Nightcats:Divine Invocations
Divine Invocations
[edit]In Jhelum, priests and shamans do not practice sorcery. They do not seize power by forbidden study, bargain with hidden forces for secret workings, or twist the world through the Black Arts. What they do is older, simpler, and in some ways more dangerous. They call, entreat, flatter, appease, invoke, praise, threaten, remind, and submit.
The world is already full of gods and spirits. An invocation is the moment when one of them answers.
Favor
[edit]Priests and Shamans possess Favor Points, a pool of divine or spiritual credit that reflects the attention of the powers they serve.
A Priest or Shaman may have a maximum Favor equal to their career rank. Thus, a Priest 1 may hold up to 1 Favor, while a Shaman 3 may hold up to 3 Favor.
Favor is spent to perform Invocations.
What An Invocation Does
[edit]By spending 1 Favor, a Priest or Shaman may invoke a god, spirit, ancestor, tutelary power, or local presence in order to create a brief supernatural effect. In game terms, an invocation grants a temporary Boon or imposes a temporary Flaw on one of the following:
- the invoker
- an ally
- an enemy
- the immediate scene
The effect should normally last for one roll, one exchange, one short task, or one scene, depending on the fiction and the MJ’s judgment.
An invocation must fit the nature of the power being called upon.
Priests And Shamans
[edit]Priests and Shamans use the same rules, but they do not feel the same in play.
A Priest serves a named god, temple cult, city tutelary, saint, household shrine, or formal sacred mystery. Priestly invocations tend to feel ceremonial, lawful, symbolic, protective, communal, or solemn.
A Shaman deals with spirits of place, ancestors, beasts, weather, hunger, omen, dream, sickness, and the old things that haunt the margins of the world. Shamanic invocations tend to feel local, uncanny, immediate, intimate, and wild.
A priest says, “The god hears.”
A shaman says, “The spirit is here.”
Divine Aspects
[edit]At character creation, every Priest or Shaman chooses three Divine Aspects that describe the powers they serve.
These are not separate mechanics or spell lists. They are guiding words or phrases that define what sort of invocations are appropriate.
A Priest of Gajendra might choose:
Strength, Kingship, Memory
A Priest of Kamala Of The Hearth-Lamp might choose:
Home, Marriage, Peace
A River Shaman might choose:
Currents, Drowning, Prophecy
A Jungle Spirit-Talker might choose:
Beasts, Hidden Paths, Hunger
Whenever a Priest or Shaman spends Favor, the player must name which Divine Aspect is being invoked.
The Limits Of Invocation
[edit]Invocation is broad, but it is not the same as sorcery. An invocation may grant a Boon or impose a Flaw. It may reveal a sign, darken a room, stir a lamp flame, call an omen, burden an oath-breaker, steady a fearful heart, bring luck to a crossing, or cause a liar’s tongue to falter. It does not replace the wider and more dangerous capabilities of sorcery.
Invocations do not normally:
- create permanent supernatural effects
- duplicate full sorcerous workings
- destroy entire groups of enemies at once
- solve an entire adventure with a single prayer
- reshape the world on a grand scale
An invocation is a moment of favor, dread, blessing, curse, warning, or divine attention. It is immediate, vivid, and limited.
How To Use Invocation At The Table
[edit]The player describes what the god or spirit does in the fiction. After that, the table agrees on the temporary Boon or Flaw created by the effect.
Do not begin from the mechanic if you can help it. Begin from the sign. Do not say, “I grant Alert.” Say, “The River Mother sends ripples against the current, and suddenly we all know something is moving nearby.” Then apply the appropriate Boon.
Do not say, “I inflict a Flaw.” Say, “The threshold spirit knows this man comes with treachery in his mouth, and the lintel creaks above him like a warning.” Then choose the fitting temporary Flaw.
Offerings And Tokens
[edit]An invocation should usually be accompanied by some act of reverence, however small. This need not cost anything in rules terms, but it should matter in the fiction.
A Priest or Shaman might offer:
- a whispered hymn
- a copper coin
- a drop of blood
- a flower cast into water
- a thread tied to a branch
- a pinch of rice
- a lamp lit at dusk
- a promise spoken before witnesses
- a little milk poured at a shrine
- ashes marked across the brow
These touches help the gods of Jhelum feel present and particular.
