Stuffed Crocodile on Nostr: [Glimmermark] Learning Magic in the Glimmermark Learning Magic in the Glimmermark ...
[Glimmermark] Learning Magic in the Glimmermark
Learning Magic in the Glimmermark
When I started to plan for the Glimmermark one of my main ideas was to make it even more Vancian, instead of getting rid of the Vancianess like many people would prefer to. Magic needs to be rare, mystical, and hard to get. Magic effects need to be dangerous and closely guarded. Magic is something that you can work for yourself, but you also need to put the work in.
Sidenote no. 1: the draft of my house rules is also using the Cleric who gains (limited) spells from the gods, and an OSRified warlock class that gains an even more limited amount of powers directly from a patron. The magic user, be it witch, wizard, or however they call themselves, does not rely on other beings to weave their magic. They can be more versatile and much more powerful than the other two spellcasting classes. But they have to work for it.
Spells are rare in the Glimmermark since the old Empire fell, and often are closely guarded secrets to whoever possesses them. Most magic users will be able to speak about the various spell effects that are known to mankind at length (it’s a common topic for classes in guilds and chantries), but most of them will never have seen anything beyond a 3rd level spell, maybe a 4th level spell in action.
The 1st level spells from the spell list can be bought, either as scrolls from any magician willing to part with them (at 100gp per spell, or in the copy of a grimoire containing 1-3 spells from a guild or the occasional trader or collector (at 500gp per contained spell). Guilds normally have all the 1st level spells at hand.
To actually learn the spell, i.e. copy it into their own spellbook in a usable manner, a simple intelligence check needs to be done. If it fails the magic user needs to wait until they are more experienced (i.e. they have reached the next level) to try again.
Spells of 2nd level are harder to get, although they sometimes can be bought as scrolls for 300gp a piece, or in grimoires costing 1000gp per 2nd level spell. There is a 50% chance that a guild has any specific 2nd level spell from the main spell list. (see below)
Spells from 3rd level on are basically never sold outright. Even attempting to buy one their owners often demand additional tasks or services from interested buyers. Notably many guilds will teach a single of their higher level spells for free to members in good standing who have reached the appropriate level of magic (that is, if the guild in question has such a spell and not all of them do), and any further ones only to people who perform an appropriate service to the guild.
Sidenote no.2: in my rules you cannot prepare more than one copy of the same spell at once.
Learning spells from MU’s spellbooks: spellbooks are the private notes regarding a spell and might have idiosyncrasies. Learning a spell from them needs a Int -3 check (to a minimum of 2)
Learning from a Master: a master teaching a specific spell helps with learning it. If this option is available the Int check is +2 (to a maximum of 19)
Magic Guilds and Covens
There currently are no proper magic schools and universities in the Glimmermark. There are local guilds though that do offer specific services for members. Guilds are professional organizations that are trying to protect the local professionals (i.e. wizards) from outside talent muscling in. Places where they hold sway normally have the use of magic banned by anyone but the members of the guild. (that is to say, there are allowances made for the use of lower level spells in most cases)
Covens on the other hand are more secretive, often more rural and spread over a larger area, but will work roughly the same. Unlike guilds they do not advertise, but their services are equivalent.
A Guild normally has all the 1st level spells, a selection of 2nd level spells (50% chance of any given), and a progressively lower chance of higher level spells (20% for 3rd, 10 % for 4th, 5% for 5th, 1% for 6th). These are the spells the guild officially holds, often provided as trades or journeyman pieces. The individual members of the guild might hold more they have found by individual research.
Sidenote no. 3: yes, spells go to level 6. Spells of higher level are clearly fabulation
Spiegelheim Guild of Spellweavers
Spiegelheim is the largest city in the Glimmermark (just barely though as it is right at the edge of the region, located at the south end of Spiegel lake). The guild is a rather quiet affair, with the most active part being their chantry, i.e. their magic school. Most students at the school will never become proper magic users and mostly attend it to gain the academic background needed to work as scribes, merchants, accountants, or some other clerk position in the rest of the Glimmermark (the scribe in Castle Aberwacht is an alumni). Despite it’s pretensions to be a full Wizards Guild it mostly works as a non-magic school. More serious students have to search for further education in other parts. At any point during the day there are 10 students (lvl0) and 1-3 masters (MU5+) here. The guild sells scrolls and basic potions to non-members. Any teaching or research demands membership in good standing though (500gp per year, but includes the right for room, board, and a private workspace)
Can teach [spell list used is from Lanyrinth Lord]:
1st level: all
2nd: Arcane Lock, Continual Light, Detect Evil, ESP, Knock, Levitate, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force
3rd: Hold Person, Water Breathing
4th: Dimension Door
5th: FeeblemindRate this:
#dnd #labyrinthLord #osr #rpg #ttrpg
Learning Magic in the Glimmermark
When I started to plan for the Glimmermark one of my main ideas was to make it even more Vancian, instead of getting rid of the Vancianess like many people would prefer to. Magic needs to be rare, mystical, and hard to get. Magic effects need to be dangerous and closely guarded. Magic is something that you can work for yourself, but you also need to put the work in.
