Sorcery

The Black Art of Binding in the Young Kingdoms

In the world of Stormbringer, sorcery 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	3d6 minutes
II	1d3 hours
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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