Magick

## **What is Magick in the Timelines?**

Magick in the Timelines universe is relatively scarce and universally feared.

Magick in the known world is often called Arcane energy by those who use it. Arcane energy, is a cold and intellectual source that controls the flow of Mana, which is just a measure of a fundamental power-- So if Mana was water, arcane energy would be steam pressure. Though extremely volatile, arcane energy is so similar to an element that to some it is considered one in itself, for all magical intents and purposes.

Arcane energy is innately volatile, and wielding it requires intense precision and concentration from those who wish to wield it. Arcane Magick is pulled from ley lines, channels of immense magical power that course through the earth itself. The ley lines are similar to blood vessels of the world, carrying arcane energy around the world. Volatile arcane energies is described as the lifeblood of the world.

Arcane energy has a white and/or violet aura appearance, however for the average person Arcane energy itself isn’t visible to the naked eye. Arcane energy is often described as the ‘base fabric’ of the world by its wielders, which are normally called Sorcerers.

## **Magick in the Known World**

The abuse of Magick has slowly scarred the Earth in the past --- years and because of that Magick is universally feared and hated by the general populace. Sorcerers are outlaws that are hunted and killed by Druids. Magick is hard to find, and even low-level spell caster are not common to come by.

## **All Spells**

**Effects and applications**

Arcane energy can be used to do the following spells…

## **Arcane can be used to…**

* Turn the spell-caster or their allies invisible.
* Assisting in combat
* Communicating from afar though the mind
* To see other places and people within those places
* View the past.
* Share visions of other memories
* To heal the wounds of others (Healers normal use water as their source of arcane)
* To form Empathetic bonds
* Knock nearby enemies into the air.
* Cause destruction
* To protect themself using a mana shield, transmuting raw mana into a personal barrier- This can also be used on groups of people.
* To Charm
* To siphon health
* To drain energy from others

## **Sorcerers**

Sorcerers drain arcane energy from the ley lines within the surrounding soil. This method used labels Sorcerers as defilers or preservers. Preservers have the self-control to gather energy without destroying plants. Those who do not have that control, or who feel no remorse about the damage caused, become defilers. Defilers leave behind sterile soil and infertile ash when they cast spells. Due to this, most people blame Sorcerers for the desert like landscape that dominates the Earth, and their hatred extends to both defilers and preservers alike.

## **The Corruption of Power**

Defilers leave behind an ashen circle when casting spells. The radius is 5FT. Creatures except the defiler caught within the radius at casting time experience pain and become sickened for some time. Plants also start to dwell.

Defilers ash is black and totally devoid of life-giving properties. It is the sign of Sorcery. Nothing grows in a defiled area for years. Even if the defilers ashes are moved with winds or other means, the ground itself remains a lifeless scar. A defiler cannot preserve, but a preserver can defile if desperate enough to do so.

When defiling, a sorcerer can extend the casting time of their spells to gain bonus power. Their defiling radius increases by 5FT. Spell with a normal casting time would require more time to be cast in this manner. Experienced defilers often increase their casting power more easily and quickly, however.

## **The Road to Corruption and Redemption**

Sorcerer who defile, will often become tainted. Tainted sorcerer are not defilers, but risk becoming so. Tainted sorcerers may seek redemption from a druid. The druid, if willing and able, can cast a conversion ritual on the tainted sorcerer, restoring their preserver status.

## **Terrain**

Terrain type affects arcane energy depending on the amount of plants and living creatures available. Barren and desolate terrains weaken spells, while fertile and abundant terrains boost spells.

## **Terrain Effects**

* Salt Seas
* Stony Barrens
* Scrub-lands
* Desert Lands
* Rocky Badlands
* Stony Barrens
* Desert Lands
* Savannahs
* Swamps
* Mud flats
* Oceans
* Gardens
* Green Fields

## **Spellbooks**

Sorcerers conceal their ‘spell book’ from druids, rival sorcerer and others with ability to discern them for what they are. Spell books take many forms, including animal hides, stone and clay tablets, bone staves, knotted hair and necklaces of colored breads. Sorcerers use different, often personalized codes and systems for organizing their spells. The disguise skill masks a spell book’s true nature. Someone inspecting the spell book must have high perception. Every time a new spell is added, a spell book must be disguised anew. Unless in a hurry, a sorcerer normally takes their time with this ritual.

## **Services**

Arcane energy, due to it being loathed by the general populace, is almost never offered for sale. Regardless, there exist some avaricious black souls that sell their abilities to casts spells for money. They are mostly found outside the towns/ cities, among the village dotting the wastelands or living in the tribes trying to survive by raiding every unfortunate that crosses their path.

On the other hand, some use their spell casting to heal and benefits of others. They still don’t overly use these in the cities as the sorcerer-kings and their druids don’t like to see such a power not under their control flaunted under their nose for all to see.

Securing the services of an arcane spell caster is often difficult, requiring time spent on Knowledge (Local) and Gather Information checks just to locate such an available and willing spellcaster. Pricing for such services, if available, is up to the caster themself.

## **Healing**

Though magical healing is prohibitively expensive for most of the known world, many Water clerics have many trained in the mundane are of healing. These clerics use the healing skill to treat disease, injuries, and poison effectively and even treat sunburn and heatstroke, although some sort of donation to their temple is required before the service is performed.

## **Arcane Wielders**

In the known world, there is an instability, and those skilled in arcane energy have learned how to exploit that instability, being able to control the elements and other forces such as time.

## **Dark Arcane Energy**

**Necromancy**

Been described as an arcane art, necromancy is considered part of Death magic. Necromancy is the study of magic involving the dead. It is highly illegal and should be avoided at all costs. Necromancers and their followers are the enemies of all living things. Necromantic Magick has many functions beyond just summoning the dead. Masters of this tainted field of Magick can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and chill the living with the power of death.

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