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Occult Rituals

Occult Rituals

It’s a common belief that only those initiated in the rites and practices of arcane, divine, or psychic magic can cast spells, but this is not strictly true. Hidden within dusty libraries and amid the ramblings of lunatics lie the mysteries of another form of spellcasting—occult ritual magic. These spells are rare, coveted by both those eager to gain their power and those wishing to hide their existence. Most traditional spellcasters consider these rituals dangerous and uncontrollable, something to be avoided or used as a last resort. They fear the power these ceremonies grant to the uninitiated, as the rituals allow those with only a glimmering of understanding the ability to interact with the underlying fabric of magic.

While anyone can attempt to cast occult rituals, the process is fraught with peril. The strange and intricate incantations are often challenging to perform with precision, and failure can weaken the casters or even unleash horrors upon the world. Even when successfully performed, each occult ritual has a price—a backlash that affects at least the caster leading the ritual, and often those assisting in its performance.

Click here for the full rules on Occult Rituals.

Beacon Retriever Source Pathfinder #135: Runeplague pg. 75 School conjuration (calling) [chaotic, evil]; Level 8 Casting Time 8 hours Components V, S, M (rare incenses and expensive phosphorescent inks used to scribe a conjuring diagram, collectively worth 25,000 gp, or the sacrifice of a sapient good-aligned creature of CR 15 or higher), SC (up to the Charisma modifier of the primary caster) Skill Checks Craft (armor, clockwork, or weapons) DC 28, 2 successes; Knowledge (arcana) DC 28, 2 successes; Knowledge (planes) DC 28, 2 successes; Perception DC 28 2 successes Range 5 ft. Effect one summoned retriever Duration instantaneous Saving Throw none; SR no Backlash All casters take 2d6 points of damage. Failure The primary caster is exhausted; furthermore, the retriever arrives uncontrolled and immediately attacks the primary caster. The retriever vanishes back to the Abyss if the primary caster is slain or after 10 minutes have passed, whichever comes first. Effect The caster lights the rare incense and then scribes a complex conjuring diagram on the floor using glowing inks, then must focus on the runes to look through reality into the Abyss while reciting the methods by which a retriever can be shaped into being from raw Abyssal quintessence. If the ritual is successful, a retriever is conjured at the caster’s location. The retriever is loyal to the caster but will perform only one service before it vanishes back to the Abyss. If the service takes longer to perform than a number of years equal to the primary caster’s level, the retriever vanishes at the end of this duration, even if its service is not yet complete.

Beacon Retriever

Source Pathfinder #135: Runeplague pg. 75
School conjuration (calling) [chaotic, evil]; Level 8
Casting Time 8 hours
Components V, S, M (rare incenses and expensive phosphorescent inks used to scribe a conjuring diagram, collectively worth 25,000 gp, or the sacrifice of a sapient good-aligned creature of CR 15 or higher), SC (up to the Charisma modifier of the primary caster)
Skill Checks Craft (armor, clockwork, or weapons) DC 28, 2 successes; Knowledge (arcana) DC 28, 2 successes; Knowledge (planes) DC 28, 2 successes; Perception DC 28 2 successes
Range 5 ft.
Effect one summoned retriever
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; SR no
Backlash All casters take 2d6 points of damage.
Failure The primary caster is exhausted; furthermore, the retriever arrives uncontrolled and immediately attacks the primary caster. The retriever vanishes back to the Abyss if the primary caster is slain or after 10 minutes have passed, whichever comes first.

Effect

The caster lights the rare incense and then scribes a complex conjuring diagram on the floor using glowing inks, then must focus on the runes to look through reality into the Abyss while reciting the methods by which a retriever can be shaped into being from raw Abyssal quintessence. If the ritual is successful, a retriever is conjured at the caster’s location. The retriever is loyal to the caster but will perform only one service before it vanishes back to the Abyss. If the service takes longer to perform than a number of years equal to the primary caster’s level, the retriever vanishes at the end of this duration, even if its service is not yet complete.

Archives of Nethys

Occult Rituals

Beacon Retriever

Effect