SORCERY
This chapter describes the rules governing sorcery.
There is symmetry between magics and physics. Physical actions use Dexterity for skill and Strength for power; magical actions use Intelligence and Willpower, respectively.
Foci and Charms
Spellcasters often use a focus to channel magical energy. A focus is an enchanted object covered with runes that glow when energy is channelled through the focus (the runes must be uncovered for the focus to work). This is usually a wand or staff of some sort, but it could just as easily be a place of power, such as a church, a tower, or a circle of stones. Such enormous foci must have a focal point of some kind, such as an altar or a pentagram, where the runes are inscribed. This is where the magician must stand in order to use the focus. If this focal point is damaged or desecrated, the place of power ceases to act as a focus.
A focus is not required for the use of sorcery, any more than a weapon is required for a warrior to hit an enemy - it simply makes the act more effective.
In addition to foci - the magical equivalent of weapons - sorcerers can use charms, which are the magical equivalent of armor. More on foci and charms can be found in the chapter on Equipment.
Power and Energy
Every sorcerer has a power level. This is based on his willpower and on any focus he is using, and represents how much supernatural energy the sorcerer can channel in a single round.
Every spell has an energy level. To cast a spell of a certain energy, the sorcerer must channel that amount of energy and make a skill roll. This may take more than one round, if the energy level of the spell is higher than the power level of the sorcerer.
Some spells use the base willpower of a character:
Energy = 2d6 + Will
Some spells are aided by the use of enchanted foci:
Energy = 2d6 + Will + focus
If a spell is directed at an opponent, the victim gets to roll to endure the attack:
Endurance = 2d6 + Will + charm
This endurance roll is subtracted from the energy of the attack.
The effect that any remaining energy has upon the target depends upon the type of spell that was thrown.
Sensing the target
In order to use sorcery against a person or object, the user must be able to sense the subject in some way. This usually means being able to see or touch the target.
The Master may also allow a sorcerer to affect anyone who is currently using sorcery on him, even if the sorcerer has no way of sensing his attacker.
Spell Difficulty
Most spells are cast by rolling the appropriate sorcerous skill of the caster against the Defiance of the target (if any) plus a range modifier. This is fine when the sorcerer wants to cast a spell of energy less than or equal to his power level in a single round.
If a sorcerer wishes to cast more powerful spells, he must take extra time to channel the additional energy. Each +2 energy above his power level requires a doubling of the time required to cast the spell. In addition, there is a -1 penalty to the caster's skill roll for each +1 energy.
Failing to hit a target with sorcery usually means nothing more than a gasp and puff of smoke. However...if the character fails badly when attempting to use an amount of power beyond his normal range (will + focus), very bad things can happen. The Master is encouraged to be creative with such failures.
Example: Nik the Wise has a Willpower of 4 and a staff of power 8. His total power level is 12 (will + focus).Nik wants to cast a spell of energy 4. With his willpower of 4, he can cast this spell in one round even without his staff. With the staff, he can cast a spell of energy 12 in a single round.
If Nik wants to throw a spell of energy 18, it will take him eight rounds and penalize his skill roll by -6.
Extra Time
If a sorcerer is not confident in his ability to complete a spell successfully, he may choose to take extra time and precaution to gain bonuses to his skill roll (as with any other skill). +2 for taking twice as long as required, +4 for taking four times as long, +6 for taking eight times as long, etc.
A caster may take as long as is necessary to complete a spell, even hours or days (at least, until the Master rules that he collapses from exhaustion). The skill roll for the spell is performed at the end of the casting.
If Nik wants to cast a spell of energy 18 but is not confident that he will succeed with the -6, he can choose to cancel the penalty by taking eight times as long as required: 64 rounds. If he takes 128 rounds, he will get a +2 bonus to his skill roll.If Nik wants to cast a massive spell of energy 24, he must make his skill roll at a -12 penalty - a daunting task for the most learned master. With his staff, this spell takes a minimum of 64 rounds (over six minutes).
If Nik is not confident in his ability to succeed, he could opt to take even more time in the casting. For each doubling of the time, he gets a +2. If he opts to take 1024 rounds to cast the spell, he will reduce his penalty to -4 (+8 for four doublings of the required time).
