Magical Academy

Magical Academy!


SYSTEM


The simple conflict resolution roll is the result of two six-sided dice, added together, plus a number depending on a character's attributes.

2d6+X.

Note that an average is 7, and that there is a 3% chance for the tail outcomes (2, 12).


ATTRIBUTES


There are no hit points in this game. When you take damage, you take damage to a pre-specified attribute, which lowers your attribute's ability to improve your rolls temporarily.

Damage is defined by damage to your key attributes:

Athleticism - Physical abilities in general, including resistance to poison and disease, ability to lift heavy weights, and how quick you tire.
Agility - Your flexibility and reaction speed.
When both Athleticism and Agility fall to 0, you are knocked out, losing all actions for an hour, and then you reset to 1/1. If you take damage to either while the other one is zero, it damages the other attribute instead.

Concentration - How well you concentrate, especially when distracted.
Memory - Both your short-term and long-term memory.
When both Concentration and Memory fall to 0, you are stunned permanently, losing all actions for one hour, and then you reset to 1/1. If you take damage to either while the other one is zero, it damages the other attribute instead.

Wisdom - Your sense of danger, social norms, and instinct.
Charisma - Your ability to make other people like you, in any setting.
When both Wisdom and Charisma fall to 0, you are catatonic, losing all social actions for one hour, and then you reset to 1/1. If you take damage to either while the other one is zero, it damages the other attribute instead.

3 is average. 2 is average for a teenager, a bit under-average for adults. 1 is pretty incapable for an adult; but a teenager's just a bit underdeveloped, like the scrawny kid or the girl who can't sit still.
4 is above the human average, quite exceptional. 5 is world-class, certainly almost superhuman to normal people. Beyond 5 is unheard of.
To begin creating a character, split (your age - 4) points among six attributes. For the typical 16-year old entering the secondary class-based teaching at Terallon, this would be 12. You must put at least 1 point in each.


APTITUDES


An Aptitude is simply an area of non-magical knowledge, practice, or technique that your character has proficiency in. Attribute rolls that invoke the Aptitude double their modifier for the purposes of the Attribute check.

Think of these like skills. You can choose whatever you want for your Aptitude as long as it isn't too broad. It cannot be so broadly defined that it's invoked every time the Attribute is tested.

Aptitudes may only apply to one Attribute for some checks involving that Attribute.

Example Aptitude:
Martial Arts: When using the Athleticism attribute to damage your environment or other creatures with your body or simple weapons like a staff, double your Athleticism Attribute for the purposes of rolling the Attribute check.

You gain one Aptitude at character generation.


MAGIC (Yes, the good part)


Magical knowledge is divided into two major categories:

"Arcanic Method" or the method used to actually cast and control the effect you want the spell to have.

"Arcanic Source" or the source of the magical power you wish to draw from.

An example of a common spell would be a Material (Source) Sorcery (Method), where a mage throws up phosphorus and recites an activation script to throw fire.


ARCANIC METHODS


Sorceries

Sorceries can be seen as the "classic" wizarding method.

Sorcerers use magic by casting spells. To cast a spell, choose one or more effects to build a spell, and arrive at a Target Number representing the difficulty of the spell (more in Spell & Object Creation). There are no maximum number of spells known, and you can alter spells freely as long as you are not in combat. While in combat, you can alter spells, but it will take you time to come up with the new incantation, which is represented by spell creation and altering spells taking up rounds in combat. To cast the spell usually takes a single round, and Sorcerers simply roll 2d6 + their Sorcery method attribute, attempting to roll equal to or over the Target Number of the spell.

In addition, Sorcerors may give themselves a bonus to the Spell Cast by taking extra rounds to cast the spell. This caps at at a bonus equal to their half their Sorceries Method (round up), which equals the same number of in-combat rounds. Casting in this way is called a Ritual.

Sorcerors can alter their spells in the heat of combat (make them more or less powerful, add or remove effects, etc), and can have any number of spells written down.

Sorcerors must roll Concentration checks if the environment or hostile characters interrupt their spellcasting. The default TN is [The Spell's TN - (Sorceries Method)].

  • Simple and quick casting, or slow and guaranteed casting; flexible.
  • Sorceries cannot be cast silently

Artificing

Potions and other semi-liquid substances, magical wands, staves, and any other physical object being the vessel by which the spell is cast. Foci are magical constructs with innate power in them. Also includes things like powders, gelatins, and even things up to the consistency of a snowball. Can result in things like fireballs if the potion is thrown, other spells at a distance if smashed and then manipulated, more subtle effects from poisoning or lacing a room with the solution, and of course can be thrown on the target or drunk as a liquid. Also, potions and equipment weigh you down, and you lose your Artificing spells when you lose your backpack.

