Post by Rite on Nov 25, 2017 6:12:12 GMT
THE MAGIC OF MAREA
The magics of Marea are varied and many. The various races and wizards of the world all have different beliefs and outlooks regarding the powers that they study, with some societies viewing the use of magic as a religious undertaking and others seeing it as a purely intellectual pursuit -- among many other schools of thought.
Depending on the locality and the wizard, the power to cast spells may be pulled from a mage's mana, from a magical item, from out of the mystical lay lines that trace the earth itself, or from any ambient energy in the world.
No matter the source of the power, however, the magic to cast a spell -- almost without exception -- is always channeled through a mage's own body. It is within a wizard's physical form that the formless mystic energies that they channel are given purpose and tasks. However, a wizard's body must be trained to contain these energies, as they can be extremely taxing to wield and shape; additionally, it takes a certain amount of skill to use mana efficiently, with novices -- for example -- often using far too much power just to force out even rudimentary spells.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
There are no hard and fast rules regarding magic and very few wizards group spells into schools. In game, you will not hear anyone refer to a spell that turns one's skin as hard as rock as "fortification magic" -- at least not in a way that implies that wizards as a society have divided spells into classes.
That said, just as with any skill, when you practice and study certain types of magics your body adapts to the specific struggles of said mystical forces and your character, as a mage, learns how to better construct spells of that type. Thus, the closer a spell is to something that you've cast previously the easier it will be for you to cast a similar spell and the better your body will be at withstanding the stress that it exerts on your physical form.
Just as with the martial prowess skill, where you level up each weapon and martial art skill separately, so too do you do the same for each school of magic. Just understand that this page merely classifies the types of magic in an effort to break a highly diverse lore into a game mechanic for balance and progression.
It's gamification!
CREATIVITY
Feel free to combine magic types that your pc has skills to create entirely new spells, just keep in mind what your current skill level should be able to do. We're all for creativity, just try and be fair to the game rules and others!
ASCENSION
You have coerced the secrets of the world from its grasp and now the veil between what exists and what doesn't is lifted before your eyes and your eyes only.
You must master all other magic schools before you may put points into ascension magic. All level advancements in ascension magic cost five skill points.
Level One:
You are beginning to understand that the infirmities of your body are not mere illusions, but that they are unnecessary to one who has ascended to your current state. You no longer age unless you desire it and no sickness will ever take root in your body unless you permit it.
Level Two:
You are now coming into your own as an ascended mage. You feel your mana becoming cleaner, more dense, and purer than it has ever been. You may now cast unlimited third level spells without tiring.
Level Three:
Your spirit is beginning to feel entirely different from that of a mortal's. You may now cast expert level spells without tiring. Your own soul is beginning to feel foreign to you and yet altogether fitting of who you know that you've become.
Level Four:
The idea that the world is merely third dimensional is becoming a laughable concept to you. With a moderate to taxing effort that corresponds to how far you seek to travel, you may walk through the higher planes and cross great swathes of distance in minutes.
Level Five:
You realize that your very soul has become a beacon of what once would have been an incomprehensible amount of power to you. No longer do basic master level spells require any real effort on your part. That said, the higher level works that you know yourself to be capable of do still require you to seek out the mana that even a being like you does not possess inherently within your being.
No longer do the basic laws of the world need apply to your body. Gravity, the limits of vision, it doesn't matter -- all of it bends to your whim.
You feel... almost like a god, even if you can barely come to admit it to yourself. Reality itself seems infinitely more complex than you ever would have imagined and yet what you once perceived as complicated and interesting is so shockingly simple now in relation to what you've discovered. Your hold on mortality is beginning to feel fragile -- almost as if that if you falter in your concentration on your memories of it for but a single moment that you will slip from the mortal plane, possibly forever.
CREATION
To create things that have never once been before, this is the art of creation magic.
Creation mages may create constructs of pure magic. At the lower levels, they are somewhat limited, but at the heights of their powers, their imagination and available mana are often their only limitations.
It should be noted that constructs of creation magic will often appear blatantly magical, often being semi-translucent and colored in accordance with the power of the spell being cast and the caster's own nature.
Level One:
May create small and weak constructs that persist for a very short time.
Level Two:
May create medium-sized and moderately strong constructs for a limited duration.
Level Three:
May create many medium-sized and somewhat powerful constructs that may persist for hours at a time.
Level Four:
May create multiple large constructs with only moderate difficulty.
Level Five:
May create automated or large constructs that persist indefinitely and are very powerful and sturdy. If they can source the mana from a sufficiently powerful location, they may also create creations that are only limited in size and scope by their available power source. With enough effort in the crafting of their spells they can create truly sentient and sapient constructs.
FORTIFICATION
To be faster, stronger, more durable, quicker, more powerful. This is the realm of fortification magic.
