Magic Rules
in MagicSecond Sight
The Second Sight Talent (Under Talents, the 'S' Section), allows you to percieve the flow of manna as others might percieve the movements of a river, or the fluttering of a flag, or other physical objects and motion, and how these flows, these pulses influence the world around you. Second Sight effects all your senses, despite its name, and how it manifests is entirely dependent on individual experience and training: So where Doietean, the Ruby Pulses, may have a hot, cinnamon odour to one pyromancer, it might very well the warmth of a roaring bonfire to another.
If you have the Second Sight, you may use any appropriate Skill Test with your magickal senses, most commonly your Intuition, Perception, and Track Skills. For example, let us say you were a magister with Second Sight trying to track an Apostate, a druid. Though it would be a struggle, if you know the terrain and the type of power they wield, you could track them following the confluences of where the appropriate pulses come together. Similarly if chasing a witch, you would follow the signs of that dark magic, the deep purple hue tainted manna that would streak from where such magick was used and stick to the witch for some long time, and the faint traces of Void that would cling to the person, instead of literal footsteps. Similarly a Witch could do the same, by studying what particular current of manna had been twisted, touched and pulsed to track or a magister they were wishing to find, or particularly avoid as well, knowing they'd gotten ahead, and so avoid them.
Like the mundane sense you can't shut the Second Sight on and off, much to the chagrin and discomfort of those born with it whom wish to try and have naught to do with magick, as it is one of those strange talents that children can just be born with. They may wish to have nothing to do with the Pulses of Manna, and what they represent, yet they cannot help what they percieve. This means the GM may request tests, or roll them on your behalf, to see if you spot subtle magical details in your environment even if you aren't looking for them.
Spells:
There are four types of spells in Valerick, generally speaking. Within that truth, there are many nuances, but generally there are four types of spells. Petty, Arcane Lores, Dark Lores, and Ruined Lores. Petty Spells are simple tricks that use a negligible amount of magic. Arcane spells are generic spells open to anyone practicing any Lore. Lore spells are specific to one type of magic. For example to cast any spells of the Lore of Doietean you need to have the Arcane Magic (Doietean) Talent. Dark Magicks, these lores are your Druidcrafts and Witchcraft. Finally Ruined spells are those whom are fallen to the Void. They wield the Ruined Gods magic, the magick that is forgotten. Lores of the Void. The Ruined Gods. Necromancy, Daemonology are perceived as such in Valerick and persecuted as such, along with the obvious ones of each of the Ruined Gods.
Spell Memorization
Holding the complex linguistic structures of Language (Magick) in mind is a challenging, so simply transcribing a spell into your grimoire is not enough to memorize it, to commit it to memory and learn it.
To memorize a spell, you need to spend XP as noted under the talents required to spell cast in the Talents Chapter. Once a spell is memorized, a spellcaster knows it permanently, barring special circumstances.
Casting Tests
To cast a spell, you make a Language(Magick) Test. If you succeed, you match up your SL to the Casting Number (CN) of the spell (listed in the individual spell description). If your Success Levels (SLs) is equal to or higher than the CN of the spell, you cast the spell and the written effect occurs. If your SLs are insufficient, nothing happens.
Critical Casting
If your casting roll is a critical, your mental efforts to tug on the currents of manna, to draw in power and harness the energies of a pulse, caused a flare up larger than you intended. It is a dangerous flare up, that does grant you extra power, but at a cost. Unless you have the Instinctive Diction Talent, you roll on the Minor Miscast Table as your spell moves beyond your control, but you may choose one of the following effects;
Fumbled Casting
If you lose control of your magical energy that you were channeling and attempting to wield, things inevitably go wrong. If you Fumble your Casting Test you suffer a Miscast. Roll 1d100 and consult the Minor Miscast Table below.
