The witches, warlocks, and wizards of the Purgis Pact serve, honor, or placate the spirits, depending on whom you ask. The spirits are plentiful and diverse, but only the mighty ones, like distant Phara of Sirius, the wreathed Selenic Sisters, or the Horned Devil of Blackston, bestow boons upon their followers.
Names
Roll a d12 for each column, pick your favorite, or make up your own.
| d12 | First Name | Last Name | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pattie/Parsons | Prasana | Child of the Stones |
| 2 | Alice/Aleister | Drak | Thearch of Thelema |
| 3 | Maxine/Maxwell | Leigh | Thane of Ceremonies |
| 4 | Cindy/Sandy | Malcolm | Fourth of the Cloth |
| 5 | Tanith | Fallingstar | Herald of Thaal |
| 6 | Dayonis/Dafo | Ameth | Bride/Hand of Asmodel |
| 7 | Moina/Morel | Mather | Blood on the Sacred Altar |
| 8 | Florence/Florent | Bennett | Book of Shadows |
| 9 | Victoria/Victor | LaVey | Green Sister/Brother |
| 10 | Lillith/Lillian | Dunganon | To Mega Therion |
| 11 | Abigail/Abel | the Red | Exalted Instrument of Anocha |
| 12 | Moonchild | — | Quaestor Lucis |
Traits
Traits are extremely versatile: as long as you can describe how a trait helps in a given situation, it adds a die to a roll.
| d12 | Trait | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passion [Appearance] | ■ ■ |
| 2 | Danger [Appearance] | ■ ■ |
| 3 | Sensuality [Appearance] | ■ ■ |
| 4 | Power Demands Price [Conviction] | ■ ■ |
| 5 | Buy Now, Pay Later [Conviction] | ■ ■ |
| 6 | The Spirits I Serve Protect Me [Conviction] | ■ ■ |
| 7 | Fear [Desire] | ■ ■ |
| 8 | Sisterhood [Desire] | ■ ■ |
| 9 | Domination [Desire] | ■ ■ |
| 10 | Overconfidence [Flaw] | ■ |
| 11 | Hesitation [Flaw] | ■ |
| 12 | Cruelty [Flaw] | ■ |
Powers
Powers are extremely varied, and often open-ended. Each power describes roughly how to use it, but it’s up to the imagination of the player to fill in the details, so long as everyone agrees.
| d12 | Power | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | By Murmuur Possessed. A demon possessed you but you're back in control, and can occasionally and begrudgingly get it to do your bidding. Choose 2 domains that the demon has mastery over. | ■ ■ ■ ■ |
| 2 | Brew Potion. Spend 3 hours to gather ingredients and brew a potion that affects the imbiber with 1) paralysis, 2) dizziness, 3) pain, or 4) terrible luck, for 1d4 hours. | ■ ■ ■ ■ |
| 3 | Make Fire Cider. Spend 3 hours to brew a batch of this (1d4+1 uses). Drink one to replenish your vitals: heal 1 damage from each ability score, and remove 1 wound. | ■ ■ ■ |
| 4 | Plantar Aspect of Steel. You are not just used to walking barefoot over any terrain, the soles of your feet are in fact tougher than most boots. | ■ ■ ■ |
| 5 | Curses! Afflict a creature with good or bad luck on their next roll (+/- 1 die). Take 1 Mind damage to make it last for a scene. | ■ ■ ■ |
| 6 | Shielding Mantle of Innocence. Your harmless looks makes others underestimate you and prioritize other targets. | ■ ■ |
| 7 | Enduring the Eternal Molestation of Flame. You take half damage from fire and heat, but it hurts just the same. | ■ ■ |
| 8 | Familiar. You have a smart, loyal animal companion, like a cat or a crow, who understands you. They're sneaky and protective. | ■ |
| 9 | Into Harm’s Way. When a nearby friend is about to take damage, you can launch yourself into their way and take the damage instead. | ■ |
| 10 | Apotropaeia. Reduce Graces or Mind damage to you by 1 before it is applied. | ■ |
| 11 | Material Protection Hex. Reduce Brawn or Agility damage to you by 1 before it is applied. | ■ |
| 12 | Grimoire Magic. Instinctive ability to decipher and use grimoires. | ■ |
Equipment
Grimoires are detailed in their own chapter, and require the Grimoire Magic power.
