Red Magic

Attention Players : Your comments are welcome. Please think about the durations, effects, number of uses, etc. of the spells below. I picked numbers which I think are good, but most of them have not been tested.

Red Mechanics
Red spells require small hand gestures and whispered words: shouting the words gives advantage; silence and/or no gestures gives disadvantage or double disadvantage. Red spells with a casting time of less than 10 rounds can be used in combat. When a Red spell has multiple modes, those modes share the number of uses per day.

Red spell effects can not by physically seen or heard. Without magical detection not even by the target of the spell is aware that a spell has been cast, but the casting of a Red spell can be detected by spells or abilities which sense magic.

Arcane Circle
Creates a barrier which obstructs spells and less than fully-corporeal creatures. Crossing by a fully-corporeal creature larger than a house cat breaks the circle. Requires a visible circle on the ground or floor.


 * vs. Spells: Every creature in the circle may use the spell's action roll as an additional defense roll against any spell, taking the better result.


 * vs. Creatures: Use the spell's action roll as an automatic attack (defended against with a Magic save) on any less than fully-corporeal creature attempting to enter or exit the circle. A successful attack blocks the creature and inflicts default damage.

Arcane Torch
Allows vision in darkness to specified distance.

Augmentation
Assist another character by rolling the lesser of
 * 1) the same number of dice as that character (ignoring that character’s damage but reducing for your own damage); or
 * 2) your own roll of SPI + Magic + SD.

The other character may use your roll instead of his own if your roll is better.

Darkmist
Darkmist creates an area in which all perception is subtly obscured. The caster can choose to make the area of effect either unmoving or centered on the caster. The Darkmist effect is not itself noticeable. Darkmist victories against the local magic threshold are added to every stealth result and every missile defense result. Everyone in the area (friend or foe) gets the benefits. Darkmist can be extended by repeated castings. Lesser Darkmist can be kept active while the caster moves slowly (half speed, no maneuver).

Distraction
Distraction causes the target(s) to think that they hear a distracting sound and/or catch a glimpse of movement in a location chosen by the caster.

Divination
Details still in work.

Defense is rolled secretly by the GM so that Bob doesn't know if the answer he gets is true.

Fear
Move to Golden?

This spell exaggerates the effects of a potentially frightening sight and/or sound, so some such a stimulus must be provided. Every foe in the area of effect takes 1 stun (no save). Targets who fail their save suffer morale failure and must take a retreat action in the next round.

Fumble
Lesser Fumble cancels the target’s action if the caster acts before the target. The target gets no Defense Roll to avoid this effect. Greater fumble causes the target to fail at some action: to trip if running, to choke if drinking, etc. Greater fumble also includes the effects of Lesser fumble, even if the target saves. If injury would result from the effects of a Greater fumble, the target may also make a reflex save and use the better of the 2 save results for purpose of damage.

Pierce the Veil
This spell allows Bob to perceive the auras of items, people, places, monsters, and even incorporeals. Pierce the Veil does not penetrate illusions, glamours, or similar magical abilities. When Bob activates pierce the veil, he brightens his own aura, radiating like a beacon to supernatural entities. Defense is "none" unless magical concealment is used.

Raise (Ability)
Raise Muscles, Raise Nerves, Raise Combat, Raise Missiles, Raise Athletics, and Raise Awareness are each a separate spell, but use the same mechanics. Adds VSD dice to the relevant attribute or general skill for duration of spell.

Sleep
Induces deep sleep. Range = 10’ × VSD. This spell allows Bob to target creatures whose location he approximately knows, but who are hidden from line of sight by doors, walls, terrain, etc. Bob can use Roll Until Ready to cast this spell.

Spellbreaker
This spell attempts to cancel an ongoing magical effect. The spell is not well understood, but has sometimes produced dramatic results. The defense roll is a threshold subjectively chosen by the GM based on the power of the effect being dispelled.

Spellbreaker ignores the local magical threshold and uses instead a threshold based on the strength of the targeted effect as estimated by the GM. (In theory the formula would be something based on the creation of the effect, taking into account Fat spent, dice rolled, VSD, etc. -- but none of that information actually exists. As a rough guide, weak effects will use the 12 die threshold, medium affects the 15 or 18, strong the 21, very strong the 24, etc.)

Stun
Each victory inflicts 3 stun; the hit is undetectable; does not affect undead, summoned or animated creatures. This spell cannot result in unconsciousness; reduce Stun damage as necessary to keep hp > 0.

Target Unseen
This spell allows Bob to cast spells at creatures whose location he approximately knows, but who are hidden from line of sight by doors, walls, terrain, etc.

Ward
Bob casts Ward by walking a circle around the area to be warded. When a creature approaches the circle, Bob rolls to perceive the intruder. Success provides VSD rounds of warning in which PCs can prepare. A single successful use ends the ward.

Target threshold varies with size and number of intruders. Anyone already in circle is not noticed. Small animals are not noticed. Spell ends when alert is triggered, if Bob leaves the circle, or at dawn.