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: 4
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso (aka "The Emperor of Blades")
Incantations: None
Description:
Lum states that Jesso is 'crying', that "Something has come here."
Game Effects:
Apparently, Jesso can detect the presence of Grospolina. This is probably a side effect of Grospolina's magic aura and Jesso's ability to detect the presence of Entities.
Page Number: 26-27
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: None
Description:
Lum 'powers up'. Kiddy comments on the sudden wind, especially since she, Nami and Lum are all inside a building.
Game Effects:
As commented before, this type of 'power up' is seen in many anime and manga. It could be the side effect of an Aid, or it could be a visual clue that the character is now acting at their full potential (ie. using their full DEX and SPD scores). Here, it does look to be some sort of spell, or side effect of Lum's tapping into her mystical power. Here, the wind is certainly a Presence Attack, startling Kiddy and Nami.
Page Number:27-30
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Water Dragon (my name based on appearance)
Incantations: None
Description:
Lum concentrates for a moment and is surrounded by a series of I-Ching symbols. At her feet appears a ying-yang and more symbols from the I-Ching. A great deal of light emanates from the ying-yang. In front of is a swirling mass of water, from which rises a long, serpentine dragon, made from water. It lunges at Nami and Kiddy. As a side note, Lum is holding a ball in each hand, both of which look to be marked in a fashion similar to the I-Ching.
Game Effects:
As a side note, this is real impressive in the manga. As a power, it looks to be a physical Energy Blast. It takes "Extra Time" (probably a Full Phase) and possibly "Concentration" (1/2 DCV). As it starts in front of Lum and fires towards her target, it is probably not "Indirect". Being a mass of water, I am willing to give it the "Double Knockback" Advantage. Needless to say, Lum is a very powerful sorceress.
Page Number: 29-30
Who: Nami Yamigumo
Spell Name: Barrier (ofuda)
Incantations: None
Description:
Seeing the onrushing water dragon, Nami hurls a folded piece of paper into the air. A barrier - the same shape as the paper, but much larger - then forms around the folded ofuda. The dragon them impacts into the barrier, at which point both vanish.
Game Effects:
This is a Force Wall in use. It would seem that Nami's Force Walls can only be used to stop magical attacks. She can create them by placing ofuda on walls (thus forming walls) or by hurling an ofuda in front of an attack. She does this to help Katsumi in the opening to Side 7. When using an ofuda at range, Nami cannot create a permanent wall. Instead, her barriers only last for about a Phase (or even a Segment), long enough to stop an incoming attack.
Page Number: 42
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None
Description:
Kiddy and Nami open a pair of cases to reveal Grospolina, at which point Lum states: "Jesso, I see! All day, it's been ringing and vibrating because of what's in that trunk."
Game Effects:
Further proof that Jesso can detect Grospolina.
Page Number: 48-50
Who: Avalanche Wong
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None
Description:
Avalanche hurls Jesso at the wall, where we end up seeing it stuck in the 'head' of a Lucifer Folk.
Game Effects:
Jesso can be used as a Ranged Killing Attack. Probably 2d6, as it is enchanted to be very sharp. It also has the limitation "Ranged Based on STR".
Page Number:52-53
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None (other than "Jesso!")
Description:
Lum calls Jesso by name. The spear than rises up into the air, allowing her to grab it.
Game Effects:
Jesso's ability to move is more an aspect of the spear itself than of Lum's powers. Presumably, Lum (or Avalanche) can summon Jesso at will. Most likely, Jesso has some sort of flight ability that requires his master to utter the incantation to 'summon' him, Jesso probably can't move of his own free will.
Page Number: 54
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None
Description:
Taking Jesso in her hands, Lum slashes the Entity apart. The damage is considerable, with Lum virtually cutting the Entity in two at one point.
Game Effects:
Jesso can also be used as a Hand Killing Attack. One must presume that Jesso is at least a 2d6 HKA, possibly more. If Lum has a 15 STR (doubtful), then Jesso is doing about 3d6 of damage in these scenes, which is logical. More likely, Jesso is a 2 1/2d6 HKA, and Lum has a 10 STR.
