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Death or Glory
ROLE PLAYING GAME

Realms of Magic
Magic System Supplement v.2.0. (pre-release)

Copyright Notice : These records are copyright (C) 1994 Alexander N. Trofimov.
The entire system or any part of it cannot be used for commercial purpose
without explicit written permission of the author. The basic ASCII file version
2.0. can be copied, printed, referred to and uploaded / stored to any archive
under condition that the file stays unchanged as it is, including this
copyright notice.
Order information : Enhanced formatted edition can be purchased against a
modest contribution of Sfr. 10.- (mostly the postage fees from Geneva/
Swizerland to you + some printing/trouble expenses). The packet mailed includes
the latest version of Death or Glory main role-playing system as well as all
supplements appeared until now. This way you also become a registered user and
all information on the subject - future releases, supplements, etc. - would be
communicated to you directly.
Acknowledgements : The author wishes to thank the following persons, whos help
in the compilation of the supplement cannot be underestimated (not in a random
way, this is the order of priority) :

Short Description : this supplement is supposed to be used with Death or Glory
role-playing game system v.2.x. It contains more or less complete data on the
way the magic is used in the worlds of "Death or Glory". This version is being
play-tested, so a number of corrections and additions would certainly appear in
the next release. Please send your comments to (me) : Alexandre Trofimov; 29,
av. de Vaudagne, 1217 Meyrin, Switzerland. E-mail [e-mail]
Changements as compared to the previous version :
    The previous version was just for totem magic, so the entire system was
completely revisited. Almost everything has been changed.
Still to be implemented :
    Most of the magic realms limitations are still undefined. Generally the
system appeared while playing and I suppose it would be so in the future. If
one of our mages will decide to try (for example) Were Magic - I will compile
limitations for it. Any comments and propositions are most welcome.

"Magick is not what you think, my young fellow . . ."
- Tsssakh the Whitesnake -
One of the three mightiest wizards of pre - Seven Wars era
General considerations
It is a well-known fact that a self-respecting fantasy world
cannot exist without magic. Every character who thinks and even some profoundly
stupid creatures can, in theory, use magic. The character's ability of using
magic correctly and not getting too much tired of it is called Magic Aptitude.
The characters who have MA less than 10 can skip this supplement entirely. The
guys who have less than 12 are hopelessly unable to produce a visible magic
effect unassisted. Others, who have at least 14 can sometimes cast a 'heal'
spell without mutilating too many innocent bystanders, but you definitely need
to have more than 14, if you want to impress your girl/boy-friends. Those who
have 16 or more can produce more or less impressive magic events, depending on
their luck and prudence. And, at last those who have MA more than 18 are the
real big ones - those who become great sorcerers one nice day (say, on their
80th anniversary).
A person who can use magic does either understand it or feel it. Those who
understand are called common mages and they are few, those who feel are called
free mages and they are even less.
As far as all characters have the MA number on their char sheet, they (even
the fightiest fighter and the peasantiest peasant) are potentially able to cast
spells. But if everybody could, everybody would (pigs had wings . . .).
Fortunately or unfortunately, the magic is difficult enough to learn. A
character has to:
1) find a kind and functioning mage
2) persuade the kind functioning mage that he (k. f. m.) desperately needs
a disciple
3) listen the k. f. m.
4) understand the k. f. m.
And the last two points last for a couple of years. Then, by the end of the
education period, the proud (tired / bored to death) character passes a long
and dangerous test and, in case he/she stays alive, he/she becomes a brand new
magic user, a new member of the mages guild - good luck, young man / lady. At
this moment he/she receives his first spell totem (see explanation below). But
sometimes (that is rather uncommon), when a disciple listens to his master, he
understands more than the teacher tells him. In that case, they say that the
disciple is a free mage, i. e. he naturally feels the magic.
A brief overview of the theory of magic
Since the beginning of time, theoretical works of the great magi exposed
some hundreds different approaches to magic using, practiced by different
sorcerers. All these (mostly personal) ways of magic incantations can be
roughly classifyed into three large and non-incompatible categories -
1) Totem Magic : totem magic is the lowest and the safest degree of magic
using, open to all of the spellcasters. Incantations of totem magic require the
usage of a special object called 'spell totem' (AKA 'spell book', AKA 'magic
wand/staff/stone/etc.'), indicating how to guide the internal powers of a magus.
 All magic activities, related to spell totems are to be performed in physical
contact with totems. Only one mage at time can use a totem.
2) Rune Magic : the domain of magic where the magic effect is produced through
a combination of runes - magic letters or signs of different meaning and power.
In fact, this way of sorcery can be considered as a strictly ritualised
application of Improvised Magic (see below).
3) Improvised Magic : the most advanced and the most dangerous area of the
realms of sorcery, requiring certain skills and some experience to adventure in.
 The magic effect is produced through combining one or more basic magic
elemental forces into a single supernatural event.
Actually all these domains are just different reflections of the same general
foundations of sorcery. All magic-using creatures have control over different
fields of sorcery. For example, fire-breathing dragons have a natural (thought
quite restricted) ability of control over the fire magic. Magi, as they are
understood and accepted in the world, usually work in more than one domain of
sorcery in order to cast more complex and more powerful spells. For example a
magus competent in Frost and Illusion magic can create a quantity of ice (by
freezing water), which would appear as a piece of wood.
Mages who cast spells without any complicated rituals, gadgets or accessories
are using the Improvised Magic - most part of these guys are free magi. An
improviser magus integrates different primary elements (which see below) of
sorcery into his spell through mental efforts. A rune magus does the same thing
through a combination of runes - previously drawn or improvised at once. Magic
runes were first widely used for magic apprenticeship as a practical
visualisation of corresponding primary elements - working with runes is more
safe and easier for a novice, however it requires more time and gives less
freedom than improvised incantations. Some ritual spells, where great precision
is required, or just frequently cast spells are worth inscribing into a spell
book / spell totem. Most of the novice mages begin their career with using of
spell totems, prepared by more experienced mages. Spell totems ensure a
relatively simple casting with small chances of failure (more secure than rune
magic and much more secure than improvised incantations), but allow practically
no shifting from the initially inscribed spell. The ritual of creation of a
spell totem is quite long and intricate, the price of components for it is
rather high - that's why spell totems are rarely used in battles or adventures -
 the advantages of using a working spell totem are usually not worth the risk
of loosing it.
Magic Domains
All spells cast by mages are products of integration of some primary
magic elements. Different mages control different elements (domains of sorcery)
at different levels of power. Below is a brief description of some of the magic
domains :

