INTRODUCTION
After reaching the Third Order of the Spellslinger Path, a
“Power, absolute power even. It might come in handy.
It might save your skin. It might even save your soul.
You’ll have to pay for it, though.”
— Shan’dar the Green, Ritualist
E lite Paths Vol. I: Spellslingers is a supplement for
equinox, the first in a series of expansions designed
to present your characters with more options for
advancement and even greater power. At the same time,
each also provides new abilities and more background
information for your games.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Elite Paths Vol. I: Spellslingers consists of three parts. The
first part, Master Slingers, covers three Elite Paths for the
Spellslinger Path (see below for more information): the Belt
Mage, the Ritualist, and the Mind Bender. Each section
starts with an in-game point of view written by a member of
each Elite Path, providing a certain feel and approach you
can adapt for characters in your games—feel free to make
these your own! Following each entry is a Game Information
section listing the unique Path Powers available to members
of each Elite Path.
The second part of the book, Spells & Rituals, contains
two new spell categories—Belt Spells and Mind Bending
Spells. This section also describes a new kind of mystic
feat: Rituals. While Belt Spells and Mind Bending Spells are
unique to certain situations and environments, Ritual Spells,
as announced in the Equinox Match System Guide on p.132,
are extremely powerful mystic rituals able to leave visible
dents on the universe if performed successfully. Will you be
able to handle that much power in your games?
The final part of the book, Paths of Divided Thread,
introduces Crossover Paths for Spellslingers. These offer
new ways to individualize your Spellslinger characters
without resorting to Elite Paths. See below for more
information in how this works.
ELITE PATHS
mystic can devote himself to an Elite Path. These work like
specializations, granting a mystic greater power in exchange
for a narrower point of view of the universe. Members of
Elite Paths are extremely difficult to find throughout the
known universe, though they are a bit more common in the
Sol system. Finding a suitable trainer is often an adventure
in itself, usually one with a strong impact on both the
characters and the story you are playing.
GAME INFORMATION
To step on an Elite Path, the character needs to find a
suitable mentor and trainer to teach him the ways of the
Elite Path the mystic wishes to follow. This mentor will test
him in some way before he accepts—but it is not merely a
test of the strength of his abilities. The instructor must make
sure the character has the right mindset for the Path. With
that out of the way, the mystic gains access to the new Path
Powers. From that point on, he can choose from these new
Elite Path Powers in addition to the typical Spellslinger Path
Powers (Equinox Match System Guide, p.110).
CROSSOVER PATHS
Upon reaching the Third Order of the Spellslinger Path, a
mystic has often embraced a specific interpretation of his
Path. He can now use this knowledge to broaden his core
abilities and fortify his vision of the universe.
GAME INFORMATION
Stepping onto a Crossover Path allows a mystic to learn Path
Powers from different Paths, provided these fit the character
concept the player wants to play. What this concept entails
is highly individual and defies any categorization. We have
listed a handful of examples in the Paths of Divided Thread
section. Feel free to use these examples as inspiration for
creating your own Crossover Paths. Each of these entries
comes with a number of other “Suggested Abilities.” This
selection of powers and spells helps to nail down the core
concept of the Crossover Path.
MASTER SLINGERS
“Master Slingers. Heh. I have heard a lot of spacefarers
yarn in the decades I spent in Sol, but I truly believe these
that follow are actual children‘s tales. There is no substantial
scientific information about any of these so-called ‘Elites,’
and I doubt the Protectorate and Consortium would let
such powerful individuals roam the ‚Belt freely. They let the
Vagrants have Sol, but that doesn‘t mean they don‘t keep
tabs on the guys threatening the balance of power. So yeah,
they‘d take care of anyone who‘d display such abilities. Take
this as a lesson, man: don‘t embrace every word you hear on
the space lanes.“
— Sharuf, Dock Worker
ON THE DRIFTING NATURE
OF THE BELT MAGE
“I met the Farrash in the tourist area of Kamber Depot,
the second-largest Protectorate base in the ‚Belt. We met
incognito, pretending to be Consortium citizens visiting the
war memorial before heading back into the safe space of our
home worlds. While Vagrants are allowed to visit Kamber
Depot, they are only allowed to enter the docking and
merchant levels in the lower bowels of the station. There’s a
thriving black market for the passcards they hand out to the
tourists, so getting in was just a matter of exchanging a few
solids and dressing up for the occasion.”
—Harram Bjodou, Seeker and Historian of the Red Moon
I t is interesting what you do, researching and recording
people like me. I have a deep interest in the history of the
universe, ancient Earth, and mankind. The Path I follow
only exists because of all that. Yet I am no historian, nor
do I have records of the past. I am glad you agreed to meet
me here. It reminds me of when I met my mentor for the
first time. He asked me the same questions you did, but he
started differently. I would like to make his question our first
as well.
When I met him, K‘hastra sat on one of the few asteroids
out there in the Rust Field. He was there all by himself,
without the warming and nurturing comforts of a space suit.
He sat there, watching junk drifting through the rust clouds
and meditating. I arrived in a shuttle and only spotted him
by accident. Unsure what to do, I donned a suit and went
out there to sit beside him. He seemed to be lost in thought,
and he ignored me entirely. After a long stretch of silence,
I got up again, awkwardly, and he broke his silence to ask,
“Why are you here?“
I knew virtually nothing about him. K‘hastra was one
of those people many regard as a legend or a fairy tale.
Lots of stories float around the ‘Belt about him, but most
disregarded them as spacefarer‘s yarns. Except for me.
The stories seemed to tug me towards him, compelling me
to seek him out and become his apprentice. That‘s what I
wanted, so of course that was my answer. I have never been
so wrong in my life.
K‘hastra stood. He looked me directly in the eye, right
through the reflective viewport of my helmet. “You are here
because they died for you, boy,“ he said. I looked around.
There was no one there, just the two of us surrounded
by junk and the rust nebula. His piercing gaze met me
when I looked back at him. Today, I still wonder why he
didn‘t hit me when I shrugged. Instead, he thumped his
staff on the ground, and the ground went soft. Slowly and
gently, the asteroid we stood on broke apart, separating
into hundreds of smaller pieces. K’hastra held my arm,
keeping me in position, as the pieces slowly spread and
eventually surrounded us. I couldn’t say anything, nor
could I breathe. Those pieces weren’t rocks; they were
bodies. Dead and frozen.
