Mage

# Mages and Magic

Primary Attribute: Will

Power Investment: Push

Power Gauge: Affinity

## Roleplay Notes

You've always been different. Something hums in you, speaks quietly in the back of your mind, an awareness you can't quite grasp immediately. For some, the magic is there from birth, and as children, they display their power in small ways. For others, the power lies dormant until some experience forces it into wakefulness – danger, distress, or possibly just enough internal digging on the mage's part. Magic is a part of you – as much so as your hands and eyes. It comes as natural as breathing, and is as seductive as any power can be. Manifesting itself in a manner concurrent with your character's outlook, mages are rarely afraid of the power they wield, though many learn caution very quickly, assuming they survive the experience. Many are intrigued by the changes the magic wreaks upon them. Turning your back on the magic is simply not an option – it will not be denied, and those who try find their minds eroding under the constant pressure of keeping it at bay. Often, a mage will use the magic in small, utilitarian ways without even thinking about it – lighting a campfire, washing dishes, or smoothing stones for lining a firepit.

The element you are tied to influences your mind and physical makeup; which causes the other is largely an academic debate and something of a chicken-and-egg question. Regardless, a mage's type is usually easily determined by the well-educated.

As the mage's power increases, so do the marks of the magic upon him, and as he draws closer and closer to the element he is bound to, the more of his humanity he leaves behind. Magic is a balancing act, and while the failures are frightening, those who succeed may be among the most powerful individuals to exist.

In general, a Mage will not deny what she is, but neither will they flaunt it; calling attention to one's self is rarely a good idea. Often, a Mage will learn a trade, and then find ways to apply their power through it. Often, this trade, too, will reflect the Mage's nature – earth mages will not only tend toward farming, but also animal husbandry, sculpting, and gemcutting; fire mages are known to be blacksmiths, but have also been potters, entertainers, and guards. Remember that an element has many aspects and many applications.

Regardless, a Mage's first priority is controlling his power, and there are as many methods to this end as there are Mages. Some join the religious orders; more still turn to the Warrior's Way, and some few even find their way into the Order of the Eclipse. Still others find their own methods; whatever it is, the hallmark of a Mage's existence is self-control.

## Mechanics

Creating a Mage is basic. Create your character using the base method, and at the bottom of your sheet, make a section for Push and Affinity. Your starting Affinity is equal to your Will score, setting you at the threshold for Stage 1 affinity. Choose which element your Mage is aligned with: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, or Meta. Whenever you cast an effect, it should fall within your Element's purview; Water mages won't go around tossing fireballs at people, and Fire mages probably won't try to make things cold. Metamages are a special case, and will be explained in a separate section.

### Push

Whenever you cast a spell or effect, you generate Push. How much push an effect generates is determined by how much you want it to do, how you want to invest the Push you generate. There are several categories for investment; not all of them may be necessary for the effect you intend. Casting costs a combat action; whether it is offensive or defensive depends on the nature of the spell.

*Damage*: Damage is healed, prevented, or inflicted by one per point of push invested.

*Duration*: Without this investment, a spell doesn't last more than a few seconds. By investing Push into a duration, a Mage can make an effect linger; each point of Push is another few seconds (exactly how many is determined by the mage's Will) the effect will last. Any damage the spell may do is spread over the duration.

*Range*: Without this investment, a Mage can only affect targets within his reach (number of yards equal to Will). Each point of Push invested in Range allows him to target the spell futher away, as many yards as he has points in Will.

*Area of Effect/Multiple Targets*: There's two ways to calculate this investment. In either case, the damage is applied evenly to all targets. To affect multiple targets, the caster must invest one point per target after the first; to simply blast a given area, a Mage can affect a number of cubic feet equal to his Will for each point of push invested; the first increment is free. A point may be spent on a single target to remove the target's option to Parry or Evade the spell.

*Overpower*: Pesky humans and their magic resistance. By investing extra Push, a Mage can attempt to overpower a target's Magic Resistance. Every point of push so invested raises the difficulty of the human's MR check by 1.

