Ensorcelling

File:EnsorcellingSkill.jpg

An Ensorceller is doing his thing.

Ensorcelling

 An overview of Ensorcelling. Unlike Personal Arcana, Ensorcelling is a Theorem and does not require a Minor Merit. Achieving Grandmaster in Ensorcelling is a Minor Merit and will confer Dominion just like any other mundane skill.

Ensorcelling A brief history of Ensorcelling

Concepts Knotwork: - What is knotwork? Tools Ensorcelling is distinctly separate between industrious and tribal or nomadic cultures. Countries with strong infrastructure favor the Sorcerer's Pen, while those who have no such thing or a strong cultural attachment to their roots favor the Sorcerer's Knots. Sorcerer's Pen: While not itself strictly necessary, a Sorcerer's Pen is a helpful tool that creates sorcerous ink from the wielder's Aether. If not awoken to sorceries, other pens exist that draw from aspects of Metaphor, like Life Force, and - if a Hedge Wizard - Alkahest itself. Any regular pen might be used, but Alkahest must then be processed into ink in order to awaken woven Tapestries to magic. Sorcerer's Knots: Lengths of rope which are doused in Alkahest solution and woven into knotwork Tapestries. Favored by societies more in tune with nature and Animism, they function as a Sorcerer's Pen while being both the medium and the ink in a sense. Techniques Tapestry Ensorcelling tapestries of knotwork or inscribing glyphs onto a medium, and affixing them with spells. Conjuration Fueling or enacting a Tapestry spell from Willpower, Aether, or Life Force. Burning Alkahest as fuel is referred to as Hedge Sorcery. Coercion Coaxing a spell to borrow from a different metaphor while remaining mostly the same. This allows the spell to be conjured by a different power source. Layering Ensorcelling a Tapestry in such a way that lower tier Conjurations can be transcribed atop higher ones. This is done by weaving a knotwork or glyph with descending patterns of power, and then weaving a Conjuration into each beginning with the least. Layered Spells: Lesser manifestations of a spell are added on top of the first, creating a debilitating mess of Conjurations. Layered Wards When applied to a Talisman, this creates a Layered Ward which assures that only the appropriate level of talisman will attempt to quash an incoming spell. These are both answered by and a counter for a Layered Spell. Patterns Copying a Tapestry onto another medium. Products Grimoire A Grimoire is a large collection of Conjurations and Talismans bound into a book, or else woven into massive braids called Grimlocks that may or may not be woven into hair and tails. As an Ensorceller fills out their repository of spells, they develop a relationship with it; more precisely, it forms a relationship with them, responding by flipping to desired pages or yielding braids for Conjuring with a wave of their hand. It might be called to the hand from several feet away as a Grimoire or else be used as a counterbalance during feats of acrobatics in the case of Grimlocks. Stored Conjurations are quicker to cast, their advantage being that they store the Canted Metaphor of whatever they are inscribed with. Even Mystic and Animist ritual can be invoked from a Grimoire in this way. Talismans Charging a Tapestry with Conjuration only tasked with energy, sapping energy by that same source and degree of power (or less) on contact before fizzling out. These are typically sold as talismans, but might be inscribed into other mediums such as armor by tradesmen. Quashing: Talismans quash spells. They do not negate them. Rather, they mitigate. A Talisman has little effect from a distance, only dispelling that which touches it - should a dragon's breath reach its surface, a Life Force talisman will create a chain reaction through the spell to rob it of what makes it more potent than natural Metaphor, but it would do nothing to the heavy boulders, crushing waves, or lapping flames. To dispel an illusion, it would have to touch one weaker than itself - expensive, when considering Masterfully fueled talismans are wasted there. Consider also that a mage risks dispelling their own spells with a Talisman on their person should their spell make contact with it in any way. Permanence: Talismans have no effect on permanent sources of magic such as the magical properties of Contrivances or Mutagenics unless they discharge a spell. They would work against the curses of an explosive or even indiscriminately dispel curse and boon alike if touched to the skin after imbibing an elixir with either. Scrolls Wands & Staves

Skill Tiers

Novice A Novice can manipulate Novice spells. Apprentice An Apprentice can manipulate Apprentice spells. Journeyman A Journeyman can manipulate Journeyman spells. Expert An Expert can manipulate Expert spells. Master A Master can manipulate Master spells. Sovereign A Cailleach can manipulate Ascendant spells.

The Talisphere: The first Prime Magister of Dullahan wisely commissioned every Master Ensorceller in his country to construct a sphere of Layered Wards unlike any known before it. The artifact rests in a grand cathedral square within the Political Quarter of Empire, fueled by magi dominated by state Maltricians and winding Alkahest mines spiraling deep into the earth. Should any Ascended mage with far reaching talons attack the empire, the Talisphere will limit some of the damage.

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