Elementalist Discipline
Stats
Damage Die: d4
Favored Stats: con, cha
Load: 8
HP: 6+Constitution
Look
Gaze: penetrating, fierce, understanding
Appearance: coarse, balanced, fastidious
Accoutrement: unconventional, ostentatious, modest
Body: gnarled, meaty, solid
Species
☐ Dwarf: When determining the disposition of an item made primarily from metal or glass, make an additional choice, even on a miss.
☐ Elf: When determining the disposition of an item made primarily from wood, hide, or living material, make an additional choice, even on a miss.
☐ Human: Choose one spell from another discipline’s list. You can cast it as if it was a elementalist spell.
☐ Obsidimen (+1 armor; only wear living armor): When determining the disposition of an item made primarily from earth or stone, on a hit make an additional choice.
☐ Ork: When unmaking an item, take +1 and do so in half the time.
☐ Troll: Your base damage is d6.
☐ T’Skrang: When you interact with water spirits, take +1.
☐ Windling (astral sight): When you interact with air spirits, take +1
Flags
Select 2 flags.
Starting Moves
Elementalism
Through detailed understanding and manipulation of the basic forces of nature, you can weave threads into spells. You gain access to a number of abilities related to spell casting:
- You may use the astral sight move.
- You have mastered several elementalist spells and inscribed them in your grimoire. You start out with three first circle elementalist spells in your grimoire as well as the cantrips. Whenever you gain a circle, you add a new elementalist spell of your circle or lower to your grimoire.
- You know how to form and stabilize an astral construct that makes casting spells safer, called a spell matrix. You may fashion as many spell matrices as you like; however, the combined circles of all spells attuned into them may not exceed twice your own circle.
- Through concentration and force of will, you can weave threads to cast spells (from a spell matrix, grimoire or with raw magic). You may weave spells with + CON .
- Through force of personality and appreciation of the give and take of the universe, you channel energy through your spell weaving to cast a spell. You may cast spells with + CHA .
Lethal Focus
When you cast a spell that deals or heals damage , you may spend focus to increase the damage it deals or heals by one for each focus spent. If the spell deals or heals damage more than once, this bonus applies only to the first occurrence.
Elemental Sense
When you discern realities about a location , you may add the following questions to the list of choices:
- What true elements are here?
- What elemental spirits do I sense?
Spirit Grounding
Add the following to the hack and slash list:
- If the target has the materialization special quality, you either force it to materialize or prevent it from dematerializing for a few seconds.
Expressions of Balance
When you create art with embroidery or sculpting , take +1. If you use the result in a successful greeting ritual, elemental spirits will give the recipient the benefit of the doubt so long as the item is retained.
Talents
You may weave threads into talents, if you meet their requirements:
☐☐ Body Infusion
When you infuse your body with the power of the elements over several minutes, gain your choice until you use this move again:
☐ Air: you always have clean air to breathe, regardless of environment (e.g. underwater, a cloud of poison gas, buried, etc.)
☐ Earth: ignore damage dealt to you by spells or magic, so long as your feet are on the ground.
☐ Fire: you take no damage from heat or flame.
☐ Water: you may not be entangled, grappled, bound or otherwise bodily restrained against your will.
☐ Wood: gain +2 armor.
Second thread (requires circle 6): Select two choices instead.
☐☐☐ Elemental Voice
When you sense an elemental spirit in the area, you may communicate with it.
Second thread (requires circle 2): When you demand an elemental spirit perform a task for you, roll+ CHA . On a 10+ choose two. On a 7–9 choose one. On a miss , some catastrophe occurs as a result of your calling.
- The effect you desire comes to pass
- You avoid paying nature’s price
- You retain control
Third thread (requires circle 6): So long as you do nothing but talk with the elemental, you may force it to remain still.
☐☐ Filtration
When you dig your fingers into someone’s skin and filter their blood , roll+ CON . On a hit , you eliminate one poison or drug affecting them. On a 7–9 , you deal 1d4 damage to them.
Second thread (requires circle 6): On a hit , you pull the toxin out of them intact. If preserved, the dose may be used again.
☐☐ Arranging the Elements
When you touch someone , skin to skin, and spend a few minutes shifting the elemental balances in their pattern, roll+ CHA . On a hit , choose one. On a 7–9 , whatever you choose is transferred to you.
- You heal them of 1d8 damage
- You remove one disease from them
- You cure one of their debilities
Second thread (requires circle 6): Choose two, instead. You may select the same item more than once.
☐ Elemental Focus
When you cast a spell with an elemental tag , through an un- ehnanced spell matrix, you may spend 2 focus to retain one of the threads woven into it and that matrix becomes enhanced until you next cast a spell through it.