I stared in silence. The Rust Field is a peculiar area of
space. The site of the greatest battle mankind ever faced.
The rust nebula surrounding us was filled with the remains
of hundreds of thousands of ships. Every child knew that,
especially in Sol. I knew too, but it has always been simply
knowledge—facts. A distant place. A distant war. It never
affected me directly. Until this moment—when the weight
of the past became visible and tangible to me. I had never
thought about the bodies before, assuming most of mankind’s
brave warriors had been disintegrated or vaporized by the
gruesome weaponry of the shanrazi fleet and the horrible
spells of their demonic masters. But out of several million
fallen, some corpses had to remain.
“You are here because you are human. Earth is our cradle.
The Consortium has left it behind. They say it died and turned
their back to Sol and the Earth Belt. Now they only return here
because they need to pass through the Nexus.
“But here we are. Men living in the remains of Earth. But is
it really dead?” He paused, and I looked at him. I was glad
he continued. “No. Earth was hurt badly and transformed. It
has evolved. We are its children, and we evolve along with it.
The Earth belt is teeming with life, old and new. It is a hostile
place just as old Earth was—there is no difference. Those
who don’t understand Nature have a hard time adapting. And
those who do are embraced in Gaia’s open arms.
I am a wanderer, a watcher, and a healer. I live in the stream
because it is my home, and I am there when it calls. It takes
care of me, and I take care of the stream. Earth is healing,
even if slowly. Follow me, and you’ll learn. Our journey will
take us from the surface to the very core of the ‘Belt, from
public places to secret spots no one has ever seen before.
Leave everything behind. We start now.”
And so I did.
I realized much later that I never chose to become a Belt
Mage. The stream chose me. My path was destined to
cross with K’hastra’s. He never charged me for his training
and wisdom. I didn’t visit him with the intention to leave
everything behind—seriously, I had spent all my savings
on that shuttle—but when he offered me his hand, I simply
couldn’t stay behind.
I have seen the beauty of the Earth Belt. Creatures living
between the tumbling rocks and amid the frozen oceans.
Habitable shards of earth and stone, covered by vegetation
old and new. Astral fish and fishermen catching them. The
dense and crushing forces of the core regions. Talking
rocks. Folks living in their own bubbles, completely isolated
from the rest of the universe—but in peaceful coexistence
with the stream.
My old mentor is long gone now, and there are more
Belt Mages today than ever before. Still just a few, but
our numbers are growing. I mostly offer my services as a
guide while I wander from station to station, but others of
our profession dwell on their role as protector. Some seek
out the ‘Belt’s secrets, others just drift. We are united by
the stream, much like white blood cells in your body. The
ecosphere of the ‚Belt is fragile in some places, and we are
there to stabilize it.
That is why we are here.
GAME INFORMATION
Aboard hybrid ships equipped with the right set of controls,
Spellslingers can adapt the Scale of their spells to the one
of the vessel they are on. Doing so is a little harder than
regular spellcasting and takes some specialized training.
Belt Mages, however, have literally taken their mystic
abilities to space and made it their own—a consequence of
the all-pervading mystic field of the Earth Belt.
„„Base Path: Spellslinger
„„Belt Mages have access to Belt Spells.
BELT MAGE PATH POWERS
A Belt Mage’s core abilities allow him to adapt to life in the
Earth Belt. When in their natural habitat, coupled with their
innovative spells, Belt Mages can become as powerful as
any starship they encounter.
SPACEBORN
As long as the Belt Mage remains in a mystic field, he can
survive in space without life support or a space suit. The
mystic can even move by the force of his will—not as fast
as a space ship, but he isn’t helpless or adrift out there.
The Power’s Energy determines the duration of its effects:
1=Order Turns, 2=Order Minutes, 3=Order Hours, 4=Order
Days, 5=Order Weeks.
„„Activation: Healing
SCALE
The Spellslinger can prepare a spell to work on a different
Scale, the Energy required to use this Power is equal to the
new Scale of the spell. Using this Power does not require the
Spellcaster Controls found on many hybrid ships.
„„Activation: Memory
BROADCAST
The mystic can communicate and interface with every kind
of communication system, broadcasting messages to every
receiver in range. He can also control his target(s), sending
messages only to the receivers he wants to receive his
signals. This Power combines well with Spaceborn, enabling
the Belt Mage to communicate with ships, stations, and other
characters around him. The Power’s Energy determines the
duration of the interface: 1=Order Turns, 2=Order Minutes,
3=Order Hours, 4=Order Days, 5=Order Weeks.
„„Activation: Perception
THE HIGHER ROAD
OF THE RITUALIST
“Jandar Sae‘rien is a deeply disliked Spellslinger whose
journeys wind through Gateway every few months. He
follows the Elite Path of the Ritualist, and once I dared to
actually ask him about it. Jandar‘s sense of superiority is
profound—he makes his fellow Raé seem positively humble
by comparison—but I found his words about his path
strangely compelling. If it is true that he can do so much
with his abilities, it is little wonder that the Consortium
exhibits such control over its territories. Power like this can‘t
possibly be meant for mortal hands.”
—Dei of the Rock, Most Excellent Listener
I found an old document once—a relic of the Golden Age. It
spoke of mystic energy as the stuff of stars, limited only
by the fact that we must keep our feet in the dirt. These
words resonated with me, even then. And that was before I
learned to do…
Is it strange that I cannot finish that statement? That I
cannot describe what it is I do in terms that will make any
sense at all when compared to the dull, lifeless exploitation
of the mystic currents that you dare to call power?
No, little Vagrant, you cannot imagine what it is like to feel
the very stuff of stars flowing across your palms. When I
squeeze my hands tight, I feel the breath of the universe
slither out between my fingers. I remake this empty, shallow
existence into something wondrous. I bend limitations that
others consider inviolable—though I do not break them. I do
all this as a matter of course.
