Magic

Magic Talent
This Module introduces Magic (F+C+I)/3 as new Talent linked to all magical Skills. In some worlds, a character may need to satisfy additional conditions to use this Talent. It could be an innate disposition, learned by long training, inherited from mythical creatures, granted by gods or bought in a deal with the devil. Worlds that allow more than one way will sometimes treat them as different Schools of magic that are not interchangable. They still use the same rules and the same Talent, and it may be possible to follow multiple Schools at the same time.

Impact
Most magical effects are assigned an Impact. It is a rough measure on how much influence this effect has on its target. An effect's Impact is equal to the number of Successes rolled, but can be increased by paying additional FP. The mage has to decide how many FP to use before rolling the Check. They are used up in any case, but the Impact can't exceed twice the number of Successes.

Resistance
Magical Skills can either affect the target directly, or change the target's environment and affect it indirectly. This determines how the Skill can be resisted. The Skills are also resisted using different Attributes or Talents. Both is given after Resistance behind the Skill description. A target deciding to resist a magical Skill rolls a Check on the given Attribute or Talent. To resist direct magic, the target has to roll at least as many Successes as the mage or it gets hit with full Impact. Against indirect magic, each Success reduces the Impact by one. It has no effect on this target if its Impact is reduced to zero.

Range
Magic only has its full Impact on the mage himself and targets touched by him. If the target is less than 10m away, Impact is reduced by one; each doubling of the distance reduces Impact by another point. A mage needs to percieve his target in some way to affect it directly.

Area of Effect
It is possible to use magic on a larger area (e.g. to hit multiple targets). The radius must be decided on before the Check. Every two meters reduce Impact by one. FP can only be used to increase the radius, not the Impact. The Area of Effect need not be spherical. A mage can choose any other shape (like a block or cone), as long as it fits inside a sphere with the given radius and is convex (i.e. the straight connection of any two points in the Area of Effect must be inside it completely). The point closest to the mage is used to determine Range. It is possible for the mage to "touch" the Area of Effect without being affected himself.

Sustain

The effects of magical Skills will usually end after the end of the Round. However, a mage can decide to Sustain magical effects with a total Impact of up to his Focus. Each round costs half of the FP used to create the effect. The mage's Focus is reduced by the total Impact of the effects, and each currently sustained effect reduces all Skills by one.

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Magic Skills
This section describes a few of the most common magical Skills. The GM may forbid some of these Skills (or their aspects) for specific Schools or even altogether. These limitations can be imposed by nature or self-imposed by the group (e.g. wizards only learning Spellcasting or priests incapable of using Somatic Magic to cause harm). When not written otherwise, each use of a magical Skill takes one Round.

Divination
Divination allows a mage to learn of things happening at other places or times. This Skill rarely gives clear information, but rather visions or dreams that need to be interpreted to make sense. An Impact of one is sufficient for distances of up to one km or about a day. Each additional point of Impact allows one of these to be multiplied by ten. Remaining Impact increases clarity and precision of the given information. Predictions of the future are notoriously unreliable and only show probable future events assuming nobody acts on the informations obtained by this Skill. Each use of this Skill takes one hour. Resistance: none

Elemental Magic
Elemental Magic is used to unleash the raw power of the elements. It is the best friend of all mages enjoying to throw fireballs and lightning. Attacks with this Skill have a Damage equal to their Impact and a Penetration of half their Impact. Armor not designed against this specific type of damage only protects with half its value. The attack may have additional Side Effects. Resistance: indirect, Dexterity; Each meter from the edge of the Area of Effect (if applicable) requires an additional Success.

Illusion
Illusion allows a mage to change or fake perceptions. The effects are tied to the target and real in the sense that they look the same to all observers. Succesful Resistance only means that the observer recognized a flaw in the illusion and does not believe it. Additional Successes allow tricking more senses or increase realism and complexity of the illusions. Creating or overwriting perceptions is a lot easier than hiding them. Used this way, each point of Impact only provides an additional Success for Sneak and Camouflage. Resistance: indirect, Intelligence

Metamagic

Metamagic analyzes and modifies magical effects. It can be used to determine the kind (or even the creator) of an active magical effect; the more Successes, the more accurate. It is also used to take control of magical Effects created by other mages and to modify their Impact. Resistance: direct, Magic

Somatic Magic

Somatic Magic affects the bodies of living creatures. It can modify Attributes, affect senses (or even give new ones), heal or inflict Damage and symptoms of diseases or restore lost Attribute points (limited to a number of points equal to its Impact). All effects except for modifying Attributes or senses are permanent. Resistance: direct, Endurance

