Editing GURPS Magical Styles Fan Netbook (section)

=Footsteps of the Cat   =

Cost:  9 points

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

It is said that Footsteps of the Cat was not invented by humans, but taught to humans by cats. While humans teach it to other humans today, only mages with cat familiars have ever successfully learned the style. The mage must closely associate with and observe their familiar, or they will never gain the understanding required to advance. If all cat familiars die, the mage’s powers will be suspended after one lunar month if they do not gain a new cat familiar. Gaining the new familiar immediately restores the mage’s power. Unsurprisingly, many mages of this school develop catlike personality traits themselves. They may be curious, affectionate, relaxed, greedy, unpredictable or vicious – or any other trait a cat might display. Mages of this school have a reputation for being insightful into the ways of magic, but acting in a chaotic and short-sighted manner. Mages of this school rarely associate, save as small groups of friends. The school has no hierarchy and no written rules. Cat mages who don’t like each other but share territory have a tendency to feud or fight. This alone can make even a naturally solitary adept seek the protection of a group.

Required Skills: Climbing, Dreaming, Hidden Lore (cat-related), Jumping, Stealth, Thaumatology.

Required Spells: Climbing, Keen Hearing.

Perks: Astrological Ceremonies, Blocking Spell Mastery (Any), Elixir Resistance, Flexible Ritual (Any), Knower of Names, Intuitive Cantrip (Eye of the Storm), Intuitive Cantrip (Friendly Undergrowth), Intuitive Cantrip (Gate Experience), Intuitive Cantrip (Good with Felines), Limited Energy Reserve 1-5, Mana Compensation, No Gestures (Any), No Incantations (Any), Obscure True Name, Reduced Footprint 2, Secret Mage, Secret Spell (Cat’s Slumber, First Instinct, Half-Dreaming, Killer’s Red Claws).

Optional Traits

Attributes: Improved DX and IQ.

Advantages: Absolute Timing, Acute Senses (Any except Vision), Catfall, Combat Reflexes, Double-Jointed, Hard to Kill, Luck, Night Vision, Perfect Balance.

Disadvantages:  Callous, Cowardice, Enemies (Other Cats), Extra Sleep, Gluttony, Impulsiveness, Laziness, Lecherousness, Nosy, Reputation (Unreliable), Sadism, Selfish, Short Attention Span.

Skills: Acrobatics, Hidden Lore (Fae), Hidden Lore (Lycanthropes), Savoir-Faire, Streetwise, Symbol Drawing.

Mages commence their studies at the level of First Moon.  This gives them access to the following ten spells.

First Moon

Climbing, Counterspell, Detect Magic, Keen Hearing, Scryguard, Seek Air, Seek Food, Seek Water, Sense Danger, Sense Foes.

The mage proceeds to study spells of the Second Moon when they have learned 5 spells of the First Moon, including Climbing and Keen Hearing.  This gives them access to the following twenty-three spells.

Second Moon

Conceal Magic, Jump, Great Ward, Haste, Mage Sense, Mage Sight, Mage Stealth, Night Vision, Seek Magic, Seek Pass, Sense Emotion, Sense Life, Sense Mana, Sense Observation, Sense Spirit, Shade, Simple Illusion, Sleep, Recover Energy, Silence, Slow Fall, Summon Spirit, Ward.

The mage proceeds to study spells of the Third Moon when they have learned 8 spells of the Second Moon.  This gives them access to the following eighteen spells.

Third Moon

Alertness, Beast Speech, Blur, Darkness, False Aura, Gloom, Grace, Great Haste, Hide, Hide Emotion, Hide Path, Hide Thoughts, Hush, Light Tread, Mass Sleep, Scryfool, See Invisible, Shapeshifting (Cat).

The mage proceeds to study spells of the Fourth Moon when they have learned 8 spells of the Third Moon.  This gives them access to the following 9 spells.

Fourth Moon

Balance, Body of Shadow, Boost Dexterity, Forest Warning, Invisibility, Peaceful Sleep, Reflexes, Shapeshifting (Great Cat), Teleport.

The mage proceeds to study spells of the Fifth Moon when they have learned 5 spells of the Fourth Moon.  This gives them access to the following 8 spells.

Fifth Moon

Animate Shadow, Charm, Delay, Insignificance, Partial Shapeshifting, Plane Shift, Remove Aura, Seek Gate.

The mage proceeds to study spells of the Sixth Moon when they have learned 4 spells of the Fifth Moon.  This gives them access to the following 8 spells.

Sixth Moon

Cat’s Slumber, Curse, Half-Dreaming, Hang Spell, Hunter’s Cunning, Killer’s Red Claws, Link, Reflex.



Secret Spell:  Cat’s Slumber (VH)    Regular

This ritual, performed prior to going to sleep, will give the mage +2 on any roll against the Dreaming Skill.  The spell takes an hour to complete, but the mage can use much of this time simply making the sleeping area as inviting and comfortable as possible.

Duration:  Until the mage wakes up.

Cost:  1

Time to Cast:  1 hour.


Secret Spell:  First Instinct (VH)    Blocking

When the mage is in imminent danger and has run out of other options, they may cast First Instinct in order to gain an extra second’s worth of actions right away.  These actions may only be used to get the mage out of danger.  Absolutely no offensive action is allowed – the mage has triggered a survival instinct based on the principle of flight.  The spell may not be cast more than once per second.

Duration:  Instant.

Cost:  3

Time to Cast:  Instant.


Secret Spell  Half-Dreaming (VH)   (Regular)

The mage shapeshifts into the body of a domestic-sized cat, although the mage’s Half-Dreaming form must always look somewhat odd and distinctive – red ears for instance, or eyes that look just a little too human.  A mage in half-dreaming form may use cat’s paws to perform spell gestures and may substitute cat noises for incantations when casting spells they know.  They have Perfect Balance, are at +4 to Climbing and Stealth, and strongly radiate magic.

Duration:  1 hour

Cost:  8/2

Time to Cast:  4 seconds


Killer’s Red Claws (VH)    (Regular)

The mage sprouts small or medium claws (only small is possible on a cat-sized body) on their hands and/or feet.  They must attack with them the turn they appear – it is the act of striking to attack with the intention of drawing blood that causes them to unsheathe.  This spell requires no gestures and no incantations, so tends to come as something of a surprise.

Duration:  Instant.

Cost:  1

Time to Cast:  1 second.