The College of Naming Incantations is concerned with the essential truths and underlying realities that make up the world and the knowledge of auras and true names. Adepts of this College are commonly called Namers. Naming Incantations is one of the two oldest Colleges and just as the Entities branch of magic grew out of Rune Magics so do the Colleges of the Thaumaturgies branch have their roots in Naming.

The College holds that magic is a form of deception, a manipulation of reality, often temporary in nature, whereby Mages use mana to impose their will on the world. The College's abilities include divining the true nature of things and enforcing their truths by protecting against and preventing magic.

Living beings express their true nature and intrinsic essence in their auras and names, and Namers study these in order to understand, protect, restore, and gain control over them. Many Namers also learn the healing arts, and perhaps this is linked to a desire to restore beings to their true state.

It is said that in the ancient days Namers were capable of commanding the sea, the wind, and the rocks by their names -- but if this is true then that that knowledge has been lost. Namers still learn the names of the plants that grow in the earth, but they can influence them little.

Given its abilities in neutralising magic, and the low Magical Aptitude requirement, the College attracts considerable interest from individuals engaged in the arts of war, with many Adepts using it as a means to protect themselves against other Mages, while they operate in a more physical manner.

Traditional Colours: Astrologically magic is of all colours, and no particular colour has a strong association with the College.

Traditional Symbols: Members of this College sometimes wear small symbols made of iron, (insufficient to cause them any inconvenience), symbolising their ability to neutralise magic. Circles or spheres are very common, harkening perhaps to circles of protection.

Magical Aptitude: The MA requirement for this College is 1.

1.1 Restrictions

Adepts of the College of Naming Incantations may practise their arts without restriction. Some abilities may require that the Namer know a particular Generic or Individual True Name, or have learned a particular Counterspell.

1.2 Benefits

Language
Namers familiarity with ancient languages allows them to Rank Languages at half normal experience cost to Rank 5. This discount only applies to ancient languages, and only in their spoken form. (NB: This will be changed in line with the revised language skill).

Ranking Names
Unlike the Adepts of other Colleges, Namers may gain Rank with True Names:

• Both Generic and Individual names take 1 week x Rank to be achieved.
• The EM for ranking Names is 0.
• Ranking of Names may be done alongside other forms of Ranking.
• If not ranking anything else then the Namer can rank three names at a time.
• Names cannot be ranked while adventuring.

Modifications
The following numbers are added to the Base Chance of performing any talent, spell or ritual of the College of Naming Incantations:

All modifiers are cumulative.

In addition, each Rank achieved with the target's ITN reduces the target's Magic Resistance by 1%

1.3 Talents

Detect Aura (T1)
Experience Multiple: 75
Base Chance: 2 x PC (+5/Rank)
Resist: May only be actively resisted
Target: Entity, Object, Area, Volume
Effects: The Base Chance is reduced by 1% for every foot after the first five from the Adept. See the Detect Aura Talent (xxx) for the results of this talent. In addition to other information gained, the Namer also receives the target's Generic True Name, if any.

Expel Magic (T2)
Experience Multiple: 75
Resist: May only be passively resisted
Target: Object, Area, Volume
Effects: This talent allows the Namer to dissipate the magic stored in a Ward, Magical Trap, Potion, or Invested Item. In order to use this talent, the Namer must know the exact name of the spell that is stored in target, what College the spell is a part of, and whether the spell is General or Special Knowledge. The Namer must then cast the appropriate Counterspell on the target with the specific intent of dissipating the stored magic. The chance of the magic be destroyed is 50% [(+3/Rank with this Talent) (-3/Rank)] of the target magic. If successful all of the magic of the same type stored within the target is destroyed. The appropriate Counterspell is the one that affects the magic stored not the storing magic. For example, a Ward of Enchanted Sleep would require the use of an E&E General Knowledge Counterspell.

