Post by Skir on Nov 14, 2012 11:54:06 GMT -8
Blood Magic Ritual Creation
The versatility and adaptability of the various forms of blood magic is what makes these disciplines so powerful in comparison to others. The ability to create a new ritual for any given task is a key part of that adaptability. To that end we have codified a system for players to create new rituals for use with blood magic disciplines. For further reference, blood magic refers to any discipline possessing paths and rituals, including Akhu (formerly called "Setite Sorcery"), Dur-An-Ki (formerly called "Assamite Sorcery"), Koldunic Sorcery (Tzimisce kolduns), Nahuallotl (Tlacique), Sadhana, Sihr, Thaumaturgy (Tremere), Wanga (primarily Serpents of the Light), Dark Thaumaturgy, Mortis, or Necromancy.
Before this process can even begin, the creator must submit and have approved a full text written version of the ritual they wish to create. This includes level, casting time, components, and a complete description of the effects. Once the staff has signed off on the final version of the ritual, the process can begin.
A new ritual is created by an extended Intelligence + Occult check, with successive checks made weekly. The checks are made at a difficulty of 5 + the level of the ritual being created, and the creator must achieve a number of successes equal to 15x the level of the ritual. A failure on any one of these checks does not ruin the process but does represent an error that must now be overcome. No progress is made that week and all further checks in the process are made at +1 difficulty. A botch on any one of these checks represents a catastrophic failure and ruins the entire process, requiring the caster to start again from the beginning. A botch also causes some kind of catastrophic mishap similar to botching a Thaumaturgy roll. As this is an extended check, Willpower cannot be spent on this process. In addition to the success requirement, there is a time component as well to represent appropriate testing to work out the final kinks in the process. A new ritual takes a minimum of one month per level of the ritual, even if the required successes are achieved before the minimum time.
Example 1: Gino Giovanni has an idea for a new 3rd level ritual. He has an Intelligence of 3 and an Occult of 4 giving a pool of 7 dice. The difficulty to create this ritual will be 8, reducing Gino’s pool by 2 and giving him 5 dice to check with each week, granting an average of 3 successes. Gino must achieve 45 successes to complete this process. Therefore assuming he tests average, he will finish the ritual in 15 weeks.
Example 2: Theresa Tremere also wants to create a new 3rd level ritual. She has an Intelligence of 4 and an Occult of 5 and also has an Occult Library of 4. She will make the checks with a total dice pool of 11 at -2 difficulty due to her library. The base difficulty is still 8, but it is reduced to 6 for the library leaving her with 11 dice to check with each week, granting an average of 6 successes. Assuming she tests average she will garner the required successes in 8 weeks. Even though she completed the research so quickly, she still must finish testing all variables and thus the ritual will be complete once the 3 month minimum period has passed.
Once created, you must keep a stamped printed copy of the ritual on you at all times at game to use the ritual so that anyone that wishes to may reference the text of the new power.
The extensive research process may limit the use of certain kinds of time consuming downtime actions, such as creating masterwork art, researching other rituals and powers, or patrols.
The versatility and adaptability of the various forms of blood magic is what makes these disciplines so powerful in comparison to others. The ability to create a new ritual for any given task is a key part of that adaptability. To that end we have codified a system for players to create new rituals for use with blood magic disciplines. For further reference, blood magic refers to any discipline possessing paths and rituals, including Akhu (formerly called "Setite Sorcery"), Dur-An-Ki (formerly called "Assamite Sorcery"), Koldunic Sorcery (Tzimisce kolduns), Nahuallotl (Tlacique), Sadhana, Sihr, Thaumaturgy (Tremere), Wanga (primarily Serpents of the Light), Dark Thaumaturgy, Mortis, or Necromancy.
Before this process can even begin, the creator must submit and have approved a full text written version of the ritual they wish to create. This includes level, casting time, components, and a complete description of the effects. Once the staff has signed off on the final version of the ritual, the process can begin.
A new ritual is created by an extended Intelligence + Occult check, with successive checks made weekly. The checks are made at a difficulty of 5 + the level of the ritual being created, and the creator must achieve a number of successes equal to 15x the level of the ritual. A failure on any one of these checks does not ruin the process but does represent an error that must now be overcome. No progress is made that week and all further checks in the process are made at +1 difficulty. A botch on any one of these checks represents a catastrophic failure and ruins the entire process, requiring the caster to start again from the beginning. A botch also causes some kind of catastrophic mishap similar to botching a Thaumaturgy roll. As this is an extended check, Willpower cannot be spent on this process. In addition to the success requirement, there is a time component as well to represent appropriate testing to work out the final kinks in the process. A new ritual takes a minimum of one month per level of the ritual, even if the required successes are achieved before the minimum time.
Example 1: Gino Giovanni has an idea for a new 3rd level ritual. He has an Intelligence of 3 and an Occult of 4 giving a pool of 7 dice. The difficulty to create this ritual will be 8, reducing Gino’s pool by 2 and giving him 5 dice to check with each week, granting an average of 3 successes. Gino must achieve 45 successes to complete this process. Therefore assuming he tests average, he will finish the ritual in 15 weeks.
Example 2: Theresa Tremere also wants to create a new 3rd level ritual. She has an Intelligence of 4 and an Occult of 5 and also has an Occult Library of 4. She will make the checks with a total dice pool of 11 at -2 difficulty due to her library. The base difficulty is still 8, but it is reduced to 6 for the library leaving her with 11 dice to check with each week, granting an average of 6 successes. Assuming she tests average she will garner the required successes in 8 weeks. Even though she completed the research so quickly, she still must finish testing all variables and thus the ritual will be complete once the 3 month minimum period has passed.
Once created, you must keep a stamped printed copy of the ritual on you at all times at game to use the ritual so that anyone that wishes to may reference the text of the new power.
The extensive research process may limit the use of certain kinds of time consuming downtime actions, such as creating masterwork art, researching other rituals and powers, or patrols.
