The Chromatic Chord

Sanctified Magic

The compound school of Lux with Verba, Aqua, and Terra, which treats magic as covenant made practical. See The Schools of Magic.

Philosophy

Sanctified mages treat magic as covenant made practical. A blessing is an alignment of body, place, and purpose. A consecrated field is a promise kept by force of light. A consecrated blow is judgement delivered through a weapon that has agreed to mean more than metal.

This school sits closest to what many cultures call holy magic, though it can also be learned in non-clerical traditions. Its users include benevolent priests, war-priests, knights sworn to a god, hospital orders, shrine keepers, exorcists, and city templars. Some rely mostly on personal training. Others act as conduits, either for the current of a Prime, reached through alignment rather than granted, or for Resonants who are willing to supply energy and stabilization.

Example Places of Study

  • The Radiant Chapterhouses: Knightly schools that teach martial liturgy, smiting rites, and shield-blessings.
  • The Houses of Mercy: Temple hospitals known for mass healing, plague warding, and bedside prayer-work.
  • The Choir Bastions: Fortified monasteries where war-priests train in defensive miracles and siege litanies.
  • The Halls of Consecration: Temple houses, fed by the towns, whose word decides who may keep a shrine, drive out spirits, or ward an oath, and who send hunters after those who do it without them.
  • The Lantern Altars: Pilgrim schools that specialize in blessing travel, sanctifying roads, and banishing corruption.

Common Spells

Steadfast Sign · Stayed Hand · Vowlight Ward · Kindled Palm · Litany of Mending · Cure Affliction · Sworn Clarity · Judging Stroke · Paired Vow · Dawn Lantern · Consecrate Ground · Turn the Restless · Exorcism · Radiant Lance · Oathbright Steel · Pale Watch · Mass Blessing · Circle of Mercy · Noonbreak · Guardian Host · Martyr's Stand

Steadfast Sign

Purpose/How It Works
Steadfast Sign aligns a group with steadier aim, clearer nerve, and better resistance to panic or curse.
Notable Exceptions
It improves disciplined action, not raw genius or impossible luck.
Example Use
A priest marks the defenders before the raiders come over the palisade, and their line holds where it should have broken.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, group assent, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Spoken blessing, a few heartbeats. Processional rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
A small band, as many as one voice can reach. A short while to a full watch.

Stayed Hand

Purpose/How It Works
Stayed Hand makes direct violence against the protected target feel spiritually and psychologically wrong unless the attacker forces through the aversion.
Notable Exceptions
Determined killers and mindless hazards are less affected. The protection usually weakens once the warded target attacks.
Example Use
Refugees pass around a consecrated child none of the raiders can bear to strike first.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, group assent, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Touch blessing, a heartbeat or two. Altar-marked ward, a short chant.
Range/Duration
Touch or arm's length. A few heartbeats to a short while.

Vowlight Ward

Purpose/How It Works
Vowlight Ward wraps a target in visible or invisible sacred force that turns aside blows and hostile magic.
Notable Exceptions
It protects best against external assault, not poison already in the blood or collapse underfoot.
Example Use
A god's sworn knight walks through arrow rain with golden light flaring off each shaft.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, group assent, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Touch invocation, a heartbeat or two. Shield-boss activation, near-instant.
Range/Duration
Self or touched ally. A few heartbeats to a short while.

Kindled Palm

Purpose/How It Works
Kindled Palm transfers healing force directly through touch with exceptional control and emotional steadiness.
Notable Exceptions
It still obeys lifeforce cost. Miraculous precision does not make the energy free.
Example Use
A battle chaplain closes a spear wound on the temple steps with one glowing hand.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by the caster's reserves, willing divine aid, and direct bodily contact with the patient.
Casting Methods
Touch cast, a few breaths. Bedside prayer, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Touch. Immediate stabilization with ongoing recovery.

Litany of Mending

Purpose/How It Works
Litany of Mending distributes restorative force across multiple wounded targets through a shared litany.
Notable Exceptions
It is slower than emergency triage and weaker on critically dying patients.
Example Use
After the battle, the wounded kneel in rows while the priest walks among them in prayer.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, group assent, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Group prayer, a short litany. Full temple healing rite, a long service.
Range/Duration
A room or part of a field hospital. Immediate treatment over a short while.