Level One:
May add one point to a single physical skill attribute for a brief flash of time, or you may slightly strengthen your flesh or bones.
Level Two:
May add two points to up to two physical skill attributes for the duration of a few attacks. May strengthen the flesh enough to deflect glancing blows from mundane and low-quality weapons.
Level Three:
May add three points to up to three physical skill attributes for up to the duration of a small battle. May strengthen the flesh enough to hold back a few stabs or slashes from a mundane but high-quality weapon.
Level Four:
May add four points to up to four physical skill attributes for the duration of a half hour. May strengthen the flesh enough to hold back a great many stabs from mortal weapons. Will allow the deflection of multiple sub third level spells and the deflection of one or two third level spells.
Level Five:
May add up to five points to up to four physical skill attributes for hours at a time. May strengthen the flesh to deflect attacks from all mundane weapons. Will allow the deflection of numerous third level spells, multiple level four spells, or one or two fifth level spells.
NECROMANCY
To return what should not be returned. This is the path of the necromancer.
Note: All necromancers can undo the work of those who are less skilled than them.
Level One:
Necromancers may shield localities, places, and rooms from lesser spirits and demons through the use of channeling their mana into mostly unseen and ritualistic arcane shields. The larger or more thorough the warding, the longer it will take a necromancer to create it and the more draining said spell will be to cast. Necromancers may now detect nearby ghosts or spirits instinctively.
Level Two:
Necromancers may trap the souls of the weaker willed dead within stones, items, jewels, or other objects. They may then use these souls as mana batteries to cast spells. It's important to note that this process of using trapped souls burns them up and is incredibly painful for the trapped being. Lesser souls are only really any good for a single novice level spell or two.
Level Three:
Necromancers may now shield against averagely powerful spirits and ethereal beings, but doing so will likely tire them if they use their own mana.
Necromancers may trap the souls of averagely powerful and skilled deceased beings. These souls are good for multiple novice level spells or a single third level spell before burning out.
Necromancers may also, at this level of skill, attach the souls of trapped or wandering spirits to unoccupied corpses or skeletons. These reanimated shades will be forced to obey the spoken directives of the necromancer who bound them; all the while, the souls of these shades are slowly being burned up to power their inhabited bodies-- their minds deteriorating in relation to how much of their spirit has been consumed by the binding. At this stage, however, zombies and reanimations are relatively poorly bound to their stolen bodies and are sluggish, slow, and will burn through their host soul in about a half-hour.
One should note that a reanimated soul is only forced to obey the directives that a necromancer has directly given them. Thus, in an effort to keep their zombies and ghouls from thinking too much, necromancers have been known to bind the souls of unwilling subjects in such a way as to make their existence one of constant and unbearable pain -- or to simply remove all but the most basic functions of their servants' intellects.
Level Four:
Necromancers may trap the souls of quite powerful and skilled deceased beings. These souls are good for at least a dozen novice spells, half as many third level spells, and for one or two fourth level castings.
At this stage, a necromancer has the option to create reanimations that are about as physically capable as the bodies that the necromancer binds them to. These zombies and reanimations can persist for months at a time.
Beginning at this level of skill, necromancers may subjugate ghosts and moderately powerful demons and bind the wills of these beings with their mana.
Level Five:
Necromancers may trap and control the souls of deceased gods and heroes. These souls are good for a great number of level four and below spells and a single master level spell.
Reanimations that these necromancers create can last for hundreds of years. Necromancers may also now mix and match the souls of their victims, taking select pieces of one soul or another and metaphysically grafting its abilities and skills onto others -- a necromancer must be careful in creating a piecemeal soul that is more capable than themselves, however, as these types of frankenstein reanimations are known to sometimes turn on their masters.
If a necromancer desires, he may now store innumerable souls within his own body, rather than within items or jewels. This includes the souls of any demons that he has managed to catch unaware -- note that most necromancers are likely going to have to use the power of other trapped souls to bind and contain the soul of anything more than a moderately powerful demon, the same also goes for the other powerful creatures such as the aforementioned gods and heroes.
Master necromancers can be among the most dangerous beings in the world, providing they've had a chance to subjugate enough souls, as they could have potentially limitless numbers of spirts within their bodies to use as fuel for spell casting -- or as an army of ghosts/potential zombies that they can release to assail others, or to bind to corpses on command.
The only danger of holding a great number of souls within one's own body is that more powerful creatures can attempt to exert their own subtle control over the thoughts and will of a wizard -- leading to necromancers having to be constantly aware of the line between their own feelings and thoughts and the possibly dangerous emotional prods and whisperings of any souls that they're carrying in their physical forms.
RESTORATION
To heal what is injured, to restore what is taken. This is the path of a healer.
