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Messages - Mayhawk

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DFRPG / Re: Photomancy
« on: June 01, 2013, 10:00:54 PM »
And here are my photomancer's evocations (he uses Greek rather than Latin for evocations, just to be different):

Anaitho - Blade of Light (Rote): Hit an enemy with burning beam of focused light.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, attack
Power: 5 shifts (Uses sword to help summon and control)
Control: Roll discipline, plus specialization and focus item, to control and as attack.
Target: One target in line of sight, inflicting physical stress
Duration: One action
Opposed by: Target’s athletics, magical blocks, or other appropriate skill
Variations: Change the number of shifts for a more powerful attack and/or divide the shifts between multiple targets.

Antanaklasis - Shield of Light (Rote): Makes it difficult to hit a target by bending and distorting the light around him.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, defensive block
Power: 4 shifts
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: One exchange
Effect: Target begins to warp and flicker like a strobe light combined with a fun-house mirror drastically increasing the difficulty to hit it. Can extend the duration by summoning and controlling one additional shift of power for each additional exchange.
Variations: Thomas can choose to use this as a Armor: 2 rather than a 4 shift block. He may also call up additional shifts of power to extend the duration or strength of the block.

Antiphlego - Flashy-dashy Lights (Rote): A flash of light and pyrotechnic sparks bursts in the air and distracts onlookers.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, evasive maneuver
Power: 4 shifts (3 for effect, 1 for entire room)
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: A moment
Effect: Places the temporary aspect “Distracted” on everyone in the room, allowing Thomas to make a quick getaway without notice.
Opposed by: Alertness
Variations: Thomas sometimes summons extra shifts of power to extend the duration of the effect. He also uses this in conjunction with his Out With a Bang spell.

Asterope - Out with a Bang: A flash of light and pyrotechnic sparks bursts in the air as the target disappears.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, evasive block
Power: 4 shifts (3 for effect, 1 for duration)
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: A moment
Effect: Blocks the ability of others to see the target by bending light around and away from him, deepening shadows around him and making him fully transparent.
Opposed by: Alertness
Variations: Thomas may use extra shift to extend the duration or strength of the block. Can extend the duration by summoning and controlling one additional shift of power for each additional exchange.

Antaugazo - Luminescence: Make an object glow to light up an area.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, revealing maneuver
Power: 4 shifts (3 for effect, 1 for duration)
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: One scene
Effect: Places the temporary aspect “Luminescent” on the target so it glows with a flickering eathereal light, as though illuminated by some kind of spirit flame enough to light up a dark room like the average flashlight and reveal anything or anyone hidden there.
Opposed by: Stealth
Variations: Thomas can also make an orb of pure spirit light that looks like whit flame hover in his hand if he doesn’t have an object he wants to make luminescent, but usually he uses his sword for this if it’s on hand.

Antiphotizomai - Blinded by the Light: Temporarily stun or blind target with a bright flash of light.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, offensive maneuver
Power: 4 shifts
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: One exchange
Effect: Target is hit by a sudden blast of light placing the aspect “temporarily blinded” on them and making it nearly impossible for them to succeed at any action requiring sight.
Opposed by: Athletics or other appropriate skill
Variations: Thomas can choose to call up additional shifts of power to extend the duration or strength of the block, or number of people affected.

Apaugasma - Razzle-Dazzle: Target is dazed by a pyrotechnic light show of sparks and shimmering, dancing lights.
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, offensive block
Power: 4 shifts
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: One exchange
Effect: Dazzling lights dance before the target’s eyes blocking them from taking any action until they can summon the will to look away.
Opposed by: Discipline or other appropriate skill.
Variations: Thomas can choose to call up additional shifts of power to extend the duration or strength of the block, or number of people affected.

Apaugasmos - Aura of the Otherworld: Target is bathed in dazzling light, giving them an eerie and intimidating demeanor
Type: Spirit (Light) evocation, intimidating maneuver
Power: 4 shifts (3 for effect + 1 for extended duration)
Control: Role discipline plus specialization and focus item.
Duration: One scene
Effect: Target is given the temporary aspect (Otherworldly Aura), making them more intimidating, or in some cases, entrancing.
Opposed by: Discipline or other appropriate skill
Variations: Thomas can choose to call up additional shifts of power to extend the duration or number of people affected.

Anastrapto - Hand of Light: This spell extends a visible hand of force out to grab and move small to medium-sized objects short distances.
Type: Spirit (Force) evocation, moving maneuver
Power: 4 shifts (3 for effect, 1 for extra lifting power beyond what he could normally lift with his own hand)
Control: Roll Discipline plus appropriate specializations and focus items
Duration: A moment.
Effect: The target is lifted through the air in any direction Thomas wishes. It may be moved as quickly as if he were actually carrying it.
Opposed by: Target’s Athletics
Variations: Extra shifts would allow the movement of larger objects over greater distances (extended duration).


2
DFRPG / Re: Photomancy
« on: June 01, 2013, 09:58:28 PM »
My photomancer character is an artist who views magic as a form of art. He uses Spirit evocations to create light effects such as blinding flashes and searing lasers. Here are the thaumaturgy spells in his Grimoire.

