The Blue Book & A Kind of Explanation of it

[kingtycoon]

So if you don't understand, let me explain - a little. I made this Game - The Game of the North (You'd love it). Now, if you know about RPGs you might know that the player's guide traditionally comes loaded up with long, long lists of spells. I, personally, hate that - its lame to learn all the spells in the book, it's tedious to have to study them all for exploits & so on. Plus maybe a lot of the time you don't play a spellcasting character - so a waste of time/space for everyone.

My solution was to come up with a system for making your own spells using a few guides & indicators. I really thought that would appeal to people - in particular the thing I wanted to address was this: As the GM, I run the game and work on it when I'm not running it - I straight up love that shit, I really do, it's one of the main things about me that I like doing. Now, as a player I find, I like having something to do between sessions - hence my old Spellbook Project -

My assumption in putting together the Game of the North was - give people things to do away from the table - let them engage a deeper way. Now. That's not for everyone. Which is, whatever, a shame? A shame for me anyhow. In playtesting it seems players want to have spells explained & made for them. So I'm using the neato rules I came up with and I'm making up spells. But I think, it's probably worth it for me to assemble my spellbook pictures & whatnot into some coherent element within this - just so I can put 'em in a book and people can have it as a possession - so I'm working on that! Anyhow The Blue Book is the example section for casting magic spells about summoning. Here's the whole explanation of that:

SUMMONING
Summoning Magic is both powerful & unpredictable, it is the essence of the Wizard’s art. Difficult to replicate, it is not so much a science as it is a test, of the Wizard’s sanity, resolve & will. Above all Will. It is in the nature of the Wizard to willfully alter the material world so that it suits hers or his liminal anticipations. Summoning is a different matter, it is the acceptance of an outside agency – otherdimensional entities existing at orthogonal or interior angles to the material world. These alternate planar entities have power & knowledge that is alien to, and potentially more powerful than that of the summoning Wizard. In this school of magical discipline alone the Wizard resembles the Priest, in that she or he calls upon the unknowable vastness of the aggregate universes and accepts the returning call of an unknowable, unthinkable ally.
The Wizard’s state of mind profoundly influences what types of beings can be reached through this interaction.

A Neutral wizard, one with their mind not specifically bound to an ideology, nor to any larger framework of cosmic order can summon an Elemental – which creatures exist in the interstices between the minute atoms. These innate universes that exist on the smallest of scales occupy all spaces and none, their influence is individually subtle, but magnified the world over it is overwhelming. It is the unthinkable trillions of inner dimensions of fire, each infinitesimally small that gives fire its heat, a candle its light. From these inner dimensions can be unfolded the manifestation of these coherent energies that are contained within all things. The Neutral wizard makes no bargains, has not intentions, she summons these Elemental components of reality & demands their knowledge. This is the summoning of giving Agency to Things & resembles the magic of Animation. (-1 to the cost for Commanding the Summoning)
A Lawful wizard is a rarity already and creates magical effects through seeming happenstance & good fortune. Rather than summoning a being from another dimension or another reality, the Lawful wizard conjures up, seemingly by happy accident creatures that are locally indigenous. These creatures may even be NPCs, other PCs or animals. Whatever creatures are indigenous to the area and which can plausibly be made to fit into the scene of the summoning are what the Lawful wizard has the power to conjure. (+1 free increment of Duration)
Chaotic wizards are aware of, and in awe & terror of the cosmic forces that influence and organize the universe. Seeing the different influences, like contesting spiritual gravities that mold & shape his experience, the chaotic wizard seeks to influence his own force among these forces. Thus a chaotic wizard conjures these beings of the higher spatial dimensions, those which experience time, space & other unthinkable sensations. These beings, Demons, are confined & small within the bounds of our reality & they resist this caging with some fury, but owing to their specific vulnerabilities, they are subject to the Wizard’s whims. Knowing secret vulnerabilities, exploits & tricks to manipulating these entities is the chaotic wizard’s stock & trade. Pacts, curses & the knowledge of the manifold realities are the methods by which a chaos wizard is empowered. (+1 to the HD of the summoned creature)
Those wizards who enter into the realms of Evil, for whom transgression is the intellectual & spiritual finale of magic accept that life feeds upon life, that death is ultimate & inevitable, and that the death of things is no shame, but a final quenching of so many hungry little lives. Who can argue that the true evil in the world is… the world and that it’s destruction, the consumption of life is the only true solution to all the evils of thought & reproduction! So goes the reasoning of an evil wizard, who conjures from a place of finality & profanes that finality by her magical interventions. (Duration increased to Minutes)
Rarest of all the Wizards is the good-hearted one, who has seen all and knows much, but who wishes the best for all. A good wizard manifests the decency within them, their better nature and promulgates it through the physical medium. Essentially creating magical, beatified versions of his own will, his own identity & animus, the good wizard creates angels. Angels are the innate perfected versions of the self, the truest, best self of the virtuous. These are spiritual identities, souls, given flesh. (Command for free)
In most cases a summoned creature is a Creature they lack the goals or intentions of proper NCPs – however, it is possible to summon an NPC Monster. Monsters have agency and are played by the Referee. They may have powers & abilities outside those expected by the players & they may engage the PCs with their own intrigues & plots. This is the essential danger of summoning – that a player character can be caught up in powers & forces far beyond the scope of their understanding. Any 1 individual creature that is summoned with more than 4 HD is considered a Monster and must be generated by the Referee & run by the Referee as a non-player character.

