Mzimwi

Hmm - a Deities and Demigods is just not what 'Mythic Roleplaying" means to me. I have a huge setting I've always called 'mythic fantasy' and there are no gods. Instead, there's a huge subtext of symbols and meanings underlying the structure of the setting. It's more fairy tale than Greek myth. I'm looking for an example, the best I can find is a best of history...

 

After the War of Sundering, some 15,000 years ago, the Fusulishi settled in the region of the Mistflower Jungles known as the Tepuin. At the time it was inhabited by neolithic tribesmen, Shifters, LittlePeople, Dryads, a local variety of Satyr known as a Chevrotain and a fairly advanced collective of Macaw species (minimacaws).

    For the Fusuliashi, this was prime pickings. They enslaved and zombified anyone they could catch. What followed was the true bloom of Savage civilization. Unfettered by the moral chain of the Centrality, surrounded by hapless native who knew no fear, the sky was their limit. Necrotech advanced by leaps and bounds, ultimately resulting in the Talking Heads, leading to something similar to an information age.

    During this time the local Shifter were reduced to slaves. When the slave reached a post-reproductive age, he was made undead to serve forever. The LittlePeople were left wild and hunted. When captured, their bodies were drained for their essential humours to make the disgusting Tisanes. The local animals were used mostly for experimentation. Some were very successful, especially the Drones created from ordinary beetles.

    However, during these ten thousand years, a revolution was brewing. Faerie races have no psychic abilities whatsoever, but this is not the case for the more intelligent animals. The Macaws in particular have always had minor gifts. By care selective breeding, they began to concentrate their powers into a few new lines. They created five new clans specializing in the battle skills: Necrokinesis, ESP, Ergokinesis, Telekinesis and Telecontrol, along with a sixth race to unite and lead them.

    Five thousand years ago, it was on. The Savages were taken completely by surprise. By means of Necrokinesis, the Macaws could usurp the Savages' control over their Zombi and Drone armies. It was more massacre than war and history records it as the Tepuin Genocide.

    The Savages fled, crossing the Great Escarpment, mostly in ill constructed rafts with slave porters. They crossed the Greenfalls, then began to settle and rebuild between the Yellowfalls and Lake Serenity.

    The Fusuliashi hit the Flowerfolk like a particularly tacky tsunami. Still in shock from the Tepuin Genocide and loaded for bear, they destroyed thousands of peaceful Floran villages merely in passing. Florans used Lorecraft, which is a lesser form of magic that is almost useless against the Necrotech of the Savages. The Rioflorans were exterpated from the Green and Gold rivers.

    Savage Elf culture is in a long, slow decline. They never rebuilt the granduer of the Tepuin cities and worse, there is a strong cultural malaise. Though they have their own strange and terrible Muses, the true zeitgeist of this age is Ennui.

    After recovering from the initial shock of the invasion, the Floran launched a guerilla warfare campaign against the Savages. In response, the Savages created Godzillas, 45m tall Inanimal lizard things whose only food source was Hometrees. The Godzillas were defeated at great cost, and the Florans retreated into the selva densa to lick their wounds.

    The one exception to this blitzkrieg was the city of Serenity. Long established on the north shore of Lake Serenity, trading ships from the Centrality were accustomed to docking there during the rainy season to take on cargoes of spices and drugs. Serenity has its own government and police force, and the Savages decided to assimilate and enjoy the fruits of trade.

    A few hundred years into the Occupation, a bioprospector discovered a new species of psuedofungus growing the the ruins of the Riofloran villages. The sap from this fungal flower (it appears to be a fusion between an orchid and a fungus) yielded a powerful drug. Unlike any other drug on Erywhone, Lotus dust is powerfully addictive. Thus began the second phase of the Occupation.

    The hedonistic Centrality pays top dollar for novel psychedelics. The channels were already there - the Floran export tons of local ethnobotanicals, but none of them compare with Lotus Dust. Soon money was pooring in and Serenity took on all the bad characteristics of a wild west boom town.

    The Florans have been regrouping with a will. Their technology is growing at a phenomenol pace (for Erywhone). They have founded new cities, developed new weapons and acquired new allies. Nevertheless, the Savages still raid their villages for slaves. The raids are infrequent and not a threat to Floran civilization.

    The Floran are excellent sociologists and their best predictions say that the Fusuliashi culture is doomed. While Lotus Dust brought in money, it is also eating away at their heart. Most of their Redoubt cities are abandoned or half-finished, and many of their vital technologies have been lost. By most estimates, within 10,000 years, the Savages will be extinct

NASA most certainly could NOT do that...maybe their grandchild organization in 2100.

BTW, why would you want to put people on Venus?

It's a taboo in the sense that it's a 'law' that is enforced by the Ancestors, who would probably cause all his spells to backfire for a time. I'm working on a revised list of spells, thanks.

The staff isn't fragile, but it is very ornate, with lots of decorations that can be damaged. There isn't really a 'fussy' category.

Honestly, I'm not sure I see the point of using a multipower for this, except that the mage can only use one of the powers assigned to the fetish at a time (lockout), and I know no other means

The skill roll penalty - originally there were complex modifiers to make the more complex spells harder, but honestly, I may want to just ditch that. How do you just link the power to a skill without a penalty? Perhaps just a regular roll?

The poltergeist damage - I would actually like the sorcerer to be able to choose how much damage it does by how much END he spends. 6d6 is casting the spell in a knife factory.

A gizmo is a GURPS term for a reserve of points that you can turn into a new power on the fly. I'll just skip that for now

Asante sana, ndugu! (Thanks a lot, brother)

Is there any thing I might do for you?

Oookay, here goes...

I'm looking at the best way to handle these powers. It seems that everything similar I look at uses multipowers, so I'd have something like:  Kwinuliwa Staff:  Kwinuliwa Staff:  Multipower, 115 point reserve,  (51 Active Points); all slots OAF Arrangement Fragile (Focus - staff; -1 1/2).
The staff allows the mage to cast the following spells:

1)Apportation:  Telekinesis (5 STR) (8 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2), Concentration, Must Concentrate throughout use of Constant Power (1/2 DCV; -1/2)

2)Arrow Swatter:  Missile Deflection (Arrows, Slings, Etc.), Increased Maximum Range (500"; +1/4), Full Range (+1) (22 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), Costs Endurance (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; Character is totally unaware of nearby events; -1/2)

3)Poltergeist:  Killing Attack - Ranged 6d6 (90 Active Points); OAF Fragile (requires loose items to cause damage; -1 1/4), Requires Multiple Foci or functions at reduced effectiveness (+1/4), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect only affects the environment near the character; Creates huge mess, may damage fragile objects; -1/2), Lockout (-1/2), Inaccurate (1/2 OCV; -1/4)

4)Force Shield:  Force Wall (15 PD/10 ED; 4" long and 3" tall) (73 Active Points); OAF Arrangement Fragile Expendable (Kwinuliwa Staff fetish; Difficult to obtain new Focus; -1 3/4), Costs END To Maintain (Full END Cost; -1/2), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Spell (-1/2), No Range (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

[6th version = Invisible Shield:  Armor (5 PD/2 ED), Protects Carried Items (+10) (115 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4), Requires A Skill Roll (-1/2), Lockout (-1/2), Limited Coverage [61-180] Degrees (-1/2), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -1/4)]
 

Is that even remotely right? Thanks

(the original GURPS version)

Fetish Magic

    A fetish is a specific kind of item used by witch-doctors, shamans and other traditional magic workers to cast spells. It the broadest since, all magic items are fetishes, but for the purposes of this document, a fetish is an object which allows a mage to cast a spell. The simplest way to model this type of magic is to use GURPS Magic with Requires Fetish as a -50% limitation that applies to the cost of all Fetish Magery. This is the Gadget limitation, with Breakable (DR 2) and Can Be Stolen (Contest of DX), both of which are generalizations about the nature of various fetishes.

    This document attempts to go beyond this, using GURPS Magic as a foundation to create object-based magic. The system involves cultural concepts such as taboos, which are fairly common in preliterate cultures and should be broadly applicable to fantasy cultures, particularly subcultures outside of the mainstream pseudo-medieval society. As this system is intended to represent the magic of a preliterate culture, different traditions are presented as lineages, each with a founder, a mythohistory and particular quirks passed down from master to apprentice over the ages. True masters, even in the stone age, are inventors and rules are presented for new creations and a generalized science of fetish magic.