Spellcasting
Spellcasting imitates the effects of other magical Skills using Spells. This versatility is paid for with a loss in flexibility. Each combination of parameters (Area of Effect, Range, specific effect, etc) that needs to be specified before using a Skill, except for the number of FP used, is a different Spell. Each Spell also has a fixed Impact. Spellcasting fails if the mage can't reach this Impact with Successes and FP, and any additional Impact is lost. It is quite common for mages to collect Spells in a book. Finding one in the book takes 1D6 Rounds. A mage can also memorize a number of Spells equal to his Focus, which takes ten minutes per Spell. Finally, he can learn spells permanently for one EP each. New Spells are created using Spellcraft. Resistance: same as imitated Skill Version 1.00 EN

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Telekinesis

Telekinesis allows a mage to move objects without touching them. One point of Impact is enough to lift an object weighing 1kg and change its velocity by one meter per Round. One additional point of Impact is required for each doubling of the weight and the remaining points may be used to change the velocity by another meter per Round. When using an object moved with Telekinesis as a weapon, the attacker's Strength is replaced with half the Impact (round down). Telekinesis replaces the weapon Skill. It can also be used to deflect attacks with solid objects. The attacker's Successes are reduced by the Impact. Resistance: indirect, Strength; target and carried objects only

Telepathy

Telepathy covers reading and modifying thoughts and emotions. Reading emotions requires one point of Impact, conscious thoughts three, memory or the unconscious five. Modifying requires an additional point. Unused Impact increases accuracy and volume of information. Resistance: direct, Focus

Transmutation

Transmutation changes an object's properties or may even transform one object into another. One point of Impact is enough to change an object's appearance. Changing shape, form or material takes three points. If matter needs to be created or destroyed, each kg requires an additional point. Changing physical properties (like light, heat or gravity) in an area is also possible. Each point of Impact changes one of these by up to 10%, but they will return to normal after the effect ends. It may even mimic the effects of Elemental Magic, but only does half the damage. Living beings can only be transformed into other living beings. The required Impact equals the difference in Strength (small animals like mice or frogs have a Strength of zero). Finally, Transmutation can create a magical armor against a specific Damage Type with an Absorption equal to the Impact and a Hardness equal to half the Impact (round down). Resistance: indirect, Endurance for environmental effects; direct, Strength for living beings

Side Effects

Elemental Magic requires the mage to select an element to cause the damage. Armor will only protect with its full value if built to protect against this damage type. The mage also has some control over how the effect looks (e.g. a fireball's color, or whether the lightning comes from him or from the sky). All these parameters are fixed when designing a Spell. All elements do physical damage if not otherwise noted. Fire sets flammable objects in the Area of Effect on fire. Stone/Metal shoots sharp, pointy shrapnel at the targets; Their Penetration is equal to the full Impact, but impact or ballistic armor is not reduced. Storm inflicts no direct damage, but pushes the targets back by one meter per point of Impact minus the number of Successes in a Strength Check. Water inflicts Stun Damage and makes all targets fall that don't score at least as much Successes in a Strength Check as the FP they lost. Acid dissolves objects in the Area of Effect. It will also create noxious fumes that impair breathing and reduce all Skills by half the Impact. Only a environmental suit protects. Energy creates a missile made from pure magical energy that ignores any mundane armor. Ice freezes liquid water in the Area of Effect and makes the floor slippery. Light inflicts no damage, but creates a bright flash of light that dazzles all targets for one Round per point of Impact. Lightning destroys electrical devices and ignores any armor not designed to protect against electricity, but can only hit grounded targets. It can also set easily flammable objects on fire. Smoke creates a cloud of hot fumes that does Stun Damage and reduces Skills linked to Perception by its Impact. A breathing apparatus protects against the damage. Thunder creates a shockwave inflichting Stun Damage and rendering all targets deaf for a number of Rounds equal to the Impact.

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Spellcraft
Spellcraft is linked to Logic an can (in theory) be used without the ability to use magic. It covers the knowledge about the abilities, limitations and appearences of magic and the design of Spells. To design a Spell, decide on its Impact and all other parameters. The design process takes eight hours times the Impact and requires at least as much Successes as the Impact. Each additional Success reduces the time by four hours, but never below one hour.

Runes

Each School teaching Spellcasting uses its own language and writing to teach and record Spells. That Skill is linked to Language and can be learned without the ability to use magic.

Auxiliaries
Some Schools use auxiliary means to support the use of magic. Each auxiliary can be used instead of a FP, but no more than one of each type. Spells must decide on the auxiliaries used when designed; this can not be changed later on. Some Schools became so dependent on specific auxiliaries that their practicioners have their magical Skills reduced (or can't use them at all) when not having "their" auxiliaries. Word requires the mage to loudly and clearly recite phrases in the language of his School. Gesture requires large and obvious movements with arms and hands. Object requires a specific item (like a wand or holy symbol) that costs about 100$ and needs to be held while using the Skill. Material requires the use of specific substances (like herbs or alchemical ingedients) that cost about 5$ and are consumed while using the Skill.

Magic and Armor

The GM may rule that wearing metal armor (or armor in general) makes it harder to use magic. Reduce the Impact of all magical effects not targeted at the mage himself by the sum of Hardness and Coverage of his armor.

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