Not every casual Spellslinger—how I loathe that word
and its roguish connotations—has a sliver of the intellect
required to master the delicate arts of ritual-casting. The
fine intermingling of mystic currents flowing from the depths
of the astral realms, inflected and excited by the contact of
a dedicated team of associates, is a vintage too rich for
most. Amongst this lawless life in the shadows of the Earth
Belt, I could find few from whom to learn, and often too few
to even trust as a part of my ritual team.
So it was that I came to the netherschool known as
the School of the Seven Shadows. Put your suspicion to
rest—I am no whimpering wretch cowering at the heels
of the Consortium’s sterile mystics. But the particular
bend of power that I practice demands associates of
similar mindset, and netherschools are a necessary evil in
searching out such colleagues.
When I left that fell place—and I assure you, they were not
at all keen on my departure—I learned something important
about myself. About the universe and the astral realm and all
of it. The power is bigger than any of us. Each of us touched
by mystic talent see the universe through a keyhole; we see
only enough of the true picture to make it possible for us to
walk our Path.
But the world on the other side of that locked door,
the world you can see only through that sliver of light, is
immense. It is impossible for any of us to conceive the
sum of it. But I, unlike most, have an advantage. A ritualist
possesses the power to widen that keyhole. We do not yet
perceive the whole of the greater truth, but what I see, what
I understand, is an order of magnitude beyond what a simple
Soldier will ever grasp.
I imagine I sound quite arrogant. So be it—I have been
called worse by lesser men. But I do not think that my talents
and my insights make me superior. No… I have sacrificed
much for my perspective. The depth of power I call when I
cast my rituals demands a price of my body and soul that
the simpler Powers of others could never match. The cost
in time alone… it changes everything. I am no better than
you… I am simply different. Well, perhaps I am both different
and better. I am a complex being.
The mystic currents that bend the shape of the universe
are brought into this world through precise manipulations
of hundreds of variables. Astral space must be cleansed
to remove dangerous taint so that it does not corrupt the
working. Phenomenal endurance must be on display by
all ritual participants so that the spellcasting can proceed
from beginning to end without interruption. And the level of
trust that must exist amongst team members—the profound
vulnerability one experiences when opening oneself up to
the broader universe alongside these other people—is not
easily found in this life.
Can you imagine the dichotomy of it all? To understand
more than anyone else about everything, yet to be entirely
dependent upon the assistance of others to accomplish your
miracles of insight and power? It can be maddening. No, it is
maddening—no small number of the instructors from whom
I learned the rudiments of my craft at the School of Seven
Shadows were quite thoroughly insane.
But the things they accomplished on the road to that
insanity—those rituals endure. They conjured life from
spare atoms. They bent the course of comets. They reduced
civilizations to ash. They reversed deadly plagues. They
leveled generation-spanning deformities upon their enemies.
Rituals are codes, known only by a few, that change the rules
by which reality operates. For such power, a little insanity
seems a fair price.
Do you know what the hardest thing about mastering the
secrets of ritualism is? Return, if you will, to my keyhole
analogy. The hardest thing is not seeing a bigger view of the
secrets behind the door than your fellow man. The hardest
thing is to know that no matter how wide you make that
hole… there is always something still out of view.
Perhaps I have learned all that Triga and the others among
the Seven Shadows can teach me, but there are other
netherschools. Other ancient bastions of wisdom and lore
from the oldest of days. Somewhere out there, there is a
means to disregard keyholes altogether and simply throw
wide the door.
What wonders will I see then?
What changes will I make in this universe once I have seen
the whole of its shape?
At that time, at long last… there will be no more limits.
GAME INFORMATION
Rituals (as hinted at in the Equinox Match System Guide on
p.132) differ from general spells in that these require more
mystic energy, discipline, effort, and preparation—Ritualists
take spellcasting to the boundaries of their craft. Rituals
always require the aid of a dedicated group of helpers,
trained and led by the Ritualist to build up the effect.
„„Base Path: Spellslinger
„„Ritualists have access to Rituals.
RITUALIST PATH POWERS
A Ritualist’s core abilities allow him to properly prepare and
cleanse a ritual ground and to develop new rituals.
GREATER CLEANSING
Used for preparing ritual grounds, this power allows the
Ritualist to purify a vast area of space of astral corruption
(see p.48 of the Equinox Match System Guide), with the
Energy used for this power determining the Scale of the
area. The power permanently cleanses up to a Corruption
Rating equal to the Ritualist’s Order, but does not remove
the source of the Corruption (usually a Demon). The
cleansing takes a while to accomplish and usually requires
the Ritualist to travel through the area, inspecting every
corner of it.
„„Activation: Healing
GREATER WARDING
Intended to protect a ritual team from outside effects,
Greater Warding allows the Ritualist to inflict a Major
Disadvantage on any Test made to harm or disturb members
of the target group. The Power’s Energy determines the size
of the target group: 1=1, 2=2-4, 3=5-10, 4=11-20, 5=21+.
The duration of this power is equal to the Ritualist’s Order
in Days.
„„Activation: Perception
CREATE RITUAL
This power encourages and enables the Ritualist to create
new rituals. Creating a new ritual requires the Ritualist to
do a lot of theoretical research and analysis to set down
the foundations of the ritual. Depending on the intended
effect and ritual ground, this often involves traveling—
possibly making the use of this Power an adventure in itself.
The Energy this Power requires to be used depends on the
effect, and the Test is made to create the ritual in writing.
Any Ritualist with access to the written record of the ritual
can perform it.
Note: Use the rituals in the Rituals section as a guideline
to create the required game statistics and mechanics for
the intended ritual. Discuss its effects at the game table
to make sure they fit everyone’s vision of the game. The
gamemaster creates the final write-up to set the ritual
down for reference.
„„Activation: Memory
THE TWISTED PATH
OF THE MIND BENDER
“He was a yol, though he acted little like it. When I
stumbled across him in the Pan-Ziar Market, I thought it
accident. I thought myself doing a good deed. I helped him
to his feet, and I decided to buy him a drink. He stared at it
coldly and then, when I dared to ask him his name, he told
me this. Not his name though—nowhere in his rambles did a
name slip from his puckered lips. I do not think our meeting
was chance. But now, looking back on it, I don’t remember
quite what was happening when I ran into him. Truthfully, I
am not even sure why I was at Pan-Ziar at all. Strange.”
