From: Andrew South
I wrote this College after reading Stephen Donaldson's books about
Imagers. It would probably fit neatly into the Thaumaturgies.
Cheers,
Andy South.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE COLLEGE OF IMAGING MAGICS
Mankind has always been fascinated with mirrors and other reflective
objects. Many primitive cultures have held the belief that mirrors have
magical properties, and that a person's reflection is, in some way, an
integral part of his own being. The existence of the College of Imaging
Magics would tend to confirm the correctness of these beliefs. Reflected
images are the source of an Imager's power; it is unimportant whether they
reside in a mirror, a pool of water, or in some other reflective surface.
The very nature of this type of magic suggests that it will be extremely
uncommon in cultures that are unable to manufacture some form of reflective
material (whether through lack of technology or lack of suitable materials).
Imagers can be very powerful in the right situation, but they are subject to
some significant limitations on much of their magic. Most of their spells
require proximity to a reflective surface, which is used to provide the
reflection that the adept intends to manipulate. Where a spell requires a
creature or object to pass through a reflective surface (such as the Portal,
Gateway, and Doorway spells), it must at least be large enough to
accommodate the item or entity concerned. The GM should also bear in mind
the fact that some creatures (most notably vampires) have no reflections.
These creatures cannot be affected by any of the following spells; Double
Image, Shatter, Narcissism, Steal Reflection, and Conjure Image. Creatures
that have had their reflection stolen via the Steal Reflection spell (ImS-6)
are also immune to these spells, unless the reflective surface being used to
cast the spell is the one in which their reflection has been imprisoned.
I. Restrictions
Adepts of the College of Imaging Magics may practise their arts without
restriction.
II. Modifications
The Base Chance of performing any talent, spell or ritual of this College is
modified by the addition of the following numbers:
Adept is using a truesilver mirror as a reflective surface +5
Adept is using a silver or bronze mirror as a reflective surface 0
Adept is using a still pool of water as a reflective surface -5
Adept is using an irregular surface (e.g. a silvered sword) as a -10
reflective surface
Adept is casting a spell on a creature whose reflection has been +20
stolen via ImS-6, and is using the reflective surface in which
the stolen reflection resides
III. Talents
ImT-1. Alter Image
This talent allows the adept to change a reflected image to look like
anything he desires. This ability has a Base Chance of 30% (+3/Rank), and
remains in effect for as long as the adept continues to concentrate. Once
control over the image has been established, the adept can cause it to
change at will into anything else that he is capable of devising. The
Experience Multiple for this talent is 75.
IV. General Knowledge Spells
ImG-1. Double Image
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: 5 minutes + 3/Rank
Experience Multiple: 50
Base Chance: 40%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It allows the adept to assume the
appearance of any one creature in range of the spell. The creature to be
imitated must be no more than twice as large or half as small as the adept,
and must cast a reflection or the spell will have no effect.
ImG-2. Dazzle
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 75
Base Chance: 55%
Resist: Passive
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It enables the adept to concentrate and
direct reflected light so as to blind any single target creature within
range of the spell. The magic becomes more effective in conditions of bright
light, as shown on the table below.
Light Conditions Penalty
In intense light (e.g. clear day) -40
In bright light (e.g. overcast day) -30
In medium light (e.g. late afternoon) -20
In dim light (e.g. twilight) -10
The penalty shown above is applied to the affected creature's chance of
success when performing any action requiring sight. Amongst other things,
this includes both physical attacks and the casting of spells. The penalty
is reduced by 10% per Round until it is zero. This spell is totally
ineffective in lighting conditions darker than dim light (shadows, deep
shadows, partial darkness and complete darkness).
ImG-3. Reflect
Range: 5 feet
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 100
Base Chance: 50%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It allows the adept to swap any single
object or creature within range with its reflected image, effectively
transforming it into a mirror image of itself. The spell could, for
instance, be used to make a left-handed person right-handed, or vica-versa.