Rapid Cast (T3)
Experience Multiple: 75
Effects: Namers may cast any Counterspell that they know without preparing it first. The Base Chance of the Counterspell is modified by -20% (+1/Rank with this Talent).

1.4 General Knowledge spells

The entire general spell knowledge of the Namer college consists of the ability to cast Counterspells. A Namer may cast a Counterspell against any College of magic with which they are familiar. The Namer is able to cast these Counterspells at Rank 0.

If a Namer encounters Colleged magic of a form with which they are not familiar they may familiarize themselves with the College's arcane underpinnings by one of the following methods:

• By using the Ritual of Divination on an Adept of that College.
• By Divinating a magical effect produced by that College, provided that it is still in effect.
• By spending a day's study with a Namer who is already familiar with the College.

Once they have done this they will be able to cast Rank 0 Counterspells against that college.

The commonly encountered Colleges will be taught to a Namer during their apprenticeship, and beginning Namers will have the ability to cast all of the Counterspells of the standard Colleges at Rank 0. Counterspells at Rank 0 do not count towards the Namers MA limit for spells and rituals.

Namers may gain Rank with Counterspells. They rank all Counterspells as General knowledge spells of the Namer College. Once a Namer begins to rank a Counterspell it will count towards the Namers MA limit for spells and rituals as normal.

The use of Counterspells is described in Appendix 3.

1.5 General Knowledge Rituals

Dissipation (Q1)
Target: Entity, Object, Area, Volume
Cast Time: 1+ hours, maximum 10.
Actions: Concentration
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: By engaging in Ritual Spell Preparation a Namer may use a Counterspell to dissipate the effects of a spell. The Namer must perform at least one hour of Ritual Spell Preparation at the end of which they must cast the appropriate Counterspell. In order to perform this ritual, the Namer must know the exact name of the spell that was cast over the target, what College the spell is a part of, and whether the spell is General or Special Knowledge. Only spells (not rituals) may be dissipated using this technique. It is not possible to achieve Rank with this ability since it is not an independent ritual, but rather a specialized use of Ritual Spell Preparation.

1.6 Special Knowledge Spells

Bane (S-1)
Range: 10 feet (+10/Rank)
Duration: 30 seconds (+5/Rank)
EM: 300
Base Chance: 10%
Resist: Active, Passive
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Area
Effects: This spell strengthens reality and distorts the mana in an area 15 feet in diameter (+10/5 Ranks) such that no entity within the area is able to draw mana for spells or rituals, or even access the minute amounts required for talents. The spell has no affect on the stored magics (such as invested items) nor on shaped items.

Banishment (S-2)
Range: Self
Duration: 10 seconds (+10/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: No
Storage: Potion
Target: Self
Effects: Through use of this spell, a Namer may banish a summoned being back to its own plane. While the banishment spell is in effect, the appropriate Counterspell cast at a summoned entity by the Namer will cause the entity to return to its own plane, unless it resists. The Counterspell must match the type of spell or ritual used in the summoning of the creature. In general the spells/rituals affected are the elemental summonings (Summon Fire Elemental, etc.), all Greater Summonings, Dark/Light Sphere conjuration and Fire college Efreeti and Salamander summoning. The Summon Patron ability of Agents is not classified as a summoning spell. The base chance of the banishment is that of the Counterspell employed (including modifiers for generic and individual names). The being to be banished may actively and passively resist the banishment.

Compel Obedience (S-3)
Range: 5 feet (+5/Rank)
Duration: Concentration: max. 10 minutes (+10/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 400
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: Active, Passive
Target: Entity
Storage: None
Effects: The Adept may cast this spell over 1 (+1/4 Ranks) targets whose Generic True names are known. Those targets who fail to resist may be commanded by the Adept to perform actions that are both within their physical capabilities and in their true natures. Commands are given in the Namer language and will be understood by all entities. Commands must be short and simple, such as: "Stop!", "Wait here", "Follow me". Entities can only be compelled to perform actions that they might perform naturally. For example, brigands who felt they were loosing a combat might be compelled to "Flee!", while those who felt they were winning would heed no such compulsion but could perhaps be directed to a different target, provided that target was one they might naturally attack. If the spell is cast at targets with different GTNs the Namer must use the lowest applicable base chance modifier.

