Trade Skills
Trade Skills include Artificing, Inscription, and Physicker Studies.
Please Note
Citadel is currently in playtesting. All rules released are subject to change before our first official event in 2025.
Be sure to join our Discord for any updates!
General Information
The Trade Skills are skills that allow a character to create tagged items (items that are In-Play and can be used or sold within the game). Each Tier of a Trade Skill provides a character with five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Additionally, each Trade Skill has a more magically focused skill associated with it. Artificer has Arcanatech, Inscription has Sigilcraft, and Physicker has Alchemy. Characters are not required to purchase the magical skills, but the Tiers of those magical skills require the character to have a specific level of the base skill. For example, to be eligible to purchase Arcanatech 1, the character must have Artificer 3.
Item Costs
Each item eligible to be crafted by a Trade Skill will have a listed Production Point cost and Material Unit cost. A character expends the associated cost to create the item. Production Points (PP) represent the character's ability and the time spent crafting the item. Material Units (MU) represent the basic components used in production. Examples include metal bars for Artificer, ink and parchment for Inscription, and herbs for Physicker Studies. Every item takes a certain number of MU to create the finished product.
The number of units remains constant for each item, but the market cost of Material Units for a given skill may fluctuate from event to event. These fluctuations are common knowledge and will be readily accessible to view. When a character uses their Trade Skill to craft an item, they can either supply their own Material Units or purchase them from the Production Marshal for the current rate. Note that the Production Marshal will only sell a player the Material Units needed to make the items they are crafting. Material Units can also be found In-Play or purchased from merchants or other players.
Production Periods
There are three times a character can use Production Points: at the beginning of an event, anytime during an event, or as an Between Game Action.
Beginning of the Event: At Check-In, you can spend up to your full amount of Production Points for each full day of the event. Any unspent PP will be noted on your character sheet and can be spent during the event. A typical weekend event is considered to be two (2) full days. For example, if you have Physicker 2 and are attending a weekend event, you have twenty (20) total PP to spend, though the items you craft must never require more PP than you have in a single Production Period. The only exception to that rule is for Arcanatech enchantments (see the Arcanatech section for more details).
During an Event: Unspent PP can be used by collaborating with a Production Marshal. During most events, a Production Marshal will be In-Play at various times. The identity of the Production Marshal(s) will be noted during Opening Ceremonies.
Between Game Actions: Each Between Game Action (BGA) used for Production allows a player 150% of their PP for a Production Period. Thus, if you have Artificer 4, you would have 30 PP to spend, though you cannot make a single item requiring more than 20 PP. The character is still required to pay the MU cost of these created items, and must turn in the cost at the next event's Check-In before they receive the item tags from their BGA.
Artificer
An Artificer is trained in the art of taking raw metals and other materials and crafting them into useful items, such as Weapons, Armor, or other Tinkered creations. Skilled Artificers may learn Arcanatech, which is the art of imbuing an Artificer's creations with Essence.
Every Artificer has a Book of Diagrams containing the blueprints of all of the items they know how to craft. This book is an In-Play item and may be lost or stolen. Each Diagram is a text prop, and Scribes may create duplicates of existing Diagrams. A Smith must have access to a physical text prop of the Diagram they are creating at the time of creation.
A character that begins play as an Artificer chooses ten (10) Diagrams they have the capability to craft to have within their Book of Diagrams. See the Artificer Production Table for more information.
Each level of Artificing gives you five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer Tier Cost
Artificer 1 - 12XP
Prerequisite: None
Five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Included Skill: Salvage. Broken or excess Artificed items can be salvaged for half their Material Unit cost. Items that have suffered a Destroy effect cannot be salvaged, and some discovered items may be too deteriorated to have any value.
Artificer 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 1
Total of ten (10) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 3 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 2
Total of 15 PP per Production Period.
Included Skill: Patch Job. Artificers spend almost as much time repairing broken items as they do creating new ones. Three (3) times per Short Rest, you may Mend an item of your choice. This requires one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay, and you must be within arm's reach of the item you are Mending. If you are Mending a suit of armor, the wearer is not required to remove their armor.
Artificer 4 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 3
Total of twenty (20) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 5 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 4
Total of twenty-five (25) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 6 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 5
Total of thirty (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 7 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 6
Total of thirty-five (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 8 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 7
Total of forty (40) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 9 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 8
Total of forty-five (45) Production Points per Production Period.
Artificer 10 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 9
Total of fifty (50) Production Points per Production Period.
Patch Job 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 3
You have one (1) additional Mend per Short rest, for a total of four (4).
Patch Job 3 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 3
You have one (1) additional Mend per Short rest, for a total of five (5).
Jerryrig Contraptions - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 4
An Artificer is adept at assessing a situation and creating an advantage using the parts they have on hand. Once per Short Rest, you may create one of the following contraptions without expending MU or PP to do so: a Glowgem, Clatterbox, or a Stickyfoot Rapid Trap.
Creating a Jerryrig Contraption requires one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay. Jerryrig Contraptions are destroyed after use and you may only have one Jerryrig Contraption created at a time.
Intermediate Jerryrigger - 5XP
Prerequisite: Jerryrig Contraptions
You gain access to additional Jerryrig Contraptions: Grappling Hook, Flashbang, and Stonegrip Gloves.
You may also now create two (2) Jerryrig Contraptions per Short Rest and may have two (2) Jerryrig Contraptions created at a time.
