Magic and the Pact
First, a bit on magical specialties and other Expertises:
In general, Expertise (Occult) is something anyone with a lot of time on their hands could learn with access to a good library, or the internet. Using it to cast spells or create magic Devices is possible, but should have a higher DC. Expertise (Arcane) covers the functions of both Occult and Magic, and so is generally restricted - unless the GM particularly wants to simplify things like that, which is perfectly reasonable. You also could make Expertise (Magic) more accessible, rather than dividing it into lots of specialties as I have - or, you can divide it into different specialties, or redefine existing ones. Whatever works best for your game.
Some magical specialties work better with Artificer than with Ritualist, or vice versa. Alchemy, for example, is very much an Artificer skill in most respects, outside of Neidan (Chinese internal alchemy), which makes more sense with the Ritualist advantage. If your game keeps track of the monetary costs of spell components, Western Alchemy tends to be on the expensive side, as does external Eastern Alchemy.
Technomagic, also called Technomancy (which refers to a form of divination, not magic in general), Technurgy (a more accurate term for technological thaumaturgy), Treknology, Ætheric SCIENCE!, Superscience, Psychotronics, Psi-tech, and so on, is more-or-less exclusively an Artificer-based skill. Using it with Ritualist would be possible by the rules, but generally thematically inappropriate. At its core, Technomagic is the use of magic to create Devices that look and act like (fictional) advanced technology. Most technomagicians would not think that they are doing magic at all, or even
believe in magic: they
know they are merely working with advanced science (or SCIENCE!), and don't understand why people have trouble duplicating it.
Psi, also termed Psionics or Applied Parapsychology, is much like Technomagic, in that psychic Ritualists generally don't see themselves as performing magic. The rituals they use tend to involve far more meditation, and far less chanting, drawing symbols, consulting spirits, and so forth. Getting into a fandom, Expertise (the Force), also called such things as Jedi Arts or Sith Magic, tends to be fairly similar, though with the Sith somewhat being an outlier. Some Jedi and Sith mix in a form of Technomagic, to gain lightsabres and holocrons, and sometimes other Devices, like blasters or droids (which would also be constructs, usually).
Folk Magic is primarily focused on the sort of thing that would help people in a small, rural community survive, both individually and as a village: helping crops grow, keeping the weather from being too disastrous, predicting problems before they strike, dealing with animals (including a little shapeshifting, if you're powerful enough) and minor spirits, and a fair bit of low-level healing, mostly in the area of Treatment enhancements (and of course, some cursing, illusion-making, and mind-altering, for those of more flexible morality). Overlaps significantly with
folk religion. Spells tend to be low point-cost, and low in power ranks, but folk magic is a good starting point for a healer or spiritualist (summoner) type caster. If your game keeps track of how much you spend on spell components, folk magic tends to be much cheaper than average, sometimes less than 10% of normal costs.
Hermetic Magic, the preferred style of the Pact, could in many ways be described as Folk Magic's more sophisticated, wealthy, and cosmopolitan cousin. Much more ceremonial and tending to go for higher point costs and power ranks, but is often slower than average (add around 5% to 20% to normal 'construction' time for any ritual, but does not effect design or research checks), and if your game keeps track of component costs, they tend to go for the more expensive ones, from double normal prices to sometimes even ten times as much! Also, Hermetic magic is generally not great for healing, nor for physical enhancements, the latter being something many in the Pact see as vulgar. It is, however, a very eclectic style, with practitioners adapting spells from all over the world.
Astrology & Tarot are divinatory styles that overlap somewhat with Hermetic magic, and in the case of Tarot, also Western Folk magics. While primarily focused on gathering information or predicting the future (Senses, Communication, sometimes a little Summoning), these styles can also be used to manipulate probability (Luck Control, or powers with the Luck descriptor), or perhaps to work spells with the classic Western elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Quintessense or Æther). If you don't mind another layer of complexity in your game, work out which Zodiac signs are dominant or weakened at the time the game takes place (usually in-setting, but you can use real time if you prefer), and what they influence, and use this to modify casting DCs.
