MAGIC
Sorcery, Divine Intervention, Witchcraft, Arcane Arts, Wizardry, Spell Craft, etc. All are the many names for the same thing. Manipulation of the Weave to create effects has only been possible since The Sundering Event. Since that time, the races of man learned of its existence, but only learned to control and manipulate it from the Fae. Casting spells, conjuring spirits, manipulation of the body, and creating items with magic qualities are all things that can be done thru magic use. In learning to utilize the powers of the Weave, users learn to focus themselves in several ways. All users must learn to focus their power to manipulate the Weave. Some choose an item to focus with, others choose physical gestures, while others still use arcane words. There are schools of magic that teach dance as a focus. The Healing Sisters in Dragonsfall are famous for their various songs of healing and for curing various maladies.
Types of magic
Casting – manipulating the Weave to bring forth a variety of effects from offensive bolts and blasts, to illusions of one’s self. There are 8 schools of magic and each school focuses on a specific kind of spells. Some users learn to cast from each school while others focus on just a few.
Conjuring – The art of summoning spirits and elementals and controlling them afterwards. The rituals used to bring these beings to the material are specific and time consuming, but the benefits often outweigh the risks for many.
Physical Adept – A user that channels the energy of the Weave thru their own body to and focuses that energy into powerful blows, changes their appearance or enhances their social abilities. Many are great warriors, but some are great leaders as well.
Magic Items – Forged of fire, carved of stone or wood, or crafted in other ways, magic items are all imbued with power by entwining the energy of the weave into the item during its making. Time and essence from the creator are needed to make magic items. Willpower is expended to place a part of the Weaver into the item. For this reason, all magical items have a “personality” and may express that it many ways.
Elixirs – Able to be made by anyone with the knowledge and skill to do so, elixirs are unique amongst other magic’s because they are all made with an ectoplasmic zoogloeal, often affectionately referred to as a “Mother.” When this glowing blob is combined with specific combinations of prepared ingredients and allowed to ferment, a magic elixir is the result. Mothers are quite rare and highly coveted items. Rumored to be from the Faewild, Mothers are cared for by their possessors like they are children.
Foci – Natural materials that can aid magic users in forming the Weaves energy. Not actually magical in themselves, they just have a harmony with the Weave. There are groups that have trained various Weave sensitive creatures to aid them in hunting for Foci in the wilds. The most powerful Foci are rumored to exist in the Faewild and Umbral Lands.
Innate Abilities – Some creatures have an innate relationship with the Weave. Many creatures from the Faewild and Umbral Lands, as well as some others ae just born magical. These abilities work like any others though.
Schools of Magic
There are ten schools of magic, 8 casting schools, a conjuring school, and an adept school. Each school focuses on a specific style of magic. Most casters learn to cast from all 8 of the casting schools, but some choose to focus on only specific schools and home their abilities to perfection.
Abjuration – The school of Abjuration (from the word “abjure” meaning “to renounce or reject”) concerns magic that creates barriers, blocks, and protects against harm. Abjuration magic can ward a person or place against the presence of evil (or good), turn aside the blade of a sword, or guard the mind against outside influence.
Conjuration – Conjuration magic is all about pulling things from thin air, or from another dimension. A powerful conjurer can create magical storms of lightning or drag a demon out of hell to serve their will. Conjuration magic can also move things and people from one place to another; creating gates and portals to other places, planes, and dimensions falls within the school of Conjuration.
Divination – Divination magic is more than seeing the future – although that is an important part of it. Those who practice this subtle and often-misunderstood art seek to part the veils of space and time, to master the skills of scrying (viewing things remotely), discernment (finding the truth of things), knowledge beyond human limitations, and foresight.
Enchantment – Mind control, arcane compulsions, and false courage – the school of Enchantment focuses on affecting the minds and perceptions of others. Enchantments compel and charm people, bending them to the caster’s will. Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerers, and Bards who master Enchantment can be peacekeepers, capable of soothing raw emotions and blind rage. Or they can be tyrants, malevolent tyrants who warp and twist the minds of others against their consent.
