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Ultima VI
by Origin
Magic
Typed by Golden One
and Hill Billy
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THE SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAGE
Powerful as the alien moongates are, they are by no means the only forms of
magic you will encounter in Britannia. The mages of this land possess much
aracane knowledge and have many abilities beyond those of common fok. Using
keen intuition, endless experimentation and the rigorous study of ancient
tomes, amges have learned to harness the creative and destructve forces of
Nature.
The mage's principle tool is his spellbook, a collection of incantations and
alchemical formulae which empower him in marvelous and often unexpected ways.
Learn now the inner secrets of spellcasting, information reserved for the
elite society of sorcerors.
THE ARCANE ART OF SPELLCASTING
Magical energy is structured as eight concentric spheres, each composed of
networks of light connected to he physical plane by unseen bonds. The
spellcaster stands within the center sphere, extending his hands to the outer
shells of light where he manipulates the energies to suit his pleasure. In
one hand, he holds his spellbook, open to the page containing the description
of his chosen incantation. In his other hand, he cluthes a vial containing
herb and mineral reagents, the mixture serving as the catalyst for his spell.
Thus prepared, he utters the incantation, fusing matter and energy into a
display of power. The spell has been cast, leaving the caster drained in
spirit, but fulfilled in accomplishment.
This simple explanation fails to exphasize botht he risks involved in
spellcasting and the skill necessary to harness the forces of magic
successfully. Two cautionary notes are in order here:
First, even though a spell may appear to be cast successfully, there is some
chance that it will not accomplish its intended purpose, or that it will do so
in only a partial manner. In some cases, a spell will fail to hit its target
due to forces and ethereal eddies unseen by the human eye. Also, certain
creatures are immune to some spells, requiring the spellcaster to find other
means to defeat them.
Second, some spells affect only one person or creature while others affect all
peole or creatures in the vicinity. Take care when casting a spell which acts
on an area rather than an individual target--if you or your friends are in the
affected area, you will be touched by the spell's power as surely as your
inteded victim!
THE ALCHEMY OF SPELLCASTING
The prepartion of a spell's reagents is performed at the moment of
spellcasting, thus allowing the chemical reactions to reach their peak even as
the appropriate mantra is uttered. Some reagents are relatively common herbs
and minerals, available at any magic shop. Others must be sought after
diligently, often requiring the mage to travel to distant and inhospitable
places in search of an obscure fungus or root.
These are the reagents necessary to the casting o magic:
Black Pearl
One oyster in ten thousand will yield a black pearl suitable for spellcasting
purposes. It is usually crushed to a fine, iridescent powder before being
combined with other reagents. The black pearl is used as a kinetic
propellent.
Blood Moss
"Moss," is may be called, but blood moss is, in reality, a fungus gathered in
the enchanted forest of Spiritwood. There it is found growing under the
loose, dead bark of fallen trees. Blood moss is used to enhance mobility and
movement.
Garlic
This common household spice is effective in warding off evil spirits and
negating black magic. Preparations for use generally involve grinding the
washed cloves of garlic between two flatirons until they are reduced to a
pungent paste.
Ginseng
The wizened physicians of ancient Sosaria wrote often of the curative powers
of this bitter root. Prepare a syrupy, pure extract by reboiling forty times
with clear mountain water, letting the mixture develop a strong, acrid odor.
Mandrake Root
The most sought after herb of the spellcaster, mandrake root grows along the
loamy banks of stagnant swamps. Once found, mandrake must be dug up carefully
so as not to damage the tap root, for it is in the root that the greatest
concentration of active ingredients is found. Carefully remove the tough,
outer skin, again giving special attention to the sensitive tap root. Using a
fine-toothed silver fork, comb out the cottonlike fibers that make up the
root's heart. The combed matting is boiled in pure water for no more than one
hour, after which is it dried thoroughly and stored in a tightly sealed jar.
When used in a spell, mandrake root increases the power of the desired
enchantment.
Nightshade
This hallucinogenic mushroom is often the critical ingredient in spells that
create illusions or poisonous effects. Sprouting in swamps, and only in the
dark of night, this mushroom is easily distinguished from the others by the
way its stalk bruises when crushed. Retain only the fungal cap and discard
the tough stalk. The spores housed in the underside of the cap provide the
active ingredient and can be chopped into a fine mincemeat or boiled into a
bitter tea.
Spider's Silk
It takes many spider webs to make a full ounce of spider's silk, but the
binding power it adds to spells makes the effort well worthwhile. Though the
web of any spider will do, one can reduce collecting time by scraping off the
fine silken hairs that cover the webs of giant spiders. Rumors have been
heard of a cave where spider silk can be found in abundance.
Sulfurous Ash
This product of violent volcanic eruptions, sulfurous ash adds high levels of
energy to the spells which require it. It is recommended that freshly
collected ash be sifted through a fine mesh sieve, ensuring consistency and
easy mixing.
LINGUA MAGICA: THE SPELLCASTER'S WORDS OF POWER
The meanings of the syllables that form the incantations uttered by mages durin
spellcasting have been passed down from one Britannian generation to the next.
The mage's apprenticeship begins when he learns these potent syllables. The
next task is to learn the proper way to speak the syllables.
It is important that the mage first prepare himself mentally by meditating on
the sound of his breathing, projecting his soul into a sublime state of
concentration. To speak an incantation properly, the spellcaster draws a deep
breath, followed by a determined, forceful enunciation of each syllable. The
entire breath should be fully expelled on the speaking of the final syllable.
The 26 syllables and their general meanings are as follows:
Syllable Meaning Syllable Meaning
An ............. Negate/Dispel Nox ................... Poison
Bet .................... Small Ort .................... Magic
Corp ................... Death Port ........... Move/Movement
Des ............... Lower/Down Quas ................ Illusion
Ex ................... Freedom Rel ................... Change
Flam ................... Flame Sanct ..... Protect/Protection
Grav ............ Energy/Field Tym ..................... Time
Hur ..................... Wind Uus ................. Raise/Up
In ......... Make/Create/Cause Vas .................... Great
Jux ......... Danger/Trap/Harm Wis ........... Know/Knowledge
Kal ............ Summon/Invoke Xen ................. Creature
Lor .................... Light Ylem .................. Matter
Mani ............ Life/Healing Zu ..................... Sleep
These syllables are combined to form the incantations used when casting
spells. A list of spells can be found in the file ULT6SPLS.DOC. This list,
while not necessarily complete, collects all of our current knowledge of the
ways of magic.
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