Converting Earthdawn
 

Magic in Earthdawn

Spell Matrizes can hold one Thread indefinitely, so you could cast standard Bolts each round, once they're in the Spell Matrix. How this works exactly is described below.

Another form of magic is Summoning - this is only available to Elementalists and Nethermancers though.

The Spells section details which disciplines may take what Spells and their trappings. It also includes some new Spells.

Finally, there's Magic Items. How they work, what they do and what your character has to do to use them.

Each mage needs two skills to use magic: Thread Weaving, to form the astral energies according to his will, and Spellcastin, to actually power the Spell. Since the channeling of this raw energy poses an enormous risk for a mage, most use Spell Matrizes to channel a spell's energy through - instead of their own bodies (ie like Horrors or very desperate - or insane - mages).

Each mage starts with one Spell Matrix and may get additionals through the Spell Matrix Edge. It takes a Thread Weaving test (if in a hurry) to place a spell in the Matrix. This test is modified by -1 per Rank requirement of the spell. If sucessful, the spell and his first thread is stored until replaced. If the mage has time, quiet meditation and 10 minutes time will do the same, no roll is necessary.

A mage can only cast a spell once all necessary threads are woven. If he has a multi-thread spell in the matrix, he still needs to re-weave them prior to every casting - the Spell Matrix always holds only one thread.

If - for any reason - a mage doesn't want to cast using a Spell Matrix, he has two other options:

Casting from a Grimoire:
A mage can cast any spell he has in his or other Grimoires, regardless of wether he already knows he Spells or doesn't. Casting from a grimoire enables him to cast spells that are of a higher rank than he is. No Matrix is required or provided, so he has to weave all necessary threads. Since this is a form of Raw Magic, the grimoire may suffer damage (see below).

Raw Magic:
In some instances, it might be necessary to take drastic measures. There's nothing more drastic than casting Raw Magic. While it enables a mage to cast any spells he knows (ie has previously copied them into his grimoire) without the need to weave any Threads, instead powering the spell with his own life energy: for the purposes of using Raw Magic, a mage has a number of Power Points equal to his Spellcasting die. Resolve the casting as per standard SW rules. (Spent Power Points are fully recovered at the end of a scene.)

Raw Magic might be very dangerous, depending on the condition of the surrounding Astral Space. Each area of Astral Space falls into one of the categories detailed below. When casting a spell using Raw Magic and the Spellcasting Die comes up as a 1, the mage may take damage. Also, casting Raw Magic may result in a Horror Mark (if the character survives).

Safe: Safe regions of astral space are those areas the Horrors were unable to touch or corrupt. For example, because the entire city of Throal and the surrounding area was sealed off from the rest of the world during the Scourge, the astral space connected to Throal was not invaded by the Horrors and so remains pure. It is safe to cast raw magic in Throal.

Open: Open regions are those areas where Horrors passed through, but used little magic. In these places they caused little pain and suffering and left the countryside mostly intact; what they did destroy has been rebuilt since the end of the Scourge. Most of Barsaive fits into this classification. If the Spellcasting die comes up with a 1, he mage takes 2d6 damage. No armor protects against this damage, but it can only cause Fatigue Levels, not Wounds. For determining a Horror Mark, draw one card from the Action deck, plus one per Power Point spent and one per Rank of the spell. If it's a Joker, the character has been marked by a Horror.

Tainted: Tainted regions are those areas where the Horrors caused considerable destruction and pain. Though Horrors may no longer be active in the area, the region once suffered terribly under the Horrors’ influence. Some areas of the cities of Parlainth and Haven fall under this classification. If the Spellcasting die comes up with a 1, the mage takes 2d8 damage. No armor protects against this damage. For determining a Horror Mark, draw two cards from the Action deck, plus two per Power Point spent and two per Rank of the spell. If a Joker comes up, the character has been marked by a Horror.

Corrupt: Corrupt regions are areas currently inhabited by a Horror. A Horror can affect a region varying in size from a few hundred yards to hundreds of square miles, depending on its power. The Badlands, the Wastes, and some areas of Parlainth are Corrupt. If the Spellcasting die comes up with a 1, the mage takes 3d10 damage. No armor protects against this damage. For determining a Horror Mark, draw three cards from the Action deck, plus three per Power Point spent and three per Rank of the spell. If a Joker comes up, the character has been marked by a Horror.