*Multiple Effects*: It is possible to cast a spell that does several things at once; for every effect intended past the first, you must add an additional point of Push.

Other effects are achievable, and your ST will determine if any additional Push is required to achieve them. Regardless, all spells cost at least one push. Magic always causes Push. Here are a list of some sample spells your character can use. They are not limited to these, but these provide a good baseline to build upon.

What kind of spells can your character cast? Theoretically….anything. The magic responds to your desires, and is limited only by your imagination and how much of a risk you care to take. These categories of investment are designed so that players may build their own unique spells and effects. Every mage is unique. Furthermore, the only way to increase how much Push you can handle is to take exactly those risks. The only way to increase your Affinity is to accumulate Push. Anytime you build Push past your Affinity, you roll Backlash, at a difficulty of 10+the amount of overage. If you fail, you take damage equal to the total amount of Push. You gain Affinity regardless of success or failure. When you roll Backlash, add your Will to the number you roll.

If you attempt to cast a spell outside of your Affinity, push costs are doubled, and if you push past threshold at all, you will lose a point of Affinity and must roll Backlash. If you fail, you take your Affinity in damage. The costs are high, the risks great, and the rewards few if any, and so most mages never even consider it, but in desperate times….

### Backlash: The Details

To clarify the Backlash mechanic: If at any time your Push exceeds your Affinity, you must roll Backlash. Roll a d20 and add your will to the result. To succeed, you must beat the target number, which will be 10 plus the amount of Push over your affinity. If you succeed, you gain a point of Affinity, and whatever you were trying to do with all that Push goes off without a hitch. If you fail, it blows up in your face, but you still gain the point of Affinity; there is a reward for the risk you take. Backlash takes many forms, as the magic slips the mage's control. It does not always reflect the spell attempted, but in its simplest form, often does. Even if a Mage is normally immune to their own element (see Sample Enhancements), they still take damage from Backlash, even if it manifests as that element. If you desire to keep it simple, then Backlash can be a simple explosion of magic, affecting a cubic foot of area for every Push point accumulated and spreading its damage over all targets in the area. If you desire complexity, feel free to come up with other ways Backlash could work.

There are a few ways to reduce your Backlash odds. Introducing casting times, spell components, or taking advantage of local terrain can make your spells more effective without actually increasing the cost to you. A small fire on a dry plain can spread quickly, especially under heavy winds; calling lightning from a gathering storm is a lot easier than calling it out of the clear blue sky.

Another method is to build the Push slowly over time. Introducing a casting time – that is, taking the time to build the necessary Push for the intended spell without forcing it all at once – allows you to add a circumstantial bonus to the Backlash roll if you are forced to make one; you may reduce your total push investment (without reducing effect) by 1 for every round you spend casting. While casting, you may move at your standard pace, but may not engage in any other activity. If you take damage while casting, make a simple Will check against the amount of damage you took. If you fail, the spell is interrupted, and you suffer a minor Backlash; you do not gain a point of Affinity or suffer a Mark, but the spell blows up in your face (and likely the attacker's as well).

Introducing somatic (movement), verbal (spoken), or material components can also help reduce your total investment without sacrificing the power gained from it. Any one component can take the place of a single point of Push invested any way you choose. It's marginal, but every little bit counts, and remember that it only takes one point over to cause a backlash.

These methods do stack, but in the case of components, they may limit what actions a character may take while casting.

#### Special Mechanics

Mages are complex creatures, and their tie to the elements can have unusual effects. Here are a few examples of how Mages benefit (or suffer) from the company of other mages.

##### The Synergy Effect

*Amplification* occurs between mages of the same type, giving both mages an additional Stage for the duration of their proximity to one another.

*Stabilization* occurs between Mages of polar opposite types, granting a +2 bonus to Backlash resistance checks for each other mage in the group. If there is a mage of each type (Earth, Wind, Water, Fire) present, all gain an additional +1.

