Alone in the Labyrinth: Rituals—including when they go wrong

The process of revising PARIAH continues apace. The most recent uploads to itch.io include two zinis-worth of rituals (amounting to a total of 3500 words), most of which are updated versions of magic previously published here or in PARIAH Vol. Rituals come in two distinct flavours:

Sorcerous rituals are concerned with invoking, conjuring, binding and banishing spirits to achieve a variety of magical ends. There are set procedures to follow, but these can be varied.
Mystic rituals (formerly known as "shamanic") are much more specific in terms of both the procedure and the outcome

Within the world of pariah these rituals can be learned by anyone: there are no special talents or gifts required beyond knowledge. All of the Mystic rituals are learned by pariahs after assisting a set number of times. though not made explicit, the implication is that assisting in a ritual at least once offers some chance of it succeeding if attempted. Simply put, if usually I need to have assisted this ritual 3 times before "knowing" it: if I have assisted on only 1 occasion, I could ty doing it for myself... with a 33% chance of succeeding.

Spread from AHPZ21: Sorcerous Rituals

But what does failure mean, beyond the ritual not working. The sorcerous rituals have a failure system built in: there are displeased spirits, the necessity of entering their debt, and a series of random mishaps. But the mystic rituals are highly specific: it stands to reason that there should be highly specific outcomes for when they go wrong, too... so while I was at first reluctant to share these again, providing failure scenarios alongside them presents a good enough excuse to do so.

ALL IN THIS CIRCLE SHALL LIE SAFE

Creates a temporary protective ring around a site.

Annie Danis —Salt Circle

Time taken

1 turn/ten minutes + 1 turn per HD sacrificed

When it is to be performed

before sunset but after high noon.

Necessary components

Burn a low dose of either sage or desert rue. Rosemary can also be used as an alternative. Enough sea salt to mark the circumference of the protective ring.

Additional sacrifice

This ritual creates a ring with a 9 feet radius: spirit-talkers gain an additional 9 feet for each HD or SD sacrificed.

Learned

Must be witnessed 3 times to guarantee its efficacy

Description

The spirit-talker draws a circle in salt to surround a site, burning herbs and chanting solemnly for 10 minutes (or more, see above). This creates a protective circle barring spirits from crossing—but not humans or animals. Spirits may still coax humans from the circle with trickery. The magic fades by noon the next day.

Failure

A spirit-talker who has assisted or witnessed this ritual on

THE BINDING OF TWO SOULS

Unites two lovers or friends with a spiritual bond

Still from On the Silver Globe

Time taken

A whole night.

When it is to be performed

From sunset to sunrise, beneath a new or full moon.

Necessary components

A blade made from obsidian or star metal with which the principal participants' palms.

Additional sacrifice

The spirit-talker binds two (or more) people together. An additional person is required to witness the ceremony.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 6 times.

Description

By dawn two souls will be as one—a bond so powerful that, unless sundered by betrayal:

In daylight hours, they may share short telepathic messages (6 words, 1 message/hour each)
By night they may communicate as though sat side-by-side regardless of distance
Injuries and wounds are shared as though sharing one body (including recovering HP and SD)

Failure

A spirit-talker who has assisted or witnessed this ritual gets a 1-in-6 chance of performing it correctly alone for every time they've carried it out.

Roll 1d6. Ignore the result if statement in parentheses is true:

Mumbled and hesitated: unable to communicate the wording of the rite clearly, the spirit-talker has placed a limit in the ritual's efficacy. Telepathy by night is only as effective as ordinary messaging by day, and by day only 1 word messages may be exchanged every hour (if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 6 times there is no need to roll)
Acknowledged disapproval during the ritual the spirit-talker noticed the presence of a disapproving ancestor, and inadvertently acknowledged them. The ritual works as planned but one of the participants in the union (chosen at random) gains the cursed possessed as this ancestor has now become attached to them as a spirit of the dead (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 5 times)
Added own blood: the spirit-talker inadvertently included their own blood in the rite: they are now also bound to the participants, and are therefore part of the union that has been created, sharing the same benefits and disadvantages(ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 4 times)
Asymmetry: the ritual did not address all participants equally, and one now bears the greater burden of the bond. Only one random member of the union receives wounds and damage in lieu of the other(s), with the others seemingly invulnerable until that member is killed (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 3 times)
Polished the blade too thoroughly, the gleaming metal attracted a spirit of Beyond, which has now attached itself to tone of the participants in the ritual. Refer to curse: possessed (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 6 always succeed.

