Detection Sphere

Diviners, Scryers

The Sphere of Detection concerns itself with the discovery of information, whether it is in the retrieval of secrets from another’s spirit or discovering enemies before they spring their ambush upon you. Invest in this Sphere if:

• You want to play a spellcaster focused on discovering information and secrets

• You want support abilities that help one’s allies succeed or improves upon their success

• You want to play a seer, an inquisitor, a visionary, or a researcher.

  
  

Relevant Rules: Ponder a Clue - Some NPCs can only partially block Inquiries/Examines. In lieu of answering, they will invoke “Clue” or give out a “Clue Card”. To use it:

• Write your chosen question(s) on the Clue Card or an index card. If you have multiple questions, they must all be there. You may add “if-then” contingencies on which to ask.

• Include your name or CSN, whichever you wish.

• Post it outside of Logistics and inform Game Staff after the current scenario.

• You will get your answer from Game Staff ASAP, reflecting your musings on the matter. However, if a Clue Card/Clue is unused, it disappears at the end of the Event.

  
  
  SPHERE OVERVIEW

Basic Skills

Detect Trace: Pursue an escaping enemy

Detect Presence: discover hidden beings or items

Detect Secret: Ascertain details about an individual

Detection Adept (ATN): No Focus cost or alternate use. 

Complex Skill

Detect Doom (Ritual; ATN): Gift yourself with the ability to sense danger

Detect Method (Ritual): Augment the Ritual of others

Detect Weakness: Peer into an enemy’s future to empower your attack against them.

Hypercognitive Detection (ATN): empowers complex spells

Erudite Skill

Clairsentient Aspect (ATN): Assume an aspect that improves your senses

Detect Hazard: Sense and protect against a trap or any similar hazard

Detect Truth (Ritual): Seek out a piece of knowledge out in the world.

Master of Divination: Mastery skill for the Detection sphere.

Sorcerous Inquisition(1/P): Pluck knowledge from a person’s mind or similar feats

BASIC SKILLS

DETECT PRESENCE

(Basic Detection; Active-Conc/Focus, Inquiry, Spell)

The Detect Presence spell allows a Scryer to focus their magically enhanced senses on the physical realm, allowing them to see and unveil hidden creatures and speak to spirits. Using this skill is outlined below:

• Step 1: Perform 10 counts of Concentration (aka EConc-10)

• Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 3: Loudly invoke "Detect Presence”

• Step 4: Gain the "Perceiving" status for the next 10 minutes.

While Perceiving:

• See hidden: You can see Concealed individuals (crossed arms over chest) and Spirits (purple/blue headbands).

• Talk to spirits: Spirits can understand you if you are within step and arm’s reach

• Additional info: A Game Marshall may point out a Concealed item to you or clarify an unknown facet of the current situation to you.

• Unveiling-1: To remove “Concealment” from a target, invoke “Unveil” and touch them with a hand/weapon or ranged packet/dart. This does no damage and it ends your Perceiving status unless you get the ability to do it multiple times.

• Use Unveiling on a body before Scavenging it to defeat a use of the Conceal Item skill.

Limitations: You can act/attack normally except as below.

• Keep an empty hand to your brow (as though shielding your eyes from the sun) or be holding a lamp/lantern at chest height or higher. Failing to do this ends “Perceiving”

• This means that you can only attack with one handed weapons.

• Damage does not disrupt you from Perceiving but being unable to use Active Skills will do so (e.g. being Downed or receiving a Pain effect).

• This cannot reveal a person that is under a Superior Concealment effect.

Etheric Scavenging (EConc-10): After at least EConc-10, say “Scavenge” instead of “Perception” while within arm’s reach of a body or an open container. This allows you to more quickly search and take items from containers or bodies.

DETECT SECRET

(Basic Detection; Active-Conc/Focus, Inquiry, Spell)

A core spell in a Diviner’s arsenal, this Detect Secret allows its caster to enter a temporary state of enhanced empathic sensitivity to the spirits of others. The subjects of this spell are vaguely aware of your scrutiny but not the specifics thereof.