Minor Miscast Table
| d100 Roll | Miscast name and effect |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Void Touch: the next living creature born within a mile is born with a mutation. |
| 06-10 | Curdling: All dairy within 1d100 metres goes sour/goes bad. |
| 11-15 | Blight: Willpower Bonus Fields within Willpower Bonus Kilometers suffer a complete crop failure, a blight. All crops rot overnight |
| 16-20 | I can't hear!: Your ears clog instantly with thick wax. Gain one Deafened condition, which is not removed until someone cleans them for you (with a successful use of a Heal Skill). |
| 21-25 | Voidflare: You glow with an eerie light as appropriate for your Lore, emitting the light of a large bonfire which lasts 1d10 rounds. |
| 26-30 | Fell Whispers: Pass a Willpower Test with Advantage, or gain 1 Corruption Point. |
| 31-35 | Rupture: Your nose, eyes and ears bleed profusely. Gain 1d10 Bleeding Conditions. |
| 36-40 | Mannaquake: Gain the Prone Condition. |
| 41-45 | Unfasten: On your person, every buckle unfastens, and every lace unties, which may cause belts to fall, pouches to open, bags to fall, and armor to slip. |
| 46-50 | Wayward Garb: Your clothes seem to writhe with a mind of their own. Recieve 1 Entangled Condition with a Strength of 1d10*5 to resist. |
| 51-55 | Curse of Temperance: All alcohol within 1d100 meters goes bad, tasting bitter and foul. |
| 56-60 | Voiddrain: Gain 1 Fatigued Condition, which remains for 1d10 hours. |
| 61-65 | Driven to Distraction: If engaged in combat, gain the Surprised Condition. Otherwise, you are completely startled, your heart racing, and are unable to concentrate for a few moments. |
| 66-70 | Void Visions: Fleeting visions of the profane and heretical harass you. Recieve 1 Blinded Condition; pass a Cool Test or recieve a second one. |
| 71-75 | Void Got your Tongue?: All Language Tests, including casting tests, are made at Disadvantage for 1d10 rounds. |
| 76-80 | Sheer Terror!: Pass a Cool Test, at Disadvantage, or recieve 1 Broken Condition. |
| 81-85 | Corrupting Caress: You drew in something unexpected. You feel the cold, dark, tainted caress of the Void. Gain 1 Corruption Point. |
| 86-90 | Double Trouble: The effect of your spell seemingly does not occur, but in reality it does, in a random direction 1d10 kilometers away from your intended target. This should have consequences in world that you may interact with, so GMs don't just write this one off. |
| 91-95 | Multiplying Misfortune: Roll twice more on this table, rerolling any result of 91-100. |
| 96-100 | Unleashed Madness: Roll again on the Major Miscast Table below this one. |
| d100 Roll | Miscast Name and Effect |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Voices of the Void: Everyone with Willpower metres of you hears the dark maddening and tempting whispers of the beings of the Void. All sentient creatures must pass a Cool Test or gain 1 Corruption Point. |
| 06-10 | Hex Eyes: Your eyes have an unnatural color associated with your Lore of Magick for 1d10 hours. While your eyes are discolored you have an instance of the Blinded condition that will fade, but until the rolled 1d10 hours is up, you cannot get rid of it. |
| 11-15 | Void Shock: You suffer 1d10 wounds, ignoring Toughness Bonus and Armor Points. You must pass an Endurance Test with Advantage or gain the Stunned Condition. |
| 16-20 | Death Walker: Your footsteps leave death in their wake. For the next 1d10 hours any plant life near you withers and dies. |
| 21-25 | Intestinal Rebellion: Your bowels move uncontrollably and you soil yourself. Gain 1 Fatigued Condition, which cannot be removed until you can change your clothing and clean yourself. |
| 26-30 | Voidfire: Gain an Ablaze Condition as you are wreathed in flames of an unholy nature in a color befitting your Lore of Magick. |
| 31-35 | Speak in Tongues: You gabble unintelligibly for the next 1d10 rounds. During this time you cannot communicate verbally, including casting tests, but you can otherwise act normally. |
| 36-40 | Foul Enfeeblement: Gain 1 Corruption Point, the Prone Condition and 1 Fatigued Condition. | 41-45 | Ragdoll: You are flung 1d10 meters in a random direction, taking 1d10 wounds on landing and gaining the Prone Condition. |
| 46-50 | Frozen Limb: One limb (determine randomly), is frozen in place for 1d10 hours. The limb is useless, as if it was amputated. |
| 51-55 | Darkling Sight: You lose the benefit of the Second Sight Talent for 1d10 hours. Channeling Tests are at Disadvantage for this duration. |
| 56-60 | Madman's Foresight: Gain a bonus of 1d10 Fortune Points. This can take you above your maximum. Each time you spend one you gain 1 point of Corruption. Any of these points remaining at the end of the session are lost. |
