In general, the more Power Investiture you have, the “holier” you are. The maximum level of Power Investiture depends on your deity, but can never exceed 4.
To gain, keep, or improve Power Investiture, you nearly always have to take and adhere to one or more disadvantage that represents a self-imposed devotion, duty, code of honor, etc. If you break these vows, you will lose some or all of your powers – perhaps until you have made proper penance, perhaps permanently. In effect, Power Investiture comes with a built-in Pact limitation, so do not apply this modifier again. Some deities might also have restrictions of their own.
You can have both Magery and Power Investiture (unless your deity forbids this), but Magery does not improve clerical spells and Power Investiture does not aid magical spells. The clerical and magical versions of a given spell are entirely different spells, and clerical spells never count as prerequisites for magical spells. If you know both versions of a spell, they do not affect one another.
Unlike spells learned by mages, clerical spells do not have prerequisites. They also do not need symbols drawn in order to cast them. To use spells granted by Power Investiture, you don't need the Symbol Drawing skill at all, nor do you need the Controlling Skill of the spell's college. The ritual for clerical spells work based on their skill level as follows:
- Skill 9 or less – Ritual: You speak magical words (which you know intuitively by divine will) in a firm voice, and brandish your attuned holy symbol. You make some emphatic gestures while doing so, and you need both your hands and feet free. Time: Doubled. Cost: As listed.
- Skill 10-14 – Ritual: You need one hand free to brandish your attuned symbol, and you can speak the words softly. Time: As listed. Cost: As listed.
- Skill 15-19 – Ritual: As above if you wish, but the spell is so reflexive to you, that you can go without either the symbol or the words at no penalty. You are allowed to move one yard per second while taking the Concentrate maneuver. Time: As listed. Cost: Reduced by 1.
- Skill 20-24 – Ritual: None! The mana flows at the command of a single thought. You simply stare into space as you concentrate. Time: halved, minimum 1 second. Cost: Reduced by 2.
- Skill 25-29 – Ritual: None. Time: Divided by 4 (round up). Cost: Reduced by 3.
- Skill 30 or more – As above, but for every five levels of skill beyond skill 25 (that is, at levels 30, 35, 40, etc.), halve casting time again (always rounding up) and reduce energy cost by one more point.
You can attune a holy symbol by spending one hour in prayer. The attunement lasts indefinitely, and you can only have one at a time.
Critical Spell Failure:
- 3 – Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury and 2d FP (in addition to spell’s cost, if any).
- 4 – Spell is cast on one of the caster’s companions (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).
- 5-6 – Spell is cast on caster (if harmful) or on a random nearby foe (if beneficial).
- 7 – Spell affects someone or something other than its intended target – friend, foe, or random object. Roll randomly or (preferably) make an appropriate choice.
- 8 – Spell fails entirely. Caster takes 1 point of injury.
- 9 – Spell fails entirely. Caster is stunned (Will roll to recover).
- 10-11 – Spell produces nothing but the intense sense of a judgmental presence in everyone within 20 yards. Caster must make a Will-3 roll, while everyone else must roll unmodified Will; those who fail are mentally stunned.
- 12 – Spell produces a weak, momentary shadow of the intended effect (doing no more than 1 point of damage, reversing other effects after that moment, etc.). Caster and all targets have the sense of a presence that judges and chooses not to act.
- 13 – Spell produces a twisted or confused variation of the intended effect. Caster becomes unhappily aware that he attracted attention from the wrong supernatural being.
- 14 – Spell seems to work, but the results are subtly twisted, or may simply disappear prematurely, causing the caster inconvenience or worse. The GM should try to convince the players that the spell did work – but in fact, it attracted the attention of a hostile or mischievous supernatural being, which is now seeking to cause trouble.
- 15-16 – The higher powers have decided to do things their own way. A completely different effect is produced, probably on a different target; use spells of similar power to the one attempted to determine possible effects. This may inconvenience the caster, or help him, indirectly and strangely.
- 17 – Spell fails entirely. Caster temporarily forgets the spell. To regain it, he must perform an act of contrition and redemption (a Theology roll may help him decide what’s appropriate). This should take at least a week; require some inconvenience, expense, or modest danger; and end in a visit to an appropriate temple, church, or shrine.
- 18 – Spell fails entirely. An emissary of the caster’s god or patron spirit appears and places him under a compulsion to perform some great deed for the faith. Treat this as Obsession (9) until it’s carried out.