Issue 6 is complete at long last!

DI #6 (Feb 1996/Jan 1997)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Hi Again...A message from me
2. Heka-Forging Fun
3. A Word from the Editor (part 2)
4. Heka-Forging Revisions (part 2)

Hi Again, Everyone!

Okay, so it's been about forever since I've gotten around to putting together an issue. Sorry. I just got out of the mood for a while, and by the time I was back in the mood--term papers. (Uh..huh huh huh...School sucks...) Then, when I had time--vacation. Then, after that, something else. You get the idea. So anyway, here we are again, trying to sow the seeds of creativity amongst ourselves. This issue is going to mainly contain Steve Gulluerud and John Teske's very good "refinement" of the original Heka-Forging rules. I like them immensely, and I wonder if there are other K/S Areas which are ripe for the same sort of treatment...

So, thanks for waiting. Here it is, may it last more than 5 more issues before I get tired again. And send me something interesting! :) I would like to do a future issue on nothing but magick items created by us. Read the List for more details on that one later...

Heka-Forging Rules Revision

Here it is! I will allow Steve's introduction to really get you into it. I'm just the messenger, you know! :)

This is an introduction to a revision of the Heka-Forging K/S area. A while back, there was a great deal of discussion on how to use Heka-Forging, in particular concerning how to resolve the Castings with the K/S Area description. After this debate died down, we attempted to incorporate some of the ideas presented in Mythus-l into the Heka-Forging system. Eventually, this grew into a full rewrite of the system, including Castings, success tables, and the general K/S Area description.

We should acknowledge the members of Mythus-l, as many of them are practically co-contributers to this revision (i.e. we borrowed lots of good ideas). Particular people worth mentioning are Matthew Berry for the whole concept of impermanent magic items, Edward Bromely for the work on Permanence and False Target Castings, and Mike Hill for some additional spells that we included. Of course, Jesse has been invaluable for providing the push to get the work on Heka Forging started in the first place.

Now, a quick disclaimer before we begin. Some of the philosophy on how Heka-Forging works is inevitably tied to how common you want magic items to be in your campaign. The rules presented here are designed to fit John Teske's campaign. However, it should be possible to modify the revision here to fit magic heavy and magic light campaign worlds. There are also two paths for Heka-Forging in this revision. One relies only on the Castings to produce items, while the other is almost entirely roleplaying-driven. Each path has its own advantages and disadvantages, and each could stand alone as the means to create magical items in a game world.

Now, without dragging on, here are the revisions to Heka-Forging:

The Heka-Forging K/S Area remains much as the text in Mythus describes it. This section of our revisions will focus on general clarifications and changes to the text as found on pages 166-168

First, the Heka gained from Heka-Forging is as stated in in the K/S description instead of the table at the beginning of Mythus Magick. Namely, magickal energy gained is equal to STEEP plus the average of the persona's PMPow and PNPow. If only Physical based Heka is used, P Trait is added instead.

Second, the Heka-Forging Sub-Areas are not gained automatically with increase in STEEP. Gaining the knowledge necessary to properly enchant a class of items is a long and involved process. As such, the rules for gaining new Heka-Forging Sub-Areas are as described on p. 135. Namely, 10 APs and 10 weeks of study are required to gain a new Sub-Area. However, no roll is required to check if the persona has learned the Sub-Area successfully. HPs may or may not have all possible Sub-Areas at the time of character creation. This detail is left up to the GM, though the first Sub-Area is gained automatically with acquisition of the Heka-Forging K/S Area. Thereafter, Sub-Areas must be purchased as described above. Because Heka forgers must be able to channel large amounts of Heka, each Sub-Area beyond the first increases the practitioner's Heka Aperture by 10 points.

The minimum STEEP required for each Sub-Area is listed below. Note that this table is changed somewhat from the one listed in the K/S description. A persona may decline to purchase a new Sub-Area and still increase STEEP in Heka-Forging. Also, Sub-Areas do not have to be gained in order, so long as the persona has the necessary STEEP to purchase them.

Armor/Weapons provides the ability to forge defensive armor along with offensive weaponry. These items may have enhanced physical properties, but may not be othewise enhanted with defensive or offensive Heka Effects. For example, armor enchanted to provide protection from Spirtual attacks is beyond the range of this Sub-Area.