Artificers create their magical tools or equipment ahead of time. Artificing requires extreme concentration, so it cannot be done in the heat of combat or under pressure reliably. See Spell Creation for details.

Artificers, unlike other casters, do not make checks involving Artificing as a skill in-combat. Instead, the check the Artificer rolls depends on what they're doing, such as Athleticism or Agility for throwing a potion, or Concentration/Wisdom for channelling a powerful item. This check usually has a TN of 9, but it can be higher depending on the environment.

Artificers are limited in the number of Artifacts they can carry by the highest of Athleticism or Memory. However, Artificers can make as many Artifacts as they want, and swap out between encounters. Artificers can choose to make their Artifacts only work for them; or work for anyone, but not for a select group of people except under exceptional circumstances (Like if all of the group were involved in it's creation).

  • Easier and simpler use of your magic in the heat of combat.
  • Artifacts can be quiet or silent to use; major stealth advantage.
  • Artifacts require careful preparation and take longer than any combat session to create.
  • Your total "spellbook" is limited by carry weight. Less flexible

METHOD CHARGEN

Each arcanic method has an associated curriculum.

You gain Method points equal to 20 - (your age). For the typical 16-year old student, this is 4. Younger students at this academic level have more Method points to represent their prodigal nature. For an older student with strong basic attributes, you may be behind in your basic learning, and this is why you are in this stage of magical education so late.

You must put at least one Method point in Sorcery and at least one Method point in Artificing to represent your past education.
You may not put more than 4 points in any one Method at character generation, even if you have more than 6 to spend.


ARCANIC SOURCES


An arcanic source gives where the magical energy comes from.

Material
Consumable components. Most often the source of magic for alchemists, it involves magical substances including powders, liquids, and gels. By far the most popular source of magic in the world currently due to it's relative predictability and safety. Learning about material components, however, is complex and technical, and so multiple classes cover parts of this source of magic. This is also the preferred method in Terallon. Much of the extracurricular activities involved in classes involve collecting materials.

Materials-based mages have no maximum number of effects in their "spellbook". You will start with some and learn more as you progress in the game.

Materials-based mages have a maximum number of casts per encounter equal to their Materials Source points plus their Memory. Note: For Artificers, this limits the number of times they can use any and all their artifacts per encounter, combined. For Sorcerors, this limits all spell casts per encounter. This represents running out of consumable materials.

Materials-based mages have a maximum target number for their spells equal to:

12 + [Material Source]

  • Best multi-target spells (see Spell Creation); and powerful casting limit compared to Innate magic.
  • Unlimited number of effects gives you a strong set of tools.
  • Casting per encounter limited by your resources.

Innate

Some spells can be cast with seemingly no source of magic, but in reality the caster is using the magical energy within them to cast the spell. For a student, only the simplest spells can be cast from an innate source of magic, unless they are special in some way. Classes exist in Terallon for Innate magic, and most Terallian mages know Innate magic, but it is not focused on.

Innate-based mages can only learn a maximum number of magical effects total equivalent to their Innate points plus their Memory attribute. Learning a new effect when at maximum effect count requires discarding an effect.

Innate-based mages have no maximum number of casts per encounter.

Innate mages have a maximum Target Number for their spells equal to:

9 + [Innate Source]

  • Not limited by resources you carry or planes you can access.
  • Unlimited spell casts per encounter.
  • Limited number of effects memorized at once.
  • The most powerful spell you can cast is very limited compared to other sources.

Planar

You bind another creature, hop into another dimension, or rip fire from another plane. This also covers religious sources of magic, drawn upon by prayer and ritual. Often very powerful, it has the most potential for destructive accidents, and so is frowned upon in many magical societies. The legendary mages of Terallon in the past were the most infamous for powerful magic using this source.

Planar-based mages must pick one plane of existence at character generation (Players can make one up) that they can draw power from.

Planar-based mages have a number of effects in their spellbook equal to their Planar points plus Memory, like Innate magic. All Effects in a Planar mages' spellbook must match at least one of the planes they can draw from. In addition, Planar-based mages can permanently "spend" a Planar point to know a new Plane to draw power from. Learning a new effect when at maximum effect count requires discarding an effect, just like Innate magic.

Like Innate magic, planar-based mages have no maximum number of casts per encounter.

Planar Anomalies occurs every time the mage has a modified result of half or less of the TN on spell cast (Sorcerors) or artifact use (Artificers), or when they roll a raw result of 2 (critical failure). Planar Anomalies is effectively an event that can mean many things that a regular critfail does not, and is unique to the plane and the situation.

Sourcing spells for Planar-based mages can be many different things. For religious mages praying to a god, it involves rituals and prayer. For warlocks binding their souls to a demon, it involves the dark arts. For elemental mages ripping forth raw energy from the plane of fire, it's about mending the planar connection and studying the result.

