Rituals (FiD)

Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page

Rulebook p 221 and following.

• Consequences: generally lasts until the caster is rid of all stress.

Ghost Map

Effect: This ritual enchants a specially prepared map so it reveals the position of all spirits across the district. An individual spirit may be Studied on the map to glean some details about it.
Cost: The caster takes 4 stress when it's performed (range: across the district, quality of information: good, minus extra time: a few hours). As an example; another GM might judge the magnitude differently.

Portal to the Depths

Effect:This ancient song calls upon the power of the leviathans to open a small gateway to the great Void Sea (somewhere within a few blocks of the ritual site). Anything caught near the portal is swamped by cold, black water and drawn with hideous strength into the abyss.
Weird Aspect: This ritual is very dangerous, involving arcane contact with a leviathan's demonic power (desperate action roll).
Cost: The caster takes 6 stress and ticks a 4-segment progress clock: “Seduced by the Leviathan's Song.”

The Cartographer's Eyes

Effect: This ritual reveals the unseen features of an unexplored area, mapping out the terrain and potential dangers with eerie accuracy. The sacrificed map redraws itself to show the new area, with the same level of detail.
Weird Aspect: The caster temporarily loses their vision, instead "seeing" the landscape as a mental imprint while their eyes glow faintly.
Cost: You must sacrifice a map of a well-explored area to erase the known in favor of the unknown. This map is erased and replaced with the map created by the ritual. Such a map costs 1 coin or more. The caster takes 3 stress.
Consequences: The ritual leaves the caster feeling disconnected from reality, fearing they are becoming more attuned to the land than to the people around them.

Rift of the Veil

Effect: Opens a planar portal to another dimension (e.g., Shadowfell, Feywild, Netherworld, or a pocket dimension) at a fixed location for a duration of several hours up to several day or even permanent depending on the sacrifice.
Weird Aspect: The portal pulses with an unsettling rhythm, as if breathing, and the air around it smells faintly of brimstone or flowers depending on the plane.
Cost: You must inscribe a perfect circle with powdered silver (1 coin) and blood, and chant for three hours uninterrupted. The caster takes 5 stress and must sacrifice a living creature or a magical object to stabilize the portal.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster becomes haunted by whispers from the plane they contacted, making them question the barrier between realms and possibly influencing their actions.

Harvest of Plenty

Effect: Enhances the fertility of a large swath of land, ensuring bountiful crops and healthy livestock for the next season.
Weird Aspect: Strange glowing roots rise momentarily from the ground before vanishing, and the smell of freshly tilled soil permeates the air.
Cost: The caster must bury a valuable item tied to life and growth (a rare seed, a child’s toy, or a personal keepsake) into the soil. They take 4 stress and temporarily lose the ability to speak until they see the full white moon, Luna. For this reason the ritual is usually performed at or just before the full moon.
Consequences: The caster develops a deep connection to the earth and suffers level 1 harm": "rashes if any destruction is caused to the blessed fields until they are harvested. If this happens a lot, it might even kill the caster.

Blade of the Eternal Flame

Effect: Adds temporary magical potency to a weapon, imbuing it with arcane fire or another chosen element, making it far more dangerous in battle. This adds the Potent and Power features to the weapon. On a critical the effect ends in an explosion causing level 2 harm: "Blasted" to both the wielder and the target.
Weird Aspect: The weapon pulses with a faint glow and emits whispers when drawn, as if the spirits of the elements are trapped within.
Cost: The weapon must be bathed in the blood of a creature associated with the chosen power (for example a fire elemental for imbuing fire). The caster takes 6 stress.
Consequences: The wielder begins to believe the weapon is sentient, developing a fear that it may act of its own will one day.

The Gravekeeper's Hand

Effect: Animates all the dead in a graveyard, causing them to rise as either mindless undead or bound to the caster’s will.
Weird Aspect: As the dead rise, the ground shifts and groans, and the stench of decay fills the air.
Cost: You must bury a sapient creature alive in the graveyard as an offering. The caster takes 7 stress.
Consequences: The caster develops a growing connection to the undead, feeling their pull even when not near a graveyard.

