Asheron's Call Manual/On Thaumaturgy
On Thaumaturgy
A Neophyte's Primer on the Arcane Arts
by Kimizu Jii-wen of Hebian-to
Of all the paths one may take, the way of sorcery is the most challenging and the most rewarding. It takes countless hours of work and sacrifice to become a master spellcaster, but the power one earns in return is beyond equal.
It has been many years since I completed my studies in sorcery, but I still remember the first thrill of true magic singing within my veins. I also remember how difficult and dangerous those first months were, when I had only a handful of simple incantations in my spellbook, instead of the hundreds that fill that grimoire today. I have set my writing-brush to these pages in the hopes that my counsel will aid future initiates into the ways of wizardry, and spare them some of the hardship I endured.
It will take powerful magic—stronger, most likely, than any I shall ever wield—to uncover the deepest secrets of the Empyrean, and perhaps find our way home to Ispar. Perhaps, celestial spirits willing, one of those who reads these words will someday do just that.
Mana
As the fuel that drives magic, Mana is precious to all spellcasters. It is limited, however, and slow to replenish, so you must take great care to conserve what you have. Begin your sorcerous pursuits with as much Mana as you can muster, and increase it as you learn more powerful spells. Be careful, too, when experimenting with magic: even when you fail to cast a spell, it will drain you. If you practice in a dangerous area, you may find your Mana depleted when you need it most.
The prospective mage would also do well to learn how to draw more Mana from the world around her, by training in Mana Conversion. This ability will let you cast more spells with the Mana you have.
Among the treasures you will find are potions and other magic items that can bestow Mana upon you. Remember, too, that all living beings have Mana, but many—such as your warrior companions—never use it. There are spells and artifacts in the world that will let you draw Mana from others and use it to replenish your own.
Components
Next to Mana, magic components are the most vital elements in spellcasting. They take many different forms, and each has its own importance in a spell's formula. For the sake of protecting the secrets of specific spells, and thus preserving their potency, I will not divulge the precise meanings of individual components, but I will outline the roles different types of components play in making spells work.
Scarabs are the keystones of spell formulae, invoking the power the wizard wishes to harness. Depending on the scarab in its formula, a fire spell can summon anything from a minor flame to a vast conflagration. Example components: Lead Scarab, Iron Scarab, Copper Scarab.
Herbs take the power unleashed by the scarab and channel it, giving it a purpose. Each sort of herb funnels power in a different manner. Example components: Amaranth, Hawthorn, Vervain.
Powdered Gemstones provide substance to the spell, beginning the shaping of the channeled energy. Different gemstones alter the energy in different ways. Example components: Powdered Bloodstone, Powdered Malachite, Powdered Turquoise.
Alchemical Substances complete the energy shaping begun by the gemstone component, giving the spell structure. Naturally, each substance provides a different shape. Example components: Cobalt, Quicksilver, Vitriol.
Talismans provide an outlet for the summoned energy, letting it work upon the spell's intended target. Each talisman is made of a different sort of wood, each of which directs the magic in a unique way. Example components: Cedar Talisman, Ebony Talisman, Oak Talisman.
Tapers have a subtler relationship to spell formulae than other components. They temper and embellish the magic's energy as it takes form. The more powerful the spell, the more of these adjustments are needed. Tapers differ by color—red, green, white, and so forth—but while there are patterns to how tapers affect magic, the meanings of the colors vary from spell to spell and sometimes from one spellcaster to the next.
Spell Use
In Dereth, the forces of magic are often fickle and dangerous. The spellcaster who does not understand this will soon find herself at the mercy of the very powers she seeks to control—possibly at the risk of her own life. If one follows a few simple principles, however, this danger will be much less.
Keep a diverse spellbook. Since overusing a spell will reduce its potency, it is best not to rely on any one enchantment to the exclusion of others. Use spells of different powers, or with similar effects, to keep them from being crippled.
Use different means to the same end. There is often more than one way to achieve a particular goal using magic. If you want to turn a foe into a poor swordsman, for instance, you can cast a spell to reduce his skill with a sword, or you can use other spells to hamper his strength or coordination. To help a friend do more damage in battle, you can increase the damage his axe does, or make him stronger, or make his opponent more vulnerable to slashing damage. You can also use all these spells together to magnify the effect.
Use counterspells. Except for the War Magic school, most spells have a corresponding counterspell that will reverse their effects. For instance, for every spell that decreases one's quickness, there is a counterspell to increase it by a similar amount. Keep these spells on hand, so if an enemy casts an enchantment to hinder you or your friends, you can counter it with your own magic.
Protect your secrets. Magic is precious. Every time someone in Dereth casts a spell, its power is slightly depleted. For that reason, most wise mages don't reveal their secrets readily. Share your formulae only with friends and followers you trust.