ImG-4. Project Image
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: Concentration (no maximum)
Experience Multiple: 150
Base Chance: 60%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It will cause an insubstantial image of the
adept to appear anywhere within range of the spell. While he continues to
concentrate, the image of himself will remain and his actual person will be
invisible. Once his concentration ceases or is broken, he will become
visible and the projected image will fade.
ImG-5. True Reflection
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: 5 minutes + 1/Rank
Experience Multiple: 150
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
will cause the reflective surface to depict surrounding creatures and
objects as they truly are. Things that are invisible or which have been
hidden by magical means (i.e. spells such as Walking Unseen, Blending, and
Invisibility) can be clearly seen. Unreal things (such as illusions) are not
visible in the reflection at all. Creatures without a reflection will appear
in a True Reflection, but their image cannot be used for the purpose of
casting other magic.
ImG-6. Reflected Vision
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: 10 seconds
Experience Multiple: 150
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
will cause the reflective surface to display a vision of the adept's near
future. The events displayed may not necessarily be of any great importance,
and can sometimes be ambiguous since they lack an auditory component.
ImG-7. Scrying
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: Concentration (maximum of 5 minutes + 1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
will cause the reflective surface to display a vision of the events
currently transpiring in any one nominated place that the adept has
previously seen. At Rank 5 and above, the adept can choose to have the image
home in on any one nominated creature he has previously seen, rather than on
a specific place. In either case, however, no sound is conveyed with the
images that appear.
ImG-8. Mirror Image
Range: Adept only
Duration: 10 seconds + 10/Rank
Experience Multiple: 275
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It will cause 1 duplicate of the adept (+1
for every 4 Ranks, rounded down) to come into being around his person (in
the same hex). These images do exactly what the adept does, rendering it
impossible for opponents to be certain which are the images and which is the
real adept. When an image is struck for even 1 point of damage, it
disappears, but any other existing images will remain intact until they also
are struck. The images are in continual motion, so that if the adept is
struck during one Pulse, he still cannot be picked out from amongst his
images on the next. At the expiration of the spell duration, all images wink
out.
V. General Knowledge Rituals
ImQ-1. Fashion Magical Mirror
By means of this ritual, the adept can manufacture magical mirrors that
mimic the effects of certain spells, but are permanent in nature. The
mirrors that can be constructed are as follows:
1. Altered Image Mirror: The images cast in this mirror will be modified
according to the instructions "programmed" into it by the adept at the time
it was constructed. The instructions can be simple (e.g. a mirror in which
the adept's reflection is absent) or complex (e.g. a mirror in which female
creatures appear as beautiful goddesses, and male creatures as lumpish
brutes), according to the wishes of the adept. Cost: 1,500 silver pennies.
Time Required: 2 weeks.
2. Dazzle Mirror: This mirror will cast an automatic Dazzle spell on any
creature that looks into it. Cost: 2,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 2
weeks.
3. True Reflection Mirror: This mirror effectively has a permanent True
Reflection spell upon it. Cost: 3,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 3
weeks.
4. Reflected Vision Mirror: This mirror will display a vision in the manner
of a Reflected Vision spell when looked into and concentrated upon. It may
be used only once per day. Cost: 3,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 4
weeks.
5. Scrying Mirror: This mirror will show images of other places in the
manner of a Scrying spell when looked into and concentrated upon. It may be
used only once per day. Cost: 3,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 4 weeks.
6. Narcissism Mirror: This mirror will fascinate anyone looking into it as
per the Narcissism spell. Cost: 4,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 7
weeks.
7. Portal Mirror: This mirror will act as a portal into a random place, as
per the Portal spell. Once the place has been determined, it remains fixed
for the life of the mirror. Cost: 4,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 4
weeks.
8. Gateway Mirror: This mirror will act as a gateway into another place, as
per the Gateway spell. The place is determined by the adept during the
mirror's construction, and thereafter remains fixed. Cost: 5,500 silver
pennies. Time Required: 5 weeks.