Note: On page 56, Avalanche states: "What Lum Cheng just did, nobody can surpass." Presumably, Lum is the current master of using Jesso in combat. She is also quite skilled in the magical arts (as we shall soon see).
Page Number: 71
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Unknown (possibly none)
Incantations: None
Description:
For the last page or so, Lum has been walking though an airport looking around. She stops suddenly and tells Kiddy: "Can't you be quiet for a second? I can't get a bearing." She then runs off stating "It's here!"
Game Effects:
Lum has detected Katsumi's magical aura. This is a typical Detect, Ranged and bought as a Sense. Katsumi has the same power, she picked up Mana's impressive magical powers back in Side 4.
Page Number: 77-78
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: None
Incantations: None
Description:
Katsumi lifts Medium up into the air. The sword glows brightly, and then Katsumi fires of a massive blast of energy at Lum Cheng, Kiddy and Nami.
Game Effects:
This is simply a very, very large Energy Blast. Considering the damage it causes, 15 to 20d6 of damage seems to be about right. Due to the size of the destruction, the blast might have "Area of Effect: Radius"
Page Number: 77-79
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None
Description:
As soon as Katsumi starts to fire off her attack, Lum drops one hand, at which point Jesso uncoils off of her arm (it looks like a thin strip of paper). When the smoke clears, Lum is standing with Jesso out in front of her (blade pointed to the ground). Directly behind Lum is an unharmed section of building, as well as an unhurt (but surprised) Kiddy and Nami. To either side however, the building is in ruins.
Game Effects:
Lum has used Jesso to create a Force Wall. As seems to be the case with Silent Möbius Force Walls (ie barriers), they only last a Segment or a Phase. Here, Lum's Force Wall is "No Range" and obviously has "Limited Arc of Coverage".
Note: Katsumi states that Lum had "neutralized" her magic. Here, it seems safe to assume that 'neutralize' means blocked, as opposed to dispelled.
Page Number: 82-83
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: None
Description:
Katsumi raises Medium up into the air. She then slashes at Lum with the sword, unleashing a massive arc of energy.
Game Effects:
Although this attack isn't shown clearly, it is probably a form of Ranged Killing Attack. It is smaller, and probably more accurate than the megablast Katsumi unleased a few moments earlier.
Page Number: 83-85
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso (?)
Incantations: None (unless you count "Ha!")
Description:
As the energy bolt flies at Lum, she slashes Jesso in an arc and leaps into the air. There is a great explosion (of water?) between Katsumi and Lum.
Game Effects:
As it is not too clear what is occurring here, it is hard to decide what is happening. Obviously, Lum blocked on of Katsumi's spells. How is not clear. This might be a form of Missile Deflection, possibly usable at range.
Page Number: 86-88
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: None
Description:
Katsumi points Medium at the sky. It glows and a beam of light shoots from the sword up into the clouds. A moment later, the clouds open and a series of huge (stone? ice?) pillars fall from the opening in the clouds to crash into the airport.
Game Effects:
This spell is much like Ganossa's Narita wrecking blast seen in Side 00. The pillars are sizable Ranged Killing Attacks, that have been bought with "Area of Effect: Radius", "Megascale" and "Indirect" (straight down). The pillars are sufficient to punch through the roofs of buildings, as well as wreck airplanes and jumbo jetliners. The Game Master would need to consider the rules for wrecking objects in this case, as the damage the pillars do affects not only the impact hex, but the hexes around the impact. Note however, that the pillars are Non-Selective" and must make a 'to-hit' roll per hex to see if anything is struck by a falling pillar.
Note: On page 91, there looks to be a pile of ice pillars behind Katsumi. It is unknown as to where these came from, or what they are.
Page Number: 90-93
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Water Dragon (see the entry for pages 27-30)
Incantations: None
Description:
A huge dragon made from water rises up out of the wreckage. It lunges at Katsumi, who dodges out of the way.