Defensive/Offensive items enables the HP to manufacture or enchant dweomered items which perform a Casting-like Effect which damages a target or protects the wielder. Also included under this Sub-Area are rings and other miscellaneous items that give bonuses to worn armor and wielded weapons.

There are two paths for the creation of enchanted items using Heka-Forging. The easiest method utilizes the Castings found in Mythus Magick. These Castings create 'impermanent' items, which can be disjoined by other Castings. The many Heka-powered conveniences found on Aerth are constructed using this method. As such, most Heka forgers find employment making impermanent items. Functions of these items are limited by the Castings available to the Heka forger. If no Casting grants a desired property, a new one must be researched. Masters of impermanent item creation may use Castings which provide a resistance to disjunction, making the greatest impermanent items almost permanent in nature. Personas who make use of this process will have little difficulty in acquiring Heka-Forging Castings, though Materia is still expensive.

The second path of item enchantment is much less common, but more powerful. By combining the skills of Heka-Forging, knowledge of the Laws of Magick, and abilities in various Heka-using K/S Areas, items can be created which are immune to disjuction. These items are truly permanent, save from physical destruction or the Unbinding Ritual. The process of enchantment of a particular item requires unique Rituals which are developed through research and experimentation. These Rituals are highly dependent on the Heka forger's will and spirit, and therefore only work for the individual who developed them. Much of the materia used in this 'artistic' process must be built into the item in question by the Heka forger. Thus Heka forgers following this path usually possesses K/S Areas such as Gemsmith/Lapidary and Smithing/Welding. This requirement also makes experimentation a very expensive affair.

Impermanent item creation utilizes the Heka-Forging Castings to imbue Heka into an item. Of course, these Castings may be dispelled as easily as any other. A few Castings give resistance from disjunction, but these are only available to the most able Heka forgers.

Most of the Heka-enabled devices on Aerth are of the impermanent sort. Castings such as Volition Ritual have allowed Heka forgers to build various labor saving and luxury-oriented devices. Unfortunately, these items are still expensive, and are generally only affordable for the wealthy. While impermanent weapons and armor do exist, these are usually made under contract by governments for their military forces.

Note that little or no roleplaying is required for the enchantment of items using this method. However, if the practitioner does not have a Casting that will yield exactly the effect desired for a new item, there is no choice but to research a Specialized Casting.

Heka preparation and Heka-generating substances grant no bonuses for the success of item creation. Certain Castings now require Heka-generating substances for their successful use. Also, the quality of the object to be enchanted has no bearing on the success or failure of the forging, other than whether or not the object qualifies as flawless or perfect.

An already enchanted item cannot be further enchanted by this method of Heka-Forging, unless that enchantment has been disjoined or has otherwise expired.

Many of the Heka-Forging Castings have been revised, some have been entirely rewritten, and some new ones have been added. A summary of these changes will follow.

Little is required in the way of preparation for item enchantment. Assuming the practitioner has the necessary Castings, the forging should be completed quickly. Prepare Item Ritual, Evaluate Item Formula, and possibly Cleanse Item Ritual and Purity Spell will be required before other Heka-Forging Castings are laid upon the item.

Of course, the persona must have all associated Heka-Forging Sub-Areas in order to proceed. Otherwise, the attempt is doomed to failure.

Unless the Heka forger wishes to construct the item to be Heka-Forged (and gain a DR bonus thereby), very little equipment is necessary for impermanent item enchantment. At most, a simple forge is needed beyond the Materia required for Heka-Forging Castings. The only exception to this usually occurs when the practitioner wishes to enchant an object with a continuous Heka Effect. The Heka required in this case (x100 that of the Casting cost) almost always requires access to a large Heka reservoir.

Once all desired Castings have been activated, a roll is made to determine the success of the forging. Special Failure means the destruction of the item, Failure means the item is unchanged, Success indicates the Castings had the intended effect on the item, and Special Success means one or more of the Castings had a slightly enhanced Effect.

This roll is made against the practitioner's Heka-Forging STEEP, with the DR determined by the table found on p. 167 of the Mythus book. The modifiers to that table have been changed, as listed below:

If the Heka-Forging attempt fails but the object remains, the Heka forger may attempt to enchant the object again. However, it must once again be Evaluated, Prepared, and so on as the forging attempt will have contaminated the item.

Permanent item creation requires more effort from both the player and the persona than that of impermanent items. Because much of the process is focused on creativity and roleplaying instead of Castings, the work involved may be as much or as little as the GM desires. What follows are suggested guidelines for the GM to follow.

Much of the artistic creation process depends on the mind and spirit of the Heka forger. Standard Rituals are thus useless, as what will work for one Heka forger will most likely fail utterly for another. A Heka forger must devise Rituals which will imbue powers and enhancements into the forged item. A practitioner may incorporate knowledge from other Casting-generating K/S Areas in order to make a wider range of devices.

It is expected that Heka forgers will develop their own characteristic styles, using certain K/S Areas and methods in their devices. The GM should make the use of a K/S Area (especially one that is Casting-generating) difficult and time consuming if that practitioner has not used it before in combination with Heka-Forging.

The initial step in the artistic method requires the player of the Heka forger to submit a proceedure for the creation of a desired item. This proceedure should at least include the following:

1. Planned functions of the device
2. Description of how Rituals will be used to forge these functions.
3. Cost and type of Materia used in the process
4. All K/S Areas used in the item's forging

Once this plan has been submitted, the GM may ask for any clarifications before allowing the practitioner to continue. Note that the Heka forger must possess all applicable Heka-Forging Sub Areas in order to attempt the proposed plan. Also, the persona should construct the item to be forged, or at least be present during its construction. The forging of a sword bought from the local weaponsmith will certainly fail! As in the making of impermanent items, the object in question must have Prepare Item Ritual and Evaluate Item Formula cast upon it. An item might require Cleanse, Purity, or be completely unsuitable for enchantment even after the work done to make the item in the first place.

The GM may also require a change in the submitted proceedure if desired. The HP might be required to search out unique Materia for the item, or quest for a forgotten scrap of knowledge vital for the success of the forging attempt. Details here are left to the imagination of the GM.

The exact cost and nature of equipment required will vary greatly depending on the type of item to be forged and the method used to enchant it. At the very least the Heka forger will need any equipment needed to construct the item in question. The GM may add other requirements as desired for a particualar item. It is suggested that, unlike Alchemy, the equipment required for Heka-Forging be relatively inexpensive unless a particularily powerful item is planned. This will be compensated by the cost of Materia used by the Heka forger. Of course, if the Heka forger is also performing Alchemical operations or working with particularily exotic materials (like adamantine), then both expensive equipment and expensive Materia will be required.

Materia cost will also vary with the item to be forged. For the best possible DR, the Heka forger will have to construct an unsurpassed quality item - incurring all associated costs. Much of the Materia required by the Rituals to be performed must be built into the item during its construction. Thus, building the item in the first place may be a very expensive proposition. If the forging is then unsuccessful, most of the Materia will not be recoverable.

As a general rule of thumb, refer to the Materia Costs of the Heka-Forging Castings to arrive at standard costs for the Rituals used in the artistic method. The Materia Cost for a Heka-Forging Casting will correspond to the cost required to achieve a similar, but somewhat restricted, Effect for a permanent item. For example, the use of Defense Bonus I to create +5 armor costs 5,000 BUCs. For the same 5,000 BUCs, a Ritual that grants a +5 defense versus fire-based attacks may be performed.

Note that a significantly novel proceedure should require experimentation before it can be used in a item. Of course, any Materia consumed by such experimentation cannot be reused or recovered for future Heka-Forging operations.

Research time will vary with the past experience of the practitioner. If the persona has created similar items in the past using similar methods, as little as one week will be needed to design each Ritual. If the practitioner is using an Casting-generating K/S Area that has not been used in a previous forged item, a month or more of time will be required for each Ritual.

Before any roll is made for the success in the Heka-Forging attempt, rolls may be required by the GM against Smithing/Welding, Gemsmith/Lapidary and other K/S Areas used in the basic item construction. These rolls may be used to determine the quality of the item destined to the subject of a Heka-Forging effort.

The artistic method in Heka-Forging requires an in-depth understanding of the Laws of Magick - in particular the Law of Ritual - as they apply to the different Casting disciplines. While creating Rituals that perform similar functions to Heka-Forging Castings is usually not difficult, creating Rituals combining Heka-Forging with other Casting-generating Areas without this knowledge is nearly impossible.

The base STEEP that is used to determine success of item creation is taken from the lower of the STEEPs in Heka-Forging and Magick when other Casting-generating K/S Areas are involved in making that item. Other Casting-generating K/S Areas used will contribute 10% of their STEEPs toward the base chance of success. Even if a persona does not possess the Magick K/S Area, there will still be a small chance of a successful Heka-Forging. If the only Casting-generating K/S Area required in the Rituals is Heka-Forging, then STEEP in Heka-Forging is the base chance of success.

Assigning a DR for a Heka-Forging operation can be as simple or as complicated as the GM wishes. The following is a fairly complex system which seeks to reward the establishment of a style of Heka-Forging, as well as base DR on the power of the item to be forged.

To determine a DR for the Heka-Forging operation, assign Casting Grade equivalents for all powers of the item that are derived from Casting-generating K/S Areas. Also consider Heka-Forging Castings for impermanent item creation for similar powers. Compare these Grades with the maximum Grades given by the practitioner's STEEPs in those K/S Areas. Then assign a base DR as follows:

This base DR is then modified by the following considerations:

+1 DR harder for every power beyond the first. (max of +3 penalty)
+1 DR harder for every level of quality below Unsurpassed of the Heka-Forged item. (max of +3 penalty)
+1 DR for every Heka-generating K/S Area used in the Heka-Forging Rituals that the Heka forger is unused to combining with Heka Forging.
-1 DR if Heka forger is using an established style with K/S Areas the practitioner has previously combined with Heka-Forging.
-2 to +2 DR based on creativity of plan submitted to the GM for creating the item.
-1 to +1 DR based on cost of Materia used in plan, compared with what GM determines as a standard amount.

Because the Heka forger is manipulating Heka at a fundamental level during the creation of a permanent item, success and failure are not very clearly defined. A successful roll will sometimes yield an item with unforseen and undesired side effects. Likewise, a failure might still produce an enchanted item, but quite possibly one possessing useless or even baneful properties. The GM is recommended to take the cost, time, and effort the persona (and player) put into the process of creating the item when determining actual item properties. If the persona cut corners, place limitations or detrimental side effects on the item. On the other hand, if the persona put extraordinary creativity and resources into the item, consider adding bonuses or additional functions to the item.

To clarify this, check the following suggestions for the different possible results of the final success roll:

Special Failure: Either the item is destroyed utterly or the item is cursed, and possesses abilities opposite to what was desired. Note that the Heka forger may be unaware that this has taken place! In any case, the practitioner will have to scrap the previous proceedure and develop a new one, if this was the first time a particular item was attempted.

Failure: The item is unchanged or has useless properites. (a Spellsong-aiding harp that instead plays "It's a Small World" continuously, loudly, and off-key would be an example of this!) The practitioner may have to modify the proceedure somewhat before trying again.

Success: The item has the desired abilities, but may have quirks, additional powers, or weaknesses depending on the quality of work that went into it. If desired, repeating this proceedure may yield an item with fewer side effects.

Special Success: The item works only as desired if effort was somewhat lacking. If sufficient research was done, the item will have enhanced or additional abilities. Note that repeating this proceedure will not reproduce another oustanding item unless another Special Success is rolled

A Word from Your Editor

Well, I've finally done it, I've got my first issue of Dangerous Ideas out. For all of you on the Mythus-L list, you know we have something to be happy about right now, the "fabled" Mythic Masters Magazine is now up on the TSR web site for all to download. For all of us waiting for this, it is a day to rejoice, for now at least.

This issue contains the rest of the Heka-forging revision done by Steve Gullerud and John Teske. This second part of the revision contains the revision of the present castings and the new ones created by Steve and John. Hope you all enjoy!

Scott Payne "Praetor"
The new editor of DI

Heka-forging Revision Part 2

by: Steve Gullerud and John Teske

The first part of this revision is in DI 6 part 1. The first part was John and Steve's take on the way Heka-forging works. You should check out the first part of this article.

Heka-Forging Archetypical Castings

Heka-Forging Castings fall under three categories:

1. Preparatory Castings such as Prepare Item Ritual. These Castings are necessary for both impermanent and permanent item creation.
2. Castings to aid in the mundane construction of items. Touchstone Spell is an example for this type. While these Castings do not grant powers to an item, they assist greatly in preparing an item suitable for Heka-Forging.
3. Castings that imbue powers into an item. These Castings are used only by those wishing to create an impermanent item, one whose powers can be disjoined. An item must first be prepared with Prepare Item Ritual and possibly other Heka-Forging Castings for these Castings to work at all.

Grade I Castings
Cleanse Item Ritual
Evaluate Item Formula
Prepare Item Ritual
Touchstone Spell
*Volition Ritual

Grade II Castings
Attack Bonus I Formula
Charm Forging Ritual
Defense Bonus I Ritual
*False Target I Formula
General Pool I Ritual
Resiliency Ritual

Grade III Castings
Damage Bonus I Formula
Purity Spell
Skill Bonus I Ritual
Springblade Ritual

Grade IV Castings
Attack Bonus II Formula
Clearmetal Ritual
Dedicated Pool I Ritual
Defense Bonus II Formula
*False Target II Formula
General Pool II Ritual

Grade V Castings
*Amulet Ritual
Damage Bonus II Formula
*Heka Aperture Enhancement Ritual
Skill Bonus II Ritual

Grade VI Castings
Attack Bonus III Formula
*Craft Mastery I Ritual
Dedicated Pool II Ritual
Defense Bonus III Formula
Item Invulnerability Formula

Grade VII Castings
Damage Bonus III Formula
*Heka Resistance Ritual
Link Casting Ritual
Skill Bonus III Ritual

Grade VIII Castings
*Attack Bonus IV Formula
Heka Binding Ritual
Link Knowledge/Skill Ritual
Link Mask Ritual

Grade IX Castings
*Craft Mastery II Ritual
*Damage Bonus IV Formula
Link Spirit Ritual
Permanence Ritual
*Skill Bonus IV Ritual
Unbinding Formula
( * designates a Casting written up in full at the end of this section)

Exclusivity of Heka-Forging Castings

More Heka-Forging Castings are now exclusive of one another on a single item. In addition to existing restrictions, the following Castings will not co-exist with each other without one of the Craft Mastery Castings:

(see description of Craft Mastery below)

Attack Bonus I, II, III, and IV
Defense Bonus I, II, and III
Damage Bonus I, II, III, and IV
Skill bonus I, II, III, and IV (except as noted in description)
Springblade Ritual (except when cast on an Unsurpassed blade)

The following Castings will not coexist with any other Heka-Forging Castings which confer abilities onto an item, without one of the Craft Mastery Castings:

General Pool I Ritual (originally General Pool Ritual)
General Pool II Ritual
Dedicated Pool I Ritual (originally Dedicated Pool Ritual)
Dedicated Pool II Ritual
Amulet Ritual

Changes to existing Castings

Grade I

* Evaluate Item Formula
There is a 1 DR bonus to each roll if the Heka forger created the item to be evaluated.

Grade II

* Charm Forging Ritual
The Materia cost is now 2,000 BUCs. The imbued Casting lasts its normal duration, once activated, unless the duration for this Ritual expires first. The imbued Casting must cost no more than 75 Heka, and its target or center of Effect must be the bearer of the Charm.

* General Pool I Ritual
This Casting is the same as General Pool Ritual. Note that Heka Aperture limits the possible capacity of the created Reservoir.

Grade III

* Damage Bonus I Formula
If an item other than a weapon is the target of this Casting, the damage bonus is +1 instead of +1d6.

* Skill Bonus I Ritual
If a bonus is to a Heka-generating K/S Area, the Materia Cost is doubled to 8,000 BUCs/STEEP point.

* Springblade Ritual
The ability to cast another offensive or defensive Heka-Forging Casting on an Unsurpassed quality blade replaces the purify effect mentioned in the description.

Grade IV

* Clearmetal Ritual
The duration of this Casting is now Permanent.
Materia Cost is now 3,000 BUCs.

* Dedicated Pool I Ritual
This Casting is the same as Dedicated Pool Ritual.
Materia Cost is now 20 BUCs per Heka-point capacity. Note that Heka Aperture limits the possible capacity of the created Reservoir.

* General Pool II Ritual
This Casting is identical to General Pool I Ritual, except for the following:
The Materia Cost is 50 BUCs per Heka-point capacity.
1 AT is required for every 20 point of stored Heka.
The Reservoir is permanent and may be recharged.

Grade V

* Damage Bonus II Formula
If an item other than a weapon is the target of this Casting, the damage bonus is +2 instead of +2d6.

* Skill Bonus II Ritual
If a bonus is to a Heka-generating K/S Area, the Materia Cost is doubled to 20,000 BUCs/STEEP point.

Grade VI

* Dedicated Pool II Ritual
This Casting is identical to Dedicated Pool I Ritual, except for the following:
The Materia Cost is 100 BUCs per Heka-point capacity.
1 AT is required for every 20 point of stored Heka.
The Reservoir is permanent and may be recharged.

* Item Invulnerability Formula
The Materia Cost is now 2,500 BUCs. If an item protected by this Casting is subjected to a force that would destroy or damage an undweomered item, the item gains a percentage change to remain undamaged equal to 1/2 of the Heka forger's STEEP.

Grade VII

* Damage Bonus III Formula
The Materia Cost is now 96,000 BUCs. If an item other than a weapon is the target of this Casting, the damage bonus is +3 instead of +3d6.

* Skill Bonus III Ritual
The Materia Cost is now 16,000 BUCs. If a bonus is to a Heka-generating K/S Area, the Materia Cost is doubled to 32,000 BUCs/STEEP point.

* Link Casting Ritual
Add the following paragraph to the description:
"The subsequent Casting linked to the item is treated as separate from Link Casting when considering Heka Aperture limits. If the imbued Casting is to be continuously active, the Heka forger must expend 100 times the Casting cost into the item. This Heka must be spent within 1 BT/20 STEEP of the Heka forger (fractions rounded up), with no more Heka spent than the practitioner's Heka Aperture per CT. This time limit begins after the activation of the Casting to be linked."

Grade VIII

* Heka Binding Ritual
The Materia Cost is now 200 BUCs per Heka-point bound.
Either a general or dedicated purpose Reservoir can be created through this Ritual

* Link Knowledge/Skill Ritual
If a Heka-generating K/S Area is bound, the Materia Cost is doubled to 1,400 BUCs per STEEP point. Each Sub-Area beyond the first adds 5,000 BUCs to the Materia Cost, 10,000 BUCs for a Heka-generating K/S Area. Whoever is the primary contributor toward K/S STEEP for this Ritual must know all Sub-Areas to be included in the item.

Grade IX

* Link Spirit Ritual
Since an impermanent item is created through this Ritual, a successful disjunction will serve to free the bound spirit.

* Permanence Ritual
Heka Binding Ritual may be used to replenish the 250 Heka point resistance, should it be partially expended. Permanence must be cast for each dweomer on an item to protect it completely. For purposes of disjunction targeting, unprotected Effects and Effects with lesser resistance are chosen first.

* Unbinding Formula
Materia Cost is now 5,000 BUCs per power to be unbound. Impermanent and permanent items are equally vulnerable to this Formula.

New or Heavily Revised Castings

Grade I

Volition Ritual

Time: Instantaneous	Other Heka Costs:
Area: 1 object	R & D: Nil
Distance: Touch	Other: Special

Materia Cost: 100 BUCs + Special
E/F/M: A Volition Ritual requires a performance time of one AT. Though this casting, the Heka-Forging persona is able to confer the power of movement to an item or mechanism. This Casting can be used to create a weapon that automatically returns to its possessor, as well as make a variety of mechanisms which move under their own power. However, no movement can be sustained by a mechanism doing any significant work beyond carrying its own weight.

The practitioner must invest additional Heka at the activation of the Ritual to enable the Volition to occur in the subject item. The maximum distance traveled for movement and the mass of the item to be moved determines the amount of Heka and the Materia cost for the whole Casting as follows:

Take the additional Heka cost and modify it by the following mass multiplier:

For mechanisms which move continuously, use the distance the mechanism would move in a single day.

