Willow: Oh, we’re gonna try out a few spells.
Tara: There’s this thing you can do where you create light, and we thought, what if you could make, like, simulated sunlight?
Willow: Yeah, so then, you know, there Buffy is, middle of the night, and she finds this whole nest of vamps, and then she just goes, “Presto!”
Tara: Only it won’t be “presto” exactly.
Willow: And, and voom! There’s a floating ball of sunlight. Vamps get dusty.
—5.11 Triangle The following spells have not appeared in any Buffy episode. That’s right—we’re going where no Scooby has gone before (at least as far as we know). They are arranged by Power Level. has been dead no more than one month. The corpse must be placed inside a large pentacle with a black can-dle at each point. This spell can only be cast during the three days of the new moon.
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EFFFFEECCTT:: This spell allows the caster to speak to the spir-it of a recently deceased person. The corpse’s spirspir-it can-not volunteer information and need can-not provide accurate answers. However, most spirits are quite eager to aid someone in avenging their murder—asking questions about the spirit’s death generally provides a wealth of information. Of course, this doesn’t help much if the spir-it did not see spir-its attacker. Also, a magician who does noth-ing to help quiet the ghost may find themselves haunted (represented by levels of Bad Luck or other not-so-pleasant stuff). The spell lasts one minute per Success Level.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (several minutes) (+0), notice-able scope (one being) (+1), medium duration (+0), some-what restricted use (once a month) (-2), severe effect (+2).
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or goldenseal and a half-hour ritual. The ritual produces a poultice or potion that the caster must rub on the patient or get them to drink.E
EFFFFEECCTT:: This spell allows a patient to heal any injury ten times faster than normal. It even works on most dis-eases—the patient recovers from a ten-day head cold in one day. Care must be taken with health problems that do not normally get better over time. A broken arm heals faster; cancer, AIDS, or even bacterial infections will simply get worse faster. The spell also doesn’t do anything for arthritis, allergies, or the like, since these problems are chronic. The moral of the story is that magic is pretty fly, but it ain’t all that.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (half an hour) (+0), noticeable scope (one being) (+1), creates magical item (+1), instant duration (+0), severe effect (+2).
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Tyr for Witches. Add a five-minute ritual for others.E
EFFFFEECCTT:: The caster holds up her hand in front of her to ward off damage. Bullets and magical effects automatical-ly miss the caster and anyone standing behind her. Fists, swords, and other implements of destruction bounce off empty air. The spell only keeps working as long as the cast-er keeps hcast-er arm up. Worse, the spell only protects the front of the caster. If she is trapped between a vampire and a mucus demon, either fangs or slime are getting through.
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ASSPPEECCTTAANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (five minutes) (+0), can be Quick Cast (+1), noticeable scope (one being) (+1), difficult use (arm forward; only front protection) (-1), major effect (+3).
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circle on the floor. If any portion of the circle is broken or smudged, the spell fails. This drawing takes twenty minutes and can be no more than thirteen feet in diameter.E
EFFFFEECCTT:: This circle cannot be crossed by any ghost or demon whose Willpower is less than twice the Success Levels of the casting roll. While drawing a complex circle around a dangerous creature is rarely easy, it is possible to draw all parts of the circle except for one tiny final line, entice the nasty inside, and then complete it, trapping the demon inside. This usually requires that the circle be hid-den under a rug or drop cloth, since few creatures freely walk into uncompleted circles. The target cannot leave the circle as long as it is intact, and is magically prevent-ed from affecting it in any way. Magicians, ordinary mor-tals, and even vampires are unaffected by the circle, and can mar it with nothing more than a penknife, some paint remover, or even the scuff of a shoe. Trapped creatures use all their wiles to either trick or bribe a human into breaking it deliberately. Circles of binding can also be used as places of refuge from demons. Some Watchers maintain almost completed circles in their libraries or homes in case their Slayers ever face a threat that they cannot handle. Unfortunately, monsters can use weapons like guns or bows to simply shoot the people inside. Good thing few demons use guns.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (twenty minutes) (+0), minor scope (small area) (+0), only affects spirits or demons (-1), permanent duration (+3), unusual requirements (cir-cle cannot be broken) (-1), awesome effect (+5).
