- There are now only five spell levels.
- Casting spells now have a price, which is equal to four times the spell level minus the caster level, with a minimum value of twice the spell level.
- The price of a spell is proportional to the cost paid by the magician. As before, the exact nature of the cost depends on the type of magician - time for sorcerers, physical energy for mystics.
- The precise costs of spells has been tightened up.
- Any spell parameters that scale, like duration, damage or range, scale based on the caster's level plus the appropriate ability modifier (Spirit for mystics, Mind for sorcerers).
- There's a spell list! This is the biggest change; rather than leaning on the SRD or the Lamentations list, I decided to write my own from scratch. It really wasn't too hard, since I resolved to keep the descriptions short and sweet.
One thing you may notice about my spell list is that few of them have combat applications. My conception of magicians is that they are not medieval superheroes, firing beams out of their fingers and flying around like a robed Captain Marvel. Using magic in combat should be quite possible, but it should be indirect and require some creativity. When it comes to giving and taking damage, fighters should be kings of the battlefield at all levels.
 |
| Summon Answer! |
Magicians occupy a strange position in many parties. It's clear that fighters should have a front line combat role. Thieves are well-suited to all those non-combat adventuring activities. But magic-users, in the traditional model, are basically able to do pretty much anything, but only a limited number of times. With a traditional magic-user, you can become a combat powerhouse (with your Fireballs and your Cloudkills), or the perfect burglar (with Invisibility and Knock). It just doesn't seem fair to the other classes to have magic-users occasionally outshining them in their own specialties.
So I try to find other things for magicians to do. And I partly succeed. But you're never going to have a magic system without an Invisibility spell.
Without further ado...
Magic in Empress (revised again)
Traditions
There are several distinct schools of magic in Empress.
Mysticism
These are powers that are acquired in a variety of ways. Some people are born with minor magical abilities, much like psychic powers. They can also be obtained through an inhuman birthright, ascetic focus, pact with supernatural beings, or alchemical experiments. Powers obtained through inborn abilities must have them at first level. This is a very general category that covers all non-formulaic types of magic.
Powers of mysticism can be used at-will, although they drain the physical energy of the magician. In some cases, these ability points may be permanently lost. Obtaining powers of mysticism may mark the mystic in some observable way, and in extreme cases, these marks may impair the mystic. The severity of the mark depends on a random roll, but its nature depends on the source of power. It could be a physical mutation, a manifestation of madness, or a prohibition against violence.
Sorcery
This is essentially a standard flavor of OSR mage (which particular flavor is to be decided). It is based on a specific system of magical technologies developed by a long dead race. Living wizards have no idea how it really works, although there are lots of theories and experiments. Even at the height of the Ultimate Empire, it isn’t clear that they understood it entirely.
Sorcerers craft special items called foci, and these can take many forms, though the wizard must be in contact with the focus to use it. The object must be large enough to bear a fair number of precisely-cut runes, and it is specially prepared by the sorcerer in a ritual that uses his own blood to bind the focus to him. Wands and staves are common, but swords and weapons are not unknown. Sorcerer spells take a long time to cast (e.g. an hour for a level one spell), and the amount of time is exponentially proportional to spell level, but these can be locked into the focus for quick usage at a later point. The amount of power the focus will hold depends on the sorcerer’s power.
Folk magic
Traditional wisdom about signs, rhymes, minor charms and the various minor magical cantrips that are passed down by the common folk. These are very minor spells, which are used to ward against evil spirits and provide good (or bad) fortune. This is represented by a single skill, representing the breadth of a character’s knowledge of cantrips.
Folk magic is not actually learned via magician levels, but explorer levels. Mechanically, it uses the rules for skills.
Wizardry
This approach to magic is pretty open-ended, relying on different kinds of arcane sciences to create wondrous works. This can span the gamut from technology to magic, including pulpy notions of “super science.” Works take time but often produce devices that can be used later when needed. Results always require maintenance and have unpredictable quirks.
Wizards make great NPCs. They can do amazing and terrible things, unpredictably upending everything, or if you prefer, restoring status quo via tiresome deus ex machina. We prefer the former. Wizards are excellent as both patrons and antagonists.
The mechanics would have to be comprehensive to cover all the different kinds of things wizards should be able to do. So for all these reasons, we’re going to defer providing rules for wizardry at this point in time. And even when they are provided, a GM may reasonably disallow players from running them, and should limit them to players who can handle the complexity.
Spell basics
Sorcery and mysticism both rely on spell-based mechanics. A spell is a magical ability with a fairly specific range of possible effects.
Spell levels
Spells are assigned levels, based on their general level of power for the spell’s effect. Note that this scale is not linear, but something closer to exponential.
Here’s some guideline for spell level:
Spell level
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Scope of effects
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Examples
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1
|
Limited impact on local environment for a short period of time; about as effective as a successful skill use; adversarial spells can only threaten weak foes
|
|
2
|
Useful but narrow effect, like a critical success in a skill or something uncanny but limited; adversarial spells can be decisive against weak opponents and useful against threatening ones
|
|
3
|
Versatile and potent effect, like a minor miracle; this can be flashy and slightly game-breaking; combat magic at this level will be a threat to all but very powerful foes
|
|
4
|
Extremely powerful effects with a dramatic scope; can decide the effects of large battles and defeat powerful opponents
|
|
5
|
World-shaking power with unlimited scope of impact; can alter almost any aspect of a campaign; probably not for PCs, to be honest
|
|
Spell parameters
Most spells have a variety of parameters that describe the bounds of their effects. Here are typical parameters:
- Range: How far away from the magician that the spell effect can take place.