Note: When a player is injured subtract one level of skill when they're trying to heal themselves.
Level One:
May heal minor headaches, contusions, cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
Level Two:
May heal major headaches, bruises, and minor illnesses.
Level Three:
May heal moderately dangerous illnesses or moderately bad puncture or slash wounds.
Level Four:
May heal even magical illnesses and all but the most absolutely fatal wounds.
Level Five:
May cure blindness or bring those who have recently died back to life. They may even attach wandering souls to empty bodies.
ENCHANTING
To impart power to the mundane and to bend the perception of what is possible. This is the domain of the enchanter. Enchanters require labs and costly reagents to create their items.
Level One:
May imbue temporary and moderately interesting powers onto inanimate items. There's a high chance of an item not working as intended. Level one items cost five hundred gold to create.
Level Two:
May imbue weak enchantments onto inanimate items that may or may not work. Moderate chance of an item not working as intended. Level two items cost two thousand gold to create.
Level Three:
May imbue moderately strong enchantments onto inanimate items that will usually work as intended. The stronger the item the more likely it will act oddly. Level three items cost five thousand gold to create.
Level Four:
May imbue powerful enchantments onto inanimate items that will almost always work as intended. Level four items cost thirty thousand gold to create.
Level Five:
May imbue powerful enchantments onto inanimate items that will always work. With the right power sources, a master enchanter can create artifacts of staggering power. Level five items are going to cost 50,000+ gold to create and require moderator permission.
ELEMENTAL
To be able to call forth flames of destruction or waters of life. These are the powers that dance across the fingertips of an elementalist.
Level One:
You may create very minuscule quantities of the elements. You have no control over what you create after you call it into being. You may light a campfire at this stage or create a shower of sparks.
Level Two:
You may create somewhat small quantities of the elements. You may hold and suspend your elements in place in the air or on objects, but lack fine control over their movement. A small and momentary burst of moderately damaging flames is now within your grasp.
Level Three:
You may create moderate quantities of the elements. You may throw and move the elements that you create around with moderate force. A fireball that will do real and substantial damage to, but that will probably not kill in one go, another person is now within your grasp.
Level Four:
You may create large quantities of the elements. You may throw and move the elements that you create around with great force and finely tuned precision. A large and consuming wave of fire that will almost instantly sear through a layman upon contact is now within your grasp.
Level Five:
Fire, wind, water, earth, ice, dust, lightning, magma, and more -- it is all your's to create. You may now summon massive storms of the elements that you can control down to the smallest increments and degrees.
PROJECTION
To extend the reach of the mind. This is the realm of a projectionist.
Level One:
Beginner projectionists may project their voices into the minds of very weak-willed or willing creatures. This is an extremely taxing and tiring process.
Level Two:
Projectionists may now project images and their voices into the minds of weak-willed creatures and willing creatures. Mental projection becomes a bit easier for second level mages.
Level Three:
Projectionists may now project their astral bodies from out of their physical forms. Astral bodies are immune to the restrictions of gravity, solid matter, physical needs, temperature, etc, and can not interact with the physical world.
Astral bodies are invisible to all but those who can see ghosts and spirits; however, projectionists are able to make themselves visible to those who do not resist seeing them, or to those who only possess moderately strong wills. Note that astral bodies can indeed be captured by necromancers and can only be touched by magic and mystical objects and creatures.
Level Four:
Projectionists may now project thoughts, memories, and images into the minds of even strong-willed creatures; however, those with strong mental constitutions will be able to resist the images and to fight off the projector's mind given time.
Projectionists may now enter the dreams of sleeping or unconscious individuals and can take complete control over the dreams.
Wizards are now capable of changing the shape and appearance of their astral bodies at will, when projecting.
Level Five:
Projectionists may now create illusions that appear to manifest in the real world that can be all but indistinguishable from reality. Only ascended and supremely strong-willed beings, or those possessing certain magical artifacts will be able to see through these fake images. In these illusions, fire will feel hot and will cause pain, ice will feel frigid, hunger may be imitated, and all manners of physical, visual, and sensory sensations may be faked.
It's important to note that illusions cannot truly affect the physical world, but that they merely seem real to those experiencing them but are far from real, physical things.
The stronger an illusion is or the longer it lasts, the more mana it will cost, costing more and more as time passes by.
SHAMANISM
To befriend the elements and the spirits of nature. This is the domain of the shamans. Shamans must cultivate relationships with the elements and can lose the favor of any, all, or none of them.
Shamans do not have to use any of their own mana when calling forth the elements, as it is the elements themselves that are working to aid them. However, if a shaman asks too much too soon they risk insulting the very conservative and respect-demanding spirits of nature.
