Pedhetl[]
Spellcasting on Tékumel is based on magical psychic energy resource that draws on the energy of the Planes Beyond which can be channeled to create powerful effects.
Every creature, sentient or otherwise, has Pedhetl, which can be used, manipulated and restored by those trained in its use. There is the belief that a creature's Pedhetl is doubled at the moment a creature crosses over unto death, which is a reason for ritual sacrifices when performing powerful ritual magic.
5e: Tékumel spellcasters use the Spell Points Variant form the DMG5e (p.288), which is called Pedhetl.
Magic is built through Psychic and Ritual processes taught by the Temples in the empires. As such, what follows are the changes to the standard D&D spellcasting and spell lists.
The DM will need to select how spells are used at their table. EPT spells are far more powerful than regular spells, but are rigid and lack the variety D&D spells allow.
D&D5e Spells: Players only use D&D spells with the exceptions listed below.
D&D5e & EPT spells: Players use a mix of D&D spells and EPT spells.
EPT Spells only: Spell Casters can only use EPT Spells
Spellbooks[]
Tsolyáni wizards do not have “spellbooks” the way wizards in other settings have them. Every wizard knows the spells they know and can prepare them without reference to any physical artifact. Still, certain advanced magi have been known to inscribe books of spells for the introductory teaching of their pupils or as a legacy to their heirs.
These books are never offered on the open market, as learning a spell without the aid of a living tutor results in dangerously imperfect knowledge. Any such trade would have to happen away from the watchful eye of the temples and the wary vigilance of imperial law. Books that contain the secrets of a restricted temple spell would be priceless to the right wildly-reckless buyer.
5e: Temples will only teach Magic-Users the spells they can learn and have prepared. Documenting a system to re-learn and change what spells you would know would be considered very advanced sorcery. Wizards in the Temples are only taught as many spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your Wizard level [this is still commonly more spells than the sorcerer class].
Temple Spells[]
Each Temple specializes in different aspects of spells. Although sorcery is not dependent on the gods for it to work, the temples are the main sources of learning how to do it. Those priests who choose to specialize in sorcery are called "sorcerer/priests". Those who learn sorcery but choose to be somewhat aloof of their temple are called "lay-priests" or "jack-priests". Sorcerers are only taught those spells known to their temple (and the body of spells common to all temples).
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY A PERSON LEARN A SPELL BELONGING TO ANOTHER TEMPLE.
Temple sorcery is a tightly guarded secret, and those that betray those secrets can expect to be hunted down and executed in the most horrible fashion imaginable. Even scrolls of temple spells are enchanted so that only worshipers of the same deity (or his/her cohort) may use it. A temple’s hierarchy would think nothing of igniting a century-long struggle to assassinate every possessor of a stolen temple spell. Those who do acquire such forbidden knowledge would be wise to keep it extremely well-concealed.
If a person wishes to abandon their faith and join another temple, their memory is wiped so that they cannot remember their spells, and they must start over. Notice that there are some spells common to all temples; these are not kept secret because everybody already knows them.
Whether one is a cleric (sorcerer-priest) or a wizard (lay priest) makes little practical difference in terms of capabilities. The differences mainly lie in personality, one's connections with the temple, and how involved one wishes to be in temple politics.
If you’re wanting to be as close to AD&D rules as possible. Simply use ordinary wizard and cleric rules for spell casting.
Both wizards and clerics may hire tutors, find scrolls, etc. to learn additional spells. Neither wizards nor clerics need spellbooks: when they learn a spell, they know how to cast it. Spell books are used exclusively as teaching instruments here. Spells are memorized by sleep and meditation or prayer.
Both wizards and clerics may wear nothing heavier than leather armor when spellcasting (no shield!), but clerics are allowed to wear heavier armor if they are not spell-casting. Chlén-hide armor also obstructs spell casting by restricting the freedom of movement needed to cast spells properly. This is mostly because in the Five Empires on Tékumel, armor is very ornate.
D&D5e: To Learn Temple spells, a magic-user must know 5 Generic spells of their temple.
Shamans[]
The wild tribes do not have the benefit of temple studies and formal schools for occult training. Those tribes who have the knack for sorcery or an excellent talent as performers might become shamans, educated by a mentor in the basics of their profession. Proper sorcerers sneer at their coarse arts, but some tribes have preserved arts and sorcery unknown to the great libraries of the temples.
