Fire of the Stars

This tome of sorcerous lore contains fairly unpleasant spells dealing with social situations and the worsening thereof. Bound in thin bronze plates it is printed on long lasting parchement. In addition to the Terrestrial spells it includes instructions for two Celestial Circle spells, less knowledgeable sorcerers usually believe that instead the text is flawed after wasting time trying to learn them.

Printed in a tiny edition in thr Realm within the last two centuries and heavily restricted, this particular copy was somehow extracted from the library at the Heptagram and found its way to the North and the offerings of Winter's Fortune.

Terrestrial

• Corrupted Words: Curse one target within 10 yards to be unable to speak of a single subject. Name the subject and send a bilious green ball of Essence down the targets throat. If Exalted or manifested spirit they can resist with Resistance (can be dodged of parried with appropriate Charms). Speaking of the subject (no matter how coded or obliquely) incapacitates the target with pain and horror as they vomit white maggots. Any subject (e.g. "Lady Emiliana's indiscretion" or "the current war") is allowed. Lasts until the caster's death (or counter-spelled).
• Curse of Slavish Humility: Cast on a target within 10 yards (resisted by Occult), Essence batters them to their knees and they are forced to grovel and abase themselves to the subject. In combat has no real effect (they apologise as they attack) but can be devastating in a social environment.
• Droning Suggestion: All within 10 yards when the spell is cast believe what the caster tells them for the scene, absent immediate evidence to the contrary ("we're on your side" won't prevent defending against an attack or attacking the newly exposed enemies for example). If a character chooses to disbelieve it is treated as resisting a compel. The caster can make up to Essence level suggestions during the scene. While this spell does not flare the casters anima everyone in range hears wordless droning as the spell is shaped and a burst of noise as a thousand voices whispering in an unknown tongue at the moment it is cast, but they won't think anything of this until the spell ends.
• Fugue of Truth: Casting this spell requires meditating in a soundless, lightless, environment for one hour. The trance makes physical actions difficult but grants +4 to rolls to perceive or see through illusions, disguises, read motivations or find hidden things. It protects perfectly against normal social attacks based on deceit or manipulation, against magical mind control a roll of Integrity (difficulty attackers Essence level, ignoring scale) is required. The caster has the Aspect "Spaced Out" which has 2 free Invokes for those they attempt social actions against. Lasts until the caster dismisses the trance, is wounded or falls asleep. Can only be Countered while it is being cast.

Celestial

• Hideous Confusion of Tongues: Casting this spell requires making the Sign of the Shattered Tower and causes a burst of bright turquoise light that curses everyone within 100 yards. Any attempt to speak results only in gibberish, though it takes an Awareness roll (difficulty 3, ignoring Scale) for the speaker to realise this (no more than one roll per minute), or an Occult roll (difficulty 3, ignoring Scale) when the spell is cast. Anyone unaffected by the spell who hears the gibberish must roll Linguistics (difficulty casters Essence level) or be likewise affected. After (casters Essence level x 2 hours) the effects wear off, though nothing then prevents someone from being re-infected. Countermagic can prevent the spell being cast, but after it has been Countermagic only removes the effects from a single subject.
• Insidious Tendrils of Hate: The caster requires an arcane link to each target, the skins of a dozen exotic snakes (typically Resources 3 purchase) and a brazier. Burning the skins in a three minute invocation of hate causes a hand of smoke to reach up and grasps the arcane links and draw them back into the fire. The maximum number of targets is the casters Occult level, but it only affects the largest group within about 30 yards of each other (such as at a feast to celebrate a new peace). Each subject makes a Defence roll using Integrity (against the casters one roll), if they success with style they realise they have been subject to an emotion-manipulating spell. Those that did not resist find each interaction they have with anyone twisted, they find themselves surrounded by enemies and hear only insults, threats or lies. This lasts until the caster is slain, or for their Socialise level in days, unless cast at the same time as the spell Countermagic only frees a single target.

Type

Manual, Magical / Occult

Medium

Vellum / Skin