All the Lights in the Sky: Magic

The First Speech

The language of the gods. Those who speak it fluently have the power of tongues. Daemons speak it.

Its alphabet is the First Script. Anyone literate can understand it with a skill check. Those who read it fluently can read any script.

Scrolls

Vessels for the wisdom of the ancients, inscribed with command words in the First Script. One who understands can identify them with a turn of study.

One who understands a scroll can unleash the spell within by taking it in hand and chanting the command words. This takes a full round in combat, with interruption spoiling the effort. When the spell is cast, the scroll is destroyed.

Tuning

Imbibe Dust, engrave your will upon it, and unleash it to shape the world.

The art of tuning is that of nerve control. Anyone can learn this skill. Even without Dust, it can be used to master body and mind, enduring pain that would break most.

To become a tuner, undergo Assimilation. Imbibe Dust and roll 2d6 on the Assimilation table.

02        Rejection. Assimilation fails; roll on the Dustburn table at -2. If you survive, attempting Assimilation again will kill you.
03-05   Failure.
06-08   Success.
09-11   Acceptance. Success, and roll on the Dustburn table at +2.
12        Wild Talent. Success, and roll on the Dustburn table at +3. Next time you're stressed, instantly learn a random useful spell (1d6: 1-3 1st Circle, 4-5 2nd Circle, 6 3rd Circle); cast that spell without a skill check from now on.

Then make a nerve control skill check on the Dustburn table.

01-02   Die.
03        Take Dustburn and gain a curse-mark.
04-05   Take Dustburn.
06        Unharmed.

If you survive, you're out for 1d6 hours.

Dust-Sense

Tuners can sense Dust nearby, as a prickling in the skin. The more Dust and the closer, the stronger the sensation. This includes Dust in the bodies of other tuners.

Even if they haven't imbibed Dust, tuners can always identify one another on skin contact.

Learning Spells

Study for 1 week per Circle with a master, 2 weeks per circle with a manual, or swallow a scroll. Make a nerve control check, summing all dice instead of taking the highest. Consult the spell learning table.

1st       6
2nd      8
3rd      10
4th      14
5th      18

On a success, you learn the spell. With an instructor or manual, repeat attempts grant +1 each.

Casting Known Spells

Imbibe Dust. It can simply be swallowed, but most tuners favor specialized inhaler masks. This takes an action in combat, but can be done in advance; Dust remains in the body once imbibed.

Meditate, weave the hand signs, intone the chants, and make a nerve control check. This takes a full round; if interrupted or the check is failed, the casting is spoiled. Take Dustburn equal to the Circle of the spell.

If successful, expend imbibed Dust according to the Circle of the spell.

1st      10 Đ
2nd     20 Đ
3rd      40 Đ
4th      80 Đ
5th      160 Đ

Successfully cast spells take effect at the start of the caster's next action.

Dustburn

Dustburn is a burden. When a character takes Dustburn, they roll 1d6; on a roll equal to or under their current Dustburn, they gain a curse-mark.

If a character starts a day with unused Dust in their pool, take Dustburn equal to the highest circle of spell that could be cast with it.

Characters heal 1 Dustburn per week. At 7 Dustburn, they die.

Creating Spells

The creator describes the spell they want to develop. The referee determines its Circle. Spend 1 month per Circle, 10 times the casting cost in Dust, and roll on the spell learning table. On success, create the spell. On failure, waste time and Dust.

Inscribing Scrolls

Scroll inscription is a skill of its own. Only a tuner literate in the First Script can learn it.

To inscribe a scroll with a known spell, spend time and Dust per the scroll inscription table.

1st      1 day           50 Motes
2nd     3 days         100 Motes
3rd     1 week         200 Motes
4th     1 month        500 Motes
5th     3 months     1,000 Motes

Then make a scroll inscription skill check. On failure, the scroll is destroyed and the materials are wasted.