    Because 'fetishist' has different connotations in modern English, I've decided to go with 'nganga', which means 'magical professional' in many Bantu languages. I've also decided to use a very limited amount of kiSwahili to describe certain aspects of this system, and to give it flavor, guided by the path names in RPM. I will *not* but doing Bantu plurals.

Basic Concepts

    A lineage is somewhat like Thaumatology in Ritual Path Magic. The basic skill is Lineage Lore, IQ/VH. This represents all of the knowledge accumulated as an apprentice, from the physical skills in making the fetishes, to the mythohistory of the lineages. History (Lineage) IQ/E defaults to Uzazi, Fetish Craft (Lineage) DX/H defaults to Lineage-4. Fetish Craft if the skill of creating the fetish, or, rather, the knowledge of how it should be done. When the fetish is relatively simple, such as a necklace or a medicine bag, this is the only skill. For other fetishes, there is another limiting skill based on some mundane craft. For instance, if the fetish is a drum, when rolling to create the drum, use Fetish Ritual or Drum-making, which ever is lower. The Crafts and Rituals of individual fetishes are techniques, if the player cares to improve upon specific ones (work out).

    Making a specific fetish is a Technique of Fetish Craft with a specified default. This seems like a gratuitous way of sucking out points if one thinks of traditional magic items, but fetishes are often fragile and in many cases the nganga will want to improve on his fetish by remaking it. Although the materials are rare and the process time consuming, it is nothing like what is required by enchantment. Most can be make in a week to a month, including gathering the ingredients. The caps for these techniques are 2 above the base skill.


    Fetish magic is inseparable from Pacts. Although some lineages have serious Vows, most have a collection of quirks. Because Fetish Magery is already greatly reduced (6 pts/lvl), the Pact Limitation works differently. Most Lineage have a 5pt Pact. These points are added directly to their base Lineage Skill. If the nganga needs more character points to create a new fetish, he will consult with a diviner and adopt a new 1 or 2 new Quirks, putting one point into his skill with that fetish and/or one point in enhancing the fetish. How the points are used is important:  if the nganga violates his Taboo that relates to skill, he loses the ability to use that fetish. If the point was put into enhancing the fetish, it breaks, permanently. Naturally, nganga are not limited to 5 quirks - shaman and medicine are notoriously weird, world wide. Also note that Magery only applies to *spells*, not other skills.

    Once a fetish is created, the nganga must learn to use it. Fetishes are IQ/H or IQ/VH, as specified, and each spell which may be cast from the defaults to the base skill at the described rate (-2 per, cascading). This system is used, rather than just having skills for each spell, because it is possible to use the fetish in new ways, creating new spells. In order for the fetish to have this potential, character points must be invested during its empowerment, but not defined, making it a kind of gizmo spell.

    Enhancements may be built into fetishes. For each 5% of modifier, the skill level of the spell is adjusted by 1, as is the energy cost. Thus for the Kwinuliwa Staff, having Increased Range x2 is a 10% enhancement. It is decided to apply this to all of the fetish's spells. The *final* skill level of each spell is reduced by 2, and each spell costs 2 more FP. Applying the enhancement is optional.

    Likewise, if the nganga were in need of points, he could accept the Limited Range x1/2 -10% limitation on his spells. Each spell would cost 2 FP less to cast and add +2 to his final skill roll. The downside of this is that these modifiers must be built into the fetish when the ritual is conducted and that for each 5% of modification (having 10% enhanced range and -10% limited range is 20 percentage points worth, not zero), there is a -2 penalty to the Craft roll. Unlike Enhancements, Limitations are not optional - they are treated as Always On. Making them switchable reduces the gain to skill and cost to cast by half.

    Spell gizmos may also be built into fetish. After all spells in the fetish are known at at least IQ, assuming 2 character points were 'put back' during the creation of the fetish, those points may be translated into a new spell that defaults to one of the normal spells at -4. To this new spell successfully, the nganga must check against his base skill in the fetish at -4. If he misses the roll by one or two points, the spell still happens, but has unusual side effects. Needless to say, the spell must be within the domain of the fetish, and the GM may adjust the difficulty roll for creation based on how different the new spell is from the old. Very simple modifications may even be considered Techniques rather than new spells.
 

This is the basic mage type for my Ubantu setting. This archetype is the medicine man with a clanking cloak full of rattle, wands and odd things he uses to cast his spells. To expand it a bit, I worked up a Dwarven lineage that makes a neat little thief-sorcerer. I'm converting from GURPS, as with all of this...I have some extensive notes about how the sorcerer goes about making his fetishes, which I may drop entirely as it's been suggested they inhibit role-playing, but these are included, GURPS and all, later.

Fetish Sorcery

Introduction, from Among the Congo Cannibals

 

The general name for fetish charm amulet talisman mascot etc is bonganga and this is also the word for the skill or art of the medicine man, that which constitutes him a member of the profession. It is however difficult to decide whether this skill arises from his own inherent intuitions or is imparted to him by his own powerful fetish. The word bonganga favours both views The prefix bo can indicate the thing into which a medicine man has put his power, hence a charm, fetish, etc and it also denotes a noun of quality and thus points to the skilfulness, art, etc or that quality by which the witch doctor is able to perform his magic. It is very probable that both views are necessary for a complete understanding of the word. [A fetish] is a thing into which the medicine man has put his power and it is also the skill, art, power etc by which he imparts it and by which he works as a witch doctor

 

In African anthropology, a fetish is an object used by a traditional healer or witch-doctor, while a spirit-containing item is a 'nkisi'. In Ubantu, we will trend towards the African definitions. A fetish mage is thus a type of magic worker who uses contructed items to cast spells. The most basic of these is a 'kinga', from kiSwahili meaning 'aid'. The one who uses it is called a 'mganga', which in kiSwahili means 'professional' but in Ubantu has come to mean 'mage'.

Fetish sorcerers create items that allow them to cast spells. These fetishes are normally ornate and bizarre, made from things rare and grotesque and zealously guarded. Fetish sorcerers guard their knowledge tightly and never write any of it down (in fact, this kind of magic represent a preliterate technology). Knowledge is passed from master to apprentice, resulting in the existence of many lineages.  Each lineage has its own taboos and range of powers.

Making a new fetish is a major investment. The waganga must plan carefully, as the details of the craftsmanship will affect the specifics of the spells. Each fetish enables several spells .Creating fetishes often involves subsidiary skills, such as drummaking or woodworking, in addition to gathering the rare materials (also done personally so as to protect secrets).  In addition, if he chooses, the sorcerer can build in extra potential, which, will luck and skill, can be turned into a new spell created on the fly, a spell gizmo.

Fetish magic is inseparable from taboos. Although some lineages have serious vows, most have a collection of quirks. When an fetish sorcerer is creating a new fetish, he can choose to take on new taboos to gain extra power. How this is done is important:  if the sorcerer violates his Taboo that relates to spell, he loses the ability to use that fetish. If the point was put into enhancing the fetish, it breaks, permanently. Naturally, sorcerers are not limited in the number of taboos they may have - shamans and medicine men are notoriously weird, world wide.

Example Lineages

Arogo Fetish Sorcerers, typical of Ubantu

The Arogo Lineage is an example of a Fetish Sorcery Lineage. The Arogo Sorcerers specialize in birds. These sorcerers must never eat uncooked food, wear the color red or sleep facing west. They may never harm or eat any kind of bird, despite the fact that all of their fetishes require feathers and/or bits of eggshells. They must carry a bag of seeds at all times and offer a handful as sacrifice every sunrise and sunset. As a result, granivorous birds of all species have an uncanny radar for Arogo Sorcerers and often appear in large numbers at feeding time.

The first spells learned concern birds:  Summon Birds, Speak with Birds and  Bird Messenger. The fetish for these spells is necklace adorned with feathers. Granivorous birds will generally follow any simple requests, knowing that the Mganga is looking out for them. Most of the spells used by the Arogo sorcerers involve communication and extending the range of their senses. Masters of this Lineage create fetishes that allow them to body-fly, though this is dangerous and can anger various air spirits.

The Arogo Sorcerers divide birds into twelve clans, based on their primary source of food:  Oceans, Freshwater, Seeds, Bugs, Mammals, Snakes, Fruit, Flies, Carrion, Plants, Flowers and Trees (woodpeckers). This comes into play in the creation of their fetishes and how their spells work. For instance, their Rider Within fetishes must be customized by clan.