| d12 | Item | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gown of Ravenna. Glorious ensemble that imparts the following abilities to its wearer: 1) immortality and youth by draining it from others, 2) conjure obsidian dark fey that are invulnerable while concentrating, 3) sprout liquid obsidian tentacles. | ■ ■ ■ ■ |
| 2 | Dress of the Devil’s Harlot. Fiery red, elegant, tempting. Imparts the following abilities to its wearer: 1) supernatural strength [+2 Brawn], 2) dramatic levitation, 3) beguile folk attracted to you. | ■ ■ ■ ■ |
| 3 | Witch’s Broom. Dance the witching hour away in honor of your patron, then fly on your broom until dawn. | ■ ■ ■ |
| 4 | Grimoire. Choose one: the dark Basileus Philosophorum Metaloricum, the immaculate The Hooded Palliament of Boniform Gramary, the cursed Mephistopheles’ Instant Gratifications, or the righteous In Aenigmate Contra Patriarcham. | ■ ■ ■ |
| 5 | Wand of Ecstasy. Unleash a small, localized earthquake. Recharges in the presence of a meaningful climax. | ■ ■ |
| 6 | The Gibbering Skull of Medea. Prone to sudden babbling. 50% of the time it's a cryptic warning about a real, imminent danger. | ■ ■ |
| 7 | Field Cauldron. Share your Brew Potion power with several cultists and create that number of potions instead of just one. Extend the list of possible potions with 1) sleep, and 2) short term memory wiping. | ■ ■ |
| 8 | Hygeian Staff. Uses Brawn to attack, and deals 1d4+Brawn damage. Take 1 Mind damage to heal 1d4 damage and 1d4 wounds. | ■ ■ |
| 9 | Hortulan Hand. A single green glove, both strong and elegant, for all things plants and growing. | ■ |
| 10 | Sacrificial Knife. Ever-sharp curved blade, inexorably stained from the blood of its victims. Agility to attack, deals 1d4+Agility excruciating damage that keeps its target alive until you will it otherwise. | ■ |
| 11 | Malleus Maleficarum. A literal witches' hammer. Uses Brawn to Attack, and deals 1d8+Brawn damage. | ■ |
| 12 | Robe, Mantle, or Dress of Office. A simple, light garment that marks you as a ranked member of the cult to those in the know, and grants you good luck (+1 die) on rituals. | ■ |
Carousing
See Playing the Game for how and when to use this table. In any case, it assumes letting off steam in the way that only your cult can.
| d12 | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | A Lot at Stake. You come to, bound to a stake on top of a metric ton of flammable material, surrounded by an energized crowd calling you names. Must be a Tuesday. Nevertheless, if you don't straighten this out—and no, reasoning will clearly not work—then you're becoming the night's human torch and/or roast. |
| 2 | Sacrificial Remorse. A ritual went a little out of hand, and has resulted in, perhaps, some small regret. Or regrets. Either way, you require cover-ups and such, and probably running away, hiding, or facing terrible facts. |
| 3 | Tree Hugger. You wake up tied to a tree. Take 1d8 Graces damage (but not enough to die). Once you manage to lose the gag, your cries for help eventually result in rescue. Gain the Humiliation [Appearance] trait. |
| 4 | Botched Spellcasting. You tried out something new and it didn’t work. Take 1d4 wounds, and explain the torn clothes, scorched skin, or sulfurous smell to your companions. |
| 5 | Mob Justice. You were harassed and hounded by an angry mob. Probably pitchforks and torches were involved. Ultimately you got away with a few scrapes and convinced them to let you go, but you had to give them a piece of equipment. Do you let the matter lie, or go back for it with the rest of your crew? |
| 6 | Bonded. You awake happy and rested, but manacled to another character (player or otherwise), and the keys are nowhere to be found. Gain the Special Bond [Conviction] trait, and 1 new gift slot. |
| 7 | A New Deal. You drunk-summoned a spirit, and made a pact with them. Your memory of the precise details is a little fuzzy, but it involved a quid pro quo that seemed a good idea at the time. With the GM, work out a benefit (for example, an extra power for a day) and a price. |
| 8 | Glam-Up. There’s something different about you today. New hair? New outfit? Better nails? Possessed by a demon of confidence? Add +1 to Graces. |
| 9 | Finally, Fruition. All the gruelling, repetitive exercises you have been doing for the last few years have finally born fruit. Gain +1 to Agility. |
| 10 | Fabulous Philter. You concocted, and consumed, an invigorating, one of a kind potion. Gain +1 to Mind. Unfortunately you can’t quite remember the full recipe, but there was definitely something about toes. |
| 11 | Dancing the Witching Hour Away. Together with your cultists or other freethinking participants, you danced barefoot around a fire, statue, or piece of furniture spontaneously imbued with spiritual meaning, until you passed out from exhaustion. Gain +1 to Brawn. |
| 12 | Coven Growth. Someone local has dedicated themselves to your ways and goals. Gain +1 to an ability score your choosing. |
Grimoire Magic
Grimoires are eclectic tomes of eldritch, occult, or perhaps divine or forbidden secrets. Each such volume contains—among conflicting lore, obtuse diagrams, ambiguous scribbles, and the odd helpful note—a ritual to pay daily obeisance to the progenitor or patron of the book, a minor power known as a cantrip, and several initially unreadable, reality-bending spells. In fact, none of it is decipherable at all, unless one possesses the Grimoire Magic power.
