# The Awakened

##### See through the Lie. Reshape reality. Awaken to the supernal truth.

\page ### Document Status This is **Version 1.1** as of 2020-03-01. Notably absent is some of the fluff text, (almost) all of the spell examples for various practices for each Arcanum, and the entirety of the Creative Thaumaturgy chapter. ##### TODO: 1. Move Soul stuff from Death to Spirit. With the lack of a distinction between ghosts and spirits, it really just seems like Death is stepping on Spirits toes and Spirit is already pretty bare. Look into 4e Shaman to flesh out Spirit more. 2. Example spells! 3. In CT, talk about spell design with base cost and dynamic costs. ##### Text Credits This class is an attempt to bring some of the feeling of Mage: The Awakening and the creative spirit it inspires to D&D. As such, some of the text in this class is from MtAw because I couldn't say it better myself. The following sections either directly or heavily draw from the MtAw book: - Awakened Paths, excluding descriptions of associated realms and Custom Paths - Supernal Practices And, of course, this class, like many others, is formatted like the common class format from the Players Handbook. ##### Art Credits - Cover Art - Mage: The Awakening 2e, pg. 10 - Path Symbols (Acanthus, Mastigos, Moros, Obrimos, Thrysus) - [1d4chan](https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Mage:_The_Awakening#Paths) - Arcanum Symbols (all) - [1d4chan](https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Mage:_The_Awakening#Arcana) - Custom Path Image - Eric Barlow by sunamori - Harry Dresden Shielding (in Supernal Practices) - Unknown Title by [Dos San Tos](https://www.dandossantos.com/) - Fate Arcanum Gif - Amphiaraus Accepts His Fate in Hercules (2014) - Force Arcanum Image - Wizard by Czazimi - Life Arcanum Image - Regeneration (MtG Card) by WotC - Matter Arcanum Image - Golem Master by [flyinghand](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/0w4n5) - Mind Arcanum Image - illustrated by JB Casacop, Fantasy Flight Games - Prime Arcanum Image - Seal of Exile by [000Fesbra000](https://www.deviantart.com/000fesbra000/art/Seal-of-Exile-793666998) - Space Arcanum Image - Genius Pathmage by Bethesda Games Elder Scrolls TCG - Spirit Arcanum Image - Phantom Warrior by [Anna Podedworna](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/mqd8xv) - Time Arcanum Image - Chronomancer by the [Arcane Forge](http://www.thearcaneforge.com/wizard-chronomancer)

\page # The Awakened ### The Seers of the Truth TODO ### Magic or Truth? TODO ### Creating an Awakened Mage An **Awakened Mage** is one who as been enlightened to the **Supernal**, the Platonic realm underlying our reality. They are fundamentally curious, inquisitive creatures. Their brush with this fundemental truth drives them to understand it. They do this by seeking out **Mysteries**, unexplained phenomena whose answers may yield insight into the greater mystery that is all of reality. What event awakened your mage to the **Supernal**? How do they react to the inability for others to see what they so plainly see? How does their intense curiosity drive them forward and affect their personality? Do they seek to understand things for themselves or do they have some greater question that understanding reality will allow them to answer? How do they see other magic users and react to their general dismissal of **Awakened** practices? ### Quick Build You can make an **Awakened Mage** quickly by following these suggestions: First, **Intelligence** should be your highest ability score, followed by **Dexterity** or **Constitution**. Second, choose the **Sage** background. For your **Path**, choose **Obrimos**. For your first dot in an **Arcanum**, choose **Forces**, one of the **Ruling Arcanum** for **Obrimos**. For your **Rotes** and **Praxes**, choose two each from **Absorb Elements**, **Control Flames**, **Darkness**, **Fire Bolt**, **Ice Knife**, **Invisibility**, **Light**, **Mage Hand**, **Shield**, or **Thunderclap**. > ##### Arcana vs. Arcanum > This class, being a port from Mage: The Awakening, refers to the spheres of magic as Arcanum. This class also makes use of Arcana ability checks. I will always use Arcanum to refer to the category of magic. I have also tried to ensure the difference is clear from context ## Class Features As an **Awakened Mage**, you gain the following class features. #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + Constitution modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier ___ #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** Light Armor - **Weapons:** Simple weapons, light crossbow - **Languages:** Celestial (referred to as **High Speech**, among **Awakened Mages**) - **Saving Throws:** Intelligence, Wisdom - **Skills:** Choose three from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Religion, and Perception ___ #### Equipment You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: - (a) a Quarterstaff or (b) a Dagger - (a) a Shortbow or (b) a Sling (either with 30 pieces of ammunition) - (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) a scholar's pack - Leather armor #### Multiclassing **Awakened** can come from all walks of life. There are no multiclassing restrictions. However, this class is incompatible with traditional magical theory. That is, **Mana** from this class does not stack with traditional **spell points**, **sorcery points**, or **spell slots** in any way. ### Arcane Path When **Mages** awaken, they typically awaken with affinities towards certain aspects of the **Supernal**. These affinities and distastes for certain aspects of the **Supernal** are called **Paths** with the aspects themselves called **Arcanum**. You choose a **Path** at level 1 from **Acanthus**, **Mastigos**, **Moros**, **Obrimos**, or **Thyrsus**. See **[Awakened Paths](#p5)** for full descriptions and benefits - in particular, the **Ruling Arcanum**, **Inferior Arcanum**, and **Attainments** will help you understand what your strengths and weaknesses will be. Each level you gain as an **Awakened Mage**, you earn one **dot** to invest to further your understanding of a given **Arcanum**. It is recommended your first investment be in one of your **Path**'s two **Ruling Arcanum**. ### Thaumaturgy The core ability granted by **Awakening** is the ability to perceive and manipulate the fundamental reality of the world. The smallest unit of change a mage can impart is called a spell. In order to cast these spells, the mage must imagine each part of the spell in their mind before releasing it with **Mana**. The mental image formed in their mind is called the **Imago** of the spell. Please see the [Creative Thaumaturgy](#p21) section for details and advice on spell creation. #### Rotes **Rotes** are the **Awakened** equivalent to cantrips. Spells they have either practised or taken too so easily as to be second nature. **Rotes** primary benefit is that they offer substantially reduced **Mana** cost.

