RIP - Fantasy

Magics

Magics are specific ways to create magical effects. Magic is in general divided into two types: spell-casting magic and innate powers. The first one is practised by various magicians and is much more flexible, while the second one represents various innate magical powers some creatures might have.

There is one rule associated to magic in general:

There is always rules

This means that there always exists some arbitary odd rules concerning magical effects, like wards that can only be crossed after denied 3 times, spells that work better when moon is visible, or spells that are nullified if white flowers are spotted.

Moreover, magic is always a bit dangerous thing to work with. It can attract unwanted interest of spirits and magical creatures close-by, unsettle animals and kids and create some basically harmless side-effects like changes in temperature, lightning or moisture. Mundane people are afraid of it and use of magic can end in witch acquisitions, stoning and angry mobs.

Spell-Casting Magic Paths

Spell-casting, a learned skill and done by gifted individuals is divided into multiple different paths. Each magical path has their own way of drawing mana (energy to power up the spells), special rules and different rituals. If a creature is skilled in multiple magic paths, the highest level of them is the main path for that creature. If multiple paths are tied, the creature must select the main path from the tied ones. Note that players and GM are not limited to six magic paths and their spells listed here. Players and GM are free to invite new ones as long as they fit the campaign world.

Spells

In magic paths, magic effects are performed via spells. Spells are divided into two different types:

Rituals. Spells that require chanting, ingredients and such, lasting minutes or even hours. The given length is for average casting; changing spell parameters, environment, ingredients, or difficulty can alter that time considerably.
Invocations. These spells are usually cast in matter of seconds, by uttering required power words and channeling mana quickly through magician's focus.

Spells are also divided into three levels - basic, advanced and master, reflecting required skill level from the magician to know to prepare and cast those spells (skilled, expert and master, respectively) and also the generic difficulty of the spell to cast.

Magic Reserve

While magician can use any spells from paths he knows, those spells must be first prepared before they can be used. This requires 10-20 minute ritual or reading based on the spell level. During this preparation work, the spell base construction is weaved and bind into magician's focus. Double or even triple the ritual time if the spell is unfamiliar to the magician or not used for a long time, unless the magician has some spell book or similar where to read it from. After prepared, the spell can be casted and again.

However, preparing and remembering spell incantations and binding and enchanting items is tiresome and time consuming activity. To reflect this, this is abstracted as magician's magic reserve. Default reserve size is 4 plus skill level of the main path, but this reserve size can be extended with dedication special attribute (see character creation), reflecting magicians dedication and character to keep on doing this taxing task from day to day.

A prepared spell takes up one space of reserve. Crafted consumables take space based on their power level and each power level takes half reserve point. Thus an expert shaman has reserve size of 6, which means that he can 6 prepared spells or 12 basic (power level 1) consumables or any combination.

This reserve size can be exceeded by preparing new spells and consumables, but within hours or at least during next sleep the character forgots or no longer has energy to upkeep exceed number of spells or consumables, and exceed spells or consumables should be crossed out.

All prepared spells and consumables need to be refreshed and upkeeped, and in general takes about 30 minutes each day, more if selection is changed. Those with increased reserve size spend more time. If the magician cannot spare the daily upkeep time, some prepared spells and consumables decay each day, usually found at the moment of trying to use them.

Spell Target

Some spells affect the caster and some require caster to touch the target (which might be tricky in combat).

Most spells can be freely targeted at something the caster sees or is otherwise aware of and is within about 15 meters. Some are limited to close, meaning within 5 meters of the caster. If more power is pumped to spell, that usually also increases its range. However, while these spells are practically instant and hit automatically, if the target is not somehow specifically targeted by the spell and is behind other suitable targets or almost totally covered by some obstruction, the spell may instead hit the intervening thing instead. The specific targeting usually requires the name of the target, eye contact, and/or something belonging to the target. So, targeting the leader behind his lackeys is not automatic, but might instead hit some lackey in front.

Some spells specifically create some projectile which is hurled or shot like some arrow. These projectiles can be dodged, might hit intervening things - friendly or enemy - and basically decay over ranges of 30 meters. Hitting small or fast moving targets with these spells is extremely hard.

Spell Duration

Most spells have either immediate, possibly permanent effect, but some spells create temporal effect (known as enchantment) which lasts for either pre-determined time, until magician loses concentration or drops the spell, or the effect is dispelled. The mana environment around the spell effect can also affect the decay speed - in general, enchanments last much longer in high mana environment.

If the spell effect duration is based on caster concentration, it can seldom last longer than some minutes, and if caster is hit hard, have to cast something else, or is otherwise interrupted, the effect immediately ends.

Enchantment dispel is usually done with help of primal magic, but often there is also some mundane way to dispel the effect (remember: there are always rules).

Mundane Rituals

Ritual kind magic can also be done by mundane non-gifted creatures or those with insufficient magic skill levels. This however requires exact guidelines from either senior magicians or from grimoires or spellbooks, a big list of exact ingredients and long ritual usually by multiple participants. It is also dangerous thing to do, as if something goes wrong, there is no magical means to handle the unexpected outcome.

