Magic

 

 

            Writing a system for magic is a tricky maneuver.  Magic is an element which is very difficult to improvise rules for, but on the flip side, having rules created for you can be very restrictive.  I’ve always had something against a role-playing system that writes up all the specific categories, spells, abilities, and individual nuances for their version of magic...essentially setting in stone the entire scientific physics of a force which some would think shouldn’t be scientific at all.  They verbally encourage the player to customize it to their liking, but the rules themselves usually don’t lean towards adaptation.

 

            This role-playing system looks at the Magic system as an opportunity for you to let your creativity run free.  Of course, to create rules for magic the players will have to accept some kind of definition of what magic is, but you’ll find that it’s a broad one and might even increase the possibilities. :)

 

 

            The Nature of Magic

 

            Magic: in the world of the Blue Crescent, it is a force of will and mind.  In fact, no one seems to know what exactly magic is beyond that.  The reason it is so hard to define is because its nature is defined in hands of the user.  The way you think about magic creates its use for you.

 

            For instance, a character with a fiery personality might actually use Fire magic.  This isn’t necessarily because Fire is an element that shows the true nature of the world; she can use it because she sees it as such a force.  If she thinks her personal vitality is driven by an energy form with the qualities of a herd of Jumbo Elephants, more power to her!  And if she has a very dark personality, from pessimism or otherwise, she may use Shadow magic...even if that doesn’t necessarily mean she is an evil or demented person.

 

 

        Earning and Improving Magic

 

            Magic-wielding characters must first buy their magic “aura” using Character Points.  It will cost 4 CP to earn a magic aura, whether it is at the start of the game or later on.  If you want to gain a personal magical nature later on, you’ll have to explain to the GM why your character is learning about this new part of their personality.

 

            Just because a character has a magic aura doesn’t mean that he or she can use magic; it simply shows the embodied nature of their personality.  For instance, an ocean-loving deep-sea swimmer could easily have a Water magical aura, even if she didn’t know one word of real magic.

 

 

            Rules during Character Creation and earning the Magic skill:

 

            Once you’ve earned the Magic skill by spending 4 CP, the next step is to choose the elements your character will use from now on.  These should fit their personality in some way.  The GM should give you a good deal of interpretive freedom here, as long as you demonstrate that you’re actually taking the character’s personality into account.

 

            The maximum number of elements a player is allowed to choose is up to the GM, but I would suggest a limit of two or three.  He might even limit it to one if it fits the game’s role-playing style.  Here is a short list of possible elements you might choose — you’re not limited to them, not even by a longshot; but remember that elements are only symbolic of someone’s personality, so elements don’t have names like “Evil” or “Silliness.”

 

Earth                            Wind                            Fire                              Water

Snow/Ice                      Lightning                       Explosion                     Life

Mist                             Light                             Shadow                        Nature

Levitation                     Summoning

 

 

            Now you must figure out how many CP it will cost to raise your character’s level in each element.  At this point, each magical element you chose starts off costing a price of 5 CP to raise to the next level, but you get a bonus of 3 points to permanently subtract from them divided any way you want.

 

            For example:

            You want to give your character of Annie May her magical aura, so you spend 4 CP to earn the Magic skill.  You think that since she’s from the Present, it would be a good idea for her to know some simple healing and attacks spells, so you give her Water and Lightning.  They initially cost 5 CP to raise, but first you have 3 bonus points to subtract.  So, you take away 2 points from the cost of Water and 1 from the cost of Lightning.

            From now on, to raise Annie May one level in Water will cost 3 CP, and raising one level in Lightning will cost 4 CP.

 

            (If Annie May chose to limit herself to Water magic, she could have shaved it down to a cost of only 2 CP, but that much specialization may or may not be your thing.)

 

            Now that you have decided your character’s elemental talents, you can raise individual element just like a regular skill, although magic in general can’t be raised.  Be sure to write down on your character sheet how many CP it costs to raise each element.

 

 

 

            Magic as a Skill

 

            Now that your character has magic, you’re probably wondering how to use it.

 

(…More to come soon!)

 

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