¶ Magic
Magic exists in the Exiled Lands, but it is taxing, and there is only so much that can be achieved through the use of magic. Sometimes mundane means are the only way to solve problems, and that means that while magic can help make your existence more comfortable, do not expect it to do everything, or even most things, for you. On the Enigma Isles and Kindraire? Magic is much more commonplace, though still often misunderstood as most do not have magic users in their bloodline, or their faith is not strong enough to be granted spells by a deity.
There are ten types of magic casters on Maelstrom.
- Blood Witch - these are blood and arcane casters.
- Eldritch Knight - these are arcane warriors.
- Magus– these are arcane casters.
- Cleric – these are divine casters.
- Druid – these are nature casters.
- Prismaticist - these are wild mages.
- Pyromancer - these are arcane casters who focus exclusively on fire.
- Stormsage - these are nature casters who command the elements of air and water to harness the power of the storm.
- Warlocks - these are pact casters that focus on missile invocations instead of spells.
- Sorcerers - these are vanilla game casters and their rules are different than standard rules for character classes through the Professions mod. Sorcerers will have a unique set of rules that can be found at the end of this page.
The ten types have a couple of cross-over spells, but most are specialization specific. If you are a magi, do not expect to be healing people. If you are a faith caster, do not expect to be hurling fire blast spells at enemies. If you are nature, do not expect to have spells that will cause harm to nature. Warlocks do not cast spells as the other caster classes, they get invocations.
There are also hybrid classes that have limited magic available to them. Paladin and Ranger, both subclasses of the warrior profession, will have access to minor spell casting, but they are limited in their scope and what is available to them.
You can only have one instance of a specific spell made permanent in one area. This means that there cannot be two permanent zone of peace spells in the same area. Others can cast zone of peace in an area where one is already permanent, but a second instance of the spell cannot be made permanent.
Spells that reverse gender cannot be used on gender restricted races.
Certain spells have components. If you have a verbal component and you are gagged, you cannot cast your spell. If you have a somatic component and you are bound, you cannot cast your spell. Some spells require you speak aloud as part of the spell, such as sending. If you cast sending, you must post your message in local or use mumble or the spell is not cast.
There are mechanics spells that have an in game effect, such as satiate, that will fill your food meter, and there are roleplay spells that have no in game effect, like read magic and analyze ancestry. What is the purpose of having roleplay spells if they don't DO anything? Immersion. Maelstrom is a roleplay server, and we have included roleplay spells to help the players maintain immersion. There is a spell description section that details the effects of both mechanics and roleplay spells. Each spell has a component – and different components mean different things. Unless there is a specific cost listed in the spell description, the assumption is that you have a component pouch that has the general components you need to cast most spells. We will collect more expensive or rare components should they be required for your spell, such as essence for heal and regenerate. The components are as follows:
V = Verbal component – you must be able to speak clearly to cast this spell. If you are gagged, or silenced for any reason, and the spell you want to cast shows V (verbal) as a component, you cannot cast that spell.
S = Somatic – you must have free use of your hands and arms to cast this spell. If you are bound or do not have free and fluid use of your hands AND arms, and the spell you want to cast shows (S) somatic as a component, you cannot cast that spell.
DF = Divine Focus – this is the holy symbol for your deity. It must be in your hands or worn on your person (such as a medallion) any time you want to cast a spell with this component.
Material Component – this is exactly what it sounds like – materials you must have on you and available to cast the spell. Material components are consumed when you attempt to cast the spell. If you cast a spell and someone resists your spell, your spell is still considered cast and the component is consumed regardless of the success of the casting.
If you have a spell that requires touch, you must PvP intent and win in order to make contact unless the target consents to the touch.
If you have more than one of these components for a spell, you MUST have access to or be able to perform ALL of them in order to attempt to cast the spell.
Setting a DC
Each mystic and all spellcasting warrior-subclass has a casting attribute.
Intelligence: Blood Witch, Eldritch Knight, Magus, Pyromancer, Bladesinger
Wisdom: Druid, Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, Revenant
Charisma: Bard, Prismaticist, Stormsage, Warlock
When a mystic casts a spell, if it is a roleplay spell, the mystic must post in their ticket a screenshot of their current level (this will determine the DC for anyone trying to resist your spell). The DC for your spell is 10 + your applicable attribute (blood witch and magi are intelligence, druid and faith is wisdom, warlock is charisma) + your level bonus (3 at 100, 6 at 200, 10 at 300) + any temporary or permanent modifiers that would increase your spellcasting attribute or dc(might of the triumvirate, for example, or an alchemy potion). For example, if you are a Magus at level 300 with 10 intelligence and you cast Enhance Dweomer with an Unstable Essence you are casting at 10(base) + 10(intelligence) + 10(level bonus) + 4(Enhance Dweomer) for a total DC of 34. If you then attune to an Arestiel's Blaze, which has +1 Intelligence as an effect and used the same Enhance Dweomer, you would then cast at 10(base) + 10(intelligence) + 10(level bonus) +4 (Enhance Dweomer) +1 (Arestiel's Blaze) for a total of 35. This would also work with any other applicable buff that effects your spellcasting attempts, and the same is true for attempts to dispel or break an effect.