Spell Power Level

Each spell has its default power level, from 1 to 3 (or more). The higher the power level, the harder the spell is to cast and control, and more severe is the flashback when spell goes bad. However, higher power level spells are also harder to counter or unbind.

Spells originally marked with power level like 1+ are by nature such that they are cast in different potency based on situation. For other spells, it is rarer to add more power level, but adding many or potent improvements to a spell also increases its power need, in addition to making it harder to cast. Typical potent changes are making a self-affecting spell affect a touched creature, or making short-timed enchantments last much longer.

Components and Foci

Unless noted otherwise, all spells need verbal components (magic words). Usually some material ingredients are also needed, and more potent and rare these are, the better this is for the casting.

While prepared, spells are bound to some focus, traditionally to magician's staff, and this staff needs to be used when the spell is cast. If the magician loses the focus item, he cannot cast these prepared spells until regains the focus or prepares them again with new focus.

Mana

Magic effects are powered by mana, a normally invisible energy that is present all around in the world - in living things, in the spirits, in plants, and also flowing freely like winds. Each path defines how much mana is usually available in certain environment.

To cast a spell, the current environment must have at least the same mana level as the spell's power level. This can be exceeded by one with help of acolytes, chanting help, and/or much longer ritual, turning minutes into hours. For invocation spells, the one extra level can be achieved by making the spell much harder and dangerous to cast.

As default, the environment mana level is 2, but see various paths for exceptions to that rule. In case of innate powers, rules are a bit different as power is drawn from the own body and spirit. If the mana level is 0, no spells can be cast there.

Casting Difficulty

The basic difficulty of the spell is its level. If features of the spell are modified, like adding more range, area of effect or duration, or trying to do ritual faster, it becomes harder to cast and might require more power. If the used power level is higher than the mana value of the environment, spell becomes considerably harder to cast, especially if it is an invocation.

Casting is always dangerous and can fail, but spells not modified and not using exceed mana basically always succeed if not interrupted. However, if the magician tries spells on the limit of own skills, is tired or interrupted, or in general does them in hurry (including all invocation spells), the spellcasting might just fail, fizzling the effect.

Also note that every spell casting is draining to user, both mentally and in health, and caster can feel weakened after each spell, making it harder to case new spells immediately.

Flashback

Regardless if the spell succeeds or not, there is always a danger of flashback from the mana drawn. This usually only happens if the spell fails miserably when the magician tries too strong (power level) spell or uses invocation spell, but it can also happen after successful cast spell if too much mana just got involved and magician loses control of it.

If a flashback happens, possible side-effects, from lightest to most severe, are momentary disorientation, forgotting one or more prepared spells, inability to cast or prepare that spell for some hours, temporal inability to cast anything (from some minutes to even hours or days), blackout, physical feedback damage and amnesia. This side-effect is mainly based on the power level of the spell.

Magic Test System

Those who need more exact magic system follow these guidelines. Standard stress tests are used, so refer to that.

Casting Roll

Casting roll is always 3 to 5 dice, with following rules:

In low mana (1) area, test is limited to 3 dice
In high mana (3) area, test must be at least 4 dice
In very high mana (4) area, test is always 5 dice but apply +1 to casting roll

The caster is otherwise free to choose how many dice to use. However, two different colored dice must be used, and any dice that exceed caster skill level in used magic path are thrown in second color, known as volatile dice. For example, if expert (2) caster uses 5 dice, two dice are normal and 3 are volatile.

The casting roll is otherwise normal stress test, i.e. highest result counts. The target number for spell by default is 3 + spell power level; the caster gains +1 to roll if the spell is lower level than their normal maximum level, i.e. expert gets +1 if casts basic spell. Apply -2 to casting roll if mana level is not sufficient for the spell's power level, and -1 if spell modified by adding more range, targets or so on. All these modifiers are applied to final roll after any extended rolls.

Miscast

If 3 or more dice are same "unmodified" number (with extended 6+ rolls all counting as 6s), the spell is miscast. If any of these dice were volatile, the spell automatically fails and flashback results are more severe. The result of miscast - flashback - is based on what the same number rolled for was:

Note that spell also fails if the casting roll is below target number or any miscast dice were volatile, but if the spell does not fail, the original effect still happens regardless of flashback. The power of flashback is mainly based on power level and number of dice used - magic overload from weak spell is much less severe than from a 5 dice high power level spell.

Primal Magic

Primal magis is manipulation of pure active flows of mana. It is mainly used for counterspells and enchantment manipulation. It is most often used by practioners of sorcery or illusionary magic.

Characteristics

Primal magic draws mana from the flowing mana currents. Flowing mana is normally at level 2, but some scarce areas have 1 or even zero, while there also exists high mana spots and fountains with 3 or even level 4 mana.

As focus, a staff is usually used. Verbal words are loud and clear.

