Low Magic

Preparing and Casting Low Magic A hero can use low magic if they have a Fact related to their mastery of a tradition. While ordinary mortals must painstakingly master each tier of expertise, a hero with a relevant Fact can cast all the spells of their known traditions. A single Fact cannot normally grant access to more than one tradition. Lesser sorcerers may know only some of the arts of their tradition and require a mentor or grimoire to reveal all the capabilities of their expertise. Unless specified otherwise, casting a spell requires both a lengthy ritual and certain basic tools and supplies. These inscribed charms, sanctified tokens, auspicious materials, and other occult paraphernalia are not difficult to acquire, but if the caster finds themselves stripped of their belongings they will need some opportunity to reassemble their tools. The length of the ritual required depends on the difficulty of the spell. Apprentice spells require 15 minutes of work, adept spells require an hour, master-level spells need four hours, and invoking the magic of an archmage requires an all-day working. These rituals are ruined by interruption or damage, with the spell fizzling uselessly. Some traditions are capable of suspending almost-completed rituals, storing their virtue in some token, elixir, or parchment. Only the caster can activate the power within these items, but they can be deployed as their action for the turn, going off at the beginning of their next turn if not spoiled by damage. The caster can prepare up to two spells of this kind per hit die or level. Details of the spell, such as targets, range, or exact effects are determined when the caster unleashes the effect. If the caster has mastered multiple traditions that allow prepared spells, they still can’t prepare more than two per hit die. The initiate can always cast spells more slowly if the situation allows it. Other traditions allow a spontaneous choice of effects, casting a spell with no more than a brief invocation and the right occult implement to hand, the spell taking an action to cast and going off at the start of their next turn. Injury before the spell goes off spoils it. While these traditions can still be used more slowly at need, an initiate of the art may cast one spell per hit die or level before they need at least an hour’s respite to restore their energies. Note that just because the tradition can be used spontaneously, it doesn’t mean that it also teaches how to store power as a prepared object. In the case that a sorcerer also uses a tradition that allows prepared spells, each two prepared spells decreases the allowed instant spells by one. Thus, a 3 hit die adept with two prepared spells from one tradition could freely cast two more from another tradition before their powers were exhausted for a time. Each tradition gives examples of the kind of spells usable at a given level of mastery. Other spells of similar theme and power can also be cast by the sorcerer, given GM agreement. Low Magic Capabilities While some traditions have special arts, most spells have certain general limits. These limits can be blurred at the GM’s discretion, but most sorcerous workings must abide by these strictures. • Spells can’t affect anything outside the sorcerer’s presence, at most out to the maximum range of their line of sight. • Spell effects don’t last longer than the next sunrise, though their consequences can linger. Speeding a natural process such as healing produces a lasting cure, and subtle blessings or curses might last as long as a week. • Spells can’t create permanent matter. Summoned objects disappear at sunrise, and conjured food and drink provides only temporary satiation. Individual traditions have learned ways to sidestep these limita- tions, invoking ancient pacts and secret techniques to violate the bans. These methods are unique and specific to each tradition, however, and mastering the secrets of one doesn’t mean that they can be used with another path. Low Magic and Gifts Mortal magic is unable to directly overcome gifts. The dispellations of a curse-eater cannot undo the blights of the Word of Luck, and even the strongest mortal curse must dissolve before a miracle wrought by some appropriate Word. Magical wards designed to fend off a particular type of danger also fail in the face of a hero’s powers; a fire sorcerer’s magical shield against heat can’t hold back the blaze of a chosen of Fire, and a mind-wizard’s mental defenses can’t prevent the powers of Command from taking hold. At most, the GM might grant a +4 bonus on their saving throw if any are allowed. Summoning Creatures Some magical traditions allow for the summoning of servitor crea- tures. Under most circumstances, a sorcerer can summon no more than one creature at a time. Supernatural creatures manifest out of thin air, while natural beasts travel to the summoner over the course of the ritual. Of the low magic traditions depicted here, only the Cinnabar Order and the theotechnicians teach these techniques as a normal part of training. Other traditions either don't have the art at all or else students must learn it from a reclusive master or a long-vanished tome of occult secrets. For traditions that allow such summoning, an apprentice caster can call only very minor imps or sprites of no use in combat and no consequential abilities. An adept can summon a 2 HD creature, a master can summon a 4 HD creature, and an archmage can call up an 8 HD creature. The Bestiary chapter provides example combat statistics for sum- moned entities on page 162. Summoned creatures will obey within the parameters of their nature, but will not act suicidally unless they are automatons or other entities without self-will. Most summoned beings are intelligent enough to follow orders in a rational way, though not all of them communicate in ways that humans understand.

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane