Totemic Magic

Totemic magic is a special form of divine magic that calls upon the power of nature. Unlike normal spells, totemic magic does not require "casting." Similar to "runeweaving," totemic magic requires the practitioner to paint or inscribe an image that conveys special, often "spell-like," abilities upon the recipient.

The ability to use totemic magic is impractical for most adventurers. Most totemic images take hours to create. To properly use totemic magic, the images must be created in advance. Since most adventurers do not know for sure when they will need the power of a certain image, this make using them prohibitive. Although any intelligent creature can learn to use totemic magic, only Barbarians, Druids, Elves, some Gnomes, and Rangers seem to be able to work the forces of nature into the images that they create.

Most barbarian tribes have a "clan totem." This is a totemic image, often of an animal but sometimes a plant, that symbolizes the whole tribe. The orcish Bloodclaw Clan of the northern waste is a good example because they have the wolf as their personal totem animal and the tribe is adept at riding dire wolves. Some Barbarian, elven, and forest gnome characters also have a personal totem that "chooses" them as they mature. These totemic images often take personification in their dreams and help guide them in times of turmoil.

Characters with either a clan totem or personal totem must treat the worldly embodiment of their totem with utmost respect. They may never allow harm to come to their totem's embodiment. If a character ever harms, or allows harm to come to the physical embodiment of their totem, they immediately lose all use of that totem. They still know how to inscribe the image but have lost the ability to infuse the image with power. If a character ever kills the embodiment of one of these totems, they must immediately make a Will save (DC 20) or die. Characters who die in this manner can never be brought back to life by any means.

To learn a new totemic image, a character must first have access to them. A ranger who spent his whole life in the mountains will not be able to learn the Whale totem. A character must also find someone to teach him the new totem. Seeing a totem and knowing how it is inscribed is insufficient, a character must learn how to infuse the particular image with power.

Totemic images may be inscribed on an item to grant it certain special abilities or they may be tattooed onto the character directly. A character may only have a single image of one totem active at a time. Multiple images of the same totem have no effect. Characters may place multiple totems on their entire party as long as they do not duplicate an existing totemic image.

Totemic Magic [General] You can create totemic runes that hold various magical abilities. Prerequisites: The character must be a barbarian, druid, forest gnome, ranger, wild elf, or wood elf. Characters must also have been taught at least one totemic image. Benefits: You know how to infuse a number of totemic images equal to your Intelligence modifier with natural power. There is no limit to how many images you may learn but you must take this feat to be able to infuse images with power. Special: This skill may be taken multiple times. The effects do not stack. Each time it is taken, the character chooses a number of totems that he knows and can now infuse them with power. A character cannot kill a totem he knows how to inscribe or he looses the ability to call upon its power.

The Totems

This is an incomplete list of available totems. DMs are encouraged to create new totems for their individual campaigns. If you create a new totem, please email it to me so I may include it here.

Ant

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: When performing a physical action that extends over a period of time you get a +4 bonus to the check.

Aloe Vera

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Your natural healing rate is doubled for the duration of the totem.

Bear

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Strength.

Birch

Duration: Permanent
Inscription Time: 1 day
Description: Regain or bestow fertility

Boar

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Constitution

===Blackthorn===Duration: Special
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You can use this image to cure diseases.

Camel

Duration: 2 days
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Doesn't need to drink for the duration of the totem.

Cedar

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Constitution

Cheetah

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: When running, you move five times your normal speed instead of four.

Coyote

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 2 hour
Description: Provides bad luck to enemies for one encounter. Enemies suffer -1 penalty to damage, AC and attacks.

Crocodile

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You may swim at your normal movement speed and gain a +2 bonus to Swim checks.

Dragon

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 2 hour
Description: This rare totem grants the wearer a +1 insight bonus to attacks, AC, and saves.

Eagle

Duration: Special
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Grants missile attacks a +1 to hit and damage. May also be inscribed on an arrow granting the arrow a +2 enhancement.

Elephant

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +6 bonus to Survival skill checks.

Firefly

Duration: 1 week
Inscription Time: 6 hours
Description: Image provides the equivalent of a Light spell on an item.

Fox

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Adds +2 on Climb, Slight of Hand, and Stealth skills.

Garlic

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 2 hours
Description: Prevents undead from approaching within 10 feet.

Ginseng

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +4 temporary enhancement bonus to Charisma with the opposite sex.

Holly

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Wisdom.

Hawk

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Grants missile attacks a +1 to hit and damage. May also be inscribed on an arrow granting the arrow a +2 enhancement.

Hops

Duration: Special
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Allows restful sleep, even in bad conditions.

Horse

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +10 ft. extra movement

Ivy

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +2 luck bonus to saves against death magic and effects.

Lavender

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +4 temporary enhancement bonus to Charisma with the opposite sex.

Lion

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Charisma

Lotus

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Provides a +2 insight bonus to AC

Maple

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +1 to all saves for the duration.

Medlar

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Intelligence

Mistletoe

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +1 to all saves for the duration.

Mule

Duration: 1 week
Inscription Time: 8 hours
Description: You can carry 50% more than normal.

Oak

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution.

Owl

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain darkvision 60 feet.

Pine

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +6 to all Climb.

Rat

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +6 to all disguise checks

Salamander

Duration: 2 days
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Regenerate 1 hp per 2 hours.

Scorpion

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +4 bonus to Poison saves.

Snake

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain +4 bonus to Acrobatics checks, and a +2 bonus to initiative.

Squirrel

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: You gain a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to Dexterity.

Stag

Duration: 1 day
Inscription Time: 1 hour
Description: Gain +2 bonus to Stealh and Perception checks in wilderness settings.

Tiger