of Research Points worth of occult secrets into an ad-
venture, it can sometimes be a puzzle to decide what 1 Small and easily portable
form that treasure takes. The tables below offer some 2 Composed of several small components
suggestions on naming occult grimoires and describing 3 Large and bulky, but man-portable
esoteric magical lab equipment.
To create a magical tome, simply mix and match 4 Major room furnishing, very hard to move
table components as suggested by the book name pat-
terns. You might add in some component relevant to d12 Artifice Shape Artifice Oddity
the book’s actual research focus, as rolled below. 1 Scanner device Odd Lights

d20 Object’s Research Focus 2 Glassware Strange Noises

1 Transformation and change 3 Measuring device Physical Property

4 Ocular Images it Produces
2 Creation of inanimate objects
5 Hand computer Psychic Miasma
3 Summoning Shadow powers
6 Rug or mat Self-mobile
4 Discerning metadimensional flows
7 Brazier It has emotions
5 Altering human bodies
8 Mirror Unstable shape
6 Influence of sentient minds
9 Musical device Dangerous to handle
7 Channeling raw energies Ritual clothing Warped dimensions
10
8 Human health and longevity 11 Rod/staff/wand Energy emissions
9 Destruction of a type of creature 12 Ritual weapon Strange material
10 A particular alien species
11 A lost magical group or phenomenon d10 Book Name Patterns
Developing new spells 1 Color Book of Adjective Gerund
12
2 Patron’s Adjective Book of Adjective Gerund
13 Translocation and transportation
3 Book of Adjective Gerund
14 Communication and data flows
4 Book of the Adjective Patron
15 Construction of complex devices
5 Adjective Patron’s Color Book
16 Manipulation of probability or entropy
6 Book of Gerund the Adjective Patron
17 Hyper-esoteric arcane mathematics
7 Color Book of Patrons’ Adjective Gerund
18 Discernment of distant facts and events 8 Patron’s Adjective Book
19 Curses, misfortunes, and induced woes 9 Adjective Book of Color Gerund
20 Horrible occult practices 10 Book of Adjective Color Gerund

d10 Book Color Gerund Patron Adjective 1 Adjective 2

1 Codex Crimson Scrying An Alien Species Cryptic Greater
2 Tome Ebon Commanding A Shadow Occluded Lesser
3 Grimoire Viridian Ruining A God Peerless Exalted
4 Incunabulum Azure Creating A Saint Venerable Eternal
5 Essay Golden Dissecting A Pantheon Enlightened Forbidden
6 Scroll Gray Discerning A Dead Mage Accursed Imperishable
7 Manuscript Incarnadine Summoning A Lost Culture Damnable Final
8 Book Fuligin Banishing Author’s Teacher Sacred Auspicious
9 Scripture Ivory Ruling A Mage School Inspired Munificent
10 Pandect Ashen Deceiving The Author Mad Sagacious
108• An example

An Example of Play
Ambitious young Lucullus Aurelius Smythe is a nov- Chastened, Lucullus sticks with a safer project for
ice Arcanist, fresh into the adventuring world with his his third research month. One of the survivors of the
trusty grimoire and a small selection of starting spells space station was the favorite niece of a local Rectifier,
learned over the course of his apprenticeship. While and Lucullus uses this social connection as a chance
bold Lucullus is eager to expand his knowledge, he re- to request tutelage from the mage. Even though the
grettably lacks both funds and a source of tutelage. Rectifier is a Magister while Lucullus is an Arcanist, the
Lucullus and the rest of the party begin their ad- difference in magical perspectives can still be fruitful.
ventures on a collapsing space station where the sys- The Rectifier is impressed by the young mage, and
tems are breaking down faster than the rescue ship can generously offers him a discount on his teachings. As
hope to reach them. Lucullus’ day-to-day activities all an NPC with 4 hit dice, the usual price for a month of
revolve around solving crises aboard the station and teaching would be about 2,000 credits. Lucullus gets
fighting back panicked rebels from within, but this his teacher for half that price. The young Arcanist is a
doesn’t stop him from choosing a magical research ac- very sharp pupil, with a +2 Int modifier and the Know
tivity. He can still perform research or do other arcane Magic skill at level-1. The GM decides that the Recti-
work while adventuring, unless he’s locked up or oth- fier is also a good teacher, with an effective Charisma
erwise entirely prevented from working. modifier of +1. Thus, Lucullus gains 4 Enlightenment
Unfortunately, Lucullus has no money, so his op- Points of lore over the course of the month, which is
tions are limited. He decides to spend his first research also as much as a 4 hit die NPC can teach a pupil in total.
month doing routine personal research. Such activity Having accumulated a total of 5 points of Occult
is free, and only requires a successful Int/Know Magic Lore, Lucullus is eager to put them to work. He decides
roll against difficulty 9. Lucullus is a bookish mage, and to learn the first level Void Slip spell off the Arcanist
has the Specialist focus in Know Magic. Unsurprisingly, spell list. As a first level spell, this will cost him 5 points
he handily makes the check, and will gain one Enlight- of Occult Lore, 1,000 credits, and one day. He doesn’t
enment Point at the end of the month. need a grimoire copy of this spell, since it’s a standard
The station crisis is resolved two weeks after it Arcanist spell, and he doesn’t need to spend a research
begins, and Lucullus is on to new adventures. His re- month to learn it. Mastering the finer points of a spell
search month isn’t over, however, so he can’t pick a can be done at any time, even when researching some-
new activity just yet. thing else.
Two weeks later still, the month is up, and Lucul- Fresh out of money and with no free Occult Lore,
lus decides to spend some of his adventuring earnings Lucullus has cause to be delighted when a successful
on a potentially hazardous experiment he has in mind. foray against a sinister Shadow cult leader results not
This dangerous personal research takes another month, only in a fine haul of expensive cult regalia but occult
costs him 400 credits, and obliges an Int/Know Magic theological tomes worth 10 Research Points. This ad-
skill check against difficulty 12. venture was enough to push Lucullus to second level as
Confident in his specialized prowess, Lucullus’ an Arcanist, and the GM wanted to make sure that he
player scoops up 3d6 and rolls them for the check… and had the chance to find some useful lore in the course
gets 1, 1, and 2. Even dropping the lowest die, that’s still of his adventures.
a natural skill check of 3. Not only is the experiment Unlike Enlightenment Points, however, Research
a failure and the time and money lost, Lucullus has to Points are very tangible. According to the table on page
roll on the dangerous Mishap table. 99, Lucullus’ library now takes up two points of En-
Lucullus rolls a 2, losing access to all of his high- cumbrance. He doesn’t need to carry it around with
est-level spell slots for the rest of the month. As a first him all the time, but he does need a safe place to store
level Arcanist, Lucullus only has one level of spell slots, it when he does want to consult the texts. He decides to
so he’s effectively locked out of his spellcasting powers tuck the tomes away in his cabin aboard the party’s free
for a month. The GM decides that the accident hap- merchant. If the ship meets an accident and Lucullus
pened at the start of the experiment, so for the next doesn’t have time to stuff those books in his vacc suit
thirty days, Lucullus is a mage without spells. pack, he’ll lose them and their Research Points.
Distressed by this turn of events, Lucullus tries With his new trove safely stowed, Lucullus pon-
to convince the rest of the PCs to hold off on perilous ders the future. Should he risk trying some artificing?
adventures for a month while he gets back his magic. Another dangerous experiment? Research is safe and
With no pressing business to require their attention, cheap, but it is so slow, and the party is unlikely to wait
the rest of the party agrees. The GM knows that there around for several months while he does his labwork.
are no impending schemes or consequences that are Perhaps he should take the risk of another dangerous
due to catch up with the party, and no situation to de- experiment. He can’t afford to waste time if he’s to have
mand their action, so he lets them have a quiet month. the lore needed to summon his first Shadow servitor....
 ARCANE RESEARCH QUICK REFERENCE
an Int/Know Magic skill check against difficulty 9. On suc-
Occult Lore cess, build something that grants you 1 Research Point per
A mage’s arcane library, personal enlightenment, and general character level. Experimental artificing costs 2,000 credits/
occult resources are measured in points of Occult Lore. There level, the skill check is difficulty 10, and it builds an item
are two kinds of Occult Lore points: Research Points represent that grants 2 Research Points/character level. A roll of
written materials and research artifacts that can be lost, stolen, 2 or 3 is an automatic failure, loss of the project, and a
or given away, and Enlightenment Points represent deep inner Mishap. Dangerous artificing costs 5,000 credits/level, the
insights that can never be lost or traded. skill check difficulty is 12, and it builds an item that grants
Mages commit Occult Lore points for various purposes. 4 Research Points/level on success. A roll of 2, 3, or 4 is
Whenever Occult Lore is committed to a project, either Re- automatic failure that induces a Mishap and the loss of the
search Points or Enlightenment Points may be spent. project. Barring a Mishap, a failed skill check means the
Committing Occult Lore usually requires one or more re- artificer can either abandon the project or spend half the
search months. A mage can adventure and perform ordinary original cost and another month to try again.
activities while undertaking such a project, but they can only Studying Another Mage’s Grimoire: If you have another mage’s
work on one thing in any given research month. grimoire to hand, you can study it as if you were taking
If the books or artifacts containing Research Points are lost arcane tutelage from that mage. You gain up to your Int
or stolen from a mage after they’ve used the points to learn a mod plus your Know Magic skill level in Research Points
spell, create a magic item, or otherwise utilized them the mage with each month of study, up to the maximum allowed by
can end up with more Occult Lore committed than they actually the tutor. You also learn the author’s magical secrets; you
have available. Until they make up the deficit by recovering the save against their spells with a +4 bonus and they save
lost lore or acquiring new materials, they can’t spend Occult against your spells with a -4 penalty.
Lore on anything new, though their existing commitments are Looting Other Wizards: You can steal the books and lab gear
unaffected. Enlightenment Points cannot be lost. that other mages have built through artificing and scribing,
thus robbing them of those Research Points.
Storing Occult Lore Buying and Selling Lore: Or you can simply purchase such things,
Enlightenment Points are kept in the owner’s head, and cannot though very few wizards would ever consider selling their
be lost. Research Points are more tangible, and must be stored personal power. Finding such goods for sale is usually grist
somewhere. How large a given library is depends on how many for a full-fledged adventure.
Research Points it consists of; sizes are noted on page 99.
A mage does not have to have constant access to their li- Spending Occult Lore
brary to retain its benefits. Provided it’s somewhere they can get Once a mage has accumulated a stock of secrets, they can dedi-
at when necessary, they keep their access. If the library is stolen cate their learning to various beneficial purposes.
or destroyed, however, the mage loses the Research Points. Learning New Arcanist Spells: Magisters can already pick their
known spells from any on their class list, but Arcanists can
Gaining Occult Lore only learn new spells by spending credits, time, and Occult
Mages can earn new points of Occult Lore in several ways. Lore to master them. They can do this for any spell on the
Personal Research: Routine personal research is free, takes one Arcanist class list, whether or not they have a copy of the
research month, and requires an Int/Know Magic skill spell to hand. Learning unique spells developed by other
check against difficulty 9. Success grants one Enlighten- Arcanists may require that a grimoire copy of this rare spell
ment Point. Experimental Research costs 200 credits per be available. Prices per spell level are given on page 103.
character level, has difficulty 10, and grants 2 Enlighten- Creating New Spells: Both Arcanists and Magisters can spend
ment Points on success. If a natural 2 is rolled on the check, Occult Lore, credits, and research months to develop new
roll for a Mishap on the table on page 100. Dangerous spells. Prices are given on page 103.
personal research costs 400 credits per level, is difficulty Creating Magic Items: Mages can spend Occult Lore to create
12, grants 4 Enlightenment Points, and causes a Mishap on powerful arcanotech items, though some objects can be
a natural roll of 2 or 3 on the skill check. created with nothing more than time and credits. Details
Arcane Tutelage: Spend a research month studying under anoth- of item creation are given in the Objects of Power section,
er Arcanist or Magister no more than two levels or hit dice on page 133.
lower than your own character level. Gain Enlightenment Binding Eldritch Shadows: Mages can design and summon Shad-
Points each month equal to your Int mod + Know Magic ows as personal servants and minions, spending Occult
skill + the tutor’s Cha modifier. The maximum points you Lore to develop the necessary summoning formula and
can gain from a given tutor is given on page 101. then spending more to actually summon a matching Shad-
Artificing and Scribing: Pen metadimensionally-active tomes ow. While a mage has considerable flexibility in designing
and create pieces of magically-useful lab gear. Routine ar- their metadimensional minions, the results are not always
tificing costs one research month, 500 credits/level, and precisely as desired. Details are given on page 104.
 SANCTUMS
An ambitious mage needs a place to call home, or at
least a place to call metadimensional entities. Some Sanctum Facilities
forms of research and arcane development can be A sanctum is built of one or more facilities, as are listed
performed with nothing more than the contents of a on the following table. Rather than draw up a physical
wizard’s knapsack, but the summoning of Shadows and floor plan of their new home and calculate the individ-
the creation of arcanotech devices both require more ual costs, a player simply buys the facilities they want
sophisticated facilities if they are to be accomplished and can describe the resultant structure in any way that
in a timely manner. seems reasonable to the GM.
Modern TL4 science has made life enormously Some facilities offer the simple ability to do some-
easier for the busy mage. Advanced metadimensional thing that would be prohibitively difficult without it.
assay devices, high-tech fractal summoning circles, and An arcanotech laboratory lets the PC design and build
ritual incense compounded under zero-gee manufac- arcanotech, something that can’t be done in an adven-
turing conditions all contribute to making a working ture-friendly time frame otherwise. Other facilities
wizard’s life much simpler. Mages practicing on less so- might give a bonus to certain activities, like a summon-
phisticated worlds are often forced to endure crushing ing chamber grants a bonus to the skill check needed
delays as they hand-manufacture every component of to summon a Shadow. A few facilities simply give the
their work and personally conduct the necessary meta- PCs some more options within their adventure, like
dimensional attunement work. having their own living quarters or being able to set
This is not to say that sorcerers in more primitive up defensive turrets around a planetary base.
surroundings cannot summon Shadows or build arcan- Facilities can be bought in three different forms.
otech. Even in the most brutally primitive conditions, a The price for each form is the same, each one being
wizard with determination, and possibly the help of a cheaper in some ways and more expensive in others.
tribe of enslaved natives, can still create wonders. Even Constructed facilities are actual buildings or parts
so, the amount of time, effort, and tedium required to of buildings that have been constructed at a specific
do things the “simple way” is prohibitive for an adven- place. Their price includes the land they occupy, or-
turing mage. They do not have a spare half-decade to dinary utility and tax costs, and general operating fees.
consecrate a sacred grotto for the summoning of a local To spare campaign bookkeeping, the prices include all
god-Shadow and they rarely have the appetite to sac- normal operating costs for the indefinite future.
rifice a few hundred infants to provoke the necessary Shipboard facilities are built into a starship as a
psychic anguish in their parents for distillation into a fitting. Because these facilities are designed to be fairly
piece of arcanotech. self-contained, they do not require free mass or free
For adventuring wizards, the solution is a sanctum, power from a ship’s infrastructure. Instead, they re-
a traditional residence and research laboratory. Given quire a certain amount of cargo space be dedicated to
the wandering habits of adventurers, some wizards them. Once the facilities are installed into this cargo
may prefer to have their sanctum facilities built into space, it cannot be repurposed without tearing out the
a starship, or crated as portable structures that can be facilities, a process which requires just as much time as
erected wherever the party may pause. The guidelines installation if it is to be done without destroying the
in this section might even be useful to non-mages materials. Some facilities cannot be built as shipboard
who want to purchase some high-end portable living fittings, either because they aren’t practical for the en-
quarters or base camps to support their expeditions to vironment or they make too many demands on a ship’s
foreign worlds. life support and power system. You wouldn’t buy living
The facilities listed in this section can be purchased quarters for a shipboard sanctum; you’d just expand the
on most TL4 worlds with an active magical communi- ship’s crew allotment the usual way.
ty. The more mundane fittings, like living quarters or Portable facilities are designed to be stowed care-
defense turrets, can be bought even on worlds without fully in a ship’s hold, to be deployed planetside when
a market for wizardry. the ship finds a place to pause. Assuming they remain
The prices listed here for physical structures as- intact, they can be packed back up afterwards. While
sume normal TL4 urban real estate costs, and include they are rarely as elegant or comfortable as a con-
the land the sanctum is to stand on. While it’s possible structed sanctum, or as convenient as shipboard facil-
to locate a sanctum far out in the wilderness or on a ities, they are built to withstand most non-corrosive,
more primitive world where land prices are trivial, the non-invasive planetary environments. They generally
savings tend to be eaten up by the cost of moving ma- require at least some solid surface to anchor them, and
terials and the difficulty of getting workers out there. it is neither practical nor safe to erect them in deep
As such, there is no discount for deciding to build your space. A dedicated space station is recommended for
wizard’s tower in the middle of nowhere. such purposes, one fitted with shipboard facilities.
 Sanctums •111

Staffing Sanctums Monthly One-Time

By default, all sanctum facilities can be adequately op- Employee Type Salary Fee
erated by the mage alone. No additional staffing is nec- Consort 1,000 50,000
essary to use these tools. Dragoman 750 37,500
In practice, many wizards find it necessary to have
Driver 400 20,000
additional hands. While the automated cells of a se-
cure holding block may be theoretically manageable Guard 500 25,000
with one jailer, prudence suggests some additional help Guard Sergeant 1,000 50,000
would be wise. In the same vein, wizards with station- Majordomo 1,000 50,000
ary sanctums can be uneasy about leaving them empty.
Physician 1,000 50,000
For these cases, a PC can usually hire or purchase
help in managing the sanctum. The adjacent table gives Scholar 450 22,500
recruitment costs for varying types of staff. Two prices Servant 300 15,000
are given for each; a monthly salary and a one-time Technician 600 30,000
recruitment payment to simplify things for PCs who
Employees have level-1 skill where relevant
don’t care to keep up with the bookkeeping and who
imagine they will want this staffer’s services for some Guards maintain the sanctum’s security. If there
time. Even if a PC wants an employee for only a short are more than five, a guard sergeant will be needed to
period, few will work for less than a month’s wages. keep them organized, being a soldier with leadership
Staffers will serve efficiently and loyally so long as ability. Employers must usually provide their gear.
they are not abused or given strong incentive other- Majordomos are butlers, secretaries, household
wise. They will not normally go on adventures with a accountants, and general supervisors of the sanctum’s
PC, but will staff advance bases in dangerous environ- staff and management. Most can manage any ordinary
ments and otherwise cope with the peripheral perils of domestic difficulty with aplomb, and even unusual
an adventurer’s existence. ones can be negotiated at times.
Notes on the types of employees are as below. Physicians are private medics, well-trained in both
Consorts range from jewel-adorned odalisques to emergency and long-term care.
charmingly impoverished kept noblemen. Aside from Scholars are of a particular topic, but have the time
their obvious talents, they’re very capable social oper- to research and investigate matters that their employer
ators and hosts. may not be able to address.
Dragomans, (not “dragomen”), are guides, transla- Servants cover all the general work of cooks, clean-
tors, and social navigators usually specific to a particu- ers, groundskeepers, and other unremarkable laborers
lar world. They help their employer deal with the locals. employed by the PC.
Drivers may be gravcar chauffeurs or shuttle pilots. Technicians are a prudent investment for sanctums
While they won’t linger in danger, they’ll drop off and that rely on robotic help or that have a considerable
pick up PCs if it seems reasonably safe to do so. investment in vehicles or other complex gear.
112• Sanctums

Sanctum Facilities
The adjacent table lists costs and tonnage for various tum’s cost, an integral fusion plant can be installed
common types of facilities. Ship tonnage is the spare that will provide all necessary power to the facility.
room required in a ship’s cargo hold if the facility is to Landing Bay: A well-equipped landing pad for up to
be installed permanently on the ship. Portable tonnage two frigate-sized ships or four shuttles. While it’s
is the packed space that portable equipment occupies no shipyard, it can provide fuel, security, and basic
in between times when it is set up on some suitable maintenance to a ship, if the price in necessary
world. Permanently-installed facilities cannot be made materials is paid.
portable and vice-versa. Living Quarters: Up to six friendly occupants can share
For actually building a constructed facility, assume this living and dining space.
it takes one worker one day per five hundred credits Medical Bay: Ten TL4 medical beds are available here,
worth of structures, assuming they have TL4 construc- along with a substantial amount of medical sup-
tion gear handy. For building or packing a portable plies. Provided a trained physician is available, it
facility, assume one worker can set up or deconstruct can do most of the things that would otherwise
one thousand credits worth of structure per day with require a full-fledged hospital to provide.
the same tech. A robot counts as three workers. Recreation Facility: Whether a garden, video arcade,
Arcanotech Laboratory: Necessary to construct arcan- theater, or other indulgence, this facility is de-
otech devices and formulas, as described on page signed to make life easier for sanctum inhabitants.
133. Basic facilities can build or design anything Research Laboratory: When performing personal re-
that costs less than 25,001 credits, standard ones search or artificing as described in the Arcane Re-
can construct items that cost less than 125,001 search and Development section, the user can add
credits at +1 to the roll, and advanced facilities can a +2 bonus to their skill roll. This bonus does not
construct theoretically any sort at +2 to the roll. prevent the Mishaps that come from extremely
Assay Facility: This facility helps an examiner learn low skill check rolls.
the properties of an arcanotech device. An hour’s Sealed Environment: An add-on to be included with
study will reveal the Heat of the device and a sen- constructed or portable sanctums, the basic ver-
tence or two about its abilities. A day’s work and sion of this facility makes the sanctum pressurized,
a successful Wis/Know Magic skill check against temperature-controlled, and equipped with oxy-
difficulty 9 will reveal all there is to know about gen recirculators for indefinite operation. The ad-
the object. Objects built to specifically hide their vanced version does as much but is also equipped
qualities from assays may force an opposed skill to handle very hostile environments, such as a
check to overcome the deceit. molten world or a planet of corrosive winds.
Bot Support Bay: This bay has all the necessary main- Secure Holding Block: A civilized but austere jail for
tenance tools and supplies to house, repair, and up to ten human-sized occupants. Each cell is
maintain one robot. Barring complete destruction, equipped with minimal but adequate facilities for
the bay always has enough materials to repair the indefinite containment of the occupant.
bot, given a tech has time to do the work. Secure Library Jettison: Meant exclusively for shipboard
Defensive Turret: A specialized expert system, this tur- use, this facility allows the ship to automatically
ret mount allows the owner to attach any normal jettison any secure library fittings below should
or Heavy weapon to it. The weapon will have ef- the ship be destroyed. The jettison automatically
fectively unlimited ammunition. The turret can aims the stealthed capsule to land on the nearest
be remotely controlled by someone else with a viable planet, or toward safe space if no such plan-
properly-keyed dataslab, allowing it to use half et exists in-system. The jettison is only able to take
their attack bonus, rounded up, or it may make the contents of the secure library, though it can fit
its own firing decisions, shooting at a +1 bonus to in a hundred or so kilos of other pre-placed gear.
hit. The expert system can be given authority to The jettison is stealthed to avoid notice, requiring
automatically fire on intruders, but it is a limited a Wis/Program skill check against difficulty 12 to
intellect at best. True AIs connected directly to notice its departure if it leaves as a ship is being
the turret can fire it with their full attack bonus. destroyed. The jettison is temperature and pres-
Garage: Fuel, housing, and maintenance tools for one sure-controlled but has no life support.
vehicle no larger than a gravtank. Assuming the Secure Library: Protected storage for up to 25 Research
vehicle is not destroyed, it can be repaired with Points of Occult Lore. Basic facilities have locks,
these supplies. cameras, and remote alerts. Standard ones are so
Integral Power Plant: This feature is only useful for well-secured that TL4 gear is needed to get past
sanctums that can’t connect to a local power grid the locks and sensors. Advanced libraries have
for some reason. By spending 5% of the total sanc- automatic systems so advanced that only a master
 Sanctums •113