Multiple Targets
Most spells are directed at a single individual or location. This is not mandatory, however. A sorcerer may choose to divide a spell amongst two or more individuals or locations. He may double the number of targets for each -2 to the energy of the spell. Targeting two individuals or locations would be -2 power, four would be -4, eight would be -6, etc.
The sorcerer makes only one skill roll which each target defends against separately. The range modifier is based on the most distant target.
Space
Most spells occupy only a small amount of space, less than one cubic yard. This volume can be doubled for each -2 penalty to the energy of the spell. A spell two cubics in area would be -2, four cubics would be -4, eight would be -6, etc.
Spell areas must be simple shapes like cones, cylinders, or spheres.
Such attacks can be defended against in multiple ways. The attack can be evaded with Defiance or Seheru, or endured with Willpower and charms, just as with any other spell. If the attack is aimed at a particular individual, these are his only options.
Those who were not the direct targets of the spell but find themselves caught within the area of effect have a choice - they can use mental means of defense as above, or they can try to dodge out of the area before the spell takes effect. In this case, the results are dictated as described in the "Area Attacks" section of the Swords chapter.
Duration
Most sorcery is fleeting - spells are thrown, defended against, endured, and effected instantaneously.
If the sorcerer wishes to cast a spell that lasts for longer than a single round, he simply decides upon the duration of the spell at the beginning of casting. He may double the rounds of duration for a -2 to the power of the spell. A two round spell would have -2 power, a four round spell would have -4, an eight round spell would have -6, etc.
Alternatively, the sorcerer may choose to cast a spell continuously rather than choose a set duration ahead of time. With this option, the caster must constantly supply the proper amount of skill and energy - skill rolls are made every round. This is functionally the same as casting individual spells on each round for most types of sorcery, but can be useful for Amelatu, Sabatu, and Seheru.
Physical effects of sorcery
The defense against direct supernatural attacks is always mental, but such attacks may have physical side effects that require physical defenses. A fireball created by Mahasu could be evaded by the Int and Defiance of a character, yet turn the forest around that character into a very physical inferno. A telekinetic Sabatu attack can be evaded by Defiance, destroyed by Seheru, or endured by willpower and charms; but if the attack were made against a nearby boulder instead, the target might have to use Dexterity and Defense or Strength and armor.
Magical forces do not allow for fine control, however. A physical phenomenon created as the result of a magical force cannot be aimed at a character with any sort of precision. Most should be easier to avoid than a direct assault, having a challenge level of 0 to 5 except in unfortunate circumstances (such as the caster using Sabatu to drop a big rock down a well where a character is hiding).
Group Rituals
It is possible for multiple sorcerers to cooperate in the casting of a single spell. This is uncommon, as it requires all of the spellcasters to voluntarily subordinate their will to that of the one chosen to lead the casting. This is dangerous, as it gives the leader the power to control the subordinates like automatons until he chooses to relinquish command. To engage in a group ritual is to have limitless faith and trust in the leader.
Needless to say, this activity is more common among hierarchical religious orders or restless cults than among individualist scholars or adventurers.
When conducting a group ritual, the leader will receive a +2 to his power level for each doubling in the number of followers - one follower gives +2, two followers gives +4, four followers gives +6, etc.
Group rituals give the leader access to vast amounts of power, but do not add anything to the leader's skill. Thus, leaders must be very cautious in their casting - a particularly bad failure could very well erase the leader, all his followers, and his immediate area from the map.
For this reason, group rituals are usually scheduled as full day (or night) events.
Blood Sacrifice
In addition to the ability possessed by every character to sacrifice Stamina for extra Willpower, a sorcerer may choose to sacrifice his very Health or Sanity for extra energy. Each level of Health or Sanity sacrificed will give the caster +2 to the energy of a spell.
Health and Sanity can be sacrificed at the same time.
Sorcerous Conflict
There are a number of ways that a sorcery may be used to harm a foe.
To determine whether an attack spell succeeds, the attacker rolls his skill level with whatever sorcery he is using. The skill to be used for the attack is simple to determine (a lightning bolt uses Mahasu, a telepathic invasion uses Nekelmu, etc).
If the character is attacking an unaware person or an object, The Master should assign an appropriate challenge level, perhaps equal to the range level plus or minus any random environmental factors (fatigue, cover, unexplained supernatural activity in the vicinity, etc). If aiming at a living target, this same challenge level should be added to the defensive roll of the target.