—Eddagon Draebl, Pilot of the Realmheart
O nce fire was fun. It crackled and burned as I cackled
and yearned to change substance to ash. When I was
young, I played with fire. It danced across my fingertips,
hopping and popping and bright. There was joy in the fire
that I spun out of the ether, hurling and whirling it in radiant
ribbons towards those who would call me foe. When that
mattered.
But that was a long time ago, you see. A lifetime of sending
an ending to those most in need, when slinging spells and
bringing hells were one and the same to a man whose grip
on sanity was challenged less and managed more. Or was it
managed less and challenged more?
But I found that fire is only fire, and it burns only reality.
Spells can do so much more, you see. Why crack the shell
of the egg when you can instead whisk about its innards,
making new that which was, before, so commonplace?
Everything is soft on the inside. Everything, if beaten just
right, froths and churns and changes.
Stop looking at me like that. Don’t make me make you stop.
I can. I will.
There. I have. Don’t fret, regret only that it is the least of
what I will.
The secrets kept in the heart of greedy corporate
executives, selfish Protectorate officers, and even sinister
Consortium directors are delicate things. Gossamer and silk,
easily scorched to ruin. To learn to do what I do, to spin the
soft stuff on the inside of a man into new shapes, to tug and
pull and stretch it until it behaves as you wish… you must
forsake the fire. I have not burnt anything in a very long
time. I have not used the mystic forces to…
You see, don’t you? I see you seeing. Even after I told you
not to look. Clever boy, a clever ploy. Distracting me from
my distraction. But no matter. Mind matters. Matter doesn’t
mind.
There is danger, I suppose. The mind is resilient. It bends
and it stretches, yes—I am so very good at that—but it
springs back, sometimes. A nuisance, this looseness. Perils
of a perilous craft. And if you push too hard, if you strain
it past its limits, it will break. Once the shell of the egg
cracks, there is no more time for art or craft. There is only
the soft stuff, once inside, now out. Ruined secrets. Lost
opportunities.
I was still young when I learned to strike the mind with my
spells. When I learned to twist the thoughts around me into
new shapes, I thought I was going mad. To touch the soft,
supple mind of another, you must look upon it, you see. I
looked upon it! I opened myself up to the world of mystic
energy that flows around us all, and I learned to see images
where you see colors. I learned to taste emotion where you
taste ozone. I learned to hear secrets where you hear the
wind of air recyclers.
You don’t want to see. That is not an order, it is… it is
wisdom. I have some measure of that left, though rarely can
I separate it from what is also beating about in the soft stuff
of my mind. Echoes and reverberations of a hundred dreams
deferred. Never mine; never mind.
When you know the truth of all around you, when you taste
their resentment and fear and you hear their loathing in your
ear, you start to break a little. Our shells are not just to keep
our soft insides on the inside after all. When we fall, when
we break, it is in the little holes that the worst of us gets in,
gets out, gets turned around.
We shouldn’t know what others think. We shouldn’t see
what others are. They leave us always disillusioned, you see.
Yes, you see.
When you look at me, do you see? Do you see a man who
can change your very world with a nudge and a wink, with a
budging, grudging blink? All you are, and all you perceive,
is filtered through the simple sieve of a mind that I have
learned and yearned to change. What I call blue, you may
call red, but when I am through, there in your head, you will
see it as I do, and more’s the fool that does not fear that.
But I do not. I do not worry about what is and what may be.
I worry only about my me. The inner me, the self within, the
soft and squishy inside my skin. It matters not that which
we see, from which we hide or cower or flee. It matters only
that we be—that we hold ourselves in our inner eye and
stand resolute against the tide.
For there are others, just like me, you see. Oh yes, you see.
Others who will pull you out, out of your shell, rung like a
bell, twisted and shaken and turned all about. Then you will
slip you back inside yourself, different than before, and will
you ever know that once, just maybe, you were more?
It is hard not to change the mind of those you love and
those you find. When the power comes so easily, you use it
not so queasily. Instead you embrace the power to change,
to foster love and spurn on hate… because to leave such
greatness silent and still is to accept the value of others’
will.
And I do not, you see. Not anymore. Why should I care
what you will? Why should I care what you want? Wanting is
a thought. Will is a notion. For eons man has bought a potion
that can kill the care and pain and dream, and I am but that
idea fulfilled. Sip no more a draught of joy or death. I will
change you, breath by breath.
When I am through, you will not know the difference
between the me you were and the me I have willed you to
be.
But like the egg once beaten, it cannot be returned to what
was. A lie is a lie until the truth is forgotten, and I am so
very, very skilled at washing away the truth. So hold tight to
your you, you see. Because no one else cares one bit about
it.
Everyone that loves you would change you if they could,
they would. Listen not to their lies and protestations to the
contrary, for I have heard their sighs and lamentations so
very, very often. All wish they could do as I do, to bend the
will and sift the soul. And few would do so as artfully or well,
you see.
You see.
You see only what I want you to see. Even now.
It is done.
Go back now and remember how we started talking. One
step at a time. One verse, one rhyme.
Between the mad rambling—I don’t deny it—I have bent my
arts and so your dreams.
And you don’t even know what I have taken. Changed.
Broken. It is done and to you, it was as though it always has
been.
So you see, you do not see. You do not. You cannot. You
never will.
This is so much more terrible than fire ever was.
GAME INFORMATION
Mind Benders focus their mystic energies to enhance their
empathic abilities, which make the yol naturally suited
for this Elite Path. Mind Benders specialize in controlling
and manipulating people. They can sense influence and
corruption among them and have the right spells to exorcise
these effects.
„„Base Path: Spellslinger
„„Mind Benders have access to Mind Bending Spells.
MIND BENDER PATH POWERS
Mind Benders know how to manipulate and trick the human
mind—they can control individuals as well as crowds and
are able to sense the influence of other entities.