Acid

Air

Alteration
Most of Alteration spells require a very strict description of what
exactly they are supposed to do. Thus the preparation of a spell understands a
very precise description of how it is must work - for example "this spell will
decrease by 10% the volume of stones of about a human head size". Normally the
spells altering something or someone are performed in a physical contact with
this something or someone. If the wizard does not touch the target, the spell
is cast at -20%.
1(1)
* Temporarily increase / decrease in both size and weight any non-magical
objects or persons. The effects last 1 hour and can be extended at a cost of 1/
4 of the initial effort per hour. The additional (to the normal level 1 spell)
cost is 1tp per (10kg of the initial weight rounded up) x (10% of increasing/
decreasing). Thus you need 1 x (80kg/10kg=8) x (100%/10%=10) = 80tp to double (
increase by 100%) the size/weight of an average (80kg) person. Multiple objects
may be influenced by the spell, if they are in physical contact with each other
(example : a person and all his posessions). The spell can be stopped at any
moment or cast to stop after a certain time.
The wizard can choose only the size or only the weight to be affected at the
same tp price. Note that a half-weight two-handed sword does not strike as a
full-weight one.
If insufficient room is available for growth, the creature or object grows to
the maximum size eventually crushing weak boundaries and then stops, so it is
impossible to kill or injure someone through extensive enlarging. In the same
way it is impossible to reduce an object so that it directly results in
breaking it, i. e. one cannot reduce a nutshell around a nut so that the shell
breaks.
This kind of effect influences also both strength and constitution of
individual targets. For combat purposes the damage values of the blows are
increased / decreased just as the size and weight are.
Such spells are usually performed in physical contact with the target. Without
a physical contact the spell sucess probablility is 20% less.
* Repair small recent (max. some days) breaks or tears in objects. One spell
joins one tear or closes one break and the object is invisibly rejoined to be
as strong as new. One minute after the spell is cast the magic fades and a
counter-spell will not reverse the results.
* Magically produce all imaginable sounds. The normal loudness of the sounds
is as if a man talks, thought not only the human voice, but virtually every
sound can be created. It is possible to cast words also. The cost is 2tp for 1
second of magic sounds. The volume of the sound can be increased by paying out
more tp - double volume costs double tp. The source of the sound is to be in a
visible air area.
2(2)
Transformation - a quantity of any substance may change its chape at will of
the wizard. Only the areas occupied by a single substance (an alloy of metals
or one kind of stone, but not two different metals and not a piece of living
wood) may be affected by the spell. Cost : 1 tp per 2 grams of substance
affected. Every 10 grams reduce the probability of success by 5. The changement
is permanent and cannot be reversed by a counter-spell. On a simple success an
object takes roughly the willed shape. On a less than 1/2 roll it is almost the
willed shape. On a critical sucess the result is exactly of the willed shape.