Ship Portable
Facility Cost Tonnage Tonnage Function
Arcanotech Laboratory, Basic 25K 25 5 Create minor arcanotech
Arcanotech Laboratory, Standard 100K 50 10 Create major arcanotech at +1
Arcanotech Laboratory, Advanced 250K 200 40 Create any arcanotech at +2
Assay Facility 25K 25 5 Analyze magical objects
Bot Support Bay 5K 5 1 Tech support for one robot
Defensive Turret 5K+Weapon N/A 5 Expert system-controlled gun
Garage 10K+Vehicle N/A 5 Tech support for one vehicle
Integral Power Plant 5% of total N/A 5 Provides fusion power
Landing Bay 100K N/A 25 Landing support for starships
Living Quarters 10K N/A 10 Houses six friendly occupants
Medical Bay 50K N/A 10 Medical beds for ten people
Recreation Facility 25K N/A 10 Relaxation or aesthetic facility
Research Laboratory 25K 25 5 +2 to experiment skill checks
Sealed Environment, Basic 5% of total N/A 5 Pressurized and temp-controlled
Sealed Environment, Advanced 10% of total N/A 10 As above, plus harsher environs
Secure Holding Block 50K N/A 25 Jail for up to ten occupants
Secure Library Jettison 50K 10 N/A Jettisons library from a ship
Secure Library, Basic 5K 10 5 Basic security for 25 RP
Secure Library, Standard 10K 25 10 Good security for 25 RP
Secure Library, Advanced 25K 50 20 Superlative security for 25 RP
Secure Vault 50K 25 10 Armored vault for 10 tons
Spell Design Facility, Basic 25K 25 5 Design level 1-2 spells
Spell Design Facility, Standard 100K 50 10 Design level 1-4 spells
Spell Design Facility, Advanced 250K 200 20 Design level 1-5 spells
Summoning Chamber, Basic 25K 25 5 +1 to all summoning skill checks
Summoning Chamber, Standard 100K 50 10 +2 to all summoning skill checks
Summoning Chamber, Advanced 500K 200 20 +4 to all summoning skill checks
Supply Bunker 50K N/A 20 Indefinite supplies for 10
Workshop 25K N/A 10 A basic tech workshop
Xenobestiary Datafiles, Basic 25K 10 5 +1 to Shadow formula design
Xenobestiary Datafiles, Standard 100K 25 10 +2 to Shadow formula design
Xenobestiary Datafiles, Advanced 500K 50 20 +4 to Shadow formula design
thief or internal traitor could hope to break in to Summoning Chamber: Necessary for calling up Shadows,
steal the contents. this chamber grants +1 to summoning checks as
Secure Vault: A heavily-shielded secure room for up a basic facility, +2 as a standard one and +4 as an
to ten tons of goods. The walls are equivalent to advanced facility.
military fortification material and require hours of Supply Bunker: Enough food, clothing, and other com-
work with shaped charges to penetrate if the codes mon TL4 expeditionary supplies can be drawn
are not available. A special “active denial” system from this bunker to supply ten people for a decade,
triggers when the vault is closed, filling it with a if the tech is used to augment local resources.
mesh of wire lines that makes teleporting into it Workshop: This ship is adequate for modding and
effectively impossible. The vault is equipped with equipment-building as per page 90 of the core
cameras and extensive monitoring systems. rulebook, and can provide the necessary tools
Spell Design Facility: This facility is necessary if a caster and working space for most ordinary tech needs.
is to create new spells for Arcanists or Magisters. Xenobestiary Datafiles: Needed for creating new Shad-
Basic versions allow researching level 1-2 spells, ow summoning formulas, this chamber grants +1
standard allows levels 1-4, and advanced ones al- to formula creation checks as a basic facility, +2
low researching any level of spell. as a standard one and +4 as an advanced facility.
 ON THE NATURE OF SHADOWS
The term “Shadow” covers a tremendous range of crea- Magister traditions such as the Pacters can push these
tures both malevolent and benign. While Shadows do limits considerably, but conventional Arcanists can
generally appear to share certain traits and there are rarely hold on to their spell-called minions for very
perceptible classes of their kind, individual Shadows long once they abandon Focus on them.
can show an enormous variety of qualities in appear- Shadows summoned through rituals are given
ance, abilities, and temperament. The most researchers their own flow of sustaining energy, one catalyzed by
can do is identify useful generalities about Shadows and the occult components used in the rite. Such Shadows
leave individual cases to the operatives handling the can theoretically persist indefinitely assuming their
situation. summoner does not cut off the flow of energy by dis-
In a campaign, Shadows serve as useful magical an- missing them, and assuming they are not disrupted by
tagonists or patrons for the PCs, creatures that are not physical damage or hostile sorcery. If a caster loses con-
shackled to the limits of conventional alien creatures. trol of a summoned Shadow, such as through a flawed
When something uncanny or unnatural is needed in a formula, they will be unable to dismiss it voluntarily.
campaign, a GM can reach for a suitable Shadow and Free Shadows that precipitate out of ambient
have all the justification they require for equipping it metadimensional energies, or ones that slip the bound-
with arcane abilities and ineffable goals. aries of their summoner’s control, have a less certain
future. Weak Shadows can survive on relatively limited
The Origin and Feeding of Shadows amounts of energy, but powerful entities need a corre-
Shadows manifest in two main ways. Either they are spondingly powerful source of metadimensional ener-
intentionally summoned through human or alien agen- gy if they are to maintain their existence. Free Shadows
cy, or they naturally coalesce in regions where strong find this energy from three sources: background bleed,
currents of metadimensional energy make it possible arcanotech devices, and psychic servitude.
for them to precipitate out of the flow. Summoned Background bleed occurs in regions where the
Shadows are usually at least partially under the con- metadimensional energy flows are nearly in synchrony
trol of their summoners, while manifested Shadows with mundane space. Odd events, strange phenomena,
are “free”, unbound to mortal wills. and occasional peculiar mental influences are notice-
Summoning a Shadow is usually something that able in such areas, but only in the areas of the most
requires a trained mage and a formula that defines the powerful bleeds are they more than trivial curiosities.
specific type of Shadow that is to be summoned. This Some bleeds are small enough that they cover no more
formula is a complex arcano-mathematical structure than a “haunted house” or “sacred glade”. Other bleeds
that describes the desired qualities and abilities of the cover entire continents, or whole solar systems. Weak
intended Shadow in a form that can be animated by Shadows can survive in this bleed with no further sus-
correctly-channeled metadimensional energy. It is tenance, but more powerful beings usually need to sup-
a “mold” of a kind into which arcane force is poured plement this force with some additional fuel.
to manifest the desired being. The more powerful the Arcanotech devices such as are described in the
entity, the more complex the formula and the more Objects of Power section can also sometimes support a
difficult it is to manifest it. Shadow. Some Shadows are actually embedded in these
Formulas are sometimes flawed. In such cases, the devices as part of their creation. Others possess them,
summoned Shadow may not be fully subservient to the infesting their functionality. In some cases a Shadow
summoner, or may have qualities undesired by their simply needs to be near the object in order to absorb
masters. Some flaws are subtle enough that the sum- its ambient Heat. Unless the device is an exceptional-
moner won’t realize the problem until their supposed ly powerful artifact, however, most Shadows get only
servant turns on them or exhibits some trait that was limited support from such sources.
never intended. A flawed formula can be corrected Psychic servitude is the strongest and most sat-
through further research, but such effort is extremely isfying source of metadimensional energy for a free
laborious and has no certainty of success. Shadow. The “Shadow cults” formed around powerful
Some magical traditions know spells for summon- entities concentrate the psychic energy of devotees into
ing Shadows, allowing a caster to beckon one forth a flow of invigorating force that feeds and strengthens
quickly and reliably. These spells have the necessary their patron. It is not sufficient to simply declare alle-
formula embedded in the spell itself, and are proven, ef- giance to a Shadow, however; the devotee must per-
fective methods for quick Shadow summoning. Unlike form assorted rituals and ceremonial behaviors to focus
Shadows summoned through more laborious rituals, their mind and direct the energy accordingly. Some
however, such spell-formed Shadows are completely Shadow cults require only benign and harmless rituals,
tied to the summoner’s own magical energies and can ones that may exhaust the believer but do no lasting
rarely be sustained in existence for very long. Specialist harm. As Shadows often have nothing resembling
 Shadows •115

concern for human morality, however, many cults are Metadimensional Physiology
driven to savage atrocities to provide yet more fuel for A Shadow’s body has a notional similarity to mundane
their god. In return, a Shadow can bless devotees with flesh. Most Shadows have human-like tissues, bleed
eldritch powers, returning a portion of their energy to when injured, and are subject to the need for food, air,
help encourage the cult and extend its reach. and water. Their bodies can be poisoned, but infec-
Shadow cults can distill the mental energy of tions or other diseases usually can find no purchase on
mundane men and women, but psychically-active ones, their unnatural physiology. A damaged Shadow can be
whether psychics or mages, grant especially potent en- healed by conventional medicine and psychic or arcane
ergy to their patron. Shadows often prefer to place methodologies.
such persons in charge of their cults. Some Shadows While this body is very convincing, it is funda-
form cults comprised exclusively of such elite, though mentally a facade. It exists and operates due to the con-
few locations have enough practitioners to make that stant flow of metadimensional energy that sustains the
practical. Shadow, and it does not rely on mundane biochemistry
A Shadow that lacks adequate metadimensional to persist or suffer the pangs of mortal aging. It might
sustenance will begin to fade over the course of weeks, have flatly impossible organs, or it might lack conven-
or days in some cases. If no energy at all is available, tional tissues entirely. It is, at most, a pretense.
the Shadow will disappear. If some energy exists, but Indeed, some Shadows have such powerful meta-
not enough for a strong Shadow’s full requirement, it dimensional integrity that they are effectively immune
will either drop into torpor, evaporate back into meta- to non-magical weapons that do not cause catastrophic
dimensional space, or become crippled and debilitat- mass displacement. Any ordinary injury to such enti-
ed by the lack. In the former case a fresh infusion of ties merely seals over or reforms instantaneously. Only
metadimensional energy will be enough to wake the magical “pattern” weapons can disrupt this bond, or
Shadow up again, but an “eaten” Shadow that has been those wielded with such ferocious intensity of will
crippled by starvation is usually permanently deranged that the psychic energy alone is sufficient to block
by the experience. the power. Full Warriors and Arcane Warriors can
The precise amount of psychic energy a Shadow achieve such martial focus, but PCs from other classes
needs to maintain activity depends on many factors. are advised to have arcanotech weapons close to hand
Some weak Shadows can survive with nothing more when engaging powerful Shadows.
than the glow of a hot arcanotech item, but a powerful While their body is a figment of sorcery, this man-
Heresiarch or Devourer will need a full-fledged cult ifested shell is an important pretense. A Shadow that
with a thousand or more members to keep it satisfied. loses its body to violence, physical starvation, or other
As a Shadow grows in power, these demands grow with disruption will be banished back to the metadimen-
it. Those quasi-divine false gods that rule stellar em- sional void. Some Shadows can continue to exist in dis-
pires require the ferocious devotion of entire sectors to embodied form, or can be embedded into the inanimate
maintain their array of superlative magical powers and matrix of an arcanotech device, but most can be dis-
indestructible physical forms. pelled by the judicious application of physical violence.
116• Shadows

Psychology and Principles

A Shadow is a construct of metadimensional energy. Pushing Principles
The Nominalists will argue that it is a purely arbitrary A summoned imbued with a general Principle such
construct, fashioned only by the formula that calls it. as “Obey your summoner” will generally be com-
The Realists will insist that it is an entity with its own pliant and useful so long as the summoner does not
identity that exists in metadimensional realms, and the try to push it into acts contrary to the Shadow’s
formula merely opens a path for it to appear in our other Principles. The creature may not always
world. Regardless of who is correct, a Shadow is some- carry out its commands exactly as the summoner
thing profoundly alien to mundane reality. would have desired it, but they won’t usually in-
Every Shadow has one or more Principles. These tentionally struggle against their master.
are urges, compulsions, or goals that are intrinsic to its Giving standing orders to a Shadow to nev-
very nature, impossible to change or efface. A Shadow er do certain things or always do certain things
can prioritize its Principles when they conflict, but it will usually pan out correctly unless these orders
can never escape them. A summoned Shadow is usually conflict with the creature’s Principles. Unless the
imprinted with the Principle “Obey your summoner” summoner is right there to direct the creature, it
by a prudent caster, but it will still have the urges nat- may decide that its native Principles outweigh the
ural to its kind and will indulge them whenever it is not orders its master gives. The more narrow and spe-
directly contrary to its summoner’s orders. Even when cific its controlling Principle, the more likely it is
carrying out a command, it will tend to do so in a way to remain in check.
that satisfies its other Principles.
Shadows cannot be compelled to act directly con- and might be perfectly willing to push its Principles far
trary to their Principles. Ordering an Odalisque to past the point of moderation and prudence. There have
disfigure itself or commanding a Render to construct been multiple occasions when idealistic mages have at-
a building would result in flat refusal, for such com- tempted to call forth the perfect god-king to justly rule
mands are contrary to their principles of “Be attractive” a society, only to find out that their holy master was
and “Tear it apart”. In marginal cases, however, the unendurably rigorous in its rule. Invariably, some mag-
summoner’s will prevails. If a particular form of dis- es who learn of such events are merely convinced that
figurement is considered very attractive on a world, an their predecessors didn’t implant the right Principles
Odalisque might consent to be so marked, while order- in their creation.
ing a Render to mound up an earthen berm could be Most intelligent Shadows have at least a minimal
justified as it merely tearing up the earth and shoving consideration for self-preservation, and will avoid
it somewhere else. actions that seem likely to result in their dissolution,
There are also times when a Shadow finds its Prin- assuming their Principles do not drive them on. Mind-
ciples to conflict in utterly contrary ways. In such cases, less Shadows or those with extremely alien psycholo-
the Shadow will pick one Principle to be most critical gies will act with no concern for their own survival. A
and act on it, even if it is totally contrary to their other summoned Shadow can be forced to destroy itself or
urges. Even in this case, sometimes a Shadow is just engage in suicidal activities if the summoner has an
physically incapable of performing a certain type of act. adequately tight grip on it, but they may have to drag
A summoner who orders a Drudge to attack someone, the Shadow into it with very close supervision. Some
for example, would find the wretched little minion too traditions, such as the Pacters, are unable to compel
terrified to obey the command. Individual Shadow de- this kind of self-destruction, and summonings that
scriptions will indicate when a creature simply can’t use flawed formulas are likewise unable to “turn off” a
perform some types of service. Shadow so easily.
Intelligent Shadows have the ability to speak
whatever human language is most common in the area Eldritch Powers
where they were summoned and will have a basic intu- Shadows usually have one or more occult abilities.
itive grasp of human society and social behaviors. Such These abilities may mimic the effect of certain common
information is acquired from the ambient psychic ener- spells, but they are not spells, and they are not subject
gy present when they are summoned or first manifest. to spell preparation or the disruption that conventional
A Shadow may not care about such things personally, magic risks. Unless otherwise specified, a Shadow can
but it will understand how it is supposed to act and use an occult ability as a Main Action.
behave in order to accomplish its master’s commands. Some weak Shadows have few or no special abili-
Shadows normally have little or no concern for ties. As Shadows grow in strength, however, whether
human morality. They exist to carry out their Princi- through cult worship or the discovery of some rich
ples, moderated only by their concern for self-preser- source of metadimensional energy, they may come to
vation. A Shadow formulated with virtuous Principles manifest new powers. Such imps-turned-deities can be
may carry them out splendidly, but it will have no con- exceptionally dangerous to opponents who underesti-
cern for any unfortunate side-effects of that dedication mate their power.
 Shadows •117

Game Mechanics for Shadows

Summoning Shadows Controlling Shadows
If you are using the rules in the Arcane Research and Assuming a caster successfully summons a Shadow,
Development chapter of the book, the process and re- they can impart one Principle to the creature. Usually,
quirements for summoning a Shadow are given there, this principle is “Obey your master”, though entities
starting on page 104. If you are not using those rules, summoned as guardians or on behalf of some other
the requirements below apply. A summoner must be an patron might have different directions. Generally, the
Arcanist or Magister; those without aptitude in spell- more broad and flexible the controlling Principle, the
casting can’t reliably summon a Shadow. easier it is for the Shadow to subvert it.
The summoner must have an occult formula de- Shadows can be commanded as an On Turn action
scribing the Shadow they want to summon, an artifact if the order is simple enough to express in a few words.
that requires careful arcane preparation and which can- Complex ideas might take a Main Action to convey.
not easily be copied. Most such formulas must be found Summoners must usually physically speak to the Shad-
on adventures or given as rewards for service. A sum- ow to command it, though comm calls and other re-
moner who wants to create or copy their own formula mote orders are acceptable. Some Shadows might also
must use the rules given on page 104, but need not have telepathic links that allow for silent direction.
spend Occult Lore on it. Instead of this requirement, Shadows are treated like any other creature in
they are only allowed to create or copy one formula combat, rolling initiative and using actions as normal.
every six in-game months. If they beat out their master in Initiative, they might
Once they have the formula, they need a proper wait to see what they’re ordered to do, or if more vi-
summoning chamber. This need not be a large room, olent in nature, they might just act by their Principles.
but it must be furnished and attuned correctly in order Unless otherwise specified, a summoner can order
to form a “landing pad” for a summoned entity. This a controlled Shadow to destroy itself or can banish it so
chamber costs 5,000 credits for one capable of sum- long as it is within visible range. Intelligent Shadows
moning Shadows with 3 hit dice or less, 25,000 for one will usually resist this impulse, but cannot prevent it
capable of summoning Shadows of 6 hit dice or less, from happening. Shadows summoned via flawed for-
and 250,000 for one capable of summoning Shadows of mulas cannot be so easily destroyed or dispelled; other
12 hit dice or less. More powerful Shadows cannot be magic must be used to get rid of them or they must be
reliably summoned without entire adventures devoted disassembled with crude violence.
to finding and preparing the handful of locations in a
sector where the conditions are adequate. Shadow Minions for PCs
Lastly, they need to actually summon the entity. It’s expected and normal that a Shadow-focused PC
The processes, components, and preparations required might want to summon up some minions to act as
for the work take one month, plus 1,000 credits worth hench-Shadows. Assuming they jump through the
of components per hit die of the creature. The sum- hoops listed above, this should be allowed and they
moning process itself involves the constant manipula- should be permitted to call up a Shadow helper or two.
tion of intense metadimensional energies, and requires There are some limits to keep in mind, though.
an Int/Cast Magic skill check at a difficulty of 6 plus First, Shadows generally are not talented at most
the creature’s hit dice. More than one creature can be mundane skills. PC Mages shouldn’t normally be able
summoned at once; each doubling adds +1 difficulty to call up Shadows to fill the kind of proficiency slots
and doubles the required credits as well. Some formulas that the party Expert handles.
exist that allow for Shadows to be summoned much Second, Shadows are not welcome in most human
more quickly, or cheaply, or easily than this. societies. Unless the locals have an extremely generous
Some formulas are flawed, and result in sum- view of eldritch entities, Shadows will be socially unac-
moned Shadows that do not obey the caster or that ceptable companions. Even worlds that accept Shadows
have various unpleasant qualities. The table on page as not-entirely-hostile to humanity are going to prefer
105 gives an indication of some potential results of that remain at a distance from ordinary people.
flawed formulas. A caster cannot identify the flaws in a Third, Shadows cause problems. At the start of
formula until after he or she has used it, and even then each session where the PC chooses to take the Shad-
they may not notice the problem at first. ows along as henchmen or servitors on an adventure,
If not using the Arcane Research rules, a summon- secretly roll 1d6 for each Shadow. On a 6, the Shad-
er can control no more hit dice worth of summoned ow is going to cause some kind of problem because
Shadows than twice their character level. Shadows with of its Principles; maybe it does something destructive,
hit dice in excess of that number might be summoned, or indulges itself inappropriately, or is careless about
but they are not under control of the caster. something humans care a great deal about.
118• Bestiary of shadows

