[RPM] Perussinexian Magic 2

[Raekai]

Perussinexian Stuff
As I return to the world of GURPS, I have started to rework my ideas in order to make them more efficient but to also match the growth of my ideas in my hobbies outside of tabletop role-playing games. This is the second version of my previous thread: Perussinexian Magick - Homebrew Rules for a Homebrew Race. I also want to give credit to Langy's Elemental Magic thread as that was a huge inspiration this time around and really helped me rework and revise my previous ideas. I messaged him not too long ago to ask him if I could borrow some of his ideas, but he never replied, so, if I don't have his approval, I will have this thread taken down, but I'm hoping it shouldn't be a problem.

Please, if you see anything that should be fixed or revised, I would love to have input. I have not been able to playtest this system yet, but I'm hoping to get that soon. I think my balance with making certain paths be techniques might be off, especially with the Path of Song and Dance.

Thanks!

[Raekai]

The Music of Creation
In the Timeless Realm, an existence beyond our own, Thesekai the All and One composed the Creators, the offspring of its melodious will. First, Thesekai the All and One composed Sekai the Creator of Matter and State and Thekai the Creator of Energy and Form. For the indefinite state and form of our existence, Thesekai the All and One composed Fokai the Creator of Flames and Light, Loikai the Creator of Air and Wind, Baikai the Creator of Water and Ice, and Chakai the Creator of Earth and Stone. For the definite states and forms of our existence, Thesekai the All and One composed Voukai the Creator of Birth and Life and Dhukai the Creator of Death and Rebirth. The Creators joined Thesekai the All and One in its Music of Creation, bringing for the final willful melody, Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance, a young and lively force to unite their creation within the void.

Together, Thesekai the All and One and the Creators sang the extensive theme of Perusinekasa: a wondrous planet of matter and energy. Its sphere marked by towering mountains, vast oceans, endless skies, and incredible light. Each state and form bound together by the song-and-dances that lingered within them called soulspirits. In some, the music gave birth to life. It faded into death, but rebirth gave reprise to the music of being.

Youthful curiosity got the best of the youngest Creator, Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance, and he entered the movement of time only to find their creation yet unformed in expanding space. He lingered without mortal form between death and rebirth in the Soulspiritual Realm, a reflection of the Mortal Realm created by the Creator's mere presence in our existence, a realm for beings between death and rebirth simply known as Soulspirits, beings made of pure soulspiritual matter and energy unlike the beings in the Mortal Realm which were soulspirits dwelling within mortal shells. These Soulspirits were not a part of the Creators' original melodies.

Left without a way to return to the Timeless Realm, Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance experienced both the flow of time and the ache of boredom as creation continued to unravel itself.

Much later on, after Fokai the Creator of Flames and Light had joined Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance in watching their creation unravel from their places in the Soulspiritual Realm, after music had given birth to life to death to rebirth, after soulspirits and Soulspirits cycled through the Mortal Realm and the Soulspiritual Realm for many symphonies, after the early people of Perusinekasa arose, after they discovered they could manipulate flames and light, the two of them journeyed together to the Mortal Realm to meet their people.

After discovering that their mundane use of flames and light was not the same as the willful Music of Creation, Fokai the Creator of Flames and Light convinced Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance to bestow unto them, through his own power of creation, the gift of the Music of Creation. He was hesitant at first but the thought filled him with excitement. However, the Music of Creation was less effective with less soulspiritual matter and energy. Music permeated all things, but it was a lot less than in the Timeless Realm and the Soulspiritual Realm. So, Reikai the Creator of Song and Dance wove together Soulspirits and soulspirits, creating pairs known as Eidolons for the early people of Perusinekasa. The Eidolon Soulspirits served as anchors into the Soulspiritual Realm, but they also served as companions and peers in the learning of the Music of Creation.

Each of the Eidolon pair had an affinity for one of the classical elements from the Music of Creation, creating pairs that could manipulate two of the elements. Over time, the pairs learned more of the music...

Primary Paths: Elements
Each Perussinexian is restricted to learning two of the Paths of Elements under normal circumstances. When they learn the basics of the Music of Creation, they usually learn to work it through Ritual Path Magic Symbol Magic.

