Icelandic Magic
Chapter 6
Icelandic Magic
T
his chapter seeks to provide the sto-ryguide with information to add an Ice- landic flavor to magicians described in
Hedge Magic, as well provide other more
uniquely Norse traditions.
The following traditions will be covered in this chapter:
Traditional Galdramen: Norse theurgists
who use the power of poetry and song to conjure spirits.
Schooled Galdramen: Christian priests
trained at the Icelandic cathedral schools of Skalholt or Holar. These magicians use their Christian learning to emulate their more pow- erful countrymen. The Icelandic equivalent of Natural Magicians, as described in Hedge Magic.
Trollsynir: Potent magicians whose power
comes from their giant blood. Very similar to the Gruagachan detailed in The Lion of the
North.
Female practitioners of magic in Iceland often go by the name of volva (plural volur). There are few female traditional galdramen (called galdrakona), and no female schooled galdramen (as these are all members of the cler- gy). Other female magicians include the sei- thkonur detailed in Ultima Thule.
Icelandic magicians cannot have Virtues or Flaws relating specifically to any Hermetic Arts or the Order of Hermes or any other magical tradition (Deft Art, Twilight Points, Magical Affinities, Hedge Wizard, Guild Alchemist, etc.). Trollsynir cannot they have any Virtue relating to other shapeshifting powers (Skin- changer, Lycanthrope, Heartbeast, Will Over Form, etc.), or incompatible realms (Faerie Magic, Faerie Blood, True Faith).
Galdramen
Now the king sought out galdramen, who could pry into anything they wished. They told him that the boys were not being brought up on land, yet were not far off from the king, who responded “We have searched widely for them, and it seems to me least likely that they are nearby. Nev- Runes none should grave ever
Who knows not to read them; Of dark spell full many The meaning may miss. Ten spell-words writ wrongly On whalebone were graven: Whence to leek-tending maiden, Long sorrow and pain.
— Egil Skallagrimson, Egil’s Saga
What about the Vitkir?
Ultima Thule presents a Norse magical tradition of rune-magi-
cians called the vitkir. These magicians use the runes to channel the power of the pagan Norse gods. In Iceland, vitkir are rare due to the tough legal proscriptions against heathen ways. Almost essential for a vitki in Iceland is a regio, either magical or faerie, in which they can hide a temple to their patron deity away from pry- ing eyes. Other Icelandic magicians, while they might secretly be pagans, do not need the trappings of pagan faith to enact their magic, and have thus escaped the wrath of the Church.
ertheless, there is an island that we have not scoured thoroughly. Almost no one lives on it except for one poor freeman.”
“Search there first,” said the galdra- men, “because mist and secrecy shroud that island. Only with difficulty can we see the area around this man’s house. He seems to be a person of profound learning, and there is more to him than meets the eye.”
Early one morning, Vifil awoke with a sense of foreboding. He said, “The air and paths are alive with magic, and pow- erful fylgjur have visited the island. Get up Hroar and Helgi, sons of Halfdan. Keep yourselves hidden today in the underbrush of my woods.”
— The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki The term galdor refers to Nordic song- magic. Its practitioners weave ancient lore with songs or poems to call spirits to do their bidding. These conjured spirits can create a wide range of effects, but are bound by the same limitations as Hermetic magic.
There are now two types of galdramen in Iceland, the traditional and the schooled. Both groups work their magic by chanting a long series of sacred phases (called synthemata by Latin theurgists).
Traditional Galdramen
Traditional galdramen still use the old hea- then lore in their songs and poems, filling them with references to Aesir mythology. Using this lore the traditional galdramen can be initiated into the higher mysteries of their tradition. If run as player characters, traditional galdramen should occupy a magus slot. They also pay for Virtues and Flaws as a magus.
All traditional galdramen have Free Expression, Second Sight, Premonitions, Gal- dor Conjuring and Galdor Enchantment as free Virtues. They also suffer from the Major Delete- rious Circumstances Flaw when touching the ground. Having the Gift they suffer from its social penalties and can purchase the Gentle Gift Virtue or the Blatant Gift Flaw.