- Duration: How long the effect lasts for.
- Saving throw: Whether or not targets of the spell get a saving throw to resist it totally or in part, and if so, which saving throw to use and what the DC should be
- Damage: How much damage is inflicted, if any
For a given spell, any given parameter may or may not apply, and if it does, it is specified for that spell.
Many parameters are scalable, which means they scale with the power of the magician. A magician has a power level equal to his magician level plus the relevant ability modifier (Spirit for mystics, Mind for sorcerers).
Whenever a standard spell saving throw is called for, regardless of the attribute rolled, the DC is calculated as:
10 + spell level + [power level / 2 (rounded up)]
Price of magic
Casting spells incurs some kind of cost, and that is quantified by the price. The default price of a spell is equal to four times the spell level. This is reduced by a character’s magician level, with a minimum value of half the default price.
What this actually translates into depends on the type of magician. For a sorcerer, the price determines how long it takes to cast such a spell, while for mystics it represents both the severity of the mark obtained upon learning the spell and the amount of physical energy which the spell requires. Energy requirement is expressed in terms of reduction of Toughness by fatigue and damage.
Price
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For sorcerers...
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For mystics...
| |
Casting time
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Mark severity
|
Energy requirement
| |
1-2
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5 minutes
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1
|
1d3
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3-4
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10 minutes
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1
|
1d4
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5-6
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30 minutes
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2
|
1d5
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7-8
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2 hours
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2
|
1d6
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9-10
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6 hours
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3
|
2d4
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11-12
|
1 day
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3
|
2d6
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13-14
|
5 days
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4
|
2d8
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15-16
|
1 month
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4
|
3d6
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17-18
|
6 months
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4
|
4d6
|
19-20
|
4 years
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4
|
5d6
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21-22
|
40 years
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4
|
6d6
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23-24
|
500 years
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4
|
7d6
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Foci
The long casting times of sorcery would seem to make it unusable for combat situations. Fortunately for them, sorcerers have learned the art of crafting foci. A focus (singular) is an object which the sorcerer has prepared as a vessel for spells to be held for later release. Such objects are created by a sorcerer for his personal use, and are useless in the hands of another.
Using foci
To use a focus, the sorcerer must first cast a spell while maintaining contact with the focus meant to contain the spell. At the end of the casting, the sorcerer decides to store the spell in the focus for later use. Each focus has a capacity that is rated in terms of spell levels, and a given focus can store a total number of spell levels equal to this capacity. Thus, a given focus can hold multiple spells, especially of a low-level variety.
At a later point in time, a sorcerer may release any spell that he has contained in a focus that he has contact with. This takes merely a single round, and the specific manifestation and targets of the spell can now be determined by the caster. Once the spell has taken effect, it is no longer contained by the focus.
Creating foci
A sorcerer can create a focus by carving runes onto it and anointing it with his blood. This requires an object capable of accepting the runes, a device for carving them, and time. Specifically, it takes a full day (including time for sleeping, eating, resting and meditating) to imbue a focus with one spell level of capacity, and each such level requires four square inches of carving surface on the focus.
Once preparation of a focus has been started, it cannot be paused for more than eight hours without halting the process, at which point the capacity of that specific focus can never be increased further.
A sorcerer can possess foci with a total capacity equal to three times his magician level.
Breaking a focus
A focus can be broken at any time, like a normal object. This will harmlessly release all of its stored spells. The sorcerer immediately regains the ability to replace any lost capacity, but preparing a replacement takes the usual amount of time.
Learning spells
To keep it simple, starting magicians are allowed to learn three spells of their choice. There are no restrictions against learning a high level spell, but players should be aware that such magic can be very expensive to use.
Once a campaign is underway, PCs can learn spells in a number of ways. The easiest way to learn a new spell is through instruction. If a character has a source of instruction (a teacher or a text), it takes a number of months equal to the spell level to make the learning attempt. At the end of the period, the character rolls a Mind saving throw against a DC of 10 + (2 x spell level). On a success, the spell is learned. On a failure, the character fails to learn the spell, and cannot try again until he or she gains a level.
Inventing a new spell from scratch is more difficult and time consuming. The amount of time is increased by a factor of three, and the DC is 10 + (4 x spell level). If the character knows two or more related spells, however, the time is only doubled and the DC is 10 + (3 x spell level).
When a character successfully learns a new spell, the player should note it on his character sheet. In the case of mystics, each spell they learn incurs a mark.
Marks
There are three types of marks: purification, transformation and corruption. When the mystic learns a spell, he receives a mark of an intensity depending on the spell’s price, and of a type depending on the exact type of mysticism learned.
Level I marks
Roll
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Purification mark
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Transformation mark
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Corruption mark
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1
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Must receive holy tattoo
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Strangely-colored eyes (1: red, 2: lavender, 3: reflective, 4: white)
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Loss of all body hair
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2
|
Must meditate for an hour per day
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Always smells like a wet dog
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Voice turns deep and gravelly, unsettling (-1 Spirit for charming others)
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3
|
Must bless all food and drink before consumption (1 round; this includes potions!)