☐☐ Item Disposition
When you spend several hours getting to know an item , roll+ CHA . On a 10+ you gain insight into the item’s past and nature. Choose three and take +2 forward to study it further. On a 7–9 choose one and take +1 forward to study it further.
- Discover the item’s basic abilities (that is, abilities that may be used without weaving threads into the item).
- Discover how many threads may be woven into the item, if any.
- Understand exactly what must be done (and where) to learn the item’s name.
- Discover which true elements were used in its construction.
- Discover the question that must be answered to gain the next key to the item, if any.
- Discover if the item requires that any deeds be performed.
- Studying the item takes half the time.
Second thread (requires circle 6): You need only examine the item for several minutes or so before rolling.
☐☐ Ritual of Unmaking
When you know the name and elemental makeup of a magic item with one or fewer ranks and perform a grueling, day long ritual over it, roll+ CON . On a hit the item is unmade, and some of its materials can be reused. On a 10+ you also salvage one kernel of the true elements used to make it. On a miss the item may explode and give a random debility.
Second thread (requires circle 6): On a 10+ , pick one:
- salvaged kernels of the true elements are exceptionally pure
- you salvage an additional kernel of a true element
☐☐ Sense the Flow
When you spout lore by sensing how the subject breaks down into primal forces , you use CHA instead of INT .
Second thread (requires circle 6): In addition, on a 12+, you get to ask the GM any one question about the subject.
☐ Item Infusion
Tell the GM you would like to infuse a mundane item with magic to give it one rank and an appropriate magical ability associated with that rank. Such enchantment is always possible, but the GM will give you one or more (possibly all) of these conditions to fulfill:
- It will require certain amounts of true elements.
- It will require one or more rare ingredients.
- The ability may function a bit differently than you propose.
- It’s going to take days/weeks/months.
- You must get help from.
- You must perform the work in a certain place.
- You must perform the work with specific tools.
☐ Become the Fire
When you convince an elemental spirit to merge with you , roll+ CON . On a 10+ hold 3. On a 7–9 hold 2. On a miss hold 1 in addition to whatever else happens (some elementals might not let go). You may spend one karma to get +1 hold, even on a miss.
So long as you have hold, your body is transformed into an elemental form, melding your features with the spirit’s. Your new has the innate abilities of its element. You retain your normal stats, talents, and so on, but your base damage becomes d8. You gain one or more moves based on the nature of the elemental form (work with the GM to determine these). Spend hold to:
- Make one of the elemental moves.
- Automatically succeed with a 12+ when casting a spell with an elemental keyword matching the elemental’s nature.
Gear
your grimoire (1 weight)
appropriate artisan tools (1 weight)
dungeon rations (uses: 5, ration, 1 weight)
Choose your defenses:
☐ leather armor (1 armor, worn, 1 weight)
☐ bare skin (0 armor, living)
☐ scale mail (2 armor, worn, clumsy, 3 weight)
Choose your armament:
☐ short sword (close, 1 weight)
☐ ragged bow (near, 2 weight)
☐ staff (close, two-handed, 1 weight)
Choose two:
☐ 2 healing potions
☐ 3 antitoxins
☐ unimpressive mount appropriate for your size (beast, mount)
Spells
Cantrips
Contain
(ongoing) You wrap a magical force around any kernels of true elements you can see, preventing them from interacting. While ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
Ignite
(fire) A small flame, similar to that of a match, floats over the tip of your finger for the next few moments.
Mend
A broken, mundane, unliving item you hold in your hands while you cast this spell become whole again. This can repair crafted goods (rips in fabric, shattered pots, wagon wheels, etc.) as well as natural items (small fissures in rock, cracks in ice, etc.).
Purify
You remove impurities and mundane spoilage from food or water you hold in your hands while you cast this spell.
First Circle Spells
☐ Arborealinguist
(ongoing, wood) While ongoing, you may talk with any plant you can perceive. Plants perceive the world much differently than namegivers, and lack real language, but constantly monitor their surroundings and have long memories.
☐ Balance
(ongoing) You harmonize the elemental balance of a combatant of your choice. They take +1 ongoing so long as battle continues and they stand and fight. While ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
☐ Earth Blend
(ongoing, earth) You surround yourself with the essence of your environment, making you nearly impossible to notice. While ongoing, you may not move.
☐ Elemental Weapon
(ongoing, [element]) You infuse your weapon with an element of your choice, giving this spell that elemental tag. The weapon you hold while casting does +1d4+1 damage until you dismiss this spell. While ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
☐ Icy Surface
(evocation, air, water) When you touch the ground, a thin coat of ice grows outward, covering all nearby surfaces. Until it melts, it makes footing precarious.