Finally, cast the spell into the scroll. On failure, the scroll remains intact and the scribe can try again.

Spells

The following is a catalogue of spells known by tuners throughout the Tower Lands. Many are said to originate with the God-King's own apprentices, those first and most esteemed masters. These are certainly but a few of the spells in existence, those most widely known and used.

1st Circle - 1d12

01   Adept's Illuminator
02   Aeda's Kinetic Barrier
03   Audible Glamour
04   Basilisk of Command
05   First Daemonic Binding
06   Hypatia's Igniter
07   Lemniscate's Heuristic
08   Lesser Healing Transfiguration
09   Odravek's Lesser Ward
10   Phaedra's Blinding Breath
11   Tsandar's Remote Manipulator
12   Urizen's Focal Lance

Adept's Illuminator
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Hour
An object the caster touches glows with Dust-light as bright as a torch. It cannot be extinguished until the duration expires, but it can be covered.

Aeda's Kinetic Barrier
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Minute
A shimmering plane of force extends from the caster's spread fingers. It can be manipulated like a physical shield, and functions as one, imposing a -1 penalty on enemies' attack checks against the caster. The barrier is magical, and thus effective against attacks that ignore nonmagical shields.

Audible Glamour
Range: 30'
Duration: Focus
For as long as the caster focuses, illusory sound emanates from a point they can see within range, up to as loud as a shout or as quiet as a whisper.

Basilisk of Command
Range: Speech
Duration: Instant
The caster weaves an auditory basilisk into a one-word command, and a creature that can hear and understand is compelled to obey. Commands to self-harm or commit suicide are ineffective.

First Daemonic Binding
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Hour
A random sprite-class daemon appears before the caster and will obey their commands for 1 hour. It has d4 strength and the intelligence of a small animal. If a specific sprite's true name is known, it can be summoned instead of a random sprite.

Hypatia's Igniter
Range: 30'
Duration: Instant
A small spark of flame appears at a point the caster can see within range, capable of lighting objects on fire like a flint and steel.

Lemniscate's Heuristic
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
The caster touches an enchanted object and learns its powers and control mechanisms. On 2-in-3, they also learn of any curses it carries.

Lesser Healing Transfiguration
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A living creature the caster touches is instantly healed of up to 2 wounds.

Odravek's Lesser Ward
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Hour
A creature the caster touches is protected from basilisks and transfigurations. Such effects are neutralized on 1d6 over the spell's circle, or 2-in-3. Note that this includes beneficial spells, such as the Lesser and Greater Healing Transfigurations.

Phaedra's Blinding Breath
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Minute
The caster exhales a thick cloud of obscuring fog that fills a 30' diameter area. The cloud evaporates in 1 minute; a strong wind may disperse it faster.

Tsandar's Remote Manipulator
Range: 60'
Duration: Focus
A hand-shaped floating construct appears before the caster, moving at their mental command. It can lift and move small objects within range. The hand persists as long as the caster focuses on maintaining it.

Urizen's Focal Lance
Range: 150'
Duration: Instant
A beam of destructive energy lances from the caster's hand toward a target within range. It acts as a missile weapon, ignoring nonmagical armor and shields.

2nd Circle - 1d12

01   Aeda's Thermal Shroud
02   Basilisk of Affinity
03   Basilisk of Slumber
04   Glamour of the Chameleon
05   Glamour of Multiplicity
06   Hypatia's Combustive Spray
07   Lemniscate's Skeleton Key
08   Lodivo's Contactive Trace
09   Odravek's Adaptive Seal
10   Phaedra's Ensnaring Strands
11   Second Daemonic Binding
12   Tsandar's Helpful Elevator

Aeda's Thermal Shroud
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Day
A creature the caster touches is shielded from intense heat. The subject is immune to environmental heat and gains AC 3 against heat-based attacks.

