VENUS

(Moonlight, Agathocacological, Chaotic, Major Goddess)

This time, we turn to the priestesses of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. In Greece, she was called Aphrodite, and in both cases she embodied True Love and Beauty in all its forms. The following sample of Specific Castings from her Priestesses amplifies upon this.

By the way, her priestesses (and occasional priests) are under no compunction whatsoever to be chaste, although they are required to be fairly attractive. After a certain amount of flirting, they will often settle down with someone they believe to be their One True Love, to whom they will be faithful unless a stronger True Love comes along. One could get quite cynical about this, but the priestesses generally don't, nor do Venus' worshippers, as they understand that Love can occasionally be fickle. Priests and Priestesses would have a predilection against violent combat, although they could certainly defend themselves if necessary.

I would like to point out that a couple of the following are simply there to assist the priestesses and priests in maintaining an impeccable appearance before their congregations, and the rest are to assist in the Quest for Love.

Grade I:

Coiffure Assurance Spell
Time: 1 hour per 10 STEEP
Area: One subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: By means of this Casting, the priest or priestess ensures that his or her hairstyling will stand up under rigorous conditions (such as a breeze, or sweating, or whatever). Consider it to be a strong form of the modern hairspray, although it does not leave any sort of gooey mess in the hair afterwards.

Detect Truelove Charm
Time: Instantaneous
Area: One subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This Casting will cause a quick evaluation of another persona by the priest or priestess. All that will be returned is a feeling that either no, this person would be an unsuitable match, with no hope for a relationship, yes, this person seems to be a great match, possibly even a truelove, or maybe, this person could mean something but doesn't seem to fall into either of the previous categories. All that is felt is a brief "yes, no, maybe" feeling, although sometimes strength comes into it. It is most often used by priests and priestesses when evaluating potential lovers, as they place a great deal of emphasis on the internal feelings as well as the stimulations.

Perfect Makeup Formula
Time: Instantaneous
Area: One subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This Casting will automatically straighten up any smudges in the makeup or other cosmetics currently being worn (this will even fix any sort of misdying of hair, especially if a section was missed). However, it has no protection against future disasters, and it will not provide cosmetics where none already exist.

Grade II:

Detect Love Cantrip
Time: One AT per 10 STEEP
Area: Self
Distance: 0
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: Once woven, this Casting allows the priest or priestess to actually look into a metaphysical plane and "see" the love flowing between two or more people. It is often useful when interrogating lovers, to make certain that neither is lying to the other before a marriage is agreed upon. This is often performed at the request of wealthy individuals seeking to know if their own feelings are returned.

Enhance Attractiveness Formula
Time: One AT per 10 STEEP
Area: One subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: See below

E/F/M: This Casting will cause the subject's Attractiveness to be temporarily boosted. The cost, in Heka, in addition to the base activation, is five times the resultant Attractiveness. It cannot be raised more than one point per 10 STEEP, and in no way will it ever raise Attractiveness beyond 18. Such raises can only be done by means of a special ritual.

Grade III:

Encourage Loving Spell
Time: 5 AT's per 10 STEEP
Area: One small room
Distance: Special
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This Casting causes an otherwise mildy romantic setting (such as a small chamber, or an intimate dining room) to incite greater passions than would normally be caused. It is not as strong as any "forced" love, nor will it encourage love to exist where none is, but it will basically encourage natural feelings already present. It is sometimes used by a priest or priestess who has accidentally offended their lover, to reignite the old feelings. The environment does need to be tailored to the individual or individuals to be so influenced, although it does not need to be obviously so. For instance, if a couple had a serious disagreement, and this was to be the remedy, then some already sentimental occurance would be subconsciously recreated from a few props. Perhaps they had enjoyed a candlelit dinner, with a musician playing in the background, so with candles and a harp standing in the corner, they can be turned from their anger and disappointment back unto the love that they already share.

Improve Figure Ritual
Time: Permanent
Area: Self
Distance: 0
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: 5:1 per pound

E/F/M: This Casting is rarely used, as it takes some time to perform (a number of AT's equivalent to the number of pounds to be shed), and a special bath that has already been consecrated to Venus. In addition, as it can only be used for or by a priest or priestess of Venus, and they rarely let themselves become unattractively overweight, it is not in great demand. The effect is that a number of pounds will be removed from the body, never in such a way as to damage attractiveness, at a cost of 5 Heka and 1 AT per pound. Once completed, the bath water must be tossed somewhere (such as over flowers), where the stuff that has been shed into it can be used to further beauty, or else the pounds will be returned by a rather displeased Venus.

Grade IV:

Lovebind Ritual
Time: Permanent
Area: One couple
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: Priests and priestesses of Venus are often called upon to bless both marriages and betrothals in such a manner as to encourage the love of the couple, and they do so by means of this Casting. The effect is permanent, and it is nothing more than a subtle dweomer that will "monitor" the ratio of love to problems between the couple, and if enough obstacles to the continuance of the love seem to arise, then this will cause subtle "reminders" to the couple of their one-time great love to occur (such as all of a sudden, if the moon played a great role in their early relationship, it appears even more beautiful and romantic than normal, maybe reminding them). Outside of encouraging relationships to continue if the love is still there, it has no other effect. Most marriages feel stronger to the couple, however, if they have been so blessed.

Grade V:

Improve Attractiveness Ritual
Time: One AT per 10 STEEP
Area: One subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

Special Materia Cost: One golden tub, worth at least 80,000 BUCs, made in the image of a shell, to be filled with 20,000 BUCs worth of exotic and rare waters, bath oils, and other skin lotions

E/F/M: This Casting re-enacts the birth of Venus, and it will cause the subject's Attractiveness to be raised by 1, permanently. This ritual may never be performed more than once on any given recipient.
The Ritual itself takes a full night to perform, as it begins at dusk with the recipient shedding his or her clothing and accoutrements before entering the warm and foaming bath, to be carefully ministered to by a bath attendant or three (often acolytes in a Temple to Venus), and raised from the frothing water at sunrise, more attractive than before.
This is never performed for any amount of money, it is always a gift to oneself or to someone who has performed especially well in the service of Venus.