GUIDANCE FROM BEYOND

Question the spirits, receive wisdom

Time taken

1 hour

When it is to be performed

By night.

Necessary components

A roaring fire in front of the spirit-talker. One low dose of quickleaf or sorcerers' sage. Star-metal or bronze ground into a fine powder that produces bright sparks when cast onto the flames.

Additional sacrifice

1 SD (or equivalent) per question.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 6 times.

Description

The spirit-talker chants words from a lost language while staring into the fire, slowly adding pieces of either quickleaf or sage while keeping the fire burning. After one hour, the metal powder is cast into the flames. As the sparks ascend upwards into the night sky, the outline of a face materialises.

The face does not speak until it is asked a yes/no question. The correct answer to the question must not be known to the spirit-talker, not anyone in present (the ritual cannot confirm knowledge). It always answers in the spirit-talker's language.

The spirit has access to all knowledge in the Here & Now, but it may be honest or dishonest. Because it is consistently honest or dishonest once summoned, it is customary to ask it a "control" question to verify its honesty at a later date (i.e. "will it rain tomorrow?".

Each question drains 1 spirit die from the spirit-talker, unless they are offering other sacrifices to pay the price.

Failure

Insufficient gravity: the spirit-talker was flippant or casual in their incantations and—though the ritual was otherwise successful—the spirit leaves its mark upon them as a reminder to be more reverent in future. The spirit-talker receives either a mutation or a bane of the Beyond (if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 6 times there is no need to roll)
Sense of attachment either something placed into the flames held sentimental value to the spirit-talker, or a thought lingered at the back of their mind. Consequently, the face that they saw in the flames was eerily like their own, and though the ritual was otherwise a success, they are now host to a spirit of Beyond, as per the curse: possessed (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 5 times)
Contaminated metals cast into the flames have made the spirit additionally hungry. Questions asked require twice the amount of spirit dice (or equivalent) to be answered, injuring the spirit-talker if necessary (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 4 times)
Mealy-mouthed attempts to pronounce the complex vocabulary of the lost language have yielded an unexpected result. When asked a "control question", the spirit replies with "I don't know", rendering their previous answer ambiguous (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 3 times)
Combustible materials either something in the firewood or the minerals added caused the fire to rage at a crucial moment during incantation. This has broken the ritual but conjured an elemental fire spirit. Role its reaction with 1d12: it might still want to assist its conjuror, but is just as likely to engulf them in flames (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 6 always succeed.

THE HUNT

Prepares a group for the hunt

Pierre Joubert

Time taken

1 hour + 1 turn per hunter

When it is to be performed

Just before dawn.

Necessary components

The previous night's watch fire, stoked back into life before the first dawn light. The fresh blood of an animal.

Additional sacrifice

1 SD (or equivalent) per hunter.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 3 times.

Description

The animal blood is poured over the fire: any other sacrifices must be burned in the fire, unless the spirit-talker is using their own SD. Hunters invited to receive the blessing of the fire must dance around the burning flames, echoing the singing of the spirit-talker.

Once the fire has burned out, the spirit-talker takes ash from the fire and blesses 1 hunter (10 minutes per hunter) for every hit die [of animal] sacrificed, .

Hunters roll any hunting, tracking, stealth or ranged attack rolls with approval. Additionally, all attacks inflict +1 damage. The effects of the blessing last until sunset.

Failure

A spirit-talker who has assisted or witnessed this ritual gets a 1-in-3 chance of performing it correctly alone for every time they've carried it out.

Roll 1d6. Ignore the result if statement in parentheses is true:

Explosion: perhaps it was due to a poor choice of materials or maybe a fire spirit was drawn by the badly performed incantations... but in any case, there is a massive explosion, inflicting 2d6 fire damage on all participants. Save vs. shock & surprise for half (if the spirit-talker has already assisted with the ritual 3 times there is no need to roll)
Sick animal the spirit-talker failed to notice that the blood of the sacrificial animal was poisoned or insufficiently fresh. The ritual is successful except in the case of one participant, who suffers reverse effects (hunting, tracking, stealth or ranged attack rolls with disapproval, all attacks inflict -1 damage) until the magic wears off (if the spirit-talker has already performed the ritual 3 times there is no need to roll)
Dried dung the spirit-talker used dried animal to get the fire going, but some its essence has managed to penetrate the ash, inflicting with the participants with an odour particularly attractive to predators. While they are otherwise as effective as the ritual promises, a new predator begins stalking them every hour, drawn to the stench. This wears off with the ritual's magic at sundown (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)
Cursed animal the blood used in the rite came from an animal that died by unnatural means. The ritual succeeds but the participants are being pursued by a malevolent spirit that seeks to destroy them, manifesting one hour after the rite, one mile away (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 5 or 6 always succeed.

