Sorcery 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 on any roll that does not result in either a Critical Failure or a Disastrous Failure, in which case they will automatically fail.
- Primal Magic depends on the creature's WIS attribute.
- A Critical Failure will always result in a failed spell.
- A Disastrous 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 always result in a failed spell.
- A Disastrous 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 always result in a failed spell.
- A Disastrous Failure will result in the caster becoming Insane for a Short Duration.
- Thaumaturgy depends on the creature's INT attribute.
- A Critical Failure will always result in a failed spell.
- A Disastrous 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 EXP. Any upgrade to the Psionic Engine consumes 1 Psionic Level and cannot be undone. The Engine's components 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 PSI per Round.
- A sorcerer's micro-gates are opened and sustained on the surface of inanimate objects, with a limit of 1 micro-gate per object.
- However, employing a Staff 🪄 is ideal, as they are designed for this purpose, and typically have SPC which allow them to install more than 1 micro-gate in them.
- Only one object can be connected to the Psionic Engine at a time.
- A Psychic does not require an artificial micro-gate, as theirs is natural and can draw practically infinite psionic energy. However, they must mind their NEURAL HEAT.
- The first micro-gate is free of maluses. Each additional micro-gate connected to a Psionic Engine increases the caster's vulnerability by +3 RADIANCE.
- For a Sorcerer, the number of micro-gates connected to their Psionic Engine dictates their output. Each micro-gate can produce 20 PSI per Round.
- Processor
- Each upgrade to the Processor allows the caster to learn new Sorcery Aspects 🪄.
- 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 which are not in a Spell Slot can never be cast. There are only three exceptions:
- Cantrips, which can always be cast and do not use up Spell Slots.
- Spellbooks, which though heavy and limited to one or a few spells, allow casting spells which are not in a Spell Slot.
- Programmed Spells, such as Runes. Since these spells are not cast by a spellcaster, but rather programmed into an inanimate object, they are never affected by Spell Slots.
- Spells stored within Spell Slots cannot be swapped around while awake. The caster must Meditate (3 APS) 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 PSI 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.
A careful observer might note that a Sorcerer and a Psychic operate by slightly different rules. The Sorcerer excels in drawn-out engagements due to their constant PSI generation, though their maximum output, and thus, the power of their spells, is limited by this hard cap, since for them PSI is never accumulable. On the other hand, the Psychic is extremely powerful during the opening phase of an Engagement and can cast strong spells almost immediately, but mindless expenditure of PSI will quickly result in them reaching their NEURAL HEAT limit. If it is surpassed by 1-20 PSI, they will suffer from the effects of Psychic Overheat, and if that is surpassed, they will suffer a Psychic Meltdown, which will not only kill them, but also generate an anomalous catastrophe.
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. It always starts at 0 and can be added or subtracted from, depending on the circumstances. Negative RADIANCE has no immediate benefits, but redundancy and preparation are always good traits to possess. At up to 5 RADIANCE, nothing should happen. However, if that limit is surpassed, terrible things will. It can be countered by Psionic Engine Wards.
RADIANCE | Effect |
| 6-7 | Inflict Abyssal Whispers until RADIANCE is kept in check again. |
| 8-9 | Inflict Dreaming Awake until RADIANCE is kept in check again. |
| 10+ | Spawn an Immaterial Nightmare in their close proximity. |
- NEURAL HEAT Refers to the neural capacity that a Psychic possesses. Surpassing this limit by 1-20 PSI will result in the Psychic immediately suffering from Psychic Overheat, a debilitating and potentially fatal condition. Surpassing this limit by 21 or more PSI will result in the Psychic immediately suffering from Psychic Meltdown, not only dooming themselves, but potentially anything an anyone in their immediate vicinity. It can be countered by Psionic Engine Radiators.
- By default, every Psychic possesses a capacity of 100 NEURAL HEAT. All PSI expenditure is translated to an equal increase in NEURAL HEAT, which is why PSI is also used to measure NEURAL HEAT.