Invocation – Plumes of fire, walls of ice, and rivers of caustic acid. The school of Evocation focuses on channeling and conjuring elemental effects, hurling fireballs, and calling down lighting. Evokers are some of the most destructive magic users, capable of laying waste to entire armies of enemies or razing cities to the ground. A master of Evocation magic is near a force of nature but also knows how to control their magical effects so as not to harm their allies in the process of cutting down their enemies.
Necromancy – Possibly, the oldest and most controversial school of magic, Necromancy allows magic users to assert control over the very nature of life and death. Necromancers are a rare breed of pariahs, mad scientists, and reanimators who use their powers to raise armies of shambling zombies, spread malignant diseases, and drag souls back from beyond the veil.
Phantasm – Magic from the school of illusion dazzles the senses, tricks the eyes, the ears, and the nose. In many ways, Illusion magic has a lot in common with Enchantment but focuses instead on deceiving the senses rather than warping the mind. Arcane pyrotechnics, shimmering silent images, and cunning disguises all have a home within the school of illusory spells. Some illusionists are impish tricksters who delight and dismay; others are cunning assassins or sinister masters of trickery and deceit.
Transmutation – Borrowing its name both from ancient alchemical practices – like the famed transmutation of lead into pure gold – and physics – wherein transmutation means the changing of one element into another by radioactive decay, nuclear bombardment, or something else equally scientific and/or likely to give you unwanted side effects. Transmutation magic, therefore, deals with turning one thing (or person) into another. It is easily the school of magic that most closely resembles science in our own world, although this burning curiosity can give way to a sense of burgeoning godhood in the more powerful wielders of Transmutation magic.
Summoning – This school focuses on teaching the rituals of summoning and binding spirits from other planes to the summoner. A dangerous school as if even a single aspect of a ritual goes wrong, the spirit can get free and take its anger at being pulled from its home out on the summoner themselves! Even with all the risks, summoning sprits to aid in various tasks is to enticing for many. They search the world for offerings that the spirits may enjoy and perform their rituals in carefully crafted patterns and materials, hoping that everything is perfect and that the spirits will share their knowledge willingly.
Adept - Physical Adepts (often shortened to just Adepts) are magically-active individuals who focus their magic internally to develop to their utmost potential; physically, mentally, and spiritually. As Adepts unlock new abilities, they become honed physical machines, using their magic to enhance their abilities in survival, combat, and social situations. Some powerful assassins have come from this school as well as powerful rulers.
Spell Casting
Cu Herm grasped his cudgel firmly as he focused bringing forth the energy from the Weave. He gently touched the lock and it clicked open. Bjorn smiled widely. He knew having a mage was going to be helpful on this mission. Suddenly, a quite hiss filled the room. “They know we are here!” whispered Cu Herm as his cudgel started to glow with green energy. Bjorn sometimes regretted when he was right!
All spell casting follows a formula you should already be familiar with, Attribute + Skill. There are key differences though. First, all casters much choose a component to use to focus their mind. This can be verbal (singing, chanting, reciting), somatic (dancing, specific gestures, or movements) or a specific item (lucky coin, specific weapon, wand). Without this component, any spells cast will suffer a +3 difficulty.
All spellcasting is tied to the Willpower of the caster. Casters can learn their Willpower x Intelligence in spells. Any permanent reduction in Willpower may cause some spells previously known to be lost. School casters may only learn Willpower x2 in spells. All caster characters start with their Willpower in known spells from their appropriate schools. All other spells must be learned in game. Learning a spell takes 10 days of down time minus the successes on an Intelligence + Enigma roll. This can be shortened by half this time with a qualified instructor.
Players may also desire to create a spell. This is up to the Storyteller to decide if it is allowed and what it will take to create the spell. A month of research, cost in coin and access to libraries are all valid requirements.
