The Magical World

The Magical World

Table of Contents

Definition: Magic is any effect generated by the soul or spiritand can include anything that changes or controls a person's soul or spiritual connection to the natural world (Gaia). This can be subtle (Mind Control), blatent (Growth), or have a surface effect (Energy Blast). It also includes things like auras, speaking with the dead, and of course, summoning extra-planar entities (demons).

Strengths & Weaknesses

Foci	Magical foci, spellbooks and other paraphenalia are, for the most part, personal foci, since there are thousands of ways for someone to get in touch with their spiritual side. If your foci are universal then other mages will be able to use them, but a normal still won't be able to. There are no 'point and click' magic wands, and if you want to make an item anyone can use it needs to take the limitation 'Independent.'
Training	Most mages have teachers. There are a few self-taught and natural talent magic-users, but the vast majority were taken in by a master or school. While styles (called traditions) vary widely, they are each unique and distinctive. You can tell a lot about a mage if you make your KS: Magic roll.
Tradition	As a role-playing aspect, mages suffer limitations on when, how and what kind of spells they can cast. AD&D mages usually have Charges, GURPS mages have high END costs, Shadowrun mages seem to prefer combat spells, shiatsu practitioners can't do much at a range, and tantric mages usually don't do anything in public. This is a role-playing element and won't give you any points, but you should keep it in mind when you're designing your character.
Unique Souls	A spell is effectively an extention of your soul, or the imposition of your soul over another's. The patterns of energy you leave behind can be thought of as your magical fingerprint. Just as your soul is unique, so is your magic. The more deeply you use something or the more energy you put into a spell, the easier it is for someone else to get a feel for who you are. Effects under 15-20 active points generally aren't strong enough to get anything from, while anything over 50 active points usually has an unmistakable trace. This 'fingerprinting,' while possible, is difficult and takes a skilled mage to do.
Environmental Alignment	Mages also tend to align themselves with their environment. Wilderness mages will feel uncomfortable in the city, and may have a harder time with some spells (blowing up a car, for example). Likewise, a city mage may have more trouble controlling the weather. As with your tradition, this is a role-playing element and has no direct game effect, but it should affect how you react in a situation.
Public Opinion	Given the Nazi tradition of human sacrifice in WWII, the Southampton massacre, and the Pope's 1987 New Year's Address, public opinion has polarized magic between a power from God or the mark of the devil. There is little middle ground, and any mage who isn't going to church (synagogue, ritual meditation or whatever) and actively acting good is bad. Most fundamentalists look down on super powers in general, but magic is specificly prohibited by the Bible. Heroes who practice magic are under almost constant observation by the media (moreso than other heroes), just waiting for a chance to print articles on the 'foul corruption of hell-spawned magical evil.'
Self-Policing	Because of the bad reputation that magic already has, mages are unlikely to teach students they feel are 'unworthy' or might endanger the freedoms they enjoy in the U.S. A villain who openly practices magic will tend to have a short career as he promptly picks up several 14- Hunted rolls by magic-using heroes who don't like his attitude.

Restrictions

Perks	You may not buy Allies who are magical creatures. However, you can buy a Skill with Ranged, Continuous, Uncontrolled, and an OAF to simulate a magical construct who works for you. This lets you have your house cleaned, clothes ironed and dinner cooked while you're in the shower with that attractive neighbor. It also lets me flood your house when your apprentice falls asleep.
Mental Powers	Some of these will have both a mental and a magical signature, depending on the special effect.
Special Powers	Magical Awareness is an Enhanced Sense just like Mental Awareness. If you've got 30 or more points in magical powers, you get it for free.
Limitations	Gestures & Incantation: Not allowed. Requires a Skill Roll: This can apply to a Profession (mage), a Knowledge Skill (magic) or another appropriate skill. Please figure out the active point penalty and do the math before we start play. Side Effects: If this is taken with 'Requires a Skill Roll,' I'm going to look at your skill roll before giving the full value of this limitation. No Consious Control: Not recommended. Independent magic has a way of being more touble than it's worth in saved points. Remember that a spell is legally an extention of the person, and a mage is personally responsible for anything his spells do.

