Occultists are tied to extraplanar beings.

Occultists are characters who rely on a supernatural sponsor for their powers. They rely on their wisdom and charisma (create an occultist, name an occultist). Whether they realize it or not, their power is derived directly from Sesamar and Desamar, but this power comes from the conduit of supernatural beings.

Occultist hierarchy is this:

Initiate	Levels 1 - 2
Spirit Guide	Levels 3 - 4
Master Occultist	Levels 5 - 6
Aether Guide	Levels 7 - 11
Planeswalker	Levels 12 - 14
Planesmaster	Levels 15+

Occultists cast spells but do not use spellbooks to memorize them. They gain them like clerics, through the relationship with powerful extraplanar beings (devils, demons, angels, and daemons), called sponsors.

These spellcasters receive a 50% advantage with the spells from the schools of adjuration, evocation, and conjuration (concerning damage, spells operate at +2 levels), except for spells specific to occultists (see below). They cannot cast spells from the school of divination (except spells concerning alignments). All other spells receive a 75% disadvantage, except for spells specific to occultists. The mechanic works similar to that of elementalists. Occultists gain a magic resistence versus extraplanar beings at 10% +1%/level. Lastly, they can benefit from a protection of evil, good, and neutrality at 10' radius (works only against extraplanar beings) as long as the occultist concentrates (movement is halved, taking damage does not break protection).

Occultists acquire these abilities, which are granted from their extraplanar sponsors as they achieve higher levels:

Occultist Spells

Only occultists are able to cast these 3rd level spells.

Cone of Chaos (Conjuration) Casting Time: 2 segments Range: AoE 30' cone 5' at base, 20' at end Target: One creature or 10 foot radius area of effect Components: V S Duration: 1 round per lvl of caster The frightful image of the occultist's sponsor springs forth and a cone of invisible energy erupts in a cone shape from the caster. Each creature in the area of effect takes 1d4 + 1 damage and must save versus fear. A failed save means the creature flees as fast as possible from the caster for as many rounds as the level of the occultist. Creatures affected by fear have a base chance of 50% of dropping any items they are carrying, minus 5% the character is past 1st level. A 5th level character has a 30% chance of dropping items, while a 9th level character has a 10% chance. Creatures who die from cone of chaos will have their soul(s) sent to the occultist's sponsor for reckoning.

Firefiend (Evocation) Casting Time: 2 segments Range: Touch or 5 yds. + 3 yds./level Target: One creature or 10 foot radius area of effect Components: V S Duration: Instantaneous Otherworldly purple fire energy leaps from the occultists hands. The occultist makes a melee spell attack against the target (only dex bonus, but no armor bonus). On a hit, the target takes 1d8/lvl (touch) or 1d6/lvl (range), save for half damage. 25% of the damage (rounded down) that was dealt will return back to the occultist as a bonus to hit points (up to the occultist's maximum hit points). When the occultist starts casting the spell, the 25% hit point return can be modified upward by +5% for every 1 hit point the occultist sacrifices as a spell component. The modifier can never surpass 50% and the occultist can never sacrifice more hit points than he or she currently has. For example, say a occultist casts a 6d6 demonbane spell and rolls 20 points of damage. Two people are affected by the spell and one person misses his saving throw. They take 20 and 10 points of damage. The second character only had 8 hit points. So, the occultist actually deals a total of 28 points of damage and receives 7 points back as a health boost. Had the occultist first sacrificed 5 hp, the modifier would have been 50%. The occultist would have instead received back 14 hit points. Creatures who die from firefiend will have their soul(s) sent to the occultist's sponsor for reckoning.

Planestorm (Conjuration) Casting Time: 2 segments Range: 60-foot diameter AoE Components: V S Duration: 1 turn +1 turn per 2 lvls of caster A burst of planar energy bursts from the occultist. Those within the area of effect who have the same alignment as the occultist have a +2 to-hit and saving throws and are healed for 2d8. Those who are not of the alignment of the occultist have to save versus spells at -2 or receive a -2 to-hit and saving throws for 1 turn +1 turn per 2 lvls experience of the occultist. If the save is not made and the alignment of a creature is opposite (good/evil or lawful/chaotic), such creatures will take 1 - 2 damage for each opposite alignment charactieristic. If a chaotic good occultist casts this spell and it affects both neutral evil and lawful evil characters, the neutral evil characters will take 1 - 2 damage and the lawful evil characters will take 2 - 4 damage due to failed saves. Creatures who die from planestorm will have their soul(s) sent to the occultist's sponsor for reckoning.