Planar-based mages do not have a maximum Target Number for their spells.

  • + Extremely powerful magic: no maximum TN to attempt.
  • + Like Innate magic, no maximum number of casts per encounter.
  • - Planar mages have the most limited selection of spell effects to draw from; in general, they need to match the Plane the mage is channeling from, and the total number is limited.
  • - Chaotic magic: Planar anomalies is bad times.

SOURCES CHARGEN

If you were raised in Terallon, or if you joined Terallon as an adolescent, gain +1 to Material, and 2 more to spend.

If you just joined the school, spend three points among any sources you like.

You may put all your points in one Arcanic Source.


CLASS SCHEDULE


Class blocks in Terallon are long three-hour affairs, usually consisting of a lecture and then a practical teaching session. You have ten three-hour class blocks in the week, one class for every morning and every afternoon. In-between time during the week is taken up by your responsibilities such as cleaning and cooking, which every house does for themselves, as there are no maids or cooks at the school. Upperclassmen have guard and communication responsibilities for the administration, but you don't have to worry about these yet.

Students learn the "primary tier" of basic spells while in adolescence at the school, during the ages of 12-16, typically. You are entering the "secondary tier" of choice in your class structure for the first time (and membership of a House), but the classes are much more difficult. Tertiary tier and above is effectively graduate study, and is one-on-one with teachers.

Mandatory Class Blocks (Secondary Tier)

Writing & Language (No effect)
What Terallon considers to be a good foundation.

History & Geography (No effect)
Know yourself, and know your enemy.

Alchemical Theory (Gives you your Method points at character generation, no extra here)
A continuation of the basics you learned in earlier classes.

Sorceries (Gives you your Arcanic Method points at character generation, no extra here)
The most focused upon course of study at the school. Expect study groups and large classes.

Botany (Gives you your Arcanic Source points at character generation, no extra here)
The arboretum is the largest source of magical power in the school.

Mandatory Custodian Duty (+1 to Concentration at the end of the year only.)
There are no maids or slaves in the school. Your House institutes cleaning duty.

Mandatory Study Hall (+1 to Memory at the end of the year only.)
You can't really fail this one, can you?


Electives

All give +1 to the method or theory at start, and +1 at year end.

You get to choose three of these. You can double-choose one option if you'd like, to get double it's effects, and take up two slots. This simply represents you setting aside extra time to study and focus on the class.

Some electives have prerequisites,. You may fulfill these prerequisites with the points you spent earlier, but the added point you get for taking the class does not count as meeting the requirement.

Spellbinding Theory (Sorceries method) Requires at least 2 already in Sorceries method
A more systematic and theoretical approach to Sorceries to start becoming advanced at it.

Higher Artificing (Artificing) Requires at least 2 points already in Artificing.
Slow and steady wins the race.

Arcanozoology (Materials source) At least two points in Materials source
The study of animals and carcasses as Material sources. Involves trips outside of the school.

Soul Theory (Innate source) At least one point in Innate source
For most students, this is the first proper study of Innate magic.

Arcanic Cosmology (Planar source) At least one point in Planar source.
Very forbidden in most of the world, it's under careful supervision in Terallon.

Attribute elective class slots: These only give you +1 to the attribute at year start, with no year-end bonus.

Gymnasium (Athletics) At least 2 Athletics.
What are you, retarded? You can't just punch your way to vi-Ouch!

Dueling (Agility) At least 2 Agility.
Applying your skills in the heat of an encounter.

Practical Magic Class (Concentration) At least 2 Concentration.
Doesn't teach you new things, just refinement of what you know.

Self-Study (Memory) At least 2 Memory.
Weirdo. Enjoy life a little, why don't you?

Survival (Wisdom) At least 2 Wisdom.
Taught by the head of the arboretum, this class gives you basic survival skills in the wild.

Social Club (Charisma) At least 2 Charisma.
Isn't this just truancy?


EXAMPLE CHARACTER


Dorath Kyvin

Dorath is in many ways, a typical Terallian student. He joined the school at the age of 13, and is now 17 and entering the second tier of magical study. Fascinated by potions and his ability to imbue them with power just with his thoughts, he has taken an atypical, but not unheard of, magical track.

HOUSE KORIN

ATHLETICS 2
AGILITY 2
MEMORY 3
CONCENTRATION 3 (2 + 1 ELECTIVES)
WISDOM 2
CHARISMA 2

SORCERY 1 - 1 BASE
ARTIFICING 3 - 2 BASE + 1 ELECTIVES
MATERIALS 1 - 1 BASE
INNATE 3 - 2 BASE + 1 ELECTIVES

ELECTIVES:

Higher Artificing
Soul Theory
Practical Magic Class


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