Bound to a Higher Power

A wizard's power is often not entirely his. Legends are rife with mages bargaining and sacrificing to gather power from things not human. Often these bargains leave their mark, unique to the entreated thing. It is known that such spirits hate familiars not of their choosing, and that this feeling flows both ways. A magic-user balancing between two such bargains is walking a perilous path indeed.

To begin bargaining, one must first find the ritual to call the entity. Such things are hidden, and given up only grudgingly. It is worth noticing that such rituals only call - they do not bind. Such entities cannot easily be bound, and one powerful enough to do so has no need to bargain with them.

Once found, the ritual must be performed, and then the bargaining begins. Not everything these things want will make sense, but one can be assured of their malignant purpose. Once completed, the cast will be marked (table 1) and the entity departs, granting the user benefits to their power. (table 2)

Once an initial pact is made, those who serve their masters well may ask for additional favours. These may be at reduced cost, but will never contradict the entities wishes.

Bonds with weaker entities are possible, and are generally done in a more equal manner, although the gifts are far weaker. Most often, the exchange is that of magical power (slots, buffer points) in return for favours to be cashed in when the entity sees fit. These requests can be ignored, though this spoils the relationship with the entity who may decide to collect more forcefully. If the debt is great enough, additional entities may attempt to collect a soul-bounty.

Marks - Roll for mark and location.

d20	Mark	Location
1	Necrosis.	Forehead.
2	Single, large eye. (50% chance of being dead.)	Eyelid.
3	Cluster of smaller eyes. (Same chance as above.)	Neck.
4	Thick, ugly, matted fur. It stinks.	Mouth.
5	Area becomes bone, and obviously so.	Ear.
6	Pale, unhealthy light radiates from the area.	Right arm.
7	Permanent wound. (30% chance infected, 30% chance burn (not exclusive))	Left arm.
8	Blasphemous tattoo. (50% chance living ink, shifts to various hideous scenes)	Shoulder.
9	Needle-thin quills. (10% chance poisonous)	Back.
10	Minute feathers.	Chest.
11	Gaping mouth. (5% chance speech-capable. 15% chance requires feeding.)	Stomach.
12	Spike. (40% chance bone, 30% chance metal, 10% chance stone, 20% more exotic material)	Back of the hand.
13	Sigil in scar-tissue.	Palm.
14	Visible tumours.	Right leg.
15	Finger-width portal into nothingness.	Left leg.
16	Skin becomes fabric. The pattern shifts.	Right foot.
17	Insect limbs protrude, wriggling madly.	Left foot.
18	A single tentacle sprouts.	Groin.
19	The area is removed. If it is deemed essential, a replacement is offered. This replacement will be inhuman.	Inside the eye itself.
20	No visible mark.	Tongue.

Table 2 - Roll however many times seem appropriate given the bargain.

d10	Gift
1	Additional spell slots / buffer points.
2	Knowledge of spells appropriate to the entity.
3	Knowledge regarding a topic appropriate to the entity.
4	The use of a servitor bound to the entity.
5	The loyalty of lesser servants, on the condition you give the same to greater servants than yourself.
6	A specific item in the entities power to create or possess.
7	The ability to channel the entities power entirely once a month.
8	Counsel on one question a week.
9	Freedom from human frailties (i.e. no ageing, disease, hunger, thirst etc.)
0	A position of promise in the entities court. The invoker is taken to its realm permanently if they cannot offer something more.