Master Jerryrigger - 8XP
Prerequisite: Intermediate Jerryrigger
You gain access to additional Jerryrig Contraptions: Rebreather, Sleepytime Rapid Trap, and Boombag.
You may also now create three (3) Jerryrig Contraptions per Short Rest and may have three (3) Jerryrig Contraptions created at a time
Upcycling - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 5
An Artificer is a master at creating the correct tool for the job. Once per Reset, you may spend one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay to craft one (1) non-magical item. With the permission of a Marshal, you may be able to craft something more specific or unusual for their current situation.
It is assumed that you create the item with scraps you have on hand, and so are not required to expend PP or any MU on the item's creation. However, due to the unusual nature of the creation, it only lasts a short time, and will automatically expire and be unusable at the next Reset.
Mechanical Mind - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 6
An Artificer of this level understands the intricate, internal workings of any Artificed item.
If you spend one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay investigation before initiating the lockpicking, you may untie one (1) fewer knots while lockpicking. Additionally, you gain a one (1) use of the Lucky Skill per Reset.
Specialty - Armorsmith - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 8
You have focused your training on the Armorsmith side of Artificing.
Once per Reset, with one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay, you can enhance a suit of armor beyond its normal limits. For the next hour, the armor is Immune to all Break effects (the player wearing the armor would declare "No Effect" to a Break effect against the armor).
Defense Disciple - 8XP
Prerequisite: Specialty - Armorsmith
An Armorsmith of this skill is a master at fitting a suit of armor precisely to the wearer so that it provides even greater protection than normal.
Once per Reset, you may spend one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay to enhance a suit of armor beyond its normal limits. For the next hour, the armor gains the protection of a heavier set. (For example: Medium Armor acts as Heavy Armor). If this ability is used on Heavy Armor, the wearer may instead declare "Reduce" to all attacks against it that use the "Piercing Strike" tagline.
Specialty - Tinkerer - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 8
You have focused your training on the Tinkering side of Artificing.
Once per Reset, with one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay, grant an Artificed item with "per Reset" charges, one additional charge.
Expert Experimenter - 8XP
Prerequisite: Specialty - Tinkerer
When you craft an Artificing item using an Experimental Diagram, you may immediately cross off one of the flaws.
Specialty - Weaponsmith - 5XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 8
You have focused your training on the Weaponsmith side of Artificing.
Once per Reset, with one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay, you can enhance a weapon beyond its normal limits. For the next hour, the weapon is Immune to all Break effects (the player wielding the weapon would declare "No Effect" to a Break effect against that weapon).
Perfectly Balanced - 8XP
Prerequisite: Specialty - Weaponsmith
A Weaponsmith of this level can balance a weapon so well, even someone inexperienced can use it successfully.
Once per Reset, you may spend one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay to enhance a weapon beyond its normal limits. For the next hour, any character may wield it as if they are Proficient. If they are already Proficient, they gain one (1) additional Basic Maneuver and one (1) additional Advanced Manuever to use.
These additional Combat Manuevers do not Refresh as per the normal rules of Combat Manuevers. Once they are expended, they cannot be Refreshed.
Arcanatech
Arcanatech is the art of imbuing an Artificer's creations with magic by incorporating runes and crystals into their work.
Arcanatech 1 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Artificer 3
First Working. Upon purchase of this skill, the Artificer receives two (2) of the following Arcanatech Diagrams of their choice to add to their Diagram book:
The Apprentice Prepares the Anvil (Resist Destruction 1x/Reset)
The Hand Touches the Bellows (Spellstrike Arrow 3x/Reset)
The Touch of Moonlight (Glow)
The Guardian Aspect (Ward against [Aspect] 3x/Reset)
The Warning Look (3x/Reset Sense Traps)
Arcanatech 2 - 15XP
Prerequisite: Arcanatech 1 and Artificer 5
The Arcanatechnician has progressed in their understanding of Essence and is able to create even greater workings. They understand how specific Aspects of Essence found in kalzokash can be used to charge and empower item enchantments.
Essence Overlay. You may expend one (1) basic kalzokash to charge a weapon with its associated Aspect of Essence. This requires one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay. This ability does not require the presence of a Production Marshal to perform. however, the player should return the phys-rep of the expended kalzokash to Plot or a Production Marshal as soon as possible.
The item remains charged in this way for one (1) hour. During that hour, the weapon has a total of three (3) Spellstrike [X] Dart , where [X] is the Aspect of Essence aligned with the crystal used to empower the weapon. These spellstrikes last until used or until the end of the hour.
Additionally, once per Reset, you may expend two (2) of the same type of basic kalzokash or one (1) greater kalzokash to do one (1) of the following:
Charge a weapon with three (3) Spellstrike [X] Arrows, where [X] is the Aspect of Essence aligned with the crystal used to empower the weapon.
or
Charge a suit of Armor or a Shield with one [X]Ward against Break, where [X] is the Aspect of Essence aligned with the crystal used to empower the weapon.
Arcanatech 3 - 15XP
Prerequisite: Arcanatech 2 and Artificer 7
The Arcanaficer's grasp of shaping and binding Essence to physical objects is so masterful they can use the very Essence of the Soul in crafting.
