Chinese Magic - New Spells

Magic and sorcery in China tends to involve the manipulation of spirits and elements of the natural world. This stems largely from the Taoist teachings of Lao-Tze which themselves derive from the animism and ancestor-worship that prevailed at the time. Taoism taught the ‘Way’ and offered the universe as a structured machine which could be mystically manipulated according to the will of skilful practitioners. Taoist sorcerers were said to be adept at using sympathetic magic to create charms and talismans; they were rumoured to be skilled in summoning and binding spirits to do their will and they were able to use astrology and other forms of divination to foresee the future. This ‘hands-on’ esoteric approach caused a sharp rift between them and the Confucian scholars who were also coming together at the time: magic in all its forms is anathema to the Confucian approach. The highest form of Taoist mysticism is Chinese alchemy which, like Western alchemy, focused upon the transformation of metals and life extension.

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Chinese Alchemy

Surprisingly, Chinese alchemy is very much like Western alchemy and flourished at roughly the same time. The main difference between the two is that, while Europeans hungered to create gold from base elements, the Chinese pursued immortality as the craft’s highest goal. Not that the Chinese didn’t try to make gold also: immortality, their ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ by another name however, was their driving aspiration.

The alchemy of the Chinese is on the face of things another form of Taoist sorcery: elements are placed within their hierarchy in the world and concoctions are made to ‘push’ elements into higher states of being, usually by exposing them to those mixtures or elements which, to the Chinese mind, already exist in paradoxically opposing states, such as mercury, a metal in a liquid state. Many Chinese alchemical compounds involve mercury (in the form of cinnabar), arsenic and pure potassium, which should be a warning to anyone willing to partake of the recipes readily available in the major texts. Interestingly however, the Chinese alchemists were unwilling to share the results of their studies and wrote in code: Western alchemists did so too but to hide from the Inquisition; with no such organ to persecute them, alchemy students in China perceive the writings of past masters as somehow deliberately cryptic, a kind of test for the faithful, littered with pitfalls for the gullible.

Buddha’s Tears (Chinese Alchemy)

This is a highly secret treatment of snake bone, combined with other materials, that makes a powder which is sovereign against all poisons, natural or manmade. The creation of this compound is probably the origin of the ‘black stone’ treatments for snakebite which abound throughout the world.

The compound is derived from the crushed skull and tail bones of a poisonous snake. These are distilled, along with a range of other materials, to create a white powder which may then be formed into pills or served as a type of tisane. The entire process takes about 40 hours and 15 Magic Points and creates 1d4 doses.

Distillation of the Elements (Chinese Alchemy)

By means of this spell a Martial Artist can ignore the effects of several attacks, anticipating them and dodging them through their complete mastery of the elements. The subject enters a brief period of meditation and chants the appropriate mantras, while spending all of their Magic Points; thereafter, entering the fray, they become immune to the attacks of the enemies arrayed before them, sidestepping and dodging all attacks as if they had foreknowledge of their imminence. The Keeper rolls 1D8+2 and determines that this is the number of subsequent attacks that will have no effect against the character concerned.

Divide Spirit & Flesh (Chinese Alchemy)

This spell creates an elixir which causes the spirit to separate from the body. The creator mixes and distils a selection of rare substances, adding 15 Magic Points to the concoction in the process; the final element is a piece of the drinker – blood, hair, skin – and 2 POW. Once imbibed, the potion makes the drinker feel slightly dislocated from their surroundings, as if they are viewing things at a slight remove. People meeting the drinker will see them as somehow less lively than usual, as if they had become somewhat dull. These effects cause the imbiber to lose 0/1d4 points of SAN.

It is only when the character dies that the full effect of the potion becomes clear. Upon death, the spirit of the imbiber moves away from the body and the character is now considered to be an immortal ghost. They cannot interact with the real world, passing through solid obstacles; neither can they be heard. They fall prey to all the enchantments that are designed to prevent, bar or destroy spirits of any kind. In their presence the ambient temperature drops and they may be vaguely seen in windows or mirrors under certain conditions; some photographic processes may be able to capture glimpses of them. This transformation causes the subject to lose 0/1d10 SAN points.

The spirit has one advantage left to them: they are able to invade the bodies of others whilst they are unconscious or subconscious. Unconscious individuals may be readily occupied, although the occupying spirit must navigate any difficulties incurred by drugs or alcohol in the body’s system. Once the body regains consciousness, the spirit must compare their POW against that of the body’s usual occupant on the Resistance Table in order to remain in control; this contest must be repeated every hour until the spirit is forced out. If the body is attacked and wounded while being ‘ridden’ by the spirit, the spirit is instantly forced out.

Invading the bodies of subconscious individuals involves a similar process however the spirit and the body’s tenant must match POWs on the Resistance Table to see who will take charge of the body; if the spirit fails they cannot try again for at least an hour. Other than this, the process remains the same as previously discussed. Once in control the spirit is able to do pretty much whatever they like with their new body, up to and including killing the vessel, although this will incur a 1/1d8 SAN loss. Spells such as the Powerful Sutras of Kuan Yin will, if successful, cast the spirit out of its possessed form.

Elixir of Warriors (Chinese Alchemy)

“See things no-one else can see; do things no-one else can do...”

-‘Egg’ Chen (Victor Wong), “Big Trouble in Little China”

This is a potion derived from six different rare herbs esoterically connected to the elements of wind and of fire. These six essences combined are usually carried around in a special talisman bag known as a ‘Six-Demon Bag’. When brewed into this concoction the result is an efficacious remedy against the effects of fear and self-doubt.

Combatants who imbibe at least 100ml (3.38 fluid ounces) of this medicine before entering battle, will have a bonus of +20 percentiles on all of their combat skill rolls; as well, they are immune to all magical fear effects for the duration of the succeeding battle, whether caused by spells, artefacts or the natural armoury of monstrous beings. At the Keeper’s discretion, the potion may also confer upon each drinker 1d10 points of mystical Armour.

