The World of Men, also known as the Middle Earth, is seen
as solid and real, something which can be touched, felt and
understood by everyone. Where man has built places to live,
where cut wood and shaped stone mark the mark of civilisation,
so the strength of the real world is greatest.
Man though does not have full control over all things, and
the further one goes from the shaped and bounded places
which men call home, the thinner the walls are between this
world and the Dream Lands. At night, the spirits of
these other lands find a way into civilised areas though
the dreams of men. In the unseen darkness and shadows of
night, the rule of men is undone.
Not all men though fear these other realms, there are some
are actively seek them out, and try to command the powers
that lay within them to do their bidding. Such people are
commonly called Wizards, and with runes and words of power
they can awaken the dream lands, and reshape the world of
men to their bidding. With understanding though comes a
price, for your mind cannot understand both the world of
dreams and the world of men at the same time.
The Wizards of Habisfern are descendants of runesmiths
and shamans from older times. Their magic is simple and
straightforward, and for the most part it deals with
the problems faced by everyone day to day. Anybody
can learn and use magic, though the path can be
difficulty and corruption and insanity are the prices
to be paid for careless use of these powers.
For this reason, Wizards are somewhat feared, and
definitely distrusted. Too many have gone over the edge,
giving in to the nightmares which fill their sleep, their
mind linked too closely to the Otherworld, leaving them
unable to function sanely in the middle lands.
The world of men is known as the Middle Earth, since
all other realms lay above and below it. It is a realm
of physical things, though in places it can be warped
where another realm touches upon it.
Below the Middle Earth is the Under Earth, also
known as the Realm of the Dead. It is said to be either
a huge cavern below all other places, or a maze of
twisty tunnels which are designed to confuse and trap
those who venture there. It is a quiet and empty place,
for most who come here do not last long, their spirits
soon being reborn back in the Middle Earth or with the
gods.
To the other side of the Under Earth is the Other
World. This is the realm of living spirits, of
elementals and fey. It is from here that the power
of magic is normally drawn. It is a place of dreams,
easily molded to the wishes of those in it.
Some place the Gods in the Other World, others place
them in a fourth realm which is beyond the Other World
in an even more distant place.
Those who wield magical power are known by many
names. Collectively, they tend to be known as
Wizards.
Magicians know at least one of the Words of
Power, but have not studied cantrips.
Wizards have taken the time to learn cantrips.
An Arch Wizard has mastered one of the Words.
Knowledge of magic is divided into seven
Mysteries, each of which grants the wizard power
over one part of the world. A wizard may learn any
number of Mysteries, though many only bother learning
one or two. Six of the Mysteries are considered to be
related to each other, being thought of as forming a
circle. Mysteries on opposite sides of the circle
oppose each other, and mastery of one will limit
ability in the other.
The six main Mysteries are Spirit, Water,
Earth, Iron, Fire and Air.
There is a seventh, called Dragon, which stands
separate to the others. It cannot be learnt until the
others have been understood to a sufficient degree,
and it gives power over the fundamental reality of the
world. The nature of Dragon is not described in
this article, for its powers are unknown to most wizards.
Once a Mystery has been learnt, then it can be used in
one of three ways - to Sense, to Control
or to Summon. These are the core powers of the
Mystery, and can be used without further study.
A wizard may also study and learn Cantrips.
These are short words of power which can be used to
focus the magic in a particular way. Cantrips are
more specialised than the core powers, but can be
more powerful. Learning Cantrips, especially the
higher level ones, can be very difficult however.
The number of Cantrips is limited, and there is
no known way for a mortal to create a new Cantrip.
Knowledge of magic comes with a price - the more a
mortal knows, the closer they get to becoming part of
the Otherworld. This change affects their mind, making
them act in ways not entirely consistent with rational
behaviour. They go insane.
Insanity has its benefits though. The more insane a
wizard is, the greater the power they can call upon.
However, insanity of this kind attracts spirits from
the Otherworld which would try to take advantage of the
wizard's weakened state. The wizard is most vulnerable
whilst he sleeps, making it unhealthy for a wizard to
use magic just before bedtime.
Magic divides the world into six areas, each governed by
one of the Mysteries. Each Mystery has its place
in the structure of magic, with neighbouring Mysteries
strengthening each other, and distant Mysteries at odds
with each other. They can be thought of as being in a ring,
starting with Spirit, and moving through
Water, Earth, Iron, Fire
to Air. The Word of Spirit is related to
Air and Water, and opposed to Iron.
Each Mystery can be used in one of three ways - to
Sense, to Control or to Summon.
A wizard who has learnt (not Mastered) a Mystery to a
level of 10 may teach it to another. There is no
restriction on who can learn a Mystery, but Wizards
will generally only teach those they find agreeable
and to be quick witted. Training takes a month, and
at the end of that time the student must make an
intelligence test at a target of 20. Success means
that they have learnt the Mystery at a level of 1.
Imparting the knowledge of magic costs both the
teacher and student one point of permanent Luck,
regardless of whether the attempt is successful.
When a wizard achieves a score of 10 in a Mystery for the
first time, then they are considered to have
automatically Mastered that Mystery. A Wizard will
only ever Master a single Mystery, and does not get the
option to not Master when they first obtain a score of 10.
After the first has been Mastered, the wizard may raise
other Words to 10 and beyond without any special effect.
A Master is considered to have a deep knowledge and
understanding of the realm of magic that the Mystery
represents. The magic also takes mastery of them to
some extent as well, which is why they do not get a
choice about Mastery.
On achieving Mastery, the Arch Wizard may choose one
of the special advantages that become open to them.
This is a free bonus, which does not need to be paid
for. The advantage provides an ability that is free
for the Arch Wizard to use at will.
