Eurmal Home Brew Rune Magic

[RHW]

EURMAL THE TRICKSTER

(Pain in the Ass, Murderer, Clown, Fool, Lightbringer)

Eurmal is the god of fools and madmen.  His Runes are Disorder and Illusion.  Eurmal claims many other Runes as well, though, including Mastery and Death.  He has no initiates.  Anyone who voluntarily worships Eurmal is automatically a priest.  Eurmal has no subcults.  Each Eurmal shrine teaches a single Rune Spell and Worship (Eurmal).  In order to learn a spell, a Trickster must go to a shrine that teaches that spell and sacrifice the requisite POW.

Technically, each of these shrines functions as a hero cult shrine, with a prerequisite to join and a single spell taught.  The shrines usually require traveling Tricksters to perform some outrageous act before the local Trickster’s allow them to learn their spell.

CULT PERSONALITY SKILLS: Batshit Crazy, Confused, Compulsive Liar, Deranged, Devout Coward, Feel No Guilt, Hate Life, Pyromanic

CULT SKILLS:  Enrage Sane Person, Stand-Up Comedy, Perform (instrument), Sing, Pratfall, Juggling, Clown, Mythology (Eurmal), Mythology (Lightbringers), (Afterlife) Lore

CULT BATTLE MAGIC: Hotfoot. 

Hotfoot (Battle Magic, Ranged, 1 pt) If the caster overcomes the target’s Resistance, the target gets a searing pain in one foot (chosen by the caster).  That foot becomes unusable for the duration of the spell.  The target must make a DEXx5 roll to hop on the other foot, or fall down.

CULT RUNE METALS:  Iron

COMMON DIVINE MAGIC:  All

ON TRICKSTER MAGIC:  All Tricksters are treated as Rune Levels.  They have access to whatever magic they may find reuseably.  Each Trickster Shrine teaches one or two randomly chosen spell.  While all Trickster spells can be renewed at any Shrine, sacrificing can only be done for the spells taught by the specific Shrine. 

Especially devout tricksters are sometimes called Priests.  Priests typically have 10+ pts of Trickster Rune Magic, Mythology (Eurmal) at 90%+.  The only benefit of being a priest is that Eurmal will sometimes provide an Allied Spirit.  Trickster Allied Spirits have no POW cost and do not have to be ritually created.  They are typically embodied as animals (Spiders, Ravens, and Toads are common).  Trickster Allied Spirits are GM controlled and do as they please, though they usually help the Trickster.

Learning Eurmal’s Mythology requires that the Trickster be insane.  A character must maintain a negative Passion such as Batshit Crazy or Pyromanic or Compulsive Liar equal to or higher than his Disorder and Illusion rune skills and when casting magic, rolls against whichever is lower, the Rune or the Passion.  The GM may use this skill against the Trickster in appropriate situations as a negative augment.  For example, Batshit Crazy negatively affects many Communications skills.

Unlike other Divine Magic, Trickster Magic does not always work as planned.  It sometimes backfires on the caster, usually in a way that is cruelly humorous.  For example, instead of bypassing armor, the Trickster’s Strike spell may turn his dagger into a banana or giant phallus.  A Trickster’s Lie spell may make him compulsively tell the truth, etc.  For game purposes, the GM rolls 3d6 in secret when the spell is cast.  If the result is a 3, 4 or 5, the spell backfires in some humorous way.  This downside of Trickster Magic can be largely avoided by the Trickster Bond Ritual (see below).

Normally, Tricksters do not receive Rune Level DI.  Even his normal DI is unpredictable and frequently unuseful.  Eurmal thinks it’s funny when bad things happen to his followers.  Why spoil a good joke?

TRICKSTER RUNE SPELLS:

(This is only a partial list.  Aspects listed are not the only ones possible)

REMOVE (BODY PART), GROUP LAUGHTER, CREATE FEAST, PANIC, SWALLOW, CLEVER TONGUE, HIDE FIRE, CRACK, STRIKE, LIE, CHARISMA, CREATE WINE, BECOME (OTHER SHAPE), INVISIBILITY, HALLUCINATE

BOTTOMLESS BARF (Rune Magic, 2 pts, self)  When the spell is cast, then each round thereafter in SR 1, the caster produces a foul-smelling and slimy vomit that covers up to three hexes of the cast’s choice adjacent to the caster.  The hexes may extend away from the caster in a cone or line pattern.  Anyone moving in the area that has been vomited must make a Balance check or fall down. The slippery barf lasts a number of melee rounds equal to the caster’s POW.  NOTE: If this spell is cast within 15 minutes after the Trickster has swallowed something, either normally or magically, he may choose to puke up the swallowed object as one of his normal vomits. The swallowed object reappears unharmed in a vomit filled hex of the caster's choice. If a living being, the regurgitated target is automatically hit by a Forced Regurgitation spell immediately upon being puked up. Resolve Resistance normally. ASPECTS:  Drunk, Glutton, Truant

