Dooms of Light and Shadow

The Lords of the Dark Mountains (and certain troublesome rebels) practice a magic known as the Dooms of Light and Shadow, which is a discipline whose power comes from the interplay between light and darkness, void and substance. Light spells cause damage, cure conditions, and offer protection. Shadow spells cause conditions, obscure the self, and interact with the forces of death. Note that all of these spells, regardless of their “alignment,” use identical charges, and their rituals are not restricted to one kind of spell or the other. However, The Dooms of Light and Shadow uses white and black as its signature colors, according to the alignment of each particular spell.

Spells

Spell	Type

The Light Remembered	Readied (packet or touch)
The Light Convergent	Instant (packet or special)
Day Mirrors Night	Ward
Circle of Radiant Morning	Circle
Flowing Prism Shield	Instant (caster)
Hand of the Dawnbringer	Instant (touch)
Circle of Peaceful Twilight	Circle
The Dark Lords’ Fetters	Instant (packet or caster)
Silver Mask Visage	Instant (packet or touch)
The Blackened Scourge	Instant (packet)
Steps Between the Shadows	Readied (special)
Oblivion’s Touch	Readied (packet or touch)

Rituals

Ritual	Minimum Duration

Warrior of the New Sun	5 minutes
A Puzzle of Facets	10 minutes
Infinite Mirrors	10 minutes
The Sunlight that Reveals	15 minutes
Fragmented Truth	3 seconds
What Stands Against the Night	1 minute
Four Aspects of the Hidden	1 minute
Seeing Without Sight	5 minutes
Honor the Endless Night	1 minute
Scribe of Shadow Dreams	5 minutes
Bringer of Doom	1 minute
The Darkness that Enfolds	15 minutes

Spell Descriptions

The Light Remembered (L)

Type: Readied (packet or touch)
Requirements: The caster must bear the markings of a stylized sun, in white, on the backs of both their hands, or the spell ends.
Casting Verbal: “I call forth the remembrance of light forgotten; against it, no foe can stand, and even death itself will falter.” Activation Verbal (packet) “By the light remembered, I strike you down!” Activation Verbal (touch) “By the light remembered, I stay the touch of death.”

The caster gains their Mastery in activations of this spell, which may be spent to throw a packet that does 1 light damage to any it hits. Alternately, a use can be expended as a touch effect on any Critical target, doubling their death count. For most, this will mean they die in 10 minutes instead of 5. Note that the latter effect only lasts until the recipient is stabilized or actually dies.

The Light Convergent (L)

Type: Instant (packet or special)
Requirements: A white glowstick for the (special) version of this spell, attached to an extensive (2’ min) length of white ribbon
Casting Verbal (packet): “By my will the light converges, bringing (Mastery)-fold doom upon you!”
Casting Verbal (special): “Mine is the hand of light’s convergence; in night’s destruction, purity is born.”

The packet version of this spell simply does the caster’s Mastery in light damage to the location it hits.

Alternately, this spell may be cast to manifest a glowing, baleful light which is anathema to all Accursed creatures. Anyone who holds this Banelight (as it is called) wrapped around one of their hands in a prominent fashion—and in no other way—allows them to add 1 to any Power Strikes they would call against the accursed; these altered maneuvers are instead called as “Bane Strike X,” where X is their normal power strike damage + 1. If any non-accursed creature is struck with a Bane Strike, they are not harmed at all (“No Effect”). If a bearer of one of these lights cannot call Power Strikes in some way, then it is of no real benefit to them. Note that the light is entirely physical and can be handed off to anyone or used to simply illuminate an area. Note also that Accursed creatures despise this magic and will aggressively target anyone who bears the light. The Banelight persists until it fades away naturally, it is switched off (for non-chemical phys-reps), or for one event, whichever comes first.

Day Mirrors Night (L)

Type: Ward
Requirements: None
Casting Verbal: “In darkness, the stars remember light; may I know the day by mirrored night.”

With this spell up, a caster may “burn” a Dooms of Light and Shadow charge to resist the effects of any single packet-delivered magical effect. Such a resist is called as “Ward,” when activated. The caster can end this spell for a “free” instance of such a resist, or to copy a single packet-delivered spell that hits them, which also automatically hits its caster. To copy a spell, the character must call out “Mirror Magic” and indicate the target by pointing. Any effect from the original packet-delivered spell still affects the character, though they can resist it through other, non-ward means. A mirrored effect cannot be mirrored again. Day Mirrors Night lasts an entire event or until deliberately ended. A character may only have one ward up at a time.

Circle of Radiant Morning (L)

Type: Circle
Requirements: Must lay the phys-rep after one minute of concentration. When the spell ends, the phys-rep must be taken up.
Casting Verbal: “I scribe before me the circle of radiant morning; may the dawn favor all who stay within its light.”

Characters within this circle may call “no effect” against any packet delivered spell or effect that strikes them. This circle does not offer protection from spells or effects that are specifically made to target those within a circle, namely the Currents of Deepspirit spell, The Sea Forgets, nor does it offer protection against spells cast with the Arcane Might tagline. As an additional ability, any non-circle spell cast from within this circle gains a +1 Mastery bonus. This bonus is explicitly compatible with mastery enhancers such as Silver Mask Visage.

