[RPM] Alternative Path Structure

[starslayer]

As long as you still have the same number of paths and covering similar concept your really just changing the gloss, and that's a non-issue.

I have gone quite a bit further and had paths that cover radically different concepts, more, or less total skills, and sometimes had the individual paths refer partially to what ritual elements are required for them.

Here is an example from an 'age of high sail+ mystical' campaign we do routinely, this particular variation is for witches.

Note: So long as the witch uses the 'required' component on the magic then they may ignore one of the requirements for RPM magic Time, ritual space, maximum skill; however if the requirement is NOT met the effect is automatically 'greater'. So long as the effect falls under the 'normal' catagory the effect is lesser; each use of 'aids' gives a -10% energy discount for 'appropriate ritual trappings'

Sacrifice: Witch magic LOVES sacrifice, and can access every last positive HP/FP lost of an individual who is tortured as part of the ritual, double that if they are killed, double if they are innocent, and triple that if they are 'pure' (remember that it is a 3:1 exchange for HP/FP->energy). [this means if you KILL a pure individual you can access 6x their positive HP/FP]- this energy cannot be stored; but CAN be used to restore a witch's energy reserve.

Path of The Destroyer's Will(attack): The most basic and most seductive of demonic magic; this path allows the witch to weild the forces of decay, death, and evil against a target by channeling those forces through their own rage and hate. While its easy enough to hate someone who wants to kill you; trying to hate the chains that bind you enough to disolve them can be problematic when trapped in a dungeon. Finally; it is much easier to inflict a slow wasting disease then it is to get an immediate effect.
Normal: onset OR cyclic damage
Requires: Hatred of target
Aids: Slow onset OR cyclic damage
Difficulty: immediate effect

Path of Demonic Infusion(Healing/enchantment): By focusing the powers of hell into a target the witch can repair dammage or increase vitality; granting additional strength, resistance, dammage or other abilities. However the powers of hell can not easily be channeled into mortal objects or bodies without altering them, giving them an unnatural aura that even the uninitiated can detect.
Normal: Augment object; add demonic aura.
Requires: Fire
Aids: Permanant Marking
Difficulty: No aura change

Path of The Gatekey(creation/summoning/information): With this ritual the witch can open forth the gates of hell and call forth the infernal; In it's simpelist form naught but the voices of beyond are transmitted through, and these allow the witch to seek answers for difficult questions. While infernal objects are easiest even the dead are not beyond the reach of this power, allowing the witch to summon forth those who have entered the afterlife in satan's care. Finally this path allows the witch to call forth the denziens of hell themselves, though this is a risky proposition if the witch has no way to contain the forces he calls forth.
Normal: Draw circle; cast ritual; call forth object from hell
Requires: Ritual circle
Aids: Sacrifice
Difficulty; raise dead; summon demon

Path of The Devil's Own(fate/luck): The devils are lovers of games of chance partially because of their ability to manipulate the forces of those very games. With this path the witch can infuse a target with the forces of luck, for good or ill.
Normal: Enchant object or target with forces of luck.
Requires: Target present at ritual (or object)
Aids: none
Difficulty: none

Path Disian Walls(protection/warding): Not many objects have the power to restrain both demons and withold the power of god; but the walls of Dis are in fact one such object. By drawing the same abyssal runes upon a mortal object a witch can protect or ward an object or area by connecting them to those primal walls.
Normal: Enchant object with protection or warding.
Requires: Written Abyssal text
Aids: ward true stone
difficulty: ward living objects

Path of The Serpents wisper (mind control): Like the serpent of old with apple in hand, the witch can wisper the right phrases at the right time in order to change the mind of a subject. Much like the ancient serpent it is easiest to tempt with offers of power rather then to cause outright betrayal.
Normal: Engauge in conversation with target; sucessful use of skill influences their minds.
Require: speak with target
Aids: offers of power
Difficulty: outright betrayal.

Path of The Styx(travel): The boatman must ferry across all that can pay his fee, and witches with access to hell are no exception; using the boatman's passage while alive is a dangerous technique, but can quickly cross large distances with realative ease.
Normal: cast upon water, the boatman appears to ferry them to another point by crossing hell.
Requires: Payment (two gold coins per passenger)
Aids: River, nightfall
Difficulty: no water, braod daylight


Path of the infernal Contract(bargain/binding): While not true demons, all deals with a witch are binding in the most mystical sense; this path allows a witch to seal any deal with the absolute potency of demonic might; however it requires that both parties be willing at the time of the contract's signing; and becomes more difficult if one party is imebriated, mind controlled or otherwise not in complete command of their senses.
Normal: a contract is drawn up and signed.
Requires: Willingness
Aids: Signed in blood
Difficulty: lack of 'true' willingness

Path Of Leviathan (weather control): Even Satan cannot control his monsterous son, and any witch who presumes to be able to do otherwise will not live long. Still summoning forth a mere iota of potency from the leviathan is more then enough to change weather patterns for the worse quickly. Careful deployment and reining in of that iota of power can also create more benificial weather patterns.
Normal: A great circle is drawn and leviathan is called forth.
Requires: Large circle of sea salt
Aids: Sudden disasterous change in weather
Difficulty: slow change, benificial change.