Basilisk of Affinity
Range: Speech
Duration: Instant
The caster weaves an auditory basilisk into a spoken phrase, and a humanoid creature who can hear is instilled with great affection and respect for them. They become eager to help the caster, though they won't do anything for the caster that they wouldn't normally do for a good friend. Cruelty or violence toward the subject breaks the spell; otherwise, it lasts until the caster leaves the subject's presence.

Basilisk of Slumber
Range: Speech
Duration: Instant
The caster weaves an auditory basilisk into a soothing melody. All creatures that hear the caster's chant are struck by a wave of intense drowsiness. Alert creatures, such as those engaged in combat, are briefly disoriented, losing their next action. Unsuspecting creatures fall deeply asleep, remaining so until they wake up naturally or are roused by another.

Glamour of the Chameleon
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
A creature or object the caster touches is wrapped in an illusory shroud that makes it invisible to normal sight. Anything the subject wears or carries is also affected, but held objects become visible when put down. Held light sources still cast light as normal. The veil is fragile; vigorous motion by the subject, like attacking, breaks it and ends the effect. Otherwise, the effect is permanent.

Glamour of Multiplicity
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Minute
1d4 illusory images of the caster appear at the caster's side, mimicking their movements exactly. Any attack aimed at the caster has an equal chance of hitting an illusion instead, causing it to vanish.

Hypatia's Combustive Spray
Range: 10'
Duration: Instant
A jet of flame sprays from the caster's hand in a 10' cone, damaging all creatures within. A successful check to leap clear of the spray halves the damage roll.

Lemniscate's Skeleton Key
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A magically locked door or container the caster touches is unlocked.

Lodivo's Contactive Trace
Range: Self
Duration: Focus
This spell can be cast in two ways: using a sample of fresh tissue from a living creature, or using an object a living creature has touched. If cast using a tissue sample, the caster can picture an object the donor has touched. As long as they hold the sample and focus, the caster knows the distance and direction of the object. If cast on an object, the caster can picture a creature who has touched the object; as long as they hold the object and focus, they know the distance and direction of the handler.

Odravek's Adaptive Seal
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
A portal or container the caster touches is magically locked. The caster can set a password or designate any number of individuals who may bypass the lock. The portal or container can still be broken; this destroys the lock and ends the spell.

Phaedra's Ensnaring Strands
Range: 10'
Duration: Instant
The caster spits a wad of sticky fluid that spreads into a net filling a 10' cube area. Creatures in the area can make a check to leap clear; those who fail are entangled, unable to move until they escape. Creatures with d6 strength or less can escape in 1 turn; those with d8 or d10 strength can escape in 1 round. Those with d12 strength are immune. Unlike real spiderwebs, the web is highly flammable. Creatures caught in a burning web suffer a damage roll; after 1 round, the web burns away.

Second Daemonic Binding
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Hour
A random sandestin-class daemon appears before the caster and will obey their commands for 1 hour. It has d6 strength and the intelligence of a trained dog or ape, and may be capable of limited speech. It has a 1-in-3 chance of knowing a single 1st-Circle spell. If a specific sandestin's true name is known, it can be summoned instead of a random sandestin.

Tsandar's Helpful Elevator
Range: Self
Duration: Focus
By focusing, the caster can move up and down through the air at up to 20' per round. The caster can move laterally by pushing against objects. Any weight over normal encumbrance prevents levitation. The caster can levitate as long as they focus; pushing off objects to move does not disrupt their focus, but anything more distracting does.

3rd Circle - 1d12

01   Aeda's Projectile Screen
02   Baleful Transfiguration
03   Celestial Step Method
04   Hypatia's Explosive Orb
05   Lemniscate's Versatile Antidote
06   Lesser Holding Transfiguration
07   Mai-Yun-Set's Disjunction
08   Odravek's Greater Ward
09   Second Art of Awakening
10   Third Daemonic Binding
11   Urizen's Vorpal Edge
12   Yashi's Abyssal Sight

Aeda's Projectile Screen
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Hour
A creature the caster touches is wrapped in a transparent barrier that stops all missile attacks, including focal lances.