There are two schools of thought among shamans:
Escorts of Germination[]
The larger group was called the escorts of germination and they were fundamentally against interference and intervention in natural processes and also held to the tenet of simply standing aside, watching, observing and guarding against unnatural intervention their surroundings. Non-intervention was their strict policy.
Accelerators[]
The other, smaller group was called the accelerators and they were striving for the use of the powers they had learned which could accelerate the natural processes. To this end they felt intervention was necessary in the natural process. Accelerators are shunned by their societies because of persecution from the escorts of germination. They were eventually hunted down and killed on mass.
Being an accelerator is only a minor imperfection and would not necessarily result in being ostracized. The accelerator training is further adapted by ónchash Chairáni in order to accommodate their unusual culture. Initiates are taught the coordinates for the City of the Clanless. Senior initiates know the points for the Unstraightened City. Basic screening, indoctrination and training is conducted at the City of the Clanless. Further training is conducted at ónchash Cháiran because it is a safe haven. You are finally accepted when a master gives you your secret name. People other than Chairáni are trained here and take on the disguise as simply being foreigners who wish to live here. Even though first looked at as an oddity and curiosity, the use of sigils and interest outside the city are accepted because of the accumulation, although causes imperfections is of interest.
There is also a rumour of the Mighty Fortress, a legend that states that there is a fortress out of space and time that is occupied by accelerators. There is no bridge to get there.
- Source: Alan Musielewicz. The City of ónchash Cháiran: Area, Geography and Climate; Accelerators. Tekumel.com
Psychic Magic[]
Psychic magic does not require extensive paraphernalia or incantations, simply concentration and a perceptible target(s).
Psychic Magic is any spell that is cast in one round or less (6 seconds). These spells will generally be Instantaneous or require concentration to maintain. Psychic Magic tends not to require verbal, somatic, or material components (commonly only commands that need to be spoken).
Ritual Magic[]
Ritual spells require a unique mind-set, gestures, vocalizations, attitudes, and specific paraphernalia (substances, diagrams, sacrifices, etc.) and are capable of much more complex effects. Ritual Magic is any spell that is or can be cast over time. Any spell that has a duration greater than Instantaneous can be cast as Ritual Magic.
Spells cast as Ritual Magic take 10 minutes longer to cast than normal. The spell doesn’t expend a spell slot, so the spell is not up-cast unless the spell points are spent to cast it at a higher level.
The spellcaster needs the space to conduct the ritual, meaning they need the following:
- A stable space to stand and work
- Sufficient space to move around
- Be unencumbered
- Be able to move freely around the space
- Not wear any armour
- Not be interrupted
If any conditions are not met, or they change well concentrating on the spell, the spell fails.
Metal and the Spellcaster[]
On Tékumel, metal disrupts spell casting, which is one reason spellcasters wear no armor (and carry no coins or metal weapons). Contact with metal grounds the use of both psychic and ritual magic (though this has no effect once the spell is cast). If the caster carries one psé (750 grams, a pound is 454 grams) of metal. Lesser amounts do not cause spell failure (so the character can safely carry a steel dagger). However, copper and bronze do have a reduced effect.
5e: Spellcasters must make Concentration check if they have or are within 5 feet of over 1 lb of metal.The DC is 8 +1 per pound of metal. If there is 10+ lbs of metal, make the check at disadvantage. If the spellcaster fails, the spell merely fails. Cantrips automatically fail, and the caster takes 1 point of psychic damage, even if the caster passes the Concentration check.
If a spellcaster critically fails the Concentration check (rolls a 1), they take 1d8 points of psychic damage per level of spell they cast (or are concentrating on), as well as lose the spell they were casting or concentrating on. This affects spell scrolls as well but not items imbued with magical effect, such as Wands, staffs and other such items. Cantrips automatically fail, and the caster takes 1 point of psychic damage.
Magic Dampeners \ Psychic Dampener[]
Spells cannot be cast within one meter of the character (friendly or hostile) who is a Magic Dampener. The character cannot be psychically read or detected, and cannot cast magical Spells of any kind. Magical items that draw upon the user’s energy cannot be used at all within the affected area (by the character or by others). Items that possess charges may be used once within the affected area but must be removed from the area around the Dampener before being able to activate another charge (the next charge will not “load” within the dampened area). The character cannot activate scrolls, books, inscriptions, or other "triggered" enchantments — those that require a psychic "spark" from the reader. Thus, a Dampener can read a scroll but it will not activate but he or she also cannot trigger a sorcerous trap that requires reading.