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AATTEEWWAAYY magicians starting at noon. The casters must have a map and a drawing (or photo) of the destination, and some item associated with that location.E
EFFFFEECCTT:: This ritual opens a round gateway to another location on Earth. The portal remains open only a short time, but it allows up to two-dozen people or a dozen riders through. Due to the powerful energies involved, electronics and delicate machined tools do not survive transport intact. Modern vehicles or firearms are instantly transformed into useless pieces of junk. Thus, horses and melee weapons are the preferred accou-trements of gateway travelers. This spell always opens a portal to the location in the photo. If the photo, map, and item do not match up properly for some reason, the spell automatically fails and side effects are generated.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Multiple casters (-2), lengthy ritual (one hour) (-1), major scope (over ten people) (+1), awe-some scope (the world) (+6), medium duration (+0), unusual ingredients (-1), awesome effect (+3).
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TTRREENNGGTTHH which may be herself) and incant for five minutes.E
EFFFFEECCTT:: The caster can temporarily steal someone’s strength and either take it for herself, or give it to some-one else. Successfully casting this spell reduces the target’s Strength and increases the recipient’s Strength by one point per Success Level. The duration of this transfer is one hour per Success Level; Strength levels are restored in full once the spell dissipates. The spell can only be used to transfer Strength from a stronger person. It can’t take strength from an average person and give it to the Slayer.
Also, it can’t reduce a target below a Strength 1.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (five minutes) (+0), can be Quick Cast (+1), severe scope (two beings) (+2), long duration (+1), severe effect (+2).
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Summoning
Sweet: I don’t make the rules. She summoned Dawn: I so did not. He keeps saying that.me.
—6.7 Once More, With Feeling Summoning is a special category of magic. With very few exceptions, almost no summoning magics can be quick cast—calling gnarly creatures from the spirit world or one of the hundreds of demon dimensions takes time, especially if the caster wants to do it safely. If the caster’s roll succeeds, but fails to achieve the spell’s Power Level, something is always summoned. Often, it doesn’t arrive immediately, so it can be doubly surpris-ing when it finally shows up (see Summonsurpris-ing Spells Side Effect Table, p. 59). For the most part though, suc-ceeding in a summoning spell is not overly difficult.
Demons and spirits make their summoning spells partic-ularly easy because that promotes mortal world tourism (a favorite demon vacation spot). They love to have a chance to cause trouble, break things, and maybe engage in an evisceration or two.
Summoning spells are also devised to be easy to per-form accidentally. Most summoning spells require not much more than the creature’s special symbol. There are far too many old, interesting-looking books (and more modern books copied from them) that contain these symbols. If someone draws a summoning symbol accidentally, she is halfway to completing the spell. The final component can easily be as simple as reading the caption of the old drawing out loud or spilling a single drop of blood. Most of the truly lame amateur magicians are summoners—it’s just that easy and it impresses the locals (in the run-screaming kind of way). The real trick is learning how to survive the experience.
When someone intentionally summons a creature, she generally hopes to use it to perform some fairly difficult and nasty task. Otherwise, the caster would simply ask a good friend and not something with five horns, alliga-tor scales, and bad breath. The problem is that almost no summoning spells are also binding spells, forcing the creature to do the caster’s will. Demons and spirits hate those sorts of spells and do their best to kill anyone who uses them. In addition, binding spells are much tougher to cast.
Summoners with sense have prepared a binding circle (see p. 83). This precaution keeps the creature from eat-ing the summoner and headeat-ing out on the town. Even assuming that’s successful, the caster must make a deal with the being. Sometimes this is easy—asking a demon
to kill someone in particular doesn’t take much convinc-ing. Keeping that demon from killing or maiming one or two other people along the way is a bit more difficult.
If the caster wants the critter to rob a bank for her, kill someone tough like a vampire or a Witch, or do any-thing else fairly complicated, she needs to find some-thing that likes to do what she wants—or she needs to do some fast talking.
Even creatures who like doing what the caster desires may want a token payment, like the caster’s left eye or something equally icky. Avoiding this is going to take an offer of something equally desirable to the demon or spirit. Often, a magical item with a Power Level equal to that of the summoning spell is acceptable. Not that those things grow on trees, but it’s better than one of the cast-er’s body parts. Whether the creature takes the treasure and backs out of the deal is another story. Absent self-sacrifice or objects, demon or spirit bargains tend to get ugly fast. Elaborate human sacrifices, the head of a Slayer, and the heart of a virgin are only the beginning of the nastiness. The caster can walk this dark road but there will be repercussions (see p. 55). Anyone who doesn’t want to become some sort of black magician had best leave demon summoning to someone else.
