| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Inspired by this 1st Edition thread
I'm a sucker for the dramatic and am loath to say something like "I cast fireball" at the gaming table. I would prefer cool-sounding incantations, such as Maleficent's wall of thorns spell.
Maleficent is trying to stop Prince Phillip from reaching King Stefan's castle
Maleficent: Forest of Thorns shall be his tomb! Borne through the skies on a fog of doom! Now go with the curse, and serve me well! 'Round Stefan's Castle, CAST MY SPELL!
Dark, towering clouds appear over the castle followed by lightning strikes. Huge thorns as thick as weeds burst out of the ground around the castle, cutting off Prince Phillip.
Have fun with it.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
One thing that could be interesting here is of the number of actions it takes to cast a spell is directly proportional to how long the incantation is.
Black Tentacles
"Gurgling darkness from the underneath, boil, roil, rumble and ream! Reach out for, grasp out for, and make my enemies SCREAM!!!"
Weapon of Judgement (a little long for two actions but I just have to).
"I am the bone of my sword. Steel is my body and fire is my blood. I have created over a thousand blades. Unknown to death. Nor known to life. Have withstood pain to create many weapons. Yet those hands shall never hold anything. So as I pray, unlimited blade works (or Weapon of Judgement)!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Fire and Flame dance on my command
with that bit of guano in my hand.
In a 20ft radius I want to burn them all.
That's why I cast FIREBALL!"
Bonus:
"Fire and Flame please linger on
although my spell slots are nearly gone.
All the fireball fun at one point ends;
So now I must cast BURNING HANDS!"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Spider Climb, Spider Climb, make my feet, stick real fine.
then
Spin a Web, ten foot burst, catches fiends, they're the worst
---
When Wizard Darsmuth* casts his mighty Shield,
All those who oppose his Shield must yield!
*alter for caster as needed. :)
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Incapacitation Incantations for the Happy Wizard:
Flesh to Stone
"The situation's turning dire/
we can't succeed with ease/
we might not last for six more seconds/
so could you slow down for a bit, please?"
Paralyze
"I really wish you'd just hold still/
sudden movements leave me quite ill/
so by my power this day you'll rue/
I'll stand still four seconds, you stand two."
Sleep
"I'd be so happy if you'd just pass out/
your deepest rest I would foment/
I hoped this incantation would bore you to slumber/
but weren't you at least distracted a moment?"
| 5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Synesthesia
"Smell is sound, touch is sight
Against your senses you must fight!"
Heal
1 Action
"Be cured!"
2 Actions
"By the grace of life, be cured!"
3 Actions
"By the grace of life, all my companions, be cured!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows, buried in the flow of time is where your power grows. I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand in front of this mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hand. Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess. Dragon Slave!" ;)
"Oh, blessed and humble hand of God, life and breath of Mother Earth, come before me and show your great compassion and deliver us: RECOVERY!"
"Holy wind, wind which flows gently across the land, let all things be filled with your pure breath. VAN REHL!"
"You pitiful twisted creatures, not of this world... by the Light of Purity I possess, I bid thee, begone to the nexus of our two worlds! MEGIDO FLARE!"
"Source of all souls which dwell in eternal and infinite. Everlasting flame of blue, let the power hidden in my soul be called forth from the Infinite...RA-TILT!"
"Lord of the Darkness and Four Worlds, I beseech thy fragments; by all of the power thou possesseth, grant the heavens' wrath to my hand; unleash the sword of dark, freezing nothingness; by our power, our combined might, let us walk as one along the path of destruction: LAGUNA BLADE!"
"Darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night! Lord of Darkness, shining like gold upon the Sea of Chaos, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee! Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess! GIGA SLAVE!!"
"Oh, source of all power, light which burns beyond crimson, let thy power gather in my hand. FIREBALL!"
"Star which pass through heavens' night skies, heed the ancient coven and the Earth, I pledge my life that he may be called forth! FERROUS BLEED!"
"Earth below me, submit to my will! DUG HAUT!"
"Wind, crimson flame. Grant the power of thunder to my hand! DIGU VOLT!"
"You who crosses between sky and earth, gently flowing water, gather in my hand and give me power: DEMONA CRYSTAL!"
"Source of all power, crimson fire buring bright! Gather together in my hand and become an inferno... BURST FLARE!"
"Wind which blows across eternity, gather in my hands and become my strength! BRAM GUSH!"
"Lord of the Darkness and the Four Worlds, I call upon you, grant me all the power that you possess"
Fireball
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Fireball is coming
Right onto you
Roses are red
Violets are fireballfireball fireball fireball
fireball fireball fireball
"A verbal model/focus for a spell is termed a Cant. Like the spell itself, it has two parts, Receptacle & Incant.
