Ritual Portalism

**Ritual Portalism** is a magical technique derived from Fulcrum magic that allows a ritualist to teleport people and objects through space. First performed on Archaeus by the ritualist Barron Ormauve, it allowed a group of Archaeans to travel to other planets within the galaxy. A similar technique had previously been used by the species of the galaxy to travel between solar systems.

## Development on Archaeus

An effect similar to that of Ritual Portalism was achieved through a ritual performed during the Siege of Adalhard Manor, which teleported several participants to two areas beyond Archaeus temporarily. Experiments over the coming months would standardise the technique, allowing consistent teleportation of individuals and objects from one ritual circle to another.

It was first used in a non-experimental context to investigate the last known location of a disappeared Dwarven bride during the Arbeth-Tegerron Conflict. The journey revealed that a lack of concentration on one's destination could result in only partial teleportation, as two of the accompanying dwarves returned missing body parts.

Ritual Portalism would later be used to teleport a small group to another planet in order to establish contact with the Kenku; the group would go on to discover a similar but nonmagical technique of teleportation, which they would use to return to Archaeus several months later.

## Nonmagical Variant

For several thousands of years, the inhabitants of the galaxy at large (including Kenku, Naga, and Beholders) have used a technique resembling Ritual Portalism to travel between worlds. Since their worlds lack magic, the technique instead involves strange devices, but does similarly require the user to focus on their intended destination. The circles used for this method are connected in a kind of network that Archaeus was only recently incorporated into.

## Technique and Limitations

Ritual Portalism must be performed between two ritual circles, or between a ritual circle and one of the circles used by its nonmagical variant. It requires a ritualist, who may travel themselves or remain behind. Both the ritualist and the passengers (but not objects) must focus on their destination to ensure safety; distractions, such as stabbing or being stabbed, have resulted in only parts of individuals arriving at their destination. A variation is possible that involves teleporting another individual outside of a ritual circle into one; this was used during the hunt for the Journal of Jack Ketch to rescue Beatrix Jumpen, a rabbitfolk law warden who had been kidnapped by thieves.

If there is a limit on the distance that can be travelled, it is astronomical in size, as Ritual Portalism has allowed teleportation between planets in the past. The experience of teleportation for those moved is unpleasant but not harmful, with accounts describing unnatural stretching and compression.

The nonmagical variant is much less understood. It, too, requires two circles (though of a different nature to ritual circles) and concentration from travellers, but is operated by strange devices and appears not to make use of magic or traditional ritual technique. Teleportation using this method also requires that the destination and origin point both be connected to a 'network' of circles; when Archaeus's circles became connected to this network, Barron Ormauve reported that they lost the individuality that had been behind them since their creation, later regaining it when disconnected by the Kenku.