Mystic Lore:
Additions for the Buffyverse
| Tomes | Spells |
| Tomes |
| A list of quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore. |
| Manifestations of the Unquiet Dead |
| Prerequisites: English |
| Description: 200 pages rag paper. black cloth over paste boards. “Manifestations” in gold written on spine. |
| Spells: Several, including: Scapula of Protection, Revoke Invocation, Voice From the Black Portal |
| Notes: Written c. 1894 by Charles Ellerton, probably including material from a similar but now lost tome from the late 14th century. |
| Defense Against Devilry |
| Prerequisites: English, Latin. German and French useful. |
| Description: 350 pp linen rag. 20 copper engraved plates. Bound in black cloth over oak boards; 5 gilt crosses run down the spine; bands along spine. |
| Spells: Exorcism, Witchfinding |
| Notes: Written c. 1770 by Walter Bartleby, a hunter of demons, witches and so on. |
| Horne’s Guide to the Fair Folke of Britain |
| Prerequisites: English, Latin, Greek |
| Description: 10”x12.5”. 200 printed linen rag paper, bound with vellum-covered boards. The name is in gilt on the cover, with gilt decorations on the banded spine. |
| Spells: Several wards and counters are outlined. |
| Notes: Written in 1787 by Jonathan Horne. Gives an overview of faeries, followed by rather exhaustive (and exhausting) catalogue of named faeries. The volume contains generalizations on faerie etiquette and ways to guard against their mischief. |
| Beastiarie of Britain |
| Prerequisites: English (early Modern) |
| Description: Folio-sized, 148 vellum pages, with 50 woodcuts. Bound with vellum-covered oak boards. |
| Spells: None. |
| Notes: Written in 1550 by Randle Cotgrave. Describes animals both natural and supernatural. Useful but far from completely accurate |
| Verus Visum |
| Prerequisites: Latin |
| Description: Octavo, 50 white vellum pages with some water stains. Soft-bound in white mottled calfhide, with the title gilt-stamped on the flat spine. Cover and pages show considerable wear, and back cover is stained brown. |
| Spells: Illuminate, Perceive Object Aura |
| Notes: Written in 1760 by Wilhelm Feuerbach. |
| A Hierarchy of Daemons |
| Prerequisites: English |
| Description: 7.5”x10.5”, 600 linen-rag pages. Hardbound, title in gilt on spine, halfbound and corners in black leather, remainder in red cloth. |
| Spells: A handful of ward and detection rituals, and two variations of exorcisms. |
| Notes: Written in 1957 by Michael Ross (1902-1967), a well-known demonologist. Lists various demons by spheres of influence and relative power. Useful text. |
| Malmesbury Manuscript |
| Prerequisites: Old English |
| Description: Unbound, folio-sized parchment; 20 single-sided pages. Kept in silver-bound oak box. |
| Spells: Tontine |
| Notes: Written in the late 11th century, author unknown. |
| Lost Protocols of the Cherokee, vol 2 and 3 |
| Prerequisites: Tsalagi (prototypic); Forward and notes in English (Modern) |
| Description: 90 yellowed pages, divided into 2 parts, with 20 newer pages, currently bound with string and kept in a large envelope. Originally written around 1818; compiled and annotated in 1925 by Johnathan Laine. |
| Spells: Numerous rituals; perhaps a dozen effect spells. |
| Notes: Two unnamed medicine men copied down some of their rituals and sacred formulas. The original preface indicates the men had a dream that those who kept the sacred lore of the tribe would be lost, and so they committed their knowledge to paper in the hopes that one day the survivors would learn the old ways again. The compiler’s (Johnathan Laine) forward, dated 1925, states that the papers were found in a jar at the back of a cave near Etowah. 90 pages of manuscript were divided by apparent authors into two volumes; the manuscripts are incomplete. |
| Salamanca Codex |
| Prerequisites: Mayan pictographs |
| Description: Folded-screen document divided into 33 sheets (64 pages) of limed bark-paper, bound with wood and deer hide. Pages are 5” wide by 11” high; when opened, the document spans nearly 14 feet. |
| Spells: 5 full spells, plus several variations in more outlined form. |
