Ravenous Tongue of Entropy

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. This ritual targets a character, who must be present throughout. The target character must have the magician skill.

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

Effects

The target gains the ability to cast, the spells shatter, weakness and paralysis as if they knew them.

They also experience a roleplaying effect: you feel an urge to lash out with your magic at anyone who crosses you, questions you, or obstructs you.

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

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters from the same coven. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 8. Additional characters must be present throughout.

Description

Ravenous Tongue of Entropy allows a magician to perform three potent battlefield incantations without having to study them. Many ritualists focus entirely on mastering rituals, and this enchantment allows them to 'unlock' their reserves of personal mana and use them in dangerous situations to destroy their enemies. It also sees some use in allowing a magician who already possesses a good store of personal mana to expand their versatility, or bring their anger to bear on those who have wronged them.

This spell grants an instinctual ability to wield the incantations it provides; magicians say there is no real sense that they truly understand the intricacies of the spells in question. Rather they possess an instinctual awareness that they can shape and channel magical energy to burst a shield into splinters, ruse a sword to uselesness, drain the strength from the strongest warrior, or even curse a foe with terrified immobility.

While the ritual is not tied to any particular supernatural power, some magicians speak of being urged to strike down anyone who crosses them, of fighting an internal battle to resist the urge to unleash harmful magic against anyone who so much as looks at them a little askew. Others have reported perceiving these urges as being an actual voice speaking to them from a position just behind their left shoulder. While the ritual has never been interdicted it has come close more than once, primarily due to concerns from the Sevenfold Path.

The magic shields the wielder and her staff from the corrupting influence of the enchantment, but even so they are left with a constant, nagging awareness of the entropy inherent in everything and everyone around them. When they ruffle their son's hair they may suffer a sudden awareness of the slow processes of decay that will eventually leave that child as an old man; when they run their hand along the wall of a building, they know that eventually it will fall into ruins and be gone. People under this enchantment tend to avoid mirrors..

The magic of this enchantment tends to linger and sometimes turns against the magician's own staff; some magicians burn any staff they use to shatter another's weapon or shield. Others find that an otherwise reliable implement breaks at an inappropriate moment, often several months after the effect of the enchantment ends. Magical staffs are at least a little resistant to this effect, but even so once their magical properties fade they, too, tend to become unreliable and may snap unexpectedly.

This ritual draws on the powers exemplified by several Winter eternals including Kaela, Sorin, the Thrice-cursed Court, and of course Wendigo but which are also inherent in creation. Such eternals sometime express approval if she encounters a magician under the influence of this Enchantment.

Common Elements

The performance of this ritual is often especially grim. The inevitable forces of death and decay may be invoked, sometimes accompanied by the bitter ringing of a bell, thumping of a drum or dull sounding of a gong at seemingly random moments. It is often performed at night, and may include symbolic destruction of fragile items. Rusted metal and crumbling stone may be included as additional symbols of entropy. Funereal dress is a common element, as is the painting of the Yoorn or Mawrig rune on the target or their staff, often with a paste made from blood and ashes.