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Optional Rules

"The gull," she said. The Kagonesti held the clay image in the palm of her right hand and closed her eyes. She began humming, a melody that the bird overhead echoed with its cries. The distance between her and the bird evaporated, as her mind soared toward it, the air rushing all around her.... A smile played across her face.

She was looking down at herself and the mariner.

- Feril demonstrates animism,
The Dawning of a New Age

The use of magic in the land of Ansalon changes constantly as mystics and sorcerers evolve in their skills. Discoveries at the Citadel of Light and elsewhere have led to spellcasting breakthroughs, unique sphere combinations - even the marriage of mysticism and sorcery. Rules for these new arcane applications appear in this chapter, along with optional rules describing how to play Kagonesti wild elves, like Ferilleeagh Dawnsprinter in the passage above.

The Mystic Spheres

The spheres of mysticism encompass more than the brief descriptions in the Book of the Fifth Age might suggest. This look at the nine spheres offers additional insights into the feats heroes can accomplish with each type of magic. The discussions of each sphere in the pages that follow recommend difficulty ratings for common spell effects associated with that sphere. These are not the difficulty ratings for the entire spell, but merely for the spell effect; the player must determine the difficulty ratings for invocation time, range, duration, and area of effect separately, depending on the circumstances of the casting, and pay out the hero's appropriate spell point total.

For reference, see the "Step Five: Effect" section of Chapter Five in the Book of the Fifth Age or the general spell effect magic tables (Va to Vc) on the reference card in the FIFTH AGE boxed set. Where no spell effect adjustment is recommended, the Narrator should assign a difficulty based on the nature or severity of the spell effect.

Alteration

The sphere of alteration allows a mystic to change his shape and appearance. Such alterations can vary from subtle adjustments in one's appearance to complete disguises to assuming the form of another type of creature entirely.

The degree of alteration possible depends on the hero's Spirit code. Those with a "B" can alter their form or appearance to that of any other type of creature. They cannot, however, alter themselves to look like a particular individual. Such mastery of the sphere is limited to mystics with an "A" code in Spirit. A mystic with a "B" could, for example, change his shape to that of a cat, become a hawk in order to fly, or make himself look like a common peasant. He could not, however, assume the appearance of a particular peasant, nor could he assume the shape of a particular merchant's cat.

Alteration can be used on others as well. A mystic might use his magic to disguise a member of his adventuring group, for example, or he could transform a hostile Knight of Takhisis into a less offensive attacker - like a mouse.

The difficulty of alteration spells varies depending on the extent of the desired changes. However, using this magic on another is more difficult than casting it on oneself, as the original form naturally resists being changed by a foreign hand. Altering others, therefore, adds an extra point to the spell's total difficulty. Heroes who find themselves involuntary spell recipients may Oppose the casting with a Presence (Spirit) action; again, the difficulty depends on the severity of the intended spell effect.

The use of alteration magic affects only the body of the person or creature being altered. In no case does any clothing or equipment change form as well. Transforming such nonliving items would require transmutation magic.

Alteration can be enhanced by the magic of other mystic spheres. Animism offers advantages for mystics taking the form of an animal. Channeling can make the transformation into significantly larger or smaller creatures easier. Sensitivity proves especially useful for those using alteration to disguise themselves; with this combination, they could alter the appearance of their aura, making it that much harder for an opponent to realize the deception.

Mystic-sorcerers might use alteration with various schools of magic. Combined with transmutation sorcery, alteration can allow someone to alter the appearance of his clothes and equipment as well as his own form: Thus can a prince become a pauper. Alteration combined with spectramancy can make any disguise or shapechange even more powerful. For example, say a hero fleeing his enemies dashes into a thicket near a forest. When his pursuers approach, a covey of phesants bursts from the thicket, startling them. The hero has altered his form into that of a pheasant and created several mirror images using spectramancy. When the pheasants startle the pursuers, the hero can (hopefully) make good his escape.

Animism

The wielder of animism has a special attunement with the plants and animals of the natural world. With the magic of this sphere, a mystic can communicate with, control, detect, and otherwise influence animals and plants - which includes their giant counterparts - with a Reason score of 2 or less.

Hero races, hostile nonhumans, monsters, and supernatural creatures are not affected by the magic of this sphere, regardless of Reason score. An owlbear, for example, is not a normal animal; an ice bear is. Players can use the "Animals of Ansalon" chart in Chapter Six of the Book of the Fifth Age as a guideline to help them determine what types of creatures might be susceptible to animism. However, animals with a Reason score higher than 2 are better influenced with the sphere of mentalism than with animism. To communicate with an intelligent creature like a dolphin, for example, a mystic should use mentalism.

Those mystics with only a "B" code in Spirit and access to animism are limited to communicating with and detecting plants and animals. Any control or influence they exert over an animal or plant is limited to what they can gain by the force of their own personalities - a Presence (Presence) action with a difficulty assigned by the Narrator. Communicating with an animal requires a spell effect difficulty of 2 points, while speaking with a plant involves a difficulty of 3 points. (Speaking with plants is harder, as they "think" much more slowly than mortals and in terms alien to most races.)

Heroes or characters with an "A" Spirit code and skill in animism can actually influence plants and animals with their magic. The spell effect's difficulty likely will vary depending on the circumstances. For example, say a hero encounters a bear in the woods after the animal has just eaten his fill. Influencing this nonaggressive creature might require a difficulty rating of 2 points. However, calming an angry mother bear seeking to defend her cubs carries a higher difficulty - say 4 points. To magically influence a plant requires at least 3-point spell effect, due to the difficulty of communicating with herbal life. And of course, the animist cannot influence a subject to do the impossible, such as commanding a plant to uproot itself and walk.

Note that when the hero's Presence score exceeds his Spirit score, he may opt to use his magic just to communicate with an animal or plant, relying on his persuasive skills to influence it.

Understanding the mystic sphere of animism also brings with it mundane knowledge of the natural world. Whenever a player wants to know whether his hero is familiar with a particular detail of nature, he may attempt an unopposed Reason action with a difficulty assigned by the Narrator.

Animism combines well with such magic as alteration, enabling a mystic in his new guise to communicate with others of his assumed species. Mentalism comes in handy when dealing with animals whose Reason scores exceed 2.

In addition, rumors circulate in the halls of the Citadel of a mystic who, thanks to his knowledge of the sorcerous school of summoning, can summon an animal friend to her. This magic seems to transcend the mere translocation of the animal, for the creature seems predisposed to aid her upon arrival.

Animism combined with divination sorcery might let a mystic see a place through the eyes of an animal at that location. For example, a hero who has been putting out milk every day for an alley cat in Palanthas might use his mystic power to locate the cat and invoke a combination of divination and animism to experience what the cat sees and hears.

Channeling

Among the spheres favored by more physically-minded mystics is the sphere of channeling. This magic becomes especially useful for temporarily raising the Physical ability scores of the mystic or an ally, or for reducing these scores in an opponent. In some cases, this ability can mean survival for the mystic and his companions.

Adjusting each individual ability requires a separate spell. However, a spellcaster could raise one ability score in a number of subjects at the same time. For example, say a mystic and his six companions are about to enter battle with two talons of Knights of the Lily. The mystic could give his allies a magical boost by first casting a spell to increase the Strength of himself and his companions (requiring an "area of effect" difficulty rating of 4 points). To ensure that his allies incur less damage from attacks than they might expect, he could cast a second spell to increase his team's Endurance (requiring the same area of effect component to affect all of them). Finally, our adept caster could even lower the Strength score of the enemy Knights (requiring an area of effect rating of 5 points, to affect more than ten individuals). Our mystic, probably nearly out of spell points at this point, nevertheless gave his friends a fighting chance against the heavily armed Dark Knights.

Using channeling magic to affect one of a mystic's own Physical scores requires an effect difficulty rating equal to the number of points by which the caster wants to adjust the score (in other words, raising one score by 2 points requires an effect adjustment of 2 points, and so on). Note that, should a hero achieve an impossible action thanks to an action ability enhanced by channeling, he may not automatically increase his number of quests by one. Others' scores are harder to affect than one's own, however. To change a Physical score of another member of the caster's own race adds an extra point to the spell's total difficulty rating. (So, raising one or more scores in the same ability by 2 points requires an effect adjustment of 3 points.) The Narrator should assign an appropriate effect adjustment for attempts to use channeling on other races, depending on how foreign the race is to the caster. Trying to affect creatures like Great Dragons with channeling almost certainly requires cooperative magic.

Should a hero become the unwilling target of such a spell, he may attempt a Presence (Spirit) action to resist its effects, with a difficulty based on the severity of the intended change.

Persons with only a "B" code in Spirit might consider choosing channeling as their single sphere, because its effects do not rely on the scope of a hero's mystic knowledge. A hero's mastery of channeling is the same whether he has an "A" or a "B" code. Furthermore, channeling is a good stand-alone sphere. While it can be combined with other spheres of mysticism, such as alteration, it does not combine well with sorcery.

Healing

One of the most popular spheres of mysticism, healing magic also has the distinction of being the sphere that brought the new magic of mysticism to Krynn. When Goldmoon drew upon her own desire and the power of her heart to heal the young dwarf Jasper, injured in a dragon attack at the Inn of the Last Home, she opened the door to human understanding of the gods' mystic gift to the world. She and others began to study this gift, and to a large extent, much modern knowledge of mysticism is due to the efforts of Goldmoon and the other early mystics of the Citadel of Light.

What mystic healers of varying levels of ability can accomplish is generally up to the Narrator, though the following guidelines can help him with such decision-making. Mystic healers with a"B" code in Spirit use their magic to perform advanced first aid. They can heal damage to themselves and others, but repairing permanent injuries and such is beyond their ken. Healers with an "A" Spirit code, on the other hand, use their magic to greater effect, curing diseases and repairing injuries so severe as to otherwise have a permanent effect on the victim. Such a potentially crippling injury adds an extra 2 points of difficulty to a healing spell. Of course, the Narrator may decide that a particularly severe injury or magically induced ailment will have some permanent effect on the victim, regardless of the healer's skill.

For example, suppose an ogre strikes a hero in battle and inflicts such great harm that the Narrator decides the hero will have a permanent limp, possibly resulting in a decrease in his Agility score. A healer with a "B" code could take away the pain of the injury and knit flesh and bone, but the victim would retain the limp and possible score reduction. Treatment by a healer with an "A" code, however, would remove all permanent effects and eliminate the loss of Agility points.

Even an "A" code has its limits, though. First, the injury must be relatively recent. Only the most extraordinary healer could repair damage sustained in a fall years before. Such a miracle is not impossible, but few healers have the skill and good fortune to accomplish it. Healing an old injury that already has caused some permanent disability adds 3 points to the difficulty of the spell. Neural injuries or those that cause a sensory loss are even more difficult. If a hero lost the use of an eye in a fight or accident, for instance, repairing that injury adds 4 points to the healer's spell. Narrators should feel free to make the repair of neural injuries sustained some time in the past even more difficult. Normally, the only way to repair such injuries is through cooperative magic (see sidebar, page 81).

Healers with the "A" code also can cure magical ailments, such as a disease inflicted by a powerful necromancer. (Without this level of training, a healer could merely stay the illness's effects, at best.) This is not an easy task, however. Curing such an ailment requires a spell with an effect adjustment of at least 4, cast after the mystic has healed the victim of all actual damage (lost cards or Endurance points). Curing a disease in its advanced stages becomes even harder.

Finally, the skilled healer can perform one of the most difficult miracles of all: bringing someone back to life. The healer can attempt to resurrect only a hero or character who has died a very short time ago (a number of minutes equal to or less than the victim's Spirit score); after that, no attempt is possible. This spell requires an action score of 24, assuming the mystic spends a half-hour on the invocation and can actually touch the victim. In addition, seeing the world of death forces the mystic's player to make a random draw; a resulting aura of red or black means the mystic loses 1 Spirit point immediately, with the resulting spell point loss. Normally, this action requires cooperative magic for any reasonable chance of success. An individual restored to life regains one card (or Endurance point) and must immediately receive further healing to be restored to normal health. However, the experience of having died lowers a victim's Endurance by 1 point once he returns to world of the living.

In addition to the magical ability to heal, those with access to this sphere are well-versed in mundane means of healing as well, such as herbal remedies and first aid.

The sphere of healing works well with certain other spheres. For example, mystics who also know animism are better able to heal injured animals. The sphere of meditation can temporarily increase the mystic's Spirit score, which should add to his chance for success at a healing spell. Sensitivity allows a healer to view the victim's aura to help determine the extent of an injury. (Narrators might allow mystics who use sensitivity this way to reduce the difficulty of a healing spell by several points.) The sphere of mentalism has some benefit to healers as well, for it may assist them in dealing with psy- chological trauma; this use of mentalism requires a mystic strong enough to handle another person's nightmares.

Healing magic does not combine well with any of the schools of sorcery.

Meditation

Mystics who learn the sphere of meditation are often known for their intellect rather than their physical skills. These individuals can focus their minds to accomplish what others cannot. They are capable of great insights, they can see things that others will likely never notice, or they can persuade others seemingly without effort. Scholars use this sphere to improve their intellectual abilities, as do diplomats to improve their persuasive skills.

