The Dragonlands

Magic, and anything that has to do with it! Mages, consorts, their culture, and the whole nine yards. First we'll tackle what Talzhemir has to say about magic and we will try to post sources whenever possible!

Additionally this, like other pages, will be updated as frequently as possible so check back with any questions!

Last updated: 6/25/17

Source!

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Mages tend to be specialized, rather than having every power in the book at their disposal. They tend to have one of four casting styles, those being gestures, writing, talismans, and cards. It is also well-known that mages very, very rarely raise their own children.

Other than that, the typical furre of Drakoria knows that mages can live a long time, and that sometimes a mage will set themselves up as a living incarnation of a Prime. Drakorian history is full of abusive mages of this kind. A Drakorian mage is most likely to be either from the College of Shadows, a shaman, or a Wild Talent (and therefore hunted by the College of Shadows).

The typical Olde Worlde furre is frightened by mages and has only fairy tales to draw on for what they might be like. They are relatively unprepared for the havoc that a coterie of evil mages might wreak.

The typical Kasurian knows that there are two factions, the College of Elements versus the College of Shadows, but generally doesn't know what abilities are possible. They would know that the College of Elements is well-thought-of in Kasuria but that it hardly exists in Drakoria.




Magic in the world of the Dragonlands works by visualizing symbols, together called "Tokens", in a specific sequence and juxtaposition. Concentration then energizes the construct.

Valid tokens are: hand gestures in the air, runes, talismans (objects), or cards. The training of an apprentice consists of memorizing each "token" and the valid ways known to produce an effect.

Training also usually includes the ethical use of spells and the many possible consequences of a mishap. Mages tend to know quite a bit about mages throughout history for this purpose.

Once a Mage has learned a system, that becomes their most comfortable method of spellcasting. It is not possible to perform a dodge or other defensive maneuver while casting a spell. Thus, those who are taking the Turn to cast a spell are at -10 to their roll if they are attacked that round.

(Please note that dice are not required)
Choose your Mage's favored casting method: Gestures, Talismans, Runes, or Cards. When using this method they receive a +3 to their Quickie Roll when the spell is finally cast.
Choose a method to be the Mage's 2nd favorite. They cast this with no modifier.
Choose a method at which they are least capable. They must cast this at -10.
One method will elude them entirely.

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Casting
Runes (fast) - This requires some kind of writing tools. It requires the completion of an inscription, some kind of glyph, scroll or book. Rune casting takes one full turn during which the Mage can not move or take other actions. The advantage is that the spell can be pre-prepared, even by someone else. The down-side is that the chance for failure is greater(-5 Quickie Penalty). The magical investment that occurs while setting down runes fades after a while.

Talismans (medium) - These are items at least as large as a typical furre's palm that must be touched to be activated. Talismanic magic is not interrupted by an attack. Talismanic magic takes only one full turn of preparation, and a second turn for the actual directing of the effect. If runes are tattooed or scarified onto a living furre, they technically become Talismans; they must be exposed for use in casting.

Gestures (slow) - This requires no tools, but if the Mage is interrupted (by an actual combat attack, not merely by being hit by a pebble), they lose their concentration and must begin anew. Gesture casting takes two full turns of preparation during which the Mage can not move or take other actions, and a third turn in which the effect occurs.

Cards (varies) - Mages who use these are known as "Cartomancers". Cartomancers work by creating (or possibly capturing) Elementals and placing them into a dormant form that looks much like an elaborate playing card. This is the most unpredictable power-- a Card entity can be anything from mostly-mindless to fully intelligent. These entities can be killed in the service of their master/mistress. They may also have quirks, weaknesses, and goals of their own. Once bound as a card, they may not, however, hold motives secret from their owner. OOC, Cartomancers do not get to choose what their next spell is; it is random. There is also one more possible weakness: some Cartomancers get so attached to their card-friends that they no longer wish to risk them in battle or other dangerous situation.

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A starting Mage can automatically learn spells from only one school, the one they started with. They must learn new spells from any other school in the course of IC play from other player-character mages (Optional, like real world schooling this depends upon age/schooling, etc).




Spells from the Schools of Essence and Dark Bindings cannot be bought during character generation. They are only available to Masters and they are acquired through exemplary service to your College. This is to represent the fact that they are not taught to wandering loners; the knowledge is only trusted to those who are still members of the school in good standing who are willing to teach-- and possibly discipline-- others.

The Elemental College is a Kasurian institution. They work with the support of the King and the Council of Lords and Ladies. Much of their good reputation comes from their defense of the commoners against Vampfurres and Lycanthians, and there is much enmity between Mages and those two groups of Supernaturals. Faeriefurres, on the other paw, tend to have a long ongoing friendly rapport.

The five Schools making up the College are Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Essence. Essence is not 100% equivalent to "soul" or "spirit"; it is perhaps best translated as "magical identity" (considered healing magic ontop of its usual list of spells).

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Mudslip - When they try to move, the ground beneath the target will momentarily becomes so slick that they slip. The victim must perform their next physical attack action that scene at a -15.
Bladesharp - Magically sharpen a metal tool.
Unsoil - Cleanse dirt from all over a 3' cube of stuff (of clothes for example).
Faeriefurre Affinity (Earth)- Something about the Mage makes it more pleasant for Earth Elementals to be around. They are more likely to listen to, respect, and help this furre. Earth Mages receive a +1 to earth-related abilities when a friendly Earth Elemental is present, and vice-versa.
Earthwhispers - The Mage can communicate at a very very simple level with creatures that spend a large part of their time underground: snakes, WatchWyrms, Burrowing Owls, etc.(Invertebrates do not understand Earthwhispers.) This also permits magical speech with other Earthwhisperers.

