Tags
18th Century, Ancient Folklore, evocation, folk magic, Ghastly Affair, gothic game, Gothic Gaming, Gothic Horror, Gothick, Historical Gaming, Medieval Folklore, Medieval Magic, occult, Occultsploitation, Romantic Horror, traditional magic
This is the fourth part in the series of random Generator Tables for Magical Rituals in the Ghastly Affair RPG. See The Ghastly Magical Ritual Generator | Part 1: Rituals of Evocation for more instructions on how to use the tables. See The Ghastly Magical Ritual Generator | Part 3: Rituals of Malediction for a discussion on how to adapt these tables for use with your favorite RPG.
Some Example Blessing Rituals, Made Using the Generator Tables
A Ritual of Protection From Serpents
A 1st Level Ritual, created by rolling a d6 on each Table.
The Ritual lasts 10 minutes, and is to be performed any time during the day by a Ritualist who is under the open sky, wearing nothing in particular, while they manipulate a loop of string into intricate patterns and whistle, as they say their desire six times. As a Drawback, the Ritual causes a Ritualist’s Perversity to increase by 1 point.
A Ritual to Cure Serious Wounds
A 3rd Level Ritual, created by rolling a d10 on each Table.
The Ritual lasts 10 minutes, and is to be performed any time during the day by a Ritualist who is within a circle drawn on the ground, wearing a crown of laurel leaves, while they play a tune on a flute and anoint themselves (or the Recipient) with an unguent made from herbs and fat, as they say apparent nonsense. As a Drawback, the Ritual causes a Ritualist to suffer 2 point of temporary Strength damage.
A Ritual to Reincarnate
A 5th Level Ritual, created by rolling a d20 on each Table.
The Ritual lasts 50 minutes, and is to be performed on an even-numbered day of the month by a Ritualist who is under an oak tree, wearing no clothes, while they eat a specially prepared wafer and burn costly incense, as they say a prayer to the god Aesculapius. As a Drawback, the Ritual causes a Ritualist to suffer 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage.
Blessing Ritual Generator
- A Magical Ritual’s Level is is the same as that of the equivalent Pact or Preternatural Power, whichever is higher.
- For a 0 Level Ritual, roll a d4 on each table.
- For a 1st Level Ritual, roll a d6 on each table.
- For a 2nd Level Ritual, roll a d8 on each table.
- For a 3rd Level Ritual, roll a d10 on each table.
- For a 4th Level Ritual, roll a d12 on each table.
- For a 5th Level (or higher) Ritual, roll a d20 on each table.
|
Die Result |
The Ritual lasts… |
|
1 – 3 |
Just a minute,… |
|
4 – 6 |
10 minutes,… |
|
7 – 8 |
20 minutes,… |
|
9 – 10 |
30 minutes,… |
|
11 – 12 |
40 minutes,… |
|
13 – 15 |
50 minutes,… |
|
16 – 20 |
1 hour,… |
|
Die Result |
..and is to be performed… |
|
1 – 2 |
whenever desired… |
|
3 – 4 |
any time during the day… |
|
5 |
between dawn and noon… |
|
6 |
between moon and sundown… |
|
7 – 8 |
during a waxing moon… |
|
9 |
at dawn… |
|
10 |
at noon… |
|
11 – 12 |
on an even-numbered day of the month… |
|
13 – 16 |
on a Sunday… |
|
17 |
during a full moon… |
|
18 |
when the star Sirius is visible in the night sky… |
|
19 |
when the star Betelgeuse is visible in the night sky… |
|
20 |
when the Pleiades are visible… |
|
Die Result |
…by a Ritualist who is… |
|
1 – 2 |
within a circle drawn on the ground,… |
|
3 |
under the open sky,… |
|
4 |
in a brightly lit chamber,… |
|
5 |
under an oak tree,… |
|
6 |
next to an evergreen tree,… |
|
7 – 8 |
by a river,… |
|
9 – 10 |
next to a lake or pond,… |
|
11 – 12 |
on the seashore,… |
|
13 – 14 |
standing atop a mountain or hill,… |
|
15 – 16 |
in or near a church,… |
|
17 |
next to an ancient megalith or barrow,… |
|
18 – 19 |
in or near the burial place of a Saint. |
|
20 |
in or near the burial place of a King or Queen.
