Talk:Magic

Order of the Light

Magic is an extremely powerful force, the manipulation of which is carefully studied, frequently learned, but it is never fully mastered. Enchantments exude an aura that can be sensed by many, but years of training are required to properly exploit the Mana that pervades our world.

Some scholars use natural manifestations to explain the workings of the universe. In a common archetype, the physical world is likened to the sky while the ethereal realm of magic is set as the ocean. If we follow this line of thought, spells are much like the turbulence that occurs where the two interact with each other. During the Sin War, Demon and Angel alike wrought powerful magicks that threatened to tear the fabric of reality apart. The physical and magical realms began to blur and merge, which, in our archetype, would be the equivalent of a fierce hurricane.

The Forces of Order sought to preserve our reality by limiting the power of mortal man. As a consequence, only the strongest wills can harness more than the most basic of magical effects. Even then, much energy is lost in the transition of power between the two Realms. As a practitioner of the arcane arts grows more knowledgeable he is able to create these effects with greater efficiency, resulting in spells that are more potent, have more endurance and drain less Mana in their casting.

The art of staff fighting has never gained much acceptance in Khanduras, but long ago the Brotherhood of Vizjerei discovered ways to use a simple wooden staff as a container for focused magical energy. The process of creating a spell staff is very time consuming, but even an apprentice Vizjerei can recharge a staff by channeling magical energy into it. Spell staves may be used to cast spells that the wielder does not yet know, and that do not require the expenditure of mana. The staff must be wielded in order to use the spell it contains.

Oddly enough, the act of infusing a staff with sorceries seems to grant the staff a will of its own. Only those skilled in the arts of magic can hope to control very powerful spell staves. It is also possible to find staves that have been further enchanted to make them more effective in combat or to grant other abilities to the wielder.

Precious gems and metals make excellent foci for magical enchantments. Although most of the knowledge of creating such talismans has been either been long lost or is jealously guarded by the Eastern mage clans, rings and amulets of power may still be discovered. The primary drawback of enchanted jewelry is that multiple pieces seem to interfere with each other. For this reason, only one ring may be worn on each hand, and but one amulet may be worn about the neck. The greatest advantage of rings and amulets is that they are nearly impossible to strike in combat, and as such do not need to be repaired or maintained as armor does.

One form of magic that is still strong in the West is the brewing of elixirs that can have a variety of beneficial effects on the imbiber. By far the most common of these draughts are healing potions, which can instantly mend torn flesh and knit broken bone back together. Mana potions are infused with raw magical energy to restore the abilities of spell casters that have expended their power. The old church is sure to have a strong supply of both types of potions, as the clergy used them to care for the sick and wounded. Locals skilled in herbcraft may also be able to supply your character with potions, for the right price. It’s known that the greatest of the Horadrim alchemists created strange concoctions that permanently affected the drinker.

By carefully preparing special parchment with magical inks, a focus for spells can be created. Such magical scrolls provide the reader with the ability to cast a spell that they normally may not know, without expending any mana. Very powerful spells cannot be used by the untrained, however, for the cryptic symbols upon them are difficult to comprehend. The act of casting the spell drains the scroll of all magical power and causes the parchment to crumble to dust instantly.

During the long reign of peace that existed in Khanduras most towns and cities agreed upon a standard gold coin to use in trade. The Church of Zakarum has tried to have its own currency accepted as the new standard, but so far it has gained little acceptance. Although it would seem that the minions of the Three would have no use for gold coins, many demons hoard all the wealth that they can find.

Some people are so hungry for power and knowledge that they are willing to sacrifice their humanity to the Lords of Hell in exchange for gifts that inevitably turn against them. One such group, a dark cabal of wizards, decided to take the power of creation into their own hands and magically created a race of creatures to act as servants and messengers. Using infernal abilities granted to them through their arcane pact, they formed small bat-winged imps that they believed would prove useful in carrying out deeds that were too trivial for their own efforts. Each of the sorcerers created an entity that reflected his magical specialization. The creatures thus created were small, nimble and possessed an unnatural cunning.

At first the corrupt sorcerers were overjoyed at the success of their experiment, but they soon began to notice that the Alae did not serve them as loyally as they had hoped. The creatures had taken to secretly feeding from the very essence of their masters, weakening them and eventually killing them. The sorcerers tried to destroy their creations, but the fiends banded together to combat them. The Winged Fiends had been secretly breeding outside of the sorcerer’s domains, and swarms of them attacked, killing their former masters. To this day, the descendants of these creations terrorize the countryside.