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Grows an extra finger
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Dark presence (+1 Spirit for intimidation, -1 for relaxing people)
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4
|
Detached mindset (+2 Mind, -1 Spirit)
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Develops strange appetites (1: rotten vegetables, 2: curdled milk, 3: burnt cheese, 4: insects)
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Sprout several hairy facial moles (-1 Spirit for seduction)
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5
|
Deeply empathic (-1 Mind, +1 Spirit)
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Off-hand grows long claws (1d4 unarmed damage at -1 to hit, looks distinctive)
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Spittle mildly acidic (can be spat into eyes to cost opponent an action, kissing unpleasant for lover)
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6
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Character is beloved by children (+3 Spirit for charism with kids), who may follow him around in a city (1-in-6 chance any time it could be a problem)
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Super flexible; +2 Dexterity, -1 Toughness
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Grow a third nipple
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Level II marks
Roll
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Purification mark
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Transformation mark
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Corruption mark
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1
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Not permitted to eat meat
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Character has heavy musk scent, easily tracked by animals (+1 to random encounter checks in wilderness)
|
Makes animals uneasy, reluctant to let him ride, fails at animal handling
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2
|
Required to always carry holy symbol if possible and never hide it
|
Must pray in the moonlight for an hour every night with bare head
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Terrible breath (-3 Spirit for seduction)
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3
|
Very obvious ritual scarification required
|
Must get drunk once per day (-1d6 Dexterity and Mind when drunk, 1 sp)
|
Shadow makes offensive gestures occasionally (Perception to notice once per turn when visible)
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4
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Cannot eat or drink between sunset and sunrise
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Grows a vestigial tail
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Spirit save vs. DC 10 to resist laughing when someone describes their misfortune
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5
|
Spirit save vs. DC 14 to make first attack against an enemy in a combat
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Must bathe in a consecrated pool once per month for one hour; it takes 3 days to consecrate a pool
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Tears always have blood in them
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6
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Character’s hair turns white
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Grows hair all over body, must shave frequently or look bestial
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Loses ability to smile convincingly
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Level III marks
Roll
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Purification mark
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Transformation mark
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Corruption mark
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1
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Can only digest flowers
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Must make Spirit save vs DC 15 to sleep properly under a roof
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Can only digest blood
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2
|
Must heal any nonaggressive party that requests it
|
After damaging an enemy, Spirit save vs DC 16 each round to break from attack same target till dead
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Must drink a 1 GP potion every day or get headaches (-1 to all rolls)
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3
|
Strange speech pattern, annoying to some (-[1d3-1] Spirit for charisma); 1: Yoda-talk, 2: no articles, 3: speaks very slowly, 4: overly- complex vocabulary
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Skin turns unusual color (1: blue, 2: transparent, 3: deep orange, 4: teal)
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If touched by a child, Toughness save DC 14 or vomit helplessly for 1d6 rounds
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4
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Cannot cooperate with traditional enemies
|
Teeth become fangs; 1d4 bite attack but -2 Spirit for putting others at ease
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Every day, 1-in-20 chance of experiencing a shocking hallucination (DC 12)
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5
|
May not break word
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Gain a lot of weight; +1 Toughness and -2 Dexterity
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Any gold handled turns bloody in 1d6 rounds
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6
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Constant self-flagellation causes -1 Dexterity
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When trying to whisper, make Luck test or speak at full volume
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Carried food always spoils in 1d6 days
|
Level IV marks
Roll
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Purification mark
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Transformation mark
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Corruption mark
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1
|
Must not attack anything except abominations
|
Bone spurs give 1d4 unarmed attack, +2 AC and -3 Dexterity, cannot wear armor (and look like a freak)
|
Psychological shock DC 22
|
2
|
Must not own anything that cannot be carried from place-to-place
|
Skin contact with forged metal causes 1 damage per round, metal weapons do +1 damage
|
Random limb replaced with functional tentacle; -4 Dexterity using when hand, -10’ movement if leg
|
3
|
Must not knowingly lie
|
-2 to all rolls in direct sunlight
|
In constant pain; painkillers cause -1 penalty to all rolls; DC 15 Toughness save every morning without drugs, -3 roll penalty on failure, none on success
|
4
|
Must not break the law
|
After killing an enemy, Spirit save DC 15 or feed on its flesh; try again each round to stop, and go into a frenzy if prevented
|
Part of body is perpetually rotting; -2 Toughness, and -2 Spirit for charisma
|
5
|
Must not retreat from battle against abominations
|
Mind becomes more bestial; Spirit save DC 18 lose 1d6 Mind, lose 1 Mind on success
|
Stops recovering ability damage without magic
|
6
|
Must help anyone deserving if requested
|
Reject friendly spells from allies with Spirit save against DC 20 (success results in rejection!)
|
Everyone within 10’ has penalty of one to Luck test
|
In the case of marks that require a certain code of behavior, nonadherence to the behavior causes spell abilities to be lost until he or she can engage in a cleansing ceremony for a number of hours equal to the spell level. In addition, the character must save Spirit against DC 8 + spell level, or that mark will immediately be replaced with two corruption marks of the same severity; this could end up repeating itself! Also, every time this stricture is violated, this DC increases permanently by one, although that is reset every time the character fails.