Note that Heka Aperture rules still apply. Also, this Ritual will not cause an item to move quickly enough to cause damage to a target. Even if an item can move any distance on activation, it may take a great deal of time to get there.

A natural or regenerating Heka source is required to power this Ritual. 10 points of Heka is required for every pound the moving component weighs. Hekalite is most commonly used, needing one ounce for every pound of the mechanism.

Grade II

False Target I Formula

Materia Cost: 200 BUCs
E/F/M: This Casting creates a dweomer whose sole purpose is to protect higher Grade Heka-Forging dweomers on a target item. The disjunction of this Casting will negate this dweomer, but none of the abilities of the item will be affected. Of course, further disjunctions will negate item powers normally. This Formula may be cast no more than once on the same item.

Grade IV

False Target II Formula

Materia Cost: 400 BUCs
E/F/M: This Casting creates a dweomer whose sole purpose is to protect higher Grade Heka-Forging dweomers on a target item. The disjunction of this Casting will negate this dweomer, but none of the abilities of the item will be affected. Of course, further disjunctions will negate item powers normally. This Formula may be cast no more than once on the same item.

This Formula is disjoined as a Grade IV casting at 1 DR more difficult. For purpose of disjunction targeting only, this Casting should be considered Grade II.

Grade V

Amulet Ritual

Materia Cost: 1,000 BUC + Special

E/F/M: This Ritual of 5 ATs casting time enchants a previously prepared item enabling it to accept and repeat one sort of moderate protective Casting Effect. This protective Effect can either be activated by the item's owner or by a preprogrammed trigger. If a trigger is used, a continuous divinatory Casting must be linked to the amulet through this Ritual, and the conditions of the trigger based only on information given by that Casting Effect.

Upon successful activation, a second roll must be made against the caster's STEEP to complete this Ritual. The Difficulty Rating of this roll depends on the power of the desired amulet. The modifiers for this roll are as follows:

	 Table of Added Powers            Base DR and Modifiers
	 ---------------------            ---------------------
Casting usable 1
	 time/day no divination                  Base DR
	 ability necessary, no                   Moderate
additional Heka required
Divination Power - must
	 be a minor continuous Casting            +2 DRs
	 also cast into the amulet               (Harder)
during the creation process
Every 20 points of Heka added
	 to strengthen Effect (Protection,        +1 DR
	 Divination, etc.)                       (Harder)

	 Each additional Time/Day                 +1 DR
	 amulet activates                        (Harder)

	 Area of Effect instead                   +2 DR 
	 of personal protection                  (Harder) 

	 Each 5 yards diameter for                +1 DR
	 Area of Effect                          (Harder)

Note that unless the Heka forger attempts to create an amulet with an Area of Effect, the protection granted by the item will only effect the persona wearing it, even if the protective Casting normally protects more than a single persona.

The protective and divinatory Castings associated with the amulet are treated as separate from Amulet Ritual when considering Heka Aperture limits. If a continuously active divinatory Casting is linked to the amulet, the Heka forger must expend 100 times the Casting cost into the item. This Heka must be spent within 1 BT/20 STEEP of the Heka forger (fractions rounded up), with no more Heka spent than the practitioner's Heka Aperture per CT. This time limit begins after the activation of the divinatory Casting.

A natural or regenerating Heka source is required to power this Ritual. The total Heka from this source must be sufficient to power a dedicated Reservoir for the protective Casting, multiplied by the number of times per day the amulet can function. If the amulet protects an Area, multiply the required Heka by 1 plus 1 for every 5 yards diameter it protects - i.e. a 10 yard diameter Area of Effect would require 3x the normal Heka. Hekalite is most commonly used as a Heka source.

Failure of the second roll means that the Heka forger will never be able to lay this Casting upon the item, though the regenerating Heka source may be salvaged and reused. Special Failure means that a worked or crafted object is ruined and is destroyed permanently.

This Ritual can not be cast with another Heka-Forging Casting, without the cojoining Effect of a Craft Mastery Casting.

Heka Aperture Enhancement Ritual

Materia Cost: Special
E/F/M: This Casting enables the Heka forger to enhance Aperture for the purposes of the next Heka-Forging Casting to be activated. Only the portion of the practitioner's Heka Aperture that comes from Physical K/S Areas will be affected by this Casting.

