World Magic

Artifice

Magitech (commonly referred to as Artifice) is the backbone of society in the Emblem of Ea. The world has been gripped by a second magical-industrial revolution, pushing the standard of living out of the dark ages following the apocalyptic sundering and into an era of airships, living constructs, soaring castle towers and more.

Artifice has its advantages and its disadvantages. It’s clean, fast and almost as potent as pure magic but some degree of dichotomy has appeared between true arcane users and Artificers. The mistakes of the past through the High Artificers of the Empire of Kulthus are not easily forgotten and some also wonder if the use of machines to tap into Mana and not more natural means of spellcasting is truly good for magic in and of itself. This has led to some debates and even outright conflict between magician orders and guilds of craftsmen and invention. As of right now, things remain stable but the populace at large is not sure with whom to side. Technology brings power to the ‘common man’ that magic does not, but at the same time it’s something new and still largely not understood by the masses. It will be many more years before the western society truly embraces these things and there will always be cultures that look upon these areas with distrust.

Prior to the rise of the second generation of Artificers, Dwarves and Gnomes and even some clans of Goblins were experimenting with the use of alchemical products to produce what is now known as Black Powder. In the great underground dwarven cities and mining communities the use of steamcraft to aid in the delving and mining of their great halls was already underway while some gnomish communities embraced the design of Clockwork orientated mechanics, being drawn to their complexity. Such things were long alien to other cultures but the Dwarves were not surprised at all with the slow rise of industry in other lands. The great dwarven engineers introduced Steam-Tech to the world and although less prevalent as Artifice it has its uses. Steam powered pulley guns, propellers and even clockwork chess sets and devices capable of counting money are just some of the toys that emerge from Dwarven, Gnomish and Goblin think tanks.

Artifice Principles

The Mana Crystal (or magicite) is the heart of Artifice. Depending on their make, potency and arrangements, Mana Crystals typically function by emitting large concentrated waves of steady magical energy, sometimes with more powerful bursts. The emitted magical energy is then taken by other sources and used in a variety of ways effectively bypassing the wizards need to use ritual, arcane component and verbiage to achieve spells (although more powerful forms of magics and ritual may require the same of artifice in this day and age but less so in the past. However, they can also be configured and used in augmenting magical energy, storing it, channeling it, cycling it and more. The Mana Crystal is highly prized by arcane and technological societies and also yields smaller benefits to those willing to work with them and include them in the make of their magical items and spell casting attempts and rituals. In the hand of the typical person the Mana Crystal is little more then something of value to be sold to more enlightened ones. In the hands of those with access to arcane talents, the crystal is much more. As of today there has not been a crystal found capable of affecting or augmenting divine energy by natural means. Artificially manufactured Crystals from the age of Artifice were capable of influencing divine energies. Crystals found still functioning in Kulthians ruins are thus highly prized for this reason. It should be noted that larger crystals found in places such as the Eidolon Court were configured to explicitly be able to absorb and store divine energy but the knowledge of how to create such crystals is lost at present. It should b noted that large clusters of particularly powerful mana crystals have proven capable of augmenting magical energy in the immediate area making it possible for more powerful arcane and divine castings but such cases tend to require fully charged and potent crystals.

Generally, when left alone, Artifice is stable and long lasting. Artificers in the field tend to burn devices out quickly because the nature of their work requires constant tinkering and the invention of new things. Artifice used in day to day life can last and last and last if left to its own devices. Incidents do happen as is natural when dealing with complex machinery.

Common Terms

Below are some terms that will help ease your understanding of artifice and what it brings to the IC world.

Airships: Airships symbolize freedom and are a product of the past seventy five years of research, having come into their own primarily during the era of the Crown Wars. The modern day Airship comes in all manner of shape and size and is used by a number of different individuals from the two to three man gnomish junker-ship to the massive airship galleons of merchant guilds and military exercise. The design of an airship tends to vary from nation to nation. The typical design embodies the combo of magical technology, clockwork technology and steamwork technology utilizing magical energies to help them stay afloat but relying upon appropriate engineering design for maneuverability and propellers for speed. Variations on this theme exist and are often determined from nation to nation and culture to culture. The use of magical technology means that no one single design is prevalent but ensures that all realms have their signature look.

Airships can reach great heights, the highest being the bottom of ‘low’ cloud cover, which causes the terrain beneath it to seem as if a map makers model. Typically only the largest of Airships with large indoor holds and traveling accoutrements, head to those heights. Ships with large open aired terraces or decks rarely go that high for the reasons of cold and comfort of passengers. The Guild of the Skies controls much of the commerce and traffic of Airships in the west. Charters granted by them and authenticated by the allied governments grant Airship Captains the freedom to fly the skies and to chart their courses. The license to fly an Airship is a precious thing and afforded only to the elite. The Guild of the Skies most notable chapter houses exist in Alexandria, Bryn Myridorn and Gateway. Those three cities form the hub for airship travel in the western kingdoms.

Skyroutes determined by the Guild of the Skies determines the paths most airships fly enabling them to circumvent dangerous storms caused by Mana-Rifts (locations where magical energies becomes to erratic to properly use or disappears all together), powerful and territorial monsters that reign in the skies must also be avoided as airships, though sturdy, are not indestructible and smaller passenger ships often lack the means to defend themselves.

Sky Piracy is another menace that has grown in the years of the aftermath of the Crown Wars. The inability of the great nations to police lands that lay under the shroud of the Mana-Rifts, the lands under the control of brigands and mercenary-kings and the growth of the adventuring community have all contributed to the rise of sky-piracy as well as the need for merchant guilds to hire adventurers out to protect their wares.

Arcane Engines: A term for the machine that makes Artifice ‘work’. Typically the heart component of a form of Artifice known as contraptions. The actual ‘devices’ of Artifice. The heart of this is the Mana Crystal.

Black-Tech: Forbidden forms of Artifice that are harmful to the environment or abhorrent in moral practice. Often deals with the use of Artifice to create necromantic effects, and alter the fundamental nature of living beings. Charn's devastated landscape is the result of the residual effects of Black Tech.

Mana Crystal: The artificer's name for magicite. This is magic crystallized into a tangible visible form. They are often mined and refined from various places in the world. Alexandria is one of several places with a booming mining economy that benefits from nearby mines of Mana Crystals.

Mana Lamps: An example of a simple form of Artifice used to light streets in place of older gas or torch based lanterns and lights.

Magicite: Another name for Mana Crystals.

Nethercite: Nethercite is the polar opposite of magicite. It is a material that is known to absorb and block access to the Sea of Mana in any form (not just limited to artifice). It is, however, far more rare. Extroidinarily so. Only found in tiny quantities on Gaea, it is more commonly (and much more dangerously) found by those seeking it on the elemental plane of earth.

Levitator Stone: An Artificer device that creates a Flight field effect around an Airship. The Runeplates on the Airship sustain and amplify this effect enabling an Airship Captain to control and move his or her ship.

Runeplate: A device that enhances and loops arcane magic produced by the arcane engine. It amplifies it ten to a hundred fold and spreads it across surfaces such as armor or vehicles. Typically they are configured to enhance a particular type of spell. For example Airships are plated with Runeplates designed to enhance flight and levitation based magic.

Soul Burn: Necromantic Process by which Artifice taps into the living essence/life force/soul of a living being and uses it to super charge an Arcane Engine to epic proportions.

The Path of the Arcane

The Sea of Mana

All power flows from the True Source. From the True Source emerges the great Sea of Mana, a vast ocean that permeates the world and saturates it with its raw presence and power. When a wizard, sorcerer, dragon, demon or any other being calls upon arcane energies they reach out and invoke from the Sea of Mana a mere droplet of its power and with this power they can change the world, for magic is change. The energy that binds all life and matter together can be reworked, twisted, reshaped, woven and commanded into different shapes and forms and from this we have arcane magic. Divine magic is from a different source than the Sea.

The History of the Arcane

Ancient Arcane Magic

Magic has always existed in the world. The original users of magic are naturally the gods themselves. After them, the original dragons founded many of the arcane principles that exist today and shared their lore with elven kind as the elves explored the material world from their original fey homes during the first eras of the world.

The Elves are probably the most well known users of arcane magic. It is part of their heritage and very life force. Techniques they learned from dragon kind they used their own natural abilities to refine. In time, the elves stumbled across a form of magic known as Paramount Spells. These spells were of such intoxicating power that they could reshape entire landscapes and weave enchantments great enough to cover kingdoms. The power was so potent however that the elves learned it could actually cause harm to Mana if used to irresponsibly so they attempted to seal such knowledge away. In time, Mulria the Gloomweaver used this knowledge and the schism it caused in the different factions of elves to initiate the elven Blood Wars which sundered the elf clans into the different cultures that exist today. The knowledge of Paramount Spells remains lost.

The Early Beginnings

For many years The Founders and their progeny practiced magic and spread its use throughout the known world, bringing with it organized magic, philosophy, and thought. A few individuals did not ascribe to this belief or the growing power of what became known as The Arcane Circle, but by and large it was viewed as a good way to do things.

When the old kingdoms passed away into the empire of Kulthus, many things changed. Obsessed with the discovery of more powerful forms of magic, The Artificers of Kulthus unlocked the secrets of The Paramount Spells of the old world while also uncovering forbidden uses of divine magic. The magic of the Artificers and their science grew so strong that they were able to even command the dragons and some believed that they rivaled the gods. The use of arcane magic was restricted to an elite few and those who were outside of this elite were hunted down and slain. The Arcane Circle was disbanded and the teachings of the Founders disappeared into the mass of power that were The Artificers of Kulthus. For those who could not use magic at all, they were denied the benefits of both magic and science and the world descended into barbarism while the elite enjoyed the fruit of their power and abused those below them.

In time, a great magical cataclysm known as The Sundering occured. Artificers, at the height of vanity and glory, were struck down amidst a great ritual aimed at elevating themselves to godhood and to open the doorway to an unknown paradise beyond. The Sea of Mana could take no more abuse and the leylines that blanketed the world became awash with spiritual fire. Earthquakes, tidal waves, cataclysms and more spread across the whole of the world and the floating cities of The Artificers came crashing to the ground and then swallowed by the seas.

The Time of the Sword

In the aftermath of The Sundering, magic nearly disappeared from the world because nearly all knowledge of it was lost, and the leylines remained scarred to this day. But a few individuals continued to retain some knowledge of the old world and some elves emerged from the woodlands to bring with them the magic they had been practicing in the interim years. The language of Eldritch became adopted as the new language of magic and in the western heartlands of the world new wizards arose and organized themselves in the city of Genrivia. Here at their wizard's tower they helped protect and heal the land, but one of their number began to grow ambitious and some might say manipulated by more sinister forces.

The War of the Dead

Today the reason why intense study of necromancy and the use of necromantic spells that command and create the undead, draw upon evil energies, is forbidden has to do with The War of the Dead. The intoxicating power presented by True Necromancy reared itself when an evil member of the wizards council took upon the mantle of The Lich King and emerged with magical might not seen since the days of Kulthus.

His war shattered Genrivia and though he was defeated by a group of heroes, the wizards scattered and much progress was lost. Fearing the return of The Lich King, the re-assembled order of wizards laid down strictures on the study of Necromancy and took up a willingness to hunt those who would abuse that power. True Necromancers who emerged became the enemy of the wizard's conclave while they themselves sought more and more power whilst risking becoming part of the undead they sought to command.

Today, the effects of necromancy are still seen in felt--most recently in Charn's scarred landscape.

The Arcane Circle, Rune and Modern Day Wizardry

Until recently, the the nation of Rune existed as the center for arcane study and power on the continent of Aeryth. In its place, 'local' guilds have begun to grow--under the power of city states and local government. Most of them hold to the Conclave's teachings, though areas like Charn or Bludgun will prove the exception.

The Path of the Divine

Faith is the cornerstone of divine magic, and the source of the divine lies within the gods themselves and their divinity. As mentioned before, ‘True’ faith is not simply a notion of believing ‘really hard’. Everyone ‘believes’ after all. The evidence of the gods is quite sincere and true. Most people go their entire lives without ‘seeing’ the gods but they know they exist just as sure as that they know a room exists on the other side of a wall they can’t see through. It’s simply an accepted reality of the world and is not in dispute.

However, the faith and supplication of a cleric and another divine caster is on a level that the common layman does not maintain. It is the mark of a unique covenant and a relationship on a personal level with the divine. It is the source of modern religion and the mark of the truly devout agents and fingers of the divine.

Prayer is not arcane incantation and faith is not simply a spell component. Belief is the focus that installs the connection between divine magic and the wielder. Faith is the sword and shield of the priest. The power he summons is not his own. Prayer is the verbalizing of his belief and reverence for the powers of the cosmos. When a cleric begins to see divine magic as his own to use and wield as he sees fit then he begins to walk the dark road of heresy. Methods of worship may vary from religion to religion from the solemn services of Vardama to the sermons and urging of the moral good of Daeus to the energetic rhythmic dancing and drum playing of Angoron. But the commonality of them all is that to establish a connection with a deity relies on long years of devotion, patience, understanding and prayer. Meditation, prayer and insight are the cornerstones of this and provide the true foundation of divine magic, no matter the individual differences between faiths.

For the ins and outs of divine casting as it relates to a specific religion, please see further on the entries on the Holy Order of Ea and particulars of the various religions of the world.

The Various Practitioners of Divine Magic

The clerics of the world have always drawn upon their faith in the mighty gods. Faith is the defining ability for a cleric to be capable of performing small miracles. It is not simply a matter of believing in something "really hard" as much as it is placing oneself completely into the will and purpose of a higher power. Prayer and supplication are lifetime commitments and the result of these commitments is becoming the hand of the gods and the divine arrow by which they bring their will to the world. The gods, though they may take form and visit the world briefly, lack true hands, eyes and feet by which to touch the world through the consequence of their Oath. The rest of the world does not see the gods; they see the work they produce and they see the gods through their followers and priesthoods. Paladins also fall into this category.

Druids and rangers possess a unique blend of divine worship and spiritualism. Druids and rangers draw their power from a natural connection to the world, tapping into the primal forces of nature itself. However this connection could not exist were it not for the sacrifice and efforts of Dana the Earth Mother. Thus to a degree druids are her agents for they promote the natural balance and forces of the living world. Gilead offers energies through the forces of his role as the Hunter, so many rangers follow him. Though more rare, followers of the goddess Eluna may share a connection with the moons and night sky, while one of Vardama may connect with the grayer forces of the natural world, and seek a balance more attuned towards the balance of death and the hunting of unnatural forces that disturb this balance.

All deities, however may be known by many names. Technically speaking, the deities themselves may be viewed as broad and expansive archetypes of their domains and concepts. That is, while Angoron is a god of strength, he embodies many forms of it. The same is true for other deities. It is therefore very possible, and probable, for deities to be known among a number of names and guises (such as the case of Dana and Gilead and The Green Word).

Druids and rangers typically employ a sort of divine spiritualism. Followers of Dana for instance, often refer to her simply as the Earth Mother, though they do not deny the existence of other gods. For them, Dana may simply represent the entire earth and natural world. Gilead may be thought of as the all-embodying Hunter, and visualized as a great and mighty stag. There are many interpretations of these divine beings, and many visions among the natural world. Many druids serve as shamans of the world and act as agents and leaders of their culture. Oruch, sylvanori, and sith'makar druids are among the most notable druids who are like this.

Druids and rangers are often more aware of the dual-nature of some beings as "spirits" as well. This tends to be more true among more primitive cultures, though many rangers and druids may be sensitive to this side of the world.

Bards are something of an enigma as well. In part, their ability is said to be innate much like that of sorcery and this separates them from the regular musical performs that travel from inn to inn. However they have also demonstrated the capacity for healing which has always been seen as the purview of the divine. There are some who believe Bardic magic is hereditary much like true sorcery but in truth the source of Bardic magic, like druidic magic, is somewhat innate but tied into the celestial song known as the Eidolon Hymn. The Hymn, itself, is the product of the creative force of the universe said to contain parts both arcane and divine which perhaps accounts for the unique properties of bardic magic. Some spend their entire lives in pursuit of the secrets of this celestial music while most Bards are only aware of it on a cursory level, understanding that their magic is rooted from something unique and outside the normal realms of arcane and divine magic.

The Dark Arts

Necromancy is a Dark Art and is often referred to as ‘The’ Dark Art on the world of Gaea. While the Players Handbook certainly presents non evil and benevolent uses of the school of Necromancy, on Gaea it is a reviled art and the mere suspicion of its practice has launched witch hunts and burned wizard schools in the ancient past. Great and might wizards have dabbled in the upper levels of this school and nearly always turned to corruption and only a few have mastered it without succumbing to the lure of diabolical power. The undead plague the world, restless spirits roam the lands and vengeful forces of the unliving are an all to often recurring reality for many denizens of the known world.

True Necromancy has been forbidden since the fall of Genrivia at the hands of The Lich King (liches being a form of potent, necromatic evil). Necromancy and Soul Magic in general, has its roots within the dark god Thul and a twisting of arcane principles. The Convocation of Rune is responsible for much of the initial banning of this dark art and the teaching of principles against it but even before they stepped in many nations had a hand in dealing with those who dabble in it. The principle practitioners of Necromancy hail from the Shadow Council in Charn which itself supports a number of splinter groups and covens scattered about the western kingdoms. Charn’s Shadow Council and affiliated Artificers use such magic daily and want for nothing in Charn. Slaves, sacrifices, terrible tomes and ichor are all easily provided for them so they can further these dark arts.