Summon: The power of conjuration grants you access to the phantasmagoric realms of the dimensions beyond, you call upon these angels and demons, these elementals to appear and, if you wish it, to aid you. The nature of the being you summon tends to reflect your demeanor. A Lawful character summons Monsters, a Neutral character summons Elementals and a Chaotic character summons Demons. An Evil character summons the Undead while a Good character summons Angels.
¬ Base score – Summon a 1HD monster
¬ Duration – 1 Round per spell level
v +1 per increase in duration increment
v +2 Duration – Minutes
v +4 Duration – Hours
v +6 Duration – Days
v +2 to exert command over the creature(s) summoned
v +2 per HD of the summoned creature(s)
v +10 for a permanently bonded creature

Sample Summonings – The Blue Book Pasxionixtas XAOSI
The Blue Book is the study & understanding of the Pasxionixtas XAOSI – beings of the Qlp of the Azure Moon. These are creatures, beings, of chaotic power whose dominion is in the notional shadow cast by the Blue Moon. They are beings whose nature is infused with potentials. The PASXAOSI are spirits of magic, as such they each are effective & powerful spell-casters & those who have learned of their existence, & have learned how to summon them are often eager to learn their deeper mysteries & great secrets. The PASXAOSI are not excellent teachers, though they are teachers, and their spells can be learned & taught. The entirety of the Qlp of XAOSI is not completely known, this sampling of their milieu is the basis of a lifetime of magical study.

Conjuration of Adon: You conjure a manifestation of the being Adon – worshiped in the most ancient ages as a god, though it is no god. Adon is a spirit of beauty & vanity whose weakness is ornamentation & wealth. It has power over the magic of Transformation & makes a fair teacher. The manifestation of Adon is 4 HD & lingers for a few hours before departing. It uses its actions to cast transforming magic at everyone it sees altering their appearance to suit it. The Manifestation of Adon regards all beings on this plane of existence as its lovers and uses its magic to create them as brides. Adon can be talked to and reasoned with exclusively in the Vada language. The summoning of Adon requires 10 minutes to cast & an offering of 400 Sp worth of jewelry, clothing or other finery has to be proffered. No control is exerted over the demon once he is summoned, he can only be entreated, usually by offering him riches or sexual gratification.
Level: 4 Duration: 4 Hours
Effects: Summons the 4Hd (3hd for non-chaos summoners) Demon Adon.

Adon Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 24 (4HD) AC – 16 Saves – 10 Initiative 18 Chaotic
Attack: Spells, Adon casts level 4 or lower Transformations once per round & knows some of its own Transformations (which it may teach). It favors a few spells: Make Delightful – Transforms any person, object or creature into a more beautiful (to Adon) version of itself. This is a permanent transformation of the plain into the beautiful. Bride of Adon – This transformation causes a target to become immediately fecund and for an unmovable ring of gold to appear on their finger. Their clothing & accoutrements change, becoming gaudy, garish & fine. Warform – Adon changes itself into another creature – usually into a warrior-type PC of 4HD or fewer. It retains this form for up to 4 rounds. Jewelfood – By some alien means Adon consumes jewels & treasure – transforming these into a part of its own body. Doing so destroys the jewels but invigorates Adon – this technique is peculiar to the demon & has little in the way of practical use.