Game Effects:
As with the dragon on page 27-30, this looks really impressive in the manga. It is the same spell as well, just on a larger scale. See the entry for page 27-30 for more on how this spell could be defined.
Note that the dragon lunges and misses and then lunges again. One could define this as a summoned creature, or define it as some sort of continuous attack (where the Extra Time is required to only start the power). It could also be that Lum needs all the extra time only if she doesn't have Jesso in her hands.
Page Number: 92-94
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: Protection of Aphrodite (taken from the incantations)
Incantations: Aphrodite, protect me!
Description:
As Katsumi leaps away from the lunging water dragon, she asks (commands) Aphrodite to defend her. A number of translucent female forms, which then plunge into the water dragon, destroying it.
Game Effects:
This is an interesting example of Dispel. A similar example is seen on pages 162-163 of Side 8, where Katsumi summons the orca to destroy Rosa's water whale. As with that example of Dispel, this spell may have the +1/4 advantage allowing to affect all other spells of a certain special effect. Of course, we do have to wonder why she didn't use the previous version of Dispel here (since both seemed to be water-related spells).
Page Number: 95, 99
Who: NA
Spell Name: NA
Incantations: NA
Description:
Katsumi makes some comments about Lum's spells.
Game Effects:
For starters, both Lum and Katsumi show some amazing leaping ability. As with the fight between Katsumi and Rosa in Side 8, the two manage what look to be 20-30' leaps from a standing start. Katsumi also shows some serious hang time, meaning that she might not be leaping, she might actually be flying (for a short period)
After she destroys Lum's water dragon, Katsumi asks: "Why wasn't that dragon more powerful & brighter? You might've been able to kill me if it was. Looks like you did it to protect the humans around you. That's why the dragon was slow, thereby losing your chance to kill me." This could lend weight to the idea that the dragon is best written up as a summoned being (and in this case had a low DEX) or that the dragon wasn't that many active points in this case (ie was less dice that it could have been) to keep the collateral damage down. Thus, it was easier for Katsumi to dispel it, as it was less active points that normal.
It should also be pointed out that magical duels look to be a great way to wreck the landscape in Silent Möbius. In both this sequence and in the fight Katsumi has with an Entity in Side 2, it is mentioned that full power can't be used due to all the people around. The sheer destructive power of some of these spells is amazing and a missed shot (or a deflected spell) has the change of wrecking serious havoc among the locals. It may even bee that the act of summoning a spell might have sever side effects. Game Masters should consider this when running such a duel
As a final side note, on page 99, Katsumi tells Lum that: "The earth dragon is the only thing I can't beat." It may be that Katsumi has no defenses vs the 'Earth Dragon' or that her Dispels don't affect that form of Special Effects.
Page Number: 96-97
Who: Ganossa Maximilian
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: Unknown
Description:
Ganossa appears out of the smoke and mist. He then holds up his hand revealing a locked box that Lum had been carrying. After speaking a few lines, he then fades back into the smoke.
Game Effects:
Ganossa might just be stepping in and out of the smoke of he might be using Invisibility (or Teleport). Grabbing the box could be any number of powers, including Teleport "Usable Against Others" or Telekinesis.
As a side note, on page 99 Katsumi does the same stunt (stepping backwards into the fog/smoke) and vanishes as well. Teleport seems to be the most logical power.
Page Number: 112
Who: Unknown
Spell Name: Unknown
Incantations: Unknown
Description:
An Entity states: "The disk is empty. We even used magic." The disk in questions was a disk of Lum Cheng's that was supposed to contain some data about how to resolve the problem of the Lucifer Folk.
Game Effects:
Based on the comments, it would seem that magic can be used to scan computer devices. This is probably not a common form of spell and is probably not used my most Earth magicians. Later on, a Lucifer Folk is captured trying to physically hack into Lebia's computer. She expresses surprise, meaning that his may be a new weapon found only among Entities.