Independent Necromancers in the west, operating illegally and outside of the restraints laid upon the school by The Convocation of Rune, are the cause for the bulk of trouble. Many of them follow Thul but some follow Taara herself. They make mistakes, fall prey to common errors and their failed experiments are often what plague unsuspecting inhabitants in their given communities. Such rebellious necromancers find it useful to maintain contact with one another and to operate carefully beneath the roving eye of the Convocation of Rune and its agents.

True Necromancy is, of course, different then dabblers and while Rune frowns upon dabblers it is careful to distinguish between the two. Sometimes they quietly enable and allow weaker versions of magic from the forbidden arts if they prove useful and though they are sourced in necromantic energies they still turn the other cheek. Spells such as Death Ward, Disrupt Undead, Gentle Repose, Halt Undead, Mark of Justice, Speak With Dead and Undeath to Death are put to good use by the Convocation and affiliates.

Also the following ‘evil’ spells are still not considered indicative of ‘True Necromancy’ which has been forbidden since the fall of Genrivia. Bestow Curse, Blindness-Deafness, Cause Fear, Curse Water, Fear, Harm, Inflict Wounds Spells, Poison, Scare and Symbol of Fear.

All other spells are considered sure signs that a caster is Necromancer and is in violation of the Convocation of Rune and also many local laws. In addition to this, other spells have been labeled as part of the ‘dark arts’ even if they are not necessarily necromantic in nature. Their intent, requirements, purpose and more will certainly earn a caster the public title of ‘Dark Wizard’ or ‘Priest’. Blatant public casting of spells such as Blasphemy or Desecrate and similar, and especially the creation of undead quite literally brands one as a True Necromancer and is bound to bring the wrath of the Convocation or local mages' guild down upon you.

The Convocation of Rune considered itself the global force where arcane spell casting is concerned and even those who would like to not be considered under their jurisdiction, having perhaps learned magic from a third party source, would do well to keep them in mind when in the western kingdoms.

Update: Though the Convocation has fallen (and Rune is in the process of re-forming), necromancy remains a persecuted practice. The scorched earth and cannibalistic practices so evident in Charn and other, blighted areas of the world are testimony to its power. What this means is that "witch hunts" may be more common now that Rune's order has been dispersed and nations and the common folk are allowed to take things into their own hands. Where Rune once might have promised a trial, today this is not so.

Necromantic Magitech

Older, darker, and more potent forms of artifice were in effect during the days of Kulthus. To the relief of much of the world, Kulthus' prideful downfall at the hands of the gods resulted in the loss of most of this knowledge. However, some enterprising souls have attempted to reverse engineer these loathesome devices, with varying degrees of success.

Some nations, most notably Charn, pursue study of these forms of Artifice, which are declared illegal in other lands. "Black Tech," as it is known, generally involves the merger of Artifice with Necromantic theories, the use of Artifice to drain natural wellsprings of magic and life to a harmful degree or the unsafe merger of Artifice with living beings to produce anathema such as Half-Golems or worse. The Soul-Burner Engines of the War-Golems of Kulthus were also among the most famous versions of this form of Artifice.

Today, the effects of these studies may be seen on Charn's starving landscape. See the Charn entry for details.

The Soul Trade

The fall of Maugrim and other gods into corruption saw also the rise of the soul trade. The soul trade, long practiced only in places such as Hell and the Abyss, was reportedly brought to the Material Plane by the Kulthians and it is said, hopefully died with them, although this is not the case. The soul trade is much older; the Kulthians only mechanized it, using it to power powerful works of artifice.

There are many different ways to capture souls. The most commonly used methods are spells like soul bind and trap the soul, with the former imprisoning the soul of a newly dead creature and the latter trapping the soul of someone still alive. Other creatures, such as the undead called devourers, have their own innate methods of trapping souls, and likewise night hags are capable of using a version of soul bind through their heartstones to capture the souls of those they torment, binding them in dark gems and selling them in planar markets. Still other creatures create magic items called soul jars, which mimic the effects of these spells.

All of these methods, however, pale in the face of Thul and Maugrim's industrialized harvesting of souls. Maugrim and His armies use virtually all known methods of collecting and storing souls, many of which are unique to themselves. His soldiers (and the soldiers of some other of the Fallen Gods) use tools to turn souls into jewel-like objects, which maintain a soul's basic essence. These then are used in various means and as a method of trade. Thul has His servants resort to unwinnable contracts, and to prey on greed and desperation...rendering them into a form of living-death. Others of the twisted gods have their means. Taara is known to lure mortals in through their wont for power. Her alliance with Thul and that god's skill in binding has made for truly horrific tales.

The quality and power of the soul influence such a gem's value, as does the servant's knowledge of soul-warping magic. Some of them prefer to consume the souls entirely, rather than transforming them...and some keep them chained in eternal agony as pets and servants.

Most methods of using souls extinguish them completely, consigning them to oblivion or eternal pain and torture, given how and where, and the method of extinguishment. In these cases, it is said that only the direct intervention of a deity can return them to life. Other methods bleed a fraction of a soul's energies away, and while this method is far less powerful, some devils and similar ilk capture other creatures for the sole purpose of entrapping them and milking their souls over a prolonged period of time, causing horrific agony for spans of months, years, or centuries before finally giving in to their own hunger and consuming what tattered fragments of soul remain.

Unconscionable as most of the universe considers these practices, trapped souls exist as a commodity replete with their own rampant underground economy, both within the evil-aligned planes and elsewhere. Most of these souls ultimately end up in the Iron Hells, though buyers and markets can also be found in the Abyss, other evil planes, and even the worlds of the Material Plane, as evil spellcasters and item crafters (particularly the Kulthian) have tried to make use of souls in their dark rites.

While the value of souls is as relative as any other commodity, and pricing can fluctuate wildly based on an endless parade of factors and prediction is difficult for even those most intimately involved in its nuance. It’s also worth noting that, while trading spirits may prove lucrative, the practice is undeniably evil and an affront to the natural order, and thus carries great consequences.

The Soul Trade is partaken of by most any evil deity and their servants, including demons, devils, and daemons. Neutral and higher deities will have no part of it. Truly evil magic it is said, also taps into these trades...the use of it brings the individual to notice of such beings. It does not mean such magic is forbidden. It only means that over time, such bargains as these may be collected upon.

Tools of Magic

Ley Lines

Magic enters the world from the Sea of Mana by ‘rivers’ of magic known as Ley Lines. There are literally countless Ley Lines that criss cross the world like an invisible spider web. Networking magic and enveloping the entire planet with it. Arcane Casters who understand the properties and principles of leylines can tap into them and temporarily boost their magical power when casting on or near a Leyline.

However they first must be capable of sensing the Leyline. To sense a leyline a Wizard needs to make a DC 20 spellcraft check. Upon success he boosts the power of his spell by +1 caster level.

Spellblights

Spellblights are rare and unusual magical conditions that uniquely affect spellcasters, including creatures that use spell-like abilities. Spellblights are curses, some functioning continuously and others manifesting only when the afflicted creature attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability. A creature that lacks the ability to cast spells or use spell-like abilities cannot usually be afflicted by a spellblight.

Unlike many magical effects, a spellblight usually persists in an antimagic field, though because they often affect spellcasting, their effect is typically lessened in such a field.

Gaining Spellblights

There are many ways a spellcaster can become afflicted with a spellblight. These conditions can be gained by way of a bestow curse or major curse spell, as well as spontaneously with a number of unusual circumstances, many of which are detailed below.

Areas of Spellblight: Typically, the act of casting a spell has little chance of inflicting a spellblight, but there are some areas of magical instability where the mere act of casting a spell within the area can endanger a spellcaster. There are two main types of spellblight areas. In areas of minor spellblight, each time a spellcaster casts a spell, she must succeed at a DC 14 Will saving throw or be affected by a random minor spellblight. In areas of major spellblight, the caster must succeed at a DC 22 saving throw or contract a major spellblight. Due to the strange and random nature of such areas, their effects are not always consistent. There are areas that inflict a single type of spellblight, and areas that are easier or harder to resist with each spell cast.

Curses and Other Spells: All spellblights can be inflicted upon spellcasters with a bestow curse or major curse spell. Bestow curse can bestow any minor spellblight, while a major curse is required to afflict a spellcaster with a major spellblight. Other spells may inflict a specific spellblight or may allow the caster to select any spellblight as part of the spell. A successful saving throw against the spell prevents the spellblight from taking hold.

Optional Ways to Acquire Spellblights

GMs may choose to include the following methods of acquiring spellblights.