Membership in the lineage offers several optional powers. The sorcerer may have a flock of birds as an ally, may learn to speak with birds (each clan has a language) or to soothe birds. Their fetishes include the Feather Mantle, which lets them cast Bird Summoning, Speak with Birds and Bird Messenger; the Basket of Birds, which magically summons a flock of birds under the mganga's control; the Familiar Ring, which lets them have a bird as a familiar will all the associated powers; the Eagle Headdress, giving them many of the powers of an eagle, and several others.

Fetishes:

Feather Necklace
Materials:  feathers from 27 species of birds, all found in nature
Background:  constructed by all apprentices, prerequisite for using all other abilities. in Arogo mythology, there are 12 clans of birds thus having one feather from each clan is a totality, allowing the user to speak with any bird. for political reasons, usually only members of the Eagle clan will summon and use eagles as messengers.
Spells:  Summon Birds, Speak with Birds, Bird Messenger

Quelea Basket
Materials:  basket woven from redbilled quelea nests
Background:  the redbilled quela is a terribly destructive agricultural pest. flocks can strip a field bare in minutes. the ritual for capturing the bird spirits in the basket is very complex. each time the flock is loosed, it must be fed
Spells:  Summon and Control Swarm

Master Fetish - Feather Cloak, permits winged flight

Fetish Sorcery for Dwarves

Example:  The Thief-Catcher Lineage

Gruthrk tza Armqik

    The Armqik is a traditional Dwarven craftguild that specialized in catching thieves. It sells charms that function has house alarms and other minor enchantments, but it also collects and sells secrets. The first fetish an Armqik learns to make lets him cast Loyalty and Oath, by which he can swear to secrecy any who are with him when he uncovers good info.
    
    
    The Armqik have a peculiar vow:  Never give away information. This makes them seem very greedy and antisocial to those who don't understand how Dwarven society works. To those who do, they just automatically hand over a copper before asking a question, a formality for both sides. Their second vow:  always find the answer, makes them very popular with adventurers. Together these are a ?pt vow.
    
    Their second vow is more restrictive:  Do not steal, from the living or the honored dead. This means no tomb looting...expect when it doesn't. When the Gruthrk tza Armqik hears about a new site opening up to treasure hunters, they send in their own team. The Armqik take along scholars and such, record as much as they can, then move the items to their museum. Still, this is prohibitive for adventurers, and this another ?pt vow.
    
    Armqik take familiars. These are almost always ferrets or bats, animals that can go where they cannot. Ferrets, in particular, are extremely curious and very aproprirate.

Fetishes:

Bracer of Secrets

Materials: Metal that was found, amounting to 5lbs (type of metal shows status in guild, newbies have bronze or iron)
Limiting Skill: Smithing, Armorworker
Domain: Oaths and secrets
Basic Spells: Forget Fact* -> Loyalty  -> Oath
Notes:  Forget Fact is the same as Forgetfulness M135, but applies only to facts. Given the limitations of this variant, the duration is extended to 2hrs.

Inspector's Glass
Materials: Lens made from explorer's telescope, Handle must be made from the bone of thief the nganga captured
Limiting Skill: Woodworking
Domain: Knowledge, Sight
Basic Spells: Detect Magic  -> Small Vision  -> Aura  -> Mage Sight  -> See Secrets
Notes:  This is the basic magnifying glass, common to all fictional PI's. Because it is item based, casting Small Vision doesn't make the nganga nearsighted.

Alarm Bells

Materials: Several small bells, material for each must be from a treasure trove
Limiting Skill: Metalworking
Domain: Protectiong and Warning
Prerequisite:  Magery 1
Basic Spells: Sense Foes -> Sense Danger  -> Magelock  -> Watchdog  -> Sense Observation
Notes:  The Alarm Bells are on a length of metal. Which bell rings and how loudly gives the information.

Stone of Acoustics

Materials: Gem from a treasure trove, worth at least $10,000
Limiting Skill: Gemworking
Domain: Sound and Communication
Prerequisite: Magery 1
Basic Spells: Silence  -> Keen Hearing  -> Garble  -> Converse  -> Borrow Language  -> Lend Language  -> Gift of Tongues
Notes: Silence is centered on the Stone, of course. The stone must be held up to the ear for Keen Hearing. All subjects must be touching the Stone, or in a multihand clasp, for Coverse.

 

Familiar's Collar:
Materials: Collar taken from a guardian monster
Limiting Skill: None
Domain: Animal, Mental
Prerequisites:  Must have Gift of Tongues from Stone of Acoustics or other means of talking with an animal, and Magery 2
Basic Spells: Rider Within
Notes: You must make a bargain with your familiar, which amounts to a Quirk or two for you. The most common Familiars for this guild are Bats and Ferrets.


Weasel Familiar (see Bestiary)


Master Key, IQ/VH
Materials: Key from an ancient trove and a thief's lockpicks, from a thief caught by the nganga
Limiting Skill: Locksmithing
Domain: Technology
Basic Spells: Locksmith  -> Lockmaster  -> Reveal Function  -> Schematic


Mirror of Secrets
Materials: mirror used by a powerful mage or monster
Limiting Skill: Glassworking
Domain: Knowledge, History
Basic Spells: Seeker  -> Trace  -> History  -> See Secrets  -> Images of the Past
Notes:  Images of the Past is a much more powerful spell here. It doesn't require a reflective surface to work, the nganga can scan any area using his Mirror.
 

I tried to watch the El Rey series 'From Dusk till Dawn' but it basically lost me. The Seth character, rather than the charismatic Clooney, comes off as a bully - the "I've got the gun so I'm the alpha male" type, which I just don't care for. Once they get past the parts that were in the movie, it turns into a kind of crime fantasy. Still, a good source for Monster Hunters, and I like the stuff about the blood cult. It'd be interesting to play bad guys/criminals turn monster hunters.

I've done a lot of anthropological research on this topic. In Bantu Africa, and many other places, there are three basic types of spirits:  once human, nature spirits and alien/never human spirits. Spirit possession cults are a world-wide phenomenon in which the victim comes down with symptoms of shaking and fever. A diviner then tell her (it is usually women) the type of spirit she has and directs her to a cult/support group of people who have been possessed by the same spirit or type of spirit. This group then arranges a propitiation ceremony, wherein the spirit is contacted and honored and its demands are made known. Normally these demands consist of some kind of excess then joining the society, which has regular holiday when they get together, and, for lack of a better word, party. In East Africa, these spirits may be 'good' Muslim spirits that demand the person follow the rules of Islam, or other types that demand the opposite. The spirits are usually named after nationalities - there are English spirits that demand their hosts wear Western clothes, or Masaai spirits that demand a dance with lots of jumping around.

This is a list of types of Bantu spirits and notes about playing spirit PC's - SpiritStuff.pdf

Actual text with kiSwahili words:

 

Usvikirwa is the kiKoka (lingua franca of Ubantu) word for the phenomenon of spirit possession, a common malady in the real world. It typically begins with the afflicted person experiencing chills, shaking and fever, along with any number of non-specific symptoms. The subject then consults with an mganga (doctor or magic using specialist), who will rule out any ordinary source for the affliction. The next step is to consult an Mwaguzi/diviner, who will use her insight and mystical knowledge to identify the species of spirit afflicting the person. At that point, the person has to make a choice, to exorcise the spirit or appease it.

Exorcism, kuzungushu, is often a trial in itself, though nothing like Hollywood Catholic exorcisms. The time and place must be carefully chosen. The ritual itself will be conducted by a priest and/or an mganga wa ngoma (drum doctor). The ritual involves a mix of driving the spirit out of the patient and luring it into a surrogate, typically a goat or a guinea hen. In some cases, the spirit is too dangerous for a surrogate and must be trapped in a ward pot then disposed of. Otherwise the surrogate becomes a pet of the now cured patient, often a friendly one.

Appeasing spirits is a much more popular choice. A diviner or an Mtege hosting the same species of spirit will be called in to learn the spirit's demands, which are often rather simple, typically a new taboo, a libation and membership in a Kilinge, which will perform annual ceremonies. The rituals of making the bond with the spirit  are the primary function of Waganga wa Ngoma. The ceremony is a joyous event, both an end to suffering and the beginning of a new chapter in the person's life.

One can be afflicted by human, nature and/or alien spirits. Afflicting spirits can be divided into two camps:  possessor and non-possessors, referring to whether or not the spirit will actually speak through the person. Ancestral spirits often speak, mashave do not, elementals can go either way.

