Spirit Connection
“Witches were a bit like cats. They didn’t much like one another’s company,
but they did like to know where all the other witches were,
just in case they needed them.” –Terry Pratchett
There are a significant number of people, more often women than men, who dabble in wheedlism; however, few have the true skill. As an ideology or perhaps even a minor religion, wheedlism is the practice of talking to the spirits of the world to gain answers for requests. It is often considered a superstitious practice. For most, it is more coincidence than actual interaction with the kamii (spirits).
However, some of the practitioners of wheedlism cross over to true interaction and gain the skill, allowing them access to an entirely different sort of magic - a sympathetic sort of magic. Remember that the chimerics of the world (i.e. the physics and chemistry equivalents) are fully under the control of the gods and kamii. Weather is not a meteorological science but rather the results of commands of the regional emis kamii -- and yes, if the spirit gets angry, storms may occur. However, the point is those who achieve access to true wheedlism can petition to the kamii for powers. In many ways, this is a minor version of the pact skill.
For a person to gain access to wheedlism, one of the prerequisites must be met. One must have a religious studies skill, have been trained in occult lore, or possess the fey skill spiritual nature. Another way one can obtain the wheedlism skill is to have been joined with a boramey kami, either an asithchant, marischant, or a tasachant. Even if no longer attached, someone having experienced this spiritual touching is capable of obtaining wheedlism.
Once wheedlism is gained, there are additional witchcraft skills that can be obtained. However, wheedlism itself does offer some significant influence on one’s environment.
This base wheedlism skill grants the ability have empathetic communication with the surrounding kamii, communing with them as a generalized request to influence the immediate world. These requests for changes in the natural order are submitted to the apothetarian spirits via witchcraft. Small favors, such as improving the soil conditions for the farm or driving a herd of game towards the local hunters are both the common types of requests made. Results are slow, often requiring more than a week to be able to observe an adjustment.
After the base skill has been obtained, then the spells or witchcraft skills listed below can then be obtained and learned.
Witchcraft
| Alter Appearance | Wheedlism | Muse 3+ |
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| Twice per day, resetting at sundown, the wheedlist can chooses a new appearance by altering height, weight, facial features, voice, hair length, coloration and distinguishing characteristics. Gaining the appearance of a different race is possible; however, the limitations prevent the witch from becoming anything other than a bipedal creature of the same size category. No additional limbs can be grown either – not even a monkey tail. Lastly, no attributes are modified from this change. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Antitoxin | Narcotics | Muse 5+ |
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| By touching a victim, this removes the effects of a poison from a victim’s system. Details will be given for the specific toxin, as it may not reverse all damage done; however, it will at the very least remove the poison restriction. This ability costs the witch 5 points of Spirit per use. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Candle Magic | Wheedlism | Muse 5+ |
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This skill allows the creation of magical candles that can bond to the lifesong of another. For each three days spent in making the candle, it will burn for five minutes up to a maximum of one hour. The magic of a candle takes effect when the candle is snuffed out, or burns down to nothing at the end of its duration, At Muse 5, a wheedlist may make red candles. The ability to make other colors of candles is gained as the Muse score increases. A candle must be burned in the presence of the intended victim in order to work.
Red Candle : Victim affected as love brew for a duration of one hour for each 5 minutes of burning. There is no save.
Blue Candle (Muse: 6): Grants the wheedlist protection from the intended target. This means an invisible barrier exists specifically against the target; all others are not affected. However, the barrier works both ways and if the wheedlist violates it to touch, attack or physically break the spot, then the barrier is removed. The duration of the barrier is equal to the time the candle burned.
Yellow Candle (Muse: 7): This grants telepathy and mind-reading of the target. This will overcome skills and magical protections on the victim. The duration is an equal amount of time the candle burned.
Purple Candle (Muse: 8): Acts as a truth drug, allowing one question to be asked of a victim for each five-minutes of burning — and all such questions are always answered truthfully.