Conjuration of Astarat: You conjure a manifestation of the being Astarat – worshiped in prehistory as a god. Astarat is a manifestation of motherhood, protection, nourishment & sacrifice. Her weakness is children & she arrives when any suffer. It has power over the magic of cures & healing though these are gained at great price and taught in cruel fashion. Astarat appears, when summoned, as an imposing woman, eight feet tall and with a dozen bared breasts and twenty arms. In each of her arms she cradles an infant of indistinct race. These swaddled infants seem not to be individual beings, but somehow parts of the demon princess. Astarat performs healing magic during her sojourns into our world and fuels this magic by sacrificing her babies. Each time she performs any healing magic she dashes one of her infants to the ground declaring it weaned. Astarat’s conjuration requires a sacrifice of blood, but this sacrifice can be forgone if the summoner is willing to put up an infant for Astarat to wean. Babies so sacrificed are raised by Astarat to a modest age and then discarded as part of her conjuration. When Astarat departs our world, the weaned child remains – a living changeling toddler. The summoning of Astarat requires 1 round of casting time and the sacrifice of 10 HP. The sacrifice of HP can, in this instance be accomplished in one of three ways – 1) if at least 20 HP have been shed by PCs in combat, that is, if the PCs are hurt & suffering. 2) if a baby is offered for her to come & rescue & 3) the familiar use of the blood of sacrificial animals or victims. Finally, Astarat will not come unless the words & gestures needed to conjure her are not performed, and as well, the three-triangle marking that is her sign must be inscribed near to the conjuring.
Level: 8 Duration: 8 Minutes
Effects: Summons the 6Hd (5hd for non-chaos summoners) Demon Astarat.
Astarat Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 36 (6HD) AC – 16 Saves – 8 Initiative 22 Chaotic
Attack: Spells, Astarat casts 1 level 6 or lower Cure spell every round for the 8 minutes of duration. Each of her spells necessitates the abandonment of one of her foundlings. Life to the Children of Astarat – This cure targets a maximum of 6 creatures in the vicinity. It always targets the maximum number of targets so sometimes enemies are affected as well. All subjects in range regain 2d8 HP. Banish Fever – One subject is cured of all poison & disease & regains d6 HP. Any healing above the maximum becomes bonus HP. Reconcile the Loss - This is Astarat’s greatest boon, but it is also her principal attack form. One target grows a new limb. If the target had suffered a lost limb, it is replaced, if the subject has not suffered such loss, a new arm grows out of the target. This limb is under the command of Astarat & attacks the subject on Astarat’s turns. These attacks are reconciled as if the subject were to attack itself. Foundling Found – Astarat’s purposes are strange. She can take half of the duration of her appearance in the world to cast this spell which causes a new being to grow from another person. This is an imperfect life, an infant-clone of the target of the spell. Astarat takes the cloned infant to her bosom and leaves with it when her conjuration is complete. Mother’s Kiss – Astarat bestows life by planting a fanged & terrible kiss on the target. The target regains 6d8 HP and any HP gained over their maximum becomes bonus HP. Wholeness – Astarat cures one subject of all blindness & deafness or other sensory impairment. The subject also regains d6 HP.


Conjuration of Pazuz: You conjure the faceted face of Pazuz – the birdthing of the winged winds, one of the Qlp of the Azure’s XAOSI ministers. In the most ancient of ages, monsters worshiped Pazuz as a god of winds & flight in their reverence of birds and other flying creatures. Pazuz is a being of freedom & capricious motion, it profoundly resents being summoned, but more than it resents command, it enjoys the possibility of escaping to exist within our world after the summoning is done. Pazuz appears when summoned like a hybrid form of a humanoid & three or four birds. It has 8 taloned limbs, 4 pairs of wings and four bird-faces one of which faces each of the cardinal directions at all times. It flies with tremendous speed and moves even on foot with an amazing quickness & grace. Pazuz has the power to inhabit others, occupying their bodies & manipulating their actions. It is believed that most of the Pasxionixta XAOSI are capable of this feat, but only Pazuz seems to employ this tactic. Summoning Pazuz is difficult. It requires blood & expensive incense. 20 HP worth of blood must be sacrificed along with 200 Sp worth of incense. Pazuz, unlike many of the XAOSI is hostile to the conjurer & must be controlled, lest it attack. When the spell ends, Pazuz is generally ill disposed toward the conjurer, but will not overtly attack the subject – it usually chooses to inhabit the body of a weak minded individual for d00 days. During this time it may work against the summoner. The death of the vessel banishes Pazuz, and careful wizards have tactics to deal with this known aspect of the summoning.

Level: 7 Duration: 7 Minutes
Effects: Summons the 5Hd (4hd for non-chaos summoners) Demon Pazuz & controls its actions for the duration.