Note that these results can be overridden based on a character’s very particular source of power. For instance, the lawful priest of a god of righteous war is not going to restrict her followers from violence. In such cases, they may have alternate tables or entries, or the GM can make common-sense substitutions. The GM can always just pick whatever he wants.
Casting spells
The process of casting a spell is pretty simple. First, the caster must pay a cost based on the sub-class and price of the spell. If the magician is able to pay the cost without interruption or death, then the spell will be cast according to its described effects in the round that the cost is met.
Paying the cost
Costs are very different for each sub-class.
Costs for sorcerers
Sorcerers must spend time casting spells. However, they are able to use their foci to hold spells for later release, enabling its use at a moment’s notice. Whether or not the spell is being held in a focus, however, the time must be spent casting it. The sorcerer must be free to perform the spell ritual for the amount of time specified by the cost. He is unable to talk or do much else but chant, draw, and perform other ritual activities. If the magician is interrupted during the casting to do anything else, including perform a single combat action or even take damage, it is ruined.
To store the spell in a focus, that focus must have sufficient unconsumed capacity equal or greater than the spell’s level, and the focus must be in physical contact with the sorcerer. Once stored, it can be released by the sorcerer who owns it through will alone, provided it is in physical contact. This counts as a single action in combat. Once released, the spell takes effect as directed by the caster, and is removed from the focus.
Optionally, the GM may impose arbitrary restrictions on specific versions of sorcery spells. For instance, a given spell may require that the caster have access to moonlight. It won’t work during the day, underground, or even during heavy cloud cover on the night of a full moon. Such restrictions can be more demanding for higher level spells, but they are not intended to have a truly crippling effect on the casting.
Costs for mystics
Mystics have two types of cost: the cost to learn, and the cost to cast. The cost to learn is a mark, which we have already discussed. The cost to cast is expressed in terms of a Toughness reduction that depends on the spell’s price, calling for a roll. The amount of loss is the DC for a Spirit save by the caster to avoid actual damage. If this saving throw succeeds, then the loss is pure fatigue, but if he or she fails, then it is 50% fatigue, 50% damage.
The physical energy requirement is paid immediately after the spell is cast.
Optionally, the GM may allow for mysticism where the cost of spell casting is mental fatigue instead of physical fatigue. The way to handle this is that if the character fails his Spirit save after casting, half the mental fatigue becomes mental damage and the character receives a madness (see the section on psychological shock). This is appropriate for certain kinds of black magic, and probably makes more sense for NPCs than PC mystics.
Spell listings
The spells listed in here are a good starting point, but the GM should feel free to extend this list at will.
Spell levels
This sections lists spell by level.
First level
- Analyze magic
- Ancient wisdom
- Alter appearance
- Coven Magic
- Dispel fatigue
- Evil eye
- Hidden pocket
- Light telekinesis
- Lucky charm
- Send short message
- Sleep
- Ward evil
Second level
- Alter weather
- Charm animals
- Create mist
- Deflect arrows
- Great yawp
- Heal wound
- Ignite
- Implant suggestion
- Invisibility
- Protection from fire
- Springheel
- Strength
Third level
- Counterspell
- Cure disease
- Dominate mind
- Entangle area
- Enlarge
- Flight
- Illusionary house
- Read minds
- Seance
- Shape stone
- Strong telekinesis
- Talk to animals
Fourth level
- Control weather
- Banish demon
- Binding oath
- Dispel curse
- Edit memories
- Enslave beast
- Miraculous healing
- Phantasmal castle
- Polymorph
- Prophesy
- Stop time
- Teleportation gate
Fifth level
- Dimensional gate
- Earthquake
- Imprison beyond
- Raise zombie army
- Summon meteor
- Time travel
Spell descriptions
Analyze magic
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: self Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: sight Saving throw: none
Effect: Magician is able to see supernatural energies, gauging the general intensity of all sources. By spending a round looking closely at a specific source within 30’, the magician may glean some understanding of the nature of the magic in question.
Ancient wisdom
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: self Duration: (30 x power) minutes
Area of effect: self Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician gains a skill point in a skill of his choice, for the duration of casting. Must be able to name someone deceased who was proficient in the skill in question (at least level 3).
Alter appearance
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: 10’ Duration: (10 x power) minutes
Area of effect: 1 object (see below) Saving throw: standard Mind
Effect: One object of the caster’s choice, no larger than a cart, may have the character of is appearance altered greatly. For each round of close inspection, or each round the object acts in an unexpected way (like a statue that moves), observers get a saving throw to see through the illusion.
Alter weather
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: self Duration: 1 hour
Area of effect: 1/2 mile radius Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician can alter the local weather by one “step.” For instance, sunny may be made to cloudy, and cloudy may turn to light precipitation. Severe weather conditions may not be created or dissipated with this spell, but at the GM’s option, they may be slightly lessened or increased.
Banish demon
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 20’ Duration: immediate
Area of effect: 1 demon Saving throw: special
Effect: The magician can force an otherworldly visitor to leave this world. The demon gets an opposed saving throw against the magician (Spirit vs. Spirit). If the caster rolls equal or higher than the demon, it is expelled. Note that the target can be any visitor from another reality, not just a demon. That even includes most undead.