| 61-65 | Levitation: The manna surge you've pulled on to generate power is much more than you bargained for, the sheer power spike bringing you aloft! You are lifted 1d10 meters off the ground for 1d10 minutes. Others can forcibly move you, and you may move using spells or wings, or other such methods. But you will continually return to your original position if otherwise left alone. Once the Levitation ends, well you'll need to deal with the falling rules for how high up you are. |
| 66-70 | Voidsick: You spew uncontrollably, throwing up far more foul smelling vomits than your body can possibly contain. Gain the Stunned Condition, which lasts for 1d10 rounds. |
| 71-75 | Void Quake: All creatures within 1d100 meters must pass an Athletics Test or gain the Prone condition. All that terrain becomes difficult to move upon, as the ground fractures and cracks. |
| 76-80 | Traitor's Heart: The Ruined Gods entice you and exert their will. Should you willingly listen and attack or otherwise betray an ally to the fullest extent of your capabilities, regain all Fortune Points. Should you manage to make a character burn a Fate Point, gain +1 Fate Point. |
| 81-85 | Void Saws: 1d10 large whirling saw like blades of pure Void energy whirl about in the area of your spell target equal to your Willpower meters in radius. They spawn at waist height in random places within the area and bounce around in random directions within the area with a movement score equal to your Willpower Bonus. They deal 1d10 Wounds, ignoring AP, to anything they touch. Anyone sent into critical by a strike from these must immediately roll a test against a physical mutation. They last for Willpower Bonus Rounds or until destroyed (12 wounds, Invul save of 10, Soak of 3, count as Medium sized. Count as initiative score 35. Weapon Skill=your Willpower.) |
| 86-90 | Voidbursts: The next 1d4 people to speak within hearing range of you must roll Minor Miscasts equal to 1/2 your Willpower Bonus. You immediately also roll Minor Miscasts=to your Willpower Bonus. |
| 91-95 | Silence: Arcane Magick becomes impossible within 10 kilometers of where this event occured for the next 1d10 hours, as the currents and ebbs and flows of the Void simply....stop. They go silent. |
| 96-100 | Uncontrolled Void Feedback: You lose total control of the spell. Everyone within a number of meters equal to your Willpower, friend and foe alike, suffers 1d10 wounds, ignoring AP and Toughness Bonus, and recieves the Prone Condition. Furthermore if this damage sends them onto the critical track, they roll a 1d100. If they roll 98-100, they literally burst in a blast of energy appropriate colored to your Lore, with all that is left is a pile of some sort of dust or ash or other similiar substance as appropriate for your Lore of Magick. If there are no targets in range, the magickal energy has nowhere to go, and vents through you, your head explodes and you are dead. |
Duration
If a spell is successfully cast, it remains in effect for its listed duration unless its dispelled. You may not simply end your spells already in play, but you can attempt to dispel them.
Grimoires
Some spellcasters own a spellbook, or a grimoire, in which they transcribe spells. Apprentices copy spells from their Masters, whilst experienced Magisters will seek out new spells from other Magisters, often trading spells for favors. True masters of their craft oft end up experimenting with new manners of manipulating manna within their knowledge of the art, eventually writing and developing a new spell all their own. A spellcaster may cast spells from their grimoire if the spell belongs to a Lore they possess. Doing so doubles the Casting Number.
Magick Missiles
Some spells are marked as magick missiles these are damage causing spells that all follow these rules. When a magick missile is successfully cast and targets another character, the hit location is determined by reversing the dice rolled for the Language (Magick) casting test. (So if you rolled a 15, your hit location is 51). The SL of the test are added to Base Damage and Willpower Bonus to determine the total Damage the spell inflicts. This damage is reduced by the target's Armor Points and Toughness Bonus.
Touch Spells in Combat
Certain spells require you to touch the target. If in combat, or if the target is unwilling to be touched, you must make an Opposed Melee (Brawling) test (Generally opposed by Dodge or Melee), after completing the Casting Test. If you do this, but the spell was also a Magick Missile, in this case the fact it requires Touch overrules the above rule about hit location. That is the Melee (Brawling) test is used to determine hit location.