Conjuring
Cu Herm had spent 2 months gathering the correct lures and offerings, 34 hours straight inscribing the summoning circle with all the correct wards and safeguards and now sat with the 5 candles and incense burning as he recited the words of summoning. A shimmering field formed at the edge of the circle as energy began to coalesce inside. The offerings consumed themselves as the spirit formed. Now Cu Herm would see if his labors were worth the effort or if he would be violently destroyed by a spirit angered at being brought from its home!
Summoning spirits is an Extended Action that can be aided with Teamwork. Materials must be gathered and time used to prepare the summoning area. The Summoner determines the type of spirit it wishes to attract (spirit, dead soul, or elemental). The difficulty will be 5 plus the power level of the spirit desired. If successful, the Summoner brings forth a spirit that will obey commands by the caster. Each day that goes by will cause the spirit to lose 1 Health until it fades back to its own plane of existence. This is cumulative with any damage that it takes while summoned. If the summoning fails, half the components are lost, the circle is destroyed and the Summoner must start over. If the summoning is botched, however, the spirit will come forth immediately and attack the Summoner until it is destroyed or the Summoner is dead, at which point it will return to its own plane. All Summoning is conducted with an Intelligence + Enigmas roll.
See Creating Spirits for how to create the stats for the summoned spirit.
Physical Adept
Mac Horl knew this was a fancy party and dressed appropriately. He did not count on bandits ambushing him on the way there, however. First, they spooked his horse, who threw him to the mud. This annoyed him. Then they surrounded him and demanded his valuables and his sword. This angered him. When the leader then placed the tip of his sword to Mac Horl’s throat that was a step to far. Mac Horl smiled at the leader, catching him off guard, and then summoned the force of wind into his fist before punching the bandit leader, forcing him to fly back almost 30 feet before crashing into a tree trunk and slumping to the ground...dead. The rest of the bandits stepped back and Mac Horl’s smile broadened. “Now, who has clean clothes?” Mac Horl stated.
Unlike casters, who use spells to create effects or summoners, who bring spirits from other planes of existence, Physical Adepts (Adepts) use magic to enhance their bodies and minds. Adept characters use their Willpower to determine the amount and strength of their powers. Each Adepts power has a cost associated with it. The combined cost cannot exceed the Adepts Willpower total. If the Adept ever losses permanent Willpower, they will loss powers accordingly. Purchasing Adept Powers does not reduce your permanent Willpower.
Types of magic
Casting – manipulating the Weave to bring forth a variety of effects from offensive bolts and blasts, to illusions of one’s self. There are 8 schools of magic and each school focuses on a specific kind of spells. Some users learn to cast from each school while others focus on just a few.
Conjuring – The art of summoning spirits and elementals and controlling them afterwards. The rituals used to bring these beings to the material are specific and time consuming, but the benefits often outweigh the risks for many.
Physical Adept – A user that channels the energy of the Weave thru their own body to and focuses that energy into powerful blows, changes their appearance or enhances their social abilities. Many are great warriors, but some are great leaders as well.
Magic Items – Forged of fire, carved of stone or wood, or crafted in other ways, magic items are all imbued with power by entwining the energy of the weave into the item during its making. Time and essence from the creator are needed to make magic items. Willpower is expended to place a part of the Weaver into the item. For this reason, all magical items have a “personality” and may express that it many ways.
Elixirs – Able to be made by anyone with the knowledge and skill to do so, elixirs are unique amongst other magic’s because they are all made with an ectoplasmic zoogloeal, often affectionately referred to as a “Mother.” When this glowing blob is combined with specific combinations of prepared ingredients and allowed to ferment, a magic elixir is the result. Mothers are quite rare and highly coveted items. Rumored to be from the Faewild, Mothers are cared for by their possessors like they are children.
Foci – Natural materials that can aid magic users in forming the Weaves energy. Not actually magical in themselves, they just have a harmony with the Weave. There are groups that have trained various Weave sensitive creatures to aid them in hunting for Foci in the wilds. The most powerful Foci are rumored to exist in the Faewild and Umbral Lands.