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##### The Awakened Mage | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Rotes Known | Mana | Praxes Known | Dots | Max. Rating |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | Arcane Path, Thaumaturgy, Mage Sight | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | | 2nd | +2 | 1st Order Attainments | 2 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1| | 3rd | +2 | ─ | 3 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 1 | | 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 1 | | 5th | +3 | 2nd Order Attainments | 3 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 2 | | 6th | +3 | ─ | 4 | 40 | 7 | 6 | 2 | | 7th | +3 | ─ | 4 | 50 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 60 | 9 | 8 | 2 | | 9th | +4 | 3rd Order Attainments | 4 | 70 | 10 | 9 | 3 | | 10th | +4 | ─ | 5 | 80 | 10 | 10 | 3 | | 11th | +4 | ─ | 5 | 85 | 11 | 11 | 3 | | 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 90 | 11 | 12 | 3 | | 13th | +5 | 4th Order Attainments | 5 | 100 | 12 | 13 | 4 | | 14th | +5 | ─ | 6 | 105 | 12 | 14 | 4 | | 15th | +5 | ─ | 6 | 110 | 13 | 15 | 4 | | 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 115 | 13 | 16 | 4 | | 17th | +6 | 5th Order Attainments | 6 | 120 | 14 | 17 | 5 | | 18th | +6 | ─ | 6 | 125 | 14 | 18 | 5 | | 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 | 130 | 15 | 19 | 5 | | 20th | +6 | Archmastery | 7 | 135 | 15 | 20 | 5 |

At 1st level, you know 2 **rotes** of your choice appropriate to your chosen **Arcanum**. You will learn additional **rotes** over time as shown in the **Awakened Mage** table. Each level, you may choose on of the **rotes** you know and replace it with another that you are able to cast. #### Praxes Much as a Sorcerer learns certain manipulations of magic or a Wizard prepares their spells each day, a **Praxis** is the **Awakened** equivalent of a formalized spell that they have learned, memorized, or copied into their spell book. While **Awakened** institutions and formalizations are rare, **Praxes** often represent those spells that mages have decided to spend the time to formalize the **Imago** because they recognize that they use it often enough to refine it. Though, sometimes **Awakened** do manage to find each other and are eager to share their **Praxes** and collaborate in their research with a kindred mind -- to a point. At 1st level, you know 2 **praxes** of your choice appropriate to your chosen **Arcanum**. You will learn additional **praxes** over time as shown in the **Awakened Mage** table. Each level, you may choose on of the **praxes** you know and replace it with another that you are able to cast. ``` ``` ### Spell Cost | Dot Rating | Rote | Praxis/Freeform | DC | |:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16 | | 2 | 2 | 8 | 17 | | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | | 4 | 9 | 16 | 19 | | 5 | 14 | 20 | 20 | #### Improvised Spells The distinctive feature of the **Awakened Mage** is their ability to take what they know of their **Arcanum** and construct the **Imago** for spells on the fly. Casting a spell without a **Rote** or **Praxis** to guide you costs the same **mana** as a **Praxis**, you merely must suffer the difficulty -- and danger -- of forming the **Imago** from scratch. When casting a freeform spell, you pay the normal **mana** cost as if it were a **Praxis**, then you must make an **Arcana** check to determine whether your **Imago** is free of defect. If the highest dot **arcanum** of the spell is one of your **Ruling Arcanum**, roll with *advantage*. If the spell involves any dots of your **Inferior Arcanum**, roll with *disadvantage*.

\page Spells involving multiple **Arcanum** are slightly more difficult than normal improvised spells. Calculate the **DC** normally using the highest dot **Arcanum** of the spell, then add one for each other **Arcanum** involved. If you fail to meet or exceed the **DC**, you suffer the effects of the malformed **Imago**. A sort of magical backlash occurs which you can either *release* or *contain*. If you *contain* it, you gain one level of *exhaustion*. If you *release* it, your magic is unpredictably corrupted. This may take the form of your spell going off with it's parameters slightly changed (heightened, lowered, expanded, shrunk, etc) or spawning entirely new magic. For example, your DM might roll on the Wild Magic table or come up with other similar expressions of Wild Magic. Exhaustion caused by spell backlash may not be healed by magic short of a 9th level spell or 5th dot effect, and must be removed one level at a time. Spells that combine multiple **arcanum** cost the full mana of the highest dot **arcanum** in the **Imago** and half of the cost of each other **arcanum**. For example, a spell with 3 **dots** of **Force** and 2 **dots** of **Death** is 16 **mana** (12 from 3 **dots** of **Force** and half of the 8 **mana** the 2 **dots** of **Death** brings). #### Spellcasting Ability *Intelligence* is your spellcasting ability for the **Awakened Mage**, as your magic draws upon investigation and exploration of understanding of the universe. You use your *Intelligence* whenever a spell or effect refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your *Intelligence* modifier when setting the saving throw **DC** for one of your effects and when making an attack roll with magic.

**Spellsave DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

**Spell attack modifier** = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier

> ##### Improvised Spell Difficulty > The **DC**s for improvised spells are designed to have between 75-85% chance of success on **Ruling Arcanum** spells, 50% chance for other spells, and 25-35% chance for spells involving your **Inferior Arcanum**. > > With bounded accuracy, we aren't left with much wiggle room in the system to modify this without either making it too easy or too hard. If you'd like to make it more difficult, I recommend simply omitting the advantage and disadvantage aspects. A ~50% chance of exhaustion is a fairly hefty price. > > **Note:** If your player attempts to use *Expertise*, *Portent*, *Lucky*, or anything else to improve their Improvised Spell successes, find the nearest PHB or DMG and throw it at their head. ``` ``` ### Mage Sight Treat as if casting the *Detect Magic* spell at-will, but the mage may also spend an action to learn which **Arcanum** are involved in a magical effect. By spending a minute concentrating on an effect, they learn the exact **dot** rating of each **Arcanum** involved in the effect that they also have **dots** in. ### Attainments Beginning at 2nd level, and at other levels specified in the **Awakened Mage** table, you become eligible for innate abilities granted to you by your mastery over various **Arcanum**. Once you become eligible for that tier of **attainment**, **1st Order** and **2nd Order Attainments** are granted for every **Arcanum** you have enough **dots** invested. You only receive one **attainment** each of the **3rd, 4th, and 5th Order**, chosen when you become eligible according to the **Awakened Mage** table. You may change one choice of **attainment** you are eligible for every time you gain a level. For example, an 11th level **Awakened Mage** can have up to 3 **Arcanum** with 3 **dots**. They would choose only one of those **Arcanum** to gain its **3rd Order Attainment**. > ##### Attainments and Arcanum Practices > **Attainments** are not perfectly indicative of what you can or cannot do with a given **Arcanum** at that **dot** level. While some are standard applications of the **Arcanum**, some are inappropriate for that **dot** level, or are even subject to different rules than normal. > > For example, **Attainments** generally cannot be *counterspelled* or *dispelled* as they are often internal or constantly applied effects exterted by the mage. > > Always consider the list of **Practices** available at that **dot** level and the given examples for the **Arcanum** rather than relying on **attainments** for examples. ### Archmastery While you are still beholden to the ruthless requirement of the Universe to expend mana to effect your will, you have become incredibly skilled at forming the **Imago** of **Improvised Spells**. Beginning at level 20, you no longer need to make an **Arcana** check when casting an **Improvised Spell**, unless it involves your **Inferior Arcanum**. Even then, any check (including *Counterspell*) that would have been at *disadvantage* due to involving your **Inferior Arcanum** is no longer at *disadvantage*.