Disrupt Earth Spell - The mage can attempt to block the proper forming of an Earth spell from up to 24' away.
Refresh - This causes the subject to feel less tired, replacing the need to sleep for one sleep cycle.
Boneset - Specifically for healing broken bones, this causes even nasty complex fractures to be undone painlessly, in a matter of hours.
Prospect - Detect gems in a 6' cube up to 6' away.
Stonewalk - Pass through up to 10' rock as if walking or falling through glue.
Refine - Half a pound of metal can be extracted from the appropriate ore.

Earthbind - Cause rock to swiftly encase a Furre's paws in a crystal crust. It takes 2 minutes to free them. Requires rock beneath the target to start with.
Stoneshift - Temporarily turn 6 cubic feet of stone to warm liquid rock (like wet glue for a few minutes). After it hardens, the stone is soft, like perlite or foamy chalk.
Coldsmith - Metal can be forged without a fire. Note that this still requires a hammer and anvil for making a sword, etc.
Bladewarp - Metal up to 24' away can be turned to the consistency of wet leather. The spell will eventually wear off but weapons such as swords will be ruined.
Crystalcraft - Make beautiful items of softened quartz, using tools as if sculpting clay or plasticine. Crystal knives and crystal swords are possible, but they are not durable enough for parrying or penetrating armor.

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Freshen - Cools a room for three hours. If performed in an enclosed space, air will remain oxygenated, as if it was being recycled by a re-breather, for that length of time.
Waft - Lift a very light item such as a single piece of paper or a feather and move it up to 6'.
Odor - This is a subtle ability that gets better with practice. The caster can simulate a particular scent, faintly, in the air around them.
Airwhispers - The Mage can communicate at a very, very simple level with creatures that spend a large part of their time in the air: birds, Dragonmounts, etc. Invertebrates do not understand Airwhispers. This also permits magical speech with other Airwhisperers.

Disrupt Air Spell- The mage can attempt to block the proper forming of an Air spell from up to 24' away.
Glide- Fall for up to a minute. You can move the same distance horizontally as you moved vertically.
Windswift- You can run at 2X the usual rate due to a gentle push from behind.
Suffocate - For three minutes, the victim can draw breath yet they are still suffocating. This is the opposite of the Water-breathing spell. Cast at a range of touch, it does not kill the victim but if they attempt to fight under its influence, they suffer a -5 penalty to die rolls.
Zephyrtalk - One breath's worth of words is whispered and heard by someone up to a mile away, as if it were being whispered in their ear.
Calm - The mage can calm the mind of another and even temporarily block a phobia. The target feels soothed and is better able to concentrate for an hour.

Windstorm - A wild chaos of winds makes vision and breathing very difficult for all but the caster. Combat and spellcasting both become impossible, and communicating is reduced to loud yelling.
Soar - The mage falls but goes twice their horizontal distance as they fell downwards.
Lift - A neat dust-devil lifts or lowers thenmage, as they please. This does not confer flight, it merely grants the mage a change in altitude. In combination with Glide, the Air mage can travel up to a mile effortlessly in five minutes. With Soar, the mage can travel two miles in that time.
Thoughtsend - The mage can send roughly a sentence's worth of words to another, who hears them as if they were a whisper in their head ear. Range is up to a mile away.

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Firestart - As if lighting a match. This ability requires touching the substance to be lit.
Harden - Turn light weak wood into something as heavy and strong as teak or ebony. This is usually how stakes for use on Vampfurres are made.
Woodmend - This ability was originally used to get living branches to grow together, but is also usable on cut wood. With a bit of practice, this ability can be used to cause a wooden handle to grow around other tool parts, or seal a leak in a wooden bucket, etc.
Firewhispers - The Mage can communicate at a very very simple level with creatures that spend a large part of their time near (or in) lava: Volcano lizards, Dragonmounts, etc. Invertebrates do not understand Fire whispers. This also permits magical speech with other Firewhisperers.

Disrupt Fire Spell - The mage can attempt to block the proper forming of a Fire spell from up to 24' away.
Gardenglory - Make a 6' x 6' area of foliage burst into rich blooming within the hour. "Herbaceous" plants only; not usable on "woody" plants, i.e. trees.
Treeshape - Living wood is grown to the caster's wishes. The results are somewhat crude and rough, and can be used to make something the size of a chair. This takes about ten minutes. Fine details can not be done with Treeshaping, however.
Dispel Zombie* - This spell disrupts a magical lichen that has invaded the zombie body, and the corpse falls to pieces. It can be cast from up to 24' away. The interaction causes a flash of daylight that will give any nearby Vampfurres a painful sunburn if they are within 2 tiles of the target.
*See Bestiary

Call Lightning - This is strictly an outdoor ability. By connecting with the roots underground, the mage can call down lightning from the sky, even from a clear sky, to strike a target up to 24' away.
Firewalk - The caster is immune to damage from fire for up to an hour, even breathing dangerous, burning sulfurous air. In this way they can even enter the lava of a volcano.
Thornwall- a seed of some kind of thorny plant is thrown down, and, in the course of three turns, becomes a fence 12' x 12' x 12'. Can only be done outdoors.
Woodmastery - A whole tree's mass can be reshaped over the course of an hour. Fine artistic detail can be added by a skilled practitioner.