If the Adept chooses to pronounce a target's Individual True Name as part of the spell then only one entity may be affected but the Namer is vested with much greater control over that entity. The use of an Individual True name provides the Namer with the ability to manipulate that entity's nature, and hence affect its behaviour. If an Individual True name is used the target may not resist any order once it has failed to initially resist the spell. Actions that are obviously suicidal or truly against the entity's nature may engender a Willpower check (1x WP). This is however a most powerful form of control, and only truly suicidal or very repugnant acts (for example killing ones child or loved one) will engender a Willpower check.

Disjunction (S-4)
Range: 10 feet (+10/Rank)
Duration: 1 minute (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: Passive
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Object
Effects: This spell prevents stored magics within an object from coming into effect. Magics that are affected by this spell include Wards, Invested items, Potions, Magical Traps, and permanent magics that need to be triggered. If a potion under the effects of a Disjunction is consumed, the potion will take effect after the spell effect ceases, provided it is still inside an entity. Other items will simply be unable to be triggered, and no charges will be lost.

Dispel Magic (S-5)
Range: Self
Duration: 5 seconds (+5/4 Ranks)
Experience Multiple: 400
Base Chance: 5%
Resist: No
Storage: Potion
Target: Self
Effects: While the Dispel Magic is in effect, the appropriate Counterspell cast at a target may dissipate magic. The Counterspell must match the type of spell to be dissipated. The base chance of the dissipation being successful is that of the Counterspell employed, including modifiers for names, (-3/Rank of the target magic). In order to perform this Dispel, the Adept must know the exact name of the spell that they wish to remove, what College the spell is a part of, and whether the spell is General or Special Knowledge The target covered by the affected magic may passively resist the Dispel. This spell cannot remove the effects of rituals, or remove curses.

Forbidding (S-6)
Range: 10 feet (+10/Rank)
Duration: 10 minutes (+10/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: Passive
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Area
Effects: Creates a thin barrier, either 10 feet high and 20 feet long as a wall, or 10 feet high and 5 feet in radius as a ring. The Adept may increase any dimension by 1 foot per Rank. This barrier obeys all of the usual rules for insubstantial walls. A single Generic or Individual true name is crafted into the forbidding, and to those whose names are contained therein the barrier appears bluish and crackling with magical energy. If those named fail to resist upon initial contact then the forbidding is completely solid to them and they are unable to pass it. If they resist, the barrier is insubstantial, and to those not named it is invisible and completely insubstantial. If seen by means of Witchsight or similar, the forbidding appears as it does to those whose name it holds. If an Individual True name is placed in the forbidding that entity must resist each contact with the barrier -- even if they are able to pass through it -- or suffer [D-4] +1/Rank damage.

Mana Sense (S-7)
Range: Self
Duration: 1 minute (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: No
Storage: Potion
Target: Self
Effects: This spell allows the adept to "sense" the mana flows within 10 feet (+10/Rank). If a spell is cast or magic triggered within range, the Adept will see it flying off towards its target. Similarly, if the target of any spell is within range, the Adept will see the magic impact on them. If the Adept choose to Actively Concentrate with this spell in effect, they will be able to see Adepts drawing mana, and be able to see if a target resists a spell or not. While concentrating the Adept will have a (2 x PC) chance of being able to distinguish the College of the magic they can see and whether the spell is low, medium, high or very high in rank.