BOUNCE BACK (Rune Magic, 2 pts, self) Completely cures a single wound.  Bounce Back may be cast while incapacitated (but not dead).  The character springs to her feet accompanied by a loud comedic “boing” noise with the wound repaired but still looking comically injured.  BOUNCE BACK must be cast the round after the injury and no other action is allowed the round it’s cast.  This spell will attach severed limbs.  ASPECTS:  Survivor

BOUNCY (Rune Magic, 1 pt, self) While under the influence of this spell, the caster instantly bounces back to his feet whenever knocked down, tripped, knocked back, or otherwise dropped to the floor, whether the fall is accidental, intentional, or the result of damage.  This is a free and instant action and is always accompanied by a comedic “boing” sound.  Note:  If the character cannot stand on his own because of a crippled limb or incapacitation, the character will collapse again immediately and will not stand again.  Bouncy only bounces the character up once per wound or fall.  ASPECTS:  Survivor, Jester

CHANGE A COW’S COLOR (Rune Magic, Ranged, Stackable, 1 pt.)  Changes a cow to the color of the Trickster’s choice.  Each additional pt doubles the number of targets.  Cows can resist this spell.  This effect is permanent.  ASPECTS: Prankster

CHANGE SEX (Rune Magic, Touch, 3 pts.)  Changes the target’s sex from Female to Male or from Male to Female for the duration of the spell.  Stats and skills are not affected by this spell.  An unwilling target may resist the effect.  The caster can make this effect permanent by making the spell One-Use (must be decided before rolling Resistance.)  ASPECTS:  Eurmal Allfather, Eurmal Allmother

CREATE FINE CLOTHING (Rune Magic, Touch, 1 pt) Creates a suit of fine clothing for the target.  This clothing lasts the duration of the spell.  ASPECTS:  Seducer, Fop, Grifter 

CUNNING DISGUISE (Rune Magic, Self, 2 pts) This spell is cast while changing clothing.  It makes any disguise donned by the Trickster, no matter how pathetic, convincing, so long as the Trickster overcomes the POW of anyone trying to penetrate the disguise.  NOTE:  The Trickster cannot change her apparent size with this spell.  The disguise only effects the perception of the Trickster’s physical appearance, not the Trickster’s sound or feel and the effect is broken if the disguise is proven false (IE the Trickster fails to provide a proper password or the target kisses the supposedly female Trickster and feels his beard).  ASPECT:  Spy, Coward

ENLARGE MEMBER (Rune Magic, Self, Stackable, 1 pt.)  Each pt adds 3 inches to the length of the caster’s phallus, adds proportional girth, and makes it rigid for the duration of the spell.  If the caster does not naturally have a phallus (for example, if the caster is a woman), the first pt. grows one 3 inches long.  ASPECTS:  Seducer, Deviant, “Eurmal Allfather”

FIND IMPOSSIBLE PATH (Rune Magic, Ritual, 3 pts.)  The Trickster finds a path no one else can find to a place no one else can get to.  The quality of the path is determined by the Trickster’s Mythology (Eurmal) check.  Though the path will always be dangerous, lower Mythology checks will yield slightly less dangerous paths.  ASPECTS:  Lightbringer, Spy

FLATULENCE (Rune Magic, Ranged, 1 pt.)  The target of this spell farts loudly and uncontrollably for the duration of the spell if her POW is overcome.  Farting halves the target's Communication and Stealth skills.  ASPECT:  Jester, “Eurmal Thunderous”

FORCED REGURGITATION (Rune Magic, 1 pt, ranged, stackable) With a successful resistance roll, causes the target to puke, losing its next 2 Strike Ranks.  Target can still defend himself and resist spells normally.  After the initial puke, the target will be -25% to all rolls using skills based on strength or charisma for 15 minutes.  Additional pts double the number of targets or add +25% to the Trickster's target number for the Resistance roll or double the range.  ASPECTS: Glutton, Drunk, Truant 

GROW TITS (Rune Magic, Self, Stackable, 1 pt) Enlarges the caster’s mammaries by 1 cup size.  If the caster does not have mammalian breasts, the first point grows a set (A cups). Mammaries under the influence of this spell always yield milk if the caster so wishes.  ASPECT: Seducer, Eurmal Allmother

PATANG (Rune Magic, 1 pt, self, temporal)  While under the influence of this spell, the subject may attempt to hit anything in visual range with a spit object such as a seed, cherry pit, or loogie, either by spitting (range 5m) or with a blowgun (range 20m). The object will make a loud, irritating noise (either a “splat” or a “patang” depending on the projectile) when it hits and will do 1d4 damage. Spit and blowgun both have a fire rate of S/MR. Targeting requires the Spit or Blowgun skill.  Missile weapon enhancing magic works normally on the projectiles produced via Patang. ASPECTS:  Glutton, Truant 

