Today's entry will be a portion of chapter two. Next time, I'll post another short story; a continuation of the one posted yesterday. :)
I'm going to summarize the first part...
In Gieden, a character's magic is a direct outpouring of their personality. It determines both the type of magic they use and the Nuameii they will link to when they use that magic. It will also play a part in whether they choose to use magic at all, and how strongly they resist being transformed by it.
A shy, unobtrusive girl who wants safety but has a self-destructive streak might find that Subterfuge magic comes easily. She might use it to keep herself safe from lurkers in the night, but at the same time let herself get carried away by the power, despite its inherent danger.
This character would be Gieden, a Subterfuge user, possibly linked to a Spirit Cat Nuameii, and might accept the fact that the magic may very well destroy her some day.
Because of this close connection between personality and magic, it's important to think about it early, even if you plan on playing Roian. The first three of the nine magics are:
*******************Protection*****************
The magic of defense. Its color is blue, and it typically manifests as a circle or bubble that forms around the caster and those nearest to them.
* At rank One, Protection magic will reduce or eliminate damage to one or two targets (one of which must be the caster, and the other may be no further than 5’ from the caster). It does this through ‘shadow’ health boxes. The caster rolls as many dice as they have ranks in Protection magic. For each success (vs. 6), one extra health rank is added to each target. These health ranks disappear when the caster stops focusing.
** At rank Two, Protection magic will allow the caster to grant ‘shadow’ health boxes to everyone within a 5’ radius, or to grant one target complete immunity to all magics. If the second option is chosen, it manifests as a blue bubble and will completely protect against Nuameii who have not yet been ‘pulled through’.
*** At rank Three, the caster may grant 2 ‘shadow’ health boxes per success rolled to everyone within a 5’ radius. Alternatively, the caster may grant complete protection from magical and physical attack to themselves and one other target within two feet. If this alternative is chosen, no one inside the ‘bubble’ can interact with anyone outside of it by any means other than speech.
**** At rank Four, the caster may grant 2 ‘shadow’ health boxes per success rolled to everyone within a 5’ radius, but the magical resistance cost is only 2 per round. The caster could also grant complete magical and physical protection as described in rank Three, but at a magical resistance cost of 2.
***** At rank Five, the caster can call forth a shimmering blue bubble of protection that will protect everyone within a 5’ radius from any physical or magical attack. It only costs 2 magical resistance points per round to maintain, and any magical attack that contacts it will dissipate immediately. It will prevent entry by but not cause damage to people, natural animals or ‘pulled-through’ Nuameii. Nuameii that have not been ‘pulled through’ will actually sustain damage upon contact with the barrier (1 box per round).
This magic can also be used for other protective actions, such as: slowing a fall, blessing someone who is going into battle (raising the hit difficulty for those who attack them), granting protection from certain kinds of magic (reducing the damage those magics do), giving someone a temporary protective boon (such as “no one with red hair may touch you”), or any other action deemed appropriate by the Game Master.
********************Healing*******************
The magic of salvation. Its color is white, and it has the power to restore health, or even life, to those whom the caster believes deserve redemption.
* At rank One, Healing magic grants the target ½ box of health per success rolled (vs. 6). Note that this means that character who has only one dot in healing will have to work multiple rounds to heal a full box of damage. If they stop channeling before a full box is healed, then no healing is received.
** At rank Two, Healing magic becomes stronger and heals a full box of health per success. However, this magic will not re-attach severed limbs, heal magical Taints, heal disease, or cure poison.
*** At rank Three, the magic still only heals one box per success, but now it will re-attach or re-grow limbs, heal diseases, and reduce the effect of poison. It also leaves the target feeling rested and at peace.
**** Rank Four Healing magic grants the same healing effect as the rank Three magic, and it will also revive someone who died less than 10 minutes (two turns) before.
