The art of geomancy (known as feng shui in the East) is the study of harmonizing the physical environment with the flow of energy. The goal of feng shui is to create the ideal place to live or work. Through a combination of architectural design and mystic mathematics, a geomancer plans a pattern that must be duplicated within the entire structure (in the case of a building) or the layout of a room or series of connected rooms (in the case of interior design). Implementing this design increases the time required and the cost of the work involved, but practitioners consider it well worth the effort.

When designing a geomancy effect, the thaumaturge chooses a single Attribute or Skill to be the focus. Once assigned, the Trait cannot be changed without completely redesigning the location. Attribute-based designs are more difficult to create than Skill-based ones (–3 dice penalty for Geomancy attempts to plan around an Attribute). The selected Trait must reflect the building or space’s function. For example, a library might enhance Academics rolls, while a peaceful cottage might aid with Composure rolls. If the thaumaturge is successful, she creates a unique design that benefits those who use the location in the manner for which it was created, provided that the design is followed perfectly. The architect or interior designer who follows the geomancer’s design must succeed in a suitable roll (probably Intelligence + Crafts). Of course, the geomancer may be the architect or interior decorator, and such an arrangement is auspicious for the future of the site — an individual automatically succeeds in efforts to follow her own plans.

This Merit calls for an extended ritual roll, as normal, but requires a greater number of successes, dictated by the size of the space to be designed. If the thaumaturge creates her geomancy design successfully, and the architect or interior designer successfully integrates the design into the physical location, the flow of energy is modified within the space. Any action that takes place in the space using the designated Attribute or Skill may gain a bonus. Once per scene, the first person to attempt an appropriate action within the space gains the 9 again effect (reroll 9s and 10s) for that single roll. Large spaces have the potential to help more people, one per distinct area of the space. (Note that this effect does not affect a chance die, should a dice pool be reduced to one. Only a result of 10 is a success under those circumstances.)

Once a geomantic design is created and implemented, it remains in effect indefinitely unless something happens to disrupt or change the flow of energy. Natural disasters may change the magical landscape more than they appear to affect it physically, requiring geomantic designs to be realigned. New construction or destruction of buildings or even spaces within a building may require that a thaumaturge reassess the location for potential updates. Poorly designed geomantic locations may disrupt those around them, as well. The only limits on the number of designs a geomancer may create are her time, her capability and the ability of others to come up with the resources to put her designs into place.

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Crafts
Minimum Successes Required: 5 (small room), 10 (typical home), 15 (typical office), 20 (multi-story building), 25 or more (skyscraper, Disneyland Hong Kong, Love Canal)
Ritual Length: One hour. Actual construction or redesign certainly takes longer — days or weeks depending on the size of the project.
Duration: Indefinite (until disrupted)

Roll Results
Dramatic Failure:
The geomantic design is flawed, but the thaumaturge doesn’t notice. When the plan is implemented, the Storyteller might have it disrupt nearby geomantic effects or have some disaster strike during construction or redecorating that is clearly the geomancer’s fault.

Exceptional Success:
The flow of energy grants the 9 again bonus to the first two related rolls per scene.

Suggested Equipment: Religious holy site or magical nexus (+1 to +3 provided the structure is appropriate)

Possible Penalties: Multiple geomantic spaces within the same physical structure (–1 for each), site is haunted (–1), negative history (–1 for a murder or failed business to –5 for a toxic waste dump or death camp), shoddy materials (–1 to –3), dense urban area (–3), modern industrial area (–2), town or suburb (–1), holy site used inappropriately (–1 to –5)

Ritual Details: Thorough examination of the site is required, often using special compasses or the like. Measurements and calculations of mystic mathematical ratios are also common.