Sorcery

The Black Art of Binding in the Young Kingdoms

Sorcery is not a spell. It is an act of will.

The sorcerer calls something into the world, binds it, commands it, and then struggles to keep it contained. Every working follows the same pattern:

Summon → Bind → Command → Endure

There are no spell lists. All effects come from bound beings.

The Sorcery Roll

To summon and bind a being:

2d6 + Mind + appropriate Career

The Career must reasonably apply (Sorcerer, Witch, Priest, Demonologist, etc.).

Difficulty is based on Magnitude:

Magnitude	Being	Difficulty
I	Elemental	9
II	Demon	12
III	Ruler / Named Power	15+

Success binds the entity. Failure means something arrives—but is not controlled.

Time and Ritual

Sorcery takes time.

Magnitude	Time Required
I	~10 minutes
II	~1 hour
III	Hours to days

Rushed Working

Reduce time by one step
Gain +1 Penalty Die
Increase risk of Doom

Extended Ritual

Increase time by one step
Gain +1 Bonus Die
Reduce Doom risk

Interruptions force an immediate roll at +1 Penalty Die or the working collapses.

Degrees of Binding

Bare Success — Bound, but resentful and unstable
Strong Success — Stable control
Mighty Success — Firm control, reduced escape risk

Magnitudes of Sorcery

Magnitude I — Elementals

Spirits of fire, air, earth, and water.

Used for:

Direct physical effects (burning, lifting, flooding)
Environmental manipulation
Simple enhancement

Magnitude II — Demons

Intelligent, willful beings defined by function.

Common types:

Demon of the Blade
Demon of Knowledge
Demon of Shadow
Demon of Protection
Demon of Strength
Demon of Desire

They interpret commands and seek advantage.

Magnitude III — Named Powers

Elemental Lords, Demon Princes, and other unique beings.

These are not tools, but events.

Effects of Sorcery

Sorcery grants capability, not fixed spells.

Effects are expressed as:

+1 Bonus Die to an action
+1 Penalty Die to opponents
Or enabling an otherwise impossible action

Sorcerous Weapons

A bound Demon of the Blade may grant:

+1 Bonus Die to attack
Ignore or reduce armor
Life drain or fear effects

Cost:

Hunger, whispers, compulsion

Personal Enhancement

+1 Bonus Die to Strength, Agility, or endurance
Resistance to damage
Enhanced senses

Risk:

Physical or mental corruption

Elemental Command

Attack or disrupt
Shape terrain
Provide mobility or concealment

Protection and Warding

+1 Bonus Die to defense
Reduce harm
Reactive effects

Knowledge and Divination

Ask questions
Gain insight
+1 Bonus Die to informed actions

Answers are never complete.

Movement and Passage

Ignore terrain
Move unseen
Leap or fly briefly

Influence and Domination

Fear, charm, or compel
+1 Bonus Die to social actions
Impose Penalty Dice on resistance

Magnitude III Effects

Storms, destruction, transformation.

Handled narratively, not mechanically.

Escape and Strain

Bound beings resist.

At intervals, roll:

2d6 + Magnitude

On 13+, the binding strains.

Result	Effect
13–14	Strain (twisted commands)
15–16	Partial break (act independently)
17+	Escape (fully free)

The sorcerer may attempt to reassert control:

2d6 + Mind + Career

Failure worsens the result.

Binding Limit

Maximum simultaneous bindings:

Mind + Sorcerer Career Ranks

Each active effect counts as one binding.

Exceeding the Limit

For each binding beyond limit:

+1 Penalty Die to Sorcery rolls
+1 to Escape rolls
Doom triggers on 1–3

Failure becomes catastrophic.

Doom

After each working:

1d6 → Doom on 1–2

Modifiers:

+1 for Magnitude II
+2 for Magnitude III

Doom represents attention and consequence:

Whispers, dreams, marks
Recognition by demons
Loss of control
Returning bargains

The Nature of Sorcery

Sorcery is not fast.

It is not safe.

It is never casual.

A sorcerer does not cast spells.

He holds shut a door.

And something on the other side is always pushing.

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