Hedge Magic

The Hedge Magic Skill
Rewards and Risks of Hedge Magic
Duration of Spells
Hedge Magic Spell Traits
Hedge Magic Spells

A mouse must have a combined POW and CHA of at least 28 in order to learn and use Hedge Magic. Those characters that have the necessary POW and CHA and experience from a career or backstory start with Hedge Magic 1d2+1 spells. Characters can learn a number of Hedge Magic spells equal to the average of their POW and CHA, rounded up.

More Hedge Magic spells can be learned. It costs 3 Experience Rolls to learn a new Hedge Magic spell, and takes a week of dedicated study and practice. New spells must be learned from a teacher or a reliable source (such as a scroll or grimoire designed to teach a new spell).

The Hedge Magic Skill

The Hedge Magic skill base percentage is POW + CHA. It may be allocated points as with any other skill when allocating skills using the Skill Pyramid method.

Spells are cast using the Hedge Magic skill. Preparing and casting a spell requires one Action Point and a successful Hedge Magic roll. If the roll fails, the spell does not work and must be readied and attempted again later. If the roll succeeds, the spell works and Magic Points are deducted.

Casting takes a single turn, but the amount of Magic Points used and whether the spell is successful depends on the result of the roll.

If the Hedge Magic roll is a...
• Critical Success: the spell’s Magic Point cost is zero (and see below for a possible increase in POW).
• Success: the caster spends 1 Magic Point, and the spell works.
• Failure: the caster spends 1 Magic Point, but the spell does not work.
• Fumble: the caster spends 1d3 Magic Points for the spell and the spell fails (and see below for a possible decrease in POW).

Rewards and Risks of Hedge Magic

A critical success using the Hedge Magic skill means that the wizard has opened themselves to nature, and has the opportunity to draw magical energy from nature itself. If the player wins an opposed roll of their own Hedge Magic skill against their POW x 3, they gain 1d2 points of POW. They gain the same number of Magic Points as gained POW points.

A critical failure (a fumble) using the Hedge Magic skill means that the wizard has made a mistake or misstep tapping the magical power of nature, and nature may draw some of its power back. The player must win an opposed roll of their own Hedge Magic skill against their POW x 3 or lose 1d2 points of POW. If this brings them below a combined POW and CHA of 28, they lose the ability to cast Hedge Magic, and must seek to gain POW or CHA to regain it. Whether or not they drop below 28 CHA+POW, they lose the same number of Magic Points as lost POW points.

Duration of Spells

Unless a spell has either the Concentration or Instant traits it has a natural duration which lasts the entire scene or action for which the spell was used. A few spells have custom durations noted in the spell’s definition.

Hedge Magic Spell Traits

Hedge Magic Spells

Alarm

Traits: Special Duration
Casting Alarm on a location such as a room or small clearing creates a temporary psychic bond between the area and the caster. If the area is accessed by a living creature with a SIZ greater than 1, the caster is automatically made aware that something has transgressed no matter how great the distance.

The Alarm is usually a distinct tingling sensation or mental twinge which will awaken the caster. Alarm can also be used on an individual object, triggering when touched or moved. The Alarm remains in place until dismissed by the caster or after the caster's maximum POW in days, after which the Alarm must be recast if desired.

The Magic Point used to cast Alarm is not recovered until the spell is dismissed or concludes naturally.

Avert

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Avert is used to dismiss another Hedge Magic spell within range. Avert can be cast reactively to neutralise offensive spells, by using the Counter Magic Reactive Action. Avert does not affect High Magic spells.

Befuddle

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Befuddle causes confusion within the mind of a corporeal target. The subject of the spell has difficulty thinking straight, forgetting where it is, what it is doing and why – often lapsing into disassociated lines of thought. Befuddled targets can still act in self defense, but cannot initiate any constructive activity until the spell ends.

Any sort of attack or threatening action instantly breaks the spell, whether or not it was directed specifically at the befuddled target.

Bladesharp

Traits: Touch
Bladesharp is cast on edged and piercing melee weapons, or on a being with natural claws or teeth. It increases the damage of a weapon (or claws and teeth) by one dice step. Thus casting this spell on a dagger increases it to 1d6+1 damage, whereas the same spell on a great axe would increase it to 2d8+2 damage, and on a mouse would increase both their bite and claws to 1d6. (1d3 > 1d4 > 1d6 > 1d8 > 1d10 > 2d6 > 2d8 > 2d10). Bladesharp leaves weapons, teeth, and claws honed after the spell concludes.

