Sponsored magic and the death curse

[zenten]

So this past game the PCs killed someone using sponsored magic (Old Ones), but she managed to get off her death curse first (which the pure mortal PC target managed to dodge).  So my question is, was that within canon?  Can someone using sponsored magic (and only sponsored magic) use a death curse?  I'm not going to change what happened if it's not, but I'm curious.

[Richard_Chilton]

I don't think so, but it would depend on the dying mage...

A wizard has a mind of steal.  Magic, his own personal magic, is at the heart of everything he does.  A death curse is taking his own life force and channeling it as a spell.

Someone whose magic isn't personal, who is just channeling the power of another, I don't see them as being able to do that.  BUT (in caps for a reason) not all people using sponsored magic are the same.

Let me see if I can show what I mean through examples:
Last week Dave made a deal and POOF he's got sponsored magic.  He showed off his magic, did all sorts of things, and someone he pissed off is putting Dave in his grave.  Dave shouldn't get a death curse.

900 years ago, Steve linked with something.  Through gifts and magic, Steve is still going strong today - or was until someone put a sword through his guts.  Steve should get a death curse.

The difference? With Dave the magic is clearly an add-on but with Steve it's been a part of him so long that it's not just an add-on but integral to who he is.

So in my opinion (and it's just my opinion here since we haven't seen a lot of sponsored magic in the books) the answer is no, with exceptions.  Maybe based off the total refresh level of the dying man, maybe based off of how many aspects he has that relates to his sponsored magic, maybe based off of his sponsor...

Speaking of sponsors, Outsiders (and their servants the Old Ones) don't follow rules.  They bend reality by existing near it.  So in that case, the answer could easily be yes or no or purple - and purple makes perfect sense in the zone where they've warped reality.

Richard

[UmbraLux]

Can someone using sponsored magic (and only sponsored magic) use a death curse? 

No, not a death curse in a wizard's sense anyway.  However the sponsor may well be moved to action...depending on situation, purpose, and relationship. 

Edit:  Death curses are a special case where the caster is able to draw extra power out of his death by using consequences he's already taken to put much more power into a spell than normal.  With sponsored magic, the power isn't tied to you directly - you're just a conduit. 

[ARedthorn]

I'd make it dependent on the sponsor... a demon or outsider might be content to let- or even guide/push/force- you to burn yourself out on one last vindictive act.

More balanced sponsors (like the fae or a dragon) who care more about their power and less about your corruption (or chaos, or screaming death), would be more likely to pull the plug on your magic now that you've gotten yourself killed.

[Taran]

In a game where I was playing an Emissary with Sponsored Magic (White God), we were up against a very powerful BCV.  I used all my consequences and even tagged a mental consequence(religious fervor), to turn my blood into holy water and explode all over the Vamp.  .  I'm not really sure, how death curses work, mechanically, but we considered this the characters death curse.

[Masurao]

In a game where I was playing an Emissary with Sponsored Magic (White God), we were up against a very powerful BCV.  I used all my consequences and even tagged a mental consequence(religious fervor), to turn my blood into holy water and explode all over the Vamp.  .  I'm not really sure, how death curses work, mechanically, but we considered this the characters death curse.

I think that is an example of where it could work, as it is in your Sponsor's interests to see such evil vanquished. Also, I'd say that in many cases Hellfire could be used in any death curse

[Sanctaphrax]

@Taran: death curse rules are on page 282 of YS.

[Tedronai]

@Taran: death curse rules are on page 282 of YS.

and the only reference to who is capable of laying a Death Curse is calling it 'a wizard's death curse'

[Richard_Chilton]

and the only reference to who is capable of laying a Death Curse is calling it 'a wizard's death curse'

Which may include non-White Council members.  There's a certain Black Court Vampire who Harry thinks might be able to level a death curse.

Richard

[ARedthorn]

Given that- I'd say it's not really something taught per se (how would you practice???), but it's not something done on instinct either. You have to have a certain grasp on power, and how to control it, as well as how to draw it from inside yourself (via consequences) to even conceive of the possibility; from there, you can sort of intuit going for broke with the same concepts; last but not least, you'd need to know both thaumaturgy and evocation (since death curses have elements of both- being by necessity quick and dirty, but in scope and duration more like thaumaturgy) to pull it off. I'd almost call it thaumaturgy-at-the-speed-of-evocation, with a price tag (your life)... in which case, there's absolutely no reason sponsored magic couldn't do it, given the above assumptions, or a sponsor who's willing to fill in any above gaps.

To put it more simply, wing it on a case by case basis.