Spell

A spell is a magic effect produced by a mage using mana. Spells can be helpful, harmful, or simply entertaining.

Properties

Spells are described through six properties.

Element

Element is the amount and type of elemental mana necessary to cast a spell. Most spells only require a single element, but some may use two or more.

Elemental mana must first be converted from pure mana unless it is already present, such as near a mana spring. The amount of mana that can be converted in a single action depends on the quality of the mana shard used. A mage may use mana converted by another mage, and in major battles rookie mages may be only converting mana for more experienced mages to cast spells. Mana is measured in mips, where 1 mip is enough to cast the most basic spells.

Effect

Effect describes how a spell affects the world.

Creation	Create temporary objects such as barriers, illusions, containers, etc.
Destruction	Large and powerful effects, but not very precise and difficult to control
Divination	Scry and read omens using stars, cards, numbers, etc.
Inscription	Inscribe runes onto objects to produce a delayed or triggered effect
Invention	Embed magic into objects to make them function in some unique way
Manipulation	Control another person or creature
Precision	Quick and precise control of mana, but not particularly powerful
Transformation	Change the shape or size of objects, creatures, or self

Range

Range describes the distance between the caster and the spell's effect. Most spells are either melee or ranged. Some spells, especially those with a divination or inscription effect, can be triggered from very far away. Those spells have a custom range that is described for each spell individually.

Duration

Duration describes how long a spell lasts after it is cast. A spell will last the full duration unless it is dispelled. There are four durations:

• Instant lasts only long enough for the spell to take effect then dissipates.
• Short lasts for a few minutes.
• Sustain lasts as long as the spell is being fed mana.
• Long lasts much longer than a few minutes.

All spells are temporary, but they leave behind a residue. The more mana a spell uses, the stronger the residue. This residue can be detected for some time after a spell is cast, and it can provide some information about the spell or spells that were used.

Shape

Shape describes how the effect of a is distributed. The shape of a spell may limit the maximum number of targets the spell can hit or the maximum number of threats the spell can respond to. There are four spell shapes:

• Point spells can affect a single point in space, usually a specific creature or object.
• Line spells can affect everything in a straight line.
• Area spells can affect everything in a specific area. Sometimes the spell can also affect creatures or objects above or below the area.
• Volume spells can affect everything in a specific volume.

Complexity

Complexity describes how difficult it is to learn a particular spell. Complexity is a number between 10 and 110, where 10 is the easiest spell to learn and 110 is the absolute hardest. To learn any spell, a character must use a day of downtime to practice the spell, and roll an appropriate skill higher than its complexity. The skill(s) used can correspond to the spell's element, effect, or both. If a spell has multiple elements or effects, the character can use two element skills, or two effect skills, but no more than two skills total. When using more than one skill, both must be at the same level of proficiency.

Once a spell has been learned, it can be used without having to make a roll for it. A character can attempt to use a spell they haven't learned as long as they have spent at least one day of downtime attempting to learn it. When casting an unlearned spell, the character must roll for the spells complexity, and if they do not roll high enough the spell will backfire. See the backfire section below for the effects of a backfire. If the character succeeds on their complexity roll, they learn the spell immediately.

Backfire

A spell that is used unlearned can backfire and produce undesireable and potentially dangerous effects. The backfire effect is determined by the roll made to cast the spell.

1-10	Spell fizzles out, no effect.
11-20	Spell is replaced with a weak, generic effect appropriate for its element.
21-30	The caster casts a different (learned) spell of the same element.
31-40	The caster becomes mana blocked for a minute or two.
41-50	Spell targets a different target chosen by the GM.
51-60	Spell targets the caster instead. If the spell would already target the caster, it has an opposite effect on them.
61-70	Spell works, but the effect is delayed by d100 minutes.
71-80	Spell works, but the mana shard used for converting mana shatters.
81-90	A small manastorm forms.
91-100	An enormous explosion of mana that kills or maims everyone in the immediate area.