The six herbs required for this potion are very rare and are located only in dangerous or hazardous places around China and the Far East; certainly they cannot be simply obtained from any local market. Finding them could very well be the basis of a whole Call of Cthulhu adventure in and of itself...

Form of Air (Chinese Alchemy)

With this spell, the adept enhances the elements which combine to make up his or her being. It has been rumoured (or perhaps just reasoned) that there must be five of these spells, one for each of the five elements, however this is by far the most commonly encountered version.

Using this spell, the adept transforms his or her physical nature to accord more closely to the substance of air. This is accomplished by the burning of several rare aromatic herbs and embarking on a period of meditation for at least an hour, during which 10 Magic Points are spent. Thereafter, the body of the practitioner becomes lighter, more ‘airy’.

Under the effects of this magic, the caster is able to move easily across surfaces or obstacles which normally would not support their weight: stretched cords or strings, bamboo poles or the stems of reeds. As well, they are able to jump four times their usual distance, climb at four times their ability, and, if jumping from a high place, will simply float down in the fashion of a feather. These effects last until the following sunrise.

Some adepts are able to use this spell with great effect by combining it with their Martial Arts skills; however, there is a catch: if the caster is struck, or stumbles, or is otherwise violently affected by an outside agency, the spell terminates immediately. This makes using the spell in Combat a risky endeavour suited only for the most skilled warriors.

Ghost Gold (Chinese Alchemy)

There are several different incarnations of this spell – they are usually to be found in those alchemical texts which claim to be able to transform base elements into gold or other precious metals. The spell is usually included in various texts to trap those readers whose studies haven’t been as stringent as they ought to have been.

On average, these spells take around 50 hours to complete and include many expensive and rare ingredients (a successful Luck Roll by the caster will eliminate all but the most essential of these components). The process also involves the expenditure of the caster’s maximum number of Magic points. The end result is half a kilogram (1.1lbs) of material that will, under all of the most rigorous tests, appear to be gold (NB. The Golden Mantra will never register this substance as a precious metal). The material retains its false qualities for roughly a month and then reverts to its former state

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Taoist Sorcery

Taoist sorcery is built upon a foundation of shamanic practise dating from the early animism and ancestor worship of the pre-dynastic Chinese peoples. Shamanism involves allowing spirits from the ‘other side’ to possess magical practitioners and communicate their intentions; over time the Taoists not only defined the ranks and positions of the spirits in a ‘heavenly hierarchy’, they also established means whereby spirits could be coerced into other types of vessels – such as scrolls, or wooden artefacts - and used to empower various inanimate objects, thus freeing the sorcerer to wield the energies of the supernatural world. Taoists see the world as an admixture of the five elements suffused with the power of ‘ch’i’ (literally, ‘breath’), a motive energy empowering all of creation and inspired by the mysterious powers of the unknowable, but knowable, ‘Tao’.

Taoist magic users see the world in its structured hierarchy and choose to subvert it for their own ends. They seek contracts which spirits and magical creatures to gain access to powers such as flight and immortality. Most Taoist magical texts concern the construction of talismans to bind such beings, or else they reinterpret various Buddhist sutras as direct incantations for controlling monsters or summoning magical effects (much as Western magical practitioners would chant the Pater Noster as an effective charm against the Devil). Mirrors form a major part of the Taoist Sorcerer’s armament and are used for divination, scrying, reflecting negative forces and the summoning of lightning. A great emphasis is placed upon writing, as the idiomatic Chinese script was felt to be a means of capturing the ‘essence’ of beings: Taoists used pens made of pear wood, as it was thought to be free of negative influences.

The teachings of Buddha outline a path towards ‘enlightenment’, defined as a guide to stepping off the Karmic Wheel and leaving behind the physical world, as experienced by the Soul’s endless reincarnation. A Taoist interpretation of the writings, or sutras, of Buddha reveals a hidden means of accomplishing this enlightenment immediately, without having to die and be reborn. This type of ‘exoteric’ interpretation was also popular in Japan among the yamabushi or ‘mountain priests’, some of whom gave rise to ninja clans. Approaching the mystical writings in this fashion is akin to using the Bible as an explicit road map to Heaven.

In various literary sources, Buddhist and Taoist monks are often teamed up as sympathetic opposites in the narrative: the Buddhist monk defers to higher powers as to the outcome of a situation while the Taoist takes a more active role in forcing a result. In most narratives, it has to be said, the outcome is always the same, regardless of the monks’ actions, and they share a comradely ‘in joke’ in regards to this. In this trope can be seen the distinct natures of these two ‘newcomer’ beliefs to the Chinese worldview: Buddhism is a passive viewpoint, while Taoism is active and assertive. It is this perception which also paints Taoists as somehow ‘darker’ than the Buddhists and, for this reason, Taoist sorcerers are traditionally regarded with suspicion.

Taoist sorcery lent its influences to feng shui, to various martial arts and to Chinese astrology and each art borrowed from the others to some extent. Talismans to correct ‘negative energy’ have a sorcerous feel to them, such as the coin swords, octagonal mirrors and flutes, used to deflect bad energies in feng shui; coins from the time of the Kiangxi Emperor (1654 to 1722) were considered the most efficacious, as he ruled for an entire rotation of the full Chinese zodiac. This type of thaumaturgic sympathy is a hallmark of most Chinese magic and finds its truest expression in the Taoist mystical worldview.