*Synergy* occurs between Mages of different elements that are acting in concert while casting spells that are the domains of both elements (telepathy falls under both Water and Air, for instance), and may split the push cost up between each other.

## Stages of Affinity

Your Affinity with your Element is measured in stages. Each Stage contains a number of Affinity points equal to your Will. This means that increasing your Will leads to your Stages becoming larger, meaning more potential power, but a longer road to it. You start at Stage One, having as much Affinity as you do Will. You gain Affinity by risking backlash and amassing Push. When you gather enough Affinity to equal twice your current Will score,you have reached Stage Two. And so forth, and so on. Each time you gain a Stage, you can buy an Enhancement for free, although this counts toward the limit on the number of Enhancements you can have. You also must pick a Mark, and a Vulnerability.

Each increase in Stage grants a mage the following:

1) a point of 'free push' that does not count against their actual Push scores on each spellcast 2) the ability to concentrate on one additional spell at a time

### Enhancements and Frailties

Magic is a two-way street. While it can grant you immense power, it can also weaken you in unexpected ways. As with dragons, Enhancements are gained whenever a Mage gains a new Stage, and can be bought by investing Affinity. Likewise, you can't have more Enhancements than your Will rating, and every time you gain an Enhancement, you also gain a Mark…as well as a Frailty. As well, the cost increases in the same manner as with Dragons. Unlike the Dragons, you do not have a set list to choose from. Talk with your storyeller and come up with powers appropriate to your character's elemental affinity and general outlook; take into account your playstyle as well. Frailties and Marks should be similarly discussed; think of it as a barter session between you and your storyteller, balancing the Enhancement's power with the Frailty's vulnerability.

A good rule of thumb is to calculate the Enhancement's effect, minus duration, as a spell, and apply that cost as its Affinity investment. This will also help determine the relative intensity of the Frailty as well. The effects of an Enhancement may be increased later by investing more Affinity into the effect. An Enhancement must always reflect some aspect of your Affinity. A mage may also buy Skills as Enhancements through Affinity; skills are always a three-point Affinity investment.

#### Sample Enhancements by Element

##### Fire

* *Aura of Heat* Your character radiates heat, so much so that he can set flammable items alight at a touch and those who touch him are burned after a number of turns equal to their Endurance, taking damage for every turn the contact is maintained after. Permanent Push: One plus one for each point of damage per turn desired.
* *Resistance/Immunity to Fire*: Your character takes less damage, or none at all, from flames and heat. Permanent Push cost is one point per point of reduction desired, and five points grants immunity. This cost is the same for any elemental immunity.

##### Earth

* *Stone Skin* Your character is exceptionally tough, and gains additional damage reduction permanently. Affinity Cost: 2 per point of damage reduction desired.
* *Regeneration*: Your character regains health at an accelerated rate. Affinity cost is one point per point regenerated plus one point to regenerate per round, two for per turn, and an additional point must be invested to regenerate during combat. An expensive Enhancement, but well worth it.

##### Air

* *Prevailing Winds*: Your mage is surrounded by a constant light breeze, making him more difficult to hit in combat, as the winds deflect arrows and kick up dust in melee combat. Each point of Affinity invested in this Enhancement presents a -1 modifier to hit your character for anyone wishing to attack them.
* *Wind Walk*: Your character takes no damage from falling from any height. Affinity cost is two.

##### Water

* *Water Breathing* Your character may breath under water and cannot drown. Free for all Watermages.
* *Thermal Control*: Your character can shift his body temperature at will, protecting from environmental extremes. This does not confer protection against elemental damage, but is rather protection from extremes in natural climates. Three Permanent Push.

