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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.

Hearthfire of Valenhall

Source Occult Origins pg. 26
School abjuration; Level 4
Casting Time 4 hours
Components V, S, F (a cold iron and silver lantern worth 5,000 gp), SC (up to 12)
Skill Checks Knowledge (arcana) DC 29, 2 successes; Survival DC 29, 2 successes
Range touch
Target one ship or vessel (up to one 10-ft. square/character level of the primary caster)
Duration 1 year
Saving Throw none; SR yes
Backlash The primary caster takes 2d6 points of fire damage, and all casters become exhausted.
Failure All casters become chilled and cannot warm themselves for 24 hours (treat as exposure to cold weather, regardless of outside conditions).

Effect

A closely guarded practice among the Linnorm Kings, this ritual descended from far more ancient traditions practiced by the Erutaki to survive at the Crown of the World. After hours of singing, woodcarving, and fire-building, the primary caster throws an iron lantern into a raging bonfire, then plucks it from the flames with a bare hand. The ritual imbues the lantern with an inextinguishable yellow flame for a single year. When hung from the prow or mast of a ship, the lantern projects a protective bubble in which the temperature never falls below 50° F, rain and snow never fall heavier than a light shower, winds never blow faster than strong, and the light never darkens beyond dim (though outside conditions created by extreme weather, such as ice flows or large waves, may still threaten the ship and crew). Anyone resting inside this space dries easily, and preserved food and water do not naturally spoil.

So long as the lantern hangs from a ship, its flame always flickers toward the east, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost.