🚀 go-pugleaf

The universe consists of three levels, the Physical, the Ethereal
and the Void. The Physical universe is the one we dwell in, it is
that which we call Ea, and the heavens about it. If the legends
are true and other worlds exist amongst the stars, then they to
are part of the physical. The Ethereal is composed of
non-differentiated particles, with an analogous particle for
every particle in the physical world. When a particle in either
the physical or the Ethereal is moved, It's counterpart also
moves, albeit with some degree of lag. These non-differentiated
particles composing the Ethereal are called Sae. It also seems as
if the Ethereal is home to what can be called perfect forms.
These perfect forms are perfect forms of everything that has
existed and will ever exist. Whether all corresponding bodies in
the Ethereal are all actually the perfect forms, for their
'partner' in the physical is unknown. It is also important to
remember that the Ethereal is not based on the same four
dimensions as the Physical, nor does it abide by the same set of
natural laws. Thus it is possible to do strange manipulations on
the Ethereal, that break the so-called laws of nature here. Sae
can be moved, modified, or even permutated to a certain degree by
nothing more than the application, conscious or unconscious of
will.
The Void is the third level of existence. It can be best
described as nothingness, it is neither existence or
non-existence, death or life, an element or lack of element, it
is none of the elements. It is neither Soul or Soulless. You get
the idea.
Void seems to serve as a counterpoint, the force of balance in
universe. What created it, or for that matter what created any of
this is unknown. Though many peoples and religions have
explanations which are truth to them. And will probably stay that
way.

There are six elemental forms found in the Physical World. Air,
water, earth and Fire, which are traditionally called the basics.
And Shadu and Shaduka, the soul elements.
The basics are paired in 2 sets of opposites, or dualities.
Fire-water and Air-Earth.
The other two elements are called in the language of the Ohs
Shadu and Shaduka. Which translate roughly into Soul and
Soulless.
It should be noted that these elements are not our conceptions of
them, but are instead more related to their Platonic conceptions.
Fire is more than just flame, but including all fire, heat, light
and even cold. Water includes all liquids and all permutations of
them. Air is not the particles we associate it with, but all
gases, winds and weather. Earth includes all non-organic solids,
rocks, metals even gemstones.
Shadu is basically the element of sentience and will; it is
soul, so to speak. It is known to take three basic forms. The
first is amorphous, unstable patches of the element that can
never really form anything more than weak and fleeting
manifestations of will and sentience. These forms sometimes
recognize this, and scurry about in the short time allotted to
them, attempting to find permanency. Mostly they just flash into
existence and flash right out. It seems that if a bundle of Shadu
can somehow find a way to start regenerating itself, then it
becomes the next type. This might be from reaching a 'critical
mass' or it might be by some other means.
The second is free-standing, which are stable elemental beings of
nothing more than Shadu. These form the spirits, demons and even
Gods.
The third type occurs in living creatures, the Shadu is bounded
by strong bounds of sae, bounds that are impossible for a
creature of pure Shadu or for that matter any elemental force to
replicate. These ties to physical realities are what makes living
breathing beings so truly powerful, and in their own way
Splendid, no other being in existence can replicate these ties,
not even the Gods.
Shaduka, the opposite of Shadu, the eater of souls. It thirsts
after the strength of Shadu and will eat it when it can. Areas
where Shadu walks the earth, are usually drab and lifeless.
Shaduka will consume a lesser amount of Shadu easily, while it
can be destroyed by a larger amount of Shadu. It should be noted
that the unique physical ties between the Soul and the body it
inhabits makes them more hardy to attacks by Shaduka, though very
often the soul is torn away and devoured. Shadu devoured no
longer exits, anywhere. For peoples whose souls are devoured that
means no afterlife. Good way to avoid Necromancers, however.
A long debate among practiconers of magic, at least in the Ohs
and Petrocean empires has been whether animals have souls.
Some would argue that a lack of magic among animals and the fact
that they seem to lack sentience would indicate that they have no
Shadu and are instead constructs programmed with
instincts,lacking the necessary Shadu for independent thought.
Others argue that since animals can be sacrificed by some less
unsavory practitioners of magic for power, this means they have
Shadu. They argue that their shadu is of a lesser amount then
human beings, making them not as smart.
A third group points out that not all human beings have magic
either, and the ability to use magic is not based on the amount
of Shadu one has but instead is based on what they call magical
operancy. This gift they argue is only found among some human
beings, and it is what determines the ability to use magic.
Without the gift of making magic operancy your amount of Shadu is
able to have no affect upon Sae. Animals do not have this gift,
it being a gift of the gods/a freak of nature and that explains
why they have no magic.
The shamans of the Millanorim laugh at all the above groups and
comment that animals have great magic and intelligence, often
times more powerful than human beings, and that we human beings
are sometimes to arrogant for our own good.
The very nature of Shadu makes it highly prone to manipulation by
the minds of sentinents. Thus an idea held in common by a large
group of people can not only create a new being of shadu, but
even manipulate an already existing one. This includes Gods. Thus
a group of people who so strongly believed in something would
create it from Shadu, its power depending on the amount of people
who believe in it. This includes such things as conceptual
spirits, and even the Gods themselves.

