MAGICK RULES

 

This is just a suggestion for a set of rules governing the use of magick in a story/game. Invent your own if you wish.

 

POWER & FAITH

Magick rests on POWER (FAITH for Clerics etc) which is a combination of MIND & AWARENESS

 

Use of Magick should be restricted to characters with High Mental Attribute as a minimum. At least Above Average Awareness is also necessary.

Success in Magick will frequently depend on POWER

 

Characters may further develop Magickal Disciplines or Specialties in the same manner as SKILLS – increasing their Level of Ability, exclusively through practice.

 

RITUAL

 

Successful use of Magick requires a reasonably clear, focused head and time may be spent in Ritual leading up to its use. This can boost POWER.

 

A moment/few seconds to clear the head and concentrate: This is the bare minimum required to do anything Magickal. No dice are added

 

Quick Impromptu Ritual: (Some few minutes spent deep breathing, visualising and Focusing) – + 1D

Full Ritual: Several minutes to hours in mental preparation and focus. + 2D

Lengthy Observance: At least one full day to several days in preparation; fasting etc and Ritual workings. + 3D

 

POSSIBLE TYPES OF MAGICK

 

CLAIRVOYANCE

 

Attempting to See or gain an awareness of that which is normally hidden requires a combination of AWARENESS and POWER. A roll is made with the number of dice averaged from these two – rounded up

Additional dice may be added for Ritual, as well as certain psychotropic plants or substances. Note also, the possibility of poisoning from some of these.

 

The Skill roll for this is made Vs the Level Of Difficulty/obscurity of the information sought or within reach.

Note that information about the future may or may not be possible depending on the campaign, and should be restricted according to an appropriate Level of Difficulty

 

DIVINATION

 

Divination is focused Clairvoyance, assisted by some form of medium, whether Tarot Cards or bones. The tool used will add dice to the roll, which is the same as for  Clairvoyance – AWARENESS + POWER/2. + EXTRA DIVINATION TOOL DICE – depending on its inherent power

Unlike Clairvoyance, Divination requires knowledge as well as ability, and the character has to have learned about the medium somehow.

 

SORCERY/ELEMENTAL MAGICK

 

Sorcery harnesses the different Subtle Energies, Elements  or Essences found in Nature to drive magick of a specific character or “flavour”, which corresponds to them:

There are TEN of these ELEMENTS:

THE 10 ELEMENTS AND THEIR BASIC SYMBOLS & COLORS

For example the Element of Fire – governs not only the magick of flames and fireballs, but also the essence of dryness, rapidness, motivation and inspiration. One skilled in this branch of sorcery can work with these aspects of reality, to change them, both in the world or within themselves according to need. Or within others.

The other character may have the chance to resist such change with a POWER or MIND roll.

 

Subtly nuanced, these Elements are Occult, and metaphoric in description.

This allows the Magick-User the freedom to invent their own applications and spells, some of which may be completely impromptu and ad hoc.

These different Subtle Energies, Elements  or Essences are also to be found in certain locations or objects or natural formations. They may be harnessed to add further DICE to a magickal operation.

Example: In their laboratory, a Wizard keeps a magickal Amethyst which actually contains a Node of Fire Element worth 2DICE  – the Wizard can “harness” these 2 Dice and add them to their own POWER Dice Roll when casting a “Fire Spell” while holding the item.

Similarly, certain everyday things correspond to the Elements: for instance – Sandalwood, Roses, Copper, and Rose Quartz all correspond to the Wood Element. A wizard can add 1-3pts for each of these – depending on quality –  by surrounding themselves with these things during a ritual to work with that type of Elemental Magick.

 

Things ruled by the TEN ELEMENTS:

 

Spirit:

Spirit Work and working with disincarnate entities.

(tho not dead ones – that is Necromancy instead – ruled by the Element DARK)

Magick to purify or exorcise, also to revivify, resuscitate and resurrect

Also magick of the Mind, mental powers or dullness

Correspondences: Diamond, Ambergris, Almond in Flower

 

Light:

Magick of Light, Glamour & Illusionism. bending Light, Invisibility etc

Also the energy of Space, growth and expansion.

Correspondences: Turquoise, Musk, Amaranth, Mistletoe

 

Dark:

Magick of Darkness and Tenebrae

The energy of Necromancy, and dealing with the dead.

The energy of Time, decay and erosion.