The magic of meditation works similarly to that of channeling. Its effect in combat, while not as pronounced as that of channeling, can prove even more critical in certain circumstances. Possibly the only way heroes might have any effect against as powerful a beast as a dragon, for example, is to lower its resistance to sorcery or mysticism by decreasing its Perception or Presence scores. A party might defeat such a grand creature by talking its way out of danger, thanks to the persuasive powers of one hero with an increased Presence score. Or, say a group of Dark Knights is searching for the mystic and his allies. The heroes have no direct way to make themselves invisible (none of them can cast spectramantic spells), but the mystic can use meditation to lower the Dark Knights' Perception scores, thereby making them less likely to detect the party.

As with channeling, each increase or decrease in one of the Mental ability scores requires a separate spell. So, if a mystic wanted to increase his own Perception and improve an ally's Presence, he must cast two different spells. Mystics who complete an impossible action through the use of an action ability enhanced by meditation do not enjoy an automatic bonus of one quest, however.

As with channeling, a meditation spell that a mystic casts on himself has an effect difficulty rating equal to the total of the desired point adjustment. Thus, raising a score by 2 points calls for a 2-point effect difficulty.

However, the scores of others are harder to affect than one's own. Changing one Mental score of another member of the caster's own race adds an extra point to the spell's total difficulty rating (no matter how many targets there are). The Narrator should assign an appropriate effect adjustment for attempts to use meditation on other races; such magic targeted at creatures like Great Dragons almost certainly requires cooperative magic.

A hero opposing the effects of meditation can do so with a Presence (Spirit) action; its difficulty depends on the severity of the intended change.

Meditation can go well with nearly any other sphere of magic. If a mystic alters his shape into that of a hawk to scout out a safe route through enemy territory, for example, he could use meditation to increase his Perception score, thereby improving his chances of spotting signs of trouble. Used in cooperation with sensitivity, meditation lets a mystic more readily discern details of an aura. A necromancer who increases his own Spirit score before engaging in magical combat would be a formidable opponent, indeed.

Other combinations are possible, limited only by the player's imagination. At the very least, using meditation to increase a hero's Spirit score makes mystic spellcasting that much simpler.

Mentalism

Mentalism can be used to communicate telepathically with another, read someone's surface thoughts, or influence another mind. A mystic with this knowledge can gain insights into the plans of an enemy, help a friend overcome a phobia, cause a shadow-wight to seek its next victim elsewhere, or charm a guard into opening a city's main gate on a cold, rainy night. Such magics rarely last very long - a mystic usually needs to charm the guard just long enough so his party can make it through the gate.

Mentalism is a subtle magic. Those untrained in it generally have no idea that they are being affected by it. Therefore, detecting the use of mentalism used against oneself is usually a challenging Perception (Spirit) action. For mystics trained in this sphere, however, this action becomes average.

Mentalism is nearly always directed at another person; rarely would a mystic use this magic on himself. (The caster could use meditation to unlock a memory buried within his own mind, but the sphere of meditation might prove more useful.) However, not all targets of mentalism necessarily seek to resist its effects. For example, using this magic to communicate with a friend telepathically would not likely be resisted, unless the subject was superstitious (likely possessing a Spirit code of no higher than "D") or had something to hide. When a mystic uses mentalism to charm or otherwise influence another, the target always opposes the spell with his Presence score.

Of Ansalon's major mystic groups, only the Knights of Solamnia make little use of mentalism, considering such magic dishonorable. The few mentalists among the Knights use this magic more to communicate with others than to read their thoughts or dominate them.

Not so the Knights of Takhisis. They freely explore mentalism's boundaries to learn new ways to dominate others. They have more than once used cooperative magic to achieve an extended charm over someone they consider important to their ends. They particularly enjoy using mentalism to cause Solamnic Knights or Legionnaires to commit heinous acts for which they feel they must atone. The Dark Knights prefer to destroy their opponents rather than killing them outright, to make an example of them. The Cabal of the True Heart, the inquisitors of the Knights of Takhisis, uses mentalism during the Test of Takhisis to break down the supplicant's mental defenses and to ensure his loyalty. They also engage periodically in "witch hunts" to maintain the purity of devotion their goddess demands of Dark Knights.

The Legion of Steel also makes extensive use of mentalism. Like the Knights of Takhisis, they use it to police their ranks, for the Dark Knights ever seek to bring the Legion to its knees. Any spies they find are killed outright, although some cell leaders prefer to leave them in place, feeding them false information that leads them into a trap.

If Legion elders discover through mentalism that a member uses his affiliation with the Order to enrich himself or win some other selfish advantage, they immediately cut him off from any further communication or support - even if that means withdrawing his cell from the area. Legion mentalists can live the most dangerous lives of any Legionnaires, for often the success of an operation rests on their ability to ferret out information while protecting the cell's anonymity.

The Citadel of Light studies mentalism as much to protect itself and those under its care from harm as for more "academic" reasons. In exploring the limits of the power of the heart. Citadel mystics have found that a combination of mentalism, healing, and sensitivity can reduce the spiritual trauma a person has suffered at the hands of the dragons or other enemies. This method has not yet achieved great success, but it may yet, as the Citadel's understanding of the mind continues to improve. One factor in the slow progress is that only mystics of strong will can hope to survive the mental experience of another's trauma unscathed. Few currently have the skill to attempt such a spiritual healing, but the number is slowly growing.

Mystics with a "B" code in Spirit and access to mentalism are able only to communicate telepathically with and read the mind of another person. They can both send and receive mental messages involving another intelligent mind (Reason score of at least 3). Communicating simple images or emotions requires a spell effect difficulty of only 1 point, while more complex sendings may call for an effect rating of 3 points or more. This use of mentalism can affect even undead creatures with sufficient intellect (a minimum Intellect score of 3 points), although the magics of spiritualism and necromancy are more powerful against such creatures.

Mystics with an "A" Spirit code enjoy other uses of mentalism as well. They can probe deeper into another person's mind, using their magic to erase or alter a memory; extract a memory; charm or dominate; or create a phantasm only that person can see. Such effects require a minimum spell effect difficulty rating of 3 points and remain subject to the intelligence requirements outlined above.

Mentalism combines well with other spheres of mysticism and even a few schools of sorcery. When used with healing magic, it can help treat trauma of the mind or spirit. Mentalism used in conjunction with sensitivity can give a mystic a deeper understanding of another person's psyche. A necromancer or spiritualist might use this sphere to feed off the terror they could inflict on a victim. So too could a mentalist use his power to discover exactly what might terrify someone, then use spectramancy to create a false image of this very thing, which seems more real to the victim because it exists as both an illusion created out of light and air in front of him and as a "real" figment in his mind.