Innate Abilities – Some creatures have an innate relationship with the Weave. Many creatures from the Faewild and Umbral Lands, as well as some others ae just born magical. These abilities work like any others though.
Schools of Magic
There are ten schools of magic, 8 casting schools, a conjuring school, and an adept school. Each school focuses on a specific style of magic. Most casters learn to cast from all 8 of the casting schools, but some choose to focus on only specific schools and home their abilities to perfection.
Abjuration – The school of Abjuration (from the word “abjure” meaning “to renounce or reject”) concerns magic that creates barriers, blocks, and protects against harm. Abjuration magic can ward a person or place against the presence of evil (or good), turn aside the blade of a sword, or guard the mind against outside influence.
Conjuration – Conjuration magic is all about pulling things from thin air, or from another dimension. A powerful conjurer can create magical storms of lightning or drag a demon out of hell to serve their will. Conjuration magic can also move things and people from one place to another; creating gates and portals to other places, planes, and dimensions falls within the school of Conjuration.
Divination – Divination magic is more than seeing the future – although that is an important part of it. Those who practice this subtle and often-misunderstood art seek to part the veils of space and time, to master the skills of scrying (viewing things remotely), discernment (finding the truth of things), knowledge beyond human limitations, and foresight.
Enchantment – Mind control, arcane compulsions, and false courage – the school of Enchantment focuses on affecting the minds and perceptions of others. Enchantments compel and charm people, bending them to the caster’s will. Wizards, Warlocks, Sorcerers, and Bards who master Enchantment can be peacekeepers, capable of soothing raw emotions and blind rage. Or they can be tyrants, malevolent tyrants who warp and twist the minds of others against their consent.
Invocation – Plumes of fire, walls of ice, and rivers of caustic acid. The school of Evocation focuses on channeling and conjuring elemental effects, hurling fireballs, and calling down lighting. Evokers are some of the most destructive magic users, capable of laying waste to entire armies of enemies or razing cities to the ground. A master of Evocation magic is near a force of nature but also knows how to control their magical effects so as not to harm their allies in the process of cutting down their enemies.
Necromancy – Possibly, the oldest and most controversial school of magic, Necromancy allows magic users to assert control over the very nature of life and death. Necromancers are a rare breed of pariahs, mad scientists, and reanimators who use their powers to raise armies of shambling zombies, spread malignant diseases, and drag souls back from beyond the veil.
Phantasm – Magic from the school of illusion dazzles the senses, tricks the eyes, the ears, and the nose. In many ways, Illusion magic has a lot in common with Enchantment but focuses instead on deceiving the senses rather than warping the mind. Arcane pyrotechnics, shimmering silent images, and cunning disguises all have a home within the school of illusory spells. Some illusionists are impish tricksters who delight and dismay; others are cunning assassins or sinister masters of trickery and deceit.
Transmutation – Borrowing its name both from ancient alchemical practices – like the famed transmutation of lead into pure gold – and physics – wherein transmutation means the changing of one element into another by radioactive decay, nuclear bombardment, or something else equally scientific and/or likely to give you unwanted side effects. Transmutation magic, therefore, deals with turning one thing (or person) into another. It is easily the school of magic that most closely resembles science in our own world, although this burning curiosity can give way to a sense of burgeoning godhood in the more powerful wielders of Transmutation magic.
Summoning – This school focuses on teaching the rituals of summoning and binding spirits from other planes to the summoner. A dangerous school as if even a single aspect of a ritual goes wrong, the spirit can get free and take its anger at being pulled from its home out on the summoner themselves! Even with all the risks, summoning sprits to aid in various tasks is to enticing for many. They search the world for offerings that the spirits may enjoy and perform their rituals in carefully crafted patterns and materials, hoping that everything is perfect and that the spirits will share their knowledge willingly.