In the beginning the World was just the four basic elements, no
Shadu or Shaduka existed upon the Physical. Then an event
occurred, whether it was an accident or the deliberate result of
some meta-being is unknown.
However, this accident led to the release of Shadu into the
Physical Universe. It seems to have come from a universe wholly
consisting of Shadu(a concept that brings up some interesting
concepts of oversoul). The spot of the rip is called the Well of
Souls.
Because a prime rule of this Universe is one of balance, at the
very instant of the release of Shadu into this universe, a hole
was created allowing Shaduka entrance, for balance must be
maintained.
The most powerful of the Shadu elementals that were being formed
by the sudden rush into this universe realized the peril of its
kind. Acting almost instinctively, it attempted to seal the well
of the Shaduka. Unfortunately this act was and is impossible,
however this being was able at the cost of its own existence, to
block the well of the Shaduka, making it harder for Shaduka to
exist in this universe. But Shaduka still exists here, and it can
be summoned up from its well, so its presence is still felt by
the inhabitants of Ea. Where this well is, is unknown to all,
including the Gods, it is said that even the God Torm (the Dead
God of Knowledge and Wisdom) never knew the location of this
well.

The universe, and everything in it, is composed of some
combination of five of the elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and
Shadu. The first four have a preferred place in Ea. The preferred
place of earth is in the center of Ea (yes Ea is round, and its a
well known fact to most scholars). Anything made of earth would
tend naturally to seek this preferred place. A rock(made of
earth) would fall towards this place(e.g. down). Above the
natural place of earth, is that of water. It to seeks this place
when allowed to, that is why water always runs downhill, and
because the preferred place of earth lies below water, a rock
will always sink. The surface of ea is roughly at the upper edge
of the preferred place of water. Above is air, thus air will
always rise through water. And above air is the preferred place
of fire, that is why fire is always seen to rise upwards.
The preferred place of Shadu is all about everything and immanent
with all.
Some scholars have postulated a new element, called by various
names, to explain the celestial bodies, this is a debatable
point.
There are several major theories as to the shape of the universe.
Two of which are given. It should be noted that all theories on
the shape of the universe is a crude conceptualization at best.
HOURGLASS THEORY:
    _____________         ______________
   /             \  ___  /              \
 /                \/   \/                \
|       VOID       | EA|  SAE            |
|                  |   |                 |
 \                /     \               /
  \_____________/         \___________/

CONCENTRIC:
_____________________________________________
|                                           |
|     VOID                                  |
|        ________________________           |
|        |    SAE               |           |
|        |    _________         |           |
|        |    |__EA____|        |           |
|        |                      |           |
|        |______________________|           |
|                                           |
|___________________________________________|