Basic Spells

Detect Mana (invocation, power level 1): As long as the caster concentrates, he can see magically attuned objects and creatures close to him as glowing, with intensity based on how much power are fed to them. This spell does not grant sight to the spirit world, but possessed creatures can usually be recognized. Some magical things can stay hidden, but holding items or touching creatures usually gives better feeling of the target's magical attunement.
Dissipate (invocation, power level 1): This is the simplest generic counterspell. When the opponent is about to cast a spell, this spell slows down and disrupts the mana flow, possibly causing the original spell to fizzle unless hte opponent can draw more mana, making the original spell harder and more dangerous to cast.
Note that with all counterspells, the caster must be prepared and aware of the situation to have adequate time to react to invocation spells.
Unbind Mana (5-15min ritual, power level 1+): The magician carefully studies and can then try release mana from an enchantment (cast spells which have their effect still in effect) or from simple enchanted item. This ends the enchantment or nullifies/destroys the enchanted item. Usually at least as much power is needed than the original spell had.

Advanced Spells

Anti-Magic Ward (5min ritual, power level 2): The magician create a magical barrier from mana that prevents magic effects crossing it. The typical form is a circle, but can also take form of line. The effect lasts for 30 minutes by default.
Dispel Magic (invocation, power level 1+): As basic level spell Unbind Mana, but cast faster as an invocation.
Disrupt (invocation, power level 2): A more potent counterspell which pushes extra uncontrolled mana into target spell, making it much harder to cast and prone to more severe flashbacks. However, if the original spell is still kept in form, the effects might also be more potent, although also somehow twisted.
Enchant Item (ritual, power level 1+): This ritual is used to create enchanted items, especially consumables in a form of scrolls or magical dust. In case of consumables, the effect bind to item is typically an invocation spell effect from some magic path, and that spell does not need to be prepared. Crafting permanent items takes hours, even days, while consumables take in average 30 minutes per power level. Required ingredients are based on type of items created; potions require fire and bottles, scrolls need paper and ink, dust needs mortar, and of course all need proper ingredients.

Master Spells

Anti-Magic Area (5min ritual, power level 2): The magician creates an area in which mana does not flow and is really hard to draw from other sources. This basically creates an area where no spells can be cast, at least easily, including using innate powers. The enchantment lasts for 30 minutes by default.
Mana Drain (invocation, power level 2): The most difficult and potent counterspell sucks the mana the target is about to use, making it considerably harder to finish the spell. The magician doing Mana Drain must then immediately use some invocation to channel the drained mana into it, or careful release it to environment. However, if magician if disturbed before either is finished, he faces the dangers of flashback as mana is violently released.

Sorcery

Sorcery is magic of elemental powers, fire and ice, and potent mana shaping to access spirit world and places far away. Sorcery is often seen as the most 'educated' magic, with grimoires, teaching and schools dedicated to it. It is taught by the wizards of the eastern civilization and high elven lords, and its users are often known as wizards, too, although the term can be misused to mean other obvious magicians also. Some sorcerers mainly specialize in elemental effects and are known as elementalists, while some others specialize in spells conjuring things and creating portals, and they are known as conjurers.

Characteristics

Sorcery, like primal magic, draws mana from the flowing mana currents. Flowing mana is normally at level 2, but some scarce areas have 1 or even zero, while there also exists high mana spots and fountains with 3 or even level 4 mana.

As focus, a staff is traditional choice, but some schools however use wands (short sticks) or spellbooks as focus. Verbal words are loud and clear.

Basic Spells

Fire Protection (invocation, power level 1-2): The sorceror invokes protection against burning and flames. With two power, can include other creatures close to him. This lasts for some minutes, longer if caster concentrates to keep it on.
Ice Shards (invocation, power level 2+): The sorceror shoots a group of sharp ice shards toward target. Fast targets might be missed. These shards do mainly physical damage like hurled metal wedges. More power means bigger and more dangerous shards.
Ice Shield (invocation, power level 2): The sorceror invokes a sheet of ice between him and the target direction. This can stop one incoming attack, unless it is very powerful and just smashes through the shield.
Pyrokinesis (invocation, power level 2): The sorceror can create remote fire out of thin air, causing a flame explosion close to caster. Living creatures can be directly ignited, but is harder than producing fire to inanimate objects or in the air.
Shock Bolt (invocation, power level 1): This spell conjures a fast projectile of force which upon contact blasts the target away like hit by an invisible force. This causes some physical damage, enough to shatter smaller breakable items or to break a rib or two unless target has some padding.

