Spell Modifiers
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Once the caster has determined what School of Magic they wish to use for the Spell, they write out a few lines on what they wish the Spell to do. They then move on to Modifiers, to fill out the finer points of the Spell they are going to cast. Modifiers adjust the Essence Cost and Difficulty of a Spell, but allow the player to fine tune exactly what it is the Spell is capable of. Once the player has decided what modifiers to use for the Spell, the Spell is finished and capable of being used.
All Spells has a minimum Essence Cost and Difficulty of 1.
Affects Traits
The Spell is used to alter the Traits of a target, or to grant a Trait to something which would not normally have one. Some Schools already have rules for affecting Traits, and the rules in an individual School over-rule the mechanics presented here.
| Attribute | Cost | Difficulty | Effect |
| Dice (+ or –) | +2 | +2 | (Half Might) + Half Potency |
| Successes (+ or –) | +3 | +4 | Potency |
| Minimum Successes | +4 | +6 | Half Potency |
| Remove Attribute | +7 | +8 | Attribute at 0 (non-fatal) |
| Multiple Attributes | +1 | +2 | Per additional Attribute |
| Skills | Cost | Difficulty | Effect |
| Dice (+ or –) | +1 | +1 | Might + Potency |
| Successes (+ or –) | +2 | +3 | (Half Might) + Half Potency |
| Minimum Successes | +3 | +5 | Potency |
| Remove Skill | +4 | +4 | Skill at 0 |
| Multiple Skills | +0 | +1 | Per additional Skill |
| Secondary (+ or –) | Cost | Difficulty | Effect |
| Resistance Traits | +1 | +1 | (Half Might) + Half Potency |
| Remove Trait | +4 | +4 | Trait at 0 |
| Essence | +2 | +3 | Potency |
| Remove Essence | +5 | +5 | Essence at 0 |
| Health | +3 | +5 | Potency |
| Remove Health | +6 | +7 | Health at 0 |
| Size | +1 | +1 | Potency |
| Soak | +1 | +2 | Potency |
| Remove Soak | +4 | +4 | Soak at 0 |
| Other Secondary | +1 | +1 | Might + Potency |
| Remove Secondary | +4 | +3 | Reduce to 0 |
| Other Traits | Cost | Difficulty | Effect |
| Bulk (+ or –) | +1 | +1 | Potency |
| Remove Bulk | +4 | +3 | Bulk to 0 |
| Damage (+ or –) | +2 | +2 | Potency |
| Remove Damage | +5 | +4 | Damage to 0 |
| Hardness (+ or –) | +2 | +1 | (Half Might) + Half Potency |
| Remove Hardness | +5 | +3 | Hardness to 0 |
| Powers | Cost | Difficulty | Effect |
| Grant/Remove Power | +5 | +5 | Power at Growth or 0 |
| Potency (+ or –) | +2 | +3 | Potency |
Ease
A Spell which would normally cure or heal an individual can instead help ease the symptoms rather than cure the target. The Spell reduces the Potency of an affliction, or restores Health to a target, but only for the duration of the Spell. At the end of the duration, the wounds return, or the affliction is restored to normal Potency. If the target reduces the Potency of an affliction, or heals some, during the duration, the benefits of such remain even when the Spell wears off.
Non-Lethal
A Spell which inflicts injuries can be modified to ensure that the target is not slain by the effect. The Damage of the Spell is split into two values. The first value is actual Damage, which is reduced by up to (Half Might). The shock Damage is increased by the same value. The target resists the actual Damage, but the shock Damage is compared to the Trait to see if a Death Save is needed. If the target must make a Death Save, failure results in unconsciousness. If the actual Damage also results in a Death Save, the victim gains bonus dice equal to the amount the caster reduced the damage by. Evocation and Transmutation Spells have an increased Essence Cost Difficulty when being used for non-lethal Spells.
