Supernaturalism

Not all is as it seems in the world…a strange force lurks beneath the veneer of normal society, one which struggles to co-exist side by side with technology. This force of both the natural and unnatural worlds is known as 'the supernatural', and covers different classes of supernatural phenomena, but most of the time is dealing with the manifestation of supernatural aspects in people.


The Knowledge of Magic

A strange and not very well understood 'power' which manifests itself for a lucky few, magic is inherited by blood and is often referred to as "The Spark", with the "Spark" being referenced being one's soul. When one is able to see spirits and souls, they see the soul of one with "The Spark" as a 'flame' crackling with electric bands which surround the core of the soul like the rings on a planet. These electric bands spark and release energy in rapid succession whenever utilizing magic, and the flame roaring like a mass of fuel had been added to it.

Not all characters with "The Spark" are spellcasters, however most who learn that they have this unique power soon begin learning some small powers on their own without any formal training. Those who have "The Spark" but refuse to use it are rare, however some governments and religious groups restrict it while others set up unique military programs for these potential soldiers.

Spark Madness

Spark Madness, the event horizon a magic user is subject to upon reaching a a certain level of power. Every magic user worth their salt must undergo the trials and tribulations. Some are content with their power, and stop there. Others wish to dig further. Those in the latter camp are at the risk of succumbing, succumbing to the madness therein. Every user of "The Spark" has this madness slowly brewing and breeding like a cancer within their head. But, feeding that cancer is what a mage does. Empowering it and emboldening it until it becomes an all-consuming parasite which feeds off of its host - the magic user. Those who choose to take the plunge may never find themselves to be the same again. Spark Madness typically means a cessation of all that is 'human' about yourself. Whether that be due to selfless or selfish means, it ultimately matters very little as the resulting "person" that comes out of it is often a deranged individual who (rightly) believes their quest for true power has only just begun. Unfortunately, it means that they are more and more likely to become like Icarus, and fly too close to the burning sun which grants them the very power they seek - like moths to an open flame.

What's left for the magic user…? Well, that's up to them. They're most certainly going to be on the path of simultaneously acquiring limitless power while also going on a path of self-destruction, however some more clever "Spark" users learn to slow their approach, learning gradually and attempting to harness what they learn before moving on. This is a fool's errand which only delays the inevitable, however it does mean that said individuals are likely more stable for longer, and that their fall won't be quick, but instead a slow and gradual decline until one major event becomes the straw to be break the camel's back and send them careening over the edge. Whether they actually live to see this day however, is another question…they may die before ever reaching one tenth of their potential power…but, that's the price to pay for the conservative and careful approach…

Embering

Magic users are capable straining their magical powers way beyond their own control, something which almost always, without fail, burns the user's magic out completely and cutting them off from their power due to the massive strain and energy intake. Magic users who lose their magical power are referred to as "Hollowed", and liken losing it to losing both arms and legs - a feeling of utter helplessness and an endless frustration from losing one of the core aspects of their being. To some, they believe it is a part of their soul missing which spurs this feeling.

Embering typically occurs when magic users attempt to pour more energy into a spell than they can manage, or through rapidly using magic with no regard for one's own safety. This both involve a character's Magic Reserves (MR) being depleted completely, and the magic user attempting to draw from it despite the lack of any MR available.

Hollowing

Hollowed magic users are so named due to the 'hollow' feeling that accompanies a loss of one's magic. Magic users who have hollowed are destined to die, as the effects of hollowing involve a complete and unbearable depression overtaking them, and a slow yet steady depersonalization similar to that of dementia where the magic user stops recognizing the complexities of magic despite still wishing to utilize it - performing the motions thoughtlessly and yearning for their older 'glory days' back - even though they've usually forgotten what this means by the time they've begun desiring for them to return.

In its first stage, Hollowed magic users feel empty and purposeless. No matter what they want or how hard they try, they will never fill the gap left behind by their magic being lost. Not even the most heartbreaking of divorces or worst of deaths are as devastatingly powerful as the loss of one's Spark. Tears are rarely shed, only the grim realization of what's to come, and the understanding that they've lost a piece of themselves they'll never get back. Individuals typically commit suicide before this stage progresses, as they know what's to come. Some however are too scared to bring themselves to kill themselves, instead suffering the next stage…

At the second stage, the Hollowed beings losing complex memories and thought patterns. Important memories are rendered a blurry and intangible mess in their head, while they are able to complete most basic tasks, however more complicated tasks take a lot of forethought and effort, more than reasonable. Unlike the first stage, the second stage sees their emotional state actually improving as they acquire a sense of nostalgia for their earlier years, having forgotten they were once able to utilize magic, but nonetheless feeling drawn to their 'former calling'. Magic users in this stage come to a point of hapless bliss in their situation in life, feeling no fear nor conflict over themselves and their past. If an individual is lucky, they could die within the second stage in a state of relative happiness, being unaware of the suffering about to occur.

At the third stage, the memories of the Hollowed become more blurred and erratic, tasks blend together in a smear as preparing a meal becomes similar in function and pattern to other unrelated tasks, and vice versa. Confusion sets in after a while, causing reading comprehension and math to become nothing more than mere suggestions, skills in those fields plummeting by the individual, followed by a powerful feeling of decay in their heart. They've become nothing more than a lowlife animal, of beast who was defanged and declawed, now forced to coexist in a society which doesn't understand their troubles.