Further advantages may be chosen at a skill level of
12, 15 and every 5 points thereafter, but only in the
Mystery that has been Mastered.
There is a downside to Mastery, in that the directly
opposed Mystery is negatively affected, gaining a -1 to
Will when using magic associated with that Mystery. When
the second Mastery level is taken, then a further -1
is suffered. The two indirectly opposed Mysteries suffer
a penalty equal to half (round down) the main penalty.
If the Wizard's gender matches the affinity of the
Mystery (e.g. a female wizard mastering Earth),
then the first level of penalty is ignored, and the
first -1 is gained when they reach a skill of 12.
Further, the wizard may select two advantages
when they first master the Mystery.
How Mastery Works
For example, a wizard raises his Earth to 10. At this
point he gets to choose a single Mastery Ability.
Because it is Air that is opposed to Earth, the wizard
now has a -1 to their Will when using Air magic.
If they raise their Earth to 12, then they choose a
second Mastery ability, and now have a -2 to Air. They
will also suffer -1 to Spirit and Fire.
If the wizard had been female, then on achieving a
level of 10 in Earth, they would get their mastery
ability, but would not suffer a penalty to Air. When
their Earth reaches 12, they suffer a -1 to Air.
When using one of the powers of a Mystery, a skill
check is made using will x Mystery against
either a straight difficulty of 10 or the will x 4 of
a resisting target.
Unless otherwise specified, it takes a full round to
use a Power, and the effect will either be momentary
or last as long as the wizard concentrates. Using a
power is a slow action, but does not require
any gestures or incantations unless specified.
If a wizard is hit in combat whilst activating
magic, then they add +10 to the casting difficulty
for every level of stun or wound taken.
A wizard who is concentrating on magic is at -1 to
agility, dexterity and perception for each effect
they are concentrating on.
Some powers can be enhanced by the use of rituals,
such as an incantation on the drawing of a circle.
Possible rituals are listed along with the powers,
and each one used gives a +1 bonus to will.
If a ritual is listed as being necessary
then a -1 penalty is suffered if it is not used.
Using such a ritual still grants a +1 bonus
however.
Though most wizards keep to using the basic powers of
the Mysteries, a few strive to gain a deeper knowledge
of magic, by learning cantrips. A cantrip is a
simple invocation which is associated with a Mystery,
and which provides a simple magical effect. Simple does
not mean weak however, and some cantrips are capable
of destroying a town or slaying someone with a word.
Each cantrip must be learnt seperately, and is treated
as a technique, in that they have a prerequisite
of a skill level and other cantrips. However, they
cannot be simply purchased with experience, but must
be learnt through meditation and self-sacrifice.
Learning a cantrip takes a week, and an
intelligence x Mystery check is
required at a difficulty of 10 * level of the
cantrip.
Most cantrips can be invoked in a single round, and
require little in the way of gestures or
incantations. Cantrips are described under the
section for the individual Mysteries, and they all
follow the same format. An example cantrip is given
below.
Example Cantrip,
Level 1
| Time: Round | Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Area: Large | Target: Few |
| Prerequisite: Another cantrip |
A description for an example cantrip. This is a
simple cantrip for simple people.
The first part of the description lists basic
properties of the cantrip. Their meanings are given
below.
The time required to invoke the cantrip. Most
cantrips will have a casting time of 1 round.
The range of the cantrip. If the cantrip affects
multiple targets, then the range to the furthest
target counts. The range will generally be the
distance out to which there is no penalty. There
is a -5 penalty for each multiple of the range
(or part) beyond this.
A cantrip with a range of short, has no
penalty up to 10m, -5 up to 20m, -10 up to 30m
etc. Unless otherwise stated, you must have
line of sight to the target.
- Self
-
The cantrip either can only affect you, or
the effects are centred on you.
- Touch
-
You must be touching the target.
- Reach
-
There is no penalty if you are touching the
target, but you can affect targets at range
at a penalty of -5 per metre.
- Short
-
There is no penalty out to 10m, and a -5
penalty every 10m beyond that.
- Medium
-
There is no penalty out to 50m, and a -5
penalty every 50m beyond that.
- Long
-
There is no penalty out to 1km, and a -5
penalty every 1km beyond that.
- Communication
-
You must be able to communicate with the
target.
- Relationship
-
There is no line of sight requirement, and
the distance depends on how well you know
the target. If the target is well known,
then the distance is Long, moderalte known
then half this, and poorly known quarter of
Long.
How long the cantrip lasts after it has been
invoked.
- Momentary
-
The magic lasts only an instant.
- Concentration
-
The magic lasts for as long as you
concentrate.
- Natural
-
The magic creates an effect, which lasts
as long as it would naturally. Shaping
earth into a wall for example, the shape
will hold for as long as gravity allows.
The target of the cantrip defines how many
targets can be affected in a single invocation.
As for range, it defines how many are affected
for free, plus there is a penalty if more than
that are targetted.
- Self
-
This cantrip can only affect the caster.
- One
-
The target can be a single individual,
either you or someone within range.
- Individual
-
Can affect one individual at no penalty,
or more at -5 for each extra target.
- Few
-
Can affect up to 3 targets at no penalty,
and -5 for every 3 beyond that.
- Dozen
-
Can affect up to 12 targets at no penalty
and -5 for every 12 beyond that.
- Crowd
-
Can affect up to 50 targets at no penalty
and -5 for each 50 beyond that.
- Range
-
All targets within range of the cantrip.
If a radius is given instead of a target, then
the cantrip affects everything within this
radius, focused on a point within the maximum
range.
- Tiny
-
Up to 1m for free, -5 each 1m beyond that.
- Small
-
Up to 3m for free, -5 every 3m beyond that.
- Medium
-
Up to 10 for free, -5 every 10m beyond that.