Offending The Powers
[edit]The Million Gods remember slights. If a Priest or Shaman has clearly insulted, neglected, betrayed, or defiled the power they serve, the Gods may rule that an invocation fails, comes at a price, or produces a troubled sign instead of a clean blessing.
A priest of household peace who has desecrated a family shrine should not expect swift aid from Kamala. A river shaman who has fouled a sacred ford may find the spirits of the current less than friendly.
This is not meant to punish clever play. It is there to remind everyone that divine favor is a relationship, not a machine.
Sample Divine Aspects
[edit]| Patron | Divine Aspects | Usual Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Gajendra, The Elephant Lord | Strength, Kingship, Memory | Courage, endurance, lawful might, steadfastness |
| Matrika Jal, The River Mother | Rivers, Floods, Passage | Warning, safe travel, drowning fear, river luck |
| Varashan The Veiled | Secrets, Silence, Forbidden Knowledge | Omen, concealment, dangerous insight, hidden truth |
| Nashara Of The Thousand Eyes | Cities, Witness, Revelation | Detection, exposure, watching signs, uncovering lies |
| Kaliresh, Lady Of The Night | Shadows, Silence, Unseen Paths | Stealth, fear, concealment, moon-dark guidance |
| Dharmapala The Judge | Oaths, Debt, Consequence | Binding words, moral weight, curse on oath-breakers |
| Kamala Of The Hearth-Lamp | Home, Marriage, Peace | Household blessings, calm, welcome, warding the family |
| Yamaresh, Keeper Of Ashes | Death, Rest, Ancestors | Funeral signs, protection from ghosts, stern ancestral presence |
| A River Spirit | Currents, Hunger, Reflection | Omens, luck on the water, dread, treacherous footing |
| A Banyan Spirit | Roots, Memory, Stillness | Protection, entanglement, old knowledge, patient anger |
| A Household God | Threshold, Fire, Kinship | Domestic blessing, warning, comfort, misfortune for intruders |
| An Ancestor Spirit | Bloodline, Duty, Warning | Guidance, rebuke, resolve, old grudges remembered |
Example Invocations
[edit]| Invocation | Possible Effect |
|---|---|
| The Elephant Lord hardens a warrior’s heart before battle. | Grant Brave for one scene. |
| Nashara causes a hidden watcher to be glimpsed in polished bronze or still water. | Grant a temporary perception-related Boon. |
| Kaliresh folds the shadows around a thief as soft as velvet. | Grant a stealth-related Boon. |
| Dharmapala weighs on the soul of a sworn liar. | Impose a temporary social or mental Flaw. |
| Kamala steadies a panicked household and stills a child’s frightened cries. | Grant a calming or protective Boon for the scene. |
| A river spirit makes the stones slick beneath pursuers. | Impose a movement or footing-related Flaw. |
| An ancestor stands behind a descendant, lending stern resolve. | Grant a one-roll Boon tied to courage, honor, or duty. |
| A threshold god marks an intruder with unease. | Impose a temporary Flaw while crossing or acting within the warded space. |
Suggested Temporary Boons And Flaws
[edit]The exact effect of an invocation should be agreed at the table, based on the fiction. The tables below offer fast examples for common divine themes in Jhelum. They are not exhaustive. They are meant to help players and the GM quickly choose an effect that feels appropriate.