Body

Chaos

Conjuration

Demon

Divination

Earth

Fire
For all spells below the caster may choose to not to inflict damage and
heat, but just make noise and light - some kind of harmless pyrotechnics. The
caster may specifiy the color of fire produced by his spells.
1 (1) - all magical effects work within 3 m radius (unless specified);
max. damage of magical fire created = 1d4 (+2 for every 5 extra tp)
* control non-magical fires = to augment up to a double initial value or to
decrease to almost the equivalent of coals in size and/or brightness. The
caster may also change the color of fire to any visible color. This kind of
effects usualy takes 1 tp per min. to be maintained and does not affect either
fuel consumption or damage; this effect may extinguish campfire-size fires
within a touch range
* raise up ambient temperature up to 20░C above the current level within
the spell range - maintenance cost - 1 tp / min
* light small fires (more or less the equivalent of modern cigarette
lighter) with a touch - this effect requires only 1 tp to be implemented
* maintain a relatively high temperature (up to 110░C) in a small
area for quite a long time - example : boil some water in a pot.
* create fire bursts (small explosions) within 3 m visible air area; explosion
area - 1 m
* create small balls of fire within the touch range - these fireballs explose
at touch and may be magically projected (the combination with transportation
magic may appear very efficient) or just fall down - in that case the effect is
not limited by 3 m; explosion area - 1 m
2 (2) - all magical effects work within 6 m radius (unless specified);
max. damage of magical fire created = 1d6 (+2 for every 3 extra tp)
* control non-magical fires as in Level 1 with range/effects doubled; the
intensity/temperature of the fire influenced can be augmented, causing double
damage, but burning twice the amount of fuel
* heat up the temperature up to 40░C above the current level everywhere
within the spell range - maintenance cost - 2 tp / min
* create spells triggered at the presence of fire
* start small fires within 2 m area
* create smoke cloud effects, obscuring the vision within the spell range
* create firethrower-like fire streams
* create fire bursts (small explosions) within 3 m visible air area;
explosion area - 2 m
* create small balls of fire within the touch range - these fireballs explose
at touch (the explosion may happen in midair at the wizard's command) and may
be magically projected or just fall down - in that case the effect is not
limited by 6 m; explosion area - 2 m
3 (3) - all magical effects work within 9 m radius (unless specified);
max. damage of magical fire created = 1d10 (+1d6 for every 5 extra tp)
* animate normal fires, so that it can spread / move in a particular direction.
 this effect doubles the amount of fuel consumed. example - a campfire can take
a roughly human form and size.
* heat up the temperature up to 60░C above the current level everywhere within
the spell range - maintenance cost - 2 tp / min
* create smoke cloud effects, obscuring the vision within the spell range
to everyone but the caster
* see through clouds of smoke
* turn self into a fire-elemental form - the wizard's posessions also
take the form of fire and are not destroyed - duration of 1 min + 5 tp / min -
other spells can be cast normally
* create firethrower-like fire streams
* multiple small fires within the range of 6 m, which cannot normally
inflict damage, but can very quickly set things on fire - examples : "light all
the candles in the room", "set the fire on the hut from all sides"
* fire bursts within 3 m area as in Level 1 and 2 are still possible, but the
range of effect grows to 3 m also, so such an explosion may be harmful for the
caster himself
* create balls of fire within the touch range - these fireballs explose
at touch (the explosion may happen in midair at the wizard's command) and may
be magically projected or just fall down - in that case the effect is not
limited by 9 m; explosion area - 3 m
4 (4) - all magical effects work within 12 m radius (unless specified);
max. damage of magical fire created = 2d6 (+1d6 for every 4 extra tp)
* instantly envelop a visible object by fire. the object may not be larger
than a two-handed sword. weapons enveloped this way inflict +1 point of damage.
maintenance cost = 1 tp per minute. other spells can be cast normally.
* total immunity to magical and non-magical fire for 10 min + 5 tp per 10 min -
 the wizard (and all his posessions) can easily stand a napalm bomb explosion,
unless a counter-spell is cast.
* create and maintain high temperatures in a small and fixed volume (useless
in combat, as the target usually moves a lot), the heat created is sufficient
to melt good steel.
* create balls of fire within the touch range - these fireballs explose at
touch (the explosion may happen in midair at the wizard's command) and may be
magically projected or just fall down - in that case the effect is not limited
by 12 m; explosion area - 3 m
* create and maintain fires without apparent source - these fires may not
occupy more than 12 cubic meters of space. a minimal width of 0.5m is required
in order to maintain stable non-transparent flames. (so, for example, a fiery
wall of 6 x 4 m can be created) any creature / object inside the wall receives
full damage as from 3rd level magical fire every round - the fires are not
movable and last (MA-23) minutes + 5 tp per min (or until cancelled by the
caster).
5 (5) - all magical effects work within 20 m radius (unless specified);
max. damage of magical fire created = 2d10 (+1d10 for every 5 extra tp)


