Mana
Wizards can draw mana from the universe (called tapping). This is accomplished by calling
upon "memories of the land". For most wizards, this act requires an
intimate understanding of the land in question and so they tend to develop the
necessary connection only with their native land. Powerful and well-traveled
wizards may be able to harness mana from more than one land, but to
simultaneously make a meaningful connection to more than one place is
extraordinarily rare. It is much more common for wizards to abandon one
connection in favor of another. Most wizards are utterly unaware of this
process as it occurs slowly over time and manifests seemingly at random, but
most likely in times of great stress (see Extra Effort).
When using mana this way, a
wizard draws it into themselves from the very fabric of the universe and then
releases it in the form of a mighty spell. Normal wizards can experience side
effects from drawing and expressing mana, including fatigue, persistent
weakness or even death.
Planeswalkers
Planeswalkers are atypical magic-users who possess an innate spark. Creatures born with this spark may
inadvertently activate it at any point during their life; or die without ever
having done so. A planeswalker’s spark is likely to activate under the same
circumstances that allow lesser wizards to tap into mana (see above) and it may
occur when the possessor would otherwise die (most often while wielding magic
or otherwise filled with mana).
Once the spark is triggered,
the creature is reborn as a planeswalker. They immediately gain the ability to
travel between the planes of the Multiverse (see Planeswalk). Most planes in the Multiverse exist within their own
universe, and are usually unconnected with any other. Planeswalkers are thought
to be the only beings in existence with the ability to planeswalk. Other forms
of dimensional travel may exist, but they only connect to the “local” universe; sometimes other local dimensions may also be referred to as planes within
those distinct realities.
Planeswalkers usually gain the
Descry Mana power shortly after
igniting their spark. This may occur spontaneously, through trial and error, or
by training with another planeswalker. Some planeswalkers are unaging or even
immortal. Planeswalkers that can be killed, rarely die of any natural cause
unless this happens in concert with some sort of severance from mana or the
Multiverse itself. By moving throughout the Multiverse planeswalkers collect
experience and knowledge and gain new connections with mana sources (most often
lands of the various planes). This allows planeswalker to cast spells of such
great power that few mortal wizards can even conceive of them, let alone access
enough mana to give them life.
The drawback associated with
all of this power is a reliance on mana which leads to numerous complications.
Many planeswalkers are motivated by greed.
They constantly seek new spells to add to their sphere of knowledge and new
lands or artifacts from which to draw power. Most planeswalkers set up
dominions that cross a few favored planes and attract followers to guard their
various resources. Some do this openly in a militaristic fashion and function
as tyrants (benign or otherwise), while others form networks throughout the
realms they know well and make alliances with others of their kind, even
trading spells and lore with other planeswalkers.
Other complications that may
influence a planeswalker's existence include addiction
to mana use, they may become the enemy
of other planeswalkers or powerful local entities, or be possessed of an obsession (or several) with various
concerns across the Multiverse.
Access to Mana
The greatest complication
planeswalkers face with regard to their power is mana access and power loss when unable to use a spell or
ability due to having no mana source or being “tapped out” of mana. Most of the
spells that are unique to planeswalkers require that one or more mana sources
be tapped to empower the spell’s casting. When a planeswalker is unable to
discover a mana source, or when all of the mana sources he has access to are
tapped, that planeswalker is unable to cast most of their spells. They can
continue to use any powers that don’t require mana or that required mana to
cast, but not to maintain.
To tap into a source’s store
of available mana, the planeswalker must meet the following requirements:
•The ability to detect the
mana itself
•The ability to perceive the
mana source with an accurate sense
•The ability to analyze the
mana source to determine if the mana it generates is compatible with the spell
or ability to be used
•Attunement with the mana source
The first three requirements
can be met using the Descry Mana power. Planeswalkers, like normal wizards, may
also have a strong connection to a mana-rich land and long-lived planes walkers can establish dozens or even scores of such familiarities. Likewise,
these individuals may know creatures or be in possession of artifacts which can act
as mana sources and with which a powerful enough bond has been achieved to draw
mana from them. Usually, this relationship is symbiotic. The artifact, creature or
land has an excess of mana which it cannot use and the planeswalker provides
security for these things in return for access to their mana. Connections such as these lead to attunement.
