February, 1996

The Rules of Magic

These rules assume the use of Natural Magic, based loosely on the works of Henry Cornelius Agrippa Von Nettesheim. They assume that magic is a natural energy, controllable through mundane - if difficult - means. Just as the flap of a butterfly's wing can lead to a hurricane, so can microvolt changes in electrical potential inside the human bra

in begin a similar cascade of events. That is the secret of magic. The words, gestures and rituals are meaningless in themselves, but they cause patterns of activity in the brain which cascade through multiple levels of activity to result in the desired effect.

Following are guidelines for the use of the magic in the Gifted Saga, Future Gifted Saga, Ostland and Modern Age games.

These guidelines are for anyone using classical spell magic. Alchemists and gadgeteers work by similar rules, except that they must make potions or devices to produce the desired effect, something not normally practical in combat. They therefore do not have the penalty that mages do for "embedding" the effect they want in an object. Instead, t

hey make their potions or build their devices ahead of time instead of performing spells on the fly.

Preparation Modifiers

Preparation: None Practiced Components* Everything Ready

Effect on: (Only) (Only)

Endurance

Points

Required X4 X2 X2 As below

Success

Chance -40% -20% -10% As below

* Components: The specific spell needed for job, and the appropriate tools and material ingredients needed to perform it. This includes a focus for those magical types who use these.

Talent Level Modifiers

Talent Level: Normal Gifted Spellcaster*

Effect on:

Endurance

Points

Required X2 X1.5 As below

Success

Chance -40% -20% As below

* A Spellcaster is someone who possesses the specific ability to work overt magic as part of their Gift, or who has taken Magic as their main field of study. If the art is learned later in life, the bonuses of Spellcaster do not become available until Level 8 skill in magic is reached. Similar qualifications are in effect for alchemists and gadgeteers.

Difficulty Level Modifiers

Level 1: Duplicate a simple, direct Gifted Saga Power, such as Flight or Energy blast. Perform a simple, single-use, single- purpose spell effect.

Level 2: Combine two simple effects or duplicate one complex effect. (A complex effect is something such as using a spell or Power in other than the basic way, or altering the way an existing spell or Power works. It also includes allowing use of the rarer versions of such multi-function Gifts as Healing.) Perform a single spell effect which either has a duration (no more than a few minutes) or does more than one simple thing.

Level 3: Combine three simple effects or one simple and one complex. Perform a simple spell which either has a duration (no more than a few hours) or which includes some combination of

effects (which may include increased duration), or to prepare a simple spell which can then be used 1 to 4 times without recasting.

Level 4: Combine four simple effects, two complex, or a complex and two simple. Perform a simple spell which has a duration of up to a week, or which combines two or three effects of a shorter duration, or prepare a simple spell which can be used up to ten times without recasting.

Level 5: Combine five simple effects, three complex or two complex and a two simple. Perform a simple spell which has a permanent duration (see Curse), or which combines three or four effects of limited duration, or which can be used an indefinite number of times.

And so on. It is up to the GM and Player to determine the level of a spell according to exactly what it is intended to do. Examples of specific spells are given below.

Note that the complexity of an effect has little to do with the energy it requires.

Embedding a one-shot spell in an appropriate object (amulet, staff, etc.) adds one Level of Difficulty. Embedding a spell in an inappropriate object (piece of steel, a living creature, etc.) adds two Levels of Difficulty. Preparing an object ahead of time to receive a spell reduces imbedding difficulty by one level, but is itself at least a Level 2 task. Making an embedded spell repeatable adds four Levels of Difficulty. (The base number of uses for an embedded spell equals the Level of Difficulty of the effect divided by 6. (Level of Difficulty of Effect / 6.) This number can be doubled with an increase of one in the final Difficulty Level.) Making a spell permanent adds six Levels of

Difficulty. (This allows the spell to be used an indefinite number of times.)

Note that the energy required to embed a spell must also include the energy required to cast the spell. The exception is with permanent spells; these require an addition of 10 X the Endurance needed to cast the spell, but from then on need no energy from the user.

Each additional spell embedded in an object doubles the Level of Difficulty.