Advanced Spells

Fireball (invocation, power level 2+): The sorceror shoots a ball of flame from his focus which upon contact bursts, igniting flammable things and dealing burn damage. The more power is fed to spell, the bigger the fireball is and longer it can be hurled.
Flame Barrier (invocation, power level 2): The sorceror can create a barrier of blazing flames. This barrier can be a wall of up to 5-10 meters or a circle around the caster, with diameter up to 10 meters. Flames will rise to about one meter.
Scrying Pool (ritual 5min, power level 2): The sorceror can see distant places and incidents from the surface of an enhanced pool, or in some schools, mirror or other surface. These visions can be inaccurate, and they may come from future or from past, nothing is sure.
Spirit Portal (20s invocation, power level 2): The sorceror creates a shimmering portal like a doorway into the air. Anyone stepping through enters the spirit world, but likewise any free spirit nearby can use it to materialize. The duration for the portal is usually 15 to 30 minutes, based on mana around.
Wall of Ice (invocation, power level 2): The sorceror creates a wall of thick ice, lasting for 15 minutes or until it melts. This wall is up to 10 meters long and 3 meters high, filling the space it is put to.

Master Spells

Conjure (5min+ ritual, power level 2+): With this ritual, the sorceror can call any speficic creature or thing to appear close to him, in materialized form. It is often used to call mighty demons and other spirit realms entities, but can also be used to conjure creatures from the normal world or objects. However, the real name and things belonging to subject is basically essential, or the ritual usually calls something similar or perhaps something totally different, attracted by the calls. Calling strong demons usually also require all kind of gross things like livers of babies killed in their cradles or hearth of 5 virgin priests. Note that this ritual grants no special powers over the conjured things. Check every 5 minutes does the target arrive until it happens or magician gives up.
Major Portal (5min ritual, power level 4): The sorceror creates a shimmering portal, a doorway, between his current location and basically in any place, including deep spirit realms or distant places. However, to create such a portal, the magician needs knowledge and usually things from the target place. The created portal has huge mana drain and stays open only for a some minutes unless situated in very high mana area.
Petrificate (invocation, power level 3): The sorceror shoots a ray that petrificates (turns to stone) the first hit living thing. Some very big or strong creatures can resist the effect and just be slowed for a while. The petrificated thing is basically dead, but the spirit usually lingers and the body can be turned back to living by reversing the spell (5min ritual) - however, the creature might not survive that shock.
Some schools instead freeze target into ice statue. Otherwise the spell is quite similar, but the result can melt in warm environment or shattered more easily.

Illusionism

Illusionism is subtle magic, creating phantasms and manipulating minds. It is often considers as subtle little brother of sorcery, its shadow, and has also names like shadow or mind magic. Like sorcery, it is widely practisioned by western human magicians and high elves, and often by the same person - it is just a question, where main training of that practisioner or school lies.

Characteristics

Illusionism, like primal magic or sorcery, draws mana from the flowing mana currents. Flowing mana is normally at level 2, but some scarce areas have 1 or even zero, while there also exists high mana spots and fountains with 3 or even level 4 mana.

The typical focus, however, is bracelet or a wand, but staff is not uncommon either. Verbal words are often whispered.

Basic Spells

Brief Illusion (invocation, power level 1): The illusionist can create a short visual effect which can fool and startle unprepared. The effect is too crude to fool anybody for a longer time.
Cover of Ignorance (10s invocation, power level 1): The illusionist can cover his presence from normal creatures in the normal world, they simple are not interested. Very observant creatures may accidentally notice the illusionist, as would anyone really interested to see the illusionist. So this spell does not help against people already watching the illusionist, nor does it help to go through a guarded gate, unless other people all the time walk through it. Lasts as long as illusionist concentrates.
Levitate (invocation, power level 2): The magician uses the his powers to float in the air, slowly but steadily. This lasts as long as the magician concentrates.
Light (invocation, power level 1): Target item or place is temporally enchanted with mana to create ghostly magical illumination. This lasts for half an hour in normal conditions, but use of mana, especially for necromantic magic, in the effect area can make the enchantment decay faster.
Mirror Image (invocation, power level 2): The illusionist creates 2 mirror images of itself which moves close to the illusionist. Unless any attacker or similar is very observant, they have an equal chance to interact with illusion than the real one, although mirror images are totally silent. Any mirror image touched instantly disappears, otherwise they last for a minute or two. By using more power, more images can be created.
Suggest (invocation, power level 1): The illusionist suggest target to do something by basically telling it what to do. This mainly works only against weak-willed creatures and not in combat situation, although the magician can always try to suggest target to drop a weapon or hit a friend, but succeeding in that is much harder.

Advanced Spells

Illusionary Appearance (10s invocation, power level 1): As long as the illusionist concentrates, all other creatures see him as what he originally decided to look like. Those with high willpower, awareness, and/or reason to disbelieve might see through this illusion.
Invisibility (10s invocation, power level 2): The target, by default the illusionist himself, turns almost invisible and now co-exists in the spirit world. This means that he can now see the spirits around and might become attracted to it, and visibility is limited as explained in the spirit world description. In normal world, target is basically invisible, but some ripple and shadowy form can be seen if watched very carefully. This invisibility lasts as long as the target concentrates.
Phantasmal Foe (invocation, power level 2): Using fears and terrors of the subject, an illusion of terrible foe is created to target's mind which the subject need to confront or might fall into catatonic state or even get a heart attack. The actual terrors encountered is very subjective, and naturally does not work on mindless creatures. Effect lasts for few minutes.
Safe Haven (5min ritual, power level 2): With this ritual, the illusionist may hide a place from those not really interested on it. People just walk past it and no creature wander into area unless guided so. This lasts for 30 minutes or hours, even days, if more power used.
Wall of Will (5min ritual, power level 2): The illusionist creates an invisible barrier - circle or straight line - that requires strong will to cross, and normal creatures do not even try unless thay have a good reason to try to cross it. Each attempt is harder, but each succeed to cross it makes the next try easier.

