Forgotten Suns: Science
Certain tasks are to complicated to be covered solely by an Ability. To accomplish them, a character must master a body of knowledge before being able to use his skills effectively. In the Forgotten Suns campaign, such knowledge is represented by sciences. Sciences are traits that live outside of the normal attribute/ability system. They are rated in dots like other traits, however these dots do not provide dice pools or other "active" effects. Instead, sciences act as a passive limitation on certain tasks. That is, some tasks are not possible unless you have a certain number of dots in a related science.
Most sciences have steeper requirements than Abilities, usually requiring the character to know one or more Abilities at a certain level. In addition, sciences always require instruction of some kind, either from a tutor, book or other source. This requirement is often the limiting factor in learning sciences, particularly those dealing with First Age technology.
These rules are assumed to work with rules that treat the various crafts as specialties instead of complete skills. When they list Craft requirements, these should include the specialty rating in the total. For example, something requiring Craft (Fire) 4 could be done by someone with two dots in Craft and a +2 Fire specialty. As such, Craft requirements appear a bit more extreme than those of other abilities, since even a starting exalt could fulfill, for example, a Craft (Water) 8 requirement with five dots in Craft and a +3 water specialty.
At low levels, sciences cost only slightly more than than abilities, but become much more costly as they progress. The first dot in a science costs 3xp (assuming all the requirements are met). Additional levels cost a number of xp equal to the xp paid for the previous two levels, plus one. Training time is 20 times the xp cost, in hours. These times assume the required instruction. So, the progression goes like this:
| Science | Cost | Training time (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| ● | 3 | 60 |
| ●● | 4 | 80 |
| ●●● | 8 | 160 |
| ●●●● | 13 | 260 |
| ●●●●● | 22 | 440 |
These rules can be used in both First and Second Edition games; however, they will largely make reference to concepts from Second Edition books, particularly Wonders of the Lost Age and Oadenol's Codex, as the rules in these books are mostly edition agnostic. In First Edition, these rules replace the rules for Arts and Sciences in the Player's Guide. In Second Edition, they replace the rules for occult arts. Note that while standard Second Edition occult arts provided both extra dice and the ability to perform various procedures, under these rules, sciences only provide the latter. Under these rules, it is possible to learn normal specialties based on sciences. For example, a character might learn an Occult specialty in Enchantment. The combination of dots in science and specialties would be mechanically equivalent to standard Second Edition art, though it would be slightly cheaper. Sciences in these rules are also cheaper than sciences from First Edition.
Many sciences are practiced using specific rituals, formulas or procedures. These often have their own requirements, which must be met in addition to the requirements for the science itself.
Alchemy
Alchemy combines a number of disciplines, such as pharmacy, metallurgy, even cooking, to combine and transform different ingredients. Alchemy requires specific formulas, recipes which usually must be followed very closely. Most formulas result in some type of material, usually a liquid, that provides useful effects when consumed. Other formulas focus only on transforming material from one type into another.
Mortal Alchemy
Anyone with an Occult rating can practice mortal alchemy. In fact, some very simple alchemical formulas can be prepared without any training in the science of alchemy at all. Anyone with at least one dot in Occult can use the rank 0 alchemical formulas from Oadenol's Codex.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Occult 1, Lore 2, Craft (Water) 1, instructions found in Salt |
May use known rank 1 alchemical formulas from Oadenol's Codex, and invent those of rank 0 |
| ●● | Occult 3, Lore 4, Craft (Water) 2, instructions found in Aether |
May use known rank 2 alchemical formulas from Oadenol's Codex, and invent those of rank 1 |
| ●●● | Occult 5, Lore 4, Craft (Water) 3, instructions found in Gold |
May use known rank 3 alchemical formulas from Oadenol's Codex, and invent those of rank 2 |
| ●●●● | Occult 5, Lore 5, Craft (Water) 5, instructions found in Gold |
May invent alchemical formulas of rank 3 |
Magical Alchemy
More powerful creations can be made using true magic. Like sorcery, magical alchemy requires use of specific charms for each level. Higher levels of magical alchemy have been theorized, but never mastered.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Mortal Alchemy ●●●, Occult 5, other abilities by formula, instructions found in Alkahest, Comprehensive Deliquescence Cauldron |
Creation of Artifact ● consumables |
| ●● | Mortal Alchemy ●●●, Occult 5, other abilities by formula, instructions found in Berith, Transformative Touch Crucible |
Creation of Artifact ●● consumables |
| ●●● | Mortal Alchemy ●●●, Occult 5, other abilities by formula, instructions found ???, Prayer Subverting Tears |
Creation of Artifact ●●● consumables |
Architectonics
This science covers the detailed, multi-disciplinary knowledge and skill needed to design manses. In order to use the canon methods of manse design, a character must have a rating in this science equal to the rating of the manse being designed.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Lore 3, Occult 3, Craft (Earth) 2, Geomancy ●●● | Design of manses containing 1-point powers, repair of Manse ●●● |
| ●● | Lore 4, Occult 4, Craft (Earth) 3, Geomancy ●●● | Design of manses containing 2-point powers, repair of Manse ●●●● |
| ●●● | Lore 5, Occult 5, Craft (Earth) 4, Geomancy ●●● | Design of manses containing 3-point powers, repair of Manse ●●●●● |
| ●●●● | Lore 6, Occult 6, Craft (Earth) 5, Geomancy ●●● | Design of manses containing 4-point powers |
| ●●●●● | Lore 7, Occult 7, Craft (Earth) 5, Geomancy ●●● | Design of manses containing 5-point powers |
Astrology
How mortals read the stars.