The elements will very seldom do anything that does not benefit the maintenance of the balance of their domain or the furtherance of their own spheres of influence, although they are by their natures often amoral. That said, the elements have been known to grant favors to shamans that have helped them in the past or who are working towards goals that are line with the natural balance of things.
It is important to note that there are lesser and greater elemental spirits. Different spirits hold dominion over the various localities of the world and have different spheres of power. A beginning shaman will not even be looked at twice by a greater elemental spirit, but a lesser spirit may indeed head their call.
Level One:
You learn the language of the elements and may request things such as gentle breezes. You will have to do some convincing oftentimes, however. Only the lowliest of spirits will reply to your calls.
Level Two:
The elements, in general, are more likely to respond to your calls, as long as you act with respect, as they see you as an initiate in the craft. You may request things such as light drizzlings of rain. Stronger, but still relatively weak, spirits will respond to your calls.
Level Three:
At this point, the elements are beginning to see you as one of their acolytes. The wind will occasionally warn you of distant dangers, or the earth may mention that there is some obstruction coming up that is likely to trip you. You may request nourishing storms or the enrichment of the soil at this stage. Sub averagely powerful spirits will respond to your call.
Level Four:
One or more of the elements now respect you. You may request things such as breezes strong enough to knock a man down. Moderately powerful spirits will respond to your calls.
Level Five:
The elements see you as one of their own. You may request the summoning of tsunamis, hurricanes, or even great spouts of fire. At this point, the lesser elementals may do things that they normally would not, trusting your judgment or wishing to curry your favor. At this point, you may broker deals with elemental lords who are known to care much less about the balance of nature and more about the advancement of their own power.
SPIRITISM
To co-exist with the beings who exist on the edge of the veil. This is the domain of the spiritist.
Level One:
Spiritists may see the spirits of the dead and may call willing spirits from beyond the veil into their presence. From here, spiritists can negotiate with the passed for favors. Spiritists may now touch ghosts.
Level Two:
Spiritists may channel the strength of the willing dead, raising any one of their skill attributes by one for a very short time and in exchange for sizeable mental or physical fatigue, providing said spirit or spirits that they're calling upon was versed in the desired skill. The spirits do not need to be present in the area, but spiritists will feel their touch and blessings from afar.
Spiritists can now create mostly unseen magical wards that are capable of keeping out weak spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Three:
Spiritists may now raise up to two skills by two points when channeling a spirit. Spiritists tire less quickly when channeling spirits.
Third level spiritists can infuse their mana into objects, allowing said items to touch ghosts and other ethereal beings for a short time.
Spiritists can now create wards that keep out moderately powerful spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Four:
Spiritists may now raise up to three skills by three points when channeling a spirit. Spiritists may also now share their mana with spirits to allow them to materialize on the physical plane to aid them -- the stronger the spirit the greater the drain on the wizard to empower him or her.
Spiritists can now create wards that keep out powerful spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Five:
Spiritists may now permanently merge their souls with that of willing spirits, becoming a completely new being.
Spiritists can now create wards that would give even extremely powerful ethereal entities pause.
DRUIDISM
Power over life, the power to give life. This is the domain of the forest walkers of the world.
Level One:
Low-level druids are beginning to understand how to form a telepathic link between themselves and the animals and plant life of Marea. They can only understand the very basics of what the creatures of the world are communicating, however.
Level Two:
Druids begin to mostly understand the words of the natural world. They may now request that animals do things for them; however, this will hardly ever work unless said requested action benefits said animal -- or if the animal is a friend of the druid.
Level Three:
Druids fully understand the language of the natural world. They may now request that plants do things for them, but -- again -- plants will often only act if the requested action benefits them.
At this stage, druids may form a telepathic connection with a singular companion animal. This connection binds together the spirits of the druid and the animal, allowing each to share their innate skills and abilities. For example, a wolf will gain an intellect that is distinct from but of a similar caliber as their bonded druid. Conversely, said wolf's druid will gain the sense of smell, the predatory instincts, and the superior physical endurance of the wolf. Keep in mind that these shared traits must be physically viable -- a druid bonded to an owl will not be able to fly merely because of the bond.
In order to bond with an animal, druids must find a willing creature that is perfectly compatible with their own soul.
Level Four:
Druids now radiate an aura that is respected by the natural world. The wilds and animals often respond to their calls without question. At this point, a druid may share their mana with their animal companion and allow them to become dire-sized creatures that are up to three times larger, faster, and stronger than they were prior. Druids may also share their mana with the plants of the world to allow them to bloom, grow, and move in peculiar ways when the druid requires it.
Level Five:
The wilds respond to the druid as if he or she is a most cherished friend. Druids are now able to shapeshift their bodies into either naturally sized or dire sized creatures. Additionally, they may transfer their minds into the bodies of willing animals and control said animals for a time, leaving their own bodies limp and unmoving during the transfer.