Mashave spirits are often named for nations, ethnic groups or animals, the most famous of which are the Kimaasai, so named because they cause their hosts to jump about in mad dances, Maasai style. In Ameru, there are Kibashango, named for the extinct pygmies that lived in the area. Kishenzi spirits are backbush spirits that are very uncouth, while Kiruhani are the very proper and strict spirits, named for the aristocrats from Golden Age of Siyathemba. Kibveni are 'baboon' spirits that afflict teenagers, causing them to run around madly and climb trees with supernatural grace.

The most common elemental spirit possessors are water spirits. They come in two broad types, the Kibayasi which are female and helpful, and the Kimwago, male and fairly dangerous. The MeNgu of Majisafi are also spirit possessors, but much more powerful and complex.

Possessing human spirits are much more difficult to deal with. Ngozi and Dzedzeta ghosts can possess, with terrible consequences, but they are nothing compared to the horror of Vinyamkela.  Ngozi and Dzedzeta can be propiated, but Vinyamkela possession is lethal (and contagious).  Propitiated ghosts become Madhlozi that like in tiny spirit huts. Madholzi are powerful allies. Madzviti are the ghosts of ancient warriors. Their Kilinge are named for the battles in which they died. The Hujuma are the waNewara killed in the Maasai Incursion, for instance. Other human spirits include Zvipunha and Zvaaynagu.

Those who choose to appease their afflictors become 'viti' - literally, 'chairs'. Many species of spirits have formal societies assoicated with them, called Kilinge. Members are mtege/watege. Those who learn the ritual for inducting new members become Mganga wa Usvikirwa. The Kilinge are basically surrogate families, members call each other 'brother' and 'sister', the Waganga are the 'Mothers' and 'Fathers'. Membership has its privileges. Many spirits repay their hosts with special abilities. Also, the Kilinge are useful social organizations. Most victims of spirit Usvikirwa are socially marginalized, especially women. Getting possessed isn't your fault, and it just so happens to give you new opportunities in life.Usvikirwa is the kiKoka word for the phenomenon of spirit possession, a common malady in the real world. It typically begins with the afflicted person experiencing chills, shaking and fever, along with any number of non-specific symptoms. The subject then consults with an mganga, who will rule out any ordinary source for the affliction. The next step is to consult an Mwaguzi, who will use her insight and mystical knowledge to identify the species of spirit afflicting the person. At that point, the person has to make a choice, to exorcise the spirit or appease it.


 

As in a kind of voluntary possession, where you let the spirit speak through you. The kind of thing that oracles (in the African sense) and spirit diviners do, go into a trance, then any spirit in the area can enter your body and speak or write. It's a mix plus and minus, in that the character is readily subject to possession, but doesn't lose full control. Actually, any rules for possession would be helpful.

That's a VERY nice write up, and totally beyond my newbie capabilities - but I'll get there!. The real reason sigils aren't used for potions - there is another kind of magic that does scrolls, based on RW esoteric Islamic magic as it is practiced in East Africa. In EA, it is common to use verses from the Koran (or Bible) to perform spells. Milikyunjovu has a very similar holy canon, called Misafu ya Kidini (Verses of the Way). You write the verse on special paper with special ink, and anybody can read it and trigger it, or it can be folded and placed in an amulet, or written in saffron then dissolved in flower water to make a potion. This style of magic draws its power for the mass faith involved in the holy cannon, not so much from the base materials themselves. That's Book Sorcery, and I never found a viable way to model it in GURPS, as it seems as if I'd have to write the Misafu.

I'm considering this rule of thumb - any permanent magic item that effectively replaces a bit of commonly available modern technology is bought with money, anything else is bought with CP, except weapons and armor, which are always CP.

Some example images of what magical beadwork might look like: collar/necklace, beaded armor skirt, sash part of cattle tracker. This is RW stuff from the Ndebele people. In Ubantu, magical bead work uses a mix of complex patterned beads, small monochrome beads and cowrie shells. The sigils are not directly represented - they are translated into patterns of bead types and colors which must interlock with their neighbors.

Thanks for the help....might you be interested in a collaboration?

So, a sigil of precious metal engraved into a surface is magically effective.

 

So is a sigil made of beadwork.

 

 

But not a sigil carved into stone or wood, tattooed or scarified into skin, inscribed on parchment with ink, painted with ochre on hide, chalked onto a floor, worked into a sand painting.....

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

written on the side of a palindromedary

Sigils partially use the inherent magic of the materials, which why it's so easy to do. Precious metals are inherently magical, and the beads are made with the ashes of rare herbs. There is a blasphemous book, the Salt Iron Grimoire, which has lore about using rusted iron sigils to do necromancy. I'm considering a third system to make wards, meaning sigils pressed into building materials, like bricks, but aligned physically to create meaning. Or I may use the normal script for this culture, Mandombe, which is based around the patterns in brickwork

Scarification, where the rare herb ashes are rubbed into the scar, just might work.

Does this seem outrageous to you? It supposedly derives from a prehuman culture. The first sigils were taught to the human refugees by a were-Aardvark (I kid you not, this is a real legendary creature), with some similarity to the petroglyphs found in the Kalahari.

Question: In the default setting, is it meant that all equipment is paid for in CP? Where is the line? Some of this stuff certainly should be CP-based, like the sense enhancing masks, but writing pens? Plus I don't like the idea of paying for ephemeral items in CPs.

Information and Communications

Sense Enhancement Mask Artifacts
Effect: Enhanced senses
Target: one person
Duration: 5 minutes, Constant
Range: NA
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 1 PD/1 ED 1 Body
Charges:
Cost: varies
Ubantu name: kinyago cha akiliguma

There are many sense enhancement masks, made by two competing Trade Societies/guilds. Physically they are half-masks thare are *very* obvious, as they are currently a status symbol. It is possible to make more discreet versions, but there's a limit to how unobvious a face mask can be. Hawk Sight gives telescopic vision. Rabbit Ears enhance the range of hearing and make it discriminatory, Elephant Nose gives tracking and discriminatory, Cat Eyes gives nightvision. These products are very popular, even trendy, so there are new versions every few months.

Type        Cost    Power
Hawk Sight    $300    +5 PER with sight group, telescopic
Rabbit Ears    $250    +5 PER with hearing group, double range, discriminatory
Elephant Nose    $200    +5 PER with smell group, discriminatory, tracking
Cat Eyes        $350    +2 PER with sight group in low light, nightvision

Engraving Stylus Artifact
Effect: Cosmetic transformation
Target: one object
Duration: 1 minute, Constant
Range: none
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $20 (precious metal 'ink' not included)
Ubantu name:kimusso

The engraving stylus is a burin, basically a twisted hollow iron needle used for inscribing. The far end has a ball of non-ferrous metal that the stylus uses as an inkwell. The user holds the burin in his hand with his thumb on the ball and focuses, and the metal moves down the burin and onto the surface. Using it sigils can be inlaid in precious metals, allowing for the creation of a variety of simple enchantments. More than anything, a stylus resembles a glue gun and a modern variant is just that, using a mixture of rubber and acacia gum for glue.

Ink Stylus Artifact
Effect: cosmetic transformation
Target: one object
Duration: persistent
Range: none
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 1 Body
Charges: NA
Cost:$ 5
Ubantu name: kiwinorangi

The ink stylus artifact is an ink pen. It is modelled on the engraving stylus, a twisted iron needle with a ball of ink mixed with acacia gum at the end. Common ink is made from charcoal, octopus ink is much more expensive. Costs: Charcoal inkball $1, Colored inks $5

Communications - Drum Code is a professional skill. Learning the code is free, no more complicated than Morse code, but using it at high speed is a skill.

Thunder Drum Artifact
Effect: Images (sound)
Target: area
Duration: Instant
Range: 50km
END Cost: 3
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 3 Body
Charges: none
Cost: $300
Ubantu name: Chondo cha radi

Thunder drums transmit their sound over a huge area, yet are not unbearably loud up close. The range can be increased by using extra END - the base is in 50km segments, add the number of segments squared x 3 to the base 3pt cost.

Talking Drum Artifact
Effect: Clairsentience (sound), increased range
Target: none
Duration: 5 minutes
Range: 250km
END Cost: 3
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 3 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $1000
Ubantu name: Chondasimu/vyondasimu

 The talking drum functions very much like a telegraph. The drums are made in linked pairs, so that drumming on one causes both to reverbrate. The drums are capable of two tones (edge and center), permitting something very like Morse code. Initially the Trade Society that invented them kept the secrets tight, allowing only their own guildsmen to operate the drum, but in recent decades, with the advent of more advanced technology, talking drums have been "declassified" and can now be simply bought and used by anyone. The specialists who send and receive messages, along with the expected bevy of apprentices, are still commonly members of the Society, but clans, other Societies, even nations may have their own message centers which can be expected to keep their information private.
 