Soul Forging. The Arcanaficer may use a creature's Soul as a crafting material. This allows them to Bind armor, weapons, or other Artificed items to a Soul, or create Souled items. The Arcanatechnician can only do these astonishing feats if they have the appropriate Diagram.
Arcanatech Tiers
Enchantments created through Arcanatech are applied to a single finished good, such as a specific sword. When enchanting an item, the Arcanaficer chooses a duration of either three (3) events or six (6) events, with the longer duration carrying higher costs in PP, MU, and other components. The tag for the enchantment will indicate the number of events of the enchantment’s duration. At the start of each event, these enchantments are dormant and ineffective until the item’s wielder activates them. When the wielder activates even one of these enchantments, all enchantments on the item become active, and the wielder must mark off one event from the durations of all enchantments on the weapon.
If an item is eligible for an Arcanatech enchantment, it may have one (1) Lesser enchantment placed upon it.
If it has a Lesser enchantment, then it may also receive one (1) Greater enchantment.
If it has a Lesser and a Greater enchantment, then it may also receive one (1) Master enchantment.
An item’s enchantments may be active or dormant when it receives a new enchantment or has the duration of an existing enchantment renewed. An enchantment may be replaced with another enchantment of the same rank (Lesser, Greater, Master) without changing anything about the enchantments of other ranks. Arcanatech 1 is required to craft a Lesser enchantment, Arcanatech 2 is required to craft a Greater enchantment, and Arcanatech 3 is required to craft a Master enchantment.
An enchanted item that is Broken is still enchanted and functional if it is Mended. An enchanted item that is Destroyed, of course, is no longer functional through any means.
Arcanatech Enchantments
Arcanatechnicians have the unique ability to “tie off” an incomplete enchantment and come back to it later. Tying off an enchantment costs 1 PP that does not contribute to the enchantment itself. They can also treat multiple production periods within the same event or set of BGAs as a lump sum for purposes of completing enchantments. All MU and rare component costs must be paid at the beginning of the process. The item being enchanted must remain a valid target for the enchantment throughout the process; that is, there must always be a Lesser enchantment present on an item for an Arcanaficer to tie off a Greater enchantment, and both a Lesser and a Greater enchantment for an Arcanaficer to tie off a Master enchantment. Activating dormant enchantments on an item with an incomplete enchantment does not affect the duration of the incomplete enchantment in any way.
For example, Karl has learned Artificer 3 and Arcanatech 1, and wants to enchant a sword with The Hand Touches the Bellows to give it three (3) Spellstrike Arrows per Reset. Karl has fifteen (15) PP per production period. The enchantment he wants to create requires twenty (20) PP for the standard three (3) event duration. Normally, he would not be allowed to create something beyond his maximum PP per production period, but since it is Arcanatech, he is allowed to draw from his PP for the entire event (which includes two (2) production periods) as a lump sum for the purposes of crafting. This means, since he has thirty (30) PP for the event, he may enchant the sword.
Another example, Julia has learned Artificer 5 and Arcanatech 2, and she wants to enchant a suit of armor with The Master Begins the Great Work for a six (6) event duration, which would allow it to Resist Destruction three (3) times per Short Rest. As a Tier 5 Artificer, she has twenty-five (25) PP per production period, so fifty (50) PP for the event. However, The Master Begins the Great Work is a Master enchantment and for a six (6) event duration requires one hundred and twenty-five (125) PP. That event, Julia spends forty (40) PP to begin the enchantment, and then one (1) PP to tie it off, so she can finish it at a later time. Production Marshals will give Julia a tag indicating the progress on the enchantment (such as “Resist Destruction per SR, 6 events, 40/125”). The next event, Julia spends forty (40) more PP on the enchantment, and an additional one (1) PP to tie it off again. She will be able to complete it with forty-five (45) PP the following event.
It is not required that the Arcanatechnician who tied-off the enchantment be the one to finish it. A tied-off enchantment can be completed by anyone with the normal investment of Production Points, so long as the character completing the enchantment has a copy of the Arcanatech Diagram.
Incomplete Enchantments
Inscription
Inscription is the art of infusing Essence into paper and ink, such as to copy magical formulations or create spell scrolls. Practitioners of this art, called Scribes, possess the precision necessary to copy magical formulations and rituals. They can also create spellscrolls, glyphs, and magical contracts. Some Scribes may also train in the art of Sigilcraft, which allows them to create Sigils to more quickly activate magical effects.
Every Scribe has a Book of Patterns containing all the spells that they know how to craft into spellscrolls, the Sigil Patterns they know, and any other Scribe Pattern they own. This book is an In-Play item and may be lost or stolen. Each Pattern is a text prop, and Scribes are able to duplicate them just as they can with other text props. A character that begins play as a Scribe chooses ten (10) spellscroll Patterns which they have the capability to craft to have within their Book of Patterns. When creating a spellscroll, a Scribe must have access to the physical text prop of the spellscroll's Pattern.
Scribes are also able to utilize their Production Points to copy Physicker and Alchemy Formulas, Artificer and Arcanatech Diagrams, Inscription and Sigilcraft Patterns, Wizard Rituals, and mundane manuscripts. The scribe must have the original manuscript on hand in order to make a copy. Non-magical manuscripts may be copied at the cost of one (1) PP and one (1) Material Unit for five (5) copies.
