Magic in the Northlands

"Though I am only a humble barkeep, many a mage or worldly traveller has stopped in here, not to mention the exploits of my brother. Yes, I can tell you a bit about the magics of the Northlands."

An Explanation about Magic

The casting of magic in the Northlands is governed by some rather unusual laws. The strange effects of magic-casting have been intensely studied by Joraimen Thuringe of the University of Fredericksburg. For more information outside of this summary, consult his book A Summary of the Strange Nature of Magicks in the Northlands or Ripzimy the Weird's Libram of the Great Paravisual Emanations.

In order for wizards to cast magical spells in the Northlands, a pool of magical energy must be tapped. This magical energy is used for the spell and is unable to be used for 1/2 - 5 days after the spell is cast. If magical energy is not used for a year, it begins to slowly dissipate. In addition to the energy present in the Northlands pool, each citizen has a certain amount of latent magical energy within themselves (potential wizards have more, of course). When there is not enough energy in the pool, this latent energy can be tapped. Only very experienced wizards (above 14th level) have the ability to do this. Once the magical energy within a person is released, they must rest for 1 - 2 hours to avoid fatigue.

During the Dragon Wars (10 Pd to 0 Fd), enormous amounts of latent magical energy were released so the wizards of the Northlands could fight off the powerful dragons. This energy is only now slowly dissipating, and is still close to 75 times the normal pool size! This huge amount of energy cascading around can lead to unforeseen affects when casting spells. Every time a spell is cast, roll a 1d20 and compare the results with TABLE ONE.

TABLE ONE

When spell is from the schools of Conjuration/ Summoning, Invocation/Evocation, or Necromancy, use the following table:	When spell is from the schools of Abjuration, Alteration, Enchantment/Charm, Greater Divination or Illusion, use the following table:
1 - 16 Normal Effect	1 - 18 Normal Effect
17 - 19 Roll 1d10 and see TABLE TWO	19 Roll 1d6 and see TABLE THREE
20 Spell Fails	20 Spell Fails

TABLE TWO

1	The spell is enhanced; it is cast as if the caster is one level higher than they really are. NOTE - this does not change the real level of the caster.
2	The spell is enhanced as above, but the caster suffers 1d6 burns on the front of their body from a magical backfire.
3	The spell is degraded; it is cast as if the caster is one level lower than they really are. NOTE - this does not change the real level of the caster.
4	The spell is degraded as above and it is accompanied by bright fireworks, setting any nearby flammable items on fire.
5	Three bolts of lighting strike the caster and/or nearby creatures, causing 1d12 damage.
6	The spell does not appear to work, but all effects occur as in the spell description.
7	The caster starts glowing a bright orange. During the next round, they start spinning off 1d6 fireballs in random directions.
8	1d6 items or creatures of the DM's choice are conjured up in front of the caster.
9	A magical whirlwind is created, sucking all creatures and movable objects within a 60 foot radius into an extradimentional pocket. All creatures and objects sucked into the vortex suffer 1d4 damage from bumps and scratches. The pocket also has a 60 foot radius and the terrain is exactly the same as the location the caster just left. In order to leave the pocket, a dispel magic spell must be cast.
10	DM's Choice

TABLE THREE

1	An area with a 60 foot radius centered around the caster is turned pitch black, as if it were affected by a darkness spell. If the area is already dark, it is bathed in light, as if it were affected by a light spell.
2	The spell is enhanced; it is cast as if the caster is one level higher than they really are. NOTE - this does not change the real level of the caster.
3	The spell is degraded; it is cast as if the caster is one level lower than they really are. NOTE - this does not change the real level of the caster.
4	All magic-casting or magical creatures (including the caster) within a 60 foot radius of the caster suffer 1d6 damage from a large magical backfire.
5	1d6 large red bouncing balls with the caster's face on them appear in front of the caster. When touched, they cause 1d4 damage from a slight shock and crumble to dust.
6	DM's Choice

Important Magical Organizations

Note: The following information is based upon the research of Smiflin Fledger, scribe to the Duke of the Marblehead
MAJOR: (Indicates widespread regional or international influence)

Council of the Magi: Reknown for its hostility to nonmembers, the Council is located in Alamayn and is run iron-handed by Garth.
The Dodecadrate: This is a group of the twelve of the most powerful mages in the Northlands; members include Alisember the Red, Bacaby, Eppevy, Fihlithir, Fraquanozor, Jarmestor, Otill, Raeblejorn, Raiby, Rubixy, Vanderheyden, and Vlarzahask.
The Esteemed Guild of Magecraft of Freuhaven: The largest magical organization in the Northlands, this group's guildmaster is Jondar Khelben. Guild rules allow for members to belong to other guilds and almost any magic practitioner is allowed entrance, so many mages from across the Northlands belong to this famous and powerful bunch. The guild rolls include more than seven hundred, although fewer than a third are in town at any time. Famous members include Fraquanozor, the Purple Mage, Raeblejorn and Vanderheyden.
Imperial Academy of Wizardry of Ullysia: The oldest still-active magical organization in the Northlands, the Academy is slowly losing influence over the magicians in Ullysia and many separate societies have started recently in northern Cassenland.
Sagacious Society of Seagate: The Society is a haven for the mages that were able to flee the Uhlmanite armies.