\page # Awakened Paths ## Acanthus ### Ruling Arcanum #### Fate **Acanthus**’s **Ruling Arcanum** are **Time** and **Fate**, and **Fate** is the subtle expression of that pair. **Fate** describes what *should* or *must* happen, but not precisely when or how that result will come about (those are the province of **Time**). **Fate** governs blessings, curses, destiny, fortune, oaths, probability, luck, and intent. Those who master it may seem lucky or carefree, but in reality they deal in the inevitable and learn to anticipate it — whether to accept the dictates of destiny or redirect the road they walk. #### Time **Time** is the obvious **Arcanum** of the pair, governing the progression of events through the ever-advancing present in a way perpendicular to **Fate**’s subtlety. Some **Acanthus** liken **Time** to a loosed arrow, and **Fate** to the archer’s aim. **Time** governs the history and diverse potential futures of the world. All things must pass. Legends rise and fall. Even gods die and fade into obscurity. Nothing is eternal, save perhaps for time itself. ### Inferior Arcanum #### Forces Lightning arrives at its appointed time in the tale, not before. To **Acanthus**, elemental powers are visible manifestations of destiny and Fae passions. Fire isn’t heat alone, but the anger of the Fair Folk or the climax of an apocalyptic myth; it is not to be raised through some mechanistic act of will. ### The Feywild The Fey are creatures of **Fate**: trickery, blessings, curses and oaths are like breathing to them. And **Time** in their domain does not always flow as we would expect. Common are the stories of a farmer accidentally entering the Fey and coming back to find his family has grown old. **Acanthus** are drawn to the Fey and the Feywilds, learning from them and following the **Mysteries** there to learn more about **Fate**.

``` ``` ## Mastigos ### Ruling Arcanum #### Mind **Mind** is concerned with the collective consciousness that is formed from all creatures capable of thought. The **Arcanum** encompasses all mental realms from simple concepts and emotions, to complex communications and higher states of mental awareness. Initiates of the **Mind** tend to explore social interactions and the core concepts that make up language, communication, and shared experiences. #### Space **Space** expresses that physical separation is as much a lie as the isolation of the soul. Through this **Arcanum**, the mage can magnify or collapse the distance between places and objects, conjure things from distant locales, and twist the topography of space into strange and unnatural shapes. **Space** also allows a mage to manipulate the sympathetic connection between subjects. ### Inferior Arcanum #### Matter **Matter** sticks in the conceptual gullet of the **Mastigos**. While the **Mastigos** lives in the world of the abstract, the solidity and unyielding surfaces of **Matter** confound them. ### The Astral Plane The Astral Plane is the realm of thought and dream, where visitors travel as disembodied souls to reach the planes of the divine and demonic. It is a great, silvery sea with swirling wisps of white and gray streaking among motes of light resembling distant stars. Erratic whirlpools of color flicker in midair like spinning coins. Occasional bits of solid matter can be found here, but most of the Astral Plane is an endless, open domain.

\page ## Moros ### Ruling Arcanum #### Death **Death** is the **Arcanum** governing souls, absence, and the cessation of things. Those who study **Death** find themselves deeply involved in matters of endings, decay, and darkness. This tends to make practitioners seem morbid, though few are. Mages who delve into the mysteries of **Death** find solace and understanding in the fact that all things come to an end. While such thoughts may look fatalistic on the surface, a mage who sees past the Lie realizes she has the power to not only create these states, but to control, manipulate, and even prevent them. She can bolster a soul or reverse the effects of aging just as well as she can destroy souls or and steal the life from another. #### Matter **Matter** is a study in contradictions. It is at once the **Arcanum** of stasis and transformation, creating objects that will last a thousand years and reshaping objects at a whim. **Matter**’s purview is all the inert, lifeless things of the world: iron and steel, air and water, and all the riches of the earth. Things which were once alive but are no longer, as well as substances derived from life but which are not themselves alive, are also governed by this **Arcanum**. A **Matter** spell can rot and warp the boards of a wooden house, or turn a glass of water into wine. **Matter** is seen as the most base of the **Arcanum** by many mages, closest to the profane Lie, but the **Moros Masters** know that the crude **Matter** of the world is but an echo of the **Supernal**. ### Inferior Arcanum #### Spirit **Moros** know that despite out ward appearances, inert things dance with activity. **Moros** know that spirits exist, and that the world has a life beyond death, but feel no interest toward it. **Death** provides its own invisible kingdoms, and **Matter** moves even in the absence of will. ### The Plane of Shadows The Plane of Shadow is a world of black and white; color itself has been bleached from the environment. It is otherwise appears similar (but not exactly identical) to the Material Plane. While the Plane of Shadow is not evil in and of itself, it is home to a wide variety of foul creatures that hate the light and the living. The best known denizen of the plane is the shadow, an undead creature that sucks the strength from adventurers on either the Material Plane or the Plane of Shadow.

