# Seiður Magic
Seiður magic is a form of shamanism in which the practitioner communes with spirits, powers of the land, and the gods. They may even touch the very strands of fate that guide the lives of all.
The rituals of seiður can take many hours to perform and have a vast array of effects. There are rituals for divination and clairvoyance; for seeking out that which is hidden, both in the secrets of the mind and in physical locations; for healing the sick and wounded; for bringing good luck; for controlling the weather; and many more. Seiður can also be used to cause harm: to curse an individual or an enterprise, to blight the land and make it barren, to induce or worsen illness, to tell false futures and thus set their recipients on the road to disaster, to cause injury and misfortune.
A practitioner of seiður is called a seiðkona or a seiðmaður. While the original meaning of these titles was gendered, they may be used interchangeably.
Seiður magic is cast with the Seiður Magic skill.
# Freyja and Seiður
Seiður was first known only to the Vanir tribe of gods. The highest master of the magical arts among them was the goddess Freyja. After the Æsir-Vanir war ended in a stalemate, Freyja became the priestess of sacrificial offerings among the gods, and she introduced the practice of seiður to the Æsir and later to the mortal inhabitants of Miðgarður. Most seiður practitioners are worshippers of Freyja.
# Rune Magic vs. Seiður Magic
The magic of the runes and seiður magic are different in many ways. The two are set apart not only by their different origins and source of magical energies, but also by their practice methods.
| Rune Magic | Seiður Magic | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation Time | Immediate | Requires a long ritual |
| Duration of Effect | Usually short | Can be very long |
| Effect | Target Usually self | Mainly other people |
| Direct Damage | Yes | No |
| Practitioners | Can Combine | |
| Forces | No | Yes |
# The Four Realms of Seiður
Seiður magic is divided into four realms:
- Mind: Affects the mind, perception, and the capacity to think clearly.
- Body: Affects the flesh, health, strength, and stamina.
- Spirit: Connects the practitioner with the spirits of the land and affects the spiritual well-being of others.
- Weave: Discerns fate and alters its course by re-weaving part of its web.
When a new practitioner is learning seiður, they will always find one of the four realms to be easier than the others. This is the practitioner’s focus realm. Every adventurer with a skill rating in the Seiður Magic skill must choose one of the four realms as their focus realm. Casting spells outside one’s focus realm is possible but more difficult.
# The Ritual
Seiður magic depends on performing rituals that attune the practitioner to the magical binding energies of the world, to the World Tree, and to the will of the gods. Each realm requires a different type of ritual. They all involve chanting to some degree.
- Mind: Entering a trance through rhythmic chanting.
- Body: Drumming to the rhythm of the beating heart of the target.
- Spirit: Dancing and movements that call forth the attention of the spirits.
- Weave: Weaving a cloth or braid by hand or with weaving tablets.
The time required is 10 minutes for each magic point invested in the ritual.
A “spell-working scaffold” (seiðhjallur) is often used by the seiður practitioner as a symbolic representation of the World Tree and of the practitioner’s own spiritual ascent. Such a scaffold can be built with a successful Craft (carpentry) roll, must be made by the practitioner, and can only be used by them. It provides a bonus of +20% to the Seiður Magic rating for the practitioner sitting or standing atop it.
# Society’s View
The presence of a seiðkona or seiðmaður in a community is seen as bringing good fortune. They are also feared to some degree, however, as they can also reverse the fortunes of those who displease them. Some of the older and more renowned practitioners of seiður have such a frightening reputation that people are afraid to make eye contact with them.
# Performing Seiður
Seiður Magic is powered by the practitioner’s magic points. Every seiður spell drains magic points from the practitioner’s total.
# Performing a Seiður Ritual, Step by Step
- Step 1. Declare the intended effect and realm.
- Step 2. Choose the levels of the three spell elements: Duration, Distance, and Dimension (described below). Make sure to deduct the total magic points cost from current magic points.
