These are the game mechanics for Highfield's interpretation of Zoroastrian divine syntactic magic.
1. Basics
A typical working needs two words, a verb and a noun. Each noun and each verb is a separate IQ/VH skill boosted by Magery (or, if you prefer, an appropriate Power Investiture).
1.1. The Words
Verbs:
| Word | Tally | Time |
| Communicate | 1 | 0 |
| Control | 2 | 1 |
| Create | 2 | 2 |
| Destroy | 1 | 1 |
| Heal | 1 | 2 |
| Move | 0 | 0 |
| Protect | 1 | 1 |
| Sense | 2 | 0 |
| Strengthen | 1 | 1 |
| Transform | 3 | 2 |
Nouns (a partial selection):
| Word | Tally | Time |
| Fire | 4 | 1 |
| Light | 2 | 1 |
| Truth | 3 | 2 |
Some castings may need multiple nouns, or even multiple verbs.
1.2. Casting
Each word requires a skill roll, which can be modified with decanic influences, and overt chanting and gestures for the Time number of seconds. Obviousness can be reduced:
| Change | Penalty |
| No foot motions | -2 |
| Gestures with only one hand | -2 |
| OR No gestures | -4 |
| Softly spoken incantation | -2 |
| OR No incantation | -4 |
| Double time and very obvious | +1 |
| Triple time | +1 |
If all rolls succeed, the ritual takes effect. The base Tally score is the sum of all words' Tally; critical success on one word halves this; critical on both eliminates it.
If some rolls succeed, some effect may occur at the GM's discretion; only the Tally for the successful word takes effect.
If both rolls fail, apply one Tally but nothing else happens.
If either roll fails critically, something bad will happen.
1.3. Calculating Effects
Margin of success on the least successful roll is used to generate range and power of effects. Standard Range (p. B550) applies.
| Damage | Modifier |
| 1d-3 | 0 |
| 1d-2 | 1 |
| 1d | 2 |
| 1d+1 | 3 |
| 2d | 4 |
| 2d+1 | 6 |
| 3d | 8 |
| Type | Adjustment |
| Small Piercing | x0.5 |
| Burning, Crushing, Piercing, Toxic | x1 |
| Cutting, Large Piercing | x1.5 |
| Corrosion, Fatigue, Huge Piercing, Impaling | x2 |
| Explosive | x1.5 |
| Duration | Modifier |
| Momentary | 0 |
| to 10 minutes | 1 |
| to 1 hour | 2 |
| to 12 hours | 3 |
| to 1 day | 4 |
| to 1 week | 5 |
| to 2 weeks | 6 |
| to 1 month | 7 |
| to 3 months | 8 |
| to 1 year | 9 |
| Constituents | Modifier |
| 1 | 0 |
| 2-3 | 1 |
| 4-5 | 3 |
| 6-10 | 4 |
| Group size | Modifier |
| 1 | 0 |
| 2-3 | 2 |
| 4-5 | 4 |
| 6-7 | 6 |
| 8-10 | 8 |
| 11-14 | 10 |
| 15-20 | 12 |
| 21-30 | 14 |
| 31-50 | 16 |
| 51-70 | 18 |
| 71-100 | 20 |
| 101-140 | 22 |
| 141-200 | 24 |
| 201-300 | 26 |
| 301-500 | 28 |
| 501-1,000 | 32 |
| 1,001-2,000 | 36 |
| Weight | Modifier |
| to 10 lbs. | 0 |
| to 30 lbs. | 1 |
| to 100 lbs. | 2 |
| to 300 lbs. | 3 |
| to 1,000 lbs. | 4 |
| to 3,000 lbs. | 5 |
| to 5 tons | 6 |
| to 15 tons | 7 |
| to 50 tons | 8 |
| to 150 tons | 9 |
2. Tally
Tally accumulates. It drops by 8 points per day, at sunrise.
Each time Tally crosses from <30 to 30+, make a Calamity check. Also check each time a spell is cast while Tally is 30+. Roll 3d6 and add 1 per full 5 points of (Tally-30), then see Thaumatology p. 77.