Are There Areas Of Other Mana Levels?
Yes, although they are fairly rare. Such areas usually range in size from 100 yards to a few miles, but there are areas that are both much larger and smaller.
Are Any Optional Magic Rules In Use?
Yes, a few and more changes may be added as time permits.
1 - 0-Level Magery. For 5 points, a character gains the ability to cast many of the basic spells. Most spell casters fall into this level and are unable to learn the truely powerful spells (please note that Magery means 1st level Magery in GURPS Magic, and spells which require Magery, Magery 2, or Magery 3 cannot be learned, although magic items listed as mage only can be used).
2 - Full Literacy is included in the cost of the first level of Magical Aptitude. It is not incleded in 0-level magery (and remember that learning spells will cost twice as much for those who do not have the Full Literacy advantage).
3 - All spells are limited to a maximum range of 50 miles.
Reduced Energy Cost of Area Effect Spells:
To increase the area affected, the cost doesn't double. Instead, it raises by 1 each time the area is enlarged a ring of hexes, or 1/2 for a spell that officially costs 1.
The damage done by missile spells is increasted as follows:
For the Explosive Fireball, raise the damage to 3d per 2 points put into it. That damage is reduced by 1d per hex away from point of impact. I take the lowest die away first. So a 9d fireball with rolls of 6,5,2,3,1,3,4,5,5, would still do 6 points of fire damage at the outer most ring of the area of effect.
The Fireball and Ice Sphere are increased to 3d per point of energy.
The Ice Dagger and Lightning do 3d-1 per point of energy.
Stone Missile does 3d+1 per point of energy spent.
For Poltergeist the damage should be as follows;
3d for point (object up to 10 lbs.) and 5d for 2 points (Objects from 10 - 50 lbs.)
Winged Knife damage does not change.
Note: Missile spells are still only allowed to have a maximum of three energy points put into them.
Additionally, Minor Healing and Major Healing are increased to allow a maximum of 5 points to be put into a single casting.
Limited Starting Spells.
In my campaign, I have a general rule that mages can only take spells from the GURPS
Basic Set. Other spells need strict GM approval.
Mana Stones
Mana Stones are naturally-occurring "powerstones" and they may or may not be semi-precious stones. Mana stones are a sub-class of powerstones that do not recharge -- one-shot powerstones that once drained become useless for magical purposes. Buying a
powerstone is a little risky...a Mana stone may be represented as a
recharging powerstone even if it's not! While Analyze Magic is necessary to tell the difference, it often
fails to tell the difference between Powerstones and Mana stones (-7 penality), since the only difference is that Mana Stones do not recharge).
Magical Knacks
Follow the rules for creating knacks on p. M86, except as noted below. The first two rules given
here may be circumvented by certain mages.
(1) Any character may have a single knack, at 2% of the item energy cost in Character Points, as per GURPS Magic. However, there is a 5-point minimum cost for any knack.
(2) Knacks may not be added or improved with Speed or Power after character creation.
(3) There are no spell prerequisites for having a knack, but any minimum DX or IQ requirements must be met.
(4) Only mages may have more than one knack. The number of knacks allowed to a mage depends on the level of magery:
Non Mages are allowed 1 knack with a total cost of 5 points.
Magery 0 allows up to 2 knacks with a total cost of 10 points.
Magery 1 allows up to 3 knacks with a total cost of 15 points.
Magery 2 allows up to 4 knacks with a total cost of 25 points.
Magery 3 allows up to 5 knacks with a total cost of 35 points.
(5) IQ 10 is a minimum requirement for buying Magery. For each level of IQ above 10, the mage may add one of the following benefits. The player chooses which powers his character has, and should record them on the character sheet.
(a) A knack costs only 1% of the item energy cost in Character Points.
(b) There is no minimum cost of 5 CP per knack.
(c) Knacks of spells whose items state "Usable only by a mage" do not cost double.
(d) New knacks may be acquired after the character is created.
(e) Knacks may be improved with Speed or Power after character creation.
(f) No limit on number of Knacks.
For example, an IQ 12 mage might choose (a) (paying only 1 % of the item energy cost) and (d) (ability to acquire new knacks). Such a mage would have to pay double for any knack listed as "Usable only by a mage." He would also have to pay the 5-point minimum cost for a knack that non-mages have to pay, and could never improve his knacks with Speed or Power.
Any mage who raises his IQ one level with earned character points may add one of the above abilities. At IQ 16, a mage has all the above abilities; there is no further advantage for having a mage. with IQ 16+.
(6) Mages who may acquire knacks after character creation do so by spending earned character points. Such knacks cost twice what the mage would have paid for the knack at character creation. The knack may be created with levels of Speed or Power, but such costs are also doubled.
While adding "inherent" abilities after character creation may seem paradoxical, it can be explained as the repeated manipulation of mana awakening long-dormant talent.
(7) Knacks may be improved by adding Speed or Power after character creation only by certain mages. The cost to improve a knack with earned character points is normally doubled.
Restrictions on Magic
In this campaign, the standard method of casting a spell is to gesture with both hands, make certain ritual foot motions (like dance steps) and speak the appropriate incantation in a firm, clear voice. Mages may choose to omit parts of this ritual, at a penality to their effective skill:
-2 for soft speech
-4 for no speech
-2 if gestures are made with only one hand
-4 if no gestures are used
-2 if no foot movements are made
(So even a mage gagged and hog-tied could possibly cast spells....at a -10 penality.)
Please note that skill does not reduce time and energy to cast spells.
A mage can choose to reduce a spell's energy cost, at a -3 skill penality for each -1 to energy cost (minimum 1 energy point).