``` ``` ## Obrimos ### Ruling Arcanum #### Forces Countless legends of wizards conjuring lightning to smite their foes, dancing among pillars of unnatural flame, flying, and directing storms against their foes speak to the presence of raw power **Forces** represents. With it a mage can alter and control light, sound, fire, and electricity — even gravity, radiation, and weather patterns. **Forces** is rarely subtle, but clever wizards find ways to use it so: hearing a sound from across a room, deadening the noise spellcasting makes, or seeing great distances. Skilled practitioners of **Forces** can also unleash tornadoes, earthquakes, and devastating blasts of fire when subtlety gives way to quick anger. #### Prime Just as a language must have words to describe itself, so too must the **Supernal** have an **Arcanum** that defines it. **Prime** is that **Arcanum**. Its purview is the manipulation of magic itself. Through **Prime**, a mage becomes attuned to the **Supernal Truth**, capable of piercing illusions and calling forth perfected images of the symbol-thing of the **Supernal**. Arrogant **Obrimos** sometimes claim that this makes **Prime** the greatest of the **Arcanum**, but that is an oversimplification. **Prime** is the **Arcanum** through which the **Supernal** knows itself, but without the other **Arcanum**, it is as empty as a language whose only vocabulary is parts of speech. ### Inferior Arcanum #### Death **Death** is an interruption, not an end. **Obrimos** represent the power that cleanses, and have little talent for the **Arcanum** of rot and stagnation. ### The Elemental Planes The Elemental Planes are a collection of 6 major sources of energy and the 12 minor borders between them. The 6 major sources have the Positive Energy Plane and the Negative Energy Plane as poles, with the planes of Air, Fire, Earth, and Water between them. Then there are the Paraelemental planes of Smoke, Magma, Ooze, and Ice - borders between the primary Elemental Planes. Finally, the positive and negative Quasielemental Planes borders between one of the poles and one of the primary Elemental Planes. The positive quasiplanes are the planes of Lightning, Radiance, Mineral, and Steam. The negative quasiplanes are the planes of Vacuum, Ash, Dust, and Salt.

