Table of Contents
Sorcery: the use of power gained from the assistance or control of evil spirits especially for divining
Magic in Nor'Ova is a natural force and a part of every thing in Nor'Ova, from every living person, creature, tree, flower, and insect. The casting of magic spells is in actuality the effect of manipulating a runic element - the natural elements that flow through all life on Nor'Ova. All things born on Nor'Ova are born with the components needed for magic; the possession of a runic soul, the embodiment of a runic spirit, and the runic energy needed to manipulate the element they are connected to.
However, this was not always the case. Before the nuclear apocalypse known now as the Great Magic War that ended the First Era, no sentient creature had developed runic energy. While it is believed all things always had a runic soul and runic spirit, the needed runic energy to connect to the soul and spirit didn't form until the nuclear fallout forever changed the DNA of all living things. However, magic has always existed.
Before people could manipulate the runic elements almost as easily as they could draw breath, only the most trained could cause any form of magical effect. These people were sorcerers, and though they did not fully realize what it was they were doing, they had found ways to offer up components of unique qualities to bend their runic element just enough to cause a magical effect. Many early sorcerers were of course suspected to be drawing power from the demons of Xodod, or even Zodo himself. While in some cases there might have been some truth to this, for the most part, this wasn't always true.
When the people of Nor'Ova could communicate with and manipulate the runic element of their soul, sorcery as an art began to disappear. It however has never truly vanished. Now days skilled mages can turn to sorcery to improve their connection with the elements, giving their magical arts a greater edge to their non-sorcery using rivals.
Back to top1) Using Sorcery
Sorcery is used by first using the ability:
| Ability | Effects | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Sorcery | Allows for use of alchemical ingredients for spell casting. |
N/A |
Having that ability allows the mage to tap into the ancient secrets of sorcery.
Sorcery can help you in many ways. It can lower the stat cost of a spell, or maybe even the action cost. It could increase the damaging, or healing power of a spell. You could add effects to a spell such as poison. You could increase the spell's range or duration. Really, what you can do with sorcery is almost endless. For the well prepared mage, sorcery could prove to be quite a useful skill - if only you have the desire to truly make it work for you and the patience needed to explore the many possibilities.
The two main ways that sorcery can help you is by making use of alchemistry ingredients and spell crafting components.
Back to top2) Using Alchemistry Ingredients
With sorcery, you can use the effects of alchemistry ingredients to give the spell different effects. For example, you could use a black cap mushroom to cause the spell to also inflict 2 Vitality poison per round, per mushroom cap used! This means if you were to use 4 of those mushrooms with your spell, your spell would inflict 8 Vitality poison damage per round plus whatever effects the spell also does. Or maybe you'd use a red cap mushroom and have your Vitality healing spell also restore some Endurance. If you were to use any Soul restoring ingredients though, the Soul cost of the spell would decrease instead of restoring Soul.
The number of effects you can use in sorcery and the number of ingredients you can use is determined by the create potion level you have. If say the Mustard Turnip Leaf also provided pain relief, then the combined potion could restore Vitality and relieve pain if you use Level 2 Create Potions. Level 1 Create Potions only allows you to create potions with one (1) effect using up to three (3) ingredients.
The number of ingredients and effects that can be used/applied based on the create potion ability are as follows:
- No Potion Crafting Skill: can use up to 2 ingredients; sorcery can use 1 effect
- Create Potions Lv1: can use up to 3 ingredients; sorcery can use 1 effect
- Create Potions Lv2: can use up to 4 ingredients; sorcery can use 2 effects
- Create Potions Lv3: can use up to 5 ingredients; sorcery can use 2 effects
- Create Potions Lv4: can use up to 5 ingredients; sorcery can use 3 effects
The greater your create potion ability, the more powerful your potions can be. Some ingredients and bases can only be used if you have the create potion ability required or greater. Other ingredients can have their basic effects enhanced by using a higher create potion ability. Such information will be provided by the ingredient or base if it applies.
You can probably already see how this could be a great boon to your spell power. However, as with all things, there are rules.
- You can by default only make use of the First Effect, or the Main Effect if using a base ingredient.
- To make use of other effects, you will need to pickup some potion crafting skills, just like with the potion crafting rules.
- For the most part, sorcery follows the rules of potion crafting with the exception that you are using the ingredients to empower spells instead of make potions.
- Any ingredient that restores Soul will only ever reduce Soul costs, they will never add a restore Soul effect to your spell.
- Action reducing effects can only reduce a spells magic actions and only at a maximum of 1 action, no matter how many ingredients with that effect are used.
3) Using Spell Crafting Components
You can also use spell crafting components to empower your spell. However, you cannot use spell modification components. Here are a few rules to follow on that. Please note that spell crafting and spell crafting components are not yet available for use in the new system, therefore you cannot use spell crafting components yet at this time.
- You can use up to two different effect components on a spell.
- For damage or healing increase components, you can use a maximum of five each.
- The skill point cost is charged for the components used.
- The effect is only for that casting of the spell.
You may be less willing to use spell crafting components in your spell using sorcery. However, if you ever find yourself with a lot of skill points and you are staring down a dragon, it could prove quite helpful. You could turn your already powerful spell into one that casts even quicker, does even more damage, or maybe even instantly kills your foe if you have the skill points to spare. It could come in handy to save your life one day.
Back to top