Spellcasts are done with a level bonus, which is determined by your character level. You can add this in by pressing the +/- button on your Shift + R character sheet and adding the appropriate bonus(3 at 100, 6 at 150, 10 at 200), as shown here:
When someone attempts to resist your spell, they will roll a will save ('shift r' to open the stat sheet and make a wisdom roll). The player must match or beat the DC for a spell to be resisted, and not every spell can be resisted. If there is a curse, enchantment or some other spell that was cast that someone is attempting to remove, they must meet or beat the DC of the spell at the time it was cast. If the spell is immediately resistible, you will make your roll to resist in front of the caster that cast the spell. If there is spell that is resistible at a later time (such as a curse) the cursed person must seek out a mystic who can remove the curse, post all of the RP leading up to the attempted removal of the curse, and then the mystic’s roll to remove the curse. This must then be posted in their character sheet ticket of the mystic attempting to remove the curse. Anyone found to be abusing or lying about spells, effects, or rolls may lose their mystic class.
Any roleplay spell cast by a mystic MUST be posted in their character ticket. Any questions you have or any resistance from others will be addressed in that ticket.
Most RP spells with a DC will have a 24 hour cooldown before they can be reattempted, unless they state there is no retry in the spell description. Spells are also limited by level. At level 100 you can only cast 6 RP spells per day, level 200 you can cast 8, and level 300 you can cast 10. When you post your spell in your ticket, include your level and how many spells you have left for that day. Spells reset at 12:00 AM central time every day.
¶ Curses
Mystics with access to Bestow Curse can submit proposed curses to the admin team by posting the proposed curse in your ticket. Blood Witches can submit proposed blood hexes to the admin team by posting the proposed hex in your ticket. You must include the following information in the curse:
- Name of Curse/Hex
- Duration
- Description - this must include all effects of the curse
Once this is submitted, the admin team will review the description, determine whether it is appropriate for the server, then we will add the components. There are no remote curses allowed, if you are going to curse someone you must have had some direct contact with them and obtained some personal item of theirs to be used as a component in the curse. The admin team will then determine the level of the curse - from one to five. One is a minor inconvenience, two is a moderate inconvenience, three is a significant inconvenience, four is a curse that lasts a long time with the effects gradually increasing over time, and five is a curse that has immediate significant effects. Each curse also leaves a residual mark of the caster, giving anyone who attempts to discover or investigate the curse a chance to learn the identity of the caster. Only other mystics can make an attempt to identify the curse and the caster. After the curse has been approved, the magi will be informed in their ticket, they will name their target and provide a screenshot for proof of their direct contact with the target, and an admin will contact that player to make a roll to resist. Custom curses will be known to the creator only (and anyone they share it with) for the season in which it is created. At the start of the next season, regardless of when it was introduced in the previous season, it will be a commonly known curse available to others.
¶ Roleplay Spells
Roleplay spells have no in-game mechanic. They are for enhancing your roleplay. You cannot cast RP spells until you reach level 100. When you cast a roleplay spell, you must post in your ticket to say what spell you are casting and on whom. If the spell is not posted in your ticket, or if the spell has expired, it has not been cast. If the target consents or the spell requires a willing target, you must screenshot the target consenting to the spell being cast. You must be familiar with your spells and their effects. Every RP spell requires an in game emote of you casting the spell, and then a screenshot of you casting as part of your post. You must also make sure you are following the rules for casting spells. If you do not follow the rules for casting RP spells, you may lose your mystic class.
You should use the following template when casting a role play spell:
- Spell:
- Target:
- Spells Remaining:
- Screenshot:
All roleplay spells must be listed in your character ticket in Discord at the time you cast them, along with anyone who is a target, any saving throw they made, the number of spells remaining for the day, and if you are making a spell permanent, you must state that in the ticket and let us know how many permanent spells you have active. So if you cast status, you would tell us “I cast status on Horny Frog. They relent (include a ss of them relenting). 6 spells remaining.” If you opt to make it permanent, tell us “I am making it permanent, I have paid the costs (ss of an admin collecting the costs) 2 permanent spells in place.”
