As much a part of the world as the four material elements of air, earth, fire and water, the fifth element of aether, known commonly as magic, exists in the world as a combination of the ten aetheric winds; Death, Life, Fate, Forces, Matter, Mind, Prime, Space, Spirit, and Time.
From an understanding of the aetheric winds there have arisen seven colleges of magic: Conjuration, Divination, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, Restoration, and Transmutation. Each draws predominantly on one of the aetheric winds in particular, along with aspects of the others. Of the ten winds, Prime does not have its own college as its raw power is to be found across all magic; Time is intertwined with Fate; and Spirit neither as it is the domain of entities not of this world.
Five special practices of spellcasting also are known to exist: High Magic, Shamanism, Sorcery, Enchanting, and Alchemy, though some mages debate the former at great length. It should be noted that the special practices of High Magic, Shamanism, and Sorcery are mutually exclusive; a Sorcerer cannot be a High Mage, nor a Shaman a Sorcerer for example.
Every mage’s casting of spells is powered by internal reserves of arcane power, known as Mana. This mana is drawn from the surrounding environment, and naturally replenishes at the break of dawn and dusk when the aetheric winds settle most upon the world. Units of mana are measured in arcans. The more powerful the spell, the more mana is required. All spells cost 1 mana to cast, unless otherwise specified.
A spellcaster must by default have both hands free for spellcasting. The exceptions to this are if they are holding an object that can fit in their palm, a wand, or if they have a special ability that modifies this requirement. When casting a spell, one hand should at least touch the reagent or pouch that it is stored in for the power of the reagent to be channelled as part of the spell. Speaking is not necessarily required for spellcasting, and mute spellcaster can still cast using calls unless otherwise noted.
Cantrips are first level spells that if a spellcaster possesses at least 3 noncantrip spells in that College, are free in terms of Gnosis Point cost. Any Gnosis Points already spent to obtain these cantrips are refunded.
Associated with summoners and hedge wizards, the College of Conjuration is empowered by the Wind of Space. In addition to granting the user the power to translocate, it also can bring or banish other creatures or entities to the caster at their whim, and grants the highly desired ability to dispel lingering magical effects.
Divine Offering [Cantrip]
Ritually commend a valued item to the gods in the hope of gaining
their favour. Items may be handed in outside the Quartermaster for the
chance to receive a divine boon at a later point. Poor choices of offerings
may result in a negative outcome for the caster. This spell can only be
used 1/Day.
Rain/Drought [Cantrip]
Increases/decreases the likelihood of rain. Lots of castings from lots of
people to make it happen, and counter-castings (casting the opposite
version) reduce the chances.
Blink Translocate
Caster may immediately go OOC and with hand on head, promptly
walk to an alternate location within line of sight and up to about 100
metres away, then removing their hand from their head and reappearing
IC. The caster cannot attack for 2 seconds after reappearing.
Magecraft
Summon a simple weapon or other tool for the rest of the Encounter.
OOC the caster should ideally have the prop at hand, perhaps marked
normally with a red tie to indicate it is OOC. Requires a common
reagent.
Peacebinding [Mental]
Point attack inflciting DOMINATE on target with the specific command
that until the end of the Encounter, the target cannot take hostile action
unless they are attacked first by another target. Requires a common
reagent.
Ward [Ritual]
Caster can lay down a white cord up to 5 metres long to represent an
energy wall that lasts until the end of the Watch. No entities can pass
over it unless specifically allowed. The caster, if present, may allow
passage to a specific individual. Otherwise, the caster may attach a tag
to the cord, allowing one or more broad categories of entity passage
(Humanoid, Bestial, Demon, Undead etc.). Projectiles are not stopped
by a Ward
Astral Beacon [Ritual]
Caster sets a destination point for any Portal spells they cast. A caster
may have only one Astral Beacon in effect at any one time. This spell
cannot be dispelled. Requires Lotus as a reagent.
Banishment [Warmage]
Touch attack to target to BANISH them if they are a demon or spirit.
Requires Briar Heart as a reagent.
Dispel Magic
Touch target to remove the effect of an active spell on them. Caster must
specify what type of effect it is that they are dispelling from the target
to be successful. Appropriate effects to be dispelled are any lasting call
effects or specific effects from a magical source. Requires Faerie Dust as
a reagent.
Portal [Ritual]
Caster transports themselves to
a pre-set destination point, upon
completion of the ritual going OOC
and immediately proceeded to that
destination point to reappear IC.
The caster may as part of the ritual
casting lay down a 5 metre white cord
in an approximate circle, and upon
completion of the ritual, anyone and
anything wholly within that circle is
transported to the destination point
along with the caster.