**********Stats
There are two stats important to our discussion of Magic, Sanity
and will, before going into the various magic types, their theory
and their operancy, I think it will be useful to describe how
these important magical stats operate.
Sanity is the indicator of a being's mental stability and health.
It is the natural mental state of normal life. It is possible to
lose sanity when confronted with horrors and by certain magics.
It is also possible to regain or even increase ones sanity.
Temporary insanities can be cured. Permanent insanities occur
when a players sanity drops below zero. Permanent insanity is
usually incurable. All players will have a sanity stat between
20-100.
Whenever a player meets something truly horrendous, then a role
will be made against their sanity. This roll is a simple
die(1,100) A successful role is when the player roles equal to or
less than their sanity. This roll means little to no loss of
sanity. The player can then continue their activities until
confronted by something else that requires a sanity check. It is
very hard to become immune to some horrors, though the human
nature is adaptable. Thus for most cases even though you have
succeeded against something once, the next time you confront it,
you will need to roll again. A mechanism needs to be developed to
handle the process of becoming slowly immune to certain types of
horrors, such as corpses. Confronting lots of horrors at once, or
in quick succession will only call for one roll, however, if they
are spread over a period of time, then each will require a
sperate roll. This assumes that all the horrors are at the same
level. Greater horrors will always cause you to reroll, but in a
large group of horrors you only need roll once, for against the
greater horror. Failure, which is rolling above your sanity score
always means the loss of sanity. The amount is determined by the
horror confronted or by an Arbiter, as the case requires.
Going to zero or below sanity means the player is hopelessly,
incurably insane. It would take great magics to help anyone after
this point. At this point they are no longer a player. Exception
will of course be made.
If a player loses 5 or more sanity points in a single instance,
there is a chance of them going temporarily insane. The player
must then make a will roll, if the succeed then not much else
happens, failure means that the shock overwhelms them and they go
temporarily insane. This temporary insanity can last anywhere
from a few hours to several weeks, it is usually anywhere from a
nervous breakdown to hysterics to temporary catatonia. There is a
slight likelihood of a phobia developing. The chances of a phobia
happening is left to the discretion of the arbiter.
The affects of temporary insanity will be left open to
interpretation by players and Arbiters, they are meant to be
roleplayed out.
Whenever a player loses 20% or more of their sanity within a
given hour they will automatically go insane. They effects begin
immediately and are to be chosen by an arbiter as appropriate.
This type of insanity is indefinite and the player will not
recover on their own accord.
Sometimes a temporary or indefinite insanity can lead to useful
insights. This is to be left up to the arbiter and the needs of
play balance.
Increasing Your Sanity: Arbiters may award bonuses as the see
fit.
There are certain spells which can increase sanity.
Curing Insanity:There are spells for this.
         TYPICAL SANITY LOSSES
Potential Loss          Event
  die(1,3)              Surprised by a corpse
  die(1,3)              Surprised by a mangled corpse of an
                        animal
  die(1,4)              Surprised by fragment of a corpse
  die(1,6)              Surprised by a horribly mangled
                        corpse
  die(1,6)              Waking up in a tomb or coffin
  die(1,6)              See good friend or relative die
  die(1,8)              Meet someone you know to be dead
  die(1,8)              Killing a friend accidently
  die(1,8)              Witnessing bizarre occurrences
  die(1,10)             Witnessing bizarre grisly occurrence
  die(1,10)             Undergo severe torture
  die(1,10)             Murder a friend
 +die(1,5)              Help Someone in need
 +die(1,10)             Seeing a great evil destroyed