- Large
-
Up to 25m for free, -5 every 25m beyond that.
- Village
-
Up to 100m radius for free, -5 every 100m
beyond that.
- Town
-
Up to 500m radius for free, -5 every 500m
beyond that.
The Mystery of Spirit gives the wizard control over
the realm of spirits, souls and minds. It is the realm
of seekers after knowledge, and the haunts of ghosts.
Spirit is linked to the female side of life, and
women who master its secrets suffer fewer penalties than
do men. Spirit is directly opposed to Iron,
and indirectly opposed to Fire and Earth.
Sense spirit enables the wizard to see and
examine the spirits of those around her. All living
things have a spirit, and all spirits have an aura.
The aura is a reflection of the spirit's true
nature, and is difficult to mask.
By spending a round concentrating on an animal or
person, the wizard can see the aura of the target.
Targets with a Will get a resistance, other
targets have a target difficulty of 10.
| Success | Detail seen |
|---|
| Moderate | Type.
The wizard can tell the type of spirit being
examined. She knows whether the aura is
human, fey, beast or dead. She can also tell
the gender and general age of the target. A
single strong emotion can be detected as well,
if one is active.
|
| Good | State.
The general state of mind of the target, as
well as some of the strongest emotions that
drive the target, even if they aren't currently
active.
|
| Excellent | Emotions.
Visions of what the target's strongest emotions
represent. A person thinking about their true
love would present an image of their love. If
the target is not focused on any one thing,
then glimpses of what they can see may be
seen.
|
| Superb | History.
Visions of important events in the life of the
target. Images of their parents or family,
their loves and hates.
|
A useful ritual is to rub water over your eyes
before invoking. Another ritual is to say an
incantation that calls upon Thot.
Control spirit enables the wizard to put up
a ward against spirits. Whilst she concentrates,
spirits cannot approach the wizard unless they
make their resistance check. Spirits are kept back
by 1m for each point they failed their check by.
Spirits which equal to the wizard's magic total
can almost touch the wizard, but cannot harm her.
A warded spirit can make a new check every hour.
A useful ritual is to enscribe a warding circle
which acts as a focus for the magic. As well as
giving the standard ritual benefits, it prevents
all spirits from passing across its perimeter
if they fail their resistance. It can have a radius
up to a number of metres equal to the skill of
the wizard. Using a circle gives an all or nothing
result - either a spirit can pass the perimeter,
or it can't. It is useful for protecting a group
of people, or to contain a spirit.
Summon spirit forces spirits in the nearby
area to make themselves visible. Each spirit gets
a resistance check against the magic of the wizard,
at a bonus of +1 per metre of distance.
Summoned spirits do not have to cooperate, though
if the summon check was double the spirit's
resistance, then the wizard can compel them.
Spirits remain whilst the wizard concentrates.
The wizard can summon the spirits of those who
have been recently killed. Such a spirit
remains with the body, gradually fading with
time. How long it remains depends on the
personality of the spirit and how well the
body is preserved.
If the body has been completely burnt, then the
spirit is gone and cannot be summoned. Neither
can it return to haunt the living (this is why
most cultures cremate their dead).
A spirit otherwise remains in the body for a
number of days equal to the will of the person.
Each day, the will drops by one (and the spirit
looses an equal proportion of their memories),
but the summoning difficulty rises by +10.
A well preserved body (very dry or very cold
environment) lasts weeks rather than days.
Aura sight:
You can see the auras of people and animals
at will. Each time this is taken, you get
one automatic success level of information.
No roll is required.
Charisma:
You can add your Spirit score
to empathy checks when trying to persuade
others. May only be taken once.
Divination:
You gain the ability to predict the future
as if you had the Divination
advantage.
Iron will:
You gain a +1 bonus to your Will to resist
the effects of magic. You may take this
multiple times.
Second sight:
This duplicates the advantage of the same
name. You can see ghosts and spirits
even when they are hidden to normal sight.
If you already have the Second Sight
advantage, then taking it as a Mastery
ability gives no effect,
Truth sight:
Your mastery of the spirits of people grants
you better ability at seeking lies. Your
empathy difficulty to detect a lie
or misdirection is halved. You may only
take this once.
Cantrips of Spirit enable the wizard to probe deeper
into a person's mind, shape their thoughts and have control
over their dreams. To a limited extent they also allow
illusions, though unlike the illusions of Air, they
work by making people think they see something, rather
than creating an image which is actually seen.
Spirit magic is considered to be either passive or active.
Passive magic is difficult for a target to detect. Unless
they have some supernatural ability such as Second Sight or
can use magic themselves, then they will never notice if
they are the target of passive scrying. Others may get a
perception check at difficulty 30 less the level of the
cantrip.
Impress (1) -
Instill an emotion in a person.
Thought (3) -
Implant a single thought in a person.
Memory (5) -
Implant a memory in a person.
Obscure (7) -
Hide or obscure the wizard's appearance.
Terror (9) -
Create a terrifying illusion.
Dream (5) -
Send a message as a dream.
Confuse (1) -
Briefly confuse the target.
Pain (3) -
Inflict pain on a person.
Sleep (5) -
Put the targets under a magical sleep.
Hear (1) -
Listen for the minds of others.
Find (3) -
Find a known person.
Confuse,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Momentary | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
With this cantrip, the mind of the target is temporarily
confused. If they fail the resistence, then they loose
any remaining attacks that round if in combat, or are
prevented from carrying out some other action if not.
Hear,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Natural |
| Target: Range |
With this cantrip you may listen for the minds of others.
You may not hear their thoughts, but you know that they
are there, and whether they are active, resting or asleep.
You do not need to be able to see your targets - anyone
within range will be detected.