Example:
Ruan the Wizard has to cast a Bolt to defend himself against a charging Ork Scorcher. He doesn't have the time to place the Spell into his Matrix, so he decides to use Raw Magic. To make sure that he kills the Ork with a single casting, he pumps six Power Points into the Spell. He rolls his Spellcasting and his skill die comes up with 1! Luckily, his Wild Die aces, so the Spell succeeds. After determining the outcome of the Bolt, the Raw Magic effects are determined. Ruan cast the Spell in a Tainted region of Astral Space, so first, he takes 2d8 points of damage. Secondly, he has to draw 2 cards from the deck, plus two for the rank of the (Novice) rank of the spell. Since he spent 6 Power Points, he has to draw a whopping total of 16 cards from the Action deck - if a single Joker is drawn, he's attracted the Interest of a Horror who immediately marks the young Wizard!

Summoning is a Spirit roll, modified by various circumstances (listed below). If sucessful, the summoned entity appears. Elementals and Spirits do not like to be summoned, so any task the Summoner demands may have to be enforced on the entity. Asking a Fire Elemental to burn down an old house warrants no roll. Asking the same Elemental to attack a riverboat crew under deck off a boat floating on Lake Ban does. It only takes 3 rounds to summon a Spirit or an Elemental, but it gets easier the longer the magician focuses.

All Summoning rolls start at a base modifier of -4 (which makes it pretty hard for Novice magicians and still a challenge for Legendary ones).

All Spirits and Elementals have a Strength rating (ranging from 1 to 10). The Strength rating is also a negative modifier.

The following table lists usual modifiers:

An entity stays for a number of rounds equal to the magician's Spirit. By spending a Karma Point, this may be increased to minutes. Additional points my be spend to increase the time frame.

For stats, use the Elementals from the SWRB, page 127. Spirits use the Ghost Stats from the SWRB, page 128.

The Strength Rating of the entitiy equals the creature's number of Karma Points. Spirits and Elementals can use their Karma Points on all their actions as well as for increasing any of their stats.

Armor
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist snaps his fingers to create a spark of electricity, which leaps to the target’s shield. To be successful, the Spellcasting Test result must be equal to or higher than the Spell Defense of the shield or its wielder, whichever is higher. Unless an attacker gets a Raise on an Attack Test, he will hit the shield every time he attacks the wielder. Whenever an attacker striks the Lightning Shield, he takes a jolt of lightning in return, taking 2d6 damage.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer touches the target of the spell. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, a glimmering set of blue chain mail seems to cover the recipient and then sink into his or her body.
Wizard Trappings: The magician slams his hand into the armor to be enhanced, while uttering a soft, thudding sound, as if an ineffectual blow had landed.

Barrier
Elementalist Trappings: With this spell, the magician summons an earth wall that he may place along the ground wherever he chooses.
Illusionist Trappings: This spell creates a wall of illusory fire. While casting the spell, the illusionist makes crackling, hissing noises like a roaring fire. Characters passing through it take 2d6 points of damage.
Nethermancer Trappings: This spell creates a circle of cold that can damage characters who enter it. While weaving the threads, the nethermancer spins in a slow circle, increasing speed as he nears the end of the spellcasting. He stops suddenly, kneeling to touch the center of the circle. A wave of cold ripples out 5 yards in every direction from the center. A character crossing takes 2d6 damage.
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Beast Friend
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: This spell allows the nethermancer to converse with and command nocturnal flying creatures, such as owls, bats and krilworms. The nethermancer imitates the flying or speaking sound of the animal and then makes a Spellcasting Test.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Blast
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist hurls two pebbles, coins, or other small objects at the target character. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, the two objects become spiked mace-heads joined by an icy chain. The chain and mace-heads wrap around the target, often shattering when they hit. The magician rolls for damage. If he rolls any Bonus dice for the Damage Test, the mace and chain shatter. If the mace and chain survive the hit, the target character is considered to have one more attacker when calculating Gang-Up Bonuses.
Illusionist Trappings: The illusionist releases a barrage of illusory missiles.
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer taps the uglier regions of astral space, drawing the foul vapors to the physical plane.
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Bolt
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist flings dirt into the air while weaving the thread for the spell. The dirt then changes into crystalline darts that fly at the foe when the spell is cast.
Illusionist Trappings: The spell creates a wriggling, glowing green bolt. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, the illusionist rolls the Effect dice for non-lethal Damage.
Nethermancer Trappings: While weaving the spell threads, the nethermancer extends his hand in a grasping motion, facing the victim. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, the spell surrounds the victim’s heart with a squeezing layer of astral force. Physical armor does not protect the target.
Wizard Trappings: The spellcaster whips her arm as if throwing a dagger. This creates a dagger of pure astral energy. No physical armor protects against this damage.

