Sorcery Spells for Courtly Intrigues

[alex_greene]

I've had a look at the list of sorcery spells in the core rulebook, and I wondered what I could do with the list to include spells of a more subtle type, to be used in courtly intrigue.

Some spell titles I've created so far ...

Alter Consciousness
Alter Memory
Awkwardness
Read Passion

Want more?

 

[Dan True]

Hm, something for making pretty lights and sound (for entertainment), gently manouvers over distance (for putting poison into a cup) and something for being able to hear a distance away.

- Dan

 

[alex_greene]

Hm, something for making pretty lights and sound (for entertainment), gently manouvers over distance (for putting poison into a cup) and something for being able to hear a distance away.
- Dan

Phantom Sense already exists, but I thought that the grimoire also needs Mirage to create mental illusions - because Phantom Sense creates realistic illusions everybody can see, but I need to create spells that make people see things that exist only inside their own minds.

Apportation also needs putting in there somewhere, both to teleport incriminating evidence into pockets and to do things like extract the keys to the cell from the slumbering guard. Could also do with some kind of telekinesis for the same, as well as the sneaky dosing of goblets, though generally slipping the help a gold ducat to put essence of Valerian into His Majesty's wine tends to be just as effective as Sorcery there, and saves the mage valuable magic points.

I'm actually looking at some of the Disciplines from Vampire: the Requiem for inspiration for some of the spells in this grimoire of alternative sorcery spells I'm compiling.

 

[Dan True]

Phantom Sense already exists, but I thought that the grimoire also needs Mirage to create mental illusions - because Phantom Sense creates realistic illusions everybody can see, but I need to create spells that make people see things that exist only inside their own minds.

You mean the other way around, right? As far as I have understood it, Phantom(Sense) only affects targets and not others. I was talking of a general-purpose spell which everyone can see.. else they won't be very good as entertainment/distration, which could be very useful.

- Dan

 

[Simulacrum]

I like this stuff. Has turned my mind back to a possible AoT supplement Assabian Rites with a whole bunch of novel magic in it from the cradle of sorcery.

Forget would be a pretty powerful spell. I wonder whether the Duration would affect how much time back from the point of casting is forgotten, or how long the loss of memory lasts - the other perhaps scaled by the Intensity (Grimoire/10). Perhaps it is a charm, like Temporary Enchantment in Spellcom/Arcana of Legend, which is permanent as long as Magic Points are dedicated to it.

Read Passion - like that too. Perhaps at low levels of grimoire skill (say 01-25) it reveals that a person has a driving Passion, and whether it is positive or negative (Love/Loyalty vs Hate), at 26-50 it tells you specifically what it is, at 51-75 it reveals the % value, 76-100 it tells you why they have it. Or something... (this all off top of my head and may be utter nonsense).

Awkwardness - perhaps that reduces target's CHA based skills by 5% per Intensity, and also increases their fumble chance by 1% per Intensity. Maybe it's one skill per target, rather than one person affected?

For court intrigue magic does need to be concealed - this depends on whether magic is visible when cast, or can be made invisible by combining with a Mask Magic type spell.

It may be there are a bunch of spells of this sort in one of the RQII Glorantha books or in Spellcom - I don't have those in front of me right now

 

[Redcrow]

How about a spell that acts like a magical version of the Seduction skill?

 

[Harshlax]

How about a spell that acts like a magical version of the Seduction skill?

For a moment I wondered if one of Uleria's classic spells from Gods of Glorantha for RQ3 would meet the need but sadly no. I miss the inclusion of that spell, but I'm not sure it's OK to discuss it a "family" forum. :twisted:

 

[PhilHibbs]

One neat trick with subject-specific illusions is that Phantom Touch can actually make physical objects that are only real for that person - everyone laughed at the trickster with the Hallucinate spell until he conjured a magic ladder that only he could climb and escaped from the wolf pack that everyone else had to fight their way through.

 

[PhilHibbs]

For a moment I wondered if one of Uleria's classic spells from Gods of Glorantha for RQ3 would meet the need but sadly no. I miss the inclusion of that spell, but I'm not sure it's OK to discuss it a "family" forum. :twisted:

Not Uleria! That's Gorgorma you're thinking of.