Willing Target
The Spell may only be cast upon a willing target. If the target is in any way coerced or unwilling, the Spell simply fails. An unconscious or sleeping target is considered willing for this Spell. This modifier can not be used for Spells that target the caster themselves.
| Modifier | Cost | Difficulty |
| Ease | –2 | –1 |
| Non-Lethal | –1 / +1 | –1 / +2 |
| Willing Target | –2 | –1 |
Area of Effect
The Spell being cast covers a region, rather than being cast on a specific target. The caster decides how much of an area they wish to be covered, up to the maximum listed below. Size is added to the character’s Might for determining area of effect, with a minimum value of 1.
Phantasm, Restoration, and Evocation Spells require the target of the Spell to be visible to the caster for the Spell to affect them. If the target is behind cover, or even if they are invisible, a directed Area Effect Spell will not affect them. If the Spell is affecting the region and the targets are indirectly targeted, then the spell will still work on them.
Additional Targets allows the caster to cast the spell more than once at the same time, letting the caster release the spell at multiple targets. The caster may choose a number of targets up to their Might at one time. This can not be combined with another Area of Effect.
Contact Spells affect anyone who is touching the caster when the Spell goes into effect. This is useful for when a limited number of people need to be the subject of the Spell.
| Area (Radius) | Cost | Difficulty |
| Additional Target (per Target) | +1 | +1 |
| Contact (Touch) | +1 | +1 |
| Aura (Half Might Meters) | +2 | +2 |
| Limited (Half Might x 10 Meters) | +3 | +2 |
| Great (Half Might x 100 Meters) | +4 | +4 |
| Full (Half Might in Kilometers) | +5 | +4 |
Duration
Most spells have a limited duration. They continue for a set period of time, then fade away, and most effects fade away with them beyond those natural effects which would occur as a side effect of the spell having been cast. If a duration is not chosen, the spell is instant, meaning the effect manifests, then fades away, leaving whatever natural effects of the spell in place. Some spells require concentration, allowing the caster to control and manipulate the spell for as long as they are willing to focus on it. Essence spent on a spell with this duration is committed and can not be recovered, essentially reducing the caster’s permanent Essence until the spell is released. Once the caster’s concentration is broken, the spell ends. Beyond this are sustained spells. A spell which is sustained continues until the duration expires or until the caster ends the effect deliberately.
| Duration | Essence Cost | Difficulty |
| Concentration | +2 | +0 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Rounds | +1 | +1 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Minutes | +2 | +2 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Hours | +2 | +3 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Days | +3 | +4 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Weeks | +3 | +5 |
| Permanent | Requires Permanency Talent | |
Natural
A natural spell is a spell whose effects could be duplicated naturally, without magic. Moving a rock across a room, through any spell method, produces the effect of the rock having been moved across the room. This is a Natural Effect, and is permanent. This permanent effect does not have an additional cost.
Lasting
A spell that is lasting is one which would normally revert back once the duration has expired. Any effect which is not natural for the target will normally revert back to the original state once the spell expires. If the spell is made lasting, then the altered state becomes the natural state for the target. This altered state must be a logical, natural occurrence. For example, turning a target into stone can be a lasting effect, since stone statues are a natural thing. Creating a wall of fire which perpetually burns is not natural, and thus can not be made lasting.
| Lasting | Essence Cost | Difficulty |
| Natural | +5 | +3 |
| Unnatural | See Permanency | |
Duration and Natural Spells
Natural Spells do not need a duration, as they are permanent effects. However, the caster may desire to limit the effects, causing the effect to revert to the condition before the spell was cast. For example, a spell which mends flesh is a Natural Effect, but if a duration is applied, the wounds return to the target at the end of the duration. In such a case, if the application of the duration would produce a negative result, than the spell’s Cost and Difficulty are reduced. If the application of the duration would be a positive result, then the Cost and Difficulty are increased. For example, casting a spell that heals for only a brief period of time would be discounted. However, the intent of the spell is what determines whether
Intent Matters
What is the difference between a limited duration Healing Spell because you can’t afford the essence to heal someone fully, and a limited duration Healing Spell that is used to blackmail someone into obedience? Intent. If the intent of the spell is beneficial for the caster, than the ‘positive result’ is used. If the intent of the spell is detrimental for the caster, than the ‘negative result’ is used. Healing someone for a limited duration isn’t normally a good thing, and if you are doing it with pure intentions, then the discount will be applied. If you’re doing it for malicious intent, then you will be paying more for it.
