Logrus (v 2.0)

This is my second go at creating a partial powers system for Logrus. It takes some of the flaws of the earlier system into account (and, most notably, breaks the basic power up somewhat), but it's also designed to work with my Black Pathways version of Shadowwalking, and, thus, to represent a somewhat different view of the Logrus than that championed by the ADRPG.

What, really, is the Logrus? First of all, what it's not: It's not a big octopus thing. Get that picture from the ADRPG book, the one right before the section on Logrus Master, out of your head. The Logrus is hard to describe, primarily because it doesn't seem to be solid, liquid, gaseous, or energy. Or, rather, it's all of that and more. Sometimes the Logrus is permeable, sometimes it's not. Most of the time, bits of it are and bits of it aren't. There are long thin bits which could loosely be termed tendrils, but there are also big, more amorphous parts.

How does one walk the Logrus? One enters the construct through a permeable part and heads for the center. The inside of the Logrus is extremely hazardous, and requires the Walker to hover on the edge of Primal Form. The more Shapeshifting skill one has, the safer it is to walk it, though it is never truly safe. By the time one reaches the heart of the Logrus, one is insane enough that it's a bit unclear what, exactly happens. But Suhuy's (and thus, your) best guess is that the soon-to-be initiate merges with the Logrus in some way. This is shattering to the mind. Once that is done, one is unceremoniously dumped out of the construct.

Prerequisites for walking the Logrus: The Primal Form power (from Shapeshifting), at least Amber level Psyche and Endurance. Less than 25% of all people who have only the bare requirements to walk the Logrus return from their walk.

Special Note: This version of Logrus uses my Black Paths conception of Shadowshifting, which is complex enough to take up its own page.

Logrus Initiation

requires: Primal Form, Amber Psyche, Amber Endurance, walking the Logrus
costs: 25 points

Once one has walked the Logrus and returned to sanity, one finds that one has the insinctual knowledge required to bring the Logrus sign to mind (the process takes somewhere between thirty seconds and several minutes, depending on Psyche and Logrus skill). With the Sign, one can do a variety of things:

Look through the Sign. When using the Sign to filter one's sight, one can see all manners of invisible constructs (there may be certain exceptions), most especially Logrus or Pattern constructs. It is also possible to see even in the total absense of light.
Wrap one's hand in the Sign. When one's hand is wrapped in the Sign, one can strike with a hard plane of force, at a range of several tens of feet. The force is normally invisible. Damage is dependent on Logrus Skill and Psyche, as is dexterity. This attack is initially quite clumsy. The Sign can also be used as a sort of Waldo, but it is less dextrous than simply grabbing something.
Superimpose the Sign on a construct. The effects will vary depending on the Construct. Doing this on Pattern may be a bad idea. Range is quite limited, only a few feet.

Note that no form of Shadowwalking is included in this power.

Summon Objects Through Shadow

requires: Basic Initiation
costs: 4 points

This is a trick Merlin uses several times. It works best for simple, common items, and is well-described in the book. The item appears in the hand of the Logrus Wielder, and at least one hand must be free to use this Power.

Black Paths

requires: Summon Objects Through Shadow
costs: 5 points

See my description of this power on another page. It's how Logrus Masters Shadowwalk.

Fill Self with Logrus

requires: Basic Initiation
costs: 3 points

A defensive power. Makes it harder to affect the user with magic, Trump, or Pattern (though Pattern may be dangerous to both the defender and the attacker).

Wield Tendrils

requires: Summon Objects Through Shadow
costs: 2 points

Allows one to do most of the things one could do by wrapping one's hand in the Logrus Sign, without bothering to wrap one's hands in the Logrus Sign. This is primarily useful because it lets you see invisible constructs at the same time as you do something with them, but also means that you can do multiple things at once (if your skill is high enough).

Weaken Object

requires: Basic Initiation
costs: 3 points

This is similar to wearing down a magical construct, but can affect physical objects. It could work against a person, but it's slow and requires the target to be still. Great for getting out of prisons and the like, however.

Alter Shadow

requires: Weaken Object
costs: 3 points

Make arbitrary changes to the local Shadow. Easier around Chaos, more difficult around Amber. The Changes quickly revert when concentration ends.

Summon Demons

requires: Seek Objects in Shadow
costs: 3 points

Summon, but not control. It's very dangerous to only have this power.

Control Demons

requires: Weaken Object
costs: 7 points

The ability to control demons. Very useful if you've just summoned them. The book gives fairly good guidelines regarding the time it takes to summon such things, though I would progressively reduce those times with higher Logrus skills. I also do not allow people to use the multipliers (Named & Numbered, etc.) in demon summoning without an additional power. Oh, and the binding's not permenant. It takes a certain (fairly small) amount of time each week or so to renew it.

Edit Shadow

requires: Alter Shadow
costs: 3 points

These are permenant (or, at least, long lasting) changes similar to Alter Shadow. Includes the ability to ward a Shadow against Trump and the like.

Permenant Black Pathways

requires: Edit Shadow and Black Pathways
costs: 3 points

As described on the Black Paths page.

Summon Primal Chaos

requires: Weaken Object
costs: 5 points

As described in the book.

This page is a revision of the Logrus Master powers presented by (and copyrighted to) Phage Press. Original work on this page is © 1998 by Epoch. Permission to copy, but not distribute, this work is granted for privated game purposes only. Questions or comments can be directed to the maintainer at msulliva@wso.williams.edu.