Magic, both Holy and Wizardly, is a free flowing power that inhabits every part of the universe like free flowing electrons. Those who use it know how to channel this energy to specific results. Even though this power is everywhere not everyone can use it. Each sentient thing is “hard wired” from conception, you can either channel the energy or you can’t. Magic use is not an “aquired skill”; a teacher can only instruct you how to better use your innate talent. The Wizardly types can improve their abilities through study and practice. With regards to humans the various gestures, chants and material components act as catalysts. Also, the various components of magic, individualy, do not stack. This may be a poor analogy but stay with me. In the manufacture of sulphuric acid the components are: heat (cooking the sulphur), water (heated to a vapor), platinum (heated becoming a catalyst), distillation (a final refinning of the process). If I am missing any one of those components I cannot make up for it by doubling one of the other components, it’s only when all are acting in concert that you get the optimal result of 99% pure sulphuric acid. The exception to this system are the Elves. The Elves are able to use magic without the aid of material components (though they still need to use gestures and the occational words of power).

Back to the humans. Wizardly types will seek out those with the “talent” for magic. Even those who don’t cast their first spell until late in life for game purposes that character spent the points on “magic skill” at creation, “magic skill” cannot be purchased after startup unless extraordinary circumstances happen. The Holy magic users continue to baffle the Wizardly types. The Holy magic users get most of their ability through raw intuition. Not all Holymen/women can cast Holy spells, only a select few are “marked by Rham” with the powers of heaven. Those with the gift are often sent to special seminaries or monastaries to further refine that gift. Like the Wizardly schools the Priesthood will keep an ear/eye out for youths with “the gift” and seek to recruit them. In general the populace is less afraid of Priestly magic as most of the stuff they’ve seen is less flashy and always beneficial to the community. The priest who healed you childs broken arm and removed the blight from your potato vines is a powerful friend and ally. The guy who sent fireballs strieking through the night sky (even though nobody was hurt) is viewed like your average Berkeley crazzy with a loaded revolver [grab the kids and hide while dad dials 911]. Like I mentioned earlier though, those farther up the social ladder will be less awe struck by arcane antics.

What about alchemy? It tends to break a lot of rules but not to the alchemist. Potions are tailored to the person using them. A skilled achemist can, with a bit of last minute tweaking, tailor a potion to someone he/she has never met before. It behooves you to not drink that which has not been tailored to you by a skilled alchemist, it could have deadly side effects. To an alchemist the various “catalysts” of magic are combined to create a self sustaining magic “reaction” which, with practice, produce a farely predictible result. Their tools and instruments sometimes require “magical seasoning” in much the same way you ‘season’ a new cast iron skillet, you just can’t get another one on the fly and expect good results. Alchemists will, if going abroad, tend to tailor their potions for themselves so that it only takes a phase or two to grab a potion and use it.

The one big drawback to alchemists is that they can’t quickly transfer the benefits of their potions to allies in the middle of combat. They tend to put their skills to work well before or after a conflict.

Nuts and bolts stuff. The magic skill used for all magic/holy skill rolls is: 9 + the average of Int and Ego divided by 5. The skill is a 3/2 format. The various Schools of magic (Necromancy, Summoning, Divination, etc) are purchased as 2/1 knowledge skills and are modifier skills for their respective fields(if you have Necromancy you may make Necromancy skill rolls to modify your magic skill roll for spells from the Necromancy school). For the monsters/NPC's you will more often see lower base Magic Skills with intense School modifiers, the bad guys for the most part are supposed to be one trick ponnies. The spells available to you are only limited by character points and later you may develop new spells not in the Grimoire. The printed spells are just an aid so that I don't have to create a complete magic system from whole cloth (we wouldn't be starting this campaign for years if I had to do that). It also gives me a relatively balanced armoury of spells for the monsters (I would hate to make a math error when calculating spell costs and destroy the party). I would like to think the players will have enough choice from the Grimoire to not feel too restricted, especially when I have left the door open for developing new spells later on. This will apply for both Holy/Wizardly spell casters.

Spell components: At the begining of each month of game play Characters need to make "availability" rolls for spell components. The roll is a basic 11- roll modified by various perks, fringe benefits, good roll playing, etc. People with Money, Contacts, etc may modify this roll. For those without money there will be available Knowledge based skill such as Herb Lore and Mineral Lore. Failing an availablility roll means one or more of your spells is unavailable to you for a short time until you can scare up some replacement components. The number of spells unavailable will be one spell for every two points you miss the roll and one week for every point you miss the roll. F.E. if you missed the roll by 1 point you are down 1 spell for 1 week, if you missed the roll by 4 points you are down 2 spells for 4 weeks. A wealthy or well connected patron (or skilled follower) can assist someone else in regaining lost time but they won't be able to apply their money/skill to themselves. It is a sad fact that most magical types spend an enormous amount of their energy/time aquiring and reaquiring the fragile, expensive and expendible spell components. Chasing down spell components is why magic users don't rule the known world, they would run out of supplies rather quickly.