A Bestiary of Shadows
The following selection of Shadows are merely a hand-
ful of the types most likely to concern PCs or summon- Deceiver
ers. There are a seemingly limitless number of differ- A dangerous and deceitful type of Shadow, the Deceiver
ent varieties of metadimensional life. GMs who want a is a master manipulator and an enemy of honest truth.
wider variety can pillage most other old-school games Summoners sometimes make use of their abilities to
for monster lists. Any game generally compatible with deceive enemies or carry out complex plots of im-
pre-third-edition versions of the world’s most popular posture, but these Shadows have to be watched very
fantasy role-playing game should be generally usable carefully if they are not to be equally deceptive to their
for hit dice, armor classes, and other monstrous partic- ostensible masters.
ulars. Games like Labyrinth Lord, Swords & Wizardry, A Deceiver’s natural aspect is vaguely amorphous,
and similar offerings are all useful Shadow sources. usually humanoid in its basic outlines but prone to con-
Some creatures are represented as having a range stant shifting and rippling through other, more specif-
of hit dice. Versions summoned by spells will always ic shapes. Its voice is colorlessly neutral in its natural
be the weakest variety, but those summoned with a form, it has no scent, and it is surprisingly difficult to
ritual may be more potent, if their summoning formula notice even for those who are aware of its presence in
is designed accordingly. Free Shadows of a given type the room.
might be more powerful as well, having waxed fat on Deceivers are most tractable when they are put to
whatever metadimensional power is fueling their lives. a particular scheme or task. So long as they are actively
Individual sports do exist among Shadows, with an carrying out that task, they will turn their Principles
entity of a particular type showing powers and Princi- toward furthering their summoner’s orders. When left
ples uncommon to its brethren. Adventurers can never at loose ends, however, or deprived of the opportu-
be entirely certain that the entity they’re facing won’t nity to lie and manipulate others, the Deceiver may
demonstrate some occult power unique to it at the end up turning its powers against its master… if only
worst possible moment. to ‘persuade’ them to permit it to have some fun with
Saving throws and hit bonuses are based on the someone else.
Shadow’s hit dice; saving throws are always 15 minus Principles: Conceal the Truth, Manipulate Others
half the creature’s hit dice, rounded down, and its hit Devil’s Mask: As an On Turn action, a Deceiver can alter
bonus is usually equal to its hit dice. Some more martial its shape to perfectly match that of any organic
Shadows might have an intrinsic bonus, and Shadows creature no smaller than a cat nor larger than a
that use mundane weapons or armor get the advantage horse, including any ordinary clothing or com-
of any bonus the weapon might give or the armor class mon gear. This imposture is perfect down to the
appropriate to their harness. DNA level, and any attempt to discern it magically
Shadows that are killed may leave behind some forces an opposed skill check between the Deceiv-
residue of their physical forms, or they may evapo- er and the investigator’s Wis/Know Magic skill,
rate entirely. Any equipment or clothing they brought with the Deceiver winning ties.
when them when summoned disappears with them. Plausible Lie: A Deceiver can convince a target of false-
Intelligent Shadows have individual names, iden- hoods that the victim finds emotionally appealing.
tities, and memories. A banished or destroyed Shadow As a Main Action, the Deceiver can tell a single
can be summoned back specifically by a caster with the target some lie; if the lie is one the victim would
appropriate spell or summoning formula, and will re- like to believe or honestly fears is true, they must
appear with all knowledge it had at its time of “death”. If make a Mental saving throw at a penalty equal to
the Shadow is already summoned elsewhere, it cannot the Deceiver’s skill bonus; on a failure, they be-
be called up by another mage. Summoning attempts of lieve the lie completely until it is absolutely proven
a particular Shadow will also fail if it was last destroyed to be false.
in a different solar system, much to the disappointment Know Your Role: When focusing on a visible target as
of researchers who attempted to use Shadows as a form an Instant action, the Deceiver always knows what
of faster-than-light interstellar messengers. the target expects the Deceiver to say or do. This is
The inability to summon a specific Shadow if it particularly useful when impersonating someone.
is already instantiated elsewhere has caused some cult If the target honestly isn’t sure what the Deceiver
hunters to seek the trapping and stasis of hostile Shad- is going to say, such as asking them a question the
ow “gods”. So long as a cult’s deity is imprisoned some- target doesn’t know the answer to, the Deceiv-
where secure, it cannot be called up by some ambitious er gains a +2 bonus on any skill check related to
would-be high priest. Of course, if the imprisonment convincing the target of whatever the Deceiver
weakens or is compromised, the Shadow will have a does say.
great deal of malicious catching-up to do.
 Bestiary of shadows •119

Shadow Type HD AC Atk. Dmg. Move ML Skills

Deceiver 6-10 12 +HD 1d8 or weapon 10m 8 +2
Devourer 12-20 14 +HD+2 x3 1d10/1d10/1d10 20m 12 +1
Drudge 2 12 N/A - 10m 3 +1
Eaten God 8-20 18 +HD+2 x2 1d12/1d12 10m 8 +1
Goblin 1-3 12 +HD 1d6 or weapon 10m 9 +1
Heresiarch 8-16 16 +HD 2d6 or weapon 10m 9 +2
Lesser Servitor 1 10 N/A - 10m 12 +0
Liber Damnatus 1 10 N/A - None 4 +1
Manip. Manifestation 1 12 N/A - 5m 12 +0
Minion 2 12 +HD 1d6 or weapon 10m 10 +1
Myrmidon 2-6 16 +HD+1 1d10 or weapon 10m 12 +1
Odalisque 2 10 +HD 1d4 or weapon 10m 7 +2
Render 8-12 16 +HD-2 2d10 5m 10 +0
Shadow Chariot 4-7 10 N/A - Special 12 +1
Stellar Phoenix 10 10 N/A - 60m 6 +1
Vigilant 3-10 18 +HD+2 1d8 or weapon 10m 12 +1
Shadow saving throws are 15 minus half the creature’s hit dice, rounded down.

Devourer holding cell and fed regularly if it is not to wreak

The dreaded Devourers are mindless, starvation-crazed havoc throughout the area.
Shadows built of hunger and teeth. Most manifest with Murderous Consumption: Any creature reduced to zero
a host of tentacles, segmented gripping arms, or other hit points by a Devourer’s attacks is snatched up
manipulatory appendages used solely for grasping vic- and eaten alive, prohibiting any chance of revival.
tims and conveying them to its slavering jaws. They All equipment they may have been carrying is de-
are notoriously difficult to control, no matter how stroyed by the Devourer’s jaws and acidic digestive
tightly the Principles are laid to bind them, and only juices. This consumption overcomes even magical
the most reckless mage dares to summon one up for means of self-resurrection.
lasting service. Horrible Reach: A Devourer’s limbs or tentacles can ex-
Devourers are large, usually at least as big as a tend to considerable range, reaching up to 10 me-
gravcar. They require at least a cow’s worth of meat ters distant from the creature and fitting through
each day if they are not to sicken from starvation, losing any gap large enough to admit a human arm.
one hit point per hit die for each day they go under-fed. Uncontrollable: A Devourer cannot be forced to stop at-
They must have either living or very recently-living tacking a target unless it is given a different target
flesh for their meals. Interestingly, Devourers seem to attack. A summoner can only give two kinds
largely blind or indifferent to anything except living of commands to a Devourer: either to move to
creatures; they will ignore robots or inanimate objects a particular location, or to eat a particular living
and cannot be made to attack them, though they might creature.
smash walls or break down doors in their pursuit of
living meat. Drudge
Principles: All Flesh Must Be Eaten Wretched Shadows of cringing fear and ceaseless labor,
Godflesh: A Devourer is immune to non-magical, non- the Drudges are formed only to toil for their summon-
Heavy weapons. Spells and other magical energies ers. Most are called up in roughly humanoid shapes,
can harm it as usual. often distorted or dwarfed in their proportions. They
Hunger Mad: A summoner cannot command a De- never lack the necessary tools for their appointed la-
vourer unless they do so as a Main Action, which bors; picks, shovels, axes, and other implements simply
normally must be performed every round that the appear in their hands when they are needed.
Devourer is to be controlled. A Devourer that is A Drudge is incapable of combat, being too cow-
not commanded for a round will seek to eat the ardly to fight anything that might possibly hurt it. It
nearest living creature as its action, regardless of also lacks the skill to perform most complex tasks, but is
any contrary Principles. A Devourer that is sum- quite capable of earth-moving, basic construction labor,
moned up through conventional methodologies or demolitions, along with any other general task that
needs to be kept in a remarkably sturdy, secure could be accomplished by an unskilled worker. They
120• Bestiary of shadows

work at a frenzied pace, as if terrified of being found tence. Many Eaten Gods are nothing more than bestial
idle. monsters that gnaw at the corpses of their fallen faith.
Drudges have a human degree of intellect, and Principles: Demand Worship, Destroy Infidels
unlike Lesser Servitors they can make intelligent judg- Godflesh: Eaten Gods are immune to non-magical, non-
ment calls about performing their tasks or carrying out Heavy weaponry. Spells and other magical ener-
assigned duties. They are unflinchingly loyal to their gies can harm it as usual.
summoners out of innate fear of them; nothing any- Remnant Regalia: Pick one spell per three hit dice of
one else could do to them could be as terrible as the the Eaten God of a level no higher than half its hit
consequences of their master’s wrath, as far as they’re dice, rounded down. The Eaten God can use this
concerned. spell as a Main Action whenever it wishes. Spells
Principles: Toil Unendingly, Fear the Master should reflect the god’s nature and former cult
Sweat Blood: A Drudge set to work performs its labors theology; they’re not actually conventional arcane
at a frenzied pace. They do not eat, sleep, or re- spells, but just a representation of the remaining
quire protection from any environment that could magical power of the god.
be survived by a human in a vacc suit. A single Hideous Majesty: Creatures of 1 hit die are unable to
Drudge can do as much work as a dozen human attack the Eaten God, finding it too terrifying or
laborers could accomplish in the same period. awesome to directly assault. Creatures that are
They cannot conjure raw materials from scratch, shielded from mental influence somehow are im-
but they can dig, cut, and build almost any ordi- mune to this power.
nary natural resources to hand. If a benchmark
is needed, assume that a Drudge can move thirty Goblin
three-meter cubes of earth in a day, construct a A Goblin is the product of warfare, ethnic conflict, or
simple cottage in the same time, or demolish an genocide where it happens to coincide with a region
ordinary building eight times as large. A Drudge of metadimensional energy bleedthrough or involve
set to carrying a load can haul up to two hundred magics powerful enough to involve substantial stray ar-
kilos on its back. cane voltage. They invariably manifest in considerable
numbers when they form naturally, though particularly
Eaten God unscrupulous summoners can call them up individually.
An Eaten God is not a type of Shadow so much as it Goblins resemble twisted, distorted versions of
is a grim accident of nature. Some powerful Shadow military personnel, genocide victims, or ethnic com-
cults are destroyed without the actual destruction of batants. When evoked by bloodshed, they take forms
their otherworldly master. Deprived of the worship of reminiscent of those involved in the fighting, though
their believers, yet still possessing great power, these these echoes are invariably warped into faintly bestial
false gods reach for whatever sources of metadimen- distortions of the originals. When hatred, despair, or
sional energy they can find. Potent arcanotech artifacts, desperation are felt on a societal level, there is a distinct
regions of metadimensional bleedthrough, particular chance of at least one “tribe” of Goblins being generated
human bloodlines that produce surplus energy… from by that culture. It’s not unknown for one group of hu-
these scraps and fragments, the fallen gods stitch to- mans to successfully exterminate another, only to find
gether barely enough to survive. their victim’s former lands now infested by Goblins
This survival comes at a cost. An Eaten God has patterned on those they destroyed.
lost their cult and many of the energies they required Goblins have a grotesque sort of “society” pat-
for their former existence. What remains usually ap- terned on a malicious echo of their human inspira-
pears to be scraped, raddled, rotted, and hollowed-out tions. This society is invariably crude, savage, and
compared to its original seeming. Most Eaten Gods bestial, and is nothing more than a thin patina over
are insane by human measures, capable only of under- their natural violence. Goblins do not actually have a
standing their own survival and tormented by their society, or an economy, or a true culture beyond that
loss of majesty. It usually retains enough presence of of bloodshed and cruelty. The ape these things at times,
mind to demand worship from humans, but it’s just as forcing slaves to plow fields they’ll never harvest, or
likely to destroy them as infidel threats to its precious conducting obscene rites to dead gods, but in reality
continuing existence. they exist only to inflict misery and suffering on ev-
Eaten Gods are found most often in ruined cult erything around them. They will just as gladly wipe
centers once held by their believers. They can also be out any remnants of the people who inspired their exis-
found around powerful lost arcanotech artifacts, or in tence as they will pillage the enemies that destroyed the
areas of a world where metadimensional bleedthrough culture. Goblins do not build or create beyond what is
is more common. They may still have a ragged remnant necessary for inflicting terror. They are an infestation
of their cult around them, but they are so starved and that masquerades as a society.
desperate that they can confer no special blessings on Most Goblins are weak, being no stronger than
them other than permission for their continued exis- the ordinary humans they parody. Goblin “chiefs” or
 Bestiary of shadows •121

“tyrants” of much greater power have been reported in tiated believers inevitably are forced to ritual acts of
areas where the infestations have been allowed to fes- bloodshed, depravity, and horror in service of their god.
ter, or where local metadimensional conditions provide Some Heresiarchs prefer to present themselves as
ample energy to fuel these wretched entities. saints of an existing deity, forcing believers to commit
Principles: Pillage and Ruin, Torment Non-Goblins hideous atrocities in service of their traditional god.
Warrior of the Horde: A Goblin does not need to eat Others formulate entirely new fictional deities to jus-
or drink, though it will do so when it might cause tify their demand. Many of them eventually teach their
misery or fear. When they are summoned or first inner adepts that the Heresiarch itself is the true god
manifest, they appear with weapons appropriate they worship, all the better to enjoy the delectable savor
to the culture they mock, though these weapons of their terrified worship.
evaporate if separated from the Goblin. They are Sooner or later, a Heresiarch usually oversteps its
capable of using pillaged armor and weaponry and bounds. If the surrounding society is strong enough,
do so gladly. it can usually expel the monster and purge its deluded
cultists. In more isolated or socially disorganized areas,
Heresiarch however, some Heresiarchs have been able to establish
A monstrous and terrible eidolon of lies and hunger, entire societies based on satisfying their insatiable hun-
a Heresiarch is never summoned by a rational mage. ger for human worship and the energy that allows them
These entities appear most often as free Shadows beck- to maintain their existence in this world.
oned by some chance of metadimensional weather or Principles: Feed on Faith, Tyrannize Believers
called up by a demented cult leader who imagines that Godflesh: A Heresiarch is immune to non-magical, non-
they can grant wondrous gifts to their devotees. Heavy weaponry. Spells and other magical ener-
A Heresiarch has multiple forms. One shape ap- gies can harm it as usual.
pears to be a normal member of the local sentient spe- Bestow Blessings: A Heresiarch can grant gifts to its fol-
cies, while the other is a monstrous, distorted echo of lowers as listed in the Shadow Blessing section of
that shape, adorned with dazzling jewels and inscribed this chapter.
with blasphemous scriptures, the whole usually man- Unholy Arcana: Heresiarchs have magical abilities
tled in a palpable aura of majesty. The Heresiarch can equivalent to an Arcanist or Magister of half their
shift between these forms as an On Turn action, but hit dice, rounded up. Unlike human spellcasters,
has the same physical statistics and abilities in both. however, it can cast a spell using only a Main Ac-
A Heresiarch instinctively gathers a cult around tion without needing to declare its spellcasting at
it, promising its devotees whatever they require in ex- the start of the round. Its spellcasting cannot be
change for their ritual service. The rites they demand disrupted by damage or distraction.
are usually innocuous at first, with the outermost be- Cultic Endurance: A Heresiarch is strengthened by the
lievers perhaps never doing anything more wicked devotion offered by their cult. It gets bonus hit
than chanting a few chapters of holy verse. As the Her- points equal to ten times the magnitude of its cult.
esiarch’s hunger grows, however, the more deeply-ini- It succeeds on its first failed saving throw each day.
122• Bestiary of shadows

Lesser Servitor to come. Now the reader must perform the acts or else
A workhorse Shadow of novice summoners, a Lesser they will be denied use of their own abilities, or have
Servitor is a very weak but versatile eidolon, one capa- their abilities used against them by the book.
ble of performing many unskilled tasks for a busy mage. Once the reader is driven to the edge of sanity by
Its chief disadvantage is its mindlessness; unless closely the book’s demands, a final series of seven progressively
supervised, it will do nothing useful. more monstrous demands will be placed before them.
A Lesser Servitor usually takes a humanoid appear- These demands usually result in the death of the read-
ance such as is desired by its summoner. It has the gen- er, either in carrying them out or in the reaction that
eral physical strength, dexterity, and perceptiveness of comes from outraged law enforcement or neighbors. If
a normal human, but it has no will or personality of its the reader successfully performs all seven sins, however,
own. Anyone can verbally command it to do anything, the liber will grant them a last boon before becoming a
albeit its own summoner’s orders take precedence over perfectly docile and obedient servant of the reader. Of
those of others. course, by that time, the reader has purged their soul of
Lesser Servitors are capable of performing un- anything resembling humanity. The book merely offers
skilled or minimally-skilled labor, such as cleaning, this guarantee to ensure that foolish young Arcanists
basic cookery, watching for disturbances, or other with few morals do not automatically abandon any use
activities that require no particular talent. They are of a Liber Damnatus as soon as they recognize one.
entirely unable to wield weapons or engage in combat, The Liber Damnatus itself is relatively simple
have no spirit of self-preservation, and will passively to destroy, being ruined by any damage sufficient to
accept destruction at the hands of an assailant or nat- destroy the object it inhabits. As such a destruction
ural hazard. They are capable of communication, but will permanently eliminate the occult powers of an
can talk of nothing but their duties. enthralled reader, however, it is usually guarded with
Principles: Obey Someone tremendous zeal.
Tireless Worker: Lesser Servitors will carry out orders Principles: Teach the Reader, Drive the Reader to Mor-
and commands with sleepless diligence, requir- al Destruction
ing no rest or sustenance as they work. If they Black Knowledge: The reader of a Liber Damnatus must
encounter a complication to their task that is not have spellcasting abilities, whether as an Arcanist
covered in their orders, the summoner must make or a Magister. Once the book is read, their spell-
an Int/Cast Magic skill check against difficulty 10; casting abilities effectively increase by one level in
on a failure, the Lesser Servitor simply carries out spells known and spell slots above their true lev-
its original command, however stupid or inappli- el. If the reader does not immediately discard the
cable it may be, while on a success it attempts to book and forsake the extra power, their abilities
carry out the spirit and intent of the command as increase by three effective levels, up to a maxi-
the situation allows. mum of 7th level, though the book can now strip
any or all of the reader’s spellcasting abilities from
Liber Damnatus them if they fail to cooperate with its demands. A
A particularly sinister form of free Shadow, a Liber reader will then be pushed to greater and greater
Damnatus is unusual in that it does not manifest as a enormities, but if they win through the final test
creature. It instead appears as a book, dataslab, or other of seven sins they are raised to an effective caster
medium of information, one containing a tremendous level of ten in their spellcasting class, with Arcan-
amount of secret occult lore. Any mage who gives even ist readers gaining knowledge of every spell on
a cursory glance to a Liber Damnatus will immediately the Arcanist spell list. Loss of the book erases all
perceive the value of the lore within it. Some partic- spellcasting ability in its slaves.
ularly foolhardy wizards will intentionally summon a
Liber Damnatus, confident that they can pass its trials Manipulatory Manifestation
of depravity and earn the dark power it offers. Hardly more than a self-organized wisp of force, a Ma-
The powers of the Liber are only accessible to the nipulatory Manifestation is one of the simplest possible
reader if they continue to keep the book itself close to Shadows. It exists as a barely-cohesive bundle of float-
hand, however. Continued use of the Liber’s powers ing force in whatever guise the summoner chooses, a
soon infects the rest of the caster’s natural abilities with shape that is invariably visible and roughly the size of
this necessity, until they can use no magical powers a cat. It moves as quickly and with the same agility as
at all without retaining possession of the book. Once a normal human being, and can climb, swim, or oth-
the reader reaches this point, the Liber begins making erwise navigate terrain as well as an untrained human.
demands on them, expressed through text that ap- Manipulatory Manifestations behave much like
pears in the book. These demands begin with trifling well-trained animals, with no sentient awareness but
requirements for petty sacrifices or harmless acts, and with the capacity to have desires or emotions. They
are rewarded with additional gifts. Over time, these want to touch objects and work levers and buttons with
demands grow darker and darker, and the gifts cease their manipulatory appendages, all quite heedless of the
 Bestiary of shadows •123