Do not underestimate these foul demons. They are physically weak, but posses great speed. Many of them possess unearthly abilities reflecting the powers of their creators and they also enjoy using their razor sharp claws and hooked wings to tear the flesh from the faces of their victims.

Centuries ago, when men were foolish and practiced the demonic magics, it was common to invoke lesser demons and subdue them in order to gain their power. Fooled by the Imps’ small stature, sorcerers underestimated their powers and often summoned them to serve as familiars. Once lulled into trusting these clever and conniving demons, the master would find his will subjugated by that of his “servant,” who would then vivisect him and create numerous homunculi from the pieces. In time, these homunculi would grow into other Imps. Aware that its size is a liability in battle, an Imp uses magic to teleport and attack an opponent at range, from a fortified tower position, or even while mounted on the backs of large beasts.

The Hidden are the bogeymen that haunt our dreams and live in the nightmares of children. Although they dwell at the edge of the Physical and Ethereal Realms where they remain unseen by mortal sight, they can quickly manifest and strike those that appear vulnerable. Metus Occultus and others of their ilk feed on the essence of fear. When wounded, they will seek to retreat back into the Ether to heal themselves. It is important to note that even while invisible the creature exists partially on the Physical Realm, and can be affected by spells and weapons.

The world of Sanctuary is huge and often there are great distances between towns and their outlying regions. During the Sin War, the Horadrim devised a system of magic waypoints to provide instant travel from one place to another. The magics at work have long since been forgotten as the Horadric Mages have all but disappeared. However, these waypoints remain as a legacy to the Horadrim’s once-great power and the value of these devices cannot be denied.

Mana is your character’s spiritual essence

• Primal magic
• Holy magic
• Elemental magic
  • fire, ice and electricity

Gods

Necromancers have the ability to reanimate corpses of most entities and to control the recently dead. The dead release spiritual energies that haunt the mortal realms. The Necromancer can focus these energies, giving them manifestation in the corporal world. Practitioners of necromancy can curse the very fate of a victim by manipulating the Prime energies flowing through all living things.

Auras - Unique to Paladins and certain creatures, Auras project a field of influence around the caster. Any allied character, hireling or minion will benefit from the aura so long as they are within the aura’s range. Those who are under the effect of an aura are indicated in the Play Area by a glowing halo beneath their feet.

Curses - Necromancers and some monsters possess the ability to influence the fate of others around them. A curse affects those within a certain radius of the caster, and victims are marked for misfortune by a fuming haze above their heads.

With this skill a Sorceress can reach out with her mind and manipulate distant objects. By manipulating the Ether that permeates the world, she is even able to retrieve items out of her reach, or send her attacks to distant enemies. Useful to a cunning Sorceress, this spell rewards quick thinking to make the most of opportunities when they present themselves.

A Sorceress trained in this arcane skill has the ability to traverse the Ether, instantly rematerializing in another location. Without the aid of waypoints or portals, she may teleport anywhere within her immediate vicinity. Though not suitable for larger distances, a Sorceress can make good use of this spell for evading capture, or to reach otherwise inaccessible areas.

Magic = corrupting. More about power than magic?

Druids learned to bond with the natural entities of Sanctuary. This bonding was so absolute that eventually they discovered how to talk to the plants and animals, and these beings taught them all the secrets of the natural world. They taught them methods to call animals from far away, how to summon sentient plants from the earth, ways to change their own forms to share the strengths of their animal cousins, even, to a limited extent, techniques to control the weather.

natural magic

The Druids shun the use of traditional magic, or Dubhdroiacht, as they call it. They instead practice a form of magic based in their close bond to nature. Through this intimate kinship with the world of Sanctuary, a Druid has the power to command fire, earth, and the winds. He is a friend to the animals of the wilds and can call upon them to aid in his struggle. He can also use his heightened rapport with the animals to change the shape of his own body, drawing on the strengths and abilities of his woodland companions to better serve their cause.

Long ago, the Druids confided in prayer their sacred charge to the supreme spirits of Nature. The spirits were moved by their plight and answered the Druid’s call for help. Over the many years since then, the spirits have contributed in many ways to the Druids’ cause, even offering up soldiers to serve in their campaign. A Druid educated in the language of the Natural spirits can appeal to them, and they will provide him with valuable companions. These companions fall into three groups: spirit animals, sentient vines, and minor spirits of Nature.