The base chance of successfully casting a spell is calculated using the standard success equation. In addition to the usual modifiers, each Level of spell Difficulty reduces the chance of success 10 percentage points. Casting a spell requires (1 minute per Level of Difficulty - 1 Combat Phase per Skill level) to a minimum of 1 Combat Phase.

In general, where magic works anyone can work magic. The difference between someone who knows a few spells and a true magic user comes in the latter's ability to bring about exactly the result desired. Someone who knows magic can create a spell to do precisely what they want, with the chance for success being based on their skill level. Others

must use existing spells, which they have learned or can look up.

Chance of a Spellcaster successfully creating a spell to cause the effect desired = ([(Intelligence/Difficulty Level)X 10] + (10 X Skill Level) - (20 X Task Difficulty Level)) % per attempt; each attempt requires 1 hour per Difficulty Level minus 1 minute for each point of caster's Intelligence, with a minimum of one Turn (1 minute) required.

The effectiveness of any spell can be doubled by adding one Level of Difficulty. This can be repeated as needed to obtain the desired potency.

Endurance costs are 10 per Level of Difficulty, plus whatever is listed as required to maintain the effect. This Endurance expenditure is not the energy needed to power the effect, but that used to trigger it.

The Source of Magic

Ectothere is to magic as crude oil is to gasoline. It has limited usefulness, and is difficult to work with. Ectothere is created by large, slow movements of fluid, such as is found inside planets. On bodies such as Earth, the solid crust restricts the radiation of the ectothere, so it builds up inside. It is carried through the crust by currents in the magma, at locations such as volcanoes and rift zones, as well as hot springs. These locations have long been associated with magical activities.

The primary benefit of the Gift is that it converts ectothere to magic in large quantities. Because the Gift is so complex, it normally requires a living host to sustain it. In return, the Gift supports and strengthens the host, allowing an organism with a Gift to have first use of the resultant rich supply of magic. It is possible to make a Gift from scratch, but it is much simpler to take part of an existing Gift and implant it into a new host.

Certain natural processes transform ectothere into magic, which is what made creation of the Gift possible. Mostly these processes are organic in nature, but sometimes the correct type of mineral in the correct shape will produce the transformation. Because these processes are much less intensive than that performed by a Gift, the magic tends

to build and spread slowly. Therefore, magic on worlds where there are no Gifts can be considered a limited but renewable resource. Wars have been fought over locations where ectothere rises to the surface and is transformed into magic.

Basic Spells

Note: Unless stated otherwise in the spell description, the effect of any spell can be voluntarily reduced by the caster to lower Endurance costs.

Adaptation: The mage may alter his body and mind to better fit the environment. The change requires only one Combat Phase no matter how extensive, and normally lasts for an hour. The Level of Difficulty is 1 per 10% away from what is normal for the character. The limit is the extent of difference from normal which the mage can cast a spell for

.

Astral Projection: The ability to project the consciousness to a distance from the body, and to perceive that distant area as if physically present. The range is equal to Will X 4D10 in kilometers. Normal duration is one Turn (one minute). This is somewhat more committed than Clairvoyance or Remote Sensing; for instance, mental attacks on the

Astral form will injure the mage as if they had been made upon his person. On the other hand, the mage can use any spell or other Power as if the Character were physically present. The Astral form may be noticed by anyone making a Perception roll at -45 percentage points. Those with Telepathy or similar psionic ability or the Special Talent of Keen Senses make their rolls without this added penalty.

Note that the mage's body will be very vulnerable during this period, and should be guarded.

This is a Level of Difficulty two spell; increase by one Level of Difficulty for each two senses in addition to sight.

Call Lightning: Damage = 1D6 X Will/5 points (rolled each time). This spell has a range of 10X Will in meters. A variation is the Lightning Storm. This covers a circular area of Radius = Will in meters. Each upright object in this area is attacked once each Turn for half the standard damage. Maintenance Endurance = 10 X (Radius in meters)^2. Weather conditions do not normally affect the results, but a lightning storm - occurring or imminent - may cause the spell to produce more damage than intended.