Impress,
Level 1
| Time: Speech | Range: Communication |
| Duration: Natural | Resist: None |
| Target: Few |
By weaving your magic into your words, you can improve
their ability to impress a simple emotion into the minds
of the targets. The base difficulty of the cantrip is 10,
modified by the number of targets. Each level of success
provides a +1 bonus to an Empathy check to
influence the targets.
The actual persuasion need not take a long time. You
make a suggestion ("what a nice ring, wouldn't it be
nice to own it", "she's a beautiful woman, kissing her
would be good"), and then make opposed empathy
and will check as per any other persuasion
attempt.
Find,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Relationship |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Hear |
With this cantrip the wizard may know the location of a
single person that they have met before. The target of
the cantrip gets to resist, unless they are actively
thinking about the wizard. On a moderate success, the
wizard will know the direction (within 30 degrees) and
distance (within +/- 50%) to the target. Each extra
level of success halves both of these errors.
The above assumes that the target is well known to the
wizard. Someone who isn't that well known (possibly
met often, but she doesn't really know that much about
them) adds +10 to the difficulty, and someone who has
simply been seen adds +20.
Pain,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Momentary | Resist: Health |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Confuse |
When this cantrip is invoked, unless the target succeeds
at the resistence check, then they are wracked by a short,
sharp spasm of intense pain. They gain a stun, and
are at a -10 penalty to all actions for the rest of the
round. You may target a particular body location, which
requires an extra level of success. If a hand is targeted,
then they will drop whatever they are holding.
Thought,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Natural | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Impress |
You can telepathically send a thought to a target, causing
them to briefly act upon it. The thought must be simple
enough to be expressed in a single word, though that word
does not need to be spoken. For example, 'sit', 'stand'
or 'drink' would make the target think about, and probably
do, those things. A thought such as 'window' could cause
them to look at the window.
The target will get a bonus to resist if the action is
stupid or dangerous. They will continue the action until
they have a reason not to.
Dream,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Relationship |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Thought |
Send a dream to someone known. You may make the dream as
detailed as you wish, however more detailed
dreams are harder to send, and have a greater risk of
corruption. Specifying a simple dream is more likely
to get through unbroken.
| Success | Type of dream sent |
|---|
| Moderate | Vision.
Send a vision of a place, person or thing. The
target will have a dream which features the subject
prominently, though the nature of the dream itself
will be invented by the target's subconscious.
|
| Good | Scene.
Send a vision of a particular scene, such as
travelling to a mountain, fighting with a person
or finding treasure in a tomb.
|
| Excellent | Message.
Send a message, which will be spoken by someone
in the target's dream.
|
A waking dream may be sent to a person who is
not asleep. This requires two extra success levels.
Memory,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Natural | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Thought |
With this cantrip, you can create a fake memory in the mind
of the target. They will remember that memory as if it were
their own. Memories of important events are harder to
implant than a small memory of something vaguely remembered.
The memory is of a single event, and doesn't change the
rest of the target's mind to match. You could implant a
memory of the target once being abused by their father as
a child, but it wouldn't affect their other memories of
their father, or what their feelings towards their father.
However, it probably would confuse them as to why they've
only just remembered this.
| Success | Type of Memory |
|---|
| Moderate |
An old vague memory, such as having met a person,
or been to a place.
|
| Good |
Either a detailed memory of an event, or a memory of an
important event, but not both.
|
| Excellent |
Memory of an event that is both detailed and quite
important.
|
| Superb |
Memory of an event that is both detailed and quite
important, that is also either unusual or exceptional,
or quite long.
|
Sleep,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Natural | Resist: Health |
| Target: Few |
| Prerequisite: Pain |
If the targets fail to resist then they will become
extremely tired, gaining one fatigue for each level
of success. If already resting, then they will fall
into a non-magical sleep. If any target is totally
exhausted (-40 penalty), then they will fall asleep
even if in the middle of combat.
Obscure,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Target: Few |
| Prerequisite: Memory |
With Obscure you can affect the minds of those
around you in order to alter their perception of you.
Ultimately it is possible to make them believe that you
are not there, though it is easier to make them think
you to be someone else of no importance, such as a
servent, beggar or guard.
A successful result will cause people to ignore you,
or at least not question you. A guard may stand aside
for you, and may even unlock a door, as long as you
behave in an expected way. You may extend the protection
of this cantrip to cover companions, in which case they
must be included as an extra target.
| |
|---|
| Hiding.
You can try to simply hide, in which case each level
of success gives you a +1 to your attribute when
attempting a stealth check.
| Moderate+ |
| Nothing special.
The target will ignore you unless they have a reason
not to. A guard randomly checking people will not
choose you, but a guard checking everyone will.
| Moderate |
| Suspicious.
If the target has a reason to notice the wizard, then
a good success is required. Walking past guards into
the noble's quarter when she doesn't look like a noble,
or carrying a weapon where weapons aren't allowed.
| Good |
| Unusual.
If the target has a specific reason to notice the
wizard, then an excellent success is required. Such
reasons might include a merchant stopping her from
shoplifting, or a guard only allowing known people
through the gates. Trying to pass as normal when
the wizard is anything but would also count as
unusual.
| Excellent |
| Extravagant.
Trying to get into an invitation only noble's party
dressed in bloody furs and carrying a big weapon.
| Superb |
Terror,
Level 9
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Target: Dozen |
| Prerequisite: Obscure |
An illusion of terror is created in the minds of the
targets. The illusion cannot be seen by anyone else
save for those affected by the cantrip. The illusion is
of something dark, nameless and terrible which the
targets will find awful. They can see, hear and smell
the illusion, though if one of them manages to approach it,
then it will be banished for all of them.