They start with the following Abilities: Galdor Wisdom 4
Premonitions 1 Singing 4
Speak West Norse 5 Second Sight 2 Legend Lore 2
[Choice of Song Talent] 4 [Choice of Song Talent] 2 Bargain 2
Starting Experience: Age + 10
Galdor Abilities
Through his apprenticeship and subse- quent career, each galdraman develops knowl- edge of the local landvaettir and how spell- songs might be composed to summon or bind them. The Arcane Knowledge, Galdor Wisdom (see below) represents this knowledge. As the magic of a galdraman stems ultimately from the landvaettir, they are affected by auras in the same way as the landvaettir (page 32).
The Hermetic guidelines can be used to calculate effect levels, but the storyguide should not feel bound by them. Ultimately it is the sto- ryguide that sets Galdor effect levels, not the rulebook.
Song Talents
Traditional Galdramen develop relation- ships with particular types of landvaettir by composing a set of praise songs and poems to them. These become the spells he uses to con- jure and bind them. A score in a Song Talent represents a galdraman’s relationship with par- ticular types of spirit and the quality of his asso- ciated spell-songs. Galdramen learn new Song Talents through Galdor Initiation (see below).
Each Song Talent can only be increased with practice or experience; it cannot be taught or trained. The maximum score a galdraman can have in any Song Talent is limited to the magician’s score in Galdor Wisdom. However, each season spent engaged in Galdor magic gives the magician 1 experience point in either Sing, Galdor Wisdom or the used Song Talent.
Galdramen start with two free Song Talents of their choice.
Galdor Conjuring
Galdramen are unable to use their magic if they cannot sing, and it fails them when they
stop singing. Galdramen have difficulty conjur- ing in contact with the ground, so they usually prepare a ritual platform, although a simple wooden chair or table will do. Using galdor magic in contact with the ground halves the magician’s casting totals.
To conjure a spirit the magician must first determine the level of the desired effect. Use the same spell guidelines as Hermetic magi, but the duration must be either Momentary or Con- centration. Range and Target are calculated normally, with Range calculated from the Gal- draman to the Target. In addition, galdraman cannot request a service of higher magnitude than the level of the Song Talent he uses.
Once the effect level has been calculated the magician must try to conjure a spirit power- ful enough to generate the required effect. If the Hermetic equivalent would be a non-ritual the magician must spend 1 minute in uninterrupted singing for every magnitude of the intended effect. If the effect would be a Hermetic ritual, then the magician must spend 15 minutes per magnitude and provide vis to the spirit on arrival (1 pawn per magnitude).
A galdraman cannot use vis to boost the conjuring roll or extend Ranges, Durations and Targets like Hermetic magi.
The conjuring formula is calculated as follows:
Stress die + Com + Sing + Galdor Wisdom + [Song Talent] + Aura
If the roll is greater than the level of the spell, then the spirit is summoned and attempts to create the desired effect. Concentration duration effects are maintained while the gal- draman continues to sing. In ideal conditions, with no distractions, a trained galdraman can keep a song going for many hours.
Make a Sta + Singing roll every hour, with an Ease Factor of 6 + the number of hours. If the roll fails by three points or less, the galdraman loses a fatigue level. The song fails if the magi- cian misses the Ease Factor by more than 3 points.
If the galdraman suffers any distractions while he is singing, use the ‘Distractions’ table on page 73 of ArM4, but replace Int + Con- centration with Int + Singing. If a galdraman is in contact with the ground, add 3 to the ease factor.
L
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CEAvailable Songs
Yfel-galdor, curse songs: Summon spiritswho delight in causing woe to the galdraman’s foes. This can manifest as ill-luck or direct physical harm such as open wounds or diseases.
Mal-galdor, speech songs: Summon spirits
who can make the singer’s words very persuasive, commanding, or awe- inspiring.
Hug-galdor, mind songs: Summon spirits
to affect the emotions, or to read minds.
Sig-galdor, victory songs: Summon spirits
to aid in all aspects of battle, from sharpening weapons to increasing strength and bravery.
Lim-galdor, healing songs: Summon spir-
its to help heal wounds and mend broken bones.
