The control of base magic, known as witchcraft, is only possible for humans to practice under certain conditions. The most common way, for very liberal definitions of common, is to channel it through fine spell powders of crushed gemstone combined and faerie powder (the ground essence of the bones of fae creatures).
Spell powders can also be bound into spell scrolls which are one-use incantations read from a piece of parchment with specific pre-determined magnitudes of MD.
Because all magic requires the use of spell powders, you can always tell if someone is preparing to cast a spell as long as you can see them.
Spell Power
Witches have a dice pool of magic dice (MD) equal to 1 + the number of worn magical accoutrements, on top of any modifiers gained from specialization or adventuring.
Spells have effects based on the sum of the rolled MD and/or the quantity of MD and some magic may have a minimum investment amount. Consult the spellcrafting section below.
Magical Accoutrements
Not every yard of linen, stick, or dunce cap is qualified to be a magical robe, staff, or witch’s hat capable of boosting a magician’s power; only those specially prepared with spell powders are able to boost a witch’s acuities.
Spellcrafting
Witchcraft is magic done on the fly.
- Invest a number of MD up to your maximum available
- Roll the invested MD
- Each MD explodes on a 6
- If any MD comes up a 1, test the durability of your spell powder
- Note duplicate values for any magical mishaps
- Play out the effects of the chosen spell
There are 2 main ways of casting spells:
- Fel Energies covers harmful spells in a wide variety of variations, including status effects that might not damage an opponent
- Practical Magic covers all other magic effects: those affecting the environment and allies
You may combine Fel Energies with Tricks so long as you have enough MD to account for all magical effects.
Fel Energies
Any witch can use their power to conjure a dark and harmful magic which can be sculpted to their will to harm or hinder a living creature. A basic fel energy will have the following effects on 1 opponent within melee range for each success (4+):
- 1 damage or
- 1 trick
These spells can be shaped with the following modifications:
| Modification | Description | Extra MD Required |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Damage | Increases the number of successes that may be used per affected target. | +1 per Success |
| Powerful Magic | Dice thrown are successful one step better (e.g. 4+ becomes 3+). | +1 per lowered Success |
| Additional Targets | Spell targets a number of additional targets based on the number of MD invested. Damage may be distributed in any way. | +1 per target |
| Line Shape | Spells affect everything in a 5 foot wide line from the point of origin to 40 feet away. You must be able to see the end point, no matter where the point of origin is chosen. | +2 |
| Cone Shape | Spells affect the world in a cone radiating 45° from the point of origin to a distance of 15 feet. | +1 |
| Blast Shape | Spells affect everything within a 10 foot radius of the point of origin. | +1 |
| Elemental Damage | Change the type of damage to some kind of natural element. | +1 |
| Tricks | Force an enemy to save against some kind of status effect on each target. | +2 for each additional |
Harvald wants to damage the Orc Chieftain, who is standing 60 feet away, gloating at having captured the party’s retainers. Harvald decides to invest 3 MD since he has up to upgrade the range to within sight. He rolls a 3, 4 and 6. The 6 allows him to roll another MD, which he decides to do: he gets a 4. His spell does 1 damage (3 rolls that were 4+ but did not choose extra damage), but also causes 1 stress to himself (double 4s).
Tricks
Tricks can be used to stun, shove, disarm, trip, immobilize, etc.
Harvald now wants to root the 2 goblin archers in place by having the vines under their feet entangle them. He also wants to make sure that they fail so he lowers their attribute by 1. Since there are 2 targets and he is lowering the attribute by 1, this trick will take a total of 3 MD. The referee determines that the goblins need to pass a fortitude save to break free. Harvald rolls his 3 MD and gets a 2, 1, and 4. No multiples so everything is good but there is a 1 so his spell powder durability is reduced. The goblins then need to test their FOR to see if they can break free of the vines.
Practical Magic
Any magic that doesn’t do direct damage or indirect harm can be improvised free-form. The more impressive the effect the more MD are required to invest and be successful (3+) when rolled.
| Spell | Description | Base Success Chance | Casting Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detect Magic | Determines if a number of objects equal to the number of successes is magical. | 3+ | 1 turn |
| Identify | Either deciphers a number of pages or understands an item’s magical effects equal to the number of successes. Failed attempts cannot be retried until after you have rested at least a week. Does not reveal curses. | 4+ | 1 turn |
| Cure Malady | Removes one minor ill effect (such as being poisoned, sickness, etc.) per success from a target you can touch. | 5+ | 1 round |
| Open/Close | Magically opens or pushes closed an unlocked door, portal, lid, etc. and holds it open/closed for 1 round, or turn if not in combat, per success. May only be attempted once per portal. Non-magical portals (i.e. doors, lids, etc.) closed this way may only be opened with the same spell until it wears off. Consumes 1 use of spell powder automatically if cast in combat. | 5+ | 1 round or turn |
| Suggestion | Up to 1 HD of persons within 40 feet per success must save versus WIL or follow the witch’s suggestion for 1 round, or turn if not in combat, per MD invested. If the suggestion would endanger a subject, that subject automatically saves. Afterwards, subjects realise they have been tricked. Consumes 1 use of spell powder automatically if cast in combat. | 6+ | 1 round or turn |
Magical Mishaps
The more powerful a spell, the more likely it is to go wrong when casting. Based on the number of MD used, consequences can occur for unwise witches. These are the consequences when rolling multiples and all affects are cumulative:
- Doubles: gain stress
- Triples: can no longer cast magic until finishing a short rest
- Quadruples: take 1 damage to wounds
- Quintuples: death
Spell Scrolls
Spell scrolls are frozen manifestations of magic and can be identified like any other relic. They contain a single spell effect and may be cast from as if casting a spell.
Using Spell Scrolls
To cast a spell from a scroll, you must be able to read the incantation inscribed on the paper aloud and hold it aloft with both hands. Expending the stored power in a scroll takes 1 round. When casting a spell from a scroll, no additional power may be used than that which was originally invested in the scroll when it was scribed. Do not roll for magical mishaps.
Making Spell Scrolls
Spell scrolls can be made by expending one usage of spell powders and writing supplies and sacrificing an adequate number MD until you finish a long rest. Invest MD in casting a spell scroll the same as normal which are automatically exhausted at creation. Spell scrolls start with a base amount of spell dice invested when cast, depending on the strength of the spell and the inscriber’s abilities. A spell scroll takes 1 day to inscribe for each MD invested but does not provoke any magical mishaps.