How To Write Your Own Spells

It is a formidable task to write spells for this game system. Not only does the writer need to have a complete understanding of the magic rules and the way each spell school functions, but the writer must at all times keep in mind that these are spells for use in a Live Action performance.

Live Action places two main restraints on magic:
1. During much of the time a live action event must "run itself," without the benefit of an available God to referee. Magic is one of the facets of a performance that needs constant supervision by a single individual. That individual is God. During an event, the majority of God's time is spent monitoring spells and castings, it's a tough job. To make magic feasible for use in live action, it must be extremely well defined and structured. All spells must be checked to see that they match the rules structure, and must be approved by God before they can be used.
2. In order to maintain the all important illusion of reality, spells with wiz-bang effects are not feasiable in a Live Action event. Spells with subtle worldly effects or ones which effect a character's scores are most permissible. One specific type of enchantment merits a special notice - spells which affect a character's emotions or loyalties. We believe that it is unfair to expect a player to play an emotion that they don't have a good reason to feel. Many of the performers in our events are "method actors" and need a real and established motivation to portray an emotion in their character. We also feel that is it too easy to cast and spell on someone so that they'll have to like you. If you want your character to have loyal servants and alliances, then you need to apply your real social skills. No magical short-cuts to successful relationships in this game.

To get the most from this section you should have a copy of the Spell Writing Form for the Spellbook Scripture in front of you.

A. When You Can Write Your Own Spells

Because of the complexity and subtlety of the magic system, only those Players who have been thoroughly trained and approved by God may write their own spells. (Regardless of whether their Character can write spells or not.) Each new spell idea you have must be individually okayed before you write the spell (to avoid a lot of hard work for nothing if the idea won't fly). If you are not approved to write spells, you may submit to God ideas for spells which she will write for you.

1. Ownership of the Spells You Write
Before you write a spell you must present the idea to God, then if the idea is okayed, you must sign a "Work for Hire" agreement. This is a legal agreement between you and Two Fates & A Puck that the spell you are writing is a commissioned work which, when completed will be owned by the guild for copyright purposes. You must sign the "Work for Hire" agreement to have your spell used in this game system.

2. The Proprietary Nature of the Spells You Write
Proprietary means that a spell that is written is "new," has been written by a specific character who maintains control over who may learn that spell. Just because a Player writes a spell for the game, does not mean that that Player's character automatically wrote and knows that spell. Even though you as a Player may be approved to write new spells by God, your character may not be skilled enough in magic to write a new spell. Also, because of the desperate need for new spells to round out the universe, spells will often be attributed to historical authors and will be up for distribution to other characters by God. Exclusive ownership of spells will be granted very rarely, only under extreme circumstances, so don't expect it.

B. Writing A Spell
The highest priority in writing a spell for the Pandemonium Spellbook, is that it is easily playable in a Live Action game. Therefore, all magic in the Pandemonium universe is limited by two factors; playability and secrecy.
Because the spells in the Pandemonium Spellbook do not really cause magical effects, we must limit ourselves when we create new spells, to effects that we can recreate in the real world using other means. In Live Action it is impossible for a character to levitate (without a crane or other rigging), or travel in time (without inventing a real time machine). Also, stay away from results that would be unfeasible or inconvenient for the God to orchestrate, like telepathy or the locating of people or objects. Playability must also be considered when a spell is supposed to affect the mind or emotions of a character. It is unfair to expect a Player to portray an unjustified emotion just because a mage cast a love spell on them.
The rational for why the society at large does not know that magic exists, in the Game universe, is that magic takes time and concentration, and does not cause vulgar effects. To cast a spell a mage must have many components, must perform a complicated procedure and must not be interrupted. Spells may not be cast "on the fly." Also, the effects of a spell should not be large and showy, no fireballs (unless you have a flame-thrower hidden up your sleeve, and you're willing to USE it, no, I didn't think so), or large unexplainable entities floating around (unless you know one and invite it to the game). These factors explain why it has been so "easy" to keep magic a secret from the average Joe on the street.
The next highest priority when writing a spell for the Pandemonium Spellbook is realism. All of the Spell Schools and Subschools are historically based and are a result of extensive research by many learned individuals. Try your best to make the spells you write culturally and thematically accurate for the Spell School and Subschool in which you are writing.
The tone of the game must also be considered when deciding what you want your spell to do. The major themes of most games center around trust, lies, and betrayal; therefore, spells which would allow a mage to interfere with another character's ability to lie is damaging to the overall mood of the game. No spells may be written that force a character to tell the truth, also no spells may be written that allow one character to look into the mind of another character.
To begin writing a spell you must have a blank Spell Scripture Form, then proceed with the following steps. The steps are written in this order for a reason, to avoid rewrites and inconsistencies, please follow this procedure.