Pazuz Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 30 (5HD) AC – 16 Saves – 10 Initiative 31 Chaotic
Attack: Pazuz has two attack-like abilities that are innate, it uses these abilities in preference to other actions when it is not controlled. Inhabit – Pazuz enters the body of a target person (always an NPC) for d100 days. It controls their actions during this time. Storm Calling – Pazuz has a limited control over the weather – it can call about a powerful storm. This storm takes d4 days to develop – during which time wind increases, rain or snow begins to fall. Once the storm begins it lasts for d4 days and then dissipates immediately.
Spells – Pazuz uses its mastery over the magic of motion when called. Wings of Pazuz – The demon gives the power of flight to a subject. The target of the spell can fly at three times their normal movement pace for four hours. Swift Hands of Pazuz – The subject of the spell has their actions per round tripled for the rest of the round. Outside of battle, this means that a character under this effect can accomplish tasks at three times the rate or three tasks at once. Pazuz’ Merciless Anchor – This is Pazuz’ principal attack spell. It causes up to 3 targets to have their Initiative reduced to 1 and for their movement speed to be reduced by half.

Conjuration of Shammat: You conjure demons from the dark side of the Blue Moon, the Qlp of the Pasxionixta XAOSI. Shammat is the general of the XAOSI and commands many, many legions. When summoned Shammat appears in the form of a great rider, a warrior riding upon a dragon, clad in armor & wielding a dozen weapons in its twenty hands. Shammat is imposing, but it does not unleash its own martial power upon the world, it is too responsible & benign for that, rather, the conjurer must impose upon Shammat to release the least of its warriors upon the world for a brief skirmish in aid of the conjurer. Shammat cannot be bargained with, will not be threatened, and cannot be defeated by anything short of its true contenders – that is, other Mondragora, Gods or Titans. Shammat’s legions must be tested in war often in preparation for the foretold battles that will end the universe. As such he is pleased to lend his warriors to the world to determine which of his warriors are fit for this great battle. Shammat appears, when summoned, gives a piercing cry and releases these soldiers. The warriors of Shammat come in the form of metal-bound humanoids, beings bound in iron, bronze, silver & gold each according to their ranks in Shammat’s legions. When Shammat is called he makes an accounting of the battlefield and determines which of his units to deploy. In this respect, Shammat manifests the magical discipline of Summoning.
Level: 4 Duration: 4 Rounds
Effects: No mortal wizard has ever been able to summon Shammat itself. Instead a token communication is offered to the Demon-King and it responds according to its own wishes by granting one of the following effects.
Ironmen of Shammat Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 5 (1HD each) AC – 14 Saves – 18 Initiative 16 Chaotic
4 Ironmen are summoned
Attack: The ironmen are armed with a pair of swords each. On their initiative turns they rush at opponents and make two attacks (+3 to hit, d8+1 damage).
Bronzemen of Shammat Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 10 (2HD each) AC – 16 Saves – 16 Initiative 118 Chaotic
2 bronzemen are summoned
Attack: The bronzemen are armed with a pair of shortbows each (they have 6 arms). On their initiative turns they fire two arrows apiece. (+5 to hit, d8+2 damage)
Silverman of Shammat Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 20 (4HD) AC – 18 Saves – 16 Initiative 20 Chaotic
1 silverman is summoned
Attack: The Silverman has 6 arms and makes 3 battle-axe attacks per round (+5 to hit for d10+2 damage each)
Goldman of Shammat Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 20 (4HD) AC – 18 Saves – 16 Initiative 20 Chaotic
1 goldman is summoned
Attack: The goldman uses a huge bow that requires all six of its hands to properly use. It attacks once per turn the arrows launched by the goldman are huge & have a difficult time striking individual targets, however they are very destructive to buildings & fortificaitons, the goldman can breach walls & collapse small buildings with its attacks.