☐ Resist Element
(ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. You bestow a defense against the rigors of that element on a target you see, reducing damage from it by −1d8. The spell also extends more abstract protection. Resistance to water, for example, may allow the subject to avoid drowning, resistance to earth might protect from falls, resistance to wood might help fight off a plant’s poison, and so on, though such protection is not absolute.
☐ Sanctuary
(ongoing) As you cast this spell, you walk the perimeter of an area, harmonizing its elemental balance and energy flow. As long as you stay within that area, you are alerted whenever someone acts with malice within the sanctuary (including entering with harmful intent). Anyone who receives healing within a sanctuary heals +1d4 HP .
Third Circle Spells
☐ Elemental Aid
([element]) For each thread you weave into this spell, select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. You harness the power of the selected element(s) to gain an advantage:
- Air: winds pick up anything you might lift with both hands and hurl it in a direction of your choice.
- Earth: you excavate a sizable chunk of mundane earth or stone. Perhaps a cube of loose soil several meters on a side might be moved, significantly less granite.
- Fire: you extinguish mundane fire within a volume up to, say, the size of a tavern.
- Water: you rapidly corrode a mundane metallic item, rusting it into uselessness.
- Wood: you transform any available mundane living plants into edible nutrition, creating a number of rations equal to your elementalist circle.
☐ Elemental Wrath
(summoning, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. You summon a small, angry, rudimentary elemental spirit, who immediately streaks towards a target you designate, rips into the target for 2d4 damage, then vanishes. The target suffers a secondary effect, based on the type of elemental:
- Air: a cloud of mist is left behind, momentarily interfering with the target’s vision. The attack may also snuff out candles or the like around the target.
- Earth: a billow of dust is left behind, momentarily interfering with the target’s respiration.
- Fire: the target’s clothes, fur, etc, may ignite.
- Water: the target is drenched.
- Wood: a sticky, difficult to remove sap splashes on the target.
If you weave an additional thread, you may summon two spirits of the same element. They attack different targets and deal 2d6 damage each.
☐ Fireball
(evocation, fire) You evoke a mighty ball of flame that envelops your target and everyone nearby, inflicting 2d6 damage which ignores armor. If you weave an additional thread, choose to either burn much hotter (add + CON to the damage) or have the fire cover a much larger area.
☐ Life Aquatic
(water, ongoing) You and others link hands in a circle, and you all gain the ability to breathe and speak underwater, but no longer may do so outside of the water. You all swim effortlessly. You can use this spell on a number of people equal to your elementalist circle. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
☐ Summon Elemental
(summoning, ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. An elemental of that type appears and aids you as best it can. Treat it as a follower with no cost and: Quality +1, Loyalty +2, 1 HP , smash (d4, close ), armor 1, spirit , spiritwise , Instinct: to spread [element] . The elemental has a move related to its nature and your choice of 1d4 of:
- Increase Quality to +2
- Replace its instinct with “to obey”
- It does 1d8 damage
- It has an additional tag or weapon tag
- It is large and gains +2 HP for each circle
- It has an additional move
- It knows something of interest to you
The GM will tell you the form of the elemental based on the traits you select. The creature remains on this plane until it dies, you dismiss the spell, or its Loyalty reaches −3. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
☐ Sky Lattice
(evocation, ongoing, air) You create a shimmering network of energy in a shape of your choosing, filling your immediate area. To anyone you designate, this energy feels solid and offers a secure grip, allowing them to climb to anywhere the lattice leads. Those left out of the effect can neither climb on nor perceive the lattice. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to weave a spell.
Fifth Circle Spells
☐ Convergence
(divination) The elements come together just so, granting you a moment of perfect understanding. The GM will shed light on the current situation. When acting on the information, you take +1 forward.
☐ Elemental Wall
(ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. You create a barrier of that element anywhere you can see, either as a wall-like structure or as a dome. You decide what side of the barrier you and your allies are on. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
- Air: the air whirls violently, picking up debris. Any ranged attack through the barrier fails.
- Earth: only great strength or affinity for stone can penetrate a stone barrier.
- Fire: anyone passing through the barrier takes 2d6 damage and may ignite.
- Water: anyone passing through the barrier is drenched. The barrier blocks vision and may be split, moved, reformed and otherwise altered while the spell is ongoing.
- Wood: the thorny brambles entangle anyone passing through the barrier and deal 1d6 damage. The living plants also form a barrier in astral space.