Binding oath
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 30’ Duration: indefinite
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell is cast on a character who is earnestly pronouncing an oath with an awareness of the effects of this spell. Upon so doing, the magician becomes aware that the spell succeeded (it fails if the oath is insincere), and the target of the spell is compelled to fulfill the word of the oath to the best of his ability.
Charm animals
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: 10’ Duration: (5 x power) minutes
Area of effect: self Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: The magician is able to make natural animals well-disposed towards him and docile in his vicinity. They get a saving throw to resist the effect. Note that this does not give the ability to control or communicate with animals.
Control weather
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: (power) miles Duration: (30 x power) minutes
Area of effect: (power) miles diameter Saving throw: none
Effect: Allows the magician to change the weather to anything remotely plausible for the current environment. It takes 1d10 minutes to change. This can quell all destructive weather. It can also be used to create difficult weather with appropriate effects; examples include:
- Impaired senses: Line of sight reduced to 5’ at day, 1’ at night. Stealth rolls are at least +10.
- Reduced mobility: Move safely at up to 25% or unsafely at up to 50%. Unsafe movement requires a DC 14 Reflexes save each round to avoid falling for 1d3 damage.
- Injurious: Damaging effects of weather require a DC 20 Fortitude save each round to avoid 1d8 damage. Appropriate clothing adds up to +10 to saving throw.
Other effects left to the imagination.
Counterspell
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: (20 x power)’ Duration: 1 round
Area of effect: (10 x power) diameter Saving throw: none
Effect: Used to dispel any temporary or immediate magical effects originating from the targeted area of effect until the same time next round.
Coven Magic
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: 100’ Duration: special (see below)
Area of effect: (power) allied magicians Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell can be used for several magicians to collaborate on another spell. They must all know that spell, and the coven leader must know Coven Magic. After casting this spell, he leads the others in a ritual to cast the actual spell.
No matter the type of magician, the casting requires time and physical energy. The time it takes is based on the level of the coven leader, but each participant pays a physical cost based on their own level. The benefit, however, is that the effective power level of the casting is equal to the sum power levels of all the participants.
Create mist
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: 100’ Duration: immediate
Area of effect: [30 + (10 x power)]’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: Impairs sight (and hearing, slightly) in the area of effect. Visibility reduced to 10’ maximum. +5 to all stealth rolls. The mist lasts an amount of time depending on the wind conditions - 15 minutes average, 30 minutes in a valley with no wind, 30 seconds on a wind-swept prairie.
Cure disease
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: touch Duration: instant
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: Cures a disease afflicting the contacted body part, least severe first. The recipient must make the required saving throw to benefit from the spell. If this save fails, then the condition can never be cured without magic more potent than this spell.
Deflect arrows
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: touch Duration: (2 x power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: Repels all small projectiles (javelins and smaller). Also repels vermin like rats, bats and insects.
Dimensional gate
Spell level: 5 Default price: 20
Range: 10’ Duration: (power) hours
Area of effect: (5 x power)’ diameter Saving throw: none
Effect: Opens a doorway to another world. The magician must have some knowledge of this world, first-hand or from the equations of another sorcerer. The doorway appears as a flat circle in mid-air before the caster. Things can pass freely in both directions. The caster may adjust the radius by 1’ per minute of total concentration, as long as it doesn’t exceed the maximum. This is the only way to prematurely close the portal.
Dispel curse
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: touch Duration: immediate
Area of effect: one spell Saving throw: none
Effect: Can be used to undo the effects of a lasting magical effect, including possessions, curses, and charms of a completely benign nature. Does not affect fifth-level spells or equivalent magical power.
Dispel fatigue
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: touch Duration: immediate
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: If a character’s hit points are greater than zero, they are restored to maximum level, and all ability points lost to fatigue are restored.
Dominate mind
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: special (see below) Duration: (power) hours
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: Magician completely controls the mind of another living being during the casting. The target must have a mind that is not of a completely alien nature - somewhat alien minds may receive a bonus to saving throws. Eye contact or physical contact is required, and the victim gets a save. Commands are issued mentally by line of sight. After the spell wears off, the victim must make a standard Mind save to recall anything except for fragments of the time spent ensorcelled.
Earthquake
Spell level: 5 Default price: 20
Range: sight Duration: (power) minutes
Area of effect: 1 mile radius Saving throw: special (see below)
Effect: Causes great devastation through a wide area. Every round one is in the area of effect, everything must make a standard Toughness or Dexterity saving throw to avoid taking 1d6 damage and being unable to move. On a critical failure, the character has actually become trapped in a fissure or collapsed terrain feature. Make a Luck check at the end of the earthquake if the character hasn’t been saved; on a failure, the character was swallowed up by the earth, dead and lost. On a success, it will take 1d20 x 10 hours of excavation to free him. The indiscriminate nature of the effect will cause the destruction of many structures.
Edit memories
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 10’ Duration: (power) minutes
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: standard Mind
Effect: Requires eye contact with the caster. On a failed saving throw, the victim is frozen and unaware during the casting. Then, the magician can freely erase or manufacture memories for the target. It takes one minute to alter one hour of memory. To restore memories, curse must be restored. Combined with the Read Minds spell, the magician can sift through memories and edit them at a 60:1 time ratio.