9. Maze Mirror: This mirror will have the effect of a Maze spell on any
creature that looks into it. Cost: 7,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 8
weeks.
10. Doorway Mirror: This mirror will act as a doorway through to another
place, as per the Doorway spell. The reflective surface through which it
emerges is determined by the adept during its construction, and thereafter
remains fixed. Cost: 7,000 silver pennies. Time Required: 6 weeks.
11. Conjure Image Mirror: This mirror will duplicate any creature that looks
into it as per the Conjure Image spell. The duplicate will behave according
to instructions programmed into the mirror by the adept during its
construction. The mirror cannot generate a duplicate if a previous duplicate
generated by it is still in existence. Cost: 7,500 silver pennies. Time
Required: 11 weeks.
12. Entrapment Mirror: This mirror will attempt to imprison any creature
that looks into it as per the Entrapment spell. Cost: 7,000 silver pennies.
Time Required: 10 weeks.
The "cost" of each mirror is the cost of the materials required to
manufacture it. The "time required" is the amount of time that the adept
must devote to completing the mirror; it need not be continuous. However,
the adept must roll at the end of each week to see whether anything has gone
amiss. There is a Base Chance of 85% (+1/Rank) that all will go
satisfactorily. This chance is modified in the usual way, but modified
results of greater than 99 are treated as 99. If this check fails at any
point during the mirror's construction, the GM should use the Shaping
Accidents Table (from the College of Shaping Magics) to determine what has
gone wrong.
If the adept reaches the end of the indicated time period without anything
going wrong, the mirror will have been successfully constructed. Magical
mirrors take effect without the need for a successful Cast Check, and they
operate at a Rank equal to that possessed by the adept in the spell whose
effect it mimics. (If the adept does not know the spell in question, then he
cannot manufacture that kind of mirror.) Magical mirrors are both bulky and
fragile, and are therefore best suited to being left in the one spot. If the
adept insists upon taking one along on an adventure, he will usually
experience difficulties when trying to transport it. The danger of breakage
is a very real one, because any creature that causes a magical mirror to
break will be afflicted with Bad Luck (as ImS-4) at a Rank equal to that
possessed by the adept in the Manufacture Magical Mirror ritual at the time
the mirror was made.
The Manufacture Magical Mirror ritual has an Experience Multiple of 450.
VI. Special Knowledge Spells
ImS-1. Kaleidoscope
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: 30 seconds + 10/Rank
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It renders one target entity within range
temporarily unable to see anything except a shifting, changing pattern of
prismatic images reflected from the objects nearby. The target's chance of
success in tasks requiring sight is reduced by 40% for the duration of the
spell. If the affected creature attempts to use the kaleidoscopic images as
a guide to its actions, then any action requiring sight that it undertakes
will automatically fail.
ImS-2. Shatter
Range: 15 feet + 5/Rank
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 40%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: The reflective surface used to cast this spell must be a mirror,
and must be close enough to the adept for him to make physical contact with
it. It enables the adept to cause damage on any one target creature within
range by smashing the mirror. Unless the target resists, it will immediately
sustain [D-4] (+1/Rank) points of damage. In addition, if the target fails
to resist and the result of the Resistance Check is 91 or greater, he will
also become Stunned. Creatures who lose their last point of Endurance as a
result of this spell will actually disintegrate (or even explode) into tiny
fragments.
ImS-3. Narcissism
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: 30 minutes + 10/Rank
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 15%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within 5 feet
(+5/Rank). It causes a single target creature within range of the spell to
become fascinated with the image reflected therein, to the point where it
will do nothing but stare at its own reflection. After the spell has taken
effect, the affected creature will ignore any external stimuli short of
physical attack. Physical attacks will temporarily negate the effects of the
Narcissism spell until they have been adequately dealt with, at which point
the affected creature will resume its examination of its own image.
