Magic Guide
Magic: the gift given by Bothimir to the world, a mysterious force both clearly defined and with much yet to be discovered. Common in some races, extremely rare in others, it is prized among all who wield it. While our system in Saphriel has limits and some well-defined spells, it is a mostly freeform system with basic rules and restrictions to allow for easier moderation by staff and better self-moderation by players. For more details on the lore of Bothimir’s Magic, see Magics of the Realm.
Requirements for Casting
For a character to cast magic, you must complete the ‘Magic Application’ section of your app. This must be approved, otherwise the character will not have magic. You cannot apply with a magic application after you start playing the character, and the character is approved. This alone does not allow them to begin casting, as magic requires specific artifacts to cast.
The central means of casting magic is via artifacts known as ‘trinkets’ bound to themed aspects. Each is limited in how far a mage may train in the various strengths of the magics and how much they can cast through the Trinket based on its level of power, as well as their stamina in that aspect. A Weak trinket of Fire will only allow a mage to call forth minuscule sparks and see them exhausted from the effort; a Powerful trinket, by contrast, will allow them to call forth fireballs and explosions with adequate training, while simpler fire magic becomes less taxing to perform.
A mage can only cast within their line of sight, or what they can touch. If a mage is blinded, they will be limited in their casting ability and will usually be restricted to casting on themselves or on items or people within reach.
Examples of Aspects
While we may have hard-set spells for some aspects, please note that what is written below is simply an example of what each magic is capable of. A creative mage can use their element in a variety of ways, having incredible control over each element, influencing these to create figures, shapes, structures, and sinkholes, or blasting apart weaker materials. The possibilities are nearly endless, depending on the strength of the mage/s in question.
While spells may often be quick, especially in combat, a mage can attempt to focus for longer periods of time to sustain them over multiple rounds of combat or for multiple minutes at a time depending on the usage and the magic in question, some being easier to sustain than others. Additionally, when cast directly upon a living, mortal creature, the magic can range from being less powerful to simply ineffective, a resistance to prevent magic from instantly, fatally injuring others. Fire is not able to burn out someone’s eyeballs in an instant, wind may not suffocate and steal the air from somebody’s breath, and water cannot suck all the blood out of a person from a cut.
It should also be noted that in some cases, magic does not necessarily follow real-life laws or physics. Feeble lightning not immediately stopping someone’s heart and alteration being able to increase the strength of materials without affecting weight or density are just two examples. These are, however, exceptions rather than rules for the sake of balance and an enjoyable roleplaying experience. If you are unsure of anything, feel free to ask staff or for your character to experiment to see what may happen.
Soul Magic
- Holy
- Dark
About Holy Magic
The magic of healing and light, the direct opposition and counter to dark magic. It is the only magic that requires prayer and faith to cast, and is thus intrinsically linked to Aderoth and their domains. Holy can not only control light through making brief blinding flashes and lighting darkened passages, but may condense light into a solid form for barriers, tools or temporary weapons with concentration and focus. All levels of holy magic are able to create Holy Water, a liquid that, like all aspects of holy magic, can hurt beings that are dark in nature, and even damage dark magic more than mundane means. It also can cure disease, poisons, heal injuries faster over a period of time, and bolster the physical capabilities of individuals, making them stronger, more durable, or faster. While seemingly versatile compared to many magics, many of its uses are connected in their purpose being to heal and protect, this being Aderoth’s domain.
Holy is a heavily specialized magic; shields, curative blessings, and breaking dark magic’s curses will cost 1/20th of a normal spell when cast. All other applications and spells such as holy wings, stat-boosting blessings, blessing holy water or objects, and other purposes will cost the normal amount. The exhaustion of shields can also vary depending on the forces and impact taken, with greater impacts meaning more fatigue is felt. Additionally, using holy offensively against beings that aren’t dark in nature, such as clubbing someone with a holy shield, will cost twice as much as a normal spell. It is possible, but holy is a magic intended primarily to protect and heal.
Holy Spell Examples
Weak:
– Create small amounts of light
– Heal tiny scratches
– Create Holy Water
Feeble:
– Create a small beam of light
Moderate:
– Create small holy shields
– Apply blessings that speed up minor healing and reduce pain
Medium:
– Create detailed structures from light
– Apply blessings to weapons in order to harm dark creatures further
– Break curses up to Strong
– Cleanse a person of minor poisons
Strong:
– Create a 5ft barrier of holy light that can absorb a decent amount of damage
– Create light that significantly harms most undead
– Break curses up to Powerful
– Cleanse a person of most poisons
Powerful:
– Create simple tools/weapons of solid light with concentration
– Break curses up to Wondrous
– Cleanse a person of all save the most exceptional poisons
– Angelic Wings(must be taught): Burst of speed(20m)
– Wards against future curses(must be taught)
– Seals that persist(must be taught)
Wondrous:
– Blessings that increase recovery rate by 2.5x
– Create light that tremendously harms dark creatures
– Angelic Wings(must be taught): Burst of speed(30m)
Divine:
– Blessings that increase recovery rate by 3x
– Take gargantuan impacts with holy shields
– Angel Fire: A spell normally only available to Angels. It creates a rolling light that annihilates all before it. Unlike most holy effects it can hurt non-dark creatures, but is still more effective against them.
– Smite: A weaker version of a spell normally only available to Angels. Creates a streak of cleansing lightning that seeks to destroy and eradicate a single target. Unlike most holy effects it can hurt non-dark creatures, but is still more effective against them.
– Angelic Wings(must be taught): Burst of speed(45m)
About Dark Magic
The magic in direct opposition to holy. While not tied to its respective god as Holy is, Behmos instead influences its casters and those around them, afflicting them with negative emotions with every spell cast. It amplifies them and draws power into the magic from them, subtly seeking to turn its wielders towards sin or to have them succumb to inner darkness.
The magic provides control over the darkness itself, manipulating it, shrouding with it, and seeing through it. It is also capable of solidifying it into the physical world through tendrils, shields, or even shadow ‘servants’ that may follow basic commanders. It is a much more ‘fluid’ magic compared to holy; while the latter is rigid and firm, an unwavering shield against all that would seek to harm, dark magic is subtle, flexible. The magic is able to create Profaned Water, a counterpart to holy water, which like all dark magic harms holy magic or holy-based creatures significantly more than mundane beings or substances. It can also raise the dead via necromancy, or creating life-sized servants of pure darkness that follow the commands of their caster. Dark magic has other more concrete and specialized spells, such as the creation of stronger undead known as dullahans, a form of teleportation known as dark gating, or even the ability to summon demons given time and preparation, which are required to be learned in character. It is an immensely versatile magic, with much for a novice to learn.
Dark shields created are 1/10th the cost of a normal spell, generally ‘weaker’ than holy shields, and still impacted by heavy or strong forces put up against them. The creation and use of dark gates is also cheaper, at 1/5th of a usual spell while all other applications of the magic have standard exhaustion.
Finally, the creation of dark servants runs on its own specialized system that must be learned in character. Simply put, the stronger or more dark servants a mage creates the lower their overall casting for all magics will become as a result. The creation of curses also comes with some danger, able to backfire on the mage when being made when a difficulty check of 5 has been failed.
Dark Spell Examples
Weak:
– Create Profaned Water
– Create small, mundane shadows
– Minor ripples and changes to preexisting shadows
Feeble:
– Moving, source-less shadows (E.x. spot-“lights”)
Moderate:
– Minor Necromancy(Lesser souls)
Medium:
– Small shadow barriers & shields
– Form minor dark servants
– Cast humanoid shadow projections
Strong:
– Physical, moving shadows (Can dent iron)
– Manipulate negative emotions of one person
– Dark-Gates(must be taught): 16m, 1 person
– Create Curses
Powerful:
– Dullahan Creation(must be taught)
– Dark-Gates(must be taught): 33m, 2 people
– Cut through iron/dent steel with physical shadows
– Stand on dark platforms for short periods of time
– Shield from a Troll attack with great exhaustion
Wondrous:
– Dark-Gates(must be taught): 50m, 3 people
– Cut through steel with effort
– Manipulate all negative emotions within a small radius
Divine:
– Create grand Dark Servants
– Better Dark-Gates(must be taught): 66m, 4 people
– Shield larger areas such as small manors with great effort
– Create Abyssal Pools: A special divine spell which actively drains life and energy from all surroundings within 15 meters
Outlier Magic
- Alteration
- Illusion
- Telekinesis
About Alteration Magic
Alteration is the chaotic magic of change to the physical world around the caster. At its weaker levels it can achieve varying forms of prestidigitation-like effects, cleaning or dirtying surfaces of substances, the changing of color, warmth, chill, and changing the shape, weight or appearance of something physically. At its highest levels it can even perform this upon living or once-living materials and creatures to change aspects of their form.
