Magic

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

REMEMBER, LABORJACKS MOVE YOU OUT OF THE WAY

It is through this fomulaic harnessing of power that we are able to enact change upon the physical world. Magic is the highest of sciences, vastly taxing in it's expenditure of energy, but ultimately more powerful than alchemy, more versatile than sorcery, and more reliable than prayer. - Kerwin the Noble, "Dissertations of Thaumaturgical Formulation"

Note that this page will include arguably apocryphal information and lore based on the sources from when the Iron Kingdoms story-setting was a branch-off of Dungeons & Dragons and it's rules.

Runes and Formulae

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Infernal masters possess tremendous arcane power, and by this power, can reshape reality as an exercise in will. They do not require the formulaic abstractions called spells employed by mortal arcanists.

Telgesh Glyphs

When Thamar first laid down her own dark alphabet, Telgesh, which would later be harnessed as the foundation of human magic, she studied infernal runes left inscribed in the ruins of Morrdh. From this partial record she was able to assemble an arcane script that would both lead to her own ascension and provide the basis for the magical formulae still used in present day.

Arcane Traditions

Will Weavers

Most sorcerers and arcanists are Will Weavers, who rely on their own physical stamina and the force of thier mental will to summon and direct arcane energy. This process can be incredibly taxing to the arcanist's body and mind but allows for the subtle weaving of intricate formulae For these practitioners, siphoning mystical energy from it's source requires concentration and fortitude. The greater the magical power called upon by the will weaver, the greater the risk as he pushes himself to exhaustion.

Some will weavers learn to augment their powers through engineering by mastering mechanika or studying alchmey, both invaluable skills. An exceptional few rise to the upper echelons of powerful arcane societies and gain access to formidable occult secrets and techniques. By tapping into their reserves, these master of magic can becoming living arsenals or arcane power, aiding their allies by bending reality to suite their needs.

Will weavers rely on their force of will to summon and harness arcane energy. They do this by calling upon arcane formulae , often through some combination of thinking it, reciting it, and reading it. The mental formulation is the most important aspect, where the will is invested in the visualized image of the runes , but complex formulae are difficult to maintain perfectly in the mind without assistance. Most arcane practicioners utilze a variety of techniques to create mnemonic associations, and this can include the chanting of rote phrases, performing sequences of gestures, and complex written passages and diagrams. Many of these techniques are not strictly necessary to complete a spell, but arcanists find it easiest to perform magic by keeping to techniques they have repeatedly practiced, thereby entering into a meditative state.

Harnessers

The rare Harnessers are able to form a powerful mystical bond with certain great beasts or stone constructs fabricated to tap into the ley lines below Caen. This bond creates a steady exchange of mystical energy that allows a harnesser to siphon a beast's vitality and raw rage and use them them to empower magic and absorb otherwise lethal wounds. The magic of a harnesser is rooted in some of the most primal forces on Caen - those bound up in the vitality of life itself. A harnesser quickly learns to regulate the sometimes unpredictable ebb and flow of energies from the beasts he controls, using them as both power sources and allies while being mindful that his manipulations might push them into an uncontrollable frenzy.

Unlike a will weaver, a harnesser is reliant upon an external power source for his magic: the beasts to which he is bound. Bereft of those beasts, a harnesser must look to the strength within his own blood, opening a wound on his own flesh and offering a painful sacrifice to empower his spells. This puts him in a far greater peril than the will weaver who pushes to exhaustion, as such wounds can prove fatal or leave the harnesser vulnerable to retaliation from his enemies.

Focusers

The rare Focusers are those whom access to the flow of magical energy is instinctive and constant. Focusers tap into the forces both within the depths of their souls as well as all around them, acting as natural conduits . A focuser must still practice and train to refine their powers, but access to these energies comes unbidden.

Focusers are able to tap into and manipulate the ambient arcane energy that permeates the world around them. The ability to extend one's mind into the enviroment to shape latent energies also allows focusers to connect with mechanika and affect complex devices at a distance. This enables focusers to meld their minds with the inner workings to of the cortexes within steamjacks. It is for this reason that only focusers have the potential to become warcasters.

