Let’s talk about how I do magic in my game. It’s almost straight up the same as the folkstyle D&D you are familiar with. But there are some small differences, small wrinkles, which will make some large difference.
Initially, a lot of the details I share here will seem like surface fluff. They are important because each detail augers into the game world. That which is window dressing in a board or video game is available here in TTRPGs to be manipulated and leveraged by clever players and NPCs. So pay attention.
Ready?
Arcane Magic:
Elfs and Men who are Magic-Users do the same kind of magic. We call it arcane magic.
Through ritual and study, they learn to call dweomers, which are a kind of vorpal being from a dimension orthogonal to our own. Once it is called, a dweomer dwells within its master’s neural pathways, much as a worm might dwell within an apple for a time. While it does, it shall vibrate at a neural frequency unique to its kind. This vibration is unpleasant for the master and requires long discipline to endure. No wonder then that a starting magic-user can only hold one in his head at a time, and only a meager one at that.
As a wizard gains experience, he will be able to contain greater and more numerous dweomers, each of which vibrates at different native frequency.
When its master chooses, he will command the dweomer to depart using specific gestures, the utterance of the dweomer’s True Name, and in some cases, a material focus designed to coax it. When it departs to its own realm, it creates a substantial effect in ours. In the layman’s vulgar tongue, this is called casting a spell.
If a caster (of any type) takes even a single hit point of damage while casting out his spell, the spell will be ruined and dissipate without effect. Merely jostling or attempting to distract the caster will not spoil the spell.
On coaxing and banishing dweomers:
In the morning or after a long rest, the arcane caster studies his spell book. It is the process of studying, and not any native knowledge the caster possesses, that makes it possible to call the proper dweomer. Therefore the spellbook is the caster’s prime possession.
To cast a spell, the arcane caster must be able to speak clearly and have at least one hand free to gesture. In the case of spells that have material components, be must be able to reach them.
A Man may not wear any kind of armor or bear a shield while he casts a spell (but can do so at other times,) for armor interferes with the movements necessary to call his spells. An Elf does not suffer this disability and may cast while holding one item as well as while wearing armor.
Men who fight in the Elven Manner are called Foresters:
Can a Man learn to cast as an Elf does? He can. He must choose this path at character creation. He will get a bonus starting language, Elven, and he will be presumed to be from quite nearby Elven lands. The man is able to cast like an elf does and fight like a man does. He will benefit from the Elf saving throw progression and also the Fighting-Man’s to hit rolls. However, the Man does not gain longevity, immunity from touch attacks, the Elf’s detection abilities, or darkvision. He also adopts the Elf’s unfavorable XP advancement chart and is level capped at 10. He does not gain the fighting-man’s class abilities.
Equipment:
The chief item necessary for spellcasting is the spellbook. A spellbook takes up one item slot. It contains exactly 39 pages. It can hold up to 13 inscribed spells. All spells so inscribed must be of the same spell level. Therefore if an arcane caster can use more than one spell level, he must carry a book for each level.
A spellbook costs 100 GP per spell level it holds. Therefore a level two spellbook costs 200 GP. No lesser expense will do. A new character’s first spellbook was given to him by his master during his training.
The arcane caster must also carry his spell’s material components and foci in a spell component container. This container takes up one additional item slot.
Learning new arcane spells:
Magic is weird and secret, and laymen consider it a tool of the Devil. Therefore wizards have to be very guarded about their spells. It is very unlikely that someone else will give you, or even sell you, a spell free and clear. There are always strings attached. And if another wizard learns that you’ve given away a spell at a price below normal, you may find yourself at the wrong end of a feeblemind spell.
So how do you learn more of them?
The first way is when you gain a level, you may add a spell from the conventional list to your spellbook of any level you can cast.
The next way is to attempt to transcribe a scroll spell into your spellbook. Doing so takes one week but no money. At the end of the week, make an INT check against 1d20. If you pass, you get the spell. If not, you can’t ever learn to call that dweomer (but can research something similar.)
The next way is to capture spellbooks. This also requires A week of study per spell and an INT check, just like a scroll, but the spell is not erased from the book.
The final common way to get new spells is to research them. It costs 100 GP per spell level and one week to research a new spell. This could be one on the conventional list or one you and your Referee make up together.
The research requires a permanent laboratory in which to host the books, components and experimental equipment. Wizards can share a laboratory. Each time you research a spell, you will collect some books and equipment too.
At the end of the week, make an INT check to see if you can learn this new spell. If not, you have to pay the time and money again.
