[RPM] Magical Styles Thread

[ajardoor]

Post in this thread if you got a magical style for Ritual Path Magic, or want to discuss such matters.

I'll start off with a work-in-progress, critique of you want;
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The Persona Intruders
11 points

[Design note: anyone here got a better name for this style? Think something that says "evil schemers (bent for Jungian symbolism) invade minds, torture people emotionally and exploit spirits born from human emotions".]

This is a "Left-Handed" style - what you might call "black magic" or maybe just an "immoral and irresponsible use of power". Left-Handed magic is typically stuff like Diabolism (warlocks who shake hands with spirits of vice - Daemons!), Qlippothic cults (warlocks who worship Daath, the Time Before Time), Thanatovores (sinister lich warlocks who murder human beings for power and knowledge) and other dangerous malefactors, but the Persona Intruders got their bad reputation from a doctrine that outright encourages cruelty and manipulation. Their preferred magical practices by themselves aren't intrinsically malevolent; it's basically just appropriating Jungian concepts (the collective unconscious, for instance) for certain Mind and Spirit rituals. The scope of this magical style covers rituals that involve thought reading, emotion control and wrangling spirits born from human feelings and thoughts (generally named "Shadows", if not Tulpas - stronger version of these spirits (with sapient minds and developed personalities) are named Archetypes). The Persona Intruders, however, openly embrace nasty applications of their magic in bullying, spying, torturing, deceiving and enslaving. They are freelance traitors, infiltrators and public menaces - the style does not revolve around a guild, society, occult tradition or even a philosophy. The otherworldly Jungian symbolism and shared set of dirty mystic secrets underpin the style's content, but it is typically only taught by and to scumbags seeking dubious amusement in the Occult Underground.


Required Skills: Thaumatology; Psychology; Detect Lies or Body Language; Hidden Lore (Spirit Lore).

Required Paths: Path of Mind; Path of Spirit.

Required Ritual Masteries: "Bind the True Self" (Command Shadow); one of "Crush the Mind" (Terrify), False Memory or Truthteller; "Godly Persona" (Mantle of Glory) or Call Spirit; one of Hall of Records, Implant Mind-Shard or Show of Character.

Perks: Willful Casting; Discreet Ritual; Intimidating Curses; Knower of Names; Frightening Side Effects; Controlled Mental Disadvantage (Split Personality or Amnesia); Magical Analysis; Obscure True Name; Rule of 17; Sanctum; Secret Mage; Shaman's Trance; SOP (Magical Lawyer); Thaumatological Doublespeak; Secret Spell* (Terrify, Command Shadow, Truthteller, Black Bag, Mole); Shortcut to Power* (Call Spirit, Mantle of Glory); Improved Cap (Mind, Spirit); Spirit Contract (Archetype).

* It is assumed that RPM styles have the Secret Spell and Shortcut to Power perks in altered form - the first perk works by making the ritual harder to resist (-2) and the second perk reduces the energy cost of the ritual by 10%.


OPTIONAL TRAITS
Attributes: Increased IQ, Per and Will.
Advantages: Empathy or Sensitive; Mind Shield; Intuition; Spirit Empathy; Introspection; Mentor; Charisma; Ally (Bound Shadow).
Disadvantages: Sadism; Callous; Curious; Enemies (Past victims or/and angry spirits); Megalomania; Bad Reputation (Warlock); Social Stigma (Criminal Record).
Skills: Criminology; Observation; Intimidation; Acting; Propaganda; Interrogation; Disguise; Intelligence Analysis; Research; Dreaming.