Mage

Mages are the rarest form of magic user, but one of the most versatile and powerful. They channel mana through their boies using rituals that vary greatly, rather than using rigid formulaic spells to trigger it outside of their bodies like wizards.

Mana

Mana is a form of poioumenonic energy that once was abundant on Shem, but nearly vanished after an event known as the Death of Magic. It flows naturally through the world, representing imitation and mimicry, which means it can mimic other energies.

Casting

To cast a spell, a mage must perform a ritual that draws mana into them, then complete the ritual as they release the mana from their bodies. This usually requires a bodily release, which can be as painful as physical injury or as simple as speaking. Most mages end their rituals with a specific set of words that is unique to them, which they call their lacus. The difficulty of a spell is determined by the GM, based on various factors such as duration of effect, distance, area of effect, esoteric conditions, and more. The rule of thumb is that the more improbable the intended effect is, the harder it is to create.

If the spell is intended to affect a living target, the mage must channel the mana they are wielding toward the target in some manner (usually by concentrating it into a beam, ball, or wave). If the target is hit, it will have the chance to resist the spell's effects via their will power, which is rolled against the power of the spell rather than the mage's will. The mage's will is rolled only to determine how well they release the mana during the ritual.

Backlash

Use of magic using the body as a channel means the energy takes its toll on the body. If the spell succeeds, the mage will become immediately weakened physically. If it fails, they will become weakened and risk losing consciousness or worse. Backlash is determined by how much power the mage channels, which is determined by the success of their ritual. If they channel a lot of power, they risk greater penalties even if the spell is not that difficult. Thus, mages usually channel an appropriate amount of energy for the difficulty of the spell they are attempting, so as not to unnecessarily increase their risk.

Rituals

Rituals require ingredients, actions, and words. All rituals take place over a magical circle, which must be drawn or otherwise inscribed on the ground, floor, or other surface (carved into stone or burnt into wood). Another circle of salt must surround the magical circle, and from there, the mage must come up with the right words and ingredients to cast their spell. Depending on the effect they want, the spell's ingredients may vary. Mages' rituals take immediate effect, as they draw the mana into the body of the mage then release it to cast.

There is a known vocabulary to rituals. Certain actions and ingredients have specific uses. Each ritual includes something that draws mana, something that filters out unwanted energies, something that mixes mana with other energies if applicable, something that directs those energies to a specific purpose, and something that then releases the energy.

• Drawing mana: usually, this is the magical circle itself.
• Filtering energies: usually, this is the circle of salt or some other material.
• Mixing energies: usually, this involves mixing ingredients or causing them to interact.
• Directing energies: usually, this involves some action by the mage that causes the ingredients of the ritual to be rendered into their representative energies, all becoming mana. This is the most complex part of the ritual, as it can be almost anything depending on the effects wanted.
• Releasing energies: usually, this involves some physical action by the mage to force the mana from their bodies.

Ingredients

A mage's spell can mimic any other poioumenonic energy without needing to have that energy nearby, but all energies must have a source, no matter how minor. Nommic energy is easy to mimic, as it is always present. Aetherial energies are also very common. Infernal, celestial, paradoxical, and shebvic energies vary in their frequency. Most of these are accounted for by use of ingredients during rituals.

Most ingredients for rituals are commonplace: salt, water, types of stone, wood, or metal; animal parts, leaves or roots, etc. These have known properties that can be combined in different ways to create different effects. See magical ingredients for more information.

Spells

Spells can be amost anything, but the more outlandish or profound or big the spell is, the harder it is, and thus more dangerous. Because rituals are complex and time-consuming, mages who wish to use their magic quickly often find ways to store spells by channeling the mana after a ritual into an object, often a staff or potion.

Storing Spells

Spells are most commonly stores in staves, which are marked or notched by the mage to remind them what spells are in it. Often they have different staves for different uses. No staff can store more than 11 spells at once, and they must all be of energies that would not poorly interact with one another.

Common Spells

See common spells.

Familiars

Many mages engage in the practice of having a familiar, a supernatural animal or creature that serves them and often provides them with magical energies. They usually call upon the being via a ritual, make a deal with it, and bond to it in order to be able to share its senses, gain magical powers, and be able to communicate with it over distances.

Inventory

Mages often enchant objects in order to give themselves quicker access to mana.

Staves

Mages usually make a staff into which they can store up to 11 spells, which they can then cast at will. The spell to create such a staff is relatively simple, and it can be recharged easily. The staff must be made of materials appropriate to the spells within it. They are usually designed to release spells at the mage's command, triggered by a motion or words.

Robes

Mages traditionally wear azure robes made of common but sturdy fabric, with spells woven in to protect them from backlash or other magic by absorbing it.

Variations

Some variations include

• Enchanter: a mage who specializes in imbuing objects with magical properties.
• Magus minora: a mage who uses little spells and rituals as a stage performer.
• Silverfarmer: a mage who raises silverfish insects in order to farm mana from them.
• Spelldancer: a mage whose rituals involve dance.
• Spellsinger: a mage whose rituals involve song.
• Twpsyn: a mage who works as a jester or fool, using a jester's bauble as a wand or staff.

Similar Occupations

Other users of mana include

• Mage-Knight: a knight who has some skill with magic and specializes in magical combat.
• Striga: a witch of the Triple Goddess of mana.

Societal Role

Mages are highly regulated in any class society where their arts are recognized.

Skills

Common skills include

• Esoteric lore
• Research
• History
• Literature
• Legends
• Writing
• Symbolic lore

Stats

The typical mage will have the following variations from the base stats of their nation/species:

PRO -2
ATH -2
STR -2
AWA +4
WIL +6
STH -1
PRS -1