 Standard drums have a range of 250km. This can be increased, according to the chart below
 Range    Cost    END
 500km    $2000    6
 1000km    $5000    12
2500km    $10,000    20
 

Security and Defenses

Protective Talismans

Most talisman are sachets made by herbal alchemists, basically medicine bags. A character can only have one protective talisman at a time - it is widely known that different types conflict and cancel each other out. A talisman provides a +1 on any kind of resistance or defense roll. Common categories include:  witchcraft, physical harm, thieves, lightening, snake bites, disease and poison.  The talisman only works once against any given attack or effect, but it will work again against the next attack.


Door Lock Artifact
Effect: telekinesis 20 STR
Target: one door
Duration: persistent
Range: no
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 10 PD/ 15 ED 9 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $500
Ubantu name:Kifungwagumu

Door Locks are magical door handles that only work for authorized users. These users must be set when the artifact is made, changing them requires a Trade Society specialist. Doors are sealed with STR 20. They can be broken open, but this triggers an alarm.

Thief Alarm Charm
Effect: Images (sound)
Target: one room
Duration: instant
Range: one room
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 3 Body
Charges: 1, no recharge
Cost: $25
Ubantu name: Nzaji

Thief alarms are small widgets that must be placed in a prominent position in a room.  When the charm is installed, it is 'introduced' to the household. After that, if any non-member attempts to remove an item from the room, it sounds the alarm. These charms are a bit clunky and oversensitive, much like car alarms.

Small Lock Artifact
Effect: telekinesis 20 STR
Target: one sealable container
Duration: persistent
Range: no
END Cost: 0
Breakability: variable
Charges:
Cost: $150
Ubantu name:Kijifungwagumu

Small locks work exactly like door locks. They can be used on chests, purses, what have you.

Wicker or Rope Handcuffs Artifact
Effect: Entagle
Target: one person
Duration: Constant
Range: none
END Cost: 2
Breakability: PD 5/ ED 4 Body 4
Charges: NA
Cost:$75
Ubantu name: kiwikobunda

This artifact is a set of woven handcuffs. They are much more useful than just for binding hands - they are universal couplers. Standard issue is for STR 30, but special versions go up to STR 75.

One item I might suggest would be something that can absorb heat or "store coldness" for a person. This could be used to preserve things like food. It might be supplied by spellcasters who live in cold places, like on a high mountain where the snows are. They create items that hold that coldness, or maybe enchant ice to retain its coldness.

 

Another might be some minor healing item, like bandages that can heal wounds more quickly.

This is the herbal alchemist's first aid kit, still in GURPS:

Antiseptic - Kills most microbes, dilute 1:5 to sterilze areas

Purification - removes basic ritual impurities and low grade curses

Woundbind -  stops bleeding, seals wound

Analgesic  - CNS painkiller

Local Anaesthetic - topical painkiller

Burn Salve - heals burn damages and relieves pain

Stimulant - increases Fatigue by 2 for 6hrs, then drops by 3

Sedative - Will roll to resist sleep, -4 to awaken for 8hrs

Bug Repellent - repels any arthropod

Vermicide - kills many parasites

Poison Remedy (not an antidote)

Emetic - causes projectile vomitting, purification

Tonic - relieves damage to ST or DX by 2pts

Restorative - relieves HT if it has dropped due to disease or damage

Roborant - temporarily increases HT or ST by 2 when rolling vs disease or poison

Breathewell - heals damage to lungs, suppresss coughs

Blood Oil - a potion that creates new blood, relieves hypovolemic shock

Snakebite Charm - poltice that draws out most of the venom

Resuscitate Charm - when crushed on chest with restart heart and breathing

Slowdeath Charm - slows heart and breathing drastically for one hour, requires Resuscitate Charm to end or possible death

I once had a very mechanistic spell college for magical EMTs - things like Bone Knit, Seal Wound, Regenerate Blood, etc, but no body liked it.

This is a huge gap in my setting, and seems useful for other folks, so I'm going to focus on creating a PDF of magitech equipment. Magitech setting are very challenging when it comes to verisimilitude - it's very easy to create a seeming innocuous item that a devious play can use to wreck your world.

NB:  I'm going to go ahead and continue using the GURPS $ as my base currency. They other option would be putting it in Ubuntu currency, as in gold cows and silver goats, which wouldn't be helpful. Is there a Hero way of doing this?

Please feel free to contribute, comment or correct.

Magitech Equipment

All of these items are equipment, not enchantments, despite being magical. They are bought with cash, just like ordinary equipment. There are two basic classes, charms and artifacts (as in made by artisans, not the Hand of Vecna). Charms are ephemeral, artifacts are permanent. Many of these items cost END to activate. Note that Breakability describes the original item, not whatever it might become.

All of these items are empowered by Sigils, which are somewhat like rune. Rather than having individual rune-powers, sigils have a lexicon, nouns related to elemental powers and natural forces, and verbs like "increase" and "bind". Sigils are used in two basic ways, engraving and beadwork. Engraving uses a magical burin to enlay the sigils in precious metals. Beadwork uses specially made beads, which come in 25 standard types and are a currency.

Sometimes a spell just needs a pointer. In the west, there are wands, in Ubantu, there are fly-whisks.


Shelter:

Basket Hut Charm
Effect:  Barrier, 2PD/2ED, 2 Body, Enlarges to a 3m diameter wicker hut
Target:  Self
Duration:  Persistent
Range: Self
END Cost: 5
Breakability: 2PD/2ED, 2 Body
Charges: 1
Cost:  $300
Ubantu name: kibandafaa/vibandafaa

Basket huts are small baskets (5cm x 3cm) that can transform into a wicker and cane hut. These kinds of huts are not especially durable and not weatherproof, more of an ersatz tent. For an additional $100 the hut can be rainproof and reasonably comforatable

Basket Fence Charm
Effect:  Enlarges to 10m+ diameter thorn fence
Target: self
Duration: Persistant
Range: NA
END:  10 + 2/m past 10m
Breakability: 1 PD/1ED 2 Body
Charges: 1
Cost:  $500
Ubantu name:  kibomafaa/vibomafaa

This charm creates a boma or kraal - a circular fence of thorns. The charm is a ring of thorns, not pleasant to carry. The user has to walk out the size of the enclosure, which may be from 1m to 20m, at 1.5m tall. The END cost is 10, minimum, then +2 per each meter past 10m.  The fence so created is NOT sturdy  - it weighs just enough not to blow away, but it will contain cows and discourage predators. Any knife can cut a door in minutes.

Household Equipment

Sun Crystal Artifact
Effect:  Change environment, 3m radius
Target: Area
Duration: 12hrs standard
Range: 1m standard
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 1PD/1PD 1 Body    
Charges: recharges in sunlight
Cost: $10, varies
Ubantu name:  kingafu/vingafu

Sun crystals which are quartz crystals with a few enscribed copper sigils so that they can absorb and re-emit sunlight. Sun crystals have two characteristics:  size and storage. The basic storage verision simply absorbs sunlight when present then glows when it is lacking, with a maximum of 12hrs capacity. Size governs the amount of light produced. A 1cc crystal is like a candle, a 10cc crystal is like a 25watt compact flourescent bulb. The amount of copper used in enscribing them is miniscule - 1mg/cc of crystal.

Cost mods for sun crystals
Each 12 hrs of extra storage - x2 (apply to base cost)
Extra range in cc's of crystal - 1-5m, rangex5; 6m+, range^2

Thus, a suncrystal (base cost $10) that can store 24hrs (x2) and illuminates a 5m area (5x5) is $45, basically a latern with a 24hr charge.

Clock Lilies
Breakability: 1 PD/ 1 ED 1 Body
Cost: $20
Ubantu name: kinukajio

Clock liles are plants, leftover bits of biotechnology from some vanished civilization. Clock lilies grow multiple spades that produce ten flowers each. They open sequentially, starting at sunrise. Each flower in the row has a different though subtle odor, so it is possible to tell time with your nose. A separate variety is nightblooming. These are not exact, of course - they do not take into account the changing length of days, but they are good enough, especially on the equator. Clock lilies are fairly hardy, but they do need sunlight and water. There are magical pots especially designed to keep them happy, $10.