## Marks of Power

A Mark is exactly what it sounds like – some mark on your character's body that signifies his affinity with an element. It can be virtually anything, and is largely cosmetic in nature. Most common are shifts in coloration of hair, skin, or eyes; glowing symbols, designs, or lines on the skin; illusory manifestations of the element in question (very common for Fire). Some Marks are unique to their Element, such as some Earth mages weighing more than they perhaps should or Air mages tending to weigh less than they appear; Water mages appearing (or actually being) somewhat damp or developing tiny scales. The Mark can be as shocking or as subtle as you desire, and often will follow logical progression and a theme. The magic you wield changes your body to make perfect the union between you and your element, but this effect is filtered somewhat through the lens of your personality, desires, and outlook. Many mages are quite proud of their Marks and have no qualms about displaying them.

## Creating Magic Items

Creating a magic item is serious business for mages, and most do it at least once in their lifetimes. It's a difficult process, and the item so made is forever bound to the mage; only those closest to the mage may ever use it, and then only if she allows it. Items created by a mage lose their power when the mage dies; the mage literally places a part of herself into the item she creates, and when she dies, so too does the magic she has made. As a matter of fact, the most common item – and one of the simplest to make – is a marker that allows the holder to tell the mage's condition. This is generally referred to as a Heartstone, though it isn't always a stone, and given to a mage's closest companion. Whatever item the mage chooses to imbue must be made by the mage. It is possible for a mage to commission the making of such an item, but they must be involved in some way – if a mage is not a blacksmith, he may have a sword made, but he must choose the materials and be involved in the making of the sword in some significant way.

What kind of item the mage can make is limited by their Stage. Stage One mages can make limited, single use items – once used, the item is destroyed. The one exception is the marker explained above, and this marker can take almost any form. Stage Two can make items with numerous charges, but the charges will eventually run out as the item is used. They can recharge these items. Stage 3 mages can make activated items with unlimited uses, including items that activate conditionally – such as when striking or struck, when in darkness, et cetera. Stage Four mages may make items that posses constant, ongoing effects, and may also at this level create living things, elemental spirits, or autonomous constructs.

To create an item, the mage must spend constant time in contact with the item. The effect he desires the item to possess must be one he can cast without crossing his Backlash threshold. Only one Effect may be imbued at a time; while additional effects may be added later, the process is exactly the same as creating another item altogether.

Calculate the Push cost of the effect you wish to imbue into the item; this Push becomes permanent as long as the item exists. If the item is destroyed, the permanent push goes away. You may not have more magic items than your Will rating. Creating an item requires a day per point of permanent push invested times the item's Stage in days; you must wait this same number in months before creating another item of any kind.

Some samples are listed below:

*Heartstone*: The simplest item a Mage can make, this doesn't have to be a stone. Generally, it is an item carved, shaped, or formed by the mage's hands and imbued with a small fraction of his power. The item's condition will reflect its creator's – if he is healthy, it will look new, shiny, and as if it were just made and polished or cleaned. If he is hurt, it may display cracks or dents. When the mage dies, the Heartstone crumbles to dust. This item takes only a day or so to make, and does not cost any Permanent Push to imbue, but you may only have one at a time.

*Screaming Arrow*: While signal arrows exist that do not require magic, this item allows the arrow to actually say a short word or phrase that can be clearly understood by all who can hear it. This is an Air effect; the permanent push investment is low at two, and this is a Stage One item, as each Screaming Arrow can only be used once.

*Infinite Tinderbox*: Common among Firemage adventurers, the Infinite Tinderbox is a small box containing fire. When opened, it may be used to light campfires, and the light it creates is enough to see your feet if it's dark. This is a Stage Two item, and must occasionally be recharged; the number of uses is equal to ten times the amount of permanent push invested.

*Manifold Mask*: Water mages find it easy to alter their forms, and some carry this Mask to make it even easier. Putting on the Mask allows you to mimic the appearance and voice of anyone whose face and name you know. This is a Stage Two item, and as such, it has a limited number of uses, one per permanent push point invested.

*Healing Staff*: Devon Heartwood of the Living Grove carries this staff; any whom he touches with it are granted a temporary regeneration effect, gaining one hit point every turn they are not in combat; the effect ends when they take damage or reach full health. This is a Stage Three item; the effect is conditional (he must touch you with the staff) but does not require charges. Investment is five permanent push.