Cure Affliction

Purpose/How It Works
Cure Affliction targets curse, poison, disease, or corruption by reasserting healthy sacred order over the invaded body.
Notable Exceptions
Deep-rooted conditions may require repeated treatment or additional mundane care.
Example Use
A pilgrim priest burns plague-sweat out of a village elder before it can spread further.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, clean water, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Touch and prayer, a few breaths. Shrine cleansing rite, a long rite.
Range/Duration
Touch or one contained target. Instant treatment with recovery after.

Sworn Clarity

Purpose/How It Works
Sworn Clarity sharpens a warrior's judgement, weapon timing, and moral certainty during a short crucial exchange.
Notable Exceptions
It enhances committed action and often collapses if the user acts against their stated vow or duty.
Example Use
A templar's blade begins striking exactly where the abomination leaves itself open.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by vow-alignment, martial focus, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Self-invocation, a heartbeat or two. Weapon prayer, a few breaths.
Range/Duration
Self. A few heartbeats to a short while.

Judging Stroke

Purpose/How It Works
Judging Stroke loads a weapon blow or strike with radiant judgement that erupts on impact.
Notable Exceptions
It is strongest against corruption, undead animation, and oathbreakers, but still harmful to ordinary foes.
Example Use
A war-priest's hammer lands and the self-raised corpse inside the gate comes apart in light.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by vow-alignment, martial focus, sanctified weapons, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Strike-bound cast, near-instant on attack. Weapon charge prayer, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
Weapon reach or a touched strike. One empowered hit.

Paired Vow

Purpose/How It Works
Paired Vow links two allies so injury, strain, and the weight of warding are shared instead of falling on one alone.
Notable Exceptions
It can save the protected target while killing the protector if used recklessly.
Example Use
A knight sworn to a god takes half the curse-force meant for the child behind him.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by linked vows, touch contact, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Shared touch rite, a short chant. Bond-charm activation, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
Linked pair. A short while to a night.

Dawn Lantern

Purpose/How It Works
Dawn Lantern raises morale, clarifies healing work, and makes despair harder for allied minds to accept.
Notable Exceptions
It cannot erase grief or terror, only stop them from mastering the moment.
Example Use
The plague ward stops panicking when the chapel lantern begins to glow like sunrise.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, radiant symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Raised symbol cast, a few heartbeats. Lantern or altar rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
A room to a courtyard. A short while to a night.

Consecrate Ground

Purpose/How It Works
Consecrate Ground marks an area as spiritually ordered, making corruption, panic, corpse-rise, and hostile ritual work more difficult.
Notable Exceptions
It must be maintained. Polluted, cursed, or blood-soaked places may fight the consecration.
Example Use
A roadside shrine on an old battlefield is made safe enough that the dead around it finally stop stirring at night.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, sanctified symbols, site identity, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Boundary prayer, a short litany walked along the edge. Full site consecration, an hour's ritual.
Range/Duration
Room, shrine, or field section. Days to years with renewal.

Turn the Restless

Purpose/How It Works
Turn the Restless floods undead, corpse-servants, and hostile remnants with sanctified force that drives them back or breaks their hold.
Notable Exceptions
Well-constructed necromantic servants such as Marrow Sentinels, and strong old Echoes such as the Word-Generals, can resist or merely recoil.
Example Use
Delvers who woke a crypt full of bone labourers live because their hired priest gets one ringing invocation out and the dead stagger backwards.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, radiant symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Spoken turning, a few heartbeats. Bell-and-circle rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
A room to a hall. An instant's recoil to a short suppression.

Exorcism

Purpose/How It Works
Exorcism drives out invasive influence such as curse-threads, possessing traces, false identities, or hostile magical occupancy.
Notable Exceptions
It is exhausting, often traumatic for the host, and dangerous if the invader is deeply woven in.
Example Use
A child speaking with three dead voices is finally returned to herself.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, names, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Immediate banishing cast, a short chant. Full exorcism rite, a long rite.
Range/Duration
Touch or one contained subject. Instant with aftercare.

