Moments in the Stream

Level 3 - Storyline Rituals

Pending Approval

Origin: Numerius

This ritual is most often cast in conjunction with the level 6 ritual Temporal Scrying. Used effectively, it can save the Chronomancer hours of futile casting about in the time stream, blindly seeking an important event. The caster may use this ritual on an object (if it is in his possession), a location with which he is familiar (which requires an object taken from that place), or a person (if the Chronomancer possesses a physical token, body relic, or the true name of the subject). For each success, the caster learns the exact moment when a significant event took place in proximity to the subject of the casting. A location may be as large as a city, mountain, or valley, but beware: Many events take place in a large area, and delving very far back in time becomes impossible.

System: The Chronomancer places the object, body relic, or engraved rune-stone bearing the name of the subject on a wire frame stand within a series of mystical circles on a specially designed table. The caster must then light a specially prepared incense beneath the frame. If cast successfully (the ritual roll succeeded), the smoke drifts upward to the ceiling, and collects in motes depicting the exact position of the stars as they were at the beginning of an event. The motes shift once for each event, then dissipate. It takes an occult or science score of 4, a speciality in Astrology or Astronomy, or a successful Intelligence + Astronomy (or Astrology) roll against a difficulty of 8 to correctly interpret each formation.

The ritual will detect events that are significant to the general time-stream, rather than events that are emotionally significant to the subject of the ritual, as would be detected with Psychometry. The object or person need not have played a significant role in the event, only been present or near by (storyteller's discretion).

Bruce suggests that the ritual may be underpowered for a level 3, but if it can be used on body relics and personal tokens, it might still merit rank 3. If it can only dowse the past of an object directly, then it is clearly level 2. I prefer the first option (the ability to look into a person's history via a token or body relic), but my character is not researching this ritual, and it is subject to he needs of Numerius at the time he created it. -Jamie