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Compress - Causes a wound to stop bleeding, and hurt much less. The wound must be covered with some kind of moist dressing.
Sweetwater - Purifies a cup of water, making it safe and delicious to drink.
Soothe Beast - This spell causes an animal that is agitated or even angry to be quieted. It does not make the animal more inclined to tolerate the caster, it is only like a mild sedative. A faint sound like rippling water accompanies this spell. a leak in a wooden bucket, etc.
Waterwhispers - The Mage can communicate at a very very simple level with creatures that spend a large part of their time near (or in) water: fish, turtles, swimming snakes, etc. Invertebrates do not understand Water whispers. This also permits magical speech with other Waterwhisperers.
Detect Bogblort* - Bogblorts have been such a pain in the butt over the past century that there is a spell to detect them.
Banish Bogblort* -This spell is constructed to be specific to that individual Bogblort. It causes the Bogblort to flee until they are at least 100 miles away from the site of the spell!
*See Bestiary

Healing Waters - The mage pours water with herbs over the wound to heal it. Note that this does not set broken bones, and will cause them to heal askew if used first!
Disrupt Water Spell - The mage can attempt to block the proper forming of a Water spell from up to 24' away.
Waterbreathing - This lasts three hours. The furre still can't speak underwater.
Raindance - This spell doesn't actually require any sort of dancing, but it is traditional that the village in need of rain split the cost of the mage's fee by throwing a dance and calling for donations. A light drizzle follows, lasting several days.

Font - A spring of water appears, lasting three hours. This must be done outdoors, and cannot be done where the ground is solid rock. It does, however, work in the desert.
Rise Up - Up to 300 gallons of water moves in a large mass, up to 12' tall and 12' wide. The mage can get it to flow slowly forty-five degrees uphill but it cannot "climb" a cliff or flow up the side of a house. Control lasts between a minute, for difficult maneuvering such as combat, and fifteen minutes, for simple maneuvering such as watering a field.
Cleanse - The effects of a disease are washed away. If the victim was struck by the spell Plague, this spell will restore their fur.

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Disrupt Essence Spell - The mage can attempt to block the proper forming of an Essence spell from up to 24' away.
Heartbond (req. Air Mastery) - Two furres' essences are joined, giving them the ability of mind-speech with each other. If a third furre is Heartbonded to the second, they do not enter a "chat channel" but instead have a separate link.
Heart Tree (req. Earth Mastery) - A subject's aging process is halted so long as a specific oak remains healthy. The tree must be adorned with runes via Woodmending.
Heart Blade (req. Earth Master) - A subject's essence is linked to a specific metal weapon. So long as the wielder lives, the weapon is unbreakable-- and can even resist the ravages of the Drakorian anti-metal effect.
Summon (req. Air Mastery) - A subject is compelled to come to the mage's presence within 3 days. The subject will take every possible action short of suicide-- including killing a friend or relative-- to answer a Summons. After three days, a Summons dissipates.
Beastbond (Any but Dragonmount, req. any other Mastery) - The Pet and Master/Mistress are made one in a ritual requiring the blood of each. (If done IC, character must have had Character Generation points set aside in reserve).
Beastbond (Dragonmount, req. any other Mastery) - The bonding ability of the Dragonmount is locked and only with the performance of their secret melody can a mage perform this ritual.

Banish (req. Air Mastery) - One subject is permanently compelled to stay away from a location. They cannot come within half a mile of it.
Ward (req. Fire Mastery) - A type of subject is unable to enter a location no larger than 240'X240'. Legitimate Wards are as follows: Vampfurres, Lycanthians, Faeriefurres, Wyrmmes, Phoenixes, Gryffes. Blood of an appropriate subject must be used-- and that individual is unaffected by the Ward.
Resurrection (req. Water Mastery) - Water from a shrine to a good Prime is poured into the mouth of the deceased. This can only be done once per victim.


Healing magic isn't officially considered Dragonlands canon but it has been assumed to be included in the Essence school. Because Talz didn't specifically do this we felt it would help to make this section to just detail how healing magic works!

First off Healing magic is pretty self explanatory: you get an booboo, mage heals said booboo. For an NPC standpoint if your character is severely wounded and would die without medical assistance please feel free to assume an NPC healer is on duty. However they will not 100% heal a wound! It is just enough to keep your character from death. Scars will still dominate the wounded area, blood loss will still drag someone down! Player healers can do all of the above and more, they are the ones who can make a true difference but only based on power levels. Some healers might specialize, like elemental mages, in a range of different tasks (internal issues, disease, cosmetic, etc).

There isn't a set list of spells Healers are capable of. Instead just anything that pertains on making the body better in any shape or form falls beneath the Healing School umbrella.

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Deathwhispers - The Mage can communicate at a very very simple level with undead creatures: Vampfurres, lichen zombies, skeleton furres, etc. This also permits magical speech with other Deathwhisperers.
Last Sighs - This spell can only be cast upon a corpse within a week of death. It can then be questioned as a willing informant. This is not resurrection, it is merely a playing-back of memories, so the corpse will answer as truthfully as it can.

