Designed in 3150 NY (Nether Year) and perfected in 3490 NY, the Neth tattoo is a magically inscribed drawing. Usually placed on the forearms or the exposed flesh of the neck, chest, or legs, the tattoo is designed to release a magical effect at the will of the wearer. Only a few documented instances show the use of a Neth tattoo, so the complete process is a relatively secretive one, though it's known that several archwizards and many other high-level arcanists )as well as their trusted friends) used them.
When a Neth tattoo is placed on the skin, it takes the form of a moving shape desired by the recipient. Often, the shape seems bathed in mist, making it appear as a noncorporeal silhouette. As the tattoo is inscribed, additional spellcasting is done in order to give the tattoo "life" and power; any arcanist spell can be inlaid into the tattoo. To release the spell effect, the recipient simply activates it by mental command, and "points" at a target with his eyes.
Up to one Neth tattoo can be safely placed on a body per two points of constitution. The magic that's inherently active on the tattoo can cause great physical stress should more be attempted, requiring a Constitution check (modified as a penalty by the number of tattoos placed on the body). If this check fails, the spell effect contained in the Neth tattoo is immediately released.
- Skull of Quietusmagia: This is a protective enchantment that disables magic that touches the flesh (or enters the body) of the one emblazoned with this Neth tattoo. For instance, enchanted weapons (blessed or cursed) lose their bonuses when used against one with this tattoo. Personal-effect spells and effects are rendered impotent against the character possessing this rune. Each Quietusmagia tattoo placed on the body renders the character immune to magic for one hour. The tattoo is activated when the wearer is attacked by a magic effect, and the one-hour-long protection begins at that time. If more than one Quietusmagia is tattooed on the body, only one activates at a time. Note that magical healing, invisibility, and similar effects aren't possible while protective by this rune, so its ownership is somewhat of a mixed blessing.
Any tattoo placed on a creature exacts its price, however, permanently reducing that creature's Constitution score by one after the procedure is complete. The procedure for placing a tattoo requires 1d4 hours plus one hour per spell level.
If targeted by a dispel magic spell the caster of the spell must roll a minimum DC of 12. If an effect or spell of 3rd level or higher is enchanted into the tattoo then the DC is 10 + the spell's level. Only if the caster of the dispel magic spell casts it at 5 levels above that of the magic in the spell can it ignore needing to roll a DC (Example: Casting dispel magic at 7th level against a DC 12 tattoo). An anti-magic field will nullify the affects of this tattoo until the entirety of the tattoo is outside of the are of affect.
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