INTERMEDIATE: (The influences of the following societies are limited to a city, nation, or small region.)

Conclave Arcanum: Located in Gran Lausanne, this small group is augmented by a few powerful mages.
Council of Wizards: This is Quedlinberg's mages guild; it is renown for its elven spellsingers.
Mages of the Coast: In Rel Eldora in Cassenddy, this guild has more power in Rel Eldora than the Sorcerous Union of Cassenddy.
The Necromancery: This guild in Tel Hadar, Ishbaar, is plotting, along with many other factions, to gain control of the throne.
Sorcerous Union of Cassenddy: This guild has branches in major Cassenddian cities but is not very powerful.
The Sword-Mages: This is the arm of the Knights of the Sword that deals with magic (other than the priests of Carmichal).
United Sorcerers of Marblehead: in Marblehead; run very much like regular a guild;
The Yellow Elders: They are a very secretive organization of mages in Zakhar with extensive training and testing.

MINOR: (Most cities sport some sort of a mage's guild [a rare few have more than one], but most do not share anywhere near the influence and power of the above organizations.)

Kammerander - trying to liberate their homeland;
Northwarden - Several mages have moved here in order to study Baron Pommeron's extensive magic texts.
Rockport - thrived before the invasion, now underground;
Shinetza - The Rammadian witch doctors belong to an organization known as Asrat Crii Tesathar (Brothers of the Robe).
Stephanopolis - A small group of high-level mages has formed a group independent from the Imperial Academy, known as the Society of the Book.
Velikye Dansk - The Witchlord has assembled a group of mages known as the Cabal of the Warlocks.

New Spells

Alisember's Compass (1st, Evocation)
This spell enchants a special device so that it always points in a direction defined by the caster. The caster can only choose a familiar direction, such as a place he has seen or a direction he is certain of. The spells' material component is a brass bowl filled with water, with a circle of cork floating in it. Atop the cork is affixed a long iron pin, painted red on the pointing end. In calm weather the compass is easy to read, but in rough waters or on rough roads, the float bobs around enough that an Intelligence check is required to read it correctly; if the check fails, the read is off by 200 to 1800.
Range: Touch; Comp.: V,S,M; Dura.: 7 days + 1/lvl; Casting Time: 4;
Identify Dragonfriend (1st, Greater Divination)
Morgen's Glowing Fart (1st, Illusion)
This spell does exactly what it sounds like.
Range: 1 yd; Comp: V,S; Dura.: 1 round/level; Casting Time: 1 round;
Morgen's Exploding Turnip (2nd, Enchantment)
Archmage Morgen of Marblehead was quite a practical joker. He made a spell that creates a turnip that will explode 10 seconds after the spell is cast. There is no saving throw against it. It causes 1d4 hp of damage to anyone near the turnip. The material components needed are a turnip and a pinch of sulfur.
Range: 3 yds; Comp.: V,S,M; Dura.:1 round/level; Casting Time: 2 rounds;
Morgen's Invisible Clock (3rd, Conjuration)
An invisible clock is set to a certain time and it follows the person around. At the set time, a loud piercing noise accompanied by rooster calls sounds next to the person the spell was cast on.
Range: 25 yds; Comp: V,S; Dura.: 1 day/level; Casting Time: 3 rounds;
Wood Rot (6th, Alteration)
This spell accelerates the decay of wooden structures and ships. The wood thus affected crumbles away at a rate of 1 cubic foot per round, effectively destroying hull integrity, a mast, or up to 12 square feet of 1 inch deck each round. All affected wood must be at the same location. The reverse of the spell, wood restoration, can nullify the effects of wood rot or natural decay. The material component is one wood-borer worm.
Range: 10 yards; Comp.: V,S,M; Dura.:1 round + 1/level; Casting Time: 4;
Alisember's Tsunami (9th, Evocation)
When this spell is cast, an underwater earthquake is generated that in turn creates a gigantic wave. A tsunami is most effective when cast approximately 0.5-1mile offshore. At that range it is ruinous along a 1 mile broad beachfront, devastating structures along the shore where it hits and destroying everything for 1/8 mile inland. Saving throws vs. spells are required for persons and structures caught within this zone to survive. The next 1/4 mile inland suffers heavy flooding and roll a d100 to determine percentage damage to structures. If the tsunami is triggered closer to shore, not only is it dangerous to the caster's boat, but it attacks only a 1/2 mile beachfront. If it is triggered further out, 2-3 miles of beach are hit, but the tsunami does not penetrate far inland. In both cases, the water only rushes 1/4 mile inland and there is no initial 1/8 mile danger zone.
Range: Special; Comp.: V,S; Dura.: Special; Casting Time: None;
Fungari's Conflaguration
See Vecra's Conflagration in Dragon 1/96, #224.
Range: ???; Comp.: ???; Dura.: ???; Casting Time: ???;