Dagorym Arts

## Summary

The Dagorym Arts are a new type of magic in the Runequest™ game. This book details the seven Dagorym Arts, Colleges of the Magical Arts on Dyon where the Dagorym Arts are taught, and magical devices created using them.

As the name implies, only Dagorym characters (De and DN) can cast Dagorym Arts spells.

* Colleges of the Magical Arts

There are seven different Dagorym Arts: Communication, Controlled Energy Field, Energy Conversion, Matter Conversion, Neuron Overload, Pure Force, and Sensory. A wizard’s skill in any one Dagorym Art has no effect on his skill in another Dagorym Art; wizards advance in each Dagorym Art independently. Once a character has learned one of the Dagorym Arts, he can now begin learning spells belonging to the art.

Wizards have a number of tools that make using the Dagorym Arts easier. The most common are the grimoire (where he keeps a written record of his spells), and the wizard’s magic point storing staff, but such tools are merely tools and are not required in all instances. Wizards make their own grimoires from blank books purchased at the local stationers.

* The Seven Dagorym Arts
* Increasing Skill in the Dagorym Arts
* Obtaining Dagorym Arts Spells
* Using the Dagorym Arts Spells
* Backlash

## The Seven Dagorym Arts

### Communication

The Communication Dagorym Art is used for spells that consists of some form of directing something from one place to another. The general types of spells are Contact, Summons, Gate, Connection, Divine, Charm, Conjure, Communicate, Sever, Teleport, Dismiss, Mental Suggestion, Transfer.

List of Communication spells

### Controlled Energy

The Controlled Energy art is used for spells that require a controlled burst of energy. The general types of spells are Shield, Block, Wall, Bind, Bomb, Illusion, Temperature, Create, Enchant, Energy Blade, Extension, Sound, Blade, Prolong, Wrap.

List of Controlled Energy spells

## Increasing Skill in the Dagorym Arts

Skill in the Dagorym Arts cannot increase via experience. A wizard’s skill in one of the Dagorym Arts may only be increased by either study or training. Both methods require the wizard to spend time and money.

### Study and the Dagorym Arts

All wizards will spend some time in solitary study sometime during their career. It is not the most effective method of increasing skill in the Dagorym Arts, but may be the only one available to highly skilled or poor wizards.

The wizard must have access to the appropriate research materials, such as a library, another wizard’s grimoire, etc. See “Research” on page 40 of Runequest Deluxe Edition.

### Training and the Dagorym Arts

The best method of increasing skill in the Dagorym Arts is to become an apprentice to a skilled wizard. Wizards needing funds or wishing to increase their own skill in the Dagorym Arts at someone else’s expense are often willing to take on students.

The student wizard uses the normal Runequest training rules (see page 39–40 in Runequest Deluxe Edition) except that the training cost is different (see chart below) and there is no upper limit on the skill a wizard can get in a Dagorym Art by training. The instructor must have the Communication spell Instructor. He must also have a skill in the desired Art at least 50% higher than the apprentice or have a higher skill and make a successful Teach skill roll.

The cost of instruction including all materials is shown on the following chart:

### Increasing Skill in Individual Dagorym Art Spells

Skill in individual Dagorym Arts spells can increase via experience or training, but can not be increased above the wizard’s skill in the individual Art to which the spell belongs. This enables wizards to eliminate the negative modifiers caused by a spell’s casting difficulty. Each time a spell is successfully cast, the player puts a check in the box next to that spell, the same as with most skills.

## Obtaining Dagorym Arts Spells

There are a number of ways of learning new Dagorym Arts spells. The most commonly used methods are listed below, but other methods may be devised.

### Instruction

The easiest way to learn a Dagorym Arts spell is to go to a wizard who knows the spell and have him teach it to the character. Instruction takes 25 hours plus one hour per point of casting difficulty of the spell learned (25 +1/CD). At the end of the study period, he must then roll his INT x5 on 1D100, otherwise he has failed to learn the spell. The student copies the spell into his own grimoire from his instructor’s copy or may hire a scribe if he lacks confidence in his own Read/Write skill. Spells can either be recorded in Dyonian or Imperial.

The student usually pays for new spells either in cash or by completing some task for the wizard. Suggested cost for each spell is the spell’s CD x 1000 (minimum of 1000); cantrips are generally 500 each (the cost of each spell will actually vary with the availability of the spell and the Bargain skill of the instructing wizard).

### Study from Grimoires

A major method of learning new spells is by studying grimoires (books that contain magic spells) for new spells. To learn a spell by studying a grimoire, the wizard must spend 30 hours plus two hours per point of casting difficulty for the spell learned (30 +2/CD). The wizard must also obtain any materials required and then roll his INT x 5 or less on 1D100. If the roll succeeds he learns the spell and may copy it into his own grimoire. If the roll fails, he has made a mistake and must start over. If the roll is a fumble, the referee should determine what dire consequences occur and apply them.