Sanctification of the Hallowed Ground

Effect: Sanctifies a temple or sacred space, creating a powerful ward that keeps out spirits, curses, and the influence of hostile Powers.
Weird Aspect: A subtle, golden glow suffuses the temple, and a low hum resonates within the walls when hostile entities approach. The area becomes anathema to spirits and monsters not aligned with your faith.
Cost: The caster must offer up a personal sacrifice, such as a beloved possession or part of their own lifeforce. They take 5 stress and a full ritual of worship must be held.
Consequences: The caster fears they have bound their soul to the temple and that, upon death, they will be trapped within its walls.

The Seeking Flame

Effect: Summons a flame that seeks out and burns hidden magic in the immediate area, obvious or concealed. This is mostly used to break powerful magic not susceptible to normal detection or dispelling powers or when the magic is so subtle it cannot be detected.
Weird Aspect: The flame flickers in unusual patterns, as if alive, and whispers in forgotten tongues.
Cost: You must light the flame using a rare, flammable material harvested from an ancient source (like a sacred grove or temple garden). The caster takes 3 stress and may be burned if the flame detects deception.
Consequences: The caster begins to believe the flame can judge them, fearing its eventual turn on them if they are not "pure."

Eye of the Hunter

Effect: Bestows a keen sight upon the caster or target, allowing them to track creatures or people with supernatural accuracy, seeing their tracks as glowing imprint and the target themselves can be seen through walls and in darkness.
Weird Aspect: The target’s eyes glow faintly, and their vision becomes tunnel-like, focusing only on the prey.
Cost: The caster must pluck out a bird’s eye and swallow it, taking 2 stress. Caster must either uniquely name the target or include some link to them. The beneficiary becomes unable to see any creature other than their prey until the hunt is complete.
Consequences: The target develops a fear of losing their sight, haunted by blurred visions of strange, unidentifiable creatures.

Chains of Binding

Effect: Temporarily binds a powerful entity (spirit, demon, or elemental) to a physical location or object, preventing its escape. Typical objects are a cursed goblet or enchanted mirror, but more often the creature is bound to a location.
Weird Aspect: The air crackles with tension, and the object or location glows with eerie symbols.
Cost: The entity must be willing, helpless, or trapped in a specially prepared vessel (e.g., spirit bottle). The caster takes 6 stress and risks their own essence being bound if the ritual fails.
Consequences: The caster begins to believe that, one day, they will be bound by their own magic or trapped by the entities they subdue.

Veil of the Hidden Path

Effect: Conceals a path or safehouse with illusions, making it invisible to those who are not initiated.
Weird Aspect: The path flickers with brief mirages, and anyone who walks it feels an unnatural chill as they move through.
Cost: The caster must burn a rare incense and chant for several hours while walking the path, eventually passing through the ether. They take 4 stress and risk losing their way, potentially never finding the true path again on a fumble.
Consequences: The caster becomes paranoid that they are losing their ability to distinguish reality from illusion, fearing they are walking invisible paths unknowingly.

Restoration of the Lost Limb

Effect: This ritual calls upon ancient healing powers to restore a severed limb to its rightful owner. The restored limb is fully functional and appears as if it had never been lost.
Weird Aspect: As the limb reattaches, the air shimmers with golden light, and a faint, ethereal melody fills the surroundings, echoing the lost memories of the limb.
Cost: The caster must gather a portion of the original limb, preserved in salt, and take 8 stress. Additionally, they must offer a heartfelt sacrifice, such as a cherished memory or a personal item tied to their identity.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster experiences phantom sensations, feeling the presence of the limb, leading to moments of disorientation or confusion regarding their own body.

Healing Touch of the Feywild

Effect: This ritual channels the vibrant life energy of the Feywild to heal physical injuries, restoring the body and invigorating the spirit. Wounds close rapidly, and the recipient feels a surge of vitality.
Weird Aspect: As the ritual is performed, flowers bloom in the area, and the air is filled with the scent of sweet nectar, creating a sense of otherworldly joy and savage lusts.
Cost: The caster must collect dew from a moonlit flower and take 5 stress. They must also share a moment of genuine laughter with the recipient, fostering a bond that enhances the healing.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may develop a craving for the magic of the Feywild, longing for the euphoria of the experience, which could lead to reckless behavior in pursuit of such moments.

