Way of the Abyss

Also known as Shadowmancy, this school posits that the primordial state of all things non-existence, and that by understanding this state as a true point of origin, true understanding of the universe can be achieved. In the pursuit of true-nothingness, one must master the arts of destruction, corruption and the manipulation of absent forces, like darkness, death and emptiness. Way of the Abyss specializes not in the creation of effects that cause destruction, but in inducing destruction directly by removing concepts and forces from their surroundings.
This school has a reputation to yield deranged and nihilistic wizards, capable of ending life without a shred of emotion. Even though many study nothingness and continue to live normally, such studies are still deemed heretic by most religions, with Way of the Abyss being barely mentioned in most Colleges of Magic. Way of the Abyss also often attempt to tap into the forces of the Shadow Realm in the pursuit of higher understanding and unimaginable destructive power. However, prolonged exposure to the realm is known to cause unknowable madness, paranoia, and accidental conjure of a Void Self.
== Ordinary ==
At ordinary attainment you begin to understand the absence of something can also be understood and manipulated, you gain Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 20-meters of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light, if the darkness was not created by a spell or other magical effect. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Additionally, whenever you take this attainment, add a Mortal Card bearing at least one Numen symbol to your Gambit.
Ordinary Effects
Rapid Decay
Cost: 0 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Duration: Instantaneous 
You touch a target, infusing it with sickening energies, experiencing rapid decay. Objects you touch, like food or an iron weapon, experience up to 1-week of decomposition or rust instantaneously.
If you touch a creature instead, the creature must make a Physique saving throw. On a failed save, the target ages 1-day instantaneously.
Upcast. The time of decomposition increases by 1-week, if an object, or 1-day, if a creature, for every extra Numen placed on this effect.
Shadow Blast
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Sight
Duration: Instantaneous 
You unleash dark energy toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target, dealing 2C necrotic damage against the target’s Agility.
Upcast. The damage increases by 2C for each extra Numen placed on this effect.
Wave of Darkness
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Duration: Instantaneous
You unleash a wave of dark energy, dealing 1C necrotic damage to all creatures in a 4-meter circle within range, against the creature’s Physique. Creatures damaged by this spell can’t take reactions until beginning of their next turn.
Upcast. The damage increases by 1C for each extra of Numen placed on this effect.
Darkness
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You create a 6-meter sphere of darkness centered on a point you can see within range. Any creatures or objects within the radius of the sphere are covered in magical darkness, blocking sight inside and outside for all creatures. If any of this spell’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell with a resource cost of 2 or less, the spell that created the light is dispelled.
Upcast. The radius of the sphere increases by 6 meters for every 2 extra Numen placed on this effect.
Silence
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You create a 6-meter sphere centered on a point you can see within range. No sound can be created within or pass through the radius of the spell, and creatures within the area become immune to sonic damage so long as they remain within it.
Upcast. The radius of the sphere increases by 6-meters, for every 2 extra Numen placed on this effect.
Void Shield
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you take damage, except bludgeoning, slashing or piercing damage.
Range: Self
Duration: Instantaneous
You conjure a veil of shadow to drain some of an incoming magical attack, lessening its effect on you. You only take half the damage you would otherwise take.
Remove Magic
Cost: 3 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose any creature, object, or magical effect within range. Any spell with a cost of 3 or less placed on the target ends. For each spell with a cost of 4 or more on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 5 + the spell's cost. On a successful check, the spell ends.
Upcast. You automatically end the effects of a spell on the target if the spell's cost is equal to or less than the Numen cost of this spell.
Sensory Deprivation
Cost: 2 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: 1 minute 
You may temporarily suppress a physical sense of a target you can see within range. Choose a sense: sight, hearing, taste, or touch. The target must pass a Physique contest. On failed contest, the target loses the sense you chose for the duration. On a successful save, the target resists the effect.
Upcast. You can target one additional creature for each extra Numen placed on this effect.
Obfuscation
Cost: 2 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
An object you touch is infused in an aura of darkness, preventing it from making any order of sound, allowing the object to move and strike without making any type of noise. If the object is a weapon, any damage dealt with it counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Upcast. You can expend an additional 2 Numen to target a willing creature instead of an object, applying the same sound negation effect, which also removes the creature’s ability to speak or play music.
Invisibility
Cost: 2 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour 
A creature you touch becomes invisible for the duration of the spell. Anything the target is wearing of carrying is invisible as long as it is on the target’s person. The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell.
Shadow Armor
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
Cost: 2 Numen
Enhance Effect (Concentration, up to 1 minute): Target a creature covered in darkness, within range of the spell. For the duration, the creature becomes covered in residual shadows, shifting and wavering to all who can see. For up to a minute or until you lose concentration on the spell, you gain +2 Physique and Agility Guard. An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn't rely on sight, as with blindsight.