WILL
Will is the measure of your Shadu. It will be between 20-100.
Each character will have a permanent and a temporary will.
Permanent will almost never changes, temporary will fluctuates as
you do things, such as cast spells. Temporary will heals at a
natural rate.
This stat will be universally used for magic.
                   Will vs Will Combat
In certain instances there will be a need to directly contest the
Wills of two beings. In this case each contestant will have
rolled a die(1,100) +will stat+ applicable bonus The results will
be used like this opponent's total minus player's total with that
resulting number being applied to the following chart
+149 Opponent masters Player may make a roll every so
     often, as determined by an Arbiter. Player is under
     Opponents complete control. All further rolls are made with
     the opponent +35 until player is able to break the hold.
66-149 Opponent in control as above but opponent at +25
51-65  Player Struggling Roll immediately with opponent +25
26-50  Opponent Gains Roll immediately Opponent +15
25-(-25) Contest in question roll again with no-modifiers
-26 to -50 Player Gains roll immediately with player +15
-51 to -65 Opponent struggling roll again player +25
-66 to -149 Player in control any future rolls player is +25
-149 Player masters Opponent. Opponent can only reroll under
     certain circumstances. All future rolls are at +35 for
     player.

The cases where will vs. will combat is used will be outlined in
the appropriate sections, but it is nearly universal.

Usage of Other Stats:
There are of course other stats that will be used in the game.
Below I will cover a few of the ways they will interact with the
magic system.
EMPATHY:The relationship of the character to the all pervading
force that is common to all things natural and is the basis for
most things supernatural. This stat is used for a range of
things, from detecting elementals and other manifestations of
Shaduka, to being used by the healers of Petrocea. It should be
noted that while this stat might help a player detect something,
it is entirely up to the players experience and base of knowledge
to interpret it. This stat gives no knowledge or expertise.
QUICKNESS:This stat will be used in the targeting of spells.
CONSTITUTION: Some Spells will necessitate a resistance role
against your constitution. The same applies to Health, and well
all your stats.
PERCEPTION: This stat will add in targeting rolls.

************TYPES OF MAGIC*************************

There seems to be two basic types of magic within the world of
Ea. Innate and borrowed. Innate magic refers to the capability of
influencing the fabric of Sae by your own will, with no outside
help. Borrowed magics are the use of elementals, demons or the
dead. In the first category fits quite firmly the Practitioners
of the Noble Houses of the Ohs Empire, and perhaps the Paeni
Shapeshifters. In the second category fits those called
Necromancers, Elementalists, and Demonologists (both the Iniel
religious variety and others).
It should be noted that there are several varieties of magic that
don't fit within these two categories. In particular, Petrocean
Magi and the Shamans of the Milannorim, seem to be a blend of
innate powers and the use of various Spirits and elementals.
It should be noted that no form of magic is more powerful than
any other form, each has its own unique strengths and
weaknesses.

**********LIMITS OF MAGIC**************************
Magic, though a very powerful force, is not all powerful. There
are certain laws that not even magic can cross or break. And
there are laws which it must conform to.
Magic can not do any of the following:
1) Affect anything beyond the limits of Ea (i.e. affect the
Moons, stars etc).
2) Alter or determine something's essential nature including:
     a) halt or reverse aging
     b) Create Anything Truly Permanent
3) Alter the Passage of Time
4) Restore Will lost through the use of magic
5) Affect an unseen target without some arcane or psychic
connection.



