Magick

From Amar RPG

Magick is probably the most important element in fantasy. It is covered in this chapter down to the very spells like controlling fire and cursing to the various magick items.

The Magick Skills

Magick is divided into three categories: spell magick, ritual magick and alchemy.

Spell magick is all the spells done by sheer exercise of will. This is the true wizard pointing at the dragon and shooting forth a bolt of lightning. Spell magick is powered by the magical aptitude.

Ritual magick is based on ritual magick lore. It deals with the forces in nature itself and the ways of manipulating them. Here we have the standard witchcraft with time consuming rituals with loads of props needed.

Alchemy is the domain of the alchemist, a sort of chemist-magician.

In the magick tables you will find specifications on all the magick spells and items. Further descriptions are found in the text.

Detecting Magick

To detect magick, make an MA roll (MA+O6) to get higher or equal to the DR of the magick you try to detect. Such a roll does not reveal the type of magick.

Commercial Use of Magick

Setting up shop and dealing in spells or magick items like they were normal goods, or teaching spells to anyone who pays for it, will at the very least result in being frozen out by any respectable magician, who will refuse to have anything to do with you. Quite likely some magician will do something more drastic to put an end to it.

True Name

Some spells require the true name of the target. Your true name is the name given at birth.

Divine Miracles

Cult Standing

In certain cults the members may also receive magick in the form of miracles from their god. Members (initiates and above) of such cults have a certain cult standing. This indicates how much their god appreciates them. This cult standing increases or decreases according to the actions of the individual cult member.

The GM should see the table below for ideas about the amount to gain or loose from different actions. The GM should never tell a player what his character’s cult standing is. If a character gets too far below 0 in cult standing, the GM should include adverse effects.

Change of Cult Standing
Change Activity
+3 Fantastic deed
+2 Great deed
+1 Very good deed
+1 One year of spotless worship
-1 Minor offense
-2 Offence
-3 Grave offence

Initiation Requirements

This varies with the cult, but usually includes having been a lay member for one year, an initiation act appropriate for the cult and often relevant skill requirements, etc. An initiate will often have access to cult training.

Priesthood Requirements

This varies with the cult, but usually includes having been an initiate for at least five years, having a cult standing of at least 10, a priesthood act appropriate to the cult and often relevant skill requirements, etc.

Divine Intervention

If you pray for divine intervention, your cult standing + d must match the difficulty rating of the miracle as determined by the GM. If it is critical an initiate gets +5 and a priest +10 on the roll. The difficulty rating should follow the difficulty ratings for spell magick, less if it lies directly within the domain of the god (i.e. asking Ikalio, the sun god, for light), more if it is not appropriate (i.e. asking Ikalio for water). A priest loses the number of points indicated in the table below whether or not the miracle is granted. An initiate loses the same if it is granted, but double if not. Note that Enchant Item, Permanency and Resurrection cost twice as much cult standing as normal. A failed resurrection also reduces the magical aptitude of the supplicant by 3.

Divine Intervention Cost
Cost Total DR
1 1–4
2 5–9
3 10–14
4 15–19
5 20–24

Spell Magick

To successfully cast a spell, roll the dice adding your path lore. The total must equal or exceed the DR + Spell Level. The character states what level of the spell he or she intends to cast (up to the trained level).

Ususally you would only cast one spell per combat round (6 seconds). If you choose to cast two spells in a round, you get -5 on each roll for success. To cast three spells, you get -10, etc (-5 to all rolls per extra spell cast per round, just like with attacking penalties for attick several times with a weapon per round).

If you cast a spell, you cannot do anything else that round. The spell takes effect at the end of the round. If more than one person is casting a spell, the spell of the caster with the highest awareness roll takes effect first, etc.

Unless otherwise noted, all spells require that you see or touch the target(s). If applicable, the effect of a spell also includes items carried by the target unless otherwise noted.

The symbolic value of items used to cast spells on or with may make it easier or more difficult to cast a spell. It may subtract as much as 2 from the DR or add as much as 5. I.e. it is easier to cast light on a perfect diamond than on a piece of charcoal. All such adjustments are at the GM’s discretion. The DR given for the spell should be used for most occasions.

Resisting Spells

If the spell can be resisted and is supposed to affect an unwilling target, add the magick defense of the target to the DR. The Magick Defense (MD) equals 1 per full 3 in current Magical Aptitude Endurance.

You automatically resist spells when you are unaware of the spell. An unconscious target does not resist.

Spending Magical Aptitude

Whenever you cast a spell, you loose 1 in magical aptitude, even if the spell fails.

With negative magical aptitude the caster is dead.

Spell Levels

The strength of a spell is determined by the spell level. The effect, duration, range and area of effect all increase with the spell level. In the spell table you will find the duration, range and area of effect per spell level. The DR is also given. A character will learn spell levels by a mentor or self research.

You may not learn spells if you have a magical aptitude of 0.

Magic Control

If two or more magicians try to control the same object(s) or area, the one with the highest spell level succeeds.