Radiant Lance

Purpose/How It Works
Radiant Lance projects a spear of focused sanctified light for battlefield judgement at range.
Notable Exceptions
It is line-of-sight dependent and brightest against targets already marked by corruption or oathbreak.
Example Use
A mounted knight drops a fleeing cult standard-bearer with one thrown line of white fire.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by vow-alignment, radiant symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Forward cast, a heartbeat or two. Lance-tip charge, a few heartbeats.
Range/Duration
A long stone's throw, within clear sight. An instant strike.

Oathbright Steel

Purpose/How It Works
Oathbright Steel sanctifies a blade, hammer, or spear so it shines, strikes harder against corruption, and resists fouling magic.
Notable Exceptions
It works best on weapons already tied to oath, office, or ritual use.
Example Use
The gate-captain lifts an otherwise ordinary sword that now cuts revenant mail like wax.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by sanctified weapons, vow-alignment, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Weapon blessing, a few breaths. Altar consecration, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
One weapon. A short while to several days.

Pale Watch

Purpose/How It Works
Pale Watch summons a moving perimeter of radiant watchfulness that intercepts curse-work, remnant intrusion, and sudden spiritual assault.
Notable Exceptions
It is strongest against intangible or corruption-driven threats, not siege engines and mundane arrows.
Example Use
Pilgrims sleep inside a slow-turning ring of pale guardians while the haunted moor mutters outside.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Circular invocation, a few breaths. Camp rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
Small group or camp. A short while to a night.

Mass Blessing

Purpose/How It Works
Mass Blessing spreads courage, steadiness, and light restorative support across a crowd.
Notable Exceptions
It is broad but shallow compared to focused healing or elite battle prayer.
Example Use
On the morning of the siege, a city square kneels and rises ready instead of broken.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, group assent, sanctified symbols, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Public blessing, a minute's chant. Grand liturgy, a long service.
Range/Duration
A crowd to a congregation filling a district. A short while to a day.

Circle of Mercy

Purpose/How It Works
Circle of Mercy creates a protected healing zone where panic eases, pain lowers, and restorative spells work more cleanly.
Notable Exceptions
It protects and heals; it does not make the space invulnerable.
Example Use
Field surgeons save twice as many lives once the mercy circle is laid in the mud.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, clean water, symbols of care, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Ground-marked rite, a minute's chant. Full chapel circle, a long rite.
Range/Duration
A room or a ward line. A short while to a night.

Noonbreak

Purpose/How It Works
Noonbreak releases a brilliant pulse of sanctified light that blinds, scatters corruption, and breaks lesser undead animation.
Notable Exceptions
It affects allies if used carelessly and is weaker in fully sealed darkness-wards.
Example Use
The crypt stair floods with noon-bright light and the corpse-host collapses backwards.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by radiant symbols, stored light, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Raised-symbol cast, a few heartbeats. Solar lens rite, a minute's chant.
Range/Duration
A room to a courtyard. An instant's flash, with a few heartbeats of aftereffect.

Guardian Host

Purpose/How It Works
Guardian Host manifests a small number of radiant martial forms that intercept blows, hold lines, or strike corruption-driven enemies.
Notable Exceptions
They are sustained liturgical constructs, not independent souls or beings in their own right (see The Guardian Host).
Example Use
A shrine's defenders fight beside six figures of golden vow-light until dawn.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by spoken liturgy, sanctified weapons, and the caster's reserves; divine sponsorship can carry much of the cost.
Casting Methods
Host invocation, a short chant. Great vigil rite, a long rite.
Range/Duration
Shrine, gate, or battlefield knot. A short while to a night's vigil.

Martyr's Stand

Purpose/How It Works
Martyr's Stand lets a defender keep fighting, guarding, or holding position beyond ordinary bodily collapse by converting future recovery and reserve into present endurance.
Notable Exceptions
The debt falls due afterwards. Many users die once the stand ends.
Example Use
A sworn gate-knight of a temple holds the breach with broken ribs long enough for the children to pass behind him.
Typical Cost/Power Source
Usually fed by vow-alignment, personal reserves, and sometimes divine over-support that leaves devastation in the body afterwards.
Casting Methods
Desperate self-invocation, a heartbeat or two. Battle vow, a few breaths.
Range/Duration
Self. A few heartbeats to the end of the fight.

In the Writers’ Guide

See Also