Astral Restoration

Effect: This ritual reaches into the Astral Plane to mend spiritual injuries, helping individuals recover from trauma, loss, or emotional wounds. It restores the person’s sense of self and purpose.
Weird Aspect: The atmosphere shimmers with starlight, and whispers of comforting voices can be heard, guiding the recipient towards inner peace and clarity.
Cost: The caster must light a candle infused with powdered stardust and take 6 stress. They must also meditate with the recipient for a full hour, allowing the energies of the Astral Plane to align.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster may become more distant from the physical world, retreating into a mental ivory tower.

Embrace of the Netherworld

Effect: This ritual delves into the dark energies of the Netherworld to heal madness or mental instability, restoring clarity and balance to the mind. The recipient gains insights into their fears and can overcome delusions.
Weird Aspect: Shadows flicker and swirl around the caster as if alive, and the air feels thick with forgotten memories and lost whispers, creating an atmosphere of dread and revelation.
Cost: The caster must consume a small vial of an opalescent liquid harvested from the Netherworld and take 7 stress. They must also face their own fears or traumas during the ritual, confronting what haunts them.
Consequences: After the ritual, the the target feels distant not only from the traumatic events that caused them madness, but from all memories.

Etheric Passage

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to teleport themselves and their crew to a distant location by traversing the ether, bending space and time to appear instantaneously at the chosen destination. The journey feels surreal, as if slipping through a veil between worlds.
Weird Aspect: The air crackles with energy, and the caster's body shimmers as they fade into translucent forms, leaving behind a faint afterimage for a moment before vanishing.
Cost: The caster must create a map of their intended destination, imbued with their essence (using a personal item or hair), and take 6 stress. They must also chant an ancient incantation for one hour, focusing on the coordinates of their target.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster experiences brief episodes of disorientation upon arriving, as if caught between realms. They may find it challenging to return to their original location without a similar ritual, leading to potential complications in navigation.

Earthshaper's Craft

Effect: This ritual grants the caster the ability to manipulate earth and stone to repair or create structures. Depending on the intent, the caster can perform one of the following actions:

• Rebuild a Ruined Building: Restores a structure to its former glory, mending walls and roofs with earth and stone. Cost: The caster takes 4 stress and must sacrifice a valuable item made of stone (e.g., a semi-precious gem).
• Build a Wall: Constructs a sturdy barrier for defense or delineation, providing immediate protection to the area. Cost: The caster takes 3 stress and must offer a valuable earth-based item (e.g., clay or soil from a sacred site).
• Build a Wizard's Tower: Raises a tall, intricately designed tower, filled with arcane energy and potential for magical endeavors. Cost: The caster takes 5 stress and must sacrifice a magical item tied to the arcane (e.g., a spellbook or enchanted trinket).
• Build a Fortification: Creates a fortified stronghold, complete with battlements and defensive features to withstand sieges. Cost: The caster takes 6 stress and must sacrifice a rare crafting tool or artifact used in construction.

Weird Aspect: The ground trembles and shifts as if alive, and glowing sigils appear momentarily before the structures rise from the earth, revealing ancient patterns etched in stone.
Cost: The costs associated with each effect are detailed above, and the caster must provide a model of the desired construction made of clay or stone. A stone model must be carved by a skilled mason and is likely to be costly, but allows much finer control of the result.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster feels a lingering connection to the land, experiencing vivid dreams of the structures they’ve built, leading to anxiety over their maintenance and protection.

Sacred Edifice

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to create holy structures that resonate with divine energy. Depending on the intention, the caster can perform one of the following actions:

• Build a Shrine: Erects a small sacred space for worship and offerings, filled with tranquil energy to honor a specific deity or spirit. Cost: The caster takes 2 stress and must offer a personal item of significance to their faith (e.g., a cherished religious token).
• Build a Temple: Constructs a grand temple dedicated to a higher power, complete with altars, statues, and spaces for communal gatherings and rituals. Cost: The caster takes 6 stress and must sacrifice an item of great spiritual importance (e.g., a family heirloom or lesser relic).