During the fourth and final stage, the Hollowed succumb completely to the horrors and depression. Being riddled with an advanced form of dementia, depression, and a general sense of unease, those who don't commit suicide by this stage instead tend to die as their bodies begin shutting down on its own until eventually, even their heart stops beating.


Magic Rules

The following are mechanical rules associated with magic, which will be referenced in other areas of the magic page and on other pages where magic may come into play.

Mystic Reserves (MR)

A character's Mystic Reserves (abbreviated as MR) are the power source they draw upon when casting spells, sacrificing points from their MR in order to use spells they know. This is less a gauge on how much a character can use magic, and instead a gauge on how much a character can safely use magic. When exhausting their MR, a character can continue to spend points from it with the risk of Interference occurring steadily increasing.

A character's Mystic Reserve is determined when they first become a spellcaster (typically during character creation) and is equal to 1d4 + 1/2 the character's total level (minimum of 1).

Interference

When a character starts drawing in magic power in an unsafe manner, they increase the risk of what's known as Interference, a sign of the user's magic wavering and becoming more and more chaotic and less controlled, lending itself to some minor visual effects of the spell changing, all the way to more extreme circumstances such as a spell causing a massive explosion, or summoning horrors from the great beyond unintentionally.

Spellcasting Attribute

Every type of magic has its own Spellcasting Attribute, an attribute used by the character to empower and cast their spells. This attribute uses one of the character's main attributes as its "root", thus if the attribute is Intellect for example the character's Spellcasting Attribute when they first acquire magic is equal to their Intellect.

Target Number

A spell will typically list a target number, and some spells may include a target number in addition to the attack roll being made. If this is the case, the Target Number is the check made to cast the spell at all, whereas the attack roll is usually seeing if you will hit or successfully affect the target with the spell. Sometimes, failing to hit with a spell you've already successfully cast doesn't expend the spell, and instead the spell is still available to use and on your next turn you can attempt to attack with the spell again. Spells last for 1 round after they've been cast unless otherwise specified if they are retained on a miss. If you still have a spell retained after having missed, attacking on your next turn is a Major Action whereas you can instead dismiss the spell as a Free Action so you can cast a different spell instead.

If a spell mentions spending successes, successes can be spent from the spell's Target Number and attack roll if both are available.

Spell Actions

Spells are a Major Action unless otherwise specified. Some quicker spells are able to be cast as a Minor Action, and very rarely spells may be a Reaction to cast. Spells cannot be reduced in action type down to a Free Action, with the minimum action it can be reduced to is a Minor Action or a Reaction.


Magic Types

Different means of casting spells exist, with different schools of magic being the route to new spells and powers. These types determine their spell list available to them, as well as determining what their Spellcasting Attribute will be.

Arcana

Manipulation of the elements and the natural world around everyone, arcana is one of the most nebulous, ubiquitous, and potentially most destructive forms of magic. Often arcana is used as a supplement for firearms and the like, where a Spark user will use a burst of flame or throwing a sharp spindle of ice.

Spellcasting Attribute: Flux

Flux's origin attribute is Intellect or Intuition.

Miracles

Those who call upon their religious beliefs, ideological devotion, or merely the beliefs one holds in their heart. With strong enough conviction and access to the Spark comes the ability to become empowered by and utilize your faith.

Spellcasting Attribute: Faith

Faith's origin attribute is Drive or Intuition.

Preternaturalist

Magic which pertains to the mind, preternaturalism is not well understood due to its practitioners needing to have been born psychic to use it. This access to the deeper aspects of the mind increases the chance of one succumbing to madness by tenfold compared to any other individual…strangely enough, these mental illnesses only serve to strengthen their link to their magic, while at the same time weakening their bodies and ability to resist outside influences.

Spellcasting Attribute: Psionicism

Psionicism's origin attribute is Intellect or Drive.

Hexes

Commonly associated with the witches and crones of legend, hexes are a form of dark magic which uses malign forces to inhibit an individual in their efforts, be they physical or mental. Unlike other forms of dark magic however, hexes are not nearly as damning to the soul - at least compared to the likes of corruption magic.

Spellcasting Attribute: Blight

Hexes' origin attribute is Intellect or Charm.

Ki

Empowerment from both the body and the mind through rigorous training, typically leading to the user achieving a sort of peace known as reaching Nirvana. Ki is believed to be synonymous with one's own spiritual essence, with the stronger one's Ki is, the more indominable their spirit and force of will truly is.

Spellcasting Attribute: Harmony

Harmony's origin attribute is Drive or Intuition.

Corruption

Corruption is the desecration of the natural world, an action which is destructive to the world at large and to one's own soul. Those who specialize in corruption magic are truly not long for this world or the next, as the utilization of this - the darkest of dark magic - is equivalent to surrendering one's souls to the whims of forces beyond mortal understanding.

Spellcasting Attribute Damnation

Corruption's origin attribute is Vitality, Intellect, Drive, or Charm.

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