Creative Thaumaturgy: Fallen World Edition

[KaiserAfini]

Agreed, it can be tremendously confusing. In Prime's case I can see the spell exercising its domain of truth. But for the Death shadow spells I never figured out a better answer than "this was fun to do with the Lasombra, so mages will probably want to do it too".

Prepare Rations (Life ••, Matter ••)
Practice: Ruling
Primary Factor: Potency
Withstand: N/A
Suggested Rote Skills: Academics, Craft, Survival

The modern age has seen mages more commonly live in cities, where foraging skills are rarely necessary. But the supernatural can be treacherous and a mage can find themselves stranded without supplies. For an adept of Life this is a trivial matter to solve, for everyone else the Arrow recommends this spell.

This allows a mage to transform any supply of meat or fish into pemmican, a simple mix of dried meat and fat. Pemmican is filling, easy to carry and can last for years (or even a decade with proper storage). If any berries or spices are in hand, they can be added into the spell to make the end product more palatable. The water extracted by drying the meat can be stored away in a canteen or similar container nearby.

Observation: For comparison's sake, a rabbit can produce enough to feed a person for 3 days of intense exercise, an elk can feed a party of 6 for a week.

[RobinCoyote]

All these creative space spells flying around, and I have yet to see one create something as banal but useful as a hole in a wall.

Ingress (Space •••)
Practice: Weaving
Primary factor: Duration
Withstand: N/A
Suggested Rote Skills: Science, Stealth, Subterfuge

The empty space between the atomic cloud of an atom and its nucleus is just that: empty space. No matter how infinitesimally small, that space is still a Lie; one that a scientifically-minded Awakened can manipulate. This spell widens that space, creating an opening that a mage can exploit to simply step through a wall in situations where the front door makes for a less than savory entrance.

The Scale spell factor must encompass the full length, height, and width of the intended passage created through the wall. The volume of the passage is increased a number of steps along the area scale factor equal to the spell's potency. Anyone or anything within the passage when the spell expires is ejected from the near end of the passage.

- - -

I used the rote Secret Room to help craft this one. I figure weaving should be all that's needed, as we're simply altering the properties of sub-atomic space, widening that to an accommodating volume.

My only question is would an unveiling or similar spell of Space be needed to observe the tiny gaps? Or would simply being able to see the wall, knowing how atoms work, and that those infinitesimally tiny gaps exist be sufficient? I plan to edit the rote to reflect that if one is needed.

[RobinCoyote]

Bottled Lighting (Forces •••, Space •••)
Practice: Weaving
Primary factor: Duration
Withstand: N/A
Suggested Rote Skills: Crafts, Expression, Science

Even if you’re an acanthus you don’t always have a convenient electrical socket or bonfire from which to bring down your wrath. Sometimes you need to pack your own heat. This spell allows you to isolate and compress one of the forces under the purview of the Forces arcana within a sphere of space. The transparent sphere is small enough to fit in your hand and can be moved and carried freely.

The force can be manipulated as normal within the sphere using the Forces arcana, but the inclusion of Space ••• is required for any spell that would attempt to remove or extend the influence of the force outside the orb. Upon the spell's end, any remaining force within the orb decompresses violently, dealing bashing damage equal to the potency of the spell if applicable—or inflicting a condition—to anything within an area of effect equal to the scale of the spell originating from the spell’s location.

+1 Reach: The mage can specify a Key that allows the Force within to be drawn upon by a spell without the inclusion of Space •••.

- - -

A portable source of forces, a gnarly topper for a wizard staff, and in a pinch a magical grenade! I figure the force within can't diminish because it's literally trapped in a bubble of isolated space. The energy has nowhere to dissipate or ground out to so it just sort of furiously swirls or bounces around within. Even fire, which needs fuel, is just air superheated to the point that it glows, so with no way for the heat to escape even a fire would stay within. I didn't limit the damage done from a separate spell to the potency of this spell because it's literally just a source and they're already paying the cost of casting at higher potencies for a separate spell at that point. Not to mention the added Space arcana they need to pull it out without the reach.