Phase Shift
Caster becomes Incorporeal until the the end of the Watch and should
don a yellow headband. At any time they may swap to a teal headband
and become Invisible and visa versa, though once a change is made, the
caster cannot make another for at least a minute. Requires Frost Orchid
as a reagent.
Raise Astral Force [Ritual]
Summon at a Place of Power, an army of Astral Warriors to do the casters
bidding until the end of the Watch. Up to 5 extras may be employed
from your faction or the Quartermaster to portray Astral Warriors, each
having 5 lives.
Probably the most esoteric of the seven, the College of Divination is empowered by the dual Winds of Fate and Time, granting the gifts of prophecy and comprehension to those that need it. When action is called for, it also can be used to curse and slow the foes of the caster, or grant the caster prenatural accuracy with their attacks.
Chronicity [Cantrip]
Caster can tell the time without need to reference external cues.
Marriage [Cantrip]
Two willing people in love are Fate-bound together.
Cheat
When rolling dice, can call PAUSE to quickly reroll the dice. Requires a
common reagent.
Detect Lies [Mental]
CHARM touched target to specifically ask of them to “Truthfully tell me
if you just lied about...”. No other forms of command can be issued or the
actual nature of the truth asked as part of this spell’s effect. You need to
have the target draw 5 tokens from a Fate Bag, and if they draw the white
token they must tell the truth. This spell can only be used on the same
target 1/Watch. Requires a common reagent.
Detect Magic Aura
Caster may enquire of a target if they are under the effect of CHARM,
DOMINATE, or if they possess a BLIGHTED injury. The caster can also
enquire as to whether the target has a spell affecting them, and if they
possess any mana. Requires a common reagent.
Exclude Targets [Warmage]
Touched target is not affected by a specified spell of your casting until
the end of the Watch. Requires a common reagent.
Comprehend Language
Caster can understand a language that is being spoken to you until the
end of the Encounter. The spell doesn’t however allow the caster to read
or communicate in the language. Requires Wormwood as a reagent.
Curse [Ritual]
You are allowed to create a curse card in consultation with a GM, and
when this spell is used, you may give such a card to a pointed target,
rendering them Fate-bound. The reagent(s) required for the Curse will
depend on the desired effects.
Identify [Ritual]
This spell can be used by the caster to call “DOMINATE, what magical
effects do you have on you at present?” on a touched target. A caster
that possesses this spell will also be issued with pages for their OOC
guidebook that contain information on properties of Enchanted
Artefacts marked by Arcane Reference Codes. They can consult this
book each time they cast this spell for each item they wish to identify in
this way. Requires Witch Briar as a reagent.
Spirit Sight
Caster can see Invisible things with teal markers (headbands, tags,
paper) until the end of the Watch. Requires Lupine Fur as a reagent.
Prophecy [Ritual]
Once the casting of this spell has been completed and the Quartermaster
notified of that fact, at some point subsequently during the Watch
supernal inspiration is likely to strike the caster to reveal to them what
the future may hold (GM update). Requires Heart Rose as a reagent.
Temporal Flux
Call FREEZE and the caster can still move, attack and take other actions
during the 10 seconds this call is in effect (no In-Character speaking
though). Requires Dahaka Sand as a reagent.
Common on the field of battle, the Wind of Forces empowers the potent College of Evocation. War mages and other practitioners of this field can blast their foes with arcane bolts and throw them to the ground with a flick of the wrist, or if really determined, can cause the very ground to shatter and split around them.
Freeze Water [Cantrip]
Turns a bucketful volume of water into ice.
Warm Earth [Cantrip]
Gets rid of morning frost on the ground.
Knockback [Warmage]
Spell packet inflicting KNOCKBACK on target. Requires a common
reagent.
Light
Can use a flashlight to represent a small beacon of light for the rest of the
scene or until dispelled. Requires a common reagent.
Magic Missile [Warmage]
Spell packet inflicting 2 damage to target. Requires a common reagent.
Stun
Spell packet inflicting STUN on target. Requires a common reagent.
Force Cage
Point attack inflicting PARALYSE on
target. Then the caster can place a
white cord in a circle around target
that then traps the target within the
circle until the end of the Encounter.
The target is Immune to all sources of
damage while within the circle, and
cannot cast any magic, make attacks or
use abilities on anything outside of the
cord. Until the end of the Encounter,
no-one else can enter the circle unless
the caster dispels the effect. Requires
Faerie Dust as a reagent.
Immolate
Spell packet inflicting FIRE 5 to target. Requires Blackmoor as a reagent.
Kinetic Blow
Point attack inflicting 3 damage to target. Requires Slender Vine as a
reagent.
