By David Eber.
Darkness magic is the exclusive domain of Ming I, Queen of the Darkness Pagoda, the creator of these spells. They allow the spellcaster to create and manipulate darkness in various ways. Darkness magic is only taught to the Priests and Priestesses who serve Ming I.
This allows the priestess to act normally in complete darkness as per the Fu Schtick Friend of Darkness. This affect lasts a number of minutes equal to the Outcome of the spell. If the darkness is magical in nature, the priestess must beat the sorcery skill level of the spellcaster who created the darkness on a sorcery task check for this spell to work.
The priestess may magically create an area of inpenetrable darkness. This area covers a number of square meters equal to X, where is X = the Outcome of the sorcery task check for this spell. X is also the number of sequences this spell will last, and the distance in meters at which the spell may be cast. Note that the priestess herself will not be able to see unless she has cast Eyes of Darkness first.
This spell creates an area of magical darkness which has a paralytic effect on anyone trapped within it. Anyone who falls within this area must make a check on their Magic rating (or Sorcery skill) with the Priestesses Sorcery task check Action Result as the difficulty. Anyone who fails this check suffers X impairment and must subtract X from their Move score, where X = the difference between their Outcome and the difficulty. This spell covers an area in square meters equal to the priestesses Magic rating. The duration of this spell (in shots) and the distance at which it can be cast are also equal to the same. Note that the priestess herself is not immune to this spell's effects, though she may make her check with a +2 bonus.
The priestess may step into any area of shadow or darkness, becoming intangible and invisible. While in this state, the priestess may not cast any spells or interact with anything else in any way. She is still aware of her surroundings, and may travel within the shadows at her normal Move rating. She may not pass through solid objects, but she has no thickness so she may slip through door frames and the like. The priestess is also immune to all normal attacks. Magic, Chi, Arcanowave, and Creature power-based attacks can still affect her, though she is completely invisible while this spell takes effect. However, if she is targeted with a bright light she will stand out as a shadow. This spell lasts for a number of shots equal to the outcome of the priestesses' Sorcery task check. There must be sufficient shadow available for this spell to work.
The priestess creates a number of magical tendrils of darkness which slither around a target and enevelop him, draining his energy into the priestess. The priestess makes a sorcery task check with the Magic, Chi, or Sorcery rating of her target as the difficulty (whichever is highest). If successful, she drains a number of points from any one secondary attribute of her choice equal to the Outcome of the task check. She then also temporarily gains an increase in that attribute.
This spell takes 5 shots to cast, and it lasts a number of shots equal to the priestesses' Magic rating. After this time the victim begins to regain lost points -- and the priestess loses them -- at a rate of one point per shot. The effects of the spell on the victim will vary; a victim drained of all their DEX will be unable to manipulate anything, INT will reduce the victim to a catatonic state, CON will cause the victim to collapse, and so forth. Characters targeted by this spell may attempt to actively dodge, or they may also attempt to actively parry it with sorcery.
Last modified: August 1st, 1997; please send comments to durrell@innocence.com.