Sigil

Bleak Forest

Sigil

Paths Arcane

Created by Johnathan L Bingham

Necromancer

Paths Arcane Index

General Arcane Rules

Alchemy

Arcana Spells

Conjuration Workings

Sigilcraft

1st Order Healing

2nd Order Healing

3rd Order Healing

1st Order Psionic Powers

2nd Order Psionic Powers

3rd Order Psionic Powers

The Arcane Paths form a unified Arcane Framework. Every arcane working uses one casting roll: d20 + Spiritus modifier + the rank of its core skill (Conjuration, Mysticism or Occultism) against the BAM! of the working. Focus ranks never add to the roll; a Focus grants Advantage as its entry states (Competent: Moderate, Accomplished: Major, Adept: Extreme). On a success, pay the cost and apply the effect. On a failure, pay the cost as the table below says and roll on the Magical Misfire table; a failed Healing check rolls only on a natural 1. A natural 1 adds 1 Mishap die to the Misfire roll; a natural 20 follows the Might rules. The three core skills can be loosely defined as the Word (Conjuration: True Names), the Writ (Occultism: Spells, Formulae and Sigils), and the Way (Mysticism: Powers and Mendings).

The Word (Conjuration)

The Writ (Occultism)

The Way (Mysticism)

Components vs. Vitality as a Resource

Every arcane discipline has a cost, paid in components, Vitality, or both. Components (such as herbs, powders, and oils) are consumed when an effect is created or used. Alchemy requires specific formulae and ingredients, while Psionics uses no components and draws entirely on the caster’s Vitality. Conjuration and Arcana may use the listed components, a combination of components and Vitality, or Vitality alone. Magic is never risk-free: spending Vitality weakens the caster in combat because Vitality represents health. Each discipline’s cost reflects how readily and reliably its magic can be used.

When costs are paid (whatever the result of the roll):

Arcana spells and Conjuration workings: Vitality and components are paid on a success or a failure.

  1. Psionic powers: Vitality is paid only on a success.
  2. Imbued items (Alchemy and Sigilcraft): components are consumed on a success or a failure; Vitality is paid only on a success.
  3. Healing Arts: the Healing Herb is consumed only on a success.
Exception: a tied Spell Duel refunds both casters’ costs.
Rules for every discipline: Arcana spells and Conjuration workings need speech; a caster who cannot speak cannot cast them (Psionics, Healing and triggering an imbued item need none). If paying a Vitality cost takes you to 0 Vitality, the working still resolves; then make the Critical Damage check at once.

Standard Spells (Arcana)

Casting a spell requires that you have the spell in your grimoire and that it is charged by paying the prescribed cost. Spell costs may be fuelled by one of the following three ways:

Spell costs are paid on a success or a failure. Every spell of an Order costs the same:

Imbued Items (Sigils, Glyphs, Wards, and Alchemical Items)

Sigils, Glyphs, Wards, and Alchemical items are different from spells. They are created once and then work when activated, consumed, or used. The success or failure determination of imbued items occurs at the creation process against the BAM! Rating of imbued item. Imbued items are triggered at will and persist without further effort, though their creator can only maintain a limited number of imbued items at any given time.

Component costs for imbuing persistent items:

The components are consumed as part of the process. Sigils, glyphs and wards take 1 Watch to create at any Order. Alchemical items take 1 Watch at 1st Order, 2 Watches at 2nd Order and 1 day at 3rd Order (as in Playing the Game). On a success, pay the Vitality cost: 2 at 1st Order, 4 at 2nd, 6 at 3rd. On a failure, the components are still consumed; no Vitality is spent, and you roll on the Magical Misfire table.

A practitioner may keep a limited number of active imbued items they created: 3 at Competent, 6 at Accomplished or 9 at Adept, using the higher of their Alchemy and Sigilcraft Focus ranks. This one cap covers every sigil, glyph, ward and alchemical item; individual entries have no limits of their own.

A Note on Crafting Several Items: In one crafting period, a practitioner may create one imbued item per Focus rank (up to three). Each item beyond the first costs +2 Vitality per Order on top of its normal cost (magic is demanding and exacts a price).

EXAMPLE: Imbuing a Sigil and Triggering It

The Nameless (Spiritus +1, Occultism Expert +3, Sigilcraft Accomplished, Vitality 16) inscribes a Mark of Warning on their camp threshold. Cost: 2 components (Chalk and Feather), and 2 Vitality on a success. They spend 1 Watch. The Mark is Average (13); Accomplished Sigilcraft gives Major Advantage, two steps easier, so the target is Easy (10). Roll: 9 + 1 + 3 = 13. Success. Vitality 16 → 14. The mark is invisible and active.