Level two Difficulty for the basic spell; Level of Difficulty four for the Lightning Storm version.

Clairvoyance: Range = 50 X Will in kilometers; Radius of volume scanned = Will in meters.

Level two Difficulty for sight only; add one Level of Difficulty for each two additional senses.

Curse: There is a great deal of misinformation about this spell. Simply put, it allows a mage to make the effect of a spell permanent. By casting another spell, and then casting this one on it, the effects of the first will be made to last until negated in some manner. A spell which is triggered by something is a trap or tool. A permanent spell which is constantly acting is a curse or an enchantment, and adds six Levels of Difficulty, besides requiring the addition of 10 X the Endurance needed to cast the spell being made permanent.

These begin at Level of Difficulty one for the simplest form, ranging to Level of Difficulty three for typical traps.

Level one Difficulty for vision only; each extra sense adds one Level of Difficulty.

Deathcast: This is the ability to directly attack the life force of something. It has no effect on non-living things, but will affect anything alive, even a living thing transformed into something inorganic, unless protected by magic. This spell does 1D6 damage per use for each 2 points of Will, at a cost of 10 Endurance Points per die of damage. It may be used at lower levels for less cost and damage. Range = Will in meters.

This is a Level two Difficulty spell.

Desolidification (Gas/Mist/Vapor/Liquid/Energy Form/ Phasing): The exact type of Desolidification must be chosen by the mage. The various physical transformations will grant the user abilities appropriate to the altered density (see Density Control). The energy form allows the Character to do Energy Blast type damage, but based on the hand-to-

hand damage normally done by the Character at personal Endurance cost and with a range limited to touch. The Phasing type of Desolidification means that the Character is almost impossible to harm, but finds it equally

difficult to affect the rest of the universe. Maximum speed of movement is Will in kilometers per hour, for a cost of 5 Endurance Points per Combat Phase for hovering, plus 1 Endurance Point per Combat Phase per two kilometers per hour of speed. Phasing Characters who don't at least hover will fall.

This is a level three spell.

Detection: A basic spell for viewing the flow of magical energies. This is commonly embedded in an appropriate object, such as a quizinglass, but it can also be used on the fly.

This is a Level of Difficulty one.

Disintegration: Similar to Energy Blast, this Power ignores Armor Points and attacks Base Hit Points directly. Damage = (1D6 points X ((Fitness + Will) / 10)) (rolled each time), rounding to the nearest whole die. This Power has a range of 5 X Fitness in meters.

Level of Difficulty 3.

Divination: This is a very uncertain spell. While it is potentially very useful, it may also lead to great trouble, especially if the mage uses the information it provides at face value. Divination shows what will most likely happen, not what will happen. The chance of a successful glimpse of the near future is one percent per point of Percept

ion. The maximum time range is one week ahead for each point of Will.

Level of Difficulty five.

Domination: This allows the mage to pit his Will directly against another's. Once a successful "to hit" roll is made, subtract the mage's Will from the target's Will. If the remainder/10 is between 10 and 6, the target is still aware and resisting, but can be compelled to perform simple acts which

do not conflict with that person's morals or wishes. If the remainder is between 5 and 1 the person is Dominated, and probably will not remember what he does, but will unconsciously resist committing acts which are strongly counter to their morals or wishes. With a remainder of 0 to -4, the person is unconscious and compliant. For remainders of less than -4 the mage is in complete Domination, possessing the target's body and sensing everything it senses. Note that a powerful mage, or a normal one attacking a weak mind, may conserve Endurance by using less damage than their maximum. Range = Will in meters. (Used in conjunction with Mind-Speech, range is the same as for that ability.)

The most basic form is a Level of Difficulty one spell, but adding safeguards or modifiers to increase effectiveness will raise this, the exact amount varying.

Energy Control: Range = [(Will + Fitness)/2] X 100 meters; Damage = [(Skill Level X Fitness)/4] D6. Otherwise, the same as the Gifted Saga Power.

Level of Difficulty 4.

