Kralorelan mysticism Last updated: 1998-02-08 This is the result of an attempt to create RuneQuest rules for mysticism, the magic of Kralorela. The ideas come from a discussion with Sandy Petersen some years back, so the rules are at least as much his as they are mine. Mysticism is the main form of magic in Kralorela. Like the dream magic of the East Isles it has its root in the ancient Vithelan ways, but it also has a strong influence from the draconic teachings of imperial Kralorela which were brought to mankind by the emperor Da Long Da (Daruda). The base skill of mysticism is simply called Mysticism. There are two forms of mysticism, low and high. Low mysticism is used much like spirit magic, it is the magic available to the common man in Kralorela. High mysticism is used by magic specialists, much like divine magic and sorcery in central and western Genertela. At the end of rules summary, there is also some exploration of the connections between mysticism, divine magic and dragon magic. Mysticism skill The Mysticism skill represents the character’s spiritual enlighenment. As such it relies more on insight than traditional learning. Thus learning Mysticism differs from learning other skills. All Kralorelans are taught the rudiments of Mysticism as a part of their education before coming of age. The base chance after this training is 1d6% + the character’s magic skill bonus. Every Sacred Time, the Mysticism score increases 1%. It can also be increased by meditation and learning. Each season spent in a monastery gives a 1% increase. The skill score will also increase by 1% every time a character makes a critical success with a skill enhanced by mystic magic. Mysticism is not usually rolled against. Instead the skill score determines how powerful magic a character can use. For every 10% of Mysticism or fraction thereof, the character may spend 1 MP or POW on mystic magic. Low mysticism Low mysticism is used to enhance the execution of normal skills. Each MP spent when invoking the magic increases the skill chance by 5%. The limit is the character’s Mysticism skill/10, rounded up. The magic effect lasts as long as the character concentrates exclusively on the skill used and nothing else. When the character uses another skill or simply stops concentrating the effect dissipates. High mysticism High mysticism is based on skill mastery. When a character has mastered a skill he may gain mystic magic powers connected to the skill. To get access to the powers of a skill the character must spend 1 point of permanent POW. High mysticism uses MP just like the low magic. Up to Mysticism skill/10 may be spent on a single magic effect. It is also possible to spend POW for more spectacular or permanent effects. The exact of high mysticism depends on the skill it is used with. The following list contains some examples. If a skill seems unfamiliar, it is because I have used the skill list from my own rules tweak. Climb Increase climbing speed by 20%/MP, climb surface without handholds at 4 MP, climb under ceiling at 8 MP. Dodge Dodge an extra attack for every MP, dodge a missile attack for 1 MP, turn a success to a critical for 1 POW. Jump Increase jumping capacity by 1 m vertically and 2m horizontally for each MP. Multiply by 10 if permanent POW is spent. Ride Increase the speed of the riding animal by 20%/MP, increase the animal’s jumping capacity 1 m vertically and 2 m horizontally/MP, enable the animal to fly 10 minutes/POW. Swim Increase swimming speed by 20%/MP, extend breath capacity 1 minute/MP, allow water breathing 10 minutes/POW. Tumble Decrease falling damage by 1d6/2MP. First aid Heal 1 hit point/MP. Medicine Restore 1 point of chracateristic loss/POW. Neutralize 1 point of poison POT/MP. Camouflage Make 10 points SIZ/MP invisible. Craft Each POW spent enchants the object created so that the user may spend MP to activate it like a spell matrix. Conceal Make 1 ENC invisible/MP. Sail boat Increase boat speed 20%/MP. Increase hull armour points 20%/MP. Hide Make 10 points SIZ/MP invisible while remaining still, 3 points/MP while moving. Melee weapon Increase damage done by 1/MP. Increase initiative by 2/MP. Increase weapon AP by 1/MP. Missile weapon Increase damage done by 2/MP. Increase range by 20%/MP. Written mysticism A character with mastery of Read/write Kralorelan who has sacrificed POW for the magic power of writing can create magic texts, usually in the form of poems. The content of the text relates to another skill which the mystic has mastered and for which he has sacrificed POW to gain the magic powers. If the creator just spent MP to create the magic poem, it will be usable only once. The user must provide the MP needed for the effect, but the writer’s Mysticism determines the intensity of the effect. If the creator spent POW when writing, the poem is permanently empowered and may be used over and over again. The user must spend MP each time. Finally if the writer has sacrificed percentage points from his Mysticism skill, the effect is permanently active, without the need of MP use. The same effect as written mystic magic may be achieved by painting or otherwise making an artistic image. Painting is more limited, but has the advantage that magic pictures can be used by illitterate people. The magic poems and pictures are very important features of Kralorelan magic. Common people with low Mysticism skill can get access to powerful magic at a reasonable cost in the form of one-time use poems and paintings. Mysticism and divine magic Normal cult practices and divine magic exist in Kralorela, but mainly among the lower layers of society, where knowledge of Mysticism is less exalted. Mystics may be members of cults and use cult-related mystic magic, much like a normal priests uses divine magic. Each divine spell of a deity is available to mystic priests as magic powers of the Ceremony skill. Unlike other high mysticism, POW must be sacrificed separately for each power (spell). To become a mystic priest, the candidate must be an initiate in good standing, be a master of Ceremony, know Speak and Read/write Kralorelan at 75% and Lore [cult] at 90%. Restrictions are the same as for theist priests. Mysticism and dragon magic Mysticism and dragon magic are related, but not identical. Dragon magic is based on mastery of your emotions. The user does magic by eliminating the (illusory) line between the inner self (emotions, personality) and the outer world, starting at the inner self. In mysticism, the same elimination of the division between self and world is used, but the direction is the opposite. Since mysticism is based on skills, the user's physical interaction with the outer world creates a magic effect. Dragon magic is very difficult to comprehend for humans, only the dedicated mystics learn to master it. But Kralorela is so steeped in draconic energy, that dragon magic effects can be unleashed with little or no conscious effort from the mystic. If you want to simulate this possibility, roll the Mysticism skill everytime it is applied to enhance another skill. If the Mysticism roll is a critical success, a dragon magic effect spontaneously occurs. The effect should be related to the skill enhanced. The normal skill enhancement takes effect even if the Mysticism roll fails. There should of course be a list of dragon magic effects here, but my mind draws a blank on that right now. Ideas and suggestions are appreciated. Back! Send email to nilsw@ibm.net