Binding Steel (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell allows the Martial Artist to become bonded to their Chinese straight sword. The casting requires an expenditure of 2 POW and all of the caster’s Magic Points: after this the wielder and their sword are bound together. When using their sword in conjunction with their particular school of training, the Martial Artist is able to perform miraculous feats: they are able to cut through any non metallic object as though it were a vegetable substance. For instance, they can cut through a brick wall or a porcelain cup as though it were a stick of bamboo. The longer the Martial Artist possesses the sword the greater its capabilities until finally it can cut through rock as easily as it cuts through paper. If the sword is ever wrested from the Martial Artist it will suddenly become an ordinary sword, able to cut through anything an ordinary sword can cut through; significantly though, it will operate at +50% against the previous owner in battle. If the Martial Artist regains their sword it functions as though the spell had been newly cast, with the damage being significantly less than when they lost their weapon.

Create Six-Demon Bag (Taoist Sorcery)

“Jack Burton: Hey, what more can a guy ask for?

Egg Shen: Oh, the Six-Demon Bag!

Jack Burton: Terrific, a Six-Demon Bag. Sensational. What's in it, Egg?

Egg Shen: Wind, fire - all that kind of thing!”

-Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) and ‘Egg’ Chen (Victor Wong),

“Big Trouble in Little China”

This talisman has two uses: the first is for the storage and preparation of special herbs used in Chinese alchemical potions; the second is as a defence against certain inimical creatures.

The bag is made from the skins or hide of six different creatures which have unsuccessfully threatened the owner (thereby allowing the creator to sample the outer coverings of those attackers). Once sewn up together into a small bag, the creator of the talisman accrues certain benefits against other creatures of those types. For example, the bag may be made from the skins of a Siberian Tiger and a Snow Leopard, a King Cobra, a Chinese Alligator, a Moon Bear and a Tiger Shark; in combat with these beasts, the owner of the bag has +20% on all their efforts to defeat the creature, and the beast has -20% on all its attacks against the wielder. Further, the ‘Bag’s owner never fails a Luck Roll in combat with these “demons” and has an impending sense of their approach to attack.

While all of this sounds like a great benefit, there are some downsides. First, most Mythos creatures – Mi Go, Elder Things, Byakhee – do not leave any permanent residue after their despatch, therefore their skins cannot be taken for use in the Six-Demon Bag; second, the skin of humans only works against the specific human being that it came from – making a ‘Bag that works only, for example, against six specific people. Thirdly, the ‘Bag is species-specific, meaning that one made from six different species of sharkskin will only work against those six species, not all types of shark.

The other use of the Six-Demon Bag is to contain and enhance the potency of various herbs and spices used in alchemical procedures. When these ingredients are contained in the ‘Bag for a month, their efficacy in magic is increased; this means that the Magic Points to be expended in any magical workings is reduced by half (rounded up).

The Six-Demon Bag is constructed within a warded work area (protected by Octagonal Mirrors of Fortune, for example). Working on a surface of pear wood, the elements of the ‘Bag are stitched together while ritual incense and gold paper are burnt. The skin of the ‘Bag must be branded with words of power prior to being sewn together. Work on the ‘Bag must only be performed during daylight hours and the caster must chant ritual sutras while doing so. In all, the ‘Bag takes a week to construct, and the caster must expend 1 POW and all of their Magic Points during this period.

Divination (Taoist Sorcery)

Use of this Confucian text for determining the future is frowned upon by many practitioners of the faith, much as using the Bible for bibliomancy is looked at askance by the leaders oif most Christian faiths. Still, the Taoist roots of the text are unequivocal and there are those who are able to unlock its inner secrets. While many market fortune-tellers are willing to cadge a few cash from gullible foreigners by spinning any old rot from the hexagrams and their verses, there are ways to actually determine the course of someone’s luck from tossing the yarrow stalks.

In practical gaming terms, it isn’t always possible to re-enact future events, although some skilful Keepers may well be able to spin a good story out of the foretelling of coming events: if so, more strength to them and this is an elegant means of outing out this spell. The other way of doing so is as follows:

The Keeper asks the player attempting to tell the future to roll 1D8; they then are asked to roll that many Luck Rolls, noting down the result of each roll. From this point on, those rolls are sacrosanct, set in stone, until all have come to pass in order: each time a Luck Roll is asked for by the Keeper, the next one is crossed off until all foretold Luck Rolls have been used up. In this way, the player and the Keeper both know the character’s outcome, in terms of Luck, for the foreseeable future.

Casting this spell requires the knowledge of someone who knows what they’re doing. It also needs 5 Magic Points from the enquirer, or the one asking about the future. Depending upon the outcome of the Luck Rolls, the Keeper may impose Sanity losses, but these are by no means absolutely required.

Enchant Bell (Taoist Sorcery)

“...Gold and brass will never meet, silver and iron will never fuse, until the flesh of a maiden is melted in the crucible, and until the blood of a maiden is mixed with the molten metals...”

Lafcadio Hearne, Some Chinese Ghosts: “The Ghost in the Great Bell”

This spell requires a thorough understanding of bronze-smithing and foundry capabilities. The magic enchants a pair of bells, both tapering to 15 feet in height. Both bells must be infused with 25 Magic Points: the caster must also lose 2d6 SAN. A sacrificial victim must be thrown into the molten metal prior to casting and this will grant the Bells an average of 10-12 points of POW (that is, the equivalent of the victim’s POW).

The bronze ingots from which the bells are cast must all be impressed with the Taoist seal of Zu-Che-Quon for the spell to be effective; as well, the construction of the bells must take place only at night and only utilising the light from the forge itself, making the task that much deadlier. The clay for the casting must be laced with human blood and the only wood to be used in the process (for making charcoal, etc.) must be pear wood, which is considered spiritually ‘clean’. Once the casting is complete, the bells must be allowed to cool down unaided, a period in which any direct light impacting upon them, from a source other than the forges which created them, will cause them to fracture. As they successfully cool, the ambient light around them severely diminishes until they are swathed in darkness.

