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RuneQuest Companion SRD - Enchantments

Enchanting (DEX+POW)

This Magical skill is required to create an enchanted item. Though it is known by many different names the skill is essentially the same practise for all types of magic.

Enchanting Process

The following description describes in general the steps required to enchant an object, place or person.

1. Preparation

The enchanter must select the item to be enchanted and inscribe the appropriate runes on the object. How the enchanter does this is up to him but the more permanent the inscription the better. If the runes are destroyed, so too is the enchantment.

Requisite Spell

A character must know at least one requisite spell in order to create a magical item.

2. Procedure

The enchanter must spend a number of hours working upon on the enchantment equal to the POW invested in an enchantment, squared.

At the end of this time, the character must make an Enchanting skill test. This test is modified by the type of enchantment being attempted and whether any conditions are placed upon the enchantment.

If the test succeeds, the necessary POW is expended and the item is created. If the roll fails, the POW is retained but the enchantment fails.

A critical success when Enchanting allows a character to spend one fewer POW to create the final effect (to a minimum of one POW).

A fumble results in the enchantment failing and one POW is expended regardless.

Enchantments

Armourblessing Enchantment (Normal +0%)

This common and popular enchantment will increase the armour points of an object. Each point of POW invested in the Armourblessing enchantment bestows one armour point upon the enchanted object. If it is used on a living creature, it will increase armour points in only one hit location - multiple enchantments must be used to cover the entire creature. Likewise, if placed on a suit of armour, each Armourblessing enchantment will protect only one hit location.

Requisite Spell: Damage Resistance, Enhance CON, Form/Set (appropriate to enchanted item), Heal Body, Protection, Repair, Shield, Vigour.

Binding (Hard -40%)

This enchantment is intended to confine an otherworldly spirit, such as a ghost, demon or elemental. A Binding enchantment requires one point of POW for every Characteristic the creature possesses. Thus, a Binding enchantment intended to contain a ghost requires three points of POW to create (as a ghost only possesses INT, CHA and POW). A Binding enchantment may only hold one creature at a time.

Capturing a creature in a Binding enchantment requires either dissipating the creature or somehow convincing it to inhabit the item voluntarily. Capturing a dissipating spirit is no mean feat - it requires the Spirit Block, Spirit Screen or Spirit Resistance spell to be cast at the dissipating spirit within one Combat Round of its demise, thereby trapping the remnants in one place. The dissipated spirit must then either be placed into sealed and Spellcharged container (again, with either Spirit Block, Spirit Screen or Spirit Resistance). It can then be included in the enchanting process normally.

Once within the Binding, the creature will remain there until it is freed, either through the will of the item’s owner or the destruction of the Binding. A creature bound into an item has no natural contact with the outside world and cannot perceive it in any way unless it uses magic. Someone in physical contact with the binding can use it to engage in mental communication with the creature.

The owner of the Binding item has complete control over the creature bound within and may access the creature’s knowledge, skills, Magic Points and known spells freely. Many creatures are of little use while inside a Binding enchantment and must therefore be freed if the binding’s owner wishes to use their abilities in combat or other situations. A bound creature can be freed and commanded to perform one hour’s worth of activity for the creature that freed it, after which it is truly free.

Requisite Spell: Spirit Bane, Spirit Block, Spirit Screen, Spirit Resistance, Spiritual Journey, Spiritual Projection.

Power Enhancer Enchantment (Easy +20%)

This is one of the most straightforward enchantments. As such it is often used by apprentice enchanters to hone their skills. Each point of POW invested in the enchantment bestows one POW upon the enchanted object, to a maximum of three POW.

A held Power Enhancer increases the Magnitude of spells with the Progressive trait by their POW score. For instance, a Strength 1 spell cast through a Power Enhancer with POW 2 would become a Strength 3 spell. Power Enhancers cannot offer partial boosts.

Requisite Spell: Any.

Spellcharge Enchantment (Difficult -20%)

While almost certainly one of the most versatile enchantments, Spellcharging an item is also one of the most complex and is incredibly draining. This enchantment locks a single spell within the item, which can then be cast by anyone holding or touching it.

The enchanter must invest POW equal to the spell’s Magnitude. The item acquires the ability to cast the spell at that Magnitude.

The wielder of the item must spend one Magic Point every time they wish to cast the spell contained within the Spellcharged item. No casting test is necessary - the spell is automatically cast successfully, though it can be resisted or countered normally. Magic Points may not be spent to overcharge spells cast from Spellcharged items. The Casting Time for a Spellcharged item is always one Combat Action.

Divine Spells: A Divine Spell placed into an item is lost from the enchanter’s memory as a result (as if it were cast). It will also only work once, then the spell is expended (though it is not necessary to spend a Magic Point to activate such an enchantment). However, it can be ‘recharged’ by a wielder praying in an appropriate temple for the appropriate amount of time.

