So part of my process to get acquainted with a system is to just break it down and put it back together in ways that suit me. Or that could just be me chomping at the bit to immerse in the game
while my players drag their feet endlessly, but who could say for sure?
It's definitely the second thing.Still, my understanding of the system is pretty rough, nowhere near as rock solid as I'd like. If anyone could take the time to read this thing I whipped up for the world and maybe point out the parts I went wrong, I would appreciate it!
I've included the whole thing for context so it looks an awful lot like an info dump, but hopefully the format and writing style should be familiar enough that it's not too foreign. The stuff in quotes is just worldbuilding, included for context and also I think it's interesting.
So this is druidic magic in a way that's
Iron Druid-esque, but not nearly as much as the other ones I've seen.
[Image Link for Formatting and Readability]SPONSORED MAGIC: DRUIDIC MAGICDruidic magic is a form of magic similar to that granted by a place of power, but is more akin to a mantle. The mantle in question is granted to a chosen individual by a grove, and gives that individual power that can be wielded anywhere inside a certain
sphere of influence, roughly the size of a county.
The grove is an area no larger than a few zone; it's always somewhere inside this sphere of influence, but not necessarily at the center of it. The state of the grove reflects the breadth and potency of the power, so a well-tended grove will have much more power to lend its druid—consequently, abusing the power of a grove will deplete it rapidly, and give the plantlife in it a sad and withered appearance.
This is how druidic magic handles
debt. Since a grove can only have one druid at a given time, the state of the debt is inherited, whether the previous druid was at a surplus or at a deficit.
Cost: The cost is 5 refresh—not reduced, because it can be used in such a broad area, and increased by one for the additional benefits of being a druid.
Benefits: Standard sponsored magic benefits (page 288). Druidic magic can only be used inside a sphere of influence determined by the druid's sponsor, but it can be stored inside druidic tattoos, or in items, and can persist while outside the sphere of influence if performed before leaving, though the magic expires more quickly the further away from his sphere of influence the druid gets.
Druidic thaumaturgy usually covers effects like warding and divination, influencing plants and animals, as well crafting potions from herbs, mushrooms and plants, but some groves also sponsor more, or sometimes simply different, types of magic. Druidic thaumaturgy performed within the grove can be used with the speed and methods of evocation—rituals and spells, that is, not crafting.
In addition, Druidic magic can be used as an element in evocation to perform any effects that manipulate the weather, promotes growth or regrowth, or that works through earth or water. These effects often take the shape of exaggerated natural phenomena, and rarely call attention to themselves.
As an
extra benefit, the druid gains intellectus while inside his grove. This comes as an onslaught of sensations that can be intense, and the druid must use the Lore skill to sort through the extrasensory perception and learn useful information from this connection. This only extends to things that are inside or happen inside the grove, but also allows the druid to direct Druidic magic anywhere his intellectus is able to perceive, even if he can't see it, as long as he is also within the grove.
DRUIDIC TATTOOS [–2]Description: You've learned the favor of a druidic grove, and through the lore of the Druids, have covered yourself in tattoos that grant you a myriad of strange and wonderous abilities.
Musts: You must be sponsored with druidic magic to take this power. If you somehow ever lose your sponsorship, the tattoos begin to disappear and all associated benefits start to fade over time.
Skills Affected: Knowledge skills, and possibly others as well.
Effects: Druidic Cognition. Druids are known for their long memory, and the secret for this formidable feat lies in their tattoos, one of the cornerstone of their abilities. Treat your memories like a library, containing a wealth of knowledge on every subject you are familiar with.
The rating of this library on any given subject is equal to the skill used for the knowledge of that subject. You can access this library at any time with an effort of concentration, and open access to others by answering their questions.
Wellspring of Power. You have an additional stress track called druidic. The druidic stress track defaults to two boxes, but you can increase the number the boxes by taking more refresh in the Druidid Tattoos power, –1 per box. This stress track does not clear at the end of the scene; you may only clear it while inside your grove by incuring debt with your sponsor at the rate of 1 debt per box cleared.
Taking stress in excess of your druidic stress track doesn't take you out, but places an aspect on your grove that usually results in an immediate compel for the value of your entire debt, plus any efforts required to remove the aspect—this should be roughly equal to recovering from a moderate or severe consequence.
Improved Cognition [–1]. All research using your druidic cognition is two time increments quicker.
