Being a Spellcaster

Arcane spellcasters are referred to in the world by many different terms, depending on their region, methodology, ethics, and whether or not they possess a bloodline. In Anuire, users of the arcane call themselves mages (singular mage or magus), magicians, or wizards. Brechts prefer the terms arcanist and evoker. Amongst the Rjurik tribes, hunters will often seek out a witch when they cannot find a druid. Khinasi sorcerers and theurgists can be found in the courts of almost every bey and emir across the desert. And in the steppes and wastelands of Vosgaard, savage warlocks can be found leading tribes of degenerate warriors on campaigns of bloody conquest.

Amongst the various faiths of Cerilia, the particular denomination and duty of the initiated faithful determines what they are called. Priests of the Cerilian gods may be referred to simply as "priest/priestess" or the more common term, "cleric". Those who follow older, more ancient faiths that revere nature as an entity are known as druids, common among both the Rjurik and sidhelien. The brutal beast races, everything from the feral subterranean kobolds to the towering orogs, follow prophets and shamans who claim to embody the will of savage gods.

Casting Spells

The act of casting a spell in Birthright is very similar to the performing of any other action, and the variety of spells you want your character to cast (arcane or divine) determines which Abilities you will want to prioritize during creation and experience expenditure. Arcane users will be most effective by keeping their Cunning, Will, and Wizardry Abilities high. Conversely, divine spellcasters prefer Endurance, Piety, and Will. These Ability configurations ensure that the spellcaster not only has a sizable pool of resources to power their magic, but also ensure that they can successfully channel the energies required should their raw skill not be enough.

There are many categories of spells that can be selected, but only the most powerful spellcasters have mastered them all. An arcane spellcaster may choose from amongst the arcane spheres to determine what manner of spellcasting they can do. Every arcanist may cast Thorns, and may pick a number of additional spheres based on their Wizardry score. Divine spellcasters are similar in that they choose from divine aspects, automatically gaining Orisons and choosing additional aspects based on their ranks of Piety.

Ultimately, though, what is the difference between an arcane and a divine caster?

Users of the arcane exhaust their willpower shaping and projecting the energy involved in casting spells. Their power comes from within, using their training and natural aptitude to fuel the forces necessary. Casting arcane spells is mentally exhausting, and too many spells cast in rapid succession will eventually begin to ravage the mage's body. In game terms, this means that failure to cast arcane spells enables the wizard to expend Composure to make up the difference. Once this pool is depleted, or if not enough Composure remains to fully power the failed spell being cast, Injuries begin to accrue, one for each spell cast beyond the threshold that requires a boost. If this becomes too much, the mage may begin to accept Wounds instead. It is possible, though of course ill-advised, to kill oneself casting arcane magic, but only a truly legendary willpower could keep a magician standing after a certain point.

Divine spellcasters, by contrast, gain their power from forces of the outer world. This can be the spirits of the natural order (in the case of druids) or the gods of Cerilia (for priests). The sacrifices of the divine caster are taken in the form of physical fatigue, and even spilling one's own blood as proof of faith and devotion. Mechanically, divine spells that do not succeed at their tests are fueled by Health, which leads to one of two methods of casting; a reserved, cautious style that allows the initiated to aid their allies in battle, and a more zealous, even frenzied cannibalization of the body in the name of one's faith, counting on allies to prevent the strain from stacking up with combat wounds. Experienced priests and druids tend to have many scars from times when simple fatigue was not enough to see them through a battle.

The Ability used to actually cast the spell at your target, where required, is Piety for divine casters and Wizardry for arcane casters. The basic difficulty is Challenging (9), but a caster may also augment the casting of their magic with Qualities. Each Quality of the spell increases the difficulty of casting it by 3. By default, every spell is considered to be cast at Close Range (duplicated below for ease of reference).

Close Range

Spells without another range delineation are considered Close Range. They have an effective range of 10 yards, meaning you can use them on targets within 10 yards at no penalty. You can cast the spell beyond this range, but you suffer -1D on the casting attempt for every 10 yards beyond this range the spell must reach. This goes for both offensive and defensive spells, as there are penalties for failing to cast higher complexity spells.

There are currently three spell Qualities.

Explosive

A spell with this quality spreads its effect over a larger area, including all targets that are adjacent (within five yards) to the primary one as designated during the casting of the spell. The test result made to cast the spell is applied to all targets within the area of effect to determine degrees of success. You cannot pick and choose which targets are affected; every viable target within the explosive radius is subject to the spell.

