Rites

Whilst Weavers may wield great power within Menhir, they also have the ability to channel a little Wyrd of their own which they may use outside of the Fragments in independent or small group workings known as Rites. Rites are specific spells that take a brief moment to enact, and then provide a result more complex and/or powerful than a much quicker cantrip.

All wyrd contains an element of chaos and risk, and Rites are no exception. A successful Rite can cause great impact and turn the tide of battle. But all Rites can fail, causing devastating or even fatal harm.

Rites Step by Step

All Rites are enacted by following the same simple process:

1. Choose a Rite the Weaver (or group of Weavers) wish to weave.
2. Cast the Rite for the weaving duration required, and choose any Flickers you wish to spend.
3. Perform the Wyrd Draw to determine if the Rite is a success or a fail.
4. If the Rite fails, either Tempt Fate or suffer Overload.
5. If the Rite is successful, choose targets and call any effects.

Choose Sphere

Each Weaver is aligned to at least one sphere of magic, and may only Weave Rites from the spheres they are aligned with. If the Rite has a level equal to or lower than their Weaving level then they have a chance of Weaving it successfully on their own. If the Rite is of a higher level, then they will need to perform the Weaving as a group.

Weave

To perform a Rite there are no set rules but as a general guide,

• Work together if you are in a group
• Reference the rite name that you are performing
• Reference the specific sphere of Wyrd that you are using
• Make the Flicker or Essence part of the Rite if they are required.
• Make sure your Rite lasts the specified duration

In Menhirs Fate we would like to encourage our players to make Rites expressive and interesting works of magic.

The Weaver may choose to contribute Flickers of power to make the Weaving stronger or extend its effect. The result of any extension, and if one is possible, is in the Rite description.  Each Flicker used also increases the Rite level by 2. If the Rite level becomes higher than the Weaver’s Weaving level, then the Rite automatically fails and always results in Overload. You can not Tempt Fate to avoid this outcome.

What Disrupts a Rite

Rites take much of the casters attention, any disruption automatically makes the rite fail.

• A weaver that is part of the Rite enters a Critical State.
• Leaving the general area of the Rite or moving at a fast pace
• Any aggressive action or defensive action (such as fight or parrying)
• Using any ability that requires Focus, Vigor or Faith.

What doesn’t Disrupt a Rite

• Moving during the rite (this must be a walking pace)
• Roleplay such as expressing various emotions (unless the Character wish for it to break the rite)
• Safety calls however the weaver/weavers must pause their casting time and finish their casting time when the game is called back on.

Wyrd Draw

All Weavers carry with them a small draw bag containing several tokens. The bag must not be transparent and must obscure the tokens within. To begin with, this will contain (3 + Weaving level) tokens of a colour of their choice (we recommend the colour of your Weaving sphere but any will do) and 1 additional token which MUST be white.  All tokens must be of a similar shape and size. Players may decorate or embellish these however they wish, but these are an OOC tool. 

The coloured tokens are the success tokens and the white token is the failure token. Players should also have access to an additional 4 white tokens. Although the standard draw bag will only have 1 fail token, there will be situations where more are required.

Once the Rite has been woven for the required time, the Weaver reaches into the bag and draws 1 token without looking. If they draw a coloured token the Rite has succeeded. If they draw a white token, they have now failed.

Tempt Fate

If the Weaver draws a Failure token, they may choose to change the outcome to a Success token. This is called ‘Tempting Fate’, and Weavers should inform a ref as soon as possible whenever they do so. Each Weaver may only Tempt Fate a maximum of 3 times per day. After the 3rd time, they may no longer do so but can still Weave more Rites.

Each time you Tempt Fate you gain 1 point of Corruption. As a character in Menhir’s Fate gains more corruption throughout the events that they attend they will become increasingly closer to Wyrd and discover the trials and perils thereof along the way. Please note, too much Corruption may result in a variety of unfortunate circumstances that may include death.

If a Weaver fails and does not Tempt Fate, then they suffer Overload. The Rite does not have its intended effect. The Weaver loses all their hits and enters their critical state. They also suffer an additional roleplay effect of their choosing based on the sphere of Weaving. Some examples are provided with each sphere’s Rites.

Success

If a Success token is drawn then the Rite is successful. The Weaver may choose targets as described by their chosen Rite and carry out the effect. A Rite with range ‘touch through foci’ is deployed on the next possible target the Weaver touches with their foci (or themself), which must be done within the duration time of the Rite (either five minutes or instantaneous), or the Rite effect is lost.

**Example: Jess Bobbins would like to perform the Rite “Rise my Friends”. 

Jess Is a Lvl 2 Athrian Weaver and a lvl 1 Water Weaver. As Lvl 2 is their strongest sphere their token bag should include 4 success tokens, and one failure token. Jess begins the Rite. During the 30 second cast time, Jess will perform a Wryd draw. They produce the white token! Jess must now ethier take the Overload effect or Tempt Fate. Jess chooses to Tempt Fate so their Rite is a success! Jess will need to inform a referee that they have gained one Corruption**

Group Rites

A Rite can also be woven by a group of Weavers instead of a lone individual. This follows the same basic process with the following clarifications:

• All Weavers must be aligned with the same sphere as the Rite. It should be clear to all Weavers before starting the Rite which Rite they are Weaving. 
• Use the combined Weaving level in the rite’s sphere of all members of the group as the Weaving level when determining if the Rite can be woven and how many Flickers it can be successfully extended by.
• A single Weaver should be decided upon to perform the Wyrd Draw before beginning. This Weaver must have the highest weaving Level of the group in the sphere of Wyrd that the Rite is being cast from. If there are multiple Weavers of the same level in that sphere then they may choose.
• Any member of the group may contribute any amount of Flickers to extend the Rite. They must make it clear to all the group when they do so.
• If the Weaver who performs the Wyrd Draw draws a White token, they alone decide whether to Tempt Fate. They must make it clear to the group if they do so, and ALL Weavers in the group should inform a ref as soon as convenient that they tempted fate. In group Rites, if one Weaver has already Tempted Fate three times that day, they alone will take an overload effect while the other Weavers take the Corruption, however the Rite is still a success.
• If the Rite has a range of 5 metres or more, the Weaver who performs the Wyrd draw selects any/all targets. If the Rite has a range of ‘Self’, then only the Weaver who performs the Wyrd Draw takes its effect. If the Rite has a range of ‘Touch through foci’, the Weaver who performs the Wyrd Draw may distribute targeting amongst any/all foci present as they choose.

Rites lists

• Air
• Earth
• Fire
• Water
• Forge
• Fable
• Athria
• Oracle