The magics of Marea are varied and many. The various races and wizards of the world all have different beliefs and outlooks regarding the powers that they study, with some societies viewing the use of magic as a religious undertaking and others seeing it as a purely intellectual pursuit -- among many other schools of thought.
Depending on the locality and the wizard, the power to cast spells may be pulled from a mage's mana, from a magical item, from out of the mystical lay lines that trace the earth itself, or from any ambient energy in the world.
No matter the source of the power, however, the magic to cast a spell -- almost without exception -- is always channeled through a mage's own body. It is within a wizard's physical form that the formless mystic energies that they channel are given purpose and tasks. However, a wizard's body must be trained to contain these energies, as they can be extremely taxing to wield and shape; additionally, it takes a certain amount of skill to use mana efficiently, with novices -- for example -- often using far too much power just to force out even rudimentary spells.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
There are no hard and fast rules regarding magic and very few wizards group spells into schools. In game, you will not hear anyone refer to a spell that turns one's skin as hard as rock as "fortification magic" -- at least not in a way that implies that wizards as a society have divided spells into classes.
That said, just as with any skill, when you practice and study certain types of magics your body adapts to the specific struggles of said mystical forces and your character, as a mage, learns how to better construct spells of that type. Thus, the closer a spell is to something that you've cast previously the easier it will be for you to cast a similar spell and the better your body will be at withstanding the stress that it exerts on your physical form.
Just as with the martial prowess skill, where you level up each weapon and martial art skill separately, so too do you do the same for each school of magic. Just understand that this page merely classifies the types of magic in an effort to break a highly diverse lore into a game mechanic for balance and progression.
It's gamification!
CREATIVITY
Feel free to combine magic types that your pc has skills to create entirely new spells, just keep in mind what your current skill level should be able to do. We're all for creativity, just try and be fair to the game rules and others!
ASCENSION
You have coerced the secrets of the world from its grasp and now the veil between what exists and what doesn't is lifted before your eyes and your eyes only.
You must master all other magic schools before you may put points into ascension magic. All level advancements in ascension magic cost five skill points.
Level One:
You are beginning to understand that the infirmities of your body are not mere illusions, but that they are unnecessary to one who has ascended to your current state. You no longer age unless you desire it and no sickness will ever take root in your body unless you permit it.
Level Two:
You are now coming into your own as an ascended mage. You feel your mana becoming cleaner, more dense, and purer than it has ever been. You may now cast unlimited third level spells without tiring.
Level Three:
Your spirit is beginning to feel entirely different from that of a mortal's. You may now cast expert level spells without tiring. Your own soul is beginning to feel foreign to you and yet altogether fitting of who you know that you've become.
Level Four:
The idea that the world is merely third dimensional is becoming a laughable concept to you. With a moderate to taxing effort that corresponds to how far you seek to travel, you may walk through the higher planes and cross great swathes of distance in minutes.
Level Five:
You realize that your very soul has become a beacon of what once would have been an incomprehensible amount of power to you. No longer do basic master level spells require any real effort on your part. That said, the higher level works that you know yourself to be capable of do still require you to seek out the mana that even a being like you does not possess inherently within your being.
No longer do the basic laws of the world need apply to your body. Gravity, the limits of vision, it doesn't matter -- all of it bends to your whim.
You feel... almost like a god, even if you can barely come to admit it to yourself. Reality itself seems infinitely more complex than you ever would have imagined and yet what you once perceived as complicated and interesting is so shockingly simple now in relation to what you've discovered. Your hold on mortality is beginning to feel fragile -- almost as if that if you falter in your concentration on your memories of it for but a single moment that you will slip from the mortal plane, possibly forever.
CREATION
To create things that have never once been before, this is the art of creation magic.
Creation mages may create constructs of pure magic. At the lower levels, they are somewhat limited, but at the heights of their powers, their imagination and available mana are often their only limitations.
It should be noted that constructs of creation magic will often appear blatantly magical, often being semi-translucent and colored in accordance with the power of the spell being cast and the caster's own nature.
Level One:
May create small and weak constructs that persist for a very short time.
Level Two:
May create medium-sized and moderately strong constructs for a limited duration.
Level Three:
May create many medium-sized and somewhat powerful constructs that may persist for hours at a time.
Level Four:
May create multiple large constructs with only moderate difficulty.
Level Five:
May create automated or large constructs that persist indefinitely and are very powerful and sturdy. If they can source the mana from a sufficiently powerful location, they may also create creations that are only limited in size and scope by their available power source. With enough effort in the crafting of their spells they can create truly sentient and sapient constructs.
FORTIFICATION
To be faster, stronger, more durable, quicker, more powerful. This is the realm of fortification magic.
Level One:
May add one point to a single physical skill attribute for a brief flash of time, or you may slightly strengthen your flesh or bones.
Level Two:
May add two points to up to two physical skill attributes for the duration of a few attacks. May strengthen the flesh enough to deflect glancing blows from mundane and low-quality weapons.
Level Three:
May add three points to up to three physical skill attributes for up to the duration of a small battle. May strengthen the flesh enough to hold back a few stabs or slashes from a mundane but high-quality weapon.
Level Four:
May add four points to up to four physical skill attributes for the duration of a half hour. May strengthen the flesh enough to hold back a great many stabs from mortal weapons. Will allow the deflection of multiple sub third level spells and the deflection of one or two third level spells.
Level Five:
May add up to five points to up to four physical skill attributes for hours at a time. May strengthen the flesh to deflect attacks from all mundane weapons. Will allow the deflection of numerous third level spells, multiple level four spells, or one or two fifth level spells.
NECROMANCY
To return what should not be returned. This is the path of the necromancer.
Note: All necromancers can undo the work of those who are less skilled than them.
Level One:
Necromancers may shield localities, places, and rooms from lesser spirits and demons through the use of channeling their mana into mostly unseen and ritualistic arcane shields. The larger or more thorough the warding, the longer it will take a necromancer to create it and the more draining said spell will be to cast. Necromancers may now detect nearby ghosts or spirits instinctively.
Level Two:
Necromancers may trap the souls of the weaker willed dead within stones, items, jewels, or other objects. They may then use these souls as mana batteries to cast spells. It's important to note that this process of using trapped souls burns them up and is incredibly painful for the trapped being. Lesser souls are only really any good for a single novice level spell or two.
Level Three:
Necromancers may now shield against averagely powerful spirits and ethereal beings, but doing so will likely tire them if they use their own mana.
Necromancers may trap the souls of averagely powerful and skilled deceased beings. These souls are good for multiple novice level spells or a single third level spell before burning out.
Necromancers may also, at this level of skill, attach the souls of trapped or wandering spirits to unoccupied corpses or skeletons. These reanimated shades will be forced to obey the spoken directives of the necromancer who bound them; all the while, the souls of these shades are slowly being burned up to power their inhabited bodies-- their minds deteriorating in relation to how much of their spirit has been consumed by the binding. At this stage, however, zombies and reanimations are relatively poorly bound to their stolen bodies and are sluggish, slow, and will burn through their host soul in about a half-hour.
One should note that a reanimated soul is only forced to obey the directives that a necromancer has directly given them. Thus, in an effort to keep their zombies and ghouls from thinking too much, necromancers have been known to bind the souls of unwilling subjects in such a way as to make their existence one of constant and unbearable pain -- or to simply remove all but the most basic functions of their servants' intellects.
Level Four:
Necromancers may trap the souls of quite powerful and skilled deceased beings. These souls are good for at least a dozen novice spells, half as many third level spells, and for one or two fourth level castings.
At this stage, a necromancer has the option to create reanimations that are about as physically capable as the bodies that the necromancer binds them to. These zombies and reanimations can persist for months at a time.
Beginning at this level of skill, necromancers may subjugate ghosts and moderately powerful demons and bind the wills of these beings with their mana.
Level Five:
Necromancers may trap and control the souls of deceased gods and heroes. These souls are good for a great number of level four and below spells and a single master level spell.
Reanimations that these necromancers create can last for hundreds of years. Necromancers may also now mix and match the souls of their victims, taking select pieces of one soul or another and metaphysically grafting its abilities and skills onto others -- a necromancer must be careful in creating a piecemeal soul that is more capable than themselves, however, as these types of frankenstein reanimations are known to sometimes turn on their masters.
If a necromancer desires, he may now store innumerable souls within his own body, rather than within items or jewels. This includes the souls of any demons that he has managed to catch unaware -- note that most necromancers are likely going to have to use the power of other trapped souls to bind and contain the soul of anything more than a moderately powerful demon, the same also goes for the other powerful creatures such as the aforementioned gods and heroes.
Master necromancers can be among the most dangerous beings in the world, providing they've had a chance to subjugate enough souls, as they could have potentially limitless numbers of spirts within their bodies to use as fuel for spell casting -- or as an army of ghosts/potential zombies that they can release to assail others, or to bind to corpses on command.
The only danger of holding a great number of souls within one's own body is that more powerful creatures can attempt to exert their own subtle control over the thoughts and will of a wizard -- leading to necromancers having to be constantly aware of the line between their own feelings and thoughts and the possibly dangerous emotional prods and whisperings of any souls that they're carrying in their physical forms.
RESTORATION
To heal what is injured, to restore what is taken. This is the path of a healer.
Note: When a player is injured subtract one level of skill when they're trying to heal themselves.