Alchemy Formulas, Artificer Diagrams, and Inscription Patterns may be copied at a cost of one (1) PP for every five (5) PP of the Formula, Diagram, or Pattern. Arcanatech Diagrams use their 3-event PP cost in this case. The cost is one (1) MU for Formulas and Diagrams of thirty-five (35) PP or less and two (2) MU for anything above that.
Wizard Rituals may be copied at a cost of one (1) PP per five (5) bones, and the cost is one (1) MU for every ten (10) bones. Sigilcraft Patterns may be copied at a cost of one (1) PP for every two (2) Intent required to cast the Pattern, and the cost is one (1) MU per Tier of Sigilcraft. See the Inscription Production Table for more information.
Each level of Inscription gives you five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription Tier Cost
Inscription 1 - 12XP
Prerequisite: None
Five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Included Skill: Recycling. The Scribe is able to recycle excess or unwanted paper, even paper that has already been used to craft a spellscroll. The Scribe may recycle spellscrolls for half their Material Unit cost.
Inscription 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 1
Total of ten (10) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 3 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 2
Total of 15 PP per Production Period.
Included Skill: Paper Bombs. It takes a great deal of care to infuse Essence into ink and paper without unintended consequences, and just a small jot out of place could cause it to become unstable. A Scribe of this Tier has learned to harness that instability to their advantage. With one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay, you may create one (1) Lesser Paper Bomb. Due to the unstable nature of the magic, you may never have more than one (1) paper bomb at a time. Paper Bombs function as a spellscroll in regards to activating them. As you gain more experience, it is possible to create more complex or more numerous paper bombs.
See the Paper Bombs Table for more information.
Inscription 4 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 3
Total of twenty (20) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 5 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 4
Total of twenty-five (25) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 6 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 5
Total of thirty (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Included Skill: Binding Contracts. At this level of skill, a Scribe has learned to create Binding Contracts. Binding Contracts are a way to reward adherence to one's contractual obligations, as well as punish the breach of obligations. Such contracts must have requirements that are clear in terms of both the obligations and the conditions under which those obligations have been violated. (A Marshal can reject a contract if it does not meet these requirements).
Four types of binding contracts exist: the marriage contract, the cabal contract, the commerce contract, and diplomatic contracts.
See the Binding Contracts Table for more information.
Inscription 7 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 6
Total of thirty-five (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 8 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 7
Total of forty (40) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 9 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 8
Total of forty-five (45) Production Points per Production Period.
Inscription 10 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 9
Total of fifty (50) Production Points per Production Period.
Spellscrolls
Creating Spellscrolls
To create a spellscroll, a character must have a Production Pattern for the effect they wish to inscribe, and a Soul Bond to the Source they wish to use to empower it. If a Scribe lacks the Soul Bond required to create a specific scroll, Scribes may use Inscribing Ink. Each vial of Inscribing Ink allows the Scribe to create a spellscroll empowered by an Aspect of Essence to which they do not have a Soul Bond.
A spellscroll is a piece of paper or other writable medium of at least 46 square inches in area. The standard form is half a standard piece of paper, or 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches. Players should have separate scroll props for different combinations of Source and Effect, but multiple copies of the same Source and Effect do not require separate props. Upon creating the scroll, the player receives a tag from Production that represents one or more charges on the scroll.
Using Spellscrolls
Some spellscrolls may be activated by anyone, but others require a specific level of Inscription or skill in wielding magic (a minimum amount of Ritualism Bones or Channeling Tolerance). A Scribe may always activate a scroll they are able to craft. Additionally, a Scribe may activate scrolls that are three (3) levels higher than the ones they are able to craft. So, for example, someone with Inscription 4 could activate a spellscroll that requires Inscription 7 to create.
A character must have enough light to read the scroll; dim light is sufficient, but complete darkness is not. The tagline to use a spellscroll is “Activate (Source) (Effect)”. The most common type of spellscrolls are Battle type spells, so they are cast using a thrown packet.
Spell Shorthand - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 1
You are adept at preparing a few spell scrolls very quickly with whatever materials you happen to have on hand.
At the start of every event, you may prepare three (3) scrolls that each have a cost of five (5) or less PP and three (3) or less MU. Because they are created with your unique shorthand and without the usual time and precision, the scrolls may only be used by you and deteriorate at the end of the event.
Swift Pen - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 1
Once per event, you may copy a Pattern, Formula, Diagram, or Ritual without expending PP or MU on its creation. The normal PP cost for making the copy cannot exceed your level of Inscription.
Puzzle Enthusiast - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 2
You enjoy studying puzzles, riddles, and other brain teasers.
Once per Reset, while in the presence of a Marshal, you may spend one (1) minute in Concentration and roleplay studying a puzzle and then receive a hint from the Marshal. The player is welcome to ask if this skill would grant a hint for other perplexing situations as well, which the Marshal may allow at their discretion.
Amateur Alchemist - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 2
Scribes are often trained in a basic understanding of chemistry and botany in order to learn the art of ink making.
You are able to treat Alchemical Formulas that create ink as if they were a Scribe Patterns of the same PP cost (but must expend the correct MU for the Formula).
Recapture Essence - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 3
Scribes understand the art of binding Essence within specific patterns, and use those ties to recapture magic that did not perform its intended purpose.
Once per Short Rest, you may spend one (1) minute in Concentration and roleplay to draw a Spell Feint rune upon yourself or another character. A character may only have one Spell Feint rune active at a time. While the rune is active, if the character uses magic and that spell misses (or is Dodged), the character may expend the Spell Feint rune to declare "Spell Feint" and refresh the use of that specific spell.
