Seeming

[Doyle]

I'm trying to quantify the use / restrictions with the Seeming for my 5e campaign. I think I have it balanced for 5e, happy to take discussion on this.

Seeming Score
Rating Score Modifier Effects (as a full round action) Duration
Slight 1-5 +0 Tiny, temporary, obvious illusions 1-5 Seconds
Lesser 6-10 +1 Small sized illusions, semi-solid objects 1-5 Rounds
Moderate 11-20 +2 Larger, more solid 1-10 Minutes
Greater 21-40 +3 Creations are solid and almost permanent 1-20 Years
Extraordinary 41+ +4 Can create their own realm and define local reality Permanent
Seeming is the raw material behind illusionary, divination, and necromantic magic. However, it usually goes undetected unless the observer has some understanding of Seeming. The Seeming score refers to how much exposure a person has to Seeming, or how much they are a part of it. For instance, a scholar from the Daylight World might spend a year studying books on the topic before gaining their first point of Seeming score. In contrast, a young person whose nightmare is so vivid it draws the attention of a Shadow denizen might wake up with the same level of knowledge, even if it is only in their subconscious. This knowledge does more than just grant understanding; it starts to shape the individual, since the knowledge of Seeming and the Seeming itself are intertwined. Residents of the Shadow World typically have a slight to moderate rating, with a matching score between 1 and 20. In comparison, powerful denizens of the Shadow World and those who govern their own realms will have a score greater than 20.
The score is used in two ways. When viewing an effect or illusion created with Seeming, if the viewer’s Seeming score is higher than the caster’s, then they are aware ‘something is not right’ and have advantage to perceive the reality. If the viewer exceeds the caster’s score by more than 10, then they automatically succeed. Secondarily, a conjured Seeming effect lasts a maximum of as many time intervals as points of Score within their Rating bracket. For example, a creature with a Seeming score of 7 could create a playing card that would last up to 2 rounds (12 seconds).
When making a Seeming Perception test, roll d20 plus Seeming modifier plus Intelligence modifier. Note this does not include proficiency bonus as proficiency with Seeming is about exposure, not general experience.
Effects are rated based on their intensity, scale, and magical complexity. Here are examples for each category:
• Slight: The most subtle effects, noticeable but fleeting or limited in scope. Examples include:
o Object: a small, two-dimensional apple
o Sensation: a faint scent of roses in the air
o Spell: a gentle 5’ moonlight glow
• Lesser: Mildly impactful effects, capable of minor manipulation or sensory alteration. Examples include:
o Object: an ordinary playing card
o Sensation: the feeling of cold water on your skin
o Spell: a Minor Illusion
• Moderate: Noticeable and tangible effects, often comparable to basic magical spells or objects. Examples include:
o Object: a human-sized ice sculpture
o Sensation: a sharp crack as if from a whip
o Spell: moonlight filling a 100’ radius or the effect of Chill Touch (Necromancy cantrip), or level 1 illusion equivalents.
• Greater: Powerful, complex, or large-scale effects that may alter the environment or influence many at once. Examples include:
o Object: a suit of armour or a magical weapon
o Sensation: a sudden chill that affects everyone in a room
o Spell: equivalents of level 1 divination or necromantic spells, level 2 illusions, or subtle shifts in the landscape (likely to attract the attention of the realm’s ruler)
Restrictions
The effects listed above only work in the Shadow World, or at the site of breaches in the veil.
Entry into the Daylight world becomes more difficult. When attempting to use a Shadow gate (or assisted by a halfling), a character must make an Intelligence saving throw against a DC equal to their own Seeming score to enable entry. If the save fails, the character cannot enter and must try again later.
Staying within the Daylight World is also more challenging for those strongly tied to the Seeming. Each dawn, regardless of where in the Daylight World the character is, they must make an Intelligence saving throw with their Seeming score as the DC. On a failure, one of two things will happen (players choice):
o They are either pulled back into the Shadow World (meaning they immediately vanish from the Daylight World and reappear in the Shadow World, unable to return until conditions allow another attempt)
o The character takes one level of exhaustion for every ten points they failed the save by (rounded up). Exhaustion levels do stack, so repeated failures will accumulate, potentially leading to severe consequences as per standard exhaustion rules (e.g., reduced movement, disadvantage on checks, and so on).
For example: If a character has a Seeming score of 15 and rolls a 10 on their Intelligence save at dawn, they fail by 5 points. Since the failure is less than ten, they would take one level of exhaustion. If they rolled a 4, failing by 11 points, they would take two levels of exhaustion. If they failed by 20 points, they'd take three levels of exhaustion, which would stack with any existing exhaustion.

[Sorontar]

Sorry with the delay in answering this. Obviously most canon rules about the Seeming are based on what is in Blood Spawn (BS), and having played in your 2e and 5e games, I understand (I hope) how you play.

My issue with the Seeming is always that it is a form of magic that is described as something mainly for NPCs, not PCs, so it is harder to design how PCs can use and apply it. BS mainly talks about how PCs can be affected by or combat it. Let's breakdown how you and BS are dealing with this (I might also discuss the proposed BRCS 3.5e approach in another reply).

The Seeming Score represents the user's ability to use the Seeming and the strength of that ability. Your table uses the same numbers as the BS, but you have added modifier values for 5 levels. There are no negative modifiers. You described this as a capability that can be gained by both research into the Shadow World as well as exposure to it and the Seeming (though you later say "proficiency with Seeming is about exposure, not general experience", so I am not sure what book research would gain). BS does not have a modifier, but it also includes the concept of a Seeming Perception:

"Through experience, cleverness, determination, and (occasionally) magic, heroes may gain perception, which they can measure against the Seeming score of any Shadow World character, creature, or phenomenon, in the hopes of lessening that foe’s power over them. Illusions melt away
in the face of high perception scores, leaving a hero free to do battle with the true
threats of the Shadow World.
... Perception scores are measured in exactly the same way as Seeming scores, using the same ratings and scales. This parallel makes comparison easy." (Blood Spawn, p6).

BS gives PCs two choices to combat the Seeming. This first is to treat it as reality and use whatever skills, tools and actions they have to overcome any obstacles caused by the Seeming. The other choice is to counter the Seeming by seeing through it:

"The less obvious (and almost always more difficult) choice is to try to penetrate the Seeming of the area. The DM knows the Seeming strength of the effect; if the heroes’ perceptions are higher than the river’s Seeming score, then they will see it for what it really is: a giant reaching out to crush them, a normal river flowing in front of them, or nothing at all. It all depends on the Seeming." (Blood Spawn, p.8)

As such, the DM just needs to compare the Seeming score to the Seeming Perception score. There is no chance or dice roll involved. There is no modifier or circumstantial DC adjustment. It is the same difficulty or all PCs that encounter the Seeming, based on who created the Seeming.

Your 5e approach has two stages - first to alert PCs that Seeming might be involved in what they encounter, which only occurs if a PC's Seeming score is above the Seeming score that created what they encounter. Secondly, a PC can then attempt to "to perceive the reality" by performing a new Seeming Perception (PC's Int modifier + Seeming modifer) check but with Advantage (automatic success if the PC's Seeming score is 10 or more above the encounter's Seeming score). The PC cannot gain proficiency in Seeming Perception through practise and training (so no proficiency bonus modifier is added).

So there are a few differences:

• 2e: A PC with a better Seeming Perception score than the Seeming score will automatically defeat it/see through it
• 5e: A PC with a better Seeming score than the Seeming's own score will be automatically be aware of the Seeming and *may* be able to defeat it/see through it

Therefore you have added chance to the encounter by creating a Seeming Perception check. Furthermore you have given the PC Advantage on that check, but there is no circumstance when they would make the check without Advantage. You have said that no proficiency bonus modifier can be included in the check, but have not clearly excluded it from the effect of the Jack of All Trades modifier (which gives bonuses to any ability checks that don't include proficiency modifiers and I would read this an an Intelligence ability check, since it includes the Intelligence modifier).

Both systems do not have any rule that allows anyone without a Seeming score or Seeming Perception score (or one equal to or below that of the Seeming score of the encounter) to even be aware that there is Seeming, let alone try to defeat it. Neither system gives a spellcaster or creature that specialises in illusionary magic (which is largely 5e bards and Birthright magicians) any bonuses or considerations in detecting or countering the Seeming. No system has clearly said that "Detect Magic" or any other generic spell will be able to identify that there is Seeming in the area.

You also included rules related to whether the Shadow World may draw or teleport a PC or NPC with a strong Seeming Score back into the Shadow World. This doesn't seem to relate to any BS rule. This seems very powerful and could ruin the enjoyment of play of there is big difference between a PC's Intelligence score and their Seeming score. I would play it more like the full moon for a lycanthrope. I would only make PCs roll if they were in a very dark moonless environment, which may only be one or twice a month. If moonlight is visible, the power of Ruornil should be able to prevent it.

I am also curious what you are granting to PCs who are "Shadow World natives", like Faerie and Shadow Halflings (or other halflings)? You say that "Residents of the Shadow World typically have a slight to moderate rating, with a matching score between 1 and 20", which could give them a 0-2 Seeming Perception modifier. How would that value be determine in your campaigns? Would it be granted instead of the blood score you give to PCs? Or can a Lvl 1 PC divide the score between Seeming and Blood scores?

I'll leave any comments about PCs creating their own affects with the Seeming to another post (possibly once I finally get around to writing on the BR wiki about it).

Sorontar

[Doyle]

Thanks Sorontar,

The 'drawn back at dawn' is intended to be what keeps the powerful SW denizens from invading the Daylight World. It is also intended as a 'growing horror' for PCs.

I do need to rework the numbers, but it is not intended as something that the players would use much.