• Step 1: Perform EConc-10 while in arm’s reach and a step of a living or dead creature.

• Step 2: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 3: Invoke “Detect Secret”

• Step 4: Ask one of the questions below out of game OR invoke “Clue”. Clarify this if needed: They must negate this, invoke “Clue”, or truthfully answer in a whisper. “I don’t know” is a valid answer

Once you use this on someone, you may not use it again on them until the next Period or next Hour (whichever comes last).

Use on Players: Using this on another Player may count as a minor PVP action.

Spirit Speaker (EConc-10): Invoke “Spirit Speaker” to sharpen your sight enough to see spirits (wears purple headband) and speak to them. This lasts 10 minutes.

DETECT TRACE

(Basic Detection; Active-Focus, Pursuit, Spell)

The Detect Trace spell allows a Scryer to track individuals that have left the area recently. This is used for countering Escape effects, as per below:

• Step 1: An Escape effect is used within 30 feet of you

• Step 2: As a Reaction to it, expend 1 Focus within 3 seconds of its use

• Step 3: Invoke “Detect Trace”

• Step 4: When your target goes out of game (OOG) from using the Escape effect, you may follow them.

Additional Notes and Effects:

-- You are OOG until your prey re-enters the game (after Escape 60), putting a hand or a weapon atop your head to signal this.

-- You must not attempt to get closer while you are OOG

-- Bring 2 Allies: You are able to bring two willing allies with you on your Pursuit. They must be within arm’s reach and a step of you when you invoke this spell.

Spell Restrictions:

• Proximity: You must be within approximately 30 feet when the target uses the Escape effect. Also, you must invoke “Pursue Quarry” within the next 3 seconds.

• Mobility: You cannot have your movement penalized by a Control effect.

• Go away: After leaving a battle or a similar situation using this Skill, you may not return to it until at least 10 minutes have passed.

• Superior Escape effects cannot be Pursued without special mechanics.

DETECTION ADEPT

(Basic Detection; Active-Task/CMP/ATN)

This skill allows a Scryer to attune themselves to the Detection Sphere. This takes up one of their Attunements but has the benefit of enhancing and improving their spells -- making them less taxing to perform. Activating this skill is outlined below:

Step 1: Label this ATN as “DTC Adept <your magic tradition>”

Step 2: Perform 1+ minutes of role-play that reflects communion with magic

Step 3: Expend five Minor components (Tradition-based). You can waive this Component (CMP) cost by allowing it to take up 2 ATN slots instead of 1 ATN. You cease to benefit from this Adept ATN if either ATN slot becomes inert or afflicted.

Animantic tradition: Astral or Wind CMP

Diabolic tradition: Abyssal or Shadow CMP

Talismanic tradition: Lightning or Earth CMP

This allows you to perform your Arcane Tradition’s Somatic Gesture to empower your Detection spells as per below:

-- Detect Presence: You may perform your Arcane Tradition’s Somatic Gesture to empower this spell, waiving the Focus cost. For Diabolists, instead of receiving a Pain or a Stun effect as part of their Gesture, they are not able to use any defenses while Perceiving.

-- Detect Secret: You may perform your Arcane Tradition’s Somatic Gesture to waive the Focus cost. If you are out of combat (no fighting within 50 feet, sight, and hearing), you may also choose to ask a second question from Detect Secret’s list as an Aftereffect.

-- Detect Trace: Waive the Focus cost by turning the spell into a proactive one, as per below.

• Step 1: Be within approximately 30 feet of the targets you want to “trace”

• Step 2: Perform your Tradition’s Somatic Gesture to waive the Focus cost

• Step 3: Invoke “Detect Trace” to set a magical trace on everyone within range.

• Step 4: Afterward, you may invoke “Expert Pursuit” as a Reaction to an Escape effect within 30 feet of you that was “traced”.

This must be within 10 minutes or the end of the current combat -- however, this ends prematurely and must be cast again if you are Downed. For the purposes of this Skill, an NPC respawning as the same type of foe counts as the same individual.

