Carve Sigil (sage ability)

Carve Sigil is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of Occultism. A sigil is a magically-inscribed symbol that differs from either runes or glyphs, being the pictorial signature of an unearthly beings that are semi-divine and lesser than gods (often labeled Apollonian/good, or chthonic/evil), whose place of origin is the outer planes. The number of beings is effectively infinite, but players may choose three from mythology that pleases them. It has no direct effect on the sage ability ... but it may create situations when the character grows in power to where they may establish a relationship with the semi-divine being.

Semi-divine beings include demons, devils, ice maidens, nagas, personal servants of demi-gods and gods, valkyries and so on. In effect, the sigil requests these beings to lend power to the occultist, which comes in three forms: hope, influence and protection.

The effectiveness of these sigils depends upon omens which occultists receive through their chosen occult practices, as follows:

Hope

When omens are received that threaten illness, disaster, upheaval or even death, sigils of hope give promise that all is not lost. Sigils of hope may be inscribed upon structures, buildings, vehicles or upon any object.

If threatened, a sigil of hope will increase chances of endurance or being bypassed by 50%, by a storm at sea or natural disaster, even by a passing army bent on laying waste to the countryside. This might mean that a home is used as headquarters by the enemy, or that if burned that the foundations and general structure will remain untouched. Objects that are lost or taken have a very real chance of being found again and recovered, even if dropped in the deepest sea or stolen by the most fearful enemy. Even a broken object may be somehow restored if it is marked with a hopeful sigil.

Influence

When omens speak of strangers or outsiders who have come with gifts or fearsome purpose, sigils of influence give opportunity to belay enemies and strengthen friendships with such persons. The sigil of influence must be inscribed upon the occultist as a tattoo, upon the occultist's clothing or upon a physical object made of wood, stone or metal that may be passed to another, to be worn. If the latter, the sigil will only work if the person who wears it is known personally to the occultist.

The sigil will enable the bearer of the sigil a charisma check when meeting the other; success will ensure the other will permit a parley, staying attacks for at least 1 round per point below the bearer's charisma that is thrown. For example, a character with a 9 charisma makes a check and rolls a 2; this will mean that a parley of at least 7 rounds, all of 84 seconds, must take place before the other will press an attack.

If the stranger was foretold by omens, the bearer of the sigil will receive a +2 bonus to their roll.

Protection

When omens speak of good fortune, blessings or the goodwill of the gods, sigils of protection will benefit the character's safekeeping should a moment of crisis arise when the bearer is thus favored. Sigils of protection may be inscribed upon armor and shields, helmets, cloaks, bracers, rings and anything else that might be equated with a protection bonus. The protection will increase the armor class of whomever wears or bears such an object by +1 from the beginning of the crisis to its end, defined by such time as the bearer has passed from the good fortune that was foretold by the omen.

This protection is not magical but it is real; and may, if the object remains possessed, come into value again if similar auspices are told by the occultist's discovery of fate.

Number of Sigils

The occultist has the power to inscribe one sigil of each type per 10 points of knowledge possessed. This means that an amateur occultist with 14 knowledge points is able to create one sigil each of hope, influence and protection. However, if the object with the sigil is destroyed or lost, the ability to inscribe the sigil elsewhere is not regained.

Sigils inscribed in wooden, metal or stone objects must be carved or engraved into the object, though an occultist lacking skill in such crafts need not do more than scratch the sigil irrevocably into the surface. Sigils which are inscribed on clothing must use blood — though it need not be any particular blood, or even human.

Inscribed objects receive a +2 bonus when saving against destruction.