All alteration is based on the knowledge that a caster has in what they are changing; the character must have an understanding of what they want to change. Smiths are able to more easily and readily adjust metal, doctors who understand the body are able to potentially change broken parts of a person, and so forth. Alteration also takes considerable time to have effects, from hours to days or possibly weeks on significant changes at higher levels. This is due to the immense amount of focus required to direct that chaotic magic into desired change; unleashing that chaos into an object without direction will most often mean its destruction. Alteration also, importantly, requires its caster to be directly touching what they want to change.
Life Alteration covers all things that have been alive or are currently alive. Body parts and bones fall under its spectrum, but also anything made of wood, leather, former plant life, and any other material that was once part of something alive. It is limited to the level of Strong and above. Things that have been changed significantly from their living state, such as ash from a burnt body or charcoal from wood no longer count as life alteration, though tanning leather or painting wood does not count. All life alteration must be moderated by staff – if you are uncertain about what would and would not count as life alteration, feel free to ask any of them.
Alteration Spell Examples
Weak:
– Change basic properties of objects very slightly(smell, taste, etc)
– Minor prestidigitation; cleaning stains or drying clothes
Feeble:
– Alteration Scanning: Provides a detailed vision of a material’s inner makeup(This does not provide knowledge of an object’s insides; it only works if you have prior knowledge. For example, someone with no knowledge of human anatomy could not suddenly know the location of the femur from a scan.)
Moderate:
– Slightly increased range of properties that can be changed in objects; weight, density, etc.
Medium:
– Change basic materials to other natural forms(E.x. Sand to glass)
Strong:
– Metamagic: The ability to slightly redirect the path of other elements, greater control is had when used in conjunction with other elements if cast together
– Enhance the strength of materials to that of steel
– Basic Life Alteration(This includes plants and other material)
Powerful:
– Complex organ reformation, permanent shifts in gender
– Can change materials to a high degree; slightly past the strength of steel (Manticore scale)
Wondrous:
– High-Level Life Alteration; can create new species/organisms with time
– Enhance materials beyond the strength of steel (Dwarven Steel)
– Perform complex shifts of material (Texture, elasticity, etc)
Divine:
– Dreastically change the properties of materials/organisms, effects can be greater the more time is taken
– High-Level Metamagic: Greater control of elements, near complete control when used in conjunction with other elements if cast together.
About Illusion Magic
Illusion magic is unique in that it does not usually interact with the physical world like other magics. Instead, it is one that distorts or deceives the senses of creatures or people via manipulating that which falls within the senses. Illusion may create phantom sights, smells, sounds, and images or illusory people and creatures. It may twist the world around the caster to potentially prevent detection at higher levels, or change how a place or thing looks while they are using the magic. It cannot, however, create false sensations, such as pain, or taste. An illusion mage can see through their own spells and choose who sees through or who sees or is affected by their spells in general.
Because of its uniqueness as a magic, and its focus in creating sustained spells that stand for long periods of time, virtually all illusion magic comes at 1/4th the standard exhaustion of your average spell. A single spell of illusion can often also be sustained for some time without much issue to the caster so long as they are not greatly disrupted during that time.