If you get a moderate success, then the targets of the
magic will be afraid and unable to approach. On a
good success they will be fearful enough to
retreat, and on an excellent success they
will cower in terror and be unable to act.
Water gives power over the wet, dark and cold.
It represents the deep ocean which engulfs and swallows
those within it, the darkness which hides and frightens
and the coldness which stills limbs and depresses the
soul. As water quenches fire, so this power quenches
passions and energy.
Water is associated with the masculine side of magic
and so male wizards suffer fewer penalties when it is
mastered.
You may Sense the properties of a liquid by
taking a small taste of it. You may try to discern
its properties by scent, though this adds +20 to
the difficulty. Except for the most potent of
poisons, the taste is rarely enough to be harmful.
A skill check is required using
perception x Water. You can sample
a cup sized volume of liquid.
| Success | Detail seen |
|---|
| Moderate | Type.
A general feel as to the whether the liquid is
harmful or beneficial. A degree (slightly or
very) is also known.
|
| Good |
Knowledge of the main property of the liquid.
|
| Excellent |
Knowledge of most of the properties of the
liquid.
|
| Superb |
Detailed knowledge of all the properties of a
liquid.
|
Control over Water enables you to manipulate
the behaviour of water, including its movement and
ability to make things wet.
| |
|---|
|
Keep dry in light rain.
| Moderate |
|
Keep dry in heavy rain. Remove liquid from
wet clothes.
| Good |
|
Walk on still water.
| Excellent |
Summon water only works out in the open.
The default effect is to cause it to start raining
over the course of an hour, covering a 250m radius
area.
Each level of success increases the intensity of
the rain. Add +5 to the target difficulty for each
doubling of the radius affected. Add +10 to cause
the rain to reach full strength in a minute instead
of an hour, or +20 to reduce that time to a round.
The magic lasts as long as the wizard concentrates.
A Master of Water may choose from the following
abilities.
Breath water:
The wizard gains the ability to breath
water as if it were air. This does not
affect their ability to breath air in any
way. Water enters their lungs as air does,
and the oxygen extracted from it.
Cold resist:
The wizard may act as if the temperature
were up to three levels higher than it
actually is. He also gains a +10 bonus to
soak to resist cold related damage. If
taken more than once, this advantage stacks
with itself.
Poison resist:
You gain a high resistence to poisons of
all types, getting a +3 bonus to all
Health checks to resist their
effects. You may take this ability
multiple times.
Water movement:
The wizard can move freely through water.
Running or walking through water is hardly
hindered at all, and swimming is at full
movement rate, in any direction.
If this is taken a second time, then the
wizard may walk on the surface of water.
Wet (1) -
Covers an area in water.
Mist (3) -
Create a mist around you.
Flood (5) -
Greatly increases the volumne of water.
Drown (7) -
Causes water to drag objects down.
Fog (7) -
Blanket a large area in thick fog.
Extinguish (1) -
Extinguishes fires.
Gloom (3) -
Darkens the immediate area.
Blind (5) -
Blinds the target.
Night (7) -
Engulfs a large area in darkness.
Chill (1) -
Make a person cold.
Fatigue (3) -
Drains energy from the target.
Slow (5) -
Slows the target.
Frost (3) -
Cover an area with frost and ice.
Chill,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Target: Individual |
This cantrip causes a single target to become colder.
At the very least, it will tend to make them uncomfortable,
at worst it can cause hypathermia if they are not properly
dressed for the cold.
The effective temperature for the target drops by one level
per success.
Extinguish,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Momentary | Resist: Will |
| Target: Few |
All targetted fires will be extinguished by this cantrip.
The maximum size of fire you can affect depends on the
level of success achieved. Torches and candles held by a
person do not get to resist, though a creature of fire,
such as an elemental, does.
| |
|---|
| Moderate | Torches.
|
| Good | Camp fires.
|
| Excellent | Medium fires.
|
| Superb | Large fires.
|
| Fantastic | House fires.
|
Wet,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Natural |
| Radius: Small |
Causes the area specified to be covered by a thin film of
water. The water is obtained from the air, so the amount
amount gained depends on the humidity. Reduce success by
one level to three levels for dry air, increase for moist
air. The air will be dryer after the cantrip has made the
change.
The water created is always cold (just above zero, or
the ambient temperature if that is colder). For an extra
success level the water can be created super cooled (about
-10 degrees), and will rapidly freeze.
| Success | Level of wetness |
|---|
| Moderate | Moist.
Surface is moist. There will be no free standing water.
Candles go out, other fires unaffected.
|
| Good | Wet.
Droplets of water cover surfaces, clothing is very wet.
Small fires dimmed and may go out.
|
| Excellent | Saturated.
A millimetre of water covers all impermeable surfaces,
clothing and similar materials will be completely
soaked. Small fires go out, larger fires will be dimmed
and will create a lot of steam.
|
| Superb | Flooded.
Several millimetres of water covers everything. Double
thickness of water each level beyond this. This amount
of water will rapidly spread out from the initial
area unless it is contained.
|
Targets do not gain any resistence, and only surfaces which
are open to the air which you can see are affected
(e.g., the inside of a box will remain dry).
Fatigue,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Momentary | Resist: Health |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Chill |
When you invoke this cantrip on the target, unless they
resist it then their energy is drained from them, and
they gain one level of exhaustion per level of
success.
Frost,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Natural |
| Radius: Large |
| Prerequisite: Chill |
When invoked, this cantrip covers the area around you
with frost and ice, dropping the temperature briefly.
The frost is likely to ruin crops and make people
uncomfortable. The area will warm naturally.
A moderate success will cause a light covering of
frost, which will harm crops not used to it, but do little
else. A good success will ruin most crops and
an excellent success will create a thick layer of
cold frost, freeze open water and make animals and people
very uncomfortable.