Wandering Paw - The hand of a furre is cut off and told the name of a victim. Magically, it will go in the correct direction towards its quarry. If the paw does not find its target within a month, it withers. If it does, the hand will attempt to strangle the victim. A Wandering Paw can jump 3' off the ground.
Screaming Head - This spell makes a corpse's head into an alarm. At least one eye must be intact for it to see. If it sees anyone besides its creator, it will scream and scream until its creator touches it. It has no need for lungs or vocal chords but must have a mouth. If well-preserved, a Screaming Head can last up to a year.
Animate Lichen Zombie - By rubbing the spores of an unpleasant cave fungus on the corpse, the body is brought back to a semblance of life, with no memory of its former life. Provided that its head is intact, it can have the intelligence of a five-year-old child. Lichen zombies can only be commanded by their creator. They have an urge to eat the flesh of sentients, and, afterwards, that infected victim may also rise, usually in very poor shape. Lichen zombies are destroyed by sunlight.
Mummy Assistant - A properly embalmed body can be reanimated. The resulting creature has a mind of its own. To Mage Sight, it appears to have just the tiniest glimmer of life. Like the typical Vampfurre, Mummy Assistants are cold to the touch. They begin much like infants, but can be raised to be fully sentient once again. Of their former life, they have only the barest scraps. (This spell cannot be used to create NPC's, it can only be used on PC's who have died.) A Mummy loses all their special abilities, and can never reacquire them. As a small consolation, they do not need to breathe or eat, and do not need to sleep. Sunlight does no harm, but they must be kept dry because water dissolves them. Mummies cannot heal back.

Crematoria - This spell lasts a year and a day. If the subject dies, they will burst into heatless green flames. There will be nothing left to reanimate or question. This spell is used to prevent information from falling into enemy paws.
Command Vampfurre - It's no wonder that Vampfurres hate necromancers. With this spell, the caster causes the Vampfurre to do as they say (short of destroying them self) for the next hour. The Vampfurre will be unable to leave the necromancer's side unless ordered, and they will have no memory of this time later.

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Dim - Causes the victim to be surrounded by a dark haze that moves as they move for the next 6 hours. They can barely see, and, if they fight, suffer a -5 penalty. Note that this is a frightening spell because until you have survived it, you do not know it goes away.

Hide In Dark - If there are shadows large enough to contain the caster, they can become completely invisible while they remain in that patch of shadow. If they leave the shadow they become visible again. At night, this functions as near-invisibility.
Blindfighting - This spell enables the caster to feel their surroundings with every hair on their body, giving them a picture as clear as if they had sonar. All penalties from not being able to see are negated.

Blind - Causes the victim's eyes to turn pale blue, stopping all vision. This lasts the next 24 hours. Should they attempt to fight, they are at -15 on the die roll.
Veil - The caster fills up to 60' X 60' with darkness. This is not total darkness, but visibility causes all those besides the caster to make their die rolls at -10.

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Blight - A 6' x 6' area of garden withers.
Spoil - Food within a 6' X 6' area is destroyed by a sudden growth of mildews and molds within a few minutes.
Nick - This spell makes the victim less wary, then deadens their senses for a few minutes, making pickpocketing very easy. To check if the theft is detected, the victim rolls a d6 and the thief rolls a d20. The thief is detected if the victim beats or ties their roll.
Overhear - The furre's ears become very sensitive and they can hear whispers not intended for them.
Cheat - Even Masters of Corruption don't understand just how exactly this spell works. When playing cards, the caster will find themselves in possession of cards that are duplicates of other cards. So long as the duplicate card does not turn up, they are likely to get away with this.
Erase Writing - A scroll or book is wiped clean of its contents, leaving an unusable mass of dark color in its place.
Command Lichenthrope* - The mage can issue a one-word command that will be interpreted in the simplest manner. For example, if told to "Guard!", the Lichenthrope will wander a small area and attack anyone besides the mage. If the Lichenthrope can not understand the command (for example, "Calculate!") it will assume it was told to "Guard!". The mage can point to the object of the command, for example, "Kill!" or "Fetch!" An illustration or sculpture can't be interpreted to mean the person or place depicted. Lichenthropes are dumb!
Befoul Well - For four weeks, the water in the well will be undrinkable, smelling foul and tasting worse.
Dispel Magic - With a sound something like a huge dry stick being broken, the Corrupters are the only mages who can lift most spells. This is a very jealously guarded secret. If a non-Corrupter is found to be able to cast it, a large price is placed on their head.
Plague- The victim is covered in painful boils, and will cough phlegm as if they had a terrible plague. The victim will probably survive but their pelt will be spotted with half-dollar-sized bare patches all over their body.
Lichenthopy* - Castable only upon oneself, this spell takes effect only if the mage should die. They become a Lichenthrope but they retain their mind and ability to speak and cast spells. They can learn no new spells and can acquire no new abilities.
*See Bestiary