CROWD CONTROL
The Mind Bender knows how to manipulate the masses; he
can sense their feelings and manipulate them. His approach
to this requires the presence of a large crowd able to
see and hear him making booming speeches or a holding
public performance. With Crowd Control, the mystic can
expand the effects of any of his other manipulation Powers
(Encourage, Captivate, Enrage, Hypnotize, Panic, Enthrall,
etc) over larger groups of people. The Energy needed for
this Power depends on the size of the group of people: 1=1-
5, 2=6-30, 3=31-100, 4=101-1,000, 5=1,000+.
„„Activation: Memory
SENSE INFLUENCE
The Spellslinger is able to sense mystic influences exerted
by others over groups of people—often applied by other
mystics or even Demons. While he cannot perceive
corruption directly, the mystic is very sensitive to these
influences on any feeling entities under his scrutiny. Sense
Influence allows the mystic to read a crowd or community
for a number of minutes equal to the Energy used and
receive detailed information about the influence and the
possible source of it.
„„Activation: Perception
PUPPETEER
By creating a doll of his target and imbuing it with the
Law of Contagion (a drop of the target’s blood, a strand
of hair, etc.—see p.66 of the Equinox Setting Guide), the
Mind Bender can command the target remotely to do as he
wishes. This power only works if the mystic and his target
are within the same mystic field. The Energy needed for this
Power depends on the complexity of the task the target is
ordered to perform (1= Very Simple, 2= Simple, 3=Average,
4= Complex, 5=Highly Complex).
„„Activation: Healing
SPELLS & RITUALS
“Followers of the Spellslinger Path are a pretty diverse
lot. But no matter what Powers and spells they wield,
the concepts behind these abilities are the same. In fact,
you would probably find a number of textbooks on their
practices in any netherschool of the Consortium. The truly
skilled ones break out of these base patterns. They bend the
mystic energies in new ways and new forms. You won‘t find
a standard textbook on them, and I doubt any of them would
actually write one.”
— Soreas Vult, Order of the Black
B elt Spells and Mind Bending Spells are two new Spell
Categories exclusively available to followers of their
respective Elite Paths.
BELT SPELLS
B elt Spells allow the Spellslinger to manipulate space and
the objects within it. Developed in the natural mystic
field of the Earth Belt, Belt Spells can also be cast in
other areas of the universe, provided there is a suitable
ambient mystic field.
SCALE
The Parameters of all Belt Spells work on the Scale at
which each spell is cast: Personal Scale is the default.
Other Scales can be achieved using Spellslinger ship
controls (see p.188 of the Equinox Match System Guide)
or by use of the Belt Mage’s Scale Power. Ranges for
higher Scales are listed on p.191 of the Equinox Match
System Guide.
GRAVITY WELL
This spell creates a small black hole, which starts to draw
in all matter surrounding it. The gravity well is very real
and will appear on all active sensors in range. Visually, the
black hole is nearly invisible but can be spotted by its effect
on its surroundings. The gravity well traps all vessels of
lower Scale within the Area of Effect. Vessels of the same
Scale can attempt to escape with an Opposed Test (the
trapped vessel’s Engines + Piloting vs the Spellslinger’s
Construction + Energy—vessels of higher Scale receive a
suitable Advantage). Vessels trapped by this spell aren’t
in danger of getting destroyed by the black hole; they are
simply unable to move.
„„Parameters: Area of Effect, Duration
„„Casting: Construction
„„Target: Physical
ASTEROID JUGGLE
This spell allows the Spellslinger to change the paths of
tumbling asteroids and other stellar objects of a certain
Scale. The effect works like a tractor beam made up of pure
will. Objects with active propulsion (such as a spaceship)
can attempt to withstand this force and must adjust their
drives to counter the new course with an Opposed Test (the
trapped vessel’s Engines + Piloting vs the Spellslinger’s
Command + Energy—vessels of higher Scale receive a
suitable Advantage). Asteroids can be used as weapons this
way, using the rules for Ramming (Equinox Match System
Guide, p.191), using the Spellslinger’s Command + Energy
for the Ramming Test.
„„Parameters: Range
„„Casting: Command
„„Target: Physical
MAGE DRIVE
The target of this spell receives the ability to build up
propulsion as if it was outfitted with an actual spaceship
drive. The target (or the Spellslinger himself in case of
unintelligent or dead targets) can steer through space at
will, moving at speeds usual for drives of the Scale at which
the spell was cast. This spell has a multitude of uses, from
allowing Vagrants to move asteroids and dead space hulks
to enabling them to move through the Earth Belt without the
need of a spaceship.
„„Parameters: Duration
„„Casting: Construction
„„Target: Physical
BELT SIGHT
The Spellslinger’s mind opens up on a larger Scale, granting
him insight similar to a space vessel’s sensor arrays
(substituting the mystic’s Awareness Attribute for Sensors).
„„Parameters: Range, Area of Effect
„„Casting: Perception
„„Target: Mental
HIDDEN POCKET
The Spellslinger can define an area within the Earth Belt
which will remain hidden from sensors and senses. Ships will
automatically take a different route around the area, and
navigators will also do so instinctively without questioning
their actions. This spell is usually anchored around a number
of stabilized asteroids hosting a Vagrant settlement or pirate
hideout.
„„Parameters: Area of Effect, Duration
„„Casting: Construction
„„Target: Physical
MIND BENDING SPELLS REWRITE
The Mind Bender can rewrite a target‘s memories of a

T wist, infuse, extract, erase—these spells are used by

followers of the Mind Bender Elite Path to manipulate
their targets.
specific event or topic, altering them for the Duration of the
spell. This spell requires the Law of Contagion to be invoked,
meaning the Mind Bender needs something to connect him
with the target(s) (see p. 66 of the Equinox Setting Guide)—
unless he is able to touch the target directly.
ADDICT „„Parameters: Duration
With this spell, the Mind Bender induces a drug-like effect
in a target, causing the target to become addicted to him „„Casting: Command
or anything of his choosing. The target gains an appropriate
„„Target: Mental
Tag reflecting his addiction and becomes a willing follower
to the Mind Bender for the Duration of the spell. This spell
requires the Law of Contagion to be invoked, meaning the
Mind Bender needs something to connect him with the VIRAL THOUGHT
target(s) (see p. 66 of the Equinox Setting Guide)—unless The Mind Bender injects thoughts and ideas into the public,
he is able to touch the target directly. using some kind of visual he creates: a handout, graffiti
in public places, a newsletter, etc. The idea or thought is
„„Parameters: Duration
absorbed by those subjected to it, who make it their own and
„„Casting: Influence act on it for the Duration of the spell. Since these targets
often work to spread their cause, the thought or idea may
„„Target: Mental
become independent and generate a following that is hard
to control. The Area of Effect for this spell is measure in the
number of targets, but multiplied by 10.