"By spark in hand and light in mind
I summon Nolar's brilliance here
Light strong, beam clear and straight to find
Its target true to cut and sear.
Arik-Rhizin-nemar-kola-barasaandras.
The first four lines are (part of) the Receptacle; the nonsense is the Incant."
From "Harnmaster Gold: The Shèk-Pvâr", by N. Robin Crossby.
Beam Of Nolar, a spell originally created by a Lyahvi mage named Nolar, is essentially a laser. :-)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Now that ChatGPT is a thing, what kind of cool spell incantations can we throw together?
I'll start with a couple classics:
Magic Missile
By the power of the arcane/occult, I call forth a dart of force,
Streaking towards my chosen target with unerring course.
One missile, two, or three, as I choose to unleash,
Dealing damage that no armor or shield can ever breach.
With each level of this spell, my magic grows in might,
More missiles, more force, for my enemies to fight.EDIT: Short Version
"A dart of force, unerring course,
Deals damage with arcane force."
Fireball
From the depths of primal power and arcane might,
I conjure forth a fiery ball, a fearsome sight.
With somatic gestures and spoken words of flame,
I send it hurtling to my foes, their doom to claim.
In an explosion of heat and burning light,
The fireball engulfs them, searing with all its might.
May those who survive its scorching touch learn this rule:
To face me in battle is to face the flames of the cruel.EDIT: Short Version
"Roaring blast of fire, fearsome sight,
Engulfs my foes in scorching light."
Feel free to edit them to taste. No need to have verbatim copies from ChatGTP, as these here.
For example, "Rewrite both spell incantations using the same style of prose as used by Maleficent in the animated film, Disney's Sleeping Beauty" got me the following:
Magic Missile
"From my fingertips, a dart of force shall fly,
Unerring and relentless, towards thee it shall apply.
No escape, no chance, this magic shall not miss,
For in my hand lies the power, that no mortal can dismiss."
Fireball
"Burning bright, with heat and light,
A fiery blast, of great might.
From my hand, this power I unleash,
And into the hearts of my foes, my flames shall reach."
Lightning dance across the field
Pass through armour and any shield
Find each foe, round corners bend
But spare my allies, evade my friend.
Chain lightning.
Why, this spell is somatic,
It's electric, it's linguistic,
Why, it's Chain Lightning
Chain Lightning
Or its (maybe more recognizable) chorus for a second casting:
Go Chain Lightning, you're burning up the (insert enemies here)
Chain Lightning, Go Chain Lightning
---
Of course for the Grease spell:
Grease is the spell
Is the spell, make a gel
It's quite smooth, it's gross feeling
---
Taken verbatim, this song sounds like a powerful spell hit the singer:
I got chills, they're multiplying
And I'm losing control
'Cause the power, you're supplying
It's electrifying
Electric blast w/ persistent cold damage, & clumsy 1. Oh my.
---
(avoiding the enchantment compulsion possibilities for some of the creepier songs from the musical...)
---
Now imagining a wanna-be Bard spellcaster, question being whether they'd actually have Charisma & Performance or intentionally lack both. Add a familiar as chorus and have singing backup be the only thing it ever does.
"Now for my next spell, I'll be casting a jazzy necromancy from Geb."
"Playlist? It looks like a spellbook."
"It's a playlist!"
Jerry Lee Lewis comes to mind of course. :-)
I tend to prefer one or two word incantations. I tend to go for Latin, but not always.
Shield
"Aegis"Fireball
"Ignis fragor"Protection (vs evil)
"Repellum malum"Disrupt Undead
"Ruinos inmort"
Sounds like the Harry Potter school of magic. :-)
|
Sounds like the Harry Potter school of magic. :-)I tend to prefer one or two word incantations. I tend to go for Latin, but not always.
Shield
"Aegis"Fireball
"Ignis fragor"Protection (vs evil)
"Repellum malum"Disrupt Undead
"Ruinos inmort"
Latin certainly does. But, a different language might not.
Hm. Where does this one or two word incantation thing put the Power Word spells? Or does it not matter?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Flavor matters. To some anyway.
Up is down
Heavy is light
With this spell
I grant you flight
Reverse gravity
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Came up with some new incantations recently for my gnome fey bloodline sorcerer, Zarzuket and his carnivorous ground squirrel familiar, Sally. Enjoy. :)
(Also, there's a bonus story if you make it to the end.)
ACID SPLASH
"Bitter brew, lash and splash, let corrosive currents thrash!"
ANIMAL ALLIES
"Whispered bonds of fur and feather, rally to my side, together!"
ANIMAL ALLIES (CARNIVEROUS SQUIRRELS)
"By the whispering woods and oaken bough, squirrels of fury, heed me now! Arise, arise, with teeth and tail, unleash your wrath, let chaos hail!"