Correspondences: Pearl, Myrrh, Lotus, Cypress, Lead

 

Fire:

Magick of combustion and Fire; of dryness and heat 

Magick for rapidness, drive and motivation.

But also anger and aggression.

Correspondences: Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli,  Cedar, Shamrock, Tin

 

Water:

Magick of liquids and fluidity. Dampness and also slowness.

Cold and freezing, ice and thawing

Intuition, and also obfuscation and lack of clear form or lucidity

Correspondences: Ruby, Tobacco, Oak, Iron

 

Air:

Magick of the Air and of formlessness, levitation and flight.

Inspired ideas but also of confusion, anxiety and panic.

Correspondences: Topaz, Frankincense, Bay, Laurel, Gold

 

Wood:

Magick of wood and actual vegetation, growth and fertility

Also magick of beauty and creativity; Love and relationships.

also lust and self indulgence

Correspondences: Rose Quartz, Sandalwood, Rose, Myrtle, Copper

 

Metal:

Magick of the Metals and metallurgy

But also communication. Writing and commerce.

Research and rationality but also over-rationality, and lack of imagination

Correspondences: Opal, Storax, Cannabis, Quicksilver

 

Crystal:

Magick of Crystals and of the subconscious and dreams.

Traveling and meditation. Astral travel, and projection

Sexuality and also delusion

Correspondences: Quartz, Jasmine, Ginseng, Mandrake, Silver

 

Earth:

Magick of the Earth, minerals, rocks  and of the physical world of matter.

The physical body and health

But also stubbornness and materialism

Correspondences: Citrine, Hematite, Dittany, Willow, Ivy, Rock Crystal

 

SIGILS, RUNES & GLYPHS

 

These will symbolise a particular Essence, flavour of reality etc, which add dice to the Magick User’s Power roll when attempting to propel that Essence into the world, having successfully Focused on it. Each as a Level of Power which must be withstood to focus on it. Note that a Fumble in this roll can lead to madness.

 

Once Focused the Magick user rolls the combined Power Vs the difficulty of what it is they are trying to achieve or the Mental Power roll of their intended target.

Any Injury is calculated the normal way and may have to be beaten by Mental Power again rather than Endurance, depending on the nature of the Rune, symbol or Glyph.

 

Runes are carved, while Glyphs and Sigils are inscribed. They may be inscribed in the air rather than on an actual medium, although at -1 die to their Power.

 

 

PORTALS & GATES

 

These exist ephemerally all around and must be sensed by Awareness, Vs their Level of power/obscurity. Then, their level of power must be overcome again by Awareness to manipulate perception sufficiently to ‘open’ the Gate and pass through into another, separate reality.

 

SPIRIT WORK

 

Actual Spirit Work as a discipline can include Spirits, disembodied entities, inorganic beings, and the departed. These beings have Awareness and Mental Power (in some cases Focus as well and can do Magick). Their presence may have to be sensed by the Magick User’s Awareness. They are usually then engaged in a Mental Power struggle, in order for the Magick User to overcome them. Then they may be put to service, bound to an object or place, compelled or exorcised. They may be bidden to possess someone, that person getting to try and overcome this with their own Mental Power.

 

 

WORDS OF POWER

 

Similar to Runes and Glyphs. May have to be sensed (Awareness) in the depths of consciousness and formulated with Mental Power and Focused. Perhaps the word has to be withstood first by Power.

 

GLAMOUR AND ILLUSIONISM

 

Using the imagination with a mixture of Mental Focus and Power to overcome the observer’s Awareness.

 

SHAPESHIFTING & POLYMORPHISM

 

This would again rely on Mental Focus and Power vs the difficulty which will always at least be High. Ritual would usually be required as well as other aids.

 

 

MAGICKAL AIDS

 

The number of things which can aid a Magick User (in the form of extra dice) are limitless. Some ideas might include:

 

Power Plants: Some plants, herbs etc, especially psychotropic ones, will add dice to the Magick they are involved in. However, some may be poisonous and their toxicity beaten by Endurance. Other may be more of a threat to the Magick User’s sanity (Mental Power – or Focus if likely to cause confusion) or even their Awareness.

 

Example:

 

Henbane – per dose +2 dice to Mental Power; -1 die to Mental Focus; Poison – Above Average Toxicity (4 dice). Effects last 6-7 hours.

 

Information could include the effects on perception and feeling, side-effects and preparation. Perhaps the toxicity has to be overcome more than once.