Spells

The world of Crusaders is filled with magic. Almost anyone can use this magic to a certain extent. A character with an AFF score of at least 2 can cast spells, however; characters are limited to the spells they can cast based on their magic ranks and AFF. A character can learn from various schools of magic, and gain ranks, up to his score in AFF, in each one.

Casting: In order to cast a spell, the caster must have a free hand. The number of spells he can cast a turn is limited to how many hands he has free. Some weapons, called channeling weapons, will allow the caster to cast as if he had one or both hands free. Under normal circumstances, a caster will never fail to cast a spell. However, if he is attacking an opponent, they may attempt to dodge, block, or even parry it; depending on the spell's nature. As a general rule, projectile spells can be dodged or blocked, but not parried.

Advanced Casting: A caster may attempt to cast a spell with added effect. This effect ranges from added damage to additional attributes, depending on the spell. When deciding to cast an advanced version of a spell, the caster must decide how potent he wishes to make the spell. The potentency of his spell, in points, cannot exceed his level in the rank of magic he is casting. Refer to each spell for a list of what each point of potency does. However, when a character casts an advanced spell, there is a chance the spell will recoil. When casting an advanced spell, an additional roll must be made to see if the spell succeeds. The character rolls 1d10 and adds his affinity score as well as his spell rank (in the school of magic he is attempting to cast) to the roll. That roll must beat 15, plus 1, for each point of potency he has decided on.

Choosing A Spell: When a character gains his first rank in a discipline of magic, he chooses a spell from that school's spell list. He may purchase additional spells at a later time with experience.

Disciplines of Magic: There are six primary disciplines of magic. These are Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Arcane. A character may only gain ranks in one of the primary schools All other forms of magic rely on one or more of the primary schools in order to function.



Fire Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Fire spells typically are destructive and deal high damage. Mages who wield fire magic are generally feared because of the damage they are known to inflict. Fire magic is often associated with uncontrollable temperments and bad attitudes.

Ignite
The ability to make fire out of thin air is the most basic for fire mages, as well as the most useful. The fire produced, for most purposes, functions as normal fire. It will not burn the caster's hand as long as he holds it, but once dropped, it will burn him as normal if he tries to pick it up. This fire can be held like a torch, to produce light, or thrown in an attempt to set distant objects on fire.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the heat and intensity of the fire produced. Failing to cast the advanced version deals 1 damage to the caster per point he has chosen to increase its effectiveness.

Combustion
The user may set alight any object he touches on fire. This fire is magical in nature; it produces heat and light, but does not consume fuel or spread. If the caster stops touching the object set aflame, the flames disappear. This can be cast on ones own armor or weapons. Weapons coated in flame grant the wielder +1 on his attack rolls.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the heat and intensity of the flames produced. This grants an additional +1 to the user's attack rolls on flame-coated weapons, per point of effectiveness he has chosen to increase it. Failing to cast the advanced spell engulfs the item in uncontrollable magic fire, destroying the item on a failed durability check and burning the caster for 1 point of damage per point of effectiveness.

Explosion
The caster focuses his energy, causing a small area of fire to erupt and explode violently. This causes 1 damage to everything within 5 feet of it, and may set them on fire. The caster may set a short delay of a few seconds on the eruption.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the range and damage of the explosion by 5 feet and 1 point of damage per point of effectiveness.

Fire Breath
The user breathes a stream of fire from his mouth, spitting flames up to 10 feet. This requires no words or movement, and can be done any time the user is conscious. This spell is considered feral magic.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the range and potency of the flame. The range increases by 5 feet per point of effectiveness, and increases damage done by 1 point. Failing the advanced spell causes 1d3 of internal burn damage to the caster, per point of effectiveness spent.

Smoke
 The caster spreads a dense fog around him that obscures vision and instills nausia.

Fire Weapon
The user may summon a whip or bow, made of fire. The weapon takes a full turn to materialize. The bow has it's own supply of magic fire arrows, materializing when the bow is drawn. The weapons disappear if dropped by the caster, or at the caster's will.

Advanced casting of this spell summons weapons of increased effectiveness, adding +1 to attack rolls made by them, per point of effectiveness. Failing to cast the advanced spell causes the weapon to explode as it forms, dealing 1 damage per point of effectiveness.

Wisp
The user summons a small non-sentient creatures of light. The wisp give off a bright glow, that can be used as a light sorce. Wisps are intangable, unless given the command to explode. Each wisp can be given a simple task, such as:

-Stand Guard: The wisp stays where it is until unsummoned. The caster is alerted if something comes within its light range.

-Follow Me: The wisp follows the caster at a directed distance, acting as a light source.

-Scout Ahead: The wisp meanders ahead, lighting the way, and alerting the caster if anything comes within its light range.

-Attack: The wisp flies toward its target at running speed, before exploding, dealing 1 point of non-lethal damage.