Sidenote no. 1: the draft of my house rules is also using the Cleric who gains (limited) spells from the gods, and an OSRified warlock class that gains an even more limited amount of powers directly from a patron. The magic user, be it witch, wizard, or however they call themselves, does not rely on other beings to weave their magic. They can be more versatile and much more powerful than the other two spellcasting classes. But they have to work for it.
Spells are rare in the Glimmermark since the old Empire fell, and often are closely guarded secrets to whoever possesses them. Most magic users will be able to speak about the various spell effects that are known to mankind at length (it’s a common topic for classes in guilds and chantries), but most of them will never have seen anything beyond a 3rd level spell, maybe a 4th level spell in action.
The 1st level spells from the spell list can be bought, either as scrolls from any magician willing to part with them (at 100gp per spell, or in the copy of a grimoire containing 1-3 spells from a guild or the occasional trader or collector (at 500gp per contained spell). Guilds normally have all the 1st level spells at hand.
To actually learn the spell, i.e. copy it into their own spellbook in a usable manner, a simple intelligence check needs to be done. If it fails the magic user needs to wait until they are more experienced (i.e. they have reached the next level) to try again.
Spells of 2nd level are harder to get, although they sometimes can be bought as scrolls for 300gp a piece, or in grimoires costing 1000gp per 2nd level spell. There is a 50% chance that a guild has any specific 2nd level spell from the main spell list. (see below)
Spells from 3rd level on are basically never sold outright. Even attempting to buy one their owners often demand additional tasks or services from interested buyers. Notably many guilds will teach a single of their higher level spells for free to members in good standing who have reached the appropriate level of magic (that is, if the guild in question has such a spell and not all of them do), and any further ones only to people who perform an appropriate service to the guild.
Sidenote no.2: in my rules you cannot prepare more than one copy of the same spell at once.
Learning spells from MU’s spellbooks: spellbooks are the private notes regarding a spell and might have idiosyncrasies. Learning a spell from them needs a Int -3 check (to a minimum of 2)
Learning from a Master: a master teaching a specific spell helps with learning it. If this option is available the Int check is +2 (to a maximum of 19)
Magic Guilds and Covens
There currently are no proper magic schools and universities in the Glimmermark. There are local guilds though that do offer specific services for members. Guilds are professional organizations that are trying to protect the local professionals (i.e. wizards) from outside talent muscling in. Places where they hold sway normally have the use of magic banned by anyone but the members of the guild. (that is to say, there are allowances made for the use of lower level spells in most cases)
Covens on the other hand are more secretive, often more rural and spread over a larger area, but will work roughly the same. Unlike guilds they do not advertise, but their services are equivalent.
A Guild normally has all the 1st level spells, a selection of 2nd level spells (50% chance of any given), and a progressively lower chance of higher level spells (20% for 3rd, 10 % for 4th, 5% for 5th, 1% for 6th). These are the spells the guild officially holds, often provided as trades or journeyman pieces. The individual members of the guild might hold more they have found by individual research.
Sidenote no. 3: yes, spells go to level 6. Spells of higher level are clearly fabulation
Spiegelheim Guild of Spellweavers
Spiegelheim is the largest city in the Glimmermark (just barely though as it is right at the edge of the region, located at the south end of Spiegel lake). The guild is a rather quiet affair, with the most active part being their chantry, i.e. their magic school. Most students at the school will never become proper magic users and mostly attend it to gain the academic background needed to work as scribes, merchants, accountants, or some other clerk position in the rest of the Glimmermark (the scribe in Castle Aberwacht is an alumni). Despite it’s pretensions to be a full Wizards Guild it mostly works as a non-magic school. More serious students have to search for further education in other parts. At any point during the day there are 10 students (lvl0) and 1-3 masters (MU5+) here. The guild sells scrolls and basic potions to non-members. Any teaching or research demands membership in good standing though (500gp per year, but includes the right for room, board, and a private workspace)
Can teach [spell list used is from Lanyrinth Lord]:
1st level: all
2nd: Arcane Lock, Continual Light, Detect Evil, ESP, Knock, Levitate, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Phantasmal Force
3rd: Hold Person, Water Breathing
4th: Dimension Door
5th: FeeblemindRate this:
#dnd #labyrinthLord #osr #rpg #ttrpg