Enchantment (Hedge Magic)

Hedge Magic

Introduction: Enchantment is the art of creating (minor) magical Talismans. An enchanter imbues each of her creations with a small part of her essence and spends much of her time locked up in a workshop crafting each new piece, tracking down esoteric and mundane ingredients, putting out fires, researching new procedures and figuring out why the copper wire in the iron mixture didn’t help the blade’s temper. For those with the time and patience, though, Enchantment provides the ability to forge useful magical tools - most especially, devices that store magical energy for later use or empowered to function on their own, usable by anyone.

Creating a Talisman first takes talent; an enchanter must usually handcraft the object to be enchanted, whether it is a blade, a ring, a pair of shoes or a book. (This is not always the case, especially with items that have a close personal attachment to the enchanter.) Many enchanters choose one field of study and specialize in it, creating pieces of art for sale when they aren’t working on pieces to be enchanted (after all, a sorcerer has to earn a living somehow).

Others develop enough skill to create serviceable tools that can be enchanted in a number of different Crafts, relying on their magical abilities to suffice where their craftsmanship does not. Depending on what is being made, this may take anywhere from a day or so, to months of careful crafting.

The next part of the process is the Enchantment itself. This normally takes one to three days, depending on the Tradition of the enchanter and the particulars of the Enchantment (the more complex the Enchantment, in terms of who can use it, how many times it can be used, and when it can be used, the longer the initial work).

• Minor items that have a very limited utility and very limited effects that will never be seen as magical by any who don’t know what to look for.

• • A more powerful version of a Tailsman than could be previously made, or a Talisman capable of changing reality in some subtle but more noticeable or magical fashion.

• • • These items perform functions that are obviously magical to those looking for such things and that will be considered very weird by those who aren’t.

• • • • Talismans of this power can defy reality to a large degree, as long as they work within certain restrictions. They can increase attributes and abilities past normal human limitations, duplicate low-level supernatural abilities (no more than the second dot of Disciplines, Gifts, etc.) and otherwise work wonders.

• • • • • Items made with this level of skill are almost mythic; their powers are sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant and always unpredictable. When they work, they can perform minor miracles.