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*See Bestiary

Dark Seed - Not affecting the subject's aura, and therefore not visible to Mage Sight, this enchantment causes the subject to be unable to willingly, knowingly hurt the caster. The subject will do everything short of sacrificing themself to keep the caster healthy, safe, and happy. The name of this spell comes from the part of the ritual that involves swallowing the black pit of a fruit, which grows into a strange many-tendrilled mass inside the victim.
The Agate Ring- Appearing to Mage Sight as a milky slightly bluish halo, the Agate Ring is the sign of one who cannot disobey an order from the caster. Casting it requires the subject to be in a state of deep sorrow. Once cast, that sorrow can never lift, even if the subject forgets the original reason for their sadness. This spell is cast at a range of touch. Only one order at a time may be given, up to once per 24 hour period. The instructions must be simple and clear. Conditions such as "You may not speak of this to anyone." can't be added in. Thus, a mage might order their thrall to drop their sword, but couldn't order them not to pick it up again immediately.
The Jade Ring - Appearing to Mage Sight as a faint green glow, this spell causes the subject to be unable to resist multiple orders and conditions from their master/mistress. This spell can only be placed on a subject dislikes or hates the caster. These feelings will be gone so long as the spell is in effect, returning a hundredfold should the spell be broken.
The Ebon Ring - The mind of the victim of this spell is irrevocably destroyed, replaced with that of a sycophant who worships their master/mistress. It is called Ebon Ring because a black interruption appears in the halo normally seen by Mage Sight. To cast this spell, the mage must sever one of their own fingers. Then the subject swallows it whole. If this spell is broken, the victim will be a catatonic wretch, lost to perpetual internal nightmares until they die of dehydration.

Being a Mage is more than just having the potential to do magic. Since potential to be a mage runs in the family, most Mage families practice the custom of arranged marriage even more stringently than the Nobility. They have grown into an elaborate subculture over the centuries. Because they are avidly hunted down by the Vampfurres, the Mages of Erth are rarely found outside of the Mage subculture.

Mages can earn far more than the typical furre. This preoccupation with eugenics looms over their lives at all times. Although the magic of Erth does not provide a way to travel, the Mages are wealthy, and can afford to hire the services of riders of Scarhawks and Dracosaurs.

Mage ability is the result of the Primes begetting children with mortal Furres. For the past thousand years, the Primes of Light have not done so. The Primes of Dark will produce a half-furre child on extremely rare occasions. The Dark Primes are apt to kill one another's half-Prime children because they threaten a balance of power held between them.

Amongst themselves, Mages are referred to as "Attuned". The child of a Mage who is not Attuned is merely "Resonant" and they are referred to as a "Consort". The rest of the population is called "Silent". Both the Attuned and the Resonant are immune to many Vampfurre abilities. Most Mages live in families that are a mix of the Attuned, Resonant, and Silent, and try not to attach such great significance to it. As egalitarian as the might wish to be, however, the fact remains: the Mages wield powers vital to the survival of the family, while the Silent can not fully understand what it is to be a Mage. That the Silent do not have a strong say in Magely family matters is a given. When, for instance, a marriage is arranged, the Silent will not be asked what they think, while every Attuned elder probably will.

By law, a youngster found to be Attuned must attend the Mage Academy west of the king's capitol at Malgrave from the age of six. Magery is like brain surgery-- it's complicated, and cannot be picked up "school of the streets". Consorts are allowed in if the family pays their tuition. Consorts may become herbalists, chirurgeons and other kinds of scholars. There is little pressure on them to do so, however, because the expectation is that they will become parents raising Mage children. The king's original intent was to weaken young mages' attachment to their families, and instill a sense of nationalism. While Mages do tend to be more loyal to Kasuria than the average citizen, the actual result has been to create a separate cultural identity for Magekind.

Mages can, with training, develop an ability to sense magic in other living beings. It is described as a supernatural kind of hearing, or a feeling of vibrations, and it has nothing to do with ears. Mages call it "Listing". To the observer, it looks as if the Mage were listening to a distant song, and while they are doing this, they must concentrate for several seconds. With this sense, Mages can tell apart the Attuned, the Resonant, and the Silent. They may even, on occasion, be able to detect the Undead, who seem to be "more Silent than silence." (In game terms, Listing requires either the Move or the Action part of a Round. The penalty for attempting any action while Listing is a -2. A Mage may attempt to List using their Listing skill. If they succeed and roll doubles, it is a critical success and they can discern any Undead present. If they are unsuccessful, they suffer a -2 penalty on their next roll. Listing is not without potential hazards: a Fumble means the character may not List or perform any magic for the remainder of the scene.)

At the formal gatherings of Mages (which happen twice a year), the festivities are opened with "the dedication", half a minute of Listing. The presence of the Attuned creates a marvelous "hum" to those who can List. During this time, it becomes obvious who is Attuned, Resonant, and Silent. Mages will tend to pay more attention to the Resonant and the other Attuned. The Silent in attendance may find being ignored uncomfortable, especially if they are not from Mage families.

It is most common for an Attuned Mage to be wed to a Resonant Consort, with children taking the surname of their Mage parent, and inheritance of all wealth going to the first-born male child. The children will have a 40/60 chance of being Attuned or Resonant. (Game terms: Roll a d10. On 1-4, they are Attuned; on a 5-10, they are Resonant.)

If an Attuned furre has children with another Attuned, however, there is a chance that a child will be "Discordant", that is, they will produce very disagreeable emanations. (Game terms: Roll a d10. On a 1-2, the child is Attuned. On a 3-6, the child is Resonant. On a 7-8, the child is Discordant. On a 9-10, the mother miscarries a few weeks before they would normally have given birth.) A child of two Attuned parents whose is themself Attuned is no stronger or weaker than any other Attuned.

