Arcane Background: Blood Pact (Binding Magic)

Arcane Background: Blood Pact (Binding Magic)

Requirements: Special (Make a pact with a demon)

Arcane Skills: Blood Magic (Vigor)

Starting Power Points: Special (see below)

Starting Powers: 3 - can be chosen from ranks higher than the character.

You are one of the brave or foolish enough to make a pact with a demon. The demon lends you its powers, In exchange for your life force - your blood. There is one more caveat, after you die the demon will take over your corpse... but, you won't be needing your body then, right?

Powers & Trappings: There is a plethora of demons in existence, so no trappings and powers are excluded. Discuss with your GM what kind of demon you have signed a pact with to narrow down the power and trappings choice. You can also choose Powers from ranks beyond your own. There is only one rule that you need to follow - Any helpful powers (like Healing or Armor) can only be cast on you.

Blood Magic: You don't have Power Points of your own, you borrow the demon's power. You cast spells using "No Power Points" rule from Savage Worlds Deluxe. You are doing so by letting some of your blood as a sacrifice to the demon. This blood manifests into a spell. The act of bloodletting won't cause a Wound if it's done with a small blade, but can make you Shaken if done wrong (Failure on Blood Magic Test). If you wish, you can sacrifice more blood to fuel the spell. Each Wound you deal to yourself (it's a free action) gives you +2 to the Blood Magic roll. You can do the same by sacrificing the life force of others, but it requires a Multiple Action Penalty during combat.

Demon Mark: After buying this Edge and every time you buy a new Power Edge, your body changes a little to resemble the demon who helps you. Your eyes or skin might change color, you can start growing horns or claws. The final decision of how exactly your body changes is up to the GM, but It should be based on the type of demon with whom you have a pact with. Each of those marks give you -1 to Charisma if visible.

Demon Blood: Using demonic powers taints your blood. Not only you are considered a demonic entity, but you can also loose control and give in to the demon inside you. Each time you roll a 1 on a Blood Magic skill die, test your Spirit. If you fail, you loose control for a short while - the GM will decide your action for your next turn based on the demon's agenda. Similar thing happens if the character is Incapacitated - but this time the demon takes over for D6 turns (or minutes if out of combat).

As for the power and trapping selection -

As for casting the spells, all rules from "No Power Points" apply, except from Backlash rules. Instead, you loose control over your character for a turn on a 1 on Arcane Skill Die. As for sacrificing others - it is usually kept for out of combat bonuses, as multi-action penalty negates the bonus unless you'll deal more than one Wound. My players sacrificed some animals outside of battle to get this bonus. I would also allow sacrificing as a free action during combat if your victim is willing or bound.

Binder

A Daemon Binder, or Spirit Charmer, is someone who enters a pact with a spirit to gain knowledge and power. The spirit or demon may have been coerced into serving the binder, may be a willing tutor in exchange for being hosted in a mortal body, or may be been forced onto the binder at birth. Either way, they can call up on centuries of experience to teach the summoner magic.

Binders always have a sigil that bears the spirit's name somewhere on their body. Superstition being what it is, openly displaying this symbol in most places is a good way to find a mob at your doorstep.

No Power Points

Instead of using Power Points, characters with Arcane Backgrounds simply choose the power they want to activate and make an arcane skill roll. The penalty to the roll is half the power's usual Power Point cost (rounded down). Casting the armor power, for example, which costs 2 Power Points, is an arcane skill roll at –1. Once cast, check the results below:

Success: The power activates as usual.

Raise: A raise on the roll grants any additional bonuses to the power stated in its description. Armor, for example, grants a +4 bonus to Toughness with a raise.

Failure: All currently maintained powers are cancelled and the caster is Shaken.

Maintaining Powers: Characters can maintain powers as long as desired, but each power maintained inflicts a –1 to cast any new powers. Thus an invisible mage can keep the power going indefinitely, but suffers a –1 penalty if he then attempts to hurl a bolt.

Interrupting Powers: If a character with an activated power is Shaken or suffers a wound or Fatigue level, he must make a Smarts roll to maintain all his powers. If the roll is failed, all powers are instantly dropped. A wizard with armor who suffers a Shaken result, for example, must make a Smarts roll. If the wizard suffers two wounds from an attack, he must make a Smarts roll at –2. Powers shut down automatically if the caster sleeps or is rendered unconscious.