☐ Polymorph
(enchantment) Your touch reshapes a creature entirely; they stay in the form you craft until you cast another spell. Describe the new shape you craft, including any stat changes, significant adaptations, or major weaknesses. The GM will then tell you one or more of these:
- The form will be unstable and temporary
- The creature’s mind will be altered as well
- The form has an unintended benefit or weakness
☐ Stoneswimmer
(ongoing, earth) You may swim through mundane stone and earth just like it was water. While ongoing you may not weave spells.
☐ Tree Walk
(ongoing, wood) When you walk directly into a tree, you are absorbed by the tree and may remain hidden within it if you like, still able to see the world outside. When you choose to leave, you may exit through any other tree you can see. You need not spend any time within the tree, effectively stepping into one tree and coming out another immediately. While ongoing you take −1 to weave a spell and cannot cast summoning spells.
☐ Patterns Exposed
(divination, ongoing) Your vision is opened to the true nature of everything you lay your eyes on. You pierce illusions and see things that have been hidden. The GM will describe the area before you ignoring any illusions and falsehoods, magical or otherwise. While ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
Seventh Circle Spells
☐ Control Weather
(air) Implore the spirits for rain—or sun, wind, or snow. Within a day or so, they will answer. The weather will change according to your will and last a handful of days. If you weave an additional thread, the desired weather will either start sooner, or last longer.
☐ Elemental Hounds
(summoning, ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. A pack of elementals of that type appears and aids you as best it can. Treat this pack as a follower with: Quality +2, Loyalty +2, no cost, 5 HP , bite (d8, hand ), armor 2, spirit , group , spiritwise , Instinct: to spread [element] . The pack has two moves related to its element and nature and your choice of 1d4 of these traits (or, if you wove an additional thread, choose four):
- Increase Quality to +3
- Increase Loyalty to +3
- It has +1 armor
- Replace its instinct with “to obey”
- It does 1d10 damage
- Its bond to your plane is strong: +2 HP for each circle
- It has an additional move
- It has two additional tags of your choice
The GM will tell you the form of the pack based on the traits you select. The creature remains on this plane until it dies, you dismiss the spell, or its Loyalty reaches −3. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell.
☐ Harm
(evocation) Touch an enemy and disrupt their elemental balance—deal 2d8 damage to them and 1d6 damage to yourself. Allies gain +1 ongoing against the target until it rests. If you weave an additional thread, choose one:
- The damage ignores armor
- You take no damage
- Instead target anyone within far range.
☐ Engulf
(ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select an element, giving this spell that elemental tag. That element engulfs a target you can see. Describe how that looks (whirlwind, crushing fist of earth, etc.). Gain 1d4 hold. Any time the target deals damage or makes a move, you may spend 1 hold to deal 1d6 damage to it (from suffocation, heat, crushing, cutting, etc.). If you run out of hold, the spell ends. While the spell is ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell. If you weave an additional thread, you may engulf two additional targets, rolling hold for each.
☐ Sever
(ongoing, wood) Choose an appendage on the target such as an arm, tentacle, or wing. The appendage is temporarily severed from their body, causing no damage but considerable pain. Missing an appendage may, for example, keep a winged creature from flying, or a bull from goring you on its horns. While ongoing you take −1 to cast a spell. If you weave an additional thread, you may remove a second appendage from the same target.
Ninth Circle Spells
☐ Conversion
You convert a volume of one element into another, permanently. You might turn the flames of a forest fire into water (extinguishing the flames and briefly flooding the forest) or earth (creating a strange copse of crystals). This spell can also convert one form of an element into a different form of the same element (water into ice, for example, or stone into sand). This spell cannot affect living creatures or plants.
☐ Disintegrate
You point at any target you can see, and it crumbles into its component elements. Living targets take 2d10 damage (ignores armor). This spell may be able to affect targets not usually vulnerable to damage, though may do reduced damage to them (perhaps half). If used on a magic item, the spell eliminates the highest rank of the item; however, the item’s owner may elect to be the target instead. Mundane materials or items with no ranks are destroyed.
☐ Pattern Restoration
Choose one event in the target’s past. All effects of that event, including damage, disabilities, poison, disease, and magical effects, are ended and repaired. HP and diseases are healed, poisons are neutralized, magical effects are ended.
☐ Shelter
(ongoing, [element]) When you weave this spell, you select air, earth, or wood, giving this spell that elemental tag. You create a structure out of that element. It can be as large as a castle or as small as a hut. The structure endures until you leave it or you end the spell. The element chosen provides additional benefits:
- Air: the structure floats and is (slowly) mobile.
- Earth: the structure is impervious to all non-magical damage.
- Wood: the structure acts as barrier in astral space.
☐ Storm of Vengeance
You give spirits permission to unnaturally alter the elemental balance of the weather. Rain of blood or acid, clouds of souls, wind that can carry away buildings, or any other weather you can imagine: ask and it shall come.