Watch other spellcasters. You can learn much about magic by watching others perform it. The gestures a wizard makes, and the incantations he recites, will reveal much to the careful observer. Try to associate meanings with words and motions, and use those to reconstruct the spell's formula.
Beware while experimenting. Not only does wantonly testing spell formulae tax your Mana, it can also have dire consequences for the unwary. While experimenting, you will sometimes stumble across spells that harm or hinder you. To explain this, some scholars have formulated a theory of Arcane Symmetry, which states that if a spell exists, its counterspell must also exist, whether that counterspell is beneficial or harmful. It is also possible that the Empyrean seeded the magical continuum with these malicious spells in an attempt to discourage dilettantes and dabblers, and to teach their own wizards to be responsible in their research.
Magic Items
Magic is not solely the province of those who have studied the Art, of course. There are many enchanted items in Dereth, from simple gems and elixirs to the mightiest weapons and staffs of ancient lore. The secrets of bestowing permanent enchantments upon common objects have yet to be revealed: perhaps, one day, some archmage will discover the proper spells for creating artifacts of his own. Until then, however, we must rely on what relics the Empyrean left behind when they quit the world.
What follows is a compendium of different sorts of magic items known to exist in Dereth.
Potions are life-giving tinctures. Anyone, regardless of their knowledge of arcane lore, can use them. Imbibing a potion replenishes the drinker's energy in one of three ways: red potions heal wounds, yellow potions relieve fatigue, and blue potions—coveted above all others by spellcasters—help regain lost Mana. Of course, once consumed, a potion is destroyed forever.
Gems are among the simplest of magic items, and can be used by even the most ignorant sword-swinger. The Empyrean imbued many simple crystals and stones with enchantments of various types. Some improve the user's raw abilities, making him stronger, faster, more focused, and so forth. Others increase the rate at which the user heals, recovers from exhaustion, or replenishes Mana, and still others protect the user from damage. Gems have only enough energy to be used once, after which they are destroyed by the magic forces they release.
Scrolls are prized by mages, as each contains the formula for a spell, allowing the reader to add that spell to her repertoire without having to research it. Once the reader learns the spell, however, the scroll is destroyed.
Jewelry and Clothing are endowed with spells that affect whomever wears them, until they are removed or their Mana runs out. In most cases, a degree of Arcane Lore is necessary to make use of the item's magic. In addition, many of these items will only work for nobles of certain ranks, and some clothing will only work for those from a specific heritage group. Certain kinds of jewelry or clothing often have spells that suit their function—a crown might make its wearer a more effective leader, for instance, or a pair of magical boots might help the wearer run faster.
Armor and Shields are similar to magical clothing in many ways, but their spells tend to relate more to combat—increasing strength, improving swordsmanship, defensive skills, and so forth. In addition, magical armor and shields also cast enchantments on themselves to improve their own abilities, making them sturdier or more protective against certain forms of damage, such as fire and lightning.
Weapons also work like clothing and armor, but their spells take effect while they are wielded. As they are meant to be used by warriors, many magical weapons require little knowledge of Arcane Lore. Instead, however, a warrior must have a certain degree of expertise in their use. Their spells tend to affect the wielder's raw combat attributes (Strength, Coordination, and so forth), and they also cast enchantments on themselves to land deadlier blows, attack more quickly, or parry more effectively. Some magic weapons also spout flame, frost, lightning, or acid.
Orbs are used to cast spells on others. These spells tend to be helpful, improving the recipient's base attributes, healing damage, or helping them recover from injury or fatigue more quickly. Many orbs can be used only by those of noble rank, often to aid their followers.
Wands, Scepters, and Staffs also cast spells on others, but their magic is harmful instead of beneficial. When waved, they launch magical projectiles at their targets—gouts of flame, bolts of lightning, spinning magical blades, and other dangerous missiles. Wands tend to be less powerful than scepters, but they can cast their spells more times before they run out of Mana; similarly, scepters are usually less powerful, but can cast more often, than staffs. In addition, scepters—as a symbol of royalty—almost always require the user to be of noble rank to wield their magic.
Mana Stones are precious to anyone who wants to use a magic item more than a handful of times, as they are the only way to replenish an item's power after it runs out. They do this by draining the Mana from one magic item, then giving that Mana to another item. In this way, lesser magic items can be used to fuel more powerful ones. Great care must be taken when using Mana Stones, however, as they destroy whatever items they draw Mana from. All Mana Stones lose some Mana during the transferal: the amount that "bleeds" away depends on the type of stone being used. As a rule, Mana Stones that "bleed" less are more likely to be destroyed after transferring their Mana to another item.