CHARM
"Silken words of sweet rapport, weave allure they can't ignore!"
DANCING LIGHTS
"Glimmer, glint, dance and dart, enfold the night, a lighted art!"
ELECTRIC ARC
"Voltage veins, leap and arc, ignite the dark, with electric spark!"
ENTHRALL
"Words of weight within their core, captivate them, evermore!"
FAERIE DUST
"Pixie powder, shimmer bright, veil their eyes with faerie light!"
FEAR
"Shadowed dread, creep and crawl, in fearful hearts, enthrall!"
FEATHER FALL
"Feathers’ grace in airy hall, soften now this sudden fall!"
FEY DISAPPEARANCE
"Veil of Fey, around me wrap, in unseen cloak, I now adapt!"
FLEET STEP
"Wings of wind upon my feet, hasten now my swift retreat!"
GALE BLAST
"Roaring rush of raging wind, send them reeling, once, again!"
GHOST SOUND
"Echoes eerie, phantoms’ jest, craft a cacophony, at my behest!"
GOUGING CLAW
"Earthen talons, sharp and raw, rend with ruthless, gouging claw!"
HEAL
"Breath of life, caress and heal, mend the flesh, spirit seal!"
HIDEOUS LAUGHTER
"Ripples of rapture, wild and free, bind them in hilarity!"
KNOW DIRECTION
"Guiding spirits, near and far, unveil the path, no matter how far!"
MAD MONKEYS
"Monkeys wild, from jungles deep, heed my call, in swarm now leap!"
MAGIC FANG
"Fangs of yore, in mystic light, sharpen now with magic might!"
PRODUCE FLAME
"From the spark, the flames now claim, rise and roar, fierce aflame!"
RAY OF FROST
"Frost’s cold fingers, stretch and strike, encase in ice, alike!"
SHILLELAGH
"Woodland might, in staff awake, strike with nature’s wrath, forsake!"
SHOCKWAVE
"Tremors of terror, through earth quake, a shattering shockwave, awake!"
SPEAK WITH ANIMALS
"Tongue of nature, wild decree, speak the lore of land and sea!"
SPOUT
"Bursting geyser, rise and spout, drench them all, within, without!"
STINKING CLOUD
"Cloud of nausea, thick and foul, encase them in a putrid scowl!"
SUMMON ANIMAL
"Call of the wild, from forest deep, summon the beast from peaceful sleep!"
SUMMON ANIMAL (GIANT SKUNK)
"By moon's pale glow and forest's funk, bring forth the behemoth, the giant skunk! From shadows deep, to my command, stride forth with tail high o'er the land!"
TREE SHAPE
"Bark and leaf, take my form, in tree’s guise, I transform!"
TREE SHAPE (VINE FORM)
"Whispers of the green, vine I become, enwrap the trunk, our spirits one! From root to crown, my form now spun, in vine’s embrace, my shape is won!"
I just slew a dragon with animal allies, and it. was. GLORIOUS.
Zarzuket and Sally get into all sorts of antics. Among other things, Sally is known for stealing meat, biting people she doesn't like, and burrowing underground to hide during combat. Zarzuket is a powerful elementalist and trickster.
After a ferocious battle with a dragon that left two party members down, two others blinded and fleeing, the dragon--not one to fear one sniveling little gnome--landed in order to gobble up one of my fallen comrades.
I turned to my GM and asked, "Do you remember when I sent Sally away at the start of the battle?"
"Yes, of course." he responded.
"It was to go get help." I declared with a big grin.
Undeterred by the dragon's ferocity and his being all alone, Zarzuket marched towards an uncertain fate whilst shouting: "By the whispering woods and oaken bough, squirrels of fury, heed me now! Arise, arise, with teeth and tail, unleash your wrath, let chaos hail!"
Suddenly, Sally burst forth from the ground with a host of carnivorous ground squirrel friends. The dragon died an agony of a thousand bites.
The vicious little blighters killed my friend too, but he had a hero point left, so it was fine.
Awesome story, RD! I like your incantations, too. I'll probably steal 'em. :-)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
'Subtle' spells probably don't have any incantations
Also we have to consider where someone gets his Powers from:
Western Wizard: *precise diction of draconic with elaborate Gestures* "Pyric Sphere!"
Western Wizard: *opens with a series of finger signs while reciting ancient scriptures* "Hanabi!"
Saerenrae cleric:*while presenting her focus* "Grant me a fraction of your strength to incinerate evil! Sun Sphere!"
Witch: *wide gestures that seem random and dissonant to the onlooker* "My beloved, Grant me Flame to lay waste to those who wronged me!" *Angry meowing*
Fey sorceress: *looks angry at her opponent while 'drawing'her spell into the Air* "eat burning faerie dust, sucker!"