Path of Flame and Light
IQ/VH
Default: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs)-6.
Prerequisite: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs).
The Path of Flame and Light includes control over flames, light, heat, and explosions. Lesser effects can manipulate normal forms of Flame and Light in simple or rough ways; it allows the caster to control Flame and Light in a natural manner on large scales, or an unnatural manner on a small scale. Greater effects can cause Flame and Light to do complex, unnatural things on larger scales, or very precise and controlled things, and it allows the caster to interact with any weird forms of Flame and Light.

Path of Air and Wind
IQ/VH
Default: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs)-6.
Prerequisite: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs).
The Path of Air and Wind includes control over air, gases, wind, pressure, and movement. Lesser effects can manipulate normal forms of Air and Wind in simple or rough ways; it allows the caster to control Air and Wind in a natural manner on large scales, or an unnatural manner on a small scale. Greater effects can cause Air and Wind to do complex, unnatural things on larger scales, or very precise and controlled things, and it allows the caster to interact with any weird forms of Air and Wind.

Path of Water and Ice
IQ/VH
Default: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs)-6.
Prerequisite: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs).
The Path of Water and Ice includes control over water, ice, liquids, waves, and cold. Lesser effects can manipulate normal forms of Water and Ice in simple or rough ways; it allows the caster to control Water and Ice in a natural manner on large scales, or an unnatural manner on a small scale. Greater effects can cause Water and Ice to do complex, unnatural things on larger scales, or very precise and controlled things, and it allows the caster to interact with any weird forms of Water and Ice.

Path of Earth and Stone
IQ/VH
Default: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs)-6.
Prerequisite: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs).
The Path of Earth and Stone includes control over earth, stone, ore, metal, and magnetism. Lesser effects can manipulate normal forms of Earth and Stone in simple or rough ways; it allows the caster to control Earth and Stone in a natural manner on large scales, or an unnatural manner on a small scale. Greater effects can cause Earth and Stone to do complex, unnatural things on larger scales, or very precise and controlled things, and it allows the caster to interact with any weird forms of Earth and Stone.

Secondary Paths: Laws
The Paths of Laws default to the lower of the caster's two Paths of Elements. For the Path of Matter and State, the Path of Earth and Stone grants +2, the Path of Water and Ice grants +1, the Path of Air and Wind grants -0, and the Path of Flame and Light grants -1. For the Path of Energy and Form, the Path of Flame and Light grants +2, the Path of Air and Wind grants +1, the Path of Water and Ice grants -0, and the Path of Earth and Stone grants -1.

Path of Matter and State
Tech/H
Default: Paths of Elements-5*.
Prerequisite: Two of the Paths of Elements.
The Path of Matter and State includes control over the Path of Matter and the Path of Crossroads.

Path of Energy and Form
Tech/H
Default: Paths of Elements-5*.
Prerequisite: Two of the Paths of Elements.
The Path of Energy and Form includes control over the Path of Energy and the Path of Chance.

Tertiary Paths: Realms
The Paths of Realms default to the lower of the caster's two Paths of Laws. For the Path of Birth and Life, being native to the Mortal Realm grants +1. For the Path of Death and Rebirth, being native to the Soulspiritual Realm grants +1.

Path of Birth and Life
Tech/H
Default: Paths of Laws-3*.
Prerequisite: Path of Matter and State; Path of Energy and Form.
The Path of Birth and Life includes control over both the Path of Body and the Path of Mind, but only for beings native to the Mortal Realm.

Path of Death and Rebirth
Tech/H
Default: Paths of Laws-3*.
Prerequisite: Path of Matter and State; Path of Energy and Form.
The Death and Rebirth includes control over both the Path of Body and the Path of Mind, but only for beings native to the Soulspiritual Realm, which usually includes undead.

Final Path: Will
Alternatively, with Unusual Background (Incarnation of Raekai) [10], this can be the primary path with all of the other paths as Tech/H that default to Path of Song and Dance-6.