Entangle area
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: (20 x power)’ Duration: (2 x power) rounds
Area of effect: (10 x power)’ diameter Saving throw: standard Toughness
Effect: The ground at the affected area and 10’ above becomes snarled with some sort of entangling matter (vines, glue, hair, etc.). Movement through the area requires a Toughness saving throw every round. On a success, the character may move (at most) 1/4 movement rate through the area. On a failure, no movement is possible. Three consecutive failures means that a character is stuck until the spell ends.
Enlarge
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: 100’ Duration: 5 minutes
Area of effect: one object Saving throw: standard Toughness
Effect: Doubles all the dimensions of an object, octopling its mass. Unwilling living targets get a saving throw. Toughness increases by 8, and Dexterity decreases by 8 if one is untrained, or 4 if one is used to it. Movement increases by 50% for those used to enlargement. The magician is assumed to be accustomed the the spell’s effects. Confinement during sudden growth can cause up to 4d4 damage with wood, 6d6 with stone and 8d8 with steel. Entrapment generally follows, although the GM may permit saving throws to attempt an escape.
Enslave beast
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: touch Duration: indefinite
Area of effect: 1 creature Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: This spell causes a wordless beast to be enslaved to the will of the magician. If the creatures fails its saving throw, the magician gains indefinite control of it, commanding it mentally and even seeing through its eyes. The magician can even take direct control of its body, although he is completely unaware of his own body when doing so.
Evil eye
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: 30’ Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: Each round the spell is in effect, the magician can gaze malevolently at anything within sight. That target takes 1d6 damage, no saving throw. The only way to avoid the effect is to get out of sight or block the magician’s sight.
Flight
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: 10’ Duration: (power) minutes
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: Target of the spell effect (possibly the magician) gains the ability to fly at will during the spell effect. If this target is not otherwise aware, the power is only revealed if it jumps or falls. Flying speed is 80’, but the character cannot benefit from a double move.
Great yawp
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: self Duration: immediate
Area of effect: (10 x power)’ radius Saving throw: special (see below)
Effect: The magician gives forth a spirited cry as combat is joined. Opponents in the area of effect who fail a saving throw must sacrifice their next action, and suffer a -2 penalty to initiative for that battle. Those who succeed in their saving throws suffer a -1 Initiative penalty for the rest of this combat instead.
Heal wound
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: touch Duration: immediate
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: Restores hit points to a character with zero or less hit points, equal to the caster level. This spell can bring current hit points higher than one.
Hidden pocket
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: touch Duration: special (see below)
Area of effect: 1 handheld object Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell allows the magician to stow an object that can be held one-handed in an extra-dimensional space. This object may then may be retrieved at any point in the future, ending the spell. A magician can have a maximum number of objects equal to his level stowed at once with this spell.
Ignite
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: 30’ Duration: instant
Area of effect: 1’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician points at a location nearby, and fire spontaneously erupts on it. This can do up to 1d4 damage per level, no saving throw. If the target is flammable or covered in flammable materials, then these will be lit aflame, and damage will continue for 1d4 damage per round. If these are clothes or something similar, the flames burn for 1d4 rounds.
Illusionary house
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: 40’ Duration: (5 x power) minutes
Area of effect: 20’ x 20’ x 20’ volume Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician is able to create an illusion in the area of effect. It can animate and speak convincingly while the caster concentrates on it (and animations can be looped after the initial playthrough. This illusion will fool all the senses except for touch. It cannot be created or commanded at a distance greater than its range, but it can be left behind for the duration without it disappearing.
Implant suggestion
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: hearing Duration: see below
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: standard Mind
Effect: The magician selects one target, and implants a delusion in their mind. The victim of this spell gets a Mind saving throw every round to come to his senses, at which point the spell ends. It is possible to implant a suggestion that will not become active until some condition is met. The magician must be able to be understood by the victim, and the suggestion cannot take longer than one round to speak.
Imprison beyond
Spell level: 5 Default price: 20
Range: 120’ Duration: indefinite
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: This spell will imprison one selected entity in a timeless void beyond the edge of the universe. The target gets a saving throw, but if it fails, it is eternally banished from the universe...unless someone else figures out a way to undo this spell.
Invisibility
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: 10’ Duration: special
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell transforms the targeted individual and everything it carries into a spectral form that cannot be seen or impacted. The spell lasts until the recipient of the effect wants to interact with something other than what it was already carrying. Note that this cannot be used to pass through barriers.
Light telekinesis
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: 60’ Duration: (power) minutes
Area of effect: one object (20 lbs. max) Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell can be used to remotely move inanimate objects. The caster can move up to 20lbs of such matter through the air at up to 15’ per round. In the case of an extremely light and sharp weapon a maximum of 1d2 melee damage could be inflicted. However, fine manipulation is possible with this spell, allowing the magician to control a number of objects at one time equal to half his level or fraction thereof and performing fine motor skills as though with a Dexterity of 16.
Lucky charm
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: 40’ Duration: special
Area of effect: (power) individuals Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell can be used to give allies the ability to modify a single roll. When the spell is cast, the magician describes a condition when the effect is used. The more specific the situation, the higher the modification:
specificity
|
examples
|
modification
|
low
|
In combat; in the next week; during a certain quest; etc.
|
+/-1
|
medium
|
At night; in a corridor; while resisting a spell; in the next day; etc.
|
+/-2
|
high
|
In a fight with the lord’s murderer; in the next hour; trying to safely climb a mountain
|
+/-3
|
As long as the condition applies, any of the beneficiaries of the spell effect may invoke it to adjust a given roll upwards or downwards, as desired, up to an amount as found on the table. This can be done once per casting. A PC may benefit from only one of these spells at a time, the most recent one canceling out all prior castings.