To avoid an offensive spell, the target must make a defensive skill roll. A character who is attacked automatically gets the chance to choose to defend, even if he has not yet reached his Initiative.
There are two ways to evade sorcery. The usual way is Defiance, a non-sorcerous skill that measures mental defenses. Another method is Seheru, a type of sorcery that nullifies other kinds. Seheru can be used to protect one's friends as well as one's self. The disadvantage is that, unlike Defiance, the use of Seheru is considered a major action.
Once the offensive and defensive skills as decided upon, attacker and defender make their skill rolls.
If the adjusted roll of the defender is equal to or higher than that of the attacker, then the attack is unsuccessful and the defender is not affected by the spell at all. The spell may still have an effect on others or on the environment, however, unless destroyed entirely by Seheru.
If the attacker rolls higher than the defender, then the spell hit home. The effect depends upon the type of sorcery used.
Below is the list of the branches of sorcery, with details on the things that can be done with each kind.
Amelatu
This sorcery allows the user to open mystical doorways to other realms.
A portal must have a simple shape, like a circle or an ellipse. The amount of energy required to create a portal is determined by the size of the portal and the duration for which the portal will stay open. Size is a measure of area - a portal one yard across would be size 1, a portal two yards across would be size 4, a portal three yards across would be size 9, etc.
An energy level of zero can create a portal one yard in diameter that lasts for one round. Each +2 energy can be used to double the area or the duration of the portal. The diameter of a portal doubles for every two doublings of the area.
| Power | Area | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | 8 | 3 |
| 8 | 16 | 4 |
| 10 | 32 | 6 |
| 12 | 64 | 8 |
The size of a portal must be large enough for whatever the magician wishes to transport. Sights and sounds require only small portals. Normal humans can squeeze through a portal of size 1 or walk upright through a portal of size 4. Larger objects or creatures will require larger portals.
Upon casting, the sorcerer may choose the size of the portal and the realm that it will connect to. If the caster chooses to keep the portal open continuously, he can vary the size of the portal from round to round. The worlds connected, however, are fixed when the spell is cast.
The difficulty of an Amelatu spell depends not only on the energy of the spell, but also on the "distance" between the two worlds connected by the spell. This distance is decided by The Master, as he must choose how much travel between worlds he wishes to allow in his campaign.
A sorcerer can connect a portal to any world with which he is familiar (i.e., he has been there). To connect the portal to a realm that he has never visited will increase the difficulty - the less familiar the realm, the higher the challenge. In order to shift the farside of a portal to a completely unfamiliar place, the caster may have to first seek answers through research or divination.
Amelatu portals are symmetric. When a portal is created, individuals in both worlds will see a glowing gateway and a glimpse of what lies on the other side. Anyone who can physically reach the portal in either world may travel through it. Not only that, but the portal in each world is two-sided -- this means that if a portal is opened from dry land to a place that is underwater, water will begin to spew in two opposite directions, not one.
Portals can be affected from either side. Sorcerers on either side of the portal may try to take control of it using their Amelatu skill. Whoever rolls the highest on any given round gains control of the portal, and can decide its size the next round, but they are then required to supply the skill rolls and supernatural energies necessary to maintain the spell.
The plane of a portal is always perpendicular to the controlling sorcerer; that is, one of the portal's two apertures directly faces the caster. If a one sorcerer takes control of a portal from another, the portal will rotate to face the new master.
Portals can be dispelled from either side by Seheru.
Amelatu can be used to gather allies from other worlds. The ability to locate exotic creatures, however, does not automatically allow the sorcerer to make friends with them. One who wants an otherworldly servant should be prepared to bribe, bully, or beg - and things from another world often do not speak the sorcerer's language.
Amelatu portals are not very useful for travelling from place to place within a single world. If a sorcerer steps through a portal into another world, walks ten miles, and then steps through another portal to get back to the first world, he will find himself ten miles from the spot where he stepped through the first portal, in the same direction that he was walking in the other realm. Thus, Amelatu may be used to avoid certain physical barriers or known dangers of our world, but it will not save much time - and other worlds have barriers and dangers of their own.
Note also that this sorcery does not confer any special life support upon a traveller - if the user opens a portal to a place filled with a harmful substance (lava, acid, or the pressurized water at the bottom of an ocean), he will probably destroy himself and his immediate area.