Antimagic Field: The first time a spellcaster attempts to cast a spell within an antimagic field, there is a chance she will spontaneously gain a major spellblight. The caster must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the caster level of the antimagic field or DC 23 if there is no caster level for the effect).

Arcane Spell Failure: When a spellcaster fails an arcane failure check by rolling a 5% (a roll of 01–05 on the spell failure roll) or lower, she has a chance of becoming afflicted with a spellblight. The failed spellcaster must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the spell's level) or gain a spellblight. A failed spell of 4th level or lower results in a minor spellblight, while a failed spell of 5th level or higher results in a major spellblight.

Crafting Magic Items: When a spellcaster is crafting a magic item, and fails the skill check to create the item, the GM can choose to give the caster a spellblight instead of having that check result in a cursed item. Determine the spellblight randomly based on the caster level of the item she was attempting to create. Creating an item with a caster level of 10 or lower gives a random minor spellblight, while creating an item of caster level 11 or higher gives a random major spellblight.

Spell Turning: When a spellcaster is warded with a spell turning, and so is the creature he or she attacks, such occurrences usually create a resonance field as described in the spell's description. Instead, the spellcaster who cast the original effect can choose not to create the resonance field and both spellcasters are affected by a major spellblight. The spell that triggered the resonance field drains away without effect.

Teleportation Mishap: A spellcaster who casts a teleportation spell that results in a teleportation mishap has a chance of gaining a spellblight. The spellcaster who cast the teleportation spell must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the spell level of the teleport) or gain a major spellblight.

Use Magic Device: When a spellcaster rolls a natural 1 while attempting to use a magic device with the Use Magic Device skill, she can choose to risk gaining a minor spellblight instead of not being able to activate the item for 24 hours (Will negates DC 10 + item's caster level). (The character must be able to receive a spellblight in order to make this choice.)

Removing Spellblights

While the most severe symptoms of a spellblight may manifest only episodically, the condition is often tenacious and difficult to remove. Each spellblight lists conditions for its removal, and can also be removed as if it were a curse (with remove curse, break enchantment, and so on). The caster level check DC to remove a minor spellblights is 20; the DC to remove a major spellblight is 30. The DC to remove the spellblight is reduced by 1 with each day that passes (minimum DC 10). Using anything other than a curse-removing spell to remove a spellblight imposes a –5 penalty on the caster level check. Any spellblight can be removed automatically, without a caster level check, with mage's disjunction, miracle, or wish.

The following tables list minor and major spellblights. When called to randomly determine a spellblight, roll on the appropriate table.

Table: Random Minor Spellblights
d10	Result
1	Caster Blank
2	Caster Croak
3	Confounded Casting
4	Disassociation
5	Ebon Eyes
6	Eldritch Ague
7	Hemoculysis
8	Lassitude
9	Ritualistic Obsession
10	Spell Addiction

Table: Random Major Spellblights
d10	Result
1	Eldritch Cataracts
2	Nameless Dread
3	Negated
4	Obsessive Fixation
5	Phase Blight
6	Spell Burn
7	Spell Sap
8	Transference Block
9	Vertigo
10	Roll twice on the minor spellblight chart. The spellcaster is afflicted with both spellblights.

Description of Spellblights

The following section details spellblights, split up based on their severity and featuring descriptions of effects and special methods to end those effects. Note that some of the effects of spellblights can be somewhat beneficial. Crafty spellcasters can make the best of even the worst situations, and the beneficial effects of any spellblights represent this. If a spellblight calls for a concentration check based on the level of the effect, and the caster is using a spell-like ability that doesn't have an effective level, use half the caster level of the spell-like ability instead.

Minor Spellblights

The following is a list and descriptions of many of the most common minor spellblights.

Caster Blank: A spellcaster with caster blank has a hard time focusing her spells or spell-like abilities on the same creature more than once. After targeting a creature with a spell, the caster cannot target that creature again with a spell until caster blank is removed or suppressed. To suppress caster blank, the afflicted spell caster must spend a standard action concentrating, which shakes off all effects of the caster blank until she casts a targeted spell again. Caster blank only affects spells that target creatures, and a spellcaster can still affect the creature with area spells.

Caster blank can be cured by any effect that removes confusion or insanity. Creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to this spellblight.

Caster Croak: The afflicted spellcaster's throat or mouth is magically constricted. The spellcaster can barely make her words heard, and then only with great effort. A creature under this affect can only make itself heard by others by spending a swift action to focus its will on speech. Casting spells with a verbal component has a 20% chance of spell failure, and the save DCs of any spells she casts with the language-dependent descriptor are reduced by 4. Spell-like abilities are not affected by this spellblight because they lack verbal components. Shouting and screaming is impossible while the creature is affected by this spellblight.

A heal spell or similar effect cures this spellblight, as does casting the shout spell, though doing so is still affected by the spellblight's effects.

Confounded Casting: A spellcaster with confounded casting has a mental disconnect between the spells she intends to cast and the spells she actually casts. The first time on her turn that she casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, she makes a concentration check with a DC of 15 + twice the level of the spell being cast. If the concentration check fails, the caster must pick another spell or spell-like ability of the same level or lower to cast with the same casting time. If the spellcaster has no other spell or spell-like ability, the action is lost. The spell or spell-like ability she originally picked is not spent and she can attempt to cast that spell again later.

Confounded casting is cured by any effect that removes confusion or insanity. Creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to this spellblight.

Disassociation: A spellcaster with disassociation lapses into a mild insanity in which she dissociates her identity and starts to perceive herself as someone else. While subject to disassociation, a spellcaster is incapable of using spells or effects with a range of personal or of targeting herself with a spell effect. A spell with an area that includes her but does not need targeted individual creatures functions normally.

Disassociation can by cured by any effect that removes confusion or insanity.

Ebon Eyes: A spellcaster with ebon eyes develops a jet-black film over her eyes, which inverts her capacity to perceive light and darkness. The creature treats darkness as bright light, dim light as normal light, normal light as dim light, and bright light as darkness. The ebon eyes protect against blinding, dazzling, patterns, or other visual effects, granting a +2 bonus on all saving throws against those effects.

Ebon eyes can be removed with an effect that removes blindness.

Eldritch Ague: Eldritch ague manifests itself as a sickness that is debilitating to spellcasters. A spellcaster with this spellblight is sickened until the curse is removed. When the subject of the curse casts a spell, she is overcome with shaking for 1 round, requiring any spellcasting or the use of a spell-like ability during that time to succeed at a concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell level of the spell being cast). If she fails the save, the spell and the action to cast it is lost.

While a curse, eldritch ague acts much like a disease, and creatures with immunity to disease are also immune to eldritch ague. Remove disease cures eldritch ague; unlike with most spellblights, using this spell to remove the spellblight does not impose a –5 caster level check penalty.

Hemoculysis: A spellcaster with hemoculysis bleeds from her eyes whenever she casts a spell. The volume and duration of this flow depends on the level of the spell, lasting 1 round per level of the spell. While bleeding from the eyes, the spellcaster is considered dazzled and takes 1 point of bleed damage. Casting additional spells while the eyes are already bleeding resets the duration of existing hemoculysis by the spell level, provided it's greater than the current duration. The sight of the spellcaster's eyes bleeding is horrifying, and she gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Intimidate checks and a –4 penalty on Bluff andDiplomacy checks for the duration of the bleeding.

Hemoculysis can be cured by heal or regenerate.

Lassitude: Whenever a spellcaster with this spellblight casts a spell, she must make a concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell level of the spell being cast). If she fails the check, the spellcaster takes 1 point of nonlethal damage per spell level (or 1 point of nonlethal damage when casting a 0-level spell or 1 point per 2 caster levels if using a spell-like ability). This nonlethal damage cannot be reduced in any way so long as the spellcaster suffers from lassitude.

Lassitude can be cured by lesser restoration, restoration, or any effect that completely removes exhaustion. Simply resting has no effect. Creatures immune to nonlethal damage are immune to this spellblight.

Ritualistic Obsession: A spellcaster afflicted with ritualistic obsession adds unnecessary gestures to her spellcasting activities. Any spell without a somatic component (even a spell cast with the Still Spell feat) now requires one, and any spell that already has a somatic component requires two free hands rather than one. Spell-like abilities now require a somatic component. The extra complexity increases swift action casting times to a standard action, standard action casting times to 1 round, and 1 round casting times to 2 rounds. Other casting times are not increased. The extra focus does serve to increase the efficacy of the caster's spells. All save DCs for spells and spell-like abilities that have their casting time increased with ritualistic obsession are increased by 1.

Ritualistic obsession is cured by any effect that removes insanity. Creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to ritualistic obsession.