Level One:
May heal minor headaches, contusions, cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
Level Two:
May heal major headaches, bruises, and minor illnesses.
Level Three:
May heal moderately dangerous illnesses or moderately bad puncture or slash wounds.
Level Four:
May heal even magical illnesses and all but the most absolutely fatal wounds.
Level Five:
May cure blindness or bring those who have recently died back to life. They may even attach wandering souls to empty bodies.
ENCHANTING
To impart power to the mundane and to bend the perception of what is possible. This is the domain of the enchanter. Enchanters require labs and costly reagents to create their items.
Level One:
May imbue temporary and moderately interesting powers onto inanimate items. There's a high chance of an item not working as intended. Level one items cost five hundred gold to create.
Level Two:
May imbue weak enchantments onto inanimate items that may or may not work. Moderate chance of an item not working as intended. Level two items cost two thousand gold to create.
Level Three:
May imbue moderately strong enchantments onto inanimate items that will usually work as intended. The stronger the item the more likely it will act oddly. Level three items cost five thousand gold to create.
Level Four:
May imbue powerful enchantments onto inanimate items that will almost always work as intended. Level four items cost thirty thousand gold to create.
Level Five:
May imbue powerful enchantments onto inanimate items that will always work. With the right power sources, a master enchanter can create artifacts of staggering power. Level five items are going to cost 50,000+ gold to create and require moderator permission.
ELEMENTAL
To be able to call forth flames of destruction or waters of life. These are the powers that dance across the fingertips of an elementalist.
Level One:
You may create very minuscule quantities of the elements. You have no control over what you create after you call it into being. You may light a campfire at this stage or create a shower of sparks.
Level Two:
You may create somewhat small quantities of the elements. You may hold and suspend your elements in place in the air or on objects, but lack fine control over their movement. A small and momentary burst of moderately damaging flames is now within your grasp.
Level Three:
You may create moderate quantities of the elements. You may throw and move the elements that you create around with moderate force. A fireball that will do real and substantial damage to, but that will probably not kill in one go, another person is now within your grasp.
Level Four:
You may create large quantities of the elements. You may throw and move the elements that you create around with great force and finely tuned precision. A large and consuming wave of fire that will almost instantly sear through a layman upon contact is now within your grasp.
Level Five:
Fire, wind, water, earth, ice, dust, lightning, magma, and more -- it is all your's to create. You may now summon massive storms of the elements that you can control down to the smallest increments and degrees.
PROJECTION
To extend the reach of the mind. This is the realm of a projectionist.
Level One:
Beginner projectionists may project their voices into the minds of very weak-willed or willing creatures. This is an extremely taxing and tiring process.
Level Two:
Projectionists may now project images and their voices into the minds of weak-willed creatures and willing creatures. Mental projection becomes a bit easier for second level mages.
Level Three:
Projectionists may now project their astral bodies from out of their physical forms. Astral bodies are immune to the restrictions of gravity, solid matter, physical needs, temperature, etc, and can not interact with the physical world.
Astral bodies are invisible to all but those who can see ghosts and spirits; however, projectionists are able to make themselves visible to those who do not resist seeing them, or to those who only possess moderately strong wills. Note that astral bodies can indeed be captured by necromancers and can only be touched by magic and mystical objects and creatures.
Level Four:
Projectionists may now project thoughts, memories, and images into the minds of even strong-willed creatures; however, those with strong mental constitutions will be able to resist the images and to fight off the projector's mind given time.
Projectionists may now enter the dreams of sleeping or unconscious individuals and can take complete control over the dreams.
Wizards are now capable of changing the shape and appearance of their astral bodies at will, when projecting.
Level Five:
Projectionists may now create illusions that appear to manifest in the real world that can be all but indistinguishable from reality. Only ascended and supremely strong-willed beings, or those possessing certain magical artifacts will be able to see through these fake images. In these illusions, fire will feel hot and will cause pain, ice will feel frigid, hunger may be imitated, and all manners of physical, visual, and sensory sensations may be faked.
It's important to note that illusions cannot truly affect the physical world, but that they merely seem real to those experiencing them but are far from real, physical things.
The stronger an illusion is or the longer it lasts, the more mana it will cost, costing more and more as time passes by.
SHAMANISM
To befriend the elements and the spirits of nature. This is the domain of the shamans. Shamans must cultivate relationships with the elements and can lose the favor of any, all, or none of them.
Shamans do not have to use any of their own mana when calling forth the elements, as it is the elements themselves that are working to aid them. However, if a shaman asks too much too soon they risk insulting the very conservative and respect-demanding spirits of nature.
The elements will very seldom do anything that does not benefit the maintenance of the balance of their domain or the furtherance of their own spheres of influence, although they are by their natures often amoral. That said, the elements have been known to grant favors to shamans that have helped them in the past or who are working towards goals that are line with the natural balance of things.