Heat Stones
Effect: Lifesupport, Transform
Target: Area
Duration: varies
Range:local area
END Cost:0
Breakability: 5 PD/5 ED
Charges: NA
Cost:
Ubantu name: kikanza/vikanza

Heat stones work on a similar magical principal to sun crystals, only they store heat. Pairs of igneous rocks, typically granite, weighing about 1/4kg are enscribed with copper. While separated they absorb light and heat, when in contact they re-emit it. The heat can be emitted in a period between a few minutes and an hour. The size of the rocks isn't particularly important, though 100g is the lower limit. The type of stone used and metal enscribed changes the power storage capacity, with obsidian and gold being the best. Obsidian and gold vikanza can be heated in a fire for a day then re-emit the heat in a few minutes - enough to melt the gold, which is the inherent limit in this technology.

Measuring heat isn't exactly fantasy stuff, so we use a simplified system. A standard issue set of heat stones, granite, inscribed with copper, must charge for one day in order to boil 4 liters of water for 30 minutes. Although this power can be increased, there is a problem with diminishing returns - stones made from rare obsidian and gold, weighing 1000g are only slightly better than the same make weighing 500g.

[needs more detail]

Fire Lighter Artifact
Effect: Energy Blast, minimal
Target: pinpoint area
Duration: 15 seconds
Range: no range
END Cost: 0
Breakability:
Charges: 100, recharges in fire
Cost:$10
Ubantu name: hunrunzi

Fire lighters are basically  cigarette lighters, though they look like a stone with an iron needle stuck through it. Takes two, touch the tips together, makes a point of intense heat, enough to ignite kindling or anything else flammable.  Recharged by leaving in a fire. $10

Magical Pottery - all pots are assumed to be of 4 liter capacity and to have beadwork on their exteriors.

Hot Pot Artifact
Effect: energy blast, gradual affect
Target: self
Duration: 1 hour
Range: none
END Cost: NA
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges: 1/day
Cost: $25
Ubantu name: Kalibu

Hot pots  have matched lids, so that when they are joined, the pot heats up to a boil then keeps its contents warm for some time. Lids may or may not have holes to vent steam, or may even be screwed in to create a crock-pot. They recharge in sunlight and ambient heat, taking a full day, or can be instantly recharged by placing them in a fire

Gruel Pot Artifact
Effect: Energy blast, gradual
Target: Self
Duration: 12hrs
Range: none
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $40 new
Ubantu name: kwigalifaa/vwigalifaa

Gruel is a very important staple food. Gruel pots cook it perfectly and instantly and keep it soft and warm all day. Most of them are family heirlooms and are considered irreplaceable (because the replacement will never get it just right). In most cases men are not allowed to touch them. The pots don't create gruel - you have to add meal and water. Gruel pots can be fine tuned by rotating certain beads.

Clear Water Pot Artifact
Effect: minor transformation
Target: Self
Duration: Instant
Range: none
END Cost: 2
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges:NA
Cost: $50
Ubantu name: Kinogaji/vinogaji

Clear water pots purify water. Chemical impurities are destroyed, physical impurities are separated out. For example, muddy water becomes clean water with a layer of insoluble grit on the bottom. The process with remove biological poisons, but not magical ones. The presence of magical contamination will produce a noticeable smell.

Beer Pot/Keffir Pot Artifact
Effect: minor transformation
Target:self
Duration: Instant
Range:none
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges:NA
Cost: $30+
Ubantu name: kipombefaa/vipombefaa, kimalafaa/vimalafaa

These two artifacts are used to speed and control fermentation. They also separate out solids and impurities as a layer of insoluble grit in the bottom. Beer pots are the exclusive property of men and are cherished in much the same way as gruel pots

Preserving Pot Artifact
Effect: vacuum seals itself
Target: self
Duration: instant (persistant effect)
Range: none
END Cost: 3
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $150
Ubantu name: kikambuka/vikambuka

Preserving pots vacuum seal their contents. Assuming they are properly made, this will continue until the seal is broken. Older pots used a layer of beeswax or clay to make the seal, but modern ones use rubber. Items placed in the pot are desiccated utterly - milk will turn into a block of milk solids, water will just disappear. Trying to use the pot with contents that are mostly water can ruin it.

Dewcatcher Pot Artifact
Effect:  create water, minor transformation
Target: self
Duration: instant
Range: none
END Cost:  2
Breakability: 2 PD/2 ED 2 Body
Charges:NA
Cost: $100
Ubantu name: kimandefaa/vimadefaa

Dewcatcher pots condense water from water vapor - meaning they really don't work well in the desert. In normal situations, after being activated, the pot will fill in about 5 minutes. If it's raining, this decreases to 30 seconds, in very dry conditions it may take several hours.

Cleaning and Grooming

Broom Wand Artifact

Effect: minor transformation
Target: Area
Duration: 30 minutes
Range: 3m
END Cost: 1
Breakability:  3 PD/3 ED 2 Body
Charges:NA
Cost: $50
Ubantu name: Kirukere cha kipangusafaa

A broom wand is a tool that removes away dirt and dust. Any particle smaller than a grain of sand is destroyed. Large clumps of mud or dirt will be pushed away, so that the Wand can be used like  leafblower. It will also clean clothing, though this artifact is notorious for damaging delicate items. As the name implies, it is meant for cleaning rooms and floors.

Dry Wash Wand Artifact
Effect: cosmetic transformation
Target: 1 article of clothing or fabric
Duration: Instant
Range: small area
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 1 PD/1 ED 1 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $50
Ubantu name:

The dirt beater Wand is a cleaning tool meant for clothing and fabrics. It is much more selective, but lacks the ability to push away large clumps of dirt.

Shaving Knife Artifact
Effect: Cosmetic transformation
Target: one person
Duration: 5 minutes
Range: self
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 3 PD/3 ED 1 Body
Charges:  NA
Cost: $30
Ubantu name: kiwembefaa

Shaving knives are not knives at all - there is no edge. They magically remove hair at the root, so that it takes months to regrow.

Hair Sculpting Comb Artifact
Effect: cosmetic transformation
Target: one person
Duration: persistant
Range: none
END Cost: 0
Breakability: 1 PD/1 ED 1 Body
Charges: NA
Cost: $5-$500
Ubantu name: kishanuofaa

Hair sculpting combs contain predefined hair styles. It takes a few minutes of working the comb through one's hair, then the desired affect is achieved, with variations due to source material. Many cultures are fond of outrageous hairstyles, and this artifact truly enables them.  In some cases accessory materials are required - ochre, wax, jewels, etc, but the power of the comb makes such things as wire frames unnecessary.

Bathing Wand
Effect: Cosmetic transformation
Target: one person
Duration: persistant
Range: none
END Cost: 1
Breakability: 1 PD/1 ED 1 Body
Charges: 0
Cost: $50
Ubantu name:kiogeshwa

Bathing wands are for personal hygiene. They remove dirt, dead skin, odors, etc, but also resolve minor skin conditions. Advanced version coat the skin with scented oils or other cosmetics, costing at least $150.

Skin Dye Brush Charm
Effect: Cosmetic transformation
Target: one person
Duration: 12 hrs
Range: none
END Cost: 1/100cm^2
Breakability: 1 PD/1 ED
Charges: 100
Cost: $20
Ubantu name: Kingozirangi

Skin dye brushes apply color to the skin. This can be western style makeup, like rouge or lipstick, or Ubantu style ochre body paint. The skin is actually dyed, so it won't rub off. Bathing Wand remove this effect. Each brush contains a single color, but the intensity of the color can be varied by careful manipulation.
 

------------------------------

I could really stand some advise about breakability....

Okay, for +1/4 delay cost, an Alchemist can have INT/2 potions for personal use, but this doesn't count ones that are made for sale. How do you tell? This guy has a shop full of potions, like a drug store....maybe it only applies to 'real' potions and not medicines.

I'm working on an herbalist system, Ungaka, where the herbalist talks to his plant teachers (contract group) to learn recipes. So far so good, but this system, which is taken from folklore, has an odd bit. Potions typically have a secret ingredient, a trigger, that is the activating agent. The rest of the potion can be prepared and even bottled, but the trigger must be added near the time of administration and typically requires certain words or ritual actions to empower it. The power of a potion is enhanced if it is custom made and includes a bit of the user's blood or hair - in this case, it potion can be fully completed in advance.

