Videomancy

 

"The television screen is the retina of the mind's eye." - Brian O'Blivion

 

isolated, detached and outside reality stand those who have learned the relatively new art of videomancy. started in the late twentieth century (the early 1980's to be precise), videomancy is based on the idea of "video reality," a concept that events viewed on television are more real than those occuring in life. practicioners feel that one day, the only reality we know will be what is transmitted across fiber optic networks. the television will become our entire world and, by changing the color, contrast, volume and channel, we will become gods of this world.

 

the hallucinauts generate charges by capturing images onto videotape. these tapes act as external "batteries" for their energy and must be viewed in order to transfer the charge to the sorcerer. the obvious benefit is that in this way, the videomancer can build up many charges without worrying about taboo. as subjectivity is a videomancer's bane, charges may not be acquired from acts that the videomancer himself perpetrates or stages. videomancers must be the "outsider looking in," a human camera recording the worst aspects of human nature.

 

as magickal artifacts, videotapes have several limitations; most notably a high sensitivity to heat, light and electro-magnetic fields (as werll as being generally fragile items). they're also unable to store more than one type of charge without use of a spell such as splice. these tapes are closely guarded by videomancers as once recorded, any videomancer who views it can utilize the tape's charges. to gain the use of a stored charge, the scene must be watched in its entirety in one viewing (no getting up for popcorn, kids). generally, minor charges equal fifteen minutes of recording/viewing time and significant charges requires up to an hour ( the average four-hour tape can hold four significant charges and approximately sixteen minor charges). Videtotapes may only hold on major charge, no matter how long the actual footage.

 

videomancy blast style: hallucinauts program their spells into video images and cannot practically use their blasts in combat. in fact, by planting blast spells on videotapes, the videomancer creates (in effect), a magickal land mine -- one that will go off when played (often resulting in the blast affecting someone other than the intended target). the spell seeme-cu can be used to send blast spells directly to a viewer.

 

generate a minor charge: videomancers can receive a minor charge by recording acts of violence or sexual depravity onto videotape.

 

generate a significant charge: recording the violent death of a person onto videotape will store one significant charge.

 

generate a major charge: major charges can only be created by recording cosmic events, such as the ascension of the naked goddess (a tape highly sought after by videomancers).

 

taboo: videomancers view reality through a camera lens or television screen so that reality itself may be recorded, distorted and even erased. as such, they are often unable to assimilate intense visual information without this filter. in game terms, failing a violence or the unnatural stress check results in the loss of all charges (this only pertains to first-hand witnessing of violent or unnatural events). as stated above, hallucinauts must be detached and objective when recording events and cannot gain charges from staged atrocities.

 

random magick domain: videomancers deal with the recording and manipulation of video images and, subsequently, our perception of reality. although they can create their own spells, they're limited to the medium of their schooling - videotape.

 

starting charges: newly-created videomancers receive one videotape containing three minor charges.

 

Videomancy minor formula spells

 

splice

cost: 1 minor charge

effect: this practical spell allows videomancers to edit their videotaped charges, transferring charges between tapes or cutting significant charges into minor charges (one significant charge yields ten minor charges). this spell is also used to record spells onto tapes (one a spell has been recorded onto a tape, the tape may not be utilized for storing charges).

 

seeme-cu

cost: 1 minor charge

effect: by recording this spell onto a tape, the videomancer may establish remote communication with the viewer of the tape. the hallucinaut may use this link to spy on or to cast spells on the viewer of the tape. unless the videomancer gives away his presence, the viewer will be unable to tell that he is being spied upon.

 

mind field

cost: 1 minor charges

effect: mind field is the videomancer minor blast spell that is recorded onto tape. It is triggered when the tape is viewed and manifests damage as intense headaches, blurred/distorted vision, seizures, minor hallucinations and nosebleeds. this spell can be directed to a particular viewer through the spell seeme-cu.

 

mind's eye

cost: 2 minor charges

effect: when this spell is recorded, the tape will broadcast intense full-sensory hallucinations directly into the viewer's mind. the nature of these hallucinations must be programmed into the tape at the time the spell is recorded. this spell can be directed to a particular viewer through the spell seeme-cu.

 

character study

cost: 3 minor charges

effect: by viewing a subject on videotape, the videomancer may duplicate any action performed by the subject for a period of time equal to the time spent viewing the tape (watching a half-hour recording of a cooking show would enable the videomancer to duplicate those skills for a half-hour). This means if the subject speaks a foreign language, the videomancer will be able to speak that language. if the subject is recorded performing martial arts, then the videomancer will know martial arts at the subject's level of ability. character study doesn't grant the caster the ability to mimic the voice or appearance of the subject.

 

Videomancy significant formula spells

 

autoplay

cost: 1 significant charge

effect: a useful spell for the videomancer on the go, autoplay allows her to view the footage on any videotape by touching it. this spell may also be used to "view" artifact videotapes in order to gain charges (although the time constraints for viewing still apply).

 

test pattern

cost: 1 significant charges

effect: a magickal test pattern is recorded onto videotape. when viewed, the pattern causes the spell's victims to fall into a deep trance that lasts until the tape ends or the television is turned off (devious videomancers often create loop tapes of the test pattern spell). this spell can be directed to a particular viewer through the spell seeme-cu.

 

shock therapy

cost: 1 significant charge

effect: this significant blast spell causes the viewer to experience painful, intense hallucinations of violence and sexual depravity (a rank-2 violence stress check) in addition to severe migraines and cerebral hemorrhaging. this spell can be directed to a particular viewer through the spell seeme-cu.

 

the video world made flesh

cost: 3 significant charges

effect: as the videomancer gets closer to video reality, he is able to permanently alter his own physical reality -- that of the flesh. a six-inch slit appears in the caster's abdomen into which videotapes may be inserted (a rank-2 the unnatural stress and a rank-2 self stress check for the caster the first time only). anyone who sees this must make a rank-2 the unnatural stress check. a hallucinaut who has the video world made flesh can now store videotapes within his own body, negating the need to view artifact tapes prior to casting spells.

 

long live the new flesh

cost: 5 significant charges

effect: the videomancer can now create copies of himself on videotape and store them. each time this spell is cast, he is able to record himself to videotape. by playing this tape back, he is able to communicate, both visually and verbally, with the viewer(s). through this medium, he can appear in many places at once while retaining control over each video incarnation. as long as these videotapes exist, the videomancer is immortal.

 

 Videomancy major effects

 

major charges could be used to produce lethal blast effects or to duplicate the contents of any artifact videotape (even the legendary naked goddess tape). a major charge could also dissolve the border separating the video world from the real world, enabling ideas and flesh to become interchangeable.

 

Return