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No matter how Elder Sorcery is being cast, it requires a mastery of the particular concepts that make up spell. These are referred to as "{{L|Core|words}}" and make up the fundamental pieces that spells are composed out of. The actual form of casting the spell, be it verbal, painted, brewed, or otherwise is akin to the "grammar" which strings these words together. The specific composition of words and grammar for a spell is referred to as its "incantation". |
No matter how Elder Sorcery is being cast, it requires a mastery of the particular concepts that make up spell. These are referred to as "{{L|Core|words}}" and make up the fundamental pieces that spells are composed out of. The actual form of casting the spell, be it verbal, painted, brewed, or otherwise is akin to the "grammar" which strings these words together. The specific composition of words and grammar for a spell is referred to as its "incantation". |
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=== The Role of Words === |
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For instance, say a {{L|Class|Nature Mage}} wanted to create a spell that turns them and their allies into a animals. The words available to them for constructing the spell would be the words they knew through {{L|Category|Abilities}} such as {{L|Ability|Nature Elder Sorcery}}. These would be words from the {{L|Core|Nature Elder Sorcery Words|nature}} and {{L|Core|Celestial Elder Sorcery Words|celestial}} word lists. These words in turn are divided into an "order of power" (OP), which corresponds to the difficulty it takes to master the corresponding ideas in Elder Sorcery. The caster may want to speak the Elder Sorcery incantation "we transform into animals". But, if they only have access to OP 1 words, they might have to make do with "you me are this" and require an extra step of including the actual animal they want to turn into as part of the casting process. However, if they have access to OP 6 words, they know the words to string together "we transform into animal". This is much closer to the ideal incantation, but still differs in that "animal" is singular. At this point, the spell's grammar becomes relevant. The Elder Sorcery words themselves cannot be freely pluralized and modified, but the medium of casting could provide context clues that suggest a meaning. |
For instance, say a {{L|Class|Nature Mage}} wanted to create a spell that turns them and their allies into a animals. The words available to them for constructing the spell would be the words they knew through {{L|Category|Abilities}} such as {{L|Ability|Nature Elder Sorcery}}. These would be words from the {{L|Core|Nature Elder Sorcery Words|nature}} and {{L|Core|Celestial Elder Sorcery Words|celestial}} word lists. These words in turn are divided into an "order of power" (OP), which corresponds to the difficulty it takes to master the corresponding ideas in Elder Sorcery. The caster may want to speak the Elder Sorcery incantation "we transform into animals". But, if they only have access to OP 1 words, they might have to make do with "you me are this" and require an extra step of including the actual animal they want to turn into as part of the casting process. However, if they have access to OP 6 words, they know the words to string together "we transform into animal". This is much closer to the ideal incantation, but still differs in that "animal" is singular. At this point, the spell's grammar becomes relevant. The Elder Sorcery words themselves cannot be freely pluralized and modified, but the medium of casting could provide context clues that suggest a meaning. |
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=== The Role of Grammar === |
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If the {{L|Class|Nature Mage}} is casting the spell using a dance, perhaps they put particular emphasis into the plurality of "we". If they are painting the spell on a canvas, whatever they use to represent the word "animal" could be depicted in such a way as to suggest plurality. However, if they are simply speaking the spell aloud, they might want to use the wording "we transform into many animal" to better convey the intended meaning. Or they could leave the incant as is and hope the meaning is still clear enough and that it doesn't just merge everyone together into a single animal. |
If the {{L|Class|Nature Mage}} is casting the spell using a dance, perhaps they put particular emphasis into the plurality of "we". If they are painting the spell on a canvas, whatever they use to represent the word "animal" could be depicted in such a way as to suggest plurality. However, if they are simply speaking the spell aloud, they might want to use the wording "we transform into many animal" to better convey the intended meaning. Or they could leave the incant as is and hope the meaning is still clear enough and that it doesn't just merge everyone together into a single animal. |
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Regardless of how the spell is cast, the words themselves remain constant. In painting a spell, the brush strokes or colors could be used to represent the words. In dancing, it could be particular movements or gestures. In cooking, it could be specific ingredients. In speaking, the words themselves can be spoken aloud. No matter how a spell is cast, the player doing so must actually do the incantation to the extent that is reasonable. So someone casting via art, should actually produce the art to do so. But if a spell involves ritual sacrifice, the {{GM}} should not expect their player to actually kill a {{L|Creature|Goat}}. This difference in representation is the main pro and con of different grammars of casting. Speaking is relatively quick and easy, but may have unclear incantations or the risk of stumbling over words. Painting a spell could be time consuming, but it allows for more flexibility in putting words together and involves creating a physical object which may make for a more stable long-term effect. |
