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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.

Waking the Drowned God

Source Occult Realms pg. 59
School conjuration (calling); Level 9
Casting Time 9 hours
Components V, S, F (a piece of Tychilarius’s body), SC (at least 4, up to 12)
Skill Checks Knowledge (arcana) DC 35, 2 successes; Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 35, 2 successes; Knowledge (planes) DC 35, 5 successes
Range close
Target one helpless or willing creature with at least 11 HD
Duration instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw none; SR no
Backlash The primary caster and all secondary casters each take 1d4 points of Intelligence damage.
Failure The primary caster is immediately pulled into the Dark Tapestry and killed. No means can locate the primary caster’s remains or return her to life.

Effect

The primary caster begins the ritual by placing the focus in a pool of water that measures at least 30 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 50 feet deep. After this is done, the secondary casters surround the pool and perform ceremonial chants and wild supplications to the Drowned God, while the primary caster whispers the horrifying truths of Tychilarius into the target’s ear. The unspeakable horror and veracity of the whispers create a stronger bond between the target and the Drowned God. The ritual casters then place the target inside the pool.

If the ritual succeeds, the vast and alien mind of Tychilarius overwhelms the target. The Drowned God immediately and hideously transforms the target’s body and irrevocably destroys it, replacing the gory remains with the writhing form of Tychilarius, now freed from its prison and unleashed to wreak the destruction it craved so hungrily, and for so long, in its unknown prison. The target is annihilated and can be restored to life only with a miracle or wish spell.