Unholy Arcana (by Michael Rainey)

## Unholy Arcana

*You are a vessel for death and destruction.*

* **Novice:** You learn the spells *Desecrate* and *Hellfire*.
* **Journeyman:** You learn the spell *Damnation*. You also gain the focus Intelligence (Unholy Arcana).
* **Master:** You learn the spell *Unholy Word*. You can also choose one spell stunt you can perform for -1 SP when casting *Unholy Arcana* spells.

### Desecrate

* **Requirements:** Unholy Arcana (Novice)
* **Spell Type:** Attack
* **MP Cost:** 4+
* **Casting Time:** Major Action
* **Target Number:** 13
* **Test:** Willpower (Faith) vs. Spellpower

You imbue an area in yards equal to twice your Willpower in radius up to 30 yards away with unholy, negative energy. Any creature that enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there, it must make a **Willpower (Faith)** test vs. your Spellpower or take 1d6 + Willpower damage. Targets that make a successful **Willpower (Faith)** test vs. your spellpower take only 1d6 damage. This spell lasts a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence, but can be extended for 2 MP per additional round.

### Hellfire

* **Requirements:** Unholy Arcana (Novice)
* **Spell Type:** Attack
* **MP Cost:** 4
* **Casting Time:** Major Action
* **Target Number:** 12
* **Test:** Willpower (Faith) vs. Spellpower

You create a gout of brimstone and unholy fire that erupts from your hand or arcane device, burning and pelting nearby targets. The blast is 8 yards long and 2 yards wide. Anyone hit by the blast takes 2d6 + Willpower penetrating damage and the target is knocked prone. The target may make a successful **Willpower (Faith)** test vs. your Spellpower to take only 1d6 + Willpower penetrating damage and remain standing.

### Damnation

* **Requirements:** Unholy Arcana (Journeyman)
* **Spell Type:** Attack
* **MP Cost:** 9
* **Casting Time:** Major Action
* **Target Number:** 14
* **Test:** Strength (Might) vs. Spellpower

A field of cold, dark, cloying miasma of whispy black tentacles with a radius equal to twice your Willpower in yards up to 20 yards away appears to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot including water, tearing and grasping at those inside the area, holding them fast and crushing them with great strength. Each creature within the area or entering the area must make a successful **Strength (Might)** test vs. your Spellpower or take 1d6 + Willpower penetrating damage and become grappled. At the beginning of each grappled target's turn, the target may make a **Strength (Might)** test vs. your Spellpower or take 1d6 + Willpower penetrating damage. If this test result is a failure and the Stunt Die is a 1 or 2 the target is pulled into the inky blackness and disappears, taking 2d6 + Willpower penetrating damage each round until they make a successful **Strength (Might)** test to escape. The spell lasts a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence or until the field has been inactive (i.e., does not have a creature grappled) for two consecutive rounds.

### Unholy Word

* **Requirements:** Unholy Arcana (Master)
* **Spell Type:** Attack
* **MP Cost:** 12
* **Casting Time:** Major Action
* **Target Number:** 18
* **Test:** Willpower (Faith) vs. Spellpower

You point your hand or arcane device at an area within 50 yards of you and smite your enemies, causing those within a 4-yard radius around where you pointed to be sheathed in unholy power. Anyone caught in the area takes 2d6 + Willpower penetrating damage and must make a successful **Willpower (Faith)** test vs. your Spellpower or suffer one of the following effects based on the failure of the test result:

 -5 to -8
 -9 or more