Illusion Spell Examples
Weak:
– Small, vague and unclear images of something the caster is familiar with
– Speak without using mouth (Same distance as normal talking)
Feeble:
– Throw your voice a small distance
Moderate:
– Create phantom smells and sounds
– Detailed still images
Medium:
– Able to blur and distort objects or illusionary images
– Moving illusions that blur and distort
– Minor enhancing to senses over a viable area
Strong:
– Create sizable detailed illusions that are able to move and make sound (Around human/elf sized)
– Completely muffle normal mundane sounds(Footsteps, breathing, dropping of small objects). Able to dampen greater sounds
Powerful:
– Create a chameleon effect(Similar to predator camouflage)
– Displace body and objects
Wondrous:
– Hallucinatory Terrain: A lasting illusionary spell over a designated area
Divine:
– Bend light to make things become nearly invisible
About Telekinesis Magic
Telekinesis is, at its most basic level, a magic capable of moving items at a distance, from a single item or groups of items to larger objects such as swords or boulders, with limitations on how many and the weight they can hold depending on the caster’s magical strength. It is also capable of creating condensed shields of pure force, hardly noticeable as vibrating or distorted spaces of air.
Being the weakest of the designated ‘shielding’ magics, Telekinetic barriers cost 1/5th of the usual exhaustion of a standard spell. Similarly, they can increase exhaustion to great levels depending on the force or weight applied to them. It should be noted that while Telekinesis can potentially lift a caster or others, doing so constitutes casting on a sentient living thing, and so the weight that can be moved is cut in half in these instances for the level of magic used.
Telekinesis Spell Examples
Weak:
– Move or shift up to 10lbs
– Softly nudge objects with enough effort
Feeble:
– Move or shift up to 25lbs
– Pull most small items into your hand with ease
Moderate:
– Move or shift up to 50 lbs
– Focus force onto smaller points
Medium:
– Move or shift up to 80 lbs
– Improved accuracy of items moved
– Create small barriers of telekinetic force that can withstand up to 40 lbs of force before breaking
Strong:
– Move or shift up to 150 lbs
– Focus on up to 2 projectiles or items simultaneously within sight
– Dent or bend steel
– Small increase to jump height and distance
Powerful:
– Move or shift up to 250lbs
– Crumple iron with focus
– Create sizable barriers of telekinetic force that can withstand up to 125lbs of force
Wondrous:
– Move or shift up to 300lbs
– Focus on up to 3 projectiles or items simultaneously within sight
– Levitate in short bursts
Divine:
– Move or shift up to 400lbs, further weight can be maintained with greater exhaustion
– Crumple stronger materials with focus
Elemental Magic
- Fire
- Water
- Earth
- Wind
- Ice
- Lightning
About Fire Magic
The magic to control flames, fire, and heat. It can of course call forth fireballs and jets of flame, but may also warm ambient room temperature, heat, and even melt greater materials at higher levels, or cause localized explosions of heat and flame. One has great control over the magic and can shape it or even change its color as the caster wishes.
Fire Spell Examples
Weak:
– Flicker preexisting flames
– Release short bursts of sparks
Feeble:
– Form candle-sized flames
– Diminish small amounts of heat from a source
Moderate:
– Create palm-sized flames with effort
– Shoot sparks in a thin line
– Pool warmth to one’s fingertip
Medium:
– Melt iron with given time
– Throw head-sized fireballs
– Create thin, short fire ‘whips’
– Form fire into vague shapes (ex: a small dancing lady figure in your palm!)
Strong:
– Redirect the flame of explosions
– Create small low force explosions
– Create an aura of warmth like a sunny day (about half a foot away from the body)
Powerful:
– Melt steel with given time
Wondrous:
– Jet-propel in short bursts (and burn yourself horribly for the effort)
– Boil water instantaneously
– Send waves of intense heat towards an area
Divine:
– Melt through Wyvern materials with effort
– Cast extremely intense fire, radiating heat capable of melting stone
About Water Magic
Water magic gives the mage control over water and water-based liquids. It is able to fully manipulate, move, and shape water, reducing ice down into its watery state and greatly condensing it or putting the water under pressure. At weaker levels this ranges from a simple cup of control to larger ponds or small lakes at the highest levels. It can also allow a mage to grant themselves or others the ability to breathe underwater if focused on for a period of time.
Notably, water magic manipulates water, not liquids universally. It cannot manipulate acids, venom, alcohol, or the like, unless it has a greater concentration of water than not. While it can appear to create water for the caster’s use, this is done through concentrating the natural water in the air; a water mage in a desert will have significantly more difficulty in using their magic due to the lack of moisture and overpowering heat.
