Editing GURPS Magical Styles Fan Netbook (section)

=Ten Thousand Mirrors    =

Cost:  20 points

Style Prerequisite: IQ  13+, Magery, (not One College Only).

Ten Thousand Mirrors was developed by mages who studied insanity, aided by mages who were suffering from it. While it has always been a therapeutic art in theory, curiosity, ambition and the dangers posed to sanity by dealing too closely with its opposite have greatly broadened the original project. In other words, while some mages of this school strive hard to cure the afflicted, others have used their power to dominate other human beings, to explore the stranger facets of reality, or just to do really, really crazy things. Most practitioners are functional, at least on the surface, which permits the school to survive and attract students. However, there are enough skeletons in the closet for adepts of the Ten Thousand Mirrors to habitually cultivate secrecy about their activities and many pass themselves off as simple scholars.

Required Skills: Cryptology, Detect Lies, Dreaming, Hazardous Materials (Magical), Hidden Lore (Dreams), Hypnotism, Interrogation, Literature (Poetry), Mental Strength, Mind Block, Occultism, Psychology, Research.

Required Spells: Fear, Foolishness, Scryguard, Sense Foes, Simple Illusion, Sound.

Perks: Afflicted Casting (Flagellant’s Blessing), Afflicted Casting (Mystic’s Stupor), Better Magic items (Communication and Empathy), Better Magic items (Mind Control), Flexible Ritual (Any), Frightening Side Effects (Any), Intimidating Curses, Intuitive Cantrip (Controlled Disadvantage, any mental), Knower of Names, Limited Energy Reserve 1-5, Obscure True Name, Sanctum 1-2, Scroll Reading, Secret Spell (Embrace of Madness, Moment of Clarity, or Reconstructive Mind Surgery), Willful Casting.

Optional Traits

Attributes: Improved IQ, Improved Will.

Advantages: Allies (mad ones), Autotrance, Reputation (Dedicated and Learned Physician), Voice.

Disadvantages:  Delusion, Enemies (Patients, Patients’ Families, Rival Practitioners of Ten Thousand Mirrors), Megalomania, Paranoia, Phobia, Reputation (Mad Doctor).

Skills:  Intimidation, Savoir-Faire, Streetwise, Symbol Drawing, Teaching.

Apprentices begin their studies at the level of Student, which requires them to learn the following 6 spells.

Student

Fear, Foolishness, Scryguard, Sense Foes, Simple Illusion, Sound.

Mages who have learned all 6 of these spells become a Wiseman or Wisewoman, entitling them to learn the following twenty-four spells.

Wiseman / Wisewoman

Bravery, Counterspell, Daze, Detect Magic, Disorient, Dull Hearing, Dull Taste and Smell, Dull Vision, Forgetfulness, Identify Spell, Illusion Disguise, Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell, Keen Vision, Know Illusion, Madness, Panic, Recover Energy, Scroll, Sense Emotion, Sleep, Terror, Ward, Weaken Will.

Mages who have learned 8 of the above spells become a Truth Sayer, entitling them to learn the following twenty-seven spells.

Truth Sayer

Alertness, Berserker, Command, Compel Truth, Complex Illusion, Dream Sending, Dream Viewing, Dullness, Emotion Control, Encrypt, Fascinate, Hide Emotion, Hide Thoughts, Loyalty, Mass Daze, Mass Sleep, Mental Stun, Mindlessness, Mind-Reading, Perfect Illusion, Permanent Madness, Persuasion, Restore Memory, Scryfool, Seeker, Truthsayer, Vexation.

Mages who have learned 8 Truth Sayer spells become Knights of the Empathic Order, entitling them to learn the following twenty-four spells.

Knight of the Empathic Order

Avoid, Compel Lie, Dream Projection, Drunkenness, Ecstasy, Enthrall, False Memory, Glib Tongue, Hallucination, History, Inscribe, Lesser Geas, Lure, Memorize, Mass Suggestion, Mind-Search, Mind-Sending, Nightmare, Oath, Peaceful Sleep, Strengthen Will, Suggestion, Telepathy, Will Lock.

A mage who has learned 8 of the above spells becomes a Mind Surgeon, entitling them to learn the following seventeen spells.

Mind Surgeon

Charm, Communication, Delay, Embrace of Madness, Enchant, Enslave, Great Geas, Great Hallucination, Hang Spell, Insignificance, Link, Moment of Clarity, Presence, Recall, Reconstructive Mind Surgery, Reflex, Relieve Madness.


Secret Spell:  Reconstructive Mind Surgery (VH)    Regular, Resisted by Will

Over the course of a grueling ritual, the Mind Surgeon replaces the subject’s memories with any memories desired, provided that they can communicate with the subject in a language they both understand.  The subject must be present throughout the entire casting, which thus generally requires the use of physical restraint.  The subject’s memories have not actually been erased and will return if the subject receives a Dispel Magic or Remove Curse.  While the subject’s memories have changed, their basic personality has not.  So, for instance, while the caster can give the subject a memory of always having been very brave, this will not transform the subject into a truly brave person.

Duration:  Permanent

Cost:  20

Time to Cast:  8 hours.


Secret Spell:  Embrace of Madness (VH)      Regular.

The subject is at +3 to Dreaming skill and if Dreaming successfully, can cast any Dream spell in their sleep.  This state can be addictive, leading the mage to spend more and more time in their own dreams and possibly leading to hallucinations and delusions in real life.  The degree to which the mage loses control, if at all, is a role-playing choice for the player to make.  Not every Mind Surgeon gets addicted and every addict’s addiction is different – it all depends on their personality.

Duration:  8 hours or until the mage wakes up, whichever comes last.

Cost:  12

Time to Cast:  3 hours.


Moment of Clarity:  Moment of Clarity (VH)    Regular, Resisted by Philosophy, Theology or Will.

The caster causes the subject’s mind to be absolutely objective for a moment, something the human mind is not built to do.  The shock can easily drive a human victim insane.  The subject must make an immediate Fright Check at -8.  On a critical success of the Moment of Clarity spell, the subject gains a new mental Disadvantage, chosen by the GM, to reflect the psychological damage.  While the choice lies with the GM, if the subject is a PC, the player may have useful suggestions with good role-playing justifications based on their character’s personality.  On a natural 3 or 4 on the resistance roll, the victim gains a philosophical, religious or mystical insight of some kind.  In some gameworlds such an insight might be justification for the development of supernatural powers.  Mercifully, the moment of clarity lasts only for a second and the subject can rarely remember just what they saw.

Cost:  6

Time to Cast:  1 second.