Runic or Symbol Magics work spells through specific alphabets or symbologies which have mystical significance (whether historical or pop-culture), such as Norse
Runes (which in common speech have lent their name to all such alphabets), Celtic
Ogham letters,
Gematria (also a religious style),
Enochian,
astrological or
alchemical symbols, et cetra. Component costs can be anywhere from negligible to very expensive, depending on how you want to play it. An extremely common, if not universal, limitation of this magic is that you must have some representation of the symbol or symbols you are using, even if all you do is draw them in the dust or air; requiring prepared runestones or similar things would be a greater Limited flaw, of course. If you also play GURPS, there's a fairly detailed description of this type of magic, with worked examples, in GURPS Thaumatology (pp168-179), and less detailed examples in GURPS Magic (pp205-209).
Elemental styles focus on one or more of the
classical elements, or on a particular category of magic, such as Illusions, Conjuration (mostly Summoning spells), Divination, or Necromancy (below). They might also be divided up culturally, if the GM and players like being that granular. D&D's
Schools of magic or clerical
Domains, GURPS
Colleges, World of Darkness
Spheres,
Pillars or
Sorcery Paths (short PDF), and so on, could be used for inspiration.
Necromancy, which technically means 'divination by the dead', has come to cover all branches of magic involving interaction (other than destruction or banishment, though both are
also part of Necromancy) with the dead and undead, whether embodied, or ghosts. For obvious reasons, this is generally considered creepy, and in many societies, quite evil; thus, practicing necromancers tend to be secretive, even among other spellcasters. Communication and Summon are generally the basic powers.
Theurgical styles are those that work within a particular religion, usually closer to official doctrine (if there is any) than Folk magics, but not always; in the absence of official doctrine, it is simply a form of folk magic with greater emphasis on the faith than on thaumaturgy. Qabalah, Christian or Islamic Mysticism (or mysticism of a specific branch of Christianity or Islam, like Catholicism or Sufism), Vodoun (voodoo or hoodoo) & Santería, the various branches of Wicca, Native American faiths, Buddism, Shinto, Hinduism, and so on. One might have an Expertise in the faith as a whole, or in a specific focus, like the followers of specific gods in polytheistic faiths (the
Mithraic mysteries of ancient Rome, the Egyptian cult of
Iset, et cetra). Like folk magics, theurgy is often good for healing spells, but unlike most folk magic, practitioners rarely think of themselves as spellcasters, or as having any real power within themselves at all: to them, their deity is the one doing all the work, which they merely request.
Chi (Qi, Ki, Prana) is used by meditative Eastern spellcasters, often associated with a specific martial arts style (Aikido, Shaolin Kung Fu, Kalaripayattu, and so on), or a religious/philosophical discipline, like Yoga. Generally a Ritualist style, though related styles can produce Devices. Practitioners often do not see themselves as magic users, but as Enlightened Martial Artists, or similar ideas. Depending on the style, there may be no spell components at all. The Iron Age book from M&M 2e has some useful information on fighting styles and Martial Arts-related powers, starting on page 45.
Diabolic Magic, called Diabolism, Black Magic, Dark Magic (which is also a term for hidden or secretive magic, or for Elemental Magic dealing with Shadows), and various other names, is an effective 'all around' style for those who don't care about its corrupting influence, the loss of free will, the risk of higher beings coming to punish them for using it, or other costs (or are too arrogant to think it will affect
them, specifically, or think 'just this once won't be a problem,' or, most often, are tragically ignorant of the consequences), nor the unpleasant side effects many of its spells have. It's also very easy to learn, at least in the sense of just randomly finding 'helpful' books or a willing teacher ('Just sign here...'). Necromancy, above, is sometimes treated as a branch or subset of Diabolism, though the Pact does not do this. GMs should seriously consider imposing some
nasty limitations and other Flaws on powerful Diabolic spells (see also About Extras and Flaws, below). Heroes are likely to encounter many Diabolists, some of whom they might even be able to save - for the moment, at least.
Frequent encounters with users of a specific style of magic (especially if you witness them performing a Ritual or crafting a Device) can lead to gaining a rank or two in Expertise for that style, even if you never use it.