The final test for a successful casting is to strike one of them: the struck bell will make no noise while the other bell will ring.

Enchant Coin Sword (Taoist Sorcery)

A traditional coin sword is made from a number of Chinese coins tied together with red thread into the shape of a sword. Mundane types of these talismans are said to slice ‘bad fortune’, rendering it ineffective; this version of the device is much more potent. The Coin Sword must be made of 64 coins dating from the reign of the Kiangxi Emperor: a mantra is muttered while the coins are tied together and the finished ‘Sword is then passed repeatedly through the smoke of a pear-wood fire until sunset. This process requires the caster to sacrifice 3 POW and a minimum of 10 Magic Points. Thereafter the Coin Sword displays a number of magical effects:

Firstly, the Coin Sword will, upon command from the caster, collapse into an innocuous pile of coins and string, instantly re-forming into a dagger shape when ordered to do so by its creator. Secondly, if used as a weapon, it will do damage similar to a dagger (1d4+2+db) even to creatures subject to damage only from magical weapons; the Coin Sword also Impales, even creatures normally immune to such damage. Finally, if the wielder of the ‘Sword has to make a Luck Roll and fails while using this talisman, they can instantly re-roll their attempt at half their standard Luck.

Legend has it that there is a version of this talisman where the red string is replaced by the sinews of a person related to an enemy of the creator: this weapon is supposed to give great power to the caster against their foe, negating any Armour and magical defences and doing an extra 2d6 damage.

Enchant Taotie (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell requires a bronze artefact decorated with a taotie image dating from the Shang or Zhou Dynasty. The caster sacrifices 3 POW and 1d6 SAN whilst inscribing words of power in ink upon the bronze image to be enchanted: afterwards the ink may wash off but the spell remains in place until activated. Once cast, the image will animate as an invisible protector according to the desires of the caster.

The caster must state the conditions under which the image will activate. The spell can be as specific as “if anyone not worshipping Nyarlathotep passes this image” or “anyone not sympathetic to my goal to destroy the Earth” but the activation principle must be stated as part of the spell. Note that the condition “anyone to whom I take a dislike” or “anyone I subsequently nominate as an enemy”, or similar, will not be sufficient for the purposes of this spell. Once activated, the taotie will do its utmost to destroy those against whom it is directed. If defeated, the taotie will resume its inanimate form and not subsequently attack those who previously defeated it; it will, however, reanimate against a new set of intruders.

Taotie (Lesser Servitor Creature)

“The taotie on Zhou bronzes has a head but no body. When it eats people, it does not swallow them, but harms them.”

-Lushi Chunqiu, Spring and Autumn Annals: Prophecy

A taotie is a stylised, zoomorphic creature used to decorate the ancient bronze artefacts of the Shang- and Zhou Dynasties. These images are highly decorative and have in common staring eyes and a multitude of flailing, armed limbs; in some cases the taotie represents only a face with starting eyes and bared fangs. These images are usually found on ritual vessels, such as censers, or on doorplates, where their fanged maws grip the handles of the doors they guard. Occasionally, a taotie can decorate the pommel, or guard, of a sword or dagger. Although it is not known what sort of animal is depicted by the taotie, the intent of these images is to act as a fierce protector or guardian of the object to which they are attached.

By means of ancient Taoist spells, the taotie can be enchanted to come to life and defend its owner or the object to which it is attached. When this occurs, the creature is not clearly seen: the engraved image may seem to shift and move slightly by those exposed to its wrath; however, the monster is largely invisible, although accompanied by fearsome roars and shrieks. Further, as it moves and strikes, its invisible form rings with the clash of metal.

The taotie attacks by biting its opponents and these wounds are vicious and terrible; however, since the creature has no body per se, the rent flesh is not devoured but simply dropped after the attack is completed: the victim of such an attack is a terrible sight to behold (possibly necessitating a SAN roll). The beast can be attacked but has all the qualities of the metal from which it is made: attacks will ring, bell-like off its invisible hide and sparks will fly to indicate a successful strike. Given this metallic quality, the taotie is immune to Impaling attacks. All attacks against the invisible creature are at -10% (excepting attacks which have an area effect).

TAOTIE, Ancient Invisible Guardians

STR: 4D6+20 (Average: 34)

CON: 3D6+10 (Average: 20-21)

SIZ: 6D6+15 (Average: 36)

INT: 1D6+1 (Average: 4-5)

POW: 3D6 (Average: 10-11)

DEX: 2D6+12 (Average: 19)

Move: 12

SAN: 0

HP: 28-29

Weapons: Bite 70%, 2D6+db

Armour: 10 points of Metallic Hide; the taotie is immune to Impaling attacks

Average Damage Bonus: +2D6

Spells: None

Skills: None

SAN Loss: it costs 1D8 SAN to encounter an Enchanted Taotie

The Golden Mantra (Taoist Sorcery)

This is a fairly simple spell that has a powerful but often limited usefulness. By means of the spending of a minimum of 2 Magic Points and the rapid chanting of the invocation, the caster is able to see the presence of gold, silver, or platinum around them in a 10 foot (3 metre) radius. For every Magic Point spent above the minimum, another 10 foot (3 metre) radius can be covered. The spell does not reveal the presence of traps or protective magicks; only the location of such metals and their distance from the caster.

Harmonious Chimes of the Boddhisattvas (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell can be cast upon any set of wind chimes or a small bell. The enchantment costs 5 Magic Points and involves some chanting and a sacrifice of uncooked rice thrown to the four compass points. Thereafter, while the chimes or bell are free to sway in the breeze, any predatory animals will avoid the area around them (to the distance wherein the chimes or bell can be heard). Additionally, those pursuing the caster (or seeking similar travelling groups or individuals with ill-intent) will suffer -20% to their Track, Spot Hidden, Listen, Navigate and Luck Rolls, where such rolls are actively used to discover the caster and their companions. Those affected by the ‘Chimes will not consciously hear the tinkling sounds that they produce and will be unable to see the magical device; however, if the ‘Chimes touch the ground, they will cease to work. In any event, they stop magically functioning at the next dawn.