Sometimes an Attuned furre takes a Silent mate. The odds of an Attuned child are very small in this case. (Game terms: Roll a d10. On a 9-10 the child is Attuned, otherwise, they are Silent.) Attuned children of Silent parents are just as powerful magically as any other Attuned.

There is a long-running cold war between the Mages and the Vampfurres. Furres of Mage blood have good reason not to stray far from the protection of their families. Some Vampfurres have the ability to detect the Attuned and Resonant (but can not tell them apart). Mages can detect Vampfurres, if not immediately, then over time. Their presence keeps Vampfurres out of normal politics.


The Standard Mage "Package Deal"
The Consort "Package Deal"
The Wild Mage "Package Deal"
The Lost Mage "Package Deal"

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Although the Mages themselves will go on about being a breed apart, they still behave just like other furres. They are not lords of organized crime or hardened career-criminals or killers. They aren't ruthless, they are just ordinary people. In general, they tend to be more concerned with ethical behavior than the Nobility. When a Mage goes off the deep end or starts abusing others, the other Mages feel it is their duty to control them. They must be self-policing, lest the Crown start to interfere in their business.

When a Mage furre is required to go into an arranged marriage, they normally do so readily. Their duty to preserve the Mage bloodlines is drilled into their heads from an early age. A Mage father or mother never feels like they are dooming their child to something terrible. It's perfectly normal, and that's how the typical Mage youngster feels about it, too. From time to time it may happen that a Mage or Consort falls in love with another. If that happens, there is a potion that can be taken, to erase such feelings. There is also a potion that can cause a furre to fall in love in the wedding chamber.

Part of the responsibility of the Academy is to discover Mages who are psychologically imbalanced. The Listing emanations of children are much easier to read than those of adults. If, for instance, a young Mageling is secretly catching and torturing baby birds, their aberrant emanations are likely to give them away. Such a student is discreetly removed from the Academy and fostered to another family to prevent them from learning further. Sometimes, agents of the Dark Primes may find such a student, and secretly see to it that their rightful power is not denied.

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Mages are fairly rare. Roughly one in three thousand furres is Attuned, and roughly one in four thousand is a Consort. Magic is the main source of healing for serious injuries, disease, and other maladies. The Attuned are not bound by an oath to help everyone; they can decide who they choose to heal, and charge as much money as they want. With few exceptions, they are an elite, and they act like it.

Over the course of history, it has happened that someone attempted to force a Mage to work for them. Typically, they would capture the Mage or capture an innocent relative. The Mages themselves deal very harshly with this. They have little patience for hostage situations. Mess with one Mage, and you're messing with most, and they have a lot of resources they can bring to bear.

Healing potions are also in short supply. Most are made by Consorts trained at the Academy. It is not likely they would be found in an underground treasure trove because they don't stay "fresh" forever. A shelf life of several months is accurate. The active ingredients are distilled from plants (good Prime Jujinka's gifts to furrekind). They are rare, and have limited shelf life as well.

As a faction, the Mages can not be the rulers of Kasuria. There are far too few of them to be a serious force in the kingdom. Many commoners envy and resent them. The Mages repeatedly refuse to intermarry with the Great Houses. Nobles can field large numbers of soldiers with a combination of money and feudal oaths, but Mages neither inspire nor command that sort of loyalty.

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Alcohol suppresses the ability to List or cast spells. It can not, however, affect the disharmonious emanations of a Discordant. Mage gatherings do not normally serve liquor. As a Mage gets drunk, the chance of a Fumble goes up; the inebriated Mage is thus a danger to themself and all around them. Drinking is generally frowned upon in Mage society. (Game effect: For each drink they take, a Mage is at an additional -3 to their Sorcery skill roll.)

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Mages and Consorts are expected to attend these holidays twice a year. The first is Verna, the spring gathering on the vernal equinox. Traditionally, it is when announcements of betrothals are made. Negotiations of arranged marriages take place during the two months before Verna.

The other is Autumna, the fall gathering on the autumnal equinox. Magical items lose their power over time. The recharging of such mystical artifacts is done at this time. This is done by spells that harmonize the collective will of those who participate.

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In western and northern Kasuria, the laws only allow monogamy. A furre may normally only take one spouse. This is waived for the Attuned, who may take a second. In some families, this means that it may be accepted if they take in a second husband or second wife, who, if the Mage is not born of the Venerable Lineages, can even be one of the Silent. Children are accepted to be the child of all parents in the marriage. It's possible that a character from a Venerable Lineage could have an Attuned mother and two Consort fathers, or (more likely) an Attuned father and two Consort mothers.

In the southeast, it is customary for all wealthy males (Mage or not) to have multiple wives. The women may be given separate households. Offspring are considered the children of their father and their particular mother. Any character from the southeast could have many half-brothers and half-sisters from their father's co-wives, but they would only be considered to have one mother.

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A handful of families known as the Venerable Lineages look down upon the Silent and will not even allow them into their homes. Amongst the Venerable Lineages, the Attuned are the ruling class, and the Resonant are second-class citizens. It is Venerable Lineage custom for Attuned children to take the surname of their Attuned parent, and Resonant children to take the surname of their Resonant parent. Inheritance of wealth goes to the first Mage-born (that is, Attuned) child.

Listing is held in very high regard. Venerables will List before they eat, and before they go to sleep. They are exceptionally vigilant against the Undead.