Scry Shield (S-8)
Range: 10 feet (+5/Rank)
Duration: 10 minutes (+10/Rank) or Special
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 20%
Resist: No
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Volume
Effects: This spell protects an area from scrying by Wizard Eyes, Crystals and Waters of Vision, and similar divinatory magics of a Rank equal to or lower than the rank of the Scry Shield. It does not prevent normal vision, infravision, Witchsight and similar spells. A Scry Shield is a shell over the protected volume, so once the area is penetrated by mundane means, e.g. by flying or by foot, spells cast inside the protected volume work normally. At Rank 20 this spell alarms the Adept that an attempt to divine within the volume by magical means has taken place, provided that the Adept is within the volume at the time. This spell may be cast as a ritual if the Adept so choose. In this form casting takes 10 hours and the duration is increased to 4 weeks (+1/Rank).

Spell Barrier (S-9)
Range: 10 feet (+5/Rank)
Duration: 1 minute (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: No
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Volume
Effects: The Adept creates a thin, incorporeal wall which blocks the passage of magic. The barrier is either 10 feet high and 20 feet long as a wall, or 10 feet high and 5 feet in radius as a ring. The Adept may increase any dimension -- other than thickness -- by 1 foot per Rank. This barrier obeys all of the usual rules for insubstantial walls. Any magic cast in such a way that a direct line drawn from the caster to their target passes through the wall (from either side) has a 40% [(+3/Rank with this spell) (-3/Rank of the target magic)] chance of having its energies dissipated.

True Mind (S-10)
Range: 10 feet (+5/Rank)
Duration: 1 minute (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 200
Base Chance: 30%
Resist: No
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap, Potion
Target: Entity
Effects: For the duration of the True Mind spell the target entity will be freed from the effects of any charm, compulsion, compelling or other form of mind control magic be it from spell, ritual, or magical device. It will not prevent an entity from failing to resist such magic while the True Mind is working, but the controlling magic will have no effect until the True Mind expires.

True Seeing (S-11)
Range: 10 feet (+5/Rank)
Duration: 1 minute (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 25%
Resist: No
Storage: Investment, Ward, Magical Trap
Target: Area
Effects: Within the area of the spell all magically altered things will appear as they as they truly are. Invisible or insubstantial things will become visible, illusions are obvious and almost transparent, and magically rearranged, cursed or transformed entities and objects become highly conspicuous.

1.7 Special Knowledge Rituals

Divination (R-1)
Range: 5 feet (+1/Rank)
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: 40% (+10/Rank)
Cast Time: 1 hour or 3 hours
Resist: No
Target: Entity, Object, Area
Materials: None.
Actions: Concentration
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: There is no possibility of backfire from this ritual. The Namer may determine if an individual, object, or area is currently, or has been recently, under the effects of a spell by employing the Ritual of Magic Divination. The Base Chance is reduced by 5% for each week (or fraction of a week) since the spell was cast. Permanent magic (e.g. invested items still with charges) or spells currently in effect carry no modifier. If the ritual is successful, the nature of the spells (their exact name and College) is revealed to the Namer. If the magic is of non-college origin its general effects are revealed.

Example: Rolf the Barbarian has had three spells on him 1, 2 and 3 weeks ago respectively, and Moniker the Namer is rank 2 in the ritual, a cast of 50% would mean the 1 and 2 week ago spells would be revealed but not the spell of 3 weeks ago. (However if the 3 week ago spell was a Lesser enchantment which was still in effect it would be revealed).

If the Adept wishes to spend 3 hours casting this ritual then they may perform an Ancient divination. The Base Chance of the ritual is reduced to 40% (+2/Rank), but if successful the Namer will learn the exact nature of all enchantments, magical mechanisms, triggering conditions, curses, side-effects, etc., placed upon an entity or object even if they are of non-college origin. If an object has an Individual True Name the Ancient Divination will reveal its existence, though not the actual name.

