Most important magic systems terms

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Revision as of 20:16, 18 June 2011

This article briefly defines the most important terms, abbreviations and acronyms pertinent to the various fantasy genre magic systems, sorted alphabetically. Note that there are separate articles for more specific terms as well as for important English language words that are not specific to Sagatafl.

Note, this article is still very incomplete.

Contents 1 2d8 2 Alignment 3 Archmage Levels 4 Buffer 5 Casting Option 6 Divine 7 Enchanting 8 Enchantment 9 Endowing 10 ES 11 Familiar 12 Incompetence 13 Intelligence 14 Intelligence (Mystical) 15 Item Creation 16 Item Creation Power 17 Mask 18 MP 19 Mystery 20 Mystery Slot 21 Mystical Intelligence 22 Noise 23 Pagan 24 Partially Learned 25 Passive Power 26 PEP 27 Power 28 Psyche 29 Satanic 30 SEP 31 Spell 32 Spell Force 33 Spell Safety 34 Spell TM 35 Spellcasting 36 Spellcasting Fumble Outcome Roll 37 Strong Magic 38 Talent 39 UP 40 Will

2d8

(copy in text from In-Play Terms article) )

Alignment

Alignment is a metaphysical "marker" that a character can have. In Sagatafl's magic system there are three types of Alignment: Divine, Pagan and Satanic, and any mortal being (such as a Human, Dwarf, Grey Space Alien, or common sewer rat) must have at least 1 Level of Alignment towards each of the three, whereas some or all extradimensional/extrapanar beings (gods, angels, Demons) may have a zero in two Alignments or in some cases in all three (e.g. Elementals). Undead cannot be Aligned to Divine, but can instead be unAligned (zero, zero and zero) or be Aligned to Satanic or sometimes to Pagan.

No being can have more than one Alignment that is higher than 1. An Alignment higher than 1 is a DisAdvantage as it makes the character detectable by various means, and may make him vulnerable to some attack forms that do not harm the unAligned (Alignment 1 or zero) or who causes them only lesser harm. Higher-than-1 Alignment may be a prerequisite for some supernatural effects, typicaly Powers, or it may give various kinds of bonuses to such Powers. For instance, Divine Alignment 2+ is a prerequisite for any Grand Divine Power of PL0.5 to 5.5, and Divine Alignment 3+ is a prerequisite for any Grand Divine Power of PL6+. Pagan Alignment is not a prerequisite for the Artificer Item Creation Power, but gives some benefits if it is higher than 1.

Divine Alignment or Pagan Alignment is inborn and cannot change except possibly through very difficult rituals. Satanic Alignment is sometimes inborn but is most often acquired due to accumulated Satanic Corruption. No mortal being can have a inborn Alignment higher than 3, while semi-mortal beings (the offspring of a mortal and a supernatural being) can have Alignments as high as 4 (for 1/8 to 3/8 supernatural blood) or 5 (for 1/2 superntural blood), and up to 6 or 7 for fully supernatural beings.

Satanic Alignment can be concealed via a process called Masking that lowers th apparent and detectable Alignment by 1 or more, to a minimum of 1. For this reason, some wielders of Divine Powers or other Divine magic are reluctant or unable to descern betwee Pagan and Satanic, or even to discern between non-religious (learned) magic and Satanic magic, thereby serving to increase the dramatic potential of the setting

Alignment is sometimes abbreviated AL, and the specific Alignments are frequently abbreviated as DAL, PAL and SAL, to conserve space (e.g. in tables or in formulae).

Archmage Levels

Buffer

Casting Option

Divine

Enchanting

Enchantment

Endowing

ES

ES, or Essence, is a personal and non-renewable mystical ressource that each character is born with, and which is expended most often on performing permant magic, e.g. Enchanting a magical item, but Essence can also be sacrificed in other ways, and lost involuntarily. Essence is an in-world phenomenon, not metagame, and charaters can and should discuss it with each other, e.g.: "What did you spend your Essence on?" / "None of your business!".

Familiar

Incompetence

Intelligence

Intelligence (Mystical)

Item Creation

Item Creation Power

Mask

MP

Mystery

Mystery Slot

Mystical Intelligence

Noise

Pagan

Partially Learned

Passive Power

PEP

Power

Psyche

Satanic

SEP

Spell

Spell Force

Spell Safety

Spell TM

Spellcasting

Spellcasting Fumble Outcome Roll

SFOR

Strong Magic

Talent

UP

Will