Recapture Essence 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Recapture Essence 1 and Inscription 7
You may now draw a Spell Feint rune two (2) times per Short Rest.
Recapture Essence 3 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Recapture Essence 2 and Inscription 10
You may now draw a Spell Feint rune two (2) times per Short Rest.
Crystal Memory - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 3
You have a crystal clear memory in regards to anything written.
Once per Reset, you may commit one page of text to memory and keep the details of that clearly in mind for up to 24 hours. For that duration, you may copy that memorized page of text as if you had a physical copy. If the memorized text is a spellscroll, Wizard Ritual, Artificer Diagram, Alchemy Formula, or Sigilcraft Pattern, this ability does not allow the Scribe to activate or use it, only create a physical copy of it with their Production Points.
Librarian's Grip - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 4
You have a crystal clear memory in regards to anything written.
Pen and parchment are your weapon and your shield. You have learned how to keep hold of them, even when your enemy wishes you to let go. With this ability, you may call "No Effect" to any Disarm or Decree -Drop effects targeting books, scrolls, slates, or writing utensils you are currently holding.
Sense Illusion - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 4
Scribes are attuned to the smallest inconsistencies in their environment.
Once per Reset, you may activate a Sense Illusion effect.
Sense Bonds - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 4
Scribes spend a great deal of time and study contemplating and enhancing their own Soul Bonds. This has given them insight on sensing the same ties in others.
Three (3) times per Short Rest, you may activate a Sense [X] Bond, where [X] is any Aspect of Essence to which the Scribe has a Soul Bond.
Intermediate Paper Bombs - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 5
You have perfected your use of unstable creations and can now create two (2) Lesser Paper Bombs with one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay. Alternatively, you may create one (1) paper bomb from the Intermediate Paper Bomb list.
Advanced Paper Bombs - 5XP
Prerequisite: Intermediate Paper Bombs and Inscription 7
You have perfected your use of unstable creations and can now create up to three (3) Lesser Paper Bombs with one (1) minute of Concentration. Alternatively, you may create one (1) paper bomb from either the Intermediate Paper Bombs list or the Advanced Paper Bombs list.
Story of the Scroll - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 5
The Scribe understands that there is power in sharing a scroll's Story.
Three (3) times per Short Rest, you may spend one (1) minute minute roleplaying with storytelling, singing, or playing music to cause a beneficial scroll to target one (1) additional individual. Ideally, the storytelling, singing, or music should in some way relate to the effect of the scroll. For example, a Scribe tells a story about a specific mountain, then uses a scroll for Earth Ward vs. Weapon, which can now target two (2) people.
Truthseeker - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 6
The Scribe has heard enough stories in their time to tell the difference between truth and lies.
Once per Reset, the Scribe may activate Light Sense Truth.
Focused Instruction - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 6
Scribes often take on the role of instructor, and a Scribe with this ability has practice instructing beginners in Inscription.
Once per Short Rest, you may spend ten (10) minutes roleplaying as a teacher for up to three (3) students who do not have any Inscription skills or who have a lower Tier of Inscription. At the end of that instruction, for the next one (1) hour, the student's are able to activate a spellscroll that normally requires Inscription 5.
Inscriptions of Naming - 5XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 8
There is power in a name, and you know how to Name Items. Named items involved in a great deed often hold an unusal resonance with Artificing, and are remembered throughout the ages. Inscriptions of Naming may be done before or after the item has been associated with a great deed. The Scribe determines what Source is used to Name it. There is no way to know what deeds might be accounted truly great, or what the outcome might be once an item is Named.
Intentional Creativity - 5XP
Prerequisite: Sigilcraft 1
The intense focus required to utilize Intent can be exhausting for a Scribe, but spending time in a more free-form creative endeavor helps to refresh that Intent.
Once per Reset, you may spend at least ten (10) uninterrupted minutes of doing something creative, such as sketching, painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument. At the end of that time period, you may Refresh three (3) Intent.
Intentional Creativity 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Intentional Creativity and Sigilcraft 2
When you use the Intentional Creativity ability, you can Refresh an additional three (3) Intent, for a total of six (6) Refreshed Intent.
Intentional Creativity 3 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Intentional Creativity 2 and Sigilcraft 3
When you use the Intentional Creativity ability, you can Refresh an additional three (3) Intent, for a total of nine (9) Refreshed Intent.
Paper Bomb Production Table
If a Paper Bomb has a Soul Bond requirement, the Scribe creating the Paper Bomb must have a Soul Bond to the Source in order to create it.
Sigilcraft
Essence flows through everything. Scribes of great skill understand how to direct that flow into Sigils in order to activate magical effects. Unlike spellscrolls that store the magic for longer periods and can be activated by many different people, a Scribe's Sigilcraft is a dynamic infusion of power that must be carefully released by the Scribe who creates it.
Sigilcraft 1 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Inscription 3
Total of seven (7) Intent.
First Sigils. Upon purchase of this skill, you receive the following two (2) Sigils: Ward against Weapons and Ward against [Scribe's choice of either Air, Earth, Fire, Light, or Water]. The Source for these Sigils must be from an Aspect to which the Scribe has a Soul Bond.
Sigilcraft 2 - 15XP
Prerequisite: Sigilcraft 1 and Inscription 5
Total of fourteen (14) Intent.
The Scribe has learned the complex, precise language and Patterns needed to either Ward a place or container from intrusion or Seal a creature or object within an area.
Warding Glyphs. You are able to create Glyphs of Warding upon the thresholds of buildings or rooms and upon the lids of containers. A standard Warding Glyph protects against all non-human creatures, causing a "Triggered True Light Lance to Torso" when any part of the creature passes through the door or opens the container. The effect does not trigger if the creature enters the building in a different way. In the case of a container, the effect does not trigger if the container suffers a Break or Destroy effect.
Sealing Glyphs. You are able to create Glyphs of Sealing upon the threshold of an enclosed room, upon the lid of a container, or within some other specified boundary (such as a magic circle). Glyphs of Sealing are in some ways very similar to Glyphs of Warding, just in reverse. A Glyph of Sealing is able to bind a specific type of creature, magical effect, Spirit, or item within a specified boundary. If a creature (or thing) designated by the Seal crosses the Seal's boundary, it suffers an effect as determined by the specific Seal. A Scribe must have the Pattern for the Glyph they wish to create within their Book of Patterns.
Sigilcraft 3 - 15XP
Prerequisite: Sigilcraft 2 and Inscription 7
Total of twenty-one (21) Intent.
The Scribe has learned how to Inscribe not just upon paper or even skin, but upon the very Soul of a creature.
Inscription Tattoos. You know how to draw forth some of the Soul's Essence, Bind, and focus it toward a specific task that the individual can then activate at their leisure. Details about an Inscription Tattoo, such as the unique ink it requires, are listed on the Tattoo's Pattern. A Scribe must have the Pattern for the Tattoo they wish to create within their Book of Patterns.
Sigilcraft Tiers
Intent
It takes great effort on the part of the Scribe to infuse the Sigil with Essence and then to activate it. This effort is known as the Scribe's Intent. Each Tier of Sigilcraft represents a stronger focus and resolve within the Scribe, and so increases their total Intent. Each Tier of Sigilcraft grants the Scribe seven (7) Intent. A Scribe's Intent refreshes to full each Reset. The Intent cost to activate a Sigil will be listed on its Pattern.
Sigilcraft Spells
Four types of spells exist in the world of Citadel: Battle spells, Enchantment spells, Divination spells, and Metamagic spells.
Scribes primarily cast Battle and Enchantment spells, occasionally cast Divination spells, and do not have access to Metamagic spells as those are specific to Ritualism.
Although Enchantment Type spells normally require one (1) minute of Concentration to cast, Scribes may cast an Enchantment type spell as soon as they have completed the Sigil’s drawing.
For more information about the types of spells and how they are cast, go to the Spell Types paragraph in the Ritualism section.
Sigilcraft Patterns
The most important part of every Sigilcraft Pattern is the Sigil itself. This is what the Scribe draws to activate the Sigil’s effect. A Scribe can only cast Sigilcraft Patterns that they have within their Book of Patterns. The Scribe must use either paper, a small chalkboard, or a dry-erase board to draw the spell's Sigil (other ways of drawing Sigils may be allowed with Plot approval). Once drawn, the Scribe can activate the spell.
In addition to the Sigil, every Sigilcraft Pattern will provide the name of the Sigil, the spell type, the Tier of Sigilcraft required to cast it, the Intent Cost that must be expended to cast it, the Activation tagline, and the spell’s description. Some spells also include a Bonded Benefit, which is explained below.
Points of Intersection
The strength of a Sigil is determined by the number of intersection points it has. A Tier 1 Sigil must contain at least three (3) and no more than four (4) points of intersection. A Tier 2 Sigil must contain at least five (5) and no more than six (6) points of intersection. A Tier 3 Sigil contains seven (7) or more points of intersection.
Here are some examples of Sigils with the points of intersection circled in purple and labeled for clarity:
Bonded Benefit
Like Ritualists, Scribes have learned how to guide Essence into defined, predictable structures, but Sigils are more dynamic. They cannot be stored in a focus for later use. Once the power is infused into the Sigil, it must immediately be expended or the Essence is lost. Because of this, Scribes have a great understanding of how Essence flows. They use their own Bonds to Essence to direct the magic into the Sigils and the Bonds of the spell’s target to focus it.
Sometimes a Sigil provides the Scribe an opportunity to draw upon more power than usual due to the harmony between the Sigil and their Soul Bond, the Soul Bond of the target, or both. This Bonded Benefit is listed on the Sigil Patten. Activating the Bonded Benefit is not required when you activate a Sigil, and often costs additional Intent.
Some examples of Sigils with Bonded Benefits:
Sigil of Life's Breath
Type: Battle
Tier: 1
Cost: 1
Tagline on Activation: Activate Air Stabilize
Description: One creature you touch becomes Stabilized from their Wounds. Undead and constructs can't be healed by this spell.
Bonded Benefit: If the caster has a Soul Bond to Air and the target has a Soul Bond to either Fire or Water, the Scribe may expend 1 additional Intent to immediately cast Air Accelerate Healing upon the same target.
Sigil of Thani's Endurance
Type: Enchantment
Tier: 1
Cost: 1
Tagline on Activation: Activate Air Refresh 1 Tolerance
Description: The target of the spell refreshes one point of Tolerance.
Bonded Benefit: If the caster has a Soul Bond to Air, and the target also has a Soul Bond to Air, the target of the spell may instead refresh two points of Tolerance.