Expulsion (R-2)
Range: 5 feet (+1/Rank)
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 10% (+5/Rank)
Cast Time: 1 hour
Resist: Active, Passive
Target: Entity
Materials: None.
Actions: Concentration
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: This Ritual will return one entity to its plane of origin, regardless of how it got to the current plane. Upon completion of the ritual, if the target fails to resist, they will be immediately returned to the point from which they left their plane of origin.

Interregnum (R-3)
Range: 10 feet
Duration: Special
Experience Multiple: 250
Base Chance: MA (+4/Rank)
Cast Time: 2 hours
Resist: Active, Passive
Target: Entity or Object
Materials: None
Actions: Concentration
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: The targeted entity or object has all magical effects upon them suspended, so that their durations will not reduce, but the magic will have no effect. The duration of the Interregnum may be chosen by the Adept at the time of casting, from a minimum of 1 day to a maximum of:

Remove Curse (R-4)
Range: 5 feet
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 500
Base Chance: Special
Cast Time: 6 or 18 hours
Resist: May not be resisted
Target: Entity, Object, Area
Materials: None.
Actions: Inscribe symbols of power
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: Namers have a greater ability to remove curses than do the Adepts of other Colleges. Namers learn this form of the Remove Curse ritual. Except where noted, this Remove Curse ritual is identical to the standard version.

Minor Curse: The time to remove is 6 hours and the Base Chance is (15 - MA of curse + 7 /Rank ).
Major Curse: The time to remove is 18 hours and the Base Chance is [Adept's MA - MA of curse] (+3/Rank). In addition the Adept must have a Magical Aptitude greater than or equal to that of the curse. If the major curse is a Deathcurse, add only (+2/Rank).

Sealing (R 5)
Range: 20 feet (+20/Rank)
Duration: 1 day (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 20% (+4/Rank)
Cast Time: 1 hour
Resist: No
Target: Area
Materials: None.
Actions: Chanting and inscribing symbols
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: This Ritual seals an area against entities from another plane. The ritual seals the area of effect against entities from a single, specific, named plane. The name of the plane must be known by the Adept. The name of the plane that the Adept is currently occupying cannot be used. No entity whose plane of origin has been sealed against can voluntarily enter the sealed area. They will stop at the boundary and refuse to go any further. Any entity taken into the area against their will (or without their knowledge, e.g. unconscious) will attempt to leave the area as quickly as possible. If an attempt is made to summon an entity from the named plane into the area the summoning will fail.

True Form (R-6)
Range: 5 feet
Duration: Immediate
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 20% (+3/Rank)
Cast Time: 3 hours
Resist: Active, Passive
Target: Entity, Object
Materials: None.
Actions: Concentration
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: By means of this ritual the Adept may force a target that has been magically altered, cursed, or rearranged into a form other than their natural one to assume their true form and nature. It will only work on targets whose form or nature has been altered and will not remove effects that could occur naturally. For example, the ritual would restore the form of a human that had been cursed into the shape of a toad, and would return to flesh a human turned to stone but would do nothing to remove a curse of weeping sores or restore a lost limb.

True Speaking (R-7)
Range: 10 feet
Duration: 30 minutes
Experience Multiple: 300
Base Chance: 40% (+3/Rank)
Cast Time: Special/1 hour
Resist: Yes
Target: Entity
Materials: None.
Actions: Asking questions
Concentration Check: Standard
Effects: By means of this ritual the Adept may attempt to force an entity who is present to speak the truth. The Adept must prepare for 30 minutes after which they may question the entity for the remaining 30 minutes of the 1 hour ritual. The effects of the ritual do not last beyond the hour. If the target fails to resist they must attempt to answer each of the Adept's questions truthfully, to the best of their knowledge. They need not volunteer information. The GM rolls for the success of this ritual and need not inform the Adept's player of the result.

Appendix 1: Auras
Appendix 2: True Names
Appendix 3: Counterspells

©Copyright 1999, Martin Dickson.

