The Nature of Sorcery

Sorcery is rarely as offensive in nature as in many fantasy campaigns. There are no wizards throwing fireballs in Pax Thumanus. Sorcerors strike from the shadows, felling their opponents with contagion, hypnotism, psychic assaults, and in some cases by summoning aid from the Outer Dark.

Key Ability

Corruption and Corruption Checks

The human mind was never intended for the mind-blasting, secret knowledge of sorcery and the Outer Dark. Sorcery is inherently dangerous because of its potential to corrupt characters. Characters can gain corruption from a variety of activities including willfully consorting with demons, reading forbidden tomes, and working some mighty feats of sorcery.

Corruption is not "evil." There is no good vs. evil theme in Pax Thumanus. The appropriate contrast is the struggle between one's humanity and supernatural alienation. Corruption is the process of losing one's humanity in the pursuit of knowledge which should never have been known. Therefore, corruption should never be the result of purely human activities which might be distasteful or even despicable.

Corruption works much like fatigue. All characters begin play with no corruption. Any situation which could lead to corruption, as determined by the Narrator, requires a Will Save against a DC determined by the situation. Failure results in gaining a level of corruption.

The levels of corruption are as follows:

Troubled

The character suffers a -1 penalty to further corruption saves, and a -1 penalty to all social interaction checks with human beings. The character gains a +1 bonus to all Intimidate checks.

Disturbed

The character suffers a -2 penalty to further corruption saves, and a -2 penalty to all social interaction checks with human beings. The character gains a +2 bonus to all Intimidate checks.

Detached

The character suffers a -3 penalty to further corruption saves, and a -3 penalty to all social interaction checks with human beings. The character gains a +3 bonus to all Intimidate checks. In addition, the character gains a Minor Insanity.

Corrupt

The character suffers a -4 penalty to further corruption saves, and a -4 penalty to all social interaction checks with human beings. The character gains a +4 bonus to all Intimidate checks. In addition, the character gains a Major Insanity.

Demonic

The character has lost any connection with humanity. The mental effects are accompanied by gross physical changes which render the character's appearance beastly and inhuman. The character gains a -5 to all social interaction skills with human beings and a +5 to all Intimidate checks. Player Characters immediately become Narrator-controlled characters.

Gaining Powers

• Join a Group - By taking the Benefit feat, the character can join a sorcerous society or priesthood. They will teach him certain powers as he gains levels. The drawback to this approach is that the powers are generally learned in a very regimented manner and thus the Adept has little choice in his power selection until he attains a high level in the organization.
• Make a Demonic Pact - The quickest route to power is often the most dangerous to one's humanity. By taking the Demonic Pact feat, the character can make contact with a demon from the Outer Dark who can teach him a wide variety of spells. The demon has a 75% chance (15 or less on a d20) to know any particular power the adept would like to learn.
• Research - The independent scholar has more freedom in choosing powers, if he can find information about them. To learn any regular power, the independent adept must succeed at a DC 25 Knowledge (supernatural) check. To learn any Forbidden Knowledge power (see below), the adept must succeed at a DC 40 Knowledge (supernatural) check. The adept must still meet other prerequisites in order to learn the power. The adept can take 10, but not 20 on this roll, and the check typically takes about 3 months of research. For each additional 3 months of research, the adept is willing to spend, he gains a +2 to the roll, up to a bonus equal to his adept level. Written information about the power (such as a spellbook) can add a variable bonus to the check at the discretion of the Narrator. If the adept fails this check, then he must select a feat rather than a power.

Increasing Power Checks

Sorcerous Rituals

• The number of participants. For every multiple of 10, multiply the base value by 2 (100 participants=+4, 1000 participants=+8, and so forth)
• The margin of success. For every five points the perform check beats the DC by, multiple the base result by 2 (5-9=+4, 10=14=+8, 15-19=+16, and so forth)

The following chart may come in handy:

Powers

Existing Powers

Only the following powers from the core True20 rulebook will be used.

