Introduction
The Naming Wheel
Animate
The animating invocation pours a swirling mass of pale blue fire into an object or creature and endows it with the rudiments of sapience, as well as the power to move about on its own with agility and purpose. Objects and creatures thus affected fall under the command of the caster, and fulfill the caster’s will to the best of their ability.
Targeting: Animate targets an object or creature the vaishineph can perceive.
Mechanics: Animate is resolved as a simple major action. Animate’s charge number must be greater than or equal to a target object’s target number (if it has one for other purposes) or to a target creature’s power number. Animate’s effect ends when the object or creature has exhausted their granted actions, or in the event that the object or creature is destroyed.
Limited Effect: If the animating Whisper is successful, then the target object comes to life, reconfigures itself to have animal-like limbs, moves at swift speed, and immediately undertakes one minor action and one major action at the caster’s discretion. If necessary, the object is assumed to have a relevant attribute for tests and saves equal to the caster’s supernal attribute that they used for the Whisper. When the animate effect ends, the object reconfigures itself back into its natural state, and lies dormant where it is. If the Whisper targets a creature, the creature immediately undertake two minor actions and two major actions at the caster’s discretion, in a row, without interruption, regardless of Truth roll results. The creature has the same physical capabilities it naturally would and uses its power number for contested actions. In either case, the call is always passed to the caster’s side when the animate effect ends, again, regardless of Truth roll results.
Subtle Casting: The animating Whisper can only be subtly cast on creatures, in which case, the Whisper’s effects are invisible and silent, those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering, and those who see the creature affected will believe that the creature acted under their own, strange volition.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, the caster may choose to destroy an object after the animate effect ends. Alternatively, as an empowered effect, animate can target multiple objects or creatures in a medium area, which act together as a non-player character mob.
Bind
The binding invocation painlessly drives a long and invisible spike through someone’s heart, fixing their freely made feelings, choices, and actions in place, and compelling them to continue in whatever course they have set for themselves, even if common sense or friendly persuasion would
Targeting: Bind targets a character the vaishineph can perceive.
Mechanics: Bind is resolved as a contested major action. Bind’s charge number must be greater than or equal to its target’s power number. Bind’s effect is maintained until the end of the scene, or until ten seconds after the caster’s perception of the affected character is broken, or until the target character suffers a condition.
Limited Effect: If a binding Whisper is successful, then the caster names a one word verb that the target has freely chosen to do or to believe or to feel. The target character must continue to perform that one word verb for the duration of the binding effect. Performing the named verb cannot directly result in the target character’s death.
Subtle Casting: Bind is always considered to be subtly cast. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering and those who see the target of the Whisper will not understand the cause of their strange actions.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, bind can target multiple characters in a medium area and must test against the highest power number among the targets in order to be successful.
Channel
The channel invocation unfolds the vaishineph's mind like a blossoming flower and connects it to all other sapient minds nearby, causing an explosion of sensory information within. By carefully sifting through the images, like a farmer through wheat, the vaishineph is able to lay claim to the vision of others and gain access to what they see.
Targeting: Channel targets the vaishineph themselves first and then other characters nearby.
Mechanics: Channel is resolved as a simple major action. The channel effect is maintained until the end of the scene, or until the caster moves or suffers a condition.
Limited Effect: If a channeling Whisper is successful, then the caster gains perception of all sapient beings in a large area centered on themselves. Then, within the same call, they can then choose any one of those beings and perceive the world through their senses.
Subtle Casting: Channel is always considered to be subtly cast. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering.
Empowered Effect: Channel does not have any empowered effects.
Darken
The darkening invocation creates gaseous indigo tentacles that smother light sources and thicken shadows with a deep moaning sound. As light turns to dark, the blackness seems to take on a liquid life of its own, pouring through cracks and swirling around people as if to drown them.
Targeting: Darken targets a small area the vaishineph can perceive.
Mechanics: Darken is resolved as a simple major action. The darken effect is maintained until the end of the scene or until the caster’s perception of the affected area is broken.
Limited Effect: If a darkening Whisper is successful, all artificial light sources; candles, torches, open flames, and relic lighting, are extinguished in a small area the vaishineph can perceive and the ambient darkness is increased such that a low light penalty (-3 to all actions relying on sight) is imposed on all characters within, or looking into, the affected area.
Subtle Casting: If the darkening Whisper is subtly cast, then its effect is invisible and silent, and it occurs slowly over the course of thirty to sixty seconds. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering. Those who see the target area of effect, or are in the target area of effect, will dismiss the darkening effect as the result of wind blowing out lights, or shadows naturally moving, or the sun, stars, or moon being hidden behind clouds.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, darken’s area of effect is increased to a large size. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, darken can cause opponents caught in its area of effect to suffer from the dispirited condition.
Exorcise
The exorcising invocation seizes upon some bit of magick with an invisible but vice-like grip and attempts to tear it apart from the inside out. As increasing magickal pressure is applied, showers of silver sparks and high pitched screeching sounds are thrown off. Then, with a deep and sudden crack, the magick breaks and gives way, dissolving into vapor.
