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dailycharacteroption · 8 months

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Geomancer (Occultist Archetype)

Fun fact. Did you know that it’s possible to power a light bulb by sinking a wire connected to a power source into the ground and another connected to the bulb a surprising distance away?

I suppose the point of that little tidbit is that the earth beneath our feet is capable of channeling very real power, so it’s only natural to think that it might also channel mystical power.

The word “geomancy” has taken on something of an altered meaning in this day and age of fantastical and over the top special effects and video game animation. I’m sure many of you think of geomancy and imagine a mage ripping stones from the ground to bury and bludgeon foes.

And there’s nothing wrong with that, but much like necromancy, geomancy originally was about gaining information and wisdom from the earth. Hell, Feng Sui is technically a form of geomancy, albeit one peppered with legitimately good advice for designing homes that don’t suck, as is the concept of ley lines and the like.

Today’s subject seeks to reconcile the two, being a bit of tapping into the wisdom and magic of the terrain, with a bit of drawing actual magical power from it as well, as well as a touch of manipulating it in dramatic ways.

The occultist class, with its focus on reading psychic and occult impressions in physical objects, is perfect for this, reflecting the more esoteric mysteries of geomancy both western and eastern, in addition to using them with the more dramatic geomancy we see in the modern era. Just look up geomantic tools and charts and tell me that you can’t imagine a fantasy geomancer using them to summon power from the terrain.

The result is an occultist whose magic varies a bit depending on what terrain they are in, and can be quite formidable. I imagine they are most common in regions where esoteric and occult lore is given a lot of credence and respect, perhaps alongside strong druidic traditions.

In addition to storing mental focus in their implements, these mystics can store some in the very terrain itself. As long as they maintain contact with the ground, they can draw upon this investment for various powers.

Additionally, they use some of the focus that they would use to learn magic associated with an implement to instead draw magic from their environment, these spells changing as they change what terrain they are in. Cold regions grant icy spells; deserts grant those of heat, dryness, and sand; forests let them manipulate and commune with plant life; jungle taps into the poisonous and verminous life found there; mountain calls upon deadly stone attacks and utility; plains call upon wind, agile quadrupeds, and the multitudes of unnoticed insects; other planes draw upon useful utility and survival spells for extraplanar realms; swamps offer mud, rot, and insect life; underground gifts earth manipulation, enhanced senses, stifled air, and formless allies; urban grants magical understanding, agility, and stealth; and finally, water grants survivability beneath the surface and direct control over water.

The level of investment these mystics put into the terrain enhances their awareness of it, making it easier to survive and thrive therein.

They can, however, expend some to bolster their speed, the terrain shifting to remove obstacles , give them boosts, and otherwise quicken them.

These geomancers can also expend some energy to bolster themselves and nearby landbound allies, the terrain empowering their strikes and defenses alike.

Their most dramatic abilyt allows them to reshape the terrain into a strong barrier with a hefty expenditure of energy.

At the cost of one implement school, these mystics gain what is essentially a different implement school with ever-changing spells useful for whatever environment they are in as well as survival buffs, mobility, buffs, and battlefield control. Of course, all of these abilities require mental focus to be invested beforehand, so you can pick when to use them each day depending on the situation, investing a lot or a little and reallocating as needed. The spells and powers are guaranteed to almost always be moderately useful as long as you and the party don’t do a lot of flying, so you’ll probably enjoy it a lot. I recommend a build centered on buffing and battlefield control, appropriately.

This archetype doesn’t reference real-world geomancy all that much in the end, but you can totally use such tools and symbology as part of your character’s arsenal and aesthetic. It mostly revolves around finding ways to randomly generate symbols and then interpreting them, though other forms exist as well.

For decades, the journal known as the Wanderman’s Cypher has eluded decryption, but new evidence points to the key being tied to mystical signifiers tied to the locations where they were originally written and encoded. Of course, the text is centuries old, so acquiring the answers will need strong retrocognitive magic tied to the memory of the land rather than the memories of mortals.

It is theorized that the gargoyles of Nakkor created the Nakkori Lines, great shapes carved into the badlands earth that are visible from the air, as a way to navigate while high in the air, and while it is true that they do use them for such now, other sources suggest they are much older.

There are plenty of mystics that claim domain of the sea, but the ocean giant tyrant Ogzal claims not only his domain, but the shore beyond as well, backing it up with mystical arts tied to his esoteric magics. Stripping him of that power will help those seeking to dethrone him stand a chance.

#pathfinder #archetype #occultist #geomancer #gargoyle #ocean giant #ultimate wilderness

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sedusadrakaina · 3 months

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