COMPLEX SKILLS

DETECT DOOM

(Complex Detection; Active-Ritual/ATN/CMP, Melee/Ranged/Ambush-Defense, Spell)

Requires: Any two basic Detection skills

This is a ritual spell that applies an ongoing effect to the Diviner, giving them a sense of forewarning that assists in their self-defense. Take note that you can only perform one Craft or Ritual per Period. Its use is outlined below

• Step 1: Fill out a Craft-Ritual sheet

• Step 2: Label the recipient’s empty ATN slots with “Detect Doom” and have Game Staff sign off on it. This ATN expires at the end of the Event.

• Step 3: Give Game Staff 5 Minor CMP (Astral or Tradition based)

• Step 4: Perform 10+ minutes of roleplay that reflects this magical Ritual

• Step 5: At the end of the role-play, resolve the effects that do not require any Game Staff intervention and clarify anything if needed. The recipient of this Ritual gains the abilities below:

— Deflect Doom: You may use the Parry defense, outlined in the Defender Discipline’s Stalwart Defender skill.

— Uncanny Parry: You may grant the “Uncanny” augment to your Parry defense as well as your Dodge or Block defenses (if you have the ability to perform them). Doing so allows you to defend against an ambush attack or use Parry while affected by a Blind effect.

Augmented Ritual: If your Ritual action is Augmented by an ally’s Skills, you may choose between one of the following bonuses:

• Bonus Output: You may affect yourself and/or 1-2 Bonded allies, paying the CMP cost for each.

• Bonus Quality: Your spell grants the use of the Deft Deflection skill.

DETECT METHOD

(Complex Detection; Active-Ritual, Assist, Spell)

Requires: Any two basic Detection skills

A useful skill for Scryers with Builder or Ritualist allies, the Detect Method spell allows its caster to play assistant to a ritual or craft user. Its usage is outlined below:

• Step 1: Assist 1-5 allies in filling out their Craft-Ritual sheets

• Step 2: Assist those allies’ 10+ minute Ritual or Craft actions

• Step 3: Expend your Ritual action for the Period and partake in their role-playing, acting as a guide and an assistant. You cannot use another Craft or Ritual until the next Period.

• Step 4: Their Craft/Ritual action is Augmented and they may choose between that skill’s Bonus Output Augment or Bonus Quality Augment.

Augmented Ritual: This spell cannot be Augmented for Bonus Output or Bonus Quality.

DETECT WEAKNESS

(Complex Detection; Active-Conc, Aug-Attack, Spell)

Requires: Any two basic Detection skills

This spell allows you to peer into an enemy’s near future, perusing the possibilities and using that to your advantage when attacking them.

• Step 1: Choose one enemy that you can see to make an imperfect forecast of them

• Step 2: Perform EConc-3 while touching an Ammo/Knife pack you are wearing

• Step 3: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 4: Invoke “Detect Weakness”

• Step 5: Choose one of the options below:

— Option 1: Prescient Projectile — Perform a Basic Ranged attack without the Targeting count. This attack becomes a Piercing attack and uses the attack’s normal effect/damage.

— Option 2: Lend Prescience — Alternatively, you may grant this power to an ally you touch instead of yourself. If necessary, clarify that their next melee attack within the next 30 seconds inflicts “Piercing 2 damage”, provided that attack is against the enemy you have chosen.

HYPERCOGNITIVE DETECTION

(Complex Detection; Active-Task/ATN/CMP)

Requires: Any two basic Detection skills, including Detection Adept

This is an upgrade of the Detection Adept skill and it allows said skill to empower the Detection spells listed below instead of merely Basic Detection spells.

While you have the Detection Adept Attunement, you are able to harness its observational properties in a stronger capacity, as reflected below:

-- Detect Doom: While attuned to the energies of Detection, your spell also grants the use of “Dodge”, “Block”, and “Guard”.

-- Detect Method: While attuned to the energies of Detection, you may augment the spell to change its purpose.

