Sorcery (TBD) allows intelligent creatures to affect the world in unpredictable and seemingly impossible ways. To perform sorcery, one must be either an initiated Sorcerer or a natural-born Psychic. Either approach implies the possession of a Psionic Engine, a micro-gate and at least basic knowledge of spellcasting.
Spellcasting
Spellcasting involves a skill check that relies on certain Creature Attributes, depending on the type of sorcery to be executed.
- Cantrips are always automatically successful, unless the GM dictates that specific circumstances make it more difficult or impossible.
- Primal Magic depends on the creature's WIS attribute.
- A Critical Failure will result in the caster suffering from contextually valid Status Effects such as Burning or Poisoned for a Short Duration.
- Theurgical Magic depends on the creature's CHA attribute.
- A Critical Failure will result in the caster becoming Possessed for a Short Duration.
- Goetic Magic depends on the creature's DET attribute.
- A Critical Failure will result in the caster becoming Insane for a Short Duration.
- Thaumaturgy depends on the creature's INT attribute.
- A Critical Failure will result in the caster suffering from contextually valid Status Effects such as Burning or Poisoned for a Short Duration.
Psionic Engine
The Psionic Engine dictates what a sorcerer can and cannot do. Its capabilities can be upgraded by gaining Psionic Levels, which are acquired just as one would level up Character Attributes, General Skills, or any other creature stat, by spending XP. Any upgrade to the Psionic Engine consumes 1 Psionic Level and cannot be undone. The Engine's component's are the following:
- Micro-gate
- For a Sorcerer, the number of micro-gates connected to their Psionic Engine dictates their output. Each micro-gate can produce 20 PSY per Round.
- A Psychic does not require an artificial micro-gate, as theirs is natural and can draw practically infinite psionic energy.
- The first micro-gate is free. Each additional micro-gate connected to a Psionic Engine increases the caster's vulnerability by +3 RADIANCE.
- Processor
- Each upgrade to the Processor allows the caster to learn a new Aspect.
- Learning a new Aspect increases the caster's vulnerability by +1 RADIANCE.
- Memory
- Each upgrade to the Memory grants the caster one Spell Slot. All casters have 3 Spell Slots by default.
- Spell Slots store spells to be used at a moment's notice.
- Note that this is NOT a hard limit on the number of spells that a caster may know, but it is a limit on which they are ready to cast immediately.
- Spells stored within Spell Slots cannot be swapped around while awake. The caster must Meditate to rearrange their list.
- Upgrading an Engine's Memory increases the caster's vulnerability by +1 RADIANCE.
- Ward
- Each upgrade to the Ward reduces the caster's vulnerability by -3 RADIANCE.
- Each upgrade to the Ward reduces the caster's vulnerability by -3 RADIANCE.
- Radiator
- For a Psychic, a Radiator is a must to continue casting in a drawn-out battle. A Sorcerer does not require a Radiator.
- The Radiator reduces the caster's NEURAL HEAT by -10 PSY per Round. Additional upgrades to the Radiator reduce it by the same amount.
- Upgrading an Engine's Radiator increases the caster's vulnerability by +3 RADIANCE.
Psionic Vulnerabilities
Humans were not designed to gaze into the abyss, much less throw a fishing line into it to gain power. Sorcery comes with its own unique vulnerabilities that, if left unattended, may prove detrimental or even fatal.
RADIANCE refers to how visible a Psionic Engine is within The Dreamspace. It can be thought of as shining a flashlight in a dark forest filled with monstrous predators. Up to 5 RADIANCE, nothing should happen.