Power Preparation: A caster may prepare a spell by concentrating for a round (no movement or other actions and avoid interruption, as described above). If successful, he ignores 2 points of penalties on all powers cast with his next action. If he does not enact any powers on his next action, the preparation is lost.

Sacrifices

Savage Worlds is about great heroes. They may be “dark heroes” who use violence as a means to an end, but it should be a rare campaign indeed where characters are willing to take the lives of those they deem innocent. There are exceptions, of course. An Aztec priest might find it perfectly acceptable to sacrifice an enemy to power some dark spell. Or a vampire mage might slay one of his own thralls for the additional energy he needs to battle his enemies.

If the setting features such a grim theme and the Game Master allows it, a caster wishing to make a sacrifice must be in contact with the victim and make a Knowledge (Occult) roll within one round of death. For each success and raise, he may count the energy from one victim (see below).

An animal or non-sentient sacrifice provides a +2 to Blood Magic to the caster. The energy lasts for one casting or ritual, and may stack with additional sacrifices.

Sentient creatures provide a +4 to the Blood Magic arcane skill.

Rituals

Magic in horror settings is rarely as pervasive or common as it is in most fantasy settings, but it is also sometimes far more powerful. Activating a power via ritual is a Dramatic Task (see Savage Worlds). The time for each “action” is typically one minute, but it might also be hours or even days, depending on the setting and importance of the spell. In exchange for the complication of performing a ritual, the caster can choose one or more of the following effects:

• Increase the Blood Magic check by +5.

• Extend the Range: The caster may double the Range of a spell by casting it via ritual. He can extend it to his Smarts in miles and ignore any sight restrictions by making his arcane skill rolls at –4.

• Extend the Duration: The caster may double the normal Duration, or extend it to “Concentration” at a –2 penalty to his arcane skill rolls. With a –4 on the arcane skill rolls, the Duration is measured in days (if possible). (A bolt is instant and can never be permanent, but a boost/lower Trait spell could be extended.)

• Increase Damage: The caster can increase the damage of a spell by +2d6, or +4d6 if he suffers a –2 penalty to his arcane skill checks.

• Increase Effect: The caster adds an additional +2 to a spell's effect (or adds +2 to any resulting opposed roll). This may be increased to +4 by subtracting –2 from the arcane skill checks performed during the ritual.

Preparation & Assistance

Using additional casters, spending additional time, or sacrificing resources make rituals easier to complete.

• Additional Casters: Assistants with Arcane Background who know the power being cast may aid the caster by making cooperative rolls at each step with their arcane skill.

• Participants: Those who want to help with the spell but have no Arcane Background themselves may do so by making cooperative rolls via Knowledge (Occult) at –2.

• Time: Increasing the steps it takes to cast a ritual makes it easier to complete. If the Dramatic Task takes eight actions rather than the usual five, the caster may add +1 to his arcane skill totals each action. If the task takes ten actions, he may add +2.

• Materials: A caster may consume expensive or rare items as part of his ritual. Every ritual is assumed to require some small amount of common items. If a small number of rare, unique, or valuable items are sacrificed, the caster may add +1 to his arcane skill check each action. If the sacrifice is greater—a very expensive or incredibly hard to obtain item is used—he may add +2. In either case the components are destroyed at the end of the ritual, whether it was successful or not.

Failure

Failing a ritual is much more dangerous than failing a simple casting. Should this occur, shuffle the Action Deck and draw a fresh card to determine what happens.

Ritual Failure

Deuce: A portal to the netherworld opens and sucks in everyone involved in the ritual and anyone else who happens to be within 5” (ten yards) of the lead caster. These individuals are irrevocably slain and their bodies lost to the void.

3–5: A portal to another world opens and a powerful entity comes through. This might be a demon, a dark god, or an army of lesser beings.

6—10: A massive surge of energy arcs out from the arcane realms and races among all those involved in the ritual. The caster and every additional caster or participant (as defined above) suffers 3d10 damage.

Jack—King: As above, but the damage is 2d10 per caster or participant.

Ace: Everyone involved in the ritual suffers Fatigue.