This books details four grimoires, some benevolent, some sinister. Two more can be found in Capes and Cloaks and Cowls and a Park, or its online art-light version at mottokrosh.com/machinations/capes-and-cloaks/ebook/#grimoires.
Anatomy of a Grimoire
Ritual
Describes a way to please whoever originally offered up this mighty knowledge in manuscript form. It usually takes 1 hour to perform, can involve multiple participants, and may be attempted once per day. Affects the miscast chance and the cantrip. Roll Mind:
- Critical Failure. As Failure, plus an effect dependent on the ritual.
- Failure. Poor performance, displeased spirit. Take 1d4 Mind or Graces (your choice) damage.
- Partial Success. Perfunctory display. Take 1 point of Mind or Graces (your choice) damage. Unlock the cantrip for the day.
- Success. Unlock the cantrip for the day, and halve miscast chances from the tome’s spells.
- Critical Success. As Success, plus reveal a new random spell from the book, or teach an already revealed spell to a participating ritualist (counts as a 1 slot gift whose use requires performing the grimoire ritual with the teacher).
Cantrip
Once a caster has at least partially successfully performed the grimoire ritual, they gain the power of the book's cantrip, a minor effect related to the tome's theme. They lose this power the next day, unless they successfully perform the ritual again. Requires the grimoire to be at hand.
Spells
The spells appear initially garbled and indecipherable, but a critical success on a daily ritual will permanently reveal one of them to the caster. Thereafter, they may cast this spell as often as they like, while wielding the grimoire. Each casting is dangerous however, and comes with a 28% miscast chance. A successful ritual performed that day halves this chance down to 14%. Special items, actions, or powers may reduce it further.
Basileus Philosophorum Metaloricum
A thick, black leathered tome, wrapped in broken chains that once held it shut. It leaves black, tarry stains wherever it rests. Animals fear it.
Ritual
To the Devil, My Body and Soul. An hour-long ritual, where the ritualist, devoid of all but cloak and devotion, anoints themself in fresh blood, and dedicates their full being to their patron. A partial success or better gives the ritualist an extra 6+6+6 points to use to reduce spell miscast chances. Unused points disappear at dawn.
- Critical failure: Physical chastisement that is visible for a day (e.g. red cheek from slap, stigmata).
Cantrip
Witch's Trick. The spirit has granted you dominion over candles, and you can light or extinguish them at will. You can also cause unlocked doors, windows, shutters, and drawers to fly open or shut, or similarly eerie effects.
Spells
I Whisper in the Ear of the Dead. Gift a stray piece of essence from beyond Night's Plutonian Shore to a corpse—human-sized or smaller. For 1 scene, it jerks to a semblance of life, confused, angry, and dumb, but recognizing you as its master.
Xenomenia aka Ignoble Evacuation. Cause malevolent menstruation or relevant bodily fluid expulsion from abnormal orifices in a target. Low level creatures are incapacitated by the violent spray for 1 scene, tougher foes are at the very least distracted by it for 1 scene.
Formula for a Flawless Form, However Fleeting. Your body, your skin, your hair, clothes, and everything about you, turns into a perfect, captivating, visually stunning version. The effect is real and no illusion, yet temporary. It lasts for 1 hour, and every hour after that there is a cumulative 20% chance that it starts dissolving into a oily mess over the course of 1 scene, leaving you quite possibly a wet, miserable wreck in the corner.
Receive thy Sovereign and Embody Them. Supplicating your patron, you invite them to inhabit your unworthy body for a time, lending you their prodigious might. Your form changes to more closely resemble your patron, even in dramatic ways.
- Double your Brawn and Agility scores, to a maximum of 6.
- Add the following Gift Traits: Terror [Appearance], Power Incarnate [Conviction], Domination [Desire]. They take up 1 slot each.
Your form, traits, and ability scores return to normal after 1 scene. You, on the other hand, will likely never be the same again.
The Hooded Palliament of Boniform Gramary
A lithe, silvery robe subtly graced with sacred words, secret constellations, sibylline charts, and supranatural calculations.
Ritual
Tabula Rasa. This expurgation ritual requires both physical and spiritual cleansing. It involves fresh water, white candles, bespoke incense, peace and quiet. This allows the ritualist to let go of the troubles of yesterday, emptying the mind, and readying it for a fresh start into the day.
- Critical failure: A visible stain, peculiar odor, and concentration problems for the day.
Cantrip
Cibarious Purity. Any food or drink you bless, even toxic, spoiled, or rancid fare, is rendered safe and delicious. Rotten food is rejuvenated, cold leftovers turn hot, middling wine becomes exquisite.