Three Watches later, a Ghoul crosses the threshold during the night. The mark rings out: every sleeper within Near range wakes, and the Nameless knows which threshold was crossed. The mark is consumed and must be re-inscribed. Had the crafting check failed, the components would have been spoiled, no Vitality spent, and a Misfire rolled.

EXAMPLE: Spending Vitality to Cast

The Nameless (Spiritus +1, Occultism Skilled +2, Vitality 14) casts Frost Bolt (1st Order) with no components, so the cost is 4 Vitality. Roll: d20 + 1 + 2 vs. Average (13). Result: 11 + 3 = 14. Success. Vitality 14 → 10, and the bolt deals 1d6 cold damage. With one Common component (Ice), the cost would have been 2 Vitality and the component. Components matter.

On a failure, the cost is still paid and the Nameless rolls on the Magical Misfire table.

Components

Alchemical & Spell Components - Common (Part 1)

Usage: [A] = Alchemy, [S] = Spell, [H] = Healing Herb (can serve as Healing Arts component)

Alchemical base: Elixir [E], Oil [O], Potion [P], Powder [Pd], Salt [S], Salve [Sv]

Die Roll

(1-3)d6/(1d20)

 Component Size Cost
1 Charcoal [A][S] T 1cp
2 Frog/Toad Skin [A][S] T 1cp
3 Feather [A][S] T 1cp
4 Grave Dust [S] T 1cp
5 Life’s Blood [A][S][H] T 1cp
6 Venom [A][S] T 1cp
7 Sulphur [A][S] T 1cp
8 Spider web [A][S] T 1cp
9 Tallow [A][S][H] T 1cp
10 Fungal Spores [A][S] T 1cp
11 Carapace [A][S] T 1cp
12 Zombie Flesh [S] T 1cp
13 Bone [A][S] T 1cp
14 Glass [A] T 1cp
15 Iron [A][S] T 1cp
16 Salt [A][S][H] T 1cp
17 Chalk [S] T 1cp
18 Spring Water [A][S][H] T 1cp
19 Moss [A][S][H] T 1cp
20 Turpentine [A] T 1cp

Alchemical & Spell Components - Common (Part 2)

Die Roll

(4-6)d6/(1d20)

 Component Size Cost
1 Lamp oil [A][S] T 1cp
2 Olive Oil [A] T 1cp
3 Cat’s Whiskers [S] T 1cp
4 Alcohol (Beer/Wine/Spirits) [A] [S] T 1cp
5 Lichen [A][S][H] T 1cp
6 Ashes [A][S] T 1cp
7 Wax [A][S][H] T 1cp
8 Tree Resin [A][S] T 1cp
9 Vinegar [A] T 1cp
10 Fur/Pelt [A][S] T 1cp
11 Guano [A][S] T 1cp
12 Tusk/Canine tooth [A][S] T 1cp
13 Claw [A][S] T 1cp
14 Mushroom/Toadstool [A][S][H] T 1cp
15 Glow worm [A][S] T 1cp
16 Lead [A] T 1cp
17 Tin [A] T 1cp
18 Zinc [A] T 1cp
19 Acid [A][S] T 1cp
20 Copper coin [A] T 1cp

Alchemical & Spell Components - Uncommon

Die Roll

1d20

 Component Size Cost
1-2 Lambent Moth Wings [A][S] T 1sp
3-4 Ectoplasm [A][S] T 1sp
5-6 Mandrake Root [A][S] T 1sp
7-8 Phosphorus [A][S] T 1sp
9-10 Bane Tree Sap [A][S] T 1sp
11-12 Magic Feather (harpy, griffin, etc.) [A][S] T 1sp
13-14 Magic Blood [A][S] T 1sp
15-16 Pother Berry [A][S] T 1sp
17-18 Fae Dust [A][S] T 1sp
19-20 Silver coin [A] T 1sp

Alchemical & Spell Components - Rare

Die Roll

1d20

 Component Size Cost
1-2 Dragon Blood [A][S] T 1gp
3-4 Demon Blood [A][S] T 1gp
5-6 Fire Salts [A][S] T 1gp
7-8 Ice Salts [A][S] T 1gp
9-10 Earth Salts [A][S] T 1gp
11-12 Air Salts [A][S] T 1gp
13-14 Shadow Essence [A][S] T 1gp
15-16 Bleak Tree Sap [A][S] T 1gp
17-18 Shimmer flower Pollen T 1gp
19-20 Gold coin [A] T 1gp

Other components named in entries count as the tier shown: Ice, Wine (as Alcohol), Knotted Cord, Iron Rod (as Iron) — Common. Mercury, Marshmarrow Root, Blight Owl Feather, Lambent Moth Eyes, powdered Quartz or Pearl, Lodestone, Demon Blood (Lesser) — Uncommon. Water Salts — Rare. Where an entry names a component that is in no table, any component of the same tier with a fitting description will do.