Everyday Magic

Gaea is a world overflowing with Magic and the Mana that fuels it. Everything from soil beneath one's feet and the sky above to the birds and beasts that ply them and the most common of commonfolk are infused with it. Magic thrums in every fiber of every being throughout the world. It should come as no surprise, then, that those who know how to wield these energies are exceedingly common on Gaea. All but the most mentally and spiritually feeble know a minor magic trick or two, or how to channel such energies into Spells, Maneuvers, and Powers that can make their lives easier or defend them from dangers. Not everyone has what it takes to become a true master of such forces, to be sure. But it is absolutely true that magic is an everyday occurrence in Gaea, even for the most remote country bumpkin and primitive tribe.

## In the World

Magic is an exceedingly mundane thing in Gaea, to the point that no one finds it particularly remarkable to see others wielding it. Wizards and Sorcerers and Clerics and Druids are essentially just particularly successful, talented people who've managed to turn those aptitudes into careers. Being impressed with them is akin to being impressed with the skill of an electrician, carpenter, or plumber at his craft, rather than looking in awe at someone wielding unheard-of powers.

This is partly due to just how common the most basic of magical abilities *are*. The majority of people in the world, for example, knows *Prestidigitation*, and those who don't are often seen as mentally deficient or disabled since the spell is used for everything from personal hygiene, toiletries, and grooming to cleaning clothing and dishes to heating or chilling food and drink to rudimentary painting and dyeing, among a host of other uses. Individual spells, especially minor ones like Cantrips, Knacks, and Orisons, are often passed down through families or picked up by apprentices in particular careers. Some learn basic defensive magic in this manner. Others instead learn how to perform a few more self-defense maneuvers than others, or tap into latent psionic powers. Some even learn more ominous powers, such as the Seals of Vestiges... Regardless, most people possess at least a little bit of magic of their own. Something that is, remarkably, true of animals as well. It's actually quite common for ordinary wildlife to possess a minor magic trick or two, so it's best to think carefully before provoking seemingly innocuous animals; they may be able to set one alight or telekinetically hurl things at you.

This actually extends to Wayfarers as well, interestingly enough. Wayfarers often find themselves possessing minor magical tricks that they never learned. Instead, these are often adapted from their life experiences, occupations, natural talents, ancestral qualities, dreams, fantasies, religious and paranormal beliefs and experiences, and physical or mental quirks. For example, an avid hunter from Earth might find that he innately knows the *Butcher Carcass* spell, while a fan of fortune-telling might have access to *Guidance*, while someone who's constantly bothered by chores and cleaning might find themselves knowing *Prestidigitation*. Wayfarers often have a sort of instinctive capacity to wield these capabilities in a manner akin to muscle memory, despite having never conditioned such a thing.

## Everyday Magic in Character Creation

When creating a character for the Wayfarer's Guide, take note of their highest mental Ability Score. Each character gains a number of Everyday Magic Spells, Powers, Maneuvers, Soulmelds, Mysteries, Vestige Seals, or Veils, or other, similarly-Leveled capabilities equal to that Ability's Modifier +1, with a minimum of zero. Yes, if you have nothing but penalties on your mental Ability Scores, it *will* prevent you from learning Everyday Magic. It's part of why not knowing *Prestidigitation* is considered a sign of a mental disability. The maximum Level you can have of any given ability you gain in this way is equal to half of the qualifying Ability Score Modifier, so if you had an Intelligence of 18, and a Modifier of 4, the most powerful Spell, Power, or Maneuver you could know from it would be Level 2. However, you would also know five different abilities of up to 2nd Level.

Regardless, you follow the normal costs associated with using these abilities. Spells and Powers cost MP, Maneuvers have to be Readied and Recovered, Soulmelds need Essentia, and so on, and so forth. Luckily, everyone in Gaea has MP.