Heka Aperture Enhancement is cast to increase the Aperture available for a readied Casting, which is completed and activated immediately after the completion of this Ritual. Upon successful activation of this Ritual, a second roll is made against the caster's STEEP to determine if Heka Aperture was actually increased. The Difficulty Rating for this roll depends on the desired enhancement of the practitioner's Heka Aperture. The Materia cost for this Ritual likewise varies with the attempted DR:

The multiplier is applied to the fraction of the practitioner's Heka Aperture which comes from Physical K/S Areas. This is then added to the Heka forger's original Heka Aperture to determine Aperture for the subsequent Casting Effect. No further increase to the practitioner's Heka Aperture is possible through repeated usage of this Ritual.

Grade VI

Craft Mastery I Ritual

Materia Cost: 10,000 BUCs
E/F/M: This Ritual allows the recipient object to have two other otherwise mutually exclusive Heka-Forging Castings operative at the same time on the same object. In no event will two Castings of this sort ever function at the same time for the same object. One cancels the Effect of the other in this case.

Grade VII

Heka Resistance Ritual

Materia Costs: 700 BUCs per Grade of Casting to be protected
E/F/M: This Ritual Casting requires 7 ATs to complete, and is used to permanently protect a single enchantment, ability or bonus from disjoining. The Casting creates a Heka resistance of 150 points with respect to the targeted dweomer.

It should be noted on items with multiple dweomers that Heka Resistance must be cast for each dweomer to protect the item completely. When an item with Heka Resistance is targeted by disjunction, target unprotected Effects and those with lesser resistance before those guarded by this Ritual.

Grade VIII

Attack Bonus IV Formula

Materia Cost: 10,000 BUCs per each +1 BAC E/F/M: This Casting enables the Heka-Forging of up to a 20-point bonus in the Base Attack Chance (BAC) value of a weapon or object. Even items such as bracers or gloves could contain the power of this dweomer, for the bonus from this formula does not necessarily need to be cast upon a weapon. Note however, that the object to contain this power - as with any Heka-Forged item - must first be cleansed of outside influences and magically prepared.

This Formula cannot be cast with another similar offensive, defensive, or skill enhancing Heka-Forging Casting upon the same object, without the cojoining Effect of a Craft Mastery Casting.

Grade IX

Craft Mastery II Ritual

Materia Cost: 40,000 BUCs
E/F/M: This Ritual allows the recipient object to have three other otherwise mutually exclusive Heka-Forging Castings operative at the same time on the same object. In no event will two Castings of this sort ever function at the same time for the same object. One cancels the Effect of the other in this case.

Damage Bonus IV Formula

Materia Cost: 144,000 BUCs
E/F/M: When cast upon a prepared weapon or other enchanted device capable of delivering harm, this Formula infuses it with a 4d6 bonus to its stated damage value. Again, note that objects so enchanted need not be weapons, but they must be prepared to accept the Heka before the Casting is performed. However, items other than weapons targeted by this Formula only gain +4 to damage instead of +4d6 to damage.

This Formula cannot be cast with another similar offensive, defensive, or skill enhancing Heka-Forging Casting upon the same object, without the cojoining Effect of a Craft Mastery Casting.

Skill Bonus IV Ritual

Materia Cost: 22,000 BUCs per STEEP point conferred
E/F/M: The performance of this Casting Ritual requires three Action Turns. This magical Operation engenders a K/S bonus in an enchanted item. The object of this Casting will confer up to a 20-point Knowledge/Skill Area enhancement (a plus to STEEP) to its possessor when held, worn, or presented. The Heka forger must possess the Knowledge/Skill Area imbued in the subject object, and must have a STEEP at least 8 times greater than the bonus thus conferred.

It is never possible to cast this Effect with another of similar ability-enhancing sort upon the same object, as the two will absolutely nullify each other. Because of this, weapons are not usually imbued with this dweomer. However, if this Effect is conjoined with that conferring increased BAC (Attack Bonus Casting), the dweomers will not nullify, but this one will function only to enable parrying and on rolls for Hit Location - considerable benefit still!

For Heka-generating K/S Areas to be enhanced through this Casting, cost is doubled to 44,000 BUCs/STEEP point.