Invitation Beyond
Level 2 Thaumaturgy, based on Spiritual Hermeticism
This ritual is based on spirit summoning rituals used across the world, and specifically patterned after those of the Arapahoe and Navaho people of North America. Using this variant on European, African or other spirits may incur reaction penalties (see below).
System: Using natural occult paraphernalia (feathers, circles, chants, and symbols, specific to the spirit in question), the caster opens a channel of communication to the spirit he wants to contact. The spirit is not compelled to move to the ritual's location, but becomes aware of the caster and the immediate surroundings, and if able is free to travel there. The number of successes on the ritual indicates how long it lasts, and thus how complex the communication can be. One success allows for brief communication: approximately 30 seconds or so. Two allow about five minutes. Three or more allow communication to last as long as the caster maintains concentration. At the storyteller's discretion, more than five may allow concentration to be picked up again within an hour of the ritual's conclusion if the caster is forced to break it off. The ritual takes about 15 minutes to cast if the spirit in question is within the same geographical region, 30 minutes if on the same continent, and 1 hour if it is anywhere within Earth's Near Umbra (the spiritual reflection of the physical world). If the spirit is within the Umbra proper, it can be contacted if the caster maintains the ritual for three hours. Other realms (pocket dimensions, etc., see various Werewolf supplements) cannot be contacted with this ritual. It can be used to "cast about" (I.E. "I want to contact a nearby air elemental"), but the ritual is at two higher difficulty, and at the storyteller's discretion may incur a reaction penalty.
The spirit thus contacted is, of course, under no obligation to do what the caster wants, or even be friendly. Keep in mind, however, that the ritual is designed to flatter and smooth the way to communication. The caster is showing respect to the spirit and all it stands for, proving (hopefully) that he understands, even empathizes with all that matters to the spirit. As a system, roll Charisma + Cosmology/Spirit lore. Standard difficulty is 5, or 7 if Occult is substituted (the effort involved in the ritual reduced the standard by one). The storyteller should feel free to adjust this by two, three, or even more for such factors as how appropriate the preparations are (misjudging the spirit's desires and nature can be quite offensive, while hitting them exactly can be even more flattering), and the basic natures of the beings involved (Helios, the Avatar of the Sun, isn't going to be pleased to be contacted by a heavily Wyrmtainted Vampire, no matter how great the flattery, penalize difficulty by 6, or even more!), but in most reasonable cases, quick talking and careful preparation should be able to smooth things enough that a few words, rather than combat, are possible. Of course, once initial contact is made, roleplay is preferable.
Spirit Commune Series.