To some degree, the Venerable Lineages Mages are inbred. Although it is not true today, there was a time when the Venerable Lineages secretly practiced brother-sister marriages. As a result, they are more likely to suffer birth defects which have been in the family so long they now "breed true". The line of Tregassian are prone to be clubfooted; the line of Adomartias have eyes which cannot contract so they cannot stand bright light. The Verdazi are tall and beautiful but have no sense of smell or taste.

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Discordant (2 pts) (May not be a Mage, Consort, or Silent.) - You are the unfortunate child of two Mages. You are sterile. The Venerable Lineages would slay such a child out of hand. Others might give the child up for adoption. Whenever someone Lists in this character's presence (within 9 game inches), they must try to roll their PSYC or less on 2d10. If they fail, they suffer a -1 to all dice rolls for the remainder of the scene, plus, they may not use their Listing ability until the scene is over. Many Mages, even intelligent or kindly ones, will treat this character as if they were some sort of cripple. Mythicals and Ferians are a little uncomfortable around this character. It is as if they emanated a piercing annoying noise, or carried a strong unpleasant odor. Mythicals and Ferians can not get used to it. In the southwestern lands, Mages may tattoo the glyph for 'Discord' on such an infant's cheek. (You may also take the 1 point Disadvantage "Distinctive" if this is the case.)

Mage-biased (1 pt; Must be a Mage or Consort) - This character puts the Attuned on a pedestal and is prejudiced against the Silent. This character is probably a member of a Venerable Lineage, or has bought into their ideology for some reason. They may be especially intolerant of a Discordant. This Disadvantage is just a Quirk, and can be overcome at the player's discretion.

Dyslistia (1 pt; Must be a Mage) - Although able to perform magic, the character lacks the ability to List. Perhaps there was a traumatic event involving magic. Perhaps the character was just born this way. The Dyslistic Mage can not discern who is and is not a mage.

Disowned (1 pt; Must be a Mage or Consort) - You have done something dangerous that profoundly angered your family. Perhaps you secretly killed a Mage who was a rival for your Consort. It could be that you were caught befriending Vampfurres. Whatever it was, it was very serious, and you're lucky they didn't kill you outright. You have been stripped of the right to your former surname. This character is not invited to, and may not attend, the twice-a-year Mage gatherings. (The Disadvantages of Poverty and/or Debt may also be appropriate for this character.)

Quirk: Isolated Upbringing (1 pt; part of Standard Mage package deal) - This Disadvantage reflects the character's somewhat unusual upbringing as a cozened student at the Academy and a cherished scion of a wealthy and insular Mage family. The Mageling isn't stupid, they just don't have a clear understanding of the commoners' lives. Food comes from kitchens with trained cooks; laundry is what the chambermaid carries away each morning and carries back tomorrow all white and starched. The fairytale character Rapunzel could have this Disadvantage. Nobles can, too: During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette was informed that the commoners "have no bread." Legend has it that she replied, "Well, then they should eat cake."


Venerable Lineage (1 pt; Must be a Mage or Consort) - You are a member of one of the handful of Venerable Lineages of Mages. Your pedigree is impeccable. As a result, you have one point of resistance to magical effects you do not wish. (This Advantage may only be taken once.) The Disadvantage of "Mage-biased" is especially appropriate to this character but not required. There are a few in the Venerable Lineage households who are unprejudiced- but they keep their mouths shut to avoid being disowned. Those of Venerables Lineage enjoy higher status within Mage society. The Advantage of another point of Wealth is also appropriate but not required.

Winged (1 pt; Must be a Mage, Consort, or Discordant) - The blood of the Primes reveals itself through a pair of natural wings. If it is the Light Primes, the wings are feathered, but if it is the Dark Primes, they are bat type wings. At the player's option, the character may be able to make these wings grow and shrink away at will. Although the common furre may associate bat wings with the Dark Primes, there is no stigma to them. (People of Erth assume it was many years ago that your ancestor was born, and you might have nothing to do with any of them.) The Primes have no especial interest in winged characters, but they themselves may feel somehow connected. (It would be something like finding out you were the grandson of a very famous six-fingered guitarist when you yourself were born with six fingers on each hand.) This Advantage comes with a built-in Disadvantage: the Vampfurres know what those wings mean, and may attempt to harm such a character.

Villister (1 pt; Must be a Mage; can not have Dyslistia) - From time to time a Mage comes along who can List for a ten meter radius around them. They are not necessarily gifted in any other fashion. The name is a shortened version of "village Lister". The Academy employs Villisters to seek out Mage children. Villisters have another potential. It is possible that they will locate Undead. Because the Undead know about them, and will hunt them down, Villisters must travel incognito. They may disguise themselves as bards, traveling salesfurres, frivolous wealthy Silent tourists, etc. This Advantage is a prerequisite for being a Mage Inquisitor of the royal court.

Listing Sense (2 pt; Must be a Consort) - On rare occasions, a Consort is born with the ability to List. It is more likely amongst the Venerable Lineages.

Excellent Emanations (1 pt; Must be a Mage or a Consort) - This character's emanations are beautiful, like a striking melody. The character gets a +1 bonus to any social check where such a thing would matter. Such a furre is considered highly attractive by anyone who can List. This might confuse the Silent, who perceive only the character's personality and looks. For a Mage or Consort, intimacy with a character with excellent emanations is unmatched.

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SOURCE, Talz's Livejournal

In the dream magic is a two part equation:

- The first is location, in this case Kasuria, which makes Kasurian taught magic stronger. Shamanistic magic, like that of which is commonly found in Drakoria, doesn't work as well here.