1. Original Author
Fill in this space with your Player name, first and last.

2. Work For Hire
Unless you are one of the Gods, check the "Work for hire" box, and leave the "Joint authorship" box blank. HALT! If at this time you have not signed the Work for Hire agreement, do not proceed any farther. A Work for Hire agreement is not valid unless it is signed BEFORE the work is completed, DO NOT begin writing a spell until you have signed the Work for Hire agreement. Spells written without a Work for Hire agreement will not be accepted into the Pandemonium Spellbook.

3. Spell School
The first thing you need to consider when preparing to compose a spell, is what School you will be writing the spell in. The School will give you the general framework into which the spell must fit. For example, all spells in the Blood School must include blood as a primary component. What School you are writing for will determine how the spell needs to work, the particulars are included in the Spell School descriptions in the Encyclopedia of Magikal Methods. In the description of each School are the General Procedures which must be followed for every spell of that school, these must be kept in mind while writing a spell, but do not need to be included in the Procedure. You may only write spells for Schools you have been trained in by God or one of the Archangels.

4. Spell Subschool
The Subschool which you choose must be within the School that was chosen above. The Subschool will determine what types of components and what kind of procedure will be required for the spell to be written. You may only write spells for Subschools you have been trained in by God.

5. Spell Name
Choose a name for the spell. The name should be similar in mood and metaphor to the other spell names in that spell Subschool, should be descriptive of what the spell's result is, and should be memorable. At this stage, you need only put a working title in this space, you can always go back and change it to a more clever name later.

6. Spell Type
Spell Type denotes what type of result will be produced by the casting of the spell. Fill in one of the following in the space provided:

• Cast Instant Spell
• Cast Held Spell
• Make Totemic Contract
• Create Continuous Effect Talisman
• Create Limited Charge Talisman
• Create Unlimited Charge Talisman
• Create Potion
• Create Continuous Effect Magic Item
• Create Charged Magic Item
• Create Continuous Effect Holy Relic
• Create Charged Holy Relic.
See Book I Section B and Book I Section C of The Apocrypha of the Mage for the definitions of these terms. The spell type chosen will determine the generic psyche point costs, force increase options and possible counters of the spell. Remember that some Spell Subschools will only allow certain spell types to be used.

7. Components
Decide what components are to be used in the spell. The Spell School and Subschool will usually give guidelines for what kinds of components are appropriate for its spells. Use the traditional correspondences and sympathetic properties for herbs, rocks, scents, colors, etc.; appropriate to the culture which inspired the Subschool you are using. You may also use your own associations for items without traditionally proscribed properties. Be prepared to present documentation or reasoning to justify your use of components to God. For spells which affect a specific character, either the character, a poppet of the character, the true name of the character, or a personal item of the character must be included as a component. Which type is necessary depends on the nastiness of the spell's effect. There must be a minimum of two components necessary for a spell, in addition to the components required by the General Procedures of the School.

8. Personal Item Required?
Once the components have been decided, go to line 8 and insert the most appropriate one of the following;

• Birthdate
• Body part
• Poppet
• Possession
• Target
• True Name
• Combination
• None

9. Procedure
The procedure is the ritual which is performed to cast the spell. Describe how the components are used in the ritual. The Spell School and Subschool will usually give guidelines for what kinds of procedures are appropriate for its spells. It is often helpful to look at the procedures for other spells within the same Subschool. Be sure to note when components are destroyed.

10. Spell Function
Once the procedure has been decided, you may select the Spell Function. The Spell Function is how the spell creates the resulting effect, not the result itself. The Subschool descriptions will often give guidelines for their most commonly used functions. Select the one most appropriate function from the list below.