Joker: The ritual suffers a setback but the caster somehow manages to maintain control. The casters may start from scratch at no penalty other than time. Any materials used in the process are still viable

Binding

Binding is a much more laborious task, but is also much more effective against the targeted entity. To bind a creature, the summoner must first learn the proper process, procedure, or ritual. This requires research and roleplaying, and should be an adventure in and of itself (at least the first time the binding process is learned).

To actually bind an entity, the character must then maneuver it into the ritual area—such as inside a pentagram, inside a devil's trap, inside a circle of salt, etc. How this occurs depends entirely on the situation and the binder's resourcefulness. (Creatures summoned by spells are typically conjured inside a binding area of some sort, such as a circle or pentagram.) Once the entity enters the affected area, it must make an opposed Spirit roll versus the binder's Knowledge (Occult) skill (even if the binder isn't present). This represents how well the binding character translated his knowledge of the ritual into the actual design. If the entity wins, it's free to do as it pleases. If the binder wins, it's trapped within the binding area until it dies or otherwise dissipates, breaks free, or is released. Bound entities can talk (if they were able to do so beforehand) and perform simple actions within their binding area, but cannot use powers or Special Abilities across its borders.

Breaking Free

How a trapped entity gets free depends on the ritual and lore used to bind it. For the most part, this should be a plot-based decision by the Game Master. A demon trapped in a pentagram, couldn't use a rock inside the circle to break the seal. But he might be able to throw the rock and knock over a can of soda that then leaks out across the floor and destroys the pentagram's chalk border. If the Game Master desires a more systemic approach, he should first determine whether or not he believes it should be possible for the entity to escape at all. Quite often, it's not. If it is, the entity should be allowed to make a Spirit roll at –8 to break its bonds. How often is completely up to the Game Master and the setting. A demon in a pentragram might get a chance once every 24 hours to figure something out, while a spirit bound to a cemetery might get such a chance only every anniversary of its death.

Blood Pact (Binding Magic) Spell List:

Aim, Armor, Barrier, Bolt, Blind, Boost/Lower Trait, Banish, Banish Entity, Beast Friend, Bind Entity, Confusion, Contact Spirit .World, Curse, Damage Field, Darksight, Deflection, Detect/Conceal Arcana, Dispel, Drain Power Points, Elemental Manipulation (Fire), Entangle, Environmental Protection, Exorcism, Fear, Gambler, Grave Speak, Invisibility, Light/Obscure (only Obscure), Mind Rider, Pummel, Puppet, Quickness, Shape Change, Slumber, Smite, Speak Language, Speed, Spirit Shield, Stun, Summon Ally, Summon Demon, Summon Spirit, Teleport, Wilderness Walk, Warrior's Gift, Windstorm, Zombie.

Find all of the spell descriptions on the Arcane Powers page.

New Powers

Banish Entity

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: Special

Range: Smarts

Duration: Instant

Trappings: Runes, chants, gestures, prayers, special substances, an exorcism

Banish entity forces extradimensional entities back to their own realm. Generally, any entity that can be summoned can be banished.The cost to invoke this spell is equal to the entity's Spirit die type, and double that if the entity is a Wild Card. A Wild Card demon with a Spirit die of d10 therefore requires 20 Power Points to banish. Since most casters don't have so many Power Points, they often rely on rituals or devices. The spellcaster must be within Range of the target and make an arcane skill roll opposed by the entity's Spirit. With a success, the entity is instantly driven back to its own realm, though it is not destroyed. On a failure, the entity is free to continue its business and suffers no ill effects. The caster is automatically Fatigued from the effort (in addition to Backlash if a 1 was rolled on the arcane skill die).