Advanced casting of the spell increases the amount of wisps the user can summon at once by 1 per point of effectiveness, and allows each wisp to follow more than one command at once. Failing to cast the advanced spell causes the newly formed  wisps to explode, dealing 1 point of non-lethal damage, per wisp.

Firewall
The caster throws up a wall of flame.

Lightning
The caster strikes a nearby target with lightning, dealing 2 points of damage to the target, and 1 to himself. If the target is standing near other sources of conductivity, the lightning forks to those targets, dealing 1 point to each of them.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the damage it does to the primary and secondary targets by 1, per point of effectiveness spent. If failed, the caster is inflicted with an equal amount of recoil damage.

Water Spells
Water magic is typically used for defensive and healing purposes. Water magic is enhanced when the caster can use water as a resource. Pure water can be created and used for later. Water magic also encompases the lesser schools of Ice, Mist, and Blood.

Cryokinesis
The user pulls moisture from the air to create a small object made out of ice. The object can be thrown as a small weapon, or used as a makeshift slashing weapon. The object formed as the durability of ice and will shatter if used to parry. This spell can also be used to freeze bodies of water at 5 square feet per round.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the size of the object created. Each point of effectiveness increases the total size of the object created by 1 square foot. The objects made can be in any shape, not necessarily cubicle. Failing to cast the spell deals 1 point of damage to the caster per point of effectiveness, in the form of frostburn.

Fog
The caster is adept at creating fog and shapes within it. This ability manifests in two primary ways. The first is the ability to create a cloud of thick, obscuring fog. The fog cloud takes up about ten cubic feet, and reduced all attacks and perception rolls by 1 for those within it. The other use of fog is creating small, illusary objects. These objects range in size, depending on the caster's wishes. Small objects appear almost as identicle to their real life counterparts, where as larger objects appear to be made of mist. The larger the object, the less defined shape it has.

Advanced casting of this spell can be used to increase the thickness and size of the fog cloud. Each point of effectivness increases the size of the fog by 5 cubic feet, and the perception and attack roll penalty by 1.

Aqua Aura
The caster surrounds himself in a thin 'bubble' of protective water. This decreases the effects of heat on the user. Under the effects of the aura, the caster's magic resistance increases by 5, but dissipates after resisting a spell.

Advanced casting of this spell increases the user's magic resistance by 1, per point of effectiveness. If the cast fails, the user does not suffer any negative effects, but the spell can not be cast again until after he rests.

Blood
The caster is able to control the blood in his target. He may inflict a series of torturing effects on his victim, such as causing the blood to rapidly heat or cool, or causing his target to spontaniously bleed. These effects are limited and often non-lethal, dealing 2 points of non-lethal damage every time they are used. A caster may also attempt to force a victim to perform a task, by taking control of his body. The victim rolls to resist the spell each turn, while this is in effect and the victim is conscious. Any movements while under the effect are done at a crawling pace, if the victim is conscious and struggling.

Advanced casting of the spell deals lethal damage instead, at a rate of 1 per point of effectiveness. Failing to cast the spell causes equal damage to the caster.

Crystal Ice
Much like the sublimate spell, the caster creates a small object out of ice. However, this ice is magical in nature and is as strong as steel. The object can be used as a weapon or armor. However, keeping the items materialized strains the caster greatly, and he cannot cast any other spells while maintaining the crystal ice. If a weapon is created, it is suitably fit for the caster, and grants +1 on attacks.

Advanced casting of the spell allows the user to create additional objects, each, each one about a square foot in size. These can be used as additional pieces of armor or weapons; or together to form larger objects. Failing to cast the spell deals 1 point of damage to the caster per point of effectiveness in the form of crystalization. This damage counts as a critical injury, and cannot be healed by normal means.

Purify Water
The caster concentrates, purifying water at the rate of about one cup per round. This removes all toxins from the water, making it clean to drink. The water is also infused with a slight magical quality. If imbibed, the water quenches thirst for an entire day, as well as counts as a source of healing for that day. Purifying water drains the caster of energy quickly, and he can only create 'doses' up to his rank in affinity, until he rests. Pure water also adds to the effects of many potions. There is no advanced casting for this spell.

Fluidity
The caster's body becomes like water, increasing his ability to evade attacks.

Wind Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Wind  magic focuses on fast casts and speed. It causes minimal damage but useful for various kinds of enhancement.

Resonate
The caster causes an object to vibrate at just the right rate, destabalizing it and causing it to crumble.

Push
The caster uses an abnormally gust of wind to move a distant object.

Speed
The caster rides along with the wind, increasing his movement speed.

Voice
The user is able to project his voice with booming authority, making himself heard from a long distance away. Even a simle cast of this spell allows the user's voice to be heard for about 1000 feet.