Conjuration of Mot: You call into existence the god-thing of the Qlp of Azure Mot, the demon of accidents & destruction. The world-shaker, typhoon maker, the implacable trickster of destruction. Mot is the chaos of catastrophe personified. It appears when commanded & unleashes its bizarre stochastic harms upon your adversaries. Mot is a being of curses, destruction & pain. It appears, when commanded to, as a gaunt man with numerous obvious injuries, near death but laughing. This being has an unspeakable power in the world and so a Wizard that is not suicidally reckless only summons the barest shade of Mot – thus it appears ghostly and indistinct in the world when called. Mot must be compelled to obedience during its time in the world but it does not struggle or evince any kind of resentment so long as it is allowed to unleash its terrible curses at will. The conjuration of Mot requires that certain signs & incantations be uttered but otherwise is cast in a single round.
Level: 2 Duration: 2 Rounds
Effects: The ghostly manifestation of Mot appears for two rounds and it attacks on all of its turns using its curses. It has 1 HD or 2 HD if called by a chaotic wizard.
Mot Pasxionixta XAOSI
HP – 5 (1HD) AC – 12 Saves – 18 Initiative 16 Chaotic
Attack: The Shade of Mot uses spells to attack. It is the manifestation of the magical power of Curses and only uses curses to attack. Gaze of Mot – Deals 2d4 damage to a single target. Scream of Mot – Inflicts d4 damage to a 10’ area. Curse of Mot – Inflicts Blindness or Deafness on a single target. Mot’s Galvanic Curse – Deals 1d4 to one target, and then 1d4 to another target irrespective of line of sight. Mot’s Phlogiston Curse – Deals 1d4 damage to a single target which bursts into flame.
The Shade of Mot is a weak shadow of the real being behind it, this aspect is indistinct and barely real, but this belies the vast power that exists behind the being. If a chaotic caster (i.e.: one willing to risk great danger) summons the being – all damage dice that Mot inflicts using its curses are increased to d6’s.


Coda – The Special Uses of the Blue Book
The Blue Book is only one of at least 5 books for the summoning of the Qlppth – the chaotic beings in the obverse side of the universe. Wizards who make use of the book may do so without any interest in the beings that it addresses – rather, they may look to these beings as a source of knowledge. Each of the Pasxionixta in the Blue Book is able to cast Wizard Spells – and a canny wizard can attempt to learn these spells through mimicry. Any time one of the Pasxionixta casts a spell any attending wizard may attempt a d20 Wisdom check – on a successful check, they are capable of learning the spell & adding it to their spellbooks. The spells cast by the Pasxionixta all have a level equal to the individual XAOSI’s HD. Thus – the Gaze of Mot is either a level 1 curse or a level 2 curse – depending on which variant form of Mot is conjured.
Repeated entreaties to the XAOSI is reckless but may be rewarded. Because the Pasxionixta are individuals with their own ideals, goals, agendas and so on – they are NPCs which a summoner may attempt to entreat. In all cases the base interaction is a social test using 1d4 – which can be augmented by any abilities or spells at the Wizard’s disposal. At the Referee’s discretion offerings may increase the results. Poor checks are de rigeur for the XAOSI – they do not relate to mortals and do not expect good results. Positive interactions – e.g.: Results of 9+ on the social test are a pleasing surprise to the XAOSI – they may choose to reward the Summoner by reducing the difficulty of future summonings – This effect increases the HD of the conjured beings in the Blue book by 1. Particularly engaging interactions – e.g.: Results of 13+ are notable, and the summoned being will train the Summoner in their art. After the training is administered the relevant art is improved for the wizard so that one level of spell improvement can be applied to all spells of the school for free. For example – successfully being taught by Adon would mean that any Transform spell the wizard learns would have one free rank of increased size.
Very poor interactions with the XAOSI are adjudicated by the Referee, but could result in the Pasxionixta never again heeding the summoner’s call.

PAZUZ






ASTARAT

Comments

[handstil.livejournal.com]

ya, dude, this is fuckin rad.

[kingtycoon.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I think that one link - of the dude who linked to my other blog is all about how probably I'm crazy? I have to say I don't love being regarded as crazy but mainly because I wonder if... well? Maybe? Nevertheless, when I'm told it's rad that is the validation of my sanity that I needed.

[aslant.livejournal.com]

Love that Conjuration of Astarat one. I would legit frame it as art in my house.

[kingtycoon.livejournal.com]

If you played in my game I'd just give this thing to you as a prize/prop. Because I'm the best.

[aslant.livejournal.com]

How far of a drive are you from Milwaukee?

[kingtycoon.livejournal.com]

http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2015/06/guy-who-lives-near-airport-painted-welcome-to-cleveland-on-his-roof-he-lives-in-milwaukee.html?mbid=social_facebook

I guess not as far as one might think?

[aslant.livejournal.com]

Ah jeez. There is like, a 15 hour train ride. Haha.

[rasa.livejournal.com]

You are something else. Something else, indeed.

Now I'm Sensitve That I Might Be Thought of As Crazy

[kingtycoon.livejournal.com]

Since you said before you had a crush on me I'll assume you mean this in a nice way! Not in a way where you are certain I am crazy.

Re: Now I'm Sensitve That I Might Be Thought of As Crazy

[rasa.livejournal.com]

I am CERTAIN you are crazy, but I do mean it in a nice way.