Weird Aspect: A divine light envelops the area, and the air is filled with a harmonious hum, echoing the voice of the deity as the structures emerge from the ground, suffused with spiritual energy.
Cost: The costs associated with each effect are detailed above, and the caster must perform a day of prayer and meditation, alongside the chanting of sacred texts.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may feel an unshakeable sense of duty towards the structures created, haunted by the expectation of maintaining their sanctity and purpose, which can lead to crises of faith if neglected.

Reshape the Terra Arcana

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to reshape the landscape, transforming the terrain to better suit their needs or desires. Depending on the intention, the caster can perform one of the following actions or their reverse, destrying such a terrain feature:

• Transform a Glen: Modifies a small glen into a lush, vibrant area filled with flora and fauna, enhancing its natural beauty. Cost: The caster takes 3 stress and must gather soil from a sacred site, infusing it with their essence.
• Create a Fertile Field: Turns an unproductive area into a fertile field, rich with crops and ready for harvest. Cost: The caster takes 4 stress and must sacrifice a valuable agricultural tool (e.g., a fine plow or seed) that symbolizes their commitment to growth.
• Create a Small Cave: Opens a cave, providing shelter and a hidden space for refuge or storage. Cost: The caster takes 4 stress and must gather stones from a nearby rocky outcrop, imbuing them with protective energy.
• Raise a Hill: Elevates the land to create a small hill, allowing for better visibility and strategic advantage in the area. Cost: The caster takes 5 stress and must offer a personal item representing their connection to the earth (e.g., a stone from a beloved location). Form a Lake: Creates a serene lake, allowing for fresh water and a thriving ecosystem to develop. Cost: The caster takes 6 stress and must gather water from a nearby significant body (e.g., a river or spring), infusing it with their energy.
• Craft a Mountain: Forms a majestic mountain, reshaping the landscape dramatically and altering weather patterns in the area. This ritual must be performed on a hill of 30 meters height or more (possibly created using this ritual) each casting doubles the height of what is now a mountain, up to a maximum of 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) in height. Cost: The caster takes 8 stress and must sacrifice a rare mineral or gem, reflecting the power of the earth itself.
• Establish an Extensive Cave System: Constructs a network of interconnected caves, offering a complex environment for exploration and resources. This ritual must be performed in a cave (possibly created using this ritual) and extends this cave into a cave system reaching around a kilometer (1,000 yards) into the ground. Cost: The caster takes 9 stress and must sacrifice an artifact or item linked to exploration (e.g., a map or compass), symbolizing the journey into the depths of the earth.

Weird Aspect: As the landscape shifts, the air vibrates with energy, and vivid colors swirl around the caster, reflecting the essence of the terrain being modified. Sounds of nature harmonize with the ritual, echoing the spirit of the land.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster feels a profound connection to the newly shaped land, experiencing dreams and visions tied to the environment's history and future. They may develop a sense of ownership or responsibility over the land, leading to anxiety if it is disturbed or harmed.

Creation of the Nefarious Dungeon

Effect: This ritual harnesses the chaotic energies of the Netherworld to create a dungeon room filled with arcane features. The caster can choose to include one or more of the following elements, but the exact outcome is subject to the whims of the Netherworld:

