ND/Summoning

*See also House Rules*.
*See also Arcane Spells*.
*see also Learned Prayers*.
An inherent problem with Summoning in advantage-based magic systems is that Allies (the obvious choice) have a variable point value. This means that summoning an entity is either cheaper for more powerful casters (the spell ends up with a variable cost) or that more powerful casters just naturally summon more powerful entities (an archmage literally can't summon an imp, but has no trouble bringing a greater demon to the material plane). The solution is to set a fixed point level for summonable entities: A "100% value" ally is set to this point level, and spells that summon creatures use that as the base. For New Dawn, that value is 150 points. 'Summoned' here refers to any ally created through the use of magic, whether it's elementals, divine servitors, reanimated undead, demons, or golems.

## Summoning Troops for Mass Combat

Mass Combat Allies summoned with Learned Prayers or Known Spells use the values for Mass Combat troops' point totals, giving the following base costs for a given number of elements:
Summoned Troop Base Point Values

**Duration:** Learned Prayers or Known spells that summon troops must also use Extended Duration to last at least 30 minutes (and should generally last longer!); troop-summoning spells that are intended to last longer than a day require Extended Duration, Permanent (as long as the troops are alive and summoned), +150% ***and*** some form of Temporary Disadvantage worth at least 10 points that will last as long as the troops are alive and summoned.
Summoned troops must also must use the Summonable or Conjured enhancment at +100%. 'Summonable' allies don't require a Reaction roll, but cannot freely replace casualties: if a 'Summonable' force is annihilated, the caster loses the use of that spell permanently! Conjured allies have no such limitation, but casters who don't want to worry about their allies' reactions should also use Minion, at +0% for Slave Mentality troops (like reanimated zombies or skeletons) and +50% for other troops (See also the 'Unwilling Minion' modifier below). For non-minion Mass Combat troops, make a reaction roll OR Thaumatology/Religious Ritual skill roll when the allies are summoned:
Summoned Troop Reaction Table

The force's commander can make a reaction roll in the caster's place (if the caster is not also going to be leading the force into battle), but at -5. Spellcasters who are social pariahs are well-advised to keep plenty of appropriate bribes handy, or to stick to Minions! Summoned creatures may take payment in many forms; at the GM's discretion, particularly appropriate offers of esoteric materials can result in reduced cost, or providing an appropriate gift before rolling can improve the reaction roll.

*New Modifier:* Unwilling Minion (+0%): Use this for troops that are bound by some kind of contract to serve the summoner, such as demons, some kinds of golems, and some kinds of Divine Servitors. Treat these troops as Minons, but they will continue to serve only so long as the contract is obeyed, and \*will\* turn on the caster if the pact is broken! Demons are particularly well-known for using loopholes in summoning contracts to eat unwary summoners.
Summoning is expensive, and summoning spells frequently have limitations in order to bring point costs in line. Common modifiers on Summoning spells include:

Summonable OR Conjured, +100% (Required; see above)
Mana Sensitive, -10% (Required)
Extended Duration, 30 Minutes, +60% to Permanent while summoned creature remains alive and summoned, +150% (Required)
Temporary Disadvantage: -1 HT, -2 ST, -1 Will, -1 Per, Vow (Major), etc, -10% (or more; Required if duration is Permanent)
Minion, +50% or Unwilling Minion, +0%
Using ALL of 'Requires Gestures, -10%', 'Requires Magic Words, -10%' and 'Costs FP, -5% (or more)' instead of the standard Sorcery modifiers, or adding chanted prayer and ritual requirements to a Learned Prayer.
Attracts Threats, -5% or -10%
Immediate Preparation Required, 1 hour, -75% or 8 hours, -90%; the GM may require rolls against Meditation, Religious Ritual, or Thaumatology for extended rituals.
Requires Materials, -10%; *required* for golems or zombies, where the materials are 'crafted bodies' or 'corpses', but some elementals or divine servitors will require appropriate sacrifices. These do NOT count towards the troops' pay if a bad reaction is rolled for Conjured troops!