Their are two general types of abilities:
Magic and
Psionics. You may only be skilled only in one.
Magic
Magic is the ability to interact with the fundamental unseen forces of the world. All magic skill checks use the
Use Ability skill. When you chose to learn magic you use point to buy a
Domain, such as fire or water, to work with. Each additional domain domain is learned at an additional cost (cummulatively 1 per additional domain, unless the new domain is in the same group as one you already have, ie Heat and Cold are both Energy). Once you choose a domain you learn whichever
Form is easiest for that domain. You can improve your power in a domain a cost of 2 for each subsequent forms with that domain.
Forms of Effect
There are four forms which you can learn to affect a domain. The order in which they are learned depends on what is easiest for that domain. The forms are
Create,
Manipulate,
Transform and
Bind. It's easier to create fire than control it, but easier to control water or earth than create it, or transform a mind by changing a memory than to assert control or actually create a new mind.
For example, when learning the domain of
Water, the forms in order of difficulty are:
Manipulate M lets you control an element, neither create or destroy it, but to enhance, position, reduce it. Manipulation is easiest for simple materials such as elements or enegery.
Transform T lets you turn one thing into another. For water its easier to change it into wine than actually create it.
Create C lets you create water. Creation is easiest for low mass materials.
Bind B allows you to know if a liquid is disturbed, or to do any of the lower forms in response to a change, or to know what a liquid is. This is always the hardest because you are looking beyond the specific material to see or establish connections.
For example when learning the
Body domain:
Manipulation is easiest, such as staunching blood flow or replicating the effects of surgery. It lets you known how the body is (though you will need knowledge anatomy to understand what you learn).
Create lets you make a part, such as regenerating a limb or organ.
Transform lets you completely change part of a living thing into a part of another. You could create an appendage then transfor it into something else, such as wings or a tail.
Bind will let you know if a body moves relative to a predetermined object, is nearby, is injured, etc.
For example the
Mind domain:
Transform lets you change what a senses or knows. Transform is usually difficult however in terms of the mind its easier to transform than control or create.
Manipulate allows you to control a mind thus forcing action or thought.
Create lets you create a new mind which is difficult and would allow you to give conciousness to something.
Bind allows you to bind a mind so you know where it is and what it is thinking. You can then try to influence it using other forms.
The Domains
There are 16 domains aranged into related areas of elements, life or energy. Learning a related domain is 1 point cheaper for the first form. Essense is a stand alone domain that is about magic itself.
| Domain | Forms | Description | Relation |
|---|
| Air |
MCTB |
Windmancy as used to help power sails. Includes gasses. |
Element |
| Earth |
MTCB |
Stonemancy. You can shape, break and meld stone, get gas from coal. Includes non-metal inorganic solids such as sand and crystals. |
Element |
| Fire |
MCTB |
Firemancy. Though this produces heat, it also consumes material. Popular for industrial burning of coal to get high heats for extended periods |
Element |
| Metal |
MTCB |
Metalmancy. Used to improve smelting and fining processes or shaping precise items. You can change lead to gold. |
Element |
| Water |
MCTB |
Watermancy. Useful for water purification or transformation to other liquids. |
Element |
| Wood |
MTCB |
Woodmancy. Useful to meld, strengthen or lighten live or dead non-sentient organic mater. |
Element |
| Body |
MTCB |
Primarily used to heal mortal bodies, can reform lost limbs and reshape or create new limbs. Works on any sentient body (animals, inscetcs, fish) |
Life |
| Mind |
TMCB |
Mesmer. Reading or sending thoughts, control thoughts, sensory phantasms, alteration of memories. |
Life |
| Spirit |
MTCB |
Necromancer or Exorcist. Affects the mortal life force or souls of the dead, including past lives. Sense, summon and question spiritst. Sense a creature's nature and detect life. |
Life |
| Electricity |
MCTB |
This is a damaging effect that does not consume material. It is rare and being experimented upon as electricity is a new discovery. |
Energy |
| Light |
MCTB |
Includes darkness and visual illusions. Mostly used for lighting and pretty illusions. Can cause damage. |
Energy |
| Sound |
MCTB |
Enhance or reduce sound, create or mimic sound. Mostly used for speeches and performances. Can cause damage. |
Energy |
| Temperature |
MCTB |
This is a damaging effect that ignores armour and does not consume material. It can help keep blimps afloat or prepare food for storage. It is rarely learned beyond create and manipulate. |
Energy |
| Essence |
MCTB |
Affecting magic, making items, detecting magic. |
Meta |
Target Number (TN) and Effect
| TN |
|
Effect |
Injury |
Weight |
|
|
| 0 |
Easy |
light a candle |
0 |
10lbs |
|
|
| 1 |
Average |
|
1 |
50lbs |
|
|
| 2 |
Challenging |
|
2 |
200lbs |
|
|
| 3 |
Difficult |
|
3 |
100lbs |
|
|
| 4 |
Severe |
|
4 |
10,000lbs |
|
|
TN Moddifiers
| Goal |
TN |
Sommatic |
Range |
Time |
Verbal |
Concentration |
| Exagerat |
-1 |
sweeping |
close (touch) |
6f |
loud |
complete |
| base |
0 |
obvious, arm |
adjacent (5') |
3f |
conversation |
focused |
| Minor |
+1 |
hand |
nearby (15') |
2f |
a few words |
attentive |
| Subtle |
+2 |
fingers |
sistant (50') |
1f |
whisper |
aware |
| None |
+3 |
none |
far (visible) |
Reaction |
none |
absent minded |
Skill Enhancements and Limitations
Some uses of magic require or are improved by non-magical skills. Mancers
Require the appropriate crafting (profession) skill to be able to manipulate a material effectively. Healers are
Limited in thier ability to heal by using the lower of thier Use Ability or physician or anatomy (profession) skill. Mind effects are
Enhanced by ones persuation skill (use the bester of it or Use Ability).
