Spells are cast when magic is summoned and ‘drawn’ with specific combinations, which will float in front of the exit nodes or at a distance, depending on the spell. The symbols and circles can be drawn manually or ‘imagined’, with the latter being the general practice for sorcerers. Spells can be cast clockwise or counter-clockwise; it generally doesn’t matter. Clockwise is the standard.

Novice, Adept, Expert and Master spells, respectively ^

Novice spells can be anywhere from 10-30cm/0.3-1ft in diameter.

Adept spells can be anywhere from 30-70cm/1-2.2ft in diameter.

Expert spells can be anywhere from 70-110cm/2.2-3.6ft in diameter.

Master spells can be anywhere from 110-200cm/3.6-6.5ft in diameter.

The greater the amount of ‘circles’ or ‘rings’, the more powerful the spell. Spell casting requires concentration and composure, as breaking concentration can and will break the spell, and the higher the spell and time it takes to channel energy to cast said spell, the more likely that spell-stress will occur.

In universe, spells are crafted in this order:

Magical dimension(s) -> Intent -> Projection -> Other modifications.

Intent is the purpose of the spell and the dimension that the spell uses. Projection is the ‘how’ the spell manifests, such as a bolt, a gout or a distance cast. Other modifications are simply misc things that can be added to a spell but aren't necessary.

Sorcerers can learn variations of spells, mainly variations of projections. Spells are cast as either (in ascending order of spellstress):

• Bolts: a projectile cast only from the exit node/s

• Gout, volley or beam: a ray cast from the exit node/s

• Distance cast: a cast that initially manifests away from the exit node/s.

For spells that are used to create one-time things like projections or specific effects like violent magic explosions, the spell circle will disappear when the spell is complete and then the effect will appear. For spells that don’t create projections/specific effects, but still perform an action like distance pull or a shield, the circle will remain near the caster’s exit node/s until they stop concentrating and/or end the spell.

Spells produce a slight ‘humming’ sound when being cast. It is not a loud sound, but may be noticeable to experienced sorcerers.

Spell-stress occurs when a sorcerer becomes inundated with magical energy since human bodies weren't fully evolved to handle magic. Drawing magic is akin to opening a floodgate. Sorcerer’s will generally draw more magic than is needed as this is hard to control. For simple spells this isn’t an issue since they take little time to cast. For complex spells that require greater concentration, magic will constantly be drawn into the node network until the sorcerer has cast the spell or their concentration is broken. Perfect concentration is difficult. Once magic has leaked out of the node network into the body, it cannot be manipulated into spells. 

Spell-stress can cause ARS-like symptoms (acute radiation syndrome). This is due to magic buildup in the soul and node network of the individual, leaking into the normal bodily cells. The human body is unable to understand magic and may start to break down and commit cell death to protect itself, similarly to how the body responds to cell damage from radiation.

• Lower levels of stress will result in sweating, nausea, and stomach and neck pain

• Medium levels of stress will result in fever, headaches, vomiting and diarrhoea, a burning sensation where the node network is, particularly the hands and feet if there are nodes present

• Lethal levels of stress result in cognitive impairment, incapacitation, seizures, overheating and burns (2nd-3rd degree burn patches on torso and upper arms), disorientation, death (bad)

Spell stress can be mitigated by:

• Drinking Gold Water, a special tonic made specifically for helping with spell stress. This will take a few minutes to take effect

• Drawing magic from in inundated body to another

• Resting

• Building tolerance and node network flexibility 

Power in sorcery is usually defined by how much spell stress a sorcerer may take before they obtain lethal levels, either from how many spells are cast in rapid succession or how many high stress spells may be cast. ‘Naturally’, sorcerers may increase their power from practising sorcery and increasing their tolerance of spell-stress.

Sorcery Ability:

Sorcery ability is how powerful your sorcerer is. You may only select novice or adept sorcery ability at character creation. Higher level sorcery abilities may be achieved with levelling up your character, gaining Gifts or sometimes in events…

• Novice sorcery: 4 slots, 6 spell points and 8 stress points 

• Adept sorcery: 5 slots, 12 spell points and 12 stress points.

• Expert sorcery: 6 spell slots, 17 spell points and 17 stress points

• Master sorcery: 7 spell slots, 22 spell points and 22 stress points

• Archsorcerer: 8 spell slots, 25 spell points and 26 stress points

Proficient spells:

Your sorcerer may know all novice and adept level spells, but only proficient spells may be cast at any time in an RP or an event without any drawbacks. If your character casts a spell they are not proficient in, they may have to spend longer casting it, receive greater spell stress or not be able to cast it at all, such as with expert and master spells.

If casting a non-proficient novice or adept spell, you may pick between doubling the amount of spell stress taken from the spell to cast in 1 turn OR take twice as long to cast the spell.

Spell slots:

Your character has a select number of slots for proficient spells which depends on sorcery ability. Gifts may also provide more spell slots.

