Magic

Magic

Strictly speaking, everything in the world of Renewal is made of, and governed by, magic – but the term “magic” generally refers to the active, deliberate use of esoteric power, eschewing mundane methods to directly affect the fabric of reality. As such, magic is a function of will shaped by belief, and every magician practices magic in their own way.

There are four main categories of magical workings.

• Spellcasting: Spell magic is the most common form of magical power. Spells are short-lived, close-range magics produced by the will of the caster, with consistent and reliable effects; rites are longer-lasting, more powerful effects, requiring preparation of a special space and consuming certain materials. Most spells and rites are defined by sphere based on the class of things it affects; all spells have a level (lesser, greater or exalted) indicating their general power.

• Conjunctional Magics: Conjunctional magics are special spellcasting disciplines drawing on the supernatural planes, the esoteric worlds of constructs, demons and undead, among stranger things. Like spellcasting skills, conjunctional magic grants both spells and rites. Learning each of these skills requires knowledge of a combination of lesser spheres, and grants a mix of greater spells in those spheres. They also grant power over the denizens of those planes—initially to destroy, trap or control them.

• Invocation: The creation and investment of mystically charged items – scrolls, wands, amulets and other objects of power – is the preserve of the Invocation skill. The defining feature is the creation of charged items, which can be used a limited number of times before being destroyed.

• Ritual Magic: Drawing on the raw, powerful magic of the ley lines, Ritual Magic can achieve almost anything – popular uses are to enhance people as Special Characters, enchant items with continuous or daily powers or to alter the world in some way. Rituals are long rites requiring a group of magicians working together in a place of power, generally a Ritual Circle.

All four paths offer deeper secrets, for those with the patience to explore them: spellcasters explore the extraordinary powers of sorcery, while conjunctional magicians delve into summoning and binding supernatural creatures and items, and invokers unlock the mysteries of sigils. Ritualists learn to make greater or more flexible use of ritual circles – or of the leylines that fuel them – or can eschew the circle altogether to make use of holy shrines, trees of life and other places of power.

Magical Method

How magic works is a discoverable part of the Renewal setting, but how it’s done is as varied as magicians themselves.

One magician might be a bookish academic, who forms their magic through sacred geometries and astrological correspondences; another might be a fervent mystic, pleading with the spirits to hear their entreaties. A pious priest might perform their magics as prayers, clutching the symbol of their faith; an ascetic might focus their will on their inner self, using meditation to unlock the powers within.

Mechanically, a character’s method has little effect on the game, but it can influence vocals and generate roleplay (especially when performing Rites), and will play a significant role in Research.

Magic Points

Most magical skills grant a number of Magic Points, which fuel their spells and rites: a character with one skill that uses Magic Points has a base of 10 points per day; someone with two skills has 15 points, and with three or more skills, 20 points per day. Characters with the Magician archetype can purchase additional Magic Points.

Magic Points are a literal reserve of power that the magician’s body absorbs from the world around them, and on which they draw for their spells. Various items, potions and other means exist in the game to replenish them, transfer them between people and vessels or store them.

Player spellcasters must have a visible means of tracking Magic Points, such as tearable cards or beads on a lace and keep it on their person at all time.

Spellcasting

Spells are simple, reliable incantations – taking only a few seconds to perform – that can be used at any time and place and with no preparation, requiring only Magic Points to fuel them.

The various Corporeal, Elemental and Spiritual Spellcasting, Demonology, Necromancy and Thaumaturgy skills all provide knowledge of many spells. Many spellcasting skills also include knowledge of several Rites.

The Spheres

The three spellcasting skills are based on the three spheres of influence.

• Corporeal: Corporeal spells and rites affect the bodies of living and unliving creatures, healing their injuries, boosting or undermining their health or affecting the functions of the limbs, senses and organs.

• Elemental: Elemental spells and rites alter the properties of matter and the forces of the natural world, burning, breaking, mending or transforming objects, or inciting or hindering movement.

• Spiritual:. Spiritual spells and rites wield the esoteric powers of the mind and soul, influencing thoughts, feelings and actions, interacting with the world of the unseen, or appealing to the fickle powers of destiny.

A handful of fundamental spells either transcend these boundaries or relate to magic itself. They are independent of these spheres – any spellcaster can learn or cast them.

Basic Spellcasting Rules

• The caster must be conscious to cast any spell.

• A spellcaster may not cast exalted spells in any armour, greater spells in medium armour, or any spells in heavy armour, without a special ability to do so.

• The caster must be able to see or perceive their target (either mundanely or via spells such as Detect Spirits), who must be within range.

• They must express their intent via the spell’s vocal component – and if casting a combat spell, they must conclude the vocals with the appropriate call given in the spell description.

• The caster must complete the vocals to cast the spell; if the caster stops or falters, or is incapacitated, the spell does not occur.

• The caster must clearly indicate their target, by pointing and if necessary by spoken description (e.g. “The person in the red tabard!”) or name if known.

