Setting:Mosaic/Magic in Mosaic

This article is related to the Mosaic project.

Forms of magic

In Mosaic, players would be encouraged to create real spellbooks holding Forms their characters use.

Most casting-classes spells are based on an anchoring major rune to provide the 'direction' of the final spell, with other runes (of all three levels) modifying it to fit the caster's desired outcome. For instance, a spell of Anchor: Energy; Modifiers: Lightning, Smiting would probably be something like a thunderbolt spell from the sky.

my current shorthand is to write it as A: for anchor, then to have all the modifying runes uncapitalized, and finally to list the intended result of the spell. Thus, the above thunderbolt could be codified as:

• A: Energy; lightning, smiting. "Thunderbolt"

Runes can also be cast 'unanchored' to create quick and simple effects, which is in setting the most common use of runes (for example, a farmer putting 'Strength' on his arms)

Glyph Carvers can scribe runes onto objects to give them power. In these cases, the nature of the object itself is considered to be the focusing anchor of the runic spell. (ex: A runed sword with a Fire rune is a fire sword. A shield with the same rune would grant protection from fire.)

Lastly, new spells can be made 'on the fly' as it were from the caster's library of known runes. Current thinking implies that such spells would have a penalty to them or be weaker due to lack of mastery, but could be codified into prepared spells after the battle.

A given Form can have many different interpretations: for example, A:Faith, earth, growth could be a charm for greater harvests or a spell that raises the level of land.

Example of Casting

X=A+M-C

X is the modifier to the roll A is the value of your anchor stat M is the value of combined mastery you have of the runes involved. Mastery would range from something like -3 to +3. C is the complexity of the form. (exponential increase to the complexity penalty with number of runes (anchor+rune: 1, two runes: 3, three runes: 6).

Say we have Golem-maker Apprentice Bufalas trying to use the "Create Minor Helper" form - a spell he is still struggling with. The form is anchored in Matter (his attribute for Matter is 4), and involves the runes Men, Body, Blessing. He has studied all of these, and has a +1 mastery bonus for each. His total bonus is 7. The Form involves three runes other than the anchor, totalling 6 in complexity penalty.

He thus has a basic bonus of +1 (meaning he'd have to roll a 9 to make it work). If he's not pressed for time, he could probably add to the bonus with extensive preparations or use of magnification techniques (special carving techniques, magical artefacts, etc).

Premade Spells from threads:

Xaras' spells

• A: Life; blessing. “Aegis”
• A: Life; body. “Fortitude”
• A: Life; courage. “Bravery”
• A: Life; stone. “Grit”
• A: Life; blessing, courage. “Inner Strength”
• A: Life; augmentation, stone. “Wall of Granite”
• A: Life; courage, stone. “Immutable Foothold”

_

• A: Matter; wounds. “Mend"
• A: Matter; courage. “Focus”
• A: Matter; destiny. “Endurance”
• A: Matter; body, rock. "Stoneskin"
• A: Matter; ocean, wind. “Swift Travel”
• A: Matter; body, wounds. “Mend Body“
• A: Matter; men, body, blessing. “Create Minor Helper”

_

• A: Energy; healing. "Healing"
• A: Energy; heat. “Warmth”
• A: Energy; light. “Illuminate”
• A: Energy; wind. “Breeze”
• A: Energy; lightning, Light. “Lightning Strike”
• A: Energy; wind, rain. “Steady Drizzle”
• A: Energy; water, wind, rain. “Torrential Rainstorm”
• A: Energy; air, wind, blessing. “Strong Guiding Wind”
• A: Energy; healing, body, sickness. “Scour Sickness”
• A: Energy; augmentation, blessing, light. “Blessed Edge”
• A: Energy; learning, secrets, mind. “Soul Search”

_

• A: Life; healing, wounds, body. “Healing Touch”

_

• A: Death; fire, wind, lightning, rain. “Firestorm”

Cornflake Blues' spells

• A: Life; wounds. "cure light wounds."

_

• A: Faith; blessing, courage. "CHAERG (Charge?)"
• A: Faith; banishment, smiting, energy. "im'ma firing mah... (some sort of prismatic ray?)"

_

• A: Matter; light. "greater 'make object shiny' "
• A: Matter; air, rock, smiting, fire. "meteor storm"

_

• A: Death; body, wounds, decay, heat. "feverplague"
• A: Death; wounds, body, decay, air. "Necrotic cloud!"
• A: Death; mind, destiny. "vision of doom"

_

• A: Knowledge; mind, sickness, decay. "cthulu madness tiem"
• A: Knowledge; mortality, wounds, men. "boneshatter blow."

_

• A: Energy; fire, lightning, men. "Laser beam eyes."

I'm no Gordon Freeman's Spells

• A: Life; healing, rock, rebirth. "Repair Building"

_

• A: Death; water, smiting, ocean. "Drown Target"

_

• A: Energy; augmentation, body, sickness. "Disease Immunity"

Runed Items

AfroCelt's

• Growth stones: Matter, Growth, Rain.
• Detailing glasses: Matter, Scrying, Secrets, Details.
• Novelty rain tarps: Matter, Rain, Ocean, Wind.
• Medicinal Biscuit: Healing, Sickness, Rebirth, Body.

I'm no Gordon Freeman's

• Darkvision Goggles: Light
• Veil of Fog: Water, Heat, Secrecy.
• Healing Dagger: Wounds, Healing
• Coffin of Preservation: Decay, Body
• Gloves of EXTRA AUGMENTINESS: Augmentation