Frost

Illusion

Light

Lightning

Mind

Nature

Necromancy

Shadow

Transportation

Vampire

Water

Weather

Were


Universal spells and abilities
16 detect magic - a successful roll of 1d20 under INT (the GM makes
it) gives a more or less precise picture of nearby magic presence.
18 detect magic realm - a successful roll of 1d20 under INT (the GM makes it)
gives a more or less precise information on the exact type of magic present.
20 (level 3) charge an item with a total level (MA-17) or less spell - cast as
a Level 3 spell + the total level of spells charged. example : an arrow-head
charged with Level 1 fire burst spell + level 2 smoke cloud spell will explose
at touch inflicting 1d4 additional damage + a 12 m large cloud of smoke, but
the wizard has to succeed in casting a level (3+1+2=) 6 spell.
20 (level 3) allows a total level (MA-17) or less spell to be prepared first,
then triggered at any moment within (MA-19) mins + 2 tp per min. no other
spells are allowed between the casting and triggering.
22 (level 3) boobytrap/alarm cast onto an object can make a spell be triggered
by a magical or a non-magical event, such as "something moving", "fire", "rain",
 (if cast onto a book or a rune) "a person reading", etc. Different "triggers"
require the knowledge of different magic domains. For example an "if-an-elf-
goes-through-that-door-then-blast-a-fireball" spell requires (beside fire magic,
 of course) the knowledge of transportation + mind or divination magic (to know
that something moves, then to know whether it is an elf).
24 Create a spell totem - see 'spell totem creation' below.

Counter-spells
A counter-spell can be cast against the most part of magic spells. The
wizard may include into his counter-spell some specific components to resist
specific domains of sorcery. Note that he must be competent in the domain he
tries to resist in order to do so. For example if the wizard supposes that a
spell cast onto him will be some kind of fire attack, he may neutralise it with
a fire counter-spell.
If the nature of the spell confronted is completely unknown or cannot be
neutralised by the wizard, it is however possible to cast simply an anti-magic
shield.
First, the wizard rolls his dices as he was casting a normal spell (for
example : 3rd level general anti-magic shield + 2nd level anti-fire = 5th level
counter-spell to cast). Then, if the casting was successful, let's see if the
counter-spell really stopped the attack - the probability is 50 - 10x(Level of
the spell) + 10x(Level of general anti-magic shield) + 20x(Level of a specific
component of the counter-spell, if it does match the actual attack spell
component) + 0x(Specific components that do not match the attack spell or
excessive specific components).
For example : a wizard (let's call him Joe) competent in Fire Magic (3rd level)
 wants to counter a spell. He thinks that the spell would be a 4th level
fireball. "Shit!" - he says to himself - "I cannot cast a 4th level counter-
fire spell" (he's only at the 3rd). Joe casts a 3rd level anti-fire + 2nd level
general anti-magic shield. He rolls the dices - OK, he has done it. Then the GM
says to himself - "Let's see, the attack spell is in fact a 2nd level fireball +
 1st level acidball + 2nd level transportation, so that it moves really fast.
The probability to stop it is : 50 - 10x5 (attack spell) + 10x2 (general anti-
magic) + 20x2 (anti-fire, the 3rd is useless, because the attack spell is only
a 2nd level fireball) = 50%"