In the DQ universe entities have an Aura. Those objects that were once alive retain traces of their living auras. The strength and composition of the Aura reflects the amount of life-force and magic that the entity or object possesses and the other properties that are intrinsically part of their being.

The base element of any Aura is strength. The strength of an Aura is always revealed by any magic that detects or reads Auras. The categories of strength are, from weakest to strongest:

• Magic (magical wall, illusion)
• Formerly Living Composite (chair, stew)
• Formerly Living (dead orc, log)
• Non-Sentient Animates (stone golem, skeleton)
• Living Plants (rose, oak)
• Living Animals (dog, cat)
• Sentient Animates (flesh golem, vampire)
• Living Sentient (human, sphinx)
• Long Living Sentient (dragon, titan, elf)
• Avatar (material form of a Demon, etc.)

The strongest Aura will be detected. Thus a human covered by an illusion (without an Aura component) will still be detectable as a Living Sentient.

The rest of an Aura consists of information intrinsic to the possessor. This information will vary depending upon the Generic type of the target, but will either affect the life-force of the target, or be magical. Only effects that are still current or continuos in nature will be detected. Information that may be gained from a living being includes: its Generic True Name, approximately how far it is through its life-span (juvenile, mature, venerable), its general state of health (healthy, ill, near-death), aptitude with a magical ability (low, medium, high, very high) and to which College of magic (if any) it is attuned. These last two facts are discernible because the skills that they represent have an affect on the level and type of magic in the entity's Aura. Relatively little information can be divined regarding the non-magical learned abilities of an entity. It will be possible to learn what is the being's most intrinsic skill or ability, but lesser skills may not be sufficiently intrinsic so as to have made an impression on the being's aura.

Magical auras will include information such as College, exact name of a spell or other effect, level of magical ability (low, medium, high, very high), approximate length of time that the magic has been in effect (providing it is still present), and approximately how much duration remains.

Detect Aura
(shorter write up -- to follow)

©Copyright 1999, Martin Dickson.

Generic True Names

All living things in the DragonQuest world have a Generic True Name. This name is present in their aura. Formerly living things retain traces of their aura and the name that they had when alive. All True Names are in an ancient language, believed by some to be the language that the gods used when they made the world, and by others to be the original language of the first mortal race, the Dragons. A translation of these names into the common tongue yields such terms as human, elf, tiger, oak, bee, rattlesnake, and rose.

A Generic True name identifies the entity or object as being of a distinct type. Very similar things with much the same form and function, will probably have the same Generic name. For example, many small, harmless, plains-dwelling snakes will have the Generic True name "Grass Snake" even if they look somewhat different. A venomous variety of similar nature will have a different Generic True name.

Generic True Names may be learnt:

• By means of a Detect Aura.
• From another being who has studied the name (i.e. knows the name at Rank 0 or higher).

Individual True Names

All sentient entities (player character races, dragons, mer-people, naga, etc.) have an Individual True Name. This becomes known to them upon reaching maturity. All sane sentient entities will know their own Individual True Name and no force -- physical or magical -- can coerce the entity to reveal it. They may choose to reveal it, however. An entity will be called by a given (or use) name, often given to then by parents or peers. The entity will know their Individual True Name in their native tongue and a Namer would have to spend time translating the Individual Name into the Namer language before it could be used. Entities will protect their True Name vigorously as this knowledge can be used both defensively and offensively. Indeed, the very mention of an entity's True Name would strike great fear into their heart.

Player characters and even members of the College of Naming Incantations will know only their own Individual True Name upon completing their education. All other Individual True Names must be acquired and learnt before they can be used.

Four methods exist for acquiring an entity's True Name:

• The entity may choose to reveal it.
• It may be obtained from a Namer Demon -- when an entity is born, their Individual True Name becomes known to some of the Naming Demons (see the demon descriptions in the College of Greater Summoning).
• It may be obtained from another other being who has studied the True Name, if they choose to disclose it.
• It may be found in written form - Adepts of various Colleges have been known to record important entity's names in magic tomes.