consequences that might come of such use. A summon- Myrmidon

er can direct them to manipulate objects in particular Myrmidons are the standard war-Shadow summoned
ways, or to bring objects to or from the summoner. by mages who have need of direct martial muscle. They
The manifestations can work objects with the same are savage, brutal entities devoid of human habits of
strength and dexterity as a normal human could. They mercy or fear, and they desire nothing more than to
are incapable of combat or making attack rolls, but they methodically and efficiently slaughter any available
can activate triggers or drop explosives. targets. While they are entirely pitiless, they are not
Manipulatory Manifestations are too unintelligent particularly sadistic or malicious creatures; they want
to have a sense of self-preservation or fear, and they to kill, and take no pleasure from physical torture or
will cheerfully manipulate objects or touch things that inflicting mental suffering. While Myrmidons greatly
will result in their destruction unless carefully moni- prefer the destruction of living creatures, they will set-
tored by their summoner. tle for smashing or ruining other objects that belong to
Principles: Touch Things their desired targets.
Touch It: A Manipulatory Manifestation will act on Unsurprisingly, Myrmidons need to be kept on
behalf of its summoner if directed as an On Turn an extremely short leash around non-combatants. A
action. It has a full normal Move and Main Ac- careless summoner has more than once returned home
tion allotment and can move and act normally. It to carnage due to inadequately exact commands to their
can only pick up and manipulate objects; it cannot Myrmidon servitors or incautious behavior by their
perform complex actions. It must be commanded other house servants. Many Myrmidons are carefully
every round, otherwise it will do nothing or dis- kept separate from the rest of the household, securely
tract itself by touching nearby objects. caged until it’s time to unleash them on a foe. Myrmi-
dons will act to preserve their own existences, but even
Minion when forced into a rout they will retreat in a disciplined
While not the strongest or the most skilled of Shadows, and efficient manner.
the Minion class of entity is popular with many sum- Myrmidons are summoned in numerous differ-
moners due to its intelligence and versatility. These ent shapes, but all of them have integral weaponry,
entities can be summoned up in any shape roughly whether that consists of magically-summoned rifles
equivalent to an adult human’s mass, though most sum- that never seem to run short of ammunition or chi-
moners prefer humanoid Minions with useful manip- tinous blades extruded from their multiple segmented
ulatory appendages. Unless augmented by some other limbs. A Myrmidon with manipulatory appendages can
force, they cannot take flight-capable forms, though be given other weapons to use, and they will use them
sea-faring fish-Minions are known on some worlds. with perfect familiarity and confidence. Intelligent
A Minion has a normal degree of human intelli- Myrmidons do not like to talk, but will communicate
gence and social awareness and is capable of performing if it is necessary to direct their violence.
any task an ordinary human could accomplish, physi- Principles: Kill People, Break Things
cal form allowing. They can wear and use human gear, Myrmidon’s Blade: A Myrmidon’s innate weaponry is
assuming their shape permits them to do so. They can more powerful than the usual innate armament of
fight, labor, guard, or entertain as well as a profession- a Shadow, being equivalent to a 1d10 melee weap-
ally-skilled human might, and are naturally inclined to on that inflicts Shock 4/AC 15. Optionally, it can
carry out their tasks with diligence and attentive care. fire a ranged projectile as if from a two-handed
They make poor overseers, however, and cannot effec- ranged weapon, inflicting 1d10+2 damage out to
tively direct others or serve as leaders. a range of 100 meters.
Principles: Do The Job No Mercy: Myrmidons cannot be ordered to non-le-
Always Prepared: When called forth, a summoner may thally restrain or otherwise pacify targets. If any
beckon forth a Minion with any single ordinary violence is directed at a target, it will be complete-
piece of TL4 or simpler technology necessary for ly lethal violence until they are destroyed or forced
its job, provided it costs less than 1,000 credits. into stillness by a summoner.
This technology is part of the Minion and disap-
pears with them, but is treated as fully-charged Odalisque
while the Minion remains. While this technology It was perhaps inevitable that sorcerers who have the
may be a weapon or armor, a Minion in any form power to form creatures out of their own desires should
has the innate armor class and natural attack listed employ their abilities in certain indulgent ways. Odal-
in its stat block in addition to any gear it is given. isques are Shadows summoned to cater to the physical
Well Rounded: A Minion’s +1 skill bonus is applicable or emotional needs of their summoners. While popular
to any non-magical, non-psychic skill check it is stereotypes have them all as buxom houris, an Odalis-
required to make, except for social skills that in- que can be beckoned forth in any guise that satisfies the
volve leadership or direction. It makes such checks summoner’s particular needs. The popular “A Farther
at a -1 penalty. Love” series of romance holovids dwells particularly on
124• Bestiary of shadows

the entanglements of a mousy Pacter sorceress and the Render

extradimensional ex-space-marine billionaire horse Huge, brutish, and stupid, the Render is a Shadow sum-
veterinarian Shadow she calls up. moned when brute force is more useful than refined
While Odalisques are inevitably excellent com- skill. Each Render is at least as large as a rhinoceros,
panionship, they have certain hazards implicit in usually shaped in apish or quadrupedal forms with two
their creation. Barring the introduction of addition- crude manipulatory appendages.
al Principles by a summoner, an Odalisque is totally A Render is capable of combat, though it moves
indifferent to social mores, morality, or prudence in very slowly. It is strong enough to smash through even
its pursuit of pleasure-giving and personal charm. A reinforced fortifications with one round of effort, mak-
weak-willed summoner can be so drawn into their own ing a hole up to three meters square and one meter deep,
innermost desires by their Shadow that they commit and it can carry up to five metric tons of weight without
terrible crimes or abandon all productive life in order difficulty. It can dig a three-meter cubic hole in ordi-
to indulge in their deepest hungers. An Odalisque nary earth with one round of effort, or move as much
summoned by a particularly depraved or emotional- soil to some other location where a berm is needed.
ly damaged summoner can be monstrously evil in its The chief disadvantages of a Render are that it
acts and desires. Even a disciplined and self-controlled is very slow, very stupid, and very inclined to smash
summoner can be drawn astray by the promise of the things. If not carefully supervised, a Render will seek to
perfect summoned match to their desires. smash the largest object in its immediate environment,
Odalisques vary widely in appearance, but are before smashing the next-largest object, and so forth
usually humanoid and extremely human-seeming, if until it is forced to go elsewhere to find something new
not indistinguishably so. They are invariably attrac- to smash. It is totally indifferent to the consequences of
tive, not only in physical beauty, but in personal charm, smashing something, though it will tend to prefer to
grace, and social expertise. Left to their own devices, destroy inanimate objects first, as they don’t run away
they will tend to seek elaborate physical adornment and as much.
fine couture, changing it regularly in pursuit of magnif- Principles: Tear It Apart
icence. They detest dirty, ugly, or crude surroundings. Slow and Steady: Renders can fight, but they do so very
Odalisques do not normally fight. If summoned as slowly. They act only on every even-numbered
a buxom valkyrie or brooding, emotionally-pent Space turn. A Render’s thick hide decreases all damage
Viking vampire werestag they might take up weapons they take from non-magical, non-Heavy weapon-
and engage foes, but most Odalisques will prefer to flee, ry by four points on each successful attack. Ren-
hide, or negotiate their survival within the limits of ders can throw debris or rubble at creatures that
their Principles. An Odalisque who takes a dislike to are too fast for them to catch, using the same hit
some person is most likely to attack them socially, using and damage roll, with a range out to 300 meters.
their abilities of charm and physical grace to convince
others to move against their enemy. Shadow Chariot
Principles: Give Pleasure to Allies, Be Attractive Not every Shadow takes the form of a living creature. A
Soul Satisfaction: An Odalisque can rapidly restore ex- Shadow Chariot is one of a class of entities that mani-
hausted physical reserves through companionship fest as vehicles or transportation devices. While some
or simple presence. Assuming an Odalisque is in of these entities are obviously otherworldly, with or-
attendance on a person overnight, they lose an ganic components and clearly supernatural operation,
additional point of accrued System Strain, are able other Shadow Chariots are almost indistinguishable
to recover spells, and regain their character level from ordinary vehicles, barring close examination by
or hit dice in lost hit points, even if the environ- a trained mage.
ment is such that they wouldn’t normally recover When summoned, a normal Shadow Chariot can
or get good rest. An Odalisque can only so attend take any shape no smaller than a bicycle and no larger
one subject per night. An Odalisque can attend than a gravtank. A Shadow Chariot’s hit dice influence
subjects other than their summoner, if so directed. the maximum size it can adopt; a 3 HD Chariot can
Profound Distraction: A PC who has summoned one or appear as anything in size from a bike to a gravcar or
more Odalisques must constantly fight the temp- equivalent, and a 7 HD Chariot can be as large as a
tation to be distracted by their charms while per- gravtank or gravflyer.
forming complex, demanding work. If such a PC Regardless of their outward seeming, the Shad-
undertakes efforts that require a research month, ow Chariot uses their own statistics rather than the
as described in the Arcane Research and Devel- statistics of the vehicle they emulate. Unlike ordinary
opment section, their maximum hit points are vehicles, a Shadow Chariot never runs out of fuel, and
decreased by one hit point per character level due is perfectly capable of driving itself without the in-
to the mental strain of ignoring the temptations volvement of its rider. Shadow Chariots have an un-
of their Shadows. This hit point loss lasts as long settling propensity for going much faster than other
as the research month is in effect. vehicles, however, even when such speed might draw
 Bestiary of shadows •125

unwanted attention. Usually they can avoid accidents Vigilant

caused by such zeal, but other drivers aren’t always so Stoic protectors of eldritch places, a Vigilant Shadow is
equally capable. summoned as a guardian of a particular place, object, or
Principles: Go Fast person. While entirely useless for any other purpose, a
Iron Heart: A Shadow Chariot has Speed and Armor Vigilant is unflinchingly, unsleepingly dedicated to the
values based on its hit dice, not its outward seem- protection of its given charge. Vigilants will not do so
ing, though its AC remains normal for a vehicle. much as pick up a teacup unless it is part of guarding
A 1 HD Chariot has Speed 2 and Armor 3. A 3 HD its charge, but they will protect their principal with
Chariot has Speed 2 and Armor 4. A 7 HD Chariot suicidal devotion.
has Speed 1 and Armor 8. Shadow Chariots gen- Vigilants sometimes are summoned in the form
erally behave as the vehicle they emulate, but are of guardian lions or dogs, or beckoned as broad-shoul-
never summoned with integral weaponry or true dered, unsmiling men in dark suits. Whatever their de-
flight capability. Grav operation can be emulat- sired appearance, however, there is always something
ed, however, as can ocean-going or sub-nautical clearly uncanny and unnatural about them, and they
functionality. can never pass entirely as ordinary human beings. Re-
gardless of their shape, they can speak and manipulate
Stellar Phoenix objects as if with human hands, and have an innate
Majestic, imposing, and alien, the Stellar Phoenix class array of natural weaponry.
of Shadow entities is extremely difficult to summon A Vigilant must be given a person, place, or thing
and control. Manifesting in huge avian shapes as large to guard when it is summoned. Once this object is set,
as a shuttle, they appear to have very little interest in it cannot be changed without dismissing and re-sum-
human activities or desires, caring only to soar through moning the Vigilant. As long as the Vigilant continues
the interplanetary void between worlds. to exist, it will watch and protect its charge constantly.
A Stellar Phoenix will not and cannot fight; it flees Unless specified otherwise by its summoner, it will use
attackers by instinct and has no interest in harming immediate lethal violence to protect its charge from
those it encounters. It seems to have a human degree harm, theft, or trespass, breaking off the violence only
of intelligence, but this intelligence is only applied to- after the violator has fled or is dead.
ward the obstacles it faces in travel between worlds. A Vigilant has a human degree of intelligence and
Masterful sorcerers are sometimes capable of binding can interpret its orders sensibly and with human judg-
a Stellar Phoenix to their service, allowing them to fly ment. It can recognize types of people permitted to en-
from world to world within a system without the need ter guarded places or touch guarded objects. It cannot
for a conventional starship, or the risk of being detect- be bribed, persuaded, or threatened into neglecting its
ed by mundane scanners. duty, though it can be tricked. If the object a Vigilant
Principles: Soar Far guards is destroyed, or if the person they guard is killed,
Dark Wings: A Stellar Phoenix can act as an interplane- the Vigilant will instantly disappear.
tary shuttle for a party of up to ten human passen- Vigilants guarding people will never willingly get
gers, with up to a hundred kilos of cargo carried more than ten meters away from them, and require
in place of a passenger. It will refuse to carry a very strict demands from their principal to even let
burden from one location on a world to anoth- them out of their sight. If separated from their principal,
er, but it will act as a spacecraft with a Drive-2 they will use lethal force if that is necessary to rejoin
rating for purposes of planet-to-planet travel, or them. Vigilants guard only against physical, tangible
surface-to-orbit journeys. It cannot make spike threats. They will do nothing to discourage a principal
drills. It can navigate to any commonly-known from getting involved in deeply unwise emotional or
location in the system, or to unknown ones if social situations, nor will they harm assailants who are
coordinates are available. A Stellar Phoenix can attacking in ways that don’t involve physical conflict.
provide air and temperature support for its rid- Principles: Guard the Charge
ers, but no other necessities. It is impossible to Unsleeping Vigilance: A Vigilant does not eat, sleep,
detect in space by conventional TL4 sensors, but or breathe. It can survive any environment that
if engaged by a starship in combat, it can only at- could be tolerated by a human in a vacc suit. It
tempt to disengage and flee, the action attempted has an innate immunity to surprise, including the
automatically each round. Starship weapons inflict use of Execution Attacks against it. If within three
rolled damage normally against a Stellar Phoenix’s meters of its principal, it can detect an assassina-
hit points. tion attempt against them in time to disrupt the
Execution Attack.
126• Shadow special abilities

Shadow Special Abilities

While the Shadows summoned by ordinary spells or Maddening Absence: The Shadow is impossible for or-
the usual summoning formulas will conform to the ex- dinary people to acknowledge. Unless the Shadow
amples given above, sometimes a GM needs a Shadow allows it, NPCs of three or fewer hit dice simply
with some unusual ability. The list below offers some cannot admit the Shadow exists. They may real-
suggestions for potential powers. ize it does, but cannot act accordingly, admit it to
A PC designing their own summoning formula others, or otherwise behave in any way outside
might want to beckon a servant with one of these abil- the ordinary. They will rationalize the creature’s
ities, but a GM should be careful about allowing this. actions as being caused by other effects, and its
Some of these powers are much more useful to some depredations as the result of a human assailant or
Shadows than to others, and it’s not hard to use them natural accident. Extended exposure to this ability
to create a much more powerful Shadow than its raw often causes dissociative insanity in sentients.
hit dice would indicate. Any intentional design of a Nimbus of Majesty: The entity projects an alien, disori-
Shadow formula involving the powers below should enting sense of authority and rule, forcing those
involve a considerable difficulty increase, and might around it to obey its commands. As a Main Action,
take a special adventure just to find the necessary re- it can order an intelligent creature to do anything
search materials. that is not suicidal or utterly contrary to its nature.
The victim can make a Mental save to resist the
Arcane Aptitude: Choose one Arcanist or Magister spell command and become immune to this power for
per two hit dice of the creature, rounded up. It the rest of the scene. The control lasts only as long
can use these spells as a Main Action. Relatively as the creature is in the Shadow’s presence.
weak spells might be usable at will, while most Occult Cloak: The Shadow is a blind spot to powers
can be used once per scene, or powerful ones once that divine its future actions, present location,
per day. While these abilities emulate spells, they or true identity. Diviners with fewer hit dice or
are not actual, conventional SANIS formulas and levels than the Shadow can get no results from
cannot be disrupted like conventional spellcasting. their abilities, while more powerful ones can roll
Eldritch Allies: A quality found only in free Shadows, a Mental save to get information as usual.
this entity is capable of summoning other Shad- Psychic Aptitude: The Shadow has one or more psychic
ows with total hit dice equal to its own. Some en- disciplines at its disposal with an effective skill lev-
tities can summon any Shadow of the appropri- el equal to half its hit dice, rounded down, and a
ate hit dice, while others can beckon only specific total number of techniques equal to its hit dice.
allies. Usually each summoning requires a Main It has an Effort score equal to its highest psychic
Action, and its beckoned Shadows are cooperative skill level plus one.
with its will. Summoned Shadows, if destroyed, Regenerative Shell: The potent flow of metadimension-
cannot be summoned again for one week per hit al energy through the Shadow can restore its shell.
die of the dispelled Shadow. It regains half its maximum hit dice in hit points
Elemental Fury: The Shadow is a denizen of some at the end of each round. Exceptionally powerful
frequency of fire, deep cold, caustic atmosphere, versions of this ability may continue to operate
or other hostile environment. They are immune even after the Shadow is at zero hit points, unless
to corresponding energies and can wield their it is struck down with some specific substance.
elemental force as a weapon, doing 2d6 damage Slave Eater: The Shadow can suck the life force out of
with normal attacks and once per scene emitting cultists within a range equal to five meters per
an elemental burst that does 1d6 damage per two hit die. As a Main Action, it can transfer as many
hit dice, rounded up, to all creatures within 10 hit points as it wishes from one or more cultists
meters of it. to itself, up to its maximum normal hit points.
Furious Violence: The Shadow is exceptionally violent, When draining hit points, it must drain one vic-
and doubles its normal number of attacks. tim entirely before it can start subtracting health
Infectious Principles: The Shadow’s psychic influence is from the next; it can’t just shave a few points off
so strong that weak-willed people around it start of several.
to think in the same way as it. NPCs with hit dice Temporary Banishment: This Shadow is somehow an-
equal or less than a quarter of the Shadow’s hit chored to the mundane world. Even if destroyed,
dice, rounded up, will acquire the Shadow’s nat- it will automatically re-manifest around its anchor
ural Principles as an overwhelming compulsion one day later per hit die it has. The anchor may be
after five minutes of being in its presence. This an occult artifact, a particular high priest, or any-
compulsion fades after a week of avoiding the thing else that serves as a potent metadimensional
Shadow’s presence. conduit of energy.
 Shadow cults •127

Shadow Cults
the power it can grant. The larger and more influential
Psychic Energy and Cults the cult, the more substantial the power it can grant.
A cult generates energy for its Shadow patron through Cults are measured roughly by magnitude. The
systematic excitation of human minds. While MES-ac- more believers or the more magically-powerful the be-
tive subjects produce the most energy, even a perfectly lievers are, the greater the magnitude of the faith. The
normal human can be made to emit some useful quan- cult’s rating determines what kind of gifts its Shadow
tum of metadimensional energy to feed a Shadow’s leader can bestow upon its favored servitors. Psychical-
hungers. Unfortunately for the devotees, the easiest ly-active believers such as Adepts, Magisters, Arcanists,
way to acquire energy involves considerable trauma. or Psychics are worth considerably more to an aspir-
Mental stress and physical arousal are key to gen- ing god, and each such follower counts as 50 ordinary
erating this energy. The devotee must be raised to an believers for each character level or hit die they have.
intense pitch of mental focus, and preferably also be A magnitude 1 cult is at least fifty ordinary believ-
extremely physically excited in some way to amplify ers. Such a tiny cult is the minimum necessary number
the effect. Ecstatic dance, grueling meditation, intoxi- of followers to grant any benefits at all to a believer. A
cation with holy drugs, or other traditional methods of magnitude 2 cult consists of at least 500 believers, and
goading believers are some of the more innocent ways is usually enough to control the affairs of a small town.
this state can be established. A magnitude 3 cult requires at least 50,000 believers
Less innocent methods involve provoking intense and usually is the primary political power in a large city
psychic stress through transgressions of moral or so- or rural region. A magnitude 4 cult must have at least
cial norms. By compelling the devotee to perform acts 5 million followers and normally dominates the world
that they know are unacceptable or horrific to their it centers on. A magnitude 5 cult has more than five
peers, the strain and physiological reactions amplify billion followers and probably is master of the entire
the mental energy. The more heinous and forbidden sector.
the act, the stronger the reaction. Of course, a devotee
becomes inured to such antinomianism sooner or later, Joining a Cult
but that’s just further inducement for the Shadow to To join a Shadow cult, a devotee must consciously and
find some fresh atrocity to provoke them. When acts voluntarily offer up their worship to the entity. This
of transgression fail to spark a believer, trauma directed dedication requires it to either see the entity or know
personally at them can sometimes serve the incite the it by some distinct identity. An idol representing the
necessary psychic activity. entity is also sufficient, even if the believer thinks that
This pursuit of transgression has lead Shadow cults it is depicting a different god. A fearsome Shadow deity
to be reviled and feared in most sectors. It doesn’t mat- might be represented as Shiva to innocent believers,
ter what the local mores and social laws would say; a but if they dedicate their faith to the fanged idol before
Shadow cult profits by violating them as profoundly as them, it is the Shadow they serve.
it is able. Perversely, this can sometimes result in Shad- This devotion cannot be coerced with magical
ow cults that seem positively benevolent to outside ob- powers, but it can be compelled by physical threats or
servers, if the local mores are particularly disgusting. inducements. Of course, a terrified devotee who swears
Such a cult may rebel through dark rites of forgiveness to meditate for half a day on the secret name of their
and mercy, and hideous scenes of chaste friendship and deity may or may not actually do that, so most of the
compassion. Of course, if the greater society were ever more violent cults prefer more… active… expressions
to embrace these ideals, the cult would be forced to of newfound devotion. The sacrifice of non-believers
rapidly alter its doctrine to get the same effect. as an initiatory rite is not at all unknown among such
Not all Shadow cults are intrinsically malevolent, cults.
however. Some Shadows have the self-control and Once the cultist joins they are usually presented
discipline to restrain their believers and impose only with various rituals, ceremonies, and personal de-
morally innocent demands on them, as rigorous as they votions they must perform at a regular schedule. In
might be for the believers. Few worlds are inclined to benign or subtle cults, these rituals are tiresome and
believe in such virtue, and so these benevolent cults personally demanding but not particularly damaging
must hide as carefully as their more malicious peers. to the devotee or anyone else. Darker cults, or those
with a secret inner church, will prefer more violent,
Cult Magnitudes depraved, or draining rites in order to get more energy
A Shadow in control of a cult is capable of sharing the out of the devotee’s frenzied psyche.
power it receives with the favored among its worship- Cultists usually end up joining a Shadow cult for
ers. Indeed, for many summoners, the entire point of very pragmatic reasons. The cult offers wealth, security,
bringing an alien god over is to win its favor and enjoy meaning, or social ties for those that belong, and if it
128• Shadow cults

is benign or careful about its activities it might even

command social respect. Many Shadow cults appear
as nothing more than minor local sects of more tradi-
tional religions, and while the devotions they demand
are considerably more taxing than church once a week
on Sunday, that very stringency helps tie believers all
the more tightly to each other.