Also a spell caster can reduce casting time at a -3 skill penality for every second reduced (minimum 1 second).
Or the mage can take extra time. For each doubling of uninterrupted casting time, the caster gets either +1 to effective skill or -1 to energy cost. A spell may be doubled in this way a maximum of 4 times.
(So our gagged and hog-tied mage from above could double his spell's casting time 4 times, making his effective skill -6 instead of -10.)
All Spells (or spell like effects from use of a magic item) take at least 1 second (except for blocking spells) and aways cost at least 1 point of energy to "trigger."
How Common Are Mages And Magic? Normally Fairly common. Usually about 1 person in 30 has Magery at level 0; 1 person in 100 has Magery at level 1; 1 person in 250 has magery at level 2; 1 person in 500 has magery 3. So normally in a random group of a 1,000 people, you could reasonably expect that:
2 individuals will have Magery at level 3
4 individuals will have Magery at level 2
10 individuals will have Magery at level 1
33 individuals will have magery at level 0
So usually, in most races, about 5% of its members will have magery, but please note that some races do not have any mages (less than 1%), while in other races all the members of the race will have magery (better than 99%).
Are Mages Well Distrubuted?
Mages tend to avoid low-mana areas and often prefer settling near (or in) high mana areas, so there are some places where mages are much more common while other places will have few if any mages....
Where Are Mages Most Likely To Be Found?
Each mage is very different, some like urban life, some are content to live in the country-side and some are true hermits....usually more can be found in larger cities near the rulers, but some of the most powerful Archmages live alone, working mighty magics for their own purposes. There is said to be a homeland that only mages can find, but while some mages claim to have been to Mageholm, there are an equal number that say there is no such place and many others mages just do not know for certain...
What Legal And Social Restrictions Are On Magic And Alchemy?
In some places it is completely illegal to be a mage, use magic or Alchemy, but in general, it isn't so much using the magic or alchemy as the intent behind it's use that is restricted. Socially, Mages cannot hold certain offices including (but not limited to) Emperor of the Adarian Empire.
Is There A Specific Guild Type Structure For Mages?
There are Mage Guilds, but they are indepentent of one another, tend to be small with membership usually under 30 and very local in their power. The main problem is that each mage tends to be indepentant, a bit paranoid about their spell knowledge, and usually each mage feels that he should be the leader of the guild. In many of these "Mage Guilds," it seems that the members spend most of their time jockeying for position," undermining their guild's power and authority. Many powerful mages instead of belonging to a guild, take students and attempt to train students in the magical arts (and their personal believes...).
How Common Are Magic Items?
Fairly common, but normally an individual doesn't have many magical items at once. Carring large numbers of magic items tends to be noticed and there are always those willing to relieve someone of so much magicial wealth. Basically Magical Items are rare enough that they are not too common and gentric, most Magical Items are Unique
Are There Active Deities or Higher Powers?
It depends upon whom you ask. The faithful believe it to be so while non-blievers tend to think that the faithful are deusional....
Is There Any Special Clerical Magic
Yes, I am still working on some of the exact details of some clerical orders, but basically depending upon the Higher Power's standing, being a cleric is either an advantage or disadvantage, and in some cases certain advantages, disadvantages and skills are required (and/or gained) to be considered a Cleric of a particular Higher Power. Please note that becoming a "disadvantaged" cleric does not count as a personal disadvantage, so it is possible to gain a few additional character points, but remember that such orders are very demanding and often a known cleric of such a "dark" clerical order will be shunned at best (and at worst, be outlawed and perhaps even hunted down...). In addition to the official "Orders," a character is also free to design his character as a cleric as he sees fit (within the normal character guide-lines)...but how the Higher Power and the "Regular" Clerical Order members react could prove interesting...
What Spells From The Spell List Is Unknown?
Basically all the Spells in GURPS Magic and GURPS Grimoire are well known enough for a starting character to learn. Spells in the
Are There Any Common Knowledge Spells To Be Added To The List?
No, not at the present time.
Are There Any Spells Which Are Banned from the Campaign?
Yes and no. The GM will approve each mage character's spell list before play begins. If a spell seems too unbalancing or two powerful or out of keeping with the favor of the campaign, the GM reserves the right to change, alter or disallow any spell, advantage, skill or whatever short-circuits the adventure.
Are Teleportation And Telepathy Common Enough To Affect Communication? No, in the Adarian Campaign Spells are normally limited to a maximum range of 50 miles (except in very rare cases) and so while a party of adventurers or a lone mage might be able to travel from place to place fairly quickly (in a well known area), for the most part, the effects are very limited for most people. Governments, Powerful Nobles, Mercant Princes, Some Guilds and some other organizations do have the advantage of quick communication and movement, but in general, they cancel out the advantage amoung themselves, and the "commoners" just have to trust in mandane transportation and communication.
How Common is Healing Magic?
Very common. Nearly all mages that are able learn healing magic do so, in order to heal themselves, their friends and allies, etc. Commoners expect that all Mages know Healing Magic and most of freelance spell casters cast more Healing spells than any other kind.
Who Benifits From Healing Magic?
Nearly everyone at some time or another. Healing magic is very common and normally Healing magic can be found at fairly reasonable prices. Nearly every nobleman of any importance will have his own mage, and some mages (who may or may not also be members of clericial orders) found a "Free Healing Clinic" for the poor, and the down and out etc...normally such full time Clinics are found only in the largest towns and cities, but often in smaller towns and villages, the local mage(s) may devote one day a week to "Clinic Day" healing those whom cannot pay...