Master Spells

Dreams of Unwary (15min ritual, power level 2): The illusionist enters dreams of the subject and can alter and change them. He can cause them to lead into certain destination, and can change them into semi-real, causing possible damage to subject.
Mind Probe (10s invocation, power level 2+): The mindmage can enter the mind of the subject and read thoughts, even memories if careful and knows what to seek. The mindmage can also cause subject to say things he didn't meant to say and otherwise force his actions, but this requires intense concentration and usually causes nosebleeding or headache on subject, sometimes something worse.
Major Ward (15min ritual, power level 3): This ward requires that the magician also knowns primal magic at least on expert (2) level. The created ward is a combination of advanced spell Wall of Will and Anti-Magic Ward, and prevents any intention to cross or attack through it, including any magic, passing undead and spirits, and all living things. Lasts by default for 30 minutes.

Druidic Magic

Druidic magic, often also known as nature or life magic, is magic that draws its power from living creatures and plants and manipulates them. Its practisioners are usually hermits, but some live close to savage human and elf tribes. To be able to use druidic magic, the magician must have become one with the nature, respecting it. Those not able to do that become defilers.

Defiler

Defiler is a druid that does not have a respect for a nature but unmercifully exploits its powers for his own needs. A defiler has same powers as normal druids, but can draw mana much more effectually, because he does not try preserve life in weak beings. On the other hand, a defiler has no animal friends. All animals summoned by a defiler are either neutral or hostile, and he can befriend only unnatural animals. In addition, all forms taken with shapeshift are usually much more fearsome and are shunned by the creatures of the same type.

Characteristics

Druidic magic draws mana from the plants and other living things, and mana level in normal village or rural place is 2, while lush forest can have 3 and some sacred grove 4. In arid place, constructed dungeon or cobblestone streets the mana level might drop to 1, and even to zero in totally built-in place with no plants at all.

Note that defiler can draw mana more efficiently in plant-scarce areas, often adding 1 to environment level. However, doing this can kill the weaker plants as their life force is sucked.

As focus, a staff is typical. Verbal words are mumble, often sounding like hymns.

Basic Spells

The druid can approach and speak simply with an animal that is neutral or friendly to the druid. The communication is quite limited, and animal is not obligated to tell anything, but most natural animals are usually friendly to the druid. Note that defilers can only force some basic communication out of animals.
Detect Life (invocation, power level 1): As long as druid concentrates and keeps his eyes shut, he can feel living creatures and plants around him, and can also tell something generic from their state; are they in agony, scared, and so on. Touching helps to get better feeling of the state of specific thing.
Entangle (invocation, power level 2): Trees, grass, roots, vines or similar plants are animated to grab and hold the target creature. The default strength is +1 to +2 depending on plant affected.
Essence of Beast (invocation, power level 2): The druid is filled with power of great predators, gaining similar effects as from warrior frenzy. This effect lasts for minute or two, and druid's form become beastly and ferocious for that time.
Heal Wounds (invocation, power level 2): The druid lays hand on target and can cause small wounds to rapidly close and small bone injuries to heal. This can take up to minute or two fully heal all minor wounds, requiring constant concentration.
Purify (invocation, power level 2): By touching the target and concentration, the druid can extract weaker poisons and diseases. It takes some minutes to fully purify the body.
Summon Animals (ritual, power level 1): The druid can call for animals within a few kilometers to come to him. These animals are not automatically friendly or hostile, but easily change favor if given any reason to. The druid may call for specific animals if need to. The duration is based on how much time it takes for animals to arrive and how long the druid keeps on calling them.
Ward of Mother Nature (5min ritual, power level 0+): The druid can create a mystic ward (usually a circle) of ancient runes, preventing any natural from crossing this ward. With mana, this warding can have mystical strength. The ward stays for some hours unless physically broken.

Advanced Spells

Animal Form (invocation, power level 2): The druid can shapeshift into any natural animal, this transformation taking some tens of seconds to happen. This shapeshift is so powerful that normal trappings of the druid are also shapeshifted with him. Note that by default, druid does not have years of experience living in such a body, and thus can be a bit clumsy, slow and out of balance.
Infuse Potion (30min+ ritual, power level 1+): The druid can create magical potions from druidic effects. Healing and rage potions are typical. Proper ingredients are needed, but the effect spell does not need to be prepared.
Reanimate Dead Plant (invocation, power level 2): The druid can bring life back to a dead plant, and animate or grow it. The druid can cause wooden doors to grow shut, wooden walls to twist and collapse or bow to bend useless.
Regrowth (15-60min ritual, power level 3): With this ritual, the druid can make a lost limb to reattach, broken back heal or have some other major damage healed. If the wound has already healed naturally, the loss is permanent and this ritual cannot help.

