Sulphur Mage

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The following is inspired by Wonder & Wickedness and the Powder Mage triology. It's written for  use with Into the Odd. I intend to use it in an upcoming gothic horror campaign for my coworkers. 

Image generated with Midjourney.

The Sulphur Mage is a magic user of modern times, capable of influencing firearms and harnessing the power of acids and explosives. Sulphur Mages start out with either a brace of pistols or a carbine. Sulphur Mages appeared in an era when muskets were in broad use.

Gunpowder Essence

Ingest one charge of gunpowder, which would otherwise be sufficient to fire one shot with a musket or pistol. One charge yields an Essence, which can be spent on the following:

  • Gain binocular sight.
  • Guide a single bullet, rolling the damage die twice and pick the best.
  • Detonate a gunpowder container. The Sulphur Mage must save vs. Magic or suffer 1 Acid Damage per container that detonates as a result of the initial detonation.


After using this spell, roll a d6:
1  ) The sorcerer is affected by reflux and suffers 2d4 acid damage. If dice rolled in this way shows 4, roll another d4.
2 - 5) The spell re-prepares for the sorcerer to cast again.
6 ) As 2 - 5, however the next ingested charge yields 2 Essences.

Siphon Blast

If an enemy you can see fires a firearm, you can siphon the energy from the igniting gunpowder and ground it - effectively causing the enemy attack to misfire. This action is possible once per sorcerer level for a single encounter.

Sulphuric Release

One creature which you can see suffers d4 Acid Damage per sorcerer level. Passing a WIL save halves the damage. Creatures that are killed by this spell dissolve into awful puddles of goop.

Sulphur Cloud

The sorcerer can use a charge of gunpowder to create a sulphur cloud. The sorcerer gains complete control over the cloud, and may cause it to grow, shrink or otherwise change.

The sorcerer may use the cloud  to surround one enemy per sorcerer level. Enemies immersed in such smoke must pass a STR save at the start of their turns, or have their speed reduced by half. The spell ends after an encounter when used in this way.

Sorcerous Bullet

The sorcerer can enchant a number of bullets equal to the sorcerer’s level. Each bullet may be enchanted by one of the following effects:


Heated Shot - When fired, the bullet increases to molten hot temperature, capable of setting materials like wood, canvas and leather ablaze. Heated shots ignore Armour. 


Flare Shot - The bullet is transmuted into a burning magnesium bullet, which burns at blinding brightness. Unless nearby creatures shield their eyes, their attacks are impaired. Creatures hit by the Flare Shot are ignited unless they pass a DEX save, causing them to take d6 damage from burning at the beginning of their turn. 


Sulphur Shot - The bullet stinks of rotten eggs and upon impact makes a disgusting “splotch” like sound. Instead of dealing damage, the bullet creates a small cloud of noxious sulphuric gas. Treat it as a small cloud as per the Sulphur Cloud spell. This cloud disperses at the start of your next round.
By casting this spell again, any bullets affected by a previous casting crumble to dust. Otherwise, the bullets remain enchanted as long as the sorcerer is alive.

Gunpowder Trance

By ingesting a charge of gunpowder, the Sulphur Mage can enter a heightened mental state that increases their agility and reflexes. While the effect lasts, the Sulphur Mage can run exceptionally fast and leap long distances, and upon passing a DEX save may cause a single attack against them to be impaired. Alternatively, the Sulphur Mage may enhance an attack against a creature that fails its DEX save.

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