ImS-4. Bad Luck
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: 7 years
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: The reflective surface used to cast this spell must be a mirror,
and must be within 5 feet (+5/Rank) of the adept. When the spell is cast,
the mirror will shatter into pieces, and any one creature within range may
be afflicted with 7 years of bad luck. This will cause all dice rolls in
which the afflicted creature is directly involved to be unfavourably
modified by 1% (+1 for every 5 Ranks, rounded down). This effect can be
removed by a Remove Curse ritual, and should be treated as a minor curse for
this purpose. This spell is not cumulative in either effect or duration; it
has no effect if cast on a creature that has already been afflicted with 7
years of bad luck.
ImS-5. Portal
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: 15 minutes + 5/Rank
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 45%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
allows the adept to set up a magical doorway in the reflective surface that
will lead through to a randomly determined place. When the spell is cast,
the GM should roll on the following table to determine where the portal
opens out.
Roll Result
01-10 A place known to the adept.
11-20 A place known to the adept, but not necessarily familiar (the adept
may have to think hard to remember where it is).
21-40 A place unknown to the adept, but still within the known world (he
may possibly be able to work out where it is).
41-60 A place unknown to the adept, outside the boundaries of the known
world, but still in the same plane of existence.
61-80 A place unknown to the adept, in another plane of existence not
entirely dissimilar to the adept's own.
81-100 A place unknown to the adept, in a wildly alien plane of existence
that bears no resemblance whatsoever to the adept's own.
The adept casting the spell may modify the result of the dice roll, either
up or down, by any number of percentiles up to and including his Rank.
Obviously, considerable work is necessary on the part of the GM to
adjudicate some of the results given on the above table, so it is
recommended that the GM prepare some results well in advance of when they
are likely to be needed.
Once the portal has been established, the place into which it leads is
clearly visible in the surface on which the spell was cast. Anyone who
travels partway through the portal may move back the way they came without
any difficulty. However, if they step right through, they will be left
without any means to return. Such a person can, however, be pulled back
through the portal by someone else that is only part-way through it.
ImS-6. Steal Reflection
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 350
Base Chance: 5%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell requires the use of a reflective surface with which the
adept can make physical contact. It allows the adept to imprison the
reflection of one entity inside a reflective surface. The victim will feel
the incarceration of his reflection as an indefinable loss of something, but
will normally be unable to say exactly what. When the Steal Reflection spell
has been cast, the victim's image will not appear in any reflective surface
other than the one in which it has been confined. Any spells of this College
that are subsequently cast upon the victim using that particular reflective
surface gain a bonus of 20% to their Cast Chance, and deprive him of the
benefit of any resistance to the spell, either active or passive. A creature
whose reflection has been stolen becomes immune to certain spells requiring
the use of a reflection, unless the adept casting the magic uses the mirror
in which his reflection is held. (A complete list of these spells is
provided in the introductory text.) The reflection can be released from its
imprisonment by performing a Dissipation ritual (NaQ-1) on the reflective
surface in which it is trapped, or by causing the image shown in that
surface to become fragmented (i.e. smashing a mirror, or violently
disturbing a still pool of water).
ImS-7. Mirror Wall
Range: 15 feet + 5/Rank
Duration: Concentration (maximum of 15 minutes + 5/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 350
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell conjures forth a shimmering wall as either a sphere (5
feet in radius) or a wall (20 feet in length and 10 feet in height). The
adept can increase any dimension by 1 foot per Rank. The mirror wall is
totally impenetrable; any creatures or objects that come into contact with
it will rebound from it with a velocity equal and opposite to that with
which they contacted it. Magic cast at the wall will also reflect off it
(with the angle of incidence being equal to the angle of reflection).
ImS-8. Gateway
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: 15 minutes + 5/Rank
Experience Multiple: 400
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
allows the adept to set up a magical gateway in the reflective surface that
will lead through to any other place that he has previously seen. Anyone who
travels partway through the gateway may move back the way they came without
any difficulty. However, if they step right through, they will be left
without any means to return. Such a person can, however, be pulled back
through the gateway by someone else that is only part-way through it.
