This section attempts to list and describe all the spells and spell-like effects seen in the pages of the Silent Möbius manga. Most powers demonstrated by Lucifer Folk are not listed, as these seem to be 'innate' powers as opposed to actual castable spells. Each spell will have the following items of information:
Page Number: The page number the spell appears on. This number will be the page number of the Japanese volume (or Side). If there is a Viz-translated trade paperback that also shows the spell, then that page number will be given in parentheses.
Who: The person casting the spell.
Spell Name: The name of the spell as given in Silent Möbius. If none is given, the name might be that of the spells most obvious feature (for example, if the spell is clearly a barrier, then the spell name will be "Barrier Spell"). If there is no given name and the spell's purpose is unknown, then the name will be listed as "Unknown".
Incantations: Incantations given while casting the spell. In general, these will be taken from various sources, not just the Viz-translated version.
Description: What the spell is seen to do in the pages of the manga. Naturally, some of this will be guess work. In general, I will describe exactly what is shown.
Game Effects: An attempt to define the spell and it effects using the HERO System. Some spells will get actually write ups, others will only be guessed at and given suggestions. Due to the nature of the manga, very few spells will be fully written up. Any spells that are written up will usually use a base of 60 active points.
Page Number: 17 (17)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Ofuda (or talisman)
Incantations: None
Description:
Nami slaps an ofuda (a sheet of rice paper covered with a Sanskrit inscription) on her target. The ofuda then 'burns', damaging the target.
Game Effects:
Nami's ofuda is a simple Ranged Killing Attack. It has limitations such as "No Range" and OAF, and most likely "Charges". Since it continues to burns the entity after Nami throws the ofuda, it might be a Continuous, Uncontrolled attack. Most likely the ofuda use continuing charges.
Page Number: 19 (19)
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: "The field" (this is what it is called in the translations)
Incantations:
In front of me Raphael. Behind me, Gabriel. On my right Michael. On my left, Uriel. Five shining stars surrounding my four side raise flare. Six shining stars shine in the light pillar. Ater malkt va geblar ve deduler lu aurlam amen.
Description: Katsumi sets up a four keystones to serve as anchor points for her field. An entity in the next room lunges at Nami, crashes through a wall and into the center of this field, at which point Katsumi drops the last keystone in place. This erects a field that restrains the entity, while Katsumi casts a secondary spell designed to vaporize the entity inside.
Game Effects: The question here is whether this is two spells, or a two stage spell. Based on the dialogue, where Katsumi says, "Damn, the field is gone... I almost had him...", I'm guessing this is a two-stage spell. The first part restrains the creature, while the second destroys it.
The first part - the restraining "field" - is easy. This is either a Force Wall or an Entangle. Either could work quite well, and at 60 Active Points one gets a base 6d6 Entangle or 24 DEF of Force Wall (divided in some manner between ED & PD). For arguments sake, let's say it is an Entangle.
The Entangle is Immobile Focus, with the floor pattern and keystones the foci. Most of it can be set up in advance (which is what Katsumi is doing while Kiddy and Nami fight the zombies and the entity), and casting it only requires dropping the final keystone in place. At this point, the creature is trapped. The Special Effect of breaking free of the field is the shattering of a keystone.
The second part of the spell is also quite simple; it is a Ranged Killing Attack. It requires Incantations (see above), and some simple Gestures, and looks to take an Extra Phase to cast (meaning Katsumi spends one Phase casting the spell and it goes off on her next Phase). As it obviously affects the Entangled Entity, we can presume that either the Entangle is transparent to attacks, or this RKA is Indirect. Since it is doubtful that anyone else can affect the Entity while it is trapped, giving the RKA Indirect is the best bet (and is allowed to work as a "GM's Call". Note that the entity bubbles and burns for some time after Katsumi finishes chanting, it might be a Continuous attack as well.