Illuminated Marks: Allows one to track or view the actions of another person by lighting up footprints, fingerprints and other types of marks.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 4 (the equivalent of a “great” investigation)
Duration:
Effect: Trails and prints light up as though the target had been covered in glow-in-the-dark goo and left some behind everywhere they went.
Variations: More power can be used to extend the duration.
Notes: Thomas prefers to do this ritual at either dawn or dusk (+2 shifts), using a full length mirror (+2 shifts), the angelic sigils for “Travel” and “Universe” would be written on the back of the mirror (+ 2 shifts) and a perfect circle drawn around it with a square inside for the four directions (+2 shifts), he would finally use a drop of his own blood to activate the ritual (+1 shift).

Sight Link: See through the eyes of a target.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 12 (Base difficulty 4 + 4 to overcome conviction, + 4 to overcome thresholds)
Duration: 1 Scene
Effect: Caster can see whatever the target sees by closing his eyes, or can direct the vision into a reflective surface. Information gathered is visual only, to gain auditory information Thomas would need to do a straight divination and sacrifice his complexity bonus while casting. If the target is alert and happens to see their own reflection they may see Thomas reflected in their eyes concealing this residual image adds +3 to the complexity.
Variations: Can increase the duration through additional shifts of power. Extra power may also be necessary to combat wards. Thomas can modify this spell to provide auditory information and if he chooses to use this connection to speak to his target he may do so. He may also choose to observe the target from a fixed point rather than through their eyes.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a mirror (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “watching”  (+2 shifts) would then be drawn on the back of a canvass on which he would paint a lifelike portrait of the target (+2 shifts) with a bit of their hair or blood mixed into the paint (+2 shifts) which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of mediation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).

Paint the Past: Allows an artist to look at a person, object, or scene and create a painting of it that reveals something that has happened to that person, or at that location in the recent past.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 4 to paint an event that occurred within the past week (+1 for every time increment increase back).
Effect: The caster concentrates on a specific event they wish to gather information about and enters a trance-like state while painting a picture of the scene so that when the work is complete it reveals information about the event that occurred, though the information frequently comes in symbolic forms that must be translated.
Variations: Thomas can also use similar methodology to the paint the future, but the information gleaned from doing so is highly symbolic and represents only possible events.
Notes: Thomas takes time to clear his mind while painting, as one would through meditation (+2 shifts), and paints the target with careful accuracy in order to create a stronger link (+2 shifts). He uses a circle with the angelic sigil for the “Past” or “Future”, depending on the desired effect of his painting (+2 Shifts). Creating at the painting at the same time of day as the event he wishes to see helps create a stronger link as well (+2 shifts).

Mirror Image: Create a duplicate of something that mirrors the movements of the original in order to confuse onlookers.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: Depends on the object; for Thomas to duplicate himself the complexity is 11 (5 for a basic animate object, +2 for extra size, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to make the object solid and add sound Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Complexity is reduced for objects of smaller size and complexity, a small item like a coin with no moving parts is a 1, while a larger item like a sword, or one with a few moving parts is a 3.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a mirror (+2 shifts) reflecting either the actually thing he wishes to duplicate or a skillful painting of the target (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “twin” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of medition to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).

Back in a Flash: The target becomes invisible by bending light around him, but when he chooses to reveal himself there is a flash and sparks fly through the air as light slams back into it’s proper space.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy veil
Complexity: 8 (6 for block strength, 2 so that veiled subject can still see).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first (or until the target crosses a magical barrier or chooses to reveal himself).
Effect: Light bends around the target so that people can see what is directly behind him and he becomes effectively invisible. As a photomancy veil the illusion is visual only, in order to block the other senses Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added to alter the whole body, and to change the size and shape of the target.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).

Glamour Masque: Change the appearance of a person to someone or something else entirely.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: 7 (3 for a simple face change, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to add ectoplasm for solidity Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added to alter the whole body, and to change the size and shape of the target.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).

Chimerical Reality: Change the appearance of a room, building or landscape to something else entirely.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: 9 for a small room (3 for a basic mask, + 2 to affect an entire zone, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to add ectoplasm for solidity Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added for each additional zone affected.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).

Dreamweaving: Create a dreamscape or story in a painting, which, if someone concentrates on they will experience the next time they sleep.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Psychomancy conjuration
Complexity: 9 for a single scene (3 for a basic mask, + 2 to affect an entire zone, +4 to make the disguise a strength, believability, of Great).
Effect: As a psychomancy conjuration the scene appears entirely in a person’s mind and once the proscribed scene is over there is no predicting where the mind will take the dream next.
Variations: Extra power can be added for additional scenes are plot points to appear in the dream.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the scene he wishes to appear in the dream (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “dream” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
 

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DFRPG Resource Collection / Re: Campaign Setting
« on: May 28, 2013, 01:48:24 PM »
It's The Center of the Free World (Theme), where Conspiracies Abound (Theme), and a Dark Sorcerer is rising to power (Threat). If you're interested in checking out our write up of the Dresdenverse's Washington, DC, check it out here: http://dfrpg-resources.wikispaces.com/Washington%2C+DC Locations and faces will be posted soon.