Baleful Transfiguration
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A creature the caster touches has its flesh hideously twisted, suffering a damage roll at +1 and gaining 1d3+1 random curse-marks.

Celestial Step Method
Range: Self
Duration: Focus
The caster gains the power to fly at up to 120' per round. They can move freely in any direction, including hovering. The caster must focus to control their movement; the effect persists as long as they do so.

Hypatia's Explosive Orb
Range: 240'
Duration: Instant
A ball of flame leaps from the caster's hand toward a point within range, where it explodes in a 20' radius, damaging all creatures within. A successful check to leap clear of the blast halves the damage roll.

Lemniscate's Versatile Antidote
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A creature the caster touches is purged of all poisons. Injuries already done by poisons are not healed, but any further effects are prevented.

Lesser Holding Transfiguration
Range: 120'
Duration: 1 Turn
A creature with strength d6 or less that the caster can see within range is paralyzed, unable to move.

Mai-Yun-Set's Disjunction
Range: 120'
Duration: Instant
All spells within a 10' radius centered within range are dispelled on 1d6 over their Circle. Enchanted items are unaffected.

Odravek's Greater Ward
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Hour
A creature the caster touches is rendered immune to basilisks and transfigurations. Note that this includes beneficial spells, such as the Lesser and Greater Healing Transfigurations.

Second Art of Awakening
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Minute
The caster gains superhuman speed and reflexes, with the following benefits:
- They can move at double speed (60' per round).
- They automatically win initiative against non-awakened opponents.
- They gain strength d8.
- They can make two missile attacks per action.
- In melee combat, they can take the 2 highest dice on their attack check. If both are higher than their opponent's highest die, the caster hits twice.
When the effect ends, the caster takes exhaustion.

Third Daemonic Binding
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Hour
A random esper-class daemon appears before the caster and will obey their commands for 1 hour. It has d8 strength dice and the intelligence of a person, capable of full speech. It has a 2-in-3 chance of being able to cast spells up to the 3rd Circle. If a specific esper's true name is known, it can be summoned instead of a random esper.

Urizen's Vorpal Edge
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Minute
A bladed weapon the caster touches is wrapped in a shimmering halo of Dust that can cut through nearly anything, ignoring nonmagical armor and shields.

Yashi's Abyssal Sight
Range: Touch
Duration: 1 Hour
A creature the caster touches gains infravision to a distance of 60'.

4th Circle - 1d10

01   Aeda's Unseen Eye
02   Basilisk of Delirium
03   Fourth Daemonic Binding
04   Phaedra's Killing Breath
05   Greater Holding Transfiguration
06   Greater Healing Transfiguration
07   Hypatia's Wall of Flame
08   Lemniscate's Panacea
09   Urizen's Vector Shift
10   Tsandar's Mighty Grasp

Aeda's Unseen Eye
Range: 240'
Duration: Focus
An invisible floating sensor appears at the caster's side, allowing the caster to see through it. The eye can fly at up to 30' per round, up to 240' from the caster. It has normal vision and infravision out to 60'. It can fit through spaces as small as 1" wide, but cannot pass through solid objects. The eye persists as long as the caster focuses on maintaining it.

Basilisk of Delirium
Range: Speech
Duration: Instant
The caster weaves an auditory basilisk into a piercing shriek. All creatures who hear it are stricken with hallucinations for 1 hour, causing them to act unpredictably. Each round, roll 1d3 for the reaction of each creature affected: 1 peaceful, 2 terrified, 3 violent.

Fourth Daemonic Binding
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Hour
A random aeon-class daemon appears before the caster and will obey their commands for 1 hour. It has d10 strength, possesses the wisdom of higher beings, and commands magics up to the 4th Circle. If a specific aeon's true name is known, it can be summoned instead of a random aeon.

