Editing GURPS Magical Styles Fan Netbook (section)

=The Unbinding    =

Cost:  11 points

Style Prerequisite: IQ 12+, Magery, (not One College Only).

There are many reasons why a mage may seek to specialize in the art of transformation and the teachings known as “The Unbinding” do not endorse any particular motivation or philosophy. If anything, the school revels in diversity of thought, just as the student is expected to revel in diversity of shapes. A mage may train in this style because they seek wisdom through viewing the world from different perspectives, or to lose their sense of self by coming to recognize what an arbitrary thing the sense of self is, or they might even be driven by the sheer fun of being able to turn into lots of different things. Some transformationists become subject to mood swings and personality shifts, or grow so open to new ideas that they become impulsive. Others grow alienated from humanity, seeing themselves as no more innately human than innately anything else.

Required Skills: Body Control, Breath Control, Meditation, Physiology, Thaumatology.

Required Spells: Climbing, Detect Magic, Haste, Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell, Keen Vision.

Perks: Brute Force Spell (Any Shapeshifting), Fast Casting (Any Shapeshifting), Elixir Resistance, Flexible Ritual (Any), Intuitive Cantrip (Controlled Disadvantage, any physical), Mana Compensation, No Gestures (Any), No Incantations (Any), Obscure True Name, Secret Spell (Form of the Formeless, Turning the Bone Wheel, Unbinding the Shackles of Flesh).

Optional Traits

Attributes: Improved ST, DX, IQ and HT.

Advantages: Any physical, with GM permission.

Disadvantages:  Absent-Mindedness, Delusions, Impulsiveness, Lunacy, Reputation (Strange and Unpredictable). 

Skills:  Acrobatics, Judo, Symbol Drawing, Teaching.


The student begins their studies at the level of Apprentice, requiring them to learn the following 6 spells.

Apprentice

Climbing, Detect Magic, Haste, Keen Hearing, Keen Taste and Smell, Keen Vision.

A mage who learns all 6 spells becomes a Shaper, enabling them to learn the following sseventeen spells.

Shaper

Cadence, Clean, Colors, Copy, Dye, Great Haste, Haircut, Hair Growth, Identify Spell, Might, Knot, Recover Energy, Restore, Shape Earth, Shape Fire, Soilproof, Stop Spasm.

A mage who learns 8 of the above spells becomes a Transformationist, entitling them to learn the following twenty spells.

Transformationist

Alertness, Ambidexterity, Beast Speech, Balance, Body of Air, Body of Metal, Earth to Stone, Flesh to Stone, Grace,  Hold Breath, Shape Air, Shape Metal, Shapeshift, Shape Water, Shape Plant , Spider Silk, Stone to Earth, Stop Bleeding, Vigor, Water to Wine.

A mage who learns 8 of the above spells becomes a Mutemancer, entitling them to learn the following twenty-five spells.

Mutemancer

Alter Body, Alter Visage, Alter Voice, Body of Water, Body of Ice, Body of Lightning, Body of Stone, Body of Wood, Contract Object, Earth to Air, Earth to Water, Enlarge, Find Weakness, Lengthen Limb, Permanent Shapeshifting, Reflexes, Rejoin, Reshape, Shapeshift Others, Shatter, Shrink, Shrink Object, Stone to Flesh, Transform Object, Weaken.

A mage who learns 8 of the above spells becomes a Transmutationist, entitling them to learn the following twenty-two spells.

Transmutationist

Body of Flames, Body of Slime, Body of Wind, Enchant, Enlarge Other, Extend Object, Fasten, Flesh to Ice, Gauntness, Great Shapeshift, Partial Shapeshifting, Repair, Rune, Sharpen, Shatterproof, Shrink Other, Stiffen, Toughen, Transform Body, Transform Other, Weapon Self.

A mage learns 8 of the above spells becomes a Transubstantiationist, entitling them to learn the following 10 spells.

Transubstantiationist

Corpulence, Delay, Enlarge Object, Form of the Formless, Know True Shape, Link, Powerstone, Reflex, Transmogrification, Turning the Bone Wheel, Unbinding the Shackles of Flesh.


Secret Spell:  Form of Formlessness (VH)    Regular

While the caster is the subject of this spell, any spell they cast to transform their own body (including the various Body of X spells) will cost 2 fewer Fatigue.  If Form of Formlessness is known at 15+, 3 fewer Fatigue, if 20+, 4 fewer Fatigue.  This cannot reduce the casting cost below 3.

Duration:  8 hours

Cost:  2

Time to Cast:  10 minutes


Secret Spell:  Unbinding the Shackles of Flesh (VH)    Regular, Resisted by Will

The caster removes their soul from their own body and places it in another body or a vessel that they are touching.  Vessels already containing souls (or spirits, minds or awarenesses) will resist with Will.  If they lose, they inhabit the caster’s discarded body.  If the caster inhabits an inanimate object, they observe the world around them, but can take no action that requires bodily movement, including speaking.  The GM is likely to require the player to devote earned experience to paying for any difference in character point value between the two forms.

Duration:  Permanent.

Cost:  1 per 25 lbs weight of the new vessel.

Time to Cast:  1 hour.


Secret Spell:  Turning of the Bone Wheel (VH)    Regular, Resisted by Will

By ritually slaughtering a human or animal in the presence of a pregnant human or animal, the caster can transfer the soul of the killed into a fetus.  From the time of birth, the subject will retain all of their old IQ and memories.  If a PC is reincarnated in this way, the GM is likely to require the player to devote earned experience to pay for any difference in character points between the value of different forms.

Duration:  Permanent.

Cost:  1 for each point of the subject’s Will.

Time to Cast:  3 hours.