TRICKSTER BOND (Rune Magic, Ritual, Self, Permanent, One-Use, 2 pts) Both the Trickster and her sponsor (usually an Orlanthi) must cast this spell simultaneously during a day long ritual.  It permanently bonds the Trickster to her sponsor.  This has many effects.  First, the Trickster becomes more sane than usual.  The character may better resist destructive or mad impulses.  For game play purposed, the GM may no longer apply any of the Trickster’s Passions as negative augments to any ability.  Devout Cowards may charge into combat without penalty, Compulsive Liars can tell the truth, etc.  Furthermore, the sponsor many freely Command the Trickster (as per a Command  spell) at will (normal Resistance rolls apply). Finally, the Trickster’s magic becomes much more reliable.  Instead of backfiring on a 3, 4 or 5 on 3d6, Backfire only occurs on a 3.  And instead of negatively impacting the Trickster, the Backfire affects the sponsor if possible.  Whenever a 3 is rolled and the sponsor is affected (Resistance overcome, etc), the Trickster can choose to break this permanent enchantment and free herself from it forever.  The Trickster may also be given other opportunities to break this spell at GM discretion.  ASPECT:  Lightbringer

EURMAL’S SECRET

BECOME SANE (Rune Magic, Self, 3 pts.)  The Trickster becomes so crazy that he can act totally sane.  For the duration of this spell, the GM may no longer apply any of the Trickster’s Personality Skills as negatives to any ability.  Devout Cowards may charge into combat without penalty, Compulsive Liars can tell the truth, etc.  Furthermore, the Trickster can draw on his insanity with a cold will, allowing him to augment a single skill per round with a Passion trait as a free action (resolved in statement of intent).  Finally, the Trickster’s magic becomes much more reliable.  Instead of backfiring on a 3, 4 or 5, Backfire only occurs on a 3.  However, if a spell backfires while the Trickster is under the influence of this spell, his temporary sanity is shattered.  The positive benefits of the spell end immediately and the Trickster is thrown into a manic, insane state.  He must act on his highest negative personality trait every round for the remaining duration of the spell.

[Cgeist7]

Some gold in here. 🙂

I just introduced a warrior of Eurmal in my game and the players loved him while realizing how dangerous it was to keep him around. I like the idea of having this supported a little more by the rules and +1 having a deviancy as a passion. 

[RHW]

^Thanks. Worked well in my game.

[RHW]

Some background:

Many of the new Trickster spells above were created by my players for a one-off in my house game. Their Sartarite clan, the Treefell Clan, has always had a special relationship with Tricksters. There's a secret triple shrine to Eurmal Adventurous (teaches STRIKE), Eurmal Thunderous (teaches FLATULENCE) and Eurmal Rex (teaches HALLUCINATE) near their main town, Prattsted, behind the falls of Pratt Creek (The Prattfalls). In exchange for maintaining the shrine, always having a Trickster on their ring, and hosting an annual Trickster Festival, the Treefell Clan gets some special illusion magic that make them hard to find and hard to count. People tend to forget they exist.

So when the Lunars finally had enough of their nonsense and invaded, the Inwall and Outwall bloodlines fled up the cliffs and joined the 5 other bloodlines (Upcliff, Windfollower, Fallhead, Creakside, and Splittongue) which no outsider knew about. The Lunars took Prattsted, but the clan left a little gift behind...

6 Tricksters that were sleeping off the Festival in the town drunk tank. (Usually after the fest, the clan picks a leftover drunk Trickster for the next day's Scapegoat Party, but the Lunars interrupted that.)

The players statted up the 6 tricksters, gave them spells they also got to make up (with prior GM approval) and then proceeded to generally fuck with the Lunars until they were all either killed or escaped. Hilarity ensued. If you think murder is hilarious.

So if a spell is OP or gross or useless, it's not my fault! 

Unless it is.

Edited May 25, 2019 by RHW
Boggles!

[jajagappa]

1 hour ago, RHW said:

Their Sartarite clan, the Treefell Clan, has always had a special relationship with Tricksters.

That type of relationship was always part of my old Imther Campaign as well - all villages had (and wanted to have) one local trickster. A pain in the ass of course, but their unpredictability always brought good luck along with the bad. What such villages did not want was more than one trickster - bad things happen when you get more than one and they don't like each other.

And there was usually at least one trickster type among the PC's (Hysterious and Impetuous being the most notable two that were played). 

[RHW]

20 minutes ago, jajagappa said:

That type of relationship was always part of my old Imther Campaign as well - all villages had (and wanted to have) one local trickster. A pain in the ass of course, but their unpredictability always brought good luck along with the bad. What such villages did not want was more than one trickster - bad things happen when you get more than one and they don't like each other.

And there was usually at least one trickster type among the PC's (Hysterious and Impetuous being the most notable two that were played). 

Strangely, while there have been a couple of memorable tricksters in my various RQ campaigns, the Treefell campaign never had a long-lasting trickster PC. The main Treefell trickster was an NPC, Uncle Bobo, the brother of the clan chieftain who held the Eurmal seat on the clan's Lightbringer ring. That's why they only get one line in Keener's Saga, in the rhyming section full of miscellaneous characters:

"The Tricksters farted and threw their poo at things."

Thus they entered into legend.

Edited May 25, 2019 by RHW