Magic

Magic in Legend of the Bones is rare, difficult to master, and dangerous.  Mages are rare, and as such held in awe and revulsion in equal measure.  

On average, mages make up just 0.01% of the population

There are 3 disciplines of magic, and whilst there is some overlap, in the spell lists, the disciplines are distinct. 

Hedge Magic is the discipline attuned to the natural world.  It is linked to the folk belief known as ‘The Old Ways’ and is practised extensively in cultures considered pagans by followers of The Nine.  Mages practicing this sphere of magic could be seen similarly as the legendary mage-like figures from the iron-age British Isles. for example, Merlin, Nimue and Rhiannon.

Arcane Magic is the broadest discipline and is practised by magic users of all dispositions.  Arcane mages are focused on pushing the boundaries of what the sentient mind can achieve.

Sorcery is chiefly concerned with dark, malevolent magic, and is often practised by those seeking power over demons and the dead. Sometimes known as Demonologists, Necromancers or most commonly Sorcerers; these dark mages seek to harness forbidden, malevolent knowledge  in order to grow their own personal power.

Magic users can draw magic from more than one discipline, but the wielding of Hedge Magic is incompatible with Sorcery, and vice-versa, and a mage must permanently  relinquish all spells unique to one, in order to learn spell from the other.

The following rules apply to mages:

• Ostentatious Mages suffer a -2 to any reactions with non-Mages

• Mages wearing any type of armour cannot cast spells

• There is no restriction on weapons a mage can use, but tradition dictates that blades longer than daggers are not used.

• There is no Detect Magic spell, all mages have an innate ability to sense magic, although the specific powers cannot be determined

• There is no Read Magic spell, all mages have the ability to read magical runes

• Spells can only be memorised after at least 6 hours sleep

• In order to cast a spell, a successful Intelligence check must be made.  This reflects the need to invoke the correct words and gestures.

• A roll of Nat 1 results in the spell overcharging as the Mage channels raw magical power (roll on Overcharge table).

• A roll of Nat 20 results in a miscast (roll on the miscast table)

House rules for Bards and Bardic magic can be found here

Spell Miscast/Overcharge Table

Roll 1D6	Miscast	Overcharge
1	Half the effect (e.g. duration, damage, area of effect)	Double the effect (e.g. duration, damage, area of effect)
2	The target or effect is reversed (e.g. affects the caster, benefits a foe)	The caster’s mind is flooded with inspiration and the ability to cast 1 random spell of the same level enters their mind for 1 day.
3	Spell affects a random person or object	Spell affect multiple targets as determined by the mage
4	1 random non-living object in 10 yard radius of the caster instantly disintegrates	1 random non-living, non-magic object in 10 yard radius of the caster instantly duplicates
5	The caster mind becomes blocked to the magic for the spell which cannot rememorized for 1D4 days	The spell does not leave the caster’s memory and can be cast once more that day.
6	Caster suffers 1D4 hit points of damage per spell level as the spell backfires sending uncontrolled raw magic through the caster’s body	Roll again but in addition, the caster suffers 1D4 hit points of damage per spell level as the spell overcharges, sending uncontrolled raw magic through the caster’s body

Spells Lists & New Spell Descriptions 

Hegde Magic

Arcane Magic

Sorcery

Bardic Magic

New Spell Descriptions

Ritual Magic

Ritual magic allows the mage to channel far more power than that which can be achieved by a spell..  Magic Users level 7 and greater may attempt to perform a ritual.

 

A ritual requires the correct materials, and an accurately drawn Pentagram to protect the caster.  Attempting a ritual without a Pentagram results in the results in a catastrophic miscast.  A ritual takes 1 hour per level of the ritual., so a Level 6 ritual will take the mage 6 hours to perform, an required a successful intelligence check every hour.  Any failed check will require the ritual is re-started. 

 

A roll of Nat 1 reduces the ritual time by 1 hour.  A roll of Nat 20 results in the ritual going catastrophically wrong, the specific consequences should be determined by the referee.

 Example Rituals include:

• Summon a being from a different plane e.g. Demon, Elemental, Spirit
• Enchant / Disenchant an Object
• Cast a spell that lasts permanently e.g. Seal