\page ## Thyrsus ### Ruling Arcanum #### Spirit What we do in this world has echoes that we cannot see or hear or feel, but which are no less real for all that. **Spirit** mages understand those repercussions, and know that it falls to them to act as intercessors between the Visible and the Invisible. **Spirit**’s purview is the Ethereal Plane and its denizens, the spirits. #### Life **Life** magic governs all living things, in fact, from viruses to titanic whales, even the nerve cells that allow thoughts to form **Imagos**. **Life** is tenacious in the extreme, capable of surviving anywhere, developing any trait to weather environmental stresses, and **Life** mages are comparably tough. By harnessing the endless adaptability of living forms, mages can gain perspectives on the world otherwise lost even to **Awakened** senses. ### Inferior Arcanum #### Mind To imagine **Mind** as a coherent **Arcanum** asks **Thyrsus** to deny the holistic nature of existence. To a **Thyrsus**, human consciousness is an adaptation, like a thumb or biped’s gait. That people can imagine themselves as individual minds is no more relevant than a lion’s jaws. They’re functions, not truths of the soul. ### The Ethereal Plane One great danger of the Ethereal Plane is ghosts, which often call this plane home. Such creatures have a deep and abiding hatred of the living, and no love for those travelers who impinge upon their realms. Unlike most planes, the Ethereal Plane allows vision across the planar border to the plane it's coexistent with: the Material Plane. No matter where you are on the Ethereal Plane, you can see the corresponding part of the Material Plane. Vision is limited, however, to 60 feet both on the Ethereal Plane and onto the Material Plane. The reverse isn't true. An ethereal traveler is normally invisible and inaudible to an individual on the Material Plane. Spells and abilities such as see invisible reveal an ethereal object or creature

``` ``` ## Custom Paths While these five **Paths** accomodate the vast majority of **Awakened Mages**, there are always those who defy standard categorization. To define your own **Arcane Path**, choose two **Ruling Arcanum**, one **Inferior Arcanum**, and a plane of existence closesly tied to one or both of the **Ruling Arcanum**. Then, examine what the philosophy and worldview would emerge from a focus of these aspects of reality and how that might affect the personality and outlook of it's adherents. How might they view other **Paths** and vice versa?

\page # Supernal Arcanum ## Practices > ##### Awakened Ranks > Mages divide the art of magic into thirteen **Practices** of increasing complexity. Demonstrating their expertise with these methodologies is how mages claim rank and privilege: A **Thyrsus** who has demonstrated the ability to cast **Spirit Unmaking** spells has earned the right to call herself a **Master**, for example. When they require further gradation, mages specify the number of **Arcanum** they have achieved their highest rank in: if the same **Thyrsus** also successfully casts a **Life Making** spell she may call herself a *second-degree* **Master**. > > -- Mage: The Awakening (2e), pg. 123 ### Initiate: 1 Dot ##### Compelling **Compelling** spells nudge a preferred but possible outcome into reality. A coin toss can be made to come up tails (**Fate**), a bored worker might choose now to visit the latrine (**Mind**), or a beast can be forced to avoid your camp (**Mind**). Making the coin hover and spin in midair, making the worker walk into her boss’s office and quit, or making the beast ignore its favorite prey are beyond the bounds of a **Compelling** spell. If a phenomenon might reasonably occur given the current situation, a mage can guarantee it with **Compelling**. With **Fate**, a mage can guarantee heads or tails, with **Mind** a bored laborer might choose to visit the latrine now instead of later or a beast may avoid a camp rather than indulge their curiosity from the smells. At this level of control, you couldn't make a coin hover and spin in the air, a content worker quit their job, or a beast ignore its favorite prey. ##### Knowing **Knowing** spells deliver knowledge about something directly to the mage (or to another target). A mage can divine the cause of a corpse’s death (**Death**), sense whether someone has a powerful destiny (**Fate**), or unerringly know which way is north (**Space**). This knowledge is a direct awareness of **Supernal** truth; the mage doesn’t have to interpret evidence based on her senses or try to divine the truth out of cryptic riddles. ##### Unveiling **Unveiling** spells expose hidden things to the mage’s senses. She might gain the ability to hear radio waves (**Forces**), peer into the Ethereal Plane (**Spirit**), or see the flow of **Mana** across the landscape (**Prime**). ``` ``` #### Apprentice: 2 Dot ##### Ruling **Ruling** spells grant fuller control over phenomena than a mere **Compelling** spell. Water can be made to flow uphill or into unnatural shapes (**Matter**), animals (or even human beings) can be commanded (**Life** or **Mind**), or time can be momentarily made to accelerate or slow down (**Time**). A **Ruling** spell can’t fundamentally alter its target’s abilities: Water can be directed, but not turned solid or gaseous. Time can be altered, but not overwritten. An animal can be commanded, but not made stronger or fiercer. ##### Shielding **Shielding** spells, sometimes called Warding spells, offer protection against phenomena under the **Arcanum**’s purview. A **Shielding** spell might make the mage immune to fire (**Forces**) or disease (**Life**), or allow her to survive in a caustic atmosphere (**Matter**). Mages protect themselves from general harm through the power of their **Arcanum** with the **Mage Armor Attainment** rather than **Shielding** spells. ##### Veiling **Veiling** spells are twofold: they can hide the contents of their **Arcanum** or they can hide things *from* their **Arcanum**. Firstly, they can conceal things under the **Arcanum**’s purview from detection: A target can be made to lose all sense of time (**Time**), a fire’s heat and light can be hidden from view (**Forces**), or a building made all but impossible to notice (**Matter**). Secondly, they can conceal a target from concrete phenomena under the **Arcanum**’s purview: a mage can render herself invisible to spirits (**Spirit**) or walk unnoticed through a crowd (**Life** or **Mind**). Short of **Archmastery**, it’s impossible to **Veil** something against an abstract concept or force: a mage can’t **Veil** herself against death or hide from time or gravity, for example. #### Disciple: 3 Dot ##### Fraying Like **Veiling**, **Fraying** has two parts: you can use it to attack/degrade things in the **Arcanum** or you can use things in the **Arcanum** to attack/degrade other things. For example, damping a fire (**Forces**), sapping Strength (**Life**), or eroding the barrier between worlds (**Death**, **Spirit**, or others, depending on the worlds in question). They can also directly attack targets using the energies of the **Arcanum**: inflicting damage via the chill of the grave (**Death**), psychic overload (**Mind**), or a blast of electricity (**Forces**). ##### Perfecting **Perfecting** spells are the opposite of **Fraying** spells in many ways: they bolster, strengthen, and improve rather than weakening and eroding. A **Perfecting** spell might repair damage to an object or a person (**Matter** or **Life**), allow a machine to function perfectly with no wear and tear (**Matter**), or make a modest destiny into an earth-shaking one (**Fate**).

\page ##### Weaving **Weaving** spells can alter nearly any property of a target without transforming it into something completely different. Solid steel can be transmuted to liquid (**Matter**), a sword can be enchanted to damage beings in the Material *and* Ethereal Planes (**Spirit**), or a few seconds of time can be rewritten (**Time**). #### Adept: 4 Dot ##### Patterning **Patterning** spells allow a mage to completely transform a target into something else that falls under the **Arcanum**’s purview. A memory can be replaced wholesale (**Mind**), the mage can turn herself (or a target) into an animal (**Life**), or she can teleport by “rewriting” her own location (**Space**). A spell that transforms the target into something that falls within the purview of another **Arcanum**, like transforming into a living pillar of fire (**Life** and **Forces**), requires a mage to know the **Practice of Patterning** for the destination **Arcanum**. ##### Unraveling **Unraveling** spells can significantly impair or damage phenomena under the **Arcanum**’s purview, or directly inflict severe damage using the forces of an **Arcanum**, both to a greater degree than **Fraying** spells. A raging storm might become a calm summer’s day (**Forces**), or solid iron reduced to dust (**Matter**); even spells can be torn asunder (**Prime**). Mages can hurl fire (**Forces**) at their enemies, or cause aneurysms and heart attacks with a glance (**Mind** or **Life**). #### Master: 5 Dot ##### Making **Making** spells allow for the creation of whole new phenomena *ex nihilo*. The mage can conjure gamma rays (**Forces**), birth new spirits (**Spirit**). Time itself can be dilated by creating more seconds, hours, or even days (**Time**). ##### Unmaking **Unmaking** spells annihilate subjects under the **Arcanum**’s purview entirely. Life can be snuffed like a candle (**Life**), two locations can be forced into each other by destroying the distance between them (**Space**). **Unmaking** spells are beyond inflicting direct damage with attacks; a successful **Unmaking** destroys the target altogether. > ##### Fraying vs. Unraveling vs. Unmaking > **Fraying** damages things, **Unraveling** destroys things, **Unmaking** causes things to *cease to be*. > > **Fraying** a wall with **Matter** might cause it to burst outwards, creating large chunks that a creature can crawl through. > > **Unraveling** might turn the entire wall into sand, as near to complete destruction as you can normally have. > > **Unmaking**, however, and the **Matter** of the wall is simply gone. No trace of it remains. ``` ``` > ##### Many Roads > Astute players will likely figure out a multitude of ways to accomplish similar effects with different **Arcanum**, sometimes at different dot levels. This is okay. Just because a **Fate** 3 spell can do a thing doesn’t mean a **Forces** 1 spell that does a similar thing is “broken” or should be disallowed. > > Take for example influencing the outcome of a coin toss. A simple **Compelling** of **Fate** can easily tip the odds toward either heads or tails, but it’s theoretically possible to use a **Forces** spell to alter the kinetic energy imparted to the coin, causing it to spin slower, or use a **Matter** **Weaving** spell to change the coin’s center of mass (or cause the appearance of both sides to your chosen side). Both are perhaps more complicated than the **Fate** approach, but they’re valid within the purview of their respective **Arcanum**. > >Similarly, a **Mind Weaving** spell could force a target to feel love, while a **Life Ruling** spell could cause the target’s brain to release dopamine and other hormones that create a similar, but different, effect.

\page ## Death **Purview:** Darkness, decay, ectoplasm, shadows, cold, absence, enervation, endings, undeath, necromancy, and the Plane of Shadow. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** Darkness, Chill Touch, Suggest Undead - **Knowing:** Detect Undead, Find Cause of Death - **Unveiling:** Speak with Dead, Banish Shadow ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Death**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Death Arcanum**, both of which cost 5 **mana**. Treat this effect like the **Counterspell** or **Dispel Magic** spells, with the following modification: the effect is only automatic against 1 **dot** or 1st level spell effects. Like the spells, if it is higher than this, make an **Arcana** ability check against a **DC** equal to 10 + (spell level or twice the **dot** rating). You have a bonus on this check equal to your rating in **Death**. Like an improvised spell, you have advantage on this check if it is one of your **Ruling Arcanum** and disadvantage if the spell *includes* your **Inferior Arcanum**.

> ##### Counterspell Eligibility > When considering what is eligible for this feature, imagine if the spell effect were an **Awakened** spell. If the highest **dot** of that imagined spell would be **Death**, it is eligible. > > This eligiblity applies for all **Counterspell Attainments**. ### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** Decay, Command/Turn Undead - **Shielding:** Protection from Negative Energy, Gentle Repose - **Veiling:** Corspe Mask, False Life, Feign Death ___

##### Attainment: Entropic Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains damage reduction from physical, non-magical damage sources equal to twice their rating in **Death** for 8 hours. They also have advantage on Death Saving Throws.

> ##### Armor Effects > Only one **Armor Attainment** may be active at a time. > > While an existing **Armor Attainment** is active, a mage may switch to a different one by spending 2 **mana** as a reaction. > > This applies for all **Armor Attainments**. ``` ```

##### Attainment: Eyes of the Dead Beginning at 5th level, when **Entropic Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Death** is alerted when undead are within 120ft. While using their **Mage Sight**, they gain a rough sense of direction and number of undead within that range. If the undead are being hidden through some power or ability, make an opposed check by rolling a d20 and adding your rating in **Death** against a d20 and either the opposing forces rating in **Death** or half of the spell level of the effect (rounding up). You only gain the rough sense of number and direction if you succeed this check.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** Devour the Slain - **Perfecting:** Enhance Infirmity, Inflict Wounds - **Weaving:** Sleetstorm, Shadow Gate, Animate Corpse, Craft Shadow Items ___

##### Attainment: Shadow Step Beginning at level 9, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you may step through the shadow into the Plane of Shadow then back out into a nearby shadow you can see within 60 ft.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** Flesh to Shadow - **Unwraveling:** Finger of Death ___

##### Attainment: Inviolate Soul Beginning at level 13, the soul of an Adept is inured to **Death**. The mage cannot be possessed or otherwise have their soul tampered or damaged. Further, they become resistant to necromatic and cold damage.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** Create Undead, Create Shadow - **Unmaking:** Empty Presence, Deny the Reaper ___

##### Attainment: Inured to Death Beginning at level 17, the effect of **Entropic Armor** now covers all sources of damage and, when brought to 0 **HP**, the mage may spend 5 mana as a reaction to remain at 1 **HP**.

\page ## Fate **Purview:** Blessings, hexes, curses, probability, fortune, oaths, promises, intentions, destiny, and the Feywild. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Fate**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Fate Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Fate Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Armor of Destiny Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage is protected by **Fate**. All attacks made against the mage are made with disadvantage for 8 hours. Attacks miss, the mage trips at just the right moment, a knife glances off buttons on their coat, etc. They also have advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws as they find themselves in opportune places to avoid attacks when **Fate** cannot fully protect them.

##### Attainment: Ill Omens Beginning at 5th level, while **Armor of Destiny** is active, the mage is alerted when they are about to be attacked. While not enough time to warn their allies, they cannot be *surprised*. If the attackers are being hidden through some power or ability, make an opposed check by rolling a d20 and adding your rating in **Fate** against a d20 and either the opposing forces rating in **Fate** or half of the spell level of the effect (rounding up). You only gain the alert and avoid *surprise* if you succeed this check.

> ##### Limitations of Fate > **Fate** is a controversial **Arcanum** in play. Care should be taken as players and GMs to establish boundaries on what it can, cannot, or should not do. While creating the 'fate' or 'destiny' of success of a task is certainly within the realm of the possible, it should not obviate the need to play the game or entirely bypass every encounter. > > The more specific you are with **Fate**, the more likely you're abusing it in some way. ``` ``` ### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Lucky Steps Beginning at level 9, you gain the ability to move through *difficult terrain* as if it were normal terrain. Your feet always seem to find the solid rocks in the scree field, solid ground in bogs, or avoid stubbing your toes on furniture in the dark.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Poor Target Beginning at level 13, the **Adept** has only to fear those that would choose to harm them. Traps that they set off seem to miss miss. Roll a d20 when the mage sets off a trap, if it is 10 or below, the trap still goes off but automatically misses the mage. Otherwise, resolve the trap normally. (Replace with Conditional Duration, if possible.)

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Shared Fate Beginning at level 17, the **Master** can tie the fate of another to their own. By spending 10 minutes meditating with a target of their choice, the target benefits from all of the **Fate** attainments active on the **Master** for the next 8 hours.

\page ## Forces **Purview:** Electricity, gravity, radiation, sound, light, heat, fire, weather, movement, the Elemental Planes, etc. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Forces**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Forces Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Forces Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Kinetic Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains a bonus to their **AC** equal to their rating in **Force** as attacks without enough kinetic energy are turned away, deflected by their shield. This effect lasts for 8 hours. They also have advantage on Strength Saving Throws.

##### Attainment: Precise Force Beginning at 5th level, while their **Kinetic Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Forces** may optimize their own application of force. When they take a bonus action to calculate their action, then use the Attack action, the base weapon damage die of one of their weapons is doubled for the rest of their turn. For example, an apprentice wielding a quarterstaff, taking a moment to identify the optimal application of force against their enemy, would deal 2d6 + STR damage on a hit.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Gravitic Supremacy Beginning at level 9, the mage may subconsciously control the magnitude and direction of gravity on themselves. The mage gains a fly speed equal to 10ft per **dot** in **Forces**.