Wall of Flame [Warmage]
Caster can lay down a yellow cord up to 5 metres long in any shape they
want to represent an energy wall that lasts until the end of the Watch. If
the caster is present when a target passes over any part of the cord, the
caster can call FIRE 3 on that target. Requires Drake Talon as a reagent.
Chain Lightning
Point attack inflicting 5 damage to up to 6 targets (no-one can be
targeted twice). Requires Stormweed as a reagent.
Earthquake
Caster calls PAUSE, then promptly specifies that all targets within a 10m
radius suffer KNOCKBACK and take 5 damage. Requires Troll Jaw as
a reagent.
Some would say the most insidious and powerful college is that of the College of Illusion, empowered as it is by the Wind of Mind. Used by both diplomats and charlatans alike, the powers of invisibility, charming, fear, and aura manipulation are tremendous indeed.
Beast Tongue [Cantrip]
Talk to wild creatures. Most make lousy conversationalists, but you
never know until you try.
Flavour Food [Cantrip]
Makes food taste nicer. A useful trick for disguising poor quality food,
or as seasoning.
Charm [Mental]
Spell packet inflicting CHARM on target. Requires a common reagent.
Dread Gaze
Point attack to cause FEAR in the target. Requires a common reagent.
Mental Shield
Caster can RESIST the next mental effect of their choice. Requires a
common reagent.
Telepathy [Mental]
With fingers to their head, the caster can communicate with a distant
target through a shared sympathetic connection. Requires a common
reagent.
Alter Aura
The caster may choose to lie or outright
refuse to answer a question about any
magical effects they are under, any
derangements they possess, or any
CHARM, DOMINATE or BLIGHTED
injury effects they are affected by.
If, however, the caster is specifically
asked if their aura is altered, they must
respond with a yes. Requires Witch
Briar as a reagent.
Alter Memory [Mental] [Ritual]
Touched target has a specific memory permanently changed, and the
target character is not aware that this change has occurred. Note that use
of this spell requires Welfare Consideration. Requires Demon Tongue
as a reagent.
Demon’s Aegis [Mental] [Ritual]
Caster becomes Immune to any CHARM or DOMINATE commands
that demand the truth until the end of the Watch. Requires Wormwood
as a reagent.
Invisibility
Caster becomes Invisible until end of the Watch, or until the effect is
dismissed. Requires Pixie Wing as a reagent.
Control Creature [Mental]
Point attack inflicting DOMINATE on target. Requires Fire Fern as a
reagent.
Reprogramming [Mental] [Ritual]
Touched target has a permanent modification made to their behaviour,
and unless specified, the target character is unaware that this change
has occurred. Note that use of this spell requires Welfare Consideration.
Requires Hags Eye as a reagent.
Feared by those that do not understand it, the College of Necromancy is empowered by the Wind of Death. It allows those that delve into its study to not only cripple the living and control the dead, but also protect against the dark powers and even in rare cases steal back the dead and return them to life.
Fruit Fall [Cantrip]
Makes all ripe fruit in a small area near you fall off the tree, to be caught
or picked up.
Wither Crop [Cantrip]
Destroys weeds.
Drain Essence
Touch attack on target to DRAIN 1 HP or 3 Mana. Restore 1 HP at the
end of the Encounter for each unique target you drained in this manner,
to a maximum of your Will. Requires a common reagent.
Soul Marks
Caster may OOC ask a target if they are BLIGHTED in any way, or
under the influence of a Mental Effect and what that type of effect is, or
bound by an Oath of Fate. Requires a common reagent.
Speak with Dead
Ask three questions of a dead person, though they are under no
compulsion to tell the truth with this spell. Repeated castings from any
source cost +1 mana cumulatively. Requires a common reagent.
Stitched Mouth
Point attack inflicting MUTE on target. Requires a common reagent.
Animate Dead
Touch a corpse to bring it back as
a ghoul under your service for the
rest of the Watch, until dismissed, or
destroyed. Caster can only control
one ghoul in this manner at a time.
Makeup or some indication of their
undead state should be provided
to them by the caster as soon as
practically possible. Requires Lupine
Fur as a reagent.
Enfeeble
CRIPPLE target with a Point Attack. Caster can specify a limb or leave it
to the target to decide. Requires Arachne Fang as a reagent.
Entropic Guard
Caster is Immune to DRAIN (Health, Mana and/or Soul) until the end
of Watch. Requires Grave Dust as a reagent.
Rigor
Spell packet; PARALYSE target for 5 minutes. Requires Ghoul Bile as a
reagent.