| Notes: Written by five scribes c 1150, the codex contains sacred formulas and magic rituals of the Mayans. Roughly half of the text is devoted to augury and omen-reading, while the rest deals with warding and placation rituals (usually involving bloodletting) to mitigate any negative consequences from the fortune telling. |
| (Mayan Book of Fate) |
| Prerequisites: Spanish (Medieval) |
| Description: 8”x11.5”, 76 vellum pages, with a cover of leather-bound wood; the cover features an untranslated pictograph outlined in gold leaf. |
| Spells: 3, plus several in outlined form. |
| Notes: Written around 1545; the author’s name was burned off the title page. A book containing sacred formulas and magic rituals of the Mayans. Included are the use of bloodletting to empower warding and placation rituals. The book is a rough translation of the so-called Salamanca Codex, with additional notes and suppositions. The text suggests that a Mayan priest aided in the translation. |
Religious Practices in Tribal Remnants of Southeastern United States |
| Prerequisites: English (Modern) |
| Description: Black library binding, 7.5’x 9”, 300 pages. |
| Spells: Several. |
| Notes: Written in 1890 by E.H. Howell. Details some rather intense rituals, including blood sacrifice, conducted by remnant bands of Cherokee and other Southeastern tribes, as supposedly witnessed by the author. As no other records of such activities exist, the veracity is questionable. |
| Spells |
| A list of new spells for the game. |
Illuminate |
| Quick Cast: Yes |
| Power Level: 2 |
| Requirements: A Witch may speak a word and touch the spot in the air where the sphere of light is to be centered. Other magicians must recite a formula for about half a minute, touching the spot at the last moment. |
| Effect: The spell creates a sourceless zone of light 3 feet in diameter which cannot move. The soft light within this sphere is enough to read by without eyestrain, and beyond the sphere’s boundary the illumination effect taper off naturally. |
| Aspect Analysis: Noticable (+1), 30 second recitation (0), 1 minute/success level (0), Can be quick-cast (+1) |
| Perceive Object Aura |
| Quick Cast: Yes |
| Power Level: 1 |
| Requirements: A Witch can merely speak a word to enact this spell; others must quietly chant and concentrate on the object for several minutes. Once the ritual is completed, the magician will see colors swirling around the object. The longer the aura is visible, the more the magician can learn. |
| Effect: The magician can perceive any magical traces on an item, and may be able to glean more specific information. The caster may see the full aura, but outsiders will only see a very faint, colorless glow. |
| 1 success level – detects magical aura (whether the item is enchanted or was recently affected by a spell is unclear). |
| 2 success levels – general nature of the magic (eg, defensive or transformative) and whether the item is enchanted or simply was touched by magic. |
| 3 success levels – the specific nature of the enchantment can be determined. |
| Multiple spells will mean multiple hues, which can be confusing. |
| Aspect Analysis: Quick-cast (+1), 3 minute ritual (0), Lasts 1 turn/success level (-1), noticeable effect (+1) |
Rejuvenate the Word |
| Quick Cast: Yes |
| Power Level: 2 |
| Requirements: A Witch can restore a volume with a touch and a word. Others must repeat a formula in soothing tones for about ten minutes. |
| Effect: This specialty spell improves the condition of a book or scroll – brittle paper becomes more pliable, bindings strengthen and a limited amount of damage repairs itself. The magic fortifies structure rather than improve cosmetic appearance. Three additional success levels will repair limited damage (unreadable pages and silverfish damage are repaired, but missing pages don’t reappear). |
| Aspect Analysis: Ritual (0), Noticeable (+1), Can be Quick Cast (+1) |
| Notes: A valuable spell, considering the number of aged scrolls and tomes required in the course of investigations. This is a must for any magically-oriented librarian. |