Boost Trait
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: Depends on the effect. Boosting Strength seems to make the target's muscles to swell, maybe even taking on a different color, Boosting Fighting leads to an after-image when the weapon is swung and so on.
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer summons a minor spirit with the allowed superior trait and allows him to take possession of the target.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard infuses the target with pure astral energy.

Lower Trait
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: Depends on the desired effect, but may include a rapidly aging process, or athe feeling that something flew into the target's eye and so on.
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer summons a minor spirit with the allowed inferior trait and allows him to take possession of the target.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard infuses the target with pure astral energy.

Burrow
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist becomes one with the elements, sinking into the earth.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available.
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer lets himself pull under the Earth by the dead lying there. Works always in graveyards or battle sites, but the GM may incur a penalty to the Spellcasting for less "dead-infused" areas.
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Burst
Elementalist Trappings: This spell creates a howling wind to blast a path starting directly in front of the spellcaster. The elementalist weaves the thread, placing both hands to his lips when finished. Then he casts the spell by blowing hard and flinging his arms wide. A successful Spellcasting Test creates an air blast path. Targets caught in the Blast are Shaken, no damage is rolled.
Illusionist Trappings: The illusionists claps his hands spreading them, releasing a fan of singing hot flames.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available.
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Deflection
Elementalist Trappings: The Elementalist conjures gusts of wind, whirling around him.
Illusionist Trappings: The Illusionist creates illusionary clones of the target, making it harder to determine the "real thing".
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer summons a Spirit Servant who's armed with a shield, blocking incoming attacks.
Wizard Trappings: The Wizard warps Astral Space around him, thus slightly changing reality.

Detect Arcana
Elementalist Trappings: This spell allows to detect elementalist spells.
Illusionist Trappings: This spell allows to detect illusionist spells.
Nethermancer Trappings: This spell allows to detect nethermancer spells.
Wizard Trappings: This spell allows to detect spells, items, curses and other uses of magic from every magician's discipline.

Conceal Arcana
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: This allows the illusionist to make his illusions harder to disbelief.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available.
Wizard Trappings: This allows to warp Astral Space just enough to create a "pocket" to hide items, spell use and the like.

Dispel
Elementalist Trappings: Not available
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available
Wizard Trappings: See SWRB.

Elemental Manipulation
Elementalist Trappings: See SWRB.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Entangle
Elementalist Trappings: A small vortex apears, sucking the target up in the air, immobilizng it and keeping him hovering for the duration of the spell.
Illusionist Trappings: The floor below the target seems to melt, sucking at his feet, gripping them fast.
Nethermancer Trappings: Skeletal hands break through the earth, gripping the target.
Wizard Trappings: Vines appear from undergrowth, grabbing at a single target character.

Environmental Protection
Elementalist Trappings: Versus cold: The elementalist conjures frost on his palm. The frost melts away as he touches the target. Versus heat: The elementalist conjures a small flame on the tip of each index finger. She touches the target on the eyebrows (or ridge above the eyes approximating the position of the eyebrows). A bright flash singes the brows, but does no damage. Underwater: The elementalist mimics the mouthings of a fish while weaving the threads, then touches the target of the spell. The spell allows a character to breathe comfortably underwater. The Gills spell does not prevent a character from breathing air.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: Can cast the spell only in Astral Space. The Nethermancer is surrounded by spirits, guarding him from harm that might come from tainted regions of Astral Space.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Fear
Elementalist Trappings: Not available
Illusionist Trappings: This spell deceives the target into believing he has been transported to astral space. While weaving the spell, the illusionist conjures up memories or imaginings of astral space. Astral Nightmare is cast upon a single character.
Nethermancer Trappings: This spell transforms the nethermancer’s head into a gore-spattered skull. The nethermancer touches his face as he casts the spell.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Fly
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist casts this spell by taking a sitting position. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, a Throne of Air forms as a wavery, turbulent image underneath the magician. The elementalist can move in the throne, it has a pace of 8. The Throne of Air spell has limited vertical movement. It can move above the ground a number of inches equal to the magician’s Spellcasting Rank.
Illusionist Trappings: This spell is not an illusion. It enchants a carpet or other piece of cloth to become a flying platform. If the illusionist makes a successful Spellcasting Test, he may command the carpet with verbal instructions. The illusionist may also turn over command of the carpet to another character, but he can only do so once during the spell’s duration.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available
Wizard Trappings: The Wizard can't actually fly, but astral energy infuses his muscles, enabling him to jump great distances.