• Beast Link
• Bliss
• Body Control
• Calm
• Combat Sense
• Dominate
• Drain Vitality
• Enhance Ability
• Enhance Other
• Enhance Senses
• Flesh Shaping
• Harm
• Heart Reading
• Heart Shaping
• Illusion
• Imbue Unlife
• Light Shaping
• Manipulate Object
• Mind Probe
• Mind Reading
• Mind Shaping
• Mind Touch
• Move Object
• Nature Reading
• Object Reading
• Pain
• Plant Shaping
• Psychic Blast
• Psychic Reflection
• Psychic Shield
• Psychic Trap
• Scrying
• Second Sight
• Self-Shaping
• Sense Minds
• Severance
• Sleep
• Suggestion
• Summon Animal (from True20 Bestiary)
• Supernatural Speed
• True Seeing (from Caliphate Nights)
• Truth-Reading
• Ward

New Powers

Drain Life (Fatiguing, Mental Contact [See Description])

Prerequisites: Drain Vitality, Harm, Pain
You can temporarily drain your opponent's abilities and restore your own. To drain physical abilities (Str, Dex, Con), you must touch the target, while in order to drain mental abilities (Int, Wis, Cha), you must be in mental contact. The target is granted a Fort saving throw to resist the drain of physical abilities and a Will saving throw to resist the drain of mental abilities. Failure indicates that you have caused 1 point of temporary ability damage to the chosen statistic. You can then use this ability damage to immediately grant yourself a recovery check from either damage or fatigue.

Astrological Prediction

If you know the target's birthdate, you can make a prediction regarding their near future. This prediction grants the subject a bonus to one die roll in the next week, as determined by the Narrator. The size of the bonus depends upon the result of a power check. A person can never be subject to more than one Astrological Prediction at the same time.

Result	Bonus
Up to 4	+1
5-14	+2
15-24	+3
25-34	+4
35+	+5

Time: an astrological prediction requires three hours.

Curse (Fatiguing)

You can curse your opponents with ill-fortune. Targets are a allowed a Will saving throw to resist the curse. A successful curse applies a penalty to attack rolls, saving throw, skill checks, and ability checks. The curse lasts for a number of days equal to the adept's level. The size of the penalty depends on the result of the power check which is modified by familiarity. A target can only be the subject of one curse at a time.

Result	Penalty
Up to 4	-1
5-14	-2
15-24	-3
25-34	-4
35+	-5

Time: Cursing is a standard action.

Dreams of Wisdom

By casting this spell before going to sleep, you can dream of important people, places, or things which he would like to know more about. The base DC of success is 15 modified by the familiarity of the object. A successful casting does not immediately grant the caster information, but rather increases the familiarity of the object by one category by providing hazy and incoherent dreams. This adjusted familiarity is only for the purposes of this power, not other powers. Only when the caster succeeds at a check on an item whose familiarity is considered "present" for purposes of this spell will he gain the information he desires. Thus, it will typically take multiple nights of dreams to gather the information the sorceror desires.
Time: One hour of preparation followed by a peaceful night of sleep.

Find Vulnerability (Fatiguing)

By uttering secret incantations, you can remove supernatural protection from creatures within your line of sight. The target is allowed a Will saving throw to resist your attempt. If successful, the creature loses any supernatural damage reduction it possesses for one day per adept level.
Time: Finding a vulnerability is a standard action.

Master-Words and Signs (Fatiguing)

With a single word or gesture, you can dismiss a summoned demon or elemental to whatever strange hell they come from. The targeted creature is granted a Will save to resist. If they fail, they are immediately dismissed. You may not attempt to dismiss a particular summoned creature more than once.
Time: This power is a standard action.

Sorcerous News

Prerequisites: Ranks in Gather Information, Knowledge (supernatural) Rank 8 or higher
You can maintain in contact with a "network" of sorcerous knowledge and current information around the world, carried by dark and mysterious means to sorcerors with knowledge of this power. You gain a +2 on all Gather Information and Knowledge (current events) checks. In addition, if you spend an hour each day in meditation, you have a chance of hearing of momentous news faster than it could travel by normal means. Make a power check and consult the table below:

Result	Penalty
15	The movement of major artifacts
20	The sudden appearance of a legendary figure
25	The death of a king
30	The plundering of an ancient tomb

You can use a sorcerous network to spread rumors as per the social interaction rules in Chapter 6 of the True20 rulebook. By making an opposed power check, you can also attempt to prevent another sorceror on the network from hearing of a piece of news.