You will be able to make one (1) spell permanent at level 100, one (1) permanent at level 200 and one (1) permanent at level 300. This means a level 250 spellcaster can have two (2) spells permanent and a level 300 one can have four (4). The spells that can be made permanent will be marked with an asterisks * in the spell list. The cost for making a spell permanent is ten (10) faith essence. You put your permanent spell into your character ticket and an admin will come to collect your essence and then the spell will be permanent. If you do not have the steps followed and the spell is not marked as a permanent spell in your character sheet ticket then it is not permanent.
Mystics fall into one of four specialized areas. The proper roleplay is expected for whatever role you select.
Blood Witches are blood mages who utilize the power of their own and other's blood to fuel their magics. They are capable of healing, though healing from a Blood Witch is a particularly painful endeavor. Most would agree, though, that some pain in the short term is worth it to mend their broken bones or punctured organs. In addition to healing, Blood Witches are durable casters who regenerate themselves and their allies in combat while draining their foes of blood.
Eldritch Knights are mystics who call upon the arcane to imbue them with power and summon powerful arcane storms that damage enemies around them. They are the most martial type of mystic, using magic constantly to augment their physical prowess.
Faith mystics may perform miracles of healing and resurrection to regenerate lost limbs or resurrect a player who has lost all three lives. The cost of which is 20 essence, made up of any combination between the mystic and the character being returned to life. Such miracles will tax the mystic, greatly fatiguing them or, in cases of self sacrifice, permanently scarring them. A resurrected character has 1 life granted to them by the mystic performing the miracle, allowing mystics to bring a character to FOUR total lives before their final death takes them.
Druid mystics can cast reincarnate, with the same cost for returning a player to life. The reincarnated player will roll for a random race to be assigned to them upon reincarnation by a druid mystic. Druids will lose their connection to nature and their nature spells if they become undead, including wight, risen, or picking up an archetype that has an undead aspect to it.
Magi are the masters of arcane magic, as the name implies. They use arcane fire and frost to devastate their foes and sling fireballs from their hands as party tricks. All in all, this is the most “mage” of all of the mystics, and they focus entirely on dealing out damage.
Prismaticists are mystics who utilize the chaotic nature of wild magic to cast spells and help their allies. They are deeply connected to the dreamlands and utilize a magic very similar to that of the Arcanith.
Pyromancers are arcane spellcasters who have complete mastery over the element of fire. Fire answers their call like no other, and they use their control over it to unleash devastation on a wide scale.
Stormsages call upon the natural elements of air and water to unleash destruction in the form of lightning augmented spells while commanding the stormwater to wash away what remains of their enemies.
A player who has chosen perma-death and/or lost all of their character's roleplay lives may not be resurrected.
Some spells have a cost associated with their cast, these spells are:
Breath of Life - 40 Essence
Heal - 10 Essence
Lay on Hands - 10 Essence
Cocoon - 20 Essence
Raise Dead - 40 Essence
Regeneration - 20 Essence
Reincarnate - 40 Essence
The essence cost can be Mysticism essence from the mystic casting the spell or the essence from the person having the spell cast on them. It can also be a split of the two essences in any way to total the cost of essence (eg. 28 Faith, 12 Prowess = 40).
On Maelstrom, the items you used to know as ???? have been redefined to be the essence of magic: Mana. These items will replace Lesser through Shining ???? from base Conan and function the same in all recipes associated with ????.
Universal Spells
- There will be universal spells that can be researched and learned by all mystics regardless of your subclass:
- Detect Magic
- Dispel Magic
- Prestidigitation
- Suspicion
- Mindlink
- Blood Biography
- Planar Inquiry
- Youthful Beauty*
- Nondetection
- Zone of Nondetection
- There will be spells specific to each subclass that can be picked at varying times and depending on your level. You are limited in the number of new RP spells you can access.
- At level 100 you can unlock 2 universal and 3 subclass spells.
- At level 150 you can unlock 2 universal and 4 subclass spells.
- At level 200 you can unlock 2 universal and 4 subclass spell.
- Each new spell unlocked will cost 8 essence of mysticism
- Once you have unlocked a spell you cannot remove it or replace it with another spell.