ImS-9. Maze
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 450
Base Chance: 5%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within 5 feet
(+5/Rank). It will affect any one creature within range, who will be
helplessly sucked into the affected reflection and banished into an
extra-dimensional maze of reflective images. Provided it makes an concerted
effort to escape, the creature will free itself from the maze and return
back to the dimension from which it was banished within (1D10 x Rank)
Rounds. Creatures with an intelligence level significantly lower than humans
(such as animals) will require twice this period of time, but creatures with
an intelligence level significantly higher than humans (such as dragons)
will require only half the stated figure. The exit to the maze is the
reflective surface upon which the spell was cast, and it is there that the
entrapped creature will emerge. If the image into which the creature was
drawn becomes becomes fragmented (i.e. if a mirror is smashed, or a still
pool is violently disturbed), the imprisoned creature will be immediately
expelled from it without suffering any ill effect. The same reflective
surface can be used to entrap any number of creatures, and if this is done
they will find themselves all traversing the same maze.
ImS-10. Reflect Magic
Range: Adept only
Duration: 30 seconds + 10 seconds/Rank
Experience Multiple: 450
Base Chance: 10%
Resist: None
Effects: While this spell remains in effect, any magic cast at the adept
will rebound back on its caster. Spells that affect an area or multiple
targets will also be reflected if the adept would have been affected. In
such cases, the spell's effects will centre on the original caster of the
spell. Should two adepts have this spell in effect at the same time when one
casts a spell at the other, the energy of the spell will be dissipated in
etheric standing waves that will negate both Reflect Magic spells.
ImS-11. Doorway
Range: 5 feet + 1/Rank
Duration: 15 minutes + 5/Rank
Experience Multiple: 500
Base Chance: 15%
Resist: None
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within range. It
allows the adept to set up a magical doorway in the reflective surface that
will lead through to any other reflective surface that he has previously
seen. Travel is bi-directional, so it is possible to move back through the
second reflective surface to where one started.
ImS-12. Conjure Image
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: Concentration (no maximum)
Experience Multiple: 500
Base Chance: 5%
Resist: Active
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within 5 feet
(+5/Rank) of the adept. It enables the adept to create an exact duplicate of
any one creature within range. The duplicate will step forth from the
reflective surface used to cast the spell, and will thereafter obey the
adept's mental commands. It is treated as being identical to the original
creature in all respects, but will disappear immediately if the adept ceases
concentrating.
ImS-13. Entrapment
Range: 10 feet + 10/Rank
Duration: 1 hour + 1/Rank
Experience Multiple: 500
Base Chance: 1%
Resist: Active and passive
Effects: This spell may be cast on any reflective surface within 5 feet
(+5/Rank). It will suck any one creature in range into the affected
reflection. The trapped creature is automatically released when the spell
expires, but can be released prior to this by a Dissipation ritual (NaQ-1).
If the image in which the creature is trapped becomes fragmented (i.e. if a
mirror is smashed, or a still pool of water is violently disturbed), the
imprisoned creature will be released from its captivity, but will suffer
1D10 points of Endurance damage and lose all its Fatigue. Note that the same
reflective surface can never be used to entrap more than one creature; any
attempt to do so will automatically fail.
VII. Special Knowledge Rituals
ImR-1. Invent Magical Mirror
This ritual is similar to the Manufacture Magical Mirror ritual (ImQ-1),
except that it allows the adept to make magical mirrors whose effects are
new and do not mimic existing magic of the College. The player should
describe to the GM exactly what he wishes the mirror to be able to do.
Obviously, the GM has the right to veto anything that he feels is either
inappropriate or damaging to game balance. Assuming this is not the case,
the GM should then use the figures given in ImQ-1 as a guide to determining
an appropriate cost and time factor for the new mirror. From this point
onwards, the ritual operates in exactly the same manner as ImQ-1. The Invent
Magical Mirror ritual has an Experience Multiple of 550.
holwinkle@oocities.com