Necromancy

The dark art of necromancy is one of the most powerful mystic spheres, shunned by all but a very few. The Citadel of Light forbids its mystics even to study necromancy, as do the Knights of Solamnia. It is rare among the Legion of Steel, and the few Legionnaire mystics who study the sphere do so to understand a weapon used by their enemies: the Knights of Takhisis. Only Skull Knights make regular use of necromancy, and few of them truly master it.

Necromancy is most commonly used to animate corpses, thus creating skeletons, zombies, or wights. These unintelligent abominations possess no free will of their own. The magic of their creation gives them enough rudimentary intellect to follow their creator's orders, but no more than that. Creating a skeleton or zombie requires at least a spell effect adjustment of 3 points, while creating more advanced forms of corporeal undead, such as ghouls, calls for an effect difficulty of 4 points. Necromancy cannot be used to create spectral undead or creatures of chaos (frost- and shadow-wights and daemon warriors).

The same magic allows a necromancer to sever the bonds that created the undead, rendering them again lifeless corpses, or lets him wrest them from their creator's control. Either of these actions requires a spell effect difficulty rating of 3 or 4 points, depending on the type of undead. The Spirit score of the creator opposes either action, even if he is not present.

In perhaps the most terrifying use of this dark art, necromancy can also wound a person or creature. Only the most reprehensible of persons perform such acts. The aged Skull Knight who leads the Cabal of the True Heart, unable now to wield a sword effectively, uses such magic to open extremely painful wounds on those who dare oppose him. With nothing more than a gesture, he has cut down fully armored aspirants who fail the Test of Takhisis. Victims can resist such spells with their Endurance scores.

Instead of causing actual wounds, necromancy can merely inflict pain. This pain normally causes no permanent damage, so players need pay out no cards for stricken heroes. However, the effects of such a spell can leave victims exhausted and defenseless or cause them to black out. As above, targets use their Endurance to resist.

Tied to the ability to cause pain is the power to sap a creature's energy. This application of necromancy differs from channeling magic in that it does not target a particular ability, like Strength or Endurance, but instead acts like an invisible wound. A hero loses the points of "exhaustion" from his Hand of Fate, just as with a normal wound; a character's energy is drained as points from his Endurance (Physique) total. Instead of healing at the rate of one card/point per week, however, the victim recovers lost energy at the rate of one card/point per day, assuming he has the chance to rest. Players should use the numeric adjustment chart for damage and defense spells (chart Va) to determine the difficulty of this effect. Heroes can resist the attack with a Presence (Spirit) action; the difficulty depends on the severity of the drain.

The necromancer can then transfer the tapped energy to himself, using it to heal his wounds (restore cards to his Hand of Fate) or refresh himself when he feels fatigued. Because this "life leech" method is little more than a perverted form of healing magic, the wounds or fatigue it treats do not reappear after a limited duration (the necromancer may be wounded anew, however). Absorbing the drained energy calls for an effect adjustment of 1 point for each point of energy to be absorbed. Energy cannot be stored, so surplus points go to waste.

Necromancers with a "B" code in Spirit can use this sphere only to create and destroy mindless undead. The full scope of necromancy is available only to those who have mastered its intricacies; using it to wound or acting as a "life leech" requires an "A" Spirit code.

Meditation magic can enhance necromantic efforts by lowering the spell resistance (Presence score) of a target creature. Necromancers also seek a connection between animism and their favored sphere in hopes of improving their ability to tap sources of life energy to power their dark magic. Some necromancers, believing the spirit world a powerful source of magic, also study spiritualism in hopes of finding a way to tap this energy.

Whispers arise from Sable's realm of a necromancer who created a zombie that burst into flame whenever it entered combat at its master's bidding. The fire did not damage the zombie until the creature fell in combat, whereupon the flames consumed it. Another tale from the New Sea suggests that one young girl there can derive magical energy from the sea itself - perhaps a connection between the magic of hydromancy and necromancy.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is the sphere hardest for practitioners of the mystical arts to define. It encompasses a mystic's perception of others' auras, his awareness of his surroundings, and - among some - even the ability to perceive in an individual the movement of time. These skills manifest themselves differently from mystic to mystic.

- A prodigy at the Citadel of Light knows more than an hour in advance when someone is coming to see Goldmoon. This adept can even identify some visitors - those she has met on a prior occasion.
- A particularly brutal and efficient independent tracker for the Knights of Takhisis follows his prey by the trail their aura leaves on their surroundings. To date, no one has ever managed to gain the advantage of surprise against him.
- Some mystics believe that the arch-mage Raistlin Majere may have possessed some latent ability in this sphere of magic. Others scoff at the idea, arguing that his ability to perceive the effects of passing time through his hourglass eyes was a gift of the gods of magic.

Most magical actions using mysticism are opposed by the Presence of the targeted individual. However, characters and heroes oppose sensitivity magic instead with their Spirit score; those with a high Spirit score, even if untrained in mysticism, are calmer and more "in control" of themselves than those with a low score.

Mystics who have studied the sphere of sensitivity may, with the Narrator's permission, wield a unique power: They can allocate 9 mysticism points each day to maintain a heightened awareness of their surroundings. This awareness is not intrusive-it is more like a "sixth sense," giving them a moment's warning before an attack or alerting them to someone watching them. This ability is only a "feeling," intended more for its story possibilities than for any advantage it gives a mystic. It does not reveal the exact nature or location of a threat - only that it exists.

Furthermore, heightened sensitivity is not infallible. Instead of the player using a card from his hand to determine success or failure, the Narrator draws a card at random to generate the action score any time he feels something might have triggered the hero's sixth sense. The required action score varies with the situation, though detecting a threat shouldn't be easier than an average Spirit (Spirit) action (resisted by the opponent with the highest Spirit score). The Narrator might also determine the success of the "trigger" using an aura-based random draw:

- White aura: The mystic gains reasonably reliable information about the threat. For instance, he might know that an observer lurks nearby, rather than watches him magically.
- Red aura: Something triggers the mystic's sixth sense, but he has no idea what to expect. He would not know whether his foe was nearby.
- Black aura: The mystic remains unaware of the threat.

Narrators may draw cards as needed during play, or draw a couple before the game session begins and record their values and auras, so as not to alert players that something might be amiss.

A mystic also can use his knowledge of sensitivity to observe the unique aura of another individual. He can identify others by aura, even if they have disguised their physical form. The mystic first must cast a spell to see the aura (normal spell effect adjustment of 2 points), then attempt a challenging Perception (Spirit) action to perceive details of the aura. If the mystic thinks he has seen the aura before, he can identify the individual with a challenging Reason action.

Even the walking dead (skeletons and zombies) have enough of a motive spark for a mystic to determine their nature. He likely would feel a sense of pervasive cold or emptiness when perceiving the aura of a zombie, for example. However, the undead nature of such a creature often appears obvious with just a cursory visual inspection.