• Magical Fountain: A fountain that flows with enchanted water, providing various effects (healing, stress restoration, etc.). Cost: The caster must collect water from a source touched by another world appropriate to the desired effect.
• Trap Mechanism: A hidden trap that activates under certain conditions, such as a pressure plate or magical trigger, to ensnare or harm intruders. Cost: The caster must sacrifice a simple model of the desired trap.
• Aberrant Monsters: Summons aberrations native to the Netherworld, like Trappers (camouflaged, sticky floor tendrils) or Piercers (stalagmite monster dropping from ceilings to ambush). Cost: The caster takes 5 stress and must offer a small sacrifice of life (such as a captured creature or insect), resonating with the darkness of the Netherworld.
• Illusory Walls: Creates walls that can deceive those who attempt to navigate the room, hiding exits or leading them into traps. Cost: The caster must spend an hour crafting illusions from dreams or memories, focusing their intent.
• Dark Alteration: Alters the room's environment to create unnatural conditions, such as shifting shadows, illusions, or even magical darkness. Cost: The caster must endure a moment of disorientation, tapping into the chaos of the Netherworld.
• Transport: The room has a feature like a portal or strange mist that transports creatures into another dungeon location in the same dungeon complex. Cost: The caster must perform part of the ritual in the desired target location and part at the spot where the room is to appear.

Weird Aspect: As the ritual unfolds, the room pulses with energy, and faint whispers echo from the shadows. Surreal images and fleeting phantoms may flicker in and out of view, hinting at the chaotic power at play.
Cost: The costs associated with each effect are detailed above. The caster must also use 3 stress and draw a rough layout of the desired room, but the final design is influenced by the energies of the Netherworld, often leading to unpredictable outcomes.
Consequences: An opposed success lessens the caster's control over the dungeon room and might add other effects the caster did not desire. On a failure, the room still forms, but the results are entirely unpredictable and likely dangerous to the caster if they enter the room.

Profane Reconstruction

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to stitch together various body parts and essences from different creatures to create a powerful, yet grotesque amalgamate creature. The resulting being is a patchwork of different traits, drawing on the strengths (and weaknesses) of its components.
Weird Aspect: As the ritual progresses, the air thickens with a swirling mist, and the remnants begin to glow faintly with unnatural light. The sounds of distant, anguished wails echo around the caster, giving life to the lifeless components.
Cost: The caster must gather body parts from at least three different creatures, each representing a distinct quality they wish to combine (e.g., strength, agility, resilience). This gathering must include the brain of being, this sets the level of intelligence of the creation. The caster must take 8 stress. They must also perform a macabre ritual that involves inscribing symbols of life and death around the assembly area, using a mixture of blood and ash. The ritual requires a Study roll, adding any recovery bonus the caster has access to when performing the ritual.
Consequences: After the ritual, the creator suffers intense and irrational hatred towards the creation.

Chimeric Fusion

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to magically merge two or more living creatures into a single, fantastical chimera, blending their physical forms and abilities. The result is a unique creature that embodies the strengths, traits, and characteristics of its components, potentially creating new powers or abilities.
Weird Aspect: As the ritual unfolds, a kaleidoscope of colors surrounds the participants, swirling and shifting in ethereal patterns. The air resonates with harmonic sounds that echo the voices of the creatures being fused, creating an atmosphere of enchantment and wonder.
Cost: The caster must have access to the creatures, eother willing or restrained, and take 7 stress. Additionally, they must chant an incantation while drawing a mystical sigil on the ground around the creatures to be merged, that represents the merging of life forces.
Consequences: After the ritual, the chimera may exhibit unpredictable characteristics, such as fluctuating moods or abilities. The caster may also experience a lingering connection to the merged creatures, feeling their emotions or instincts, which can lead to internal conflict or challenges in control over the chimera’s actions.

Mastery of the Golem

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to create a golem, an animated construct formed from different materials, each possessing unique attributes and abilities. Depending on the materials used, the golem's complexity and power will vary, with options including:

• Flesh Golem: A humanoid figure stitched together from parts of various creatures, animated by dark magic. This golem is agile and can adapt its tactics in combat and feeds off electic energy. Cost: The caster must gather at least three different pieces of flesh from sentient beings and take 8 stress.
• Clay Golem: A robust figure crafted from clay, imbued with elemental magic. This golem is slow but incredibly strong, capable of taking and dealing substantial damage. Cost: The caster must mold the clay with their own hands while chanting an incantation and take 6 stress. Additionally, they must sacrifice a valuable earth-based item, such as a precious stone or artifact.
• Stone Golem: A towering construct made of stone, animated through ancient rites. This golem is durable and resistant to physical damage, making it a formidable guardian. Cost: The caster must gather rare stones and take 7 stress.
• Iron Golem: A formidable creature forged from iron and animated with powerful arcane energies. This golem possesses high resilience and can unleash devastating attacks, embodying the pinnacle of golem craftsmanship. Cost: The caster must use molten iron poured into a specially crafted mold, taking 10 stress. They must also infuse the iron with a magical essence from a powerful source, such as a magical beast or a valuable artifact.