Major Events in Magical History

1500 to 1800	Magic fades from the world as the Age of Reason effectively suppresses magic. Minor alchemy and petty sorcery can be found in the far corners of the world, but it is usually proclaimed the work of the devil and destroyed.
1837 to 1922	Magic begins to reappear with the emergence of the masked adventurer. Strange magic, lost lands and the start of fantastic science (Frankenstein's creature, Professor Challenger, etc.) heralds the return of mystic power. There is no single public opinion as magic isn't encountered often enough to be recognized as a power independent from science, but the christian church opposes magic on the grounds that the Bible forbids it's use.
1922	The Supreme Court upholds a lower court's ruling in the case of Abromowitz vs. Stegen, protecting the practice of magic under the freedom of religion.
1922 to 1938	Magic is gradually recognized as an effective special effect for superpowers. Most mages are tribal or druidic in nature, as native cultures have best kept in touch with magical and ley line energies. Magic is more on the order of The Green Hornet and The Shadow as opposed to an AD&D fireball-wielding magician.
1939 to 1945	Nazi Germany proves that magic exists as a potent force as mystically-enhanced troops enter Austria and suppress resistance within hours. Magically active soldiers devistate Polish, French, and Yougoslavian armies before the top Nazi mystic, The Red Skull, is neutralized by the actions of Captain America and The Avengers. The concept of magic becomes distasteful to most Europeans, as the Nazis practice blood magic and human sacrifice to support the war. Concentration camps are immense collections of mystical and spiritual horror, and most remain psychicly tainted to this day. American troops arrive too late to experience the worst of the evil sorcery, but see the effects on the people left behind.
1945 to 1985	A multitude of magical traditions appear, many still centered around a tribal aspect, but some are more formalized (hermetic orders). African, Chinese, Indian and Native American mages slowly gain power, influence, and respect as more and more superhumans appear. In the U.S., magic is treated as yet one more source for heroes and villains, even though the more fundamental Christian sects point to Biblical evidence that magic is evil. There are virtually no practicing mages in Europe.
1986	An organization known as DEMON opens a portal to Hell in Southampton, England at midnight, October 31. Over the next four days, demons and military forces clash. The final result is the death of 26,000 civilians, 1,300 soldiers, nine superheroes, and 11 out of 13 Inner Circle Morbanes. The demonic comtamination burns the life from the land, and the psychic and spiritual taint give European sensitives nightmares for years. Horrible monsters appear worldwide as the demons that escaped spread corruption and foulness. Pictures of the horror and cruelty of the forces of Hell are spread around the world, as reporters are allowed into Southampton. This publicity creates a worldwide backlash against magic. The Southampton event, combined with the Nazi use of human sacrifice, leads to every European country passing laws making summoning any sort of being a major offense. It is an interesting note that Oriental and African demons, winged serpents, zombies, and more were identified along with the traditional western horned, hooved, and bat-winged demons. There are no agnostics in the world, anymore.
1987	The Pope's New Year's Address begins with Deuteronomy 18:10, "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you." He moves on to state that there are two sources of power, and if you're not with God you're with the other one. Sorcery is defined as using power that does not come from God, and is therefore evil. It is implied (but never stated) that there is more than one true faith and as long as a person is aligned with God, it's ok to have super powers. He also announces the formation of The Rapture, the Vatican's superhero team. He ends with Galatians 5:19,"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." This address does a lot toward alleviating prejudice toward magic-users (and metahumans in general) around the world, as the vast majority of people with any form of metahuman ability start attending some form of regular worship, many of them in costume. This encourages the polarization in public opinion between heroes and villains.
1988	In the case of The City of Atlanta vs. Solomon, magic remains protected under the freedom of religion, but that freedom ends when it involuntarily involves anyone else. A mage is held personally responsible for all events that are related to him through his 'religion.' Douglas Solomon is executed for the murder of Alisa Simmons, killed by a demon he summoned.
1989	The American Civil Liberties Union takes Solitare (a member of The Champions) to court for enslaving a sentient; her pet 'widget.' The case is resolved when it is demonstrated that 'widget' is, in fact, a technological device. An unintended result of the case is the legal acknowledgement of extra-dimensional sentients.
1990 to 1999	The United States has more than a fair share of mages, mainly because in most of the rest of the world they have no legal protection. Most of the world treats them as lesser pawns in power games, because of their bad reputation. Mages that intend on raising a family or opening a school find much better opportunities in the U.S. than anywhere else, except perhaps Japan (but most of their schools won't teach gaijin). Once again, the United States is a safe haven for those fleeing religious persecution. When Clinton was elected in 1992, part of his platform was upholding the freedom of religion, as opposed to Bush's more hardline, Bible-thumping stance.