Physicker Studies
Physickers heal through bandaging, stitching, or placing salves on Wounds, and by administering curative brews. Advanced practitioners study the art of Alchemy, where they precisely balance the extracted properties of ingredients in order to create even more potent elixirs and manipulate the Aspects of their soul.
Every Physicker has a Book of Formulas containing all of the recipes they know. This book is an In-Play item and may be lost or stolen. Each recipe is a text prop, and Scribes may create duplicates of existing formulas. A Physicker must have access to a physical text prop of the recipe they are creating at the time of creation. A character that begins play as a Physicker, receives ten (10) Common recipes of their choice to have within their Book of Formulas. See the Physicker Studies Production Table for more information.
Each level of Physicker gives you 5 Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker Studies Tier Cost
Physicker 1 - 12XP
Prerequisite: None
Five (5) Production Points per Production Period.
Included Skill: Apply Salve. You are able to apply a Salve to a willing individual or someone who is unable to resist. Applying a salve takes ten (10) seconds.
Physicker 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 1
Total of ten (10) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 3 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 2
Total of 15 PP per Production Period.
Included Skill: Trained Physicker. You have spent a long time in study to hone your skills as a trained Physicker. You gain the Healing Ways skill, and your ability to use it is enhanced.
When using Healing Ways to "Sense Health", you may ask the following additional questions (in any order) after at least ten (10) seconds of inspection:
-- Have you been Dead for less than five minutes?
-- Are you Disrupted, Poisoned, Slowed, or Weakened?
-- If Poisoned, what type of Poison was used? What is the Poison count (if any)?
-- Do you have a Disease?
-- Are you Drained?
-- Are you Paralyzed or Petrified?
-- Are you suffering from a Mental effect? If so, which one?
-- What nationality are you? Do you have any physical traits from your Heritage?
-- Do you have a Soul Bond to more than one Aspect of Essence? (This does not reveal what the Soul Bonds are, just whether there is more than one).
Physicker 4 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 3
Total of twenty (20) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 5 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 4
Total of twenty-five (25) Production Points per Production Period.
Included Skill: Apply Contact Poison. Contact poisons are the most dangerous to handle. Any character without an appropriate ability who attempts to apply a contact poison will automatically affect themselves instead. A single dose of contact poison covers up to a 1’x1’ surface (or 144 square inches). The tag for the poison must be attached in some way to the object to which the contact poison has been applied. Additionally, a gel-like substance, such as Vaseline, must be smeared on the object to represent the poison. Any object coated with contact poison that is touched with bare flesh will affect a character. If objects inside a cabin are coated with contact poison, these objects must be noted in the Cabin Notes.
Physicker 6 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 5
Total of thirty (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 7 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 6
Total of thirty-five (30) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 8 - 10XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 7
Total of forty (40) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 9 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 8
Total of forty-five (45) Production Points per Production Period.
Physicker 10 - 12XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 9
Total of fifty (50) Production Points per Production Period.
Volatile Brews - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 2
At the start of every event, you may create three (3) brews or salves that each have a PP cost of five (5) or less and MU cost of three (3) or less without expending the PP or MU to do so. These represent mixtures that you were able to concoct with extra materials you had on hand. However, because of their unconventional recipe, they are Volatile. Only the Physicker that created them is able to use them and they expire at the end of the event.
Volatile Brew Expert - 8XP
Prerequisite: Volatile Brews and Physicker 8
At the start of every event, the Physicker may create three (3) brews that each have a PP cost of ten (10) or less and an MU cost of five (5) or less. These brews represent mixtures that you were able to concoct with extra materials you had on hand. However, because of their unconventional recipe, the brews are Volatile. Only you are able to use them and they expire at the end of the event.
These three (3) brews are in addition to the three (3) volatile brews granted by the Volatile Brews skill.
Chirurgery - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 3
Chirurgery allows a Physicker to stitch wounds to speed up the healing process. To initiate Chirurgery, you declare, "Beginning Chirurgery," and must spend five (5) minutes of Concentration and roleplay. If the target was Bleeding Out, Chirurgery pauses their Bleed Out Timer. When the process is complete, you declare "Ending Chirurgery". A character successfully treated by a Chirurgeon becomes Walking Wounded and will fully heal from all their Wounds in thirty (30) minutes. If the target also receives an Accelerate Healing effect (before or after receiving Chirurgery), then they will heal from their wounds in half that time (15 minutes). Chirurgery may also be used to reattach severed limbs, if the limb is present.
In desperate situations, you may perform Chirurgery on yourself as long as you are Conscious and neither of your arms are Wounded. You cannot perform Chirurgery if either of your arms are Wounded.
A Physicker performing Chirurgery must have a Chirurgery Kit.
Refresh Toughness 1 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 3
You may spend one (1) minute tending to your patient to refresh all of their Toughness. You may do this three (3) times per Short Rest.
Refresh Toughness 2 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Refresh Toughness 1 and Physicker 5
You may Refresh a target's Toughness one (1) additional time per Short Rest, for a total of four (4) times per Short Rest.
Refresh Toughness 3 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Refresh Toughness 2 and Physicker 7
You may Refresh a target's Toughness one (1) additional time per Short Rest, or a total of five (5) times per Short Rest.