Ingredients
Spellcasters will oft channel their magick through an appropriate ingredient before unleashing their spells. Doing this protects against miscasts as the attuned ingredient absorbs the worst of the magickal backlash.
If you are using an ingredient when casting, any suffered Major Miscast becomes a Minor Miscast, and any Minor Miscast you suffer has no effect. If used in this way, the ingredient is consumed or destroyed by this process, even if no Miscast was rolled.
Ingredients cost their Casting Number (CN) in Silver Moons for Arcane and Lore Spells. Whenever you purchase a new ingredient, mark on your character sheet what spell it supports, as ingredients are unique to the spell they work with. For those looking to add character to their ingredients list, sample ingredients are provided on each of the Primary Lores of Magick in the individual spell lists.
Limitations:
As spells are spoken, you must be able to speak-so not gagged, strangled, underwater, or the like- to cast. If your voice is inhibited, but not completely incapable of talking, you should be rolling your Language (Magick) Test to cast at Disadvantage. Further the Language Magick Test needs to be spoken or sung clearly, with proper annouciation, and loudly. Magick is not subtle. As a loose guide, the higher the CN of a spell, the louder and more obvious the casting of it is.
Each of your spells can only be in effect once, meaning you have to wait for a cast spell to come to an end, or be dispelled, before using the same spell again. Further spells providing bonuses or penalties do not stack. You simply apply the highest bonus or most crippling penalty.
Lastly unless specified you need line of sight. Obviously.
Momentum and Magick
Momentum applies in combat to Casting Tests, not Channelling Tests. When casting Magick, you can also gain Momentum in the following way; If the target already has a spell from the Same Lore cast upon it in a round, gain +1 Momentum, as you utilize the Pulse of Manna being generated by the casting of that spell to aid in the casting of your spell.
If a spell is successfully cast, it remains in effect for its listed duration unless its dispelled. You may not simply end your spells already in play, but you can attempt to dispel them.
Grimoires
Some spellcasters own a spellbook, or a grimoire, in which they transcribe spells. Apprentices copy spells from their Masters, whilst experienced Magisters will seek out new spells from other Magisters, often trading spells for favors. True masters of their craft oft end up experimenting with new manners of manipulating manna within their knowledge of the art, eventually writing and developing a new spell all their own. A spellcaster may cast spells from their grimoire if the spell belongs to a Lore they possess. Doing so doubles the Casting Number.
Magick Missiles
Some spells are marked as magick missiles these are damage causing spells that all follow these rules. When a magick missile is successfully cast and targets another character, the hit location is determined by reversing the dice rolled for the Language (Magick) casting test. (So if you rolled a 15, your hit location is 51). The SL of the test are added to Base Damage and Willpower Bonus to determine the total Damage the spell inflicts. This damage is reduced by the target's Armor Points and Toughness Bonus.
Touch Spells in Combat
Certain spells require you to touch the target. If in combat, or if the target is unwilling to be touched, you must make an Opposed Melee (Brawling) test (Generally opposed by Dodge or Melee), after completing the Casting Test. If you do this, but the spell was also a Magick Missile, in this case the fact it requires Touch overrules the above rule about hit location. That is the Melee (Brawling) test is used to determine hit location.
Ingredients
Spellcasters will oft channel their magick through an appropriate ingredient before unleashing their spells. Doing this protects against miscasts as the attuned ingredient absorbs the worst of the magickal backlash.
If you are using an ingredient when casting, any suffered Major Miscast becomes a Minor Miscast, and any Minor Miscast you suffer has no effect. If used in this way, the ingredient is consumed or destroyed by this process, even if no Miscast was rolled.
Ingredients cost their Casting Number (CN) in Silver Moons for Arcane and Lore Spells. Whenever you purchase a new ingredient, mark on your character sheet what spell it supports, as ingredients are unique to the spell they work with. For those looking to add character to their ingredients list, sample ingredients are provided on each of the Primary Lores of Magick in the individual spell lists.
Limitations:
As spells are spoken, you must be able to speak-so not gagged, strangled, underwater, or the like- to cast. If your voice is inhibited, but not completely incapable of talking, you should be rolling your Language (Magick) Test to cast at Disadvantage. Further the Language Magick Test needs to be spoken or sung clearly, with proper annouciation, and loudly. Magick is not subtle. As a loose guide, the higher the CN of a spell, the louder and more obvious the casting of it is.