### Going back to School

The best way to learn a Dagorym Arts spell is to go to a college of the magical arts which teaches the spell and have them teach it to the character. Instruction takes 5 hours plus one hour per point of casting difficulty of the spell learned (5 +1/CD). At the end of the study period, he has learned the spell. The student copies the spell into his own grimoire from his instructor’s copy or may hire a scribe if he lacks confidence in his own Read/Write skill. Spells can either be recorded in Dyonian or Imperial.

The student usually pays for new spells either in cash or by completing some task for the college. Cost for each spell is the spell’s CD x 1000 (minimum of 1000); cantrips are 500 each. An additional 200 will buy the benefits of the Instructor Spell and it is well worth the cost.

see: Current Colleges of the Magical Arts

### Using your Research Skill to Decrease Spell Learning Time

**Note: This requires the student to be at a collage of Magical Arts with access to its library.** It can be used with a knowledge of related spells to greatly decrease the time it takes to learn a new spell.

* If the wizard makes a successful Research skill roll, the time required to learn the spell is halved.
* If the wizard makes a special Research skill roll, the time is cut by two thirds.
* If the wizard makes a critical Research skill roll, the time is cut to CD in hours (cantrips is 1 hour).

All spells require a minimum of one hour to learn, this includes writing them in one's grimoire and practice, lots of practice.

### Using Related Spells to Decrease Spell Learning Time

Regardless of the method used to learn a new spell, it is easier to learn if you know other spells in the spell family. Each related spell the caster already knows subtracts ten hours from the base study/training time; thus, one spell would reduce training time spent to 15 hours plus casting difficulty, two related spells would reduce the training time spent to five hours plus casting difficulty; regardless of the number of related spells you already know, all spells require at least ten total hours training time or 15 total hours study time (unless you have the Analyze Magic spell).

### Dagorym Arts Skill and Learning Spells

When a wizard learns a new spell or cantrip he also increases his skill in that spell's Dagorym Art by one.

### Inventing New Spells

Wizards with a skill over 95% in a Dagorym Art may attempt to invent new spells using that Art. Such spell must be worked out with the referee who may decide whether or not to allow the new spell to exist in his campaign.

Each attempt to create a new spell requires 900 hours plus five hours per point of casting difficulty for the new spell (referee must determine the CD and MP for the spell). The hours need not be consecutive, nor do subsequent attempts need to be in consecutive months if the first attempt fails. Each attempt to create a new spell may require the wizard to obtain materials. These materials vary with each spell, but represent items used to test the spell’s effects, etc. The cost in crowns of these materials equals his skill in the Dagorym Art of the new spell. Wizards are often forced to become adventurers to obtain the funds they need for their research.

Wizards may also attempt to re-invent any of the spells listed in this book if they lack access to an instructor or to the grimoires that contain such spells. These spells may be invented the same as new spells.

* Note: Any time a wizard fumbles while attempting to invent a new spell, the referee should determine what dire consequences occur and apply them immediately. Magical research is not a safe hobby and many nasty surprises await the wizard who slips up. An example of such a magical accident is the case of the glish wizard, Nahashsara, who fumbled while attempting to alter human subjects in one of the glish breeding programs. She became half human and half serpent and immune to the normal shape-altering magics. She was forced to wait until the Amulet of Zura she used during the accident was destroyed before she regained her true shape.

## Using the Dagorym Arts Spells

The character must know the particular spell as well as the Dagorym Art to which it belongs to cast that spell. A character can learn a spell in a Dagorym Art he has no skill in, but will not be able to cast that spell.

A character with a skill in the appropriate Dagorym Art may attempt to cast spells he does not know by reading them from a grimoire. Such attempts are made at half the chance the character would have to cast the spell if he knew it and require 5D20 minutes of preparation.

The magic spells available to each Dagorym Art are listed alphabetically Each section describes the spells of a particular Dagorym Art. Each spell listing includes the spell’s casting difficulty, type, duration, Magic Point cost, cost to learn, and a complete description of the spell itself.

### Casting Difficulty

Casting Difficulty (CD) is a measurement of how difficult the spell is for the wizard to cast successfully. To cast a Dagorym Arts spell, the caster subtracts the CD of the spell from his skill in that Dagorym Art; this determines his chance to cast that particular spell. If the character’s chance to successfully cast a spell is lower than 1% after he has subtracted the spell’s CD, he may not cast that particular spell until he increases his skill enough to have at least a 1% chance of success.

If a character knows a spell but not well enough to cast it, then he can recognize it and its effects, perhaps knowing the correct countermeasures or possible effects to be expected.

Skill in individual Dagorym Arts spells can increase via experience or training, but cannot be increased above the wizard’s skill in the individual Art to which the spell belongs. This enables wizards to eliminate the negative modifiers caused by a spell’s casting difficulty. Each time a spell is successfully cast, the player puts a check in the box next to that spell, the same as with most skills.