Greater Healing
Elementalist Trappings: Not available
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer touches a limb that has been crippled while infusing it with energy from another plane, taking a penalty of -3 to the roll.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Healing
Elementalist Trappings: This spell heats up food and infuses it with magic that will have a beneficial effect on the target. The elementalist breathes on his hands as if to warm them, and his hands begin to glow a gentle red. As the elementalist touches the food to be warmed, the glow transfers to the food. Within a minute, the food is steaming hot. Eating the food removes all Fatigue levels and adds +2 to Natural Healing rolls (+4 with a raise).
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer touches the wounded character with icy fingers numbing any pain and summoing minor spirits who knit the flesh.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Invisibility
Elementalist Trappings: This spell makes a character blend completely with his surroundings, making it more difficult for someone else to spot him. The elementalist throws a stone, rubs some dirt, or touches a pebble to the spell target. The elementalist and the target must both be standing on stone or earth for the spell to work.
Illusionist Trappings: This spell hides normally visible characters from another character. The illusionist concentrates intensely on the thought of “nobody here” while weaving the thread. The spell centers on the spot where the illusionist casts it, radiating out 5 inches. The effect does not move. Characters who exit the circle lose the benefit of the spell, regaining the benefit only by moving back inside the circle.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Light
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist conjures a small flame in the palm of his hand.
Illusionist Trappings: Light is a real spell, not an illusion. The illusionist briefly taps into the astral plane to release some energy for the light. The Light spell forms a floating, glowing sphere about the size of an orange, illuminating everything within 30 feet.
Nethermancer Trappings: With this spell, the nethermancer pierces astral space to gather pure light. If the test is successful, the globe hovers about 2 or 3 feet above the nethermancer, but no higher
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Obscure
Elementalist Trappings: Not available-
Illusionist Trappings: Whatever the Illusionist can think of!
Nethermancer Trappings: Using this spell, the Nethermancer draws a bit of darkness from another dimension, then commands it to billow and expand.
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Puppet
Elementalist Trappings: Not available
Illusionist Trappings: The Illusionist gains a very persuavise voice and manner, tricking others into doing his will.
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer does a herky-jerky jig while weaving the spell, pointing at the target as he casts the spell. If the Spellcasting Test is successful, Bone Dance infuses the target’s skeleton with an independent living force, which then moves the skeleton against the target’s will.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

Quickness
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available.
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer summons a spirit that enhances his combat abilities.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard infuses the target with pure astral energy.

Shape Change
Elementalist Trappings: Not available
Illusionist Trappings: The Illusionist seems to take on the shape of an animal, although this is only trickery. He does not gain any abilities the animal would have. He doesn't change size - he might appear smaller, but won't fit through tiny cracks in the wall like a mouse. He won't be able to fly either.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available
Wizard Trappings: Not available.

Smite
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist conjures a small flame as he weaves the first thread. This flame leaps to cover a weapon chosen by the elementalist, except where the wielder touches it.
Illusionist Trappings: The weapon begins to glow with a green otherworldy light
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer calls upon the netherworld, infusing the weapon with the cold of the dead.
Wizard Trappings: The spell changes the weapon in question on a molecular basis, heating up the weapon the effect.

Speak Language
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist puts his ear to a plant as he casts this spell. This spell enables him to converse with the spirits who often inhabit such plants rather than with the plants themselves. Plant spirits vary widely in intelligence, but they are a considerable step up from the plants they inhabit. Plant spirits vary in temperament as much as characters do. They may be very willing to talk, for example, or grumpy and taciturn or even sleepy from lying out in the sun so long. Plant spirits are usually aware of events that happen within one to five yards of their roots. Plant spirits only inhabit living plants; they must seek a new plant when their old host dies.
Illusionist Trappings: The illusionist makes the target believe that he understands him. This doesn't work in the other direction.
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer summons a quavery spirit that acts as a translator.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard draws on his enormous knowledge of ancient scrolls and magical tomes to remember just enough vocabulary for the conversation.

