My photomancer character is an artist who views magic as a form of art. He uses Spirit evocations to create light effects such as blinding flashes and searing lasers. Here are the thaumaturgy spells in his Grimoire.
Illuminated Marks: Allows one to track or view the actions of another person by lighting up footprints, fingerprints and other types of marks.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 4 (the equivalent of a “great” investigation)
Duration:
Effect: Trails and prints light up as though the target had been covered in glow-in-the-dark goo and left some behind everywhere they went.
Variations: More power can be used to extend the duration.
Notes: Thomas prefers to do this ritual at either dawn or dusk (+2 shifts), using a full length mirror (+2 shifts), the angelic sigils for “Travel” and “Universe” would be written on the back of the mirror (+ 2 shifts) and a perfect circle drawn around it with a square inside for the four directions (+2 shifts), he would finally use a drop of his own blood to activate the ritual (+1 shift).
Sight Link: See through the eyes of a target.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 12 (Base difficulty 4 + 4 to overcome conviction, + 4 to overcome thresholds)
Duration: 1 Scene
Effect: Caster can see whatever the target sees by closing his eyes, or can direct the vision into a reflective surface. Information gathered is visual only, to gain auditory information Thomas would need to do a straight divination and sacrifice his complexity bonus while casting. If the target is alert and happens to see their own reflection they may see Thomas reflected in their eyes concealing this residual image adds +3 to the complexity.
Variations: Can increase the duration through additional shifts of power. Extra power may also be necessary to combat wards. Thomas can modify this spell to provide auditory information and if he chooses to use this connection to speak to his target he may do so. He may also choose to observe the target from a fixed point rather than through their eyes.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a mirror (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “watching” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn on the back of a canvass on which he would paint a lifelike portrait of the target (+2 shifts) with a bit of their hair or blood mixed into the paint (+2 shifts) which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of mediation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
Paint the Past: Allows an artist to look at a person, object, or scene and create a painting of it that reveals something that has happened to that person, or at that location in the recent past.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy divination
Complexity: 4 to paint an event that occurred within the past week (+1 for every time increment increase back).
Effect: The caster concentrates on a specific event they wish to gather information about and enters a trance-like state while painting a picture of the scene so that when the work is complete it reveals information about the event that occurred, though the information frequently comes in symbolic forms that must be translated.
Variations: Thomas can also use similar methodology to the paint the future, but the information gleaned from doing so is highly symbolic and represents only possible events.
Notes: Thomas takes time to clear his mind while painting, as one would through meditation (+2 shifts), and paints the target with careful accuracy in order to create a stronger link (+2 shifts). He uses a circle with the angelic sigil for the “Past” or “Future”, depending on the desired effect of his painting (+2 Shifts). Creating at the painting at the same time of day as the event he wishes to see helps create a stronger link as well (+2 shifts).
Mirror Image: Create a duplicate of something that mirrors the movements of the original in order to confuse onlookers.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: Depends on the object; for Thomas to duplicate himself the complexity is 11 (5 for a basic animate object, +2 for extra size, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to make the object solid and add sound Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Complexity is reduced for objects of smaller size and complexity, a small item like a coin with no moving parts is a 1, while a larger item like a sword, or one with a few moving parts is a 3.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a mirror (+2 shifts) reflecting either the actually thing he wishes to duplicate or a skillful painting of the target (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “twin” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of medition to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
Back in a Flash: The target becomes invisible by bending light around him, but when he chooses to reveal himself there is a flash and sparks fly through the air as light slams back into it’s proper space.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy veil
Complexity: 8 (6 for block strength, 2 so that veiled subject can still see).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first (or until the target crosses a magical barrier or chooses to reveal himself).
Effect: Light bends around the target so that people can see what is directly behind him and he becomes effectively invisible. As a photomancy veil the illusion is visual only, in order to block the other senses Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added to alter the whole body, and to change the size and shape of the target.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
Glamour Masque: Change the appearance of a person to someone or something else entirely.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: 7 (3 for a simple face change, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to add ectoplasm for solidity Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added to alter the whole body, and to change the size and shape of the target.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
Chimerical Reality: Change the appearance of a room, building or landscape to something else entirely.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Photomancy conjuration
Complexity: 9 for a small room (3 for a basic mask, + 2 to affect an entire zone, +4 to make the disguise a strength of Great).
Duration: Lasts until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first.
Effect: As a photomancy conjuration the illusion is visual only, in order to add ectoplasm for solidity Thomas must forfeit his photomancy bonus.
Variations: Extra power can be added for each additional zone affected.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the target as he wishes it to appear (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “mask” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
Dreamweaving: Create a dreamscape or story in a painting, which, if someone concentrates on they will experience the next time they sleep.
Type: Thaumaturgy, Psychomancy conjuration
Complexity: 9 for a single scene (3 for a basic mask, + 2 to affect an entire zone, +4 to make the disguise a strength, believability, of Great).
Effect: As a psychomancy conjuration the scene appears entirely in a person’s mind and once the proscribed scene is over there is no predicting where the mind will take the dream next.
Variations: Extra power can be added for additional scenes are plot points to appear in the dream.
Notes: Thomas casts this spell by drawing a perfect circle (+2 shifts) around a painting of the scene he wishes to appear in the dream (+2 shifts), if possible he mixes a bit of a physical piece of the target into the paint (+2 shifts), the angelic sigil for “dream” (+2 shifts) would then be drawn onto the back of the painting, which he would paint directly prior to casting for a few hours as a form of meditation to clear his mind and focus it on his target (+2 shifts).
