Automancy

by Daniel Pond

Few things better symbolize the last half of the twentieth century than the automobile. The ability to commute has created suburban sprawl, and all of the cultural developments that have gone along with it (Shopping malls, "White Flight," the inner city, etc). One of these phenomena has become so loaded with emotional power that those with latent mystical talent can use it to create magickal effects.

Road Rage is generated by a combination of power, frustration, and cronic stress virtually uniqe to commuting. Those who must deal every day with the torment of rush hour traffic can become so immersed in these powerful emotions that they begin to bend the universe to their will. Thus the school of Automancy was born.

Automancers can power from abuse at the hands of other drivers. To gain charges, they are often forced to bait other drivers into such abuse, usually by abusing them first. This behavior has earned them nicknames like Jackass, Jerkoff, Asshole, and Sonofabitch. Their magick allows them to better deal with traffic, cars, and other drivers. However, it is virtually useless in other situations.

Automancy Blast Style: Channeling the raw emotional fury of Road Rage into a physical force. Unlike most blast spells, this works better against inanimate objects than against living ones.

Generate a Minor Charge: Another driver does something annoying but not threatening (cuts you off, turns without signaling, blocks you by going too slow in the fast lane, etc).

Generate a Significant Charge: Another driver does something that places you in danger (brakes hard without warning when not far enough ahead of you, attempts to force you off the road, etc).

Generate a Major Charge: Another driver tries to kill you (fires at you with a handgun, etc).

Taboo: Any calm, polite driving behavior. (Someone with Road Rage is incapable of it!)

Random Magick Domain: Anything directly related to driving, traffic, drivers, or automobiles (i.e. making a traffic light turn green).

Starting charges: Beginning Automancers begin with 4 minor charges (and an automobile).

Automancy Minor Formula Spells

I Can Smell a Traffic Jam a Mile Away…: Cost: 1 minor charge
Effect: The caster is instantly aware of all driving conditions, and their causes, within a 5 mile radius.
Inertial Stabalization: Cost: 1 minor charge
Effect: All loose object, including passengers, are held safely in place until the car comes to a complete stop. This will not restrain prisoners, but will neutralize the danger of sudden impacts, keep your Big Gulp from spilling, etc..
Blow a Fuse: Cost: 2 minor charges
Effect: Shorts out electrical components in a targeted object. Often used to force other drivers to pull over, shut off annoying load car stereos, unlock security doors, etc. (Only does damage equal to the lowest die roll if used against a living target.)
Minor Repairs: Cost: 2 minor charges
Effect: Magickally fix automotive problems such as flat tires, overheated engines, etc..
Spirit of Evil Kenevil: Cost: 3 minor charges
Effect: Turn any failed Driving skill result into a success. The spell mus be successfully cast at the time of the failed roll. This spell will not enable impossible Driving feats, however.

Automancy Significant Formula Spells

Rear View Mirror: Cost: 1 significant charges
Effect: Turn any old rear view mirror into a versatile telecommunications device! The target mirror shows the view through any other rear view mirror, provided that the caster knows its owner. At the caster's option, this effect can be one- or two-way. It lasts until the caster looks away.
Daredevil from Hell!: Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: Allows the caster to attempt a normally impossible Driving feat. Once the spell is successfully cast, the Driver still needs to make a successful Driving check to accomplish the specified feat.
Blow a Gasket: Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: Destroy major mechanical components. Often used to break handcuffs, shut down unnecessarily slow execution machines, blow up cars, etc. (Only does damage equal to the largest die roll if used against a living target.) This spell deals significant damage to clockworks!
Major Overhaul: Cost: 2 significant charges
Effect: Magickally repair major automotive damage, up to and including being crushed into a cube!
I Know a Shortcut…: Cost: 3 significant charges
Effect: The caster drives down some dark back alley or lonely country road and emerges at any similar location s/he has been to before. The transition is completely fluid and unnoticeable.

Automancy Major Effects

Drive your car back in time, through the air, or into space. Teleport other drivers off the road, and into a rehab clinic. Summon a custom-made hotrod, hummer, or tank into existance. (Etc, etc…)