Each of your spells can only be in effect once, meaning you have to wait for a cast spell to come to an end, or be dispelled, before using the same spell again. Further spells providing bonuses or penalties do not stack. You simply apply the highest bonus or most crippling penalty.
Lastly unless specified you need line of sight. Obviously.
Momentum and Magick
Momentum applies in combat to Casting Tests, not Channelling Tests. When casting Magick, you can also gain Momentum in the following way; If the target already has a spell from the Same Lore cast upon it in a round, gain +1 Momentum, as you utilize the Pulse of Manna being generated by the casting of that spell to aid in the casting of your spell.
Channeling Test
Some magical spells require far more manna then you can just metaphysically reach out and grab in a split moment of time. To power such spells, it is possible to draw in Manna and 'hold' it with focus and effort. This is Channeling. Channeling Manna can be a very dangerous procedure, as it takes your complete focus, but it can be the only reasonable way to cast some more powerful spells. To channel Magick for a spell, you make an Extended Channeling (Lore) Test.
When Your SL reaches the CN of the spell in question, or close enough you are willing to attempt to cast, your roll your Language (Magick) Test to cast, and reduce the CN of the spell your trying to cast by the SLs built up over your Channeling. This can only bring the CN to 0, you cannot gain bonus SLs from your extended channeling tests. If the casting Test fails, you lose all your stored up Manna and suffer a Minor Miscast as the Manna ruptures forth from your mental containment undirected and completely without guidance.
Critical Channelling
If you roll a critical while Channeling, you've tapped into a particularly heavy and strong manna current, and can cast your spell next Round, regardless of the SL you've scored on the Extended Test so far (that is you count the CN of the spell you were thinking to channel for as 0). However so much manna being passed through your mind and body at once so quickly and in such a concentration is not without backlash. Roll a Minor Miscast, unless you have the Aethyric Attunement Talent.
Fumble
Channeling the Currents of Manna in a large flow is dangerous. You count any roll ending in a 0 over your skill target as a fumble; so 100, 99, 90, 88, and so on. If you fumble a Channeling Test, you suffer a full Miscast. Roll a Major Miscast.
Interruptions
Concentration is vital when channeling. If you are distracted by anything----loud noises, suffering damage, flashing lights, or similar, you must pass a Cool Test with Disadvantage, or suffer a Minor Miscast and lose all SL you've built up over the efforts of your channeling.
Repelling the Currents
Wearing colors appropriate to your Lore of Magick you are manipulating helps attract manna to you. There is a reason, besides ego, that magisters dress so fine and in those traditional and oft....very obvious and gaudy, garments of their order.
All Casting and Channeling Tests are at Disadvantage if you are dressed inappropriately for the Lore of Magick your trying to manipulate, as determined by your GM. Specifically, metal and gambeson armor repels most all currents of Manna, Domhan is the exception for metal armors, and Dulra is the exception for Gambeson. As such, in addition to being at Disadvantage, a magister is at -1 SL to all Casting and Channeling tests for every Armor Point they are wearing on the location on their body with the most armor. Casters using Arcane Lore (Domhan) can wear metal armor with no negative, and those wielding Arcane Lore (Dulra) can wear gambeson without negative.
Some magical spells require far more manna then you can just metaphysically reach out and grab in a split moment of time. To power such spells, it is possible to draw in Manna and 'hold' it with focus and effort. This is Channeling. Channeling Manna can be a very dangerous procedure, as it takes your complete focus, but it can be the only reasonable way to cast some more powerful spells. To channel Magick for a spell, you make an Extended Channeling (Lore) Test.
When Your SL reaches the CN of the spell in question, or close enough you are willing to attempt to cast, your roll your Language (Magick) Test to cast, and reduce the CN of the spell your trying to cast by the SLs built up over your Channeling. This can only bring the CN to 0, you cannot gain bonus SLs from your extended channeling tests. If the casting Test fails, you lose all your stored up Manna and suffer a Minor Miscast as the Manna ruptures forth from your mental containment undirected and completely without guidance.