Ritual Magic

Not all magic can be commanded with a thought and unleashed in a simple act of will. To produce spells in combat, a spellcaster rapidly manifests, almost without conscious thought, a complex sequence of empowered runes to create a very specific effect. A ritual manipulates magic in a similar fashion, but it doe so more slowly and requires different tools and methodology. The extended time frame allows for greater complexity and adaptability in the effect being produced, but sustaining that energy without releasing it as an uncontrollable and destructive force imposes a number of restrictions. Rather than rely solely on mentally projecting runes, most rituals rely on aspects of the environment - including carefully crafted ritual sites - to channel and sustain power until it takes it final form.

Magical Items

Magic items can be broken down into two basic categories: purely magical items and mechanikal items. In the Iron Kingdoms, magic items are difficult to make, requiring time, resources and place a great strain on their creator.- resulting in permanent injury or even death. Thus such items are rare seldom made these days, and those that are made are created for specific purposes. There are no "generic" magical swords in the Iron Kingdoms. Rather, each is unique, having its own name and history.

This isn't to say that purely magical items don't show up now and again, but they are rare and usually quite exceptional creations, relics of bygone eras. After all, if a wizard is going to such trouble, he might as well make something that mechanika could never accomplish. An excellent example of this is the legendary blade, the Witchfire, a weapon so ancient its origins are lost to time. Others are fearsome remnants of formerly great or fallen civilizations, such as the Fellbaldes left behind by the Orgoth when they departed western Immoren centuries ago. More recently created magical items include the tools and weapons devised by the mysterious Circle Orboros and the Skorne Empire and the holy blades sanctified by powerful priests.

In the wilds of western Immoren, shamans and warlocks hold positions of prestige. The ability to weave spells from one's own willpower or from the rage of a rampaging warbeast is a gift possessed by few. Throughout time, though, wild peoples of western immoren have harnessed the power of magic and bound it to objects. Once properly inscribed and invested with a bit of the maker's own power and vitality, these potent tools are permanently infused with magic. They often outlast their creators, becoming prized relics passed down through generations. The mightiest earn legends that overshadow any who wield them, becoming mythic objects in their own right.

The less-civilized cultures and settlements of western Immoren have their own paths and traditions. These practices, older and often darker than the formalized techniques of the Iron Kingdoms, allows these societies to create a wide rage of magical items. The process of creation mechanika is similar to that used to craft traditional magical items, but the final fusion and application of arcane energies differ greatly.

Most magical items created in the wilds of western Immoren are created using the strongest available material - those that can withstand the magical energies that can withstand the magical energies harnessed in their creation. These energies, often dangerous and volatile, can be fatal to the individual creating the item if not controlled. For many wilderness cultures, the task of creating a vessel that can withstand these arcane forces is only attempted by master craftsmen, whose skills and techniques are often passed down from generation to generation.

Mechanika

The simpler, less costly alternative to the taxing creation of magic items is the construction of mechanika - items that channel magical energy through mechanikal parts to reduce the material cost and energy investment. The mechanikal elements require less raw magic, and the process of assembling and fusing the parts is less taxing. A fusion of magic and technology, mechanika creates potent magical items that have helped shape the course of history in the Iron Kingdoms, but this method is not without its limits and weaknesses.

The mechanikal process may seem to complicate the matter - adding gadgets and gizmos to seemingly simple items - but the opposite is really the truth. For example, a sword enchanted to crackle with electrical energy might seem simple, but in order to create the item a wizard has to spend a considerable amount of time and energy devising magical formulae to create the desired effect. Devising such formulae is no easy task - if it were everyone would sport such weapons. However, a sword blade inlaid with conducting conduits, a rune plate etched with the proper spell, and a trigger on the hilt merely requires an accumulator to power the rune plate. What was a complex magical process has been simplified through the science of mechanika.

Arcane Dysjunction

Retrofitting a magical weapon with mechanikal fittings results in a thaumaturgical dissonance that destroys both the magic weapon and the runeplate. Don't try this at home.