Master Spells

Major Transformation (invocation, power level 3): The druid can do major transformation of his own body, growing in size, gaining scales or even wings, or sprouting new arms, tail or claws. The transformation takes some tens of seconds, and any clothing or items in a way are not spared. The more drsatic the change is, the more draining it is to keep the new shape, but being in high mana area helps. Thus the effect can last from few minutes to hours, unless druid himself decides to transform back. The actual gain from new form is up to +4 attributes and other benefits.
Rage of Earth (10s invocation, power level 3): The druid can cause earth to rumble, to shake and to quake, creating ravines and collapsing buildings. Lightning bolts can hit from the sky. Creatures in area may fall into the ravines, which may randomly close and open. By keeping on concentrating, the effect can last for some minutes.
Reincarnate (60min+ ritual, power level 3): With this long and tasking ritual, the druid can call for the spirit of the deceased, and with power gained, it will enter a some body close-by. Unless there is a fresh corpse, the spirit will try to possess and merge into life of the some simple creature near to its current location, and may cause dead person to return as an animal. Roll for success every 60 minutes.
Will of Woods (5min+ ritual, power level 2): The druid can cause forest around him to lead creatures travelling in it to arrive or avoid certain place within woods. This effect can be specified to certain person or creatures by having something representing subjects. The enchantment stays until ritual ends, or some hours if mana is pumped to extend its duration.

Shamanic Magic

Shamanic magic is spirit magic. All its powers come through spirits, from simple spirits of various functions to more potent ones or by spirit manipulation. It is mainly practisioned by barbaric tribes or village witchdoctors. Shamans are usually in narcotics and hallucinogens, and may become possessed by wandering spirits. The common power of shamans is to create bind spirit items, magic items empowered by spirit trapped in it. Shamans which concentrate on curses and similar effects are often called as witches, practising witchcraft.

Characteristics

Shamanic magic draws mana from the balance and harmony of the normal and the spirit world. The mana level is typically 2, but areas with high spirit activity can have 3 or even 4, while places where contact with spirit world is severed or spirits somehow driven away or desecrated the mana level is dropped to 1 or even 0.

As focus, some use staffs while some might have rattling necklaces. Verbal component is usually low singing, although curses and similar need to be worded carefully.

Basic Spells

Banish Spirit (invocation, powel level 1+): The shaman can force materialized (co-existing) or possessing spirit to return to the spirit world. With power level 1, only weak ones can be banished. Even if power level is sufficient, a stronger one can try to resist banishment, especially if they possess magical powers.
Call Spirits (5min+ ritual, power level 1): The shaman calls a certain type of spirit from area close to him. The spirit is completely free to choose to come or not to. Basic simple spirits are usually easy to find and they come when called, but stronger ones usually ignore this call. A wrong spirit can sometimes be summoned, too. An attracted free spirit might stay in the spirit world or materialize. As long as ritual continues, make one check every 5 minutes to see if the spirit arrives.
Curse (10-20s invocation, power level 2): The shaman curses some magical harm to subject, from blindess (eyes growing shut), muting (mouth growing shut or starting to spawn toads), pain (lumbago or other jolt of pain which might cause subject to drop items), sleep (subject falls to magical sleep), disease (fever, weakness and perhaps vomiting) to rash (blisters, warts, or things crawling under the skin, making concentration hard and possibly causing panic). The harmful effect of a curse is done via suggestion to target's spirit, and thus overcoming target willpower is essential. The curse must also be clearly stated and addressed to the target - if the target does not pay attention, cannot understand the shaman, or is otherwise occupied, the spell won't work. Thus the easiest counterspell is to close ears, but the target must be prepared for that and recognize incoming curse. If a curse succeeds, it usually lasts for some minutes.
However, if the shaman has something he has stolen from the target in his possession, the curse is much easier to bestow and usually lasts until explicitly dispelled, shaman loses the item, or some obscure way is used to dispel it (remember, there are always rules!)
Invoke Totem (invocation, power level 2): It is typical to shamanism to think that each more intelligent creature has an own simpler animal totem. This spell empowers the target with characteristics of their totem animal. For example, an eagle as totem gives more awareness. In most cases, the target gains +1 to suitable attribute. This lasts for a few minutes. For gameplay purposes, determine the totem when this spell is used for the first time, or discuss it beforehand.
Spirit Sight (invocation, power level 1): By concentrating and closing his eyes, the shaman can re-open them to see into the spirit world. The shaman now co-exists between the normal and spirit world as described in the spirit world description, and this lasts until shaman's concentration is lost. While this spirit sight is active, shaman's eyes look pupilless and he can keep on casting other spells.
Visions Beyond (15min ritual, power level 2): The shaman can throw herbs and bonedust into a bonfire, creating dreamlike visions from things that has happened, will happen or is currently occuring. Visions are usually strongly tied to people watching them or place the ritual is performed. Some shamans prefer their cauldrons for forecasting.
Ward Against Spirits (5min ritual, power level 1+): The shaman draws a circle to prevent spirits from entering or crossing it. The ingredients and markings mainly define what spirits are prevented at entering, others cross it much more easier. The time needed is usually is usually linked to the drawing or carving time, power level to affect stronger entities. Lasts for some hours or until ward is physically broken.