Advanced casting of this spell can cause noise so loud that it deafens and stuns those near the caster. Those effected by the voice must pass a d10 check versus their own perception score, plus 1 for each point of effectiveness. Failing the test causes anyone within range to be deafened for rounds equal to your ranks in wind magic, giving them -2 on all perception and attack rolls. Recoil from this spell causes the user to pass a test or succumb to the effects of his own spell.

Storm
The caster uses currents in the air to push a storm over his location.

Lash
The user strikes an enemy with a tendril of harsh, stinging wind.

Earth Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Earth magic consisters of a variety of different themes of spells, including healing, enhancement, and some strong damage. It encomposes the lesser schools of Sand, Rock, and Nature.

Transfer Energy
The caster can pull life energy from one being into another, healing wounds or inversely draining life force.

Stone Body
The caster hardens his skin, granting himself a bonus to natural armor.

Poison
The caster's very touch becomes poison.

Plant Control
The caster gains control over plants, causing them to bend and move to his will. He may also increase or lower the plants density, raising or lowering its resilience temporarily.

Erode
The caster's touch turns rock to dust.

Tectonics
The caster is capable of pulling slabs of rock from the earth, forming a barrier.

Light Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Light Magic is a result of one’s ability to tap into the ‘unseverable bond’ that connects all souled-creatures. It allows one to ‘reject’ occurrences that inhibit life, such as a bleeding artery or a crippling poison. Essentially light magic heals wounds, returning injuries to a state before they were opened. This ability stems from the power of the Alkire, which some believe to be gods; therefor it is commonly known as ‘holy magic’.

Healing
The caster stops bleeding and closes wounds with his touch, though it takes time.

Smite
The caster interupts the flow of magic within his target, dealing effects and damage based on the target's affinity score.

Light
The caster eminates light from their body.

Morale Boost (name pending)
The caster uplifts the spirits of his allies, granting them a bonus to morale rolls.

Shadow Ward
The overbearing power of the Alkire is the one piercing weakness of the creatures that life in the shadows.

Wings of the Alkire
The feathered wings of light appear on the caster, granting them the ability to fly

Cleanse
The caster cleanses allies of poisons and other afflictions.

Arcane Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Arcane magic requires materials and time to prepare. Teleportation, invisibility, and runes, are all themes of Arcane Magic. Runes are symbols that invoke power, and must be drawn using a medium; usually in the form of chalk or paint. The medium is magical in nature, and acts as a conduit for the spell instead of the caster. This means that failing to cast an arcane spell will never harm the caster, instead only wasting materials used. Mediums range in quality and effectiveness. The most effective medium known is dragon’s blood; but it is the hardest to obtain. An arcane mage may attempt to invoke the effects of a rune he does not know, but results may vary.

Spell Books: A common way to prepare arcane spells ahead of time is by drawing their associated runes on peices of paper. These papers can be bound together like a book, and individual pages can be torn out to be used as necessary.

Summoning
The user calls upon the power of an ally who has previously exchanged summoning signs with.

Wards
The caster draws a rune that invoke fear in certain creatures.

Constructs
The caster brings to life a construct made from various materials.

Transdimensionalism
The caster drawns runes at two locations and can teleport between them.

Power Seals
The caster draws a rune that acts like a trap, weakening or snaring creatures that touch it.

Invisibility
The caster draws a rune that makes whoever touches it appear invisible.

Shadow Spells (INCOMPLETE)
Shadow Mages are creatures who have been tainted by exploration into the shadow realm. In order to become a Shadow Mage, special requirements must be met. Shadow magic revolves around use of the void realm, including time manipulation. A mage cannot gain ranks in shadow magic, but may learn shadow spells once he meets the requirements of a shadow mage. Shadow mages, despite the name, aren’t necessarily evil. Its true that most do it out of lust for power, but some do it out of necessity, such as the shadow dragons. Some feel naturally drawn to the shadows as they mature in their magical ability.

Becomming a Shadow Mage: It is common knowledge that those who meet with the shadows are often taken by them. The ones who don't are left with great power. In order to find those shadows, a character must come upon a dimensional rift that leads to the shadow realm, or a shadow mage capable of opening the gateway. Once inside, a character's mind, body, and soul will be tested. If the turbulent power of the void is not tamed, the character will be consumed and lost forever.

Vision
The caster can see in the dark as though it was day.

Regeneration
The user rapidly heals from wounds while in the shadow realm.

Darkness
The caster forms a field of darkness around him, obscuring vision and sound.

Gate
The caster summons a gate that leads to the shadow realm.

Necromancy
The shadow mage calls upon a spirit of the void to inhabit a body, giving it intelligence and ability to perform advanced tasks.

Invasion
The caster invades the dreams of those he touches, sending them messages or perhaps instilling subconscious fears.

Black Fire
The caster inflicts unquenchable fire on his target. Burns caused by this fire cannot heal by normal means.