Targeting: Exorcise targets any magickal effect the vaishineph can perceive.
Mechanics: Exorcise allows the vaishineph to forcibly end another magickal effect, prevent magick from taking effect, prevent a relic from working, or harm a creature of a supernal nature. Magickal effects ended by exorcise cannot be renewed for the rest of the scene. Exorcise is resolved as a simple major action, a contested major action, or as a martial attack, depending on its target.
Limited Effect: If an exorcising Whisper is successful, the targeted magick effect is forcibly ended and cannot be renewed from the remainder of the scene. If the target of the exorcising Whisper is a supernal creature, then it suffers one flush condition and one bashing condition, regardless of the Whisper’s degree of success. Exorcise cannot impose other takes, marks, or checks on supernal creatures.
Subtle Casting: If an exorcising Whisper is subtly cast, then the energies the invocation imposes and causes are completely invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering. Those who see the targeted magick of the exorcism will see it fade away. Those who see a supernal creature targeted by an exorcism will see them struck and harmed, but will not understand the cause.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, exorcise can target multiple magickal effects or supernal creatures in a medium area and must test against the highest power number or target number among the targets in order to be successful. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, exorcise can impose epic conditions, but only on epic units of a supernal nature.
Foresee
The forseeing invocation excites the manna in the vaishineph’s mind and causes strands of their perception to reach furtively into the future. Layered visions flood the vaishineph’s imagination, and with a gentle mental grasp, they can seize hold of one future and know it as plainly as sight knows the sun.
Targeting: Foresee targets the vaishineph themselves.
Mechanics: Foresee allows the vaishineph to retrospectively undertake actions in the recent past in order to affect their present situation, as a way of representing the vaishineph’s past knowledge of the future. Foresee is resolved as a simple major action test.
Limited Effect: If a foreseeing Whisper is successful, the vaishineph can immediately undertake two to three simple minor actions or one simple major action in the past few minutes, as though they had happened then. Failed actions in the past have no effect or consequence on the present, as if they were never attempted.
Subtle Casting: Foresee is always considered to be subtly cast. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, foresee can allow the vaishineph to undertake the actions in the past few hours, as above. As a double empowered effect, foresee can allow the vaishineph to undertake the actions up to forty eight hours in the past, as above.
Haunt
The haunting invocation creates thin vaporous tendrils that slide themselves into the nose, eyes, ears, and mouth of people or creatures and twist their thoughts and emotions. Those assaulted by the tendrils experience intense bouts of anxiety and paranoia, as well a visual and auditory hallucinations which often take the vague and shadowy form of whatever the person or creature fears most.
Targeting: Haunt can target any perceived opponent.
Mechanics: Haunt acts as, and is resolved as, a contested social attack. Haunt’s charge number must be greater than or equal to its target’s power number of target number.
Limited Effect: If a haunting Whisper is successful, then it adds the target’s risk to its degrees of success, and it can impose the weaken take, as well as the strike mark and the flush damage checks. Haunt has the flush damage type when imposing conditions.
Subtle Casting: If a haunting Whisper is subtly cast, then the tendrils it creates and unleashes are completely invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering. Those who see the target of the haunt will see them affected but will not understand the cause. The target themselves, although harmed by the effect, will not believe it to be supernal in nature, instead attempting to dismiss it as a figment of their imagination.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, haunt can target multiple opponents or objects in a small area and must test against the highest power number or target number among the targets in order to be successful. Alternatively, as an empowered effect, haunt can use the chaos damage type when imposing conditions.
Inscribe
The inscribing invocation illuminates the vaishineph’s mind and makes them aware of meaning and symbols in their rawest forms. Becoming aware of all things nearby written or drawn, the vaishineph can reach out with fiery mental fingers and use tiny trails of cobalt flame to write, edit, erase, or copy what they see.
Targeting: Inscribe targets written material nearby.
Mechanics: Inscribe is resolved as a simple major action. Its effects are permanent.
Limited Effect: If an inscribing Whisper is successful, then the caster gains perception of all written or drawn material in a large area centered on themselves and is capable of instantaneously reading any of it that is in a language in which they are literate. Then, within the same call, they can then choose any combination of the following, up to forty words total per cast: write words in any language the caster can speak and in any style they are physically capable of or can perceive, edit words in any language the caster can speak, erase any words, or copy words in any language the caster can speak to another writing material or surface nearby.
Subtle Casting: If an inscribing Whisper is subtly cast, then the trails of fire it creates and wields are completely invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering. Changes to texts happen in the blink of an eye, and people will likely assume they simply misread the text beforehand if they notice the change.
Empowered Effect: Inscribe does not have any empowered effects.
Lave
The vaishineph summons currents of phantom fire, blue as the deepest ocean, which wind and twist around them with playful whispers. At the vaishineph's direction, the currents shoot out far and wide, seeking out water, and then controlling it according to the vaishineph's will. The sizzling currents can cause water from deep beneath the ground to burst up in a geyser, or they can reshape water in the world into fantastical forms, or they can cause water to divide, withdraw, come crashing down in waves, or to carry people aloft as they stride across it.
