Fetid Breath of Teeming Plague

Rules

Performing the Ritual

Performing this ritual takes at least 2 minutes of roleplaying. The ritual targets a single mage implement which must be present during the ritual.

Effects

When the ritual is completed, all participants are struck by a VENOM effect.

The power of the ritual is stored in the implement targeted by the ritual. Any one of the contributors can unleash the power of the ritual while holding the implement to allow them to call MASS VENOM.

The power of the ritual can be invoked only once.

The power granted by this ritual lasts until it is used or for ten minutes, whichever comes first.

Additional Uses

The ritual can be used to place more than one use into the target implement. Each additional use increases the magnitude of the spell by 30. Any uses left over are lost at the end of the ten minutes. You cannot charge up more than one implement with this ritual.

Option

The ritualists may burn up to 20 measures of beggar's lye as part of the ritual. Every two measures used in this way reduces the magnitude of the ritual by 1.

Description

This battlefield ritual allows a powerful magical attack to be unleashed against a group of enemies, filling them with supernatural poison and feverish sickness. Like similar rituals, the attack is temporarily stored in a rod, staff or wand, and then unleashed at the most tactical moment.

The ritual has a strong affinity for the caustic material beggar's lye. A coven can take advantage of this affinity to help reduce the difficulty (and cost) of performing the ritual.

This ritual has a number of uses, but two are worth noting. Firstly, it is useful when facing groups of creatures with regenerative or supernatural-healing abilities. This might mean exotic beasts such as undead, vallornspawn, but even a barbarian force might qualify if it is supported by a number of magicians who are making good use of healing spells. Secondly, it is a very effective terror tactic. Those caught in the arc of the spell are left in no doubt as to the merciless intent of their opponents; no prisoners will be taken in this engagement. That fact alone is sometimes enough to break the morale of an enemy, or at least encourage them to withdraw until they can remove the venom.

Common Elements

When performing this ritual, a coven often invokes symbols of poison and disease. Some magicians prefer to weave incantations involving poisonous plants and venomous animals, while others may work spells that suggest disease, sickness and pestilence. Eternals such as Arhallogen and Llofar may be invoked, or the names of specific malignant plagues could be used.

The focus of this ritual is an implement, and the role it plays in the ritual can be quite important. Some ritualists, especially in Varushka pass a single implement from magician to magician, whispering curses and dire promises of doom to the tool before handing it on. Others might place the implement at the centre of the ritual and leave it stationary while they move around it weaving their magic and scattering beggar's lye.

Other common elements in this ritual might include the runes Mawrig, Naeve or Yoorn, the evocation of The Claw or The Drowned Man, the slow ringing of heavy bells suitable to a funeral, or evocations of the hydra, .hydra, wyvern or the basilisk (especially for the Freeborn, Highborn and The League).