What does that do to the delay bit? Only the herbalist can add the trigger. I may just drop this.

Next - a lot of the potions being made here are very minor, more apothecary than alchemist, things like Relieve Back Pain, Antiseptic, Burn Salve and Cure Tooth Ache. I'm assuming it's okay to use a Professional Skill:  Herbalist, but I'm not sure where to draw the line. Anyone dealt with this? It all comes back to building a magitech society, which is VERY hard to make so that it's internally consistent.

Source: 

PLEASE - if you must have three categories for advantages, have an opposite for each category. The disadvantages are VERY limiting. I would strongly prefer that the categories be based on point cost of the power - perk, 1-5, talents, 6-20, powers, 21+ with the understanding that perks are for everyday people, talents are for heroes and powers are for superheroes and mythic powers. Of course, I'm new, so I'm still getting the hang of it.

Information about building religions that are believable. GURPS Religions tried, but it was too organic.

The taboos do have to be for all humans. This is an integral part of the culture. In the text, I explain that in modern times, due to the harsh restrictions on witchcraft, the poison ordeal that provides universal justice and the availability and power of diviners, "modern thinkers" believe in accidents, which is this world's progressive vs conservative. Thanks for the package, it's better than legal immunity on the other races.

I wouldn't mind if the term would be eliminated from new RPGs in general. But yes, it sounds especially bad in an African context, especially if it's about preserving cultures and not some pulpy "dark continent" deal. And it's not like we don't have alternatives...

 

Sure, it's pretty much grandfathered in (like simplistic morals and bad armor & polearm terminology), but any game that is not D&D shouldn't have much difficulty in applying another term.

Hmm - there is no other word that I know of that means 'species of sapient beings'.  Elves, Vulcans, Kappa - they are races of beings. There are three species of sapient psychic elephants in this world, what should I call them?

It has nothing to do with race theory, which I loathe and repudiate and don't use. My race is Human. However, in this setting, the waBantu people (a back construction that means 'real people') do not regard humans outside of their culture as being people. In particular, in Ubantu, the Maasai have become horse normads and warriors and are a holy terror. It was normal in precolonial Africa for each tribe to refer to themselves as 'the people' and to believe that their neighbours were cannibals, though I changed this when I pushed them into a trans-tribal empire. It will probably bother you more to know that the hyper evolved baboon people/the-people-who-sit-on-their-heels/!Tsharg are a slave race in the empire, working on plantations and in mines. It a phase of social and technological evolution, and the Empire is just at that stage. They also enslave Humans, for debts and crimes. They also regard breach births, twins and children who cut their upper teeth first as unnatural - Variant Births get their own section and have their own templates. In the real world, these children were normally killed, but it's one of the authentic bits I choose to leave out, along with female genital mutilation. The truth is, Bantu culture has plenty of issues without our race nonsense.

If it helps you any, modern Bantu people don't give a whit about American ideas of race. Wazungu (busybody foreigners) come in all colors, and the ones that pretend they have some connection to Africa are actually more annoying. It somewhat like trying to convince a Chinese, a Japanese and a Korean that they are all the same - they don't care about American race neuroses.

I would like to see the other templates you created. I tried again with the character sheet, RTF->PDF, here. Sorry, I meant to remove all the Swahili. Mfundi/Wafundi (sing/plural) are skilled professionals. Their magic is Ufundi aka Guild Magic. As for the reading, this kind of magic is based on a simple set of runes, called kiGanga (knowledge-ese). HERO seems to want individual runes to be meaningful, but these are more like syntactic magic where you have Nouns like Element, Person, Animal, Plant, Humour, Food and Verbs like Communicate, Weaken, Strengthen, Move, Protect, Heal, Create, Control, Transform, Sense, Protect to create an improvisational magic system. I'm not worried about detailing the sigils (to distinguish them from HERO's runes) at this point, but I picture them like the Taino pictoglyphs. You either engrave the sigils or embroider them with beads to make minor magic items. So, I have KS:  kiGanga Sigils, then either PS: Engraving kiGanga or PS: Beadwork kiGanga, one of which is required for making craft magic items.

Taboos, the GURPS system. The Bantu peoples have an obnoxious number of taboos, and it would be utterly boring to have players have to check to see if their pots have cracks in them, or insisting that they can't use magic because they had sex recently. Therefore, whenever a player rolls a critical failure, a 17 or 18, it indicates he has violated a taboo. In the Bantu world, there are no accidents. Bad things happen because a)you've broken a taboo or b)you're being bewitched. After the crit failure, your character is 'chafu' = unclean.  On an 18, there is an immediate 'accident' that causes some level of injury to the character. On both 17 and 18, the character will suffer ongoing bad luck, represented by a -1 penalty to any important roll. The character will realize something is up rather quickly and testing for chafu is easy. A roll of 17 indicates low level pollution that can be dealt with by ingesting munyu (holy salt) or through one of several other rituals. An 18 is much more serious and will require the services of a Diviner. If you want to know more, well, it does go on. This seems like it would work okay in Hero.

One of the things about Taboos that's giving me a problem is that in GURPS you have Quirks, -1 minor Disadvantages, like "Can't Eat Wild Game". In a lot of these magic systems, mages get extra points by taking on new taboos, which are linked to their power, in a "pact limitation". And idea how I'd do that?

Back to craft magic. One of the major limitations is that the spells/powers can only be used in a workshop, at least those that involve creating items. I'd like to have a set of High Craft Spells that are actually used in the work, like a blacksmith might have Temper Iron, Shape Iron, etc. Hopefully that can be one spell/skill - just High Craft (PS specialization). Since there are grimoires, I could work the rest of the items like Recipes. You'd start with a familiarity with 30 or so Schematics. To work your way up in the Guild, you have to develop those spells. I divide the items into Charms (ephemeral) and Enchantments (perm). Charms can be fairly useful magic, like a basket that turns into a hut.
 

As for the END cost, I found this:  END cost: Determine Real Point Cost, this is the Base Cost for an item creation spell. It is an Instant Power with no Range and costs END to use. Apply Advantages and Limitations to Base Cost - these apply to the creation process, not the item. Base time is one day per 10 Active Points, +1/2 to reduce time to one hr per. The END cost is long term END. He only regains his REC per day. or add +1/4 for regular END cost.

BTW, this really isn't an adventuring class. I have waGanga/Fetish Sorcerers, who use bizarre fetishes to cast spells, each fetish being the focus for 1-4 spells, waSinsimi/Elemental Sorcerers, whose powers are given by elemental familiars, waNgaka/Herbalists who talk to the plants to learn their magics and waGuzi/Oracles who channel the spirits. And yeah, I'm not making this up. Elaborating, yes, but not fabricating.

Groundnut Stew:  Peanut butter, coconut milk, Sriracha/chilis, blackeyed peas, sweet potatoes, okra, cubed plantains, cubes of goat meat.

About as close as you come to an African dish - you can find versions all over the continent

That was really kind. Here's my first template:  MzimwiMale

Now, if anyone is feeling helpful, I have some serious problems with my magic systems. Ubantu is meant to be a magitech world, where everyone uses magical lights and cookstones and such. The basis of this is a set of sigils (kiGanga) that can be engraved in pots and such to give them limited enchantments. From this grew Kebushani beadwork, so effective that in Milikyunjovu warriors wear ornately beaded leather armor instead of metal. When the engraving is applied to craft skills, you get Ufundi, Craft Magic, which makes things like Signal Drums (telegraphic, unlimited distance). Here's how I did it in GURPS:

Ufundi - Guild Magic


Wafundi are craftsmen whose skill allows them to create enchanted items. A prime example is the Drum Society, which uses magic to turn their non-magical signal drums to a magical telegraph system. Originally they simply made magical versions of their everyday crafts, but now have developed the ability to create magical tools to enhance their crafts. For instance, ironsmiths can make hammers that shape iron without heat.

The levels of initiation mimic the age-grades found in many societies in Ubantu. The induction into the Guild proper is modelled on the circumcision ceremony. After that comes warrior, then master, then elder of however many circles there are and finally ascended elder. One ascends in the guild by adding new ritual to the Guild grimoire, thus ensuring a high place in the Guild hall in Kuzimu.
    
Most wafundi belong to a trade guild. In addition to the actual mechanics of the magic, they must learn to read the encoded grimoire(s) and pass through the various initiation ceremonies that bind them to the guild. Many of the more complex rituals involve the aid of Guild spirits, both mashave spirits that lend raw power and venerated ancestors that lend their expertise. Tutelary ancestors can increase skill levels or even lend peripheral skills, mashave can increase Magery and add energy.