Instruct Method: Instead of its normal effect, you open the minds of 1-5 allies (including yourself) to knowledge -- this functions similar to the Instruction skill of the Scholar Discipline allowing every recipient to teach each other any number of their Basic or Complex Skills. This costs 0 CMP for Basic Skills and 3 Basic CMP for each Complex skill.

-- Detect Presence: While attuned to the energies of Detection, you may perform two additional Unveilings while under the effects of the Perceiving Status.

-- Detect Secret: While attuned to the energies of Detection, You may choose from the following options to the Detect Secret list.

-- Detect Weakness: While thusly attuned to the energies of Detection, you may perform your Tradition’s Somatic Gesture, this waives the spell’s Focus cost. Also you may prefix its invocation with “Hypercognitive” to gain one of the two augments below:

Improved Damage: The Ranged attack you perform and the Melee attack that you grant has its damage increased by any bonuses you have to Spell Damage or any ability to change spell type. This cannot inflict more than 5 points of damage.

Prescient Spell: You may imbue yourself or an ally with this Insight -- the next damaging Spell your target performs against the chosen enemy inflicts +X more damage than normal and becomes Piercing, if it is not Piercing yet. Your target has 30 seconds to use this benefit before it expires. X is equal to any bonuses to Spell Damage that you currently enjoy. Your ally must still adhere to the limits to spell damage.

ERUDITE SKILLS

CLAIRSENTIENT ASPECT

(Erudite Detection; Active-Task/ATN, Aspect)

Requires: Any two Basic Detection skills and any two Complex Detection skills

This spell allows a Scryer to assume a powerful divining aspect that improves their ability to see the future, defend their allies and even resist being blinded.

• Step 1: Have no other Aspect ATNs on your person

• Step 2: Write “Clairsentient Aspect” to two empty ATN slots

• Step 3: Perform 5+ minutes of meditation in private

• Step 4: Gain the benefits and limitations below. This Aspect lasts for 1 Event.

After you have completed these requirements above, you gain the following effects below.

Clairsentient Guidance: Similar to Versatile Artisan, you can work alongside allies and assist them. They only need EConc/Conc-10 next time they Repair weaponry, Disarm devices, or Patch armor (Conc-5 for Treat Injury). You must also focus on the task at hand.

Clairsentient Sentinel: You may use the Intervene or Guard defenses to protect others, similar to the Guardian Ally skill of the Defender Discipline.

Clairsentient Sight: You are able to see with great visual acuity. You may invoke “no effect” against Blind strikes and Blind Wounds

Clairsentient Inquiry: When you use Detect Secret or Sorcerous Inquisition, you can ask a 2nd and 3rd question as an Aftereffect. Choose it from the same list. You have to be out of Combat.

Critical Weakness: When you use Detect Weakness, you may opt for the following Aftereffect -- perform a packet/foam dart attack whose damage is equal to the Overflow value of your Detect Weakness (Overflow damage = Uncapped Damage minus 5). This 2nd attack cannot exceed 5 damage and has a minimum of 1 damage.

Sense Doom: You are granted the Detect Doom ATN’s effects. If you have learned that spell, you gain the benefit of its Bonus Quality augment. This does not require an additional ATN slot.

Violence Empathy: Your melee attacks cannot inflict more than 1 point of damage because you are sensitive to the pain you inflict upon others. This does not affect non-melee attacks.

DETECT HAZARD

(Erudite Detection; Active-Focus, Trap-Defense, Attack-Aug, Attack-Defense, Spell)

Requires: Any two Basic Detection skills and any two Complex Detection skills

Mere knowledge of this spell imparts a useful oracular ability to the Scryer -- they are able to defend themselves from unseen pitfalls, defend allies from attack or even lend accuracy to their own attacks.

• Step 1: Expend 1 Focus

• Step 2: invoke “Detect Hazard”

• Step 3: Choose one option below:

-- Option 1: Negate Trap -- Negate the effects of a Trap or Backlash effect upon yourself and one individual that is Bonded to you and within reach of your hand or melee weapon. It must have dealt 5 or less damage or a Control effect.