About 1 person in 20 is a Psychic Dampener, of opposite magical polarity to the rest of the human race. No spells can be cast within a metre of them. Spells cast from outside that zone might still affect him, but even then there is a chance equal to his Psychic Ability of the spell simply "fizzling out". Eyes and other technological devices are not affected.
5e. Character uses a feat to take a power similar to Paladin's ‘Aura of Warding”. You can add your Charisma modifier to saving throws versus spells and spell effects. You also have resistance to damage from spells. Spellcasters within 10 feet of you must make concentration checks DC 8 + Charisma modifier to cast spells or maintain existing spells.
Fertile and Barren Magic Areas[]
Some parts of Tékumel have more inherent magic than others, and spellcasting is altered thereby.
Spells cast within "fertile" lands cost only 1/2 normal Spell Points. The cost of spellcasting is halved in magically rich locations. These include the cities of makuyál, Púrdimal, Avanthár and Sárku in Tsolyánu, Ch’óchi in Mu’ugalavyá, Jgrésh in Salarvyá, and most of the east coast of Livyánu.
Spells cast within "barren" lands cost twice the normal Spell Points. One such is the long swath of terrain from Chayákku to Nuru’ún in the far north.
There are also magically dead areas where sorcery does not work at all. Among these are the Plain of Towers, the Dry Bay of Ssu’úm, and the Tsoléi archipelago. Even magico-technological devices can only function once, and then cannot be used again until returned to a more fertile locale.
| Magical Fertile and Barren Areas | |
| Area | Spell or Power Cost |
| Fertile Area | Half |
| Normal Areas | No change |
| Semi-Barren Area | Double |
| Magically Barren Area | All stored power |
Ceremonial and Temple Sorcery[]
Each priesthood has supranormal effects which can be achieved by groups of ritual priests working together in a ceremony. Ceremonies of this sort are part of everyday religious activity in Tsolyánu and the sorcery they evoke cannot be achieved by a single individual, no matter how skilled. The ceremony is effectively a spell worked by several casters in unison. The priests involved must fulfill the requirements to use Ritual magic though they need not know any other sorcery apart from the special chants and dances of the ceremony.
Effects that can be achieved include the enhancing of weaponry by the Temples of Vimúhla and Karakán and the enrichment of harvests by the Temple of Avánthe. Usually ceremonial magic is only undertaken at certain times of the year, most often on the holy days of the temple in question.
Sacrifices[]
Ritual sacrifices are common in the Five Empires, and also very common in sorcerous rituals. As most living things, especially sentient creatures, have Pedhetl which is released at the moment of death, which can be used to power spells.
5e: Competent magic users can recover and use an amount of pedhetl equal to their Wisdom for each sacrifice. You also reduce the Concentration check by 1 for each sacrifice, to a minimum of 10.
Great Magic[]
Great Magic is High Level Spells cast by epic level beings, and groups of spell casters commonly within a temple.
There are techniques that go far beyond the spells taught in temples. These are the mysteries of immortality, the creation of life, and the means of commanding the elements and rules of other planes.
They have been re-discovered throughout history by wizards of legendary renown: Qiyór the Many-Tongued, Hagárr of Paránta, Subadím the Sorcerer and others. But these savants guarded their secrets jealously, so that little is known of Great Magic by the scholars of today.
The wizards who are destined to achieve greatness become increasingly withdrawn from their former lives and are likely to go off to meditate alone in the wilderness, rarely involving themselves with the mundane world. Such a study might involve more than a single ordinary life span and the wizard (if he or she survives) would of necessity be greatly changed by the end of it. Taking the road of the Undying Wizard.
Tactical Magic of the Five Empires[]
Spell casters in the Tsolyani army can have the opportunity to be part of a magical contingent. The basic of which is the spell caster being used as magical psychic energy resource that can be channeled to more powerful spell casters.
Each legion has a contingent of some 50-100 military sorcerers whose function is to provide large-scale sorcery in battle. Usually these are junior priests, young and therefore capable of bearing up under the rigours of campaigning, led by a few more senior mages. Such a magical contingent (called a Shatsúr) is either provided by the legion’s patron temple(s) or recruited and assigned by the Palace of Ever-Glorious War.
