Magic and Rituals

= Chapter 14: Magic & Rituals = In the world of Othonia, magic is largely unheard of, left to children's stories and tales from long ago. Due to recent events, Magic has now returned to the world and now, Magic spells, Mana, and Rituals can be purchased at Character Creation. Magic is now bestowed upon all, and they are gifted with a single spell and magical affinity. Additionally, the player receives a single Mana which can be spent to cast this new spell. There are six basic elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Light, and Shadow. These may later be combined to produce any of the Advanced Schools of Magic. The seventh school of magic, Dream, may only be learned after having gained a spell from Circle One of each of the six basic elements.

New players can now purchase up to 15 Mana at Character Creation, as well as Rituals Level 1. Justification for these expenditures must be present in your Character Background.

Basic Spells
Dart  - Deals one point of elemental Magic Damage.

Tag line: [Element] Dart.

Stabilize  - Stops target bleed out, and target will become fully healed in 1 hour. Additional healing can later be applied to speed up the recovery process.

Ward  - Stops the next non-beneficial Magic spell.

Tagline: [Element] Ward.

All Basic spells can be learned in play from anyone who already knows this spell and requires 5 minutes of teaching from the teacher to the student. Players can also learn Elemental Spell Conversion in play from anyone who already knows this ability and also requires 5 minutes of teaching from the teacher to the student. This ability allows players to convert their Basic Spells into any of the six elements.

Ward spells of multiple elements do not stack. Elemental magic wards do not defend against Dream magic.

Mana Regeneration
Mana Regeneration can also be learned in play from anyone who already knows this ability and also requires 5 minutes of teaching. When learning Mana Regeneration, you gain the Basic Ritual: Meditation.

Meditation - You meditate for 1 minute, and you get 1 mana back. This ability has no EXP cost and can be taught in play by anyone who knows this ability with 5 minutes of teaching. Meditation and Rituals are Unlimited; they have no per day requirement or limitation.

Mana Cost
Basic and Circle 1 spells of any element all cost 1 mana each to cast. Circle 2 spells cost 2 mana to cast, Circle 3 spells cost 3 mana to cast, etc, etc. Your character will receive their first point of mana at their first game for free. Additional mana can be purchased with EXP after the player's first game. Mana EXP costs are as follows.

Rituals
Ritualism and Magic traditionally go hand-in-hand, and even in contemporary Othonia’s cultures you can see traces of where rituals were once integral to society. In Ejheria, mantras and mudras are enacted as part of their prayers. In Vikara, chanting at the onset of ceremonies and spirit-quests to earn one’s cultural adulthood are simply a way of life. Just so, once they did more, and more directly. When one is capable of storing significant amounts of mana, Rituals take on a new level of depth, bringing one’s self in tune with the workings of magic itself, even generating new and unique adaptations upon the concepts of elemental ties.

Rituals can be purchased independently from Magic Circles. There is no Circle requirement to purchase Rituals. Once you have learned "Meditation," you have access to the skill “Rituals.”  Each level of Rituals costs 5 EXP, and can be taught in play or in IBGAs by anyone who knows this ability with 5 minutes of teaching. Each level of Rituals involves adding additional elements to your character's ritual, such as incorporating a ceremonial item, task, chant, dance, or wardrobe.

Magic Circles
There are six elemental Magic Paths that your character can learn: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Light, and Shadow. Each element has its own properties and style, as well as spell packet colors. Natural, non-magical effects are represented by Brown spell packets. Players should use Grey spell packets until they have a magical affinity to a particular element. Once you have chosen a Magic Path and have been Initiated into First Circle in play, you may chose to keep casting your magic with  grey packets or to make new colored packets of the appropriate Path color. Each element has five Magic Circles that you can learn, with five spells in each circle. Spells cost no EXP, and can be taught in play or in IBGA by any Player or NPC who knows the spell, so long as the teacher is at least one Circle higher than the student. You must be initiated into Circle 1 before learning any Circle 1 spells. This is your character's attunement to this element. A Circle 5 caster or Elemental of that Magic type must initiate you into any Magic Circle and included in this will be your first spell of that Circle. Thus, your first spell learned at each level must be taught by a Circle 5 caster or Elemental. However, any spells you wish to learn thereafter can be taught by any caster at least one Circle higher than yourself. To progress further to a higher circle, you must again be taught by a master in play only, not in IBGAs, and meet the prerequisites, listed below.

You must learn 3 spells of your current Circle before you can progress into a higher Circle. You may only learn 1 magic spell per event. However, you can also learn 1 magic spell in your regular set of IBGAs. If another PC is teaching you, they would have to devote an IBGA as well. Additionally, you may learn 1 magic spell in IBGAs you bought for an off-month, if you have either spoken to a NPC in play that agreed to teach you something. Again, if another PC is teaching you, they would have to devote an IBGA as well.

Just like with Skills, Production, and Martial Schools,  Magic Circles 4 and 5 will be FOIP, requiring research and/or a teacher in play. These advanced circles have abilities known only to the practitioners who have obtained those levels (Find Out in Play). Possibilities may be discovered via in play information and rumors, or may be hinted at in various legends, lore, and stories told around campfires and at the bedsides of children. The truth is a closely-guarded secret, and such tales are just as likely to be hearsay and exaggeration as the actual reality. Such is, as always, the stuff of legends, and a wise practitioner will allow people to make all the assumptions they wish. Players can only reach Circle 5 in one spell school. You can reach up to Circle 4 in any other number or combination of schools.

Storm Effects are exclusive to elementals and supernatural creatures. They are not spells. Players will not be able to learn these abilities, but Storm spells can be warded like any other spell.

Manaburn is a side effect of casting magic more powerful than your character can wield. Casters may cast spells that they have learned, but do not have the appropriate Circle requirement. They will receive a Manaburn effect immediately upon completion of the spell cast which cannot be mitigated, the effects of which vary depending on how far the caster extends themselves. If the spell is one Circle away, the caster immediately falls critical. If the spell is two Circles away, the caster immediately falls dead with their soul still remaining in their body. If the spell is three or more Circles away, the caster immediately falls dead and cannot be resuscitated.

Verbal Requirements & Mana Cost
Players can use their own spell verbals, so long as the syllable requirement is met and appropriate tag lines are present. Be aware, the elementals are listening.

Mana cost per spell is determined by the Magic Circle the spell is in. The more powerful the spell, the higher it is located in the Magic circles, and the more mana it will cost to cast.