Pheromones
Pheromones is a recurring spell in the Fear & Hunger series. It can be learned in both Fear & Hunger and Fear & Hunger 2: Termina.
Lore
"I know of the 3rd secret of Sylvian:
As human beings are simple creatures guided by their feelings and lust, I can easily control their affections in a most primal of ways."
- An excerpt of Blood & Flower magic I.
The spell allows the user to release pheromones that divert all hostile attention to the target of these chemicals. Pheromones is associated with Old God Sylvian's Love/Flower magic, the legacy she bestowed upon humanity: love from her perspective. Pheromones is harmonized with Sylvian's connection to sex and lust and as the Old God of love and fertility.
Obtained
In both games, Pheromones is available in the Hexen, requiring one to raise affinity with Sylvian for its acquisition. It is a tier 1 spell both in Fear & Hunger and Fear & Hunger 2: Termina, meaning only a single point of affinity is necessary to master it, without the need to learn other Sylvian spells beforehand. The spell cannot be imparted to companions.
Alternatively in Fear & Hunger, the protagonist can also learn this spell by using an Empty scroll while having a Quill in the inventory list and writing the text below at the three-verse writing sequence:
- "O LORD (First verse); TEACH (Second verse); PHEROMONES (Third verse)"
Mechanics
Functioning identically in both games, Pheromones is a tactical combat spell that costs 10 Mind to be cast. With a success rate of 95%, the spell will cause the chosen character to be prioritized by enemy attacks for the duration of the battle.
This ability proves useful in safeguarding party members with inferior equipment or lacking limb protection. Moreover, it synergizes well with the Blood golem spell, diverting enemy attention to a disposable ally.
In Fear & Hunger, party member Nas'hrah will complain and threaten the player if they use Pheromones on him, and the spell will not work.
Trivia
- In real life, pheromones are chemical messengers capable of influencing the behavior of other individuals outside the body of the emitter. The spell's effects in the series appear to mirror a combination of sex pheromones and alarm pheromones, as it not only attracts attention but also triggers aggression.