A mystic who understands sensitivity can use his magic to alter his aura, too. The difficulty of such an alteration depends on the extent of the intended changes, but it's usually quite a difficult spell (minimum of 2 points of effect difficulty for even a small change). An aura alteration becomes even more difficult when a mystic tries to cast it upon someone else; the aura represents one's basic nature and resists being changed by another. Therefore, the mystic must add an extra point of difficulty to the spell intended for another. To resist such magic, heroes can attempt Spirit (Spirit) actions of varying difficulty based on the severity of the change.

Finally, those skilled in sensitivity can actually use their magic to perceive the passage of time in an individual. Unlike Raistlin's ability to involuntarily witness life turning to death all around him, however, heroes can control and direct this power. For example, upon the birth of a child, a midwife or seer might foretell a facet of the child's destiny by reading his future aura. This type of spell requires a temporal area of effect (using spell chart IVc, normally reserved for divination spells). This power lets Narrators create some colorful characters, such as a crone who foretells the death of a hero or an oracle who offers glimpses of Fate.

Sensitivity can combine with nearly any other sphere or school of magic. Even such a seemingly odd combination as sensitivity and summoning has been reported to the Citadel of Light. A woman who runs an orphanage in Caergoth keeps tabs on her charges through extending her aura perception outward. Connected to her perception is a small ring of light, which grows rapidly into a magical gate back to her location. If, in her searches, she discovers one of her charges in trouble, she whisks him away to safety. She has also rescued several cats, mice, dogs, Legionnaires, wayward Knights, and other harmless creatures.

The dwarves of Ansalon, who consider Krynn itself to be a great living creature, use the sphere of sensitivity to attempt to understand what the earth is trying to tell them. Their success in this magic has led to much speculation: Might not other elements also be viewed as "alive?" Thus far, elemental-sensitivity experiments have produced no results, but scholars continue in their attempts to determine the basic nature of the world around them.

Spiritualism

The sphere of spiritualism is considered by some to be one of the "dark arts." Many of its practitioners number among the Knights of the Skull, while others are independent dark mystics in league with the creatures of chaos spawned in the Chaos War. But spiritualism is also the magic most often practiced by the barbarians of Ansalon, for it is through this sphere that they speak with the spirits of their ancestors. Like most magic, spiritualism is a tool that individuals can use to their own ends, Evil or Good.

A spiritualist can contact and communicate with the spirits of the dead. Barbarian shamans use this magic to seek advice from the shades of their ancestors. Spiritualism remains fairly rare even among barbarian tribes, however - those with the talent often find themselves ostracized by the rest of their tribe. Most natural spiritualists are marked at an early age and taken to live with the tribal shaman for training in the ways of the spirit. Young barbarians do not always covet the ability to speak with spirits, however, despite the respect a shaman generally enjoys within the tribe, for this role ostracizes them somewhat from the rest of the tribe - people fear the shamans even as they respect them.

Barbarian shamans generally do not encounter great hostility from the spirits of their ancestors, for calling upon their aid in times of need is a long accepted part of their culture. There are exceptions, however. A shaman who calls upon the spirit of a great and terrible warrior must show the spirit great respect or risk angering it enough to make it turn against him.

Others also learn to communicate with spirits of the deceased, for these spectres often possess many secrets. Calling upon a spirit is a dangerous undertaking, though, for spirits at rest do not like to be disturbed, and restless spirits are capable of great Evil. Contacting a spirit generally requires a spell with an effect difficulty of 2 points; the spirit normally resists the spell with its Presence score.

Spiritualists also can call the shades of the dead (spirits' noncorporeal forms) directly back into the world. Such a spell requires an effect adjustment of 4 and normally involves opposition from the spirit's Presence score. Understandably, a spell to recall a spirit's form into the material world proves more dangerous than one that merely makes contact. Should a called spirit slip the mystic's bonds of control (in the event of a mishap in the spell-casting action), it remains in the world, wreaking havoc where it may. The mystic may die upon losing a battle of wills with the spirit - he must succeed at a daunting Spirit (Presence) action to survive. Of course, when a mystic dies this way, the secret of calling the spirit dies with him.

Spiritualism also allows one to create spectral undead: banshees, ghosts, spectres, wraiths, death knights, and shadows. This sphere cannot be used to create corporeal undead or creatures of chaos (frost- and shadow-wights and daemon warriors).

Some mystics learn spiritualism to specialize in banishments and exorcisms. A single powerful malevolent spirit loose in a village can destroy the entire community. These spiritualists serve to rid the world of these troublesome creatures and put them to rest. The spiritualists of the Citadel of Light, as well as a few Sword and Rose Knights, practice this sort of spiritualism almost exclusively.

The Legion of Steel is more open in its approach to this sphere, but its senior mystics keep in mind the Citadel's warnings against delving too deeply into the world of the spirit. To exorcise or banish a spirit requires a minimum spell effect difficulty of 3 points if the banisher knows the spirit's name, and a minimum of 4 points if he does not know its name. In either case, the spirit resists the spell with its Presence score.

Spiritualism combines well with mentalism, allowing the mystic to more forcefully compel the spirit's cooperation. Sensitivity also helps spiritualists a great deal, for it offers insights into a spirit's nature as well as alerting the mystic to the presence of spectral undead in his vicinity.

Some independent dark mystics reportedly can combine spiritualism with necromancy to call and control creatures of chaos, neither corporeal nor spectral. However, Skull Knights have not been able to reproduce this effect. Scholars guess that certain mystics can use their magic to tap directly into the Chaos permeating Krynn from the time of its creation to acquire this power.

Mystics who prefer to bring spirits to them rather than seeking them out can unite this sphere with the school of summoning. A particularly Evil mystic who combined spiritualism with divination in an attempt to explore the spirit world was visited by three powerful ghosts and shown his own future. The experience drove him hopelessly insane.

Mystical Combinations

The previous section introduced the idea of combining two or more spheres or schools of magic to achieve a particular arcane effect. It is not surprising that spellcasters just recently unlocked the secrets to these combination spells, for only lately have they begun to acknowledge that the magic of Krynn in the Fifth Age stems from a single divine source.

The main distinction between the various spheres of mysticism was in the minds of the mystics, they learned. More surprising still are the discoveries of similarities between sorcery and mysticism. Until very recently, these magics were thought to be two distinct forms of magic, with two distinct sources of power. Mastery of sorcery relied upon the user's intellect, while mysticism derived from the wielder's emotional and spiritual strength.

Lately, however, those able to manipulate both magics have come upon crossovers. Much of this discovery has come from mystics - perhaps because they have been studying the nature of the new magic longer than sorcerers have.