Dark Blessings
The gifts a Shadow can grant its followers depend on
the size and strength of the cult. Each magnitude allows
the Shadow to grant a different type of gift. These ben-
efits stack, so a Shadow could theoretically give its high
priest a bonus focus, spellcasting powers, and physi-
cal immortality if they wish. Likewise, a Shadow can
withdraw these powers from its acolytes at any time.
Generally, a Shadow will grant gifts or spells appro-
priate to its nature; a Myrmidon with a cult is unlikely
to be providing healing spells to its minions, while an
Odalisque is not going to imbue martial might in others.
Magnitude 1: The Shadow can grant uncanny talents
and gifted competence in their profession to wor-
thy worshipers. It can grant a number of free focus
levels equal to its hit dice to a number of followers
also equal to its hit dice. A single follower can’t be
given more than one focus by the Shadow, wheth- have. In the rare cases where they choose to share
er at one level or two. their might, almost any kind of infernal blessing
Magnitude 2: The Shadow can give arcane energy to its can be given to a devoted priest.
followers, blessing a number of them no greater
than its hit dice. Blessed followers can cast spells Curses of Apostasy
as if they were first level Arcanists that know four While service to a Shadow can bring considerable
first level spells from the class list. If the blessed blessings, it comes with some intrinsic disadvantages
subject is already an Arcanist or a Magister, their that make it less than appealing for many ambitious
effective level is increased by one for purposes of wizards. Every cultist is subject to the penalties list-
preparing and casting spells. ed below, and remain so until the Shadow voluntarily
Magnitude 3: The Shadow gives physical immortality releases them from service or the Shadow itself is de-
to its chosen. A number of champions no greater stroyed. Even if the cultist ceases to worship the entity
than half the Shadow’s hit dice, rounded down, are or turns against it, they remain helplessly bound to the
granted an additional three maximum hit points Shadow’s alien mind.
per hit die of the Shadow and an immunity to First, a cultist automatically fails all saving throws
non-magical, non-Heavy weapons. These cham- against its patron’s abilities or spells. Any hit rolls the
pions are immune to diseases, poisons, or physical patron makes against its cultists are automatically suc-
aging. This aging catches up if the benefit is lost. cessful, and any opposed skill checks are always won.
Magnitude 4: A single beloved high priest may be Shadows that are particularly manipulative or skilled
named by the Shadow. This priest gains spellcast- at deceit can rapidly transform a cultist into a helpless
ing powers equal to an Arcanist of the Shadow’s puppet to their own will.
hit die, up to a maximum of tenth level, knowing Second, a Shadow knows whether or not a specific
four spells from each level they are now able to cultist has been performing the rituals of worship nec-
cast. If the high priest is already an Arcanist, they essary to feed it. This information only comes to mind
can prepare and use these bonus abilities as if they if the Shadow consciously considers the matter, but
were an entirely separate repertoire of magic, thus they can tell whether or not a devotee has been dutiful.
potentially doubling their available magic. Third, a Shadow cultist cannot join another cult
Magnitude 5: In theory, a cult this large could provide unless released by its patron. Its prayers and devotions
enough psychic energy to semi-apotheosize a will only feed its original master, and it cannot receive
half-dozen high priests. In practice, any Shadow the blessings of more than one patron at a time.
voracious and determined enough to build a cult In general, however, a cultist who apostasizes
this large is probably far too gluttonous to give often faces much bloodier and more mundane conse-
their chosen any more power than they already quences from their former compatriots.
 Shadow cults •129

Shadow Cult Details

These tables provide some quick seeds of inspiration
when brewing up a Shadow cult. The tables assume that d4 Scope of the Cult
it’s at least a potentially dangerous and hostile organiza- 1 Small circle of intense devotees
tion, though not all cults are necessarily malevolent or
2 Inner circle with a larger less-involved cult
injurious to believers. Regardless of the harmlessness
of the actual rituals, however, most human societies 3 Large dedicated cult with specialist priests
are unlikely to believe well of them unless the cult has 4 Multi-tiered hierarchy in a very large cult
deeply penetrated the society.
To generate the rough outline of the cult, roll once
on each table. For the “Details of Ritual Service”, results d12 Cult External Cover
1 to 10 are fairly innocuous things, while 11 to 20 are 1 Private social club or salon
appropriate results for a dangerous antagonist cult. You
2 Splinter political party
might intentionally roll 1d10 in those ranges to ensure
suitable results for your particular needs. Some cults 3 Corporation or private business
may have mild demands on lay members, and bloodier 4 Heretical or obscure religious sect
requirements for the priesthood. 5 Brothel, nightclub, or indulgence group
d6 Intensity of the Ordinary Cult Member 6 School or academy of a mundane topic
1 Semi-serious; it’s just a social club or LARP 7 Extended family or ethnic sub-group
2 Self-interested; they only care for benefits 8 Musical group and associated fandom
3 Emotionally attached; it feeds a need 9 Criminal gang or street group
4 Entwined; a fundamental part of them 10 Conspiracy in a government agency
5 The basic pole they orient their life around 11 Aristocratic house and its servants
6 Utter and complete servitude to their god 12 Open membership in a supposed joke cult

d8 Cult Tools of Control and Discipline d20 Details of the Ritual Services Involved
1 Money; the cult controls incomes and pay 1 Lengthy periods of mystical incantation
2 Violence; apostates expect pain or death 2 Fasting, self-denial, and prayer
3 Sorcery; magical powers control and hurt 3 Creation of intricate worship symbols
4 Enforcers; powerful cult agents act at need 4 Ritual dance or specified sacred motion
5 Secrets; blackmail material is used 5 Sacrifice of some innocuous substance
6 Love; only the cult really loves them 6 Song or choral performance of hymns
7 Exile; apostates lose a needed place 7 Strictly-scheduled worship services
8 Hostages; apostates have loved ones hurt 8 Ritual shunning of a common thing
9 Study of an esoteric holy text
d10 What the Cult Offers 10 Body decoration in obvious arcane ways
1 Promises of metadimensional paradise 11 Immoral or excessive carnal acts
2 Money and wealth to followers 12 Blood sacrifice of animals or sentients
3 Power over lesser cultists or outsiders 13 Brutal personal flagellation or torment
4 Exemption from Hell or a coming horror 14 Savage correction of heretics or failures
5 Sorcerous power to initiated adepts 15 Sacrifice of some vital necessity
6 Carnal satisfactions and fleshly desires 16 Infliction of terrible pain or suffering
7 Euphoric emotions and inner bliss 17 Grim trials by which the weak suffer
8 Love and a place of belonging 18 Acts of harm inflicted on unbelievers
9 Social standing and respect from the world 19 Self-destructive obedience to superiors
10 Revenge on enemies or a hostile group 20 Destruction of a thing loved by the cultist
 OBJECTS OF POWER
Wherever there is power, human beings will seek to choice permanently at the time of design. Even a user
harness it for their own ends. Ever since the dawn of who had no real understanding of the process could
arcane studies there have been men and women who control such objects as all the details of implementation
have devoted their labors to channeling and controlling were overseen by the device itself.
metadimensional energy through devices of arcane Unfortunately, such linkages were fundamentally
power. During the golden years of the Mandate these dangerous. Improper calibration, device damage, or a
studies owed much to the similar efforts used to direct cerebral mismatch between the user and the item could
and channel psionic power into psitech devices, but result in significant metadimensional energy bleed
arcanotech was in many ways a more dangerous, un- through the user’s mind, rather than confining the
predictable field of research. flow to the item. These “hot” arcanotech items caused
Psitech devices were the fruit of tremendous socie- varying degrees of mental and physical damage to their
tal infrastructure, with whole pretech factories devoted users, some producing only slow, subtle degradation
to compiling individual components and entire choirs of their health, while others caused sudden and drastic
of specially-trained psychics fabricating elements using harm. A correctly-designed item was “cool” and safe for
techniques that were physically impossible for mun- any user, but damage or unforeseen wear could turn an
dane engineers. While their effects were often magi- item hot at any time.
cally miraculous, they were rigidly-designed miracles, Devices that had no interface with the user were
every step in the process the natural conclusion of a safer, but still not perfectly safe. Damage, decay, or
massive corpus of research and development. Certainly, errors in engineering could skew the energy patterns
there were always strange individual devices created by aligned on the artificial SANIS, with the corona catch-
lone geniuses or desperate innovators, but psitech as a ing an unlucky user in a consequence that could be just
whole was something engineered to well-understood as dire as the hottest interface. Ultimately, no arcano-
specifications and basic first principles. tech was perfectly and perpetually safe to its users.
Arcanotech never had that luxury. The entire body This quality of arcanotech has had a drastic effect
of knowledge developed around the arcane arts was on the development and use of arcane devices in most
predicated on the existence of a SANIS interface, an sectors. Individual devices are known, and some very
interface intimately influenced and modified by the hu- large and imposing arcane structures have been built,
man intellect that supported it. The magical formulas of but relying on arcanotech for any kind of infrastruc-
spells and the intricate arcane constructs of advanced tural need is a gamble few worlds are willing to take.
research were all the fruits of living minds and con- Arcanotech teleportation gateways may be easier to
scious awareness. Arcane science could easily devise develop and deploy than salvaged psitech portals, but
countless wonders and innovative new spells, but with- the arcanotech is subject to far more catastrophic fail-
out a conscious mind and its SANIS interface, every ure conditions and is much more prone to unexpected
new formula was so much inert energy patterning. side-effects. While arcanotech can provide miracu-
The earliest arcanotechs tried to resolve the prob- lous effects and wondrously convenient opportunities,
lem by developing a form of artificial SANIS interface, these abilities aren’t stable and safe enough to support
one that could be embedded in an inanimate object. major constructions or widespread use.
By controlling the material properties of the device Some sectors had such tempestuous metadimen-
through rare components and correct metadimen- sional weather that arcanotech devices there were all
sional energy harmonizations, they tried to create an effectively “cursed” in some way or another. Any user
“artificial wizard” in their artifacts, a non-sentient mind of these devices would eventually and inevitably be
that did nothing but act as a pathway for the arcane en- scourged by some eldritch doom.
ergies needed to fuel the SANIS. Of course, such a mind Of course, some sectors have advanced further
would be dramatically lacking in anything resembling than others in the development of safe arcanotech. In
personal judgment or initiative, and thus the effects some regions of space, the metadimensional conditions
that an arcanotech device could produce were very rig- may be friendly enough to support major rollouts of
id and limited, embedded at the time of its creation and arcanotechnical infrastructure and heavy occult engi-
unchangeable afterwards. neering. In most areas of space where arcane sciences
Innovators in the art soon developed means of cre- are known, however, the day-to-day work of transport,
ating a temporary, limited linkage between an item’s communications, and medicine are all reliant on fa-
wielder and the artificial SANIS, allowing the user to miliar, trustworthy conventional technology. Arcano-
determine details of the device’s effect. An arcanotech tech is reserved for experimental government projects,
object that caused plants to sprout from bare earth black-market hardware for the reckless elite, and the
could thus allow the user to determine details of species elaborate undertakings of mages with more confidence
or coloration at the time of use, instead of fixing the than circumspection.
 Arcanotech •131

A “hot” device is clearly, painfully harmful to its

Arcanotech and Heat user. The energy pattern is sufficiently misaligned to
An arcanotech device is subject to “Heat”, a colloquial damage the user in ways that can’t pass unnoticed. The
term for the stray metadimensional voltage that suffus- first time the item is used in a day, or the first time it’s
es its users when the device is miscalibrated, damaged, held or carried continuously for fifteen minutes, the
or just naturally imprecise in its channeling. Not every user gains one point of System Strain. If this would put
device suffers from Heat, but enough of them do that them over their maximum, they fall unconscious until
their use is viewed with considerable suspicion by most the object is taken away from them, waking up twen-
people. To the general public of most sectors, using ty-four hours later. Such objects also prevent System
arcanotech is akin to smoking or base jumping; it might Strain recovery just as warm devices do.
be fun while it lasts, but there’s nothing healthy about it. Heat’s effects on System Strain are merely the most
A safe arcanotech device is “cold”. Its energy pat- obvious consequences and the ones that adventurers
terns are strictly controlled and any excess charge is are most likely to care about. The long-term damage
safely bled off in ways that won’t harm the user. A com- of using a warm object or the harm that comes from
petent mage can analyze a device to ensure that it’s cold, regularly maximizing one’s System Strain isn’t usually
but this condition could change if the object is damaged in the scope of a conventional campaign, which isn’t
or suffers excessive wear. Sometimes damaged arcano- interested in noting that the PC has a 37% greater
tech can be repaired to a cold state by a skilled mage, but chance of getting space cancer twenty years from now
often the devices are too idiosyncratic to be repaired or due to their recklessness with warm arcanotech. The
re-engineered by anyone but their original designer or peripheral damage from warm arcanotech can usually
someone willing to conduct a complete reverse engi- be ignored for PCs in most campaigns.
neering process on the object. In some cases, there can be side-effects of equal or
A “warm” device bleeds harmful levels of metad- worse consequence to users, with some being driven
imensional energy in use, but at a low-enough rate to insane, physically transformed, or mutated in some
escape obvious notice. Someone who uses such a de- ghastly fashion. PCs are unlikely to encounter such rare
vice or who handles or carries it for more than fifteen outcomes, but NPC abusers of arcanotech may not be
minutes will suffer subtle physical and mental strains so fortunate. Strict avoidance of anything but the safest,
from the device’s influence. They will be unable to re- coldest devices can prevent these outcomes, but such
cover System Strain, whether by rest or other means, caution becomes harder the more that magical devices
for the next twenty-four hours. This effect is minor in are employed.
the short term, but constant exposure to a warm device There are some devices that naturally require the
for months or years can cause significantly worse ef- investment of System Strain by the user, but such in-
fects, including brain damage, nerve injury, or progres- tentional, designed commitment of energy is unrelated
sive insanity. In some cases, major physical and mental to Heat. Conversely, such objects can also be hot in
changes have been induced by extended exposure to a turn, thus causing dramatic damage to the user’s Sys-
warm device. tem Strain the first time they are deployed each day.
132• Arcanotech

Causing and Repairing Heat Arcanotech Identification

An otherwise cold item can be turned hot by damage Most arcanotech is obviously unusual in some way. It
or lack of maintenance. Under most circumstances, it’s may have occult sigils etched into it, an unnatural nim-
assumed that PCs and NPCs keep their hardware in bus of light, peculiar physical properties, or some other
sufficiently good repair to avoid this problem. Such indicia of its uncanny nature. Some devices might be
maintenance requires no special magical know-how, carefully constructed to appear as normal trinkets or
only a few simple principles of cleaning, mending, and objects, but the exotic components and construction
alignment that any interested person can learn in an methods used in building arcanotech are difficult to
hour or two. In magically-active sectors, knowledge obscure entirely.
of how to maintain arcanotech is commonplace among The appearance of an item often is linked to the
adventurers and technicians of all stripes. particular style of the magical tradition of its creator,
Sometimes, however, arcanotech is intentionally with the products of a particular school all sharing
sabotaged, or suffers real damage from enemy action similar markings, materials, and designs. Unless there’s
or reckless misuse. Most arcanotech is no sturdier than a particular reason for the device passing unnoticed,
any mundane device, and any intentional damage in- most are clearly marked with any command words, ac-
flicted on it is likely to cause real harm. Ordinary use tivating ideations, and functionality notes that a user
of the item will not normally cause this damage; armor might need. Few creators have any reason to hide their
won’t be broken by deflecting blows, and an arcanotech works, and when it comes time to activate a soul gibbet
blade won’t be harmed by chopping through necks. Us- on a downed Shadow a wielder can’t afford to be grop-
ing that same blade to hack through a ceraplast door ing for the user manual. Even so, some cryptical orders
may be a different matter. It’s up to the GM to decide favored more enigmatic implements.
what usages might conceivably damage a device. A quick identification of an item takes a day’s work
If the GM decides a device has been substantially by someone with at least Know Magic-0 skill and an
damaged or is so old and neglected that it risks running Int or Wis/Know Magic skill check at a difficulty of 9.
hot, they should secretly roll 1d6; on a 1 or 2, the de- No special equipment is necessary, and the assay can
vice turns hot. On a 3 or 4, a cold device turns warm be done by a non-mage. On a failure, the investigator
and a warm device turns hot. On a 5 or 6, the device is can tell whether or not the item is magical, but must
unchanged by the abuse. It may be some time before try again to learn anything more. On a success, they
the PCs realize that a cold device has turned warm, but gain a few sentences about its operation and function,
a hot one is usually noticeable the first time it induces including the bonuses of magical weapons, any limited
System Strain. charges, or other basic numeric facts about the object’s
Unlike the hazards of a device flawed at its creation, uses. This quick analysis does not reveal the Heat of
this damage-induced Heat can be reliably repaired by a an object, embedded Shadow intelligences, lingering
sufficiently skillful mage with at least Know Magic-0, malevolent effects, or encrypted or obscured functions,
provided they have the exact formula used to create including any command words or focus ideations nec-
the item. If they have this formula, the damage can essary to operate a device.
be repaired in one week with no special tools, albeit it An extensive investigation of an item takes a full
requires replacement components costing one-quarter week, though no special facilities are required. The
of the item’s creation cost in credits. same Int or Wis/Know Magic skill check is needed,
If they don’t have the exact formula, they’ve got to at the same difficulty of 9. On a failure, nothing new
magically reverse-engineer the entire arcanotechnical is learned. On a success, one more ability or quality of
structure of the device before they can figure out what’s the device is revealed. If the investigator is looking for
gone wrong. This process is as expensive and difficult a specific quality, such as the item’s Heat, they discov-
as creating an entire new formula for that item, albeit er that fact. Otherwise, they learn a command word,
it’s not destructive of the original item, and the repairer identify an embedded Shadow intelligence, discover an
must use the process noted below to create that formu- inobvious function, or learn something else otherwise
la before they can use it to repair the item. Of course, unknown about the device, chosen at the GM’s discre-
with their newfound understanding of its principles, tion. If they’ve already learned everything relevant to
they can then use their new formula to create addition- their interests about the object, they become conclu-
al copies of the item if their means allow it. sively certain that there’s nothing new to learn from
In general, a GM shouldn’t worry about the dam- it. Researchers with access to an Assay Facility as de-
age a party’s arcanotech might suffer unless it becomes scribed in the Sanctums section on page 112 can per-
a particularly relevant point. The guidelines above are form extensive investigations much more efficiently.
more to help explain why found and salvaged arcano- Characters who are assaying a device are too ab-
tech may not be completely safe for its users. A trove of sorbed in the work to carry out other full-time jobs, but
powerful items might be too hazardous to use lightly if are not so busy that they cannot adventure or perform
they’re in sufficiently poor repair. Fixing them can be other daily tasks. The process can be interrupted and
an adventure as challenging as the one that found them. resumed as needed.
 Arcanotech •133

Buying and Selling Arcanotech A black market seller of an existing item will usu-
Most worlds simply do not allow an open trade in ally charge 200% of the base price, because they know
arcanotech, or else make it an exclusive monopoly the PCs want that specific item. If the item is provably
of trusted, well-connected political insiders and gov- cold, it might run 300% or even 400% for particularly
ernment agents. Most polities simply have nothing to powerful or rare objects. Price breaks might be offered
gain from allowing their citizens to barter in poten- if the item is exceptionally hard to move, or if the PCs
tially lethal, unpredictable magic items. Extravagantly are willing to provide certain favors to the seller. In
unlicensed possession of arcanotech is usually an invi- general, an adventure worth of effort by the PCs might
tation for government agents to collect the offending cut the markup by half, or even have the item as the
object and deliver a more-or-less stiff rebuke to the offered payment for particularly dangerous jobs.
law-breaking possessor. If the PCs try to sell their own salvaged arcane
In practice, possession is a much grayer affair. hardware, they’ll be lucky to get a quarter of its creation
Most worlds have licensing and permits for individual price on a quick sale. Unless they nurture the right con-
items, and exempt mages and their “certified research tacts and have the patience to just sit and wait for the
assistants” using their own “personal experimental de- one customer who really must have that thing they are
vices”. In most magically-active sectors, private posses- selling, they’re not going to get much on their offerings.
sion of arcanotech is usually feasible and legal so long as An adventure worth of effort spent making the black
the object doesn’t cause problems for the government. market contacts or arranging a sale to some difficult
Offworlders with magical items but no permits will buyer might get them the item’s full value, or even dou-
usually be ignored unless the local authorities have ble or triple for very difficult adventures. PCs who just
some reason to want to make their lives unhappy. GMs want to leverage a good Connect or Trade skill might
can let PCs keep their gear without much fuss. make a check against a difficulty of 9 to 12 depending
Trading those devices is a different matter. Most on the quality of the local market and the cleverness
worlds have a much more restrictive attitude toward of their plan; on a success, add 25% to the sale price.
sales of arcanotech and make it impossible to openly On some worlds, it might be all but impossible to sell
advertise an item for sale or seek a particular artifact for expensive arcanotech without an adventure to find a
purchase. Contacts with black markets, discreet fixers, willing buyer.
and the old boy’s network of mages might be neces-
sary to find a buyer for a particular device, or locate a Creating Arcanotech
mage willing to create an arcanotech device for their Arcanotech can only be built by mages. The minute
own research that they will then lose in a tragic canoe and exacting manipulation of metadimensional ener-
accident. Such an undertaking is often so difficult as to gy flows is a process too demanding for non-specialist
amount to an adventure in itself. adepts and entirely impossible for normal men and
Some worlds might have a government lax or women. In theory, any properly-trained mage can de-
weak enough to allow open trade in magical devices velop arcanotech devices, whether of the Arcanist or
and the commission of their creation. These worlds Magister classes, though some specialized Adept classes
could have open markets in the arcane, with mages sell- might also have the ability.
ing “guaranteed ice-cold” devices to buyers… and if the Building arcanotech over a practical time frame re-
objects turn out to be hot between the counter and the quires significant arcane facilities. A hermit in a forest
door, then the customer clearly broke it. Private sellers hut can piece together an arcanotech device over the
tend to have even less understanding of their wares, course of years or decades, painstakingly completing
and a seller can in all honesty think a warm device is each of the steps without any sophisticated equipment
perfectly safe, simply because they haven’t noticed any or dedicated occult devices. Most builders don’t have
negative effects from it yet. On all such bazaar-worlds the time to labor so extravagantly over every step in the
and unregistered deep-space stations, the buyer is well process, so a well-equipped Arcanotech Lab is a must,
advised to beware. as described in the Sanctum section.
In almost all cases, payment will have to be made Arcanotech also requires components. Aside from
up front. Most item-creating mages will charge at least the ordinary physical components of whatever device is
300% of the basic creation cost for an item in credits, being built, occult substances and arcane elements must
and that’s assuming they have access to the formula for be interlaced in order to create the artificial will and
its creation. While this may be the case for common or esoteric arcane properties necessary to anchor the ar-
popular items, a mage who has to develop a formula tificial SANIS. A desperate wizard can scrounge many
from scratch before they create the item will usually of these crucial components through months or years
have a 600% markup. The GM might roll skill checks of searching or distillation, but a mage who wants to
for the mage to see if they can successfully create both complete a project in a sensible amount of time must
formula and item, using the guidelines for PCs, or they expect to spend large amounts of credits on such things,
may be merciful and just assume the NPC manages to or “borrow” them from someone who keeps a supply
do it correctly. of such esoterica.
134• Arcanotech