Gloom,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Radius: Medium |
| Prerequisite: Extinguish |
Each level of success causes one level of darkness.
Mist,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Radius: Medium |
| Prerequisite: Wet |
Creates a mist over an area which obscures vision and
causes everything to become damp. Once concentration has
ceased, the mist will dissipate normally. Sound is also
muffled in the mist, often more effectively than vision.
| Effect | Thickness |
|---|
| Moderate | Light.
A light mist, vision is reduced to 250m (which may mean
no effect if the mist isn't this extensive). Surfaces
become moist (see the Wet cantrip) after a minute.
|
| Good | Moderate.
Vision is reduced to 100m.
|
| Excellent | Heavy.
Vision is reduced to 25m.
|
| Superb | Thick.
Vision is reduced to 10m.
|
| Fantastic | Very thick.
An unnatural mist that reduces vision to 1m.
|
Blind,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Gloom |
Causes the eyes of the target to blacken, and become blind.
A moderate success will cause an effective two levels
of darkness, whilst a good success or better will
completely blind them. The effect lasts until you stop
concentrating.
A Fantastic success will may, at your option,
permanently blind the target.
Flood,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Radius: Medium |
| Prerequisite: Mist |
This cantrip affects all free flowing liquid (e.g., not
water in a living body) to greatly increase in volume.
Each level of success doubles the water volume. This
will often cause the water to flood. Once the water
has left the area of effect, or as soon as you stop
concentrating, the water will begin to return to its
normal volume, reducing in volume by a multiple of
the original amount each minute. Water which has been
quadrupled in volume (i.e., two success levels) will
take 3 minutes to return to normal (x3 after 1 minute,
x2 after 2 minutes and normal size after 3 minutes).
If you invoke this magic upon a river or other region
where water is flowing in, then any water coming into
the area will flood. This may be used to cause
serious flood damage down stream.
Slow,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Health |
| Target: Few |
| Prerequisite: Fatigue |
The target of this cantrip is affected by a sluggishness
that slows their movements. Each level of success causes
them to suffer a -1 penalty to both agility and
dexterity. If either is reduced to zero, then
they are unable to move, and collapse to the floor.
Once you end concentration, they can immediately try to
recover a point from both attributes by making a
health check at a target of 20. A further check can
be made each minute after that.
Drown,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Medium |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Area: Medium |
| Prerequisite: Flood |
A body of water can be made to suck down an object or
creature within it. The water in the area affected will
try to envelope any object on its surface, and drag them
down to their deaths. Creatures cannot resist the magic
itself, but can try to resist the drowning by making a
strength x Swim check.
The base difficulty of the swim check is 30. This is
increased by 5 for each level of success.
Fog,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Area: Village |
| Prerequisite: Flood |
A thick fog spreads out from you when this cantrip is
invoked. Within about a minute, it will cover the full area
of effect. Once concentration ceases, then it will begin
to disperse naturally. If you move whilst concentrating
on it, then it will move with you.
Night,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Radius: Village |
| Prerequisite: Blind |
By invoking this cantrip you summon down an unnatural night
on the entire area. Each level of success causes two levels
of darkness, and the temperature drops by one level.
The Night will move with you as you move.
Earth gives control over growing things.
Sense earth enables the wizard to commune
with animals and plants. How easy this is to do
depends on how close the animal is to humans. Dogs
are quite easy, a wild bear is hard.
Animals which are used to dealing with humans and
which get on well with them (trained dogs and
horses) have a target difficulty of 10. Wild
versions of such, or animals used to humans such
as cats, cows, trained birds are 20.
Other mammals and birds are 30, as are trees.
Lizards are 40, insects and bushes are 50 and
grasses are 70.
| Success | Level of communication |
|---|
| Moderate |
Basic empathy, getting an idea of whether the
target feels good or bad.
|
| Good |
Simple ideas can be read, and simple questions
related to those ideas can be asked. Where is
food? Which way did the big thing go?
|
| Excellent |
Enables child like conversations with the
target. The target does not have access to
information it would not have. A tree cannot
see for example, but it can feel vibrations
in the ground.
|
| Superb |
Adult like conversations. Topics are still
limited to what the target would know about.
|
| Fantastic |
Tap into the memories of the target directly,
even seeing visions if applicable.
|
Control earth gives the wizard power over
the fertility and growth of living things. She can
increase crop yields, increase a woman's chances
of conceiving and speed recovery.
Increasing plant growth takes a day, and the base
difficulty increases growth of all plants by about
10% over a 10m radius. Each +5 doubles the radius,
and each +10 increases the yield by another 10%.
This magic can only be used once per growth cycle,
and does tend to deplete the soil of nutrients.
Summon an earth elemental.
A wizard who has mastered Earth has power over the
ground, fertility and sexuality. She also has power
over nature and animals, for they are an expression
of life itself.
An Earth Master may choose one of the following
advantages when she achieves a score of 10 in Earth.
She may choose a second at 12, a third at 15 and
one more every 5 points thereafter.
Earth is directly opposed to Air, so she
receives a penalty to her Will for Air based magic.
It also affects Spirit and Fire to
a lesser extent.
Earth sense:
A Master of Earth's senses are extended
whilst she is in contact with the ground.
She has a sense of anything else that
contacts the ground within a number of
metres of her equal to her score. She
can sense them as if she can see them,
so is unaffected by darkness, and it is
impossible to hide from her.
This advantage may be taken multiple
times, each extra time doubles the
range of the ability.
Fertility:
The Earth Master has full control over
her own fertility, and may choose to
conceive or not when coupling with
another. If male, the Earth Master may
cause a partner to automatically
conceive, regardless of herbal
contraception.
