Spellcasting rules
Sorcery & Spellcasting: The World of Mortis
When a caster chooses to use magic, they are taking their life into their own hands. Magic is a dangerous force, one not naturally inherent to the world. Though it’s not universally despised, some nations are more accepting of magic than others. The Northern Realms are less intrusive in the lives of mages, but in the Southlands and the Free Cities with high populations of Briagothians and Nemedians, after leaving behind the ravaged world of Ainerth they have no interest in dealing with magic. With such little tolerance and believing what they already know to be true, using magic in public places is a recipe for disaster
This varies from town to town and city to city, so before players go casting a spell, remind them maybe it’s best to check out the town itself. Read the people and figure out what their customs are like and what the general attitude of the town is. A lot of this is up to the players to figure out for themselves. This is a role-play focused campaign and setting and those who want to be a caster, while ignoring the elements of the world, will probably end up paying the price.
Small rural villages are more likely to claim witchery or devilish magic and attack the spell caster outright, but even this isn’t always true. Just most of the time.
The Free Cities and the communities within the different districts are usually a little more accommodating to magic users. This is especially true in Ahnki, where the Sorcerer Kings are far more forgiving of those who use magic in comparison to the lords and masters of other locations. That does NOT mean they allow magic to be cast within city limits. They just don't actively root out magic users to dispose of them. Casting spells within the city is frowned upon heavily, given the potential of them warping reality or damaging the city if a truly powerful spell is cast. Minor arcana and tricks are far more accepted.
The Free Cities and the communities within the different districts are usually a little more accommodating to magic users. This is especially true in Ahnki, where the Sorcerer Kings are far more forgiving of those who use magic in comparison to the lords and masters of other locations. That does NOT mean they allow magic to be cast within city limits. They just don't actively root out magic users to dispose of them. Casting spells within the city is frowned upon heavily, given the potential of them warping reality or damaging the city if a truly powerful spell is cast. Minor arcana and tricks are far more accepted.
Spells & Eldritch Rituals
The Price for Destroying Reality
Only a single spell can be cast or maintained by the sorcerer, that means if the sorcerer casts a spell to maintain a shield over themselves to increase their defenses, the moment they cast any other spell, that shield ends.
Casting spells disrupts the world around the caster, but it also draws them ever closer to their end. Anytime a caster uses a spell, they are required to pay a number of hit points equal to the level of the spell.
IE: To cast a 1st level spell, the character casting the spell must sacrifice one hit point. Even if the spell fails (if the caster is wearing armor) hit points are removed, but the spell fails to do what the caster wanted it to do.
Eldritch Rituals allow the sorcerer to cast spells by appeasing the laughing, dark gods who watch from the shadows of the world. A magic user can sacrifice one or more humanoids with enough hit points to cast the spell instead. A spell cast using an eldritch ritual takes a number of rounds equal to the spell's level, and costs three times the normal amount of hit points to be used.
IE: A sorcerer can cast Eldritch Bolt (a level 5 spell) for 15 hit points, and it takes 5 turns to cast. Hit Points, sacrificed in this way, are permanently removed.
Only a single spell can be cast or maintained by the sorcerer, that means if the sorcerer casts a spell to maintain a shield over themselves to increase their defenses, the moment they cast any other spell, that shield ends.
Casting spells disrupts the world around the caster, but it also draws them ever closer to their end. Anytime a caster uses a spell, they are required to pay a number of hit points equal to the level of the spell.
IE: To cast a 1st level spell, the character casting the spell must sacrifice one hit point. Even if the spell fails (if the caster is wearing armor) hit points are removed, but the spell fails to do what the caster wanted it to do.
Eldritch Rituals allow the sorcerer to cast spells by appeasing the laughing, dark gods who watch from the shadows of the world. A magic user can sacrifice one or more humanoids with enough hit points to cast the spell instead. A spell cast using an eldritch ritual takes a number of rounds equal to the spell's level, and costs three times the normal amount of hit points to be used.
IE: A sorcerer can cast Eldritch Bolt (a level 5 spell) for 15 hit points, and it takes 5 turns to cast. Hit Points, sacrificed in this way, are permanently removed.