Magic and other supernatural powers are called “marvels”. They are classified according to several types: Water, Earth, Air, Fire, Living, Chaos.
- Symbolism of Earth: soil, minerals, growth, food, consistency, passages, stability, heat, etc.
- Symbolism of Air: the sky, cold, space, wind, verticality, altitude, abstraction, etc.
- Symbolism of Water: the ocean, change, adaptability, reflection, grace, silence, dilution, renewal, horizontality, etc.
- Symbolism of Fire: flames, heat, fires, smoke, rage, etc.
- Symbolism of Living: human constructions, the human body, empathy, the soul, social organizations, insects, animals, plants, birds, fish and in general everything that is alive.
- Symbolism of Chaos: randomness, evil, demons, angels, and everything hard to classify into the previous types.
The magic dice
All characters with at least one rank in Magic proficiency or in a Marvel proficiency use a die of a different color. This is necessary for the use of marvels.
Activate a marvel
To activate a marvel, it is necessary to obtain a success on a test of the characteristic related to the effect of the marvel (the GM decides which characteristic is concerned).
- If there is at least one success: the marvel is activated.
- If the magic die did not produce a success: spend the indicated EP.
- If the magic die roll was successful: do not spend any EP.
- If there is no success: the marvel does not activate. Spend the indicated EP.
New action in combat:
Use a marvel (1 time per activation)
The player character makes a test of the characteristic linked to the Marvel (at the decision of the GM) and spends the required EP.
In case of critical success: the spent EPs are recovered.
In case of critical failure: the EP spent are doubled and the spell has no effect.
Mini version?
To simplify the magic system, you can consider that each marvel can only be cast once per day by the character.
Forget magic dice and activation systems. Simply spend your EP and the spell is cast! It’s that simple.
Echo
Echoes are a type of minor marvels, generally more aesthetic or narrative than actually useful in gameplay.
You must have Rank 1 in Magic proficiency to use echoes. No tests are required; echoes succeed automatically and at no EP cost. The effect must be symbolically linked to the element used, and limited. The effect is described by the character with the GM’s approval and can be added to the character’s action.
Examples of echoes:
- Earth: a flower blooms in the character’s hand, the earth trembles slightly beneath their feet, etc.
- Air: a breeze makes the leaves flutter around the character, a breath of cold air chills the neck of his enemy, a bird lands on the character’s shoulder, etc.
- Water: the character is bathed in subaquatic light, a rain cloud forms, etc.
- Fire: a twig or a candle catches fire, a warm breeze passes, etc.
- Living: a minor wound is healed, a creature is calmed by the voice of the character, etc.
- Chaos: an object rots in the character’s hands, etc.
List of marvels
The GM is invited to invent marvels for the needs of their adventures and to change the types according to the game universe.
The marvels are classified by element and then by Energy Point (EP) cost. They are graded according to their power level.
An example?
My shaman character casts a Wave marvel to capsize a pursuing vessel. The GM asks me for a Physical test (because he believes it corresponds to the force of the waves). I have a Physical 3. My dice roll 2 and 3 (2 successes). My magic die rolls 2 (1 success). My marvel activates and I don’t spend any EP. A wave capsizes the enemy ship!