Technical considerations
And now, the guys with less than 10 in MA, who still read this
paragraph, open your eyes. There's still a possibility to use your doubtful
magic skills for your profit. Roll a 1D100 to determine whether you are a free
mage or not. If (ah, a miracle !) the result is less then your MA score - you
are! If you ain't, the characters with at least 16 in MA can still keep the
faith, the guys with 15 or (yes, well, maybe) 14 can still dream and the guys
with less than 10 can definitely forget it! Free mages add 1d6 to their MA.
The level of a spell is determined as the sum of the levels of all its
components.
Total effort needed to cast a spell is (4 x Level) tp. Skilled mages can cast
complicated and powerful spells without getting too much tired - from the
tiredness cost above subtract (MA-20)*2 tp and that will make the total effort
needed. Note, that every spell has to take at least its level points of
tiredness regardless of the MA / INT of the caster. There are no exceptions -
this is the cost of concentration for any spell.
Example : a wizard with 17 MA score wants to cast a level 1 spell - total
effort needed is 4x(Level 1) - (17-20)x2 = 4+6=10 tp. In this particular case
the MA correction in fact is a penalty.
The probablility for a raw (just invented and cast 'on the fly') spell to
succeed is (50 - 10x(Spell Level) + 5x(MA-14))%. In the example above the
probability to succeed is (50-10x1+5x(17-14))%=55%
Three composants are necessary to cast a spell : concentration, gestures and
magic words. It is, however, possible to cast a spell without any of these
components but with an appropriate penalty. The concentration is essential for
spellcasting. If it is difficult to maintain, for example when a wizard tries
to cast a spell in combat, a penalty of -20% applies to the success roll. If
the concentration is extremely difficult (example - 1 hit point left and didn't
eat for 2 days), then a penalty of -40% may be applied. If gestures are
impossible (ex. - hands tied or just full) - a penalty of -20% applies. The
same penalty is to be used in case if vocal commands are impossible.
To cast a spell with minimum efforts, a spellcaster may prepare it to be cast.
By the end of the preparation period the GM rolls a test under the INT of the
wizard to see if the spell is prepared correctly. In any case the wizard gets
tired by (2 x Spell Level) tp. This process takes a relatively long time (10 x
Level minutes), but the result is worth the time spent. The effort needed to
cast a spell is 4 tp inferior, as compared to the non-prepared and it has 10%
more probability to succeed.
If the spell is inscribed with runes on a suitable surface, the effort is 6 tp
inferior and the probability is 20% higher. A roll under (INT-3) shows whether
the runes are inscribed correctly. The inscription takes (20 x Spell Level)
minutes. The wizard gets tired by (3 x Spell Level) tp after this kind of
procedure.
For 'once-only' purposes a part of the energy, necessary for spell casting may
be stored in the runes. In that case the inscription takes (30 x Spell Level)
minutes and requires (4 x Spell Level) tp, as well as a successful roll under (
INT-5), but the spell success probablility becomes 99% and the effort needed is
halved. After the casting, runes' magic fades and the inscription becomes
powerless.
If the spell is on a totem, the effort is 8 tp inferior and the probability of
success is 99%. Totems allow a possibility to cast spells of unknown magic
domains. In that case the probability of success is 100-(20 x Every Unknown
Level) %.
Example : a wizard non-competent in Conjuration magic uses a totem to cast a '
create a razor for 2 minutes' Level 1 spell. The probability to succeed is 100-
20x1=80%
Creation of spell totems is quite an intricate process, requiring at least 24
MA and 12 INT. The spell totem creation requires (1 x Spell Level) days of work.
 The success is determined through rolling 1d20 under (INT-Spell Level). The
composants for the totem creation greatly vary depending on the spell inscribed,
 but all have two things in common - they are extremely rare and extremely
expensive.
Besides the effort, MA defines also the maximum number of different ready
spells, including runic ones.
MA score    <10*    11-14*    15-18    19-22    23-26    27-30    31-34
max. ready spells    1    2    3    4    5    6    7

The MA of a magic-using character grows with practice. Roll a number of D10
dices (see table below) at the end of every year of magic using and make a sum.
If the result is superior to the current MA of the character, then the
attribute is augmented by 1. Exceptional and supernatural cases (examples -
lessons of a demi-god, books of ancient wisdom, magic artifact first-time usage
or just some kind of hard magic research) give an additional extra progress
possibility.
MA    3-25    26-35    36-45    etc.
Number of D10 dices to roll    3    4    5    etc.

Tables

Legend:
rows        - Spell Level;
columns    - MA score;
cells        - (tp cost) / (raw success probability)

    15    16    17    18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28
1    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60    6/65    4/70    2/75    1/80    1/85    1/90    1/95    1/100    1/100    1/100
2    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60    6/65    4/70    2/75    2/80    2/85    2/90    2/95    2/100
3    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60    6/65    4/70    3/75    3/80    3/85    3/90
4    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60    6/65    4/70    4/75
4/80
5    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60    6/65
5/70
6    -    -    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50    10/55    8/60
7    -    -    -    -    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40    14/45    12/50
8    -    -    -    -    -    -    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30    18/35    16/40
9    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20    22/25    20/30
10    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    30/5    28/10    26/15    24/20