Lantern of the Fire Crows (Taoist Sorcery)

By means of this spell the Taoist sorcerer creates a cage to contain Fire Vampires. The sorcerer creates an eight-sided lantern of brass with mirrored panes and enchants it with 10 Magic Points. When a Summon/Bind Fire Vampire spell is next cast in the vicinity of the Lantern, the ‘Vampire is automatically contained within the cage and remains there indefinitely; with the expenditure of a further 10 Magic Points another Fire Vampire can also be contained: up to 4 ‘Vampires can be so trapped. As each is released, the delayed Summon/Bind spells which caused their appearance take effect and can be enacted as per usual, but with the creator of the Lantern as the controlling influence. If the Lantern (15 Hit Points) is destroyed, all Fire Vampires contained within it are freed under their own volition.

Octagonal Mirror of Fortune (Taoist Sorcery)

The octagonal mirror, or Bagua Mirror, is a feng shui element designed to ward off bad fortune. This version has similar properties, in that it deflects negative magical effects from a designated area. Only the frame of the mirror is actually octagonal, about 4 to 6 inches (10.16 to 15.24 centimetres) across, surrounding a circular mirror; this frame is decorated with hexagrams from the I Ching in various ritual colours. When placed above, or on, a door or window, it protects the room immediately beyond this portal. All individuals within this space enjoy the benefit of +50% to any Resistance Roll required to deflect a magical attack (even a beneficial effect) launched against them.

Creating the Octagonal Mirror requires the sacrifice of 10 Magic Points; the frame of the ‘Mirror must be made of pear wood. The Octagonal Mirror of Fortune is only useful if it is placed outside a building: if it is taken inside it ceases to work and will not function thereafter.

Octagonal Mirrors of Scrying (Taoist Sorcery)

There are two different versions of this spell: one mirror allows the creator to see events at a great distance removed; the other prevents such clairvoyant intrusion. Both mirrors resemble the feng shui bagua mirror, being octagonally framed and marked with eight hexagrams from the I Ching; however, the mirror for granting clairvoyance is convex, while the mirror to prevent this effect is concave. Both types of ‘Mirror must be made of pear wood and 10 Magic Points must be expended in their creation.

The convex mirror can only scry living, mortal beings native to this world, not extra-terrene creatures, beings from Earth’s Dreamlands or other dimensions or time periods. The viewer need only inscribe the name of the person upon whom they wish to spy in ink upon the back of the mirror and they will then be able to observe them for a duration of (1d6-1)+10 minutes. Note that the spell allows for visual impressions only; no sound is transmitted by the enchantment. As well, the subject of the scrutiny is able to make a Luck Roll as the time period of the spell ends in order to gain a brief sensation of having been secretly watched.

Like the Octagonal Mirror of Fortune the concave Mirror of Scrying only works if placed above a door or window outside of a single room. Until it is removed or taken indoors, that room is sacrosanct against any attempt to scry within using a convex Mirror of Scrying.

Powerful Sutras of Kuan Yin (Taoist Sorcery)

These are a series of potent prayers written on strips of paper using a pear-wood pen: the caster must succeed in three consecutive Art: Calligraphy rolls in order for this spell to be effective. The caster must then expend all of their Magic Points to empower the papers. Once this is achieved, the ‘Sutras may be used to cast out a possessing influence from an individual who is being dominated by spirits, ghosts or similar. It is especially effective against the Jiang-shi.

The caster must tie, pin, or paste the strips of paper to the forehead of the possessed individual: this has the immediate effect of paralysing the victim, rendering them incapable of movement. Thereafter the caster pits their POW against that of the possessing entity on the Resistance Table; the caster gains a benefit from the ‘Sutras of +40% to their Roll. If successful, the possessing spirit is driven from the victim; the thoughtful practitioner will take care to have other magicks prepared to prevent the spirit dominating someone else in the vicinity, if this is a danger. If unsuccessful, the victim is once more free to move and act according to the will of the possessor: other attempts at using the ‘Sutras may be tried but only after a period of rest on the behalf of the caster.

Note well that certain possessing entities cause death or hideous damage when abandoning a host and this spell does nothing to mollify or halt these effects.

Rebuke the Taotie (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell requires the use of a bronze gong, bell, or chime dating from the Shang or Zhou Dynasty. By ringing this device and commanding an animate taotie to desist, the enchanted creature will be forced to return to a quiescent state and will thereafter ignore the caster.

The caster matches their POW with that of the taotie on the Resistance Table in order to be effective; they also must expend 10 Magic Points. If this roll fails, the taotie becomes enraged at the caster and singles them out for attack, ignoring all others.

Summon Dragons of Rain (Taoist Sorcery)

This is a weather-affecting spell that causes a particular effect – precipitation. The caster expends as many Magic Points as they desire whilst chanting the sutras required for the spell; as well, they can invite other participants to accompany them, adding their Magic Points to the effect. The spell takes and hour to cast, at the end of which a Luck Roll must be made (an averaged roll if there is more than one caster) by the Keeper. If this roll fails nothing happens and the effort has been wasted, although the caster(s) will not be immediately aware of their failure.

Should the spell be successful, a violent rainstorm occurs 2D10 minutes after the spell casting concludes. The area covered by the storm is equal to a 250m radius multiplied by the Magic Points expended; the duration is equal to the Magic Points expended in hours divided by two (round up), or until the next sunrise.