• The effects of the spell occur immediately after the vocals are completed, unless specified otherwise in the spell description. One common exception is offensive touch spells.

• Every spell has a cost in Magic Points. The caster must track the expenditure as soon as practical after casting the spell, ideally within sight of the attending referee.

Touch Spells

Offensive touch spells (i.e. combat spells with a range of touch) such as Wounding and Paralysis are a general exception to the rule that spells occur at the end of the vocals.

On completing the vocals of such a spell, the caster may “hold” the spell in their hand for up to fifteen seconds, to get into position to deliver the attack. They complete the spell by touching their target, accompanied with the spell’s call. If the caster does not deliver the effect within those fifteen seconds, the spell is wasted (along with the magic points).

Touch spells may be countered at any point in the window between the vocals and the call, as well as immediately after the call.

Creature vs. Object

Some spells target creatures, some target objects, some both; and some have different effects depending on whether the target is a creature or an object.

A creature is any living or unliving being (including supernatural beings such as demons, undead and constructs), while an object is any inanimate thing. For simplicity’s sake, assume anything represented in the game by a person (whether a player or a member of crew) and moving around is a creature.

Once a creature has been killed or destroyed, its remains become an object.

Default Limitations

Every spell has specific limitations: maximum effective range and duration, maximum size of target, etc. These limitations are listed with each spell description, but with specified exceptions, most spells conform to the following.

Spell Level	Lesser	Greater	Exalted
Range	30ft/10m	30ft/10m	60ft/20m
Duration	30 seconds	30 seconds	1 minute
Size	One handed weapon, shield (any size) or the armour on a single location	One handed weapon, shield (any size) or the armour on a single location	person sized object or full suit of armour

Note: Objects made up of smaller parts, but generally treated as a single whole (e.g. as a chain shirt is made of links, or an axe is made of a striking head and a shaft) are treated as one object for the purpose of size limitations; in objects consisting of multiple separate or easily removable parts (e.g. as an alchemy laboratory consists of mortar and pestle, flasks and alembics, etc.), the parts are treated as separate objects. Please apply common sense, or ask for a referee ruling in cases where you are uncertain.

By default, any enchanted item (including an item temporarily enchanted by e.g. the spell Elemental Weapon) is immune to lesser and greater spells that directly affect them, i.e. by damaging, transforming or enhancing them. Cold iron items are immune even to exalted spells.

Armour and Default Mass

Armour is a special case of the default mass rule: a full suit of armour is treated as both one person-sized object and six location-sized objects for spellcasting purposes, regardless of how many parts it’s actually made of.

Vocal Component

A spell’s vocal component (or vocals) must be clearly spoken out loud. Ideally the target should hear it, with the exception of delayed spells or covert spellcasting.

Every spell description includes a recommended vocal component, but individual casters may alter these words, or replace them with other wording altogether, provided they meet these requirements.

• Power: More powerful spells must begin with an indicator of the spell’s power, i.e. greater spells open with the words “By my power” and exalted spells with the words “By my exalted might.”

• Sphere: Spells must begin with an indicator of their sphere, i.e. corporeal spells should call on “Life,” elemental spells should address “the Elements” and spiritual spells should appeal to “the Spirits.” Conjunctional magic spells should mention both relevant spheres.

• Length: A spell’s vocal component should take about 3 seconds to recite.

• Effect: Spells should conclude with the name of the spell; combat spells specifically must end with the spell’s call.

Example: Hilda Stormcrow, a worshipper of Odin, casts the spell Elemental Bolt with the vocals “By my power and the power of the Elements, I call on Odin Glad-of-War to burn thee – Elemental Bolt.”

Covert Spellcasting

It is possible to cast a spell covertly, speaking the vocal component of the spell too quietly for the target to hear. All limitations (i.e. range, mass etc.) still apply, and the caster must still speak audibly, if softly. The caster will need to alert a referee of their intention to cast covertly, and cast the spell within the referee’s hearing. The referee will then inform the target of the spell’s casting and effects.

The target is aware that a spell has been cast on them, and may resist or counter it if they are able to do so, but they do not know where the spell came from.

Sorcery

At higher levels of skill, spellcasters start to become attuned to the spheres of magic they wield, moving beyond simply casting spells and rites to channeling power directly through their bodies. Known as sorcery, these gifts include special defences and extraordinary feats.

• Corporeal Sorcery: Corporeal sorcerers draw on the Fountain of Life to speed up their own body’s healing, shrug off diseases and poisons or harden their body against lethal attacks.

• Elemental Sorcery: The gifts available to elemental sorcerers draw on individual elements: Air to grant free movement, Earth to make them immovable, Water to transform things in their hands and Fire to channel spells through their weapons.

• Spiritual Sorcery: Spiritual sorcerers can shield their minds from influence, tap into the web of fate to make themselves fortunate, or call to the spirits for inspiration or guidance.

Sorcery abilities are bought as skills, through experience or training; all sorcery skills have the corresponding Greater Spellcasting skill as a prerequisite. All spells are listed in the Spell List. Research can unlock new and different abilities.