Water Spell Examples
Weak:
– Pull and push droplets of liquid
– Ripple the surface of bodies of water
Feeble:
– Spray specks of liquid
– Control very small waves with effort
Moderate:
– Levitate dollops of liquid
– Form bottle-sized whirlpools, stir up contents
Medium:
– Create small tendrils of water
– Ability to breath underwater for one person with concentration
Strong:
– Allow up to two people to breath underwater with concentration
– Condense water that is able to cut through wood with time
– Condense water to walk on its surface
Powerful:
– Crush entities within areas of water through increased pressure
– Condense water to use its pressure as a shield
– Cut into iron through concentrated jets of water
Wondrous:
– Form lake-sized whirlpools, strong enough to pull in small boats
– Allow up to three people to breath underwater with concentration
Divine:
– Form small tsunamis, building up with time
– Lift bodies of water from the ground (large ponds, small lakes)
– Force rain to fall harder during storms (cannot control the storms themselves)
About Earth Magic
The magic to control the earth, rocks, dirt, sand, and other fruits of the earth. A mage can condense stone down or reduce it to sand and gravel, or condense or manipulate stone into vast structures. At higher levels a mage can even throw sizable boulders of great weight at their enemies, tunnel through the ground at speed, and even control or make glass, a changed state of sand. Earth magic can also turn different types of the element into other kinds; dirt into clay, stone into limestone, and so forth. While it cannot create earth from nothing, any earth mage on land often has a great deal of their element to work with.
One exception to earth’s manipulation is metal. While it can be done, it takes significantly longer and comes at 2x the exhaustion of a normal spell. Similarly, controlling or creating glass below Strong will cost 2x the usual exhaustion rate while above it will cost the normal spell amount.
Earth Spell Examples
Weak:
– Nudge a pebble some few centimeters
– Push minute indentations into mud
Feeble:
– Levitate small stones
– Shift small amounts of sand aside
Moderate:
– Throw weak projectiles
– Burrow into softer ground, more effort required depending on depth
Medium:
– Create condensed stone
– Pull apart stone to turn into sand
Strong:
– Create 5ft walls of stone with ease
– Manipulate small, limited sandstorms
Powerful:
– Throw smaller boulders up to a yard
– Tunnel through a couple yards at a time
Wondrous:
– Send a shockwave through a small area to search. More exhausting with a larger radius
– Burrow faster into the ground
– Lift large pillars of stone with ease
Divine:
– Toss large boulders over several yards
– Tunnel through most mountains
– Walk on hovering stone, though without much balance (very exhausting)
About Wind Magic
The magic of the air and wind. It can control small breezes that blow through hair at its lower levels, or a full gale that can throw people off their feet at the highest levels. Wind magic can even create blades of rippling visible air that can cut like a sharp edge, or is able to move most smokes.
Wind magic can be cast directionally from the mage, so even if their sight is blocked they are capable of directing a force from their front, sides, or behind to blow air in that direction, moving lighter things or smoke around a battlefield.
Wind Spell Examples
Weak:
– Small gusts of wind that can move hair
Feeble:
– Able to lift several feathers into the air
Moderate:
– Create a breeze able to shift 10lbs
Medium:
– Can make small dust storms with effort and time
– Able to clear an area of smoke or dust
Strong:
– Create blades of air able to slice through wood and leather
– Blow heavy winds capable of slowing down others
Powerful:
– Create blades of air able to slice through iron
– Create strong breezes able to push back and unbalance the average human
– Blow smoke away from a larger area.
Wondrous:
– Create updrafts to increase jump height and distances
Divine:
– Able to walk on air for short periods (fairly exhausting)
– Form small sight-reliant tornados
About Ice Magic
The magic to control, create, and manipulate ice, snow, and lower temperatures. While water magic can turn ice back into water, ice can do the same while also condensing water into ice. A mage can shift snowdrifts or even create snow from rain, solidifying ice into simple and weak weapons, walls or sculptures. It can even greatly diminish heat and outright extinguish weaker fires depending on the level cast.