• Spell: Sharps and grip projection is given for free to all sorcerers and does not take up a slot. Simply put “Spell: Sharps and grip projection (free)” at the top of the slot list.

• Spell: Teleportation is given for free to adept, expert, master and archsorcerers and does not take up a slot. Simply put “Spell: Teleportation (free)” at the top of the slot list if your character is at least an adept sorcerer. Novice characters with the Minor Prodigy or Prodigy Gift may have access to Teleportation BUT it takes up spell points and a spell slot.

Spell points:

Your character has a select amount of spell points that can be ‘spent’ on different spells to fill spell slots at character creation. Check the List of Spells for exactly what spell costs spell points. You may add, remove or rearrange spells at any time except in the middle of an rp or an event.

Stress points:

Stress points determine the amount and level of spells your character may cast in quick succession before experiencing lethal levels of spell stress. Each spell has their own listed stress points. Usually the more powerful the spell, the higher the amount of spell stress.

Gold water:

Gold water removes 7 stress points when consumed, but takes 1 turn in or out of combat to take effect. It will only remove stress that was present when it was consumed. 

For example, if a character has 5 stress when they drank a vial of gold water, and 1 turns later they had 10, then only 5 points would be removed, leaving 5.

Characters can only carry a maximum of 2 gold water vials on them at any time. The Order freely provides gold water to their sorcerers that are Adept in ranking or higher.

Spell stress Injuries:

Spell stress accumulates as your character casts spells. Negative modifiers will start to be added to rolls once stress reaches certain thresholds.

Once spell stress is maxed out however, a d20 will be rolled for every spell cast once spell stress has been maximised and will dictate whether your character is injured from their cast. The lower the roll, the greater the injuries gained. However there is a small chance of recovering stress…

Charging Items in Combat or RP:

Charging objects such as gems and metal weapons with magic in the midst of combat or RP takes up one action.

Spell stress received:

• Common magic: 1 spell stress

• Mind magic: 3+ spell stress

• Flesh magic: 3+ spell stress

• Violent magic: 3+ spell stress

For Mind/Flesh/Violent magic charges, the minimum stress gained is 3 stress but items can be charged further for amplified effects.

Spell tattoos:

Sorcerers may gain tattoos of spells (design is up to the player :) ) on their body to gain a permanent extra Spell Slot. Characters may gain up to 2 extra slots this way. These do not count toward the total slot limit. However, spell tattoos still count toward Spell Points. Only spells from the public spell list may be added. 

The tattoo must be visible at the time of casting the listed spell (under a sleeve on the arm or even underneath leggings).

The spell tattoo CANNOT be switched out later on (since it’s a tattoo), so choose carefully.

If your character has a spell tattoo, add it under the Proficient Spell List as:

Spell: (Spell name) (Spell Tattoo)

Example: Spell: Destructive Blast (Spell Tattoo)

Aesthetically, characters may have more than two spell tattoos on their body but only two can be functional.

Magical items and objects are possible to make. Any object can be infused with any magic except lightness magic, but for reasons, metallic items and gems are the best objects to infuse with the least volatile outcomes.

Objects that are infused with magic will gradually lose their magic over time, usually over a few days or up to a few weeks.

Objects can be infused by pushing magic from an exit node into the object. The objects must be touching the sorcerer. Objects that aren’t gems or made of metal/alloy have an extremely high chance of ‘exploding’ the magic and destroying the object upon infusion, as well as harming the sorcerer and anything close by.

Gems can hold the most magic out of the two.

Violent magic bombs and violent magic weaponry are generally the most common uses for magic objects. Gems filled with violent magic can explode its contents when cracked (either with a skilful throw or a well aimed spell). Metal weaponry infused with violent magic will sear and increase fatality done with physical attacks.

Common magic can be infused into gems to create smaller non-lethal blasts or give metal weaponry a warm touch.

Gems infused with mind magic can cause headaches when placed near an entity’s head. Subsequent explosions can cause migraines, confusion or loss of consciousness.

Gems infused with flesh magic will only inflict spell stress on any nearby entity if the gem explodes.

There’s a curious but uncontrollable phenomenon that allows sorcerers (or those with ‘non-super’ node networks) to ‘astral-project’. This phenomenon is very unknown but many sorcerers have catalogued their experiences of odd, lucid-like dreams where they seem to be somewhere they’re not supposed to and seeing things they’re not supposed to see.

Often they see places they’ve never seen before, or see people they’ve never encountered. Events seen through these odd dreams seem to be real and happening at that present moment. But how does one determine this to be a bout of astral projection and not just a dream? There isn’t a concrete way to know unless a primary source supports it.

Astral projection is unattainable by usual means and there isn’t a reliable way to trigger it to happen. It just happens.

Some speculate that a part of the soul becomes ‘weightless’ and floaty when one attains sleep and then travels off somewhere indiscriminately.