* **Special note on Metal and Magic:** ferrous metals such as iron and steel prevent the use of magic. Although steel is an alloy of iron it still prevents the use of magic. It also makes the wearer of iron or steel armor somewhat protected from spells directed against him such as disruption, harmonize, or mindspeech, because the spell must travel through the magnetic field of the armor. Weapons do not have enough iron in them to affect spells cast at the bearer. The basic rule is that any spell which requires the caster to overcome the POW of the victim is affected. Every two points of ENC of iron or steel worn by the victim is the equivalent of one point of countermagic. Unalloyed metals merely double the cost in POW of spells cast by beings near to a large quantity of these metals. Alloyed metals (other than steel and Dyotian steel) do not affect the use of magic in any way. This is the reason that wizards prefer alloyed metals such as bronze for their weapons and armor. Note that coins on the World of Dyon are seldom alloyed and more than 50 coins are enough to hamper magical use if carried on the magic user’s person. Large quantities of coins must be placed in packs on animals or porters if the magic user is to use his powers.

### Duration

There are two spell durations: instant spells and temporal spells. Instant spells usually have only one level and their effects are immediate and permanent. Temporal spells may be extended by using additional levels of the spell (at any time before the spell’s original duration has elapsed) for increased duration of the spell’s effects.

### Type

There are two types of spells: active spells and passive spells. Active spells require concentration for the duration of the spell. Passive spells can be cast and will remain in effect until their duration elapses.

### Range

Range tells either how far the caster must be from the target, or the range of effect of the spell. Most spells have a range of POW in meters or touch.

### Magic Points

This tells the amount of magic points (MPs) that must be expended to cast each level of the spell. The first number indicates the number of MPs required for the first level of the spell. The second number indicates the number of MPs required for each additional level of the spell.

Spells whose MPs are given in brackets ([1]) require the caster to use permanent POW rather than MPs to cast the spell. Subsequent levels of the spells requiring permanent POW may be cast using any permanent characteristic such as STR or CON. Since POW is the easiest characteristic to restore, it is most often used.

Reductive spells: spells whose MPs are given as negative numbers (-1) reduce the caster’s personal MPs by the indicated amount while the spell is in effect. This makes the caster more vulnerable to certain kinds of magical attacks. Reductive spells can only be cast on the caster himself unless he uses Jingram’s Spell Transfer. Only the caster can drop reductive spells unless they are magically cancelled.

The exact effects of each spell’s various levels differ and are described under the Effects heading of each spell description. Generally, each level either increases the duration, range, or effectiveness of the spell. Some spells (usually instant spells) have only a single level and so cannot be increased in effectiveness nor can their duration be extended.

The maximum number of MPs that can be used per melee round is equal to the caster’s POW x5.

Note: The first level of a Dagorym Art spell must always be cast using personal MPs or personal POW rather than stored MPs or other characteristics. Subsequent levels of the spells may be cast using stored MPs or may use 5 fatigue points (FPs) per required MP. For all such spells 1 MP = 5 FPs.

#### Source

This tells which major magic books this spell can be found in.

Related spells

This tells which family of spells the caster can use to reduce his study/training time to learn this spell.

## **Backlash**

All magic users are limited to their current POW x5 in MPs used, transferred, hit by backlash effects, etc. per melee round. If the magic user exceeds his limits he will burn himself out and be unable to use magic. He will be unconscious for at least his current CON in minutes. The referee must first make a CON roll for him to determine his fate, and if he survives, a roll to determine any additional consequences. His companions will have no way of telling how long he will remain unconscious or whether or not he is dying.

* Rolled CON x 1 or less he will wake up in his current CON in minutes.
* Rolled between CON x 1+1 and CON x2 he will wake up in his current CON x2 in minutes.
* Rolled between CON x 2+1 and CON x3 he will wake up in his current CON x5 in minutes.
* Rolled between CON x 3+1 and CON x4 he will wake up in his current CON in hours.
* Rolled between CON x 4+1 and CON x5 he will wake up in his current CON+25 hours.
* Rolled between CON x 5+1 and CON x6 he will wake up in 1D3+1 days.
* Rolled between CON x 6+1 and CON x7 or rolled a 96 or 97 the magic user is unconscious and will die in 1D8+1 days unless hospitalized.
* Rolled between CON x 7+1 and CON x8 or rolled a 98 or 99 the magic user is unconscious and will die in 1D4 days unless hospitalized.
* Rolled over his CON x 8 or rolled a 00 the magic user dies instantly. Additional consequences of magical backlash or exceeding your MP limit:
	+ Lose 1D4-1 from CON, INT and POW. Roll each separately.
* Instant miscarriage if pregnant.
* Loss of short term memory of the events immediately preceding the backlash.
* Forget the spell being used at the time of the backlash. (May be relearned with 1D6+5 hours of practice and study.)