Biarg-galdor, birth songs: Summon spirits
to cures disease or guard people, ani- mals and crops from ill health. Gal- dramen can also ask these spirits to protect them from the rigors of age.
Orlog-galdor, fate-songs: Summon spirits
that can peer through the misty veil of the future, remember the past, or show the galdraman visions of far-off places. Such spirits can also act to cloud such visions, protecting the galdraman’s secrets.
Svart-galdor, black songs: Summon the
spirits of the dead, to either question them or raise their corpses.
Ol-galdor, warding songs: Summon spirits
to drive off hostile spirits or creatures from a house, field, path or even a person. Such spirits can also give pro- tection against Curses and other malign magic.
Brun-galdor, weather songs: Summon
spirits to control or predict the weather.
Other songs may be available to gal- dramen, but these are the only ones com- monly known.
If the conjuring roll is greater than or equal to double the effect level, roll a quality die after the galdraman stops singing. The spirit contin- ues to work for a number of hours equal to this roll. This can only apply to Concentration duration effects.
The Might, and hence penetration, of the spirit is equal to the result of the conjuring roll.
Bargaining
Galdramen can only achieve durations beyond Concentration by impressing and nego- tiating with the most powerful landvaettir. This process should ideally be roleplayed. The gal- draman must journey out into the wilds and seek out an appropriate landvaettir lord. Once found he recites praise songs or poems he has composed in its honor, as well as making offers of vis and service. Landvaettir lords are sentient creatures and may refuse any request which they feel is unwise or against their interest. However, if the spirit is agreeable the galdraman can obtain an extended service from one of the spir- it’s minions. This process usually lasts at least a day per magnitude for a Conjuring service, but may last a whole season if associated with an Enchantment (see below).
Calculate the effect level assuming Sun duration. Using D: Sun ensures the spirit has the Might to sustain the effect indefinitely without exhausting itself. However, the sto- ryguide should feel free to adjust effect levels they find unreasonable.
If the service is to last more than a year landvaettir lords normally ask for yearly tithes of vis. The sum initially asked for is at the dis- cretion of the storyguide, but as a guide double the magnitude of the requested service. A skilled galdraman can reduce this considerably. High magnitude effects normally require a ser- vice from the galdraman besides vis.
Once the deal is done, the galdraman trav- els to the desired location and makes the nor- mal conjuring roll. The conjured spirit must be given the agreed sum of vis (which it consumes) and in return the spirit maintains the effect for the agreed period. Regular tithes must be deliv- ered at the times specified in the deal. Failure to supply the vis or service breaks the deal and can lead to reprisals. Ending ongoing deals may only be done amicably by mutual agreement.
Bargaining is also required to practice Gal- dor Enchantment (see below).
Health and Healing
Instant duration effects are not possible, but healing (lim-galdor) and birth (biarg-galdor) magic are still effective. These spirits act to enhance the body’s natural recovery, rather than generate the Instant effects of Hermetic magic.
Conjuring Example
Einar is asked to ensure a section of path is warded against trolls and malign spirits. He travels into the wilds to find a regio where an Ol lord resides. The Ol lord greets him warmly and Einar enjoys his host’s hospitality. The lord is impressed with the poem Einar composed for this visit and afterward the negotiation begins. Einar wishes to ward the path against creatures with a Might of 30 or less. The storyguide considers the Aegis of the Hearth ritual a good model for this effect. The player suggests that as Aegis of the Hearth is D: Year, this effect should be reduce to D: Sun, subtracting 3 magni- tudes. His storyguide disagrees and rates the effect as a level 30 Galdor ritual.
Einar’s Ol-galdor of 6 means this ser- vice is not above his station to request. The Ol lord asks for 12 pawns of vis and a further 12 pawns each year thereafter. Einar politely bargains this down to 9 pawns, but knows that the lord considers this a favor, which will be called in one day. Einar then journeys to the path he wishes to ward. He sends his sons to watch out for travelers and when all is clear he sets up a wooden platform. The song takes him an hour and a half to perform, as it is a ritual effect. His roll of 3 adds to his Com of 2, Sing of 8, Galdor Wisdom of 8, Ol- galdor of 6 and Magic Aura of 2, for a total of 29. Einar fails to summon the spirit.
