VULCAN

(Shadowy Darkness, Benign, Ordered, Major God)

Vulcan, sometimes referred to as Mulciber and called Hephaestus by the Greeks, was the disfigured and lame son of Hera. Some rare myths hold him to be the child of Jupiter and Juno, but more commonly he is considered to have been born of and by Juno after Minerva sprang, full-grown, from Jupiter's brow. He was the god of fire, but more importantly the god of smithing and artisans. He is a foe of Mars, who cuckolds him with Venus. He is definitely held in high esteem by blacksmiths scattered throughout the Greco-Roman lands.

Vulcan has a small clergy, but most of his priests are smiths of one form or another, and many are also accomplished artisans and often Heka-Forgers. Worship is focused, where it is focused at all, in small shrines, and the tenders are generally referred to as Smiths or Blacksmiths.

Grade I:

Metaldouse Charm
Time: Instantaneous
Area: 1 small object
Distance: 1 yard
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: By use of this quick charm, the priest is able to quickly douse a metal object as if it had been submerged in water (mimicking the dousing of hot iron during the forging process). It is able to instantly remove excessive heat from the object without damaging the object with the speed. It is often used by priests as they are practicing smithcraft, although it is also an effective counter to the Hotmetal Cantrip, since it instantly returns the metal affected to its original temperature.

Stronghammer Formula
Time: Special
Area: 1 hammer
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This Casting causes the head of the hammer to magickally strengthen, as if it were made of the hardest material imaginable. It will allow an ordinary hammer to forge even the strongest of metals (for instance, a bronze hammer so strengthened could work adamantite with no damage to the hammer). If used in normal smithcraft, the Casting will last for 1 AT per point of STEEP possessed by the caster. The hammer may also be used in combat, which adds 1 point of IMPACT damage per 10 STEEP possessed, but it shortens the casting to 1 CT per point of STEEP possessed by the caster. The hammer must have been blessed at an altar dedicated to Vulcan in order to be affected by the casting.

Grade II:

Fireiron Charm
Time: Instantaneous
Area: Up to 1 cubic foot
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This quick casting causes the piece of iron or other metal prepared for forging to heat extremely rapidly, so that it is ready to be worked on within a matter of seconds. If it is used in combat, a successful roll vs. Combat, Hand-to-Hand at DR "Difficult" must be made, and the heat will inflict 6D6 PD (Fire) the first CT, 5D6 the second CT, 4D6 the third, etc. However, the priest must be prepared to defend his action to Vulcan, because he does not look kindly on such misuse of artisanship. Note that resourceful priests have been known to rely on this casting to start their campfires while travelling.

Grade III:

Minutehammer Formula
Time: 1 AT per STEEP
Area: 1 hammer
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This casting affects a hammer consecrated to Vulcan's service, by warping space around the head of the hammer. The net effect of this is that the hammer can be used to work on extremely fine detail. Despite the name of the casting, it may be used on virtually any tool used in smithcraft, so that a large pair of tongs may be used to hold fine wire, a rude chisel used to do minute engraving, etc. It is said that the great goldsmith and follower of Vulcan, Faberge, makes use of this casting on small tools in order to create some of the most minutely-carved creations on AErth.

Grade V:

Heat of the Forge Formula
Time: Instantaneous
Area: Up to 1 cubic yard
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: Similar to the Fireiron Charm, this formula causes an object to heat up rapidly, as if it had lain within the heart of a forge for a long time. It can affect considerably greater mass, including several pieces of armor simultaneously. On those occasions where priests of Vulcan dared to apply this to opponents, it rebounded upon the priest, reducing him to ash instantaneously, leaving the spirit of the deceased stammering a hasty explanation to a very angry god!