Masters of Matter can forge a substance, when charged with Mana, that’s capable of serving as a shield against mystic will. Called “thaumium” (from the Greek word for “wonder” or “marvel”), this material is created as an alloy of perfected gold (orichalcum), silver (lunargent) and mercury (hermium). (Note: Transmuted versions
of such materials are not acceptable.) The result, when properly crafted, a flawlessly mirrored substance. When charged with Mana, thaumium has a faint luminescence. A thaumium object may take the form of a necklace, breastplate, a watch or a sword. The shape and size of an object is irrelevant to how much inherent
countermagic it provides.
One success creates a Size 1, Durability 1 piece of thaumium that has the ability to hold one point of Mana, which it spends to shield against magic. The mage needs additional successes per extra Mana point capacity, and successes are also added to the target number to increase the thaumium’s Durability, Size, armor and equipment modifier (all one point per success). (If a mage wishes it, she could create thaumium with no benefits beyond countermagic.) The alloy disintegrates when the Duration expires, so mages often cast this spell with an indefinite Duration.
Use the following Duration factors:
Duration / Successes Needed
- 1 Scene/hour = 1
- 24 hours = 2
- 2 days = 3
- 1 week = 4
- 1 month = 5
- Indefinite = 6
Example: Joshua Morris creates a thaumium ring. It has Size 1, Durability 4, a Mana capacity of five points, and an indefinite Duration. It requires 14 successes to make. One success provides Size 1, Durability 1 and a Mana capacity of one point, while three successes boost the Durability to 4. Four successes boost the Mana-capacity to five, and six successes are needed to make its Duration indefinite.
Once made, the thaumium must be charged with Mana points. Each time it shields against magic (a reflexive action unless the wearer does not want it to), it uses up one of these points. If it runs out of points, it cannot shield magic until it is recharged. This shielding takes the form of a reflexive counterspell, effective against any Arcana and both vulgar and covert magic. The protection’s dice pool is equal to the thaumium maker’s Gnosis + Matter. The wielder of a thaumium weapon can use the item’s stored Mana to make the weapon’s damage aggravated. This is a reflexive action requiring one Mana from the thaumium weapon’s stores. Thaumium must be Size 3 or more to act as effective armor.
Silver Ladder Rote: Hephaestus' Forge
Named for the smith of the gods, this rote enables Silver Ladder mages to create thaumium, perhaps the most perfect of all substances. With this material, hostile magics can be deflected and grievous wounds can be inflicted upon foes. Adamantine Arrow mages who have attained mastery of this Arcanum are also known to make use of this rote.