By participating in a group ritual, the military sorcerers achieve a kind of gestalt in which they are able to cast spells of enormous force. The sky above the battlefield is then lit up by great meteors of flame rebounding off invisible defensive shields, while other effects include miasmas in which phantom armies can be glimpsed, clamorous dins which confuse enemy troops and sap their resolve, and gusts of fresh or foul air.
No personal sorcery can be used on or near the battlefield while the military contingent maintain their rituals. One theory for this is that military magic drains all other-planar energy in the vicinity, leaving none available to power the spells of individual mage’s.
Military magic is highly ceremonial and cannot be used by individuals or in non-military situations. It is extremely puissant but lacks the versatility and fine control of personal magic.
The Magical Contingents[]
For a spell caster to join a tactical magic contingent just as a battery, they must at least have the spell Lens of Power, and have trained with a contingent for at least a week.
Other members of the contingent should have The Summit of the Mountain of Power, and the lead spell caster must have prepared the high level spells well in advance and worked with the contingent for many months.
There is commonly two magical contingents at all times, a defensive contingent and an offensive contingent. As long as there is a contingent running, all personal magic spellcasting is nearly impossible.
5e: Well magical contingents are in effect, personal magic is restricted to only Cantrips.
All Tactical Magic requires spells to be Upcast as 10th level spells and cast as ritual spells (10+ mins to cast). Tactical Magic also uses the mean average of spell damage, so a Tactical Magic Fireball is cast as a 10th level spell 15d6 Fire Damage for an average of 60 Fire damage, save for half (60/30). Tactical Magic is also measured in metres, not feet (30 foot diameter fireball is 9 metre diameter).
More in the document Tactical Magic of the Five Empires.
Variant: Casting the Psychic-Magic of EPT Spells[]
Concentration[]
Whenever you cast a spell a new spell you must make a concentration check to maintain or cast a new spell even if not concentrating on anything. The DC being 8 + half the cost in pedhetl.
Casting a Spell[]
The DC equals 8 or half the damage you’ve taken since your last round plus the spell level of the spell you’re trying to cast (1-10).
You can add an ability modifier depending on what type of spell you're trying to cast, Psychic or Ritual:
Psychic spells: Add your wisdom.
Ritual Spells: Add your intelligence.
Concentration is automatically broken if:[]
- Casting another spell that requires concentration
- Taking damage and a concentration check is failed
- Being incapacitated or killed.
| Circles and Spell Phylums | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Spellcaster Cirlce | Spellcaster Pedhetl | Phylum U\G\T | Pedhetl Cost |
| 1 | 4 | U1 | 2 |
| 2 | 6 | U2\G1 | 3 |
| 3 | 14 | U3\G2 | 5 |
| 4 | 17 | U4\G3\T1 | 6 |
| 5 | 27 | U5\G4\T2 | 7 |
| 6 | 32 | U6\G6\T3 | 9 |
| 7 | 38 | - | 10 |
| 8 | 44 | U7\G6\T4 | 11 |
| 9 | 57 | U8\G7\T5 | 13 |
| 10 | 64 | U9\G8\T6 | 17 |
| 11 | 73 | U10\G9\T7 | 20 |
| 12 | 73 | - | - |
| 13 | 83 | -\G10\T8 | 23 |
| 14 | 83 | - | - |
| 15 | 94 | T9 | 26 |
| 16 | 94 | - | - |
| 17 | 107 | T10 | 30 |
| 18 | 114 | - | - |
| 19 | 123 | - | - |
| 20 | 133 | - | - |
Spellcaster Circle: Spellcaster level
Proficiency Bonus: Spellcasters proficiency bonus per level.
Spellcaster Pedhetl: Amount of Pedhetl spellcasters have per Circle\level.
Universal Spells: Spells anyone can learn.
General Spells: Spells only taught at few temples.
Temple Spells: Temple specific spells that can only be learned at the temple by higher ranking temple priests.
Pedhetl Cost: Cost to learn and to cast a spell.
In order to cast a spell, the caster must first make be able to concentrate on forming the spell and gather their internal strength as well as extra-planner forces beyond the barrier. This is represented as a Concentration check.
Changes to Spells[]
Alignment[]
Stability and Change only. As we know, these do not correspond with "good" and "evil", but because AD&D's spell list orients their spells this way, consider Stability as "good" and Change as "evil"--for spell purposes only! A "Protection from Evil" spell therefore becomes a "Protection from Change" spell; worshippers of Change do not necessarily have to act in an evil fashion.
