Occultism (sage study)

Occultism is a sage study in the fields of Black Magic and Unreality, concerned with the systematic examination of magical phenomena, hidden forces and metaphysical laws that lie outside the scope of conventional arcane or divine spellcasting. Unlike most magical disciplines, occultism is not confined to a specific character class but may be pursued by any scholar, sage or adept with the intellectual discipline and daring to explore it. The study delves into obscure and often esoteric subjects such as mass suggestion, superstition, the nature and resilience of the soul, and the formulation or refinement of incantations that transcend traditional schools of magic.

Central to occultism is the understanding and cultivation of wild magic — the raw, undirected force of the universe as it manifests in the Prime Material Plane. This energy flows from the elemental planes — earth, air, fire and water — as well as the polar forces of positive and negative energy, all of which converge and interweave in subtle, often unpredictable ways. The occultist studies the patterns and triggers of this force, not to control it in the traditional sense, but to predict and harness its influence through indirect means. These efforts often involve rituals, sigils, sympathetic resonances and meditative alignments, all calibrated to manipulate the unseen balance between planes.

By engaging with these deeper patterns, the occultist can initiate subtle but potent changes — shifting a creature's destiny, altering perception or warping the emotional state of a group, often without the overt use of spells. Such interventions may produce irreversible outcomes, with effects that cascade far beyond the moment of their invocation. For this reason, occultism carries inherent risk, both to the practitioner and the world around them. Nevertheless, those versed in the discipline can, through foresight and preparation, anticipate magical surges, psychic disturbances or planar interactions before they fully manifest, granting them strategic power where others are left unaware. This foresight marks the occultist as both seer and manipulator, an entity whose influence may go unnoticed until its effects are already in motion.

Choosing the Form

Effectively, to make occultism function as a study within the game, it is necessary for the dungeon master to adjust future events in the campaign world in response to the random elements produced through occult investigations — such as astrology, tea leaf reading or similar interpretive methods. This becomes particularly challenging in a structured or pre-destined adventure, where player insights or portents may disrupt planned encounters or plotlines. However, in practice, I have found that the unpredictable nature of the results tends to inspire restraint. Players often engage with the study cautiously, recognising that invoking the occult can invite as much confusion as clarity.

For any character choosing to invest in occultism, once the study has been acquired, they must select one of the following five disciplines. It is the player's responsibility — not the DM's — to collect the required materials and to learn the mechanics of their chosen form, much as a real-world practitioner would. These practices are not to be approached casually; the power of the study is reflected by the care taken in its use.

Astrology: the character is required to acquire an astrological book or ephemeris suitable for building natal charts. These charts are to be constructed for both player and non-player characters, forming the foundation of the practice. The player does not have to subscribe to belief in astrology personally, but the utility of the chart within the game will be directly tied to the accuracy and specificity with which planetary positions and houses are determined for the moment of a character's birth.

Bone Throwing: for this practice, the character must use six distinct 6-sided dice — each with symbolic images in place of numbers — commonly referred to as "story cubes." A seventh die, marked traditionally with pips, is added to the throw. The configuration and orientation of the dice as they fall provide the material for interpretation, which the player must learn to analyse through narrative or symbolic associations.

Numerology: this method requires no special equipment, but demands close and sustained observation. The player must keep a continuous log of dice rolls made at the table over a period of time, interpreting any notable numerical patterns or repetitions. These patterns may — or may not — reveal a hidden truth. As such, this practice requires patience and may yield no actionable result even after significant tracking.

Tarot: to make use of tarot, the character must possess a tarot deck. The cards, when drawn and laid out in a standard spread, form a narrative structure from which meanings can be drawn. The interpretation of these patterns, guided by traditional associations, will shape the form and timing of the reading's effects within the game.

Tea Leaf Reading: the character must have access to loose tea and a rounded cup suitable for the practice. After drinking the tea, the player must perform the ritual turning and settling of the leaves, then closely examine the shapes that remain to identify recognisable symbols or figures. The reading depends on the clarity and imagination with which the player interprets these patterns.

