Ascendance of the Highest Mind

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. The target character must have the magician skill and be present throughout.

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 up to three spells as if they knew them. The spells are chosen during the ritual, and must be known to at least one character who contributes to the performance.

The effect lasts until the end of the next battle, skirmish or quest the character participates in; or until the end of the current event, whichever is sooner.

Additional Targets

This ritual can affect additional characters from the same coven. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 5. Additional characters must have the magician skill and be present throughout; each target receives the ability to cast the same spells.

Description

Like Illuminate the Higher Mind and Transcendent Mastery, this ritual imprints precise knowledge of how incantations are performed, their effects and limitations, into the mind of the target. By using that knowledge they can perform the spell 'by rote' and greatly increase their personal knowledge of magical incantations.

The magical knowledge is more fragile than that granted by Illuminate the Higher Mind and erodes completely overnight. It allows a coven to focus their magical lore into a number of individual magicians, often with the intention of sending those individuals somewhere the coven as a whole are not going. It is rarely cast by a solo ritualist, although it would certainly be possible - the problem is that a ritualist powerful enough to perform the ritual solo rarely has a broad range of skills from which to choose. That said, there are several cases where a venerable volhov or a wise one has shared potent incantations with a young apprentice, or a staid earl has bestowed a surprising range of battlefield incantations on an ally.

Common Elements

The ritual usually involves a symbolic transfer of knowledge between the character or characters who know the chosen spells, and the recipients. Often this mimics the master/apprentice or student/teacher relationships, and sometimes it involves the casting of the invocation to be taught. In cases where there are multiple magicians 'donating' spell knowledge, each will give a short lecture or demonstration in turn while the rest of the coven counterpoint with chants or gentle music.

Further ideas might be found in the description of Illuminate the Higher Mind.