Forbidden Knowledge Powers

All Forbidden Knowledge is so mind-shattering that it calls for a DC 25 corruption check upon learning.

Create Aberration

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernaturnal) 13 or higher, Knowledge (biological sciences) 13 or higher
You have learned how to combine ordinary creatures together into new forms. By taking two creatures and performing various bloody experiments, you can combine them into a single form by succeeding at a power check whose DC equals 15+(combined levels of the creatures). This process takes one month per level of the higher-level creature. The new creature will be of type abberation and will have the same level as the higher-level creature. Its ability scores will equal the better of the two creatures in every case, and it will have any special abilities that apply to either of the original creatures. The creature will initially obey your commands. Every three months, the creature is granted a Will save against your power check. Success indicates that the creature is free of your control.

Create Life

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernaturnal) 15 or higher, Knowledge (biological sciences) 15 or higher, Create Aberration
You have learned how to create new life through dark and mysterious rituals. The process takes two months per level of the creature. You must succeed at a Wealth check to acquire the materials for the creature before starting and you must succeed at a power check at the conclusion of the period. The base DC for both checks is 10 for a first-level medium-sized abberation with no special traits beyond the usual. This DC is adjusted based on the qualities of the creature crafted as follows:

Quality	Adjustment
Size	+5 per size category above medium,-5 per size category below medium
Level	+2 per additional level
Movement	+5 per additional form of movement. +2 for every 10 feet of speed greater than 30 feet, -2 for every 10 feet speed less than 30 feet.
Traits	+3 for every trait

The created creature will initially obey your commands. Every six months, the creature is granted a Will save against your power check. Success indicates that the creature is free of your control.

Create Construct

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernaturnal) 17 or higher, Knowledge (earth sciences) 17 or higher, Knowledge (engineering) 17 or higher
You know how to build animated constructs. Follow the guidelines provided in the True20 Bestiary, except that you needn't have the Imbue Item feat.

Doom of the Doll (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Curse, Voodoo Doll, Harm
By crafting a doll of your victim, you may destroy it and cause damage to your victim. You must construct the doll using your craft ability. The purchase DC for materials is 15+(the level of the victim). You may only use this power if the doll reduces the familiarity of the target to Present. If this is the case, then you can destroy the doll by whatever means you choose. The victim will suffer damage equal to your effective adept level from a damage type corresponding to your method of destroying the doll. The target is allowed a Fortitude save to take half damage.

Draw Forth the Soul (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernaturnal) 17 or higher, Mind Touch, Curse, Voodoo Doll
You can draw forth your victim's soul from his body and commit it to the depths of hell. You must succeed at a DC35 Power Check, adjusted by familiarity. If you succeed, the victim is granted a Will saving throw to resist. If he successfully resists then he is helpless for 3 hours as he is wracked by pain and suffering. If he fails, his body dies within the hour. You may not attempt this power on the same target for another week.
Time: This power requires a three-hour ritual to cast.

Hypnotic Death (Fatiguing, Mental Contact)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 17 or higher, Mind Touch, Suggestion, Dominate, Heart Shaping, Illusion
You can convince an opponent that he is in imminent danger of death by something on his person or in his immediate vicinity (such as his belt being a poisonous snake for example). If he fails his save, he imagines his own death and dies as a result.
Time: Hypnotic death is a standard action.

Immortality (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Drain Life
You have learned how to prolong your life through the suffering of others. By sacrificing a character of 10th level or higher, you reduce your apparent age by an amount determined by the result of your power check. You must make a corruption check against DC25 each time you use this power.

Result	Years regained
15-24	1
25-29	5
30-34	10
35-39	15
40+	20

Time: The ritual sacrifice and ceremony take 3 hours to complete.

Lich

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 17 or higher, Corruption Level is Detached or higher, Tortured Sacrifice, Imbue Unlife
You have learned the secret lore of transforming yourself into an undead sorceror, thus assuring yourself immortality. The lich power is only used once to complete the transformation. In order to complete the transformation, the caster must construct a phylactery, torture and sacrifice 200 levels of humanoids within a 24-hour period and must bathe in the blood of royalty. Doing so allows the character to acquire the lich template and increases their corruption level by one.

Lycanthropic Servant

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 13 or higher, Curse, Flesh Shaping
By touching the victim during a dark ritual, you can transform him into a were-beast of your choice who must obey your commands on a successful power check against DC25. The target is granted a Will save to resist the effect. If he fails, he immediately acquires the Lycanthropy template (natural not afflicted), as per the True20 Bestiary. He is subject to the caster's commands as if under the Dominate power. Once per month, the target can make a Will save against the caster's power check. If he succeeds, he is temporarily freed to act on his own. At the end of the day, he must make another Will save, if he succeeds at the second save, he is permanently freed. If he fails, he is once again under the caster's control. You may have no more than your adept level in were-beast servants.
Time: The ritual of transformation is three hours, meaning that an unwilling target must be restrained in some fashion.

Mind Transferrance (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 13 or higher, Mind Shaping, Flesh Shaping
In an arcane ritual, you are able to transfer your mind into another body on a successful power check against DC35. You must transfer your body into a living humanoid, whose mind is similarly transferred into your own body. The target is granted a Will save to resist the transferrance. Both the target's and your mental abilities remain the same, but you gain the physical attributes of the body into which you are transferred. The transferrance is permanent. To return to your original form, you must conduct another ritual.
Time: The ritual to condut a mind transferrance is 3 hours long. Therefore, an unwilling target must be restrained in some fashion.

Plague (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Imbue Unlife, Pain
You can infect others with a horrible wracking disease. The DC of the disease is determined by the adept save difficulty and causes 1 point of Con damage. In addition, the stricken individual is rendered disabled. It takes effect immediately.
Cause Disease:You can cause disease to any creature within your line of sight. The target is granted a Fortitude save to avoid infection.
Contagion: You can cause a disease to effect a given population. Each day, the plague will infect 1 person per adept level per day. These individuals cannot be targeted and are chosen randomly. Each person is granted a Fortitude save to avoid infection. This use of the power requires maintenance. The caster must make a new fatigue check each day that the contagion continues. If all individuals make their saves on a given day, the contagion is ended.
Targeted Contagion: After seven days of contagion, you may attempt to target a specific person within the population at DC20, adjusted by familiarity. This person is granted a Fortitude check to avoid infection. You must generate seven days of contagion in between any Targeted Contagion attempts.
Time: Cause Disease is a standard action. Contagion requires one day to cast and must be maintained. Targeted Contagion requires three hours to cast.

Regeneration

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Mind Over Body
You have learned how to make your body resistant to damage through secret arcane rituals. You gain the Regeneration trait described in the True20 Bestiary. You must choose two forms of damage which you cannot regenerate.

Secrets in the Stars

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Astrometry, Astrological Prediction, Dreams of Wisdom
You can read in the stars the most auspicious times to attempt certain tasks. By waiting three months to perform some activity, you can gain a +10 to your check, whether it be a skill check or something else. If you apply this bonus to a power, you also gain a +5 to the save difficulty.

Summon Demon (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 15 or higher, Master Words and Signs or Greater Demonic Pact
You can call forth a demon from that nighted abyss, the Outer Dark. This power works exactly like the Summon Outsider power from the True20 Bestiary with the following additions. Using this power forces an immediate Corruption check. If your power check fails, you may suffer negative consequences depending on the margin of failure, as show in the table below:

Fails by...	Result
1-5	No ill effect
6-10	The demon is summoned, but is not under your control. It can act freely, at the whim of the Narrator.
11+	The demon is summoned, but you have offended it and it will seek to punish you in some manner (which may include ripping you limb from limb).

Summon Elemental (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 13 or higher, Master Words and Signs or Greater Demonic Pact
You can call forth an elemental to do your bidding. This power works exactly like the Summon Elemental power from the True20 Bestiary with the following additions. If your power check fails, you may suffer negative consequences depending on the margin of failure, as show in the table below:

Fails by...	Result
1-5	No ill effect
6-10	The elemental is summoned, but is not under your control. It can act freely, at the whim of the Narrator.
11+	The spell has gone horribly wrong. Your body is ripped by the appropriate elemental energy in a blast that does +12 damage.

Word of Death (Fatiguing)

Prerequisites: Knowledge (supernatural) 19 or higher, Harm, Tortured Sacrifice
You can slay a creature within your line of sight with a word and a gesture. You simply pull his heart out of his body. The target is given a Will save to resist. If he fails, he dies immediately.