HE    LAYER    ANUAL

XVI. MAGICK

Magick is based on summoning and controlling various Runes of Power. Rune symbols are the means to control this form of magick, allowing the caster to channel his magickal energies and shape it to a desired effect. Acquiring runes is an important part of life to a Rune Mage, but is also useful to many other classes. Without these runes, spell casting is impossible. Summoning and controlling the runes is a matter of 'weaving' the symbols in a particular order. 'Weaving' is the initial creation of spells by drawing the runes in the air, (i.e., typing in the proper syntax of runes used in a spell--see Magick Manipulation below), hence the intricate gestures of the hands, arms and fingers commonly associated with spell casters.

An adventurer is not limited to those runes given at the start of his or her life. There are several ways that you may acquire runes. The most common method is to buy them from the Rune Shop in the Spur. Both element and shape runes are rated according to difficulty level; you will find that some runes will remain unavailable to you until you reach a certain level of expertise in spellcasting.

You will find your access to runes limited by several factors. Some runes will not be available to you due to your class; some classes have better access to runes than others, but no class -- not even Rune-Mage -- can obtain all the runes available.

Most spells are temporary and of limited duration, though some may have much longer durations than others. Temporary spells will remain in effect until one of three conditions is met: The spell may reach the end of its normal duration; the spell's link to the caster may be broken by one of several factors, including death, distance or exhaustion; or it may be dispelled by either the caster, the target, or an interested bystander. Once the spell ends, it disappears from the target and its effects cease. NOTE: Rune-spells are not intelligent! If you accidentally cast a harmful spell at yourself (stranger things have happened), it WILL land on you, and you had best prepare to dispel it or find a way to be healed.

Magick Manipulation ...

Manipulation of magick is a three-step process. Before a rune-spell may be cast in melee, you must first learn to weave that spell, and memorize its weaving. This is because the gestures associated with spell casting are frequently complex, and they must become second nature before you can successfully use the spell in the heat of battle.

1. WEAVE [<element2>] [<element3>] <shape> (Some rune-spells may use multiple elements in their weaving.) When you WEAVE a rune-spell, it will be assigned a corridor number. You may then assign that corridor number a suitable name, and use either the name or the number of that corridor when you INVOKE the spell.

For example: WEAVE ACID TOUCH

>You have created a touch of acid! Well done! You may wish to memorize this combination.

This combination has been memorized as corridor #1.
To give the spell a name to go with that number, MEMORIZE FD 1
>Corridor #1 has been named FD

Once a rune-spell has been weaved and memorized, you may invoke that spell until you close the corridor using the FORGET command. If you use the FORGET command to clear a corridor, you must weave and memorize the spell anew before you can cast it again.

2. MEMORIZE <corridor name> <corridor number> (This step is optional, but highly recommended.)

3. INVOKE <(optional) adjective> <corridor name or #> AT <target>

Example: INVOKE FD (or corridor number) AT ROGUE.

(If no size adjective is specified, the default is average size.) Once a target (character, NPC, or monster) is affected by a rune-spell, they may not be effected by another spell of the exact same effect type until the first runs its course. For example, if you invoke a fire dart on a rogue, you may not invoke another fire dart until the first one dissipates.

You may have only a certain number of spells memorized at any one time. There is also a limit to the number of element runes you may have implanted at any one time. Rune shops can, for a small fee, remove any unwanted elemental runes for you. However, the number of shape runes you may possess is limited only by your class, race, alignment, and what you can afford.

Through experimentation, hints, and advice from other spell casters, you will discover that different shapes really do make a difference in the rune-spell's result. Some shapes are for one time, immediate use, such as dart. Others are long duration with a reduced effect, such as whip. Still others take a long time to form, but carry a heavy punch, such as storm.

There is a finite number of possible rune-spells. Most elements will weave only with a few specific shapes; for example, one can weave an acid touch, but not an acid wall. Part of the business of being a spell caster is learning for yourself which weavings create viable rune-spells and which do not. You will also find that the Mages' Guild is quite jealous of its information, and often a complete list of rune weaves will be difficult to come by. There is a scroll shop located in the city of Spur where scrolls can be purchased that help teach you the early spell weaves. The friendly folks at the Mages' Guild expect you to know what to ask for when buying runes, and will not be very helpful should you try to extract information from them. Trial and error, and the help and advice of spell casters more knowledgeable and experienced than you are the only ways to master the more sophisticated forms of magick.

Spell Guide ...

The following is a guide to the Magick System to help you along. It includes a description of the magicks used by each class to better help you understand their uses. [A book is available in the Training Grounds that lists the weaves of the first 5 levels of spells for each class, we strongly suggest if you’re interested in using magick you travel there and learn your classes spells!]

Non-elemental Magi best represent the mages of old from before the release of the magick trapped with the grey Sword of Sa. They don't really specialize in anything, but make use of numerous long lasting pulsing spells the other classes do not have available to them. In specific they are the only mage class with real psionic and magick resistance spells. On higher levels they make use of pulsing attacking spells almost exclusively.

Air Magi are the mages of the element of air. Their speciality is making use of spells of flight on higher levels. They are in the middle in use of attack and defense spells, being average at using both. All around extremely balanced.

Earth Magi are the masters of the element of earth. They specialize in defensive spells, and are almost entirely defensively based. Of the runemages they have the best defensive spells and the worst offense.

Fire Magi are the masters of the element of fire. They specialize in damaging attack spells, and are almost entirely offense-based. Of the runemages they have the best offensive spells and the worst defensive.

Water Magi are the masters of the element of water. They specialize in spells that are somewhat "weird" and different. Spells such as reflectance and scrying are just a few of their many different spells. They like air mages tend to be relatively balanced.

Heart Clerics are the healers of the world. They have few offensive spells, and those they have do little damage for the most part. They are, however, extremely skilled at protection spells in addition to their healing talents.

Sword Clerics are the Paladins of the world. They make use of spells which raise their ability to battle in combat, protect them in combat, and raise their ability to do damage. For the most part their spells are mainly to help them in using their weapons.

Hand Clerics are the monks of the world. Making use of their chi, they are able to create spells from the spiritual world that aid them in the physical world. Their spells are almost all restricted to self-only, as they are unable to spread the power of the spiritual realm to others.

Dragons are the ancient masters of magick, though at young ages they hold little control over the runes required. As they progress in stage they learn more spells and become much more powerful in the use of them.

Foresters are the protectors of the forest, trackers, and rangers of the world. They make use of nature to craft their spells to help them in their profession. For the most part their spells help them deal with animals, such as calming them or if need be killing those which rampage out of control. They have a good mix of spells to compliment their bow abilities.

Thieves are the sneaky, thieving, lockpicking, cunning lowlifes of the underworld. Making use of a little trickery, they have stolen a few spells now and then from others and make use of them, combined with a little ingenuity on their own to help further their goals in life.

Fighters are the warriors of the world, they have little use for magick, but now and then have been lucky enough to pick up a few random spells to help them in their ways.

Barbarians are the wild-swinging mad men of the lands. They too use little magic, but have occasionally picked up a spell or two.

Psions are the masters of the mental powers, and due to their focus upon the mental, have little skill in the use of magick. They have however managed to learn a few spells over time that help their minds achieve true enlightenment.

Bards are the performers of the world. The songs of these traveling minstrels are able to entertain crowds, cause pain, lull monsters to sleep, or even scare off small children! Most of their spells tend to effect a complete group of people, or even a room