INFECT „„Parameters: AoE (×10)
This spell causes the target to believe he has been infected
by a horrible disease by creating its symptoms and placing „„Casting: Networking
an appropriate Tag onto the target. The Mind Bender needs
„„Target: Mental
a symbolic ingredient representing the disease to form
the spell. The disease can also be a bogus one and have
symptoms designed wholly from the imagination of the Mind
Bender.
„„Parameters: Duration
„„Casting: Deception
„„Target: Mental

READ
This spell allows the Mind Bender to read a mind and gain
answers to a number of questions equal to the Spell‘s Energy
Rating. The Mind Bender experiences the answers to these
questions as if he were there when the target learned them,
although he can skip backward and forward as needed. All
regular parameters for this spell remain set at 
(Low). The time it takes to experience the answers is the
actual Duration of the spell.
„„Parameters: Number of Questions
„„Casting: Memory
„„Target: Mental
RITUALS
C onsidered the most powerful form of mystic energy use,
rituals require certain preparations to be made and a
dedicated ritual team to build up the effect. The Ritualist
must carefully plan each ritual and make sure everything
is in place for the ritual’s effect to work. Needless to say,
casting rituals follows a slightly different procedure than
spellcasting and wields far more powerful effects.
Rituals do not come with Shielding Ratings—Ritualists
pay CP to perform the ritual (as listed individually with
each description). Taint cause by the ritual is applied to all
members of the ritual team, including the ritual leader.
Almost always, rituals require rare and expensive mystic
materials that are consumed in the process of casting.
Acquiring and preparing these is often an adventure in itself.
PERFORMING RITUALS
Performing a ritual requires the following steps:
„„Step 1: Determine Energy and Ritual Parameters
„„Step 2: Train and Prepare the Ritual Team
„„Step 3: Prepare the Materials and Ritual Ground
„„Step 4: Perform the Ritual
„„Step 5: Make Ritual Test
„„Step 6: Apply Taint
„„Step 7: Determine Effects
STEP 1: DETERMINE ENERGY AND RITUAL
PARAMETERS, GATHERING MATERIALS
Each ritual creates different effects at different Energy
levels, and some even come with a minimum Energy level
requirement. Unlike spells, some rituals cannot be performed
with less mystic energy. The Parameters of the ritual need to
be set down in this step as well, as they affect the effort and
cost put into the next steps.
The mystic materials consumed by the ritual must be
obtained in advance. What is needed is determined in this
step. Gathering the materials may take time, as they are
usually rare and expensive. The materials are not needed
before Step 3, however.
STEP 2: TRAIN AND PREPARE THE RITUAL TEAM
Each ritual lists a Ritual Team Size, the number of mystics
required to take part in the ritual. Note that these team
members just need to be mystics—they don’t need to be
Ritualists themselves and don’t need to understand the full
ritual. Each needs to have one of the Skills listed with each
ritual and must be trained by the Ritualist to perform certain
actions to make the process work.
Training takes time, often several days or even weeks,
and requires each team member to make a Test using that
skill to prove he has understood the procedure. The task
difficulty and the Attribute used for each Test is deliber-
ately left open, allowing you to set up a story around the
ritual’s preparation.
“If the ritual prep isn’t important in your games, just stick
with the most obvious Attribute and an Average
task difficulty.”
—Dammi
STEP 3: PREPARE THE MATERIALS
AND RITUAL GROUND
The Ritualist prepares the Materials required to perform the
ritual and prepares the Ritual Ground on which it is later
performed. He usually does this with the help of the ritual
team. The preparation time depends on the ritual and is
listed individually with each description.
STEP 4: PERFORM THE RITUAL
Finally, the ritual team gathers under the watchful eyes
of the Ritualist and performs the procedure that will build
up and form the effect. The performance often includes
chanting, mimicking certain tasks, deep concentration,
or meditation, and often a fair amount of mind-altering
drugs. The performance time depends on the ritual and
is listed individually with each description, and ends with
each team member making a successful Test involving the
same Attribute + Skill combination used for training the
ritual (see Step 2, above). The required skills are listed
with each Ritual.
STEP 5: MAKE RITUAL TEST
Once the ritual has been performed, the Ritualist makes a
Ritual Test to cast the ritual and fortify the effect that was
formed and built up by the ritual team. He uses the skill
indicated in the description (marked as “Leader”) for this
Test. If successful, the ritual takes effect and the next two
steps are resolved. If the test fails, the ritual fails. In this
case, the mystic materials become worthless (or partially
consumed), and the resulting effect isn’t the one envisioned
by the team. It can be a partial success or a complete
disaster—this depends on the result of the Ritual Test and
the situation. Apply Taint as normal (see Step 6, below), and
describe what happens.
STEP 6: APPLY TAINT
Taint is applied to the Ritualist in full, including any Corrup-
tion present (see p.48 of the Equinox Match System Guide).
If the Ritual Test fails, add the Mishap Size to the Ritualist’s
damage as usual. Each member of the ritual team receives
Taint as normal, but not any Corruption or extra damage.
STEP 7: DETERMINE EFFECTS
The ritual’s effect becomes a reality, as outlined in the
ritual’s description and depending on the parameters
set above. As with spells, the descriptions leave a lot of
leeway for you and your players to flesh out the actual
outcome, and Matches and Mishaps help to inspire you
with additional details.
RITUAL DESCRIPTIONS
The following rituals are available to Ritualists. Due to
rituals being very rare and often unique, this list is naturally
incomplete.