Spell Addiction: A spell addict feeds off the elation of wielding magic, but suffers rapid withdrawal once spellcasting ends. After successfully casting a spell, the addict gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws until her next turn. On any round the spell addict does not cast a spell on her turn, however, she goes into withdrawal, and is sickened until her next turn.

Spell addiction is cured by any effect that removes confusion, insanity, or disease. Creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to spell addiction.

Major Spellblights

The following list details some of the most common major spellblights.

Eldritch Cataracts: Each time a spellcaster with this spellblight casts a spell, her vision becomes fuzzier and fuzzier until eventually she is blinded. Each time the spellcaster casts a spell, she must succeed at a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 15 + the spell's level. If she fails, she takes a –1 penalty on vision-basedPerception checks until the spellblight is removed. Further failed saving throws increase the penalty by 1 until the character reaches a –4 penalty, at which point she becomes blinded instead.

Eldritch cataracts is a difficult spellblight to cure. Any effect that cures blindness reduces the penalty by 1. If the penalty is reduced to –3 or lower, any blindness is relieved until the caster fails the Fortitude saving throw enough times to bring the penalty back to –4. Reducing the penalty to 0 cures the spellblight.

Blind creatures and creatures that don't use sight are immune to eldritch cataracts.

Nameless Dread: A caster with nameless dread believes strange beings from far dimensions or the blackness between the stars are hounding her and sapping her sanity. Every time the caster uses a spell or a spell-like ability, she sees a glimpse of her nameless pursuers. She must succeed at a concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell's level), or become shaken for 1 round per level of the spell. If already shaken, the spellcaster becomes frightened for the duration of the original effect or the duration of the new effect, whichever is greater. If she is already frightened, she becomes panicked (and cannot cast) for the duration of the current effect or the duration of the new effect, whichever is greater. Each time a spellcaster becomes panicked, there is a 5% chance she will become permanently insane (as the insanity spell, or the GM may choose a form of insanity listed on pages 250–251 of the GameMastery Guide).

A spellcaster suffering from nameless dread is particularly adept at wielding spells with the fear or chaos descriptor. When she casts a spell with that descriptor, the save DC for that spell is increased by 1, and she gains a +1 competence bonus on all caster level checks made to bypass spell resistance.

Spells that suppress fear work on nameless dread. Those that remove fear effects suppress the effects of nameless dread (and its benefits to spellcasting) for 1 hour.

Negated: A negated spellcaster has his ability to manipulate magical energies disrupted. He gains spell resistance equal to 10 plus twice the highest spell level he can cast. This spell resistance cannot be voluntarily lowered. In addition, anytime he casts a spell, he must make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against this spell resistance. On a successful check, the spell is completed and the spellcaster's spell resistance is removed until the start of his next turn. Failure indicates he failed to muster up enough magical energy to cast the spell, but the spell is not lost and may be attempted again. Any feats or abilities that aid in bypassing spell resistance help with this check.

Restoration suppresses the negated spellblight for one day.

Obsessive Fixation: A spellcaster with an obsessive fixation develops a tendency toward repetition. This manifests itself differently depending on whether the spellcaster prepares spells, is a spontaneous caster, or uses spell-like abilities. When preparing spells, an afflicted spellcaster must attempt to prepare as many duplicate spells as she can, meaning she prepares two copies of each spell she picks, but cannot exceed her normal number of spell slots to do so. This need to prepare multiples (thus limiting her versatility) is the only effect. If the spellcaster is a spontaneous caster or uses spell-like abilities, when that spellcaster casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, she must cast that spell again on her next turn, or becomes dazed for 1 round at the end of her turn. Once she casts two copies of the same spell in a row or becomes dazed, the obsessive fixation resets, and she can cast any spell she knows, starting the cycle again.

Obsessive fixation can be suppressed for 1 day with an effect that removes confusion or insanity.

Phase Blight: A spellcaster afflicted with spellblight fades in and out of existence. Each time she casts a spell, she phases in and out of reality for 1 round per level of the spell cast. While phasing, any physical attacks made against the spellcaster have a 50% miss chance, any individually targeted spell has a 50% chance to fail to affect the caster, and the spellcaster takes only half damage from area attacks. In addition, while actively phasing, all of a spellcaster's physical attacks have a 50% miss chance, all of the caster's spells that target creatures have a 50% chance of affecting the target, and all of the caster's area attacks do 50% of their normal damage. Unlike when casting the blink spell, the spellcaster does not become ethereal; she blinks in and out of reality altogether.

Effects that block planar travel, like dimensional anchor, stabilize a phasing creature for the duration of the effect.

Spell Burn: Each time a spellcaster afflicted with this spellblight casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, her skin feels like it burns, as if she were on fire. With a successful concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell level cast), the spellcaster can ignore the pain of the effect, but if she fails, she is staggered for a round. While the caster is staggered by this spellblight, any spell with the fire descriptor that she casts has its saving throw DC increased by 1.

The burning sensation is a figment of the caster's imagination. Spellcasters that are immune to mind-affecting effects are immune to this spellblight, and don't gain the beneficial effect when casting spells with the fire descriptor.

Spell Sap: A spellcaster with spell sap is subject to blackouts when casting spells. She may become mentally locked, distant, or catatonic, or may even slip into unconsciousness. Each time the afflicted spellcaster casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, she must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 14 + caster level) or become dazed until the end of her next turn. If she fails the save by 10 or more, she instead falls prone and lapses into unconsciousness for 1d4 rounds.

Spell sap can be suppressed for 1 day with an effect that removes confusion or insanity.

Transference Block: A spellcaster with transference block has difficulty targeting allies with spell effects. Anytime she casts a spell on an ally, she must make a concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell's level) or the spell is lost.

Transference block can be cured by spending 1 hour in an antimagic field.

Vertigo: A spellcaster with vertigo becomes dizzy and lightheaded when she casts a spell. Each time she casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, the world spins and shifts around her. She must succeed at a concentration check (with a DC equal to the 15 + twice the level of the spell being cast). If the spellcaster fails the check, she falls prone, and for 1d4 rounds takes a penalty on Acrobatics, Climb, Ride, Stealth, and Swim checks equal to 1 + the level of the spell. While the afflicted spellcaster takes those penalties, she must also succeed at a DC 10 Acrobatics check in order to stand up from prone.

A restoration cast on the afflicted spellcaster suppresses this spellblight for 1 day.

Magus Points

Magus Points are areas that are powerful nodes of arcane magic created by the intersection of two or more leylines. The more the leylines the stronger the node. Extremely powerful nodes are used for powerful versions of ritual magic, the creation of artifacts or the sites of especially powerful strongholds of magical power. There are many Magus Points in the world but only a few are potent enough for the above. Magus Points are ranked on a scale of one through ten. It is known that the Magus Point beneath Alexandria is rank 10 while the one beneath the Academy of Sages is only a rank 4, but access to it is sealed and controlled by the upper echelons of the Academy staff.

All arcane casters benefit, immediately, from being on a Magus Point. Wizards on a Magus Point receive the benefit of Cooperative Spellcasting, even if they did not have the feat prior to entering the Magus Point. Wizards can attempt to access a Magus Point to boost their caster levels for the duration of their time there. In order to do so they must make a caster level check with a DC of 15 + level of the Magus Point x 2. If successful their caster level is boosted by 1 per 2 ranks of the Magus Point. If they fail the check then there is a percentage chance of a Backlash. The base chance of a Backlash is 5% per every level of a Magus Point.

When a backlash occurs, all participants take 1d6 arcane damage per rating level of the Point. The spell fails and depending on what was being attempted, and the history of the site, other dangerous effects may occur based on DM discretion.

Backlash Modifiers (minimum 0%):

1. For every spellcaster less than the rating of the point, +5%
2. Mixing arcane and divine casters, +10%
3. Some participants cannot cast spell/create item (must still be spellcasters), +10%
4. Ritual Materials Used (rating squared x 100gp worth), -10%
5. Double casting time/item creation time (minimum one full round), -5%
6. DM Discretion (local mystical disturbances, astronomical conjunctions, etc), +/- 10%

Incremental Antimagic

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Incremental Antimagic includes options for:

• 4 kinds of incremental antimagic
• Chaotic: On a failed check, spells change form.
• Delaying: On a failed check, the caster must either try to cast the same spell using the same spell slot next turn or allow the spell to blast himself.
• Eliminating: On a failed check, the spell fizzles. It sucks to be you.
• Hindering: On a failed check, the caster must either let the spell fizzle or expend an additional spell slot to cast.
• Rules for adding incremental antimagic into your game.
• The nullstone golem, a CR5 antimagic bruiser.

Racial Magic and Rituals

Ea's magic responds to its people. Wizards, sorcerers, the uncovering of Aspects are not the only ways in which magic manifests.