If taken a second time, then the Earth
Master has complete control over her own
sexuality. Over the course of a day,
they may change their sex. They keep the
same general appearance, though appear
a male or female version of what they
once were (probably being mistaken for a
brother or sister).
Aid (1) -
Diagnose what is wrong with a person.
Cure (3) -
Help cure a person or poison or disease.
Heal (5) -
Heal stuns and wounds.
Fertility (7) -
Causes all in area to be overcome with lust.
Beauty (7) -
Make a person look beautiful.
Animate (7) -
Animate a corpse.
Wood (7) -
Toughens your skin.
Stone (9) -
Change yourself to stone.
Decay (5) -
Causes dead matter to decay.
Age (7) -
Causes a living being to age.
Ugly (7) -
Make a person look ugly.
Aid,
Level 1
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Momentary |
| Target: One |
With this cantrip you can determine the physical ailments
of a person or animal. This knowledges provides you with a
bonus to any first aid check you may make when
trying to heal them. The bonus is +3 per level of success.
Cure,
Level 3
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Special |
| Target: One |
| Prerequisite: Aid |
By invoking this cantrip upon a person, you can help them
resist the effects of poison or disease. Each level of
success provides a +5 bonus to their next check.
Decay,
Level 5
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Momentary |
| Target: Few |
| Prerequisite: Cure |
The target of this cantrip will decay rapidly, turning to
dust within a few rounds. Each target can be a single
once-living being, such as a dead tree, dead person or
dead whale. A moderate success will turn the corpses
to a skeleton, a good success will decay most of
the skeleton and better success will leave nothing.
Heal,
Level 5
| Time: Minute | Range: Reach |
| Duration: Natural |
| Target: One |
| Prerequisite: Cure |
For each level of success you may heal up to one level
of wounds or stuns in the target. For each level healed,
you gain one level of exhaustion.
Age,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Natural | Resist: Health |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Decay |
The target of this cantrip will begin to age rapidly.
The target gets a check to resist, but if they fail
then they will be wracked with pain (-5 to all actions
per level of success), and age according to the
success of the magic.
| Success | Effect |
|---|
| Moderate |
Target is aged by one year.
|
| Good |
Target is aged by 3 years.
|
| Excellent |
Target is aged by 10 years.
|
| Superb |
Target is aged by 30 years.
|
| Fantastic |
Target is aged by 90 years.
|
The target will age one year per round. A success level
can be used to double the rate of aging, but obviously
reduces the total years aged by.
Animate,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Heal |
Causes a corpse to be animated for as long as you
concentrate. The better the condition of the corpse
the easier it is to animate. The better the success
of the invocation, the easier the animated corpse is
to control.
Beauty,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Reach |
| Duration: Special | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Heal |
When you invoke this cantrip upon a person, you cause an
alteration of their body in order to make them more
beautiful. A moderate success will make minor
changes, but every two full levels of success is
equivalent to a +1 level of Beauty advantage.
The effect will undo itself over time, loosing a level
of beauty each day until the person is back to normal.
Fertility,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration | Resist: Will |
| Radius: Village |
| Prerequisite: Heal |
When invoked, this cantrip affects all animals within it.
Those who fail to resist have both their lustfulness
and fertility increased.
The effect is initially centered on you. You may choose to
have it follow you, or be fixed in place, when the cantrip
is first invoked.
Ugly,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Short |
| Duration: Special | Resist: Will |
| Target: Individual |
| Prerequisite: Decay |
This cantrip warps and twists a person's appearance to make
them appear ugly. Every level of success is equivalent to
one level of the Ugly disadvantage, and initially
levels of Beauty will be cancelled.
The effect will undo itself over time, loosing a level
of beauty each week until the person is back to normal.
Wood,
Level 7
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Target: Self |
| Prerequisite: Heal |
Causes your skin to darken like bark, and to become
harder and better at resisting damage. Each level of
success provides you with +3 soak, but also gives a
penalty of -1 to agility and dexterity.
Extra success levels can be used to reduce the penalty.
Stone,
Level 9
| Time:
1 round
| Range: Self |
| Duration: Concentration |
| Target: Self |
| Prerequisite: Wood |
Causes your flesh and bones to harden into stone. You also
gain the ability to move through earth and stone whilst in
this state. Each level of success provides you with +6 soak
and +1 to strength, but your agility and
dexterity are both reduced to one.
Iron is the realm of metal and rock. It is
solid and unmoving.
Sense iron enables the wizard to detect
flaws and properties of a metal. When using a
craft skill to work metal, the wizard can add
their Earth skill to the craft roll.
Iron represents strength and toughness, and
Control Iron grants the wizard control over
their own nature, toughening their body. By
concentrating for a minute, the wizard can give
themselves a +5 to soak for each level of success,
but at a cost of -1 to agility and dexterity. Two
success can be used to give a soak bonus without
the penalty.
The effect lasts as long as the wizard concentrates
or until they are wounded. Each time they take a
wound (not stuns), their soak bonus drops by 5. Any
penalties are lost as soon as they loose their last
bonus. Other side effects mean that the wizard
looses all sense of touch, and is heavier, making
them unable to swim.
Summon something or other.
Fire represents heat, flames, mobility and
passion. It is seen to have an affinity to the
female side of magic.
Sense Fire enables the wizard to see
visions through fires. By looking into a fire, the
wizard can see out of another fire within sight
(i.e. the wizard must be able to see both fires).
The distance to the next fire impacts on the
quality of the vision. If it is more than 10 metres
away, then the wizard is at -10. Each multiple of
10 (100m, 1km, 10km) reduces the roll by a further
-10.