If using the advanced arcane research rules de-

scribed in the Arcane Research and Development
chapter, the mage must also have a sufficient number
of free Occult Lore points to build the device. Each
arcanotech creation requires the investment of limited
resources of knowledge and occult force, and a wizard
with none to spare cannot create a device. If you’re
not using the rules in that chapter, this requirement is
skipped, though the limit that Occult Lore provides is
replaced with a longer build time requirement to slow
down rapid-fire device creation.
An arcanotech designer must also have a requisite
minimum Know Magic skill in order to properly create
a device. A creator without a sufficiently broad ground-
ing in basic magic principles will not be able to create
the more sophisticated devices, even if they have the
requisite money and facilities.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, arcano-
tech requires a formula. Without a metadimensional-
ly-charged pattern template for the device, not unlike
that of a spell in a grimoire, a mage would be unable to
successfully fix and calibrate the eventual energy pat-
tern of the device. While it’s possible to use formulas
developed by other mages, copying a formula requires
imprinting its energy pattern on the media being used
to carry it, a process which is time-consuming and must
be performed by a trained mage. Many adventuring difficulty of creating the item and multiplies the cost ac-
mages find it more efficient to “acquire” a formula from cordingly. Thus, if a mage wanted to make five doses of
a prior owner rather than go through the complica- an elixir, they would multiply the cost by five and add
tions of getting time and permission to copy it. +3 to the difficulty, for two full and one partial doubling.
If a mage has the facilities, components, Occult Whenever an item is created by a mage, a sec-
Lore and formula for a piece of arcanotech, he or she ond Int/Know Magic skill roll is made after the first
can then create it with a sufficient amount of time and one succeeds, targeting the same difficulty as it took
labor. If you are using the rules in the Arcane Research to create the item. On a success, the resultant item is
and Development chapter, the time and skill checks re- cold, with no dangerous Heat. If the roll fails by three
quired to make an arcanotech device are on page 133. or fewer points, the object is warm. If the roll fails by
If you are not using those rules, it requires either more than three points, the object is hot. If multiple
one month or one week per Occult Lore cost assigned doses of a consumable are created, all share the result
to the item, whichever is more. Thus, if an entry for of this one roll.
an item says that it takes 5 points of Occult Lore to The creator knows whether their own creations
built it using the rules in the Arcane Research and are hot or not, and can try to fix a misalignment. Such
Development chapter, it takes five weeks. If the item effort takes the same time as creating the object would
requires no Occult Lore points, it still takes a month to require but only a quarter of the item’s cost in credits
complete it. At the end of this time, the mage makes an and no additional Occult Lore. After the time and mon-
Int/Know Magic skill check against the listed difficulty ey are spent, the mage can make another Int/Know
for creating the item. On a success, it is complete. On Magic check. It’s possible, however, that the new check
a failure, it’s not finished yet; the mage can abandon is even worse than the last one, and that their efforts
the work, reclaiming half the item’s original cost in have only succeeded in turning a warm item hot. This
salvaged materials, or they can push on, spending an process can be repeated as often as the mage wishes. A
additional 50% of the cost and the same amount of time mage cannot retune hot devices created by someone
to make another skill check. They can continue do- else unless they are assisted by the creator or have a
ing this until they either succeed or give up. Such lab copy of the formula used to create the object.
work is demanding enough to exclude other full-time Creating a piece of arcanotech is a serious under-
employment, but not so demanding that the PC can’t taking for most mages. Between the need for an ex-
adventure or otherwise take breaks from it as needed. pensive lab, the demands of costly components, and
If the item is a consumable device, multiple “doses” the significant risk of failure in the process, only mages
can be created at once. This takes the same amount of with a dedicated desire for crafting are likely to essay
time. Each doubling or fraction thereof adds +1 to the it. Others tend to rely on “salvaging” what they need.
 Arcanotech •135

Arcanotech Formulas Daemonic Devices

Building a device requires a formula for its construc- Every conventional piece of arcanotech has a primitive
tion. In some cases, a mage can salvage a formula from artificial will implanted in it. These synthetic volitions
the possessions of a now-deceased sorcerer or persuade are simple creations, little more than metadimensional
a mage to allow them to copy one. When they seek to anchor-points to serve as a conduit for the arcane en-
make an entirely new device, however, they may be ergy that fuels the device’s abbreviated SANIS interface.
forced to develop their own formula from scratch. They lack sentience, awareness, or indeed any quality
An arcanotech formula is much like a grimoire’s of thought whatsoever… usually.
spell formula. The medium is inscribed with an intri- Sometimes a particularly sophisticated device
cate metadimensional energy pattern describing the might require more from its artificial will. Details of
higher-order construct at the core of the device. Any magical implementation might need to be determined
trained mage can create or copy such a pattern, but at the moment of activation, or the effect itself might
doing so takes time and effort. The medium used is a be too complicated to be managed by an unthinking
matter of convenience, and may be composite “paper”, volition. In these cases, some mages will actually create
a stone idol, a golden figurine, or anything else. an artificial framework for the implantation of a Shad-
If a mage wants to copy a formula, it takes a min- ow dedicated exclusively to the operation of the device.
imum of one week, plus one day for each Occult Lore These “daemons” are usually very little more intel-
point the object normally requires in its making. This ligent than the standard artificial will. They are careful-
work can be interrupted as needed, and doesn’t require ly designed to serve their purpose and nothing more; to
any particularly costly ingredients or special facilities. manage the magical complexities of the task and direct
Composing an entirely new formula is much more the object’s power as desired by its user. Of course, the
demanding. Assuming that the GM has approved the very complexity of the task involved often forces the
basic concept of the device, as discussed later in this mage to make concessions to the daemon’s free will so
chapter, the mage must spend one month composing that it can carry out its purpose effectively.
the formula and must have access to a Arcanotech Sometimes a daemon is an entirely unplanned
Lab facility as described in the Sanctums section. This consequence of an item’s design. Some mages take cer-
process requires components and experiments with a tain shortcuts in volitional design, omitting brakes and
credit cost equal to the cost of creating the item itself. wards in order to increase the flexibility of an artificial
At the end of the month, the mage makes an Int/ will without actually binding a daemon into the object.
Know Magic skill check at a difficulty equal to the Most of the time, this produces the necessary volition
difficulty of creating the item; on a success, they have without any further complications. Sometimes, how-
a working formula. Campaigns that use the research ever, the energy construct so created is such a perfect
rules given in the Arcane Research and Development nest that it draws a Shadow into it in an unplanned
chapter also grant the investigating mage Enlighten- possession, creating a daemonic device with no partic-
ment Points equal to half the intended item’s Occult ular obedience to its wielder.
Lore cost, rounded down, thanks to the discoveries While the effort of creating a daemonic device is
made during the research. Once a formula is created, usually reserved for the most complex and demanding
the mage can use it repeatedly. magical constructs, any arcanotech device can theoreti-
If the roll is failed, the formula is incomplete. The cally be made daemonic. Indeed, as has been mentioned,
mage can abandon the work, losing the time and cred- sometimes the condition can be inflicted accidentally as
its, or they can press on and spend another month and a result of taking certain shortcuts in volitional design.
half the item’s cost in credits to get another chance at A daemonic item has a Shadow embedded in it.
the roll. The mage can repeat this process as often as The Shadow is immune to direct damage and cannot
they wish, but they can’t start work on designing an- be targeted apart from the object it inhabits, though ef-
other formula until they finish this one or abandon it. fects that harm the object it inhabits can harm it as well
There is very limited trade in formulas among and if the object is destroyed the Shadow is banished. It
mages, and even then usually only among the most requires no special source of metadimensional energy
trustworthy peers. A mage using someone else’s for- to persist, as it feeds off the arcanotech’s own tap. The
mula has no way to verify the calculations involved, and Shadow may or may not be able to easily communi-
it’s easy to pass off a failed formula effort as a successful cate with its wielder, depending on the device’s own
one that the luckless buyer just isn’t competent enough capacity for communication and any special abilities
to make work. Such behavior is a particular temptation the daemon might have.
to mages who find themselves beggared by unsuccess- A daemon can operate the device by itself, trigger-
ful experiments. Even so, copies of formulas for very ing any movable parts with normal human strength
popular devices such as magical weapons or armor can and activating any functionality with its own attack bo-
sometimes be acquired with the right contacts, usually nus or skill bonus, if relevant. It cannot independently
at a price equal to one-quarter of the cost of creating lift or move itself unless the item itself can move under
the item itself. its own power. Daemonic weapons usually require a
136• Arcanotech

wielder to direct them and can’t attack independently ed. Other powers can be added as per page 144 if the
unless empowered with independent mobility. Dae- wizard wishes the daemon to have additional abilities.
mons can take their own action in a combat round at A mage can simplify item creation by accepting the
their own rolled initiative, but their ability to actually risk of unplanned daemonic binding. By taking some
do anything is limited by their physical housing and any shortcuts in artificial volition creation and removing
special abilities they might be able to call on. some cumbersome metadimensional brakes, they gain
A properly-bound daemon usually has the Princi- a -2 to the item creation difficulty and ensuing Heat
ple “Obey my user” and will dutifully act in line with check. If the item creation check is successful by two
its wielder’s will. Ones designed specifically for the job or fewer points, however, an unexpected Shadow will
rarely have other Principles, though accidental dae- be bound into the device when it is created, of a type
mons inevitably do. Not all intentional entities will and Principles chosen by the GM. Thus, if the modified
have this compulsion to obedience, however, and ar- difficulty is 8, and the mage rolls a 10 on the creation
canotech items created for a particular purpose might skill check, a Shadow will infest the item. Such Shad-
be more dedicated to the cause than their bearer. An ows usually will not be inimical to the item’s purpose,
accidentally-bound daemon lacks any compulsion to but they may have demands or expectations that need
obedience, and will cooperate with the user only so to be satisfied before they will allow the item to be
long as its own Principles are satisfied. used. Other wild Shadows may have special abilities to
A daemon may not be able to physically prevent a influence or control their supposed wielders..
user from swinging a daemonic sword, but a free dae- Reckless mages who already have a Shadow ready
monic gun can spit out a magazine, a daemonic staff can to bind might use the same loose techniques to simplify
trigger its powers at an extremely inopportune target, the binding of the daemon into an item, gaining the
and other items can do such things as express their dis- same -2 bonus to the item’s creation difficulty. If the
satisfaction with an uncooperative user. Powers that item creation check is successful by two or fewer points,
require System Strain from the wielder can be triggered they still bind the Shadow into the item, but that Shad-
by the daemon, but the wielder still pays the Strain ow has no Principles of obedience or cooperativeness
price; the only way to avoid this is to put down the item. and will act according to its own nature and desires.
Conversely, a friendly or cooperative daemon can In the rare case where a mage binds a Shadow into
operate the device with its own action turn, getting the an object and then later wants to pull the Shadow out
usual Move and Main Actions on the same initiative as again into physical form, they may do so by carefully
its wielder. Daemon devices without self-mobile capac- disassembling the arcanotech. The Shadow is then free
ity might not be able to do much with their Move, and in its usual physical form and existing Principles.
Daemon weapons unable to aim themselves might not
be able to attack, but they still get the actions. Where Large-Scale Arcanotech
relevant, attacks and skill checks are made with the sta- Most arcanotech is suited for man-portable devices and
tistics of the inhabiting demon. The daemon-occupied other relatively small objects. The larger the device to
object is no more difficult to damage or destroy than be imbued, the more work is needed to embed the ener-
any other object of its type. gy patterns within it, and this burden becomes logarith-
To intentionally imbue an arcanotech item with a mically greater as the object’s mass expands. Moreover,
daemon the mage must have a suitable formula for the these massive structures require dramatically more
Shadow, as explained in the Shadows chapter of the involved maintenance than conventional, man-por-
book and they must have an arcanotech device formu- table arcanotech. Magical citadels look impressive in
la for the item they wish to create. In most cases, the holovid serials, but they’re an unholy misery to imbue
mage will have to independently develop both formu- and maintain.
las if they wish to have exactly the device and daemon Such constructs are not impossible, however,
they want. The Shadow bound into the device will merely very difficult. Most aspiring architect-mag-
be immaterial, even if it normally has some physical es get around the problem by creating many smaller
form, and only those of its special abilities that don’t components that each generate the necessary magical
rely on a physical form can be used while bound to the effects and then embedding them in a suitable mun-
item. Some mages have been known to bind somewhat dane structure or vehicle. Each such structure is thus
inappropriate Shadows into a device simply because effectively a multitude of smaller arcanotech devices
they were the only ones for which they had a working working together to create the desired magical qualities.
summoning formula. Other mages create single objects that throw out large-
Binding a Shadow into a device automatically adds scale magical effects, and then design buildings or ships
to its creation difficulty, adding an amount to the dif- to channel that effect in the desired ways.
ficulty equal to half the Shadow’s hit dice, rounded up. Of course, the intrinsic hazards of Heat and mag-
This new difficulty total is used both for creating the ical instability make such large-scale engineering un-
item and checking to see if it induces Heat. The Shadow attractive to most users. Still, some institutions with a
must be summoned and ready before the item is creat- large number of competent magical practitioners can
 Arcanotech •137

afford the maintenance and monitoring effort required Devices that are warm or hot, either by design, by
to take advantage of such structures. Magical academies damage, or by neglect, will have negative effects on
in particular often have manpower to spare for such the structure’s users. If a warm device is part of the
purposes, and maintaining the wards and arcana makes structure, all persons who enter it are immediately
a useful practice duty for aspiring sorcerers. Without affected as if they had just used a warm arcanotech
this maintenance, sooner or later the structure will device, becoming unable to recover System Strain for
become unstable and unpredictable in its qualities, the next 24 hours. Some creatures may learn to adapt
with strangely-warped magic and degradation of the to this condition over time, but many can expect only
intended effects. The best-engineered structures might the usual dire consequences from long-term exposure
survive centuries before such effects begin to take hold, to these energies.
but less fastidiously-designed artifacts may succumb If a hot device is part of a structure, any creature
much more quickly. that activates or is affected by the magical effect that
To build a large-scale arcane structure such as a device creates is treated as if they had just used the hot
building or starship, the mage must first actually build device, gaining one point of System Strain immediate-
the physical structure or vehicle at its usual cost. They ly. A hot arcanotech food compiler may be relatively
must then develop separate arcanotech formulas for harmless as it is, but anyone who activates it or eats
each of the separate abilities or magical qualities the the banquet it magically produces will be affected by
structure is supposed to have. Some of these formu- its Heat. If a hot device is part of a structure, entering it
las might involve binding daemons to the structure to will prevent System Strain recovery just as noted above.
handle certain of its functions, or even to physically Large-scale arcanotech structures usually require
manifest in its defense or service. Each formula and its complex weekly maintenance of two hours per Occult
effect must be approved by the GM under the guide- Lore point that went into their components’ creation.
lines given later in this chapter. This maintenance must be provided by a mage with
Every component device must then be created at least Know Magic-0 skill. Lack of maintenance
successfully and installed into the main structure be- may have no immediate negative consequences, but
fore any of its functions can work. Different mages can depending on the structure’s complexity and the den-
install different components into the same structure. sity of magical components involved, GM-designated
While it’s theoretically possible to install warm or hot consequences may occur anywhere from a month to a
devices into such a structure, it is usually a spectacu- century later. These consequences usually begin with
larly bad idea to do so, and most architect-mages will Heat, move up to component malfunctions, and can
insist on components with no Heat. Installation of a theoretically end with catastrophic metadimensional
component is assumed to be part of its creation process. self-ignition.
138• Arcanotechnical artifacts

Arcanotechnical Artifacts
The items listed here may be rare but they are not Biostasis Seal: On application to a mortally-wounded
unique, and formulas for their creation may be found target, the victim is automatically stabilized. One
in the possessions of certain mages throughout space. minute later, they heal 1d6+4 hit points and are
Their legality will vary considerably with the location. restored to functional consciousness. No System
Most of the artifacts here can be used multiple Strain is inflicted, but a biostasis seal can only help
times, but a few are single-use devices. As usual, when a target once per day. The seal is expended when
a device is destroyed or discharged, its creator can re- used.
claim any Occult Lore spent on creating it. Book of the Red Bargain: These ornate books appear to
be full of nothing but hundreds of blank pages. If
Types of Artifacts a contract is inscribed in the book and willingly
Animus Core: This fragment of inscribed crystal can be signed by all involved parties, without magical
wired into a standard expert system armature or or mundane compulsion, all signatories become
VI chassis, provided the target is cooperative or in- magically bound to keep the bargain’s terms. The
capacitated and the installer has at least Fix-2 skill consciousness bound in the book enforces the
and an hour to perform the work. Once installed, spirit of the agreement as it sees it, not merely
any Shadow who knows the arcane passcode in- the technical letter. Failure to keep the terms
scribed on it can possess or depart the armature or induces a progressive wasting disease; every day
VI’s body as a Main Action with physical contact, thereafter, the culprit must make a Physical save
using the robot’s physical statistics, hit points, and or lose one point from a random physical attribute.
other non-mental characteristics while retaining This injury cannot be healed until they are again in
any magical powers the Shadow may possess. If compliance with the bargain or until the bargain is
the robot is destroyed while it is possessed, the torn out of the book. The book can sanctify only
Shadow is ejected at half their current hit points one bargain at a time.
and stunned for one round, incapable of action. Cup of Days: A terrible artifact of stolen immortality,
The core itself will survive the destruction of a Cup of Days can be used to drain the life from a
the robot on a successful Physical save. Only one living creature in order to prolong the existence
Shadow can possess a robot at once. of another of its same species. The victim must
Automedical Eidolon: These enchanted medical stims be bled into the cup in a process that invariably
have been imprinted with micro-channels that au- results in their death. If a creature of the same
tomatically summon a very minor Shadow when species then drinks the contents of the cup, their
they are activated. As a Main Action, the possessor physiological age is then reduced by a number of
can indicate any friendly or incapacitated target days equal to the hit points of the creature slain.
within 20 meters. The tiny Shadow instantly flies After a user persists more than five times the usu-
to the designated target and applies the stim with al maximum lifespan of their kind, their youth is
an effective Heal skill equal to that employed in regained on by an hour per hit point. The cup
creating the device. While medical stims are the does nothing to fend off psychological ennui or
usual choice for this device, any stim-applied non-biological mental illness.
chemical can be used, so long as the target is ei- Hand of Madness: A glove of fashionable but unremark-
ther cooperating or incapacitated. These devices able appearance, a Hand of Madness may be used
cost 5,000 credits to create, plus 20 times the cost to destabilize the cognition of a touched victim,
of the stim being enchanted. inflicting a persistent insanity on them. The sub-
Barrier Link Pattern: Appearing as a wand-sized rod ject may make a Mental saving throw to resist the
of metadimensionally-imprinted material, this effect, becoming immune for the remainder of the
device allows the holder to manifest a barrier of day. If the save is failed, the victim is made to be-
metadimensional energy up to 20 meters wide and lieve a particular idea chosen by the Hand’s user;
3 meters high at any visible point within 30 meters. this idea must be irrational, unbelievable, and
The barrier is rectangular in shape and must rest utterly deluded, such as the believing that light
upon a solid object, but can conform to the envi- is poisonous or that fire is an important human
ronment when available spaces are too small for nutrient. The Hand cannot inflict plausible delu-
its full size. The coherent energy barrier formed is sions on a target. The target will act in accordance
tough, air-tight, and opaque, and requires at least with the idea to the limit of their natural character,
30 hit points of damage to be inflicted on it to even if it hurts them to a point short of suicidal
break open a human-sized hole. The barrier lasts behavior. The insanity persists until the Hand’s
for a scene unless deactivated by the link’s holder, user releases them or they receive extensive TL4
and can be evoked once per day. psychiatric assistance. Only one victim may be
 Arcanotechnical artifacts •139