The following are options for any storyteller, for use in PrPs, scenes, backgrounds, and small stories. If some of these rituals come across as "didn't we always have--!??" that is part of why these are being offered: to illustrate just how active magic is in Ea. Also, just because there are no given mechanics for them does not mean they shouldn't exist.

These rituals and options are beyond the scope of any one PC working on their own.

They are meant to be used as story devices, and tend to require a story element, such as a visit to the sylvanori elders. In addition, they require the presence of more than one person from that community--they are NOT means to add to individual PCs' power levels. Finally, all rituals work according to story. Sometimes rituals sometimes work perfectly, and other times do so to varying degrees (that's just saying they are story-dependent, and not a means of power).

You are welcome to build on these ideas, or expand on them.

Arvek Nar

Ritual Magic

Druvach: Arvek Nar cavalry and unit forces are renowned for their military prowess and steadfastness in the face of overwhelming odds. Over time, the world of Ea recognized this spirit, termed "druvach" and lent magic to it. In units composed of their kind, DMs might grant them auto-immunity to fear effects, and the benefit of group Endurance feats. They might also up their initiative, to represent their ability to respond quickly as a force.

Vampiric Blood Magic: The arvek recall the use of a vampire's blood, even if many of them have forsworn it. Through ritual, an arvek may use a vampire's blood to strengthen compulsions or oaths. Or, the reverse--to weaken the same. The former use calls upon black magic. The second was developed from desperation, and many of them sought to free clan and kin. There are other rumored uses of vampiric blood rituals among the arvek, though in typical arvek fashion, they've been tight-lipped about the details.

Sacred Objects: Arvek history is seared with its association with vampires, and some arvek remember this well. The gorget, particularly when crafted of metals such as mithral, or silver-and-steel, is a poingent reminder of this history, as these were originally crafted to ward against a vampire's fangs. The ornateness of a gorget is often tied to an arvek's rank. Originally, their use was limited to officers and well-placed political figures.

Egalrin

Ritual Magic

Call the Winds: Groups of egalrin may perform rituals which summon spirits of the wind. Over time, these winds may reach tornado-strength force. Such acts are reserved for last-ditch defense.

Mark of the Fool: Once in a while, an offense is committed that goes beyond the pale. Under this ritual, the individual's foolishness is woven into the fabric of a story that is whispered to the winds, ensuring it lives forever. The individual is then cast out of their society, and sent to chase their own foolishness. If they ever catch it, they may return.

Sacred Objects: The first feathers that fall after an egalrin who gains flight are rumored to possess bolstering community magic, as are the first-formed feathers of a future Speaker. Other first-formed feathers are thought to have a bit of luck--a noted crafter's hatch-feathers may carry with it a touch of their skill, or so say the stories...though outside of a Speaker's it's hard to tell potential. A Speaker's would carry more potent magic.

Giantborn

Ritual Magic

Lodgesend: This ritual varies widely from clan to clan and Lodge to Lodge. When a giantborn prepares to undergo a journey, or a quest, the members of the Lodge may enact this ritual to send the Lodge's protection and energy with them. The gift also depends on the nature of the Lodge in question. Hill Lodges may grant the recipient the ability to subsist for a time without food or water, for example.

Wordkeep: Maintaining the stories drawn on Lodge walls is an important task. To better preserve them and to share history, Keepers will sometimes arrange visits to different lodges, often as part of an exchange. These are marked events, and giantborn will gather to watch and celebrate as drawings are exchanged--the visiting Keeper inscribing memories from their Lodge, making the memories shared.

This is not as common as it might suggest--finding information about giantborn history is still a patchwork affair, and often involves visiting several lodges and listening to interpretive stories along the way.

Sacred Objects: Though giantborn exist within dual networks--one by blood, one by outlook--they spend much of their time in solitude. They value found, inanimate objects along their routes--objects that remind them of a story or event. These objects may sometimes be passed from one giantborn to the next, as a way of maintaining connections across the distance. Sometimes the story comes with them. Sometimes the object is enough.

Despite the race's great size, the objects are often small--that is, portable, where many of them may be carried or accumulated over time. Legend also suggests that the closer the material is tied to a mountain, the more powerful it is. For example, part of a blade may be tied to a mountain's ore, and so on.

Gobber

Ritual Magic

Gobwrench: In groups, gobbers may focus their energies and cause malfunctions in artifice and machinery. They may do this even from a distance, so long as they are able to view the device.

Many artifice guilds have informal rules against larger gatherings of gobbers, for this reason. The term "gobwrench" is used by gobbers to describe this phenomenon and as a curse by non-gobber artificers.

Sacred Objects: A piece or pieces from a failed invention can sometimes hold value or significance, especially if the final invention is of some significance. These pieces are termed "Firsts." It's said they hold inspiration and luck of a sort. Certain of these are highly sought after--such as a piece from an early airship prototype, or dragonspitter.

Gnome

Ritual Magic

Fugue State: Gnomes, when overcome by their collective Obsessions, are capable of entering a mana-enhanced Fugue State. This enables them to focus upon a single Obsession for days on end, without eating or sleeping. At the end of this time, they are considered exhausted and must sleep for a number of days equal to half the number they were in fugue-state. This does not reduce PC crafting time.

Gimirri: It is said that gnomes "just know" when one of their fellows is in need of help on a Project of Significance. A group of gnomes working in tandem may send out an etheric call to the communities around them. This call does not consist of words, only of a sense of need and a sense of the project to be accomplished. The individual gnomes decide whether to respond or not, but being curious, many do. The call can often happen without the gnomes actively deciding to do so.

The call summons a horde of gnomes for a single task, and can cause them to enter into an advanced, group fugue state. In this state, they may work for days on end without eating or sleeping. Regardless of the fugue state or no, when so assembled they succeed on all Aid Another bonuses (DMs may increase the cap on these bonuses as well).

This ability is known to outsiders as Gnomeswarm, or by gnomes as the Call, or gimirri.

Khazad

Ritual Magic

Erothknurl gerdum: A group of khazad may draw upon their inner nature and make oaths more binding--strong rituals may even make oaths last generations. "Erothknurl gerdum," or Oaths of Stone, are rarely done without an important purpose. In this way, however, some clans may possess very old oaths. Children of a clan are taught of erothknurl gerdum from birth. It is the presence of erothknurl gerdum that makes orphanage chancy: a clanless child may discover they possess an unusual oathline, which brings with it its own complications. Such children are said to feel the distant call of these ancient oaths, though whether or not they are drawn to fulfill them is up to the individual.

A khazad who adopts a clan symbolically takes on that clan's Oaths, but without ritual is not as closely bound to them.

High Weave: Male khazad are famous for their beards, and females for their great manes. What few outsiders know is that the weave of beard and mane are suggestive of history and past oaths. A khazad's hair, when braided in this way, becomes as a book to others of the stone blood. The wear of braids and manes in the "High Weave" is usually only seen at official and ceremonial functions or important occasions. Given the gravity of these occasions, it's suggested the multiple presence of these weaves lend a sense of stability and presence, by tying the participants more firmly into Navos' fabric. That is, they and the ceremony or proceedings, become harder to move or interrupt. This is a form of subtle magic.

Sacred Objects: Some forges last multiple generations. The good ones, anyway. Pieces of such an aged forge--particularly one used to make a powerful magic item--are sometimes used in community magic.

Lucht

Ritual Magic

Bread Basket: When you've as many kin as a lucht, magic never hurts. A lucht family may call upon this kinfolk ritual, which makes their food last longer. Baskets of bread or rice never seem to empty, and there's always another fish on the grill. There must always be food to begin with. However, with the lucht's family magic, the plates never run empty. It's said there's always enough to eat at a lucht gathering, and there's some truth to that.

Underwords: When groups of lucht meet they can often share information through a form of double speech. A group of lucht sharing tales is often than it seems. By talking casually, groups of lucht can give the other group an understanding of terrain and challenges they experienced well beyond what their conversation or spoken language itself suggests. For example if two groups talk and one goes on about how good a tavern's beer was in the city down the way the listening group would get a mental picture and understanding of how far away the tavern was, what difficulties to expect on the way and even where said tavern is and looks like in the city.

Sacred Objects: Lucht value well-traveled walking-sticks both for their history and their utility. It's said a well-traveled stick can make the family who owns it more lucky or fortunate.

The most famous lucht walking sticks are crafted from a material called weerwood. Although weerwood has never been shown to have any magic properties, it has long been the favored material for lucht walking sticks. Stories say its good luck and other say its just because of its excellent durability or the simple fact that its braches are low and often grow straight out from the tree, with few sub branches meaning it makes for good walking sticks. Either way, it has carried on as being the traditional material for them, some even saying the Weerwood tree was a gift to lucht from the gods, providing a solid walking stick wherever they traveled.