The aura of the entity contains both the Generic and Individual True Names, and so the training of the College of Namers concentrates greatly on the study and interpretation of auras, from all living beings and formerly-living objects. Whilst other Colleges use the Detect Aura spell/talent, only the Namer is trained to make maximum use of the information gained from perceiving auras. The Generic Name is instantly identified when a Namer perceives an aura, although this Name must still be studied and Ranked to be of use. The information is coded into the aura in a form that Namers are trained to recognise, but other Colleges, through use of the same Detect Aura spell / talent, would need to inquire specifically to receive the same information.

The Individual True Name is also coded into the aura, but is so complex and varied that they cannot be deciphered and used by even a Namer. If the Namer is given the Entity's True Name, then it is possible for the Namer to identify the auric characteristics that make up the Individual True Name. The study of these components takes considerable time due to their complexity.

Ranking Names

Once acquired, an Individual or Generic Name may be studied and fully learnt. Generic Names take one day of study to be learned (that is reach Rank 0) while Individual Names take one week in study after the Name has been acquired. Individual names (except for a entity's own name) count against Magical Aptitude in the same way as spells.

• Only Adepts of the College of Naming Incantations can acquire Rank of greater than 0 with names
• The maximum Rank of an Individual or Generic Name is 20.
  

©Copyright 1999, Martin Dickson.

Counterspells act to increase Magic Resistance and defeat the workings of other spells. Each college has two of these spells: a General Knowledge Counterspell, and a Special Knowledge Counterspell. These are specific to the college -- a Fire College Special Counterspell will not affect the workings of any Earth College spell, nor would it affect a General Knowledge spell of the Fire College. Adepts learn both Counterspells of their own college as part of their General Knowledge.

Counterspell
Range: 25 feet (+25/Rank)
Duration: D+5 minutes (+1/Rank)
Experience Multiple:
100 -- General Knowledge Counterspell
200 -- Special Knowledge Counterspell
Base Chance: 40%
Resist: Passive
Storage: Investment, Ward, Potion, Magical Trap
Target: Entity, Object, Area
Effects: There are several distinct uses for a Counterspell. They are:

1. If cast upon an entity or object the target adds 30 (+3/Rank) to their Magic Resistance when resisting the type of spell to which the Counterspell applies.
2. If cast upon an area the spell affects a space 15 feet in diameter. All targets within the area gain the magic resistance bonus detailed above and additionally no one within the area may cast a spell of the type affected. A double or triple effect cast may increase the area of effect to 25 feet or 35 feet respectively.
3. If one or more Counterspells of the appropriate type are cast over the entire area of effect of a Ward, then the warded area is temporarily defused. When the duration of the Counterspells end, such that the Ward is no longer fully covered, it will become active again.
4. An Adept may use a Counterspell to dissipate a spell that they have cast. They must direct the Counterspell at the specific spell effect that they wish to remove. In the case of area effect spells it is sufficient to cast one Counterspell within the area -- the entire area need not be covered. One Counterspell will dissipate one spell.
5. Some spells may be removed by any Adept casting the appropriate Counterspell at them. Only spells that specifically state that they may be removed this way can be affected. One Counterspell will dissipate one spell.

A target may only be under the effects of the Counterspells of a single College. Counterspells of other colleges cast upon them will obey the normal rules for stacking. Thus the maximum number of Counterspells that an entity or object may be under is four: the General and Special Counterspells of one college cast upon them, and the General and Special Counterspell of another college upon the area they occupy. A target may only benefit from one Counterspell against a particular spell. If there is more than one appropriate Counterspell protecting a target the highest ranked one will have an effect.

Characters may learn Counterspells from colleges other than their own. The Counterspells of other colleges are practised at Rank 0 and may not be ranked.

©Copyright 1999, Martin Dickson.