Faith Spells
- Analyze Ancestry
- Gentle Repose
- Heal (This spell can remove insanity points)
- Make Whole
- Preserve Soul (Some restrictions)
- Regeneration
- Resurgence
- Reverse Gender *
- Sanctify Corpse
- Sanctuary
- Sending
- Silence
- Silent Table
- Soulseeker
- Speak with Soul
- Status *
- Telepathy Block
Druid Spells
- Beastspeak*
- Circle Dance
- Cocoon
- Countermoon
- Echo Skull *
- Embrace the Wild
- Forestfold
- Heal (This spell can remove insanity points)
- Liveoak *
- Nature’s Ravages
- Pass Without Trace
- Regeneration
- Safe Clearing* (Must be cast outdoors)
- Share Husk
- Stoneshape
- Wood Wose *
- Magi Spells
- Arcane Conversion
- Arcane Font (Must be learned at Cyrfwin's temple)
- Arcane Sight
- Dilate Dweomer
- Enhance Dweomer
- Knock
- Mage Hand, Greater
- Open/Close
- Project Dweomer
- Protection from Spells
- Secret Page
- Sending
- Share Sensation
- Unluck
- Unseen Servant *
Spell descriptions can be seen here.
- Role Play Admin Spells (Can be handed out by admins through a thespian) include the following:
- Arcane Conversion (ID 8995762)
- Arcane Font (ID 8995763)
- Arcane Sight (ID 8995764)
- Banishment (ID 8995765)
- Beastspeak (ID 8995766)
- Blood Biography (ID 8995767)
- Bloodhound (ID 8995768)
- Camouflage (ID 8995769)
- Circle Dance (ID 8995732)
- Cocoon (ID 8995733)
- Countermoon (ID 8995770)
- Detect Magic (ID 8995757)
- Dilate Dweomer (ID 8995771)
- Dimensional Lock (ID 8995772)
- Dispel Magic (ID 8995758)
- Divine Insight (ID 8995773)
- Echo Skull (ID 8995734)
- Embrace the Wild (ID 8995774)
- Enhance Dweomer (ID 8995775)
- Forestfold (ID 8995776)
- Geas (ID 8995777)
- Gentle Repose (ID 8995735)
- Greater Mage Hand (ID 8995740)
- Heal (ID 8995736)
- Insanity (ID 8995737)
- Interplanar Message (ID 8995778)
- Knock (ID 8995738)
- Liveoak (ID 8995739)
- Magic Circle (ID 8995779)
- Mage Hand, Greater (ID 8995740)
- Magic Mouth (ID 8995741)
- Make Whole (ID 8995742)
- Mindlink (ID 8995759)
- Moment of Clarity (ID 8995780)
- Nature’s Ravages (ID 8995781)
- Non-Detection (ID 8995782)
- Open/Close (ID 8995743)
- Pass Without Trace (ID 8995744)
- Planar Inquiry (ID 8995783)
- Preserve Soul (ID 8995784)
- Prestidigitation (ID 8995760)
- Project Dweomer (ID 8995785)
- Protection from Spells (ID 8995786)
- Regeneration (ID 8995745)
- Resurgence (ID 8995787)
- Reverse Gender (ID 8995746)
- Revive Outsider (ID 8995788)
- Safe Clearing ID 8995789)
- Sanctify Corpse (ID 8995790)
- Sanctuary (ID 8995747)
- Secret Page (ID 8995748)
- Sending (ID 8995749)
- Share Husk (ID 8995750)
- Share Sensation (ID 8995751)
- Silence (ID 8995752)
- Silent Table (ID 8995791)
- Soul Seeker (ID 8995792)
- Speak with Soul (ID 8995793)
- Status (ID 8995753)
- Stoneshape (ID 8995794)
- Suspicion (ID 8995761)
- Telepathic Aura (ID 8995795)
- Telepathic Block (ID 8995796)
- Unluck (ID 8995754)
- Unseen Servant (ID 8995755)
- Whispering Lore (ID 8995797)
- Wood Wose (ID 8995756)
- Youthful Beauty (ID 8995798)
- Zone of Nondetection (ID 8995799)
¶ Advanced Magic Rules
There are those who are so dedicated to their magic that they are able to exceed the standard limits most are held to. With the right training and enough money to pay the exorbitant costs that are required to purchase a Scroll of Mysticism, you can learn up to two additional spells, expanding your known spell maximum by two. You must be level 300, be a full mystic caster class (blood witch, faith, druid, magi), speak with the mystical arts trainer in the hub, pay a cost of 200 gold and 100 essence, and then you can learn one additional RP spell. You can do this twice during the life of your character, for a total of two(2) additional spells known - one per scroll used. This will increase your spell knowledge, not the number of spells you can cast per day.
Like the Scroll of Mysticism, the Scroll of Expanded Mind exists in a similar fashion. Those with the right training and a heavy enough coin purse can acquire a Scroll of Expanded Mind and increase the number of permanent spells they can maintain by one(1). This scroll is so powerful that even the martial spellcasters can utilize it to gain the ability to maintain a single permanent spell.