Bind Entity

Rank: Veteran

Power Points: Special

Range: Smarts

Duration: 24 hours (5/24 hours)

Trappings: Chanting, wardings, special substances

Bind entity allows its user to force an entity into servitude. Any entity that can be summoned can generally be bound. The creature may be summoned and then bound, or it might already be in the physical world. The cost to invoke this spell is equal to twice the entity's Spirit die type. A demon with a Spirit die of d8, for example, requires 16 Power Points to cast bind entity on it. In either case, the caster makes an arcane skill roll opposed by the entity's Spirit. If the entity is already subject to a bind entity spell it receives a +4 bonus to its roll. On a success, the caster has bound the creature to his will for the duration of the spell. The creature must obey commands given to it, both to the letter and spirit, though orders that would undeniably end the entity's existence allow it another roll to break free. There is no inherent mental link between the caster and the entity, so commands must be expressed by some method the creature understands. The caster may not try to bind the same entity more than once in any 24 hour period, nor may he attempt to bind the same entity for 24 hours after the current binding expires (though he may maintain the spell). The entity does not need to be in Range or even seen to maintain the power.

Grave Speak

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 4

Range: Touch

Duration: 3 (1/round)

Trappings: Runes carved on bodily remains, black candles, “leather” books, Ouija boards.

It is said the dead know many secrets, and through the black arts a mage can reach beyond death to contact departed souls. Though not evil, many good spellcasters avoid using this power for they feel it disturbs those who have earned their rest. In order for this spell to work, it must be directed toward a particular soul. The caster must either know the name of the deceased or possess a personal item, which includes their corpse, or any part of it at least, as well as a treasured item. If the spell succeeds, a ghostly voice makes itself known and may be questioned. One question may be asked for each round the spell is active. The spirit contacted is not necessarily friendly and can lie, but it may not refuse to answer or make guesses. The Game Master must decide what information the entity knows—the spirit is not omnipotent and typically knows only what it knew in life up to the moment of its death. A roll of a 1 on the caster's arcane skill, regardless of Wild Die, may summon up a demon or other hostile entity. While these spirits cannot usually affect the caster when contacted in this way (they're not summoned), it may try to convince him it is the person he sought, then feed him inaccurate or dangerous information to lead the character to his death.

Spirit Shield

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: 3

Range: Smarts

Duration: 3 (1/round)

Trappings: Ring of holy water or salt, wall of energy, sigils inscribed in the air

This spell creates a barrier that can keep out ghosts, poltergeists, and other ethereal entities—it has no affect against demons or undead in physical form. The caster makes his arcane skill roll and then places a Medium Burst Template centered on himself. Entities wishing to enter the Template must make an opposed Spirit check against the caster's arcane skill. If they fail, they cannot pass the barrier while the spell remains active. Spirit shield stops the entity from passing through, but does not prevent it from “normal” actions such as intimidation or throwing physical objects. The spell is negated if any living creature of rat-size or larger that started inside the circle crosses to the outside.

Summon Demon

Rank: Veteran

Power Points: Special

Range: Smarts x 2

Duration: Smarts x Hours

Trappings: Pentagrams, black candles, animal sacrifices

Most heroes would never seek to consort with the denizens of Hell. But occasionally, such a feat may be required. The cost to summon a demon is equal to its Spirit die, or twice its Spirit die if it's a Wild Card (most powerful demons are). If the roll is successful, the demon appears. If the creature was not summoned into a summoning circle or other binding, it likely attacks its caster before it can be given a task. See page 30 for binding the demon through occult means, and the bind entity spell on page 33 for trapping it with arcane power. Tasks: Once a demon is summoned, and assuming it is bound or otherwise disposed to discussion, the summoner must make a bargain with it. This is an opposed test of Spirits. Record the results secretly.

• Failure: The demon is uncontrolled and in complete control of its actions. It cannot directly harm the caster but is otherwise free to roam the earth and do as it pleases for 6d6 days. If it happens to roll three 6's on this roll (no more, no less), it remains in the mortal world until slain or banished.

• Success: The demon basically follows the instructions it's given but looks for every opportunity to ruin things for the cretin who summoned it. Only if directly chastised or supervised does the demon “behave.”

• Raise: The demon follows the spirit of the summoner's instructions as well as the letter. It may still cause additional mayhem—it is a demon, after all—but in general it performs as the caster desires.

Casting Time: The casting time to summon a demon is one minute per Power Point spent.

Specialized Demons: Some demons might only answer specific requests. A demon of vengeance, for example, may only be tasked with exacting vengeance of some sort. This is entirely up to the Game Master, the setting, and the description of the creature.

