Forseti

(Balance, Agathocacological, Ordered, Major God)


Forseti was originally nothing more than an obscure reference to a being 'against whose judgement none can stand'. In the intervening centuries since the penning of the Eddas, however, on Aerth he has risen to prominence as the deity of judgement, over both the living and the dead. He is said to stand guard at the entrance to Valhalla (the Hall of the Dead), where he can bar the entrance of a spirit selected by the Valkyries, if the spirit does not deserve the privilege of eating with the dead and fighting at Ragnarok.

Forseti's priesthood is made up of travelling priests who act as judges in disputes and at Things. In the larger cities, however, one or more priests of Forseti will typically make up the judiciary, and there will be sufficient need for judgements that they will not travel far. The priests are empowered with castings allowing them to act in this role, and many train heavily in the arts of Divination.

Grade I:

Minor Jusgement Formula
Time: Instantaneous
Area: Caster
Distance: 0
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: After hearing the evidence as presented by the complainent and the defense presented, and the priest has determined that the defendant is guilty, this Formula may be used to seek guidance as to an appropriate judgement. Upon successful employment of the Casting, the priest will know what the appropriate punishment for the transgression (considering all circumstances), and Forseti's punishment is pronounced. Note that the Casting does *not* provide any means of enforcing the punishment, merely indicating what the appropriate punishment would be.

Truthtell Ritual
Time: 1 AT
Area: 1 subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: 10:1 additional ATs

E/F/M: This ritual allows the priest to force a subject to tell the truth. Note that a successful check vs. the SMCap ATTRIBUTE at DR "Hard" will allow the subject to resist the effects, and castings or abilities which allow lies to be told undetectably will allow the subject to speak lies without problems. Note that this is typically used on witnesses in trials presided over by priests of Forseti.

Grade II:
Force Bloodmoney Spell
Time: Instantaneous
Area: 1 subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This Casting is employed to force a responsible party to give the warranted weregild (bloodmoney) for the death of another. The subject must have already been declared guilty by due process of law,and must be avoiding paying the just recompense. If the subject has already been declared guilty in the face of Forseti (namely a priest of Forseti has judged him), then there is no chance to avoid the casting, and the necessity of forcing the payment will weigh heavily against the spirit of the subject when his spirit reaches the doors of Valhalla. Otherwise, the subject may make a roll vs. SMCap at DR "Hard" to resist the casting.

Spiritbalance Ritual
Time: Instantaneous
Area: 1 subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: By means of this ritual, the priest can read the spirit of the subject, determining, on the whole, if it is likely that the subject would be allowed to pass into Valhalla. It does not reveal past actions, nor does it give an indication of the tendencies of the subject, only whether the past actions of the subject are such that Forseti would bar his spirit's entrance into Valhalla.

Grade III:

Render Judgement Formula
Time: Special
Area: 1 subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This powerful Formula grants the wisdom of Forseti to the priest, causing the priest to make the correct judgement and places a magickal mark on the subject (visible to all Heka-aware individuals), which will remain until the judgement has been fulfilled. Note that there is no mortal way to resist the judgement, and in Norse areas the mark may make the subject shunned by those who are Heka-aware and know the meaning of the mark. The mark cannot be removed without the use of at least Supernatural Heka, and a special ritual, but it will disappear as soon as the judgement is complete. For instance, Erik is judged to one year's slavery, and the mark is placed on him. Until the year of servitude is done and past, the mark remains, but it will disappear as soon as the slavery is complete.

Grade IV:

Truthcleave Ritual
Time: 1 AT
Area: Courtroom
Distance: Special
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: 10:1 additional AT

E/F/M: This Ritual, performed before convening the court, will cause all persons attesting to facts to speak the truth at all times. Those persons which have no special abilities (K/S Areas, magickal effects, etc.) to lie freely have no chance to resist this casting, while those which do must make a successful check (if provided by the effect), or else make a successful roll vs. SMCap at DR "Difficult" to lie. Otherwise, the unvarnished truth will be spoken.

Grade V:

Judgement Ritual
Time: Special
Area: 1 subject
Distance: Touch
Other Heka Costs:
R&D: Nil
Other: Nil

E/F/M: This very powerful Ritual, which takes fifteen minutes to perform, is similar to the Render Judgement Formula (q.v.), except that the resulting mark cannot be removed without Entital Heka, and it adds enforcement capabilities to the casting. For every week that the subject does not work towards the completion of his sentence, he loses 1 point in each ATTRIBUTE, a loss which will reverse itself at the rate of 1 point per week working towards the completion of the sentence. Suffice it to say that most recipients of this ritual complete their sentence with a minimum of fuss.