Sorcery: Knowledge Spells

Sorcery: Knowledge Spells

Knowledge spells are very common in fantasy, and my conversions are lacking in this department. Let's fix this. Aura is a useful spell that detect magical auras, strong emotions, and even personality traits. Measurement can replace a set of measurement tools. Seek Magic will lead the caster to the closest magic item or active spell. Sense Mana detects the local mana level and its aspect. Test Load is useful when you are not sure if the rope will be sturdy enough to use.

Aura

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 20 points.

Casting Roll: Per. Use IQ for analysis.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Instantaneous.

The caster sees an aura around living beings. This aura gives the caster a general insight into the subject’s personality – the better the follow-up IQ roll, the better the insight. One a successful IQ roll, the aura also shows whether the subject has Magery, Magic Resistance, or Magic Susceptibility (and what level); whether the subject is possessed or controlled in any way; and whether the subject is in the grip of any violent emotion. A critical success on the IQ roll will detect “secret” traits, such as lycanthropy, vampirism, and unnatural longevity.

All living beings have auras; inanimate things do not. A zombie is detectable by his faint, death-haunted aura, while a vampire retains the aura he had in life. Illusions and created beings have no aura, so a successful casting of this spell distinguishes them from real persons.

Statistics: Detect Aura (Sorcery, -15%; Vision-Based, -20%) [20].

Measurement

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 2 points.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: 10 yards.

Duration: Instantaneous.

Tells the caster any one of the following things about the subject: (a) its weight; (b) its measurements in all dimensions; (c) its area; (d) its volume, or other parameters. This spell will provide information in the native system of the caster, be that pounds, grams, or stones about the size of your head. The measurement is as precise as the caster can comprehend.

Statistics: Cosmic Power (1 point; Limited, Only Measuring Accessories, -60%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Sorcery, -15%) [2].

Seek Magic

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 21 points or 26 points.

Casting Roll: Per. Use IQ for analysis.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Instantaneous.

After casting, the GM rolls against the sorcerer’s Per, with a penalty based on the distance to the nearest significant magical item, active spell, or magical being. The basic (21-point) version of this spell takes standard range penalties. The improved (26-point) one uses Long-Distance Modifiers (p. B241). If successful, the caster knows the exact distance and direction to the source of magic, and may make a follow-up IQ roll (at no penalty) to learn basic details about it (e.g., “it’s a magical item” or “it’s a magically animated golem”).

Any known sources of magic may be excluded if the caster mentions them before casting.

This is also a Knowledge spell.

Statistics: Detect Magic (Precise, +100%; Selective Effect, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [21]. The improved version adds Long-Range 1 (+50%) [+5].

Sense Mana

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 11 points.

Casting Roll: Per. Use IQ for analysis.

Range: Personal.

Duration: Instantaneous.

A successful Per roll tells the caster the mana level at the point where he is standing, and whether the local mana is aspected or otherwise unusual. A follow-up IQ roll will reveal the precise nature and level of any aspect or other peculiarity.

Statistics: Detect (Mana; Melee Attack, Reach C, -30%; Sorcery, -15%) [11].

Test Load

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 1 points.

Casting Roll: None.

Range: Touch.

Duration: Instantaneous.

Tells the caster how much weight the subject can support before warping or breaking. This can reveal the capacity of bridges, baskets, ropes, etc.

Statistics: Accessory (Tensometer; Sorcery, -15%) [1].