Suggested Temporary Boons By Patron Type
[edit]| Patron Type | Suitable Temporary Boons | Typical Fiction |
|---|---|---|
| War Gods | Brave, a combat-related Boon, a physical intimidation Boon | The god steels the heart, strengthens the arm, or makes the warrior seem larger and more terrible. |
| River Gods And River Spirits | Alert, Sure-Footed, a travel Boon, a perception Boon | The current warns, reveals danger, guides a boat, or grants confidence in water and mud. |
| City Gods | Alert, a social Boon, an intrigue Boon, a knowledge Boon | The city itself whispers news, reveals hidden movement, or sharpens the invoker’s sense for lies and schemes. |
| Night Gods | Sneaky, a stealth Boon, an escape Boon, a fear-resistance Boon | Shadows deepen, steps grow softer, and the unseen road opens. |
| Judges, Oath Gods, And Ancestors Of Duty | Brave, a resolve Boon, a truth-seeing Boon, a leadership Boon | The weight of duty settles on the soul, strengthening purpose and hardening the will. |
| Household Gods | a calming Boon, a warding Boon, a hospitality Boon, a protective family Boon | Lamps burn steady, children quiet, doors hold fast, and quarrels lose their heat. |
| Ancestor Spirits | a courage Boon, a memory Boon, a ritual Boon, a lineage Boon | The dead stand near, lending warning, steadiness, tradition, or stern approval. |
| Tree Spirits And Jungle Powers | Sure-Footed, a concealment Boon, a tracking Boon, a survival Boon | Roots guide the feet, leaves veil the body, and the jungle parts for the favored. |
| Market Gods And Road Gods | a bargaining Boon, a travel Boon, a luck Boon, a perception Boon | Ledgers balance, tempers soften, roads stay open, and a good bargain appears at the right moment. |
| Death Gods And Funeral Powers | a fear-resistance Boon, a ghost-warding Boon, a solemn authority Boon | The dead are kept in their place, restless spirits are rebuked, and grave authority settles over the living. |
Suggested Temporary Flaws By Patron Type
[edit]| Patron Type | Suitable Temporary Flaws | Typical Fiction |
|---|---|---|
| War Gods | fear, hesitation, shaken nerve, overconfidence | The foe’s courage fails, their hand trembles, or battle-fury makes them reckless. |
| River Gods And River Spirits | poor footing, distraction, dread, loss of direction | Stones slicken, reeds conceal danger, water glare blinds, or the river’s voice unsettles the target. |
| City Gods | exposure, suspicion, distraction, social unease | Hidden acts are noticed, lies falter, and an enemy suddenly feels watched from every rooftop. |
| Night Gods | fear, confusion, isolation, misstep | Darkness presses close, familiar alleys become uncertain, and the silence grows hostile. |
| Judges, Oath Gods, And Ancestors Of Duty | guilt, shame, hesitation, truth laid bare | The weight of wrongdoing falls on the oath-breaker, slowing word and deed. |
| Household Gods | discomfort, unwelcome feeling, quarrelsomeness, clumsiness | A trespasser feels the house reject him; hands fumble, tempers rise, and every sound seems accusatory. |
| Ancestor Spirits | doubt, rebuke, shaken resolve, burden of memory | The target feels judged by the dead, haunted by lineage, duty, or old failures. |
| Tree Spirits And Jungle Powers | entanglement, confusion, fear, loss of path | Branches catch, insects swarm, roots twist underfoot, and the jungle turns strange. |
| Market Gods And Road Gods | bad luck, poor bargaining, delay, mistrust | A merchant’s tongue slips, a caravan misses the right turning, or every offer suddenly seems suspect. |
| Death Gods And Funeral Powers | dread, chill, silence, aversion | The touch of the grave passes over the target, draining ease and confidence. |
Quick Invocation Procedure
[edit]When a Priest or Shaman invokes a power, use this simple sequence:
- Name the patron or spirit.
- Name the Divine Aspect being invoked.
- Describe the sign or manifestation.
- Choose a fitting temporary Boon or Flaw.
- Set the duration—usually one roll, one exchange, one task, or one scene.
This should be fast. The point is not to turn invocation into a second magic system. The point is to let divine favor color the moment.
Play Guidance
[edit]The best invocations are specific, brief, and vivid. They should feel like the world leaning slightly in the god’s favor.
Favor does not need a long recovery procedure unless you want one. The simplest approach is to refresh Favor when it makes sense in the flow of play: after rest, prayer, sacrifice, ritual observance, a visit to a shrine, or whenever Hero Points would normally be refreshed in your campaign. The important point is that a Priest or Shaman can never hold more Favor than their career rank.
When in doubt, ask two questions.
First: Which god or spirit is being invoked?
Second: What would its attention look like here?
If the answer is interesting, fitting, and brief, it is probably a good invocation.
Final Word
[edit]In Jhelum, divinity is not distant. It is immediate, particular, and everywhere. The gods of empires matter, but so do the spirits of ferries, kitchens, banyan roots, broken wells, market squares, old tombs, and moonless courtyards.
A Priest or Shaman does not cast spells into an empty world.
They ask a crowded world to answer.