Attunement with an unfamiliar mana source is usually accomplished by spending
some time in proximity to that source. If the mana source is a land or object,
the planeswalker may need to learn about its history (using a series of Investigation
checks to gather information or a suitable Expertise skill
to conduct scholarly research) or simply spend time meditating upon it (using Expertise:
Concentration or Insight). The
difficulty for these checks varies depending on the circumstances, but in general
range from Easy (DC 5) to Tough (DC 15). The time rank required to achieve attunement
with a mana source this way also varies, but at least one day (Time Rank 14) is
assumed.
For creatures that generate
mana, the planeswalker must find some way to connect with it. This could
involve simple communication and could be a cooperative and pleasant experience
for both parties. Planeswalkers have concerns that often transcend friendship
and may not wish to waste their time (regardless of how much they may have)
forming relationships with beings that often see as servants at best. More
likely, a planeswalker may see such beings as mere tools or even slaves. In
this case they may bribe, cajole or intimidate their subjects into submitting themselves
to rapid empathic or telepathic Communication
so as to quickly achieve the necessary symbiosis. Others may dispense even with
these heavy handed tactics and employ invasive Mind
Reading or a controlling Affliction.
Planeswalkers often invest in
powers that speed up this process such as Quickness
limited to attunement. This is absolutely necessary for planeswalkers who find
themselves coming into conflict with others of their kind and certain spells
exist to further enhance the process.
A few potent mana sources may
provide energy equivalent to two or more regular mana sources, but these often
have their own drawbacks. At the very least, possessing or using such fonts of
power will draw the attention of other planeswalkers.
Using
Mana
Actually drawing the mana from
its source requires no other special ability, but the mana is useless without a
spell or some other outlet. Normal wizards and even some planeswalkers can be
harmed in various ways if they draw mana without subsequently channeling it safely.
As long as the planeswalker has a spell or ability ready for use, they are able
to channel the mana into their spell and it comes into existence according to
the planeswalker’s will and the limits of the effect itself. Certain powers and
spells can counter other spells as they are being cast and most planeswalkers are
familiar with at least a handful of these, if only to protect their own spells
from being disrupted.
Colors
of Mana
Planeswalkers (and exceptionally learned wizards) have noted certain reoccurring themes within the pattern of
the Multiverse. Planeswalker spells almost always require a particular type of
mana to complete and cannot come into reality in the absence of that type. Some
lands are much more likely than others to generate mana of a particular sort
and certain categories of beings are likely to congregate around areas where
the aligned mana is present in abundance. Through ages of research within
multiple universes, planeswalkers have categorized mana, most spells and many
types of magically infused creatures into broad categories which nevertheless
share a metaphysical affinity.
Planeswalkers are not omniscient
and even if they have achieved immortality, they still possess an essentially
mortal (if powerful) mind. Even the most experienced planeswalkers are at a loss to
totally explain the correlations they observe, but over time have come to
describe these themes in terms of color.
Even in planes where light reflects only dull grays or where no light shines at
all (and thus the concept of color as most beings would understand the term is
meaningless), the semblance of these color associations is present.
The colors of magic and mana that planeswalkers have identified are White, Blue, Black, Red and Green. There are libraries
all over the Multiverse dedicated to the study and comprehension of magic and
which go into great details about the associations found within each color, but
few beings (planeswalkers included) have more than a vague understanding of
this underlying and seemingly foundational reality. A brief description of each
color and the themes found within them follows:
· White is associated with communities and their stride towards civilization.
White magic favors peace and harmony with a goal of utopian perfection.
Creatures aligned with white mana seek to govern and protect and place morality
and the rule of law above most other concerns.
· Blue is associated with knowledge and opportunity as well as wonder. Blue
magic favors manipulation of reality or the perception of reality (in the form
of illusions). Whether by means magical or mundane, creatures aligned with blue
mana seek to give life to their dreams.
· Black is associated with ambition and the quest for and exploitation of
power. Black magic favors growth at the expense of others and “death” magic.
Creatures associated with black mana seek to empower the ego and only care for
rules that favor themselves or limit others, including the “rules” of life and
death.
· Red is associated with emotion, impulsivity and a sense of adventure.
Red magic favors change and destruction. Creatures associated with red mana
favor freedom and the pursuit of one’s passions.
· Green is associated with nature and living (especially wild) things.
Green magic favors strength and vitality within the physical world. Creatures
associated with green mana trust their instincts and seek to grow and thrive
while helping others to do the same.
