Invoking the Demon's Icon
Price: 20m; Circle: Emerald; Anchor: (Any) 2+ / Any (4+)
Target: Icon, one demon
Spell Duration: Until dawn / until sunlight strikes the icon; Casting Duration: 1+ hours
Essence Aspect: Incarnate, Elemental, or Yozi; Favoured Aspect: Yozi
Some say that the sorceries of the Emerald Circle will never achieve the summoning prowess of higher circles. Maybe not - but the image of great spirits can still be summoned and consulted for wisdom and dark secrets. It is always safer than calling such a spirit directly, but one should not underestimate the danger of a spirit's honeyed words.
Ritual: Before beginning the ritual, the sorcerer must first craft an icon of the demon in question which represents them, made with materials thematically appropriate to them. This icon will likely cost at least Resources 4 in rare materials and exotic unguents, and in many places in Creation will draw the attention of the authorities for the unusual purchases. Fortunately, this icon may be re-used for later invocations of the same demon.
The ritual may be carried out during the night of the new moon, during Calibration, or upon dates or astrological occurrences sacred to the demon in question. For example, the demon princess Sima may be called on any night when a comet is seen in the sky of Creation.
To invoke a Second Circle Demon or sublimatus a 2-dot Anchor is required. To invoke a Third Circle Demon a 4-dot Anchor is required - unless appropriate Yozi essence is used and the Anchor is a Cult, an Artefact icon of the demon, or them as an Ally, in which case a 2-dot Anchor can be used. For example, a sorcerer would require a mighty 4-dot demesne to channel the energy into invoking the image of Ligier, but a sorcerer with Ally (Ligier) could invoke the mad green sun of Hell with Ally 2 if the spell is cast with Malfean essence.
Mechanics: During the ritual, the sorcerer ritualistically evokes their Anchor, rolling (Attribute + Ability) at Difficulty 2 once per hour. If the demon is willing - as most are - the number of required successes is equal to the demon's Essence. If the demon is unwilling, the required number of successes is equal to twice the demon's Essence, and the demon contests the rolls with (Willpower). Should sunlight fall upon the icon during the casting process, the sorcerer automatically botches.
Effects: If successfully invoked, the consciousness of the demon felt the call five days ago and was drawn in a disembodied form across the Endless Desert to take up residence in the icon. While occupying the icon, the demon may not take any physical actions, but has full access to its magical and mundane traits and may use them as it wishes. The demon is under an irresistible Compulsion to not harm the sorcerer or the spell's Anchor - although other beings are not protected.
While invoked, the demon and the sorcerer may freely converse. Many demons invoked in this manner will act with at least some civility - and many are outright eager to help, offering their services in a Pact or seeking an arrangement as Allies. Through this spell, a sorcerer may converse with a demon that they could not summon, seeking lore or rumours. Some Workings build upon a demon invoked into an icon, using it as the lynchpin for some greater magic.
The demon may leave at any point with the sorcerer's permission. She may banish an unwilling demon from the icon using the same mechanics described in Demon of the First Circle for banishing a demon after a failed control roll. Should both the sorcerer and the demon wish it, the consciousness of the demon resides within the icon until sunlight strikes it. Otherwise the spell terminates at sunrise.
Example Spells:
Many - maybe even most - versions of Invoking the Demon's Icon are deliberately constrained. Most versions that demons teach will only allow a specific demon to be invoked. The sorcerers of Sondok cannot stray and call upon demons other than their lady. In 'compensation' - of sorts - these versions will usually allow a choice of Anchors. Likewise, most versions taught by demons lack the protective invocations which prevent the demon from harming their summoner. Of course, such demons seldom make the lack of such a clause obvious and indeed may act as if it is present, though a skilled sorcerer will be able to notice the lack.
Weep for the Lord (Target - Gervesin, Anchor - Artefact 2 (Polearm) - Those cultists of Gervesin who make use of this spell call their grieving lord into an artefact spear through elaborate ritual blade dances when they would speak with him and report success in their search for Kinnojo's bones.
(Attribute + Ability): Appearance + Melee
Hellspawn Invocation (Essence Aspect - Incarnate, Anchor - Status (Heaven) or Status (Solar Deliberative)) - Still practiced by the sorcerer-bureaucrats of Yu Shan, this spell calls a demon to answer the questions from a victor of the Primordial War. While in the present day only Heaven has the required authority, should a new body ruled by Solars arise it is possible this old spell might find new life.
(Attribute + Ability) - Charisma + Bureaucracy
The Granting of Forbidden Desires (Essence Aspect - Metagoyin, Target - the Shashalme, Anchor - Cult 2 or Ally (the Shashalme) - Hidden within certain pages of a now-banned romance novel is a ritual to call the Garden of Avarice into a carefully cultivated bonsai tree. This ritual says that through this, endless wealth and great power may be obtained. This is true, and the only cost is devotion to this demon prince. The gifts they offer blossom from the tree, should the invoker accept its honeyed bargains. Incidentally, this version of the spell lacks the wards that would prevent the demon prince from harming their invoker. The Immaculate Order burns individuals caught with this book along with their text.
(Attribute + Ability) - Intelligence + Occult