Bludgeon

Traits: Touch
Bludgeon is similar to Bladesharp but used on weapons and tools that deal blunt-force trauma rather than cutting or piercing damage. It is normally used to aid with threshing grain, fulling wool, or similar heavy duty work.

Breath

Traits: Touch
Breath permits the recipient to hold their breath for an extended period, so that they can temporarily venture into harmful environments, such as underwater or atmospheres tainted by rock dust, gases, smoke or poisons.

The spell lasts for a maximum of half the caster’s POW in minutes, during which time the recipient cannot speak or the breath is lost and they immediately begin to asphyxiate (or become poisoned).

Calm

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Calm attempts to dampen down the passions or the target, perhaps ensuring that a lovesick paramour doesn’t press their suit, a frightened rival doesn’t scream for help, or that weapons are not drawn in anger.

A calmed person is not otherwise mentally affected, thus any sort of assault or threatening action still permits the target to defend themselves and even attack, albeit they will do so in a calm and level headed manner.

Chill

Traits: Instant, Touch
Chill dramatically reduces the temperature of small objects (no larger than the caster’s hand) down to the temperature of ice water. Useful for rapidly cooling hot items, chilling drinks, and so forth.

The spell does not freeze an object and neither does it cause any damage to its structure: it merely renders it very cold.

Darkness

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Darkness creates an area of shadow, equal to POW in square meters, which suppresses all light within it. This is enough volume to fill a modest room, a length of corridor or form a small cloud if cast outside. All non-magical light, including sunlight, passing into or present within the boundary is reduced to the equivalent of a dim glow.

Disruption

Traits: Instant, Ranged, Resist (Endurance)
Disruption is used for damaging or destroying physical objects without the need for tools, or for example to drive off or kill living creatures such as birds or vermin. When cast at a living thing, Disruption inflicts 1d3 damage to a single random hit location or the overall Hit Points. In both cases the damage ignores any armor or natural protection.

Extinguish

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Extinguish immediately quenches flames and small fires of modest size and heat. It is useful for dousing candles, lanterns, torches or small cook fires, but it will not work on magical or larger, more ferocious conflagrations such as pyres, burning houses or dragon flames.

If cast against a fire elemental, it causes 1d6 damage.

Fatigue

Traits: Touch, Resist (Willpower)
For the duration, the victim incurs one level of Fatigue.

Find (X)

Traits: Concentration, Ranged, Resist (Special)
Find has many variations - each is specific and learned as a separate spell. Some common examples are given below. Find works by attuning to the natural emanations of the creature or thing, alerting the caster to its presence within the spell’s range.

Find is blocked by dense or thick materials such as metal, or earth and stone at least one meter thick. The spell cannot discern emotions or thoughts.

Find Arrows: Locates ammunition shot by hunters, which miss their target.
Find Flaw: Identifies any flaws in an object, such as hidden imperfections or physical damage.
Find Livestock: Locates a particular type of animal. Can be resisted with Willpower.
Find Loot: Locates precious metals and gems.
Find Object: Locates a lost personal possession.
Find Sickness: Identifies the existence of disease and illness, whether magical or mundane.

Firearrow

Traits: Touch
Firearrow causes all missiles thrown or fired by the recipient to burst into flame when released. Ostensibly created to act as a signal flare, it has since evolved into combat magic. Missiles under its effect add an additional 1d3 damage, but are extinguished if they impale flesh. Those that strike flammable material have a chance equal to the caster’s Hedge Magic skill of setting alight whatever they lodge in, such as wooden shields, thatched roofs and so on. Wooden ammunition is consumed as part of the spell.

Fireblade

Traits: Touch
Fireblade is similar to Firearrow, but is instead cast on hand tools and melee weapons. Its original purpose was to sterilise surgical equipment, aid in slash and burn agriculture, or provide illumination during darkness without the need to carry an additional light source.

If cast on a weapon it inflicts an additional 1d3 damage, and has the chance of setting flammable materials alight if held to them for several rounds (see Fire). Wooden hafted weapons under the effects of Fireblade will be consumed as part of the spell.