Greater Healing Transfiguration
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A creature the caster touches is instantly healed of all injuries. Dying creatures are restored to full health immediately, and wounded creatures are cured of all wounds. Severed limbs do not regrow, but will reattach if present when the spell is cast.

Greater Holding Transfiguration
Range: 120'
Duration: 1 Turn
A creature the caster can see within 120'is paralyzed, unable to move.

Hypatia's Wall of Flame
Range: 60'
Duration: 1 Turn
An opaque curtain of raging flame springs up from a point the caster can see within range. It can be up to 1,200' square total, with any shape. Any creature who touches the wall suffers a damage roll; for those passing through it, the roll is at +1.

Lemniscate's Panacea
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
A creature the caster touches is cured of all diseases.

Phaedra's Killing Breath
Range: Self
Duration: 1 Hour
The caster exhales a cloud of corrosive vapor that fills a 30' diameter area. Creatures in the cloud take 1 wound per round, and any who breathe it suffer a damage roll at +1. The cloud evaporates in 1 hour; a strong wind may disperse it faster.

Tsandar's Mighty Grasp
Range: 120'
Duration: Focus
A large, translucent, floating hand-shaped construct the size of a person appears at the caster's side, moving in response to the caster's thoughts and capable of lifting and throwing objects within range. The hand can move up to 20' per round, lift up to 1,000 lbs., and throw objects hard enough to deal damage. Creatures can make checks to avoid being grabbed by the hand. The hand persists as long as the caster focuses on maintaining it.

Urizen's Vector Shift
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The caster steps through folded space to a location they can see.

5th Circle - 1d6

01   Aeda's Unshakeable Fortress
02   Entreaty to Higher Beings
03   Fifth Daemonic Binding
04   Implacable Spear of Heaven

05   Rending Transfiguration
06   Urizen's Folded Path

Aeda's Unshakeable Fortress

Range: Self

Duration: Focus
A 5' radius globe of force surrounds the caster and anyone else within. It is completely impenetrable to all matter and energy; nothing can enter or escape it, and it can withstand even a strike from the Spear of Heaven. The fortress persists as long as the caster focuses on maintaining it, but it has a limited supply of air, enough for one person to survive for 3 days.

Entreaty to Higher Beings
Range: Self
Duration: Instant
The caster makes contact with higher beings to receive their wisdom. The caster may ask yes-or-no questions. Roll 1d8 for each: 1-5 correct answer ("yes," "no," or "impossible to answer"), 6-7 unknown, 8 incorrect answer ("yes" or "no.") If asked to predict the future, the higher beings will answer based on whether the event in question is more likely true than not; for example, if asked, "Will my capital be attacked this year?" the higher beings will answer "yes" if an attack is at least 51% likely and "no" if it is 50% likely or less. For each answer received, there is a cumulative 1-in-6 chance for the caster's mind to be shattered, rendering them permanently unfit to adventure unless restored by some other powerful magic.

Fifth Daemonic Binding
Range: Self
Duration: ???
A throne-class daemon whose true name is spoken appears before the caster and will obey their commands. Thrones possess d12 strength. This is the least of their powers.

Implacable Spear of Heaven
Range: Sight
Duration: Instant
The Spear of Heaven strikes a point the caster can see. Creatures within 120' of the target point who are not immune to heat are incinerated; those within a further 240' suffer a damage roll at +2. Creatures who look at the Spear of Heaven with unprotected eyes are blinded.

Rending Transfiguration
Range: 60'
Duration: Instant
A single creature, or an object of up to human size, that the caster can see within range instantly turns to ash.

Urizen's Folded Path
Range: Touch
Duration: Instant
The caster and up to 6 other creatures currently touching them are transported through folded space to a place the caster has seen. Each traveler has a 1-in-10 chance of injury while passing through folded space; injured travelers suffer a damage roll.