THE PAINTING OF THE FLESH

Prepares a group for war

Illustrator unknown, 19th Century

Time taken

1 hour + 2 turns per warrior

When it is to be performed

Just after dusk

Necessary components

A fire started in the dying light of the day's sun, built to burn out in one hour. A stolen item from an enemy or a relic. The fresh blood of an animal.

Additional sacrifice

2 SD (or equivalent) per warrior.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 6 times.

Description

As with "the hunt", the animal blood is poured over the flames: any other sacrifices must also be placed in the fire, unless the spirit-talker is using their own SD. Warriors receiving the blessing of the fire must dance around the burning flames, echoing the singing of the spirit-talker.

After one hour, the spirit-talker takes ash from the fire and mixes this with pigment: each warrior to be blessed is painted with symbols and patterns produced by an entranced spirit-talker. The process takes 2 turns/20 minutes per hunter.

Warriors thus blessed make all melee rolls with the spirits' approval. They gain 6 temporary HP and 1 additional spirit die. These effects last until the rising of the sun on the following day, unless the markings are washed off or otherwise removed.

Failure

Thunderstruck: the Lord of the Sun & Heavens is unimpressed by the petty disputes of humanity and their pathetic fires. He sends a thunderbolt toward the spirit-talker, inflicting 3d10 damage on them and 2d10 on anyone within 10' (save vs. shock for half). The ritual fails, but any present who survive will receive a blessing from the Sun if the site is transformed into a shrine (if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 6 times there is no need to roll)
Stinky pigment the pigment employed by the spirit-talker contains a pheromone especially attractive to mosquitoes. The warrior are pursued by a flying insect swarm for the duration of this ritual. if the swarm is destroyed, an new one emerges in one hour. The ritual is otherwise successful (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 5 times)
Spiritual disrespect an invisible spirit contributing to these rites was not acknowledged by the ghost-talker and it is displeased. Though the magical effects are otherwise as effective as normal, this rogue spirit has whispered into the ears of the pariahs enemies that they are coming, and they are preparing traps and ambushes in advance. The spirit-talker is somehow aware of this (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 4 times)
Insufficiently sanctified relic crucial element of the ritual is the stolen enemy item or relic, which part of the spirit-talker's ritual cleanses. Having overlooked this small but important element , the spirit-talker has inadvertently attracted an ancestral spirit of their rivals. The ghostly warrior attacks in the midst of the ritual, which can only be finished if it is driven off, banished or destroyed (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 3 times)
Cursed animal the blood used in the rite came from an animal that died by unnatural means. The ritual succeeds but the participants are being pursued by a malevolent spirit that seeks to destroy them, manifesting one hour after the rite, one mile away (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 6 always succeed.

RITUAL OF THE TRUE NAME

Finds a newborn’s name or restores a Nameless One

A modern day baby drinking from a neolithic bottle

Time taken

1 night

When it is to be performed

From dusk ‘til dawn beneath a full moon.

Necessary components

None

Participants

A baby or Nameless One, their guardian(s) and the spirit-talker. No other witnesses, though the spirit-talker may engage an assistant for teaching purposes.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 6 times.