-- Option 2: Intercept -- Invoke “Detect Hazard, negate” but use it to negate a ranged or melee attack on 1-3 allies within the next 3 seconds. This does not work against Master-type attacks.

-- Option 3: Precision -- Immediately re-try a single melee or ranged attack that you performed within the next 5 seconds. This attack must have missed or have otherwise been negated. if this second attempt is negated/misses again, then the Focus cost of this Spell is refunded but you receive “Pain 5” from the false future you saw.

Additional Options: Below are options that are accessible to those with a specific Tradition. Using them replaces the name of the spell with the name in quotations.

-- Animantic Tradition: “Spirit of Warning” -- Set your Animus on watch to defend Bonded allies against an attack in the near future. Touch 1-5 Bonded allies and clarify the following, if needed: “You have a 0 Focus use of Parry, usable within the next 10 minutes. Invoke it as ‘Expert Parry’ when you use it.

-- Diabolic Tradition: “Watchful Blood” -- Set your Eldritch Guest on watch, warning you against attack. When you do this -- you have two 0 Focus uses of “Expert Parry” or “Expert Dodge” that are usable within the next 10 minutes. As an Aftereffect of the second use, invoke and gain “Resolve 3”.

-- Talismanic Tradition “Wand of Warning” -- Invoke this spell to enter a state of protectiveness. You gain three 0 Focus uses of the Guard defense that are usable within the next 10 minutes, invoked as “Expert Guard”. As an Aftereffect of the third use, invoke and gain “Resolve 3”.

DETECT TRUTH

(Erudite Detection; Active-Ritual, Research, Spell)

Requires: Any two Basic Detection skills and any two Complex Detection skills

After a ritual of contemplation and augury, this spell allows you to send your spirit out into the world and seek out answers that are commonly known but not personally known by yourself. While the answers received can be limited in scope, this may pave the way for further investigation or be of sufficient warning to the caster.

• Step 1: Fill out a Craft-Ritual sheet

• Step 2: Give Game Staff 5 Minor CMP (Astral or Tradition based)

• Step 3: Perform 10+ minutes of roleplay that reflects this magical Ritual

• Step 4: Submit a research question to Staff on an index card or similar medium on the board next to the Logistics room. By the end of the next Period, if not the end of the Event, you will have your answer posted on the research board.

Alternatively, you may perform this Research for 0 CMP by delving into Library Lane to seek out the answers yourself via an NPC shift at least 3 hours long.

Research Process: The question asked must be on an index card (with your in-game name or CSN) and pinned to the note board near the Staff area – other players are allowed to read these notes. This question has the limits below:

• The answer will be no more than 3-5 sentences

• The status of Library Lane or the Crossroads can help with this skill’s scope.

• Secret knowledge and forbidden lores cannot be gained from this skill (e.g. the weaknesses of specific individuals or whereabouts of hiding fugitives)

Special Note: Research is only one avenue of getting information. Writing letters to important figures or requesting a Guild use Guild Tracking between Events are other ways.

Additional Options: Below are options that are accessible to those with a specific Tradition. Using them replaces the name of the spell with the name in quotations.

-- Animantic Tradition: “Spirit of Enlightenment” -- Teach yourself and/or 1-5 allies any number of Basic or Complex skills, whether known or unknown to the Animancer, similar to the Instruction skill. This requires the expenditure of three Basic CMP (Tradition-based) for each Skill taught in this way.

-- Diabolic Tradition: Enlightened Blood”-- Teach yourself 1 Erudite skill that you currently do not possess. This costs 3 Rare CMP (Tradition Based) but your maximum HP may not exceed 7 HP, you may never have more than 3 Aegis or Resolve. These persist for the remainder of the current Event.

-- Talismanic Tradition Wand of Enlightenment” -- Assist a Bonded ally who is Crafting to temporarily grant them knowledge of how to Craft an Advanced item with any Augment, waiving the Skill requirements for doing so. They must be able to make a Basic Item of that type already. Your Craft-Ritual action is spent in place of theirs.