There is an infinite number of realms parallel to our world. The sorcerer who plans on exploration ought to have some knowledge of the place to be reached (gained from books, fellow travellers, or divination) before attempting to travel there - to open a portal to a random world that the caster knows nothing about is suicidal.
Mahasu
Mahasu is the art of manipulating the energies of the world, such as heat, light, sound, and lightning. It allows the sorcerer to unleash destruction with a thought.
This can be used to blast a foe from afar. This can come in the form of heat, cold, lightning, or anything else that the caster can come up with, so long as it is only a change in energy - Mahasu can not be used to create matter.
The amount of energy channeled into the spell will determine the amount of damage rolled against the enemy. Each point of energy represents 1 level of damage that will be applied against an opponent's willpower (plus any charms) if the spell is successful. This is the magical equivalent of a smack in the face, doing damage to an enemy's Stamina and Health.
Mahasu can also be used to create blinding light or deafening noise. Each point of energy represents one level to be rolled against an opponent's will. For every point of energy remaining after the victim subtracts his endurance roll from the energy roll of the attacking sorcerer, the victim's targeted sense is neutralized for one round.
Nekelmu
Nekelmu is the art of manipulating minds. It can be used to read minds, to project thoughts, and to control lesser beings.
The user can read the surface thoughts of intelligent creatures with a successful skill roll. The challenge level depends upon how familiar the mind is to the mentalist.
| Familiarity | Challenge Level |
|---|---|
| a good friend | 0 |
| an acquaintance | 5 |
| a complete stranger | 10 |
| an alien creature | 15+ |
Anyone who is aware that his mind is being read may try to use Defiance to stop it from happening. The challenge level should be added to the target's Defiance roll.
The user can read surface thoughts - thoughts that the target is having at the present moment - without the subject being aware of the intrusion. Reading deeper, like into the subject's memory or subconscious, is more intrusive and instantly makes the subject aware that his mind is being probed.
The user may also project thoughts into the minds of others with a successful skill roll (determined and resisted much like mind reading). This allows the sorcerer to communicate things to others without speaking. The recipient knows that he is being contacted by another mind, but does not automatically know who the mind belongs to. Only the use of his own Nekelmu or Divination can tell him for certain who sent the message.
Users of Nekelmu may charge up their thought projection to a level that causes pain and damage to their subjects mind. This is like any other magical assault - roll the energy level of the spell versus the Willpower and charm of the intended victim. Each point of damage leftover takes off one hit of Stamina. In addition, every five points of damage done by a single attack moves the character down one Sanity level. This damage is not cumulative - a character's Sanity level is affected only by the most powerful spell to affect that character.
| Max Damage taken from a single hit | Sanity Level |
|---|---|
| 0 - 4 | OK |
| 5 - 9 | Shaken |
| 10 - 14 | Disturbed |
| 15 - 19 | Insane |
| 20+ | Catatonic |
The use of Nekelmu to cause suffering is far less subtle than using it to read minds, so the penalties for using it against an unfamiliar subject do not apply in this case.
It is not uncommon for two enemy masters of this skill to resolve their hatred by an honorable duel - the two sit down across from one another (perhaps in comfortable chairs), and simply stare until one of them is unconscious or catatonic. The average person would not notice that anything was happening unless the masters used foci in their duel.
Finally, Nekelmu can be used to control mindless automatons. If more than one user is vying for control of the same automaton, the higher roll wins for the round.
Sabatu
This gives the sorcerer the power to move physical objects with his mind. This can be used to grab, push, or throw things (including enemies). It functions, for most practical purposes, like Strength that can be used at a distance.
If the user wishes to attack a foe directly, he rolls his Sabatu skill versus the defensive skill of his opponent (Defiance or Seheru), with penalties for range, cover, etc. If the attack is successful, the aggressor does physical damage to his opponent based on his willpower and whatever focus he is using. Armor does not protect against this damage, but charms do.
Once a character has been successfully attacked by Sabatu, the character is paralyzed. He will not be able to move or perform any physical actions until he breaks the hold or the aggressor ends the spell. Defiance or Seheru can be used to break out, of course, but the victim could also use his own Sabatu skill. This is the magical equivalent of close combat. Thus, if the victim has an enormous Willpower, then the Sabatu aggressor may not be able to affect him at all (it would be like a man trying to hold down a giant).
