Personal Magic Spells A to D
Animal Whisperer
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Touch
The caster whispers into the ear of a distressed animal, calming it. If the distressed animal is under the influence of a spell such as Fear (see Divine Magic) or Scare, then it gets another Persistence test to shake off the effect of the spell.
Babel
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Resist (Persistence)
If the target fails their Persistence roll, this spell garbles the language of the affected creature. The target can still think and, for the most part, act normally, but anything it says comes out as gibberish. Thus, a commanding officer would be unable to give orders to their men, and a spell caster would be unable to cast spells.
Back Eyes
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable
This spell grants the recipient awareness as if they had physically got eyes in the back of their head for the duration of the spell, which allows them to make Perception rolls and be aware of others behind them.
Beast Call
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Instant, Resist (Resilience)
The Beast Call serves to attract an animal within range. When the spell is cast, it affects a targeted creature with a fixed INT of 7 or less. If it fails to resist, the creature will go to the place where the caster stands, and the spell effect terminates. Any barrier, immediate threat, or counter control, also end the effects of the spell, leaving the creature to react naturally.
For example, the Beast Call spell might cause a horse to turn and walk towards the spell, but a single yank of its reins by the rider would end the spell’s effect.
This spell is a potent aid to hunters and herders.
Befuddle
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Resist (Persistence)
This spell confuses and clouds the mind of its target if they fail a Persistence roll. The affected target may not cast spells and may only take non-offensive actions. The target may run if it so chooses and may dodge and normally parry in combat. Any skills that have INT as a base are at -20% when tested while the target is under the effects of this spell.
This spell is effective against humanoids and natural creatures. Other creatures (such as spirits or magical beasts like dragons) are not affected by this spell.
Block Sense (Sense)
Magnitude 3, Non-Variable, Resist (Persistence)
Depending on the version of this spell it will Blind/Deafen/Desensitise taste or smell/Numb touch on a failed resistance roll for the duration of the spell.
Call Spirit (Type)
Magnitude 3, Non-Variable, Resist (Persistence)
This spell summons a single spirit of a given type from the Spirit World to do the bidding of the caster. The spirit resists the call by using its Persistence. If it succeeds, it can return to the Spirit World. Unless combined with a Binding attempt (see below), the spirit that fails a Persistence roll must perform one action, within its power, for the caster, after which it returns to the Spirit World.
Types of Spirits
- Disease spirits inflict disease upon the possessed victim.
- Passion (Fear/Madness/Pain) these spirits work upon the passions of a victim and cause mental debilitation and distress.
- Healing spirits heal wounds and drive out possessing disease spirits.
- Magic spirits know spells and have magic points that the caller may use.
- For more information about Spirits, see the Creatures chapter.
Binding Spirits
If the character wants to bind a spirit, they must engage in spiritual combat. If they win, they can bind the spirit to an item or their person, by spending an additional growth point. If they fail, the spirit either flees to the Spirit World if it is a Magic or Healing spirit or possesses the caster if it is a Disease or Passion spirit.
Care
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable, Touch
This spell places the recipient under the care of the caster. If the caster has any active Protection or Countermagic spells, the character under the effects of the Care spell also benefits from the effects of these spells.
Clear Path
Touch
This spell allows the caster to move through even the most tangled, thorny brush as if they were on an open road. For each additional point of magnitude, an additional person can accompany them.
Coordination
Touch
For every point of magnitude.
+10% added to the target’s combat order.
+10% to Dodge or DEX based Athletics tests.
Countermagic
Instant
This spell is cast in advance and sits dormant until a hostile spell attacks the recipient. At this point, the Countermagic spell fires off. As long as Countermagic’s magnitude equals or exceeds the target spell’s magnitude, the target spell does not take effect. After the Countermagic tries to block a spell, successfully or not, it ends.
Cover Blind Side
Magnitude 1, Non-Variable
For the duration of the spell, the target can react to attacks from behind or flank attacks as if they were a normal attack from the front. It does not confer any additional reactions.
Create Charms
Permanent
A charm is a physical item that stores one or more Personal Magic spells. A charm could be a necklace that holds a Befuddle 4 spell; a sword etched with runes that holds a Weapon Enhance 2 spell; or even a sheet of paper with a poem written on it that, when held against the skin, provides a Protection 1 spell.
To create a charm a character must possess both the spell they wish to store and Create Charm at the same or greater magnitude.
The item which going to hold the charm within close range of the caster for the length of the casting.
If the caster spends one growth point at the time of creation, the spell within the charm is reusable. Otherwise once the spell is cast the charm is dispelled.
A spell stored in a charm uses the wielder’s Personal Magic Casting skill and the wielder’s magic points.
The time taken to create a single-use charm is one hour per point of the magnitude of the spell; Reusable charms take three hours per point of magnitude to create.
Charms are mundane items. Breaking the item dispels the charm.
Create Magic Point Store
Permanent
This spell allows the caster to create an item that has magic point storing capabilities. Magic Point Stores allow the owner to have a pool of magic points in addition to their own.
Typically, crystals, due to their physical toughness, make good stores. This spell can also be combined with an existing charm, such as a sword with Weapon Enhance 2 stored in it, to provide a pool of magic points to cast the spell from. In-game terms treat anything enchanted with this spell as unbreakable.
Magic point stores take one hour per magic point stored in them to create.
