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Occult Rituals

Occult Rituals

It’s a common belief that only those initiated in the rites and practices of arcane, divine, or psychic magic can cast spells, but this is not strictly true. Hidden within dusty libraries and amid the ramblings of lunatics lie the mysteries of another form of spellcasting—occult ritual magic. These spells are rare, coveted by both those eager to gain their power and those wishing to hide their existence. Most traditional spellcasters consider these rituals dangerous and uncontrollable, something to be avoided or used as a last resort. They fear the power these ceremonies grant to the uninitiated, as the rituals allow those with only a glimmering of understanding the ability to interact with the underlying fabric of magic.

While anyone can attempt to cast occult rituals, the process is fraught with peril. The strange and intricate incantations are often challenging to perform with precision, and failure can weaken the casters or even unleash horrors upon the world. Even when successfully performed, each occult ritual has a price—a backlash that affects at least the caster leading the ritual, and often those assisting in its performance.
Click here for the full rules on Occult Rituals.

Welcome the Blighted Soul

Source Bestiary 6 pg. 250
School necromancy [evil]; Level 9
Casting Time 9 hours (only during the new moon)
Components V, S, F (ring of standing stones empowered with necromancy that cost 25,000 gp to create via Craft Wondrous Item), sacrifice (18 living intelligent beings of the same type as the caster, sacrificed every 30 minutes during the ritual’s casting time)
Skill Checks Intimidate DC 31, 2 successes; Knowledge (nature) DC 31, 3 successes; Knowledge (religion) DC 31, 4 successes
Range touch
Target caster
Effect NUL
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw none; SR no
Backlash The caster is reduced to -1 hp
Failure The caster is immediately slain.

Effect

After sacrificing 18 lives (traditionally, these lives are those of unwilling druids who would have tried to stand against the blasphemy the caster is attempting), the caster sacrifices himself and immediately rises from death as a siabrae.