Sword of Shang-ti (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell is cast upon a small metal object, like a coin or a ring. The caster chants invocations to the Heavenly Emperor, Shang-ti, while burning gold paper; the object to be enchanted must be wrapped in silk (possibly in a small pouch) and suspended in the smoke of the fire made by the gold paper. The caster expends 8 Magic Points and 1D6 points of Sanity in this process.

The spell comes into effect the moment that the metal object is removed from its silk shroud. 1D8x10 minutes later, a bolt of lightning will streak down out of the heavens and strike the object, obliterating it and anything intervening (10d10 points of damage). Alarmingly, the bolt will not be diverted by anything conductive standing higher than the target (trees, flagpoles, pagodas, etc.). However, if the target object is buried or passes more than a foot below the surface of the earth, the spell fails to work.

Touch of Yen Wang-yeh (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell or variants of it has passed into Martial Arts folklore and it is rumoured that some ancient texts contain the secret of how to perform it. Some believe that Bruce Lee was the victim of a variation of this knowledge, known as “Dim Mak”.

By means of this spell, the sorcerer creates a sympathy between himself and the intended victim. This is gained by means of resonant harmony involving the ringing of a chime or the chanting of a humming sutra whilst concentrating upon an image of the victim or an article of their person or property. The costs of so doing are 1 point of POW and 1D10 points of SAN.

Having thus created a harmonious resonance, the caster must then touch the victim with their hand, upon the palm of which they must write, in ink, the characters of the death god, Yen Wang-yeh. This requires them to make a Fist/Punch roll, although the impact need not be an aggressive force – the lightest touch will suffice. Thereafter, the victim will lose 1D2 points of either STR, CON, or DEX (randomly chosen) each day until they die. When this occurs, the caster loses a further 1D6 SAN.

The only way to prevent the death of the victim is to identify and kill the caster.

Ward of Steel (Taoist Sorcery)

By means of this spell, the caster can confer upon the recipient an immunity against steel weapons. This means that any weapon which successfully strikes the recipient which is made largely of iron or steel will not cause any damage, although it will look as though it has, with blood gushing and flesh apparently rending.

The spell requires that the caster write a complicated invocation using a pear-wood pen upon a blank scroll; if this scroll falls into the hands of unfriendly parties it can be neutralised immediately. The casting requires the sacrifice of 1 POW and 10 Magic Points. Once cast, any martial strike upon the subject will cause no lasting bodily harm; alternatively, any friendly contact with the subject causes great damage, the more intimate, the greater the harm. Martial Artists who are the subjects of this spell become instant loners, unable to bear the close contact of friends and acquaintances: the consequence of bearing this charm is a loss of 1d10 SAN points.

War Drums of Lei Kung (Taoist Sorcery)

This spell requires the skin of an intelligent creature, killed while surrounded by a thunderstorm. The skin must be marked with the characters of the thunder god Lei Kung and cured or tanned in preparation for use as the heads of a set of drums. The creation of these drums costs 2 POW (1 for each drum) and the creator’s maximum amount of Magic Points over 1 week. The caster must work only during the hours of darkness, in a ritually-pure enclosure while burning gold paper and incense. If a thunderstorm occurs during this time (Luck Roll) the efficacy of the ‘Drums is enhanced by +20%.

The power of the War Drums is a factor of the number of Magic Points expended in their creation: this number multiplied by 5 is the amount those listening to the ‘Drums must overcome with their POW on the Resistance Table. If they fail this roll, they immediately panic and flee the area, not stopping until they are out of earshot, and thereafter they will not willingly return to the proximity of the sound. All animals within hearing of the War Drums are automatically put to flight.

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Mythos Magic

Bells of Darkness

These ‘Bells are made of bronze, are lens-shaped in cross-section with an inward-curving mouth and taper to a height of about 15 feet. They are of course, exceedingly heavy. When encountered they are rarely found intact and often they have been buried: their purpose, which is to summon the Great Old One, Zu-che-quon, makes them targets for the fearful and unknowing. The Bells are made slightly differently in other parts of the world, most notably by the Indian tribes of the southern Californian coast, and these have slightly different effects than their Chinese equivalents.

Taoist Seal of Zu Che Quon

Fragmentary ‘Bells can be identified by the Taoist seal of Zu-che-quon which they bear; intact ‘Bells are hard to examine as they extinguish all light in their vicinity: batteries lose their charge, flaming brands sputter and die, bulbs break and wicks fail. The very shadows seem to increase and multiply, as if the Bell was exuding darkness just as a candle gives light. As well, approaching within 100 yards of the Bell causes an irritation of the eyes, prompting those affected to rub unreservedly at the affected organs: victims must make a POW vs. POW roll on the Resistance Table against the POW sacrificed in making the Bell to stop this activity. Those who do not make this roll continue to rub their eyes, to the point of causing damage; they must then make a SAN Roll (1d2/1d10) or severely damage their eyes in the misguided belief that they would be better off without them.

The Bells must be constructed in pairs in order to work so, where one is found, another will be nearby. As is typical of Chinese bells of this size, they have no clappers but are made to resound when stuck by large strikers. These usually take the form of a log, or pole, suspended on chains, parallel with the ground: when swung, the end of the striker impacts against the side of the bell causing it to sound its low, resonant note. Only, in this instance, the struck Bell of Darkness makes no noise; by means of a resonant sympathy, the other Bell starts to sound. Simultaneously, the surrounding region becomes afflicted by regular earthquakes and ground tremors

Cultists and summoners of Zu-che-quon usually take pains to hide the second Bell in order to thwart the attempts of those who would prevent the emergence of the deity. The Bells must ring for the duration of a single day – from sunrise to sunset – in order to be effective. With the coming of the night, Zu-che-quon will emerge...