- The second is blood, in this case Furre vs Wyrmme (for simplicity's sake we've branched this to all scaley kind to include nagas, serps, etc). A furre is more skilled in furre magic (Kasurian for most), and wyrmmes are most skilled in shamanistic (Drakorian for most) and also psionics* if they have that ability.

- Half blooded furres and wyrmmes alike experience a disadvantage in that their powers will never be as strong as their full blooded counterparts in either field no matter location.

So if a half furre, half wyrmme had both the ability to do magic and psionics it would depend on their geographical location as to just how powerful one power was over the other. If this furre was in Drakoria their psionics might be boosted but they would not be better than a full blooded person, and vice versa in Kasuria their magic wouldn't be a strong.

If you have any questions on this as it pertains to the dream and your character please ask a staff member!

Age is another important factor as a young mage would not be as powerful as an old one, think of magical ability as knowledge. As a furre attends and completes the Academy they will be smarter and thus more powerful for it. A wild talent or a furre kicked from the College would not be nearly so well versed in their magical abilities.

* A note on Psionics
Both furres and wyrmmes can have this ability. It can be specialized, a mind speaker vs a mind reader, or a general use. Please be aware that those that specialize in a certain type of psionics will be more powerful at it than someone who can do more psionic skills (example: A true mind reader is more capable at reading the mind than someone who can both read the mind and also speak to the mind). Even more important is that wyrmmes are the most capable of all, just as a furre has the better potential to do magic because of their blood, wyrmmes are the most skilled at psionics. It is important to note that psions are even rarer than mages as in Kasuria they are often slain out of paw due to the fear that accompanies Drakorian Spies (think of the Red Scare in America, minus all the propaganda/politics and just insert the general fear of communists). Lastly wyrmmes have another advantage ontop of furre psions which is that they can also inflict pain mentally. This is genetic, a furre who is able to inflict pain mentally in some form would need to have wyrmme blood present. This ability is called the Kajutar Mindscourge and is the most common way of making a mindslave.

Consorts are not mages, but do fall under the Mages Sphere. I don't necessarily expect to see many of them played as characters, but they are an IC aspect of the world of the Mage. Consorts, and their value to magical society, is not known to the common furre, as Mages and Consorts themselves keep it private.

1. The child of two Mages is born a Mage (50% chance) or a Consort (25% chance). 25% of the time, the furreling is stillborn, however.
2. The child of a Mage and a Consort can be either a Mage or a Consort (50%/50% chance)
3. The child of a Mage and a non-mage has a 25% chance of being a Mage, a 25% of being a Consort and a 50% chance of being a non-mage.
4. The child of a Consort and a non-mage has a 25% chance of being a Consort- and a 75% chance of being stillborn.

Consorts can't cast spells, but they are full of magical energy. The value of the Consort to Mage society is their ability to "Gryth". Through physical contact in an affectionate gesture, energy is passed to the mage, who must use it within five days and nights, else it dissipates. After five (RL) days, the Consort is "recharged" and can do it again.

This ability to Gryth is lost should the Mage Consort lose their virginity to a Mage of any gender (They are still called a "Magical Consort", however, because the term derives from the fact that they are sought-after as brides or grooms to wed unto Mages.) Mages find it desirable to keep Mage Consort from being tainted by Non-Mage / Silent Furre, simply because of the desire to maintain lineage and prevent illegitimate offspring

Having once received energy from a Consort, the Mage cannot accept energy from another Consort for five (RL) months. Consorts, however, can do so with any Mage.

Grything is only possible if the Consort is happy. If they are afraid or sad or angry, they cannot Gryth. In Mage society, Consorts may be kept under lock and key in perfect gardens, isolated from the toil and grief of the outside world. Their existence is not secret but it is a highly personal matter to Mages in general.

There is a rumor that it is possible for Mages and Consorts to be born to two non-Magical parents. This is incorrect, though. The story probably comes from the occasional child produced by an affair.

Consorts are sought-after by Vampire Furres, who start to absorb a bit of their life-like-ness. After having a Vampire Furre in their house, the Consort starts to look more pale and corpse-like, and the Vampire Furre starts to look and feel more alive. If a Vampire Furre attempts to "turn" a Consort, the Consort perishes.

Lycanthians and Consorts are instinctively repulsed by each other. The Consort cannot Gryth while a Lycanthian is present; the Lycanthian is seized by a strong and undefined feeling of worry if a Consort is present. Consorts are immune to becoming Lycanthians.

Faerie furres have quite the opposite reaction. Consorts grant them a sense of ease and peacefulness. Consorts are sensitive but also susceptible to Faerie powers. Consorts suffer a minus when attempting to see through Faerie illusions or otherwise resist Faerie influences.

The life of a Magical Consort is a mixed blessing. They are valued and kept safe by Mages, but they may be treated like little children. (In Kosh, it is customary to dress a Magical Consort in adult-sized clothes of a young child because it is believed to protect them from evil spirits!)

This Advantage has been deliberately priced high to keep them less common. When one is a Consort, one's whole existence is very likely to revolve around that fact.

Should the Consort lose their virginity to a Mage, they receive 2 Advantage Points which must be used immediately on any Advantage(s) that can be taken after initial character generation.

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SOURCE, with minor changes; thanks Halia!