Magic
Spell Lores & Magic Points
The ability to cast magical Spells is represented by a set of special Skills called Spell Lores. Each Spell Lore is a single Skill, developed separately from other Lores, giving the character knowledge of a specific school or branch of magic. A character with the Eldritch Fire Lore learns to command the power of flame and heat, but nothing about enthralling enemies or communing with animals: those are separate Lores with their own disciplines.
Spell Lores
Each Spell Lore is made up of different Spells organized into Weaves, from the least to the most powerful. First Weave Spells are simple tricks and basic cantrips, easily mastered even by the least gifted practitioner. Tenth Weave Spells are extremely complex, reality-altering enchantments, the mark of a true archmage.
Each rank developed by a character in a Spell Lore grants them the knowledge of one Spell from the next Weave, starting from the First and working up to the Tenth. Spell Lores are developed exactly like any other Skill: by spending Development Points at character creation or when levelling up, and subject to the same rules and restrictions as other Skills. As with many other Skills, a Spell Lore's total Skill Bonus is influenced by one of the character's Stats; refer to the specific Lore's description in the Grimoire for which Stat applies.
Common Spell Lores: Detections · Eldritch Visions · Eldritch Wards · Movements of Nature · Nature's Path · Chanting · Eldritch Might · Sounds & Lights · Lore of Nature · Cleansing
Spell Lore Categories
Spell Lores are divided into three categories, which determine how accessible they are and what restrictions apply when developing them.
Common Spell Lores
Common Spell Lores are open to all Vocations, even those that do not receive any Development Points in the Spell Lores category (those characters must transfer DPs from other categories to buy ranks in them). Any character can develop Common Spell Lores and cast Spells from them up to the Fifth Weave. Characters may put as many ranks as they like into a Common Lore to improve their chances of casting successfully, but cannot cast any Spell over the Fifth Weave from it, unless that Lore is also one of their Vocational or Kin Spell Lores.
Vocational Spell Lores
Vocational Spell Lores are tied to a specific Vocation. They are carefully guarded secrets that only characters with the right training and mindset can hope to master. Characters can learn and cast Spells from their Vocational Spell Lores without Weave restrictions, as long as their Level is high enough.
Kin Spell Lores
Kin Spell Lores are tied to a character's Kin rather than their Vocation. Like Vocational Lores, they carry no Weave restriction. Characters can also develop their Kin Spell Lores using DPs from any category at a 1:1 ratio, making them more flexible to develop than other Lores.
Learning Spell Lores
During character creation, DPs can be spent on any Spell Lore the character has access to, whether Vocational, Common, or Kin. When a character levels up, they may continue to develop Spell Lores they already know (that is, Lores in which they have at least one rank). They cannot develop a brand-new Spell Lore on level-up unless they have found a way to learn it during the course of their adventures: a teacher willing to pass on their knowledge, a Grimoire or magical tome describing the Lore, or some other appropriate arcane source.
Optional rule: Sources of Magic. In some campaign settings, magic may have different sources or be wielded differently depending on a character's background, Vocation, or other factors. Usually this is a narrative embellishment with no mechanical impact. A simple way to add flavor is to vary the method by which each Vocation unlocks new Spell Lores: some characters might need to study ancient tomes, others to restore lost spirit shrines, others to meditate under a master. Alternatively, the Vocational or Kin Spell Lore lists can be rearranged to reflect a specific setting. These changes should always meet the group's approval and should be made before the campaign begins, or before a new PC is introduced who would benefit from them.
Magic Points
Mere knowledge of magic and spell formulas is not enough to make a true spellcaster. One must also possess the will and inner force to empower the words they chant, bending reality to their intent. The amount of magical energy a character can harness and use over a given period is represented by a value called Magic Points (MPs).
Each character has a certain number of MPs, determined by their Level, Kin, and Vocation. To cast a Spell, the character must spend a number of MPs equal to the Weave of that Spell: a First Weave Spell costs 1 MP, a Second Weave Spell costs 2 MPs, and so on. Spent MPs are deducted from the character's current total, down to a minimum of zero. A character cannot cast a Spell if they do not have enough MPs remaining.
Calculating Total Magic Points
A character's total Magic Points are calculated as follows:
Total MPs = (Stat MP Gain + Vocation MP Gain) × Level + Kin Base MP Bonus
Stat MP Gain. Each Level, characters gain a number of MPs based on one of their Stats, determined by their Vocation: Wizards use Wits; Animists use Wisdom; all other Vocations use Bearing. The gain per Level equals 1 MP for every 10 full points of Stat Value. A Stat Value of 10 or 15 gives 1 MP per Level; 20 or 25 gives 2 MPs per Level; 30 or 35 gives 3 MPs per Level; and so on. Characters with a Stat Value below 10 gain no MPs from their Stat.
Vocation MP Gain. Each Vocation provides a fixed number of MPs per Level, as listed in the Vocations chapter. This value is added to the Stat MP Gain and the combined total is multiplied by the character's current Level.
Kin Base MP Bonus. A flat one-time bonus added to the MP total, determined by the character's Kin. It does not scale with Level.
Recovering Magic Points
Magic Points are recovered by resting (or meditating, in the case of Elves). A full night's sleep of at least 8 hours is sufficient to completely replenish a character's MPs, restoring them to their total value.
Optional rule: Partial MP Recovery. If sleep or rest is interrupted, round down the percentage of MPs recovered based on the elapsed rest time. For example, if the heroes rested for 4 hours, allow them to recover half (50%) of their spent MPs. Similarly, 2 hours of rest would restore 25% of spent MPs.
Warping
Some Spells may be Warped: cast at a higher Weave than normal to produce a more powerful or more versatile effect. Only Spells that include Warping Options in their Grimoire description may be Warped. Each Warping Option may be selected multiple times unless the Spell's description specifically prohibits this.
The final Weave of a Warped Spell equals the Weave of the base form of that Spell plus the combined Weave cost of all Warping Options chosen. The MP cost changes accordingly, equaling the final Weave. Characters can only Warp a Spell to a Weave they could normally cast: a Warped Spell's final Weave cannot exceed the caster's current Level.
On an Outstanding Success on the Spell Casting Roll, the caster may apply one Warping Option for free, provided its Weave cost is no more than half the base Spell's Weave cost.
Can You Cast That Spell?
A quick-reference checklist for resolving whether a Spell can be cast:
- Ranks in the Spell Lore equal to or higher than the Spell's Weave? If not, the character does not know the Spell and cannot cast it.
- Character's Level equal to or higher than the Spell's final Weave (including any Warping Options)? If not, they cannot cast it without Overcasting.
- Enough MPs to pay the Spell's Weave cost (including Warping)? If not, they cannot cast it.
- Able to speak? Characters who cannot speak cannot normally cast Spells (Instantaneous Spells and other specific exceptions aside). If not, they cannot cast it.
If all four conditions are met, the Spell can be cast.