*********************SYSTEM MECHANICS*********************

SIMPLE ROLLS: Most rolls in the game will be a die(1,10) read
normally, that is with the 0 read as a 10.
STRESS ROLL: Some rolls will be a die(1,10) with a 0 counting not
as a 10, but meaning you must roll again and see if you have
botched. On the other hand, the rolling of a 1 means that another
die(1,10) is rolled and doubled, here after a 0 counts as a ten,
if you roll a 1 again, then you roll die(1,10) and triple the
result, continuing ad infinitum if you roll ones. Stress rolls
are used when the character is in a stressful situation and could
perform either above their normal ability or fail miserably. All
spell casting is considered stressful, as well as all summoning,
coercion, binding etc.
BOTCHES: As explained above, it is possible to sink below a
normal failure into a truly abysmal showing. Whenever you roll a
0 while making a stress roll, a second die(1,10) will be rolled.
A second 0 means you have botched, you have done something
horribly wrong. In particularly tricky situation you will have to
roll more than one botch die.
A botch means you lose control of your magic, and losing control
is almost never a good thing. Thus, though the effects of botches
can vary widely, they are almost universally detrimental.
Below are some of the basic ways a spell can botch, for each type
of magic. What will probably happen code wise is a huge bunch of
possibilities which will be randomly selected, with input from
the Arbiters of course, any ideas on this?
Creation: Out of control, too powerful, reverse effects, improper
creation, flawed creation, target turns on caster.
Perceiving: Caster addled, misleading information, overwhelming
vision, attract unwanted attention, senses overwhelmed, roll for
twilight.
Change: Related but unwanted affect, reverse effect, permanent
side effect, too powerful, constitution broke, undying spell,
incomplete or improper effect.
Destruction: Wrong target, spell affects caster, reverse effect,
to powerful.
Control: Affects wrong target, out of control, reverse effect,
undying spell, target turns on caster.
Animal: Target deranged, Target turns on caster
Air: Storm created
Fire: Target turns on caster, reverse effect
Images: Undying Spell, caster befuddled or confused, caster rolls
for twilight
Shadu/Mental: Target deranged, attract unwanted attention, target
turns on caster, uncontrolled faculties
Earth: earth rebels, target destroyed.
Sae: Roll for twilight, caster overwhelmed, supernatural entity
summoned.

All elements: Out of control, elemental summoned.
All Living Things: Death and destruction, constitution broken,
debilitating.
Spells which affect the caster: Caster overwhelmed.

Suggestion Explanations
Attract Unwanted attention: The attention of someone or
something, perhaps the target of your spell, is drawn to you.
Caster Addled: The caster is insane, confused, or demented.
Caster Overwhelmed: The caster is overwhelmed by her own magic,
perhaps losing consciousness, permanent will, or even her magical
ability. It can, albeit rarely, obliterate the caster's mind.
Connection with target: Your target is aware of your attempts at
probing(etc) and my find out something about you through the
arcane link that forms, if capable of spell casting, they have an
excellent link to attack you through.
Constitution Broken: The target loses the faculties associated
with the spell, such as a transformation spell that leaves the
target with no natural shape so the target droops and decays
without a spell to support it.
Death and Destruction: The target falls apart under the
supernatural pressures of the spell.
Debilitating: The magic pushes the target to hard and does
permanent damage.
Demon Summoned: You have inadvertently summoned a uncontrollable
demon of power equivalent to the level/magnitude of the magic you
are working. Good luck.
Earth rebels: The earth revolts against being manipulated causing
a localized earthquake of power proportional to the magic being
worked. It affects all structures and beings within the area.
Flawed Creation: The creation is heavily flawed, though it might
not be obvious until the creation is used.
Improper creation: The wrong thing is created, or the right thing
is created in the wrong way.
Incomplete or Improper effect: A magic, for example, intended to
turn you into a wolf that instead only transforms the head and
feet.
Out of Control: The spell creates or summons something beyond the
casters ability to control.
Overwhelming Vision: The caster is overwhelmed by a mystical
vision and is incapable of doing anything till it is over.
Roll For Twilight: Roll for twilight (see below) if you avoid it,
you still suffer another botch.
Senses Overwhelmed: One or more of your senses are overwhelmed,
leaving them useless for an indefinite period of time.
Spell affects Caster: Instead of the intended target.
Storm Created: A storm or other weather phenomena is created from
thin air, the magnitude and length of time depends on the
magnitude of the spell.
Undying Magic: The magic doesn't end, can't be willed away, and
is darn hard to dispel.