``` ``` ### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Environmental Immunity Beginning at level 13, while their **Kinetic Armor** is active, the Adept has little to fear of wind, fire, cold, lightning - the forces of nature are largely under their command. The mage is immune to elemental environmental hazards. Buffeting winds, fire, sleet, and thunder/lightning seem to leave them untouched. Direct attacks with these damage types are under the control of others, diminishing the control the mage has over these forces. The mage has resistance to elemental, force, and physical damage types.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Forceful Presence Beginning at level 17, the mage may constantly exert their will of **Force** around them through themselves. While their **Kinetic Armor** is active, the mage may use their **dot** rating in **Force** in place of their *Dexterity* or *Strength* modifier (chosen when **Kinetic Armor** is activated, or swapped for 2 **mana** as a *reaction* like changing armors).

\page ## Life **Purview:** Healing, disease, food, animals, plants, evolution, metamorphosis, physicality, vigor. Generally anything organic and alive. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Life**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Life Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Life Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Regenerative Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains a degree of life regeneration. For the next 8 hours, at the start of their turn if they are below their hit point maximum and have not taken damage since their last turn ended, they gain an amount of **HP** equal to their rating in **Life**. Psychic damage cannot be healed this way. Further, if severe bodily harm, such as amputation or other loss of limb occurs, **Regenerative Armor** heals the wound but does not regrow the lost piece. They also have advantage on Constitution Saving Throws.