Page Number: 126-127
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Shield
Incantations: Unknown (probably None)
Description:
A Lucifer Folk enters into Lum's room at Station 00. It looks her over for a moment and then walks off. While leaving it runs into an invisible shield (which sparks a bit upon contact). The Entity does comment "This shield, when... But it's nothing."
Game Effects:
This is a Force Wall. It might have a "Trigger", since Lum looks to be asleep when it goes up. Note that the Entity does ask 'when' upon encountering it. The Entity blows the shield apart with a destructive blast of energy a moment after he runs into it.
Page Number: 131
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Shield
Incantations: None
Description:
The Entity, after blasting Lum's shield and her room, goes to leave. Lum than raises another shield.
Game Effects:
See the entry for page 126-127 for more information on Lum Cheng's shields.
Page Number: 133-137
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Fire Formation, Water Formation, Earth Formation
Incantations: Jesso! (element) formation.
Description:
Lum decides to get rid of the Entity she's battling. She calls on Jesso (which she is *not* carrying as far as i can tell) and unleashes a devastating series of elemental attacks. They are: a flame blast (Fire Formation), a water blast (water formation) and a shower of concrete and debris (Earth Formation). Each spell is accompanied by a large I-Ching symbol floating in the air in front of Lum, as well as another one at her feet. At the ends, she tells Jesso to 'go back'.
Game Effects:
Probably the best way to define this is as a fairly large Energy Blast with the advantage of "Variable Special Effect". The spells seem to be almost instant, so aside from needing Jesso (a "Focus") and and some minor "Incantations" there are few limitations on the spells. Interestingly enough, these spells, while powerful don't seem to harm the Lucifer Folk in the slightest.
Note: these spells are accompanied by extensive fall out from the element in question. Smoke, flame, water, mist, debris and so on.
Page Number: 139
Who: NA
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: NA
Description: A Lucifer Folk comments that one can use Jesso to fly.
Game Effects:
This was first mentioned back in Side 00 (Mobius Klien). Jesso can be used to fly. It almost certainly requires that one keep a hold of the weapon while flying.
Page Number: 140-141
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: Jesso!
Description:
Lum calls for her spear and it comes up out of the floor, directly underneath an Entity, punch through the creature's body.
Game Effects:
Since it is not clear where Jesso has been all this time, it is not clear what is happening here. Odds are Jesso can move under its own power if commanded. This would make it a Ranged Killing Attack with "Indirect" (any). Lum has also called the spear to her and carries it wrapped around her wrist. One has to wonder if it is a focus or more of an extension of Lum's body...
Page Number: 166-167
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: Salamander's Throat (I presume)
Incantations: None
Description:
Katsumi hurls a spell that explodes in a mass of flame and smoke. After casting this spells, she states: "Today, the salamander's feeling mean." This sounds as if she's using the same spell that Rosa tossed in Side 8. It also seems that magicians can call on elemental forces as well as spirits, angels and deities in Silent Möbius.
Game Effects:
Unlike Rosa's version of this spell, Katsumi's attacks looks to be just a fairly big explosion of flame and smoke.
Page Number: 167
Who: Lum Cheng
Spell Name: Jesso
Incantations: None
Description:
After the smoke and flame from Katsumi's last spell clears, we see the AMP standing together safe and unharmed. Katsumi states: "You used Jesso to protect the others."
Game Effects:
As with the incident on page 77-79, Lum has created a barrier to defend her fellow officers. This barrier (a Force Wall) only lasts a Phase or so.
Page Number: 171
Who: Katsumi Liqueur
Spell Name: Teleport
Incantations: None
Description:
Katsumi vanishes in burst of light effects.
Game Effects:
This is another example of the Teleport power.
Page Number: 173-175
Who: Ganossa Maximilian
Spell Name: Flight
Incantations: Unknown
Description:
Ganossa stands atop a tall post and gives a speech (and laughs a lot).
Game Effects:
This is the typical use of Flight in Silent Möbius.
Return to the Silent Möbius Grimore