***********************TWILIGHT**************************
Magic is a chancy thing, no matter how much the users of it upon
Ea try to understand it. One of the least understood and most
mysterious phenomena is that which is called twilight.
Twilight happens to a person who uses magic, no matter if they
are a Sorcerer, Demonologist, Magi, Shaman, or what have you. It
is when the magic they use, which has slowly become part of their
being, is too strong for them, and they fade out of this world.
No one knows what happens to someone who has undergone final
twilight, but it is interesting to note that their soul is
unreachable by any know means. Some scholars have postulated that
the soul unravels becoming one with the universe, others that it
is absorbed into the void, and yet still others that it has
passed into a new and unknown universe.
On the road to final twilight, some users of magic will undergo
little twilights, where their magic rebels against them, these
twilights indicate the slow coming of the end, and yet they can
be used for a growing experience to understand the magics that
are part of the universe.
A period of twilight(not including final twilight, which is
permanent and irrevocable) might last minutes or days as
uncontrolled sae and magic course through the afflicted person.
Though some manage to remain conscious and even in limited
control of their bodies, most are unconscious, in spasms or fits,
or both. These survivable twilights can give new insights into
the arts of magic, but they can also leave physical deformities
and mental alterations.
Each player who uses magic will have twilight points. These
cannot be removed by any known means, as they are part of a
beings inner nature. Any player who gains a total of 24 twilight
points passes into final twilight and departs from Ea. There are
various ways to gain twilight points. They will be assigned for
certain spell botches, or other dramatic magical affects. Gaining
great mastery in certain arts will give them to you. And using
magic to prolong your life in any way is an excellent way to gain
twilight.
When a player with Twilight Points encounters powerful,
uncontrolled magic, a roll for temporary Twilight may be called
for. Most double+ botches will call for a twilight, but any
exposure to powerful, wild magic can precipitate Twilight. When
this happens the following steps will happen.
1) A stress roll +twilight will be made if the result is 24+ then
the player enters temporary twilight. If not, then twilight is
avoided.
2) A die(1,10) will be rolled and added to the character's
twilight points. If the total is 24+ then the player has entered
final twilight, roleplay the end of your character as
appropriate, you may hang on for days, but you will definitely be
out of this world and unable to interact coherently. If you have
fewer than 24 twilight points, the player will recover, continue
with step 3.
3) Roll for control. This is a stress roll+empathy/20 roll. This
will be against a roll of a stress die+appropriate modifications
depending on what threw you into twilight. If the players roll is
equal to or less then the opposition roll, then the player was
unable to assimilate the effects of the twilight, roll on the bad
effect chart. If the roll is above the opposition roll than the
player will have a roll on the good effects chart. There is no
affect between what happens to the character effect wise and how
this should be roleplayed, Twilight should be a roleplay
intensive situation, always.
GOOD EFFECTS CHART
1-3 Increased Understanding
4-5 Gain an affinity with a particular magic.
6 Increase in Art.
7 Gain a magical insight+bonus to theory/lore.
8 Bonus in arcane skill
9 Special
10 Roll twice: One effect on this chart, for the second, make a
new control roll.

BAD EFFECTS CHART
1-2 Blatant Magic
3-4 Deficiency
5 Wild Magic
6 Mental Defect
7 Physical Defect
8 Automatic magic
9 Special
10 Roll twice; one affect on this chart, for the other make a
normal control roll.

DESCRIPTIONS:
Increased Understanding: Normal you can only teach or write an
magical skill or art up to 1/2 your level in it, This allows you
to go up to 3/4 in the art/skill most directly related to
twilight. Further Increased understandings go 4/5,5/6,6/7 etc.
Automatic Magic: Your magic oozes out of you on its own accord.
Your very presence causes small magical effects of some type
appropriate to your magic or to the twilight itself. These
effects are limited in strength and distance and can never be
directed by will. They may come and go, or vary greatly from day
to day.
Wild Magic:Your magic is wild and uncontrolable, you gain an
extra bitch roll.