| Duration | Negative Results | Positive Results | ||
| Type | Difficulty | Essence Cost | Difficulty | Essence Cost |
| Concentration | +0 | -2 | +0 | +1 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Rounds | -5 | -3 | +5 | +2 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Minutes | -4 | -2 | +4 | +2 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Hours | -3 | -2 | +3 | +1 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Days | -2 | -1 | +2 | +1 |
| (Half Might + Potency) Weeks | -1 | -1 | +1 | +0 |
Multi-Casting
The caster releases multiple versions of the same Spell, choosing different targets or areas for the Spell to be cast. This is significantly different than the Area Effect version of multiple targets, and allows the caster to release multiple Area Effect effects at the same time. The Spell is considered a Passive Roll using the Difficulty modifiers.
Alternatively, the caster can release multiple Spells of different natures at the same time. The character must pay the Essence Cost for all Spells, and uses the highest Difficulty and Casting Time, then apply modifiers. The Spell is considered a Passive Roll using the Difficulty modifiers. Someone caught in multiple Spells must accept the effects of each Spell. A caster can release a number of Spells equal to their Might.
| Modifier | Cost | Difficulty |
| Same Spell (per Spell) | +2 | +2 |
| Different Spell (per Spell) | +2 | +3 |
Range
Most Spells are cast at a target at range. The exception are most Restoration Spells, which are meant to be performed at close range. The Range chart for Restoration takes precedence over the chart below.
Touch Spells
When casting a touch spell, the caster can use a normal Skill for the Spell if the target is willing to be touched. If the target is unwilling, the caster must make a Passive Roll. The Successes of this roll are compared to the target’s Defence (to see if the character succeeds in touching the opponent) and the proper Trait (to see if the defender resists the Spell’s effects).
Line of Sight
The caster can see the target of the Spell. This may depend on conditions such as darkness, mist, or the target being behind cover. As long as the caster is capable of seeing the target clearly, the caster may use Line of Sight for casting the Spell.
Awareness
The caster can not see the target clearly, or must rely on other senses for casting the Spell. If the caster is capable of using another sense to detect the target, or is using Divination or some other method to detect the target remotely, then the caster may use the Spell upon the target.
Remote
The caster must be aware of who the target is, and must be reasonably familiar with them. If the caster does not meet these conditions, they must have a sympathetic link to the target of the Spell.
| Range | Cost | Difficulty |
| Self | –1 | –1 |
| Touch | –1 | +0 |
| Line of Sight | +0 | +1 |
| Awareness | +2 | +2 |
| Remote | +4 | +3 |
Sympathetic Links
A sympathetic link is a connection that is left from a person’s ownership of an object, to a powerful emotional impression left behind from a person’s actions in a location. A lock of hair has a sympathetic link to the person it was taken from, the doll owned by a child holds a sympathetic link to the child, and the site of a murder holds links to both the murderer and to the victim.
For sorcery, having a sympathetic link allows the caster to use Spells with a Remote range. Unfortunately, Spells have a sympathetic link to the caster, and any item or enchantment crafted by a sorcerer holds a sympathetic link to the owner and the person who crafted it.
To clear the sympathetic link of a Spell, enchantment, or item, the caster must roll Spiritual + Occultism with a Difficulty equal to the Potency for the Spell that was cast or the enchantment, or the Potency of the item crafted. If there is no Potency, then the Difficulty is equal to the Difficulty to craft the item.
The Successes of the roll increases the Difficulty of using the sympathetic link. A sympathetic link can never be truly removed, just weakened enough to make it harder to use. The Essence Cost of removing a sympathetic link is equal to the Might of the person it is connected to (in other words, usually the caster’s Might). This Essence Cost can be lowered by extending the time it takes to clear the link. For each minute spent performing the task, the Essence Cost is reduced by one.