 

[Mixster]

One neat trick with subject-specific illusions is that Phantom Touch can actually make physical objects that are only real for that person - everyone laughed at the trickster with the Hallucinate spell until he conjured a magic ladder that only he could climb and escaped from the wolf pack that everyone else had to fight their way through.

Nah, he really couldn't. Phantom (Sense) says that the things are psychosomatic in nature, and I don't think the wolves care how much you "think" you've just climbed a ladder. They are still gonna eat you.

 

[soltakss]

I think he means Erotocomatose Lucidity. This can be used as an attack spell as it incapacitates the target for a certain time, so someone else could stab them in the back or hold them in an Acid Touch embrace.

I had a Krarshti Courtesan/Assassin NPC who traded for Erotocomatose Lucidity and had Acid Touch (I think that's what it was called in RQ3), she cast both spells at an opportune moment and just waited for the victim to dissolve in her arms..

 

[alex_greene]

Cool. I just dug up my truly ancient copy of Gods of Glorantha, and there it was.

Uleria.


Actually, considering the source material, the Courtesan skill seemed pretty open about the subject matter. At least, for a RPG book published in 1985.

 

[PhilHibbs]

One neat trick with subject-specific illusions is that Phantom Touch can actually make physical objects that are only real for that person - everyone laughed at the trickster with the Hallucinate spell until he conjured a magic ladder that only he could climb and escaped from the wolf pack that everyone else had to fight their way through.

Nah, he really couldn't. Phantom (Sense) says that the things are psychosomatic in nature, and I don't think the wolves care how much you "think" you've just climbed a ladder. They are still gonna eat you.

Ah, they changed that from AHRQ. Shame.

 

[Harshlax]

I think he means Erotocomatose Lucidity. This can be used as an attack spell as it incapacitates the target for a certain time, so someone else could stab them in the back or hold them in an Acid Touch embrace.

I had a Krarshti Courtesan/Assassin NPC who traded for Erotocomatose Lucidity and had Acid Touch (I think that's what it was called in RQ3), she cast both spells at an opportune moment and just waited for the victim to dissolve in her arms..

:twisted: That's the one. Some great flavour spells in AHRQ3, Gods of Glorantha. Particularly Peaceful Cut, a 1pt Spirit Magic (would be common magic now). All it does is ensure the soul of the animal you just hunted and killed goes to the Beast Mother for reincarnation. I heard of a game where one player playing a hunter fumbled his cast roll and burned his Divine Intervention to ensure the spirit went where it should.

 

[Mixster]

Ah, they changed that from AHRQ. Shame.

The spell is still pretty awesome, since it should be able to lock enemies out of the fight by giving them the sensation that they are falling. Or making them think they stumble every time they take a step.

I kindda like the other way of doing it, but I think it could very easily be abused.

 

[alex_greene]

I had a Krarshti Courtesan/Assassin NPC who traded for Erotocomatose Lucidity and had Acid Touch (I think that's what it was called in RQ3), she cast both spells at an opportune moment and just waited for the victim to dissolve in her arms..

So she ends up covered in wet, yucky, highly corrosive human goo? Why couldn't she have just poisoned his drink?

 

[PhilHibbs]

I had a Krarshti Courtesan/Assassin NPC who traded for Erotocomatose Lucidity and had Acid Touch (I think that's what it was called in RQ3), she cast both spells at an opportune moment and just waited for the victim to dissolve in her arms..

So she ends up covered in wet, yucky, highly corrosive human goo? Why couldn't she have just poisoned his drink?

Because that isn't gross and disturbing? It's one thing t be assassinated, but if you have a rep for assassinating people on a highly unpleasant manner, people will talk about it for generations. You might even be able to start your own subcult.

 

[alex_greene]

It's one thing to be assassinated, but if you have a rep for assassinating people on a highly unpleasant manner, people will talk about it for generations. You might even be able to start your own subcult.

Poison worked well enough for the Borgias.

 

[Dan True]

So she ends up covered in wet, yucky, highly corrosive human goo? Why couldn't she have just poisoned his drink?

Well.. I think some people pay for trying that...

 

[alex_greene]

Well.. I think some people pay for trying that...

Apart from the corrosive stuff, and the whole "I'm covered in dead liquid Senator" thing, you have the makings of the equivalent of the Cult of Cybele for your setting.

Well, I might have the makings of the equivalent of the Cult of Cybele at any rate ...