Sorcery Spells: A Sorcery spell placed into an item only has its Magnitude set. A sorcerer may choose to apply other Manipulation skills to a Spellcharged item’s spell, as it is cast. Each application costs one Magic Point, as normal.

Requisite Spell: The specific spell to be charged into the object.

Spell Enhancer Enchantment (Normal +0%)

Another enchantment popular with more advanced enchanting students is the Spell Enhancer. Each point of POW invested in the enchantment bestows one POW upon the enchanted object, to a maximum of four POW.

Every spell cast through such a crystal is considered to be overcharged by a number of Magic Points equal to its POW score. Spell Enhancers cannot offer partial boosts.

Requisite Spell: Any.

Warding (Hard -40%)

One of the most demanding enchantments to complete, yet also one of the most in demand. When the enchantment is complete, the Warded item generates an invisible, magical barrier, detectable only by magic, that protects those within from specified attacks or events that occur outside the Warded area.

The items need not be visible to be effective - they may easily be concealed within a stone wall, for example.

Every Warding has a series of bans set by its creator during the process of enchantment. For every point of POW invested into the enchantment, the Warding can include one ban (and all Wardings must have at least one ban).

Anyone within a radius equal to the invested POW of the enchanted item is considered to be within its Warded area. Against any banned effect or attack originating from outside the Warded area, the protected creatures benefit from the following effects:

• A Countermagic Shield of a Magnitude equal to the Warding’s invested POW.
• An effect similar to the Consecrate spell of a Magnitude equal to the Warding’s invested POW, which will alert those inside if anything banned by the Warding’s creator enters or attempts to enter the Warded area.
• An effect similar to the Damage Resistance spell of a Magnitude equal to the Warding’s invested POW, where any incoming attack dealing damage equal to or less than the Warding’s invested POW is ignored.

Two or more Wardings that share the same bans (they do not necessarily need to be of equal POW or even created by the same enchanter) will automatically conjoin when brought within each other’s radii and protect a far greater area than they could manage individually. When doing so, add together all the invested POW of the linked Wardings to determine their Average POW.

• Two Warded items conjoin to form a Warding Wall. This stretches from one item to the other and reaches Average POW in metres in height and will stay in effect as long as the Warded items remain within 5 + Average POW in metres from one another.
• Three Warded items conjoin to form either a hinged Warding Wall or a Warding Triangle, with walls as high as a Warding Wall’s. It will stay in effect for as long as every Warded item remains within 10 + Average POW in metres from one other Warded item.
• Four Warded items conjoin to form either a hinged Warding Wall or a Warding Box (more commonly called a True Warding), with walls as high as a Warding Wall’s. True Wardings, unlike Triangles and Walls, also cover the ‘ceiling’ of the Warded area and the underneath (normally to a depth of one metre). It will stay in effect for as long as every Warded item remains within 15 + Average POW in metres from one other Warded item.
• Each additional Warded item increases the maximum distance that the items can be placed apart by a further five metres.

Requisite Spell: Consecrate, Countermagic Shield, Protective Circle.

Weaponblessing Enchantment (Normal +0%)

Another extremely popular enchantment, Weaponblessing increases the efficacy and lethality of a weapon. Each point of POW invested in the enchantment bestows it with a +1 bonus to damage and a +5% bonus to Weapon skill tests utilising the enchanted object.

Requisite Spell: Bladesharp, Bludgeon, Damage Boosting, Firearrow, Fireblade, Form/Set (appropriate to enchanted item), Speedart, Sureshot, True (appropriate to enchanted item).

Conditions

Each condition affects only certain types of enchantment and all bestow a penalty on the Enchanting test.

Environmental Condition (-20%)

Default: The enchantment will work anywhere. Each Environmental Condition defines exactly where the enchantment in an item will be effective. For Example:

• A Weaponblessed sword with a Target Condition of ‘everywhere except the Gunshak lands’ will only provide its bonuses when the wielder is outside the Gunshak lands.
• An Armourblessed helmet with a Target Condition of ‘only underground’ will provide its AP bonus only when the wearer is underground.

Target Condition (-20%)

Default: The enchantment will work against anyone and anything, as long as it is possible for it to do so.

Each Target Condition defines exactly who will or will not be affected by the enchantments in an item. For Example:

• A Weaponblessed sword with a Target Condition of ‘only versus humans’ will only provide its bonuses when the wielder attacks humans.
• An Armourblessed helmet with a Target Condition of ‘all except ducks’ will provide its AP bonus at all times… unless a duck happens to strike the wearer on the head.

User Condition (-20%)

Default: The enchantment will work for anyone, as long as it is possible for the bearer to wield or employ the enchanted item.

Each User Condition defines exactly who can or cannot use the enchantments in an item. For Example:

• A Weaponblessed sword with a User Condition of ‘broo only’ will only provide its bonuses if the wielder is a broo.

An Armourblessed helmet with a Target Condition of ‘all except dwarfs’ will provide its AP bonus to any wearer if they are a dwarf.