The Ward Ritual
The Ward Ritual
- Duration: Until triggered
- Experience Multiple: 400
- Base Chance: MA + 3% / Rank
- Resist: None
- Target: Volume
- Cast Time: 1 hour
- Material: None
- Actions: Concentration
- Concentration Check: Standard
- Effects: An entity may employ Ritual Magic to set a Ward over an area which they occupy.
A Ward is a spell which is activated by the entry or exit of objects or entities into the volume it occupies. Whenever an entity wants to create a Ward, they engage in one or more hours of Ritual Preparation to create the Ward. At the end of the preparation, they check to see if the Ward is set by making a Cast Check. If the Cast Check is successful, the Ward is set. If the Check is not successful, no Ward exists.
It is possible to backfire from an attempt to create a Ward. In such cases, the spell being incorporated into the Ward backfires immediately. This is rolled for on the backfire table as though a normal Cast Check had resulted in the backfire.
Once the Ward is cast, the entry or exit of any object or entity in the area occupied by the Ward (determined by the range of the spell incorporated into the Ward) may trigger the Ward. The area that the Ward occupies and the range of the spell incorporated into the Ward are identical. This means that most spells (Range 15' + 15 rank) have a minimum sized ward of 30' diameter (a sphere, centred on the caster, of 15'radius). Also, note that many spells have an indefinite range and hence cannot be incorporated into a Ward. This includes spells with ranges of unlimited, self, or touch and spells that can only affect the Adept. Once a Ward has been triggered, it ceases to exist. It takes full effect on the entity(s) or object(s) that triggered it, but is dissipated thereafter. It takes full but normal effect on the target(s) - there is no possibility for a double or triple effect (nor for failure or backfire). Note that a Ward set up for triggering by an entity or object exiting the area cannot be a targeted spell, since the target would no longer be within range. The exiting method of triggering is still useful for area of effect spells that don't have a specific target. All Wards emanate from the exact spot occupied by the individual who cast the Ward (important for determining range). Note that there are a couple of spells that can have an effect beyond their range.
Spells that are not suitable for incorporation into a Ward are those which require concentration, or some other action by the Adept. A Ward always consists of only one spell. More than one Ward may not be set over a specific area. Any attempt to set a Ward on an area that overlaps another Ward will fail. The Adept will only become aware of this if they would otherwise have been successful.
Whenever creating a Ward, the Adept must also specify under what conditions the Ward will be triggered. They may decide not to limit its effect, in which case the Ward will be triggered by anyone or anything entering the area over which it is set, or they may limit it to affecting specific individuals or anything in between. Thus, an Adept could set a Ward that would only be triggered by the entry or exit of a troll. If a multi-target spell is required to hit more than one target from a Ward, then the trigger must include the number of beings. For example, a spell which affects three targets could be set up to be triggered by three trolls. The instant that the third troll entered the volume the Ward would be triggered, but prior to that any number of lone trolls could have freely moved through the Ward.
A Ward, once it is successfully set, cannot be triggered until the caster leaves the volume of the Ward. Specifics of the triggering mechanism must be something intrinsic to the object or entity (similar to Detect Aura). Hence a Ward could be set up to be triggered by a Rank 4 or higher assassin, but could not be constructed to trigger on the assassin known as Mac the Knife. In order to affect, or exclude, specific entities, those entity's Individual True Names may be incorporated into the Ward, or a sufficiently detailed description so as to identify the individual. If Individual True Names are incorporated then there is no possible way to determine what those names are, but a Divination would reveal the number of entities specifically affected, or excluded. A Ward cannot recognise a specific object, but merely an instance of an object. For example, "my sword" could not be included in the triggering mechanism, but a "magical sword with a yak-hide grip" could be. A Ward cannot tell the time so a Ward cannot include such phrases as "after x minutes" or "at midnight". Nor does a Ward have any memory, so in cannot be set up to be triggered by the third troll to pass.
Once a Ward is set, any entity or object which could trigger the Ward and which enters the area occupied by the Ward is automatically subject to whatever spell was woven into the Ward. Only those spells known by the caster of the Ward may be woven into the Ward and they take effect exactly as if the caster of the Ward were present and casting at the spot occupied by the entity when they set the Ward. All entities or objects nearby which would normally be affected by the spell are subject to its effects when it is cast as a result of the Ward being triggered. Note that for entities or objects to be affected they must be within the volume that the Ward occupied, with the exception of those spells which can affect beyond their range. Targeted spells can only affect what is incorporated in the triggering mechanism.
Wards are dispelled in one of two ways: either by a Namer casting the appropriate Counterspell of the same College incorporated into the Ward, or by being triggered by an entity or object. The Adept who set the Ward may always counterspell their own spells, and hence they can dissipate their own wards by casting a counterspell into it. Wards exist in perpetuity until dispelled.
