Laundry Files: Magic
Casting Spells
Magic is just a highly specialised branch of applied mathematics and there are many different ways to perform the necessary calculations, some use computational sorcery to write apps that cast the spell for them, others inscribe circuit diagrams using pens with conductive ink. Most Laundry agents don't stoop to bloody pentagrams, chanting and ritual sacrifice but the cultists they face often do. Finally it's possible to cast a spell in your own mind, the brain is an incredibly powerful computational device and experienced mathematicians can visualize and compute the necessary algorithms in their head. This mental magic is faster and requires less preparation but those who use it risk K-Syndrome, a rather horrible form of brain damage.
Casting a Spell
When a character casts a spell the player rolls either their Computational Sorcery or Ritual Sorcery skill (their choice).
All spells have a class from 1 to 5 and a character cannot cast a higher class spell than they have in the skill (e.g. a character with Computational Sorcery 3 cannot cast a class 4 spell).
The casting roll is penalised by the class of the spell, making higher level spells harder to cast but a character gains a bonus based on how long they spend casting:
The more preparation put into a spell, the easier it is to cast. This preparation usually involves some form of ritual, whether it be archaic blood rites or connecting a microprocessor to a conductive grid.
| Time |
Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 Extra Round | +1 |
| 1 Minute | +2 |
| 1 Hour | +3 |
| 1 Day | +4 |
| 1 Month | +5 |
Example: A character with 3 in Computational Sorcery attempts to cast a Class 3 spell. They roll d6 and add their skill in an effort to get a 6 so normally they would need a 3+. However the roll is penalised by the rank of the spell (-3) so they need to roll a 6. If they spend a minute casting they get +2 and only need to roll a 4+.
Mental Magic
All magicians, whether computational or ritual can attempt to cast a spell using their own brain to perform the calculations but few would intentionally do so. While this technique has its advantages (it's faster, and can be done in any situation) the risk of death is very high. When you invoke eldritch mathematics in your own mind, things from other dimensions can take bites out of your grey matter, resulting in a form of brain damage called K-Syndrome.
Mental Magic works just like Ritual or Computational magic, except:
- You can always perform mental magic, even if you're tied up and gagged. No components, chanting, or preparation of any kind is needed.
- It's much faster. Each round that you run the calculations through your mind before casting gives you a cumulative +1 bonus to the casting roll (so it only takes 3 rounds to get +3 instead of an hour).
- It's subtle. There are no obvious signs that you are casting.
- It's harmful to your Sanity, casting a spell this way almost always results in Sanity loss.
- A failure is almost always extremely bad for you and certainly results in K-Syndrome.
Spells
Entropy Manipulation
Induce low level chaos in the area that causes a specific effect. The effect must be chosen when the spell is cast and cannot be changed without recasting the spell.
These effects are all stationary.
Level 1: Decay sound and light waves, eg. Sound randomization pattern: Create a spherical area in which people can talk privately. No one outside can listen in, even with a powerful microphone. Blur Field: Create an area of randomised light, blurring the image of everyone in the area. Interferes with lasers. Create a dim glow.
Level 2: Temperature manipulation: Start or douse a small fire, make an object to hot or cold to touch. Create enough light to read by. Can deal 1 damage to a target.
Level 3: Manipulate light to create true invisibility fields. Can deal 2 damage to a target.
Level 4: Can manipulate the local environment - light, gravity, gas. Can deal 4 damage to a target.
Level 5: In the realm of rewriting physical laws (on a local scale). Can deal 8 damage to a target.
Exorcism
Removes the 'thaumic energy' in a place or object, dispels a spell in action or disrupts the energy pattern of a visiting exonome. The more powerful the entity/spell, the more powerful the Exorcism must be. If the Exorcism level is equal or greater than the rank of the exonome/disturbance then it is dispelled.
Geas
A spell which binds the subject to a certain course of action. The usual method of casting involves placing the subject in contact with a spell matrix. When summoning an exonome that you plan to release from the summoning grid, OHS regulations recommend placing a standardised geas upon the creature. This will be equal to the creature's level plus one.
Level 1: A small suggestion, lasts for less than a minute and cannot force the subject to commit acts against their nature.
Level 2: A temporary geas, lasts while the subject is in contact with the spell matrix.
Level 3: A lasting geas, usually used to prevent the subject from committing a specified action. Laundry employees will be familiar with the use of these, in the form of a Silence geas binding them not to speak of Laundry-related matters to the general public. Attempting to break this level of binding will cause nausea, migraines and unconsciousness.
Level 4: A lasting geas, usually used to bind the subject to a specified course of action. Any Laundry employee who has been questioned by the Auditors will be familiar with this in the form of a Truth geas. Attempting to break this level of geas will cause severe pain and eventual death.
Level 5: Used only to bind powerful and alien entities.
Glamour
Glamours interfere with the viewers' perceptions and emotions, moving from subtle effects to more overpowering ones. Often an experienced agent will detect the use of this spell through their own emotional reactions. Wards will protect against the mental effects but not the illusionary ones. Usually last for one full day, can be made indefinite by casting as one level higher.
Level 1: Masks one physical detail. Can be used to hide the distinctive glowing eyes of residual human resources.
