Rites of Saint Maya

Rites of Saint Maya

Fault of the Soulless

Ritual: Blessing, Prayer
Roll: Resolve+Theurgy
Duration: Instant
Range: Sensory

Developed soon after the Fall, this rite targets a high-tech item and causes it to malfunction. Normally used against personal technology (blasters, squawkers, think machines, golems of human size or smaller), the rite can be used to target larger machines, though the VPs required increases with size and complexity. As a guideline, simple personal technological items require 1 VP, more advanced TL 7-8 personal items require 2 VPs. Additionally, add +1 VP for standalone machines, +2 VPs for vehicles, and +3 VPs for small facilities or small spaceships.

Inquisitorial Commandment

Ritual: Prayer, Sermon
Roll: Presence+Theurgy
Duration: Special
Range: Sensory

Use of this rite is the theurgic version of a shot of truth serum; the target is compelled to answer one question addressed to her, and to do so truthfully. Questions must be answered fully, completely and honestly, without evasion or trickery. This does not in any way prevent the target from initiating violence upon the Theurgist.

Knowing the False Heart

Ritual: Prayer, Sermon
Roll: Intuition+Theurgy
Duration: Scene
Range: Sensory

Essential to the pursuit of justice, this rite allows the theurgist to act as a lie detector. Since this rite focuses only on intentional dishonesty and deliberate untruthfulness it is sometimes possible for the target to dissemble, hide or twist the truth. This rite affects only a single target who is typically unaware that the Theurgist is using this rite to scrutinize his statements.

Oath to Saint Maya

Ritual: Sermon
Roll: Presence+Theurgy
Duration: Story
Range: Sensory

Inspired by the Oath of Fellowship pledge by the saints to one another in the time of their worst trial, this rite binds a group together in friendship and trust, and is a theurgical version of the Sacrament of Holy Congress. The pledge must be made at the start of a specific task (lasting no more than one story), such as a journey or mission. Every member of the pledge receives a +2 goal bonus to actions that punish the guilty. Theurgist members receive the same bonus when casting further rites of Saint Maya.

Betraying the pledge comes at a terrible price, as oathbreaking is a mortal sin that tarnishes one’s soul mirror. The +2 goal bonus becomes a ‑2 goal penalty, which lasts until the offender is redeemed by undertaking a pilgrimage or some other holy trial. Oathbreaking theurgist members cannot call upon the rites of Saint Maya.

Stench of Evil

Ritual: Blessing, Prayer
Roll: Intuition+Theurgy
Duration: Scene
Range: Sensory

Casting Stench of Evil enables a theurgist to “sniff out” acts of Antinomy, the actions of a psychic’s Urge and the presence of demons or alien artifacts with an evil taint. This rite only indicates the presence of such evil (within smelling distance), but does not show the theurgist exactly what is going on, only that evil exists and that its influence is active within an area. “I detect the stink of brimstone in this house.”

Sting of Conscience

Ritual: Prayer, Sermon
Roll: Presence+Theurgy
Duration: Special
Range: Sensory

This rite is usually accompanied by a verbal harangue from the theurgist or an associate, the two combining to make the subject feel guilty about some past sin or misdeed. The target will feel compelled to confess and make up for the transgression, although not necessarily to the theurgist or associate. When this rite is cast without the verbal accusations to guide it, there is no telling exactly what its effect may be. A relatively guiltless person may begin to obsess on some minor bit of mischief from childhood, while a truly sinful person may be driven to wildly self-destructive acts that could endanger everyone around him.

Torch Bearing

Ritual: Blessing, Prayer
Roll: Resolve+Theurgy
Duration: Instant
Range: Touch

With this rite the theurgist can create a flame without using any tool or technology. The fire will burn for the turn without need of fuel; beyond the initial turn the flame requires fuel to continue burning. The flame is real and may be used to ignite flammable objects or illuminate a small area about 5 meters radius.

Tortures of the Damned

Ritual: Prayer, Sermon
Roll: Presence+Theurgy
Duration: Instant
Range: Sensory

This rite incapacitates the target with unimaginable pain and images of Gehennuagap (hell). These visions may take the form of Orthodox and Avestite description, burning hellfire or numbing cold seeming to last for an eternity, or they may take a more personal form, the reliving of a traumatic event or seeing one’s greatest fears come to pass, or some amalgamation of both. In either case, the target will be a pathetic, sobbing wreck for at least seven turns after the rite is discontinued. Due to the deep psychological nature of this experience, however, residual effects (such as a mental disorder) may last for long afterward.