Oruch

Ritual Magic

Hui-marata: Through ritual, oruch clans may cast themselves open to the Chaos ether. The act calls forth a Force from Beyond to overtake one of them. By using a member of their clan as a host, this force may speak with and interact with the world temporarily. The Vessel (poti) will act differently, and their voice may change--deepening or raising unnaturally to reflect its possessor. In this way, oruch may ask for wisdom from beyond, or weigh the results of potential actions.

This is most commonly used to draw ancestral warriors to the battlefield, or for ceremonious occasions. For such occasions, clans maintain items which are said to resemble the items the essence wore in life--such as a weapon or set of pauldrons. Once a vessel is chosen, their clothing is exchanged for these items.

Mahoreo: Related to the hui-marata is the mahoreo. It draws on the same principles, but is more random in nature. Mahoreo is combination brutal theatre and fortune-reading done arena-style through the intervention of spiritual forces. A council of elders calls individual oruch from the audience to represent each opposing force. A force can be anything--ancestors, aspects of the gods, even potential outcomes to future actions are capable of manifesting in this way. Omens are then drawn from their combat.

For example, oruch generals may debate over strategy for an important, upcoming battle. To settle the dispuse, one oruch might be called upon to represent Kor's fierceness in mounted combat. Another would represent the god's strength via pike and shield. Yet another would represent the enemy force that opposed the clans.

Mahoreo take place on clan grounds or a prepared site and are always overseen by a council of shamans or priests who interpret the struggle. During mahoreo, the contestants are considered to be temporarily divinely touched and influenced by the various forces of the world. This, and the council's involvement, lends the ceremony its weight. This is not to say there is not showmanship and skill involved. There is.

Oruch typically see it as an honor to be chosen, though the end result is often bloody.

Mahoreo are called to settle disagreements or to predict the future or potential outcome of a series of events. Clans possess different versions of this, and other, traditions. The mahoreo is only one example of possibilities.

Sacred Objects: Any weapon from the Old Age (when they were slaves to Chaos and blood) it is said, must be handled with care. Helms have special significance, as they're said to retain some of the owner's energies, if said owner was killed in a particularly violent way. The orich clans also take into their care items worn by great heroes, as these objects are used to cement a "presence" called upon during hui-marata.

Sith-makar

Ritual Magic

The greater sith-makar rituals are held known by the castes, and are a means of awakening further the blood in a way which the Awakening began. It is said by partaking in ritual, a sith-makar strengthens their draconic ancestry. Knowledge of them is withheld outside of Am'shere, lest it fall into the hands of their enemies.

Memory of the Blood: By calling on ritual, a group of sith-makar may summon the memories inherit in their blood, the voices of ancestors, and so on. The older the blood, the stronger and older the memory. In this way, certain memories may only be available to certain tribes, and the gift of a particularly old bloodline to one of these rites is considered significant. It is also why sith are encouraged to find mates in different tribes, in order to ensure no Memory is lost.

What the sith do not say to outsiders is that so long as there is any dragon blood in the participant's veins, the tribes may call upon that person's ancestral Memories as well, even if that person is not sith-makar. This knowledge would easily make them a greater target of Charn, Rune, dragons, etc.

The ritual to do so always involves a great Fire, but details vary from shaman to shaman and tribe to tribe. DMs are encouraged to have the visions appear in the Fire itself, so that other characters may partake of the story, though this does not always need to be the case.

Sacred Objects: The bones of an ancestor, sith or dragon, are said to possess community magic and boost the Memory of the Blood. Likewise, ashes from the same--especially ashes collected from the heart--are said to be protective and encourage an ancestor to be present. The community Fire itself is considered to be significant also.

War Golem

Ritual Magic

Mercurial Enactments: War golems have no societal rituals of their own. However, the parts they are made from often carry residual "memory" of their creators from before their Awakening. For no apparent reason whatsoever, groups of war golems sometimes mime or act out these memories. For example, golems may mime the actions of a High Artificer building a weather machine, or others may suddenly gather around a podium, re-enacting a High Artificer's speech to their colleagues--only what emerges from the golem's mouth is gobbeldygook. There appears to be no requirement for pre-planning, and the chaotic-patterns are always performed it seems, perfectly.

These "memories," if they may be called that, are both sacred and illogical--they follow no pattern outside of their association with the golems' creators. Scholars debate the purpose of these reenactments--some arguing it a residual artifact of the golems' creation, and others as a malfunction.

Sometimes these enactments offer insights--if the insights may be teased out. The rest of the time, they remain an enigma of a crafted race.

Sacred Objects: War Golems seek artifacts from the Original Makers (the High Artificers) who crafted the first of their kind. These might be a forge hammer, or a tool used to bend metal to form. A riveting machine. These items are said to be cursed by their very association, but are somehow valuable to the War Golems. What is known is that these objects hold more potential than other items. This does not mean they are more receptive to magic; only more potential for greatness. When augmented with mana, these items tend to end up in the hands of significant figures, or events.

The Golems also seek to record their Mercurials, in hopes that one day they may make sense.

Sildanyari

Llyranesi

Ritual Magic

Edheliya Iya!: The original purpose of the sildanyari it is said, is as warriors of the light. Llyranesi may claim to have been their leaders. Regardless of actual truth, llyranesi in a group tend to draw the attention, and focus, of other sildanyari. Their orders may be heard through the clamor of battle, and it is said even muls get the urge to follow them. This is by no means a compulsion effect--it is more persuasive, and ticks muls off to no end that it's possible. Of course.

Elear Palantíri: The Llyranesi are an ancient people of great knowledge of the arcane and feywild. Through careful preparation, a group of llyranesi can meditate, and seek answers on these topics from the Feywild and Time Beyond. These answers are usually general or more suggestive in nature. This is sometimes referred to Eyes of Palantíri, which would translate to Eyes of Far-seeing.

Faroth-fea: As sildanyari live a long time, so do their magics. The sildanyari developed this ritual to trace a magic's owner or identify its source. The result is not always precise of even conclusive, but rituals such as this enable them to survive in a world ridden with magic.

Curuchuil: The loose translation of Curuchuil is 'life art,' though it loses much in the translation. A Curuchuil is collaborative piece of semi-mystical art that comes from strong emotions between two or more Sildanyar. Families usually invest in a familial Curuchuil, and to be cut out of the Curuchuil is to be rebuked from the line. Families are not the only ones to craft Curuchuil: this can manifest itself when two (or more) individuals share a particularly strong bond, even in some cases between enemies/opponents.

Curuchuil came about because sil experience emotions strongly, and at one time were creatures of the fae realm. Therefore, they more naturally mixed expression with the arcane and later sildanyari, though they lacked these ties, continue the tradition.

It is said they feel compelled to express strong emotion in ways they cannot with words, and over time a work of extraordinary qualities will take form. The actual form of the Curuchuil will vary. Llyranesi are often drawn towards expressions of art, painting and sculpture(or even larger, such as architecture or construction of great vessels), while Sylvanori will tend to the natural world, tending great trees or mystical groves into places of staggering wonder. Mul'niessa do not create life-arts, to Taara's endless frustration. Her attempts at triggering such have ended in horrors.

The Curuchuil of Son'doriel is one particular piece of sculpture that was started by the great-grandparents Queen Cherylindrea on their wedding day, and has been continued by generations of the royal family until it is a home within the great palace in its own right, a living, breathing work of Curuchuil and home dedicated to the love and unbroken line of generations. Conversely, when lords of various territories or families have been in bitter, unbroken conflict for centuries, with skirmishes across the borders and small-scale battles over the years in a stalemate, the Curuchuil they inspire stand as a monument to clashing wills and passions, gradually added to over years of frustrated attempts at diplomacy.

Sacred Objects: Llyranesi have been known to fondle old tomes.

Mul'niessa

Ritual Magic

Unbinding: The name of this ritual is a misnomer. Since a mul's soul is bound to Taara, they are able to use that force to break the enchantments or bindings of others. However, this requires a sacrifice to the dark goddess in turn. For example, a group of mul might form a blood circle, and transfer the curse of a werewolf to their own spirits, where the binding of Taara snaps it in two. The werewolf is now free, but Taara will demand Her price.

In this way, the mul may break enchantments both lesser and powerful, but it always requires a group of them to do so, and a sacrifice.

Faroth-fea: As sildanyari live a long time, so do their magics. The sildanyari developed this ritual to trace a magic's owner or identify its source. The result is not always precise of even conclusive, but rituals such as this enable them to survive in a world ridden with magic.

Gwedhgalad: Mul children are born bound to Taara, who is given ownership of part of them, in exchange for Her blessings to the race as a whole. This occurs due to ancient oaths sworn by their members, and a building-up of the practice of Gwedhgalad over time. That is, Ea's magic has responded, creating at birth an already-existing bond.