Miraculous healing
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: touch Duration: immediate
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: This spell repairs natural physical conditions that will not otherwise heal, like severed limbs, blindness, etc. The recipient must make the required saving throw to benefit from the spell. If this save fails, then the condition can never be cured without magic more potent than this spell.
Phantasmal castle
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 50’ Duration: (power) hours
Area of effect: ([power ^ 2] x 50k)’ volume Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician is able to create powerful illusions on a large scale. This spell can be used to create extremely vivid glamours that will deceive all of the senses, including touch. The magician can actively control the illusion on his action, although it may follow simple programmed behavior when not under control.
The glamor can even perform attacks; as a whole, the illusion has HD equal to the magician’s level, the magician’s Initiative Modifier, an HC up to 16, an Attack Modifier equal to the magician’s level. It can attack for a total of 4d6 every round, in one, two or four attacks. Anyone “killed” by the illusion merely falls unconscious, and will awaken at full health when the spell ends.
Polymorph
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 10’ Duration: indefinite
Area of effect: 1 target object (250 x power) lbs. Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: This spell can be used to transform any object or material, including living matter, into whatever the magician wants. The maximum size of the affected object and the object it is transformed into are the same: 250 lbs. per level. Unwilling victims get saving throws. The spell changes the physical abilities abilities of the target, but not its mind. The GM must decide what happens with any supernatural powers.
This spell lasts indefinitely, but it’s not strictly permanent, since it can be dispelled. Note that a transformed character will be slain if his new form is killed or destroyed, even if the curse is ended.
Prophesy
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: self Duration: special (see below)
Area of effect: self Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell gives the magician insight into the future. When casting the spell, he or she will be possessed by godlike vision, and speak of what is seen to all present. The magician can determine what topic he or she wants to learn about, but of course he has little control about what is seen. The vision of the future can last as long as the GM wants, and it will come true (so be careful).
Protection from fire
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: touch Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: The recipient of this spell is temporarily granted immunity to heat and fire. The protection is complete but short-lived.
Raise zombie army
Spell level: 5 Default price: 20
Range: 3 mile radius Duration: (3 x power) days
Area of effect: (20 x power) corpses Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell raises affected corpses as zombie slaves under the control of the magician. They serve his will absolutely, instantly obeying his mental commands. Zombies must be within line of sight to be commanded, but they will still follow commands if contact is lost. The walking dead are very dull-witted, so the magician must make a Luck check for them to correctly follow all but the simplest commands independently.
Read minds
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: 60’ Duration: (power) minutes
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: standard Mind
Effect: This spell allows the magician to read the thoughts of another. Reading unguarded surface thoughts is automatically successful; the saving throw is when the target is trying to obscure their surface thoughts, or the magician is seeking deeper information. It takes a minute to inquire into such topics, and each such inquiry reveals a “layer” of information (whatever the GM judges that to be).
Seance
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: self Duration: (power + 1) rounds
Area of effect: self + (power) allies Saving throw: none
Effect: The seance spell allows the magician and his friends to compel the spirits to answer yes-or-no questions. Each friendly participant can ask a single question, one per round, and receive a response of fully yes, mostly yes, mostly no, fully no, both or neither.
Beforehand, the GM adds one to the number of participants, and generates a random integer from one to that. The number determines which answer will be untrue; if it was greater than the number of participants, then all the answers are true. Asking the same question twice terminates the seance prematurely. Requests for advice will not be answered; only factual matters can be addressed.
Send short message
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: infinite Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: (power) selected individuals Saving throw: none
Effect: The magician can send a short message to individuals whose names he knows. The communication is entirely one-way, with recipients seeing the magician’s face clearly in their mind’s eye as they hear his words.
Shape stone
Spell level: 4 Default price: 12
Range: touch Duration: (3 x power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: none
Effect: The recipient of this spell gains the ability to mould all earth as though it was the softest of loam. A PC can manipulate up to 500 lbs. of earth per round in this manner. Stone can be quickly dug, shaped into barriers or even sculpted into artistic forms. Against creatures made of earth, the recipient’s hands can inflict 2d6 damage.
Sleep
Spell level: 1 Default price: 4
Range: self Duration: instant
Area of effect: 20’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: Can be used to cause targeted creatures to fall into a deep sleep. The caster can affect a number of hit points equal to (2 x level)d4. Opponents are put to sleep in ascending HP order.
Springheel
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: touch Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 selected individual Saving throw: none
Effect: The recipient is able to easily leap up to 15’ up or forward, and moves at double his normal rate. He also does not take falling damage while the spell is in effect.
Strength
Spell level: 2 Default price: 8
Range: 40’ Duration: (3 x power) rounds
Area of effect: 1 individual Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell increases a recipient’s Toughness by six.
Stop time
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: self and touch Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: self and up to one ally Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell stops time for the magician and up to one other character he is in contact with. During the effect, their movements are not seen by others. Objects stopped in time cannot be moved, and any released objects stop moving immediately (but resume moving at the end of the duration). Gravity affects character only 1/10 during time stop.