Soulsword (Conjuration) Casting Time: 2 segments Range: 60-foot diameter AoE Components: V S Duration: 1 turn per lvl of caster A mystical blade emerges from the hand of the occultist. It acts as a +1 magic sword and is usable only by those of the same alignment as the occultist. Any creature who is hit by or touches the sword and who is opposite in alignment (good/evil or lawful/chaotic) will take 1 - 2 points of additional damage for each opposite alignment charactieristic (see planestorm spell). 50% of the damage it inflicts returns to the occultist, up to the maximum hit points of the occultist. Creatures who die from soulsword will have their soul(s) sent to the occultist's sponsor for reckoning.

Like necromancers, occultists are thought to be evil. Myth has them focused on demons, devils, magic circles, and such give then a very poor reputation. However, occultists can be any alignment, but their alignment must match exactly that of their extraplanar sponsor. Occultists who have a good alignment must be careful how they use their spells.

Occultists are rare because their reputation is extremely horrible, making it difficult to learn and operate the craft. However, there are occultists who operate firmly for the forces of good. Those occultists are allowed to work their magic, but most people in the realm still eye them with a great deal of suspicion.

The history of spellcasters of any kind has a dark history (see History), therefore occultists are compelled to be affiliated (to some capacity) with casters of Kornas or Nithnamar. It is a preventive way of protecting the realm from rogue casters who can cause great damage.

There are also advantages for casters who associate with casters of Kornas and Nithnamar. Rubbing elbows with other spellcasters allows occultists to: a) learn of events that are occurring in the realm, b) have greater access to history and lore, and c) enables casters to share spells.

Occultist Duties
Occultists can be extremely powerful characters. The game balance factor is the devotion they must have to their sponsors.

Every occultist has made a bond with their sponsor. The sponsor provides the spells; the occultist provides the loyalty to the sponsor. This means occultists are routinely drawn to take positions and undertake duties that are consistent with the sponsor's beliefs and commands. Like a paladin who must stay true to an oath or a thief bound to a guild, the occultist has duties, such as:

Occultist Duties

• Partake in quests
• Be a rolemodel follower
• Build their sponsor's followers
• Plot to undermine the sponsor's enemies

A occultist who wants to reconfigure his/her spells should make a list of all spells with their respective spell levels. The sum of the spell levels must be gained. Divide the sum by the occultist's wisdom and round up. This final number is the number of days it will take the occultist to make the exchange of spells to memory. If the process is interrupted, the DM will make a determination on the known spells the occultist gets memorized.

The final number of days will be adjusted according to this table.

An occultist who wants to use a new spell must devout time to learn it. Casting spells is no easy feat, considering it requires accurate articulation and/or exact gestures. Divide the spell level of the spell by 2, rounding up, to determine how many days it will take to learn a new spell. The occultist must have a quiet, safe space with no major interruptions in order to memorize the spell.

Specializations
Occultists must specialize. These specializations are like a career path. Once chosen, it can never be undone. Each specialization is listed below.

Magus

Magus occultists are more like clerics. They use the cleric experience table and the spell tables for clerics but cast magic-user spells, meaning they will never cast 8th or 9th level magic-uer spells. They use d8 for hit points and can use armor allowed by clerics. They can also fight with simple weapons up to that of long swords.

Mystic

Mystic occultists are like magic-users. They use the experience table of magic-users and spells and spell tables for magic-users. They use d4 for hit points and are restricted in weapons and armor similar to magic-users.

Aspiring spellcasters flock here to delve into the intricate details of magic. This renowned research facility offers a wealth of knowledge for those seeking to master the intricacies of spellcasting and ascend the path to true wizardry. Here, every detail matters, for within the nuances of gith (gesture), mith (vocalization), nith (power words), and hith (material components) lies the key to unlocking potent magic.

Cantrips
All occultists are able to utilize 1 cantrips +1/per level. An occultist cannot sacrifice spell slots for cantrips. Here is a list of cantrips all occultists have access:

Air (Evocation):
Area of Effect: 10x10x10 or 1,000 cubic feet
This cantrip will summon air to the caster if there is some available with 100 yards/level. Poisons in the air will not be summoned, but only nitrogen and oxygen will be brought forth. Such air will fill the area around the caster up to 1000 cubic feet (enough air for one man sized, resting creature, to last 24 hours before the carbon dioxide build up would be sufficient to kill him, assuming no other air source is handy and the room or cavern or whatever is hermetically sealed). Any other non-magically summoned poisonous air already in the vicinity of the caster will be removed on a one-to-one basis (by volume). If the mage fell into a pit of methane, this may save the caster's life. Trapped in a cave in or sealed in a portable hole or other hermetically sealed room, it may prolong it. It will not, however, affect dragon breath, Cloud Kill, Stinking Cloud, or other such spells. On the other hand, the cantrip may simply freshen a room's air, removing smoke and lingering odors and replacing them with fresh air from outside.