If a user of Sabatu wishes to attack a foe indirectly, by throwing a rock or tipping over a pillar or something similar, he may do so. The target then faces a choice: he may try to prevent the attacker from succeeding in his spell via Seheru or his own Sabatu skill, or he may let the attacker complete his task and then try to avoid the physical danger with his Dexterity and Defense skill. The first case is resolved as any normal sorcerous contest. In the second case, the defensive roll required of the victim is independent of the skill roll made by the attacker. The Master should simply assign a challenge level appropriate to dodging a large boulder or falling tree or whatever.
Such indirect attacks are widely considered by sorcerers to be foul, like a swordsman kicking sand in an opponent's face. An honorable Sabatu sorcerer will not use them.
Note that being held by Sabatu does not prevent a character from using sorcery of his own.
Seheru
This is the skill of magical protection. It allows the user to nullify spells or to set up magical wards.
Seheru cannot be used to negate the physical effects of spells that have already taken place. If a magical fire has roasted a character, Seheru will not heal the burn. If a sorcerer has blinded a foe with Mahasu, Seheru will not restore the person's sight.
To nullify an existing magical spell, a magician must make a Seheru skill roll that is higher than the skill roll that was used to create the spell. If successful, the spell is nullified and immediately disappears.
Seheru can be used as a defensive action, the mental equivalent of a block. If the sorcerer sees a magical attack in progress, he can attempt to dispel the attack before it has any effect. The attack need not even be aimed at the user himself (though range penalties may apply if the attack is aimed at a friend who is at a distance).
Seheru can be used to set up magical wards. This is nothing more than a normal dispel with additional area and duration. Any magical spell or entity that enters the area will be hit with the dispel. The skill roll, made when the spell is first cast, is then compared to the skill roll of whatever magic has entered the area. If the Seheru roll is higher, the other magic is nullified (at least for the duration of the Seheru spell, or for as long as the invading magic remains in its area).
The Master may wish to rule that Seheru can only be used to dispel magic that is of roughly equal in power to, or less powerful than, that of the user. This is similar to the limitations placed on melee fighters when blocking - The Master may allow a fighter to block a massive sword with a small dagger, but will probably not let the fighter block a catapulted boulder even with a large shield. Alternatively, He may rule that larger magics are weakened by an amount equal to the energy of the Seheru caster, but not totally destroyed. This option should only be used when the sorcery in question is far greater than that of the Seheru user.
Talamu
This sorcery gives the user control over the forces of life and death. It allows the transfer of Health or Sanity from one individual living creature to another.
Such transfers may be voluntary or involuntary. Those who transfer their own life force to willing recipients are regarded as compassionate healers, while those who steal the lifeforce of others for their own purposes are seen as vile necromancers.
Talamic transfers are rolled as normal attacks, the Talamu skill against the Defiance or Seheru of the target. If the aggressor succeeds in overcoming the target's Defiance, he rolls the energy of the spell versus the Willpower and charm of his victim.
For every five points of energy remaining in the spell after the intended victim's endurance roll, the victim loses one level of Health or Sanity (at the discretion of the sorcerer - Talamu can be used against either, but not both at the same time). These levels are then transferred to the Talamu user's chosen beneficiary (which may be himself).
Nothing can absorb more Health or Sanity than it normally has, however - if a user drains life from a victim without transferring it to a suitable beneficiary, then the extra lifeforce is lost to the winds.
Note that creatures are not required to resist Talamic sorcery. An individual could volunteer to sacrifice some of his lifeforce to aid a dying friend, thus lowering his defenses for the purpose of the spell. Conversely, an injured person could choose to try and resist receiving help (for whatever reason).
A Talamu user must be cautious when stealing life force from others. If the provider of the life force is not healthy, any illnesses or infections possessed are transferred to the sorcerer and to any other beneficiary of the transfer.
Transfers of lifeforce between sentient and non-sentient beings are not possible. Beasts and monsters do not possess the same life force as intelligent humanoids. Talamu is useless against such creatures.
It is possible to transfer between similar species, such as humans and non-human (but intelligent) aliens.
Talamu also allows the user to feel the emotions of creatures that are near, human or not. This is a sense, much like Perception or Divination.
Talamu is very limited in range. In addition, if the user is trying to transfer life energy from one individual to another (not himself), then the ranges from the empath to each individual are added together to determine the total range penalty.