Mechanics

Wafundi begin with their requisite skills. For our two examples, the primary skills are Basketweaving (DX/A) and Signal Drumsmith (DX/H). Becoming a master entails learning related skills, such as Horticulture (Vines and Canes) and Woodworking, Tanning, Leatherworking and Musical Instrument (Drums).

Because taboos are such an essential part of this setting, rather than having Pact limitations on various advantages, the character adds another 1pt Quirk.

Having demonstrated a certain ability, the prospective mfundi will be tested for magical ability. Once his basic skill reaches 12, he will be allowed to use magical tools that require input (meaning they require the Guild Mage perk [1]). If the candidate is capable of using the tools, he will be taught until his skill reaches 14, then initiated as a novice. In the initiation, a diviner will contact the candidate's msomolezi and seek permission. If this is granted, and it will be unless the candidate has some unrevealed taboo that would inhibit his ability, the candidate will be taken into the cadre of the founder spirit's community.

add:
    Guild Magery 0 [1] or Magery 0[5] and
    Patron (Guild) (Equipment:  more than starting wealth, +100%, 9 or less) [20] and
    Duty (Guild labor) (Fairly often) [-5] and
    Taboo (specific to Guild) [-1] and
    Discipline (Keep guild secrets) [-1]

The pact with the founder spirit at this point will add a new taboo specific to the guild and prevents the initiate from revealing guild secret, on pain of curses or other supernatural sanctions.

Now the novice must learn a new skill:  Guild Magic (Specialization) - IQ/VH, which enables him to cast basic spells, make charms and enchantments. In order to learn this, he must study kiGanga (IQ/H) [analogous to Symbol Drawing (Ritual Path)]. Depending on his trade, this will be associated with Engraving (Kimusso) (DX/A) or Beadwork (Kebushani) (IQ/H). Our drum maker would learn Engraving (Kimusso) so that he could engrave the mystic symbols of kiGanga on his drums, while our basketmaker would learn Beadwork (Kebushani) to add beads to his baskets.

   
Skill Cap: the Guild Magic skill cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or the relevant craft skill. However, for the purpose of this cap, the craft skill is at -3 if Easy, -2 if Average, -1 if Hard, and unchanged if Very Hard. For example, High Craft (Signal Drumsmith) cannot exceed the lower of 12+Magery or Signal Drumsmith-1.
    
Guild magic has special limitations. Guild mages cannot use conditional or triggered spells - but they can create an unlimited number of charms or enchanted items. When casting spells directly, rather than creating charms or items, they may use only their natural resevoir or energy lent to them by assisting spirits. Due to these restrictions, Guild Magery costs 4pts/lvl beyond the Guild Magery 0 perk.
 

An example of what a Craft Mage can do:  Wickersnake Basket Guild
Spells: Craft Spell College- Basketweaving (spells that cure cane, weave knots, stain wicker, etc)
Charms/Ephemeral Enchantments - Handle, Weave, Unknot, Clamp, Handcuff, Spirit Trap (traps a spirit in a basket), Unfolding Chair, Table (grows), Hut (transformed basket)
Permanent Enchantments - Autobalance Basket
Spillproof Basket
Lightweight Basket
Durable Basket

Doing it in HERO: I can't see paying for these trinkets with character points. This is all 'ordinary equipment and gear'. So I'm going with the alternate system on Fantasy Hero 285 where it costs END (long term). That won't matter for upper level Craft Mages, as they'll have spirit familiars to lend them the END. I'm thinking the spells that assist the artisan can be general, then a spell each for the Ephermeral and Permanent Enchantments.

High Craft Magic:  Requires background Professional skills to use (+0), all slots Extra Time (1 Hour, Character May Take No Other Actions, -3 1/4), Spell (-1/2), Requires A Skill Roll - the craft skill apart from the spell skill (-1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4), Costs Endurance , Incantations (-1/4), Foci (workshop), Gestures,

I'm still figuring out Multipowers, so give me time. Thanks, y'all

Erm, is it really unavoidable to use the term "race" in this kinda setting?

Race here specially refers to a sapient species. Is there another option? Does it bother you because it's African? Hmm - in this setting, Pygmies are a separate species that can't interbreed with H. sapiens. Largely this is for their protection - most pygmy cultures in our world were assimilated by Bantus and others taking pygmy wives. If it's about skin color, I went to a lot of trouble to define new words for the skins tones that occur in subSaharan Africa. I don't get it....Ubantu isn't about race at all, my Nef Guinee Afro-Caribbean setting is.

I'm working on my first template, for Ubantu Ogres. I have a few questions....

I'm guess these are Perks. One - waZimwi have a certain amount of legal enforcement powers. Because they always keep bargains and follow through with deals, they have the legal right to enforce their deals.  Also, most humans in this setting are bound by various taboos. Breaking them makes you unclean, which affects your rolls, and you have to be purified. Ogres don't use this system. So:

The WaZimwi - Ogres

waZimwi have jet black skin, curly or kinky black hair, which is usually in dreadlocks, red eyes and protruding lower canines. Males are 3m tall, females around 2.75, both sexes dense with muscle. waZimwi traditionally practice ritual scarification, adding lines and chevrons on their cheeks and whorls on their foreheads. They are not as ugly as standard fantasy Ogres - their features are regular and they lack body hair, but they do have a distinct musky odor (the pheromones of young Ogresses can have a powerful effect on human males). Ogre-maidens are sometimes even beautiful by human standards, but the two races seem to be infertile. Their culture is deeply matriarchal and they are practitioners of polyandry, males being born in a 2 to 1 ratio with females.

The waZimwi have their own villages in the hinterlands of Ubantu, often magically hidden. These villages are ruled by ancient Hags with powerful magic. These Hags gain power from eating Humans and other sapients - they are very fond of elephants. The Ogre Hags are wise and foresightful. They have no intention of being left behind or crushed by advancing civilization. There are long established waZimwi families in all of the large cities throughout the Empire, where the males serve as prestige bodyguards and caravan escorts. Young females, while still beautiful, are highly paid dancers.

As a race, Ogres find humans annoying but at least honorable, as they have kept their word following the War without Hope. And though humans tend to lump Ogres together with the amaZimu races, it isn't wise to do so within earshot of an Ogre. They hate the shapeshifters with a passion, especially the waSimba. Ogre mythology is full of tales of clever Ogres turn the pride of the waSimba against them. Ogres hate Hyenas just as much as humans do. Whereas some humans have made people with the waNgwena, Ogres regard them and Leopards with superstitious dread. WaMhenga are the exceptions, often living in Ogre villages and serving a traditional support role for the village chieftainess.

Player character waZimwi are usually waZimwi wabantu, civilized Ogres who live in the cities of Milikyunjovu. The major city-states (sehemu) are about 1% Waziwmi. Civilized Ogres are just that:  civilized. They are well-spoken, immaculately clean and polite, and even courteous and respectful. They are known to sometimes eat people, but never at random. Their anthropophagous urges are satisfied by condemned criminals, and it has been found that the threat of being eaten alive by Ogres is a powerful deterrent. WaZimwi rarely lie, cheat or steal. They are not, in short, openly dangerous. On the other hand, one doesn't cheat an Ogre, and trying to steal from them is recklessly insane. WaZimwi are not interested in human justice - people who die from poison trials are foul tasting, and anyone stupid enough to wrong an Ogre gets what they deserve.  Ogres are also fond of gambling with humans, and if at the end of the game the human can't pay up, the Ogre will cheerfully take an arm or leg.

WaZimwi are genetically predisposed to find human flesh extremely tasty. It can easily become an addiction for them. Other than humans, they prefer to eat the meat of carnivores and omnivores. They don't like beef at all, but accept sheep and goat. They prefer to eat dogs in cities. Other than meat, they traditionally cook insanely spiced potgreens and mealie-bread. Fruits are eaten with peels, including types that make humans sick.

Male waZimwi who somehow get lost or isolated go feral, turning into wandering monsters that terrorize the countryside until they are hunted down. Some are born as Atavisms - these mutants are even larger than regular mZimwi and are forced to knucklewalk.

Ogre social structure is based around alliances of related alpha females. Three, five or seven sisters or first cousins rule a given community. Individual females have one to three husbands, which are not related, though preferably their brothers are married to the other alpha females.