The size of the smallest of the two fires also
reduces the quality of the vision. A large camp
fire or larger is needed for best quality. A small
camp fire reduces the quality by one level, a
torch by two levels and a candle by three levels.
| Success | Vision quality |
|---|
| Moderate |
Poor quality, the wizard can make out shadowy
shapes, but not much else.
|
| Good |
Low quality, the wizard can see enough to
recognise people, but not details about what
they are holding or wearing.
|
| Excellent |
The wizard can see details about people, though
not enough to read by. Some sound can be heard,
and though voices may be recognised, words
cannot be.
|
| Superb |
Good enough quality to read by, and conversations
can be heard and understood.
|
A person with Second sight may see the
eyes or face of the wizard staring out of the fire.
With the power of Control fire, the wizard
may protect herself from heat and flames. By
concentrating on her magic, she can grant herself
a soak bonus of +5 against heat and flame per
level of success.
Alternatively, all fires within range may be made
more or less intense, increasing its heat and
rate of burning, or snuffing it out altogether.
Each success changes the effective size of the
fire by one. Each metre of radius of effect gives
a -1 to the magic check.
The wizard can summon a fire elemental to do her
bidding. The elemental must be called from a fire
of sufficient size. If it is commanded to leave
an area of combustion, then it will reduce in size
each round. It may take over and animate the bodies
of living creatures it has slain.
With Sense air the wizard can predict the
weather. Each level of success gives a weather
prediction for up to one day into the future for
the local area.
With sense air the wizard can also increase
their perception of things in line of sight. Each
level of success halves the effectiveness distance
for purposes of seeing and hearing things within
direct line of sight.
With control air the wizard can command the
winds around him. By default, the air within 10m
of the wizard is affected. Each level of success
increases or decreases the level of wind. Each
multiple of 10 increase in the radius of effect
requires an extra level of success.
It takes one minute for each success level to
have an affect, and the wizard must concentrate
on the casting of the magic during this time.
The change lasts whilst the wizard concentrates.
The wizard may summon an elemental of air.
The Mysteries provide you with mastery over the
different aspects of the world, enabling you to twist
reality to your will. Sometimes however, reality will twist
back, warping your mind in ways that make you not quite
human. Though this warping is seen as a bad thing, it can
lead to a greater understanding of the magic you are
trying to control.
Ultimately, any wizard who overuses magic will go insane.
The basic powers of each Mystery are the safest, which is
why many wizards do not go to the trouble of learning
cantrips. Those who strive for greater understanding though
must ultimately pay the price of magic.
There are two ways to gain insanity. The first is by fumbling
the use of magic, the second is by stretching your abilities
when trying to learn new magic.
Insanity is a Trait, and like other traits it
ranges from 0 (completely sane) to 5 (critically insane).
| Insanity | Description |
|---|
| 0 |
Mundane and stable. No signs of abnormal insanity.
|
| 1 |
Mildly insane. You generally behave as normal,
though your reactions to stress may be more
extreme than others.
|
| 2 |
Moderate insanity. You will have a number of quirks
which others will consider unusual, though which
will not be immediately apparent.
|
| 3 |
High insanity. Your quirks and actions are quite
severe, and people will mark you as being odd, and
possibly dangerous.
|
| 4 |
Severe insanity. You find it difficult to function
in normal society, and will have a number of mental
defects which cause others to avoid you.
|
| 5 |
Critically insane. You cannot socialise normally,
and in fact probably have difficulty living with
yourself.
|
When invoking a cantrip or calling on a power, if you
roll a natural '1', then the magic fails and there is
a chance of something worse happening. In order to keep
control of the magic, it is necessary to make a Will
check.
| Condition | Target |
|---|
|
Using a Power.
| 10 |
|
Using a cantrip.
| 10 + 5 x level |
|
In a region with an aura.
| + 5 x aura |
|
It is night, between sunset and sunrise.
| +5 |
|
The moon is above the horizon and not hidden by
clouds. Being underground, or in a permanent
building out of sight of the moon can negate this.
| +5 |
|
The moon is full, regardless of whether it can be
seen.
| +5 |
If you get a good success, then the magic simply
fails and there are no side effects. On a moderate
success you gain one level of fatigue, but are
otherwise unaffected.
On a failure, you gain one level of fatigue and
are stunned for the remainder of the round, being unable
to act or even defend yourself. The following round, and
each round thereafter, you may try to gain control again,
though the difficulty is reduced by 10. Failure results
in continuing to be stunned.
If you fail a number of checks greater than your current
Insanity, then the magic threatens to overwhelm
you completely (note that this means a single failure
if you have no insanity). You may choose to either try
to control the magic, or to let it wash over you. If you
do the latter then you are stunned for one more round
and then recover (no roll). However, the magic leaves a
lasting imprint on you, and you gain a quirk. The
quirk lasts for a week. At the end of the week, there
is a 50% chance of the quirk becoming permanent and you
gaining one level of insanity.
If you try to control the magic, then make another
check the following round. If this fails, then you are
immediately overwhelmed for the next 1d20 minutes.
No further checks are required, but the effect of being
overwhelmed can be a lot worse.
If you become overwhelmed by the magic, then
you exhibit behaviour which is tied to the Mystery
you were trying to control. The effect lasts for 1d20
minutes.
Your mind is confused by an overload of sensation.
For the duration your Perception is doubled
for noticing general things, but at -2 if you try
to focus on anything (such as individual words),
or trying to attack or dodge.
You are severly depressed, and see no reason to
act or do anything. If there is a good reason to
move, then you must make a Will check at a target
of 30 to do so. More focused actions (fighting,
using magic) is impossible.
You are overcome with lust.
You are unable to think or act.
You are overcome with rage.
You are unable to concentrate on any one thing,
finding it difficult to act in a coherent fashion.
A quirk is minor personality defect. Quirks can last
a short time or be permanent.