Using and writing scrolls:
A spell scroll is a way to store a spell for later use. It binds a dweomer in a different way. An arcane caster first learns a spell, then transfers that spell knowledge onto a specially-cured paper using exotic inks. That spell is erased from his mind and encoded into the message in the paper.
It costs 100 GP per spell level to create such a scroll. So a third-level spell costs 300 GP to make. Regardless of the spell’s level, it takes one solid week of work to create it as well.
Only an arcane caster can use arcane scrolls. To do so, he only need read the words aloud. There are no gestures or components necessary, and the caster can do it as long as he can clearly see the words and diagrams of the spell, so within 1 scale inch in good light.
However, each scribe will use his own magical notation unique to his neural pathways. If a caster should discover a spell scroll from another hand, he must first cast Read Magic upon it to unlock its secrets for him.
When the scroll is used, the writing is consumed and evaporates. An empty scroll will disintegrate into ash.
Any number of spell scrolls up to 13 total spell levels will fit into a scroll case, a hard water-resistant tube meant for such things. Up to two scroll cases take up one item slot.
Potions:
A potion is a small drink that contains a magic spell or effect. Any character with normal-type internal organs can use a potion. Drinking a potion in combat is a miscellaneous action that takes effect at the end of the Round.
Potions are moderately breakable and your Ref may call for you to make a Save if you fall far, get burned, or have some other mishap - failure meaning a potion you are carrying is somehow spoilt. Up to four potions fit in an item slot.
Upon attaining 5th level, Spellcasters of both kinds can brew potions. Healing potions are especially popular. If you wish to brew a potion that doesn’t have an analogous spell, work with your Referee to come up with a way to make it. That might require research. It takes one day to brew a potion and costs 100 GP per spell level expenses in brewing it.
Permanent magic items:
Armor, cloaks, and especially swords, are some of the best kinds of treasures there are. Any class of character can create permanent magic items upon attaining 9th experience level, but only kinds of items that class can use. Creating a magic item takes a permanent laboratory and forge, and one week per “plus” or special ability it has. It also costs 2000 GP at minimum; depending on the item, it can be more valuable than the castle that houses it.
When a cleric makes an item, he can choose to Align it with a cosmic alignment matching his own - essentially making it a “holy” or “infernal” item. (Intelligent weapons always match the alignment of their maker.)
Clerical magic:
Not every priest or layman can call forth miracles from above. A man must be called by God into service, and then agree to serve God. A village priest or a devout soldier does not perform the miracles and wonders of the cleric. A true cleric can perform divine magic. These miracles are often called spells by laymen, just as arcane spells are.
Clerical magic only works when it is dramatically appropriate. A cleric can’t just go popping off spells to impress girls. He can’t even heal someone in town who has a good chance to recover; his magic is reserved for times when wonders and miracles are truly necessary.
In order to use this magic, the cleric must act within his alignment to the best of his ability. If he strays from God’s moral and civilization’s ethical code either on purpose or without contrition, he will not be able to use magic.
Rituals, Prayers and Commands:
In terms of game mechanics, there are three categories of clerical spells, called rituals, prayers, and commands.
A ritual takes ten uninterrupted minutes to set up and then it’s effects are permanent.
A prayer begins when the cleric casts the spell and then persists as long as the cleric continues to pray (to concentrate.) While maintaining the prayer he may take no other action except moving and turning undead.
A command begins when the cleric casts the spell and has a set duration. He need not take any other action to maintain the spell.
Equipment:
A cleric has a spellbook and components too, after a fashion. Every morning, the cleric must confess to God his sins and read the Scripture for a total of at least one hour. Then when he calls for God’s miracles, he must present his holy symbol: a cross or other holy device. This can be fashioned into a necklace or etched into a shield, among other display methods. His Bible takes up one item slot and his holy symbol none, but remember that clerics are almost always armored when on campaign.
A cleric knows how to ask for any spells he wants at the start of a day. God will grant them as asked under most circumstances.
A cleric can spontaneously cast his healing spells. (Or in the case of the anticleric, harming spells.) He chooses to “forget” one spell he has saved that day of the right spell level and then can perform the healing ritual in its place.
Divine scrolls:
Divine scrolls work like arcane scrolls except for a couple of small differences. First, divine scrolls are written in common and need no Read Magic. Second, the magic only works for the same people and under the same circumstances conventional divine magic functions. If a layman or enemy reads the scroll, or if a cleric reads one at the wrong time, nothing happens.
For those beings who are apprised of divine magic, if they attempt to use the scroll maliciously, they may be harmed in some way by God.
