Regardless of skill, there is no automatic reduction of energy cost, and the default casting ritual requires spoken words and gestures with at least 1 hand. Any changes to ritual or energy provide a modifier to skill. Effective casting time is still halved at level 20 and again every 5 levels after that. Example: Lenia wants to cast Hawk Flight. Her base skill in the spell is 17; she can accrue up to 7 points in penalties from reduced fatigue cost or rituals, but no more, regardless of bonuses from other sources. In this case, she decides to reduce the Fatigue Cost by 2 and roll at skill 12.