Augmented Ritual: If your Ritual action is Augmented by an ally’s Skills, you may choose between one of the following bonuses: 

• Bonus Output: You may ask one additional Research Question, Enlightened Blood can teach 2 Erudite Skills for 6 Rare CMP, and Spirit of Enlightenment can teach 5 additional students.

• Bonus Quality: Wand of Enlightenment can allow the crafting of a Superior item.

MASTER OF DIVINATION

(Erudite Detection; Active-Ritual/Event, Masterspell)

Requires: Any two Basic Detection skills and any two Complex Detection skills, including Hypercognitive Detection

You have reached the apex of proficiency with the Detection Sphere. This skill represents this expertise, allowing you greater flexibility and utility with Detection rituals and its periodic spells.

Detect Presence: You can use Unveiling two additional times before it disrupts Perceiving. With Hypercognitive Detection, this is a total of Unveiling-5.

Detect Method and Hypercognitive Detection: When you use these skills to teach a group, you can teach your Erudite skills to your allies (maximum of 1 per learner), This costs 3 Rare CMP (Tradition-based) per learner for each Erudite skill.

Painful Weakness: When you use Detect Weakness, you can opt for your first attack to inflict one of the following effects instead of damage: “Pain”, “Hobble”, or “Knockback”.

Masterspell Action (1/Event): Perform a Masterspell action once per Event, benefiting from one or both effects below. This does not expend the use of other Masterspell skills in the same Event.

• Option 1: Masterful Rituals -- When you use a Detection Ritual or Sorcerous Inquisition, it does not expend your Periodic use of that Skill for the current Period. If its use involves invoking its name, preface it with “Master of Divination”

• Option 2: Master of Divination, Detect Secret -- You may affect this spell as though you had used Supreme Observation (Reader) upon it, allowing you to use said spell from a distance.

Metamagic Augmentation skill (Channeler): If you have this Skill, you can use your mastery of Detection on your Basic/Complex spells. you can augment and invoke Basic/Complex spells with “Prophesied”. If it is negated by a Defense or misses, you may strike with it again as an Aftereffect.

SORCEROUS INQUISITION

(Erudite Detection; Active-Periodic, Inquiry, Spell)

Requires: Any two Basic Detection skills and any two Complex Detection skills

This spell allows a Scryer to open their perceptions to all realms. This allows them to glean information or weaknesses from a target, or glean great amounts of information for their targets, allowing them access to their target’s knowledge

Once per Period, invoke “Sorcerous Inquisition” and choose one of the options below to use this Skill. As a Periodic Skill, once this is used, it cannot be used again until the next Period and after you have completed a 10 minute Rest.

-- Option 1: Perception — Similar to Detect Presence, this allows you to enter the Perceiving state for up to 10 minutes. You may perform any number of Unveiling attempts, although you may only affect an individual once per use of this Skill.

-- Option 2: Doom — You may use your foreknowledge to decree a terrible doom upon a single enemy. This function is similar to “Detect Weakness”. wherein you touch three nearby allies and clarify the following to all of them: “your next basic melee or ranged attack against <specific enemy> inflicts ‘Piercing 7 damage’ instead of their normal effect. This must be within the next minute. '

-- Option 3: Inquiry — Usable only out of combat, you may ask one of the following questions below to a target, similar to the Detect Secret spell -- unlike the Mental Deduction skill or the Detect Secret spell, these questions are not in the “yes or no” format.

-- Option 4: Detect Scrying — Determine the name of someone attempting to scry upon you or remotely use deduction upon you. You must be aware that the Scrying has happened and it must have happened within the last 10 minutes.

Additional Options: Below are options that are accessible to specific Traditions.

-- Animantic Tradition — Add the following question to your list of Inquiry Questions: “Inquiry! What is your religion, if you have one?”

-- Diabolic Tradition — Add the following question to your list of Inquiry Questions: “Inquiry! What is one of your Parents’ names?” (this has no effect if the target does not know the answer themselves)

-- Talismanic Tradition — Gain an additional option -- you may determine who is Fate-Bound to an item in your hand. You get at least a name which people use to refer to them (not a title).