Critical Channelling
If you roll a critical while Channeling, you've tapped into a particularly heavy and strong manna current, and can cast your spell next Round, regardless of the SL you've scored on the Extended Test so far (that is you count the CN of the spell you were thinking to channel for as 0). However so much manna being passed through your mind and body at once so quickly and in such a concentration is not without backlash. Roll a Minor Miscast, unless you have the Aethyric Attunement Talent.
Fumble
Channeling the Currents of Manna in a large flow is dangerous. You count any roll ending in a 0 over your skill target as a fumble; so 100, 99, 90, 88, and so on. If you fumble a Channeling Test, you suffer a full Miscast. Roll a Major Miscast.
Interruptions
Concentration is vital when channeling. If you are distracted by anything----loud noises, suffering damage, flashing lights, or similar, you must pass a Cool Test with Disadvantage, or suffer a Minor Miscast and lose all SL you've built up over the efforts of your channeling.
Repelling the Currents
Wearing colors appropriate to your Lore of Magick you are manipulating helps attract manna to you. There is a reason, besides ego, that magisters dress so fine and in those traditional and oft....very obvious and gaudy, garments of their order.
All Casting and Channeling Tests are at Disadvantage if you are dressed inappropriately for the Lore of Magick your trying to manipulate, as determined by your GM. Specifically, metal and gambeson armor repels most all currents of Manna, Domhan is the exception for metal armors, and Dulra is the exception for Gambeson. As such, in addition to being at Disadvantage, a magister is at -1 SL to all Casting and Channeling tests for every Armor Point they are wearing on the location on their body with the most armor. Casters using Arcane Lore (Domhan) can wear metal armor with no negative, and those wielding Arcane Lore (Dulra) can wear gambeson without negative.
World Codex
Dispelling
If a spell targets you, or a point you can see within Willpower meters, you may choose to oppose the Casting Test as you chant a counterspell. Make an Opposed Langauge (Magick) Test. If you win the opposed test, you dispel the incoming spell; if you lose; the spell uses the SL of the opposed test to determine if the casting was successful as normal. You may only attempt to dispel once every round.
Dispelling Persistent Spells
If a spell has a lasting effect, you may attempt to dispel that with your Action, instead of it being a reaction counterspell. This is done by attempting an Extended Language (Magick) Test. When your SL reaches the CN of the spell, you dispel it.
Multiple spellcasters trying to dispel the same persistent spell effect roll seperately. However if they are using the same Lore of Magick, they can choose to work together, all of them instead rolling to assist the most skilled among them.
Voidstone
Voidstone. Unlike Manna Gems, which are widely used both by Magisters and outside the direct spellcaster industry, Voidstone is a rich source of...prismatic and uncontained, uncontrolled, but highly tainted manna. It is such a powerful source that even a small pinch of the stuff will offer enough magickal power to power any spell in short order. Of course the wisdom of carrying Voidstone upon your person is....debatable at best. Given its heresy and is absolutely a crime where your license won't protect you from the Witch-Hunters, as the laws in regards to Voidstone overrule your permission to exist as a magister.
A magister using Voidstone for Casting or Channeling Tests double their SLs for the appropriate tests. In addition, casting with Voidstone is a Corrupting Influence. It is dangerous and you place yourself in jeporady. See Corruption rules under Conditions, Illnesses and other Unpleasantness.
If a spell targets you, or a point you can see within Willpower meters, you may choose to oppose the Casting Test as you chant a counterspell. Make an Opposed Langauge (Magick) Test. If you win the opposed test, you dispel the incoming spell; if you lose; the spell uses the SL of the opposed test to determine if the casting was successful as normal. You may only attempt to dispel once every round.
Dispelling Persistent Spells
If a spell has a lasting effect, you may attempt to dispel that with your Action, instead of it being a reaction counterspell. This is done by attempting an Extended Language (Magick) Test. When your SL reaches the CN of the spell, you dispel it.
Multiple spellcasters trying to dispel the same persistent spell effect roll seperately. However if they are using the same Lore of Magick, they can choose to work together, all of them instead rolling to assist the most skilled among them.
Voidstone
Now officially of course, Voidstone is prohibited and criminal and has not ever nor will ever be used by any magister of the collegiate. Oh unofficially? All I will say is we dispose of the stuff in the most efficent ways possible. Draw from that what you will. Many master magisters when so questioned.