POCKET SPACE
This ritual shrinks a designated area of space, including
everything in it, into a fist-sized crystal. The crystal is
hollow and contains the miniaturized section of space,
which continues to exist within it at a slower pace of
time. The crystal is quite heavy but can be carried and
transported easily. Destroying it is nearly impossible and
bears the danger of the contained area within expanding
from the place of destruction, possibly causing a disaster
of unpredictable dimensions. The ritual can be reversed
with a second performance. In that case, the ritual ground
should be void to allow for unhindered expansion of the
crystal’s contents.
“Of course, if the ritual was used for creating mayhem in
the first place, this doesn’t need to apply. Did you ever hear
the Legend of the Stolen Sun? If that one ever comes back, I
assure you that it won’t be in empty space…”
—Yargov, Primus Novus
The Scale of the designated area determines the Energy
the ritual requires, starting at Carrier-Scale (2). If used on
planets, translate these scales to cities (2), continents (3),
moons (4) and planets (5).
The ritual team is distributed to mark the outer edges of
the three-dimensional ritual ground, which is later shrunk
in the same form into a crystal—usually a pyramid, sphere
or cube.
„„CP Cost: Scale × 3
„„Ritual Team Size: 4 for a pyramid, 8 for a cube, 16
for a sphere (other shapes are possible and require a
suitable number of team members)
„„Ritual Ground: Any three-dimensional form or figure
imaginable
„„Materials: One arcanium ingot for each team member,
no less than three items representing the targeted area
according to the Law of Contagion (see p.66 of the
Equinox Setting Guide).
„„Time: E Weeks (Preparation), E Days (Performance)
„„Skills: Command (Leader), Construction, Deception,
Memory
DISASTER
You summon a large-scale natural disaster into a designated „„Ritual Ground: Any three-dimensional form or figure
area. The disaster can be a natural or mystical catastrophe, imaginable
devouring entire cities, continents, space stations, and
„„Materials: One arcanium ingot and a representative
entire fleets. It will appear natural, however, as if it was the
item according to the Law of Contagion (see p.66 of the
unleashed anger of nature.
Equinox Setting Guide) for each of the targeted beings.
The Scale of the designated area determines the Energy „„Time: X Days (Preparation), X Hours (Performance)
the ritual requires, starting at Carrier-Scale (2). If used on
„„Skills: Influence (Leader), Deception, Fighting,
planets, translate these scales to cities (2), continents (3),
Perception
moons (4) and planets (5).

The ritual team is distributed among the most prominent

landmarks of the two-dimensional Ritual Ground, which
encompasses the area where the disaster shall occur.
„„CP Cost: Scale × 2
„„Ritual Team Size: Scale+1
„„Ritual Ground: Any two-dimensional shape,
distinguished by the most prominent landmarks
„„Materials: One arcanium ingot for each team member,
one item representing the targeted area according to
the Law of Contagion (see p.66 of the Equinox Setting
Guide), and two telesmic essences representing the
nature of the disaster (see p.72 of the Equinox Setting
Guide).
„„Time: E Days (Preparation), E Hours (Performance)
„„Skills: Command (Leader), Influence, Dexterity
MYSTIC HABITAT
You create a habitat out of mystic energy, designed to fulfill
your wishes and dreams. The habitat will be self-sufficient,
able to feed, house, and protect everyone aboard. Although
it is mystical in nature, it will appear technological on the
surface. Closer inspection might reveal its true nature.
“Ever had an experience where you can‘t find a habitat you
visited before? You know, trying to find its exact position
again? Might be that you experienced a Ritualist’s power
firsthand.”
—Gox, Jagga Crew
The Scale of the designated area determines the Energy
the ritual requires, starting at Carrier-Scale (2). The habitat
exists for a number of months equal to the Ritualist’s
Order, extended by an extra month for each day spent in
additional preparation.

IMPENETRABLE ZONE The ritual team is distributed to mark the individual

You surround an area with a barrier impenetrable for modules of the three-dimensional Ritual Ground, which is
designated beings. The barrier is invisible but will block all later manifested into the habitat.
movement by the targeted beings on both the physical and
„„CP Cost: Scale × 3
astral planes. Targets trying to enter at high velocities will
take a suitable amount of damage. „„Ritual Team Size: A minimum of 4; 1 for each module
(housing, life support, food production, commerce,
“If the zone is located in space and an unwelcome being docking, command, defense, etc)
enters it by means of a spaceship, it will have to face all
„„Ritual Ground: Any three-dimensional form or figure
kinds of mutilation, because the ship itself can pass…”
imaginable
—Gox, Jagga Crew
„„Materials: One arcanium ingot for each team member,
The duration of the barrier determines the Energy the ritual and two telesmic essences representing each module
requires: 1=X Hours, 2=X Days, 3=X Weeks, 4=X Months, (see p.72 of the Equinox Setting Guide).
5=X Years. The multiplier X is defined in the planning phase
„„Time: Order Days (Preparation) (variable to extend
(see Step 1, above) and also affects the Preparation Time
duration), E Hours (Performance)
(see below).
„„Skills: Construction (Leader), Durability, Interface,
The ritual team is distributed to mark the outer edges of Networking
the three-dimensional Ritual Ground to be surrounded by
the barrier.
„„CP Cost: Scale
„„Ritual Team Size: 4 for a pyramid, 8 for a cube, 16
for a sphere (other shapes are possible and require a
suitable number of team members)
IMMORTALITY
This ritual extends the target’s life by stopping the
effects of aging for a certain amount of time. The aging
effects are merely postponed: if the ritual is not repeated
before its effects end, the aging will proceed in a matter
of minutes, ending the life of the target if it has crossed
its natural lifespan in the meantime (otherwise the target
will just age normally).
“Did this once because someone owed me, and it was
funny. Spent two extra decades in my prime years, and
became an old man right afterwards. Made it easy for
me to disappear afterwards; no one recognized me.
Not even the women…”
—Heliox, Venturer
The Energy of the ritual determines the time unit used to
extend the target’s life, with X being determined by the CP
Cost paid for the ritual: 1=X Days, 2=X Weeks, 3=X Months,
4=X Years, 5=X Decades.
The ritual team prepares and cleanses the target’s body,
readying it for the time to come.