Weird Aspect: As the ritual is performed, the materials tremble and shift, drawing energy from the surrounding environment. Glowing runes and sigils appear, pulsating with life as the golem is brought to existence.
Cost: In addition tot he costs outlined above, the caster must inscribe a binding rune on the golem’s forehead using blood. The golem will obey the person whose blood was used.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may experience fatigue and a sense of loss, as the golem's creation can temporarily drain their vitality. The golem may also develop unpredictable urges, leading to unforeseen behaviors or actions in its role as a servant or guardian.

Oracular Omen

Effect: This ritual allows the caster to receive a prophecy or insight about the future by interpreting the flight patterns of birds. The caster observes the behavior of birds and deciphers their movements to gain knowledge of forthcoming events.
Weird Aspect: As the ritual unfolds, the sky darkens momentarily, and a soft wind carries whispers from the unseen realms, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and mystery.
Cost: The caster must gather a selection of grains to entice the birds and take 3 stress. They must also spend a full day observing the birds and documenting their movements, which requires patience and diligence.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may become overly fixated on omens, leading to paranoia or an inability to make decisions without consulting the signs.

Cup of Reflection

Effect: This ritual involves using a bowl of water or a reflective surface to gain insights about a person or situation. By staring into the water and allowing their mind to drift, the caster can glimpse potential futures or hidden truths.
Weird Aspect: The surface of the water ripples and shifts, revealing faint images and shadows that hint at what lies ahead, creating a surreal atmosphere where reality and vision intertwine.
Cost: The caster must use pure spring water and take 4 stress. They must also place a silver coin or a personal token in the water to enhance the divination, connecting their essence to the vision.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may become haunted by the visions, experiencing moments of déjà vu or confusion between reality and their prophetic glimpses.

Bones of Fate

Effect: This ritual uses a collection of animal bones, cast and interpreted to reveal insights about the past, present, and future. The patterns formed by the bones indicate various outcomes or truths related to the question posed by the caster.
Weird Aspect: The bones emit an eerie glow as they are cast, and their arrangement seems to shift slightly, as if influenced by unseen forces guiding their positions.
Cost: The caster must gather a set of specific animal bones (ideally from a creature with significant meaning) and take 5 stress. They must also speak a short incantation while casting the bones, channeling their intent into the ritual.
Consequences: After the ritual, the caster may experience lingering feelings of unease, as the truths revealed can be unsettling, leading to doubts about their path or the implications of their findings.

Ashtology

This ritual is from Baklunish lands and is based on their belief in Istus, the lady of fate.
Effect: This ritual involves shooting arrows to divine answers or guidance regarding a specific question or situation. The caster must focus on their inquiry as they release the arrow, which will land in a way that reveals the answer through its position and the nature of the target struck. Answers are thus simple, usually yes, no, or a direction.
Weird Aspect: As the arrow is loosed, the air around it shimmers with ethereal light, and a soft whisper can be heard, echoing the caster's question. The trajectory of the arrow appears influenced by unseen forces, guiding its path toward destiny.
Cost: The caster must prepare a set of specially crafted arrows, each representing different aspects of fate or decision (e.g., love, fortune, conflict). These arrows are prepared in advance. Shooting this arrow does not take much time, but the arrow must be of the correct type and the caster must loudly proclaim the question asked and takes 4 stress. If the arrow was not created in the most recent downtown period, the stress cost increases by one for each score the caster has participated in since the item was crafted.
Consequences: After performing the ritual, the caster may feel a strong connection to the result, becoming fixated on the outcome of the divination. If the answer is unclear or troubling, they may experience anxiety or obsession about the implications, leading to a crisis of faith in the process.