The final spell looks like this:
Power: Entangle: 6d6, Extra Time: Full Turn (-1), IAF: Keystones and magic circle (-1/2), Immobile (-1)
Active Cost: 60 Points
Real Cost: 17 Points
END: 6
Power: Ranged Killing Attack: 3d6, Indirect (Fires upwards from base of magic circle) (+1/4), Extra Time: Extra Phase (-3/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), No Knockback (-1/4), Linked to Entangle (-1/2)
Active Cost: 56 points
Real Cost: 19 points
END: 6
Total: 36 points
Page Number: 51 (51)
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: None
Incantations: None (unless you count "father")
Description:
As Katsumi is being drawn into an Entity's body, she grips her father's pendant and thinks of him. The pendant (and Katsumi) promptly flare with energy, blowing the Entity into goo.
Game Effects: On one hand, this is a fairly simply power to define. It is a Ranged Killing Attack bought with "No Range." On the other hand comes the question of 'what happened?'. Did Katsumi cast a spell, or did she simply tap into some hidden reserve of power in the pendant. To be truthful, the event here is probably not a spell being cast, but more of a 'plot device'. The Game Master has Katsumi express a sudden burst of 'wild magic' in order to move the plot along. However, later one, we see the same pendant aid Katsumi in casting a spell to free herself from the same Entity. Odds are, that the pendant could be Focused form of Aid, with such limitations as "Concentrate" or "No Conscious Control". Naturally, the pendant will Aid all of Katsumi's powers with a magical special effect (a + 2 advantage).
Page Number: 57 (57)
Who: Rally Cheyenne
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: None
Description:
Rally goes into her meditation chamber to search for the missing Katsumi.
Game Effects: The first true clue as to what Rally is capable of... This search could either be Mind Scan, or Detect, with the detect being 'magical persons' or 'magical auras'. Note that Rally states: "That being. Does it think it can erase its presence completely? It's impossible except for the high beings beyond certain level." The Viz version has her say: "It's impossible for you to hide your aura from me." This would tend to suggest the Detect idea, since she's look for an Entity's aura. At any rate, this 'spell' requires Extra Time (to start) and Concentration.
Page Number: 57 (57)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Shield
Incantations: None
Description:
Rally tells Nami to put a barrier up so she won't be disturbed in her meditation chamber.
Game Effects: This is some form of Force Wall. It is probable that Nami can create such barriers by placing her ofuda on nearby surfaces. This Force Wall is probably opaque to sound and/or mental 'noise'. An example of Nami's Force Wall is a follows:
Power: Force Wall: 12 DEF, 0 END (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects: Sight (+1/2), Wall must be set up in advance and cannot move (-1), Wall points can be detected with Sense Magic (-1/2), Extra time to place (1 Turn) (-1), 1/2 DCV to place (-1/4), 4 uses (-1), OAF (-1)
Active Cost: 150 Points
Real Cost: 31 Points
END: 0 Note: this design is subject to change.
Page Number: 88 (88)
Who: Nami Yamigumo and/or Rally Cheyenne
Spell Name: Telepathy
Incantations: None
Description:
Rally and Nami communicate via telepathy.
Game Effects: This power can easily be simulated with Mind Link. The only question is 'who set up the link?'. My guess is Rally, as Nami hasn't shown telepathic powers at other times, and telepathic powers fit with everything else we see Rally do.
Page Number: 90 (90)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: "The field" (this is what it is called in the fan translations); Viz calls it a "Spirit Shield"
Incantations: None
Description: Nami notes that five pillars amid the ruins of a broken building are standing in a loose pentagram. Rally tells her to set up a Spirit Shield. Nami, by plunging her dagger into each pillar, creates the shield, trapping an Entity and also severing the Entity's tentacles that were grappling with Rally.
Game Effects: As with the Spirit Shield seen on page 19, this is probably an Entangle, especially since Rally states "We need to seal off its movement, even for 30 seconds". After the shield goes up she tells the Entity; (in effect) "Now you can't move, can you?" Severing the tentacles could be a simple special effect, or some sort of linked RKA attack. Creation of the shield requires at least a Full Turn (Nami needs to spend a phase moving to each pillar), as well as an Immobile Focus (the pillars) and her dagger. Nami also needs to keep the dagger thrust into one pillar, and states that she "... can't hold it anymore...", which would seem to indicate that Nami is still paying END for the shield.
As written, this spell is virtually identical to the spirit shield that Katsumi creates in the beginning of the Side. The major difference is that Nami must pay END and Concentrate throughout the spell.