Environmental Manipulation: The character can change any one factor in the immediate surroundings (Radius = Will in meters) by 10% per minute per 10 meters radius, to a Degree of change equal to the character's Skill Level X 10 in percentage points. More than one factor may be changed at a time if the Character pays for each factor separately.

This is a Level of Difficulty three spell.

Envoy: The ability to create a doppelganger of someone, usually the caster. This is physically identical to the person whom it was modeled after, and has all the appropriate abilities. If damaged, it heals at the same rate as the original. Using an Envoy requires total concentration; if the mage is distracted, there is a (50 - Will) % chance t

Level of Difficulty six.

Final Strike: The ultimate sacrifice. Using this, a mage transforms his or her Will into raw damage, for ten points of damage per point of Will. Gifted multiply this value by ten. Spellcasters multiply this value by 20. The multipliers are cumulative. The damage falls off with range, as with any explosion. This attack requires no Endurance, since it uses the life force itself. The use is therefore always fatal.

Level of Difficulty two.

Find: Often used for either a specific object (such as a lost locket) or some common substance (water). Level of Difficulty one for simple tasks, especially if a sample is available.

Flash: A specialized form of Energy Blast. Effect = 1D6 minutes of blindness per level of skill. The percent chance of permanent damage to the target's vision is equal to the minutes of blindness. The percent loss in this case is equal to the minutes of blindness.

Level of Difficulty 1.

Flight (Levitation): This allows the mage to fly at a maximum speed of (Will X 10) kilometers per hour, for a cost of 5 Endurance Points per Combat Phase for hovering plus 1 Endurance Point per Combat Phase per two kilometers per hour of speed.

Level of Difficulty 1.

Flight (Wings/No Visible Means of Support): This allows the mage to either create functional wings (Level of Difficulty 2) or propel himself without obvious physical aid (Level of Difficulty 3). By either means, he can fly at a maximum speed of ((Will + Fitness) X 20) kilometers per hour, for a cost of 5 Endurance Points per Combat Phase for hovering, plus 1 Endurance Point per Combat Phase per 10 kilometers per hour of movement. Hyper Flight, in which the top speed is multiplied by 10 and the Endurance cost is divided by 10, may be achieved by adding one Level of Difficulty. This may be used only on long flights, and not in combat. Mages with wings may glide at no Endurance cost, and

soar on thermals if they buy the appropriate Skill.

Level of Difficulty 1 or 2.

Forcefield: This allows the mage to erect a barrier which will withstand ((Will + Fitness) X 2) points of physical or energy damage. The cost is 1 point of Endurance for each point absorbed. Normally, the forcefield is skin tight, but for an extra Level of Difficulty the user can expand it to a radius equal to the mage's Fitness in meters. For

an additional Level of Difficulty the Character can project the Forcefield at a distance, with the Range = ((Will + Fitness) X 10) in meters. The caster may create a Heightened Forcefield, which withstands twice the damage, for an extra Level of Difficulty.

Level of Difficulty 2.

Gate (Portal): This creates a shortcut between two physically separate locations. No matter what the distance traversed, the cost to the user is the same. Note that a Gate usually affects the weather at each end, usually causing storms. These will worsen by a 10% change from the original conditions per minute the Gate is open. Preventing this

adds one Level of Difficulty.

Level of Difficulty 4.

Illusion (Glamour): This is an ability to create realistic images. The base chance of success is [(Character's Intelligence) - (Target's Intelligence) + (Character's Skill Level + Will) - (Target's Will)] X 10%. For a target who is aware that an illusion has been cast there is a 20 percentage point penalty against success. For someone who has seen the spell cast the penalty is 100 percentage points. Unresisting targets increase the chance by 50 percentage points. This spell normally only includes sight, but additional senses can be added. The chance of success is reduced by 10 percentage points per each extra sense simulated. The cost is 2 Endurance Points per sense simulated per Combat

Phase.

The base Level of Difficulty is three, increasing by one Level of Difficulty for each two senses added.

Invisibility (Mind Clouding): This spell allows the mage to confuse the senses of living things. The mage subtracts 10 percentage points per Skill Level from the Perception roll of the creature this is being used against. Each target is affected separately and must roll for perception separately. Radius = Will X 20 meters. Focusing on one target multiplies this by a factor of (Will/5).