Ice Spell Examples
Weak:
– Able to chill a glass of liquid
Feeble:
– Small manipulations of snow
Moderate:
– Small manipulations of ice
Medium:
– Creation of ice and snow from moisture in the air
– Able to convert falling rain to snow
– Freeze small bodies of water with time
Strong:
– Greater manipulation of ice
– Increase how cold something is
– Manipulate small snowstorms and fog covers
Powerful:
– Able to create sheets of ice to walk on water with some effort
– Manipulate medium snowstorms and greater fog banks
– Ability to freeze over most mundane materials
Wondrous:
– Create snowstorms in a given area
– Massive manipulation of ice and snow in an area
Divine:
– Diminish forest fires
– Drastically reduce the area temperature to dangerous levels
About Lightning Magic
The magic of lightning and controlling ambient electricity, though in the medieval-based world of Saphriel where knowledge of electricity is nonexistent, this is considered ‘lesser lightning’. Its capabilities can range from simple sparks of energy to calling down strikes from the heavens or creating more simple arcs. Lightning magic is unique in requiring the caster to designate two points when casting, the lightning’s start and its finish, that the magic travels between, rather than simply releasing it as one would with fire. Lightning magic can also create light to see from, catch fire to burnable substances, and boil small bodies of water, though to a far lesser extent than fire magic.
Magnetism is a mostly-unknown field of Lightning magic and must be learned about in character. When employed it is 2x as exhausting as a normal spell’s exhaustion would be.
Lightning Spell Examples
Weak:
– Form sparks
– Create small static shocks
Feeble:
– Create coin-sized lightning orbs
Moderate:
– Miniature electricity bolts
– Run a current through metal
Medium:
– Slowly heat metals
– Mortally wound if in contact for too long
Strong:
– Cast a constant stream of electricity
– Send arcs of lightning
Powerful:
– Stream thin strands of electricity towards targets
– Electrocute bodies of water the size of a pond
Wondrous:
– Vaporize most materials with effort
– Call lightning from the skies with exhaustion
Divine:
– Electrify the contents of large lakes
– Vaporize most metals with ease
– Control electric currents
Magical Master & Decay
What is Mastery?
Mastery reflects the time and effort that a mage puts into reaching higher levels of magic, their experience granting them spell slots beyond the base amount of 5. The first aspect does not count for mastery, the skill level alone indicates that. A second aspect of Strong and above will expand and count as mastery.
If a mage’s secondary aspect is at Strong or Powerful, they will gain 1 extra spell at their highest level. At Wondrous this is 2, and for Divine 3. Further aspects count for half rounded down(half of 1 is 0). So a mage of four aspects, Divine, Wondrous, Powerful, Powerful would have 3 extra spells at their highest level for a total of 8.
How one grows in strength in an aspect is by casting, and casting over a period of time. As one must exercise to grow their muscles, a mage must use their magic to improve it and build up their reserves. This can take as little as an in-character month at the lowest levels from one to the next, to a real-life month-and-a-half to go from the highest levels to the next. This means a character can often take well over a year in-server to truly master an aspect and reach their highest limits if their trinket strength allows for it. An experienced mage will have spent a great deal of time in building their magic; there are no shortcuts to power with it.
A teacher can reduce the time this training takes if they are above the level of the student, though only if that teacher is consistently training them. Training multiple aspects at once can significantly reduce the time it takes to master them as well. Training is tracked by IC weeks, with the aid of a teacher providing 1.3x each week they aid, training in two aspects reduces progression to .5x, three by .33x, and four by .25x for each week of training.
What is Decay?
Finally, just as muscles grow weaker from lack of use, a mage can decay in their skills if they lose touch with magic in general by not casting. This can come from loss of a trinket, inability to cast, or sheer laziness in the case of some. It is not something that many have to worry about in their day-to-day lives, though long periods of being away from one’s trinket, such as being held in captivity, can mean a great deal of time is required to regain one’s magic.
Magical degradation takes place after an in-character month of no magical casting on an aspect at the trained level. All days after this will see it falter and fail at a rate thrice as fast as the growth. This counts towards cantrips as well; a month without casting at the level trained will lose that level of cantrips that are able to be cast.