Summoning[]
All spells summoning monsters, shadows, etc. have been deleted, as have spells involving riding. There are no riding animals on Tékumel to speak of, so there's no reason to believe wizards would have developed such spells. There is no such thing as elementals, either. However, every temple can summon "demons" (other planar beings) who generally support that temple's goals. These servants may be treated like AD&D Tanari'i or Baatezu (or whatever they're called these days), but they come in both Stability and Change flavors. Demons of Change do tend to be quite as nasty as Tanari'i; there is little description of Demons of Stability to judge them.
The Planes[]
Tékumel has rich connections to other planes, and there is a swarming infinity of "Demon Planes" around the Tékumel universe.
On Tékumel, one travels via "Nexus Points", which are more like AD&D's Gate spell, in that they go directly from one plane to another. However, there is no guarantee that a Nexus Point will take you to your destination-¬you must step from plane to plane, traversing a series of Nexus Points to get to where you want. Thus, even if you simply want to get to another place on Tékumel, 100 miles away, you may have to cross five demon planes in order to get there.
"Contact Higher Plane", simply contacts either one's deity, or one of the lesser races serving him/her. You don't specify the plane you re-quest information from so much as the being you request information from.
An astral character becomes insubstantial and transparent, and can travel far distances more quickly than normally. The astral character may cross Nexus Points or go to other planes.
D&D Spells on Tékumel[]
Spells are not broken down by schools of magic. Instead, they are divided by subject matter. As for clerics, wizards must choose a deity to worship, as their choice of spells will depend on their temple. Wizards may learn spells from their temples list and the All list. As noted above, wizards are not permitted to choose spells from other temple lists no matter what the circumstance, nor may they ever cast spells from other temples, even if they find a scroll. Note that some spells are duplicated, and may be learned and used by different temples; this is okay.
Spell level is referred to as Spell Circle.
Adding Spells to Temples[]
There are an incredible number of spells out there. Add them as you see fit; here are some guidelines that I used to choose where they belong.
In general, the higher level a spell is, the more restricted to one deity it is likely to be.
- Used the Swords and Glory list to guide in which temples specialized in which kinds of magic. The list above should give you plenty of hints, too.
- Try to keep spells consistent. If illusion spells are generally found in the temples of Hnálla, Belkhánu, Hrü'ǘ, Sárku, and Dlamélish, don't put an illusion spell in Ksárul's list for no reason.
- No spells involving monster summoning or creation, Elementals, or specific other planes are included, nor are spells that depend on wild magic randomness for their effects.
Spells Alterations[]
Animate Dead[]
Produces one Mrúr or Tsóggu (they are undead despite the description in the bestiary) per two caster levels. See Zombie under the spell heading for more details.
Create Undead[]
An 11th level or higher caster may create Shédra, and A 16th level or higher caster may create Hrü'ǘ.
Create Greater Undead[]
A 15th level or higher caster may create Vorodlá, and a 18th level or higher caster may create Hrá.
The temple of Sarku has the ability to create Vampires i.e. your typical night crawling, blood sucker, but I doubt whether anybody has been motivated to try. -Source: Barker. The Blue Room Vol10#289.
Find Familiar[]
Not really "familiars" in the Western mediaeval sense. They do know and use various creatures from the Planes Beyond. These are usually equals: friends, colleagues, creatures with the same objectives, etc. -Source: Barker. The Blue Room Vol10#289.
Learning Tekumel Spells[]
It takes one month of tutelage to learn one EPT spell. Players can only learn a certain number of spells, determined by their spell Phylum:
Universal Spells: A Player can leaner a number of Universal spells number of spells, at their temple, equal to characters Intelligence. The spellcaster does not need to be particularly devout or attached to the temple. Generally Available to the Rich and High Born – Most Good Families Have a “House Wizard” to Instruct the Precocious Offspring.
Generic Spells: A Player can learn a number of Generic Spells, at their temple, equal to half their intelligence. The spellcaster must be fairly devout and work towards the interested of their temple.
Temple Spells: The player can learn a maximum number of Temple spells equal to the Character Intelligence modifier. The player must be devout and not only work towards the temples interests, but is likely a priest of the temple.
Shaman Spells: Are handled as if a separate temple.