Regardless of how the spell is cast, the words themselves remain constant. In painting a spell, the brush strokes or colors could be used to represent the words. In dancing, it could be particular movements or gestures. In cooking, it could be specific ingredients. In speaking, the words themselves can be spoken aloud. No matter how a spell is cast, the player doing so must actually do the incantation to the extent that is reasonable. So someone casting via art, should actually produce the art to do so. But if a spell involves ritual sacrifice, the {{GM}} should not expect their player to actually kill a {{L|Creature|Goat}}. This difference in representation is the main pro and con of different grammars of casting. Speaking is relatively quick and easy, but may have unclear incantations or the risk of stumbling over words. Painting a spell could be time consuming, but it allows for more flexibility in putting words together and involves creating a physical object which may make for a more stable long-term effect. |
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An Elder Sorcerer does not automatically have every possible grammar available to them. Typically {{L|Category|Mage classes|mages}} are taught spoken Elder Sorcery. These are spells that can be written down, but must be said aloud to be cast. A caster may specialize into some form of art or other grammar, but then that would be the medium they use to cast spells instead of speaking them. A caster will have immense difficulty using or interpreting a grammar that is unfamiliar to them. If someone casts a spell in their vicinity using known words but a foreign grammar, an Elder Sorcerer can still understand the wording that was used, even if they couldn't easily replicate the spell. Someone who does not know those words would still get a general sense of spell or the ideas behind it that they "feel" internally, but they would not be able to separate the distinct concepts of each Elder Sorcery word. |
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== Creating a Spell == |
== Creating a Spell == |
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# A '''casting cost''' that must be paid every time the spell is used. |
# A '''casting cost''' that must be paid every time the spell is used. |
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# A '''creation cost''' that must be paid when the spell is first made. |
# A '''creation cost''' that must be paid when the spell is first made. |
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The {{GM}} will take all these into account when deciding if the spell is appropriately balanced and has the freedom to reverse their decisions later if they think they made a mistake. |
The {{GM}} will take all these into account when deciding if the spell is appropriately balanced and has the freedom to reverse their decisions later if they think they made a mistake. Every spell must be created before it can be cast. |
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=== Maximum Number of Words === |
=== Maximum Number of Words === |
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If the {{GM}} allows, a major fumble could result in a significantly modified spell that the character still gains and can rotate into. It might not do what they originally intended, but it could still be "interesting". |
If the {{GM}} allows, a major fumble could result in a significantly modified spell that the character still gains and can rotate into. It might not do what they originally intended, but it could still be "interesting". |
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Even if an Elder Sorcery spell is successfully created, it can still fumble on casting. How this happens depends on the spell's grammar. In the case of spoken Elder Sorcery, this happens when the caster misspeaks while casting the spell. Each time a player casts a spell, they must recite its full incant. If they mess it up, this causes a fumble. Typically this is minor fumble. But if the mistake is particularly severe then the {{GM}} may rule that a major fumble has occurred. |
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== Learning Spells == |
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If a character stumbles upon a spell in the wild, they may be able to study and learn it more easily than if they are making a spell on their own. The spell's wording limitations still apply That is, the spell must not use more than five words that the caster studying the spell hasn't already created spells with. Learning spells don't unlock new words in this way. In addition, the baseline creation cost of three times the casting cost must still be paid. However, no spell creation rolls typically need to be made. If the {{GM}} wants, they may attach some additional {{L|Tradecrafts|Metaphysics}} or other check to learning a new spell if its creator was substantially higher {{LVL}} than the caster learning it, if it's in a foreign grammar, if it uses some archaic version of Elder Sorcery, or if its especially challenging in some other way. As with creating a spell, it takes a {{L|Core|Long Rest}} to study one. |
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Revision as of 03:46, 27 October 2025
Your GM has not decided on a full set of spell creation rules yet. Don't ask him about it. Don't suggest anything to him. He doesn't want to hear it. Asking or suggesting at this time will count as a death for your highest level character. However, the words exist.