¶ Sorcery
Sorcery is a new mechanic from 3.0. In the Exiled Lands it causes corruption, and as such, may be viewed negatively. We will try not to limit sorcery too much, however, the teleportation available to sorcerers on Maelstrom will be blocked because we have a caravan system in place, and we have an archetype that focuses on this type of magic. We also won't be able to limit the number or location of the sorcerer teleportation circles, which is another reason we will need to regulate that more closely. If you are a sorcerer, we expect you to role play that appropriately. Your sorcery will not count as a profession.
¶ High Magic Rituals
High magic rituals exist in the lands. These powerful magic rituals must be found, researched, and learned. These are extremely high level, difficult rituals that will not be easy to learn. Attempting to learn them and failing may have adverse effects for your character. If you think you may be interested in going down this path, you should be sure to point your character sheet appropriately. You must be a mystic, you cannot attempt to learn a subclass ritual that you cannot access, so a druid cannot learn a magi high magic ritual. Expect to spend weeks, or perhaps an entire season in researching rituals, you are limited by what rituals are available, you cannot create custom rituals, and you should be very familiar with your subclass before attempting to learn a high magic ritual.
High magic rituals can be seen here.
¶ Insanity (From Gods/Portals/Magical Effects)
As history has shown, the Exiled Lands is a magnet for insanity and creatures that cause insanity. Below is a guide for how insanity may impact you, with five general levels of insanity:
- Insanity 1
- Minor quirk (hallucinations, paranoia, insomnia, etc.);
- Development of a new phobia;
- Development of a compulsion (performs compulsive rituals (washing hands constantly, praying, walking in a particular rhythm, never stepping on cracks, constantly checking to see if crossbow is loaded, and so on).
- Insanity 2
- Increased frequency of the above, begins to spend less time around others;
- Personality shift that becomes readily noticeable to those who know you;
- Echopraxia or echolalia (saying or doing whatever those nearby say or do).
- Insanity 3
- Increased frequency of the above;
- Nightmares that haunt you;
- Inability to tell the difference between what is real and what is in your head;
- Major shift in personality, different likes, dislikes;
- Risk taking behavior;
- Less likely to seek out a cure for the madness;
- Fits of physical hysterics or emotional outburst (laughing, crying, and so on);
- Development of an attachment to a “lucky charm” (embraces object, type of object, or person as a safety blanket) and cannot function without it).
- Insanity 4
- Increased frequency of the above;
- Living nightmares;
- Seeing things from the dream realm intermingled with things from the material realm;
- Seeing and speaking with creatures from beyond the pale;
- Actively seeking out the final point of insanity;
- Distrust of all those around you;
- Incoherent ramblings;
- Outbursts of rage.
- Insanity 5
- You are fully under the control of the beings from beyond the pale;
- You have one week (IRL) to reduce the insanity or your character must either become an event character or be retired.
The heal spell can remove one point of insanity per casting.
¶ Ley Magic
Unknown to most mundane individuals, supplies of natural arcane energy criss-cross the lands of Hyboria (and those beyond) in networks of intersecting lines. Mystics can pick up the Arcane Font RP spell from the Arcanith NPC atop the Altar of Cyrfwin at the Temple of the Triumvirate. For more information, see the Ley Magic page.
¶
Siberscope
Siberscopes are devices that can be crafted by those who have taken the Cyrfwin religion. For more information, see the Siberscopes page.
¶ Information Crystals
Mystics may attempt to interact with Information Crystals via several magical methods. A Mystic can use the Read Magic RP spell and attempt a Spellcraft check vs. a DC given on the table below to gain access to the contents of a Private Information Crystal, allowing them to read its content once. It does not give them any information about the Information Crystal’s password (if one exists.) A Mystic can use the Dispel Magic RP spell on a Private Information Crystal and attempt an opposed check versus the owner’s spell DC to temporarily unlock any Private Information Crystal. This leaves it Public for 6-IRL-hours, although the Lore Master can spend 2 Essence to reset its accessibility. For more information on Information Crystals, see the Magic Items page.
¶ Auras
All creatures are imbued with a spark of the cosmic fire that burns at the heart of the multiverse. This vital principle grants beings animate force, carrying directions from their greater intellects to their gross physical forms. With practice, an initiate in the occult arts can manipulate this force to create fantastic manifestations of psychic phenomena. Different traditions have different names for this vital force - prana, odic force, orgone energy - but it is most commonly known as ki. For more information, see the Auras page.