Credit Occult Lore Skill Level

Artifact Cost Cost Required Difficulty
Animus Core 50K 30 3/Fix-2 12
Automedical Eidolon 5K + 20*stim 0 2/Heal-1 9
Barrier Link Pattern 30K 30 3 11
Biostasis Seal 500 0 2/Heal-1 8
Book of the Red Bargain 50K 30 3 12
Cup of Days 1m 75 4 16
Hand of Madness 100K 40 3 13
Hellbubble 100K 35 3 12
Immortal Hate 250K 40 3 13
Limpet Peephole 20K 25 3 11
Mammon's Pebble 25K 20 2 12
Null-Box 25K 20 2 10
Poppet 5K 5 2 9
Rusting Rod 30K 20 2 10
Shadow Reliquary 10K 10 2 10
Slipsheath 25K 20 2 11
Soul Gibbet 15K/75K/250K 10/20/40 2/3/4 10/12/14
Staff of Arcane Authority 500K 50 4 14
Staff of Nighted Rule 500K 50 4 14
Staff of the High Gate 500K 50 4 14
Tracker Imp Token 5K 5 2 9
Witchgate 25K/100K/1m 25/50/100 2/3/2004 10/12/14

cursed by a Hand at a time, and each use of the are also included. The corpse has the combat sta-
Hand’s power inflicts one point of System Strain tistics of a Myrmidon Shadow and will continue
on the user. to function for thirty days before collapsing into
Hellbubble: These fist-sized spheres of black crystal deliquescent slime. It can communicate, but can
are tremendously illegal on all civilized worlds, talk of nothing except its hate and vengeance. The
though the principles of their operation are not corpse will trust its reanimator to know the best
unknown to modern arcane science. When a way it can get its revenge and will follow the user’s
Hellbubble is broken, a five-hundred-meter radius instructions unless they seem to deny it its ven-
around the break point is rendered impervious to geance. A reanimated corpse cannot be healed or
conventional TL4 nuke snuffer fields and quan- restored to life, but must inevitably disintegrate
tum ECM. Drones and guided weapons cannot be when its vengeance is complete or its time is up.
jammed within that area, and nuclear weapons Once a corpse is transfixed, the Immortal Hate can
can be detonated. Any detonation or shockwave be removed and used on another body.
instantly dissipates at the edge of the bubble’s in- Limpet Peephole: Manifesting most often as a coin-sized
fluence, but the area within the zone is likely to disc inscribed with metadimensional channels,
be completely and utterly vaporized. The bubble is this device will adhere to any surface it is placed
loud, coruscating, and extremely obvious, lasting in contact with, immediately adopting the color
fifteen minutes after the device is broken. and texture of the background. It is invisible to
Immortal Hate: A long spike of dull gray metal, an Im- conventional sensors, and requires an intelligent
mortal Hate must be used to transfix the torso of observer to notice its existence; such notice may
a creature that has died within the past forty-eight be automatic if the disc is placed on a small hand-
hours. Each use inflicts one point of System Strain held object that the observer handles, but it might
on the user. Once applied, the corpse will reani- be as much as difficulty 11 or 12 if placed carefully
mate, fired with an insatiable desire for revenge on a vehicle or other large object. At any time after
against those who wronged it in life. Usually, this the device is placed, the possessor can activate it
is first and foremost the creature or group that as a Main Action, gaining a sudden knowledge of
killed it, though other enemies of their living days its precise location and a visual and auditory im-
140• Arcanotechnical artifacts

pression of its surroundings as if they were look- becoming undetectable to mundane sensors and
ing through the limpet. The clairvoyance lasts for recovering within the bauble as if it were resting
up to a scene. After being triggered or removed safely. The Shadow can hear and see anything per-
from the object the limpet goes inert, and may be ceptible around the wearer and can emerge when
claimed by the next person to touch it. they desire or when the wearer uses a Main Ac-
Mammon’s Pebble: Appearing as a pebble of some tion to expel them. Only one Shadow can occupy
semiprecious stone, a Mammon’s Pebble may be the reliquary at a time.
presented to a sentient in exchange for any good, Slipsheath: A simple bag of intricately-inscribed cloth,
service, or favor they might theoretically perform capable of holding up to five encumbrance items
for 50,000 credits or less. When exchanged for or twenty-five kilos. When the user touches it and
such a thing, the stone’s magic is irresistible, and accepts a System Strain, the bag becomes keyed.
the subject will always feel compelled to make the Later, that user may teleport the bag and its con-
deal if it was one they would make for a credit tents to hand even from ground-to-orbit distances,
payment. The pebble’s owner can try to request a doing so as a Main Action. A Slipsheath can be
still greater item or favor; the victim then gets a charged by only one user at a time, and must be
Mental saving throw to resist. Given the utility of re-keyed after each summoning.
a Pebble, it’s possible that a person compelled to Soul Gibbet: A Shadow that has been destroyed or ban-
accept it might not consider it a terribly bad deal. ished from the mundane world can be summoned
Null-Box: An unremarkable folding box that expands to by the correct formula or spell. There are times
a cubic meter in size, a null-box is designed to per- when that possibility is unacceptable, either be-
fectly insulate its contents from mundane space- cause of the Shadow’s maliciousness or because
time. Any object put into a null-box is left in com- it simply knows too much. The soul gibbet is an
plete stasis, with no perceptible time passing and arcanotech device intended to trap and contain
no way to communicate or affect anything outside a Shadow, keeping it in torpor without allowing
the box. Use of a null-box with living creatures it to dissipate from the mundane world. Gibbets
is not advisable for extended periods; while the vary in physical appearance, but are all hand-held
creature’s body and brain are unchanging while objects with some kind of spike or sharp edge at-
in the box, the metadimensional shadow of their tached. A Shadow must first be reduced to zero hit
consciousness is not so affected, and the mismatch points before the bearer impales the remnants of
can produce maddening “dreams” if exposure ex- the entity, doing so within one round of striking
tends longer than a month of mundane time. down the creature. Once the gibbet touches the
Poppet: A carefully-stitched doll of stylized, nondescript remains, the Shadow is trapped inside. Shadows
features, a Poppet may be thrown down by a user that are instantly banished by spells or a sum-
to become a perfect duplicate of them. The Poppet moner’s release cannot be trapped with the gibbet.
will appear to have the same gear, but any such Provided the gibbet remains intact and functional,
objects are mere unusable ornaments. The Poppet the Shadow will remain in an insubstantial torpor
is indistinguishable from the user by TL4 science, inside the arcanotech until the device is destroyed
and only magical detection can note its uncanny or critically damaged. The Shadow will then man-
nature. The Poppet will carry out its creator’s ifest from inside the gibbet at full hit points and
will for a scene before unraveling into a tangle strength. There is no way to get a Shadow out
of components. It cannot fight or use magic, but of a gibbet without destroying the device. “Lock-
will carry out orders with the same intelligence, er”-class gibbets can trap entities with three hit
skill ratings, memories, and character as the user. dice or less. “Cell”-class gibbets can snare entities
A Poppet has half the user’s hit points at the time of nine hit dice or less, and “Donjon”-class devices
of their creation and an AC of 10. can catch theoretically any Shadow.
Rusting Rod: A half-meter rod of oxidized iron, the Staff of Arcane Authority: Usable only by mages or psy-
Rusting Rod can be used to touch any metallic chics, the Staff of Arcane Authority is commonly
object and cause it to collapse into a powder of used as part of the regalia of the rulers of import-
oxidized flakes. The rod can affect up to three cu- ant magical schools or powerful occult traditions.
bic meters of metal with each touch, usually quite By accepting a point of System Strain, the bearer
sufficient to open a man-sized hole in ship bulk- of a Staff of Arcane Authority can cast an Arcane
heads or vault doors. Each use of the rod adds one Grounding spell as a Main Action, empowering it
System Strain to the user. as if they were a tenth-level Arcanist with a Cast
Shadow Reliquary: An object no smaller than a bracelet Magic skill of 4. Someone carrying the staff as a
is encoded with a metadimensional n-space that Ready item may accept a point of System Strain to
can be used as a refuge by a Shadow allied with automatically save against any magical effect. The
the wearer. If the wearer permits it, the Shadow staff visibly glows or reacts when an inobvious
can vanish into the reliquary as a Main Action, magical effect or creature is within ten meters.
 Arcanotechnical artifacts •141

Staff of Nighted Rule: A tremendously potent tool for Tracker Imp Token: These small tokens are imbued with
controlling and banishing Shadows, a Staff of a semi-sentient Shadow keyed to track and locate
Nighted Rule takes many potential forms, but all a particular target. The token must be touched to
involve a generally staff-like shape approximate- a drop of blood or other DNA sample from the
ly two meters in length. Once per scene for any desired target before it is shattered by the user. A
given target, as a Main Action, the wielder may wisp, vaporous imp then immediately begins seek-
command a visible Shadow to perform any ser- ing the target. The imp is intangible and largely
vice that is not suicidal, not directly contrary to its undetectable by anyone not keenly alert, and must
Principles, and will not take longer than a week be magically dispelled to be destroyed. If the target
to perform. The Shadow gets a Mental saving is in a non-airtight location anywhere within ten
throw to resist at a -4 penalty. The wielder may kilometers of the user, the imp will find them in
use the energies of the staff to smite any single 1d6 x 10 minutes. Once found, the imp will pass a
visible Shadow once per round as a Main Action, clear telepathic impression of the target’s location
inflicting 8d6 damage on the target with a Physical and a glimpse of their surroundings before evap-
save for half. While keeping the staff Readied, the orating. Tracker imp tokens function only once.
bearer has a +4 on all saving throws made against Witchgate: Every witchgate is created as a pair of
Shadow abilities and a minimum Armor Class of matched portals, circular gates roughly hu-
20 against Shadow attacks. man-sized in diameter. Creatures or objects that
Staff of the High Gate: A staff of incredibly complex enter one gate appear at the other, crossing the
construction and imbued by countless strands of space between at slightly less than the speed of
metadimensional inlay, the Staff of the High Gate light. Each gate can be folded down into a portable
can only be used by a wielder who is in space and package counting as two encumbrance items and
at least a hundred kilometers from the surface of can be relocated to a new site as desired, though
the nearest planet-like object. By activating the the gate requires a week to attune itself properly
Staff as a Main Action, the bearer can transport before it can be used. During this week, it emits
themselves and any occupied vehicle up to a energy signals that are anomalous and obvious to
frigate-class ship to any other in-space location any attentive security scans. The maximum dis-
in the same solar system, automatically breaking tance that can be covered by a witchgate varies;
any sensor locks at the same time. The staff can minor gates can cross up to continental distanc-
only function once in a twenty-four hour period. es, major gates can cross the distance between a
world and its moons, and prime gates can reach
any point within the same solar system.
142• Arcanoprostheses

Arcanoprostheses
Just as cybernetics are a possibility through conven-
tional science, arcanoprostheses are designed to func- Types of Arcanoprosthetic
tion on arcane principles. Most arcanoprostheses ar-
en’t meant to replace normal limbs or organs, but are Displacement Cyst: Requires two spell levels. Once per
instead meant to grant the bearer some unique power. scene, the user can touch any object that they
Arcanoprostheses are usually visible augmenta- could physically carry and dislocate it into a small
tions fashioned of runed metal, glowing composite, or paradimensional cyst. Living creatures must be
other obviously unusual components. Most are im- cooperative or physically restrained to be affected.
planted along the bearer’s limbs, though a few models Objects within the cyst are in stasis, unaware of
involve cranial implants or torso modifications. All are their surroundings and experiencing no passage
obvious to visual inspection. of time. The object can be called back into reality
Arcanoprostheses must be fueled with arcane as an On Turn action, causing it to appear either
energy, requiring one or more spell levels to be dedi- as a Readied item on the user or adjacent to them.
cated to their function. An Arcanist or Magister must Conventional tech sensors cannot detect a dis-
voluntarily sacrifice that many spell levels from their placed object. Only one object can be displaced at
available spell slots in order to fuel the prosthetic. A a time, and any object reappears if the user dies or
Psychic can also mount them, with one committed Ef- detunes the prosthesis.
fort counting as two spell levels. Energy Emanation Cloak: Requires one spell level.
Thus, if a Magister had a Power Reservoir arcano- While using this prosthesis, neither it nor any
prosthetic that required two spell levels to power it, other objects the user carries or uses will read as
she could sacrifice two first-level spell slots or one sec- magical to spells or senses. Casters or effects with
ond-level spell slot to fuel it. These slots would count an effective character level or hit dice higher than
as if they were expended normally through spellcasting. the user have a chance of penetrating this veil,
This fueling is not optional. The arcanoprosthetic making an opposed Wis/Cast Magic skill check
will automatically drain the power, whether or not the and piercing the cloak on a success. This pros-
mage wants it to. If for some reason the prosthetic is thesis is always extremely discreet in appearance,
unable to drain the energy, it inflicts a -2 penalty on all and cannot be detected in use without a medi-
attack rolls and skill checks made by the user until it is cal-grade examination. Spells cast by the user are
powered again or surgically excised. not cloaked by this prosthesis.
While rare, it is possible for non-mages to support Eruptive Leap: Requires two spell levels. Once per
arcanotech if they’ve been properly trained and had the scene, as an Instant action taken immediately af-
requisite support surgery. A few mages have even had ter the user casts a spell, the user can teleport to
the work done, if only to save their precious spell en- any point within five meters of the spell’s target
ergy for other uses. area. Thus, if they launch a Neural Burn Cascade
Arcanoprosthetic implantation requires a TL4 at a target fifty meters away, they may Instantly
medical facility, one week, and 5,000 credits in sur- appear anywhere within five meters of the target.
gical fees. Removal requires either the same time and If they bring down an area effect, they can appear
expense, or else five minutes and a sharp knife if the at any point within five meters of any portion of
subject’s survival is unimportant. that area. The user appears after the spell has dis-
charged any instantaneous effects, so if the spell
New Focus: Arcanoprosthetics causes an explosion at the target site, they appear
immediately after the explosion has finished.
The PC has received the necessary training, brain Habitability Bubble: Requires one spell level. When
surgery, and high-tech power augmentations nec- active, the prosthesis creates a bubble with a
essary to fuel arcanoprosthetics. They may or may three-meter radius that moves with the user.
not be a mage, but they can successfully mount and Within the bubble, pressure, oxygen, and tem-
support these arcanotech devices, though they will perature are maintained at human-comfortable
need to find or acquire them normally. levels for everyone inside it. The bubble can with-
stand any environment a normal vacc suit could
Level 1: You can support up to three spell levels tolerate; ultra-extreme environments defeat it at a
worth of arcanoprosthetics without needing rate a normal vacc suit would be defeated. If over-
to fuel them with spell slots. come by a corrosive environment or exhausted by
Level 2: You can support up to six spell levels use, the prosthesis can be restored by expending
worth of arcanoprosthetics. another spell level, or automatically regenerate
the next morning when it is charged.
 Arcanoprostheses •143

Credit Occult Lore Skill Level

Arcanoprosthetic Cost Cost Required Difficulty
Displacement Cyst 30K 30 3 11
Energy Emanation Cloak 20K 15 2 11
Eruptive Leap 30K 25 2 12
Habitability Bubble 20K 10 2 10
Lithic Manipulation 30K 30 3 11
Luminance Spark 15K 10 2 10
Parasympathetic Shadow Link 30K 30 3 11
Power Reservoir 30K 20 3 11
Quantum ECM Invocator 60K 40 3 12
Soul Anchor 45K 35 3 12
Storm Fist 75K 40 4 12

Lithic Manipulation: Requires two spell levels. Once Action. Once per day, you can fully recharge a
per day, activate the prosthesis to manually shape Type B power cell by touch as a Main Action.
earth, stone, or concrete for the rest of the scene as Quantum ECM Invocator: Requires three spell levels.
if it were a light foam. Up to a 10 x 10 x 10 meter The user becomes capable of activating a quantum
cube of such matter can be shaped with one scene’s ECM field that extends up to 200 meters around
labor. The shaped matter will retain its form after- them. This field has a blanket effect on all quan-
wards, but architecturally unstable structures may tum ECM-affected targeting or control devices
collapse once the effect ends. around them; they may selectively immunize a
Luminance Spark: Requires one spell level. As a Main specific allied system/AI/drone by expending one
Action, cause an object within sight to glow bright- spell level per target exempted. As a side effect,
ly in a color and pattern of your choice, extending this prosthesis also jams all conventional radio
clear radiance out to a 20 meter distance. The light communication in the affected area except that
continues for 24 hours or until you quench it as an emitted or received by immunized devices. The
Instant action, Living creatures cannot be affected, field can be turned on or off as a Main Action.
and the light is not bright enough to blind most. Soul Anchor: Requires two spell levels. The prosthesis
Once per day, you may cause the light created by encodes and anchors the user’s cerebral patterns
this ability to be perceptible only to you and up in a metadimensional overlay. The bearer auto-
to six visible allies of your choice. Neither mech- matically stabilizes at zero hit points, even if they
anisms nor other creatures will perceive such il- have fallen prey to Heavy weapon damage or other
lumination. conventionally unsurvivable physical injury. The
Parasympathetic Shadow Link: Requires two spell lev- only way to effectively kill the user is to spend
els. The user of this prosthesis can touch an allied a Main Action intentionally hacking or blasting
or cooperative Shadow to establish a sympathetic them apart or dissolving/burning/scattering
link between the two as a Main Action. While more than 90% of their body mass.
linked, the user and Shadow can share each oth- Storm Fist: Requires three spell levels. Once per scene,
ers’ senses, know each others’ location, and com- the prosthesis can focus a tremendous blast of ki-
municate telepathically as an Instant action. Any netic force and electrical energy on a single large
Mental saving throws either makes may be made object within sight. The object must be larger than
at a +2 bonus, using the best saving throw target a human being, such as a vehicle or a portion of a
between the two. If either is reduced to zero hit building. Triggering it requires two consecutive
points while the link is active, however, the oth- rounds spent directing the user’s Main Action to-
er must make a Hardiness save or lose half their ward creating the blast; if they take damage while
current hit points, rounded up. Dropping the link so focusing, the blast activates prematurely at a
can be done by either party and requires a Main random direction and object within 2d20 meters
Action. of the user. When the blast goes off, the target
Power Reservoir: Requires two spell levels. The pros- suffers 4d12 damage as if from a Heavy weapon;
thesis acts as an inexhaustible Type A power cell anything within 5 meters of it suffers 2d12 Heavy
to any one Readied piece of equipment you car- damage, with an Evasion save for half. The blast
ry, energizing it by simple proximity. You may is sufficient to punch a vehicle-sized hole in any-
change the item being fueled by it with a Main thing short of military fortifications.
144• Daemonic items

Daemonic Items
Any arcanotechnical item can theoretically be built to Sustaining: The Shadow can lend some of its own life
house a Shadow. Occasionally, due to carelessness in force to the bearer, if it likes them. The Shadow
design or excess risk-taking in development, an item can, as its own Instant action, transfer up to half
can find itself possessed by a Shadow during creation. of its usual maximum hit points to the bearer as
When either of these cases obtains, the GM should healing. A bearer can be Sustained by only one
use the adjacent table to determine the Shadow’s gener- daemon a day, and the daemon cannot use this
al attitude toward its bearer or creator. An intentional- ability more than once a week. +1 Difficulty.
ly-summed Shadow has probably been given a Princi- Vocal: Any Shadow can communicate through the nor-
ple appropriate to serving the item’s purpose, such as a mal display readouts or audio output of an arcan-
Myrmidon bound into a sword with the Principle “Help otech device, but a daemon with this quality can
my wielder slay mighty foes.”, but a randomly-inhab- cause the item to speak aloud even if it has no
iting Shadow may be profoundly unsuited for its body. parts that would allow it. Any sentient creature
Aside from the benefit of having an intelligent, understands it and it understands any sentient
self-operating item, mages sometimes bind daemons creature. +1 Difficulty.
into items in order to grant them additional powers.
The modifications below add to the difficulty of design-
ing the formula and forging the item itself, but do not d12 A Bound Daemon’s Attitude
add to the credit cost or Occult Lore cost. The abilities 1 It’s furious about being bound and only
listed below are merely some that a mage might be able wants the object destroyed.
to imbue with daemonic aid. 2 It’s determined to be used in great deeds
appropriate to its item type.
Berserking: Found only in weapons and armor, the It’s extremely mercenary and wants its
3
Shadow can drive its bearer into a berserk rage Principles advanced in exchange for any
as its Main Action, granting them +10 hit points, voluntary help it gives.
+2 to hit, and the ability to fight on for three
rounds after reaching zero hit points, though this 4 It misses a former user terribly and con-
time counts against any attempt to stabilize them stantly compares its current user to the
afterwards. Berserk users cannot cast spells or former in unflattering ways.
make non-physical skill checks. The berserk state 5 It loves being what it is, and wants to use
lasts until the user spends a Main Action to calm the item’s functionality as often as possible.
down and succeeds on a Mental save. If the bear- 6 It is grimly dedicated to a cause it was
er doesn’t want to go berserk, they must make a made to further, and will seek its advance-
Mental save to resist the daemon. +1 Difficulty. ment by means fair or foul.
Dancing: The Shadow can move and manipulate the It’s proud, and is insulted if the bearer does
7
item as if it were being held and operated by the not use it by preference over other items.
Shadow’s usual physical form and statistics, caus-
ing it to float through the air as if being carried. 8 It’s an enthusiastic yes-daemon, encour-
+2 Difficulty. aging even the user’s dumbest ideas with
Echoing: Used with Shadows that have some innate sycophantic zeal.
magical power, this tweak allows the Shadow to 9 It has a very alien mind, and tends to com-
lend the use of it to their bearer for one scene per municate its desire to pursue its Principles
day. Depending on the potency of the power, it in cryptic or disturbing ways.
might be a +1 or +2 Difficulty increase, or it might 10 It wants to experience as much of life as it
be simply too powerful to be allowed. vicariously can, and encourages its user to
Empowering: The Shadow charges the bearer with mys- take it with them into wild situations.
tic force once per day as an Instant action, if they It’s an unredeemable asshole, missing no
11
are well-disposed to the wielder. For the rest of chance to insult, belittle, and foil its user
the scene, the bearer gets +2 to hit, +1 on skill out of sheer petty spite unless its Principles
checks, and +10 hit points. +1 Difficulty. are served devotedly.
Loyal: If the Shadow actually likes or is at least coop-
erative with the wielder, they can summon the 12 It has an aura of gentle superiority, confi-
artifact to their hand from any intra-system dis- dent of its clearer, wiser, more enlightened
tance as a Main Action. The item and the effects attitude than that of its meaty bearer. It
or attacks it produces will never harm its Shad- gives much advice, half of which is excel-
ow-determined legitimate bearer. +1 Difficulty. lent and half of which is semi-lethal.
 Engram charges •145

