Saromatian Player Information

Magic Rules

Secular Magic

General magic is a gift from the Sorceress aspect of Saromata. Unlike in standard GURPS campaigns, this means that you can buy the Magery Advantage at any time. However, the goddess demands payment for her tutelage. The cost of each level of Magery will be reduced by 5 points, but will come with a 5 point Disadvantage. The Disadvantage at Magery 1 is a 5-point Code of Honor:

In sight of non-magicians, always conduct yourself in a manner which increases the mystery of the Gift. Never give away your abilities for free, since people scorn that which has no price.

If all three levels of Magery are purchased at once, the player may select a single 10 point Disadvantage rather than two 5 point ones. The notion is that the PC is "paying," either by giving something up or by taking on a burden. Some Disadvantages fit this better than others, but I'm not likely to be too terribly particular.

The first level of Magery costs 15 points; the second and third cost 10 points each. A PC who wishes to buy Magery during the game must wrangle all 15 (or 25 or 35) points and buy the Advantage at full cost. The 5 (or 10 or 15) points that are "refunded" due to the Disadvantages may be used to purchase spells - starting gifts from the temple for joining them in the worship of the Sorceress.

Some limited, aspected magics are available from other sources. For example, the Death Crone has dominion over Necromancy. She has a price, as well. Most of the other Aspects of Saromata prefer to gift their magics to devout clergy rather than wizards. Certain people are born with innate Elemental Magery, and this may not be taken during play.

Clerics and Clerical Magic

GURPS offers a wonderland of options for clerics. Here are a few, magical and nonmagical:

Clerical Investiture

This Advantage (5 points/level) can be bought during play, if the PC decides to become a priestess of Saromata. It simply indicates rank in the church, and does not imply any magic powers. It is a prerequisite for any other clerical abilities. (Note that some individuals outside of the church do have gifts like Healing).

5 points of Clerical Investiture is essentially an initiate priestess - someone who assists with ceremonies in a larger temple, or performs them if no one else is available. 10 points is a full priestess, someone suitable to heading a temple. 15 points is a overpriestess of some sort, possibly overseeing all of the temples to a particular Face in all her Aspects over a certain area. 20 points or more are high priestesses of Aspects or other high-ranking clergy. (The Queen of Saromatia has 20 points of Clerical Investiture as the High Priestess of the Queen, for instance).

Power Investiture and True Faith

True Faith is similar to the AD&D "turn undead" ability, and Power Investiture is the ability to cast clerical spells. True Faith costs 15 points (expensive!) and Power Investiture is bought in levels, like Magery. It seems strange to "overcharge" spellcasting clerics for True Faith, but how can they not have it? Don't they get absolute, foolproof knowledge of the diety when they get spells?

The first level of Power Investiture is hereby packaged with True Faith for 15 points. This makes it cost the same as the first level of Magery. Subsequent levels of Power Investiture are still 10 points each, just like Magery.

For anyone without Power Investiture (regardless of whether or not they have Clerical Investiture!), True Faith still costs 15 points.

Power Investiture and/or True Faith must be bought at character creation, unless there is a compelling in-game reason to allow its later purchase (i.e., the PC has a near-death experience, the PC rolls a critical success when she really, really needed to, etc.).

Aspected Magic

Aspected magic is very suitable for some servants of various Aspects of Saromata, or the Elemental Lords. Rather than take Power Investiture, take Clerical Investiture and Aspected Magery instead. Many priests of the Elemental Lords are elementally-aspected mages of no little power.

Blessings and Knacks

You can buy Blessings and Knacks (innate magical abilities) for varying amounts of character points. The backstory behind these abilties isn't specified by the book. Maybe your initiate priestess of the Forest Maiden finds that she has a Knack for growing plants. That would be very appropriate and adds just a hint of magic and an aura of "Chosen One" to an otherwise mundane cleric.

The GM may bestow either - to clergy or to the faithful! - as boons from the goddess and gods.

Healing

There is a Healing Advantage (15 points, I think) which can be taken at creation. This character will cast no spells, but has an innate magical ability to heal.

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