After a rest Einar tries again and rolls a 6. The landvaettir appears and Einar gives it the vis as promised. Each year Einar must return to give the landvaettir 9 pawns of vis.
Usually the spirits simply provide bonuses to recovery rolls. A galdraman may sing over a wounded or sick man and the spirit will help him recover. Add the magnitude of the effect to the recovery roll. However, the galdraman needs to keep the spirit in attendance for at least 12 in every 24 hours to help in recovery tests.
Alternatively, if the spirit is conjured in an extended ritual manner (see above) and given vis, truly astounding recoveries can be achieved. The spirit still needs to be sustained for hours for full affect, but cures and recoveries can be achieved which rival Hermetic magic.
Galdor Enchantment
Galdramen can use their spell-songs to bind minor spirits to items. First a bargain (see above) must be stuck with a landvaettir lord. Next the spirit is bound into an item as the gal- draman makes it. There are two ways a galdra- man can enchant objects. The first way involves binding a spirit for the lifetime of the galdraman. The second restricts the binding to a year and a single service.
Binding a spirit for the magician’s lifetime does not require yearly tithes, but only compar- atively low Might spirits will submit to it. Use the rules for lesser enchanted items (ArM4, page 88), except where noted below. Durations are limited to Momentary or Concentration, but by adding +5 to a D: Conc Effect, it can be made Constant Use.
If the effect requires the user to maintain concentration, this usually means singing. In addition, spirits often set elaborate conditions on the item’s care and maintenance. Activation can also be a convoluted process.
The second method produces single-use enchantments similar to Potions (see ArM4 page 88), but with a lifespan limited to a year and a day.
A galdraman does not require a lab, only the tools and materials necessary to craft the item that he intends to enchant. A galdraman must have an appropriate Song Talent equal or greater than the magnitude of the effect.
Create a lab total by the following formula:
Stress Die + Com + Sing + Galdor Wisdom + [Song Talent] + Form
and Effect Bonuses + Aura
For lifetime enchantments, this total must be double the effect level plus any frequency of use modifiers. For single service enchantments, this total must merely equal the effect level.
The Craft skill used limits the level of Gal- dor Wisdom and Song Talent when calculating this lab total. If possessed, Scribe Runes can be used as the Craft skill. Using Scribe Runes, pre- made items can be enchanted by adding an inscription. However, neither Scribe Runes nor Potency adds to the enchantment total.
After the bargaining stage the enchant- ment only takes the time required to make the item. However, negotiations for lifetime enchantments normally last two or three months. Vis cost should be roughly in line with the Hermetic equivalent, and the spirit must be paid before being bound into the object.
Galdraman Longevity
A Galdraman who knows the Birth-Songs (biarg-galdor) can strike a deal with a landvaet- tir lord to save him from the rigors of age. How- ever, the landvaettir lord will always ask a ser- vice besides a vis tithe. The exact arrangement is up to the storyguide, but it should be com- mensurate with the age of the galdraman. The spirit does not specify that the galdraman him- self complete the set task. Typical favors include: dismantling of a Christian shrine on a magical area, release of a captured spirit, driving out a diabolist who tortures spirits, creation of a charm to purify a stream.
Once the deed has been done, the galdra- man prepares a drink of specially brewed mead containing at least one pawn of vis per decade of his life. He then conjures a biarg spirit in a ritual manner. Once summoned the spirit enters the galdraman’s body as he drinks the mead.
L
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CEStory Seed
A galdraman acquaintance of the characters asks that they solve some problem for him involving the landvaettir, not telling them that it is part of his longevity deal. The characters should respect this man sufficiently to attempt to help him; however, a rival magician is doing his best to thwart the characters’ actions. They may not realize that their success or failure may well deter- mine whether their old friend manages to survive the winter...
Treat as a Hermetic longevity potion with a lab total equal to the Galdor Conjuring total.
To maintain the effect, each year the gal- draman must drink another quantity of vis laced mead; this provides the tithe to the spirit. Although this is very expensive in vis, the