Godworkers and Conjurers (Part I)

The First of Two Magic-Using Character Classes for Secrets of sha-Arthan

The da-Ashur or “Eternal Knot,” a popular protection against sorcery across the many cultures of sha-Arthan

Last week, I offered a broad overview of how magic is understood and practiced in sha-Arthan. This time, I want to dig a little deeper and look at how it actually works for player characters.

While there are actually a number of different magic-using classes in the game, two are widespread across all the regions, societies, and cultures of the True World: the godworker and the conjurer.

Over the next two posts, I’ll focus on these types in game-mechanical terms, starting today with the conjurer (the godworker will follow next week). Their place in society, the reputations they carry, and the ways ordinary people regard them are topics I’ll save for another time, since they deserve a proper treatment of their own. I’ve got a lot to share and I’d rather not cram everything into a single post.

Conjurer

You wail to the dead, howl to the night, and wring secrets from brittle bones. What others curse as blasphemy, you breathe as life.

Abilities: –1 Agility, +2 Willpower, –1 Toughness

HP: d8 ± Toughness. Fortune: d2. Necessity: d4.

You begin with:

• a spirit bell or bone rattle (counts as a weapon, d2 dmg, may startle spirits)

• Effigy pouch with 1d4 wax or clay dolls

• A sorcerer’s bag (used in spells)

• One forbidden relic (see below)

• 2 random Chthonic Spells (see below). If the same spell is rolled twice, choose one from the list.

Chthonic Spells (d12)

Roll Willpower + d4 every morning to determine how many spells you can cast each day. The same spell may be cast several times per day. All require chanting, sacrifice, or filthy rites to enact. Failure (DR12 Willpower unless stated otherwise) may have consequences, as detailed in the descriptions below.

Additional spells may be learned by finding ancient scrolls, codices, etc. or by seeking out training from more experienced conjurers.

1. Blood Binding

Use a drop of blood and a doll (which is consumed) to inflict damage on a known target once per casting. d4 damage if caster’s blood is used, d8 if target’s.

2. Chill of the Tomb

Touch causes d8 cold damage to target, who acts last next round. If damage kills, the soul of the target remains trapped in your breath (usable once later for a +4 bonus or secret known to the target).

3. Curse-Eater

You swallow a curse meant for another (e.g. poison, possession, etc.) and suffer d4 damage.

4. Dreadful Utterance

Speak a forgotten name. One creature becomes terrified (Morale test) or suffers -d6 to its next roll.

5. Feign Death

For 1 hour, you can pass as a corpse, undead, or soulless.

6. Feast for the Dead

Place rotting food or bones and chant. Summons a hungry shade that attacks your enemies — or you, on failure. Test Presence D12 to deal 2d4 damage and ignore armor of 1 target. Fumble: the shade attacks you.

7. Gaze of Dust

Your eyes blacken. You can see sorcery and magical effects. Lasts until next sunrise. Causes 1 HP damage.

8. Lantern of Worms

A fistful of soil and spit becomes a writhing lantern of pale worms. For 1 hour, it sheds sickly light in 30 ft and reveals the unseen: invisible, hidden, or spirits glow faintly.

9. Liminal Step

Step through shadow and appear within 100ft in a place the dead could go (graves, behind doors, cracks).

10. Mouth of the Grave

You vomit black earth and bile, creating a small pit. Anything buried in it is hidden from divination or scrying.

11. Obscene Bargain

Call upon a daimon. It answers one plea — healing, escape, a secret — but demands something in return. The referee decides the cost.

12. Wail of the Ancients

Let out a scream that causes all within 30ft to test Morale or flee. Undead are drawn to it instead (1d2 appear).

Forbidden Relics (d6)

Unless otherwise stated, relics can be used once per day. After using a relic, test Presence DR12. If you fumble, the relic is permanently destroyed and you lose d2 HP.

1. Cracked Skull of a Seer: Whispers future calamity: +1 to initiative or tests against ambush.

2. Flesh Amulet: Negate damage from single attack by having the amulet bleed and scream in your place.

3. Scroll of Howling Dust: Use to blind and disorient a single foe for d4 rounds unless he succeeds an Agility DR14 test.

4. Spine-Clasp Robe: When worn, spirits avoid you. Allies within 10’ suffer -1 Willpower tests when near.

5. Talon of the Nameless Bird: Offers guidance when hung over a map or path.

6. Worm-Tongued Ring: Can speak with insects or vermin; they bear hidden messages.