Description

A vigil is held in silence, with at least one member of the gathering awake at any given moment. By dawn, one of the guardians receives a name, which they whisper into the child or Nameless One's ear. The guardian instantly forgets, the child always remembers.

all fell asleep at some point during the vigil all present fell asleep. At the crucial moment, no name is granted, and the participants will need to try again at the next full moon (if the spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 6 times there is no need to roll)
Snoring During the vigil someone fell asleep and snored incredibly loudly, without being awoken or silenced. The spirits give a new name of one syllable only. This of no burden other than the fact the bearer of the name is fearful that someone might somehow guess it, or that they might flinch when someone utters that syllable aloud and accidentally disclose their name (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 5 times)
Sneeze despite the spirit-talker's warnings to maintain silence, one of the witnesses sneezes loudly while the true name is being whispered. This causes the bearer of the name to receive 2 true names and with it two souls. they are distinct beings with their own characters, traits and flaws—even HP, though serious wounds, burdens and conditions are shared. Typically one personality is active while the other sleeps. The GM and player should discuss how to resolve this (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 4 times)
Cough despite the spirit-talker's warnings to maintain silence, one of the witnesses coughs loudly just as the name was whispered to them, causing them to impart an incorrect true name. The name-bearer is faintly aware of this, and gains the burden of somatoparaphrenia until a visit to the Queen of Dawn allows them to re-learn their true name (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual 3 times)
Spoke out loud someone speaks aloud in the middle of the silent vigil. A wandering spirit is drawn to the One-to-be-Named and attaches itself. An infant receives the curse of possession, an adult Nameless One is utterly possessed by the spirit, become an NPC (if not already) until the spirit is banished. (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 6 always succeed.

SHOW ME, THEN, THE TRUTH OF ITS NATURE

Reveals hidden knowledge and esoteric matters.

Milk in a stone bowl

Time taken

3 consecutive nights (1 night for each stage of the ritual)

When it is to be performed

By the light of the waxing moon, with the final rite being performed before a full moon.

Necessary components

Sleepflower resin or oil of jasmine burned as incense. A bowl of fresh milk. An edge sharp enough to cut flesh. A personal item belonging to the intended target.

Participants

The spirit-talker and their intended target.

Learned

By assisting with the ritual 3 times.

Description

The incense is lit beside the bowl of milk at an altar. The spirit-talker drains their blood into the bowl (roll 1d4 damage to HP). The supplicant stirs the liquids together until their reflection emerges from the bowl, a ghostly silver doppelganger of the spirit-talker.

The ghost locates the target, who is unaware of the spectral spy unless they save vs. Moon. Regardless of the save, the ghost returns to the spirit-talker with information about when and where the target sleeps, with whom, and their general hopes, fears and dreams.

On the second night the ritual is repeated (fresh components must be used). This time the spirit-talker can provide the ghost a question: the ghost returns with the answer (if known to the target) before dawn. Again, the target can save to be made aware of the ghost.

On the third night the ghost is conjured a third time and—unless the target has employed appropriate wards—returns with the target's true name. Successful saving reveals the face of the spirit-talker, though the target might be powerless to act on this information.

Failure

A spirit-talker who has assisted or witnessed this ritual gets a 1-in-3 chance of performing it correctly alone for every time they've successfully assisted or carried out all 3 nights of the ritual

Roll 1d6 on each night of the ritual. Ignore the result if statement in parentheses is true:

Bad milk: the milk used in the ritual is insufficiently fresh. Instead of a ghostly wraith emerging to carry out this task, an aggressive moon-spirit emerges and attacks the ghost-talker. This is most likely in the form of a giant bat, owl or moth (if the spirit-talker has already assisted with the ritual 3 times there is no need to roll)
Dirty blade the blade used is contaminated, leading to the spirit-talker's blood being unclean. The spirit is conjured but it is unhappy: it will take a memory from the spirit-talker in order to carry out its duty. this may lead to the spirit-talker forgetting a skill, a quality or even an connection to a significant NPC. The spirit-talker can disagree to the exchange but this ends the ritual for good (if the spirit-talker has already performed the ritual 3 times there is no need to roll)
Incense unlit the spirit-talker neglects to light the incense, or lights the wrong kind of incense. The spirit summoned is not aligned with moon and is unable to enter the dreams of the person targeted, but might be able to carry out some other mission for the ghost-talker if they can reach an agreement—it might respond with aggression and attack. (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)
Yesterday's milk if this is the first night of the ritual refer to entry 1—"bad milk"—above. Otherwise the spirit-talker has neglected to replace the milk from yesterday's ritual, leading to a doppelganger of the spirit-talker emerging. They believe themselves to be the true version of the spirit-talker, but aren't necessarily looking to replace them: they suggest it could be useful to operate as a two-person team, though how much they can be trusted is anyone's guess (ignore if spirit-talker has already assisted in the ritual twice)

Results of 5 or 6 always succeed.

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https://atelier-hwei.itch.io/complete-pariah-zini