Player Character Sorcerer

[Ocule]

If a player told you they wished to create an occultist and sorcerer would you allow it?

[zcthu3]

An occultist? Possibly. A sorcerer? No.

In our recent game, we had an occultist who could perform exorcisms and one of the PCs expressed an interest in learning it. Basically we added a ritual magic skill to Occultism. It was slow compared to Sigil Rann and Miracles (and Sorcery) as it took a minimum of 10 minutes for a Circle 1 effect, each spell had to be learned separately, and you had to have the right ritual ingredients (circles, crystals, candles etc.) but it was more 'scientific' in nature than the quicker, easier magic types.

It seemed to work well, but depending on what is in Occultism I may not do it again.

[Ocule]

There are some basic rules for it in book 2 travels. It functions similar to miracles

[StripelessTiger]

If a player told you they wished to create an occultist and sorcerer would you allow it?

I wouldn't let anyone start as a sorcerer. I would make them be a Priest or Demorthen with an interest in the occult. Since witches and Morcail are frowned upon, it would have to be some unnatural interest that is kept secret.

There are some basic rules for it in book 2 travels. It functions similar to miracles

Travels does have some basic rules, but I think it was more for the Figures than for player characters at this point, since the literal rules for that will be in a future book.

[Ocule]

Yeah, but i get the feeling they will be very similar on full release. I suspect we will be seeing it more when occultism is finally shipped. But the guidelines there seem solid enough to function just like miracles for the time being. I don't think the guidelines they gave were just a temporary patch, but rather a basic rundown of how they will be. in the full book i suspect we will be getting more of a spell list and lore sorcery. Morcails seem simple enough they just use corrupted Oghamic stones. The summoning charts however are identical for both Demorthens and Elects so I think we can assume all spellcasting will work off this same mechanic. Hopefully with occultism we will get more rules on interacting with spirits otherwise im going to be homebrewing up ways to summon and bind spirits for the sorcerers/witches.

[zcthu3]

There are some basic rules for it in book 2 travels. It functions similar to miracles

Yup, realise that. We wanted Occultists to have access to a form of magic that wasn't sorcery - hence ritual magic.

[Ocule]

Yeah ive thought about trying to come up with a way to handle that. Taking inspiration from world of darkness i may use rituals like ceremonial magic. Also taking a penny from real world occultists, the ritual has a difficulty set based on the task or the power of the spirit being called. Im trying to be patient and wait for occultism before jumping the gun and writing out my own system of doing it but it isnt inconceivable that any of the magic users have some form of ritualistic style magic i think it would fit very well with the setting beyond simply recharging whatever metaphysical battery they are using. Introducing some actual witchy things too, id measure them in hours personally same as meditation or praying in terms of time consuming. Maybe one hour per rank of the ritual being performed.

Rituals would be learned either with an increase in rank or whatnot that form general functions. Like scrying, cursing, invocation/evocation (summoning spirits or demons that may or may not be there), oneiromancy (dream magic), enchantment, healing and other things. The rituals being much different would require a single check and at least an hour of time to perform.

It would definitely make the sorcerers/demorthens/elects much more mystical compared to your more Reason oriented approach which i kind of like and cover powers that are more subtle.

[Clovis]

If you're interested in knowing more about Sorcerers, Book 2 - Travels provides a few hints and guidelines about playing them, mainly through the profiles of Eberict and Ciany Lorn, and the "Mysterious Powers" chapter. If you want to make such powers available to your Players, that's a possibility, but keep in mind that this is a very dangerous form of magic, and not only because most people would kill you on the spot for using it. Indeed, although the exact source of such powers isn't clear, there is the idea that they aren't exactly... wholesome.

[Ocule]

If you're interested in knowing more about Sorcerers, Book 2 - Travels provides a few hints and guidelines about playing them, mainly through the profiles of Eberict and Ciany Lorn, and the "Mysterious Powers" chapter. If you want to make such powers available to your Players, that's a possibility, but keep in mind that this is a very dangerous form of magic, and not only because most people would kill you on the spot for using it. Indeed, although the exact source of such powers isn't clear, there is the idea that they aren't exactly... wholesome.

Now you have peaked my interest, something like a spell mishap then? If you fail your roll bad things happen? Or is it even more dangerous than that

[Clovis]

There's nothing clear in the official releases for the time being, but as always, feel free to come up with your own interpretations and rules for Sorcerers!

Like maybe, similarly to Call of Cthulhu, making use of such powers is taxing on the user's mind, and you have to make a Mental Resistance roll every time.
Or maybe you have to go through gruesome pacts and offerings to master and maintain them...