Clean (Abjuration):
Area of Effect: 4 square yards
This removes heavy soils, dirt, and similar material from the area of effect such as floors, walls, dishes, windows, a pile of vegetables, etc. The total material removed may not weigh more than 50 lbs. This material does not vanish, but will be collected in a container provided by the caster (a dustbin for example) or piled up where the caster so designates within the 1" range.

Distract (Enchantment):
Area of Effect: Special
This cantrip will cause creatures of low intelligence or lower, 1 Hit Dice or lower, or 0th level to look for one segment to the left or the right of the caster (up to 10 feet away) allowing the caster to do something with their opposite hand and have it go unnoticed. Creatures of 1st level or higher AND intelligence higher than "low" (must have both these qualities), or 1+1 Hit Dice or higher, get a save vs. spell to avoid this distracting effect. Thus, for example, a farmer or shopkeeper would not typically get a save, but all adventurers would.

Fire Finger (Alteration):
Area of Effect: 6-inch line (one half of a foot)
This cantrip causes a 6-inch jet of flame to spring from the caster's finger causing easily combustible objects to ignite. It lasts 6 seconds. The aura of living creatures (of more than animal intelligence or more than 1 Hit Point) can ward of its effects (no damage). The cantrip is handy for starting campfires and the like, or even sterilizing daggers and needles. It is better than Spark, for example, in that it may set aflame harder to burn objects, but worse than Spark, in that it has no "within 10-foot" range and must be used up close.

Giggle (Charm):
Area of Effect: One person
This will cause the target to giggle or laugh. Save indicates one slight chuckle, while failure indicates 1 to 3 seconds of giggling.

Glow (Conjuration):
Area of Effect: 3-inch diameter sphere
This summons a blue light (1/4 of a foot) and illuminates a 5' radius area with a mystical blue light as long as the caster concentrates upon it. It will not affect Infravision or Ultravision, nor cast reflections outside its sphere of illumination. The caster may read by this light, but may not do battle, cast spells, memorize spells, or in other ways devote too much concentration elsewhere other than to maintain the illumination. In any event, the duration is no more than one hour/level.

Mouse (Summoning):
Area of Effect: One mouse
If a mouse is within 1 mile/level of the caster, this cantrip summons it to within 10 feet of the caster and it will magically appear and behave as a mouse would.

Untangle (Alteration):
Area of Effect: One object, up to one cubic yard
Similar to Tie, this works on finer material like thread, hair, small grasses, causing them to become untwisted and free of tangles. It may be used to good effect on windblown hair and will leave such hair free of tangles and looking rather well brushed or combed.

Warm (Evocation):
Area of Effect: 1 cubic foot
Nonliving, non-magical liquid or solid materials may become up to 40 degrees F higher in temperature (not to be higher than 212 degrees F, so you may not boil water, (at one atmospheric pressure, anyway)). The duration is instantaneous and then nature reigns. i.e. the target will warm up or cool down as normal from that point due to ambient temperature and conditions. Thus, a cold liquid (cold tea or coffee, for example) may be warmed to a higher temperature. Even a bath may be warmed, though 1 cubic foot only, and then its heat will spread out according to normal laws of physics. This cantrip could easily turn one cubic foot of snow or ice into water (assuming such material was at least -8 degrees F or warmer to begin with in order to reach its minimum melting temperature).

Water (Evocation):
Area of Effect: 1 quart
The mage holds his hands in the shape of a cup and utters the words and summons (from the nearest, freely available source) fresh, pure, water. Even a tainted or poisoned source will do as only the water is summoned and not the impurities. Unless pure water is available within 1 mile/level of the caster, the water is rather tasteless (distilled), but provides up to one quart of the required liquid. If NO liquid (or frozen) water (fresh or otherwise) is within 1 mile/level, the cantrip has no effect. As always, spells attempt to bring forth the easiest source, so a friend's water skin is not easy since water in the possession of a creature would get a save. The cantrip will first search for other sources before it even attempts to affect such a "owned" source.

Yawn (Evocation):
Area of Effect: One creature
Save negates the effect, but failing save will cause the target to yawn for 1 to 3 seconds. If a Sleep spell then blankets the area and such a creature (who already failed their save vs. Yawn and could normally be affected by a Sleep spell, will fall asleep, but does not count toward the Sleep spell's normal limit of hit dice that may be affected.