Incantation's Mystic Mask

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying.

Effects

This ritual masks the nature of the next ritual performed after it is complete. The mask conceals all details of the second ritual; effects such as detect magic and any divination effect of a lower level can only determine that the magic exists; that it is concealed by a Night Realm effect; and the magnitude of that effect.

If this ritual is performed by a solo caster then it effects the next ritual that character casts by themselves before the next sunrise.

If this ritual is performed by a coven then it effects the next ritual cast with that coven bond.

Divination effects that match or exceed the magnitude of Incantation's Mystic Mask can learn information about the ritual or its effects, but the mask remains intact. This mask extends to the fact that the ritual was cast, and to any auras, curses or enchantments created as a result of the ritual.

The ability to mask the next ritual persists until a ritual is performed, or until sunrise, whichever comes first. The mask itself lasts for as long as the masked ritual endures.

Additional Magnitude

You may increase the magnitude of the ritual to create a more powerful mask.

Removing the Shroud

The shroud can be penetrated by any divination magic of sufficient magnitude, but this does not remove it. It can be removed prematurely by the performance of Piercing Light of Revelation, provided the magnitude of that Day ritual is at least twice the magnitude of the shroud.

Description

The main purpose of this ritual is to deter snooping into the doings of Night magicians. It adds a little to the perception of students of Night Lore as being underhand and untrustworthy - after all, claim their critics, why would they want to conceal their magic in this way if they have nothing to hide? When they can be bothered to reply, specialists in the Lore of Night wonder why their detractors want so badly to monitor what they are up to ... and the debates continue and so the world turns.

The ritual can be valuable when using enchantments or curses on land claimed by barbarians, as it makes it much harder for enemy magicians to work out precisely what is going on, and how it might be stopped.

Pedants claim that this ritual ought to be called Invocation's Mystic Mask but they are usually given short-shrift by students of Night lore. Most rituals contains a certain amount of incantation, after all. Still, there is an ongoing competition among many students of Night magic to see who can come up with the most outlandish name for this ritual to use when speaking among themselves or with outsides; the potential confusion created by dozens of different names for the same ritual effect amuses both the Night magicians, and the Eternals.

Common Elements

The magicians who perform this ritual almost always conceal their identities behind masks and hoods, and many include gloves and robes as well. It is common for the ritual to be performed in darkness and conditions of as much secrecy as the coven can arrange. Lighting is likely to be dim, and music subdued. Many ritualists work hard to create an atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty when they perform Incantation's Mystic Mask, swapping masks and identities, and weaving nonsensical words into their invocations as they work.

The runes Diras and Wyr are used interchangeably with this ritual, and some ritualists include Sular, Cavul, Irremais and especially Ophis, but in defaced or inverted forms. The constellation of The Wanderer is also invoked, as are the names of Eternals such as Sadogua and especially members of the Whisper Gallery, the Keepers of Secrets.