As students of sorcery and mysticism grow more comfortable with the commonalities between the various magical specialties, multi-sphere and hybrid spells doubtless will become more popular. (Details on multi-school sorcerous spells appear in the Heroes of Sorcery dramatic supplement.)

Multi-Sphere Spells

A mystic with a Spirit code of "A" can cast one spell which draws from his knowledge of two or three spheres of magic. Casting such a multi-sphere spell works in exactly the same way as casting a single-sphere spell: After determining the spell's desired effects and figuring its difficulty rating (adding in any relevant opposition), the player selects a card for the spell action.

The key concept to remember with regard to multi-sphere spells is that all mystics contributing to the casting must be familiar with all the involved spheres (though assistants need not). A combined spellcasting action (see sidebar) will fail unless every mystic participant is trained in all the relevant spheres.

As with multi-school sorcerous spells, each multi-sphere spell counts as one spell per involved sphere, for the purposes of determining how many spells the hero is maintaining at once. In other words, if a mystic has cast a spell using both animism and alteration, he technically is maintaining two spells for its entire duration.

Hybrid Spells

Mystics who also study at the Academy of Sorcery have found they can combine certain schools of sorcery with mystic spheres to create a hybrid magical effect. These effects are not clearly understood by the Academy students, but they seem limited generally to the "utility magic" schools: enchantment, divination, summoning, and transmutation.

For example, although summoning is usually used only for teleportation magic, some mystics have combined it with animism to summon one or more animals; the power of the animism magic makes these creatures inclined to look favorably upon the summoner.

Another interesting use of sorcery with mysticism involves a shapeshifter who found it rather embarrassing that his clothing did not change with his form when he used his magic. Combining transmutation with alteration allowed him to alter his apparel when he altered his shape - his clothes became other types of clothing when he altered his form to that of another humanoid being or melded into the fur or feathers of a wolf or hawk, his two preferred forms. This discovery allowed the modest shapeshifter to bring his clothes with him on his travels. The only drawback is that the transmuted fur or feathers tended to take on the tint of his clothing, so the mystic learned to wear earth-toned clothes.

Some wielders of the new magic have discovered a natural connection between the school of divination and the sphere of sensitivity. Either, when used individually, could determine whether a subject is under the influence of a spell. A sorcerer examines the actual magic but cannot determine how it has affected the individual. The mystic, by targeting the subject's aura, can detect whether it has been altered, but cannot determine the exact nature of the magic used. But a spellcaster who understands both divination and sensitivity gains a clearer understanding of the "big picture," making him better able to counter the influence. In such a case, the Narrator might give a bonus to the hero's attempt to override the magic - offering a +1 action bonus, reducing the difficulty of the task by one degree, or giving the hero a trump bonus for the action. These bonuses vary depending on what the hero actually attempts.

Casting Hybrid Spells

For now, as sorcerers and mystics struggle to understand the new magic, only a few schools and spheres seem to combine well. The schools of divination, enchantment, summoning, and transmutation, also known as "utility magic" schools, are most easily combined with various aspects of mysticism. This is not to say that other schools cannot combine, at least theoretically. Rather, no one has yet successfully managed to effect such a hybrid. And even utility magic schools do not combine well with every sphere of mysticism. It is hard to see much use for using divination and channeling, for example, to produce a combination effect.

The Narrator may allow whatever hybrid effect he deems reasonable - he may even encourage players to come up with imaginative spell combinations. He should keep in mind a couple observations, however. First, because the folk of Ansalon have discovered the basic secrets of sorcery only recently (and mysticism itself is not much older), most highly complex combinations of sorcery and mysticism are not yet possible. Second, attempting new combinations can be dangerous, presenting significant risk of some uncontrollable magical effect or worse.

A spellcaster's success when combining magical effects depends upon his understanding of sorcery and mysticism. A hero with only a "B" code in both Reason and Spirit cannot accomplish even the most rudimentary hybrid effects, for he does not possess a strong enough understanding of magic. Heroes with at least "B" code in one relevant ability and an "A" in the other may try to cast a hybrid spell, but any such attempt is based upon the lower score. (A sorcerer-mystic with 6A in Reason and 8B in Spirit must use his Reason score as the base for the spell action.) Only casters with an "A" code in both Reason and Spirit can use the higher of the two scores for the task base.

The hero always divides the spell-point cost of hybrid castings evenly between the two pools (sorcery and mysticism points), rounding up when necessary. If a caster does not have enough points in one pool to pay for the required portion of the spell effect, the attempt fails.

It is always harder to cast hybrid spells than to create "simple" sorcerous or mystical effects. The Narrator should represent this increased difficulty by imposing a minimum -2 penalty on the spell action score. For example, altering one's shape to that of another mammal might have a total spell difficulty of 9 points. Shaping one's clothing into fur with transmutation magic in the same spell makes the difficulty at least 11 points - 12 or 13 points for a flawless color blend.

Narrators should feel free to assign even higher action penalties if they feel a hybrid spell warrants it. A spell could be difficult enough to require the assistance of others grounded in the same magical knowledge. In other words, all participants in the combined spell action must possess all the spheres and schools relevant to the spell.


Mystic Applications of New Magic Rules

This sidebar summarizes the mystical uses of the optional spellcasting concepts introduced in Heroes of Sorcery.

Spirit Codes

A few guidelines can help players determine what the various Spirit codes mean to a mystic hero. Of course, there are always exceptions: A hero with a code of "A" may, in fact, have no background in mysticism whatsoever. Instead, his advanced code might reflect more traditional religious training.

- "A" code: The hero has studied mysticism extensively, understands both its theory and practice, and can cast and teach magic from three spheres.
- "B" code: The hero can cast spells related to one sphere, perhaps due to innate talent, and might also be able to offer instruction in this sphere.
- "C" code: The hero understands the principles of mysticism but can cast no spells. This code can mark a student or one with mystic potential.
- "D" code: The hero has seen mystic magic performed - maybe on him! Although he sees this magic as a fact of life, he does not grasp how it works.
- "X" code: The hero has heard of mys- ticism but has never seen or experienced it. This magic may either frighten or impress him.

Spellcasting Difficulty

Factors besides opposition from a resisting subject can make a spell harder to cast than its difficulty point total might suggest. These factors - distractions, stress, or anything that might disturb a mystic's concentration - may add points to the spell's difficulty point total. They do not increase the number of mysticism points needed to cast the spell. (The spell's energy cost remains the same, it's just harder to cast it right.) The Narrator can assign proper action penalties for less-than-perfect casting conditions.

