SHR Main Page | Opera Propria | Vestiges in Sand Introduction
The raqi rules for Blood and Sand went through extensive revisions, as the original raqis were deemed to be too powerful by the powers that be. Here I present the original version of the rules, plus an optional rule for both raqis and natural magicians (from Hedge Magic), which was developed jointly with Eve Kimbrough, but had to be dropped from the final draft due to the restrictions of the word limit.
A raqi character should occupy a player's magus slot at character creation. Whether the character is a member of the Order of Hermes or not is a matter of personal choice. A raqi who is not a member is likely to experience problems if he or she spends much time in Hermetic circles, however. A raqi who is a member of the Order must either take the +2 Virtue Outsider Trained in the Order (WGRE, page 61), or fulfill the requirements described in Hedge Magic, page 33. Raqis may follow any faith. Raqis are generated in the same way as Hermetic magi, with the following modifications:
Raqis use the following template:
Starting Abilities: Alchemy 5, Artes Liberales 3, Islamic Law 1, Disputatio 2, Magic Sensitivity 3, Scribe Arabic 2, Speak Arabic 3 (if Own Language is Arabic, then choose Persian, Greek or Latin as a secondary language), Philosophiae 3
Starting Experience Points: Equal to age + 9
Naturally, raqis may not take Abilities that relate to the Order of Hermes, like Order of Hermes Lore, Certamen or Parma Magica.
The magic of the raqis is such that certain Hermetic Virtues and Flaws may be appropriate for them. The character should be allowed to choose from these, with the storyguide's supervision. Raqis automatically have the Non-Spontaneous Flaw, which does not count towards the characer's total for Flaws. The Gift of a raqi is usually apparent, although many raqis have the Gentle Gift Virtue. Like the sahirs, raqis are unlikely to have Virtues and Flaws related to the fay.
Arts: Raqis receive 100 experience points with which to buy magical Arts. However, the Arts they use are slightly different from those of Hermetic magi. They use the five Techniques (Creo, Intellego, Muto, Perdo and Rego), but they use different Forms, described below:
Ard (Ar - Earth): This is possibly the most important Art used by the raqis. Islam teaches that humans are made from clay, and hence this Art covers not only earth, metal, stone and spirits of the earth (Terram), but also humans and humanlike creatures (Corpus). In addition, it covers spells affecting plants (Herbam) and animals (Animal), although appropriate requisites are required for animals of the air (Auram/Jaww) or sea (Aquam/Ma').
Jaww (Ja - Air): This Art confers control of the air, weather and spirits of the air (Auram). It also acts as a requisite for Ard spells affecting birds.
Ma' (Ma - Water): This Art gives the raqi control of water, the sea and spirits of the waters (Aquam). It also acts as a requisite for Ard spells affecting creatures of the waters.
Nar (Na - Fire): This Art covers fire and spirits of fire (Ignem). Islam teaches that the jinn were created from smokeless flame, and hence this Art is also used to affect them.
Niranj (Ni - Magic): This Art confers control over magic itself, and is also used to cast spells against demons and magical spirits that are not related to a particular element (Vim, Mentem (spirit spells)).
Raqis do not use magic to create illusions (Imaginem), but they do cast spells directly affecting the minds of others (Mentem). Which Art is used for such spells depends on the target of the spell. Thus a spell intended to control the mind of a human will be an Ard spell, but one intended to affect the mind of a jinn will be a Nar spell.
Spells: Raqis may choose up to 150 levels of niranjs (sing. niranj, spells) in the same way as Hermetic magi, with a maximum limitation on the spells they may choose of Technique + Form + Int + 10.
Raqis can do everything Hermetic magi can, with the major exception that they can not cast spontaneous spells. Where a Hermetic total calls for Magic Theory, raqis should use Alchemy. In addition, they may also work transformations in the same way as natural magicians (Hedge Magic, pages 41-2), only with far greater efficiency. For these transformations, they use a Lab total of Intelligence + Alchemy + Philosophiae + Niranj + aura + alchemical bonuses.