***** Rank Five Healing magic will either heal 2 boxes of damage per success rolled (vs. 6), or it can revive someone who died less than twenty minutes beforehand. If used to heal damage, it will restore or re-grow lost body parts, heal disease, cure poison, and leave the target feeling rested and at peace. Those who use Fury magic can not cast without extreme provocation for a minimum of one hour. Most impressively, rank Five Healing magic will allow the caster a ‘Final Act’. If the caster’s body is destroyed, they may attempt to resurrect themselves at a magical resistance cost of ten. No caster ever revives themselves from death without receiving a Taint, regardless of whether or not they have magical resistance to spare.
This magic may also be used in other curative ways, such as: lessening the pain of childbirth, curing diseases, restoring vitality, healing birth defects, restoring sight to the blind, removing someone from a potentially fatal position by way of levitation, or any other action the Game Master deems appropriate.
*****************Pure Magic*****************
The art of channeling and shaping magic itself. Its color is silver, and it can be used in more ways than any other magical discipline. It can even gain control over Nuameii.
* At rank One, the caster has two options. They can either disrupt the magical flows of another caster, or channel the magic directly into a target, causing damage. If disrupting magic, the caster reduces the opposing caster’s successes by ½ of a success for every success rolled. This means it will take two rounds to reduce the opponent’s magic by one success. If doing damage, the target takes 1/2 box of damage for each success vs. a 7. This damage is almost impossible for the target to avoid. The caster is also automatically aware of anyone casting in the near vicinity, whether or not they are actively trying. This last ability costs 0 Magical Resistance.
** At rank Two, Pure Magic can mimic rank One Protection magic, the only difference being that it grants only ½ a ‘shadow’ box of health per success. It can also be used to deal direct damage as described in rank One, but now it does 1 box of damage to Nuameii that have not yet been ‘pulled through’. A caster who knows rank Two Pure Magic often has insightful dreams, which may provide valuable information or clues.
*** At rank Three, the capabilities of Pure Magic become more varied as well as stronger. The caster can now sense the presence of Nuameii without effort. By expending 1 magical resistance point, the caster can speak to a Nuameii or cause it to be repulsed by the caster’s presence. This is not an absolute deterrent, but it does make the caster an unattractive target. Resisting magic becomes easier, reducing the opposing caster’s successes at a 1 to 1 ratio. Damage now does 1 box per success to normal targets, and 1 box to a Nuameii that is not yet ‘pulled through’(roll vs. 7) . They can also hear the voice of someone who lost theirs through excessive use of magic, although others cannot.
**** Rank Four Pure Magic allows the caster to bind any willing creature, including Nuameii (‘pulled through’ or not), to a single oath. Failing to at least attempt to honor this oath kills the oath breaker. The caster may also channel Pure Magic into any artifice, causing it direct damage.
***** At rank Five, the Pure Magic caster controls the flows of magic itself. They can banish it from an area, creating a ‘dead magic zone’, or call it into a previously dead zone. This does not supersede magical barriers, it just re-creates the naturally occurring fluctuations of magic. The caster may also use this power to ‘pull through’ a Nuameii, although it is recommended to bind them to an oath first.
This magic may also allow the caster to: find the direction of their true love, call out for a lost soul, revive someone who is unconscious, recognize who a Nuameii used to be, or form a temporary link between their mind and another’s. Any additional abilities the Game Master allows should be intangible; this magic deals with the strings of fate and fabric of dreams.
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Note: "Pulling Through" a Nuameii means making the spirit form physical. Nuameii of all types seem vicious, or at the very least, indifferent to human life, but giving them a physical body mitigates these tendencies (usually).
And that's it for the first three magics. The Game Master and player determine most of what a character can do; the listed ranks are meant as guidelines and base abilities for all users of that type. But magic is a highly personal thing, based on the character and their beliefs/background, and should be different for every individual. Just because two players use Healing doesn't mean they'll have the exact same abilities. It's up to the Game Master to make sure that the abilities are appropriate and balanced.
See you in two days. :)
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