##### Attainment: Vitality Vision Beginning at 5th level, while **Regenerative Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Life** is able to analyze and understand the general state of health of those around them. As a bonus action, the mage may analyze a target they can see with their **Mage Sight**. They learn the general state of health of the target including approximate current HP and any diseases or afflictions affecting the target. By spending an action, the mage may also learn the modifier of one attribute of the target.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Mutable Self Beginning at level 9, the mage may cast Alter Self at will and the effect does not require concentration.

``` ``` ### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Body Autonomy Beginning at level 13, the body of an Adept is their temple. It cannot be altered without their consent. Any incoming magical effect that would change their physical body may automatically be countered. This includes effects like Polymorph or direct attacks like Inflict Wounds or Contagion. It does not affect indirect attacks like Fireball.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Abiogenesis Beginning at level 17, the mage is immune to disease, toxins, and poisons. Further, they no longer age, unless they will it, as their body is constantly healing itself to repair any natural damage. Finally, the mage gains the ability from Mutable Self (if they didn't already have it) and the effect becomes instantaneous (rather than having a duration).

\page ## Matter **Purview:** alchemy, gases, solids, liquids, shaping, crafting, transmutation, stasis. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Matter**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Matter Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Matter Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Adaptive Matter Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains damage reduction equal to twice their rating in **Matter** for 8 hours, against all sources that could conceivably be blocked or reduced by **Matter**. Clothes harden to repel attacks, projectiles soften prior to impact to reduce the blow, the ambient moisture in the air condenses to reduce the flames of a fireball.

##### Attainment: Room Radar Beginning at 5th level, while **Adaptive Matter Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Matter** is able to sense the absence of (solid) matter when they choose. As an action, they may concentrate and find secret rooms and pockets of space within 30 ft of them.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Alchemist's Touch Beginning at level 9, the mage may spend 5 **mana** as an action to become inured to a chosen dangerous material. While concentrating on this effect, the mage may handle this material as if it was not dangerous at all. The mage might handle radioactive or caustic substances or walk through a cloud of caustic gas with no ill effects. This does not protect against extreme temperatures or forces caused by the material. The mage could not hold lava or be protected from the gravity of super-dense materials.

``` ``` ### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Phasic Matter Beginning at level 13, the mage can choose to make matter insubstantial, much like air. This does not cause instability in the overall structure, nor does the target 'fall through' the floor or fly off into space. For 1 **mana** per turn, the mage may select a target which becomes insubstantial to other matter.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Reducto ad Hypaethrus Beginning at level 17, all successful attacks by the mage may reduce the durability of the materials they strike by one. A successful strike reduces the **AC/Hardness/Damage Threshold** of the target by one.

\page ## Mind **Purview:** Communication, language, hallucination, Goetia, thought, memory, mental projection, the Astral Realms. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Mind**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Mind Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Mind Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Misperceptive Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage sows subtle doubt in the mind of those who would attack them. The mage gains a bonus to their **AC** equal to their rating in **Mind** against enemies with a mind. Constructs, natural phenomenon, or other effects with no cognition are not affected. This lasts for 8 hours. They also have advantage on Wisdom Saving Throws.

##### Attainment: Empathic Beginning at 5th level, while **Misperceptive Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Mind** is sensitive to the surface emotions of others. By spending an action to study a target, the mage learns a one word (or short phrase) description of their general state of mind.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Awakened Mind Beginning at level 9, you learn the ability to touch the minds of other creatures. You can communicate telepathically with any creature you can see within 120 feet of you. You don't need to share a language with the creature for it to understand your telepathic utterances, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language. You may maintain open telepathic connections with a number of creatures equal to your rating in **Mind**. While the connection is open, they may freely reply to you. Having more than one connection open at a time requires concentration, like on a spell.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Sanctity of the Mind Beginning at level 13 the mind of the Adept is their own. The mage's mind cannot be affected or read by magic if they do not allow it and they are aware of all attempts, but not necessarily the source. This also renders them immune to psychic damage.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Create Thrall Beginning at level 17 you gain the ability to dominate a mind with your magic. You can use your action to touch a creature. That creature is then charmed by you until a remove curse spell or similar effect is cast on it, the charmed condition is removed from it, or you use this feature again. You can communicate telepathically with the charmed creature as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence.

\page ## Prime **Purview:** Magic, the Supernal World, auras, truth, magic items, mana, revelation. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Prime**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Prime Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Prime Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Universal Counterspell Beginning at 5h level, the apprentice of **Prime** is a student of all magic, in some degree. They may substitute their rating in **Prime** for any other **Arcanum** for the purposes of *counterspelling* and *dispelling*.

##### Attainment: Supernal Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage may wrap themselves in a matrix of power, protecting them from harmful magical effects. When the mage is targeted by a magical effect, the mage has advantage on the saving throw against the spell, an added enhancement bonus on the saving throw equal to their rating in **Prime**, and damage reduction from magical damage sources equal to twice their rating in **Prime** for 8 hours.

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Price of Hubris Beginning at level 9, when the mage successfully counterspells a spell and succeeds on the associated check by at least 5 more than the **DC**, they may instead redirect the spell as if they had cast it themselves.

``` ``` ### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Imbue Item Beginning at level 13, the mage may imbue an item with one of their spells and conditions for activation, typically a command word or situational trigger. By casting the spell into the specially prepared item and sealing the magic within, anyone or anything that fulfills the condition may activate the spell. Multiple uses of the same spell may be imbued into the same item by paying the cost for each use, with one additional mana paid per extra use.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Spell Siphon Beginning at level 17, when the mage successfully counterspells a spell, they may choose instead to absorb it, gaining **mana** equal to the level of the spell effect or twice the **dot** rating of the spell.

\page ## Space **Purview:** Distance, separation, (mystic) connections, conjuration, scrying, warding. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Space**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Space Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Space Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Sympathetic Range Beginning at 5th level, the mage may bypass the range requirements of their spell if they have a strong sympathetic replacement of the subject. For each **dot** rating in the spell you wish to cast, you must have one different magical representation of the target. Each item is consumed during the casting of the spell. Sometimes literally in a bout of aetheric flame, sometimes the mystic connection is merely severed, such that they cannot be reused for this purpose. Examples include: blood of the target or close kin, their name spoken by the target or close kin, a favored possesion, or item of significance, etc. Non-living targets might be represented by schematics used during construction, the deed, or the name spoken by the architect or owner, etc. Your GM is the ultimate arbiter here.

##### Attainment: Untouchable Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage makes tiny changes in the fabric of space such that they try to simply not be where an attack would have landed. For the next 8 hours, they gain a bonus to their **AC** equal to their rating in **Space** against any attack they are aware of. They also have advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, as they can sometimes move themselves out of harms way entirely. If they succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw to avoid a damaging effect entirely, they may choose to teleport to a space of their choice outside of the range of the effect.