Dragon sorcerer:*deeply inhales* while using his hands as an Iron sight, No actual incantations follows but a primal draconic roar*
And all of these just have been Casting the same spell
'Subtle' spells probably don't have any incantations
Wasn't around yet when I made my sorcerer, as you can probably tell from spells like produce flame and ray of frost. :P
Also we have to consider where someone gets his Powers from...
That's a very good point! Incantations and gestures likely vary widely between spellcasting traditions, classes, and characters. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I post a few more.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Here's my attempt at producing incantations for all of the Player Core arcane cantrips, as they might be recited by a studious and intelligent wizard. With this approach, the incantations are intended to be more formal and complex, emphasizing the arcane knowledge and precision such a character would likely possess.
The first half should be proclaimed loudly and with authority, with the second half simply being spoken normally.
CAUSTIC BLAST
"Acidum Conjuro! Let corrosive energies flow and erode."
DAZE
"Mentis Nebula! Cloud the thoughts with a haze of confusion."
DETECT MAGIC
"Arcanum Revelio! Unveil the hidden forces of magic."
ELECTRIC ARC
"Fulmen Arcus! Channel the raw energy of lightning."
FIGMENT
"Illusio Creo! Fabricate a deception for the senses."
FROSTBITE
"Gelum Mordere! Summon the biting cold of the frost."
GOUGING CLAW
"Unguis Transformo! Morph flesh into the rending claw."
IGNITION
"Ignis Incendere! Call forth the burning flame."
LIGHT
"Lux Emanare! Emanate a beacon of illuminating light."
MESSAGE
"Silentium Vocis! Transmit my words through a whisper of the mind."
(Spoken in the mind and with subtle gestures only)
PRESTIDIGITATION
"Magia Parva! Enact a minor but curious magical feat."
READ AURA
"Aura Perceptio! Discern the mystical aura of the arcane."
SHIELD
"Scutum Arcanum! Create a barrier of magical fortitude."
SIGIL
"Signum Arcanum! Inscribe a sigil of power and purpose."
SUMMON INSTRUMENT
"Instrumentum Invocare! Call forth an instrument from the ether."
TANGLE VINE
"Vinea Vinculum! Conjure entwining vines from the earth."
TELEKINETIC HAND
"Manus Telekinetica! Extend my will to manipulate from afar."
TELEKINETIC PROJECTILE
"Projectum Telekineticum! Harness kinetic energy to launch an object."
VOID WARP
"Vacuum Distortio! Harness the void's energy to enfeeble and harm."
Note that these are not authentic Latin. Rather, they are a blend of Latin-inspired words and phrases, often used in fantasy settings to give a sense of ancient or scholarly magic.
A verbal model/focus for a spell is termed a Cant. Like the spell itself, it has two parts, Receptacle & Incant.
The Receptacle describes the process and its effect(s) and is a model of the spell's Form. Some basic convocational Incants are learned in apprenticeship. Invention of a unique Receptacle is part of the spell research process. Speaking, shouting, chanting, or singing an Incant helps the mage attune himself to its associated Principle. The caster speaks the Receptacle, creates the Form, utters the Incant(s), and summons the Principle(s). If all goes well, the Principle pours into the Form and does as the caster intended. The more complex the spell, the longer and more complex the Receptacle. A spell which employs multiple Principles has multiple Incants. Cants are aids to mentation which, as the caster develops mastery, may be reduced in degree and, eventually dispensed with.
In game terms, at spellstart, the caster declares degree of Cant he will use. The degrees are distinguished by the volume/emphasis with which they are spoken/chanted/shouted, and their effect on EML.
EML stands for Effective Mastery Level -- how well you know the spell, modified by environmental and other factors. Roll d100. If the roll is ≤ EML, the cast is successful. > EML, the cast fails. A die roll result evenly divisible by 5 is a critical success or failure.
An example of the above:
By spark in hand and light in mind
I summon Nolar's brilliance here
Light strong, beam clear and straight to find
Its target true to cut and sear.
Arik-Rhizin-nemar-kola-barasaandras.The first four lines are (part of) the Receptacle; the nonsense is the Incant.
"Beam of Nolar" is basically a weaponized laser. :-)
There is a similar rule for Gesture. One could substitute Singing for Cant and playing an instrument for Gesture, a more subtle way of casting often preferred by elves or bards (though there are no classes as such in this system).
A silent cast with no gestures has an EML modifier of -30, so you better know the spell pretty well. OTOH, jumping around wildly and yelling has an EML modifier of +10. :-)
That's Harnmaster, right?
Yep. Harnmaster Gold.