Xenotheurgic Anchor 

Xenotheurge, Alienist


The Xenotheurgic Anchor draws on power from between worlds and in the dark of the cosmos. It is akin to a strange type of meditation and enlightenment. Unlike the Deotheurge, they do not worship the shadows between the stars -- they recognize the power the Anchor may bring and the danger that it poses to the unwary. More so than the Necrotheruge, these Spellcasters and Arcanists fall to madness in startling frequency.

Choose this Theurgic Anchor if:

  • You want to play a Channeler that delves into cosmic horrors beyond his understanding or strength.

  • You want to improve on many different aspects of your character at cost to their sanity.

  • You are willing to see the destruction or obliteration of your character for power.

Xenotheurgic Anchoring Rite (Long Task)

  • Step 1: Label an empty Attunement (ATN) as “Xeno Anchor”

  • Step 2: Spend 5+ minutes of meditation/delirium while in the Downed state OR while affected by a Venom Tonic, OR at a Outsider Obelisk/Biomancery hatchery

  • Step 3: You become Anchored to Xenotheurgy, gaining the benefits below, and Xeno Cognition (or Greater Cognition, with an Outsider Obelisk or Biomancer Hatchery).

While thusly attuned to the Xenotheurgic Anchor, you are granted the benefits and disadvantages listed below for its duration

Prop Requirements for Xenotheurgy

-- Animantic Tradition: Your Animus Crown must display the icons of Xenotheurgy: tentacles, distant stars, and/or the darkness in the sky.

-- Diabolic Tradition: You gain at least three purple, blue or black whorls or wavy lines that radiate upon one or both eyes or from your Kha if you have the Psionic Stigmata.

-- Talismanic Tradition: You must wear a Xenotheurgic Talisman on your person. This can be a Green, Red and/or Black gemmed tiara, crown or circlet. Alternatively, you may keep a runed collar around your neck.

Xenotheurgic Anchor Effects:

While thusly attuned to the Xenotheurgic Anchor, you are granted the benefits and disadvantages listed below for its duration

-- Warp Sorcery (Aug, Aftereffect): By augmenting a spell and prefacing it with “Xenotheurgic”, increase its damage by +1 and/or turn the damage of your spell into Psychic. This adheres to the usual damage cap of 5.

As an Aftereffect after a Xenotheurgic Spell, you may throw a spell packet that inflicts “Blind” but doing so afflicts the same on you whether you hit or miss.

-- Warp Healing (Aug): By augmenting a spell and prefacing it with “Xenotheurgic”, you may increase the healing or Resolve it grants by +1; this may not exceed 5 points. You immediately receive a “Blind” afterward if this Spell affects you (this is not an Aftereffect).

-- Eldritch Research (Ritual): You are able to use the Detect Truth spell to research a topic. Instead of costing you CMP, this occupies one of your empty ATN or replaces a beneficial ATN of your choice with Abyssal Terror which expires at the end of Event. Abyssal Terror’s effects are as follows and escalate the more of it that you have.

  • Dread (at 1 ATN): Psychic, Flame, and Lightning are BANE damage to you.

  • Despair (at 2-3 ATN): You can’t have more than 3 Aegis or Resolve 3

  • Reverence: (at 4-5 ATN): You die when you are brought to Critical

  • Dark Enlightenment (at 6+ ATN): Warp Healing/Sorcery grants a +2 instead of a +1 and you receive a secret and minor Warp Gift whenever you gain a Grave Scar.

-- Xeno Ritual (Ritual): When you use a Ritual spell or attune yourself to a Sphere, you can waive the CMP cost if it is 1 Basic or less in exchange for one ATN of Abyssal Terror. This also allows you to bypass any restrictions to what Spheres you can use, if you take 1 more ATN.

-- Weakened Will: You are unable to negate the Dominate effect or the Frenzy effect via any Defense or Skill. It may be Cured from you by other people. This may result in a lack of trust from certain organizations and therefore, an inability to progress in them.

Xenotheurgic Hexes and Xeno-Cognition

Gaining Xeno-Cognition:

  • Option 1: Perform the Anchoring Rite while Downed or with a Venom tonic

  • Option 2: Perform the Anchoring Rite at an Outsider Obelisk/Biomancer Hatchery to gain Greater Cognition

  • Option 3: Complete a 10+ minute rest in the same Period where you suffered a Death Blow or stayed Downed for at least a minute.

  • Option 4: Complete a Rest at a Outsider Obelisk/Biomancer Hatchery to gain Greater Cognition

Similarly, completing a Rest at an Outsider Obelisk or a Biomancer Hatchery, you are granted “Greater Xeno-Cognition”, followed by an identical Blindness and Pain.

Using Xeno-Cognition:

Expend Xeno Cognition to perform any of the following Xenotheurgic Hexes. You may only have one instance of Xeno-Cognition (Greater or otherwise) at a time.

Greater Cognition allows you to use the Hex twice per Rest. Augment and prefix the second use with “Greater” and imbue yourself with “Heal 2” as an Aftereffect.

-- “Doorway Hex” -- After EConc-3, you may invoke this Hex and immediately perform an Escape effect as per Obfuscate Exodus. This represents you stepping into a space and vanishing from sight, leaving only scant traces of your flight.

-- “Wrathful Hex” -- After EConc-3, you may invoke this and launch 1-3 packets/foam darts that inflict either “Piercing; Frenzy” or “Piercing; 3 Psychic” inducing a violent insanity upon a hit. This is a Wave 3 effect.

-- “Unravelling Hex” -- After EConc-15, you may invoke this plus either “Greater Disarm” or “Disrupt Conjuration”. The latter destroys a non-Superior Conjuration and the former Disarms a basic/advanced device (e.g. a lock or trap)

Supreme Theurgy (SORCEROUS PHASING)

The Supreme Theurgy Skill (Channeler Discipline) allows one to access and channel immense power from one’s Theurgic Anchor. Such is the effort expended that this skill can only be used Once per Period. 

When the Supreme Theurgy Skill is used by a Xenotheurge, they can use one of the two functions below: 

-- Xeno Jaunt: Shift your existence between multiple dimensions.

  • Step 1: Invoke “Sorcerous Phasing”

  • Step 2: Count up to Impervious-15

  • Step 3: You benefit from that effect while counting, including taking little or no damage to most attacks. In addition, you are affected by an Blind effect that cannot be negated or removed, expiring only when Impervious does.

-- Xeno Insight: Observe all dimensions at once.

  • Step 1: Invoke “Sorcerous Phasing”

  • Step 2: Use the effects of either the Detection Sphere’s Sorcerous Inquisition or the Obfuscation Sphere’s Sorcerous Reality — you can use either spell despite any restrictions against those Spheres.

  • Step 3: At the same time, you suffer a Rot Blight effect, which can be difficult to Cure.