Communication: Note that demons are not (generally) telepathic. If the summoner plans on sending the demon out of sight, he'd best give it very specific instructions. Intelligent demons may be given physical equipment (such as cell phones or transmitters in modern settings), but whether or not they actually use these tools is entirely up to them.

More on Trappings: Most demon summoning spells require trappings such as candles or braziers, chanting, and at least a small amount of blood. Most have unique requirements tied to the type of creature being summoned as well. For instance, the dark god Crazalphasalius (the fire god) can only be summoned if there is a conflagration at least the size of a burning house. Summoning a demon of gluttony might require a massive feast be set out and consumed. Requirements might also include celestial events, such as phases of the moon or planetary alignments, although the latter should be reserved for truly powerful creatures and acts as a natural limitation on how often these monstrosities can be summoned.

Summon Spirit

Rank: Seasoned

Power Points: The spirit's Spirit die type x2

Range: Smarts x 2

Duration: Smarts

Trappings: Ouija boards, personal items, seances

Whereas demons are typically summoned to complete some task, spirits are more likely summoned for information—or perhaps to materialize in physical form so as to then bind or destroy them. Spirits such as ghosts, haunts, poltergeists, and the like have a very limited view of the physical world, and an even lesser understanding of the ethereal realm. They spend most of their time in the latter, drifting in a state of semi-consciousness and glimpsing visions of the real world. “Good” spirits find this peaceful and only interact with the mortal realm if forcibly called to it. Restless entities have a very different take. These visions—or memories of their terrible lives—drive them to terrible violence. They actively attempt to reenter the physical domain and take their vengeance on the living beings they find there. Summoning a spirit requires a ritual of some sort—typically a seance and/or important artifact of the person in life (if it had one prior to its ethereal existence). The summoner then spends the Power Points and makes an opposed arcane skill roll versus the entity's Spirit.

• Failure: The entity breaks through with great violence! Everyone directly involved with the casting must make a Spirit roll at –4 or be Fatigued for the next 24 hours. The spirit then wreaks whatever havoc it can based on its particular powers and abilities. Most ghosts and the like can manifest for a few minutes before returning to the netherworld.

• Success: The entity is summoned long enough to answer one question. It is subdued and cannot attack or use its powers and abilities during this time. After the question is answered, the thing issues a horrible screech or ectoplasmic detonation that leaves everyone directly involved Fatigued for the next 24 hours.

• Raise: The spirit will answer three questions before fading back into the netherworld. Tasks: As an alternative to asking a spirit for information, the entity can be tasked instead. The duration is one night with a success and three with a raise. Use the summon demon success, failure, and raise results to determine how the thing behaves. What do Spirits Know: This depends largely on the entity itself. Spirits essentially have “tunnel vision” to the rest of the world, so their knowledge is generally confined to their local area and things relating to their particular nature. The ghost of a murdered lover likely focuses entirely on the event of her death, how she gave her heart to her beloved, and how the diamond he gave her sparkled. The same spirit might then quickly turn violent, focusing entirely on how her lover's hands then tightened on her throat after she found him in bed with some hated rival—and choking the life of those involved in summoning her. A nature spirit has an entirely different perspective. A water nymph knows who walked in her stream, where the pollution is coming from, or how little it's rained in the last years. A native American buffalo spirit might know about the health of the herds, the taste of the grass this year, or how cold the winter was.

Notes on the Summon Ally spell

The Summon Ally spell will summon a different creatures for a Blood Pact Binder than are listed on the arcane powers page. Follow this link to Blood Pact Allies.

New Edges

Whateley Blood

Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Magic)