Level of Difficulty 3.

Invisibility (Light Bending): The mage controls light in such a way that he is able to wrap the image of his surroundings around himself, and not be seen. Enough light gets through the field that the mage can see what is going one, but at 1/10 th the normal brightness. This usually only affects the visible portion of the spectrum, but for two

Leach: This spell allows the mage to drain Endurance from others. The Character may take Will X 2 Endurance Points from another living creature per Combat Phase. This Power normally requires physical contact, but for one extra Level of Difficulty it has a range of Will in meters. For an additional two Levels of Difficulty it has a radius effect.

Level of difficulty 2.

Life Support (Type 2): This allows the mage to go indefinitely without breathing.

Level of Difficulty two.

Life Support (Type 3): This allows the mage complete independence from breathing, eating, and so forth, regardless of the environment.

Level of Difficulty 3.

Magebolt: The ability to project raw magical energy from one's body in a beam or cone. Damage = [(Skill Level X Fitness)/4] D6 points (rolled each time), rounding to the nearest whole die. This spell has a range of Will in meters, and costs 10 Endurance per use plus 10 Endurance per die of damage.

While devastating, this is also draining to the mage, since it uses great amounts of Endurance. Also, there is a chance the target, if also a mage, can turn the attack, even back on its caster (see below). However, Magebolt will affect any physical object, unlike a Deathcast.

This is a Level of Difficulty 1 spell.

Mage-light: A simple spell, this creates a small ball of light which provides about the same illumination as 1 candle per point of Will applied. Range = Will in meters. Endurance = 1 per

Turn per candle equivalent.

Spell Level of Difficulty one.

Matter Manipulation: This talent allows the mage to change matter as he wishes. The mass affected is 1 gram per point of Will, for an Endurance cost of 10 points per gram. The time required is one Turn per gram. Physical change is a Level one Difficulty task; chemical change is a Level 2 Difficulty task; elemental transmutation (a shift of one

in any direction on the table of the elements) is a Level 3 Difficulty task. (Mass remains constant for all changes.) Each Level of Difficulty above 1 doubles the Endurance cost. Range = touch. When used as an attack, this ability does 1D6 per 5 points of Will applied, and costs 5 Endurance per use.

Mental Shield: A mystic barrier which repels mental influences and attacks. This ability can not only be used as a form of protection, but also as a prison. It is Level of Difficulty one for the most basic form, ranging up to Level of Difficulty five for very elaborate versions, and is used to restrain essentially mystical or mental entities.

Level of Difficulty 1.

Physical Shield: A mystic barrier which repels physical (including kinetic and electromagnetic energy) influences and attacks. This spell can also be used for protection from inclement weather, and for such use is a Level of Difficulty three. Additionally, this ability be used as a prison. It is Level of Difficulty one for the most basic form

for this use, ranging up to Level of Difficulty five for very elaborate versions, and produces a physical barrier.

Level of Difficulty 1.

Probability Alteration: This allows the mage to subtly modify the chance that something will happen. It is similar to the Special Talent of Luck, except that it is selective and much more controllable. For each point of Will applied, there is a 1 percentage point modifier that things will happen the way the user wishes. The range is equal to t

Protection: This allows a mage to provide a magical penalty against being successfully targeted. For each level of skill there is a 10 percentage point bonus against being hit.

Level of Difficulty 2.

Repair: This is the equivalent of Heal for non-living things. This can repair 1D6 points of physical damage per use for each point of Will applied, at a cost of 10 Endurance Points per D6.

A Level of Difficulty four spell.

Revivification: The ability to raise the recently dead. This has the same limitations as standard medical revival practices. In normal circumstances, if the person is dead for more than five minutes, they will be brain damaged. In this case, there will be some permanent memory loss, even if the Character is healed fully later. The chance of success is [(10 X Will) + (10 X Skill Level) - (10 X each minute since death)]%. Range = touch. The revived Character is restored to 1 HP and 1 Endurance.