Active/Passive

During the casting time, the spell caster may not do anything but concentrate on casting the spell. If the spell is active, he must concentrate fully on the spell throughout the duration as well, or the spell is cancelled. If the spell is passive he is free to do anything after the casting time is completed. The duration is exclusive of the casting time.

Effect per Spell Level

Unless otherwise noted the area, range and weight is multiplied by the spell level, and the duration increases one step on the table below per level above one.

Duration of Spells
1 round 3 days
2 rounds 1 week
5 rounds 2 weeks
1 minute 1 month
2 minutes 2 months
5 minutes 6 months
10 minutes 1 year
30 minutes 2 years
1 hour 5 years
2 hours 10 years
6 hours 20 years
12 hours 50 years
1 day 100 years

Detecting Illusions

An awareness roll exceeding the total (DR+level) of the spell will penetrate the illusion. If the roll equals the total the character will notice that something is strange. If the character is suspicious he will get +3 on his roll.

Abilities of Disembodied Spirits

Disembodied spirits have the ability to cast the “spells” listed in the table below in addition to any spells they may have learned the normal way. The duration of these “spells” is a number of minutes equal to the caster’s current MA, and they are cast using the current MA + d.

Abilities of Disembodied Spirits
DR “Spell”
7 Knock
9 Whisper
11 Be visible (transparent)
13 Talk
15 Be visible (opaque)

Vocal and Somatic Components

Spells normally contain vocal and somatic components. These components are not absolutely necessary to cast the spell, but it is harder if you don’t use them. The penalties are as follows: -1 for moderating a component, -2 for discreet usage and -3 for not using it. These penalties are per component and cumulative, i.e. moderate somatic and no vocal equals -4.

“Seeing” Mana

If the sum of your current magical aptitude and the magical aptitude or mana of a creature, magick item, special place, spell, etc. equals or exceeds 30, you are able to “see” the approximate mana level. If you are actively looking for the mana you only need a total of 20. This only works if you have at least 1 in magical aptitude. A magick item has a mana equal to half the DR of the spell used to create it. A spell has a mana equal to half its DR.

Recovery of Magical Aptitude

You recover your magical aptitude after a good nights sleep. A short/uneasy sleep may give a partial recovery.

Touch Spells

To cast a spell with a range of “touch” on an unwilling opponent, you must make a successful unarmed attack on him the following round. You get a +3 modifier on this.

Magick Criticals

A magick critical occurs when you roll a double 6 when casting a spell. When rolling on the critical table, add the current MA to the dice roll. If the critical is not applicable, pick the one below.

Magick Criticals
DR Description
1 Add 1 to a spell cast next round
2 Add 1 to spells cast next minute
3 MA not spended for casting the spell
4 Add D to spell cast next round
5 Add D to spells cast next minute
6 Active spell becomes passive for the duration of the spell
7 Duration is one level higher
8 Area of effect and weight is one level greater
9 Effect is one spell level higher
10 Spell warps into another similar spell
11 Effect is D spell levels higher
12 Spell warps into another similar, but better spell
13 Disregard the targets MD
14 Double all spell level effects
15 Effect is D spell levels higher and disregard the targets MD

Magick Fumbles

A magick fumble occurs when you roll a double 1 when casting a spell. When rolling on the fumble table, add the current MA to the dice roll. If the fumble is not applicable, pick the one above.

Magick Fumbles
DR Description
15+ No effect.
14 Unpleasant feeling, -2 next round.
13 Sneezing next round (as stunned).
12 Thirsty (dehydrated), -2 until you drink d liters.
11 Dizzy – fall and let go what you have in your hands.
10 Amnesia – can not cast spells for d hours.
9 Confused for d minutes.
8 Everybody within 10 meters become hostile towards you.
7 Unconscious for d minutes.
6 Affects wrong target in the worst possible way.
5 d+3 in damage.
4 Affects self (unless supposed to).
3 Sleepless for d days due to pain, -4 in skills.
2 Unconscious for d hours and loose 1 in MA permanently.
1 Coma for d days and loose 1 in MA permanently.
0 Dead.

Spells

There are several categories of spells: Basic categories and categories devoted to specific Gods. The list below contains the basic categories. Each is a link to the page listing all the spells in that category. Click on the spell names in the table on a spell category page to see the description for each spell.

The abbreviations used in the tables are:

A/P
A means the spell is active, P means the spell is passive, A/P means the spell may be active or passive depending on circumstances as described under the spell.
Duration
Instant. = Instantaneous, Perm. = Permanent.
Area of Effect
An asterisk (*) after the area of effect means that the area of effect does not increase with the spell level. C = Creature, O = Object, r = radius.

Basic spell categories

Advanced spell categories

The advanced spells are very rare and normally not taught at Academia Magicka. When learning an advanced spell lore, the basic spell lores can increase the starting level of the advanced spell lore, depending on the level of the basic spell lore.

God spell categories

Forbidden spells

"Forbidden spells" are spells that has been banished from Amar and are not taught at Academia Magicka. If an character is seen using a forbidden spell or knows forbidden spells, the character will be reported to the kingdom and will be punished with jail until further actions are taken.

