Extromancy

 

A bleeding-edge school of magick that has rapidly gained many followers within the last twenty years, Extromancers (who call themselves X-Mages) push their bodies and minds to the limits, risking injury and even death for the ultimate thrill -- the power to re-shape reality. X-Mages call this "The Rush."

 

A superstitious, insular lot, the X-Mages dwell within their own sub-groups, rarely associating with other sects. Each Adept chooses a so-called "extreme sport" and pursues mastery of it, whether it's surfing through the air, skiing down pristine cliffs of snow and ice, or speeding along the asphalt at 70mph on a street luge. Each sect has its own slang, etiquette, legends and formula spells. Despite subtle variations, there are several spells that all X-Mages have in common. The division of Extromancers into sects is a personal and stylistic choice and has nothing to do with the magickal principle of Obediance -- an X-Mage may proficient in any number of extreme activities.

 

Because of similar interests, many Extromancers have ties to the Velomantic and Acceleromantic schools.

 

Blast spell: Extromancers are forbidden to shed blood and most abhor violence. X-Mages have no blast spell.

 

Generate Minor Charge: Perform a stunt or take part in a race of some kind (example stunts include street luge racing, skydiving, free rock climbing, deep-sea skin diving). The only qualifier is that the stunt must involve a high degree or risk and performing the stunt must test the limits of the X-Mage.

 

Generate Significant Charge: Engage in an extreme sport with one or more Extromancers. This is risky to both mages because of the chance that either one may incur an injury (a common event in the X-Mage's world) and both may break taboo if one of the mages is at fault. Note that this doesn't have to be a competitive act. Winning is not important, doing is.

 

Generate Major Charge: Become "the best." This is best exemplified by winning the gold in the annual X-Games, the Olympics of extreme sports and the mecca of Extromancers everywhere. To even participate is a dream of every X-Mage, but there can be only one winner...

 

Taboo: As said above, X-Mages cannot shed blood, either their own or that of another (even if it's an accident). Life to them is a precious, sacred thing...even more so because they risk it every day in pursuit of The Rush.

 

Random Magick Domain: Speed, motion, and reaction are all important to this school, as is endurance, concentration and determination. Extromancy also combines magickal effects similar to the flesh-warping of Epideromancy and the chaotic magic of Entropomancy.

 

Starting Charges: Extromancers begin with 3 minor charges.

 

 

Name: Vertigo

Cost: 1 minor charge

Effect: This basic spell causes the X-Mage's target to experience dizziness and loss of equillibrium. If cast in combat, the target will suffer a 10% shift to his die roll for each minor charge used as he fights to keep his balance.

 

Name: No Fear

Cost: 1 minor charge

Effect: This spell instills the X-Mage or a target with an unshakable confidence. For the duration of the scene, he feels supremely capable of his abilities and will not falter. He can automatically ignore the next stress check he has to make (he doesn't fail it, nor will he acquire a hardened mark) and he gains a -10% shift to his next die roll. Once either of these events takes place, the effects of the spell end.

 

Name: Bad Blood

Cost: 2 minor charges

Effect: This spell turns the X-Mages blood into a volatile toxic substance. Although it doesn't hurt the Adept in any way, this Bad Blood will burn like acid upon exiting the body. The blood will quickly eat through organic substance in a manner of seconds, doing damage equal to the sum of the Adept's magick roll (a 37 will do 3+7, or 10 points of damage). The blood is not powerful enough to destroy stronger substances like steel but it will noticibly corrode and weaken them. This spell's effects last for the duration of the scene. Of course, shedding the Bad Blood will drain the X-Mage of any remaining charges.

 

Name: Newton's Apple

Cost: 1 significant charge

Effect: Besides being the name of an eighties PBS science program, this spell can be used to temporarily negate gravity or to dramatically increase its effects. With Newton's Apple, the mage can alter gravity's effects by 1 G-Force, effectively making himself (or someone else) weightless. By increasing gravity by 1 G, he can double his weight or the weight of another person of object.

 

Name: Mirage

Cost: 1 significant charge

Effect: Mirage causes the victim to experience visual hallucinations. The Mirage can be of virtually anything but the projected scene cannot change in any way (for example, the X-Mage could make his victim think that the Adept was holding a gun on him but he couldn't cock the hammer back or fire illusonary bullets). This effect lasts until the victim is led to believe that the item or scene in question is a Mirage.

 

Name: Cosmic Balance

Cost: 3 significant charges

Effect: Cosmic Balance will cause things to even out for the mage. If he is mugged and has his wallet stolen, he will win back the money in the lottery (or some other event). If his girlfriend leaves him, he'll meet someone else. More importantly, if the mage is injured by someone, that person will receive the same amount of damage to himself (this doesn't violate taboo). Conversely, if this spell has been cast and something beneficial happens to the Extromancer, it will be followed by an equal and opposite reaction (the X-Mage punches someone in the mouth and he himself gets a broken jaw). This spell's considerable effects last for one day.

Return