Targeting: Lave targets water nearby and then other characters near the water.
Mechanics: Lave grants perception of and control over water nearby. Lave is resolved as a simple major action. The lave effect is maintained until the end of the scene or until the caster’s perception of the affected water is broken.
Limited Effect: If a laving Whisper is successful, then the caster gains perception of all water within a large area. Then, within the same call, they can then choose any combination of the following: summon water, causing it to burst forth from the ground beneath their feet; shape water, causing all water within a medium area to take on whatever shape or form the caster desires; traverse water, allowing the caster and any of their allies within a medium area to walk on the surface of water.
Subtle Casting: If a laving Whisper is subtly cast, then the phantom fire it creates is completely invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell they are Whispering. Lave’s effects are slowed when subtly cast, and take place over several minutes rather than seconds
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, lave can be used to attack with water. In this case, lave’s charge number must be greater than or equal to its target’s power number or target number, and lave acts as, and is resolved as, a contested martial attack of the bashing damage type. Lave can impose the disarm and force takes, as well as the strike mark and the lethal damage check execute. Attacks with lave always impose the weaken effect on success. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, lave's area of effect is increased to a very large area, roughly a mile in radius, both for perception and for control.
Refresh
The vaishineph conjures a brisk ethereal rain of silver and blue light that pours itself out over an area. Every mortal creature, every plant or tree or river, every bit of food or drink, every natural or growing thing that is touched by the supernal rain is made whole and pure. Wounds are healed. Sickness and disease are cured. Poison and rot is purged. Everything is made vital, lush, and healthy.
Targeting: Refresh targets a small area the vaishineph can perceive.
Mechanics: Refresh is resolved as a simple major action. Its effects are permanent.
Limited Effect: If a refreshing Whisper is successful, then, over the course of a few minutes, all harmful conditions on all mortal or natural creatures and things are healed or ended. Refresh cannot restore objects and cannot heal conditions or harm caused by ongoing supernal effects. Plants and vegetation are made exceptionally vital. Food and drink becomes fresh and delicious. Water is purified. Everything is made as clean and as pure as possible.
Subtle Casting: If a refreshing Whisper is subtly cast, then the rain it creates is invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell they are Whispering. Refresh’s effects are slowed when subtly cast, and take place over several hours rather than minutes.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, refresh’s area of effect is increased to a large size. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, refresh can bring a mortal person or creature that has been deceased for less than 48 hours back from the dead.
Smite
The smiting invocation gathers a writhing mass of blue and silver energies in the caster’s hands and discharges it like a bolt of lightning to strike down an enemy. The bolt strikes with the force of a giant hammer, explodes in a burst of silver light and crackling sound, and burns away whatever it touches with ribbons of blue fire.
Targeting: Smite can target any perceived opponent or object.
Mechanics: Smite acts as, and is resolved as, a contested martial attack. Smite’s charge number must be greater than or equal to its target’s power number or target number.
Limited Effect: If a smiting Whisper is successful, then it adds the target’s risk to its degrees of success, and it can impose the disarm and weaken takes, as well as the strike mark and the lethal damage check execute. Smite has the elemental damage type when imposing conditions.
Subtle Casting: If a smiting Whisper is subtly cast, then the energies the invocation gathers and discharges are completely invisible and silent. Those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering. Those who see the target of the smite will see them struck down and injured, but will not understand the cause.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, smite can target multiple opponents or objects in a small area and must test against the highest power number or target number among the targets in order to be successful. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, smite can use the epic damage type, but only when targeting an epic unit.
Ward
The warding invocation creates a hazy sphere of twisting silver light centered on the caster. The sphere gives off faint and unintelligible whispering sounds and forcefully repels a type of person or creature that draws near, preventing them from entering the sphere.
Targeting: Ward targets the vaishineph themselves.
Mechanics: Ward is either resolved as a simple major action test, if the type of person or creature repelled is not already within the sphere, or as a contested major action test, if the type of person or creature repelled is already within the sphere, in which case, the ward’s charge number must be greater than or equal to the affected people or creature’s power number. The ward is maintained until the end of the scene, or until the caster moves or suffers a condition.
Limited Effect: If a warding Whisper is successful, then a sphere covering a small area is created which inviolably repels and prevents entrance from one type of person or creature named by the caster. The type of person or creature must be describable with a single word, naming the person or creature’s kind, species, or profession. This limitation may be altered by evocations.
Subtle Casting: If the warding Whisper is subtly cast, those who see the vaishineph cannot tell that they are Whispering . The ward sphere itself is invisible and silent, and instead of being physically repelled or barred, those that the ward names are mentally repelled or barred. Those the ward names will not understand why they cannot move beyond a certain point, though they will deeply believe it on a subconscious level, and try to avoid it at all costs.
Empowered Effect: As an empowered effect, the ward continues its effect even as the caster moves, so long as they move at no more than an even speed. Alternatively, as a double empowered effect, the ward can be increased in size to cover up to a large area.
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