On researching 'existing' spells, or designing new ones:
If you have your own magical library, you can substitute the design check for a spell with a research check, which would usually have a lower DC: half the DC of the design check, modified by the size of your library, and how well the spell fits the theme or style of that library, if it has one: generally, I would say to reduce the research DC by 1 every time the number of books doubles, but other GMs may prefer a different method. Of course, if the GM decides that the spell isn't in your library, you're still out however long you spent searching for it, but it does not further penalize the design check. The research check may also be modified by specific Extras and Flaws (below), beyond their effect on the point cost.
The time required for the research check depends on the size of the library (if applicable, divide this by the number of people searching), and how well it's organized: if you've only got one or two books, you should probably decide in advance how many spells they have, but you can flip through them fairly quickly, probably in less than half an hour. If you have access to the library of Silas the Elder (presumably with his permission, as getting in without it would be an impressive feat, and getting out after, a greater one...), searching could take days, if you don't have a search spell of some sort, but nearly any type of spell might be found there. An equally large but less well-organized library might take a week or more of searching.
One other important drawback of looking for an existing spell over writing your own should probably be mentioned: what you find isn't likely to be
exactly what you want. At best, it will be fairly close.
About Extras and Flaws:
The reason Subtle 1 and Indirect are so common in this setting is that while by the rules they are Extras, in-universe, a visible or audible effect that tells mundanes 'I am doing magic' is something you would normally need to
add to the spell. Think of that scene in Star Wars: A New Hope, where
Vader chokes Admiral Motti for making fun of his religion; there's no glow, no ominous hum, just Lord Vader making a gesture and talking. Likewise, if you don't have Magical Awareness, or another such sense, you aren't going to see a connection between the old voodoo woman sticking the pin in that doll's chest, and the greedy landlord having a heart-attack (though if you see both of them, you could deduce it, just as you and everyone at that table knew Vader was choking Motti in the movie).
Indirect is generally attached to spells where being Subtle would seem odd: A Subtle lightning bolt is possible by the rules, but sounds silly, whereas a bolt from the clouds makes perfect sense. Poltergeist effects would also fit Indirect better than Subtle, as would creating a sinkhole, causing the floor to collapse, having a nearby fire flare up, or pushing the target around with a dust devil or gust of wind (or a wave, if the ocean is close enough).
If you want to create a new spell that has neither Subtle nor Indirect, add 5 to the design check DC, but not to the construction check. If you want to research an existing spell in a magical library that lacks them, add 10 to the research check (but again, not the construction check), as that sort of showing off is not exactly common. If the GM agrees that some of the mages who wrote your library were the type to show off, then you don't need to add to the research check, or don't need to add as much. Subtle 2, which hides spells even from those who normally would detect that, would add 10 to either the design check or the research check, because it's that tricky to pull off.
The Check Required flaw is fairly common among spells, but less so for Devices. Finding a spell without Check Required adds 1 to the research DC, while creating one adds 3 to the design check. Again, it does not affect the construction check, beyond its effect on the point cost.
The Tiring flaw is fairly common among physical enhancement or transformation spells - finding such a spell
without Tiring does not affect the Difficulty, but finding that type of spell
with it reduces the research DC by 5. It has no effect on design or construction checks beyond point cost.
The Side Effect Flaw is very common for Diabolical spells, and GMs are encouraged to be nastily creative when determining what those effects are - particularly at high ranks, or when the caster has been using Diabolical magic for a long time. Diabolical spells
without this or another unpleasant and/or disturbing flaw (or more than one) can only be gained on a natural 20 on the design or research check, unless it's the first Diabolical spell the caster has tried to research/design ('First taste is free,' after all). Most sorcerors will try at some point to negotiate with a demon for less troublesome side effects. Sometimes, this even works, but oh, the
price...
About the Pact:
The Paragons book is intentionally vague on the subject of how the Pact is organized. We know that each House is lead by the First Chair of the planet that corresponds to that House's metal, such as 'First Chair of Mars, in the House of Iron,' or 'First Chair of the Moon, in the House of Silver,' and there are seven chairs per planet (and most of the chairs are empty), but who exactly is below the Elders, and whether each planet is represented in only one house is left to the GM. This is more of a suggestion than a requirement for this version of the Paragons setting, but I will probably use something like it if I run a game in this setting:
In each House, there are forty-nine Chairs: seven per planet, and seven planets (except when the House leadership decides to alter this, such as the House of Gold acknowledging Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto as planets, thus having eleven). One planet has primacy in each House, such as Mars in the House of Iron, the Moon in the House of Silver, and so forth. The Chairs of that planet in that House hold at least moral authority over the other Chairs of the same rank or below (so, the Third Chair of the Sun in the House of Gold holds precedence over the Third Chairs of the other planets in the House of Gold, as well as the Fourth and lesser Chairs of the Sun in the House of Gold). There may be a further hierarchy among the planets within the House, or there may not, as this varies from House to House. Likewise, how much authority each Chair has over his or her fellows varies, with the Houses of Gold and Iron being the most hierarchical and authoritarian, and the House of Mercury being the least of both, with the Elder of the House being pretty much First Among Equals. Some seated officers hold more than one Chair, whether for ceremonial purposes, honourary awards, or to confuse those in other Houses - or some combination thereof. Specific Chairs may come with additional titles and duties, such as Secretary, Treasurer, Serjeant-at-Arms (or Corporal-at-Arms, or sometimes a few ranks of '<something>-at-Arms'), and so on, or they may be titles granted to whichever seated member the Elder chooses, with no correspondence to Chair, or even rank.
Below the seated officers in most Houses are lesser members, with limited access to magic, performing supporting tasks. Some are servants of various types, though a servant is not necessarily a member. Those who are members often have rank-titles like Initiate, Novice, or Disciple, sometimes with flowery additions like 'Radiant Disciple of the Sun, in the House of Gold'. Depending on the House, there may be only one or two ranks of lesser members, or several, possibly with overlapping authority. To add to the confusion, the lowest rank titles vary from House to House, so an Initiate in one House might be equal to a Disciple in another, but a grade or two lower in a third, and an alternate title for a Seventh Chair of a planet in a fourth. In meetings of the entire House, which rarely occur, these lesser members are often literally unseated, being required to stand at the back and sides of the room.
These lower ranks are often apprenticed to a superior, though not necessarily one-on-one, and trained in Hermetic Magic, as well as assisted in developing the Ritualist advantage; in most Houses of the Pact, Artificer is only taught to those who already know Ritualist, though in the House of Mercury, that's a matter for the Master to decide, sometimes even with input from the apprentice. Interestingly, in the Houses of Copper and Tin, it is more common to learn to be an Artificer first, and only later, be trained as a Ritualist. Other magical styles common in the Pact are Western Alchemy, and Western divinitory styles like Astrology and Tarot, but the libraries of the Pact cover many other branches of the Great Art, even if they have few practitioners. Necromancy is more common than most would prefer to admit, particularly in the House of Lead, but actual Diabolic magic is rare.
Though not directly magical, Expertises in such categories as the Imageria, Spirits, Cryptobiology, Esoteric Geography, and similar branches of the Occult are available, and depending on the House and Master, may be required subjects of study.
Those who join the Pact already possessing Artificer or Ritualist are at least expected to learn a little Hermetic Magic (+1 to the Expertise), and if they also have mastered spells or possess bonded Devices (have them as Powers, in other words), tend to be promoted to seated officer faster than those who are less powerful. This is not automatic, however, as it depends on the needs and preferences of the Elder of the House, and the higher Chairs of the Planet that member might join.
Benefit (Pact Membership) Table:
1- Unseated Member (Minion to Elite Minion)
2- Seventh Chair
3- Sixth or Fifth Chair
4- Fourth or Third Chair
5- Second Chair of a non-Primary planet
6- First Chair of a non-Primary planet, or Second Chair of the Primary Planet of the House
7- First Chair of the Primary Planet of the House, and thus Member of the Council of Elders for the House
PCs should probably not start with Pact Membership above rank 3 or 4.
Note that 'Minion' is
usually not an official title, nor does it have anything to do with the Minion advantage. It's just a way of describing how most of the seated members think of people who have that rank.)
Pact rank is nearly always accompanied by a Duty or Responsibility Complication, as membership has its dues (and not merely financial ones).