Resurrect [Ritual]
Target is resurrected to life and full HP. Target needs to have a soul.
Requires Angels Hair and Goliath Tusk as a reagent.
Summon Wraith [Ritual]
Summon a fearsome ghost from the Underworld to do the casters
bidding until the end of the Watch. An extra may be employed from your
faction or the Quartermaster to play the ghost. Requires Executioners
Hood as a reagent.
Empowered by the Wind of Life, the College of
Restoration grants mages the ability to heal themselves
and other, curing disease and grievous injuries. For
those not afflicted it can be used to imbue them with
increased strength, will or resilience.
Cleanse Hands [Cantrip]
Sterilises the hands of the caster.
Preserve Food [Cantrip]
Renders a loaf of bread or similar sized piece of organic matter more
resilient to the effects of decay for several weeks.
Cleansing the Body
Cure the touched target of POISON, and they become Immune to
POISON/DISEASE until end of Encounter. Can be used as a component
of curing certain Diseases that a target is affected by. Target suffers
Aether Sickness. Requires a common reagent.
Healing Touch
Heal the touched target by 2 HP (takes effect at the end of the Encounter).
Target suffers Aether Sickness. Requires a common reagent.
Remove Fear
Touched target is no longer affected by FEAR until end of Encounter.
Requires a common reagent.
Revive
Touched target has the effects of SLEEP and/or STUN removed from
them. Requires a common reagent.
Exorcism [Ritual]
Touched target (creature) has a possessing influence or entity removed
from them. Requires Mandrake Root as a reagent.
Lions Roar
Touched target is Immune to FEAR and CHARM until the end of the
Watch. Requires Briar Heart as a reagent.
Mage Armour
Spend up to your Will in Mana for equivalent AP that lasts until the end
of the Watch (does not stack with normal AP). Note that Mage Armour
does not protect against BLEED or POISON effects like mundane
armour does. Requires Black Quartz as a reagent.
Recovery
Restore the touched target to Full HP (takes effect at the end of the
Encounter). Target suffers Aether Sickness. Requires Moon Lily as a
reagent.
Regenerate Limb [Ritual]
Regenerate a lost limb of touched target and/or remove all CRIPPLE
injuries on target. Target suffers Aether Sickness. Requires Blood Moss
as a reagent.
Valiant Fury
Caster deals +1 damage with melee
strikes and becomes Immune to any
non-damaging calls the caster chooses
that directly target the caster. This is a
might bonus and does not stack with
any other might bonuses. Requires
Satyr Horn as a reagent.
Granting a mage the greatest power to manipulate the physical fabric of the world, the College of Transmutation is empowered by the Wind of Matter. Though commonly used for making and destroying items, more subtle uses include the manipulation of locks or the redirection of other magical effects.
Oxen Shoulders [Cantrip]
Target can bear a heavier burden until the end of the Watch.
Polychromatic Shift [Cantrip]
Subtly changes the colour of an object from one tone to another.
Harden Protection [Ritual]
Grant an additional 1 AP until the end of the Watch. Needs to be cast
on armour and stacks with the existing armour. Requires a common
reagent.
Jury-Rig [Ritual]
Touched object is temporarily repaired until the end of the Encounter.
Requires a common reagent.
Lock/Unlock [Ritual]
Caster can with a touch lock a door, container or other appropriate
opening with a magical lock, indicated by a purple cord that they should
tie to one doorhandle if a door or through the latch if a container or
similar item. The caster may also remove such a purple cord unless
indicated otherwise. Requires a common reagent.
Sunder Object
Touch attack against an object that breaks
it. The object becomes unusable until
repaired. Such objects should be marked
by the caster with a red cloth-tie. This
effect will not break doors, and cannot be
used on creatures. Requires a common
reagent.
Mighty Striking
Grant +1 Damage on all melee strikes for Encounter. This is a might
bonus and does not stack with any other might bonuses. Requires Drake
Talon as a reagent.
Repair [Ritual]
Touched object is repaired. Particularly intricate or arcane objects may
be resistant to this effect. Requires Lotus as a reagent.
Stoneskin
Ignore the next 5 damaging melee hits, ranged hits or damage spells that
strike you. Requires Myrmidon Claw as a reagent.
Sunder Shield
Point attack, SHIELD BREAK target’s shield. Requires Myrmidon Claw
as a reagent. Requires Grave Dust as a reagent.
Inferno’s Touch
Point attack inflicting DISINTEGRATE on target. Requires Ifrit Heart
as a reagent.
Invulnerability
Caster cannot take damage from any source until the end of the
Encounter. POISON and calls that inflict Injuries therefore do not affect
the caster either. Requires Star Diamond as a reagent.