Threats could also work. Hellgods or even kick-butt Witches can often simply tell the creature that if it doesn’t do what she wants, she will stomp it into a pile of broken horns and green goo. On the other hand, if the caster has the juice to back up that threat, why sum-mon the creature in the first place?
Magicians can summon almost any demon or spirit imaginable. Most summoning spells are Power Level 3;
powerful unique demons like Machida require level four spells; real nasties can bring the Power Level to five.
Casting a summoning spell takes between ten minutes and a half an hour.
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YYGGHHOONN SSOOUURRCCEE:: 2.8 The Dark Age Q
QUUIICCKKCCAASSTT:: No P
POOWWEERR LLEEVVEELL:: 2 R
REEQQUUIIRREEMMEENNTTSS:: The target must be tattooed with the Mark of Eyghon and must be asleep, unconscious, or in a drugged stupor. The caster performs a complex invo-cation while assisted by at least two other magicians.
Eyghon arrives by possessing the target (see Monster Smackdown, p. 95).
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EFFFFEECCTT:: Eyghon’s possession causes a euphoric feeling in the target. This possession normally lasts for only Success Level hours. If the spellcasting roll result is over
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nine but fails to gain the proper Success Levels, the pos-session is permanent. In that case, the only way to de-possess the target in that case is to entice Eyghon into another dead or sleeping target, or to slowly kill the tar-get and hope that Eyghon departs before she is dead.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Multiple casters (-2), ritual (half an hour) (+0), noticeable scope (one being) (+1), major effect (+3).
REEQQUUIIRREEMMEENNTTSS:: Draw the hellhound-summoning symbol in blood and have at least one fairly fresh brain ready for it. Omitting this last detail causes the hellhound to attempt to eat the summoner’s brain. This ritual can only be performed at night.
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EFFFFEECCTT:: This ritual summons a single hellhound (see Monster Smackdown, p. 43) but it may be repeated as needed. Once summoned, the hellhound spends five or ten minutes devouring the brain and ignoring everything else. During that time, the summoner can either cast some control spell on the creature or he can simply place the brain in a large cage and close the door before the hellhound finishes. Hellhounds are easy to train as long as they are well fed.
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ASSPPEECCTT AANNAALLYYSSIISS:: Ritual (several minutes) (+0), notice-able scope (one being) (+1), severe effect (+2).
Enchanted and
ancient blades that mystically repel rust and corrosion.R
REEQQUUIIRREEMMEENNTTSS:: A blessed sword only provides bonuses to someone who is pure of heart and is either fighting evil or protecting innocents.
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EFFFFEECCTT:: Blessed swords do Strength times (5 + Success
Levels) Slash/stab damage to all soulless beings and to humans who are truly evil. They also add a +1 bonus to the user’s Getting Medieval Skill. Blessed blades are fairly rare, not because they are difficult to create, but because they can only be made by enchanters who are pure of heart and filled with a devotion to the cause of smiting evil.
Using a blessed blade against an innocent in the service of evil causes it to break and loose all of its magic.
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LLOOVVEE OOFFM M
YYHHNNEEGGOONN made of leather, chain mail, and plate mail. The glove is covered in small spikes and there are ten very sharp, hinged claws arranged around the opening for the arm.R
REEQQUUIIRREEMMEENNTTSS:: The user must place her arm in the glove. Claws around the base of the glove pierce the flesh and bond the glove to the wearer. To use the glove, the wearer need only aim her arm at the target and shout “Tauo Freim” (be free).
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EFFFFEECCTT:: The glove is a most potent offensive enchanted item. The wearer gains a +1 bonus to both Strength and Constitution (with an increase in Life Points). But the light-ning bolts are the real kicker. Firing requires a Dexterity and Getting Medieval roll or Combat Score, and the range is 100 yards. A successful hit inflicts five times Willpower points of Fire damage per Success Level. Once put on, the glove cannot be removed while the wearer is still alive.
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MMAARRAA know to vampires. It grants them immunity to all harm—sunlight, fire, and crosses are ineffective; all wounds heal at a rate of ten Life Points per Turn. Taking the ring off the vamp’s finger or hacking off her arm are good attack strategies. A directed attack on the arm imposes a -3 penalty. If the attack causes a third of the vampire’s Life Points or more, the arm is severed. If the vampire can grab the ring and put it on its other hand, or retrieve its severed hand and stick it back on its wrist, the ring pro-tects again. Of course, once word of the ring’s presence gets out, pretty much every vampire in the area will be angling to get their mitts on it.
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