Long Range

This quality replaces the Close Range quality of the spell. The range of this spell is extended to 100 yards. For every additional 100 yards, the caster suffers a -1D penalty to the test made to cast the spell.

Vicious

Some spells are designed to kill messily. When you defeat a foe with a Vicious spell, the consequence of the defeat is always death unless they are able to burn a Destiny point to avoid such a grisly fate. Generally, only Wracks and Wraths can possess the Vicious quality. 

Arcane Spheres

Bane

These spells inhibit the functions of victims. When you cast the spell, you must select the Ability that is inhibited upon a successful cast. All tests the victim makes using the affected Ability suffer a penalty to their result equal to your Cunning until the effect of your spell is removed. A victim may attempt to will themselves free of the Bane as a Greater Action on their turn by making a Challenging (9) Will test.  Banes will automatically expire at the end of a scene.

Boon

The use of boons provides great power to their recipients, in the same vein as a Bane spell, but with reverse implications. A successfully-cast Boon spell affects a single Ability chosen by the caster at the time of spell creation, and increases that Ability's test results by the caster's Cunning for the duration of the scene.

Conjure

Only a disciplined (or mad) spellcaster attempts to bring creatures or objects from beyond into the world. These conjurations, be they of flesh or otherwise, appear seemingly from nowhere and do the bidding of their erstwhile masters for the duration of the scene. The caster chooses what is being summoned when the spell is created. They may not summon any creature whose highest Ability is greater than their Cunning. If summoning an object, it must be easily held by the conjurer. A magic-user may only have one conjuration effect in play at a time, and additional conjurations cause any existing conjuration to immediately end. As an example of creature summoning, a sorcerer with a Cunning of 5 can summon a dire wolf (whose highest Ability is 5).

Control

Sometimes, a magic-user does not wish to harm an opponent, or is unsure whether they can deal with them rapidly enough to negate any risk they pose to allies. A control spell exists to inhibit enemies through magical binding, preventing them from taking action until they either receive physical harm or are able to break free of the enchantment. The victim of a control spell suffers a penalty to Combat Defense equal to the caster's Cunning and is unable to take any action on their turn except a Lesser Action to get free. They must succeed at a Challenging Will test. If they succeed, they may take a second Lesser Action immediately, and act normally again on their next turn. The effect of control automatically fails if they suffer even a single point of damage.

Divination

The casting of a divination grants the magic-user insight into a previously unknown circumstance. At the creation of the spell, the player decides what form of divination the spell will take; possibilities include past events, other places, specific individuals, and more. Upon a successful casting of the spell, the magic-user may ask the Narrator a number of questions about the target of the divination equal to their Cunning. The answers are generally focused and specific, if short.

Force

There are times when a magic-user may require greater strength than they possess in order to impel an object or individual. Force spells allow the caster to manipulate objects at distance or break down obstacles. The power of a Force spell is significant, but not abrupt enough to cause physical harm. Upon a successful cast, the magic-user may lift and move objects whose weight does not exceed their Cunning multiplied by 100 in pounds. The object can be moved two yards per degree of success per turn while the spell remains in effect, which it does for the duration of a scene or until the caster ceases to concentrate upon it.

Mending

The humble Mending magic is used to restore vigor and mend wounds. The caster uses their Cunning multiplied by the degree of success to determine how much damage is recovered. A Great success can instead remove 1 Injury. An Incredible success can remove 2 Injuries or 1 Wound. An Astonishing success removes all Injuries and recovers all Health.

Subversion
Sometimes slaughtering your enemy is not desired or prudent. The subtle subversion spells can be utilized to break down an opponent’s mental defenses and make them pliable to suggestion and command. A Subversion spell does not attack Combat Defense as usual; instead, it uses the target’s Intrigue Defense. Damage taken affects the target’s Composure. Once the target reaches zero Composure, they immediately become neutral and non-hostile to the spellcaster only, in a sedate state. This effect is broken if the spellcaster or their allies attack the target, in which case they immediately become hostile and cannot be subverted a second time that scene.

Once a target is subverted, the options are many. A caster can attempt to convince the enemy to fight on their behalf, or give up vital information (usually through social tests, making this dangerous to try in the middle of a melee). The effect of subversion lasts until the end of the scene, and the target will always be aware that they were subverted unless the circumstances are very particular.

