Cantrip (Aurumites)

"The energies of everything flow around us. Tap into that flow, manipulate the powers. You can grab onto anything if you can hold on to the energies around it."

Cantrips are Arcanoi revolving around natural energies of most any kind, from mental to molecular to universal. A brotherhood of Renegades, the Order of Aurum, or the Aurumites, created this Arcanoi from their own research. The Order is made up of philosophers, scientists, alchemists, and those who sought to know, create, and control all aspects of energy in life. Many Gaunts are in the Order and control the moves of the group; there are younger members, but as time passes, membership into this brotherhood becomes more and more limited. Wraiths whisper the Aurumites know things through their powers, that no other wraiths, not even the Deathlords, know about the workings of the Shadowlands. Many Aurumites, although they flagrantly show a disregard for the Hierarchy, are left alone, since every time they have attempted to capture, kill, or obliviate one, a great disaster happens to the would-be punishers, and those around them, instead.

Cantrip is taught only to those who are at the highest ranks of the Aurumites. A wraith wishing to learn Cantrip must take on a sponsor in the high ranks of the Order who is willing to arrange and supervise the tests and trials. These trials easily last years, or even decades, and if the wraith passes, they may begin the process of learning Cantrip. Like membership in the Aurumites, willing Cantrip sponsors are harder and harder to come by. Some say the ranking members of the Order know of something big ahead, and need their energies directed elsewhere.

Those who have learned the art of Cantrip have the palms of their hands appear completely black and almost leathery in texture, due to repeated contact with the many energies they handle.

Level One: Telepathy
Using this ability, a wraith can communicate with another wraith or with a Quick through their mind. The target perceives this as a voice sounding in their head. Their thoughts in turn can be read by the user, even if the target does not have this ability. This method of communication ignores language barriers, making it a good method of communication between groups without a common language. Many older Aurumites communicate exclusively by Telepathy, and shun those who do not understand its powers.
System: No roll is required to use this art. This effect will last for one scene if the communication is with another wraith, or for one short sentence if it is with a living person.
This art costs 1 Pathos per use.

Level Two: Forced Movement
A wraith can use this ability to manipulate the energy forces around them to fling away or bring towards them an enemy or an object. This effect cannot be used to hold an object in place, and precision movement using this ability is almost impossible.
System: Rolls Manipulation + Cantrip (difficulty 7). For each success, a wraith may fling an object or person approximately their size a distance of twenty feet. To push an object further away or to fling a larger object requires more successes.
This art costs 2 Pathos per use.

Level Three: Energy Flash
With this ability, a wraith can trigger an energy type of their choosing around them into an explosion. The explosion does not hurt the user, but will harm anyone and anything around them. There must be a powerful source of energy avaliable, however. It can be anything from electrical to mental to molecular to heat, as long as there is a steady source of it.
System: Roll Wits + Cantrip (difficulty 8). The more successes, the larger the explosion. A wraith cannot control the size of the explosion, so what they roll is what they get, even if they damage more than they mean to.
This art gains a user 2 Angst.

Level Four: Projected Blast
This ability is similar to above, except it allows the user to control the size and direction of the blast. It can even allow the wraith to focus the blasts’ power on a target.
System: Roll Wits + Cantrip (difficulty 8). One success is all that is needed to focus the power of a small blast. The power of the blast depends on the number of successes.
This art costs the user 1 WP and gains them 2 Angst.

Level Five: Anti-Matter Clash
This ability triggers a universal chain reaction that creates a spot of “non-existence.” Anything or anyone in that spot is totally obliterated, not even going to Oblivion. They are eradicated from the face of the universe itself. This art must be used with extreme caution, since the size of the area cannot be controlled, and any other chain reactions caused by this effect cannot be stopped. The user is also in danger of pulling themselves in if things get out of control.
System: Roll Manipulation + Cantrip (difficulty 9). The player must have at least 3 successes for this effect to kick in.
This arts costs the user 1 permanent WP and gains them 4 Angst.