GURPSよろず

　Sacrifices sometimes aid magic by “bribing” spirits or through the release of mystical energies.
If sacrifices act as energy sources, then see Sacrifices (pp. 54-58); if they grant skill bonuses, then use the alternative system below.
Apply these guidelines: Food, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, stimulants, incense: +1 or +2
Artwork, jewelry, valuable goods, money: +1 to +3
Live animals: +2 to +4
Human beings, if acceptable:+1 (homeless stranger) to +5 (beautiful virgin, royalty)

　Ranges represent variations in symbolic value and quality.
Typically, some system of correspondences used in the campaign determines symbolic value; e.g., when using Hermetic Astrology (pp. 248-253) and working magic associated with Aries, sacrificing a red ram gives a higher bonus than killing a random chicken. As for quality, sacrifices should be highly flavored, notably valuable, or otherwise superior to the normal run of things; the better the item, the larger the bonus.

　A supernatural example of a given category gives +1 over the highest bonus. For instance, one of the Golden Apples of the Hesperides would grant +3; a magical sonnet in Byron’s own hand, +4; a live wyvern, +5; and a vampire king, +6.

　These bonuses are cumulative, subject to some restrictions. If offering both food and animals, only the higher bonus applies. Sacrifice bonuses are mutually exclusive with other bonuses for the same magical ingredient; e.g., when using Hermetic Astrology, burning musk could count as a decanic correspondence with Sphandôr or a sacrifice to its aethyr, but not both. In any event, the GM should cap the total bonus at +6 unless he wants a sacrifice-intensive game.

　Sacrifices must belong to the caster or be fully within his power to count. Notably, killing an enemy in battle is never an effective sacrifice.

　Finally, not all magic benefits from human or even animal sacrifices! Such actions may generate negative psychic energies that scare off or disgust many spirits, or that scramble other powers. The GM should assign a penalty at least double the size of the listed bonus to any sacrifice that violates divine or metaphysical principles; e.g., a human sacrifice to a god of mercy and healing would give from -2 to -10.

　In modern-day settings, animal sacrifices can lead to trouble with the authorities, animal protection groups, etc. In many backgrounds, they are associated with demon worship, and raise suspicions that the magician is capable of human sacrifice as well. Some religions regard animal sacrifices benignly, but even they may have doubts about secular magicians doing the same thing.

　In all but the bloodiest (e.g., Aztec-style) settings, human sacrifices attract only spirits or energies associated with harm and negative emotions. At the GM’s discretion, where the spirits needed for magic are less squeamish, and respect blood and dedication, a willing human sacrifice can bestow a bonus where an unwilling one wouldn’t.

　Wizards may be able to make a sacrifice of themselves.
This is usually done only in extremis, for obvious reasons!
If it’s possible, then the magician gets +1 per full 20% of his HP spent.

　Details vary. A magician might ritually shed his own blood or simply gash himself with a knife, or expend psychic energy in an extreme way that causes internal bleeding, bruises, tears of blood, and stigmata.
The GM can require a Will roll.
If the roll is made exactly, then the expenditure succeeds but the first roll the magician makes for the magic takes a shock penalty appropriate to the HP spent.
High Pain Threshold is a good advantage for blood magicians!

　Some vicious spirits may accept self-sacrifices that cause severe pain (p. B428) with minimal actual injury.
This might require a Surgery or Interrogation roll as well as a Will roll, and is unlikely to grant more than +1.
Failure on the skill roll inflicts a few HP of real injury.

　If the ritual ends disastrously, or invoked dangerous spirits or dark energies – or if self-sacrifice is simply a badidea – then the GM may require a HT roll afterward.
Failure means the injuries leave livid, permanent scars or other strange, inconvenient effects.
To emphasize the dangers, the GM might even require the magician to make aging rolls (p. B444), possibly without bonuses or protection from TL or advantages.