Okay, I came up with something for my Cairn hack’s sorcery and magic. There was not a lot of examples of spells in the books I’ve read, and some were a bad fit for a game. What I did was took 6 base words, make them something like a category or school of socery which you have to invest into to get the more powerful spells of. It’s not levelless like what Cairn or Knave has, but this way supports the small spells and powerful spells that Filipino sorcery had. And then I liberally filled in the blanks with my own ideas.
I don’t know if the system or the order of spells is entirely sound, so I would appreciate some feedback.
HABIT
Habit are incantations made of two words. Chanting these words cause magical effects upon the caster or his surroundings.
There are 6 base words: Agaw (Seize), Tawag (Call), Bawi (Free), Kulam (Curse), Baliw (Change), and Tuga (Gift). The second words to a base word are gained in order, from the weakest to the most powerful. Each word (base and second) is gained at the cost of 1 advancement point (See: Advancement).
The nature of Habit can be different from one Binmanwa to another. One may learn of a word from studying the Diwata in the stars. Another may hear it from an spirit who is fond of them. There are ones who even have the words tattooed to their body.
Agaw – Seize from your enemies from Near or Far. May what you take be helpful to you and harmful to them.
1. Agaw Bagay - Seize an object you can carry and pull it towards you. Remember to seize by the grip and not the blade. (1 Fatigue)
2. Agaw Isip - Seize the thoughts running through someone’s mind. Their secrets, or passing monologues, are yours. (1 Fatigue)
3. Agaw Bunga - Seize the magical effects affecting an object or being temporarily, whether beneficial or detrimental. This Habit is a double edged kalis. (2 Fatigue)
4. Agaw Galaw - Seize someone’s momentum, forcing them in place while augmenting your own movement. Become an usa while your enemy becomes a pagong (2 Fatigue)
5. Agaw Katawan - Seize someone’s body, overtaking their soul and giving you control over their actions temporarily. Two souls aren’t meant to inhabit one body, and yet that is our way. (3 Fatigue)
Tawag – Call and speak to the souls of the natives of these islands. Do not think that calling their attention is the same as gaining their favor. For that, you have to work.
1. Tawag Halaman - Call the vibrant plants and trees. They are connected through the dirt and waters. (1 Fatigue)
2. Tawag Hayop – Call the magnificent beasts. Treat them with respect; they were here before you. (1 Fatigue)
3. Tawag Tawo – Call the selfish Tawo and eccentric Other-Folk. Careful, they are not used to voices speaking in their heads. (2 Fatigue)
4. Tawag Umalagad – Call the ancient Umalagad. Tell them of your exploits; they are like doting grandparents. (2 Fatigue)
5. Tawag Diwata – Call the phenomenal Diwata. Endure their labors and you will reap their favor. (3 Fatigue)
Bawi - Free others from what ails them. Long for the day there is true and lasting harmony between Tawo and his Banwa. That day will never come, and so your skills are needed.
1. Bawi Sakit - Free someone from the illness or sorcery that harms them. Ailments like the swelling of the body are exceedingly common in these islands. (1 Fatigue)
2. Bawi Takot - Free someone from the limits of fear. The recklessness coming from the lack of fear is a weapon in itself. (1 Fatigue)
3. Bawi Sugat - Free someone from their wounds and pain. Roll a d6, that is how much LAKAS you restore. (2 Fatigue)
4. Bawi Panganib - Free yourself from danger. Nearby enemies will strongly feel to leave your presence. (2 Fatigue)
5. Bawi Kamatayan - Free someone from the grip of death. You must do it within the hour since they have fallen. (3 Fatigue)
Kulam - Curse your enemies with the vilest of magics. These are the words of witches and cowardly datu, but one cannot deny its usefulness.
1. Ligaw Kulam – Curse a foe with a blindness to directions. For d8 days, they will roam the wilds like a lost child, never finding the exit, without the light of stars to guide them. (1 Fatigue)
2. Salot Kulam – Curse a foe with a swarm of pests. A cloud of insects to bite them in their sleep, or a stream of rats in their farms. (1 Fatigue)
3. Suko Kulam – Curse a foe and they will not harm you for a day. Plots and schemes too far removed from them are fair game, however. (2 Fatigue)
4. Maga Kulam - Curse a foe and cause one of their body parts to swell to grotesque size. The swelling turns common actions into hard labours and if left untreated, can be the cause of death in d4 weeks. (2 Fatigue)
5. Kamatayan Kulam – Curse a foe by ensuring their death. Someone with the mark of death shall perish with the slightest bump or the shallowest wound. (3 Fatigue)
Baliw – Change yourself and others, form and mind. Unchanging is not truly static; it is the way backwards and towards destruction.
1. Baliw Ugali – Change someone’s current temperament. Weaponize the consistency of personality and the trust a community has placed on it. (1 Fatigue)
2. Baliw Biyas – Change a part of your body into another form. Tongue into long bloodsucker, teeth into fangs, arms into wings. (1 Fatigue)
3. Baliw Tanaw – Change everyone’s perception for you. They might avert their eyes from you and what you do, or you might appear dressed with gold in every extremity. (2 Fatigue)
4. Baliw Alaala – Change someone’s memory. Memories have always been unreliable; what difference does it make when the inaccuracies are molded by you? (2 Fatigue)
5. Baliw Anyo – Change your entire body into another form. What form do you take with this power? What does it say about you? (3 Fatigue)
Tuga
1. Tanaw Tuga – Receive the gift of the seeking sight. What do you seek? The glint of gold? The way forward? Or to see others for how they really are? (1 Fatigue)
2. Lason Tuga – Receive the gift of venom. The beasts of these islands have long utilized the flesh eating properties of this substance; now you can augment objects with it. (1 Fatigue)
3. Sandata Tuga – Receive the gift of armament. Increase the force of your blows, by way of enhanced or blast attacks. (2 Fatigue)
4. Kalasag Tuga – Receive the gift of protection. Whatever may normally harm you will like a wind’s breeze, and the protection dissipates along with it. (2 Fatigue)
5. Luthang Tuga – Receive the gift of cannons. Wherever you point will explode with the force of Si-Gantar Alam. (3 Fatigue)
INVOKING THE POWER OF HABIT
A Binmanwa can chant the words of their Habit with hands free or wielding a weapon. Doing so gives them Fatigue, occupying a number of inventory slots based on the Habit’s intensity every time .
Given time and safety, Binmanwa can enhance a spell (e.g. affecting multiple targets, increasing its power, etc.) without any additional cost.
If the Binmanwa is deprived or in danger, the Warden may require a LOOB save to avoid any ill-effects. Consequences of failure are on par with the intended effect, and may result in Fatigue, injury, forgetting the Habit, or death.
MENTALA AND ANTING-ANTING
Mentala are bamboo slates with formulas and incantations etched onto them. They are similar to Habit, however they do not cause Fatigue , and they take up an inventory slot to carry, but burn up after one use .
Anting-anting are items, imbued with a magical power. They do not cause Fatigue. Anting-anting usually have a limited use, as well as a recharge condition.