Gold Candle (Muse: 9): Repairs damage to the objects, even magical, based on the value and time the candle burned. Additional details can be provided by the GM.
Black Candle (Muse: 10): One attribute curse can be placed on a victim for five-minutes of burning. The curses and order must be stated before lighting the candle. Obviously, only 45 minutes of burning if valud for this candle. The curses reduced an attribute to 1 point; thus, Strength could become a score of 1, or Perception could be reduced to 1. Saves of each attribute type can be attempted for each curse applied, but if two attributes are curses, then two saves are required. If successful, then that particular curse is negated while the others may still apply. Further, when those scores are adjusted, the functional values for Body, Mind, and Spirit are also recalculated. The curse remains until it is lifted. Casting free curse negates one curse at a time.
Any candle which does not burn continuously for at least five minutes will have no effect. A candle which is extinguished midway through a a five-minute period is treated as though it had not burned at all during that time, but that turn will be counted against the maximum amount of time a certain candle may be burned. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Concoctions | Wheedlism | Muse 3+ |
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| With this skill of witchcraft, the witch is able to brew very basic creations: bonfire blend, coma drought, mead, normal ale, and smelling salts, and these can be created at the same rate as someone with either a brewery or distillery skill. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Control Lycanthropes | Wheedlism | Muse 8+ |
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| Any and all lycanthropes within 90 feet of the wheedlist are affected, and will not attack the master. The forms of the lycanthropes will instantly transform into the animal form if they were not already. No saving throw allowed. This control holds the the lycanthropes in their bestial form indefinitely. For each passing hour, there is a 1% chance (cumulative) of the affected creature(s) breaking the spell. Thus, after one hour, there is a 1% chance; after 6 hours, there is a 6% chance. Roll separately for each creature. Once breaking free by its own will, a lycanthrope will attack the witch. However, if the creature is released by the wheedlist, then the lycanthrope will transform back to their anthropoid form and recall nothing of the control. To perform this, it will remove 10 Spirit points from the witch. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Dakas Talk | Wheedlism | Muse 8+ |
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| The ability can only be used once per month and then only at night. By performing an hour-long ritual, the wheedlist can contact a dakas kami of a random type, then enter a conversation with it. The wheedlist is the only one aware of the exchange. The witch may then ask the kami four questions of any sort, and the spirit will answer as truthfully as it is capable. There is a base chance of 50% that the spirit will know the answer to any question(s) asked of it. This chance is adjusted upward by 20% if the question is related to its spiritual province. If the dakas does not know the answer to a question, it will inform the wheedlist of that fact. While in the hour-long ritual, the ritualist will be in a trance. He or she may be awakened by the rules as if under the asleep but will be given the choice to remain or leave the trance. If choosing to leave, the chance to make contact again will not occur for another month. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Disease Resistance | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| The same as the skill disease resistance except for the prerequisites and attainment. This conveys a +4 to any saves involving disease. If infected and damage occurs as a result, then that damage is halved per incident, just as any other form of damage resistance. It also halves the duration of the infection if becoming sick. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Disease Transference | Wheedlism | Muse 5+ |
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| By using a small animal, usually a tiny frog or lizard, painted with a special ointment, the wheedlist will place the small creature in the mouth of a diseased or mildly sick person. With concentration of about a minute, perhaps longer for seriously ill conditions, the wheedlist uses the animal as a living conduit. The sickness energies in the bed-ridden person’s lifesong are drawn into the creature being held in the mouth. The result almost always kills the animal; however, it will transfer the disease out of the person. This works even against diseases that are resistant to divine powers of curing, although, such powerful sicknesses may require multiple applications of this method. The cost to the wheedlist is 4 points of Spirit and 15 bits worth of materials to make the ointment each time it is used. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Dredge | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| Once per day, the wheedlist can command spirits in the earth to create a 20-foot-deep in a 10-diameter (3 hexes). The time required to create the hole is approximately ten minutes. This power can only be used in an outdoor environment, and cannot be employed inside a structure, an enclosure or even underground. When completed, it is camouflaged and unobtrusive (Perception DC:19). Those stepping into one must mask a successful Agility preservation save (DC:14) or fall in. A victim who falls into the pit will take d6 points of blunt damage. Further as a result of the fall, if suffering more than half of one's Body max-score, then a final Resilience feat (DC:11) is required to prevent the wrenching of a limb (d4: arm, arm, leg, leg) which makes either movement half or attacks at disadvantage for the following 24 hours. A pit will only remain for 24 hours from its creation, collapsing back in to its natural state. Should a being still be trapped in the pit while dissipating, the creature will be returned to the surface but remain partially buried, requiring a brute force Strength feat (DC:13) perfromed once every minute until it can free itself. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Free Curse | Hex | Muse 5+ |
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| This is typically a skyclad ritual, lasting from five to twenty minutes, the the witch dancing around the intended recipient. The result irrevocably removes all curses on an object or a creature. However, the process will remove 6 points of Spirit from the ceremony performer. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Graven Image | Hex | Muse 6+ |
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| Once per week, a wheedlist can make one clay or wax doll which she can use to influence one character or monster. Dolls are made to fit general categories, e.g. a man, woman,a troll, a dragon. To work, a part of the specific target (blood, nail clippings, lock of hair, bit of outer skin or scales, etc.) must be fashioned into the doll. Once the specific material is added, the doll acquires a focus. The doll now must be shown to the intended victim to finalize the conjunction. If the victim fails a Logic preservation save (DC:13), the victim is charmed (as per the seduction skill). The effect lasts as long as the doll is intact and in the creator’s possession. If the doll becomes lost or destroyed, the charm is broken. |
| Karma Attainment: Undefined. |
| Healing Brew | Concoctions | Muse 4+ |
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| This skill allows the wheedlist to create a healing salve the same as having a homeopathy skill. No other formulas can be learned from this skill. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Hepatoscopy | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| This uses the examination of the livers of lower animals to prophecy the actions of the future. The wheedlist will ask a question that can be answered yes or no and must be about an occurrence that has not yet happened; e.g., “will the orcs attack the village?” The reading will only see into the future by one week. The base of receiving a truthful answer is determined by the GM secretly rolling Muse feat check (DC:9). However, the chance of success is adjusted according to the size and physiological complexity of the animals used — but no creature of with greater than a Mind score 4 will work successfully under any circumstance. Birds and fish may be used with a -4 penalty on the roll; small animals and monsters confer a -2 penalty; man-sized mammals or monsters, typically sheep and goats, make no adjustment; and large mammals, such as a horse, grant a +2 bonus to the roll. Creatures that are mutants or glitches will add an additional +2 bonus to the roll. Creatures or monsters that are examined must be killed by the witch just before attempting the divination or the reading will fail. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Hex | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| With this power, a wheedlist can place a curse upon a victim. These can be either ageusia, bio-nonspecto, gauchiste, gluttony, malglossima, mock feratu, portclaudo, or thunderous step. When placing a curse, it will cost 4 points of Spirit. |
| Karma Attainment: Undefined. |
| Instill Love | Wheedlism | Muse 8+ |
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| This power can only be used upon one target at a time. It requires touch, but upon doing so, the effect is permanent or until the wheedlist releases the recipient. The ability acts as a permanent love brew if the intended target fails its Judgment preservation save (DC:18). Even free curse is not able to remove the effect. However, extreme powers, such as a wish or an item of legendary status with the purpose of undoing akin effects, will be able to abolish the charm. Any individual overcome by the love power will faithfully serve the wheedlist, and this subjugation will be nearly absolute, stopping just short of following suicidal orders. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Love Brew | Concoctions | Muse 5+ |