In addition to these colors
mana can be without color, or a hybrid of two colors (being equally associated
with two colors).
Mana without color and is
often known as “colorless” or “generic
mana” and is usually only useful when added to mana with one or more color. A
few spells can be cast with any color of mana (if they have no color alignment)
and colorless mana can be used to empower these spells entirely.
Hybrid mana has the potential to be two types of colors at once and can
be channeled into spells requiring mana of either color. Likewise, creatures
and spells can also represent a hybridization of two (or more) colors.
There are also multicolored (containing the traits of
two or more colors) creatures and spells which blend the traits of the
associated colors together into something which represents those colors and
something more.
Descry Mana
◊Descriptors
– dimensional, magic, senses
Descry
Mana (accurate, acute, analytical, extended 2, radius, ranged Detect mana which
penetrates concealment)
◊Modifiers
– dimensional 3: 3 flat points, noticeable: -1 flat point (Remote Sensing); extended
2: 2 flat points, noticeable: -1 flat point (Senses)
◊Action
– free (Remote Sensing) or none (Senses)
◊Range
– 1 mile (Remote Sensing) or personal (Senses)
◊Duration
– sustained (Remote Sensing) or permanent (Senses)
◊Results
– extend mana detection over an area of 1 mile and into other dimensions
(Remote Sensing); detect mana sources within range increments of 1,000 feet,
identify individual sources of mana and determine detailed information about
that source at range, in all directions, and without regard to physical
obstacles
Description
You can discern sources of mana and identify
the types of mana those sources produce.
You
are able to perceive mana; the mystical reserve which supplies the energy needed
to bring powerful spells into being.
You
can detect the presence of mana at range with a Perception check penalty of
only -1 per 1,000 feet. You can pinpoint and distinguish between individual
sources of mana and can discern specific details about those mana sources, including: the mana type or types it can produce; basic details about the source (whether
it is an artifact, creature, land, and so on); whether or not a planeswalker
has siphoned mana from that source; how much mana is available within that
source at the moment; and if that source is associated with a particular plane.
In
addition, you can displace your ability to detect mana sources over a distance
of up to 1 mile and into other planes, perceiving them normally (using Perception
checks ) as if you were at that location. This Remote Sensing overrides your
normal senses while you are using it. Self-aware mana sources being observed this
way can “feel” it with an Insight check (DC 10 + rank). To search a large area
for a particular type of mana source, use the search guidelines given in the
description of the Investigation
skill.
Notes:
•Sensory
effects which use mana detection as a medium and which are targeted on the spot
where you have displaced your senses affect you normally.
•Because
Remote Sensing overrides your normal senses, you are vulnerable (at half your
normal active defenses) while using it, since you are less aware of your
immediate surroundings.
•Your
ability to detect mana sources penetrates all obstacles, although Concealment
effects or other powers may be able to counter it.
•You
need other Senses to know more specific details about sources of mana that do
not relate specifically to mana production (i.e. you will know if a creature
which produces mana is associated with a certain type of mana, what kinds of
mana it can produce and whether it has mana available to tap into, but not what
sort of creature it is or any other details about it).
Planeswalk
◊Descriptors
– dimensional, magic
Planeswalk
(Dimension Travel)
◊Modifiers
– check required: -3 flat points, quirk: -1 flat point
◊Action
– move action
◊Requirement
– Planeswalker’s spark; Perception or appropriate Expertise: Multiverse check
◊Range
– personal
◊Duration
– sustained
◊Results
– step out to the dimension you currently occupy and into another plane of the
Multiverse
Description
Your planeswalker’s spark allows you to
stride into other planes throughout the Multiverse.
You
can cross the boundaries between planes as a move action. Make an Expertise:
Multiverse or Perception check (DC 15). If the check fails, you are either
unable to Planeswalk, wander into the wrong dimension, or become trapped in the
nameless spaces between the Multiverse (gamemasters choice). In any case, the
move action used to activate this ability is consumed.
You
can carry up to 50 lbs. (mass rank 0) of additional material with you when you
move.
You
must be able to physically move under your own power (using any form of movement you posses) to use this ability.
Note: Many
planeswalkers can bring others with them when they move across planes. Add the
affects others and area modifiers to reflect this.
If
you apply the Increased Mass modifier, you can carry additional mass up to your
modifier rank.
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