This is a Level of Difficulty 2 spell.

Shapeshifting: The ability to change one's shape. Normally this spell only allows changing to a warm-blooded creature, but the GM may allow special exceptions. This spell lasts one minute,

but for each additional Level of Difficulty this is doubled. Add one Level of Difficulty for each 10% away from the Character's normal mass.

A Level of Difficulty five spell.

Share Power: This may be done voluntarily, or involuntarily for a 25 percentage point penalty against success. It allows the caster to drain Endurance from a living thing to use for spells. An alternate version allows the use of another's life force for creating a Gate, but here some deep bond must already exist.

A Level of Difficulty four spell.

Summon: This spell allows the caster to bring spirits and demons from other planes. It is generally used together with Barrier. After the spell is cast successfully, a second Skill roll must be made to get the type of creature desired. If a specific individual is being sought, a third Skill roll is required. Endurance cost is 100 plus (1D4 X 1

00) points.

Level of Difficulty three and up.

Tanglefield: This spell allows the mage to hinder ground movement. The effect will resist damage equal to Will X 25. This effect may be physical, such as a web or glue, or even mud; or it may be non-physical, appearing as an energy web or solid field. A variation of this is the "zone of compulsion" which acts against Will instead of Strength.

In this case, the points in the field are applied against Intelligence instead of Strength, and the spell may be resisted as a mental attack (see: Psionics, Mental Domination).

Level of Difficulty 2.

Telekinesis: The equivalent Strength = Will. For 2 additional Levels of Difficulty the Telekinetic Strength will be ten times the rolled value. Range = Will X 10 in meters.

Level of Difficulty 2.

Telepathy: The ability to communicate mentally. This can also be used to read the thoughts of unwilling or unsuspecting minds. Reading surface thoughts (skimming) will not alert a non-psi. Looking for a specific memory (probing) will be noticed if the target makes a successful Perception roll. Two-way communication depends on the willingness

of the target to accept it. Range = (Will X 20) kilometers. Chance of success for communication = (Will + Skill Level) X 2%, plus 10-50 percentage points for familiarity and willingness. Chance of success for probe = [(Character's Intelligence + Will) - (Target's Intelligence) + (Character's Skill Level) - (Target's Will)] X 10%, for an aware and

resisting target. Unresisting targets increase the chance by 50 percentage points.

During a probe, the telepath must make a Perception roll to find what is being sought. Psis have a 20 percentage point bonus to notice the contact.

Level of Difficulty is 1 for reading surface thoughts, 5 for a probe, 3 for two-way communication.

Teleportation: A very useful and potentially very dangerous spell. The user must have at least some knowledge of the destination or the Teleportation will not work. It is impossible to teleport into solid objects. Teleporting into a liquid will result in 1D10 points of damage for water (rolled each time), increasing or decreasing in proportion

to the increase or decrease in density, and will cause the Psi to bounce in a random direction and for a random distance (up to the Character's maximum). This could easily be lethal. Range = (Will X 10) in Kilometers, and may be doubled by an increase of 1 in the Level of Difficulty. Horizontal movement counts as 1 and vertical movement two.

Level of Difficulty is 4.

Warning Sense: A limited form of ForeSeeing, this automatically alerts the mage to imminent danger. Direction is known if the player makes a successful Perception roll. This is normally used for camping in dangerous areas, or providing an alarm for a home or workshop. Radius = Will in meters. (A smaller radius may be used to conserve Endurance

.) Endurance = (Radius squared) points per hour.

Level of Difficulty three.

Weather Control: This is a potentially useful but also limited spell effect. Range = Power / 2 in kilometers. Radius affected = Power/5 in kilometers. Costs 10 Endurance Points per (radius affected squared) per Turn. May only change weather by 10% of original conditions per Turn.

Level of Difficulty four.

This material is Copyright 1999 Rodford Edmiston Smith, who can be reached at: Stickmaker@usa.net.

     This work is Copyright 2004 Rodford Edmiston Smith, who can be reached at: stickmaker@usa.net. Please contact the author for permission before reposting or reprinting. Thank you.