Voidstone. Unlike Manna Gems, which are widely used both by Magisters and outside the direct spellcaster industry, Voidstone is a rich source of...prismatic and uncontained, uncontrolled, but highly tainted manna. It is such a powerful source that even a small pinch of the stuff will offer enough magickal power to power any spell in short order. Of course the wisdom of carrying Voidstone upon your person is....debatable at best. Given its heresy and is absolutely a crime where your license won't protect you from the Witch-Hunters, as the laws in regards to Voidstone overrule your permission to exist as a magister.
A magister using Voidstone for Casting or Channeling Tests double their SLs for the appropriate tests. In addition, casting with Voidstone is a Corrupting Influence. It is dangerous and you place yourself in jeporady. See Corruption rules under Conditions, Illnesses and other Unpleasantness.
Magick and Nouedon
If you are a Nouedon, you may learn multiple arcane lores. You may learn Arcane Lores equal to your Willpower Bonus. So if you have a Willpower of 65 you can learn 6 Arcane Lores. However doing so takes time and effort. You can't purchase a new Arcane Magick Talent until you have mastered your previous one. This requires 20 advances in your Channel (Lore) skill, and learning at least 8 (learning means memorizing), spells from your Lore. Alternatively should you know at least two of the Arcane Lores associated with one of the Geomantic Lores, you may learn it. Or you may learn a Dark Magick Lore in addition to another Lore, assuming they are foolish enough and can find a teacher or forbidden grimoire to study.
GM OPTION: Writhing Currents
As a GM remember the Elemental Currents are wild and unfathomable. Feel free to utilize this little table in magickally turbulent areas. Don't overdo it, if you use it to much the fun factor dies and it just slows down the gameplay. But this little tool can be fun to use for things like a Void Blasted wasteland, a place where there was a recent incursion of Nightmares, or a large concentration of Voidstone.
Overcasting
For every +2 SL you achieve in a Casting Test over the CN of the spell you are trying to cast, you may add additional Range, Area of Effect, Duration, or Targets as would be applicable, equal to the initial value listed in the spell. Spells with a Range and Target of 'You' may only ever target the spellcaster making the Casting Test. Spells with a Range of 'Touch' may not be extended. If the spell has no listed Duration it cannot be extended.
You may choose the same option more than once. For instance if you achieved +4 SL above your Casting Number on a spell with a Target of '1', you may now target 3 individuals. Certain Spells may have additional, optional benefits for extra success levels to be spent on listed in their descriptions.
Grimoires
If you start play with a Grimoire, it is up to the GM to determine how many spells your master recorded within it for you. Some Masters are more generous than others, but most provide at least four new spells for their apprentices to study, and very few provide more than eight. If you have a spell memorized, you do not need access to your Grimoire to cast it. If you have not yet memorized a spell, you may use your Grimoire and both hands to cast it. But this doubles the CN of the spell for you, and exposes your Grimoire to possible damage or theft.
GMs if you wish an easy way to decide how many spells are in the Grimoire for a PC instead of being 'the person'. Tell the player to roll 1d5. You add three to that number, they have that many spells in their Grimoire. This is also a good method for generating a Grimoire on the fly should your party encounter a magister's grimoire and be capable of reading it at all.
Spell Lists
So there are many varieties of spells, and they are classified as follows;
Petty Magicks: These are mere party tricks, using minimal power, and most any person with even a thimble of magick talent can cast these with relative ease.
Arcane Magicks: These spells are the simpler incantaction and weavings that most every magister share, though they don't look the same. A pyromancer and an aeromancer casting the exact same spell from this list will look, and sound very different but arrive at the same conclusion through different means. For the point of learning 8 spells of your 'element' Arcane Spells do count. Petty do not.
Gem Magicks (Known as Elemental Lores, Elemental Pulses, and Color Magick): These are the seven schools of the Magister Collegiate and the only true legal apex of magick in power. More powerful and more specific than Arcane or Petty Magicks. Most can only ever learn one. Nouedon are the exceptions.
Dark Lores: These include all Geomantic Lores, along with the Witch lores of Hedgecraft and Witchcraft.
