Void Embrace is used to sustain spells (as opposed to Will), but does this mean you calculate the interval at which you retest for tax as Current Void Embrace - Spell ob? Or is it calculated normally (Forte - Spell Ob)? If it still done normally, and your Forte is not high enough, does this mean you can’t cast the sustained spell? Or does it just last the scene in which you cast?
Since tax from Rituals of Night still reduces your Forte on a failure (Void Embrace is used to resist tax, but doesn’t suffer the effects of tax) I’d still calculate the interval normally. As for sustaining if your Forte is too low, I’d follow the rules on page 509 which says that if your Forte isn’t high enough you can’t sustain the spell.
But does that mean I can’t even cast it? Or does it just last for the duration of the scene in which it is cast?
Page 509 says you can’t cast it. Without that ruling there would be a loophole that would allow someone to cast a spell that’s more powerful than they should be able to sustain, and still keep it up for the duration of a combat or argument. It shouldn’t affect things too much if people are playing within reason already.
It’s all calculated off of Forte. Orcs don’t need Void Embrace to cast spells. They just need it to resist Tax. Luke once ran an orc sorcerer as an NPC who taught a bunch of disciples the Black Rust but never bothered to give them the Void Embrace. They were essentially suicide bombers.
How would you recommend fixing my character then? I have Forte 3 and Black Cloak (Ob 4), which was my only defensive measure. We’re six sessions in, and just letting me choose a different spell, rejiggering my stats, or finding some basic armor doesn’t seem appropriate.
Work on raising your Forte. You only need three tries to raise a B3 stat.