Tattoo Lore [–1]. You can apply an enchanted tattoos, and gain four Enchanted Tattoo Slots. An enchanted tattoo works like any enchanted item, and eventually fades once its uses are expended unless maintained with a conscious effort of will. Likewise, it can only regain its uses while inside your sphere of inflience. You can gain additional Enchanted Tattoo Slots by taking more refresh in this power, –1 per 4 slots.
A tattoo with 1-4 slots takes up a hand or foot, 5-8 slots takes up an entire limb, and 9-12 slots takes up the the entire torso or back, or an arm and a leg. You don't have to apply the tattoo yourself, but you have to design it and imbue it with power from your own grove.
An Enchanted Tattoo simply doesn't work if any part is in direct contact with any substance that would satisfy the Catch (see below). If it was already active, it stops working and can't be activated again until direct contact is broken.
Associated Powers [Varies]. You can associate a number of powers with your druidic tattoos, typically of the Shapeshifting, Speed, Strength, or Toughness categories. At the end of a scene when you use any associated power, you automatically tick off a number of boxes equal to the combined refresh of the powers used.
All associated Toughness powers have the same Catch, worth 2 refresh: iron and other substances considered noxious or harmful to the environment.
THE DRUIDS OF IRELAND
In a sense, Ireland itself could be considered the sphere of influence of a massive wellspring of power known as Inisfáil, the Well of Destiny. This power comes together at times, but is typically spread between 32 groves throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, one for each County. As is typical, these groves sponsor their druid's magic in a sphere of influence that extends to the boundaries of their respective county, as seen on most maps.
Druids are chosen by their groves for their personality, and this isn't always something the chosen can control, or is even aware of. If the standing druid is still alive when the time comes to retire, it can guide the process and train the new druid—however, in the case of unexpected death, the choice is made anyway and the chosen druid is left to be trained by another druid… or not, as the case may be.
The ruling authority for all druids, and in fact the magical practitioners of Ireland, is called the Circle of Druids. It is their duty to police the supernatural day-to-day in their county, but they are free to do this however they choose, and as diligently (or not) as they want.
The Circle of Druids meets on Samhain at the start of every cycle on the Coligny calendar—which is to cay, November 1st once every five years on an island at the geographical center of Ireland. During this period, a massive stone circle appears on the island, and only druids may step foot inside, or even perceive it without resorting to extranatural means, like The Sight. This meeting is shrouded in mysticism and ceremony, and culminates in a symbolic sacrifice offered to Ireland itself, for prosperity and good fortune.
The Circle of Druids doesn't have a set hierarchy, and operate on consensus. That said, though, they are as prone to politicking and cliques as body of people. If a consensus still can't be reached, Inisfáil itself becomes the deciding vote, making its will manifest through clear omens and vision, though this process can take a long time.
DRUIDIC SPONSOR: INISFÁIL
Inisfáil is fairly typical as far as druidic sponsors go, but it has another agenda beyond simply protecting the land around its grove. In the event of an Invasion or open attack against Ireland or her people, all druids are compelled to come to action in her defense. These scenarios are rare, but in such a case, the groves of Ireland join together and extend their sphere of influence throughout all of Ireland, empowering every druid to act anywhere in Ireland with impunity.
In such cases, the Stone Circle manifests throughout the entire incursion, and the island upon which it stands, as well as the lake that surrounds it, is considered the grove of all active druids.
The powers granted by the groves around Ireland are typical to Druidic magic, with only a few exceptions.
• County Meath: The strongest grove in Ireland also sponsors Necromancy on top of other types of Druidic magic.
DRUIDIC GROVES
A druidic grove is a powerfully spiritual site, an elemental point of communion with the land. Beyond that, the state of the grove often reflects not just how diligent its druid is in tending it, but the state of the land it occupies as well. A well-tended grove in a prosperous region is a bastion of safety and serenity not just in the mortal world, but in the Nevernever as well.
All groves have a potent threshold, rating at least Fair (+2) and up to Epic (+7) and serve as a Waypoint any druid can use to cross into the Nevernever. Some groves are cared for so well that their strength extends into the Nevernever as a demesne for the druid as well.
Unfortunately, though, the inverse is true as well. A poorly-tended grove, or one that has been corrupted or put under too much strain, will try attempt to sustain itself at all cost. In cases like this, the druid becomes a conduit through which the grove feeds itself, and the druid's magic begins to have an effect similar to the hexing field of mortal magic—first withering or killing small plants, and at more severe degrees even killing insects or small animals, like rats or birds.
As a last resort, the spirit of the Grove can come to the druid's aid when called upon. This is a risky gambit that directly threatens the druid's source of power—if the summoned spirit is defeated or injured, the grove could be destroyed as well.