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| This skill creates potion one love potion. The time to create a single does is one week and success is not guarantied. The odds of creating one is 60% plus 3% per point of Muse. The success roll is made at the end of the week of brewing. The potion will have the effect of charming an individual who drinks it. The imbiber is permitted a Judgment preservation save (DC:18) to shake off the effects. Otherwise, the effect has a maximum duration of one month. Each morning after a night’s sleep, the victim has a 1% chance for each day of effect that the potion will have worn off. Thus, on the third morning, there is a 3% chance of the potion losing its effectiveness. Should the victim consume another potion while still under the influence of the previous love potion, then the save will be made at disadvantage. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Magical Theft | Wheedlism | Muse 6+ |
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| This is an ability used as a reaction. Performing it will cost the wheedlist 7 points of Spirit. This ability allows the magic of another caster to be captured mid-spell and redirected into an object to be released later as item-use. Only one effect can be trapped at a time. The magic-trapping object must be a single object which meets a particular value to be capable of catching and storing the magical effect. It will require an action to release the trapped magic, after which the object used will turn to dust. |
| Object Value | Mind Cost | Spirit Cost | Duration Stored | |
| | 100 bits | 1 | 1-2 | 1 day | |
| | 250 bits | 2 | 3-4 | 3 days | |
| | 1,000 bits | 3 | 5 | 7 days | |
| Karma Attainment: Undefined. |
| Narcotics | Concoctions | Muse 4+ |
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| This witchery allows the handling and creation of poisons. Concoctions able to be formulated are acid splash, a black cigar, brittleskin poison, deathbane poison, hornmystic poison, lekhan oil, mind crank poison, nightvine poison, strength snuff, tears of doubt, and venomooze. Details of these can be explained by the GM. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Nature Call | Wheedlism | Muse 3+ |
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| As an action, the wheedlist can make a mental call to animals within 120 feet. The cost of doing so is 3 points of Spirit. As a result, either 2d4 small ones (birds, squirrels and the like) or one larger one (an eagle or wolf) will respond to the summons. This allows communication with the summoned creatures, enabling the witch to give the creatures one of two orders. Moreover, on the same turn as summoned, the animals can be made to rush at an opponent, making a chaotic movement that might be confused as an attack. For beings with a Logic score of 2 or lower and subject to a charm effect to suffer a round of confusion until the end of its next turn. All others will be at disadvantage on their next action. The summoned animals cannot be forced to rush at a character or monster they would normally flee from; further, the animals cannot perform this rush again until three action-turns later. Summoned animals can also be made to act as messengers, carrying any object their size will permit them to carry for up to 3 days. If not used for a specific on-going task, these animals will disperse after five minutes. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Non-corporeal | Wheedlism | Muse 8+ |
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| This ability will transform the physical state of the wheedlist at an expense of 10 Spirit points. This will change the witch to a non-corporeal state. The witch will become invisible and silent, almost as if not being on the same plane of existence; however, the lifesong of the wheedlist does remain on the same plane for all purposes including his or her senses other than tactile response and tremorsense. Further, no physical attack can harm the witch unless it can extend to strike ethereal beings. Likewise, physical assaults from the witch will not inflict harm either. However, mental, spiritual and magical attacks will be capable of striking corporeal opponents. The duration for remaining non-corporeal is 20 minutes or until chosen to stop the condition. |
| Karma Attainment: 3 Days in a trance talking with the kamii. |
| Ointment of Wings | Concoctions | Muse 6+ |
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| This skill allows for an ointment to be created which will allow one human-sized individual to fly at a movement rate of 50. The ointment must be smeared over the recipient’s naked body to work, and its effect will last for two hours. The time to create one dose requires one week of steeping. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Personal Fey | Concoctions | Muse 5+ |
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| Similar to fey binding, but it is for bonding a familiar spirit to the witch only. Further, there is no chance of the result failing, but it also does not expire after five years of service, making the time owned indefinite, but the animal-fey may die of old age. A witch can only obtain one fey spirit in a 10-year period. Thus, should a fey-servant die before the duration from the last summoning, the wheedlist must wait until the end of the period for another. Lastly, the scrying sight between master and companion can be used three time per day and up to five minutes each use. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Plant Control | Nature Call | Muse 5+ |