Although Hermetic and raqi magic are so similar, it is important to remember that they are different systems of magic, even if they have a common root. Hermetic magi may not make use of books written by raqis, and vice-versa. However, this has not stopped some Hermetic scholars from trying to find ways to make the two systems compatible. So far they have had little success, but work goes on.
Some storyguides may feel that the rules as they stand for natural magicians and raqis are rather unbalanced, as these characters can effectively use the same magic as Hermetic magi, but using fewer Techniques and Forms, giving them a distinct advantage over their Hermetic counterparts. An optional rule is suggested here.
When using their magic, a natural magician or raqi uses knowledge of the natural properties of things in combination with alchemical techniques in order to bring about magical effects. To represent this, additional Abilities are applied as requisites (ArM4, page 71) to the character's Alchemy score. This affects brewing potions, longevity potions, spellcrafting (including maximum vis bonus), enchantment of assemblages and niranjs. Different requisites are applied depending on the Technique and Form involved in the character's particular activity. The requisite to be used in each case should be agreed between the player and the storyguide. Some suggestions of Abilities appropriate to each Technique and Form are given below. To gain some of these, it may be necessary for characters to take Virtues or find teachers:
Creo: Survival, most Craft skills
Intellego: Survival, Direction Sense, Divination, Dousing, Premonitions, Visions, Area Lore, Second Sight, Faerie Lore, Faerie Sight, Legend Lore
Muto: Alchemy
Perdo: Weapon skills, many Craft skills, Hex
Rego: Leadership, Entrancement, Animal Handling, many Craft skills
Animal: Animal Handling, Hunt, Ride, Leathercrafting, Animal Ken, Legend Lore, Stockbreeding
Aquam: Swim, Fishing, Boating, Alchemy, Brewing
Auram: Weather Sense, Boating, Alchemy, Falconry, Craft Kites
Corpus: Chirurgy, Medecine, Contortions, Healer
Herbam: Carpentry, Clothiery, Woodworking, Herbalism, Farming
Ignem: Alchemy, Survival
Imaginem: Disguise, Portraiture, Forgery or Read Lips (images), Play (Instrument), Sing, Enchanting Music or Mimicry (sounds), Perfumery (smells)
Mentem: Folk Ken, Intrigue, Leadership, Bargain, Empathy, Entrancement, Occult Lore
Terram: Alchemy, Blacksmith, Weaponry or Armory (metal), Glass-working (glass), Jewel-working (gems), Masonry or Sculpting (stone)
Vim: Enigmatic Wisdom, Magic Sensitivity, Occult Lore, Sense Holy/Unholy, Magic Theory
It can be seen that in some cases Alchemy is, in fact, an appropriate Ability for the magic involved. This happens in particular with the elemental Forms and many Muto spells. If the storyguide and player agree in such a case, then no other requisite is applied to the character's Alchemy score. It is recommended that no more than one Ability be applied as a requisite to the character's Alchemy score at a time. If more than one might be appropriate, the highest appropriate Ability is used.
When raqis come to learn niranjs from books, it should be noted that each niranj will have the requisite fixed by the author. Thus there might be two versions of The Chirurgeon's Healing Touch, one with Chirurgy as a requisite, the other with Medicine. When learning a niranj, the raqi must apply his or her score in the appropriate Ability as a requisite to the character's Alchemy score when calculating the Lab total. If they do not have the appropriate Ability, the character will suffer the usual penalties associated with it (+3 botch dice for Talents, -3 penalty and +3 botch dice for Skills, total inability to learn the spell for Knowledges). When a raqi transcribes a niranj they have invented, they also fix the Ability to be used as a requisite.
This rule encourages natural magicians and raqis either to specialize in a particular type of magic, or to become a master of many additional Abilities. Raqis who follow the latter path will become well known and respected for their extensive knowledge.
Copyright © Niall Christie & Eve Kimbrough 2003.