Casting New Spells

The first time a mystic casts a new spell is always the hardest. Therefore, Narrators should assess a -5 penalty to the hero's spell action score on his first attempt to create a particular spell effect. (This penalty does not affect the required spell point total.) The penalty would not apply to spell effects the hero commonly uses or to minor adjustments to a spell he has cast before (Narrator's judgment).

The hero can work to offset this "first spell" penalty in a number of ways:

- Research: Reading notes relevant to the spell's effect offers a +1 action bonus for a week of such research (maximum of+4 total for one spell).
- Personal advice: Talking with a mystic who has cast such a spell gives a caster a +1 bonus for each day of consultation (maximum of +2 total).
- Skilled assistants: Each mystic with an "A" Spirit code and knowledge of the relevant sphere adds a +2 bonus. A "B" mystic with the proper sphere or an "A" mystic without it adds a +1 bonus (maximum of+4 total).
- Unskilled assistants: The aid of two individuals with Spirit codes of'C" or four with codes of"D" offers a mystic a +1 bonus (maximum of +2 total). However, each aide with an "X" code exerts a -1 action penalty to the spell.
- Extended invocation: Four hours of spell invocation (rather than the normal thirty-minute maximum) gives the mystic a +2 action bonus. Eight hours of invocation allows the player, in addition, to use either the top card of the Fate Deck or one from his hand for the spell action, discarding the unused card. Twelve hours of invocation gains the mystic the aforementioned perk plus an automatic trump bonus for the spell action. A mishap at an extended invocation spell costs the mystic double the number of mysticism points normally required. (If he doesn't have enough, he must give up additional points as he earns them.)

Extraordinary Spell Parameters

Mystics may want to cast spells that surpass the parameters of the spell design charts in Chapter Five of the Book of the Fifth Age. In such extraordinary circumstances (say, casting a spell affecting more than twenty-five people), the Narrator can assign higher than the maximum difficulty rating of 5 points for the relevant component (area of effect, etc.). He could also just assign the maximum 5-point rating, then assess a penalty to the spell action. Of course, this flexibility should not let heroes succeed at impossible spells, such as one to bring back the gods.

Group Castings

Mystics working together can accomplish feats no one could reproduce on his own. Heroes pooling their mystic efforts in a combined casting each must have access to the relevant sphere and pay the spell's full mysticism point total.

After figuring the spell's difficulty and adding in relevant opposition values, the hero with the highest Spirit score plays a card for the spell action, adding all the mystics' Spirit scores to his base action score to get the final action score. No one involved can attempt other actions during the spell's invocation. Should any caster drop out, the spell fails. The consequences of a mishap or spell disruption affect the entire group as the Narrator decrees.

A mystic can use even nonmystics to help him cast a powerful coordinated spell. After figuring the spell's difficulty rating (including opposition), the hero must succeed at an average Presence action to coordinate his assistants. His Presence code determines how many people he can coordinate: An "A" code allows ten helpers, a "B" allows five, "C" permits two, and a "D" allows one. (Those with a Presence code of "X" cannot coordinate spell actions.) Then the hero casts the spell, adding one-half of each contributor's Spirit score to his own to produce the action score (round fractions down).

The mysticism points for the spell can come from the caster, the assistants, or both - nonmystics have spell points just like mystics, but they cannot access this energy on their own - as long as the caster pays at least 1 spell point. Those involved can attempt no other action during the invocation. Should a participant drop out, the mystic must make a challenging Presence action to continue. The consequences of a mishap or spell disruption affect the caster only. However, me participants must pay double the number of spell points they had offered and will remain disoriented for ten minutes less one minute for each point of Endurance they have.

Magic Batteries and Reservoirs

Like sorcerers, mystics can draw spell points from "magical batteries": items of magic that have mystic effects, such as rings of healing. How many total points an item has to offer depends on its nature:

- Item of distinction: 10-20 points
- Item of renown: 20-40 points
- Item of fame: 30-60 points
- Item of glory: 50-100 points
- Item of legend: 100+ points

An item can regain 1 point per week. After losing more than one quarter of its points, however, it no longer functions as intended until it regains them.

Mystic sites - such as the celestial ladders - can act as magical reservoirs for those with the power of the heart. The Narrator determines the number of mysticism points a hero can draw from a locale based on the nature of the site and the hero. For instance, the Silver Stair would offer points to mystics pure of heart, but those of questionable or Evil intent have little luck. When in doubt as to whether a site offers a hero spell points, the Narrator can attempt an aura-based random draw. On a favorable result of white, the hero may receive the number of points indicated by the card's value, while a neutral red result might offer only half the card's value, and a black card none at all.


Kagonesti Elves as a Hero Race

The Book of the Fifth Age describes elves as one of the races appropriate for players to choose for their heroes. The description in that book, however, applies more to Krynn's two common races of elves - the Silvanesti and the Qualinesti - than to the race of wild Kagonesti elves. For countless centuries, the reclusive Kagonesti have followed traditions that differ greatly from their more "civilized" kin.

Like those of their cousins, the legends of the Kagonesti claim that elves are the "firstborn" of Krynn. However, the wild elves believe that only they have remained true to their heritage. Other elves, whom they refer to as "the fallen ones," have adapted their ways to races born after the elves. With this change, the Kagonesti claim, the Silvanesti and Qualinesti have distanced themselves from the profound connection with the natural world the gods gave elves during the Age of Starbirth.

The Kagonesti, or Wilder elves, maintain that connection, despite the tumultuous events of Krynn's history. Through the Dragon Wars and the rise and fall of Takhisis, the Cataclysm brought on by the hubris of the Kingpriest, the departure of the gods, the Chaos War and Second Cataclysm, the Kagonesti have remained true to their ancient traditions. This heritage calls them to maintain a balance between mortals and the natural world and to protect the wilds. The Kagonesti believe that, should they ever give up their traditional ways in favor of a more urban lifestyle, they will disappear forever, becoming nothing more than a footnote in history.

The Kagonesti, like other elves, are a handsome people, yet they hide their faces beneath layers of tattoos and painted symbols that make them look more fierce and intimidating than handsome. Unperceptive outsiders label them savages; other elves, the Silvanesti in particular, do nothing to eliminate this stereotype. Wild elves are darker than the other elven races. Their brown skin helps them blend in with their dark forest. Their hair also tends toward dark shades, although some Kagonesti have honey-brown hair. Silver hair is normally a sign of age, but some rare young Kagonesti also have silver hair, considered a mark of distinction. Some young elves believe the silver-haired among them enjoy a mysterious connection with the great silver dragons. Tribal elders consider these ideas nothing more than a romantic reaction to the legend of Silvara, the Kagonesti who was really the silver dragon D'Argent (sister to the legendary Heart, the beloved of Huma).