4
DFRPG / Re: Washington DC
« on: May 28, 2013, 01:42:53 PM »
Thanks, I'll do that.

5
DFRPG / Washington DC
« on: May 27, 2013, 04:23:37 PM »
I'd like to know what you guys think of these ideas. I have a few locations and faces fleshed out already too. I'll post some of them later if people are interested.

Theme: Center of the Free World

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States of America, the one remaining global superpower and the country that has been considered the leader of the free world since World War 2. Much of what takes place in Washington D.C. has ripple-effects that influence events around the world. Congress passes laws and the President issues orders that set the agenda for the entire country. Then Pentagon and the CIA just south of D.C. in Virginia set the agenda for the entire world. Ambassadors flock to the city to represent their respective nations and attempt to sway U.S. foreign policy in their favor, or at least maintain good relations with the nation that is capable of devastating any country that stands in it’s way.

As the Capital the city is home not only to top authorities in the nation, but between the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the National Museum of Art and the National Archives it also contains many of America’s most precious national treasures. Majestic architectural edifices and towering monuments serve to remind everyone in the city that this is a major center of global power.

It should come as no surprise then, that there should also be a strong concentration of supernatural power here as well. A number of powerful ley lines flow through the city carrying magical energies to empower the actions of those who know how to tap into it. Since the prehistoric era the Courts of the Fae and other supernatural creatures have fought bitter battles against one another for control of these supernatural energy, and those wars continue to rage into modern nights. Then there are also supernatural entities and organizations that covet the influence wielded by the Federal Government and seek to gain control over it.

The fact that this city is the capital of the free world shapes so much of what goes on the city. The majority of people working in the city are connected to the Federal Government in some way, and it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Because of the power wielded here almost every decision made by those in power has major consequences, and so the power struggles here, both mundane, and paranormal, are much higher stakes than those of other cities.


Theme: Conspiracies Abound

It has been said that in D.C. you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a Secret Society (nevermind that the only people who probably swing deceased felines around would most likely be members of some weird secret society with bizarre symbolic ritual). Between the Skull and Bones, the Shriners, the Free Masons, and the Jesuits it is sometimes difficult to find a person in power who does not belong to some kind of clandestine organization, or a place of power that isn’t controlled by some such group.

Since this city is one of the most powerful in the world it should come as no surprise that secretive organizations invested in controlling or changing society through the power wielded by old men in suites within the halls of government. Seldom does anything of consequence happen in the city or the Federal Government without some plot at work behind it, so those attempting to investigate or get in the way of such events should beware, they may only be scratching the tip of the iceberg, and will quite likely end up facing a vast network of conspirators the had not initially reckoned on.

Conspiracies and secret societies can be either mundane or supernatural in nature and are often a combination of the two. Some of them are recent invetions of powerful and charaismatic personalities created to help them rise to power, but others have ancient roots and have been operating for centuries working slowly towards a set of goals that only those at the top of the organization are truly aware of. This latter type are the truly dangerous organizations as their true intentions are often impossible to decipher, and even more difficult to work against because their well placed connections and lack of reliance on a single central leader.


Threat: The Rise of the Dark Lord

For longer than anyone can remember the mysterious sorcerer known has Phaeton has been a powerful member of D.C.’s supernatural community and has won the support of much of many, particularly those who have no love for the White Council. Unlike most wizards who hold the Masonic Brotherhood in derision, he has been a long standing member and risen through the ranks to the 33rd degree. He has formed an alliance with the Winter Court, which rules the Nevernever realms around D.C. and has made deals with the vampire courts as well. Of course he claims that these dealings with the Nevernever creatures have been made for the greater good, and no hard evidence has ever been found of wrong doing on the part of Phaeton. In fact Phaeton’s reputation is such that he was selected to be Keeper of the government buildings at Washington’s core, to ensure that other supernaturals do not meddle with national leaders and agencies.

There are some, however, particularly the White Council and their allies, who are highly distrustful of Phaeton and ask who is making sure that he himself is not dabbling in the national government he claims to be safeguarding. Accusations have been made that he has even gone so far as to enthrall government leaders in order to influence the national agenda according to his wishes. Some have even gone to the point of calling him a Dark Lord. However, as usual in the case of Phaeton, no evidence of wrongdoing has been found, and his supporters accuse the White Court of spreading vicious lies against the Keeper on account of his refusal to join their esoteric brotherhood. To be sure, Phaeton does interpret the Laws of Magic much more loosely than the White Council Wardens, claiming that there are cases when certain Laws may justifiably be bent. However, he still supports the Laws in most situations, and even many members of the White Council question the rigidity of its enforcement of the laws.

For good or ill Phaeton has become a power-player in Washington, and his influence continues to grow. To those willing to accept his ways of working outside the parameters of the White Council’s approval he represents a potential extremely capable ally, but any who would attempt to catch him in wrong-doing, or somehow stand in the way of his goals will find him to be a powerful enemy.

((If you are interested in a play by post adventure set in DC go to http://dresden.forumotion.com/forum and post in the OOC forum letting us know you'd like more information.))

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