``` ``` ### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Non Euclidean Geometry Beginning at level 9, the mage is able to warp space such that points become closer together. As a bonus action, the mage may choose two squares within 120ft of the mage. Until the start of their next turn, the distance between the two squares is contracted, treated as the nominal distance between them divided by their rating in **Space**. For example, two squares 30ft apart under an affect by a mage with 3 **dots** in **Space** would be treated as 10ft apart.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Anchored Beginning at level 13, the mage may not be moved or transported by any means against their will. They must be conscious for this effect and it does not prevent damage.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: One is All Beginning at level 17, the mage themself is considered connected to all things. For purposes of sympathetic range, they may inflict 10 points of damage to themselves to draw enough blood to count as one sympathetic connection to any target. They may only do this once per long rest and the damage may only be healed via mundane rest.

\page ## Spirit **Purview:** Essence, spirits, souls, incorporeality, the Ethereal Plane. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Space**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Spirit Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Spirit Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Incorporeal Armor Beginning at 5th level, by spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains damage reduction equal to twice their rating in **Spirit** for 8 hours, as they blend themselves between the Material Plane and the Ethereal Plane. When they are struck by attacks, the attacks phase through them even if they do damage. If they are grappled or otherwise pinned, they instead count it as difficult terrain as they can phase through their captor. This effect is limited and does not work on more substantial barriers like walls.

##### Attainment: Eyes of the Unseen Beginning at 5th level, while **Incorporeal Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Spirit** is alerted when invisible or ethereal creatures are within 120ft. While using their **Mage Sight**, they gain a rough sense of direction and number within that range. They also have Ethereal Sight out to 15ft while they are on the Material Plane. If your sight is opposed by some power or ability, resolve it as you would [Eyes of the Dead](#p11).

### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Ethereal Step Beginning at level 9, you gain the ability to temporarily step into the Ethereal plane. As a bonus action on your turn, you may step through into the Ethereal plane, returning to the Material plane at the end of your turn. If you end your turn in a space occupied by matter or a hostile creature, you are shunted to the nearest unoccupied space and take force damage equal to twice the number of feet moved.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Inviolate Soul Beginning at level 13, the soul of an Adept is their own. The mage cannot be possessed or otherwise have their soul tampered with and they become immune to radiant and psychic damage.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Reincarnation Beginning at level 17, if the mage is killed, its soul has a choice: it may either travel to its final resting place, wherever that may be, or it may travel along the Ethereal plane in an attempt to reincarnate. Once the mage's soul has found a place it considers safe, it may form a sort of spiritual cocoon that slowly leeches matter from the Material Plane, reforming their body over the next week. While in this state, the mage is extremely vulnerable. If the mage is killed while in spirit form on the Ethereal plane, the mage is permanently killed and may not be revived by any means.

\page ## Time **Purview:** Prophecy, change, postcognition, time travel, time contraction and dilation. ### Initiate: 1 Dot ___ - **Compelling:** - **Knowing:** - **Unveiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Counterspell Beginning at 2nd level, if you have at least 1 **dot** in **Time**, you may cast **Counterspell** and **Dispel Magic** like effects pertaining to the **Time Arcanum**. This functions like [Counterspell (Death)](#p11), but applied to the **Time Arcanum**.

### Apprentice: 2 Dot ___ - **Ruling:** - **Shielding:** - **Veiling:** ___

##### Attainment: Temporal Armor Beginning at 5th level, the mage becomes more difficult to harm by either speeding themselves up or slowing down attacks against them. By spending 4 **mana** as an action, the mage gains a bonus to their **AC** equal to their rating in **Time** for 8 hours. They also have advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.

##### Attainment: Postcognition Beginning at 5th level, while **Temporal Armor** is active, the apprentice of **Time** is easily able to part the tides of time to view the past. By spending 1 minute in meditation, the mage may peel back the barrier of the past to witness events in their current location as if they were physically present to view them. The mage must Concentrate while viewing these events and is blind and deaf to their surroundings for the duration. They may only view for up to an hour, and the amount of time they can look back depends on their rating in **Time**. | Dots | Period | |:---:|:------------| | 2 | 1 Hour | | 3 | 1 Day | | 4 | 1 Week | | 5 | 1 Month |

``` ``` ### Disciple: 3 Dot ___ - **Fraying:** - **Perfecting:** - **Weaving:** ___

##### Attainment: Temporal Shift Beginning at level 9, the mage may speed up time for themselves so that they can accomplish more in one turn. By spending 5 mana as a free action, the mage may reduce the time it takes to accomplish a task down by one step, from 1 minute > full round action > action > bonus action > reaction. This does change the rules for casting multiple spells in one round.

### Adept: 4 Dot ___ - **Patterning:** - **Unwraveling:** ___

##### Attainment: Perfect Time Beginning at level 13, the Adept of **Time** gains a sense of precognition. During combat, all participants must state their actions (or intent) at the beginning of their turns. After learning their intent, the adept of **Time** may choose to take their turn before that participant. They still only have one turn per round.

### Master: 5 Dot ___ - **Making:** - **Unmaking:** ___

##### Attainment: Rewrite History Beginning at level 17, the mage can rewrite their own history. By spending 10 mana, the mage may rewind time a number of turns up to their rating in **Time**. They retain their memories of what could have been, but no one else does. Unless the mage interferes with events, they play out the same as they did before. Creatures take the same actions, roll the same result, deal the same damage. This interference must be material to the interaction to cause a deviation in the timeline.

\page # Creative Thaumaturgy ## Spell Design and Factors ## Spell Creation Examples ## Alternative Mechanics These mechanics are purely optional and subject to DM approval. They drastically alter the mechanics and power level of this class and are documented here but not endorsed for all play and settings. ### Spell Permanency The mage has learned how to maintain spells using their own life force. Any spell that has a duration longer than *instantaneous* may be extended by sacrificing part of their own vitality. The mage begins by enacting a ritual appropriate to the **Arcanum** of effect to be persisted, lasting 1 hour, during which the mage temporarily lowers their maximum HP by a number equal to *3 times* the maximum **dot** rating of the effect. At the conclusion of the ritual, the mage casts their spell. It's duration becomes *until dispelled or dismissed* and it no longer requires *concentration*. The mage may at any time release the spell as a *Reaction* or the spell may be dispelled normally. When this occurs, the mages maximum **HP** is restored, but their current **HP** remains the same.

\page # Spell Codex

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