Spells
I am Become the Aegis. You surround yourself with a barely perceptible protective barrier that absorbs 1d4 damage to Brawn or Agility before you mark it. Additionally, if at all believable, you can appear in front of an ally being damaged, and mark the damage instead—after reducing it by 1d4 points. Either use dispels the barrier.
White Magic. By tending to an afflicted person, you can take their suffering upon yourself, be it damage, injury, stress, or other affliction. You bear it better, even as it wracks your body or mind. Until dawn, your ability scores can mark an extra 2 damage before you incur wounds, and you have 4 additional gift slots for wounds.
Thy Weapons Dole Bondage Not Death. Snuffing out another life is not to be taken lightly. With this spell it becomes impossible for your your allies’ weapons to kill a person or creature for an hour; rather, the would-be killing blow is replaced by the victim instantly becoming securely bound, by whatever means and materials are currently nearby. You alone get to decide anyone’s fate.
The same remains true if you reverse the spell, and have it affect the weapons of your enemies instead. This is trickier, however, and requires you to take 1 Mind damage to achieve.
Suppers of Hecate at the Crossroads. You pay obeisance to the goddess of the crossroads, and in return she grants you safe and swift passage through the liminal spaces. This reduces travel times and the chances of dangerous encounters.
Mephistopheles’ Instant Gratifications
A red leather-bound tome, with an embossed symbol of a trident piercing a ring on the front; unexpectedly compact and discreet.
Ritual
Decry Those That Deny You. Produce an artifact that lists all those who have wronged you, including gods, alongside their offense, what rightfully they should be called—instead of their name—and what punishment you devise for them. Proceed to memorize the list, and, finally, to destroy it.
- Critical failure: Unbeknownst to you, a part of the artifact remains intact, to be inconveniently discovered by someone listed.
Cantrip
Homunco-Famulus. A small, mute, invisible homunculus made of spoons and knives and buttons and thread, and a clip of your nail, serves you until dawn. It is clever and resourceful, and items no bigger than a coconut become invisible too when it carries them.
Spells
Fame. Your made up name and made up talent are the talk of the town. Everyone’s heard of you, and everyone wants to either be you, be with you, or at least be near you. So long as you smile for your fans, doors open, opportunities arise, and folks try to please you. Until dawn, at least.
Fortune. You are believed to be incredibly rich, as rich as kings. Merchants gift you their wares, in the hopes of future investments. You can get credit anywhere. Until dawn, at least.
Preternatural Potency. For 1 scene, your body becomes the epitome of dexterity and strength, toned, muscular, and red as the devil. Add +2 to Brawn and +4 to Agility, or vice versa.
Shapeshifting. You take on the form of another person or animal, no bigger than you or smaller than a mouse. It lasts for 1 scene.
In Aenigmate Contra Patriarcham
The size of a travel book of tender poetry, wrapped in a fake cover that claims it to be the self-same. All the book's arcane contents are written in secret ink across the, frankly inane, verses.
Ritual
Octo Gladii. It requires you, up to 8 swords (or reasonably similar bladed weapons), a blindfold, and rope. And a volunteer to tie you up, unless you're very good. As you struggle against your bonds, contemplate the powers that constantly weigh and exert their oppression on you. Reflect those tribulations upon thy swords, that they may become the weapons of thy and thine coven’s liberation and righteous revenge. The ritual takes [60 − Agility check result] minutes.
- Critical failure: The knots were too good. Without external help the ritual takes [60 − Agility check result] hours instead.
Cantrip
Gladii Mei. You telekinetically control the blades from the ritual. While your hands are free, you can send them all a short distance, spinning through the air, assaulting your enemies, provided the latter are vile (they deal damage equal to the damage of the weakest blade + the number of blades).
Spells
Pugna Sordida. The merest whisper of this spell lets you fight dirty against those who would oppress you. Even if unarmed, you deal 1d8+Mind damage for one attack in a fight. You don't have to play by whatever rules they make up.
Gladius Brachium Meum. Your mastery over the swords births from the virtue of your endeavor. But the uprising demands sacrifice. Take 2d4 Brawn damage and add one of the following to Gladii Mei for 1 scene: 1) your blades spin twice, thus dealing double the damage, 2) your blades spiritually grow in size, potentially covering 2 groups, 3) they pulse with vampiric energy, healing damage dealt in ability score damage and 1d4 wounds, 4) they can reach unseen targets many leagues away.
Rhetorica ad Victoriam. Take 1d4 Brawn damage to succeed at any Mind or Graces check. If you roll 1 or 2 for damage, your cognitive or social victory is of such splendor as to utterly vex or humiliate your opponent.
Voluntarius ut Tributum. By volunteering as tribute, captive, or hostage, in a situation where your coven or friends would be put at risk, you guarantee their safety in this scene, and they may all depart physically unharmed. Technically it also means you’ll stay alive for now as well, though it might require the others to be fast and clever to fully save you.