Path of Song and Dance
Will/VH
Default: Thaumatology (Perussinexian Glyphs)-6.
Prerequisite: Path of Birth and Life; Path of Death and Rebirth.
The Path of Song and Dance includes control over the Path of Magic. Since this is an advanced skill, most ritualists take the Easy Refill perk.

[Raekai]

The People of Perusinekasa
They are called Perussinexians by humans as humans mistakenly called their planet Perussinexus. However, the Perussinexians are not the only people of Perussinexus after The Crash. Humans have made Perussinexus their new home and Soulspirits have been appearing more frequently, uniting with the native people of Perusinekasa in order to drive out the humans who wish to take advantage of their home.

Perussinexian Template
28 points
Perussinexians are much like humans, but that's because they're essentially proto-humans! The major underlying difference between a Perussinexian and a human is that a Perussinexian has an Eidolon dual-soulspirit, which makes it a lot easier for Perussinexians to work the Music of Creation.
Advantages: Ally (Eidolon; Built on 100%; 12 or less; Accessibility, Must perform simple summoning ritual, -5%; Summonable, +100%) [19]; Magery 0 (Restricted Conditionals, Tattoos only, -10%) [5]; Mana Enhancer (Granted by Eidolon, -40%; Tattoo, SM -2, -40%) [10]; Ritual Adept (Granted by Eidolon, -40%; Restricted Conditionals, Tattoos only, -10%; Tattoo, SM -2, -40%) [8].
Perks: Contract (Eidolon) [1].
Disadvantages: Duty (Eidolon; 6 or less) [-2]; Magical Incompetence [-5]*; Unmistakable Power (Concealable) [-5]; Unnatural Features (Perussinexian Glyphs) [-3].
*This prevents Perussinexians from ever learning magic other than Perussinexian Ritual Path Magic.

Soulspirit Meta-Trait
28 points
Soulspirits are the denizens of the Soulspiritual Realm, varied beings made up of soulspiritual matter and energy. They are different from the soulspirits that inhabit mortal matter bodies in the Mortal Realm and they have innate control over the Music of Creation, not following the learned style of the Eidolon pairs.
Advantages: Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Sorcerous Empowerment 1 [18]1; Unaging [5].
Disadvantages: Dependency (Soulspiritual matter; Very common; Constantly, *5) [-25]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50].

Eidolon Meta-Trait
28 points
The name Eidolon comes from Kaidoula. Eidolons are a type of Soulspirit, split from and/or bonded to a Perussinexian soulspirit. They were created by Raekai to serve as anchors that would allow a Perussinexian to be able to perform magic with their Eidolon. They work with the Music of Creation like Perussinexians.
Advantages: Doesn't Eat or Drink [10]; Immunity to Metabolic Hazards [30]; Injury Tolerance (Homogenous) [40]; Magery 0 (Restricted Conditionals, Tattoos only, -10%) [5]; Ritual Adept (Restricted Conditionals, Tattoos only, -10%; Tattoo, SM -2, -40%) [20]; Unaging [5].
Disadvantages: Dependency (Soulspiritual matter; Very common; Constantly, *5) [-25]; Duty (Perussinexian; 6 or less) [-2]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Magical Incompetence [-5]*.
*This prevents Eidolons from ever learning magic other than Perussinexian Ritual Path Magic.

[Raekai]

Sample Elemental Rituals
Since most of the paths follow more standard rules, I will use this space to elucidate on the paths that break away from the standard rules, the Paths of Elements! Hopefully, this will help provide a better idea of the different greater and lesser effects.

Flames and Light Rituals
These rituals are obviously not all that the Path of Flames and Light can accomplish, but it should provide a rough idea of what the Path of Flames and Light can accomplish. These rituals are aimed more toward the flames side of this path.

Kindle the Light
Spell Effects: Lesser Strengthen Flames and Light.
Inherent Modifiers: None.
Greater Effects: 0 (×1).
This is an example of manipulating flames and light in a simple or rough way. This ritual will allow a caster to start a fire from sparks or relight a dying fire. It is an instantaneous effect and does not call for a duration; however, the fire made fade quickly if not tended to.
This Casting: Lesser Strengthen Flames and Light (3). 3 energy (3×1).