*Sigil Shackles*: An insidious item used by the nefarious Metamage Saulus, the Shackles appear to be iron shackles inscribed with glowing blue runes. When closed about a mage's wrists, that Mage cannot accumulate Push and loses all Enhancements. The shackles may be unlocked or destroyed by another Mage, but while wearing them, a mage cannot cast nor even sense magic. This is traumatic, if not outright torturous, for most mages. This is a Stage Three item, conditional to wearing them, and the item must be created by a Metamage; the investment is eight permanent push.

*Weather Map*: This unusual item was created by an Air mage and donated to the Abbey of Sky. It is a globe, on which the world is described, and a constant illusion surrounds it, showing the current weather all over the world. This is a Stage Four item, possessing a constant if minor effect, and the permanent push investment is ten points.

*Iron Sentinel*: It's said that this construct was created by an Earth mage who went Elemental shortly therafter; since he is still, technically, alive, the construct still works. The Iron Sentinel answers only to commands given it by those wearing the Crown of Karimas. Saeru has ordered it to guard the Royal Library. The Sentinel will challenge any who do not nod or otherwise acknowledge its presence as they pass, and will attack anyone who attempts to steal from the Library or cause harm to the patrons or materials therein. It's an empty suit of armor with glowing green eyes, wielding a massive greataxe. It isn't very nimble, but it's extremely hard to damage and immune to illusions and mental effects, and strong as an angry bull to boot. This is a Stage Four item, a true living construct, and building such a thing would not be so simple as throwing Push at it.

## Metamagic

Metamagic is defined as the art of a mage who has not been bound to any specific element, but rather touches the magic in a much purer sense. He is able to manipulate the strength of spells, alter their nature, turn magic against its users, retune magical artifacts to serve new masters or destroy them utterly, and even force mages and elementals to bend to his whims. Metas are devious, subtle, and manipulative, obsessed with control – or of shattering all control.

Controlling is the best way to describe a meta. They may not be commanding of others, they might not throw their weight around, but any chance they have of seizing control of a situation, they will take; they tend to be uncomfortable taking orders, and don't make very good team players, though they do well in leadership positions. Metas tend to reduce everything to either a resource or an obstacle, and while they treat their resources well, with all the conscientiousness that informs Kariman conservationism, they won't scruple to spend them at need.

Metamagic is difficult to define. Unable to directly harm others with their magic, metas must often think outside of the box when their powers are called upon. They are at their greatest advantage when pitted against rogue mages or wild elementals; they are at their weakest when ordinary humans are arrayed against them. For this reason, metas often seek out the company of other mages and assist them in their endeavors.

Metamages can manipulate push itself, the measure of the effort put behind a spell, and they can bolster the spell and make it more powerful, or sabotage it, forcing the mage to pour more and more to achieve the desired effect. They may also alleviate another's Push burden by taking it onto themselves, and can force Push on an unsuspecting Mage, an act that can cause them to backlash unexpectedly. Metas may use these same talents to mitigate or even eliminate backlash, making them either an elemental mage's best friend, or worst enemy.

When in proximity to an elementally-attuned mage, a metamage can temporarily use that element as if it were his own, effectively borrowing the other mage's power. Doing this for too long, however, can make it difficult for him to use those abilities unique to him as a meta, and indeed, over time, may even change his affinity to match the mage he travels with. Such a thing is by no means sudden, and warning signs are plentiful.

The most terrifying facet of metamagic is chaining, the ability to enslave an Elemental or mage. This is a long and arduous process, and while success grants you power, failure can easily spell your destruction. Through the act of chaining, a Metamage can gain access to another mage's or elemental's power, regardless of where they are relative to each other, and all ill effects suffered from the use of that power are forced onto the chained mage. It is a constant battle of wills to handle such stolen power, however, and tapping it leaves the metamage open to attempts to break the chains and win freedom.

Metamages are not associated with any season or god.