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| Tree branches, grasses, shrubs and the like up to 40 feet from the wheedlist and within a 15-ft diameter area (7 hexes) will grab at, attempt to hold and try to restrain all living (and even undead) creatures within their reach (within the area and adjacent hexes). Plants grapple as Strength:2 beings. Once establishing a hold, the plants may attempt to disarm or strangle an intended victim if the wheedlist orders the this as an action. The plants can pry a weapon from a restrained person by using another Strength competition; however, the plants will be at disadvantage on the competition roll. For strangulation see asphyxiation rules. The effect has a duration of 2 minutes and costs the wheedlist 4 points of Spirit to manifest. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |
| Seduction | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| This is a magic-use similar to an incantation or axiom. Performing this will cost the witchcrafter 2 points of Spirit. However, it can be cast upon any sociable humanoid within 30 feet that can be seen. The target is permitted a Will preservation save (DC:12). If the recipient has been threatened by anyone within the last few moments, even those unrelated to the caster, then the save is made with advantage. If the save fails, then the target treats the sorcerer as a friendly acquaintance. This won’t make anyone do things against his self-interest, such as rob a bank or attack a monster out of his league. When the spell ends, a Perception check is allowed against the same DC to know magical influence was used. If not aware, the victim may still have feelings towards the caster but is no longer under compulsion. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Seeking | Seduction | Muse 5+ |
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| This is a very specific curse. It cannot be made as part of a combative encounter but rather must be administered during a social encounter. The verbiage of the conversation to administer requires about two minutes. Those in the discussion can make a Perception check (DC:20) to recognize the enchantment is occurring at the halfway point. The effect can influence multiple persons up to a total of 12 points of Will. No individual with a Will score of 6 or higher can be affected. Also, the recipients must be anthropoids or atavistoids. If those in the group exceed the total Will maximum, then those with lowest scores in the group are affected first. The witch must be able to verbally communicate with her targets for the power to work, and the task must be something that can be accomplished within a day. Upon success, the witch can send the targets away from her on an imaginary errand for themselves, such as going to town for supplies or going to a nearby river to get water. The details must be specific and obtainable. Commanding to walk westerly for a day is not a valid command. Moreover, each victim is permitted a Will save (DC:14) to avoid the compulsion. Those failing will be compelled to attempt the errand, provided that it poses no direct threat to their safety or well-being. There is a chance of 20% plus 1% per Muse of the wheedlist who created the quest that the victims will forget all about the encounter after the seeking is completed. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Speak in Tongues | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| The wheedlist contacts the kamii in the area to let the witch speak and understand any language for the following hour. This does not convey the ability to read or write foreign languages. Further, the cost of this ability is 3 Mind points per usage. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Suppression | Wheedlism | Muse 4+ |
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| This is a magic-use similar to an incantation or axiom. Performing this will cost the witchcrafter 2 points of Mind. a visible bolt of energy will fire from the witch’s head, seeking a target with in line of sight, unobstructed and within 30 feet. It will make a 1d20+Logic attack against the target. If striking successfully, no physical damage is inflicted but rather will force a d6 points temporary Mind damage with the purpose of rendering the victim unconscious (should the score reach 0). However, this Mind damage is only momentary, recovering at a rate of 1 point per minute. |
| Karma Attainment: Not defined. |
| Truth Drug | Concoctions | Muse 5+ |
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| A victim who ingests a dose will fall into a stupor, and is forced to answer from 1-4 questions truthfully. The victim is permitted to make a Will competition save on a d12 against the truth drug, using the Muse score of the witch who created it as the opposing attribute. If winning the competition, the victim fights off the stupor but will be under the drowsy effect for 1 to 4 subsequent actions. The time to create a single ingested dose is one week and costs 100 bits. The odds of successful creation is 60% plus 3% per point of Muse. The success roll is made at the end of the week. |
| Karma Attainment: Not yet defined. |