Glue

Traits: Touch
Glue cements together two solid, inanimate objects for the duration of the spell; for example, a cart wheel to its axle, or a door to its frame.

While under the effects of the spell the items, no matter how disparate, cannot be parted unless something actively tries to wrench them apart. In this circumstance the spell has a Brawn skill equal to five times the caster’s POW and fails when a superior Brawn defeats it in an Opposed Roll.

Once the spell concludes or fails the items part completely unharmed.

Heal

Traits: Instant, Touch
Heal has several different effects depending on the nature of the ailment it is being used on.

If the subject is suffering from a minor complaint such as a headache, back pain, hangover, cold, warts and so on, the symptoms are immediately lifted.

Cast on someone suffering a Minor Wound, it restores 1d4 Hit Points instantly.

Against Major Wounds no Hit Points are recovered; however, the spell will stabilise them, stop all bleeding, and prevent imminent death from inattention.

Ignite

Traits: Instant, Ranged
Ignite generally only works on flammable inorganic matter, causing a small object or hand-sized area to burst into flame. Depending on what was set alight, once burning, the flames may then spread unless quenched or countered in some way.

This spell is commonly used to light candles, torches, or lanterns from afar. It can also be used to start a camp or cooking fire in adverse conditions, such as using damp kindling or in strong winds.

If cast against a water elemental, it does 1d6 damage.

Ironhide

Traits: Touch
Grants the recipient magical armor, providing 1d3 points of armor protection. The recipient is wreathed in a subtle, shifting glow for the duration.

Knock

Traits: Instant, Touch
Knock magically unfastens any device that is currently secured with a mechanical bar or lock. It does not work on magically locked objects, only mundane ones. The spell only affects a single fastening, so if there are several locks and bars securing the object, the spell will need to be recast for each one.

Light

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Light must be cast on an inanimate object (this could be a branch, sword blade, spear point, torch, etc.). It produces enough light to illuminate an area as though with a lantern. It can also be cast directly against a Darkness spell to counter it. In this case both spells are consumed, leaving any ambient light to illuminate the area.

Lock

Traits: Special Duration, Touch
Lock magically secures any device that already has a mechanical bar or lock present. A Locked device can be opened only by the caster and cannot be picked by mundane means (such as by a thief using lock-picks) since the magic renders the mechanism immobile; however it could still be forced open by breaking the object the lock is set into.

The magic remains in place until opened by the caster or after the caster's maximum POW in days, after which the device must be subject to a further casting of Lock to restore the enchantment. The Magic Point used to cast Lock does not recover until the spell is dismissed or concludes naturally.

Phantasm

Traits: Concentration, Ranged
Phantasm allows the caster to weave together insubstantial or near weightless objects so that they take a shape or ghostly form. Thus a spectral figure could be woven from a naturally occurring mist, or a face formed in a pile of dead leaves. Beyond this the spell has little effect, save to frighten, intrigue or disconcert those that view it.

Sleep

Traits: Resist (Endurance), Touch
Sleep sends its recipient into a deep, peaceful sleep. It has no effect on creatures with a SIZ greater than the caster’s POW. Unless the target resists, it slumbers for a number of hours equal to the half the caster’s POW.

The spell takes 1d3 Rounds to take effect before the target falls unconscious. Any attempt to cast this spell in a combat situation automatically fails.

Vigour

Traits: Touch
Vigour makes the recipient feel alive and energetic, being used to offset the effects of strenuous physical labour. For the spell’s duration, all Fatigue effects gained from laborious activity such as combat are ignored (but return on the spell’s dismissal).

Witchsight

Traits: Ranged, Resist (Willpower)
Witchsight allows the caster to see active magic, bound items, and invisible entities (although such things are simply shadowy representations) that lie within range and line of sight. It can also penetrate illusions or discern the true guise of shapeshifted creatures.

Beings which wish to remain hidden or disguised must win an Opposed Roll of their Willpower versus the casting roll.

Based on Mythras Imperative, Written by Pete Nash and Lawrence Whitaker, and published by The Design Mechanism, Copyright 2023.

Material on this site not covered by other ownership or copyright statements is Copyright © 2024 Robert Prince.