This circle takes the form of a razor-thin line of bright sunlight projecting up from its circumference.

Flowing Prism Shield (L)

Type: Instant (caster)
Requirements: None
Casting: Verbal “Let this shield of flowing light protect me from harm; I become a prism to scatter the darkness.” (after 1 minute of concentration)

When this spell is cast, the caster is given two points of magical Protection. Unlike regular Protection, which is lost the moment it is used, this protection returns after ten minutes of rest, much like Vitality. This spell lasts for a number of hours equal to the caster’s Mastery. Like all magical protections, this spell replaces any other magical effect which offers points of protection, and requires 3 seconds of concentration before casting.

Hand of the Dawnbringer (L)

Type: Instant (touch or special)
Requirements: A blue, green, yellow, orange, or red glow stick, for the (special) version of this spell
Casting Verbal (touch): “In time, the morning shall come and smite the darkness; let your (condition) flee from the (Mastery)-fold touch of the Dawnbringer’s hand.”
Casting Verbal (special): “Just as the dawnbringer’s hand calls forth the rising sun, so mine calls forth a pale reflection of its light.”

Upon casting, the target loses levels in the named persistent condition (Blindness, Stillness, Poison, or Disease) equal to the caster’s Mastery. If the target suffers from a persistent condition other than the one named, there is no effect. Alternately, this spell will manifest a shard of glowing light—of variable color—which may be used or handed off at its caster’s discretion. The light persists until it burns out, is turned off, or the event ends, whichever comes first.

Circle of Peaceful Twilight (D)

Type: Circle
Requirements: Must lay the phys-rep after one minute of concentration. When the spell ends, the phys-rep must be taken up.
Casting Verbal: “I draw this shadow circle, bringing peaceful twilight. None should fear the coming darkness.”

Dead characters within this circle do not have their soul pass on in five minutes; instead, their spirit remains with their body for an hour. Any effects that target a dead body whose spirit remains within it (Coax Life), may be used within this time. Dead characters who are removed from this circle resume their old count. In addition, this circle repels accursed creatures, preventing them from engaging in melee attacks against those within its boundaries. Ranged attacks and magic are not affected, however. Circle of Peaceful Twilight takes the form of a ribbon of deep darkness, tinged with red, which is somehow faintly luminous.

The Dark Lords’ Fetters (D)

Type: Instant (Packet or Caster)
Requirements: (packet) None; (caster) The caster must indicate this spell is active by wearing a large chain or shackle around their wrist
Casting Verbal (Packet): “With the strength of night-forged steel, I shackle you in the Dark Lords’ fetters!”
Casting Verbal (Caster): “May the Fetters of the Dark Lords’ bind me to the shadow; no accursed one shall harm me, for I bear their masters’ chains.”

Targets stuck by the packet version of this spell are Shackled for 5 minutes, until they break free, or until the caster releases them. Once Shackled, the target must immediately drop anything they are holding and keep both hands clasped behind their back until the spell has ended. For safety reasons, a shackled character, when running or traversing unstable conditions, may unclasp their hands until they stop. Shackled characters may break free by spending a Feat of Strength and taking a three count: “Strength 1, Strength 2, Strength 3.” Alternately, another character may similarly spend a feat (as a touch effect) and break them out. Note that exceptionally strong targets may ignore this effect entirely (“No Effect”). The caster of this spell may release anyone bound by it if they are within 5’ of them; they must point to them and say “I release you,” in order to do so.

Shackled targets may not cast touch-based spells on others, and they cannot cast packet-based spells at all.

The caster version of this spell enchants a length of chain or a shackle about the magician’s wrist, which must be worn during the duration of this spell (1 hour per Mastery). While under its effect, they begin to radiate a faint aura of death, which prevents Accursed beings from attacking them unless directly attacked first, or unless they bear a personal grudge against the character. As with all “aura” based enchantments, the caster should inform applicable beings that they are under its effects by saying the name of the spell and showing them its manifestation, otherwise the targets need not abide by its effects. This spell cannot be cast while bearing a Banelight, and if it is active while holding or picking one up, this spell ends immediately.

Silver Mask Visage (D)

Type: Instant (packet or touch)
Requirements: None
Casting Verbal (packet): “Creature of death, the visage of the silver mask demands your (2 * Mastery)-fold destruction!”
Casting Verbal (touch): “Take solace in the silver mask, and know its visage as reflected glory.”

When the packet version of this spell strikes an Accursed target, it deals shadow damage equal to twice the caster’s Mastery directly to its torso. This spell has no effect on targets that are not accursed.

Alternately, the touch version of this spell causes a brief vision of a Praetor’s silver mask to appear in the recipient’s mind, granting them a measure of power; the target’s Mastery is increased by 1, for two hours. A second Silver Mask Visage or any similar effect does not offer any further increase in mastery; instead, it simply replaces the original effect.

The Blackened Scourge (D)

Type: Instant (packet)
Requirements: None
Casting Verbal (packet): “With this blackened scourge of (mastery)-fold lashes, I flay your body and blind your eyes.”

This packet-based spell does the caster’s Mastery in Shadow damage to the location it hits. If the target suffers a wound from this spell, they are Blinded at a strength equal to the Mastery of the caster. If this spell does not cause a wound, no other effect takes place.

A Feat of Will may be used to resist the Blindness, but not the damage. Blindness is NOT considered a Mental effect.

While a target is blinded, they cannot run, make attacks with weapons, or cast packet-based spells. Blinded characters may defend themselves as normal. While Blind, a character may use other skills as they normally would, but as a strict roleplaying requirement they must act as if their vision were almost totally gone.

Steps Between the Shadows (D)

Type: Readied (special)
Requirements: The caster must keep their flattened palms together, while raised over their head, else the spell ends. Nothing can be held while maintaining this spell.
Casting Verbal: “I am naught but steps between the shadows, a whisper only night can hear; let no one heed my passage.”

The caster of this spell steps into the shadows (deep enough to obscure half of their form), to become Invisible. While Invisible, a character cannot be attacked or directly sensed in any way (even through sound), however, they can only walk up to (Mastery x 10) steps, or the spell ends. Perceptive characters, though they cannot spend a Feat of Perception to discover the Invisible, will still know that something is not quite right in their general area. Those under this spell become visible if they run, attack, cast/use a spell, speak, or drop the required gesture. The absolute maximum duration of this spell is its caster’s Mastery in hours.

Oblivion’s Touch (D)

Type: Readied (packet or touch)
Requirements: The caster must bear the markings of a stylized crescent moon, in black, on the backs of both their hands, or the spell ends
Casting Verbal: “The living fear what the dead do not, for there is only peace in oblivion’s touch.”
Casting Verbal (packet): “Know fear in the touch of oblivion!”
Casting Verbal (touch): “In oblivion’s touch, may this soul find peace.”

This spell grants its caster a number of activations equal to their Mastery. The packet version of this spell will inflict Fear upon its targets as a Mental effect for 5 minutes. While afraid, a victim must move and stay least 15’ from the source of the fear (the caster). As well, they may make no attacks (melee, missile, or packet-based) against the caster while under this effect, unless the caster physically prevents them from fleeing. Defenses are completely unaffected, however, and the victim may attack others as normal.

The touch version of this spell may be cast on a newly dead character to grant them a Boon, which is a mysterious enchantment that greatly benefits the dead as they negotiate the afterlife. This boon is lost if the target is somehow restored to life before their soul passes on. When cast upon the inert corpse of a corporeal undead, this version of the spell prevents it from rising again, if applicable.

Ritual Descriptions

Warrior of the New Sun (L)

Duration: 5 minutes

Outside, alone, and during the day, vigorously drill with a melee weapon.

A Puzzle of Facets (L)

Duration: 10 minutes

Concentrate on a prism, gem, or crystal, turning it slowly in the hand as you regard it.

Infinite Mirrors (L)

Duration: 10 minutes

Set two mirrors opposite each other and meditate upon their multiplied reflections.

The Sunlight that Reveals (L)

Duration: 15 minutes

Meditate outside, and during the day. This ritual is unusable if it is raining.

Fragmented Truth (L)

Duration: 3 seconds

In clear light (natural or otherwise), destroy a faceted gem with the pommel of a dagger, scattering the dust and shards. Though the scattering gesture need not include any real “fragments,” some attempt to mimic a pulverized gem is encouraged (using sand, perhaps). Hand the “destroyed” gem off to a marshal as soon as possible.

What Stands Against the Night (L)

Duration: 1 minute

With 6 magical lights, candles, or lanterns, reverently form a ring of illumination around yourself, speaking the words of the Dawnbringer. If you leave the ring before it is complete, or you stop speaking for more than 3 seconds, the ritual fails.

Four Aspects of the Hidden (D)

Duration: 1 minute

Deliberately wrap a small, valued object (a gem or tagged item) in layers of cloth, place it in a box, bind the box with cord or rope, and conceal it among your belongings, all while murmuring repetitive homages to the shadows. Said “murmurings” need not be entirely understandable or coherent, though they shouldn’t be absolute nonsense.

Seeing Without Sight (D)

Duration: 5 minutes

While blindfolded (or Blind), sketch a figure from memory, sculpt an abstract shape in clay, or work a three-dimensional puzzle. If the blindfold falls off or the condition is treated during this ritual’s duration, it fails.

Honor the Endless Night (D)

Duration: 1 minutes

Sonorously recite the titles and aspects of each of the six Dark Lords, from memory.

Scribe of Shadow Dreams (D)

Duration: 5 minutes

In a private journal, write a page long description of a recent dream, without pausing for more than 3 seconds.

Bringer of Doom (D)

Duration: 1 minute

During the night, walk alone into an empty field and shout out a brazen challenge to all who would wish you harm, making sure to give your name and relevant titles, as well as the means by which you will defeat said challengers. This ritual is successful even if there is no response. You may not use this ritual in response to an impending attack.

The Darkness that Enfolds (D)

Duration: 15 minutes

Meditate in thick shadow or absolute darkness.