Somewhere in your family tree is a crooked branch called the “Whateleys.” This twisted family of inbred witches and warlocks are well-known by arcane types as being both extremely powerful, and extremely crazy. Many of the Whateleys are deformed, though your hero doesn’t have to be (take the appropriate Hindrance if he is). All have some tell-tale mark— pale skin, jet black hair, long fingernails, sallow complexion, and so on, and all have green eyes. Whatever mark you choose, there’s something about their tainted blood that just puts folks off, and gives your descendant –2 Charisma. It’s entirely unfair, and we know it, but a female with Whateley blood can choose if her tell is unsettling (–2 Charisma) or exotic (+2 Charisma). We’ll repeat it one more time. We know it ain’t fair, so don’t write to us whining about the “free Edge” sister Whately got that her little brother didn’t. (She’ll have her hands full fending off suitors foolish enough to think about joining the family anyway.) Now for the meat of what this Edge is all about. Blood Magic practitioners with Whateley spirit running through their veins have learned “blood magic”. They can voluntarily suffer a Fatigue level for a +2 to the Blood Magic Skill. They can suffer a wound for a +4. This is done exactly as you’d think it’d be—by cutting, carving, or otherwise maiming themselves. This is a free action—they’re quick, those Whateleys—and so can be done the same action as the spell they so desperately need to cast with no multi-action penalty. Since this is a free and instant action, the Whateley can actually render himself incapacitated and still get his spell off. Good luck waking with your gear still in your pack, however.

Familiar

Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Blood Magic), Knowledge (Occult) d8+

The mage has acquired an animal familiar. The creature gained varies with the mage's Rank when he first takes this Edge. Use the Available Familiars table to determine the type of animal a mage can choose.

Available Familiars

The mage and the familiar acquire the Loyal Hindrance with regard to each other. The familiar is not a slave, however, and can refuse to follow orders, especially ones which will cause it harm. Unless ordered otherwise, the familiar follows its natural instincts. For example, a cat familiar may stop to chase a mouse, take a quick nap, or sate its curiosity about a small hole, and it's likely to hide during combat. The strong bond allows the familiar to resist the effects of beast friend. Each Rank of the mage adds +1 to the creature's Size for the purpose of how many Power Points are needed to control it. Both can understand each other's speech. To others, the familiar is simply making animal noises — the mage speaks his normal language. The familiar is a Wild Card with respect to wounds and the Wild Die, but has no bennies. The mage may spend his for the familiar, however. A mage can dismiss a familiar to gain another if he chooses Each additional time this Edge is taken, the mage can pick one of the powers below. Each power may only be taken once. The mage may take this Edge only once each Rank. Taking it during character creation allows the character to take it again while he's a Novice.

• The mage can transfer wounds and Fatigue levels to or from his familiar as a free action.

• The mage may increase one attribute of his choice which is lower than that of the familiar by one die, to a maximum of d12.

• The mage can use the familiar's senses as if they were his own. This requires concentration. The maximum range for this ability is the mage's Smarts x 100 yards.

• The familiar can use the mage's Combat Edges as its own.

• Any spells the mage casts on himself also affect the familiar. If he casts armor with a raise, both he and his familiar gain +4 Armor for the duration, for example.

• The familiar gives the Blood mage a +2 to the Blood Magic Skill.

Flock

Prerequisites: Seasoned, Arcane Background (Miracles), Spirit d8+, Faith d8+

The greatest prophets and preachers are attended by followers. These men and women have found salvation in one sort or another in the blessed and devoted their lives to his cause. Flock gives your padre 5 followers who serve at his side in whatever capacity you choose. They have the stats of Townsfolk (see page 235), though they can gain skills just like any other Allies. They come with nothing but the clothes on their back and a few dollars, but can be armed and outfi tted however the blessed sees fit. Members of the Flock who perish are slowly replaced over time (usually by giving a “revival”). The Edge may not be taken more than once until the blessed is Legendary. At that point he may take it as many times as he’d like (as well as the Followers Edge, if he so chooses).

Unholy Warrior

Requirements: Novice, Arcane Background (Blood Pact-Binding), Spirit d8+, Blood Magic d6+

Acolytes, clerics, paladins, holy slayers, and other avatars of the gods are frequently tasked with battling the forces of evil in the mortal world. This Edge gives them a slight advantage against such foes. As an action, a person may call upon his chosen deity to repulse good creatures, such as angels, paladins, or good characters with Arcane Background (Miracles). Repulsing good costs 1 Power Point and has a range of the character's Spirit. Targeted creatures within that range must make a Spirit roll. Failure means the creature is Shaken; a 1 means it is destroyed. Wild Cards suffer an automatic Wound instead.

The Power of Blood

Requirements: Heroic

Any wound done to a foe by a Binder gives the Binder a +1 bonus to his next Blood Magic skill check.

One Of Us

Requirements: Legendary

The costs to summon and bind spirits and demons are halved.