Command Lloigor

Unlike the Binding spell hereafter, this magical attack forces any Lloigor to desist all activity within the immediate area of the caster and to instantly remove themselves to a distant region beyond the horizon, unable to return until the next day. The caster expends Magic Points while striking the ground with a staff carved from pear wood: for each ‘Point expended, they pit 10% against the POW of the creature (or the creatures’ combined POWs) in the area, on the Resistance Table; the spell has a base 20% chance of working.

If the spell fails, the Lloigor in the area turn their attentions vengefully upon the caster. If cast successfully, the caster must make a Luck Roll: if this is successful, the Lloigor remain oblivious to the identity of their attacker; if not, the Lloigor know who drove them away and will plot against them. Worse, the caster knows that they know and loses 1D8 points of SAN.

Contact Lloigor

This is a dangerous spell to attempt even at the best of times. It costs 4 magic Points to cast and 1d3 Sanity Points. The spell should be cast in a location where the Lloigor are known to be present or where they have been known to have dwelt. Such places include locations in York, Wales, Rhode Island, parts of Iraq, various locations in the Indian Ocean, Haiti, some islands of Polynesia and also Massachusetts; however, this list is not exhaustive. It should also be cast at night, when Andromeda is visible above the horizon.

The contact will be of a telepathic nature; rarely will these creatures assume physical form without a proper inducement. During the exchange, the caster must pit their POW against that of the creature on the Resistance Table: if the attempt fails, the caster is plunged into a suicidal depression with an onset time of 2d10+7 days.

Control Lloigor (Bind Lloigor)

Like other Bindings, this spell requires the expenditure of Magic Points, multiplied by 10 to give a base chance of taking control of the creature; if cast when Andromeda is above the horizon, a bonus of +10% is added. If successful, the Lloigor is bound to perform one task for the caster and then is free to leave. This is the dangerous part:

The Lloigor are resentful of any attempt to try and limit their freedom and to do so will incur their anger and, ultimately, their revenge. If the task to be performed is agreeable to them or to their worship of Ghatanathoa, they may be disposed to agree with the caster; if not they will cavil and complain in their duty and will seek retribution on the caster thereafter.

This may well be an inevitability: during the exchange, the caster must pit their POW against that of the creature on the Resistance Table; if the attempt fails, the caster is plunged into a suicidal depression with an onset time of 2d10+7 days.

Electric Pentacle

"I turned-to now to fit the Electric Pentacle, setting it so that each of its 'points' and 'vales' coincided exactly with the 'points' and 'vales' of the drawn pentagram upon the floor. Then I connected up the battery, and the next instant the pale blue glare from the intertwining vacuum tubes shone out..."

-William Hope Hodgson, The Gateway of the Monster

A rare defensive device pioneered by the ‘ghost finder’ Thomas Carnacki in the late Nineteenth Century. It is constructed using a bank of batteries and a complex arrangement of vacuum tubes connected to a series of rheostats and amplifiers. The device generates an intense blue light and emits a vibrating electric field which helps to disrupt the spiritual fields of ghosts and other vaporous entities, including ectoplasmic projections. The device is to be used in conjunction with a standard magical pentacle, as outlined in The Sigsand Manuscript and other occult texts and grimoires, and amplifies the effect of these magical diagrams. In practical terms, telepathic contact or any attempts to possess or influence an individual will not work across the field of the ‘Pentacle and spells which have similar effects are reduced in their effectiveness by 20%. Ghosts, wraiths, spectres or similar manifestations cannot move into or out of the span of the ‘Pentacle (although SAN loss for seeing any such manifestation is unaffected). Please note that the Electric Pentacle is not particularly durable, being constructed mainly of glass, and will break easily.

Blueprints and construction notes for creating this artefact are available by writing to Mr Thomas Carnacki, 472 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, London SW3.

The T’ai P’ing T’ao

This is a handful of spells taught and demonstrated throughout China in the various secret societies that abound there, especially the triad societies. The manipulation of these groups by the Tcho-tcho has meant that actual Mythos magic has taken root and has a measurable effect (if only by swelling the belief in the power of the sect through rumour). This body of lore is called the t’ai p’ing t’ao or ‘heavenly knowledge’ and was recorded in use up until, and during, the Boxer Rebellion. Many of these spells have found their way into common folklore, added into various Chinese grimoires and Mythos texts from the region: Keepers may add some or all of them with impunity into any Mythos tomes that their Investigators unearth while in China.

However, the Tcho-tcho are known to jealously guard power in its various forms and do not give up secrets lightly. Each of these spells has a mundane version which boils down to a bunch of legerdemain, chemistry and psychology and which may have been passed on instead of the true spell; as often, the spell faithfully recorded into an older book of lore is completely fraudulent. Wherever one of these spells is discovered, have the reader roll percentile die: a roll under 21% means that the spell is true and will work as described.

·        Bless / Blight Crops

This spell is most often used as a propagandist tool to turn the hatred of the peasantry against a specific group (in China, usually foreigners). It costs 6 Magic Points to Blight one acre of vegetation, along with 1d6 SAN; the same amount of Magic Points is needed to Bless a crop but there is no commensurate SAN loss.

The caster burns joss paper (sometimes called ‘gold paper’ or ‘Hell money’) whilst walking around the field to be affected in the darkness before moonrise. With the coming of dawn, the crop begins to be affected as per the desire of the caster; this usually takes a day to complete. If the caster loses any blood during the time in which the Blessing / Blight takes hold, the spell is nullified.

Non-magical version: Simply stated, the caster and his associates, under the cover of the moonless dark, traverse the field to be affected and do as much damage as they can, trying to make it look like the ‘will of Heaven’ Rice fields can be drained, branches broken, tubers uprooted and spoiled: much can be accomplished in this time. Some variants have a recipe for a nasty herbicide which speeds things along excellently.