[Mrmdubois]

Hmm, Shielding alone could prevent energy from discharging, and Scale covers size. I think I'd let you do something similar with just Forces 2. You end up with say, a copper rod with a ridiculous amount of charge on it, or at least the maximum amount of charge it could be expected to hold.

[KaiserAfini]

Hold the Defiant Breath (Fate •, Matter ••)
Practice: Ruling
Primary Factor: Duration
Withstand: Stamina
Suggested Rote Skills: Academics, Expression, Indimidation

A favorite spell amongst agents of the Lex Magicka, for it allows them to place subjects on probation. They can specify up to [Potency] conditions, which must be things they could see if present, breaking any of them instantly removes most of the air from the target, instantly knocking them out. They keep receiving just enough air to stay alive without damage, but not enough to regain consciousness.

+1 Reach: You get a brief vision of the target when the breach occurs.

+1 Reach: You can track the target until the duration ends - not by location, but as a sense of a path that will take you to them.

+1 Reach: The trigger can be something only perceived by Mage Sight.

[RobinCoyote]

Hold the Defiant Breath (Fate •, Matter ••)

Looks good. But correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't this spell require Fate •• to match Matter ••? I was under the impression that all arcana used in the spell had to be at the same dot level.

[KaiserAfini]

Looks good. But correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't this spell require Fate •• to match Matter ••? I was under the impression that all arcana used in the spell had to be at the same dot level.

It just requires the practices it needs of each. In this case a Ruling of Matter for moving the air and a Knowing of Fate for Oaths Fullfilled.

Another example, a Weaving of Life and Matter would be needed to give the properties of a machine to an animal (Matter to cover the machine's characteristics and Weaving of Life to affect the properties of a living being) or both Arcana at 4 to transform a chair into a fish.

[Tessie]

Looks good. But correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't this spell require Fate •• to match Matter ••? I was under the impression that all arcana used in the spell had to be at the same dot level.

They don't.

[RobinCoyote]

It just requires the practices it needs of each. In this case a Ruling of Matter for moving the air and a Knowing of Fate for Oaths Fullfilled.

Another example, a Weaving of Life and Matter would be needed give the properties of a machine to an animal (Matter to cover the machine's characteristics and Weaving of Life to affect the properties of a living being) or both Arcana at 4 to transform a chair into a fish.

Ah, its only if they use the same practices. That's where my thought process was off. Thank you.

[Falcon777]

All these creative space spells flying around, and I have yet to see one create something as banal but useful as a hole in a wall.

Ingress (Space •••)
Practice: Weaving
Primary factor: Duration
Withstand: N/A
Suggested Rote Skills: Science, Stealth, Subterfuge

The empty space between the atomic cloud of an atom and its nucleus is just that: empty space. No matter how infinitesimally small, that space is still a Lie; one that a scientifically-minded Awakened can manipulate. This spell widens that space, creating an opening that a mage can exploit to simply step through a wall in situations where the front door makes for a less than savory entrance.

The Scale spell factor must encompass the full length, height, and width of the intended passage created through the wall. The volume of the passage is increased a number of steps along the area scale factor equal to the spell's potency. Anyone or anything within the passage when the spell expires is ejected from the near end of the passage.

- - -

I used the rote Secret Room to help craft this one. I figure weaving should be all that's needed, as we're simply altering the properties of sub-atomic space, widening that to an accommodating volume.

My only question is would an unveiling or similar spell of Space be needed to observe the tiny gaps? Or would simply being able to see the wall, knowing how atoms work, and that those infinitesimally tiny gaps exist be sufficient? I plan to edit the rote to reflect that if one is needed.

The reason people haven't made such a spell is that break boundary already does that when you include the reach option.

Edit: Granted, your interpretation of the +2 reach option could be different from my own.

[RobinCoyote]

The reason people haven't made such a spell is that break boundary already does that when you include the reach option.

Not quite. It only allows you to bypass an obstacle blocking an actual path. It calls out in the spell that you cannot go through a solid wall. The reaches just allow you to fit through small openings you wouldn't be able to otherwise or to outright "blink" through the obstacle if you're unable to move.