Strong telekinesis
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: 30’ Duration: (power) rounds
Area of effect: one object at a time Saving throw: standard Toughness
Effect: This spell allows the magician to forcefully manipulate objects with his mind. The magician can use it to lift up to (50 x power) lbs. Individuals greater than half capacity get a save to resist being picked up. It takes a round to pick up anything of half capacity or greater, but it can be flung next round. Flung objects receive and inflict (power)d6 damage use the magician’s power for Attack Modifier. Only uncontrolled flight. An object can be thrown 60’ if a quarter capacity or less, 30’ if half or less, and 10’ if greater than that.
Summon meteor
Spell level: 5 Default price: 20
Range: sight Duration: instant
Area of effect: 200’/1000’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: This spell brings total devastation by going back in time to launch a meteor at the chosen site weeks before the casting. Those within the inner radius receive 12d6 damage, while those in the outer radius only receive 6d6 damage. If one spots the meteor soon enough (Perception roll at disadvantage), one has up to ten rounds to move away from the zone of impact. Of course, it’s hard to determine where the meteor is aimed for by trajectory alone.
Talk to animals
Spell level: 3 Default price: 12
Range: self Duration: 1 minute/level
Area of effect: self Saving throw: none
Effect: Allows the magician to understand and be understood by beasts. Animals are very simple-minded, and there is no guarantee they will do what the caster wants. However, the default reaction of an animal which is not hungry or threatened will be respectful towards the speaker. They will not go out of their way for him, but they may perform services for food or assistance.
Teleportation gate
Spell level: 4 Default price: 16
Range: 10’ Duration: 1 minute/level
Area of effect: (5 x power)’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: Opens a flat circular portal to a physical location specified by an arcane coordinate system. It’s possible to take an accurate reading for future gating to a location in 10 minutes. To go somewhere the magician has never been either requires the coordinates, or a description. Going by description is very error prone; the magician should make a DC 15 Mind save or open the gate to a completely different location.
Roll 1d6:
- Somewhere 1d12 miles from the intended location
- A different planet
- The right location, but 200 years in the future
- The right location, but 10m years in the past
- Somewhere dangerous - roll 1d4:
1. A mile above the earth
2. Ocean
3. Lower mantle
4. Space
- Present location but alternate timeline
Time travel
Spell level: 5 Default price: 25
Range: self Duration: immediate
Area of effect: 15’ radius Saving throw: none
Effect: Transports the magician and all those in the area of effect to a different time. The maximum amount of time traveled is (5 ^ [(magician level - 10]) years.
Ward evil
Spell level:1 Default price: 4
Range: touch Duration: 1 round/level
Area of effect: 10’ radius Saving throw: standard Spirit
Effect: The effect of this spell is that profane beings cannot enter the area of effect if they equal or fewer levels than the magician and fail their saving throws.
Cantrips
Most of folk magic is resolved through the use of a Cantrips skill, and one does not need to be a magician to develop this skill. Although individual cantrips are formulas to provide protection and luck in a variety of situations, in practice, there is such a large catalog of them that they are covered under this one general skill.
Cantrips are used to cast very minor spells that allow the caster to make greater use of his or her Luck to influence events, especially on behalf of others. These can be cast ahead of time to provide a person with luck for a future situation (should it come true) that is specified at the time of creation. In this way, it can be banked ahead of time, but it can also be cast on-the-fly in one action. This requires a successful skill check, and the result is to spend Luck on the specific event for double the normal effect.
A cantrip can be cast quickly as an action, but receives a penalty die when performed in haste. The amount of Luck to be spent is chosen ahead of time. A successful roll means that the caster may spend the Luck at double effect on any roll being made at this time. A failed roll means the Luck is wasted.
Usually, a cantrip will persist until triggered, or for a year if left untriggered. After a complete cycle of the seasons, the cantrip’s power has faded. A character can only receive a maximum net hex benefit equal to their own Luck score, and a maximum net hex penalty equal to (21 - Luck) for that character. Any cantrip that would exceed these limits is wasted.
A highly skilled worker of cantrips can work permanent hexes. These require some form of physical marking of item affected, or the item to be carried by the affected person, or the tattoo. In any case, it takes a few days to work hexes like this, and is more challenging as more Luck is invested. If successful, the effect is permanent, but so is the character’s expenditure of Luck. The Luck may be taken from the intended recipient of the cantrip, if they are a willing participant.
Cantrips can be used to curse just as they can be used to bless. The dying curse of a hex worker can be a fearsome thing!
Cantrips are very widely used; they are practiced by hedge witches and temple priests alike, and many a superstitious traveler has collected a trove of secret mantras and fetishes. Note that many of the more capable hex workers also know more formal spells or possess the powers of a mystic.
Wizardry
Like I said, we aren’t going to get into this today. A system for wizardry would have to be more abstract and open-ended, allowing skills for different bodies of knowledge and different kinds of effects. The works of wizardry often result in physical artifacts which may or may not be reusable. Such devices may be unreliable, dangerous, or require expertise to properly utilize.
Performing acts of wizardry can take even longer than sorcery, potentially preceded by years of research. And at the end of the long road, a wizard may encounter failure, disaster, or worse...he may learn that his goal cannot be achieved. At least not without starting from scratch.
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