| Domain |
Type |
Effect |
| *mancer |
Required |
Carpenter, weaver, smith, mason, etc. |
| Healing |
Limiting |
Physician, anatomy. |
| Influence |
Enhanced |
Suggestion, charm, hypnotize. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spell Intention vs Effect
If you try really hard to do something, you can use a higher TN than necesary and get double the impact, or just use the required TN and accept any additional success as extra effect. In essence you are taking a risk with a higher TN to get a stronger effect. For each increase in TN you choose you get two extra successes for determining the effect.
Example...
You could manipulate a torch to burn someones face (average for 1 injury) and try to make it bigger and hotter (extra TN so challenging) to give 3 injury. You are more likely to fail and suffer that consequence, however if you succedd the the effect is greater.
Consequence of Magic Failure
Magic is a great effort to sense and alter or control the elements that are present in the material world. Errors doing anything other than an easy task can cause mental or physical necrosis resulting in a lasting injury. Each use above average where you fail causes a level of injury. Make a necrosis check to see if it is permanent by rolling your use ability and must meet the level of effect you were trying for. So if it was a great attempt you need that many successes, otherwise you may lose a box in either your mental or physical injury track permanently. If the check gave a complication result the effect is obvious (mental quirk, physical deformation) that does not in and of itself create a disadvantage. You can buy accumulated necrosis off by getting a suitable disadvantage equal to the damage cleared.
Maggie has a use ability of 3 and create fire (level 2). First she tries to ignite (create) an enemy soldier on fire. This is average so she rolls 4 dice and gets 9,6,4,1. She success and the soldier is on fire and takes 1 physical damage that ignores armour.
Next Maggie try to control the fire she created to cause more damage. She is controlling fire so rolls 4 dice getting 5, 4, 3, 2 so she fails without consequence. She must makes a necrosis check rolling 4 dice for her use ability skill less no dice since average attempt. She rolls 5,4,3,2 so fails and is permanently at one injury track of either mental or physical damage.
Psionics
When you put 3 points into the ability psionics you choose a power, such as precognition, to work with. Once you choose a power you can improve your ability in that power by adding additional impact for each additional level which cost 4 points for level 2 and 5 for level 3. Unlike magic you start with whatever powers you have and can improve them but not generally aquire new ones.
Cost for Psionic Powers Levels
| Level |
First |
Second |
Third |
| Cost |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Psionic Powers
There are 7 Psionic powers, each of which uses the Use Ability skill.
| Power |
Description |
| Clairvoyance |
Remote viewing or listening. |
| Mind |
Persuade, alter perception, contorl. |
| Null |
Negate the psionic power of others. |
| Psychometry |
Reading an objects past. |
| Spirits |
Speak, influence and control spirits. |
| Telekinesis |
Moving matter. |
| Telepathy |
Sending and reading thoughts, memories. |
Consequences of Psionic Failures
It takes great mental effort and concentrtion to use psionics. If you fail a Use Ability when using psionics you may suffer mental necrosis resulting in a lasting injury. Each use above average where you fail causes an injury and requires a necrosis check to see if it is permanent. You roll your use ability and must meet the level of effect you were trying for. So if it was a great attempt you need that many successes, otherwise you may lose a box in your mental injury track permanently. If the check gave a complication result the effect is obvious (mental quirk, physical deformation) that does not in and of itself create a disadvantage. You can buy accumulated necrosis off by getting a suitable disadvantage equal to the damage cleared.
Example
Jerome has a use ability of 3 and two levels in Telekiesis. First he tries to fling a chair at an enemy soldier. This is an average use so he rolls 4 dice and gets 9,6,4,1. He success and the soldier takes 2 physical damage (one for a success and 1 for the second level in the Telekinesis power).
Next Jerome tries to knock another soldier down so he can eascape. The soldier is heavier than the chair so this is a difficult task requiring two successes. He rolls 4 dice getting 5, 4, 3, 2 so he fails without consequence. Jerome must makes a necrosis check so rolls 4 dice less and needs two successes beacuse it was a difficult attempt. He rolls 5,4,3,2 so fails and is permanently at one injury track of mental damage.
Corruption and Radiance - An Optional Rule
If used this allows tracks to count negative experiences, choices, and influences as corrupting a character and oppositely positive can counter corruption or lead to net radiance. When you have accumulated enough you gain a relevant disadvantage (selfish, bully, greedy, intimidating) or advantage (charisma).
Corruption may be gained by murder, experiencing horror, being in negative spiritual places or having negative objects (ie temple to an evil god or tome of sacrificial rites). The opposite may come from selfless acts, holy sites or objects (ie holy site, book of love). This is a very value based aspect that works best with good vs evil themes.