Fatigue & Spell Numbers
Managing Magic
At their base, every mage from Weak to Divine has 5 spells of their highest level or tier, 10 of their next level down, and 20 for the level below that. A spell of your highest level is worth two of your next lowest, and two to the next level below that. Each spell cast will impact your overall magical stamina until depleted, and casting after this will be counted as Overcasting (see below). This can mean a high level mage could potentially have a few powerful spells, or many weaker spells.
An example of this is if a mage is both a Strong Fire and Feeble Water mage. They cast a spell first at Strong for Fire, then Feeble for Water, they would be down 2 spells of their highest level, as they are capped or maxed out in each of those aspects and the pool is shared evenly between. They cast 2 Medium fire spells and 3 Weak water spells; they may now cast 5 spells of their second-highest aspect.
Additionally, the casting of multiple aspects at the same time, known as ‘multicasting’, will significantly increase the drain a mage feels on their reserves. Two spells of differing aspects will cost 3x the normal exhaustion of casting a spell, and casting three spells of differing aspects will cost 6x the normal exhaustion one feels. The casting of a ‘Mixed Magic’, an entirely unique magic requiring multiple base aspects, such as plant magic, will be 2x the exhaustion of a standard spell for two aspects combined, 3x the exhaustion for three combined aspects, and 4x for four aspects mixed together.
When a mage hits their eventual limit and attempts to push beyond this, this is considered Overcasting, a dangerous technique used only as a last resort or as part of a tremendous accident. Each time a mage casts when they have no magical reserves remaining, or when casting would push them beyond what they have in reserve, they must make a roll: a 1d20(+2 if a Powerful Caster, +3 if a Wondrous Caster, +4 if a Divine Caster).
The difficulty to pass is 5, each Overcasting after this adds +2 to the DC and any failure means a mage may no longer cast for the remaining IC day, becoming sluggish and receiving a penalty of -2 to all stats until they rest. A roll of a 1 will kill the mage regardless of luck or modifiers, while a roll of 20 will give them a second wind and allow the overcasting, but also provide 2 spells of their maximum or highest level.
Magical Training
Training your Magic
Now how does one improve their level of casting in a particular magic? Well through using it and training of course! Training with magic is similar to training a muscle, where it would take time before one can achieve mastery of an aspect. For instance, a mage may not develop their strength from Weak to Powerful without the intention to hone their skills for each aspect they train in. Having the guidance of a teacher can help to gain more familiarity and experience, shortening the time required to reach each level. All training must be roleplayed on the server, where this includes each lesson with a teacher as well. Any day that the character does not train with their aspect will not count for the overall total amount of time needed, as mere possession of a trinket will not equate to experience with it.
Weak – 0 OOC days
Feeble – 7 OOC days
Moderate – 10.5 OOC days ((17.5 total))
Medium – 10.5 OOC days ((28 total))
Strong – 10.5 OOC days ((38.5 total))
Powerful – 30 OOC days ((68.5 total))
Wondrous – 45 OOC days (113.5 total))
Divine – 45 OOC days ((158.5 total))
Teacher = multiply by 1.3 (Up to level of the teacher, unless that teacher’s level is past what their current trinket is. In which case, up until the trinket.) To get to this amount – (Current Day Total) x 0.7. Trinket’s level does not matter in learning speed.
This applies to training single aspects only. If one was to train two aspects in a day they would progress in both, but at 0.5x speed; if in three, 0.33, in four, 0.25, etc. This is to prevent progressing quickly in many aspects over a relatively short period of time.
Cantrips
Using Cantrips
Finally, once a mage reaches at least Strong in a specific magic they may begin to cast Cantrips of that magic. This reflects when a mage has become so powerful in a magic that significantly weaker spells do not drain them, being essentially free to cast. Spells that are four levels below the caster do not drain spell slots – a Strong caster may cast Weak spells of that aspect for free, a Powerful caster can cast Feeble freely, and so forth. This may only be done when the caster is at rest or ease, so a mage is unable to cast lesser spells endlessly during combat.
They can also only cast cantrips of the magic if they have reached a certain level in that magic; a Divine telekinesis mage is unable to cast cantrips for fire magic if they are only trained to medium in that magic. A breakdown of what level of cantrips can be cast freely at what levels of magic can be found below.