Shadow Jump
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: If the spell creates any darkness, as part of casting the spell, you may teleport to an unoccupied space within the created darkness.
Induce Sickness
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: If the spell deals damage against a creature’s Physique, any creature damaged by this spell also becomes Poisoned until the end of your next turn.
Negate Mending
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: If the spell deals damage against a creature’s Physique, any creature damaged by this spell cannot regain Condition until the start of your next turn.
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== Master ==
At Master attainment, your understanding and control of the absent forces increases, allowing for greater destruction, and control over darkness, you gain Magical Darkvision. Your darkvision also works in magically created darkness.
Additionally, whenever you take this attainment, add a Hero Card bearing at least one Numen symbol to your Gambit.
Master Effects
Null Spell
Cost: 3 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Reaction
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Instantaneous
You attempt to remove the magic from a creature in the process of casting a spell. If the creature is casting a spell with a cost of 3 or less, its spell fails and has no effect. If it is casting a spell with a cost of 4 or higher, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability. The DC equals 5 + the spell’s cost. On a success, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect.
Upcast. When you cast this spell using 4 Numen or more, the interrupted spell has no effect if its Numen cost is less than, or equal to, the Numen expended to cast this spell.
Blight
Cost: 4 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Instantaneous
You blast a creature you can see within range with necrotic energies, rapidly corroding their body. The target takes 8C necrotic damage against their Physique. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
If you target a plant creature or a magical plant, the spell deals double the damage.
Upcast. The damage increases by 2C for each extra of Numen placed on this effect.
Dark Presence
Cost: 4 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
Flame-like shadows wreathe your body until the spell ends, causing you to become heavily obscured to others. The shadows turn dim light within 4-meters of you into darkness, and bright light in the same area to dim light.
Until the spell ends, you have resistance to radiant damage. In addition, whenever a creature within 4-meters of you hits you with an attack, the shadows lash out at that creature, dealing it 3C necrotic direct damage.
Null Banishment
Cost: 4 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range to an empty pocket dimension. The target must succeed on a Glamour contest or be banished.
If the spell ends or you lose concentration, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
Upcast. You can target one additional creature for each extra Numen used on this effect.
Amnesia
Cost: 5 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Sight
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You attempt to delete another creature’s memories. One creature that you can see must make a Wisdom contest. If you are fighting the creature, it has advantage on the contest. On a failed contest, you can remove the target’s memory of any event that it experienced within the last 24 hours, and you may delete up to 3 hours of events.
A Remove Curse or Greater Restoration spell cast on the target restores the creature’s memory.
Upcast. If you cast this spell using 6 or more Numen, you can delete the target’s memories of events that took place up to 7 days ago (6 Numen), 30 days ago (7 Numen), 1 year ago (8 Numen), or any time in the creature’s past (9 Numen).
Reduce Vitality
Cost: 5 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
Target a creature within range, the creature takes 7C necrotic damage against their Intellect. For the duration of this spell, you can use an action to force the target to make an Intellect contest, taking 7C necrotic damage on a failed save.
If the target ever succeeds on the Intellect contest, it only takes half damage, and the spell ends.
Upcast. The damage increases by 1C for every extra Numen placed on this effect.
Wraithform
Cost: 3 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You turn yourself incorporeal for the duration of this spell. While in this state, you have resistance to bludgeoning, slashing and piercing non-magical damage, and you can phase through solid objects, as if it was difficult terrain.
Curse Life
Cost: 3 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 
Target a creature withing range. The creature must succeed on a Glamor contest or become cursed for the duration. When you cast this spell, choose the nature of the curse from the following options:
·         Choose one ability score. While cursed, the target has disadvantage on checks and contests made with that ability score.
·         The target has disadvantage on attack draws for the duration of this spell.
·         The target takes an extra 4 necrotic damage whenever you damage it.
A curse-removal effect will end this effect. At the DM's option, you may choose an alternative curse effect, but it should be no more powerful than those described above. The DM has final say on such a curse's effect.
Upcast. If you cast this spell using 4 or more Numen, the duration is concentration, up to 10 minutes. If you use a 5 Numen or more, the duration is 8 hours and no longer requires concentration. If you use 7 or more, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9 or more, the spell lasts until it is dispelled.
Wither
Cost: 2 Numen
Enhance Effect: Creatures that enter or start their turn in darkness created by this spell, takes 2C necrotic damage against their Physique. Non-magical vegetation in that area withers.
Upcast. The damage increases by 1C for each extra Numen placed on this effect.
