[Gef]

Holy Calling of Abjuration (6)

At the acolyte level, the Holy Calling resembles the college of Knowledge, and at master level, it starts to look more like Protection, but in fact it concerns itself mainly with metamagic, especially that which counters other kinds of magic. The “spellbusters” may have a limited Gift, but it suits them well to duel other wizards, for which purpose they seek Familiarity with other styles of the Deacons’ School in order to extend the scope of Counterspell. The majority serve in a militant order. Those deacons with both the ability and the aspiration to generalize usually pursue metamagic as a secondary course of study, as it compliments other colleges well.

Required Skills: Religious Ritual (Church of Man), Thaumatology, Theology (Church of Man).

Required Spells: Scryguard and Ward. All spells learned through this style are Metamagic.

Perks: Extra Option: Stabilizing Skill (Religious Ritual for Metamagic), Mana Compensation, Secret Spell (Mana Bolt, Oculus Superior), Shortcut to Power (Divination: Crystal-Gazing), Special Exercises (Moral Strength), Spell Duelist (any style of the Deacons’ School), Staff Bond.

Acolyte: Detect Magic, Scryguard, See Radiation, Sense Evil, Ward. “Basic Ban” is slim for a grimoire ($200, 2½#).

Senior Acolyte (requires 2 spells of prior level): Aura, Conceal Magic, Counterspell, Great Ward, Identify Spell, Mage Sense, Mage Sight, Protection from Evil, Reflect, Scrywall, Seek Magic, Sense Mana, Sense Observation. “Calling the Acolyte” ($780, 6½#).

Deacon (requires Clerical Investment and 4 spells of prior level): Analyze Magic, Catch Spell, False Aura, Mage Light, Recover Energy, Repel Evil, Scroll (style spells only), Scryfool, Sense Spirit. “Calling the Deacon” discusses Tactics with a specialization in magic ($920, 5#).

Senior Deacon (requires 4 spells of prior level and familiarity with another deacon style): Astral Block, Astral Vision, Catch Spell, Continual Mage Light, Dispel Illusion, Dispel Possession, Divination (Crystal-Gazing), Exclude Evil, Invisibility, Magic Resistance, Reconstruct Spell, See Invisible, Spell Shield, Suspend Magic, Teleport Shield, Turn Zombie, and the secret spell Mana Bolt which which functions like Lightning with +1 damage per die to magical beings (including anyone with Magery) but -1 per die to anyone else, who can’t even see it without magical aid (Mage Sight or See Invisible). “Advanced Abjuration in Two Volumes” includes all but the secret ($1600, 8# for set).

Dean (requires 4 spells of prior level, eligible for Religious Rank 1): Banish, Control Gate, Crystal Ball, Dispel Magic, Dispel Creation, Displace Spell, Enchant (style spells only), Extinguish Radiation, Pentagram, Remove Aura, Remove Enchantment, Scry Gate, Seek Gate, Spell Wall, Spellguard, Steal Spell, Suspend Curse, Suspend Enchantment, Suspend Mana, and the secret spell Oculus Superior, which works like Telecast except that the Wizard Eye doesn’t actually teleport. “Calling the Master” includes all but the secret ($4800, 7#).

Senior Dean (requires Religious Rank 1 and 4 spells of prior level): Curse, Drain Mana, Restore Mana, Remove Curse, Steal Spell, Suspend Magery. “Foiled Again” includes the next level too ($1000, 3½#).

Dean of Censure (requires Suspend Magery): Drain Magery.