Other forms of occultism not yet fully integrated into the study include automatic writing and charmstones, both of which require their own handling and interpretation. Practices related to beings from other planes of existence, particularly those involving demons or planar intermediaries, are addressed within the study of dweomercraft and fall outside the direct scope of standard occultism.

Sage Abilities

The sage abilities below are those acquired by a character through the study, according to status.

Amateur Status

• Carve Sigil: inscribes a pictorial representation of the occultist's desired outcome. The sigil is a symbolic construct, typically carved into wood, stone or metal, and serves as a focus for wild magical influence. The effect is not direct or immediate; rather, it subtly increases the likelihood that conditions favourable to the desired outcome will begin to take shape within the local area or context. Only one sigil of intent may be active at a time, and the presence of others may dilute or confuse the influence.

• Detect Mania: enables the recognition of crowds influenced by unnatural mass influence. When invoked, the ability allows the occultist to intuit when large groups are behaving irrationally under the sway of hysteria, suggestion or magical distortion. The effect is passive and perceptual, taking in body language, group rhythm and emotional tone to distinguish normal crowd behaviour from something coerced or disrupted.

• Make a Reading: produces psychic results when the proper rituals are performed. A reading involves the use of one of the established occult disciplines conducted in a focused and deliberate setting. When performed with adequate attention and sincerity, a successful reading grants the occultist a brief but meaningful glimpse of near-future conditions or a symbolic reflection of the present. The information gained is abstract, often metaphorical, and may require interpretation.

Authority Status

• Acupuncture: the relief of pain or other malady through the insertion of needles. The practice involves applying fine, sharpened needles to specific points on the body, stimulating energy flow and restoring balance to the subject's physical state. It is primarily used to reduce ongoing discomfort, treat exhaustion, alleviate minor injury or support natural healing.

• Comprehend Aura: enables the detection of the coloured aura enveloping a living body; reveals the presence of familiar. The aura is perceived as a subtle, shifting field of colour and shape that reflects the emotional, spiritual or magical state of the subject. With this ability, the occultist can detect whether a creature is under enchantment, suffering internal turmoil or aligned with certain metaphysical forces.

• Seek Totem Spirit: self-identifyies with a familial animal form to gain greater natural prowess. Through meditation, fasting or ritual exposure to the wild, the occultist discerns their symbolic animal counterpart, a creature whose nature resonates with their own. Once identified, the totem animal may be invoked during times of stress or danger, briefly enhancing the character’s physical or perceptual abilities in ways reminiscent of the creature's traits.

Expert Status

• Form Incantation: empowers a cultic rite, enabling a limited mastery of wild magic. By arranging symbolic components — gestures, spoken phrases and ritual tokens — into a structured formula, the occultist channels raw, ambient magical energy into a brief, contained effect.

• Master Familiar: reveals the true nature of familiars and increases the bond between familiar and master. Through ritual observation and shared experience, the occultist discerns the familiar's deeper attributes — its hidden magical traits, emotional tendencies or latent sensitivities. This insight improves communication, enhances trust and allows the master to anticipate the familiar's needs or reactions.

• Transfiguration: gives the power to experience a momentary divine radiance. This brief, ecstatic state infuses the occultist with symbolic purity or clarity, as though touched by an otherworldly presence. For a short duration, the character is powerfully imbued with a needful enhancement of ability stats, sage abilities or other powers, once per week.

Sage Status

• Maleficium: provides a momentary mastery of wild magic, allowing the occultist to direct chaotic magical forces toward destructive or malicious ends, often through ritualised curses, symbolic gestures or the channeling of volatile energy. Maleficium is imprecise and unstable, but when focused correctly, it can weaken, sicken, disorient or spiritually afflict a target.

• Mysticism: the practice of religious ecstasy as a means of controlling wild magic. The occultist enters a trance state through fasting, chanting, breathwork or isolation, surrendering the conscious mind to greater currents of magical force. In this altered state, wild magic is not tamed but flowed with — guided intuitively rather than structured logically.

See also,
Abulafia, Abraham (1240-1291)
Illusionist Sage Abilities
Mage Sage Abilities