Unless the Ritualist belongs to a royal family. |
|
Die Result |
…wearing… |
|
1 – 3 |
nothing in particular,… |
|
4 |
any article of white clothing,… |
|
5 – 6 |
any article of orange clothing,… |
|
7 |
a crown of laurel leaves,… |
|
8 |
a garland of of laurel leaves,… |
|
9 |
a specially inscribed parchment around their neck,… |
|
10 |
a prayer to God inscribed on a parchment scroll,… |
|
11 – 12 |
a medal of Saint Luke,… |
|
13 – 15 |
no clothes,… |
|
16 – 17 |
an amber ring,… |
|
18 – 19 |
a gold ring,… |
|
20 |
a cloth-of-gold chasuble or robe,… |
|
Die Result |
…while they… |
|
1 |
stand barefoot… |
|
2 |
burn an inscribed candle… |
|
3 |
rhythmically clap their hands… |
|
4 |
manipulate a small doll… |
|
5 |
manipulate a loop of string into intricate patterns… |
|
6 |
write their desire on virgin parchment… |
|
7 |
make strange signs with their hands… |
|
8 |
pour a libation of wine on the ground… |
|
9 |
play a tune on a flute… |
|
10 |
eat a specially prepared wafer… |
|
11 |
offer up a wax image of a human body part,… |
|
12 |
write a magical sigil on their body in ink… |
|
13 |
drink a full goblet of wine… |
|
14 |
drink holy water… |
|
15 |
drink an herbal concoction… |
|
16 |
pour holy water on their head… |
|
17 – 18 |
shave their head… |
|
19 – 20 |
sacrifice a rooster… |
|
Die Result |
…and… |
|
1 – 2 |
anoint themselves (or the Recipient) with an unguent made from herbs and fat,… |
|
3 |
whistle,… |
|
4 |
spin around until they fall down from dizziness,… |
|
5 |
rub an egg all over their body,… |
|
6 |
press a cross (or crucifix) onto the forehead of the Recipeint,… |
|
7 |
burn a piece of virgin parchment inscribed with a symbol,… |
|
8 |
gaze upon a metal charm in the shape of person,… |
|
9 |
rub a snake on the Recipient’s body,… |
|
10 – 11 |
sprinkle holy water,… |
|
12 |
smoke a pipe stuffed with a specific blend of dried herbs,… |
|
13 – 14 |
anoint the Recipient with Holy Oil consecrated by a priest,… |
|
15 – 16 |
burn costly incense,… |
|
17 – 18 |
burn a consecrated Communion wafer,… |
|
19 – 20 |
have sex with a partner,… |
|
Die Result |
…as they say… |
|
1 |
their desire six times. |
|
2 – 3 |
apparent nonsense. |
|
4 |
a prayer to God in corrupted medieval Latin. |
|
5 |
a prayer to God in corrupted Greek. |
|
6 |
a prayer to God in corrupted Arabic. |
|
7 – 8 |
absolutely nothing (and must remain absolutely silent). |
|
9 |
a strange poem. |
|
10 |
a strange poem in a language that cannot be identified. |
|
11 |
a prayer to Saint Luke. |
|
12 – 14 |
a prayer to a Planetary Angel of the Sun. |
|
15 |
a prayer to the god Apollo. |
|
16 |
a prayer to the goddess Isis. |
|
17 |
a prayer to the god Aesculapius |
|
18 |
a prayer to Pan. |
|
19 |
a prayer to Abraxas. |
|
20 |
a prayer to Lucifer. |
|
Die Result |
As a Drawback, the Ritual causes… |
|
1 |
a Ritualist to suffer 1 point of temporary Strength damage. |
|
2 |
a Ritualist to suffer 1 point of temporary Constitution damage. |
|
3 |
a Ritualist to suffer 1 point of temporary Dexterity damage. |
|
4 |
a Ritualist’s Perversity to increase by 1 point. |
|
5 |
1d3 points of Lethal Damage to a Ritualist. |
|
6 |
1d3 points of Lethal Damage to a Ritualist. |
|
7 |
1d6 points of Lethal Damage to a Ritualist. |
|
8 |
a Ritualist’s Perversity to increase by 2 points. |
|
9 |
a Ritualist to suffer 2 point of temporary Strength damage. |
|
10 |
a Ritualist to suffer 2 points of temporary Constitution damage. |
|
11 |
a Ritualist to suffer 2 points of temporary Dexterity damage. |
|
12 |
a Ritualist to make all Saving Throws with a 1 Point Penalty for a month. |
|
13 |
a Ritualist to lose their sense of smell for a week. |
|
14 |
a Ritualist to lose their sense of taste for a week. |
|
15 |
a Ritualist to lose all pleasure from sex for a month. |
|
16 |
a personal calamity that costs a Ritualist the equivalent of 1 month’s income. |
|
17 |
a Ritualist’s dwelling to be infested with vermin for a week. |
|
18 |
a Ritualist’s food and drink to taste like vomit and urine for a week. |
|
19 |
one of a Ritualist’s Social Contacts (or friends) to turn against them. |
|
20 |
a Ritualist to suffer a randomly determined Affliction for a week. |