- Step 3. Make a Seiður Magic roll. If the ritual is outside your focus realm, there is a –20% penalty. The roll can be augmented by a relevant skill related to the Seiður realm ritual, e.g., Mind rituals can be augmented with the Sing skill, Body rituals with the Play Instrument skill, Spirit rituals with the Dance skill, and Weave rituals with the Craft (Weaving) skill.
# Seiður Magic Roll Results
| Result | Effect |
|---|---|
| Critical | The practitioner can touch the threads of fate with great precision and may choose to increase any one spell element of their choice (Duration, Distance, or Dimension) by up to three additional levels, to a maximum level of 6. |
| Special Success | The spell works even better than expected. The practitioner may choose to increase Dimension by one additional level, to a maximum level of 6. |
| Success | The spell works as intended. |
| Failure | The spell fails to produce any magical effect. The practitioner may attempt the same ritual again on the next day. |
| Fumble | The practitioner loses control of the magical forces, and they act in some way opposite to how it was intended. |
The magic takes effect at the end of the ritual, which takes 10 minutes per magic point invested in the spell.
# Spell Elements
The total cost of the spell in magic points is calculated by adding up the magic point costs of the chosen level of each of the three spell elements: Duration, Distance, and Dimension.
# Duration of Magical Effects
Determines the Duration of the magical effect. The unit value is equal to 1/10 of the practitioner’s Seiður Magic skill (rounded up).
| Level | Duration | MP Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Immediate /one combat round | 0 |
| 1 | Minute | 1 |
| 2 | Hours | 3 |
| 3 | Days | 6 |
| 4 | Weeks | 9 |
| 5 | Months | 12 |
| 6 | Years | 15 |
# Distance of Spell Effect
Determines the reach of the spell in relation to the location of the practitioner. Line of sight means the practitioner can see the target or at least the building or ship they are in.
| Level | Distance | MP Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Line of sight | 0 |
| 1 | Within a single day’s ride | 1 |
| 2 | Within a few days’ ride | 3 |
| 3 | Within a week’s ride | 6 |
| 4 | In this country | 9 |
| 5 | In another country the hero has visited | 12 |
| 6 | Anywhere | 15 |
# Dimension of Magical Effect
Determines the potency of the magical effect, with 0 being a mundane event barely worthy of note and 6 being a truly legendary event. Check the next section for examples of what each level can achieve.
| Level | Distance | MP Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Mundane | 0 |
| 1 | Very Weak | 1 |
| 2 | Weak | 3 |
| 3 | Medium | 6 |
| 4 | Strong | 9 |
| 5 | Very strong | 12 |
| 6 | Fantastic | 15 |
# Locked Magic Points
For the Duration of an active seiður spell, a portion of the practitioner’s magic points remain locked and unavailable. This number of locked magic points is equal to the spell’s highest element level (after adjusting levels based on the Seiður Magic roll).
This means that a practitioner who has one or more powerful spells active has reduced magical power for new spells.
Locked magic points can be unlocked after the spell’s Duration expires. Alternatively, the spell can be consciously dispelled by the practitioner who cast it by means of a three-hour “dispel ritual”. This ritual does not cost additional magic points to perform.
# Multiple Targets
When affecting more than one target, divide the level of Dimension by the number of targets. So, while a spell may have a Fantastic (level 6) effect on one target, that effect is reduced to Weak (level 2) if the practitioner chooses to affect three individuals instead.
# Working Together
Two or more seiður practitioners can work together on a ritual, making it easier to achieve stronger magical effects. All practitioners involved in the ritual declare the effect and the element levels together. They each make their Seiður Magic skill rolls as usual, but anyone working outside their focus realm has a –20% penalty to their skill rating. Those who succeeded in the roll may contribute any number of magic points to a common pool for the spell.
Performing seiður rituals in a group is also more stable. A fumble result is only possible if all practitioners involved in the ritual roll a fumble result.