Level 2: Allows the user to completely change their appearance, but not their size. Cannot disguise species or type, so a rotting shambler could not be made to appear normal. Emotional effect is to encourage the audience not to question the disguise.
Level 3: Disguises the user as any kind of humanoid. Can alter build and size. Emotional effects include extremely attractive, formidably intimidating, startling horrible etc. Agents may be alerted if their emotions are behaving abnormally - eg. if they feel attracted to someone not normally their type, or if suddenly afraid of a zombie when usually quite accustomed.
Level 4: A potent blend of compulsion and illusion. It can disguise the user as any kind of object of about the same size. Emotional reactions usually include profound adoration. Even if successfully resisted, the agent feels the urge continuing.
Level 5: Only exist in rumour, would be able to completely rewrite the subject's psyche.
Prognostication
A hazy and imprecise school of magic, even the Weather Service (the specialists in this area, who use supercomputers to assist) have only a 30% success rate with their forecasts. That 30% of the time however, can make a vital difference to the outcome of the mission. Without the resources of the Weather Service, agents can only obtain a cryptic clue about the course of the next 24 hours. About as good as the Times astronomy column, without the relationships advice.
Each level of the spell grants a 5% chance of accurate prediction (which the STs will roll)
Scrying
In this universe, everything is connected. The paperclip previously on the report still has a connection to the report, and to the reader, and to the other paperclips in the box it came from. Scrying exploits these connections, revealing information about the subject and allowing for the tracking and surveillance of assets. Scrying is a delicate art, however, and can be interfered with via wards, flowing water, electric fields and powerful thaumic activity.
Level 1: Reveals the general level of thaumic activity in an area and highlights sources. Can be used to track an object via a sympathetic link, within a few miles.
Level 2: Reveals specific information about a subject, including whether they have a glamour or a ward active. Will pierce a level 1 or 2 glamour. Can track an individual via a sympathetic link up to 100 miles away.
Level 3: Reveals specific details of spells the subject has active, piercing level 3 and 4 glamours. Will also detect geasa. Can see the immediate area around the tracked item/person, from that object's point of view. Tracking is limited only by water.
Level 4: Reveals subtle possessions. Gives insight into the subject's own magical ability. Detects the fading remnants of old spells and past significant interactions. Can see the wider area around the tracked object including what the object cannot see. Can apply Level 1 scrying at a distance.
Level 5: Can scry into other dimensions and apply spells of Level 1 at a distance. Can review the history of an object from creation to present.
Summoning & Gates
The Art of Piercing the Walls of Reality and Dragging back a Daemon to do the Cleaning. Proper precautions include laser-calibrated summoning grids, pre-recorded chanting, and properly grounded outputs.
REMEMBER: INCOMPLETE PENTACLES EMIT TENTACLES
These spells summon exonomes to our world, where they will remain within the grid unless a conductive path out can be made. Exonomes are usually summoned as energy projections, and will not survive outside the grid unless a suitable host is found - the more advanced the demon, the more computing power it requires. The entity is not bound until a geas is imposed - creating Residual Human Resources requires Summoning and Geasing the Feeder in the Night. Enochian is an efficient and effective language for these purposes.
At higher levels agents may cross over to other worlds.
Level 1: Creates an information gate, summoning a Level 1 entity (see Creatures)
Level 2: Creates an information gate, summoning Level 2 entities.
Level 3: The gate allows one-way physical transportation, summoning Level 3 entities, or the physical manifestations. Also allows for shortcuts across Earth via another plane and disposal of hazardous wastes.
Level 4: The gate permits travel in both directions. This takes a substantial amount of energy to initiate, and once open tends to stay open for 24-48 hours. Allows physical summoning of Level 3 & 4
Level 5: These gates are enormous, require mass human sacrifice, and allow the movement of vastly powerful entities across dimensions. The Laundry does not approve such actions, and doing so is grounds for expulsion and extreme sanctions.
Wards
One of the most common tools in the agent's armoury, wards can be used to protect an individual or an area. They can be protective - defending against specified kinetic or magical threats, or offensive - actively defending areas against unwanted intrusions. Whenever conducting a ritual, agents are strongly advised to ward the grid and themselves, as well as any onlookers.
Each level of a ward protects completely from lower level attacks, but will burn out gradually. It will burn out completely if struck by a higher level attack.
See Personal Wards for details on how the Laundry-issued wards operate.
Personal Wards - standard issue. See above.
Area Wards - cover a stationary location. Requires the caster to mark out the area being warded with a continuous line of conductive material while casting (this time does not contribute to the ritual casting time). Most occult agencies ward their own offices and the offices of their government. Area wards do not burn out if a higher level spell is cast through them, instead letting such pass without hindrance.
Protective Pentacles - a one-way ward, when created it must be specified whether the ward is inward or outward facing. Pentacles can be stacked.
Offensive Wards - act as an alarm system, releasing an effect when triggered. These effects range from notifying the caster, triggering a glamour to frighten the intruder away, or an entropy effect to set them on fire. The Laundry frowns on agents leaving unauthorised wards lying about with lethal effects. In this case the level of the spell reflects the effect tied to it, rather than the damage to be absorbed.