The Vitriarchs of the Shattered Plain are strange and mad, and make others mad. The practice of Glass magic is forbidden in the White City, and indeed in most other city-states. Only the Port of Glass permits (and indeed encourages) the worship of the Glass Powers.
More information on the Faceless Lord, the King in Fragments, the Never-Queen, the Master Complete, the Bride of Brittle Tears and the Absent Lord can be found here on the Gods & Cults page.
Glass Magic is maddening. Literally. Working Glass magic involves opening one's mind to the Shattered Plain and to the Glass Tower of the Vitriarchs. This wrecks the minds of all who try it. In game terms, you take Psyche Hits when casting Glass magic. The difference between Ordained and non-Ordained Glass Sorcerors is the effect of hitting zero Psyche Hits from casting Glass magic. A non-Ordained Sorceror gets Vitrified when this happens, they've opened up too far to the Glass Tower and have been consumed. An Ordained Sorceror collapses, their spirit temporarily departed to the Glass Tower. Their spirit will return to their body with half their Psyche Hits healed at the end of the Encounter. While unconscious their eyes are mirrored and cracked.
If a Glass Sorceror tries to cast a spell for which they do not have enough Psyche Hits to pay the cost, (for example if they find out after casting that the target has Shattered Blood or they try to Vitrify someone who has more Psyche Hits than they expected,) then they lose their remaining Psyche Hits but the spell is not cast.
Storm of Shards - This simple direct damage spell projects shards of razor sharp glass at the target. These shards can be Dodged but not Parried. They inflict a Double to one of the target's locations (chosen by the caster), and the caster takes a single Psyche Hit. If the target is not living then this spell only inflicts a Single, since the lacerations are less of a threat.
Eyes of Glass - The caster's eyes become as mirrors. Anybody who looks into their eyes takes three Psyche Hits for every Psyche Hit the caster is willing to take in return. Anyone who loses their last Psyche Hit to this spell falls unconscious and spends the rest of the Encounter in a coma, plagued by nightmarish visions of the Vitriarchs. At the end of the Encounter they return to consciousness with half their Psyche Hits healed, but may suffer other side effects at the GM's discretion.
Unlike most other magic, this spell can also be used during Psychic Combat. Furthermore, since an opponent in Psychic Combat is in direct contact with the caster's mind they cannot avoid looking into the caster's (metaphorical) eyes.
Clarity - For the cost of one Psyche Hit the caster can see through all illusions except those that have their origins in Glass magic. The effect lasts until the end of the Encounter. This spell can also inspire visions, and may have other effects at the GM's discretion.
Reflection - The caster can take on the appearance of anybody they're looking at. The illusion lasts until the next noon, or until the caster takes on another appearance, and cannot be voluntarily dismissed. This spell costs one Psyche Hit.
Cloak of Razors - The caster calls up a storm of razor edged glass shards which circle about a yard away from their body and slice into anyone nearby. Anybody approaching the caster takes a Single to an appropriate location every three seconds or so. The caster takes a Psyche Hit when they call up the cloak, and it costs another Psyche Hit for every minute they wish to maintain it.
Call Forth the Glass Tower - This spell does what it says on the tin. It calls up a great glass tower. This tower is ultimately as fragile as glass but has value as shelter. Calling up the tower costs three Psyche Hits, and anyone spending the night in the tower loses one Psyche Hit as they are plagued with dreams of the Vitriarchs. The Tower may also be used to access the Shattered Plain. The standard glass tower conjured up by this spell is about ten feet across and thirty feet high, and can sleep a group of four or five adventurers and their equipment in reasonable comfort. For every additional Psyche Hit the caster spends, the dimensions of the tower are increased by this much again.
Vitrify - This spell turns a subject to glass, either literally or metaphorically. It requires eye contact with the caster (if the target has eyes) and either transforms a living or inanimate subject to glass or utterly depletes the Psyche Hits of the target. This costs the caster either three Psyche Hits or a number of Psyche Hits equal to half those of the victim, whichever is greater. A target stripped of all Psyche Hits by this spell becomes a vessel for the Vitriarchs.
Channel the Shattered Plain - The caster channels things from the Shattered Plain through their mind, body and spirit. This is a really nasty experience, costing 3 Psyche Hits and inflicting a Through Single to the torso and both arms as shards of glass poke out through the caster's skin. However, it does have its benefits. The caster may cast Storm of Shards once at no cost, they are automatically under the effect of the Eyes of Glass spell and their unarmed attacks inflict Vitrifying Singles (this damage is cumulative with any bonus gained from the Strong skill, but not with those gained from the Gutter Fighter or Weapon Master: Unarmed skills).
Call Forth the Vitriarchs - The Vitriarch who answers the summons need a host. This will be either the caster, a Vitrimorph, or a character who has lost all their Psyche Hits to Glass magic. The Vitriarchs are powerful, malicious and maddening. They can cast largely unlimited Glass magic and are almost impossible to defeat in psychic combat.
Soul-Shattering - The caster expends all of their remaining Psyche Hits, turns to glass and shatters. This is fatal to the caster, and everybody within five yards or so is hit by their shards. Those hit take a Single to the torso and lose one Psyche Hit. They also gain Rank 1 Glass Magic and, if the caster was Ordained, become Ordained Priests of the Vitriarchs. This happens to them whether they want it to or not, regardless of whether they have any levels in a Sorceror Class or whether they are already Ordained to another Power. They gain a level as a Glass Sorceror at the end of the adventure, even if this would not normally be allowed by their Primary Class levels (in which case they must raise their Primary Class levels at every available opportunity thereafter until it is legal). They must spend their next 10 experience points on paying for their Rank 1 Glass Magic skill, and if the caster was Ordained must spend the 6 experience points after that on paying for their Ordained skill.
Someone who is already a Glass Sorceror does not gain the additional Glass magic but is still subject to the Ordination and may well be eligible to gain another level of Glass Sorceror for the experience.
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This page last updated: 3rd November 2004
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