Animals are creatures of instinct.
While some of the most intelligent
sorts of beasts can apply reason to problem
solving, most are restricted to
responses determined by biologically
pre-programmed protocols. When hungry,
they seek food. When afraid, they
flee. When cornered, many fight. In
fact, these responses are so deeply ingrained
and predictable that a mage
knowledgeable in the Arcanum of Life
can call upon these responses to induce
a given animal to react in virtually
a n y
way he
d e s i r e s ,
within the
animal’ s
normal range of
behavior. Because it is biologically
possible to cow a
600-pound African lion into submission,
the mage could, if he so
wished, trigger the submission response
in such an animal. Likewise, because a
Yorkshire terrier has within it the potential
to attack with relentless
aggression, the mage can compel the
dog to attack an adult human with all
the fury (if likely none of the success)
of a full-grown feral Doberman pinscher
defending its territory against a
smaller, weaker creature.
This is not a mental compulsion, but
a delicate manipulation of an animal’s
instinctual responses to situations
(regulated by brain chemistry and the
animal’s glandular system). All this
means that a dog can’t, for example, be
made to pull a loose strip of tape off of
the top of a sealed box in order to open
it neatly, since that response requires
training and is not a function of the
dog’s natural behavioral template. Further,
the spell does not create any kind a t h i c
bond with the
animal; the
mage decides
what he wants
the animal to do.
If the action is within the
animal’s range of normal behavior
and reactions, it can be
induced to experience the desired response.
A clever mage can use this spell
to affect an animal’s emotional state in
a manner that practically borders on
telepathy, such as triggering a dog’s
pack hierarchy instincts to make it
regard the mage not only as a member
of the pack, but as its alpha.
One success is sufficient to induce a
desired, normal instinctual response in
an animal. If, however, the animal is
dead-set on a given activity (such as
fleeing a mage who has violated its
territory or attacking a vastly superior
foe), a +1 or greater dice bonus might
be added to its contesting roll.
Silver Ladder Rote: Daniel's Voice
While some might overlook the utility
of command over lesser beasts, Silver
Ladder mages put such a power to good
use with this rote. Though animals can
be compelled to act only within the
parameters of their potential normal
behaviors, a cunning willworker can get
most creatures to do almost anything
she requires. Guardians of the Veil use
their own version of this magic (Manipulation
+ Animal Ken + Life) when
compelling animals to do their bidding.