The Kagonesti prefer the company of their own kind and keep their distance from members of the other two races of elves. During the War of the Lance, Silvanesti and Qualinesti refugees fled to Southern Ergoth, where they created realms-in-exile after their lands were ravaged by the dragonarmies. The wild elves' experience with these intruders was not friendly. In fact, the newcomers used the members of some tribes as slaves, considering the wild elves an unclean and inferior race. Tensions rose when the Kagonesti, who had already left some of their lands, could retreat no farther, and occasional hostilities broke out along the borders. Open warfare was averted when the leaders of the peoples enacted a truce following the war.

Role-Playing

The Kagonesti have a very different view toward the natural world than their "fallen" cousins. The Silvanesti in particular, and the Qualinesti to a lesser extent, believe that the world may be shaped by those with the skill to do so. They use this ability to turn their surroundings into a great marvelous garden of stunning beauty.

Rather than reshaping the natural world, the Kagonesti believe they must tend and protect it. This is not to say that they will not plant a thorny hedge as a barrier against enemies or construct a maze of living plants to redirect a foe away from their homes. The key difference lies in the Silvanesti attitude that nature must be reshaped to reach the greatest heights of beauty. The Kagonesti see nature as wondrous by itself, requiring no improvements - only protection from the disasters spawned by careless or abusive people.

The Silvanesti and Qualinesti have become soft and lazy in their forest cities, according to their wild cousins. The trappings of civilization, which these elves view as progress, the Kagonesti see as misguided arrogance.

The Kagonesti, as proud as the Silvanesti, are a fierce, passionate people. Toward those of other races, they seem aloof and difficult to know, but less haughty than their eastern kin.

Requirements

Like others of their race, wild elves are a lithe, graceful people. To represent this quality, a Kagonesti hero must possess at least a 6 in both Agility and Dexterity. They are adept with bows, requiring of them at least a "B" code in Dexterity. They prefer light shields, which limits them to a "D" Agility code.

Kagonesti are stronger and tougher than other elves, so they have no maximum scores in Strength or Endurance. Their skill at wielding melee weapons is not as well developed as other elves', however; they may have no higher than a "B" code in Strength. In addition, wild elves never wear metal armor, even after they have adventured outside of their traditional lands, for they find such equipment too noisy and restricting. This attitude, therefore, limits them to an Endurance code of no higher than "D." This code may not increase regardless of the hero's adventuring experience.

Although not an overly intellectual people, the Kagonesti are as perceptive as kender. Wild elf heroes must possess a score of at least 6 and a code of at least "B" in Perception. They are limited, however, to a score of 7 in Reason. Kagonesti are also a deeply spiritual people; a hero of this race must have at least a score of 5 and a code of "D" in Spirit. Finally, these folk share the handsome looks of their cousins of the other elven races. A Kagonesti hero must have a Presence score of at least 6.

Players may lower any scores and codes voluntarily to allow their heroes to meet these requirements. However, lowering certain scores or codes does not permit players to raise others.

Advantages

Kagonesti are masters of the bow. Their ability to provide food for their people and to maintain their independence from their enemies depends upon their skill with this weapon. As a result, instead of the trump bonus offered to the other elven races for swordsmanship, Kagonesti gain this advantage whenever they use a bow in combat. This benefit applies only for straight or recurved bows (the self bow, horse bow, long bow, and great bow from Appendix Two: Arms and Armor in the Book of the Fifth Age). Kagonesti never use crossbows or other such mechanical weapons, as they do not possess the skill to make them.

Furthermore, all Kagonesti heroes of Adventurer reputation or better can, in their own lands, enchant their arrows to inflict greater damage. This traditional ability can be used once per day for every card the hero's player normally holds; for example, an archer with a reputation of Champion may enchant five such arrows per day, as he can hold five cards in his Hand of Fate. These shafts act as magical arrows of renown, granting a +4 bonus to attacks and to the damage they inflict. Regardless of whether an arrow hits its target, it loses its magical bonus once it has been fired by the archer who created it. The arrow also loses its bonus if not used the day it was created, but it can be enchanted anew some later day. As this ability depends upon the hero's connection to his homeland, a Kagonesti elf cannot perform these enchantments outside his ancestral home - generally the forests of Southern Ergoth, though wild elves do live elsewhere as well. The elf need not be a sorcerer to use this ability, though a Kagonesti sorcerer who knows enchantment magic can exceed the above limits.

Kagonesti enjoy an automatic trump bonus when attempting Perception actions in a forest. They also gain this bonus when they attempt to move quietly or remain unseen in a forest. Stories related by those who have met Wilder elves suggest that they can appear literally out of nowhere and disappear with equal ease. Most who know them claim that, in a forest setting, the Kagonesti are formidable foes indeed.

Disadvantages

The Kagonesti do not like to use forged metal weapons or armor. Some wild elves, in their travels and adventures in ihe outside world, have learned to use metal weapons, but only those very rare Kagonesti who have forsaken their traditional ways can feel comfortable wearing metal armor. For game purposes, Kagonesti may not use weapons or armor Grafted of metal. Their weapons must come from natural materials such as wood and stone.

Because the insular Kagonesti are considered savages by most, they never gain a trump bonus for a Presence action when dealing with members of other races (except when opposing mystic magic). In addition, they receive a -3 action penalty to such actions when interacting with the Silvanesti and a -2 penalty if dealing with the Qualinesti.

In previous ages, the Kagonesti never mastered High Sorcery. In the Fifth Age, their understanding of the new sorcery is limited, too, for these folk understand magic as tied to the elements. Most are limited to studying aeromancy, geomancy, hydromancy, and pyromancy. Some can learn the schools of divination, enchantment, and summoning, but the more unusual schools of cryomancy, electromancy, spectramancy, and transmutation are not within the ken of the Kagonesti.

Likewise, the Kagonesti have little or no knowledge of certain spheres of mysticism. They are most adept with animism, alteration, healing, and sensitivity. Some wild elves show skill with mentalism, others with channeling or meditation. However, these elves consider necromancy an abomination and spiritualism almost as bad, believing it wrong to disturb a spirit that has returned to the world or to recall one from its rest.

Half-Kagonesti

Like other half-elves, half-Kagonesti possess some attributes of their elf parent and some of their human one. To begin with, they must meet three of the six Kagonesti score requirements, as well as one code minimum and one code maximum (player's choice).

The hero's advantages and disadvantages depend on how long he lived with the Kagonesti. Those raised as wild elves who continue to follow their ways should receive this race's trump bonuses (but not its arrow enchantment power) as well as its armor, weapon, and magic restrictions. The Narrator should work with the player of a half-Kagonesti to decide exactly which benefits and drawbacks fit the hero's background and his chosen score and code requirements.

Due to their half-breed status, half-Kagonesti never receive a trump bonus for Presence actions that involve elves.

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