Adept - Physical Adepts (often shortened to just Adepts) are magically-active individuals who focus their magic internally to develop to their utmost potential; physically, mentally, and spiritually. As Adepts unlock new abilities, they become honed physical machines, using their magic to enhance their abilities in survival, combat, and social situations. Some powerful assassins have come from this school as well as powerful rulers.
Spell Casting
Cu Herm grasped his cudgel firmly as he focused bringing forth the energy from the Weave. He gently touched the lock and it clicked open. Bjorn smiled widely. He knew having a mage was going to be helpful on this mission. Suddenly, a quite hiss filled the room. “They know we are here!” whispered Cu Herm as his cudgel started to glow with green energy. Bjorn sometimes regretted when he was right!
All spell casting follows a formula you should already be familiar with, Attribute + Skill. There are key differences though. First, all casters much choose a component to use to focus their mind. This can be verbal (singing, chanting, reciting), somatic (dancing, specific gestures, or movements) or a specific item (lucky coin, specific weapon, wand). Without this component, any spells cast will suffer a +3 difficulty.
All spellcasting is tied to the Willpower of the caster. Casters can learn their Willpower x Intelligence in spells. Any permanent reduction in Willpower may cause some spells previously known to be lost. School casters may only learn Willpower x2 in spells. All caster characters start with their Willpower in known spells from their appropriate schools. All other spells must be learned in game. Learning a spell takes 10 days of down time minus the successes on an Intelligence + Enigma roll. This can be shortened by half this time with a qualified instructor.
Players may also desire to create a spell. This is up to the Storyteller to decide if it is allowed and what it will take to create the spell. A month of research, cost in coin and access to libraries are all valid requirements.
Conjuring
Cu Herm had spent 2 months gathering the correct lures and offerings, 34 hours straight inscribing the summoning circle with all the correct wards and safeguards and now sat with the 5 candles and incense burning as he recited the words of summoning. A shimmering field formed at the edge of the circle as energy began to coalesce inside. The offerings consumed themselves as the spirit formed. Now Cu Herm would see if his labors were worth the effort or if he would be violently destroyed by a spirit angered at being brought from its home!
Summoning spirits is an Extended Action that can be aided with Teamwork. Materials must be gathered and time used to prepare the summoning area. The Summoner determines the type of spirit it wishes to attract (spirit, dead soul, or elemental). The difficulty will be 5 plus the power level of the spirit desired. If successful, the Summoner brings forth a spirit that will obey commands by the caster. Each day that goes by will cause the spirit to lose 1 Health until it fades back to its own plane of existence. This is cumulative with any damage that it takes while summoned. If the summoning fails, half the components are lost, the circle is destroyed and the Summoner must start over. If the summoning is botched, however, the spirit will come forth immediately and attack the Summoner until it is destroyed or the Summoner is dead, at which point it will return to its own plane. All Summoning is conducted with an Intelligence + Enigmas roll.
See Creating Spirits for how to create the stats for the summoned spirit.
Physical Adept
Mac Horl knew this was a fancy party and dressed appropriately. He did not count on bandits ambushing him on the way there, however. First, they spooked his horse, who threw him to the mud. This annoyed him. Then they surrounded him and demanded his valuables and his sword. This angered him. When the leader then placed the tip of his sword to Mac Horl’s throat that was a step to far. Mac Horl smiled at the leader, catching him off guard, and then summoned the force of wind into his fist before punching the bandit leader, forcing him to fly back almost 30 feet before crashing into a tree trunk and slumping to the ground...dead. The rest of the bandits stepped back and Mac Horl’s smile broadened. “Now, who has clean clothes?” Mac Horl stated.
Unlike casters, who use spells to create effects or summoners, who bring spirits from other planes of existence, Physical Adepts (Adepts) use magic to enhance their bodies and minds. Adept characters use their Willpower to determine the amount and strength of their powers. Each Adepts power has a cost associated with it. The combined cost cannot exceed the Adepts Willpower total. If the Adept ever losses permanent Willpower, they will loss powers accordingly. Purchasing Adept Powers does not reduce your permanent Willpower.
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