The unit value for Duration is equal to 1/10 of the highest Seiður Magic skill among the group of practitioners (rounded up). All practitioners involved in the ritual have magic points locked equal to the highest element level of the spell, as usual.
# Seiður Magic Limits
Seiður Magic is exceptionally flexible. Use the following guidelines when determining the scope and limits of the effects of a seiður spell.
Aborting a Ritual: If, for any reason, a practitioner chooses, or is forced, to abort a ritual before it is completed, the effects are the same as rolling a fumble on Seiður Magic.
Effects of the Same Type Do Not Stack: If there is already an active spell boosting a characteristic or skill of an individual, that same boost cannot be applied a second time with a second spell.
No Direct Damage: No seiður spell may cause direct damage to a target who is otherwise healthy. Causing a wound to suddenly appear from nowhere is beyond the reach of a seiður. The worsening of an already existing wound, however, is possible.
No Increasing Magic Point Recovery Rate: A seiður spell cannot increase the rate with which a person recovers magic points.
No Rerolls: Only the use of Wyrd can allow for the web of fate to be changed in this way.
Mythical Creatures Cannot be Directly Affected: No seiður spell may directly affect a mythical creature. The practitioner may still affect the environment around that creature.
Skill Increase/Decrease: A seiður spell may increase or decrease a group of skills by ±10% per level of Dimension.
Mind: Knowledge skills
Body: Agility and Manipulation skill
Spirit: Mythic and Stealth skills
Weave: Communication and Perception skills
See the example spells (following) for additional guidance on what can be achieved with each element level of a seiður spell.
# Seiður Magic Spell Examples
There are no formulaic spells in Seiður Magic. There is no exhaustive list of spells for players to browse and choose from for their adventurers to learn. Players are free to create whatever new effects they can imagine within the four realms of seiður. The gamemaster makes the final decision on what element levels are required to enact the desired effect.
To give an idea of what effects are possible within each realm, a list of a few seiður spells that appear in the Icelandic sagas and in other Norse medieval texts are provided, along with guidance on how to achieve the desired effect using these seiður rules.
# Mind
# Conceal a Person
A person hidden by this spell can only be detected with a critical Scan roll. One person per level of Dimension can be hidden by this spell. If the spell is intended to conceal a moving person, then the Dimension cost is tripled. Any physical contact with another person breaks the spell.
# Fear
The target is overcome with fear of something specific for a period equal to Duration. Performing any action that puts that individual in contact with the object of their fear suffers a penalty of –10% per level of Dimension.
# Forgetfulness
Memories of events that occurred within as many days as the Dimension of the spell become hard to recall, requiring a POW×5 roll. After time equal to Duration has passed, the memories return.
# Illusion
The target sees something that is not actually there. Dimension determines how complex the illusion can be. At level 0, it’s only a small and static object. At level 3, the illusion can appear to be a person that can speak but not move. At level 6, the illusion is as strong and convincing as the practitioner desires. After time equal to Duration has passed, the illusion simply disappears when not being actively looked at, leaving the target unaware of it ever being an illusion.
# Mental Fog
The target suffers a penalty on all Knowledge skills equal to –10% per Dimension level.
# Plant Suggestion
The practitioner can implant a suggestion in the mind of the target, who perceives it as their own idea. The Dimension determines how strong the impulse is when it goes against the natural convictions of the target. At 0, the impulse is something mundane that the target does often, so there is no resistance to do it again now. Forcing someone to hurt a loved one, physically or emotionally, is only possible at Dimension level 6. The gamemaster makes the final decision on Dimension costs. After Duration has passed, the target starts doubting their own decisions and may suspect some kind of sorcery was involved if they know of an enemy with access to such powers.
# Body
# Become Beardless or Bald
The target’s beard and/or hair becomes patchy, possibly falling out altogether. A person who loses a beard may be seen in Norse society as socially diminished, causing a loss of Status. For the hair to fall completely out, Dimension level 3 is required. Duration determines how long it takes for the hair to begin growing again.