Ruined Magicks These are the magicks of the Ruined Gods, along with Necromancy and Nightmareology. Not just mildly heretical and very taboo, practicing these is an immediate death sentence in Valerick.
The chapters and sections that follow introduce each Lore, and their spells. Any special rules for any given Lore will be presented within their individual entry.
If you are a Nouedon, you may learn multiple arcane lores. You may learn Arcane Lores equal to your Willpower Bonus. So if you have a Willpower of 65 you can learn 6 Arcane Lores. However doing so takes time and effort. You can't purchase a new Arcane Magick Talent until you have mastered your previous one. This requires 20 advances in your Channel (Lore) skill, and learning at least 8 (learning means memorizing), spells from your Lore. Alternatively should you know at least two of the Arcane Lores associated with one of the Geomantic Lores, you may learn it. Or you may learn a Dark Magick Lore in addition to another Lore, assuming they are foolish enough and can find a teacher or forbidden grimoire to study.
GM OPTION: Writhing Currents
As a GM remember the Elemental Currents are wild and unfathomable. Feel free to utilize this little table in magickally turbulent areas. Don't overdo it, if you use it to much the fun factor dies and it just slows down the gameplay. But this little tool can be fun to use for things like a Void Blasted wasteland, a place where there was a recent incursion of Nightmares, or a large concentration of Voidstone.
| 1d10 Roll | Test Difficulty |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Disadvantage |
| 4-7 | - |
| 8-10 | Advantage |
Overcasting
For every +2 SL you achieve in a Casting Test over the CN of the spell you are trying to cast, you may add additional Range, Area of Effect, Duration, or Targets as would be applicable, equal to the initial value listed in the spell. Spells with a Range and Target of 'You' may only ever target the spellcaster making the Casting Test. Spells with a Range of 'Touch' may not be extended. If the spell has no listed Duration it cannot be extended.
You may choose the same option more than once. For instance if you achieved +4 SL above your Casting Number on a spell with a Target of '1', you may now target 3 individuals. Certain Spells may have additional, optional benefits for extra success levels to be spent on listed in their descriptions.
Grimoires
If you start play with a Grimoire, it is up to the GM to determine how many spells your master recorded within it for you. Some Masters are more generous than others, but most provide at least four new spells for their apprentices to study, and very few provide more than eight. If you have a spell memorized, you do not need access to your Grimoire to cast it. If you have not yet memorized a spell, you may use your Grimoire and both hands to cast it. But this doubles the CN of the spell for you, and exposes your Grimoire to possible damage or theft.
GMs if you wish an easy way to decide how many spells are in the Grimoire for a PC instead of being 'the person'. Tell the player to roll 1d5. You add three to that number, they have that many spells in their Grimoire. This is also a good method for generating a Grimoire on the fly should your party encounter a magister's grimoire and be capable of reading it at all.
Spell Lists
So there are many varieties of spells, and they are classified as follows;
Petty Magicks: These are mere party tricks, using minimal power, and most any person with even a thimble of magick talent can cast these with relative ease.
Arcane Magicks: These spells are the simpler incantaction and weavings that most every magister share, though they don't look the same. A pyromancer and an aeromancer casting the exact same spell from this list will look, and sound very different but arrive at the same conclusion through different means. For the point of learning 8 spells of your 'element' Arcane Spells do count. Petty do not.
Gem Magicks (Known as Elemental Lores, Elemental Pulses, and Color Magick): These are the seven schools of the Magister Collegiate and the only true legal apex of magick in power. More powerful and more specific than Arcane or Petty Magicks. Most can only ever learn one. Nouedon are the exceptions.
Dark Lores: These include all Geomantic Lores, along with the Witch lores of Hedgecraft and Witchcraft.
Ruined Magicks These are the magicks of the Ruined Gods, along with Necromancy and Nightmareology. Not just mildly heretical and very taboo, practicing these is an immediate death sentence in Valerick.
The chapters and sections that follow introduce each Lore, and their spells. Any special rules for any given Lore will be presented within their individual entry.
Full open use, I am building something to be expansive and fun to use to create my vision of a place in my own mind. This is merely the spilling of all my ideas, not any sort of finished product, so though I desire to keep credit by all means it is open for use. Take it and fly my prettys!!!! Let your adventures be bold, dangerous, dark and evocative!!!