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by Killer Shrike & ghostwolf
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Rather than cast Spells or work some other form of Magic on the spur of the moment,
Daemonologists instead summon and bind Daemons into mystic contracts commanding
the summoned entities to do one or more tasks to carry out the Daemonologist's will.
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This is a very dangerous undertaking, as the Daemonologist must win a battle of
wills against the Daemons they summon each time they attempt to bind a new Daemonic
contract, and if they fail the entities they are attempting to summon instead attempt
to slay the summoner and drag their soul into whatever abyss Daemons spawn from.
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MECHANICS
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CONTRACT / SUMMONING
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A Daemonologist names the task(s) they are contracting for as part of the Incantations
/ Preparations process before they make their Daemonology skill roll vs the summoned
Daemons' EGO roll.
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Tasks can be defined in any fashion, though a GM has ultimate veto rights as always.
Daemons cannot fulfill a task if it is outside of their capabilities and any such
task that is impossible for them to accomplish is considered to be null and void.
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If the Daemonologist is attempting to force the Daemons to do something that one
of their Disads would make especially against their nature the GM might assess an
EGO bonus for the Daemon to resist the Summon, or not, as they see fit.
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The more broadly defined a task, the more usage the Daemonologist will get out of
the Daemons but the more latitude the Daemon has for interpretation. To prevent
a Daemon from getting "creative" requires a very well defined and boxed in task.
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Alternately, tasks can be left undefined but each undefined, "Obey My Command!"
type task counts as two tasks. This allows for some flexibility, especially with
the lower-end summons. The top end summons only has one task, so this option is
de facto unavailable.
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In actual gameplay, a PC Daemonologist would simply write down the tasks and give
them to the GM; if the summon is successful the GM interprets the tasks as they
see fit. For NPC's the GM handles it however they like.
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A task can be simple, "Follow me around and defend me from attackers", or complext,
"remain in your home dimension but when I brandish this item and say a certain word
of power immediately appear and attack whoever I specify and when they are defeated
return to whence you came". The GM may assign a weight to a complex task, counting
it as two or more tasks based upon the sub-steps or conditional behavior contained
within it; for instance the previous example complex task might count as two or
three tasks, or even more. If the GM does this, it is recommended that the base
structure be weighted but additional uses of that same structure on the same contract
not be and count as a single task each; thus if the example were the equivalent
of 3 tasks then to have the Daemon(s) serve in this fashion four times would count
as three tasks for the setup and first use and three more tasks for the three repitions
adding up to six total tasks.
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MULTIPLE SUMMONS
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For slots that allow multiple creatures to be summoned, a Daemonologist can opt
to summon multiple Daemons of the same type and bind them to the same contract in
which case a single collective EGO roll is made to resist the contract and the contract
is completed by the actions of any of the summoned entities collectively (they all
disappear at the same time). Alternately a Daemonologist can opt to summon only
one or a few Daemons at a time and reuse the slot to summon different sets of Daemons
of the allowed point totals, up to the total creature limit allowed by the slot;
and each seperate use of the summon constitutes a different contract.
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DAEMON DESTRUCTION
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Daemons don't really "die"; when their physical forms are destroyed they merely
return to wherever they come from. However, the contract the Daemon is bound by
is rendered null and void by its destruction. Typically a destroyed Daemon cannot
be reconstituted (be resummoned) for at least 24 hours. Even if the Daemonologist
would prefer to instead summon some other type of Daemon using the same Summon slot,
destroyed Daemons effectively lock out the portion of the Daemonologist's Summon
used to call them for at least 24 hours.
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COMPLEX PREPERATIONS
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Summoning a Daemon requires complex preperations, but what they consist of can vary
widely. Thus, a blanket Limitation is used in place of something more specific but
less flexible. What is necessary for a given summon should be negotiated between
the GM and player, or mandated by the GM. This can include things like circles of
protection, ritual preparations, discovering / knowing a Daemon's "true name", some
kind of sacrifice, or whatever else is within the comfort level of the involved
parties.
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Cost
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Ability
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42
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Daemonlogy: Multipower, 150-point reserve, (150 Active Points); All slots:
- Requires A Resisted Skill Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll, Daemonology
(EGO) Skill vs. EGO contests; -1/4)
- Side Effects (If Resisted Skill Roll Failed, Summoned Daemon Attacks Caster With
Intent To Slay, Fights To The "Death", Returns To Home Plane If Successful; -1)
- Each Summoning, Must Pre-Contract For A Number Of Tasks Equal To Weak-Willed EGO
Roll Penalty (Minimum One Task); When A Daemon Fulfills Its Contract It Immediately
Returns To Home Plane; -1)
- Extra Time (minimum of 1 Minute, Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions,
-1)
- Incantations (-1/4)
- Gestures (-1/4)
- Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)
- Complex Preperations (Details Vary Per Summon Type As Determined By GM, -1/4)
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2u
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1) Summon 1 500-point Daemon, Expanded Class of Beings Limited Group (Daemons; +1/2)
(150 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour, Only to Activate, Character May Take No
Other Actions, -1 3/4) Notes: One Task, 15 END
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2u
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2) Summon 2 400-point Daemons, Weak-Willed -2 on EGO Rolls (+1/4), Expanded Class
of Beings Limited Group (Daemons; +1/2) (149 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour,
Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -1 3/4) Notes: Two Tasks,
15 END
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2u
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3) Summon 4 325-point Daemons, Expanded Class of Beings Limited Group (Daemons;
+1/2), Weak-Willed -4 on EGO Rolls (+1/2) (150 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Hour,
Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -1 3/4) Notes: Four Tasks,
15 END
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3u
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4) Summon 8 250-point Daemons, Expanded Class of Beings Limited Group (Daemons;
+1/2), Weak Willed (-6 on EGO Rolls; +3/4) (146 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes,
Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -1 1/4) Notes: Six Tasks,
15 END
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3u
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5) Summon 16 200-point Daemons, Expanded Class of Beings Limited Group (Daemons;
+1/2), Weak Willed (-8 to EGO Rolls; +1) (150 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Minute,
Only to Activate, Character May Take No Other Actions, -1) Notes: Eight Tasks, 15
END
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6
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Strong Willed: +3 EGO
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5
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Daemonology: Power Skill: Daemonology (EGO) +1
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2
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Daemon Lore: KS: Daemon Lore
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Value
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Disadvantages
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0
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None
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+55
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Total Cost of Package
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Cost
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Options
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var
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Reputation: Powerful / Dangerous Daemon Summoner
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2
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WF: Daemonologist Group (Dagger, Scicle, Finger Spike)
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-10
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Distinctive Features: Scars / Burns / Etc (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable;
Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses); by product of past failed summonings.
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The Daemonologist has some sort of permanent disfigurement stemming from their profession.
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-5
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Physical Limitation: Permanent Damage Of Some Sort (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
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The Daemonologist has some sort of permanent handicap stemming from their profession.
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-10
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Rivalry with other Magic Users (More Powerful, Group, Professional, Unaware,
Outdo)
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-5
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Social Limitation: Disreputable Master (Frequently; Minor; Not Limiting In Some
Cultures)
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The Daemonologists Master / Teacher is / was generally scorned, disrespected, infamous
-- this colors peoples perception of character
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var
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Social Limitation: Daemonology is looked down upon in setting (variable frequency
and extremity based upon setting)
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In some settings Daemonology may be shunned or even forbidden and actively stamped
out.
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