Engram Charges
An engram charge is a crystallized, static, single-use
SANIS interface programmed with a single arcane spell. General and Universal Charges
Most engram charges take the form of glowing, crystal- Some engram charges are designed with a generalized
line jewels with the spell’s conventional identification interface, such that any mage can use the spell with-
inscribed on the exterior. Other charges are implanted in whether or not it’s part of their tradition’s corpus.
into small wands, folded origami, sealed glass vials, or These “general” engram charges are twice as expensive
other small, portable objects. as the usual kind, and more difficult to create, though
Due to the absence of any kind of guidance or di- they require no additional Occult Lore.
rection system in the charge, it is necessary for its user “Universal” charges are actually implanted with
to be a trained mage. Assuming their magical tradition a micro-Shadow actuator, one capable of casting the
is compatible with the spell implanted in the charge, entire spell from start to finish. As such, they can be
they can trigger it with their own SANIS interface and used even by non-mages, though they need to follow
let their own mind guide the resultant spell effect. the same casting procedure as usual. The cost of such
Once the spell contained within the charge is cast, charges is usually prohibitive for spells more compli-
the object disintegrates or collapses, its energies spent cated than the simplest incantations.
in a single moment. Universal charges are sometimes found on the
black market on magically-active worlds, particularly
Using an Engram Charge those imbued with spells of use to less-than-legal enter-
Using an engram charge works exactly the same as prises. Sometimes these charges work perfectly… and
casting a spell, except that it does not require vocaliza- sometimes they are “temperamental” in their effects.
tions or arcane gestures. The bearer must declare their
intention to use a charge at the start of the turn, have Creating Engram Charges
the charge Readied, and use it as a Main Action when Engram charges are unusually easy for mages to create,
their turn comes up. If the user is hurt before their turn as they’re really nothing more than the physical instan-
comes up, the effort is spoiled and they lose their Main tiation of the mental energy patterns they cultivate each
Action, though the engram charge is not wasted. Spells morning. As such, the usual rules for creating arcano-
cast as Instant or On Turn actions can be used equally tech are altered for engram charges.
quickly in engram form, if they are Readied. First, no formula is necessary for making an en-
The user must have the engram’s spell on their gram charge. An Arcanist can make engram charges of
class spell list, though they do not need to know it per- any spell they know, and a Magister can make charges
sonally. Thus, a Rectifier could not use a Neural Burn of any spell on their class list of a level they can cast.
Cascade engram, because that’s an Arcanist spell and Second, engram charges are never warm or hot.
their SANIS is not compatible with the protocol. They’re too simple and too self-contained to be the risk
The user does not need to be of an adequate level that more sophisticated arcanotech poses.
to cast the spell normally. A first level Rectifier could Third, creating an engram charge takes only one
use an engram charge to cast the fifth level Rectify spell, week instead of one research month. Only one charge
even if they couldn’t normally achieve such mighty sor- can be created at a time, but the effort can be completed
ceries. Spells cast from an engram charge are always in a week.
cast at the minimum necessary level for them to work. The Occult Lore points dedicated to an engram
Thus, first level spells are always cast as if by a first level charge’s creation are restored to the creator when the
caster, third level spells are always cast as if by a fifth charge is used, just as is always the case when one of
level caster, and so forth. their arcanotech items is destroyed or expended.
Credit Occult Lore Skill Level
Engram Charge Spell Level Cost Cost Required Difficulty
First level Arcanist or Magister spell 500 1 1 10
Second level Arcanist or Magister spell 1,000 2 1 11
Third level Arcanist or Magister spell 2,500 4 2 11
Fourth level Arcanist or Magister spell 5,000 8 2 12
Fifth level Arcanist or Magister spell 10,000 16 3 12

Usable by any mage, not just the same class x2 Same +0 +1

Usable by anyone, whether or not they’re a mage x4 Same +1 +2
146• Pattern weapons and armor

Pattern Weapons and Armor

“Pattern” weaponry and armor have been designed
to channel metadimensional force to augment their Types of Weapons and Armor
strength and effectiveness. Fortunately, this is a rela-
tively simple process; using metadimensional force to Armor of Celestial Dedication: Consecrated as a +2
make something strike harder or be more solid is far assault suit of powered armor that never needs
easier than shaping it into a less tangible result. recharging, this armor allows the wearer to dedi-
More critically, patterned weaponry is necessary cate themselves to a single Principle each morning
to harm powerful Shadows who are otherwise immune when they wake, at a cost of one point of System
to everything short of Heavy weapon damage. The Strain. For the rest of the day they are immune to
arcane energy the weapons conduct is capable of dis- mind-affecting magic that would contravene that
rupting the eldritch tissues of these Shadows in a way Principle, provided they remain true to it. The
that more conventional weaponry cannot. Of course, user gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws.
a wielder with sufficient focus and martial psychol- Asynchrony Knife: This small blade, equivalent to a +1
ogy can instinctively channel the same energies, but pattern small advanced melee weapon, is encoded
only Warriors and Arcane Warriors can rely on such to match the metadimensional frequencies of any
a mindset. Other classes are advised to reach for a pat- Shadow it harms. When the blade successfully hits
tern weapon when facing major Shadows. a Shadow, the wielder falls into dimensional asyn-
chrony with the target. Until the wielder sheaths
Pattern Gear Bonuses the blade, strikes another Shadow, or the scene
Pattern weapons come with a bonus, usually ranging ends, neither they nor the affected Shadow exist
from +1 to +3. The wielder adds this bonus to all hit to each other- they are invisible, intangible, inau-
and damage rolls, but does not normally add it to Shock. dible, and otherwise perceptible only by the effects
Firearms and other weapons that use ammunition can they have on objects around them. No attack, spell,
be pattern weapons, and in some rare cases mages have or other direct action of one can affect the other.
enchanted actual ammunition, but the two do not stack Auctoritas Weapon: Intended for use by great gener-
their bonus if used together als and martial leaders, these +3 pattern weapons
Pattern armor can be made out of any type of ar- grant their bearer an uncanny aura of leadership
mor, whether primitive hauberks, street leathers, com- and command. Enemies that face them directly in
bat field uniforms, or pretech powered armor. Prim- battle suffer a -2 penalty to Morale, and any soldier
itive armor that is turned into pattern armor loses its or warrior who believes they are under the legiti-
special vulnerability to advanced weaponry. mate authority of the bearer must make a Mental
Pattern armor also has a bonus, usually from +1 to saving throw to resist any command that is not
+3, that is added to the Armor Class it grants. Shields patently suicidal or entirely against their nature.
can also be enchanted as pattern armor, but a shield’s Blast Shield: A +2 force pavis, a Blast Shield is special-
magical bonus does not stack with magical armor; use ly tuned to protect the wielder against explosive
only whichever one is highest to add to the user’s AC. damage. When injured by a grenade, explosives,
For both weapons and armor, the cost of the base artillery strike, or other such damage, the wielder
item is added to the cost of creating the arcanotech. takes only half the usual damage, with an Evasion
save to take none at all.
Non-Standard Pattern Gear Courtier’s Harness: Always built as some form of +2
Aside from flat bonuses, some pattern gear is imbued street armor, this harness is meant for social situ-
with additional powers or special qualities. Sometimes ations more than battle. Once per scene the wearer
these unique formulas require the use of specific weap- can make a Wis/Talk or Wis/Connect skill check
ons or particular types of armor; if so, the description against difficulty 9 to identify the immediate so-
will specify as much. cial goal of anyone who is currently talking with
It is generally not possible to stack multiple dif- them. Attempts to deceive, to manipulate, or to
ferent special abilities on the same weapon or suit of redirect are made clear by this insight, albeit only
armor. An Asynchrony Knife cannot also be enchanted a sentence worth of description is gained.
with the qualities of a Hellfire Blade, even if the mage Furious Magazine: A standard Type A energy cell or
is willing to develop a new formula that includes both unremarkable rifle magazine, this enchanted mag-
effects. GMs might bend this guideline with certain azine magically alters itself to fit any man-portable
special artifacts or wondrous items. energy or projectile weapon. It makes the attached
It’s not at all uncommon for powerful non-stan- weapon into a +1 pattern weapon. If the user rolls
dard pattern gear to have a daemon embedded in it. 18+ on their hit roll, the weapon automatically
Sometimes it’s even a cooperative daemon. makes a second attack at the same target, rolling
 Pattern weapons and armor •147

Credit Occult Lore Skill Level

Pattern Weapons and Armor Cost* Cost Required Difficulty
Pattern Weapon (+1/+2/+3) 5K/25K/125K 10/20/40 2/3/4 9/11/13
Pattern Armor (+1/+2/+3) 5K/25K/125K 10/20/40 2/3/4 9/11/13

Armor of Celestial Dedication 100K 25 3 12

Asynchrony Knife 20K 15 3 11
Auctoritas Weapon 150K 45 4 13
Blast Shield 35K 25 2 11
Courtier's Harness 60K 30 3 13
Furious Magazine 25K 15 2 10
Hellfire Blade 50K 25 3 12
Omened Pistol 150K 45 4 13
Pavis of Regret 250K 60 4 14
Revenant Suit 25K 15 2 11
Terminus Weapon 75K 25 3 12
Vaulting Weapon 50K 25 3 12
* Item costs do not include the base cost of the weapon or armor being enchanted

a separate attack roll at the same bonus as the first. unique ability; any creature injured by it cannot
The magazine has effectively unlimited ammo. have hit point damage healed by arcane means
Hellfire Blade: Found as an advanced melee weapon, for twenty-four hours afterwards, including by
this +2 pattern weapon ignites with a searing psychic abilities. A creature killed by a terminus
heat at the user’s command. While lit, it can cut weapon cannot be revivified, either by lazarus
through solid objects as if it were a TL4 cutting patches, psychic abilities, or natural regeneration.
laser and inflicts +2 bonus damage and Shock. Vaulting Weapon: Always found as some form of +2
Omened Pistol: Invariably appearing as some form of melee weapon, a Vaulting weapon allows the
pistol or revolver, these +3 pattern weapons can bearer to use their Move action to close with any
be predestined to kill particular enemies. By ac- chosen target within 10 meters, leaping or flying
cepting a point of System Strain and nominating a to engage them. The user must attack the target
visible target, the pistol will always and inevitably with lethal intent at the end of the vault, using
succeed on hit rolls against that target - and inev- their Main Action accordingly. If engaging a fly-
itably miss all other targets - until the nominated ing enemy, the user does not fall afterwards, but
foe is dead or the scene ends. remains engaged with the target and moves along
Pavis of Regret: These legendary +3 pattern deflector with them at the same rate they move. If the target
arrays use arcane dimensional mathematics to dies, the user floats gently to the ground. The user
quantify and reallocate the regrets of the dying. may not target inanimate objects for a vault.
Any visible sentient creature who has died within
the past five minutes can be restored to life and Pattern Gear and Mods
one hit point and maximized System Strain if the
wearer personally kills another visible sentient There are times when the PCs might want to have
creature within that time. Targets cannot benefit the party technician mod an arcanotech device,
from this power more than once.. applying additional benefits to the gear.
Revenant Suit: Built as a +1 combat field uniform, a If the mod does not boost the weapon’s hit or
Revenant Suit is made to keep the user fighting damage roll or armor’s AC, it is applied normally.
even after they’re clinically dead. If the wearer is If the mod adds to the weapon’s hit or damage
reduced to zero hit points, the suit will keep them roll, it stacks with a pattern item’s bonus up to
standing and automatically use its next action to a maximum of +3 to hit and +3 to damage. Any
apply any stim, healing device, or lazarus patch to bonus above this level is wasted.
the unconscious wearer, as if with Heal-1 skill. It After each mod is installed, the tech rolls an
will continue to attempt to heal or stabilize the Int/Fix skill check against the item’s creation dif-
user until they are completely dead. ficulty. On a failure, cold items turn warm, and
Terminus Weapon: A terminus weapon can be built as warm items turn hot.
any form of +2 pattern weapon with a particular
148• Creating new arcanotech

Creating New Arcanotech

It’s inevitable that the player of a mage is going to come
to the GM with ideas for new arcanotech. This is en- Pricing New Items
tirely fair and proper, but there are a few guidelines a As a general rule of thumb, arcanotech prices fall into
GM can use when figuring out whether or not the idea a few simple categories.
and pricing is appropriate. Consumable single-use items should be priced the
First, is the item simply a stat stick? Does it just way engram charges are priced. Consider their effect,
add bonuses to hit rolls, damage, or skill checks? Gen- decide what level of spell it’s roughly equal to, and use
erally, such items should not be allowed. If you let PCs the price, Occult Lore requirements, and difficulty
pile on items that simply crank up their attributes and check for a corresponding engram charge. Use the base
sheet numbers, they will inevitably be incentivized to price for it, not the universal or general costs.
pour on as many of these trinkets as they can make. In Items with limited charges should be priced as an
a fantasy game it can be acceptable for individual PCs engram charge at +1 difficulty, +20% credit cost per
to be mighty demigods of sorcerously-titanic personal charge, and +1 Occult Lore per charge. Items with
might, but most sci-fi games work best with altogether more than a dozen charges shouldn’t generally be al-
more human-scale PCs. lowed unless it’s the kind of item that the PCs could
There are some items that don’t do anything more actually end up draining within a session or two if used
than add bonuses, such as pattern weapons and armor, at ever useful opportunity.
but their existence is secured by tradition and the gen- Minor permanent arcanotech should average from
eral expectations of most gaming groups. Any other 10,000 to 30,000 credits, 15 to 25 Occult Lore, and diffi-
flat stat-boosters should be ones the GM designs and culties of 10 to 11. This is a significant chunk of credits,
places intentionally. but by 3rd or 4th level a mage in most campaigns will
Second, is the item a categorical problem-solver? have this much disposable cash and uncommitted Oc-
Does it remove an entire class of obstacles from the cult Lore. If they need to develop the formula for the
PC’s life? In a limited sense, this is okay. Removing item as well, however, rather than persuading an NPC
“There’s a wall in our way.” or “We’re being chased to part with it or finding it on an adventure, it may be
by animals.” or “The environment is full of toxic gas.” beyond their budget… and an excellent adventure hook.
won’t invalidate any large class of problems that PCs Significant permanent arcanotech should average
may face. from 40,000 to 100,000 credits, 25 to 35 Occult Lore,
It becomes a problem when the item solves chal- and difficulties of 11 or 12. At this level, affording an
lenges like, “This NPC won’t do what I want them to item is a substantial expense, but many parties with
do.” or “The enemies have guns.” or “I died.” Even in access to starships and the kind of money that mid-level
these cases, one-shot items or ones with extremely spe- adventurers can make can manage to stump up the cash.
cific or demanding situational limits may make them The main limiting factor is the Occult Lore needed, and
okay, but generally you don’t want to shut the door on the very real chance that a PC mage not specialized in
entire large classes of problems with a new item. Know Magic could fail the creation check and require
Third, does the item invalidate another PC? This more credits to finish the work.
is a very campaign-specific concern, but it’s one a GM Major arcanotech begins at 125,000 credits and
needs to take seriously. If a proposed magic item steals goes up to a million or more. Anything bigger than
the spotlight from another PC in the party, it’s not a this is likely going to have to be constructed as a major
good item. If the Arcanist comes up with a magic item work of arcane infrastructure, with multiple smaller
that would make him a competitor to the Warrior in components and entire adventures revolving around
combat effectiveness, the item isn’t a good fit. It’s not integrating it together. Occult Lore costs start at 40
necessarily because of some cosmic appeal to game bal- and can range to 60 or higher. Difficulties begin at 12
ance, but because it’d likely irk the party’s Warrior to and might reach 14 or 15. Building a major piece of
have their shtick borrowed by a PC who already has arcanotech is almost certainly going to be a party-wide
their own special perks. Problems with specific people effort unless the mage has been assiduously saving their
at your table are always more significant than abstract Occult Lore points or holding off on spell acquisition
problems with theoretical other tables. or other uses of the resource.
If the item isn’t simply a mechanical stat-booster, All of these numbers are calibrated to an ordinary
it doesn’t take too large a set of challenges off the table, campaign, with a semi-predictable amount of cash and
and it doesn’t step on any other PC’s conceptual toes, Occult Lore flowing through it. As the GM, you should
then it’s probably all right to accept. Of course, then always be willing to tweak these numbers to fit the
one needs to price it properly in credits, Occult Lore, particular economics of your own campaign and the
and difficulty, which can be somewhat of a challenge amount of arcanotech you want to see in it. You might
at times. even omit it entirely if it’s too much work for you.
 Arcanotech rewards •149

Arcanotech Rewards
How much arcanotech should you place in your cam-
paign for PCs to find and use? How easy should it be for
a PC mage to make arcanotech? Any working GM is
going to wonder about these questions, but the answers
will depend to a great extent on the particular style of
your own campaign.
The basic rubric for rewards and loot applies to ar-
canotech as much as it does to any other treasure; put it
where it makes sense in your world. Any two-bit space
pirate might have a heirloom arcanotech artifact in his
dufflebag, but expensive hardware generally shows up
in the hands of important people. Finding arcanotech
on ordinary people should be a surprise, but finding it
in the hands of powerful, rich, influential NPCs and
their favorite minions should be fairly predictable.
A small-scale mob boss, pirate lord, lostworlder
chieftain, or independent sorcerer is likely to have one
permanent item of the same approximate value as a
+1 pattern weapon. They may have that many credits
worth of temporary or single-use items such as engram
charges in place of this permanent item.
A major criminal overlord, substantial pirate chief-
tain, alien leader, or other significant NPC player in the Item Credit Rewards
area might have a +2 pattern weapon, or its general Making arcanotech is expensive, and it’s not at all im-
value in other items. possible that a party with a mage in it will prefer to
A planetary ruler or someone on that level will spend their credits on other things, such as spaceship
probably have a +3 pattern item or a mix of lesser ar- fittings, shiny new armor, or space-beer and alien
canotech. If they have lieutenants or minions, those prostitutes. This can leave a mage PC frustrated, as
NPCs will be independently outfitted as per the guide- the group may not be willing to spend the money they
lines above, depending on how important they are. would need to actually make any significant items.
From this baseline, move the abundance of tech As a response, a GM can insert rewards in the form
up or down depending on how common it is in your of arcanotech components, raw materials, and esoteric
sector. If everybody is enthusiastic about arcanotech, substances that are only useful for making arcanotech.
double the values above. If it’s rare, esoteric, and lit- These components can be assigned a credit value, but
tle-trusted, halve them. they’re only useful for making arcanotech, and the ex-
When placing unowned arcanotech, such as loot istence of counterfeits and fakes makes it difficult to sell
found in an alien ruin, just think back to the original “salvaged” components on the open market. Without a
owner. How important were they? How much arcan- certified trail of custody on those resonant runic cores,
otech would they have had access to? Once you know a buyer could be getting anything.
who originally owned the stuff, you can figure out how Mages and other arcane workers are the NPCs
much of it ought to be left in their personal effects, most likely to have such components for the PCs to
assuming none was taken by their survivors. “liberate”, along with troves found in the ruined resi-
It’s entirely legitimate to throw an arcanotech item dences of such people. A mage with no particular aspi-
into an ordinary space-peasant’s possession too, if you rations to be an arcanotech artificer might have noth-
feel like it. All manner of people might have heirloom ing, but one who makes such items will usually have a
items or have dug something up they didn’t understand. variable amount of goods depending on their hit dice.
If you do this, however, you should have some vague A mage with 1 to 3 hit dice probably has no com-
idea of how the person got their hands on such an ex- ponents worth mentioning. One with 4 to 6 hit dice
pensive, semi-legal piece of hardware and what they has about 2,500 credits worth per hit die. One with
intend to do with it. 7 or more hit dice likely has 5,000 credits per hit die
It’s also legitimate for the party to decide that they available in their laboratory.
want a particular item, and then spend an adventure It’s also quite possible for occult-minded patrons
or two locating such a device and acquiring it from its to offer such rewards as payment to PCs for their work.
current possessors. Such enthusiasms are ready-made The amounts above can be used as general guidelines
adventure hooks that considerably ease a GM’s job. for how much a given NPC would be able to pay.
150•Index

INDEX
A Grimoires 100

Academic tradition 14 H
Adepts 17
Arcane Expert and Arcane Warrior Foci 92–97 Haze. See Spells, Haze
Arcane Experts 30 Heat, Arcanotech 131
Arcane physiokinetics 15 Heritor traditions 14
Arcane Research 98–109 K
Occult Lore 98
Research Months 99 Know Magic Skill 21
Arcane Warriors 31
Arcanists 18, 32–33 M
Spell List 64–71
Arcanoprostheses 142–143 Magic Items. See Objects of Power
Arcanotech. See Objects of Power Magic Weapons and Armor. See Pattern Weapons
and Armor
C Magisters 19

Cast Magic Skill 21 N

Classes
Adepts 17 Nominalists 11
Arcane Experts 30
Arcane Warriors 31 O
Arcanists 18, 32–33
Free Nexus 34–37
Objects of Power 130–149
Arcanoprostheses 142
Godhunter 38–41
Arcanotechnical Artifacts 138–141
Magisters 19
Arcanotech Rewards 149
Pacter 42–45
Buying and Selling 133
Rectifier 46–49
Creating 104, 133–134
Sunblade 50–53
Creating New Arcanotech 148
War Mage 54–57
Daemonic Devices 135
Yama King 58–61
Daemonic Items 144
Engram Charges 145
D Formulas 135
Daemonic Items 144 Heat 131
Daemons 135 Identification 132
Large-Scale 136
Duration 63
Pattern Weapons and Armor 146–147
E Occult Lore 98

Engram Charges 145 P

F Pacter 42–45
Spell List 72–77
Foci 90–97 Pattern Weapons and Armor 146–147
Arcane Expert and Arcane Warrior Foci 92–97 Principles. See Shadows, Principles
General Arcane Foci 90–91 Psionics
Focus. See Spells, Focus and Spellcasting 16, 24
Formulas
Arcanotech 135 R
Shadows 105
Free Nexus 34–37 Range 63
Realists 11
G Rectifier 46–49
Spell List 78–83
General Arcane Foci 90–91 Research Months 99
Godhunter 38–41
Grimoire 14
 Index •151

S Focus 23
Haze 23
SANIS interface 8, 14 Learning 22
Shadows 10, 114–129 Preparing 21
Controlling Shadows 117 Range 63
Cults 11 Slots 20
Deceiver 118 Surge 23
Devourer 119 Targets 63
Drudge 119 Visibility 63
Eaten God 120 Street Magic 4, 7
Goblin 120 Sunblade 50–53
Heresiarch 121 Surge. See Spells, Surge
Lesser Servitor 122 Sword and Planet 4–5
Liber Damnatus 122
Manipulatory Manifestation 122 T
Minion 123
Myrmidon 123 Targets 63
Odalisque 123
Principles 116 V
Render 124
Shadow Chariot 124 Visibility 63
Shadow Cults 127–129
Stellar Phoenix 125 W
Summoning Shadows 117
Vigilant 125 War Mage 54–57
Spell List 84–89
Space Fantasy 4, 6
Spells Y
Casting 21–22
Developing 62 Yama King 58–61
Duration 63