Hollowcasting and Hollowing Rules¶
Rules system: homebrew, the skill-based Sancturi system (2018-2019 documents; raw attribute saves, Will contests on 2d4, spell orders).
Lore: Hollowcasting as a tradition is described on Hollowcasting, and the Hollows and the Hollowing on Hollows.
Legacy design material, not canon for play. Two sets of rules from the Sancturi campaign: the core Hollowcasting feats from Hollowcasting Overview (S292), and the mechanical half of Hollowing (S126), which covers demonic possession inside a Hollow, exorcism, Hollowing rates and the 0-100 Hollowing scale. The Arcane Spellcraft versions of the Hollowlock and Hollowmage feats are on Sancturi Magic System.
Hollowcasting feats¶
"Hollowcasting is the practice of using Hollowed Mithis as an energy source for creating magical effects" (S292). Its two skills are Hollowcasting School [CHA | WIL] and Hollowcasting Channeling [CHA | WIL].
Hollowlock¶
The Hollowlock uses Mithis gathered from a Hollow to cast. "They are a raw, primal spellcaster that has no understanding of the arcane nature of magic. Instead they understand and feel the energies of the Hollow and learn how to twist and shape them." Their magic is available only inside a Hollow unless they have the Mithis Channeling feat. Spells are few and raw, but the simplicity lets them optimise output and master their forms. There are no spellbooks or formulas; casting forms are learned independently or passed on in rare manuals or by word of mouth.
- Short Rest: recover with 1 minute of meditation, up to 2× Channeling.
- Realm Specialization: more available spells, +2 realm skill bonus and +2 realm casting bonus.
Hollowmage¶
"The Hollowmage is an evolution of the Arcane Magi of old. They use forbidden Arcane formulae to tap into a Hollow's Mithis magic." Their spells are more refined and precise than the Hollowlock's, but much more laborious to learn and master. Their magic is available only inside a Hollow unless they have the Mithis Channeling feat.
- College Specialization (no rule given).
- Expanded Memory: memorize more spells.
- Spellbook Caster (no rule given).
Mithis Channeling¶
Used by a Hollowmage or Hollowlock to draw Mithis energy from a Mithis object, so that they can cast anywhere they carry it. Like a Hollow, the object will likely provide only a certain kind of Mithis magic, and only spells of those schools are available. The object must remain depleted: "If it is ever allowed to regenerate up to 25% of its total energy it will start creating a Hollow and will be detectable to most methods of Hollow detection."
- Battle Caster: advantage to concentration, and a reaction that lets a prepared spell be used as an opportunity attack.
- Conclave Caster (no rule given).
Ritual Caster¶
The ritual caster casts slowly and methodically to use less energy: casting time is quadrupled and cost halved. Spells cast this way that are lower than 3 Spell Orders below the maximum in that Realm or College cost nothing. Spells that are actually Rituals are cast as if 2 Orders higher, without the extra cost or the maximum empowerment limits.
Possession in a Hollow¶
Inside a Hollow, demons "have direct access to their abyssal powers (are much stronger)" and can attempt to possess those who enter (S126).
- Resisting possession is a Will vs 0 save, at −1 to the roll for each 10 Hollowing.
- A target who fends off a possession is immune to further attempts for as many hours as they beat the save by: "if their adjusted roll was 18 (- 0 for what they needed), then they don't have to make a save for an additional 18 hours."
- Possession has four stages, and each step to the next requires a failed save.
| Stage | Condition | Will contests and exorcism | Time to next stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Touched by a demon | The target is marked. The demon tries to deepen the possession every time the target enters a Hollow, can track the target and is aware of their actions, and occasionally breaks off for easier or more powerful prey. The target "can feel a dark presence and weight (if they are not evil)." | The demon can attempt to influence the target with suggestions (like the spell) up to 3/day: Will Contest, 2d4 + raw attribute. Exorcism has a high chance of success. | At least 1 day |
| 2. Wrestling with a demon | "The demon is ever present and battles are constant. Every waking hour is a struggle for who is in control." The demon's influence and possession attempts now extend outside the Hollow. | Decisions require a Will Contest: 2d4 + raw attribute. Exorcism is difficult and dangerous. | 1d4 days |
| 3. Possessed | The demon is in full control. | "The target can attempt to influence/sway the actions of their target with suggestions up to 3/day. Will Contest." Exorcism is very hard without killing the subject. | 2d4 days |
| 4. Transformed | "There is no trace of the original spirit (they are now being consumed for their energy)." | Exorcism is not possible: "there is nothing left to go back to." | — |
Exorcism¶
Clerics and some Runecasters can perform exorcisms. Each attempt normally deals Necrotic damage to the target and leaves them in a 24-hour Accursed state. Every successful exorcism reduces the possession level by 1.
The Hollowing¶
The Hollowing is the area inside a Hollow that is actively changing the material around it. Its boundaries are independent of the Hollow's: the Hollowlord can concentrate the Hollowing to convert some areas fully first or to avoid detection, and at most can quadruple its Hollowing rate by dramatically shrinking the Hollowing area.
Hollowing Vortex. Summonable by Hollowlords in Class III and higher Hollows, a vortex of Hollowing energies adds about 2d6 Hollowing per hit on average; more powerful Hollows have more powerful vortexes. They "appear as swirling black and smokey storm with red and orange light emanating from the center," and range in size "from a house to a child."
Hollowing rates¶
The Hollowing scale runs from 0 to 100, with 100 being Abyssal. Average Hollowing rates by Hollow class:
| Class I | Class II | Class III | Class IV | Class V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/week - 1/day | 1/day - 1/hour | 1/hour - 1/min | 1/min - 1/round | 1/round - 10/round |
Taint decay. A tainted creature loses 1 Hollowing point per Vit+Cha bonus per day outside a Hollow, with a minimum of −1 per week for those with a 0 or negative Vit+Cha bonus.
Hollowing threshold¶
For living beings: Hollowing Threshold = Vitality + Willpower + Charisma (raw attribute scores). "Average should be approx 30. Very very high is 52. 20 is low."
For non-living elements the threshold depends on density:
| Air & Gasses | Cloth & Leather | Deadwood | Water | Earth & Stone | Metals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 50 |
The Hollowing scale¶
| Score | State | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to threshold | Tainted | Minor but noticeable changes that are temporary: the object or creature returns to normal after time away from the Hollowing. Elemental examples: different coloured fire, toxic water, ashen earth, crumbling rock, sulfur mineral veins, pungent air. Somatic: boils, warts, heightened or lowered energy, increased or reduced physical attributes. Spiritual: aggression, madness, reflection, amnesia. |
| Threshold to 99 | Hollowed | Halfway between the original form and its Abyssal; permanent save by very powerful magic, and normally stark. Water may be acid, glowing and fuming with sulfur, and may curse on touch. A human body may grow bony protrusions, twisted bones and oozing sores. Mind and spirit: vacant or glowing eyes, possibly entirely insane and "driven by the needs of the Hollowlord". Living creatures suffer −1 Willpower to resist possession per 10 Hollowed score. |
| 100 | Abyssal | No resemblance to the original form; "purely associated to the Abyssal Plane". It can no longer resist possession. |