Famine
Cost: 2 Numen
Enhance Effect: Any creature that takes necrotic damage due to this spell gains a level of exhaustion.
Enhanced Obfuscation
Cost: 2 Numen
Enhance Effect (Concentration, up to 1 minute): Target an object covered in darkness, within range of the spell. The objects becomes infused in an aura of darkness, preventing it from producing noise, allowing the object to move and strike without making any sound. If the object is a weapon, any damage dealt with it counts as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances.
Upcast. You can expend an additional 2 Numen to target a willing creature instead of an object, applying the same sound negation effect, which also removes the creature’s ability to speak or play music.
Blind Corruption
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: The shadows created gain a weaking effect, creatures inside darkness created by this spell, that are not protected against magically created darkness, have disadvantage on Physique contests.
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== Grandmaster ==
At Grandmaster attainment, existence and non-existence become a clear duality to you, allowing you to easily switch something into nothing, manipulate nothingness to your will, and reach across the Shadow Realm for greater power. You gain the feature Shadow Walk. You gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as an action, you can teleport up to 40-meters to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness.
Additionally, whenever you take this attainment, add an Exalted Card bearing at least one Numen symbol to your Gambit.
Grandmaster Effects
Remove Divinity
Cost: 7 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Hour (ritual)
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration
You can perform a dark ritual on an unconscious creature to remove knowledge or magical abilities. If the ritual is completed without interruption, you may apply one of the following effects on the creature:
·         You remove any spells or magical effects the creatures knows;
·         You remove 1 Kavana from the target, if it has any;
·         The creature loses proficiency on a certain skill, or saving throw;
Spells that remove curses or magical effects that cost more than 7, restores the target’s abilities.
Summon Shadow Beast
Cost: 5 Numen
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 10-meters
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You call forth a Shadow Beast with a CR rating of 5 or less. The Shadow Beast is friendly to you and your companions for the duration. Draw initiative for the Shadow Beast, which has its own turns. On its turn the Shadow Beast will attempt to attack the closest living existence it doesn’t deem friendly.
Breaking Concentration on the spell will cause you to lose control of the Shadow Beast, causing it to rampage and attack anyone nearby, until it is killed or until 1 hour has passed since it was summoned.
Upcast. The CR of the Shadow Beast increases by 1 for each extra Numen used on this effect.
Seclusion
Cost: 7 Numen
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Duration: Until dispelled
For the duration of this spell, a target within range is hidden within a rift in reality, preventing it from being targeted by attacks, as well as magical and divination effects. While hidden, time ceases to flow for the entity, preventing aging.
You can set a condition for the spell to end early. The condition can be anything you choose, but it must occur or be visible within 2km of the target. Examples include "after 1,000 years" or "when the demon enters the room."
Destroy Matter
Cost: 1 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 4-meters
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose a point within range. Any non-magical materials and objects that aren’t being worn or carried within a 2-meter cube centered on that point are obliterated, leaving behind no evidence of their existence or destruction.
Upcast. The size of the cube increases by 2-meters for every extra Numen placed on this effect.
Forgetful
Cost: 0 Numen
Enhance Effect: Any creature damaged by this spell will lose a random 1-minute memory from the previous 24-hour period.
Save from Darkness
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: When you cast this spell, target up to 3 creatures, the targeted creatures are unaffected by any darkness or light reducing effects created by this spell. 
Upcast. You can target an additional creature for every extra Numen placed on this effect.
Disintegrate
Cost: 0 Numen
Enhance Effect: If this spell has a cost of 6 or more, and its damage leaves a creature with 0 Condition, the creature is disintegrated. A disintegrated creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, is destroyed leaving behind no evidence of its existence or destruction.
The spell also automatically disintegrates a Large or smaller nonmagical object or a creation of magical force. If the target is a Huge or larger non-magical object or creation of force, this spell disintegrates a 2-meter-cube portion of it, for every 2 of the spell’s cost.
Blind Decay
Cost: 0 Numen
Enhance Effect: Creatures or objects inside the darkness created by this spell experience rapid decay. Objects inside the darkness decompose or rust 100 times faster than they normally would, while creatures age 10 times faster instead.
 
== Scion ==
At Scion attainment, you can finally grasp the concept of pure nothingness. Allowing you to erase sectors reality on a whim, and your control over the absent forces becomes absolute.
Additionally, you gain Reality Removal. You can use an action, or reaction, to remove one concept or property from an event, creature or object, that is occurring or exists within 10-meters of you and doesn’t occupy more than a 4-meter cube, for up to 1 minute. Choose and apply one of the following effects:
·        Remove Physicality. Remove the physicality from a wall or object, allowing creatures to simply phase through the material as if it was not there, for the duration of this effect.