The player can find forbidden spells in old books and via old items. The player can also find forbidden spells in The Forbidden Library created by Antonio The Magician or by trading with the Raven Demon. There are rumors about the ghost of Antonio, the chaos wizard who concocted most of these spells, still residing in Giellor and using forbidden spells to transfer his soul into new bodies to make him immortal. Who knows?

The forbidden spells are used in a different way, after a player has successfully prepared the spell (exceeding the DR of the spell with a dice throw) the player must throw a dice and if the player gets 1, 2 or 3 the spell will fail and count as a fumble. If the player gets 4, 5 or 6 on the dice the spell will work and count as critical.

List of forbidden Spells

The Spell Searchers

There are some who quest for forbidden spells. Such a wizards is usually human and known as a Spell Searcher.

Ritual Magick

To successfully perform a ritual, roll the dice adding the ritual magick lore. The total must equal or exceed the DR of the ritual to be effective.

There are no spell levels for ritual magick. All rituals have a set of ingredients and along with a given formula produce a certain effect.

Rituals usually include a lot of special ingredients mixed in a very special way. This is followed up by poems, strange words or even songs or dances. The ingredients and gestures needed is described under each ritual.

Ingredients

The ingredients listed under each ritual are only suggestions and should be further specified by the GM. The ingredients such as the herbs could be fresh or dried at the GM’s discretion.

The sequence the ingredients are put in is left for the GM to decide as well as any other body motions or words needed to succeed with the magick. Those ingredients marked with an asterisk are reusable.

Having the Written Formula

Having the written ritual formula to go by will lower the difficulty rating by 3.

Rituals

Rituals
Ritual Casting time DR Resist Duration Range Area
Blind Curse 10 min. 8 Yes 1 month 1 km 1 creat.
Catch Fire 1 round 6 No Instant 10 m 1 object
Curse of Fairies 10 min. 8 Yes 1 month 100 km 1 creat.
Eyes of Tekali 10 min. 12 No 1 round 1 km Self
Flames of Life 1 round 6 Yes Instant 10 m 10 liters
Nightfall 1 min. 8 No 10 min. None 3 m r
unequally buffing 1 hour 11 No Instant None 1 object
Raven Of Darkness 5 min. 11 No Instant 1 m 1 m r
Snake Eyes 1 round 6 Yes 1 min. 10 m 1 creat.
Tekali’s Torch 1 round 8 No 10 min. 10 m 1 object
Volani’s Cure 1 round 8 No 1 week Touch 1 creat.
Witch Curse 30 min. 10 Yes Instant 100 m 1 creat.

Alchemy

To successfully make a potion or amulet, roll the dice adding the alchemy lore. The total must equal or exceed the DR of the potion or amulet to be effective.

Potions or amulets usually include a lot of special ingredients mixed in a very special way. This is followed up by poems, strange words or even songs or dances.

The ingredients and gestures needed is described under each potion or amulet.

Ingredients

The ingredients listed under each potion or amulet are only suggestions and should be further specified by the GM.

The ingredients such as the herbs could be fresh or dried at the GM’s discretion.

The sequence the ingredients are put in is left for the GM to decide as well as any other body motions or words needed to succeed with the magick. Those ingredients marked with an asterisk are reusable.

Having the Written Formula

Having the written formula for the potion or amulet to go by will lower the difficulty rating by 3.

Natural Magick Items

Magick items can be created in several ways. The spell path of Magic Magick has a spell called Permanency that is used to forge magick items. Natural Magick is another way to achieve the same.

Potions

Potions usually take about one hour to make and the effect will last for of one hour. The skill of Natural Magick is used to create potions.

In the potions and amulets table, you will find a column labeled Duration. The time given in this column is approximately how long the potion will keep and still have the described effect(s) if it is kept in a sealed container. After this time period, the potions will deteriorate in effect. How long it will take for a potion to become totally useless will vary a lot, but generally it will be about twice the durability.

Some potions will have weird effects after the durability has expired, and quite a few will turn poisonous to some degree, although seldom deadly.

Potions
Potion DR Duration
Bear Potion 10 1 y.
Cat’s Eye Potion 8 1 y.
Diver’s Delight Potion 12 1 y.
Panther Potion 10 1 y.
Potion of Battle Frenzy 12 1 y.
Potion of Detection 10 1 y.
Potion of Healing 10 1 m.
Potion of Seeing the Truth 10 1 y.
Potion of Shivering 6 10 y.

Natural Magick Items

Natural Magick Items usually take about one week to make. The skill of Natural Magick is used to forge these items.

Natural Magick Items
Item DR Duration
Spirit Protection 8 Perm.
Taran’s True Seeing 8 Perm.
Crystal of Magic Power Storing 12 Perm.
Crystal of Spell Storing 15 Perm.

Magic Items

Natural Magick Items
Item Short description
the bow of infinite arrwos

|- |Item || Short description |- | the bow of infinite arrwos || |}

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