It is important to note that there are lesser and greater elemental spirits. Different spirits hold dominion over the various localities of the world and have different spheres of power. A beginning shaman will not even be looked at twice by a greater elemental spirit, but a lesser spirit may indeed head their call.
Level One:
You learn the language of the elements and may request things such as gentle breezes. You will have to do some convincing oftentimes, however. Only the lowliest of spirits will reply to your calls.
Level Two:
The elements, in general, are more likely to respond to your calls, as long as you act with respect, as they see you as an initiate in the craft. You may request things such as light drizzlings of rain. Stronger, but still relatively weak, spirits will respond to your calls.
Level Three:
At this point, the elements are beginning to see you as one of their acolytes. The wind will occasionally warn you of distant dangers, or the earth may mention that there is some obstruction coming up that is likely to trip you. You may request nourishing storms or the enrichment of the soil at this stage. Sub averagely powerful spirits will respond to your call.
Level Four:
One or more of the elements now respect you. You may request things such as breezes strong enough to knock a man down. Moderately powerful spirits will respond to your calls.
Level Five:
The elements see you as one of their own. You may request the summoning of tsunamis, hurricanes, or even great spouts of fire. At this point, the lesser elementals may do things that they normally would not, trusting your judgment or wishing to curry your favor. At this point, you may broker deals with elemental lords who are known to care much less about the balance of nature and more about the advancement of their own power.
SPIRITISM
To co-exist with the beings who exist on the edge of the veil. This is the domain of the spiritist.
Level One:
Spiritists may see the spirits of the dead and may call willing spirits from beyond the veil into their presence. From here, spiritists can negotiate with the passed for favors. Spiritists may now touch ghosts.
Level Two:
Spiritists may channel the strength of the willing dead, raising any one of their skill attributes by one for a very short time and in exchange for sizeable mental or physical fatigue, providing said spirit or spirits that they're calling upon was versed in the desired skill. The spirits do not need to be present in the area, but spiritists will feel their touch and blessings from afar.
Spiritists can now create mostly unseen magical wards that are capable of keeping out weak spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Three:
Spiritists may now raise up to two skills by two points when channeling a spirit. Spiritists tire less quickly when channeling spirits.
Third level spiritists can infuse their mana into objects, allowing said items to touch ghosts and other ethereal beings for a short time.
Spiritists can now create wards that keep out moderately powerful spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Four:
Spiritists may now raise up to three skills by three points when channeling a spirit. Spiritists may also now share their mana with spirits to allow them to materialize on the physical plane to aid them -- the stronger the spirit the greater the drain on the wizard to empower him or her.
Spiritists can now create wards that keep out powerful spirits and other ethereal beings.
Level Five:
Spiritists may now permanently merge their souls with that of willing spirits, becoming a completely new being.
Spiritists can now create wards that would give even extremely powerful ethereal entities pause.
DRUIDISM
Power over life, the power to give life. This is the domain of the forest walkers of the world.
Level One:
Low-level druids are beginning to understand how to form a telepathic link between themselves and the animals and plant life of Marea. They can only understand the very basics of what the creatures of the world are communicating, however.
Level Two:
Druids begin to mostly understand the words of the natural world. They may now request that animals do things for them; however, this will hardly ever work unless said requested action benefits said animal -- or if the animal is a friend of the druid.
Level Three:
Druids fully understand the language of the natural world. They may now request that plants do things for them, but -- again -- plants will often only act if the requested action benefits them.
At this stage, druids may form a telepathic connection with a singular companion animal. This connection binds together the spirits of the druid and the animal, allowing each to share their innate skills and abilities. For example, a wolf will gain an intellect that is distinct from but of a similar caliber as their bonded druid. Conversely, said wolf's druid will gain the sense of smell, the predatory instincts, and the superior physical endurance of the wolf. Keep in mind that these shared traits must be physically viable -- a druid bonded to an owl will not be able to fly merely because of the bond.
In order to bond with an animal, druids must find a willing creature that is perfectly compatible with their own soul.
Level Four:
Druids now radiate an aura that is respected by the natural world. The wilds and animals often respond to their calls without question. At this point, a druid may share their mana with their animal companion and allow them to become dire-sized creatures that are up to three times larger, faster, and stronger than they were prior. Druids may also share their mana with the plants of the world to allow them to bloom, grow, and move in peculiar ways when the druid requires it.
Level Five:
The wilds respond to the druid as if he or she is a most cherished friend. Druids are now able to shapeshift their bodies into either naturally sized or dire sized creatures. Additionally, they may transfer their minds into the bodies of willing animals and control said animals for a time, leaving their own bodies limp and unmoving during the transfer.