Magic in Ebon Gloom, like in most game worlds, is a very fluid and malleable thing taking many forms and ultimately producing a myriad of results. The limitations of magic are placed solely by the imagination of the writer, however, we are here to provide a framework for magic for the sake of consistency and continuity among players.
What is “Magic”?
Magic is what one might call the lubricant of the Universe. Much like the earth needs oil to shift and move, the ever-changing cosmos needs magic to slip and rearrange itself smoothly. However, unlike oil from the crust of the earth, magic never depletes, and will never run out though there have been times of scarcity due to unknown means in what has been known as "Droughts." As much as one might take from the universe, that same amount is given back in the new form of whatever spell or magic results are being taken and used. Magic may be a strange and not fully comprehended substance, but the laws of matter and energy still apply in that it can never be created or destroyed.
What is the magical pollution and the mutation of Roscara?
Much like water gets polluted over time through use and lack of filtration as it is put back into the water system. Or how in puddles, ponds, and lakes, water may become stagnant and collect unwanted detritus from the world around it, magic in Ebon Gloom becomes corrupted in areas of high use. This means in large urban centers, such as Witchwell, the ambient magic has a higher chance of mutating the creatures and plants that live within that area. This is the cause of great distress when a civilian has an unlucky encounter with what one might consider a monster while walking alone at night. While Roscara works on this issue in a limited capacity, much like Central London’s “Great Stink” of July and August 1858. It is unlikely the people will see the problem truly disappear until it affects a great many of those in political power.
Where does Magic come from?
Nobody truly knows where magic comes from, there are theories of course, but the greatest minds of the world have tried and failed to discover what created this strange intangible substance. Because it can not be created or destroyed, and resides within the ‘walls,’ or unseen in-between of our universe that separates the realms that encircle the Heart of Eternity, it is impossible to track its true origins as of this time.
How can I use magic?
While magic itself is hard to comprehend for even the most brilliant of minds, its use is not. Being that magic is all around us, much like fine levels of radiation, it lives within all creatures in some way or another. For those capable of harnessing its power in whatever way that manifests, the limit of how a character can use magic is simply limited by the mind of their writer.
If magic is like background radiation is it dangerous?
Yes, very. The use of corrupted magic, the overuse of magic, and the misuse of magic can cause problems seen in the physical world. One may notice the strange magical corruption that has occurred in the wildlife surrounding Witchwell following its civil war roughly 200 years before the setting of Ebon Gloom. The permeated magic that remains steeped in the land itself causes mutations from glowing flowers to monsters and everything in-between.
What is an identifier of strong magic?
Strong magic has several identifiers that give it away. Most people, even those sensitive to feeling magic, cannot feel it unless it is strong or concentrated, otherwise, their skin might be itching all the time from the very ambient magic in any given area. Some identifiers that strong magic has been used are the taste of licking a 9 Volt battery, zinc, copper, and all, and feeling a dull electric shock through a character's teeth, nasal passages, tongue, and or lips. The air will smell of sweet spearmint as well and begin to grow stronger as the magic in the area builds. Once a spell or use of strong magic has passed, there are potential signs left behind, very often for the caster as they may experience charred fingertips, damaged skin, veins, or even damaged organs the stronger the magic happened to be and their inability to control it. This isn't true for all magic users, but for those who are inexperienced, the raw power of unfiltered magic flowing through them is enough to do some serious damage.
What does strong magic taste and smell like?
Most often strong magic smells of sweet spearmint. Nobody knows exactly why this is, but for those in the know, and those who are able to sense such things, the smell of strong spearmint is a clue as to the use of strong or powerful magics. Keep in mind that smaller weaker uses of magic are often too slight to smell or taste of anything, but for magic uses or those hit by an active use of magic, they may find the taste is akin to sucking copper. Some may even compare the taste to that of blood, iron, zink, or other astringent tastes.
Note: The smell of magic is generalized here, players may describe magic as they wish for their own character. Perhaps when they cast it causes the smell of strawberries or fresh ocean water. Perhaps it tastes of chocolate and the feel is like butterflies in the stomach. As with all things this is up to the character and the player. However, most magic if not described will revert back to the basics seen above in order to continue a baseline of consistency in the continuity of Ebon Gloom.