Attunement

There is a required preparation time the creator needs before he is ready to wrestle with the arcane energy in the runes. Before a magical item is inscribed, the crafter must attune to the task. He must spend time in deep meditation preparing for the immense strain on his willpower and soul during the inscription and completion of his work. Only a foolhardy or suicidal individual would attempt to harness the power of the runes without first attuning to the labor ahead.

Runes

Runes imbue a magical item with it's arcane power. The peoples of the wilderness employ runic scripts that draw upon their own traditions and cultures. Some manifestations of magical power are unique to to a specific tradition, but others known among many different peoples. More powerful effects require a deeper understanding of the arcane traditions from which the power arise,

The great celestial fulcrums used by the Circle Orboros are potent examples of objects that display countless runes used in conjunction.

Dangers and Price of Failure

Creating magical items is not easy - it requires patience, diligence, and careful craftsmanship. Binding magical essence is dangerous and potentially deadly. Those who do not approach this work with a great deal of caution can be unmade by their careless work as the arcane power they seek to harness lashes back at them.In the civilized societies of western Immoren, this danger is managed through the creation of mechanika.

• Warning - The crafter senses that the attempt to harness the arcane power is getting out of control and aborts it, but the strain of doing it hinders his ability to work arcane energy for a time.
• Marked - The strain of failure leaves a mark on the crafter. His hair prematurely turns gray, dark circles appear under his eyes, and ominous mark appears on his flesh, his features wrinkle with age, or he suffers a similar effect. This change is permanent and may have ramifications within the crafter's tribe.
• Demanding - The character succeeds in creating the item, but it's imperfections take a toll on the user.
• Arcane Scarring - Arcane power wracks the character and leaves him scarred by potent forces, forever altering his ability to weave magic.
• Magical Withering - The failure permanently reduces the crafter's willpower, diminishing his ability to work the fundamental forces of magic.
• Magical Detonation - Unable to stem the unending tide of arcane energy, the character releases a wild torrent of magical destruction. Anything within thirty feet of the crafter suffers magical damage. The magical energy has unpredictable effects on the local weather and can result in additional consequences, but at minimum, any surrounding workshop or place of power is vaporized , and the land beneath is turned to ashes.
• Ultimate Price - The crafter's success comes at the price of his life and soul. His body crumbles to dust and blows away in a magical wind as his soul enters the item.

It is rumored that some dark ritual exists whereby captured soul energy within a Soul Cage can be used to offset the dangers and cost in life energy involved in creating magical items.

Healing

True healing is not a natural aspect of magic; knitting living flesh and organs is a complex and difficult endeavor better served by surgeons or allowing the body to rest and recover. Mystical restoration is possible only through a manifestation of divine energy, which makes all healing a minor miracle. Such miracles carry risk and inflict a toll on the body, whether as temporary weakness or, in the case of repeated healing, permanent marks or impairment.

Price of Healing

• No effect is possible, at least in one's first experiences with healing magic.
• Temporary Affliction - The being suffers from a mild and temporary side effect of healing. He might take ill with a fever feel extraordinarily tired, or suffer some other mild affliction.
• Exhaustion -The being is utterly exhausted by this ordeal, He sufferse impaired mental and perception faculties until he has slept for at least 8 hours.
• Dumb - This being was temporarily struck dumb as a side effect of the healing. He cannot speak for the next for few hours or even half a day.
• Marked - The rigors of healing have left their mark upon the being. HIs hair prematurely turns grey, dark circles appear around the eyes, or his features wrinkle with age. In any case, these changes are permanent.
• Broken - Though the body has healed, it was healed imperfectly.

See Also

• Ley Lines
• Mechanika
• Arcanika
• Mortitheurgy

Black Magic

• Necromancy
• Infernalism
• Mesmerism

References

• Iron Kingdoms Character guide, Full-Metal Fantasy Volume 1 Pg.259, 318-319
• Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game Core Rules Pg.81-85, 227-229
• Iron Kingdoms Unleashed Roleplaying Game Core Rules Pg.231-235
• Iron Kingdoms Unleashed Wild Adventure
• Warmachine Oblivion Pg.21, 24