Ceremonies are powerful ritual magic used by the priests of the Divine Spheres to create long lasting magical effects, potentially changing the fabric of reality in a wide variety of ways.
Each Sphere has its own specific ceremonies which can be found here:
- Anarch Ceremonies
- Arcadian Ceremonies
- Cervitas Ceremonies
- Lumos Ceremonies
- Panoply Ceremonies
- Stallia Ceremonies
Rituals are varied and their casting changes from priest to priest, realm to realm, but mechanically there are a series of base requirements that are standard between them, which are as follows.
Ceremonies require three completed components
- Divine Lore equal to or exceeding its Magnitude
- Expenditure of Crystal Mana equal to or exceeding its magnitude, and
- Completion of Ceremony roleplay equal to or exceeding the time required.
Each participating priest must not expend more crystal mana than they have ranks in Divine Lore for that Sphere.
If a priest has two ranks in Divine Lore: Stallia and one rank in Divine Lore: Panoply, usually that priest may only expend two crystal mana in a Panoply ceremony.
The Divine Lore requirement may be dispersed among a number of priests, however they must all be members of the same Sect.
Due to the dangerous magnitude of ceremonial magic, personal mana may not be used.
Priests are able to achieve Mastery of Ceremonies.
Each time a priest gains a rank in Divine Lore, they may devote themselves to the Mastery of two Ceremonies from that Sphere.
Mastery allows the priest to contribute double their base rank to the Magnitude of the Ceremony, and an equivalent amount of crystal mana.
Mastery does not need to be selected when you purchase the skill, but can be if you feel it is characterful to do so. Mastery "slots" can be claimed by informing the Church ST at the time of casting.
Mastery of a Ceremony is fixed once your have performed that Ceremony, and cannot be removed unless you unlearn the skill granting that Mastery.
The Additional Ceremony skill grants two Mastery "slots", which do not have to be applied to the same Sphere in cases where the priest has ranks in two.
The time required to cast a ritual varies based on the Magnitude.
| Ceremony Magnitude | Minimum Ceremony Time |
|---|---|
| <11 | 2 Minutes |
| 11-25 | 5 Minutes |
| >25 | 10 Minutes |
Ceremonies must be cast inside a Sanctified Square or at an Altar.
Currently the only Sanctified Square in The Concord can be found in the Capital. Others may be craftable but this is currently outside the abilities of the Concord. Completing a ceremony at an Altar ensures that you will receive Civil Service feedback and perhaps additional information.
Sects may maintain Altars that allow them to perform some ceremonies outside of the Sanctified square. Details for Altars can be found on the Sects page.
Ceremonies must be communicated to the Church Civil Service team before they are performed.
This ensures that all required details are tracked, and that any complications or questions are managed before roleplay is performed.
Some Ceremonies are listed as Enchantments. An entity can only be under the effect of one Enchantment at a time.
If a new Enchantment is cast on a target which already has one on it, the Enchantment with the higher magnitude remains.
Some Ceremonies are listed as Curses. An entity can only be on the effect of one Curse at a time.
If a new Curse is cast on a target which already has one on it, the Curse with the higher magnitude remains.
If a character is to be the target of a non-curse ceremony, they must be present within the Sanctified Square.
They may still be a participant of the ceremony, offering their Divine Lore skill to the ceremony.
Ceremonies can have their magnitude reduced through a variety of means. This can never be reduced below 1 Cost/Magnitude.
Unlike personal magnitude, the cost of ceremonies and thus their magnitude can be under the effect of a number of different additive or subtractive effects. When totaled, these effects always have flat value effects calculated first, then any percentage based effects calculated second. Regardless, a ceremony can never be reduced below 1 Cost/Magnitude
Characters may never claim more than one increase to their Divine Lore for the purposes of calculating their contribution to a Ceremony.
While it is possible for a character to have a number of ways to increase their own Divine Lore for the purposes of magnitude calculations, a player can claim only 1 (potion, rite, ceremony effect, etc.) when calculating their effective Divine Lore for the purposes of the Ceremony, and the addition is done after the multiplication effects of Ceremony Mastery.
Some Ceremonies are listed as Curses. The power to deliver a curse is imbued in one of the individuals who performed the ceremony.
Upon completion, one individual who performed the ceremony may be declared as the Prophet. The Prophet has 15 minutes to find a target and curse them (usually from a pronouncement of doom such “You are cursed for your crimes!” or some similar roleplay) or else they themselves will become the target for the Curse. Either way, the Church Storyteller will inform the target of the effects.
If a Ceremony targets a territory, region, or nation, it must be in The Concord or Adjacent to the Concord.
Some Ceremonies target a territory, region, or even nation. In order for the ceremony to succeed, the target must be within the Concord itself, or border it directly. Very short sea crossings constitute a direct border.
Ceremonies creating long-term effects in regions outside of Passage take some time to come into effect
Unless otherwise specified in the text of the Ceremony, if a Ceremony creates or affects something on the world map outside of Passage, it doesn't necessarily take effect immediately, but can take up to a week to reliably come into existence or begin.