Communion

Some magics draw strength from many voices rather than one, allowing groups of casters to achieve feats beyond any single individual’s reach. Communion is an Effect that lets a group of willing participants temporarily link their Mana Points (MP) into a single, shared pool. The most powerful or skilled caster among them can then draw upon this collective reserve. However, this shared power comes with shared risk – only those present and agreed to the ritual may partake, and all participants are vulnerable if the magic goes awry.

Prerequisites

• Narrative Anchor: Before Communion can be used, the group and the GM must establish the specific form this ritual takes within the campaign setting. Is it a shared chant under a blood moon? A complex ritual circle drawn at a hidden nexus? A whispered oath of arcane unity? Until the story and setting define its form, Communion remains unavailable.
• Learning Communion: Communion itself is an Effect. Any character with the Magic skill can learn it by spending 5 XP once the Effect is discovered or made available through narrative means (GM approval). No special class or title is needed, only the knowledge of the Effect and the Magic skill.

Mechanics of Communion

• Initiation and Joining: One caster (the initiator) spends 1 Action and 1 MP to open the communion link. Any other individuals within Close Range (approx. 30 ft) who also know the Communion Effect and are willing to join may immediately spend 1 MP (or more, by voluntary contribution) from their personal pool. This contributed MP forms the Communal Pool.
• Designated Lead Caster: The participants must designate one individual within the link as the Lead Caster for any specific Effect they wish to cast using the pooled energy. This individual makes the required Magic skill roll.
• Casting from the Pool: When the Lead Caster activates an Effect, they must declare they are drawing from the Communion Pool. They make their Magic skill roll as normal, applying situational modifiers.
• Outcomes:
  • Success: The Effect works as intended. The MP cost is deducted from the Communal Pool.
  • Standard Failure (Not 00): The Effect fails to manifest. The MP cost is not deducted from the Communal Pool. Instead, the failed channeling draws chaotically from the participants: Divide the total MP cost of the attempted Effect as equally as possible among all current participants. Each participant immediately loses that amount of MP from their personal MP pool. If a participant does not have enough personal MP, they suffer the consequences of Heroic Casting for the shortfall (losing 1 unhealable HP per MP short and potentially incurring penalties).
  • Critical Failure (00 Roll): The Effect fails catastrophically. The MP cost is deducted from the Communal Pool (wasted). The Lead Caster suffers severe magical backlash, losing Hit Points equal to the MP cost of the attempted Effect (this backlash cannot reduce the caster below 0 HP, but reaching 0 HP or fewer renders them Unconscious). Furthermore, the Communion link instantly breaks for all participants. Finally, all participants (including the potentially unconscious Lead Caster) must immediately succeed on a Mind x 5% roll or suffer 1d10 Stun Point damage from the uncontrolled energy feedback.

Duration and Dissolving the Bond

The Communion link and its shared pool persist for up to 10 Minutes (60 rounds), or until the communal pool is depleted, or until it is broken prematurely (e.g., by backlash from a critical failure, or if the initiator or lead caster consciously spends an action to dissolve it). Any MP remaining in the pool when the Communion ends dissipate harmlessly; they do not return to the contributors. To perform Communion again, participants must reconvene and perform the initiation and contribution steps anew.

Communion magnifies a group’s magical might considerably, enabling powerful workings, but binds their fates together – one critical miscast by the lead caster can injure or drain every participant involved.

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File Created: 05/07/2025
Last Modified: 05/07/2025