Hârnic Wizards
Magic comes in many forms, divine miracles, the magic runes, inborn spell-casting, demonic teachings, psionics, to name a few.
Human Wizards generally belong to the Shek-Pvar, a collection of six magical societies called the convocations, each specializing in specific magical principles based around Air, Fire, Metal, Earth, Water, and Spirit. This is a very loose affiliation binding all wizards.
Convocation/Element/Metaphysical Principles
Fyvria/earth/Life, death, growth, decay
Jmôrvi /metal/Metals, mineral, artifice, craft
Peleahn/fire/heat, movement, activity, dryness
Lyahvi/air/sight, scent, sound, intangibility
Savorya/spirit/thought, emotion, meaning, will, knowledge
Odivshe/water/cold, dark, moisture
Mechanically the convocations principles are not tied to magical schools. A wizard of the Peleahn convocations may well be an Evoker creating Fireballs, a Conjurer summoning Fire Elementals, or a Transmuter boiling water with a spell.
An apprentice wizard learns magical principles, gestures, and words which are expressed in a complex series of symbols which are recorded into spellbooks. These are common symbols sets all wizards memorize at the start of their careers. However, each convocation also used its own symbols set to express more advanced higher-level information. Additionally, individual Wizards develop their own shorthand or symbols with experience. By the time a wizard becomes a Shenava (master), he may have created his own personalized symbol set. Therefore, the magical instructions to memorize/prepare a Lightning bolt spell will vary from Wizard to Wizard. To make things more complex, an individual wizard may well have replicated the Lighting Bolt using slightly different magical principles again, often based on their convocation. Therefore a wizard cannot use another’s spellbook, and they have to spend time decoding the spell and translating it into their own symbol set. Spell Translation check (Arcana) DC = 5 + convocations modifier* + Spell level + 1/2 Inscribers Caster level *Convocations modifier
-4 if the writer is the same convocations
+4 if the writer is an opposed convocations Fyvia vs. Savorya, Odivshe vs. Peleahn, Lyahvi vs. Jmorvi
Time taken for the translation is one day regardless of spell level, and if unsuccessful, the check can be made after reaching the next wizard level. The cost of translation is 50sp per spell level, no cost for a fail except time. If Wizard has successfully translated ten spell levels of another Wizards spellbook, any future check is made at an advantage due to a better understanding of the writer’s codes.
Sometimes wizards are especially secretive and deliberately trying to obscure any translation. They can create their own code, symbol set, and even magical grammar.
Simple Code +5 to translation DC (takes 30 days to create)
Complex Code +10 to translation DC (takes 100 days to create)
Wizards seldom share spells, they are a secretive lot, and it is frowned upon, especially sharing with a wizard of lower ranking. Knowledge must be gained through study, practice, and experimentation.
Magical archives do have magic treatise and spellbook containing multiple versions of most low-level spells. However, these are stored in the restricted archives, only those of Shenava (master) rank or higher may access. A journeyman Wizard is expected to prove himself developing his own spells, and the Wizard Guild unrestricted archive can be used for such research.
Elves are experts of magic and have been for tens of thousands of years. They have developed their own symbol set similar to a mix of Fyvria and Savorya. When transcribing spells apply a convocations modifier of -4 between human and Elven magic.
Dwarves are not overly magic incline, but they use the Jmôrvi symbol set when they do study magic. The Jmôrvi symbols may be of Dwarven origin.
Human Wizards generally belong to the Shek-Pvar, a collection of six magical societies called the convocations, each specializing in specific magical principles based around Air, Fire, Metal, Earth, Water, and Spirit. This is a very loose affiliation binding all wizards.
Convocation/Element/Metaphysical Principles
Fyvria/earth/Life, death, growth, decay
Jmôrvi /metal/Metals, mineral, artifice, craft
Peleahn/fire/heat, movement, activity, dryness
Lyahvi/air/sight, scent, sound, intangibility
Savorya/spirit/thought, emotion, meaning, will, knowledge
Odivshe/water/cold, dark, moisture
Mechanically the convocations principles are not tied to magical schools. A wizard of the Peleahn convocations may well be an Evoker creating Fireballs, a Conjurer summoning Fire Elementals, or a Transmuter boiling water with a spell.
An apprentice wizard learns magical principles, gestures, and words which are expressed in a complex series of symbols which are recorded into spellbooks. These are common symbols sets all wizards memorize at the start of their careers. However, each convocation also used its own symbols set to express more advanced higher-level information. Additionally, individual Wizards develop their own shorthand or symbols with experience. By the time a wizard becomes a Shenava (master), he may have created his own personalized symbol set. Therefore, the magical instructions to memorize/prepare a Lightning bolt spell will vary from Wizard to Wizard. To make things more complex, an individual wizard may well have replicated the Lighting Bolt using slightly different magical principles again, often based on their convocation. Therefore a wizard cannot use another’s spellbook, and they have to spend time decoding the spell and translating it into their own symbol set. Spell Translation check (Arcana) DC = 5 + convocations modifier* + Spell level + 1/2 Inscribers Caster level *Convocations modifier
-4 if the writer is the same convocations
+4 if the writer is an opposed convocations Fyvia vs. Savorya, Odivshe vs. Peleahn, Lyahvi vs. Jmorvi
Time taken for the translation is one day regardless of spell level, and if unsuccessful, the check can be made after reaching the next wizard level. The cost of translation is 50sp per spell level, no cost for a fail except time. If Wizard has successfully translated ten spell levels of another Wizards spellbook, any future check is made at an advantage due to a better understanding of the writer’s codes.
Sometimes wizards are especially secretive and deliberately trying to obscure any translation. They can create their own code, symbol set, and even magical grammar.
Simple Code +5 to translation DC (takes 30 days to create)
Complex Code +10 to translation DC (takes 100 days to create)
Random notes
Wizards Cantrips are spells using basic principles of magic; they cannot be added to a spellbook. Arcane Tricksters and Eldritch Knights spell work on similar principles.Wizards seldom share spells, they are a secretive lot, and it is frowned upon, especially sharing with a wizard of lower ranking. Knowledge must be gained through study, practice, and experimentation.
Magical archives do have magic treatise and spellbook containing multiple versions of most low-level spells. However, these are stored in the restricted archives, only those of Shenava (master) rank or higher may access. A journeyman Wizard is expected to prove himself developing his own spells, and the Wizard Guild unrestricted archive can be used for such research.
Elves are experts of magic and have been for tens of thousands of years. They have developed their own symbol set similar to a mix of Fyvria and Savorya. When transcribing spells apply a convocations modifier of -4 between human and Elven magic.
Dwarves are not overly magic incline, but they use the Jmôrvi symbol set when they do study magic. The Jmôrvi symbols may be of Dwarven origin.
Guild of Arcane Lore
Arcane lore by Attacus
Convocations
Peleahn
by Columbia Games
Odivshe
by Columbia Games
Attacus, This is a really good article,i enjoyed reading it.I especially liked the convocations. I agree Dwarves just had to be Jmôrvi /metal/Metals, mineral, artifice, craft. I also agree that Elves should be Fyvria/earth/Life, death, growth, decay and Savorya/spirit/thought, emotion, meaning, will, knowledge. Aemon
Thanks Aemon, going into depth with the convocations and the politics around them is something I would like to explore in a future campaign. I am also planning to introduce some magic items which influence magic of convocations rather than a school which I hope will add some flavour to the campaign. And once again I am overwhelmed by your favourites, very much appreciated.
Your welcome Attacus.I look forward to reading your next session report. Aemon