·        Remove Shape. Turn a willing creature or object invisible, or grant them an unrecognizable shape for the duration of this effect.
·        Remove Sound. For the duration a willing creature or object becomes unable to produce sound in any way, including colliding with other objects, as per the Dark Obfuscation effect.
·        Remove Circumstance. As a reaction to taking damage, you remove a key property from the attack, making you only receive half the damage you would otherwise take.
In order to maintain these effects, you must concentrate on this ability as you would concentrate on a spell, otherwise these effects cease to function, and the creature/object returns to normal. You can also expend additional Numen to increase the area you can affect by 2-meters for each Numen expended. Alternatively, you and your DM can come up with additional effects not described here that would make sense for your story, being recommended that the player expends Numen to achieve increasingly powerful effects.
Additionally, whenever you take this attainment, add one Aeon Card bearing at least 1 Numen symbol to your Gambit.
Scion Effects
Death
Cost: 9 Numen
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 20-meters
Duration: Instantaneous 
Target a creature within range, if the target has 100 or less Condition, the target is instantly killed.
Antimagic Field
Cost: 8 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self (4-meter-radius sphere)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hours
A 4-meter-radius invisible sphere of antimagic surrounds you. This area is divorced from the magical energy that suffuses the multiverse. Within the sphere, spells can't be cast, summoned creatures disappear, and even magic items become mundane. Until the spell ends, the sphere moves with you, centered on you.
Spells and other magical effects, except those created by an artifact or a deity, are suppressed in the sphere and can't protrude into it. A Numen expended to cast a suppressed spell is consumed. While an effect is suppressed, it doesn't function, but the time it spends suppressed counts against its duration.
Magical effects that would target a creature, or whose range would extend into the antimagic sphere, are suppressed and take no effect. Any spell cast inside the sphere are likewise suppressed, but the cost of activating the spell or effect are still removed. Spells and magical effects such as dispel magic have no effect on the sphere. Likewise, the spheres created by different antimagic field spells don't nullify each other.
Lobotomizing Curse
Cost: 6 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Sight
Duration: Instantaneous
You attempt to temporally remove the intellect of a creature that you can see within range. The target must make an Intellect saving throw. On a failed save, the creature’s Intellect and Glamour scores become -5. The creature can’t cast spells, activate magic items, understand language, or communicate in any intelligible way. The creature can, however, identify its friends, follow them, and even protect them.
At the end of every 30 days, the creature can repeat its saving draw against this spell. If it succeeds on its saving draw, the spell ends. The spell can also be ended by a restoration or magical removal effect, if the cost of the spell is equal to 8 or more.
Eye of the Abyss
Cost: 9 Numen
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Sight
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minutes
You create a 6-meter-radius sphere of shadow and destruction centered on a point you can see within range. For the spell's duration, the sphere and any space within 40-meters of it are difficult terrain, and non-magical objects fully inside the sphere are destroyed if they aren't being worn or carried.
For the duration of the spell, on your turn, you can use an action to unleash a wave of dark and corrosive energy, dealing 1C necrotic damage to all creatures within 1-kilometer of the sphere, except you, or any creature within 2-meters of you.
A creature that enters the sphere for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there takes 25 necrotic damage and is restrained until it is no longer in the sphere. If the sphere is in the air, the restrained creature hovers inside the sphere. A creature can use its action to make a Physique check against your Spell Save DC, ending this restrained condition on itself or another creature in the sphere that it can reach. A creature reduced to 0 Condition by this spell is disintegrated, along with any nonmagical items it is wearing or carrying.
To The Shadow Realm!
Cost: 4 Numen
Enhance Effect: A creature reduced to 0 Condition by the damage of this spell is removed from reality. The creature and everything it is wearing and carrying, except magic items, disappear. The soul of the creature is also purely destroyed, being unable to be resurrected and disappearing from the known universe.
Memories about this creature will also fade substantially. For example, creature who only know of it in passing will utterly forget them, while creatures who are very familiar with it will still remember its existence but will also forget many details.
Gaze of the Abyss
Cost: 1 Numen
Enhance Effect: The darkness created by this spell reaches closer to the Shadow Realm, inflicting madness as they gaze upon the true-nothingness. Whenever a creature, who is not protected against magical darkness, enters or starts its turn inside the darkness, it automatically takes 1C necrotic damage.
If a creature remains inside the darkness for more than 10 minutes, their Void Self will be conjured.
Ghostly Form
Cost: 2 Numen
Enhance Effect (Concentration, up to 1 minute): After casting the spell, you reduce your physicality for a short period. While in this form, you have resistance to all damage except radiant bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage.
Category:School of Magic