Thorns

There are some spells whose effects are just not covered under the purview of the other magics. These include spells that bind small animals to run messages or mend torn fabric and ragged blade edges. The only limit is the imagination of the player and the discretion of the Narrator in determining the exact effect and what degrees of success imply, but it is encouraged to consider the effect; if it seems like it could fit in one of the other categories, it should do so for purposes of numeric effects.

Wracks

Savage wracks are the destructive powers of all spellcasters. Using the elements or raw magical power, the magic-user blasts their foe with dolorous energy that has a single purpose; to kill quickly. These tests are made against Combat Defense. Damage is determined by the caster's Cunning multiplied by degree of success. Armor Rating is applied to absorb the damage inflicted by Wracks.

Divine Aspects

Afflictions

Generally the purview of dark priests who worship wicked gods, Afflictions can be used to infect victims with terrible diseases or plagues. Any disease can be used to wrack the body of the unbeliever with a Challenging (9) test, but if the caster wishes to use a terrible plague instead, the difficulty is increased to Formidable (12). Illnesses caused by Afflictions cause the victim to suffer the effects of illness immediately, and the illness persists until cured. 

Auguries

Even the wisest cannot know all outcomes. The devout may request insight from their patrons in the form of Auguries. A successful augury allows the divine spellcaster to ask a number of questions regarding the situation equal to their Will ranks. These are almost always skewed to the perception of the patron or their servants, and typically take the form of prophecies, visions, or riddles. As such, Auguries are often considered less focused than the comparable arcane Divinations. 

Blessings

A Blessing is different from a Boon in that the caster does not generally pick what Ability is being augmented. The divine servant bestows a blessing by indicating a certain action that the target should undertake ("May the gods bless our efforts to defeat this foe," is a good example). When undertaking the action declared by the caster upon successfully testing to cast the spell, the target gains up to the caster's Will in extra keep dice for whatever Ability they seek to use to carry out the demand before the end of the scene. You can elect to only use some of those dice and reserve the rest. The Blessing fades when all dice are used.

Indoctrination
Indoctrination spells can be utilized to break down an opponent’s mental defenses and make them pliable to suggestion and command. An Indoctrination spell does not attack Combat Defense as usual; instead, it uses the target’s Intrigue Defense. Damage taken affects the target’s Composure. Once the target reaches zero Composure, they immediately become neutral and non-hostile to the spellcaster only, in a sedate state. This effect is broken if the spellcaster or their allies attack the target, in which case they immediately become hostile and cannot be indoctrinated a second time that scene.

Once a target is indoctrinated, the options are many. A caster can attempt to convince the enemy to fight on their behalf, or give up vital information (usually through social tests, making this dangerous to try in the middle of a melee). The effect of indoctrination lasts until the end of the scene, and the target will always be aware that they were indoctrinated unless the circumstances are very particular.

Miracles

These magics are unique in that they can change the very nature of a thing; vile, stagnant murk can be turned to pure water, or sand made to stone. Miracles are inhibited only by the relation of the source to the desired product, so that a priest cannot change metal to poison. It is a magic of likes-to-likes. A quantity of unworked substance (such as raw stone, or dirt) can be transformed equal to 100 pounds per rank of Piety. Finished objects (forged blades, stone walls) can only have individual units affected per casting. 

Orisons

These are minor divine manifestations that are comparable to a wizard's Thorns, and follow the same guidelines.

Purifications

Possessing far more utility than a wizard's Mendings, Purifications can be utilized to heal wounds in an identical fashion, but also to pure toxins and cure diseases in a victim. Poisons must be identified through Healing (Diagnose) as usual, but once the target illness is known a Purification may be used to purge its effects at the same difficulty. Diseases must likewise be diagnosed; a common disease may be cured with a Challenging (9) test. A plague requires a Hard test (15). It is impossible to cure defects or cancers with a Purification.

Wraths

Wraths are divine attack magic that is functionally similar to the arcane Wracks, but suffers from a single restriction in the type of force summoned to perform the harm. The servant calls forth a manifestation of wrath suitable to the deity they serve; thus a servant of Haelyn would barrage their foes with bolts of holy light.

B - Were Conjuration and Control deliberately excluded from Divine magic?

G - I did for the time being, to give Arcane casters something more unique to them. I may devise a variant of those types of spells for their use in a future iteration.

B - Fair enough. =) I'm working a formalized list of spells for my SIF hack.