# Cause Blemishes
The target’s skin is afflicted with ugly blemishes, lowering their CHA by 1 point per level of Dimension. The blemishes gradually disappear after Duration has passed. The blemishes completely disappear in a matter of hours or days, depending upon the level of Duration.
# Cause Disability
The target is affected by some type of disability that affects their mobility or bodily function. This may affect movement rate by –1 per level of Dimension, affecting the use of hands due to pain in the joints –10% per level of Dimension to any Manipulation skill, or something similar. It is also possible to cause impotence.
# Clumsiness
For each level of Dimension, the target has a 10% chance of hitting an ally whenever one of their attack rolls fail to hit the intended target. Roll this chance separately after each failed attack.
# Fester Wound
The condition of an already existing wound worsens, causing a loss of 1 hit point for each level of Dimension to the same hit location where the wound is located.
# Healing
The target recovers 1 hit point per level of Dimension. The number of hit points gained can be spread among different hit locations. Duration doesn’t need to be any higher than immediate, unless the practitioner wants the effect to occur gradually, over a period of time.
# Shapeshifting
Allows the target to take on characteristics of an animal.
# Shapeshifting Effects
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 0 | Dogs will bark at the target. |
| 1 | Target gains one sense of the chosen animal (sight, smell, hearing—use Scan or Track roll of that animal as appropriate). |
| 2 | Target’s face changes to look like a hybrid between human and the chosen animal and allows for speaking with that animal type. |
| 3 | Gains the movement rate of that animal. |
| 4 | Gain some physical characteristic of that animal, such as talons or gills. |
| 5 | Fully take on the form of a natural animal of similar mass (SIZ) of the target. |
| 6 | Fully take on the form of a natural animal of any size. |
# Weave
# Cause Natural Disaster
Makes an area prone to natural disasters - Floods, avalanches, mudslides, volcanic eruptions, etc. If the conditions are propitious (gamemaster discretion), disaster first happens within 1D6 hours of the ritual being completed, followed by random intervals over the Duration of the spell. The scale of the destruction to houses and other structures increases with the Dimension level. People inside affected buildings must make a successful DEX×5 roll or suffer damage equal to Dimension to a random hit location due to falling debris.
# Create Dense Fog
A dense fog covers the area, reducing visibility. Scan rolls have a penalty of –10% per level of Dimension.
# Evil Eye
Increases the chance of a fumble roll result for a single individual. Skills from one single group (practitioner’s choice) are affected. The fumble chance is increased by +3% per level of Dimension for the Duration of the spell, as long as the target is within Distance from the practitioner.
# Fortune Telling
This spell enhances the effects of the Prophecy skill. The practitioner must first succeed in performing the ritual with Seiður Magic before making a Prophecy roll. Success on both rolls means Prophecy works as expected, but effects are enhanced with an extra +5% per level of Dimension, to the usual +20% bonus for actions that contribute to the fulfillment of the prophecy (the same modifier also applies when going against the prophecy). Duration and Distance levels must cover the timeframe and location of the prophecy.
# Weather Manipulation
Allows the practitioner to affect the weather within Distance and for the Duration of the spell. Each level of Dimension can shift the weather to better or worse, as desired by the practitioner, by one level on the appropriate weather table for the current season.
# Weave Magic Into Cloth
A cloth may be imbued with magical properties that may then be used to make clothing that aids or hinders the person who wears it. The magical effect is only active when the clothing is within Distance from the practitioner. The effect must be connected to the area of the body covered by the cloth.
When the practitioner creates the cloth, they must choose the effects per level of Dimension to add or remove +1 hit point to the hit location covered by the cloth or to improve or hinder by 10% one skill that is somehow connected to the body area covered. Effects are cumulative and can be chosen more than once. After Duration has elapsed, the cloth loses its magical qualities.
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