Speed
Elementalist Trappings: Gusts of wind increase the elementalists movement.
Illusionist Trappings: The target of the spell imagines a perfect route for is movement, ignoring any obstacles, inventing shortcutsand the like which enable him to increase his pace.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available.
Wizard Trappings: This spell gives the target greatly increased leaping movement. When casting the spell, the magician has the target leap to him, then he touches the character as he lands alongside.

Stun
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist inhales sharply. He drastically lowers the tempurature for a moment, shocking the targets.
Illusionist Trappings: The illusionist throws something to the ground, which seems to detonate, not hurting, but stunning the targets.
Nethermancer Trappings: With this spell, the nethermancer casts pain on a single character.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard stretches out his palms and astral waves stream forth from his hands, stunning the target.

Telekinesis
Elementalist Trappings: Depending on the item, small gusts of wind push it along, or the earth is slightly trembling, moving the object.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: The Nethermancer summons some minor (invisible) spirits who quarrel about the item to be moved. The spirits constantly argue about who get's to carry it, though, so the movement is in no way preciser than with the other trappings.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard imagines the astral counterpart to move in Astral space, thus prompting the real-life item to move in the same way.

Teleport
Elementalist Trappings: Not available.
Illusionist Trappings: This joins two entrances that are no more than 1 mile apart. This spell must be cast twice within 2 hours, first on the destination portal and then on the departure portal. The portals are linked by a warping of space. The warping is real, but this spell takes a number of illusory “shortcuts” that can be broken to disrupt the link.
Nethermancer Trappings: Not available.
Wizard Trappings: The wizard has to know the place where he wants to exit. He makes a step to the side, entering Astral Space for a moment. By waroing the Space, he bring his destination in Astrals Space close enough to reach it in one step. As soon as he steps over and appears at the destination, the warped space snaps back to normal.

Zombie
Elementalist Trappings: The elementalist casts this spell at small trees or bushes, animating them. He cmay animate a number of "plant zombies" up to his level in Spellcasting.
Illusionist Trappings: Not available
Nethermancer Trappings: The nethermancer must be in a graveyard or else have a supply of skeletons to use this spell. He may animate a number of skeletons up to his level in Spellcasting per spell.
Wizard Trappings: Not available

An item can be identified as magical through a Astral Sight or Sense test, using Notice for the skill roll.

To actually activate the power, the character has to spend a little of his own life force to connect himself to the item. He also has to know specific Key Knowledges relevant to the item's history. Ruleswise, this means the character has to spend a Benny and make a Spirit roll. Harnessing additional powers may cost multiple Bennies - the player may spend all at once or one at a time to activate the item, but all necessary Bennies have to be spent before the power can be accessed. Below you can find a few sample items from my ED homepage.

Rank 2 costs: 2 Bennies
Key Knowledge: The adept must learn the name of the Illusionist who created the bow.
Effect: The wielder may cast the Bolt Power as per the SWRB as if one Power Point was spent. The damage is illusionary (ie, non-lethal).

Rank 3 costs: 3 Bennies
Key Knowledge: The adept must learn who the last owner of the Bow was
Effect: The wielder may cast the Blast Power as per the SWRB as if two Power Points were spent.

The Staff of Ur Atua
This is an old, straight fighting staff, blackened through age, but looks otherwise completely normal.
Rank 1 costs: 1 Benny
Key Knowledge: The adept must learn the name of the staff.
Effect: The staff does Str+2 damage. The wielder may make a second attack with the staff at -2 (as with the Frenzy Edge). If he has the Frenzy Edge, he suffers no penalty for the second attack.

Rank 2 costs: 2 Bennies
Key Knowledge: The adept must learn where the wood of the staff comes from.
Effect: The staff does Str+3 damage. If the wielder is aware of the attack, he can use the staff to deflect incoming missiles. Ranged attacks are at -2 against the wielder.

Rank 3 costs: 3 Bennies
Deed: The adept has to save another one from an enemy more powerful than himself and defeat him in a duel.
Effect: The staff does Str+4 damage. His parry is increased by +2 (instead of the normal +1)