Alignment of Mind and Blade

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. This ritual targets a character, who must be present throughout.

This ritual is an enchantment. A target may only be under one enchantment effect at a time.

Effects

The target may call impale once each day with any one-handed weapon or one-handed spear.

While under the enchantment the target experiences a roleplaying effect: they feel poised on the verge of sudden, decisive action. Thought and deed become increasingly united - when they decide to do something it is very difficult for them to resist acting immediately without guilt, doubt, hesitation or mercy.

The effect lasts until the start of the next Profound Decisions Empire event.

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters from the same banner. Every additional character increases the magnitude by 14. Additional characters must be present throughout.

Description

This ritual grants the ability to make decisive strikes with a one-handed weapon or one-handed spear. Along with the martial power comes a sense of poise and excellence that drives warriors under this enchantment to act with perfect clarity, removing doubts and freeing them from guilt. Some magicians who use this spell call it The Perfect Moment because it encourages the target to live entirely in the present, to abandon concerns about the past or future. This can be a powerfully liberating - and potential dangerous - frame of mind to experience. Many scholars of Day magic prefer to ensure this ritual is used only on those who have already demonstrated the ability to control their emotions, for fear of creating a merciless killer.

Common Elements

This ritual usually involves both the target and their weapon. A ritualist might trace matching runes on weapons and warrior, or might encourage them to run through a weapon-drill. Some magicians encourage the targets to remain absolutely still, sometimes in an uncomfortable martial pose, until the climax of the ritual when they explode into action with a single dramatic strike. The ritual is often combined with an oath or promise to use its power (or not use its power) in a certain way.

Legendary warriors, especially those who fought only when necessary, are often invoked as are Paragons and Exemplars who showed heroic judgement; the name of Zakalwe the Eternal Master Strategist is also appropriate. The virtues of Wisdom and Ambition may be referenced in literal or symbolic forms.

Any of the Day runes might be evoked. Cavul, the rune of clarity and Aesh, the rune of thought, are commonly marked on the weapon and the wielder respectively. An evocation of The Key may be appropriate with this ritual.