Botanist - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 3
Much of the beginning Physicker's training revolves around the study of plants. You have learned to identify and harvest plants safely while retaining their unique properties, and may re-plant them into your personal garden. Players with this ability are highly encouraged to have a phys-repped garden on site. The prop should be clearly marked with a Garden Notes sheet, which lists all the plants in the garden, and the contents of the garden should be kept up to date on the player's character sheet.
To plant something new in the garden, you must have the correct part of the plant (such as a seed or a whole, living plant). The tag for the plant will indicate if it can be planted or if it has any special growing properties. Once planted, the tag for that plant is considered expended, and cannot be utilized unless you choose to entirely remove it from your garden. You may maintain a number of plants in your garden equal to your Physicker Tier. This ability stacks with the Gardener General Skill. You can choose to grow multiples of the same plant, if desired. At the start of each event, you may receive a duplicate tag of any plant within your garden to represent harvesting the excess growth.
Botanical Expert - 8XP
Prerequisite: Botanist and Physicker 8
The Physicker is such an expert gardener that they can grow even the most difficult and delicate plants. You may plant a rare or exotic plant in your garden, even if the plant normally only grows in a specific location, such as within the Citadel or in a volcano.
(There may be unique plants in this world that can not be planted under any circumstances. These plants will be noted on the Tag, please consult Plot if there are any questions.)
Transfer Miasma - 5XP
Prerequisite: Alchemy 1
The strange Miasma within the Citadel causes an extreme imbalance to the humors. Alchemists have learned to mitigate the symptoms for their patients by diluting the Miasma with additional Essence, but it is difficult and exhausting work.
Once per Short Rest, you may perform a procedure to Transfer Miasma. To perform the procedure, you must spend one (1) minute in Concentration and roleplay tending to your patients. You may target up to ten (10) creatures with this procedure and you are allowed to be one of the targets. You declare, "Beginning Transfer Miasma". When the process is complete, you declare, "Transfer Miasma." You can then shift around the Miasma Scores between the targets.
For example, Patient A has a Miasma Score of 11, Patient B has a Miasma Score of 7, and Patient C has a Miasma Score of 18, so the total score between the three patients is 36. The Alchemist could divide those 36 Miasma points however they desired between the patients, such as giving each of them a new Miasma Score of 12. Miasma points cannot be divided into fractions.
Poison Resistance 1 - 5XP
Prerequisite: Alchemy 1
After long term exposure to so many different chemicals, you have developed a tolerance for them. You gain one (1) Resist Poison per Short Rest.
This is an Innate Resist and does not require preparation to use.
Poison Resistance 2 - 8XP
Prerequisite: Poison Resistance 1 and Alchemy 2
You gain one (1) additional Resist Poison per Short Rest, for a total of two (2) Resist Poisons per Short Rest.
These are an Innate Resists and do not require preparation to use.
Humorism - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 4
An overabundance or lack of Essence within the body may cause dysfunction. Physickers refer to the expression of Essence within the physical body as humors. With training, a Physicker can learn how to rebalance those humors.
You may spend one (1) minute of Concentration and roleplay to grant a patient either one (1) Cleanse, one (1) Awaken, or one (1) Dispel Paralyze. You declare, "Beginning Humorism". During that minute, you are encouraged to roleplay this by pretending to attach leeches to their patient, bloodletting with small incisions, or utilizing crystals or energy stones. When the process is complete, you declare either "Humorism Complete - Cleanse", "Humorism Complete - Awaken", or "Humorism Complete - Dispel Paralyze". As soon as Humorism is initiated, all Poison counts are frozen.
A Physicker must have two uninjured arms in order to perform Humorism.
Studia Mortis - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 5
Physickers are no stranger to death. Although they spend much of their time attempting to extend the lives of their patients, sometimes treatments fail or occur too late.
You are able to examine a dead body to determine some facts about the corpse's cause of death. You may ask the following questions (in any order) after at least ten (10) seconds of examination:
--How were you killed?
--Did you die under the effects of a Poison or Disease?
--If you were killed by a magical effect? What Aspect of Essence was the magic?
--Were you killed by drowning, suffocation, exsanguination, immolation, or an explosion?
--Approximately how long have you been dead?
Additional questions may be answered at the discretion of the Marshal.
Quick Concoction - 8XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 7
The practiced hands of a Physicker can create what they need with whatever they happen to have in their pockets.
Once per Short Rest, you may spend one (1) minute in Concentration and roleplay to create a Volatile brew without expending any PP or MU on its creation. It must be a Formula that you are capable of creating, have within your Book of Formulas, and does not require any special components. A brew created in this way lasts until it is used or until the next time you take a Short Rest, whichever comes first.
As with other Volatile brews, only the Physicker that created it may use it.
Esoteric Procedures - 5XP
Prerequisite: Physicker 10
You are able to initiate Esoteric Healing Procedures. A Procedure is a text prop, comparable to a Ritual or production Formula. The text explains the rules specific to the Procedure, including what is needed for the Procedure, and the success or failure conditions.
It is very common for other healers and Physickers to work together with the Head Chirurgeon in order to increase the odds that the Esoteric Healing Procedure will be a success.
Alchemy
The art of Alchemy is where practitioners learn to precisely balance the extracted properties of ingredients in order to create even more potent elixirs, chemicals, and poisons. Alchemists understand the balance between the physical and the spiritual, and realize that Essence is just the purest form of both.
COMING SOON!