A couple of related Book styles that exist in some of these settings:
The
Scrolls of Hephaistos (aka 'Book of Hephaestus' or 'Tome of Vulcanus') is a single-Book, Effect Shaping style that is very common as a beginning textbook on practical magic in the USA of
Grimoire-1 (and is roughly as common on
Grimoire-2 and
Grimoire-4). It is claimed to be a translation of a set of leaden scrolls found in an abandoned temple in the mountains of Arcadia, Greece, in 1643, though this is generally considered unlikely.
Ritual Magic (Scrolls of Hephaistos) is the core skill, and as the style only uses one book, there is no separate 'Book' skill. The book does cover one other skill, though: Meditation (Thoughtforms), an optional specialization of Meditation, focusing on the crafting of
thoughtforms, artificial spirits with limited will, but limited capabilities (see also GURPS Horror for 4e, p81). This is necessary because the style lacks a Summon ritual, as free-willed spirits can be far more troublesome.
Endure Elements; Book-0, 10 minutes
Curse Sanctum; Book-0, 1 hour
Firecalm; Book-1, 10 minutes
Know Fault; Book-1, 10 minutes
Fix Glitch; Book-2, 10 minutes
Read the Manual; Book-2, 10 minutes
*Ghost Sword; Book-3, 30 minutes
*Conjure Flame; Book-4, 10 minutes
Empower; Book-4, 10 minutes
Loyal Item; Book-4, 1 hour
*Repair; Book-5, 30 minutes
*Embody; Book-5, 2 hours
*Machine Blessing; Book-6, 1 hour
*Fetish; Book-8, 1 hour
Rituals marked '*' are defined, but not described in enough detail to cast, in the textbooks for
middle schools and junior high schools. They are included in the larger high school and college versions of the texts.
'Machine Blessing' works pretty much exactly like 'Weapon Blessing' (Thaumatology p155), save that it provides its blessing to any single machine, of any complexity (from simple machines like screwdrivers to very complex ones like computers).
The normal procedure for Embody and Fetish is to craft a fairly weak thoughtform, bind it to the item or body with the appropriate ritual, and then repeat the process to feed other weak thoughtforms to the one already there (which tends to be faster and easier, as the existing spirit is helping you; how much faster and easier depends on the GM), enhancing it. This can be quite slow, but it both reinforces the intended purpose of the spirit, and is often safer and less difficult than shaping a spirit of the necessary power in one act.
The
Technician's Manual is a simplified version (or rather two versions) of the Scrolls of Hephaistos, which leaves out several rituals that the authors did not see as necessary for the style. Separately, each version is somewhat less common than the Scrolls of Hephaistos, but in combination, they are a fair bit more common.
Ritual Magic (Technician's Manual) is the core skill, and as with the Scrolls of Hephaistos, the book also covers Meditation (Thoughtforms), and does not require a separate 'Book' skill. The Book is found in both Effect Shaping and Energy Accumulating versions, by separate writers (which resulted in new printings with slightly altered titles). The 'Effect Shaping Technician's Manual' has Ghost Sword but not Machine Blessing, while the 'Energy Accumulating Technician's Manual' has Machine Blessing, but not Ghost Sword. Ritual Magic (Technician's Manual) and Ritual Magic (Scrolls of Hephaistos) default to each other at -1 for the Effect Shaping variant, or -2 for the Energy Accumulating version.
Curse Sanctum; Book-0, 1 hour
or 5 energy
Know Fault; Book-1, 10 minutes
or 5 energy
Fix Glitch; Book-2, 10 minutes
or 4 energy
Read the Manual; Book-2, 10 minutes
or 5 energy
Ghost Sword; Book-3, 30 minutes
Empower; Book-4, 10 minutes
or 6 energy, +1 per 5 FP transferred
Loyal Item; Book-4, 1 hour
or 9 energy
Repair; Book-5, 30 minutes
or 8 energy
Embody; Book-5, 2 hours
or 12 energy
Machine Blessing; 11 energy
Fetish; Book-8, 1 hour
or 13 energy
The normal procedure for Embody and Fetish is the same as with the Scrolls of Hephaistos, above.
Thoughts?