Arcane Magic is the magical power wielded by Wizards (who learn their spells from tomes, teachers, and other external sources) and and Sorcerers (who, by way of a mystic heritage, have innate spell-like powers that, rules-wise, are functionally identical to other Arcane spells). It is differentiated from Divine Magic, the magic of Priests, Druids, Paladins, and other servants of the gods in that the basic energy powering Arcane spells comes from the environment or from the spellcaster himself, while the power behind Divine Magic is bestowed by the gods themselves.

Spell Colleges and Philosophies

All Arcane spells used in this campaign are classified by the philosophy behind the magic. These philosophies are also sometimes called “schools” of magic. The philosophies themselves are grouped into colleges.

Wizards characters must take a Power Skill in every magical philosophy from which they wish to be able to cast spells.

College of Change:

• Abjuration: Spells that deal in protection and alleviation.
• Enchantment: Spells that deal with endowing objects and creatures magical traits and abilities.
• Transfiguration: Spells that deal with changing creatures and objects from one form into another.

College of Forces:

• Conjuration: Spells that deal with creating something out of nothing.
• Evocation: Spells that deal with the generation of magical energy, usually for use as a weapon.
• Summoning: Spells that deal with bringing something from one place to another.

College of Information:

• Divination: Spells that deal with gathering information.
• Illusion: Spells that deal with false images and phantasmic effects.
• Charm: Spells that deal with thought and the mind.

College of Matter:

• Alchemy: Spells that deal in creating magical potions, ointments, powders, and other formulae.
• Necromancy: Spells that deal with life, death, and undeath.
• Runecraft: Spells that deal with the crafting of magical runes and sigils to achieve mystic effects.

Occasionally, a spell will be equal parts of several philosophies.

Arcane Spell Pools: All Wizards possess an Arcane Spell Pool from which they cast their spells. The basic Spell Pool, included in the Wizard Package, is built as follows: Arcane Spell Pool: Variable Power Pool (40 Points)(60 Active Points) - Arcane Magic Only (-1/2), Can Only Change Spells With Access To The Wizard's Spell Book And Sufficient Time (-1/2), Only Spells From The Wizard's Known Spell List (-1/4), All Slots Take Requires A Power Skill: Magical Philosophy Roll. Total Cost: 49 Points.

The above-listed pool is considered a base. With GM approval, Wizards can increase the size of their spell pools during character construction. Otherwise, they can increase it during the course of play through the use of Experience Point expenditures as normal.

Once a spell is “prepared” through the Arcane Spell Pool, the Wizard can cast it as many times as he likes (and has Endurance enough to pay for), until he replaces the spell by “preparing” something else.

Spell Construction: All Wizard spells must follow these basic rules:

• All Arcane spells must be built with the “universal” limitation Requires a Power Skill: Spell Philosophy Roll (-1/2); If an individual spell's Active Point Cost is greater than 100 points, this limitation automatically takes the +1/4 modifier Penalty Is -1 Per 20 Active Points.
• All attack spells have the required limitation Spell (-1/2).
• No Arcane spell may take any form of Reduced Endurance advantage, including the Costs END Only To Activate advantage.

Sorcerer Powers: Sorcerers buy their spells individually as powers. Such spells cannot be purchased in a Framework (though sometimes a single spell might be constructed as a Framework, if such construction is appropriate and meets the GM's approval), but they do divide the real cost of the spell by 3. Such abilities cannot take the Requires a Power Skill: Magic Philosophy limitation, but like Wizard spells are required to always have an END Cost (that is, they cannot have any form of the Reduced Endurance advantage (including the Costs END Only To Activate advantage). All such powers are subject to GM approval.

If a spell is built as a Multipower, only the reserve cost is divided by 3; the costs of the individual slots are then added to the result to determine the cost of the spell. If the spell is built as an Elemental Control, the total cost of the spell is divided by 3.

Special Effects Rules: Magic spells (whether Arcane or Divine) generally have very broad Special Effects (SFX). In addition to any specific SFX that a particular spell might have (such as electricity for a Bolt of Lightning spell or fire for a Fireball spell), all spells also automatically have the additional SFX of “Magic”, plus either “Arcane” or “Divine”.

All Arcane spells gain the applicable Spell College and Philosophy as additional SFX. This mandatory SFX cannot be altered by any means, including Variable Special Effects. For example: an Arcane spell taken from the Necromancy philosophy always has Magic, Arcane, Matter, and Necromancy SFX, regardless of any other SFX that might be applicable.

Black Magic: Spells that carry the SFX tag “Black Magic” carry a hazard to their caster. Such magic is a corruptive influence on the wizard, and the more he uses black magic spells, the darker his nature becomes until finally he is corrupted and evil. In addition, merely learning black magic spells causes this corruptive effect.

Every time a black magic spell is learned, the caster suffers a Major Transform 2 Points (Adds Psychological Limitation: Utterly Evil and Social Limitation: Corrupted Soul to the Caster For No Disadvantage Points) - Works vs. Ego, Not Body, Cumulative with no possible defense. Once learned, casting a black magic spell causes the wizard to suffer a Major Major Transform 1 Point (Adds Psychological Limitation: Utterly Evil and Social Limitation: Corrupted Soul to the Caster For No Disadvantage Points To The Caster) - Works vs. Ego, Not Body, Cumulative, also with no defense.

When the transformation is complete, the caster has been corrupted by the dark nature of his magic and is now a being of darkest evil. This transformation can only be healed by the application of certain Divine magic spells, usually accompanied by a long and complicated ritual, all of which the corrupted Wizard will be no doubt violently opposed to undergoing anyway.

Skill Levels: Characters can buy Spellcasting Skill Levels, as follows:

• Two-point skill levels apply to a single spell philosophy.
• Three-point skill levels apply to all of the philosophies of a single college, or can be added singly to any three schools regardless of college.
• Five-point skill levels apply to all the schools in two colleges or can be added singly to any six schools regardless of college.
• Eight-point skill levels apply to the schools of three colleges, or can be added singly to nine philosophies
• Ten point skill levels apply to all colleges simultaneously.

“Mundane” skill levels cannot be applied to spellcasting.

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