Advanced Spells

Bind Spirit (15min ritual, power level 1+): The shaman can bind a spirit into an item. This spirit must be present and willing or forced, and thus call or summon spirit is usually first done. Most stronger spirits require a gift or service in return, and not all spirits can be bind. For more about items with bind spirits, see magic items in fantasy trappings.
Brew Potion (60min+ ritual, power level 1+): The shaman can create magical potions (consumables), usually putting a curse or hex to them which then affects the subject drinking the potion. Proper ingredients - a big cauldron and list of ingredients - are needed. Further potions are faster to do.
Hold (invocation, power level 3): The shaman gazes at the target while invokes the power words. The target, if its strength and willpower is overcome, is frozen in place as long as the shaman concentrates. The target can keep on trying to get released by expanding endurance and willpower, but cannot do anything else. The shaman can slowly and carefully do some actions, but the more the shaman does, the easier is for target to get free. The target can counter this entire spell by closing ears and eyes, but must be prepared for that.
Spirit Hide (invocation 10s, power level 2): As long as caster concentrates, weaker spirits do not notify caster or other normal world beings close to caster, unless someone deliberately draws their attention. This lasts for some minutes.
Spirit Projection (5min ritual, power level 2): The shaman sits down, hums the ritual and projects his spirit into the spirit world. See details in the spirit world chapter.
Summon Spirit (5min+ ritual, power level 2+): The shaman can call for specific type of spirit, and the spirit is forced to come and subsequently usually to materialize if has any chance to hear the call. Spirits in far spirit realms might not be reached. Check every 5 minutes if the spirit arrives. Ingredients are highly based on the spirit called, and there is no rule for spirit to be peaceful.

Master Spells

Hex (10-20s invocation, power level 3): This is a more potent curse. The target is transformed into some defined creature, like rat, chicken or toad. Trappings are not affected. All other notes in Curse apply to this one, too.
Mass Curse (10-20s invocation, power level 3): The shaman can curse all in close vicinity. Otherwise it is similar to any basic curse, although personal items are ignored.
Rite of Rebirth (60min+ ritual, power level 3): With this ritual, the shaman calls for the spirit of the fallen creature. If the spirit is still close-by, it now can return to possess its original body and return to life. Check that every hour of ritual - usually at some point it either succeeds or shaman must decide that it cannot succeed or collapses from exhaustion.
World Shift (10s invocation, power level 2): The shaman and any creatures he holds become translucent and then shift to the spirit world, wandering there as free spirits (see the spirit world description). The return can be done in a similar way, requiring a new spell, but can only be done while in the parallel spirit world.

Necromancery

Necromancery is power over dead and death. Also known as dark magic, evil magic or unholy magic, this foul form of magic concentrates on spirits of the dead, darkness, decay and hopelessness. It is usually forbidden art of magics, and performers of it are usually burned as witches. But it is quite easy to learn and gives direct results and perceived power, especially when compared to other magic paths maybe except for sorcery. And there also exist good necromancers, just using it as tool to fight evil.

Sun

The necromancy feeds from darkness and dead spirits. Usually any effect loses its power in the next sunrise, and in any case power fades much more rapidly while exposed to bright light, especially to sun.

Characteristics

Necromancy draws mana from darkness, negative thoughts, decaying bodies and evil spirits around. Mana level is typically 2, but can raise to 3 or even 4 in graveyards or areas of recent deaths. In bright sunlight or holy places the mana level can drop to 1, and to 0 in sacred divide warded places. When necromancy is used, creatures close to effect usually feel a sudden chill and shadows darken.

As focus, staff is traditional, but some might have use a skull. Spells usually require incantations in dark languages.