Charmcraft
Under canon rules, all exalts can teach themselves most charms. Under this system, learning more powerful charms on your own requires detailed knowledge of charm magic, represented by the Charmcraft science. Rating in this science is compared to the minimum Essence requirement of charms (referred to here as ME). Characters can learn an existing charm without a tutor only if they have a Charmcraft rating equal to or greater than the charm's ME minus three. (This means that any exalt can teach themselves Essence 3 charms or lower without Charmcraft.) Characters with charmcraft can also invent brand new charms; however in this case, the science's rating is compared to ME minus two.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | ??, Essence 4 | Creation of charms requiring Essence 4. |
| ●● | ??, Essence 5 | Creation of charms requiring Essence 5. |
| ●●● | ??, Essence 6 | Creation of charms requiring Essence 6. |
| ●●●● | ??, Essence 7 | Creation of charms requiring Essence 7. |
| ●●●●● | ??, Essence 8 | Creation of charms requiring Essence 8. |
Demonology
How mortals deal with demons.
Elementalism
How mortals deal with demons.
Enchantment
Enchantment 1 allows production of 1- or 2 dot enchantments. A rating of 2 in the science allows production of 3- or 4-dot enchantments and Enchantment 3 allows production of 5-dot enchantments and higher.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | ?? | Creation of ● and ●● enchantments |
| ●● | ?? | Creation of ●●● and ●●●● enchantments |
| ●●● | ?? | Creation of ●●●●● enchantments |
Genesis
Described in Wonders of the Lost Age, this science works just like magictech does, but replacing Craft (Genesis). This science requires the Wood craft and cannot be higher than the lowest of the character's Lore, Medicine or Occult ratings.
Geomancy
Ratings in geomancy allow for the production of geomantic effects using the three possible levels in the science the same way the levels of Enchantment are used.
Magitech
Described in Wonders of the Lost Age, knowing the science of magitech allows use of Craft skill on magical devices. Anywhere rules call for a Craft (Magictech) roll, use plain Craft ability (plus any magitech specialties) as the pool. The rating in this science acts as a limit: characters can only use the magitech science on artifacts, manses or devices with a rating equal to their magitech science rating or less. This science requires the Air and Fire crafts and cannot be higher than the character's Lore rating.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Lore 4, Occult 3, Craft 3, instruction from ??? |
Design of Artifact ●, Repair ●● |
| ●● | Lore 5, Occult 4, Craft 4, instruction from ??? |
Design of Artifact ●●, Repair ●●● |
| ●●● | Lore 5, Occult 5, Craft 5, instruction from ??? |
Design of Artifact ●●●, Repair ●●●● |
| ●●●● | Lore 6, Occult 6, Craft 6, instruction from ??? |
Design of Artifact ●●●●, Repair ●●●●● |
| ●●●●● | Lore 7, Occult 7, Craft 7, instruction from ??? |
Design of Artifact ●●●●●, Repair ●●●●● ● |
Necromantia
The science of necromantia works exactly as spellcraft, but for necromancy instead of sorcery.
Necrosurgery
Introduced in Abyssals and expanded in the Book of Bone and Ebony, necrosurgery is the science of assembling and animating dead flesh and harnessing necrotic energy. Anywhere rules called for Craft (Necrosurgery), use plain Craft ability (plus any necrosurgery specialties) as the pool. The rating in this science sets an upper limit on the size class (BoBE? 97) or artifact rating of an item created using this science. Necrosurgery does not require knowledge of a craft art, but its rating may not exceed the lowest of the character's Lore, Medicine or Occult ratings.
Orisonurgy
How mortals use prayer. Also include weather control.
Perfection
This science deals with creating exceptional weapons and other creations and represents the dedicated knowledge of metallurgy, heat and other minutia that are need to forge exceptional weapons, armor and other items. It requires an art for creating such equipment (usually Fire). The first dot of this science allows objects to be made up to the level of "Exceptional" (Ex2 365). The second allows creation of "Perfect" items (Ex2 366). Generally learning this science beyond this is pointless. The magitech science may also be used for the creation of exceptional items, so this science is rare among exalts; however, the requirements for this science are less stringent, so mortals (and some exalts) may prefer this path.
Spellcraft
Under canon rules, all exalts can teach themselves most charms. Under this system, learning more powerful charms on your own requires detailed knowledge of charm magic, represented by the Charmcraft science. Rating in this science is compared to the minimum Essence requirement of charms (referred to here as ME). Characters can learn an existing charm without a tutor only if they have a Charmcraft rating equal to or greater than the charm's ME minus three. (This means that any exalt can teach themselves Essence 3 charms or lower without Charmcraft.) Characters with charmcraft can also invent brand new charms; however in this case, the science's rating is compared to ME minus two.
| Science | Requires | Allows |
|---|---|---|
| ● | Terrestrial circle sorcery | Design of terrestrial circle spells |
| ●● | Celestial circle sorcery | Design of celestial circle spells |
| ●●● | Solar circle sorcery | Design of solar circle spells |
Thanaturgy
How mortals deal with the dead.
Vivomancy
How mortals control animals, crops and other life.
Warding
Mortal rituals to keep various things away. Does not include the exorcism bits.