However, by undergoing the actual, formal rite of Gwedhgalad, the child is further bound. He or she is taken among the priests and local elders, on a day blessed by the Council. At this time, they undergo a ritual baptism, where a portion of the child's soul is rent away and given to Taara. The act also cements the Council's control over its populace, as a child who has not undergone the rite is considered of the lowest social position. It can also be a means to punish parents and family lines.

Sacred Objects: It's suggested that blood from one of the ancient muls who had first signed the Pact may have power of some kind. The blood probably is long since dust, however.

Sylvanori

Ritual Magic

Estellen calen: The sildanyari were originally, if rumor persists, warriors of light. Though this role has transformed (and scholars argue, corrupted), the sylvanori maintain some of this memory. By ritual and Ea's magic, sylvanori may work together to right a wrong against the natural world--restoring a corrupted tree to its original state, or easing a land's pain against infestation. While druidic unions also possess this ability, it's said they learned it first from the sylvanori.

To see these rituals however, is not the serenity one associates with the llyranesi--the sylvanori are too wild, too tied to the woods and streams. Their rituals oft resemble animal calls and full-throated shouts.

Quendi: Sylvanori elders, through sacrifice to Gilead, may urge a treant to be born. This in effect gifts a sapling with the potential for life. It is up to Nature what happens after.

Faroth-fea: As sildanyari live a long time, so do their magics. The sildanyari developed this ritual to trace a magic's owner or identify its source. The result is not always precise of even conclusive, but rituals such as this enable them to survive in a world ridden with magic.

Curuchuil: The loose translation of Curuchuil is 'life art,' though it loses much in the translation. A Curuchuil is collaborative piece of semi-mystical art that comes from strong emotions between two or more Sildanyar. Families usually invest in a familial Curuchuil, and to be cut out of the Curuchuil is to be rebuked from the line. Families are not the only ones to craft Curuchuil: this can manifest itself when two (or more) individuals share a particularly strong bond, even in some cases between enemies/opponents.

Curuchuil came about because sil experience emotions strongly, and at one time were creatures of the fae realm. Therefore, they more naturally mixed expression with the arcane and later sildanyari, though they lacked these ties, continue the tradition.

It is said they feel compelled to express strong emotion in ways they cannot with words, and over time a work of extraordinary qualities will take form. The actual form of the Curuchuil will vary. Llyranesi are often drawn towards expressions of art, painting and sculpture(or even larger, such as architecture or construction of great vessels), while Sylvanori will tend to the natural world, tending great trees or mystical groves into places of staggering wonder. Mul'niessa do not create life-arts, to Taara's endless frustration. Her attempts at triggering such have ended in horrors.

The Curuchuil of Son'doriel is one particular piece of sculpture that was started by the great-grandparents Queen Cherylindrea on their wedding day, and has been continued by generations of the royal family until it is a home within the great palace in its own right, a living, breathing work of Curuchuil and home dedicated to the love and unbroken line of generations. Conversely, when lords of various territories or families have been in bitter, unbroken conflict for centuries, with skirmishes across the borders and small-scale battles over the years in a stalemate, the Curuchuil they inspire stand as a monument to clashing wills and passions, gradually added to over years of frustrated attempts at diplomacy.

Sacred Objects: It's said that the sylvanori place value on any object that is said to be from the feywild.

Human

Aesir

Ritual Magic

Raider's Luck: This fickle ritual works as often as it fails. When it does work, it's said to lead to incredible treasures or finds. Groups of Aesir gather together to enact it, and wish for luck on their raid. If they succeed, the magic points them towards a valuable object at the site. Valuable is a relative term--even cursed objects are valuable, as is complex artifice. Thus, even when the ritual succeeds it can seem to fail--complex and scholarly objects are not often useful to the Aesir or may be of a form they fail to recognize.

Cerenzan

Ritual Magic

Builder's Resonance: The Cerenzan were ancient builders and are modern architects and scholars. Although not as ancient in magic as the sildanyari, they have turned their modern understanding to architecture and the mathematics underlying Ea's forces, and the world has rewarded them for it. Working together, Cerenzan may tease out resonance and arcane energy patterns. Through arcane workings and mathematical pattern matching, they can tie an object's resonance to its owner. This ability lets them to work and mine the patterns, uncovering which objects are made by the same crafter. Likewise, it enables them to uncover relations between objects that are otherwise undiscernable to the naked eye. The amount of detail varies widely; that is, it is up to the story.

Patterning: By studying the stars overhead and conferring with known star charts, it is said that Cerenzan elders may also understand some of the resonance of the stars. This allows them to discern potential futures--though this is a weaker ability, and not as potent as an oracle's. It is more accurate to say they are able to surmise potential.

Sacred Objects: The Cerenzen's cities are long gone, though there are said to be fragments. These are considered valuable, and Cerenzan scholars compete to be able to study their patterns.

Dranei

Ritual Magic

Mountain's Resilience: As a people, the Dranei tend to be simple and direct. So it is with their magics. When gathered in force, the Dranei appear to be more resistant to the strength of magic--both their own and outsiders'. This is not an absolute protection, but explains how they are able to withstand their long-standing feud against those so different--wizardry, and even shamanistic magics.

However, the downside of this is that once enacted, the Dranei have realized it is difficult to turn off--which can impact in-battle healing and other benefits.

Sacred Objects: A large people, the Dranei value things as big as they are--especially sound. Horns, particularly those taken from fearsome beasts, are often turned into prized instruments. The bigger, it is said, the better. Instrumental horns of a particularly powerful creature are often passed down through generations.

Eldanar

Ritual Magic

Eldanar's Oath: The Eldanar, it is said, were once the highest of the human races. It's true that what they dedicate their minds to, they achieve to extremes. The great contrast in Myrddion and Charn show living evidence. When the Eldanar make up their mind to achieve justice, there is little that stands in their way.

A group of Eldanar may declare the need for justice and mark the occasion with ritual, an exchange of blood, vows, and so on. This then acts as a lesser geas, but bestows the benefit of Heroism during the final battle.

Phurai Dae

Ritual Magic

Warp Rider: The phurai dae beasts carry the warp-magic of the Vast within them. The phurai dae know this and tap into it. It is one reason their herds are so valuable to them. When so mounted, groups of these riders may bend time and space, leaping great distances across the Vast. It is said the greatest of their tribal shamans may also use these talents to cross time. To accomplish this feat, the phurai dae and their peculiar horses must work together. However, they may bring a small number of outsiders (and outsider mounts) with them, "along for the ride."

Sacred Objects: A mare's first milk at the beginning of spring is said to bring communal good luck and good fortune.

Tsuran

Ritual Magic

The Fickle Wind: There is no formal name for this ritual, if even it is formalized at all. However, Tsuran have long noticed that when groups of them come together--no more than a few dozen, no fewer than a nuclear family--the art of the con becomes easier. Their voices become more persuasive, the cards always seem read, and so on, and in cases, the minds of their visitors may become clouded after leaving. It makes traveling bands of them dangerous to anyone who would keep their cash.

Shrouded Wagons: This second ritual draws from a similar source as Fickle Fate, though it's more formalized. It allows the Tsuran to get away, by creating a fog--whether by encouraging foul weather conditions, or encouraging a mild forgetfulness, as the Tsuran round up their transport and head on their way.

Veyshanti

Ritual Magic

Gold's Gleam: There is a reason genie blood is prized, and even killed over. A clan with strong genie ties may call upon this power, though there is always a price to pay in blood or worse. It works as limited wish, otherwise. It's so named because the reward it is said, does not always outweigh the risk. Although it is supposedly an honor to be sacrificed for a wish, this is also a method to get rid of an unwanted heir or rival.

Hearing the phrase "toss the coin" or "seeking gold's true gleam" from a Veyshanti, then, is both fortune and threat.

Peace On the Oasis: Less a ritual and more of an unspoken rule--on converging on an oasis, groups of Veyshanti sometimes swear to pacts of nonviolence, so long as they are nearby its water. The superstition that "the next water upon your tongue will be befouled" is strong enough that these oathbreakers is enough that most honor this pact, though not always. For example, indirect harm is not considered a violation of these oaths.

Sacred Objects: Veyshanti seek scrolls of histories tied to the genies--especially those ascribing bloodlines or heritage. The search for true documents is a herculean task, as many of these have been altered throughout history.

Half-Races

Ritual Magic

Half races are of mixed blood, and unless they strongly ally with one race or the other, generally lack the strong magic bonds of their parents. Half-race characters must select a bloodline which they most identify with, if this is the case. Once chosen, this may not be changed. If they ever are part of a Manifestation of Ritual Magic by their parent race, this permanently marks them--their features will alter to more closely reflect that race.