I guess using my argument above you could constitute the "atomic space" as a small opening you wouldn't be able to fit through otherwise but then you're trying to pull yourself in through an opening you can't even see at that point.

[Falcon777]

The "unable to move" part of the +2 reach option is where I see the spell allowing you to bypass walls. Nobody is ever placed into a situation where they truly cannot move unless they are bound stiff or paralyzed, which, quite frankly, is so rare that I disagree with that being the only interpretation of that clause.

Edit: It can also be argued that adding a +2 reach option to bypass solid barriers that block your path would not be unreasonable. Word count limits are a thing.

Edit 2: Furthermore, as an aesthetic thing: when designing a spell that has universal application, I find it better to not call upon science as the justification for the knowledge necessary to do something. Gnosis and symbolism, not science.

[RobinCoyote]

The "unable to move" part of the +2 reach option is where I see the spell allowing you to bypass walls. Nobody is ever placed into a situation where they truly cannot move unless they are bound stiff or paralyzed, which, quite frankly, is so rare that I disagree with that being the only interpretation of that clause.

I have to respectfully disagree. Going back to the original text, "This spell can only bypass a physical obstacle obstructing an actual path...but can not blink through a solid wall." I would think if the +2 Reach option were for going through objects that were not obstructions to actual paths it would have used that exact terminology. It goes to immense pains in the body of the spell to specify what can and cannot be constituted as an "obstruction."

The Reach only states that it allows you to go through "obstructions" even if you are unable to move but it does not redefine what obstruction means. It seems to be exactly what it appears, strange as it is.

Edit:

I find it better to not call upon science as the justification for the knowledge necessary to do something. Gnosis and symbolism, not science.

The Free Council would like a word with you.

[Menace]

If I already posted some of these then sorry, I haven't figured out how to looks for a specific persons posts in a specific thread.

Meaning of Life (Fate 1) - Knowing
Primary factor: Potency
Withstand: Resolve
Skill: Empathy, Academics, Occult

The mage learns one of the subjects Aspirations per point of potency.
Add Prime 1: can also reveal an obsession
Mnd 1: can also reaveal the subjects Virtue and Vice


Catalyst (Matter 2) - Rulling
Primery factor: Potency
Skill: Science, Occult, Persuassion

Innate matter is always in the state of balance between the forces that wish to transform it and forces that wish it stayed the same. As thermodynamics teach us wood wants to burn, it just needs a nudge in the right direction.. Still spell cause a substance to interact with another one in a way it would if given the proper nudge to start things up. So wood exposed to air will burn, a a lump of rocksalt will disolve in water without the need for a lot of stirring. The spell needs a certain level of potency to work depending on how hard is it to force the reaction per storyteller discretion.

Basal ingredients (Matter 3) - Fraying
Primary factor: Potency
Withstand: Durabillity

The spell can separate a substance into it's elemental compotents. Water splits into oxigen and hydrogen gas and organic matter becomes lumps of mostly coal, some oxigen, hydrogen and nitrogen and small amount of other substances. The spell disolves one point of Structure per dot of potency, inflicting that as damage.
Reach +1: The separation doesn't have go down to elemental levels, sugar can be transformed into water and carbon dioxide.

[Falcon777]

I have to respectfully disagree. Going back to the original text, "This spell can only bypass a physical obstacle obstructing an actual path...but can not blink through a solid wall." I would think if the +2 Reach option were for going through objects that were not obstructions to actual paths it would have used that exact terminology. It goes to immense pains in the body of the spell to specify what can and cannot be constituted as an "obstruction."

The Reach only states that it allows you to go through "obstructions" even if you are unable to move but it does not redefine what obstruction means. It seems to be exactly what it appears, strange as it is.

Which, if you wish to acknowledge all of that you immediately add the +2 reach option that says: This spell now allows the subject to bypass solid barriers that would block its path so long as the area factor would not need to be increased.

Break boundary should allow you to go through walls. Maybe just my opinion, but I will not change it.