Sorcery Rules

Learning Sorcery

Before a spell can be cast using Sorcery, the following process must be followed:

The character must first learn the spell through research. To learn a particular Sorcery spell, the caster must possess the spell in written form or be taught it by a teacher. The player then spends three Growth points and writes the spell down on their character sheet.

The Sorcery Casting magical skill governs each Sorcery spell. This skill is automatically acquired at its basic score (INT) when the character is first created. This skill may be improved normally, through the use of growth points.  Even non-sorcerers have this skill, at its base value, since it is used to give them a chance to use sorcerous magic items and scrolls that store Sorcery spells.

Once the Sorcery spell has been learned, the character will be ready to try casting it.

Conversion to Sorcery

This procedure affects characters who are Personal Magic and Divine Magic users who want to learn Sorcery.

Sorcery is not a compatible philosophy with Personal Magic or Divine Magic. Personal Magic is a haphazard set of techniques, and anyone becoming an Apprentice must give it up. Likewise, the allied magician type of Shaman or Wise. Similarly, Divine Magic is the passionate and faith-based belief in the power of the gods, which has no place alongside the rationality of Sorcery which believes that gods are merely thought-forms given power by their worshippers.

When a character who possesses either Divine or Personal Magic wants to learn Sorcery, they convert to Sorcery’s world view on how magic works. They unlearn any Divine or Personal Magic spells that they know, spending the freed up growth points to learn new spells, advance Sorcery Casting and to pay for any advancement in Rank in Sorcery. See the Character Growth section for more information.

Casting Sorcery Spells

A character must be able to gesture with their hands and be able to chant to cast a spell. Whenever a spell is cast using Sorcery, there will always be a sight and sound that nearby creatures can detect, be it a flash of light, a crack of thunder or a shimmering in the air. The exact effects are up to the Referee and player to decide, but they will automatically be seen and heard by any creatures within ten times the magnitude of the spell in metres.

If casting a Sorcery spell in a stressful situation, like in the middle of combat or if the Sorcerer is casting it as an on-the-spot reaction to a dangerous situation, requires a successful skill test using the Sorcery Casting skill. If successful, the spell takes effect.  Like other skill use, if the sorcerer is casting the spell in a calm situation, away from danger, then the spell does not require a Sorcery Casting test.

If the casting test fails, the spell does not take effect, and the caster loses one magic point.

The only thing a character can do while casting a spell is walk up to half their movement rate.

A spell takes effect at the end of its casting, which starts at the beginning of the combat round and ends on the Sorcery Casting skill of the caster in the combat order. Note, while spell casting a character will draw possible attacks from enemies that are adjacent to them during a combat round.

Distractions or attacks on the sorcerer as they cast will require Persistence tests for them to maintain concentration on the spell.

Magic Points

All Sorcery spells cost a base of one magic point to cast. If a manipulated, each effect costs extra magic points to apply.

Casting Critical Successes

If a Sorcery Casting test results in a critical success, then any attempts to resist or counter the spell suffer a –25% penalty and the magic point cost for applying any manipulation effect costs nothing.

Casting Fumbles

If a Sorcery Casting test results in a fumble, then the spell fails and the Sorcerer loses the full cost of the spell, including manipulation effects, as if it had been successfully cast.

Manipulation of Sorcery Spells

Sorcery spells have three basic effects which can be manipulated by the sorcerer: magnitude, duration and range.

Each effect has a default value which the spell can be cast at, costing one magic point. The Manipulation table gives the default value for the spell effects.

Before the spell casting, the player decides which effects to manipulate and works out the extra magic point cost.

Manipulation cost 

Where do Sorcerers get all the Magic Points they Need for Manipulated Spells?

A sorcerer can cast a spell which needs more magic points in its manipulated form than a sorcerer will normally have. Sorcerers get round this by storing magic points in their Sorcerer’s Stone or using bound Magic Spirits (through a combination of Summon Magic Spirit, then Dominate Magic Spirit) to provide magic points.

Can Spells be Further Manipulated Once Cast?

No. Once you’ve cast a particular spell on a particular recipient it stays in place until dispelled, by either the caster (at will) or an opponent casting some sort of dispel magic spell, such as Neutralise Magic . Neither the original caster or another Sorcerer can go back and add more magic points to increase its magnitude, range or duration further.

Masters and Manipulation

As you can see from the table above, once a Sorcerer gets to 100% casting the manipulation effects suddenly go off the charts. This reflects the fact that Masters are so in tune with the magical flow of the Universe that they are almost godlike in their ability to bend the Universe to their will.

Spell Traits

The traits used by Sorcery spells are detailed below.

Concentration: The spell’s effects will remain in place as long as the character concentrates on it. Concentrating on a spell is functionally identical to casting the spell, requiring the spell caster to continue to gesture with both arms, chant and to ignore distractions. This trait overrides the normal Sorcery spell default duration.

Instant: The spell’s effects take place instantly. The spell itself then disappears. This trait overrides the normal Sorcery spell default duration.

Permanent: The spell’s effects remain in place until they are dispelled or dismissed. This trait overrides the normal Sorcery spell default duration.

Resist (Dodge/Persistence/Resilience): The spell’s effects do not take effect automatically. The target may make a Dodge, Persistence or Resilience test (as specified by the spell) to avoid the effect of the spell entirely. Note that Resist (Dodge) spells require the target to be able to use Reactions to Dodge. In the case of Area spells, the Resist (Dodge) trait requires the target to dive to mitigate the spell’s effect.

Touch: These spells require the character to actually touch their target for the spell to take effect. The spell caster must remain in physical contact with the target for the entire casting. This trait overrides the normal Sorcery spell default range.

Defaults

Sorcery spells tend to have far fewer traits than other types of magic. This is because most Sorcery spells share the same basic qualities: A duration equal to 5 minutes, a magnitude of 1, a range equal to 10 metres, and the default Sorcery spell will only affect one target.