Spread the Burning
Spell Effects: Lesser Control Flames and Light + Lesser Strengthen Flames and Light.
Inherent Modifiers: Area Of Effect + Range.
Greater Effects: 0 (×1).
This is an example of interacting with flames and light in a natural manner on a large scale. This ritual will allow a caster to shape or move flames within an area over a distance, the flames traveling along that distance. It is an instantaneous effect and does not call for a duration; however, the fire will not last on inflammable material.
This Casting: Lesser Control Flames and Light (5) + Lesser Strengthen Flames and Light (3) + Area Of Effect, 2 yards (0) + Range, 10 yds (4). 12 energy (12×1).

Burst of Flames
Spell Effects: Lesser Control Flames and Light + Lesser Create Flames and Light.
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, External Burning.
Greater Effects: 0 (×1).
This is an example of interacting with flames and light in an unnatural manner on a very small scale. This ritual will allow the caster to lob a projectile with the same effect as a standard fireball. Since it normally uses what is considered a Greater Effect, the Lesser Control Fire effect is needed here because the caster is dealing with flames and light in an unnatural way.
This Casting: Lesser Control Flames and Light (5) + Lesser Create Flamesand Light (6) + Damage, External Burning 3d (0). 11 energy (11×1).

Aura of Inferno
Spell Effects: Greater Create Flames and Light.
Inherent Modifiers: Damage, External Burning (Aura; Melee Attack, Reach C).
Greater Effects: 1 (×3).
This is an example of manipulating fire in a complex, unnatural manner. This ritual will allow the caster to wreath himself in an aura of intense flames that does 2d burning damage per second for 6 seconds.
This Casting: Greater Create Flames and Light (6) + Damage, External Burning 12d (Aura, +80%; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%) (22). 84 energy (28×3).

Relight the Torches
Spell Effects: Greater Restore Energy + Lesser Sense Energy.
Inherent Modifiers: Area Of Effect.
Greater Effects: 1 (×3).
This is an example of manipulating flames and light in a precise or controlled manner. This ritual will allow the caster to relight torches, lanterns, fires, etc. that have recently been lit in the area around the caster. It is an instantaneous effect and does not call for a duration; however, fire will not last on inflammable material.
This Casting: Greater Restore Energy (4) + Lesser Sense Energy (2) + Area Of Effect, 100 yards (20). 78 energy (26×3).

[dfinlay]

So, a couple of comments:
Under this system, you can increase all Paths with [8] ([4] if you have Path of Music and Dance). This will make magic-focused characters way better than non-magic-focused characters. I believe it's generally considered a bit broken to have a talent or wildcard skill for all RPM paths. There is a reason RPM doesn't allow defaults above 12.

Magical Incompetence is a Taboo Trait and thus worth [0] (or at most [-1]). Also, what magic do humans have access to that they don't?

[Raekai]

Originally Posted by dfinlay

So, a couple of comments:
Under this system, you can increase all Paths with [8] ([4] if you have Path of Music and Dance). This will make magic-focused characters way better than non-magic-focused characters. I believe it's generally considered a bit broken to have a talent or wildcard skill for all RPM paths. There is a reason RPM doesn't allow defaults above 12.

Magical Incompetence is a Taboo Trait and thus worth [0] (or at most [-1]). Also, what magic do humans have access to that they don't?

That's exactly why I wanted others to take a look at it too. I figured my math would be broken, but I was hoping to get some suggestions as to what might make some reasonable defaults in order for the system to go without too much abuse. But now I definitely understand why defaults aren't allowed over 12 because you'd be able to get away with just raising Thaumatology. And, with the Path of Song and Dance, I have essentially just added another Thaumatology that doesn't have such a restriction. Is there any way to get around this or am I going to have to drop the idea of using techniques?

Also, last time I posted this, the Magical Incompetence was either shyly approved or flew under the radar. It was meant to essentially be quirk-level incompetence ten times over, but I actually reduced it from -10 points to -5 points in this draft. It prevents Perussinexians from using the standard paths and it prevents Eidolons from using Sorcery. But maybe it should be a quirk-level thing.