Basic Spells

Animate Dead (5min ritual, power level 1+): The necromancer empowers a dead body with some weak spirit and turns it into a zombie. By extending the ritual or bumping more power, multiple bodies can be animated or skeletons animated. These zombies telepathically know what their master's will, and usually last until next sunrise or if their spirit is banished.
Call Dead (5min+ ritual, power level 1): The necromancer calls for dead spirits - usually deceased or trapped ones. The necromancer has no special control over spirits called, but dead might be interested to tell their motivations or what happened to them. With proper knowledge and ingredients, the necromancer has more control over what is called. Check every 5 minutes if any spirits arrive.
Cause Despair (invocation, power level 1): The necromancer makes all negative emotions and thoughts stronger around him - the darkness can be a bit darker, the silence a bit more silent or voices a bit more threatening. This can cause already scared people to flee, or angry people to become enraged.
Dead Eyes (invocation, power level 1): The caster closes his eyes, speaks the invocation words and re-opens now pupilless eyes. He now co-exists in the spirit world and sees things like most undead would. This lasts for a few minutes.
Detect Evil (invocation, power level 1): As long as the necromancer concentrates, he can tell what things around him have negative thoughts, are cursed, have harmful intentions, are possessed, or otherwise can be classified as evil or foul. Sometimes actually touching the affected thing is necessary, at least to pinpoint the source.
Enfeeble (invocation, power level 2): Target living creature has its strength drained and becomes weak and slow for some minutes or until can recover. Apply -1 to strength, health and agility.
Touch of Death (invocation, power level 2+): If necromancer succeeds in touching a living creature, that creature feels coldness of a grave, has its life force drained and withers. Weaker creatures can collapse and die immediately, others need tens of minutes to recover. Apply -2 to health and -1 to strength and agility from the numbness and weakness. Higher power level can affect even stronger creatures.
Ward Against Undead (5min ritual, power level 1+): The necromancer can create wardings to prevent undead creatures and trapped spirits from entering or crossing. The time needed is usually is usually linked to the drawing or carving time, power level to affect stronger entities. The ward stays for some hours unless physically broken.

Advanced Spells

Advanced Animation (60min+ ritual, power level 2+): With this long ritual, the necromancer can create Wights or other powerful undead entities, like special zombies. Proper ingredients and suitable body and spirit is needed.
Drain Life (invocation, power level 2): The necromancer drains life energy and endurance from the target living creature, gaining energy and healing minor wounds of the necromancer. The effect to target is similar to that of basic spell Touch of Death.
Invigorate Dead (invocation, power level 2): The necromancer invigorates nearby undead, given them temporal boost of strength and energy, usually +1 to all attributes. Trapped spirits invigorated become more powerful and usually angry.
Mass Enfeeble (invocation, power level 2): As basic enfeeble, but affects all living close to caster, or in front of the caster if so targeted.
Turn Undead (invocation, power level 2): The necromancer targets this at nearby hostile undead. Those affected will either retreat or the controlling spirit might even get banished, crumbling the dead, or in case of trapped spirits, released from their trapped state.
Visit Dead (1min ritual, power level 2): The caster slows his metabolism down and appears almost as dead while his spirit is projected to the spirit world. See details of the spirit projection in the spirit world chapter. The sight while projected is twisted and closer to what undead would have.

Master Spells

Control Dead (invocation, power level 2): The necromancer can take control of hostile undead. The spirit of the undead must be overcome, but if successful, the necromancer is now the new master of that undead. In case of trapped spirits, they do not have master but can now be told to do things like go in peace or move elsewhere to haunt.
Turn To Dust (invocation, power level 4): Unless target succeeds in difficult resist with health and willpower, target suffers a physical effect of an instant aging of hundreds, even thousand years and crumbles to dust.
Soul Casket (30min ritual, power level 3): The necromancer can store the soul (spirit essence) of a creature into some kind of container. If the creature dies, it can only be bought back by having this spirit essence, and likewise the creature can be bought back even if the body died somewhere far away. If the spirit is set free, it will immediately try to reunite with the creature.

Innate Powers

Some creatures or spirits have extraordinary magical powers that are essentially part of them, like ability to speak or wave hands is for some. These powers are called innate powers. Player characters can usually access these by being an avatar of some spirit as explained in the spirit world rules.

Mana

Innate powers draw mana from the creature itself. This is a very draining effect - think like doing heavy weight lifting or similar, and thus high health attribute is crucial and no creature can keep on using innate powers for long. Note that normally there is no focus, ingredients or verbal components. However, some hand waving is usually done to help at the concentration, and innate powers can fail like magician spells.

Power Level

Innate powers have similar power levels than spells. The power level is limited by creature's innate power attibute - a creature with level 2 innate powers can use power levels up to 2. This can be exceeded by one, but this is difficult and very draining for the creature. Using higher power level also means that power drains the user's health more.

Magic Paths and Innate Powers

A creature can have both innate powers and magic path skills. This is very common with some high-power entities like liches or powerful demons. These two things are in general separated from each other, but naturally some clever fusion magic can be done.

Power Effects

Many power effects are similar to various invocation spells (tune as needed). Some are similar to rituals, but adjusted to be immediate as invocations. Various new type of powers are listed here.

Note that unlike with magic paths, there is no freedom to prepare new spells as needed - the creature has certain listed innate powers and that is all it has. These powers can be modified a bit in use, but no completely new effects can be done. Thus, a demon might have innate power of pyrokinesis, but it does not mean that it can create fireballs, walls of fire or any other magical effect.