·        Create Zombie

This is like all other similarly named spells in that it creates an undead agent from a dead body that will perform various limited directions as outlined by the caster. It is dissimilar though, in the fact that it is cast upon the living who, when killed, will then turn into the zombie warrior after death.

The caster burns ‘gold paper’ to invoke the will of the ancestors and to attract the attentions of Heaven. Then, upon strips of paper, written with a pen of pear wood, the caster inscribes a sutra to Yanluo Wang, the God of Hell, asking him to allow the warrior bearing the paper charm the ability to avenge his own death. Traditionally, this spell is cast upon those troops about to enter battle. With the expenditure of 5 Magic Points and 2 SAN points per individual affected, the charm will work as outlined.

At the next moonrise, the bearer of the charm will arise after being killed, reincarnated as a zombie, and will automatically resume the attack in which it was engaged at the moment of death.

Non-magical version: Under cover of darkness, the caster and his associates enter the battlefield and remove the dead bodies of the troops that have fallen. They then strip them of their clothing and the bodies are burned, buried or sunk. The clothes are then distributed among the next wave of troops with the imparted information that the robes and armour are somehow ‘enchanted’. To the defenders the next day, it appears that the corpses slain yesterday – with the rents and bloodstains still upon them - have risen to do battle once more.

·        Enchant Lance

The creation of this weapon requires the appropriate Craft skills for its manufacture. Enchanting the lance costs 1 POW and 4 SAN points. When finished, the ‘Lance does 1d10 points of damage and can Impale even those creatures not susceptible to Impaling damage.

Non-magical version: Usually just an old spear and a bunch of rhetoric are needed to convince the troops that this spear is holy and super-effective. Obviously, if the spear - decorated as it is with ‘gold paper’, tassels, sutras and whatnot – proves less than miraculous, then the fault lies with the (former) user, not with the instrument itself.

·        Flesh Ward

The Flesh Ward bestows points of Armour against non-magical attacks upon the recipient of the spell. The caster prepares talismans of paper, written with pear-wood pens, with sutras inscribed upon them. The recipients of the spell begin a frenzied dance accompanied by chanting and are fed a potion by the caster which facilitates the magic. With the expenditure of 4 SAN points the caster bestows immunity to the tune of 1d6 points of Armour per 1 Magic Point expended.

Non-magical version: The potion in both versions is simply a distraction, often alcohol or a home-brewed narcotic to deaden pain (in this century, opium). Once roused to an adrenalized fever-pitch by the dancing and chanting, the recipients of the spell often don’t even notice when they’ve been wounded anyway.

·        Implant Fear

This spell imbues an image with the ability to cause terror in all those who look upon it. In many battles with users of the t’ai p’ing t’ao, the main way that this spell is used is to cast it upon a ‘charm banner’, a large, brightly-coloured flag covered with mystical emblems and carried before an advancing force. All those who see the image must match their POW against the Magic Points (MPs) spent in the creation of the image. The spell requires a minimum of 5 MPs to be spent and costs 1d4 SAN points. The effect lasts until the next sunrise or sunset.

Non-magical version: in this iteration, the image is one that is as horrible as the creator can make it and its revelation is usually engineered in circumstances that allow the creator to heighten the drama of seeing it. Sometimes it is heralded by a collection of rumours promising evil to those who view the image; occasionally, the unveiling of the image is accompanied by shrill screams or weird music. Either way, this form of the spell works best against an opponent already willing to believe in its negative effects.

·        Summon Demon Fog

“Traffic had been brought a standstill some hours before; pedestrians there were none. King Fog held the city of London in bondage. The silence was appalling. P.C. Ireland felt as though he was enveloped in a wet blanket from head to feet...”

-Sax Rohmer, The Trail of Fu Manchu

This spell requires a circle of devotees who chant and burn ‘gold paper’ for the period of the exercise. Each participant spends a minimum 5 Magic Points and loses 1d4 SAN. The spell resembles Alter Weather but for the fact that it calls down only one specific meteorological effect – damp, oppressive fog. This fog lasts as many hours as Magic Points have been spent in its making and covers an area of about 1,000 feet radius per participant: visibility is reduced to practically naught. In the presence of those connected to the Summoning of the fog (cultists, creatures and so on), unearthly tendrils of the vapour visibly coil and probe, seeking to enter buildings, or thicken around light sources.

Non-magical version: Somewhat similar effects can be obtained with smudge pots, various chemical compounds and smoke. These are considerably more localised in effect and tend to be hot and dry, rather than cold and wet.

The Tyndalon

“‘They are lean and athirst!’ he shrieked... ‘All the evil in the universe was concentrated in their lean, hungry bodies. Or had they bodies? I saw them only for a moment, I cannot be certain.’”

—Frank Belknap Long, The Hounds of Tindalos

This symbol is somehow linked to the Hounds of Tindalos and is useful in any attempt to contact or destroy them. Like the Elder Sign, the drawn symbol is useless without the accompanying spell to enchant it; that being said, an unenchanted sketch of the Tyndalon makes an attempt to Contact a Hound more efficacious, the Hound appearing to the caster within 15 minutes, rather than an hour or more.

Enchanting the Tyndalon requires the sacrifice of 2 POW; if a Hound appears within 10 feet of such an image, its ability to regenerate damage is nullified. Further, if inscribed upon a weapon and then enchanted, that weapon is considered enchanted, but only in regard to Hounds of Tindalos and their kin. Note well, that a gun or bow inscribed with the symbol gains no tangible benefits; bullets and arrows so inscribed and enchanted do gain this capability. Grenades and other explosive devices accrue no benefits since – obviously - the symbol would be destroyed in the explosion.

(Source: Scott David Aniolowski, et.al., Sacraments of Evil: “Signs Writ in Scarlet”, 1993)

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