The caster must fill the item with their magic points as part of the spell. The number of magic points put into the item at the time of casting becomes the maximum.
By default, when used, the stored magic points do not regenerate and when all used up the spell ends. If the caster spends one growth point while creating the store, it is reusable, and the caster can refill the store using their magic points.
If the item containing the store becomes damaged or destroyed, the magic points are released harmlessly into the surrounding area.
Create Potion
Permanent
Potions are liquids that store one or more Personal Magic spells. The magnitude of the Create Potion spell needs to equal or exceed the total of the magnitude of the spells placed into the potion.
All potions are one use. They must be drunk in one swift gulp to work.
The potion automatically works and doesn’t incur a cost in magic points to the person who is drinking it.
If multiple spells are placed in the potion, they are all cast on the drinker when the potion is drunk.
Drinking the potion takes place on the drinker’s Athletics skill, if the timing is important such as when determining combat order.
The potion costs the enchanter magic points. They must know the spell at the magnitude enchanting at, with the magic points of the spell(s) placed into the potion.
There is an associated cost of 1 Gold Ducat per magnitude in materials, which includes the flask that contains the potion.
Potions take one hour per point of the magnitude of the spell(s) stored to create.
An airtight container must be used to store a potion, or it evaporates, losing one point of magnitude per week.
Create Scroll
Permanent
This spell allows the caster to create a written version of the spell for use later. Either to impart knowledge of the spell to a trainee or as a reference when casting the spell in the field.
The caster must be able to read and write in some form of written language, which is represented by having a Language skill of over 80%. They must also pay for the special inks and scroll paper (1 Gold Ducat per point of magnitude).
The trainee must be able to read the language that the scroll uses. Once every three months they may study the scroll, which takes one day per point of spell, and then make a Language skill test. If successful, they spend the normal growth cost to learn the spell. If they roll a critical they half that cost, to the nearest whole unit. If they fumble, they can never learn the spell from that scroll, it is beyond their understanding.
To directly cast a spell from the scroll, the caster must be able to read the language the scroll uses. Then cast the spell as normal. Casting is much slower than if the caster is casting the spell from memory. First, the caster reads the spell out loud and then harnesses and shapes the magical energies. Therefore, no matter what their normal casting skill, the spell takes an entire combat round to cast, and fires off at the end of the combat round.
In both cases, once learnt or cast, unless the original writer spends one growth point at the time of creation to make the scroll reusable, the ink fades, and the scroll crumbles to dust.
Cushion Fall
Magnitude 2, Non-Variable
The successful casting of this spell eliminates all falling damage for the recipient for the duration of the spell.
Darkwall
Area 5m, Magnitude 2, Non-Variable
Light sources within a Darkwall area shed no light, and normal sight ceases to function. Other senses such as a bat’s sonar and night vision (see chapter 11 Creatures) function normally.
The caster may move the Darkwall 15 metres per combat round if they concentrate on the spell.
Demoralise
Magnitude 2, Resist (Persistence), Non-Variable
This spell creates doubt and uncertainty into the very heart and soul of the target. The target of this spell has all combat skills halved and may not cast offensive spells. If this spell takes effect before combat begins, the target will try to avoid fighting and will either run or surrender. The Fanaticism spell automatically cancels the effects of this spell, and vice versa.
Detect (Type)
Magnitude 1, Concentration, Non-Variable
This description covers a family of spells that all operate similarly, allowing the caster to locate the closest target of the spell within its range. Any Detect spell is stopped by a thick substance, such as metal, earth or stone, at least one metre thick. It is also blocked by Countermagic, though the caster will know the target is somewhere within range (though not its precise location) and that Countermagic is protecting it. The separate Detect spells are listed below, and each must be learned separately.
Detect Enemy: Gives the location of the nearest creatures that intend to harm the caster.
Detect Magic: Gives the location of the nearest magic item, magical creature or active spell.
Detect Species: Each Detect Species spell will give the location of the nearest creature of the specified species. Examples of this spell include Detect Goblin, Detect Rhino and Detect Elf.
Detect Substance: Each Detect Substance spell will give the location of the nearest substance of the specified type. Examples of this spell include Detect Coal, Detect Gold and Detect Wood.
Dispel Magic
Instant
This spell will attack and eliminate other spells. Dispel Magic will eliminate a combined magnitude of spells equal to its magnitude, starting with the most powerful affecting the target. If it fails to eliminate any spell (because the spell’s magnitude is too high), then its effects immediately end. Dispel Magic cannot partially dispel spells, so a target under the effects of a spell whose magnitude is higher than that of Dispel Magic will not have any spells currently affecting it eliminated.
Disruption
Instant, Resist (Resilience)
Disruption pulls a target’s body apart. On a failed Resilience skill test, the target will suffer 1D4 points of damage per point of magnitude, ignoring any armour points.
Drive Out Spirit
Instant, Resist (Persistence), Variable
This spell excommunicates a spirit that is either covertly or dominantly, possessing a character or physical location. The spirit resists eviction from its host using its Persistence, with a penalty of -10% for every magnitude point of the spell. If the spirit fails the test, it goes back to the Spirit World.
Dull Weapon
This spell works on any weapon. For every point of magnitude, it reduces the damage dealt by the target weapon by two points. This spell does not affect the damage inflicted by the damage bonus of the user.