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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.

Waning Light Festival

Source Distant Shores pg. 53
School divination; Level 8
Casting Time 9 hours
Components V, S, F (each caster must wear a ceremonial costume worth 500 gp), SC (up to 12)
Skill Checks Knowledge (religion) DC 29, 3 successes; Perform (dance) DC 29, 3 successes; Perform (percussion) DC 29, 3 successes
Range primary and secondary casters
Duration 2 hours
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); SR no
Backlash All casters become exhausted and gain 1 temporary negative level (DC = 16 + the primary caster’s Charisma bonus to remove after the first day).
Failure All casters gain 1 temporary negative level (DC = 16 + the primary caster’s Charisma bonus to remove after the first day), and the primary caster takes 4d6 points of damage.

Effect

At the completion of the festival, the primary and secondary casters are charged with magical energy. For the next 2 hours, any creature they touch gains a resistance bonus on their next 5 saving throws equal to 1 for every 5 Hit Dice the primary caster possesses. It’s considered auspicious if it rains during the festival, even more so if thunder and lightning crack through the sky. If the ritual is performed in these conditions, the benefit is doubled, instead granting the bonus on saving throws for the next 10 saves.

Since the casters must touch a celebrant to bestow the boon, the 2-hour period after the ritual turns into a huge parade as the casters wind through the city to greet the populace. Segadans gather along the streets to reach out and touch one of the casters as they pass.