Defectio Magicka

By Chris Pullen (negative_image@hotmail.com)

Description

Utilizing the forces of Thaumaturgy, this Path allows the caster certain protections from magic, magick, and other powers of fellow creatures of the night. Manipulating the forces of Paradox and disbelief, the thaumaturge may cause local effects of be more difficulty or to fail entirely. Any references to Thaumaturgy apply equally to Koldunic Sorcery.

* Detection

At this basic level, the thaumaturge may detect the attempted use of any supernatural power in her presence allowing her to react accordingly. System: Successes on the Willpower roll determine the level of the power that may be detected. Each success on the Willpower roll also adds one die to the thaumaturge¹s Initiative roll verses supernatural powers that can be detected (make two initiative rolls, one for the detected powers and one general).

** Brothers in Arms

The most minor of protections, this level allows the caster partial immunity to the Rituals of fellow thaumaturgists by increasing the difficulty of their powers.

System: The initial Willpower roll is resisted by the opposing caster. The difficulty for both is 6. If the opposing caster gains more successes, the Ritual may transpire as normal. If the thaumaturge gains more successes, the opposing caster gains an increase in difficulty equal to the difference in successes. These effects last for the rest of the scene. This may affect Rituals that do not directly effect the thaumaturge.

*** Ruining the Koldun

Similar to level one, this level allows protection from the Paths of vampiric Thaumaturgy.

System: Identical to level one, the differences in successes may increase the difficulty of the opposing thaumaturgist¹s Willpower roll. This may effect Paths that do not directly affect the thaumaturge.

**** Skin of Primium

With a successful roll, this level may grant the thaumaturge true counter-magick, and may also make her (at least partially) immune to the machinations of sorcerers and hedge magicians.

System: Each success on the Willpower roll reduces the number of successes gained on any hedge magic rolls that directly affect the character as well as giving the thaumaturge an equal number of counter-magick dice. Once again, these may only effect magick directed at the thaumaturge.

***** Child of the Night

Through various methods, this level allows the thaumaturge to cancel the effects, Spheres, Gifts, Rites, Rituals, Paths, Disciplines, Arts, Arcanoi, Hekau, or whatever of nearly any supernatural creature. These powers do not have to be directed at the thaumaturge and this level cancels one, and only one, effect, power, etc.

System: Each success on the Willpower roll reduces the available dice pool for the countered effect. If the effect requires no roll, then the opposed creature must roll Willpower, difficulty 7, and score three successes.