„„CP Cost: X × 3
„„Ritual Team Size: 2
„„Ritual Ground: Any room fitting a bier
„„Materials: One arcanium ingot and a representative
item according to the Law of Contagion (see p.66 of
the Equinox Setting Guide) of the target. Various oils
and ointments.
„„Time: X Hours (Preparation), X Minutes (Performance)
„„Skills: Durability (Leader), Healing, Insight
PATHS OF DIVIDED THREAD
“This collection of concepts about followers of the
Spellslinger Path has been brought together by Mersha
Okoni, a well-respected Seeker and travelling scholar. Her
services to the Twilight Archives cannot be praised enough.
Despite her vast knowledge and experience, she remains
humbled by all she does not know and never stops
scrutinizing her own work.”
— Queral Bok, Twilight Archives
A lterations within the Spellslinger Path are probably
among the most difficult ones to put into the frame of a
specific concept. The sheer variety of their spells defies
any simple categorization. That said, within the Sol System
Vagrants have come to call certain types of Spellslingers
iconic names. These types usually center on a core idea: a
particular way they are perceived by Vagrant society. Still, I
am well aware that those followers of this and other Paths
reading this transcript will voice many objections to my
entries.
COURT MAGE
These Spellslingers are a very uncomfortable kind of mystic
to be around. But the name already gave that away, didn’t
it? Court Mages use their admittedly deep knowledge of the
mystic energies to get what everybody wants—power. The
difference is that while your average Spellslinger lusts for
mystic power, these individuals strive for a very mundane
kind of influence and wealth.
Many of the bigger stations have a Court Mage lurking
about like a spider in the center of a web. They are advisers
to their governments, counselling them about anything
mystic—phenomena within the local mystic field, mystic
creatures and the diseases they can spread, side effects
of used Spike, military defense against mystic attacks, the
ideals of other Paths’ followers, and so on. In short, they
think they know everything and stick their oar in everybody
else’s business. Problem is, they do know a lot, and they
wield the mystic arts to back it up.
SUGGESTED ABILITIES
„„Spellslinger Path Powers: Anchor, Dispel, Ward
„„Crossover Path Power: Authority (Peacekeeper)
„„Other Powers: Ask, Converse, Enmesh, Probe, Suspect
„„Spells: Mostly Health and Illusion spells, with one or
two Destruction spells to convince even the hardest
sceptic of their prowess.
PURIFIER
It is only in respectful and reverent tones that ‘Belt Vagrants
talk about Purifiers. Granted, most of them behave in obtuse
ways, incomprehensible to most mundanes and even other
mystics, but you can’t hold that against them, knowing what
they go through for us, can you? And by us I don’t just mean
humans—I mean anything not corrupted.
Purifiers step through the veil and take their spell-forming
arts into the very astral realms themselves. Often followed
by sworn companions and led by spirit guides, they journey
through the astralside, venturing further into much deeper
astral planes, always on the search for corruption and its
sources. They don’t shy away from the dangers of these
perilous worlds, and the alien predators have no chance of
scaring them off of their quest.
SUGGESTED ABILITIES
„„Spellslinger Path Powers: Cleanse, Dispel, Ward
„„Crossover Path Power: Shift (Conjurer)
„„Other Powers: Adapt, Fortune, Locate, Summon, Truth
„„Spells: Mostly Health and Enhancement spells, with
some Destruction spells to fight whatever astral
predator they might encounter.
SPELL CANNONEER
Military training combined with the will of a seasoned
combat mage is a potent combination. Pair that up with an
experienced crew and a hybrid battle-cruiser and you’ve got
the most destructive force known to modern warfare at your
disposal—Spell Cannoneers.
These highly decorated crew members are found on any
Protectorate Marauder, but ‘Belt pirates have caught up and
increasingly count such individuals among their own ranks,
making space-conflicts more brutal and bloodier than ever.
Battle-hardened, they shred their enemies’ weapons with
their sheer will and rain havoc down on their opponents
even when their own ship is engulfed in flames.
SUGGESTED ABILITIES
„„Spellslinger Path Powers: Dispel, Store, Ward
„„Core Crossover Path Power: Focus (Soldier)
„„Other Powers: Adapt, Disable, Regenerate, Support,
Stunt
„„Spells: Mostly Destruction and Transformation spells.
TECH WEAVER
These wizards are among the funkiest of all Spellslingers.
Excuse the sloppy jargon, but it is the best fit to describe the
gadget-adoring Tech Weaver. Instead of binding spirits into
incompatible or malfunctioning tech, they use their Powers
and spells to make that junk work—and in the process, they
create the weirdest technical constructs you can imagine.
Tech Weavers are very versatile, and while they are rare,
they can be encountered in many places: bigger station
markets, repair workshops, scavenger ships, Vagrant
crews, and ‘Belt Pirate ships. Their expertise in technical
knowledge and skill combined with their Powers and spells
gives everything they touch that… special extra.
SUGGESTED ABILITIES
„„Spellslinger Path Powers: Anchor, Cleanse, Store
„„Core Crossover Path Power: Rig (Crafter)
„„Other Powers: Create, Override, Power, Remote, Repair
„„Spells: Mostly Enhancement and Transformation spells.
DISHARMONIST
Disharmonists are what Vagrants cautiously call Spellslingers
that use their arts in a more deconstructive manner. I’m not
saying destructive. We’re not talking about the evil wizard
who goes on a rampage and destroys whole stations with his
spells. No, these shady individuals work in the background
and weave their threads of discord and maleficence in much
subtler ways.
They usually travel from station to station, leaving behind
whatever trouble they’ve caused like slick ‘Belt eels. Some
work out of their own mischievous ambitions, some follow
dubious cults, and some work under contract to the sorts of
people that want to hurt their opponents in devious ways. I
cannot confirm it, and such statements are unprofessional
to make, but it would be naïve not to believe that more than
a few Disharmonists work for a much darker presence.
SUGGESTED ABILITIES
„„Spellslinger Path Powers: Anchor, Dispel, Store
„„Core Crossover Path Power: Blame (Venturer)
„„Other Powers: Blank, Contract, Ensnare, Mimic,
Possess
„„Spells: Mostly Illusion and Destruction spells, with
some of the more negative Health spells mixed into
their repertoire.