Page Number: 98 (98)
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: None
Incantations: Father.. This one time, lend me your power! Your power as a great sorcerer! Evil one, be gone from this world!
Description: Gripping her father's pendant and calls out to him. There is a big flaring of power, and the Entity howls as a massive explosion occurs. An opening appears in the cloud cover and a bolt of lightning arcs from the building on which this is occurring into the clouds. When the smoke clears, Katsumi is kneeling amid the rubble, with her clothing in rags.
Game Effects: The best way to handle banishment (ie returning a being to its home plane) is by using Dispel vs Summon. The method used in this campaign is to divide the point total of the character to be banished by 5 and that is the target number of the Dispel. For example: Manon wants to banish a Kun Kan (a 263 point creature), she needs to roll (263/5) a 53 or better with her Dispel. In this case, Katsumi may be casting a one-shot "plot device" Dispel, or may be using her father's pendant to Aid her standard Dispel to the point where it can handle such a large creature. Since this pendant is never seen again, it was either destroyed in the use of the spell (very likely) or ignored by Kia Asamiya afterwards.
Page Number: 132 (130)
Who: Unknown
Spell Name: Spirit Seal
Incantations: None
Description:
Part of the Yamigumo home is underground and is crawling with Entities. A Spiritual Seal (made from ofuda) keeps the Entities restrained. We don't see this seal, however, because Nami's grandfather has removed it.
Game Effects: As discussed before, ofuda can be used to create Force Walls. This is what was being created here, except someone removed the ofuda from the ofuda of of the wall.
Page Number: 132 (130)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Holy Water
Incantations: None
Description: Threatened by a vaguely crab-like Entity, Nami hurls a vial of holy water, which then burns the Entity and causes it melt down into a slimy puddle.
Game Effects: Nami's holy water is almost identical to her ofuda. The major difference is that she can throw the holy water. Based on what we see, I would presume her holy water has the "Penetrating" advantage, and is Uncontrolled and Continuous. Since she states that "I can only use it three or four more times", it is obvious that she has only a limited number of vials (such as 4 to 5).
Page Number: 137 (135) Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Holy Water
Incantations: None
Description:
Attacked by a dragon, Nami hurls all of her remaining holy water at the creature. It works, burning the beast's head, but isn't sufficient to kill it.
Game Effects: See the previous entry for more on Nami's holy water. Note that the dragon is harmed, but the holy water 'burns out' before the dragon falls. Thus, the holy water has only so many Continuing Charges.
Page Number: 143 (141)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Kirin Dagger
Incantations: None
Description:
Attacked by the dragon, Nami holds the Kirin Dagger before her with both hands. The dragon's spews forth a massive bolt of lightning, which hits the barrier created by the Kirin Dagger. The lightning bounces about, wrecking things and reflecting a bit back onto the dragon.
Game Effects: This could be two powers, Fore Wall or Missile Deflection. Visually, it looks like Force Wall, as the Dagger creates a circular shield in front of Nami. Since the attack bounces back, that looks like Missile Deflection. Personally, I'd call it a Force Wall and the rebounding lightning is just artistic license.
Page Number: 151 (149)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Ofuda
Incantations: None
Description:
Nami slaps an ofuda only a slug-like lower Entity, which promptly burns away into smoke.
Game Effects: See the previous entry for more on ofuda. It is highly likely that Nami's ofuda last for about a Turn once thrown.
Page Number: 160 (158)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Kirin Dagger
Incantations: None
Description:
Nami draws the Kirin Dagger from its sheath. A bright bolt of light spews forth, forming into the shape of a kirin and knocking the dragon over.
Game Effects: This is an Energy Blast that uses the Kirin Dagger as a Focus. Since it knocked over the dragon, I'd guess it is Double Knockback as well.
Page Number: 163-164 (161-162)
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Kirin Dagger
Incantations: None
Description: Having drawn the Kirin Dagger from its sheath, Nami then slashes at the dragon, cutting the air and the dragon. In fact, she cuts the dragon in two!
Game Effects: This is a very large Ranged Killing Attack. It is possibly AoE: Line, since it cut the 'air' and the dragon. I would guess at better than 4d6, more like 6d6 or so Killing. Interestingly enough, it looks like this RKA is "No Knockback"
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