The Elements

Magic is divided into several elements. Most magic users are Elemental Mages, who dedicate their skill to a specific element, although others known as Mystics are able to bend more than one element to their will. Mystics are usually less powerful than Mages, as their diversity causes them to lose the finesse of their Mage counterparts.

Both Mages and Mystics choose an element to dedicate their studies to. A Mage is then limited to spells of his element, while the Mystic may cast spells of any element within two places of their own.

Each element is in opposition with another, the pairs are: Flame/Ice, Earth/Wind, Light/Doom, Growth/Storm, Grace/Fear and Luck/Law. Often times, creatures that are elemental in nature can be healed by their own element or damaged more severely by their opposing element - these creatures are generally known as "elementals" and manifest themselves as a being made of their element. These creatures rarely get along with elementals of other types, and almost always have a hatred for the opposing type.

Although Mages do not derive their spells from their Gods like Clerics, they must use the element aligned to their God (although in reality it's the other way around - a Mage chooses the God that rules over their chosen element). Agnostics choose not to worship the God of their element and may choose any element they wish. Since Orn oversees all Magic, a follower of Orn may also choose any element they wish. Worshipers of Veil excel in deception and may also choose any element they wish to aid their goals. Other Mages must use the element chosen in the chart below.

Elemental Circle

The chart below shows the placement of the Elements in relation to each other. Note that the Elements are separated naturally rather than with regards to their Diety. Mystics may use any Element within two places of their own, so for example a Light Mystic would be able to use the elements of Light, Growth, Grace, Flame and Luck.

To use a Spell, you must first say "I concentrate" followed by the appropriate effects call for the power you're using and the element (if applicable), then throw a packet at the target. Alternatively, you can use a power by Touch instead of a packet on a willing or immobile target.

Learning new Spells is a key part of being a Mage. Many Mages focus on the acquisition of Spells to the exclusion of anything else, and almost all Mages jealously hoard their supply of scrolls in case a new Spellbook is ever needed.

A Mage owns a single Spell in his book for each power selected as part of his initial 15 build. Any character who is later transformed into a Mage (or begins learning powers in later levels) must find an alternate means of acquiring Spells to cast.

Any character who begins the game with the skill "Minor Scrolling" also begins the game with a Spellbook. Spells can be scribed into a Spellbook by anyone with the Minor Scrolling skill, after which the source Scroll is consumed.

Mages can either choose which Spells to use for the day and memorize them from their Spellbook, OR they may choose to cast whatever they want whenever they want, but they must have their Spellbook on them whenever casting a Spell. Spells may be memorized in the field by use of a concentrated action for one minute per spell memorized. Spells may not be "forgotten" and replaced if memorized, the Character is stuck with them until the next debriefing period. Note that a Character who chooses to memorize does NOT have to memorize every slot, but slots which are chosen for memorization cannot be forgotten.

Scrolls can be used in two ways: They can be used to cast a Spell one time or they can be used by a Mage to add the Spell on the Scroll to their Spellbook. In either case the Scroll is destroyed.

Apprentice Scrolls may be used by any character with the Minor Scrolling skill. Journeyman Scrolls may be used by any character with the Detect Magic power, and Master Scrolls may be used by any character with the Dispel Magic power.

Note that while Bards and Clerics know their powers innately, a Mage's powers derive directly from the Spellbook, which is a stealable item. This means that smart Mages will have additional Spellbooks stashed away in various places in case their Spellbook is ever stolen.

Spellbooks function exactly like any other normal item with the following exceptions:

• All Spellbooks detect as Magic items.
• Although Break effects may target a Spellbook, they may only do so if the character using the Break effect can see the Spellbook in question. This is an exception to the normal Break rules, which normally stipulate that the effect may target anything on the Target's body. A rebounded Break effect may still destroy the caster's Spellbook even if it is not clearly visible.
• Dispel effects may not target a Spellbook.
• A Spellbook may not be altered by any means except by either a Break effect or a new Spell being added to it via the Minor Scrolling skill.
• All Spellbooks are considered indestructable EXCEPT by Break effect.
• Traps which include a Break effect component destroy the Spellbook as normal.
• If destroyed, the Spellbook becomes an empty book with blank pages. It is impossible for a Character to determine if a book used to be a Spellbook or if it was just an ordinary book. "Ordinary" text may not be written into a Spellbook. The pages will only accept magic text in the form of scribed Spell Scrolls.