• Abjuration: Send something, usually spirit, away; repulsion.
• Adjuration: Requesting help from a deity.
• Alteration: Change something's shape.
• Augmentation: Increases a value or ability you already have.
• Charm: Influences the mind or emotions of an entity.
• Channel: Allows the control of the directionality of the flow of magical or natural energy..
• Conjuration: To call or summon an entity to you.
• Conversion: Change something's form (gas, liquid, solid).
• Divination: Finding out information by accessing someone's aura, mind or the dreamlands.
• Enchantment: To infuse a normal object with magic so that it will create an effect.
• Entropy: Change something's substance so as to make it's structure less complex.
• Evocation: To create something form an idea; an imaginative re-creation.
• Illusion: A perceptual illusion which only exists for the target(s).
• Inhibition: Prevents an entity from using their abilities or from doing something.
• Invocation: Borrowing help or an ability from another entity.
• Phantasm: A perceptual illusion which affects all in the area.
• Possession: To place or invite a spirit into a living material body or a material object.
• Reversal: Reverses a magical effect or natural force into its opposite form.
• Transformation: Change something in two or more of the following; shape, substance, and/or form.
• Transmutation: Change something in substance so as to make it's structure more complex.
• Transmogrify: Any spell which uses more than one of the above function. But besides that, it's just a cool word.

11. Results
Write a description of the effects of the spellcasting, who is affected, for how long, etc. If a Gizmo is created, make a note of what type it is and what prop is supposed to be used for it.

12. Spell Effect
The Spell Effect is a simplified description of the Result. Leave this space blank, God will determine the most concise wording for this description.

13. Effect Duration
Okay now, pay close attention, the Spell Effect Duration IS NOT the length of time that the effect of the spell lasts. Get that?
The Spell Effect Duration indicates under what conditions the effect of the spell will be able to remain. The effect or potential effect of a spell or Gizmo remains for as long as the spell or Gizmo is active. The active status of a spell or Gizmo is dependent on one of the following:


• Force Regulated (Held spells, totemic contracts, talismans with unlimited charges, untriggered potions and magic items)
• Force Regulated with Expendable Charges (Talismans with limited charges and magic items)
• Force Regulated until Triggered, then Permanent (Triggered potions)
• Force Regulated until Triggered, then Temporary (Triggered potions) Instant spells are the exception, they cannot be deactivated and will have an effect which will be one of the following:
• Permanent
• Temporary
Select the appropriate choice of the six and write it in the space provided.

14. Casting Cost
Leave this space blank unless you feel that the spell warrants a higher casting cost.

15. Initial Force Cost
Leave this space blank unless you feel that the spell warrants a higher initial force cost. Instant spells do not have a force cost.

16. Charge Cost
Leave this space blank unless you feel that the spell warrants a higher charge cost. Only Gizmos have a charge cost.

17. Maintenance Cost
Leave this space blank unless you feel that the spell warrants a higher maintenance cost. Only held spells, totemic contracts and talismans have a maintenance cost.

18. Trigger
Only Gizmos have triggers. See the Spell Type descriptions in Book I Section C of The Apocrypha of the Mage for the information on when triggers are needed. Potions always trigger automatically. Magics which operate in conjunction with a weapon's use must trigger automatically to be usable in combat. Most other triggers should be verbal, mental or gesture. Only Unlimited Charge Talismans have a trigger cost, note the psyche point cost in the "Other" box.

19. Untrigger
Only Gizmos that have triggers will have untriggers. Potions cannot be untriggered. Most magics which work as a defense or attack will untrigger automatically after their job is accomplished. Only Unlimited Charge Talismans may have a untrigger cost, note the psyche point cost in the "Other" box.

20. Special
Any extra tidbits of information on the spell that don't have a specific place to go? Put it here.

21. Author
If you want the authorship of this spell within the game universe to be attributed to your character, place your character's name in this space. Otherwise leave it blank.

22. Proprietary
If you want your character to have sole ownership of the spell in the game universe, write "yes" in this space. This is a privilege that is rarely handed out, so don't expect your request for proprietaryship over a spell to be granted. In this circumstance, the axiom "it never hurts to ask," WILL NOT work; if you ask for it often God will get annoyed.