How does Magic affect the world?
Seeing how a little bit of magic has in essence tainted just about everything in a very diminutive fashion, a small touch of nearly unnoticeable magic cannot harm or affect anything more than it already has. This can be seen in the mundane world, in the supernatural world, and everything between. But, as with radiation, the more there is, the more things may change. A higher amount of magic in the soil of a plant may cause it to mutate into a creature far more complex than the original plant. More magic in a forest critter may cause them to one day become something else or be far smarter than they have any natural right to be. The possibilities are endless, mysterious, and often just as dangerous.
How powerful can magic be?
Magic truly has no limits and it all depends on how much a character can get their hands on. Perhaps they channel magic directly through themselves from the untapped reserves of the universe, perhaps it is their physical form that limits how much they can use, or perhaps there is no limit at all. Like most things, this simply depends on the character and how the writer chooses to play them. Remember that while magic has very few limits, Ebon Gloom is a group designed for all and not simply a playground of the gods. We ask that magic users have reasons for their character's power, as well as keep their games community-friendly because nobody likes a godmodder.
What are consequences to using magic?
While magic has the potential to be very powerful and ever-flowing, it may also come with risks. This is not to say that all writers will want to have their characters be affected by these risks, but some may. Magic has been seen at times to corrupt the user. Much like it can change plants, creatures, and even inanimate objects, humanoid magic-users may see similar effects. Or they may not. It is purely up to each character, how their writer wishes to interact with magic, and what their imagination can dream up.
Can magic be stopped?
Short answer, yes...but it's more complicated than simply yes or no. In the world, magic is ever-present in some way or another. In this way, magic cannot be stopped because it is literally like trying to have a rock without carbon. That being said, when it comes to spells between characters or NPCs, that is completely dependent on the writer(s) and what has been agreed upon between players.
Why doesn’t everyone use magic?
Magic, as described, is a strange and fickle thing. Some may be born able to use it, others may learn, and still, there are those who just acquire the ability one day with no clue how to use it. The reasons for characters not using magic are as many-faceted as the characters themselves. Each one has a reason behind who and what they are, magic is simply a part of that.
May my character have powers, talents, or natural born abilities?
Yes, of course, player characters may have any number of amazing or cool powers. However, despite phrasing or wording in a profile, these can only be implemented in RP with express adherence to the Gold and Silbver rules, which state that only a player may say what happens to their character. This means that while it may be fine to detail in a profile “this character can hypnotize others to do their bidding” such as a vampires glamour, the reality twisting powers of a demon’s moral sway, or the sensual lure of a succubus, these are always to be taken with a grain of salt. If powers that claim to be absolute are in a character’s profile, let it be known that other players do not in any way need to adhere to what they have not agreed to for their own character or NPCs. Either these powers will not be attempted to be used on other players without permission or if they are used without permission, they may be ignored in the RP. So please be sure to ask permission from other players. On the other hand, if you would like to use these powers on your NPCs that you are writing in a scene, that is acceptable.
Note: It can be very stressful, irritating, and disheartening to feel like your character is being ignored, but it’s also stressful, irritating, and disheartening to feel as if someone is trying to take control of your character without permission. This is why it is important to ask instead of attempting and getting shot down by your character's powers being ignored.
May my characters powers or abilities affect the world?
When a character has powers, spells, or abilities to control things such as the weather, tides, earth, other elements, animals, insects, etc...they are treated much in the same way that D&D or GURPS would treat a spell of the same nature. For those of us who are not familiar with such ideas, this means that the ability is localized to a small area and may only last for a short time. Characters may be strong, but they are incapable of permanently combating the powers of nature and the world itself. If the world wants to rain, nothing, not even magic, can stop this. Rain will happen at some point. A spell that creates a sunny sky would only make a hole in the clouds that would within a short time fill back in. An ability that calls for rain on a sunny day would soon see those clouds burn up due to the power of the sun. Just as creating a sheet of ice down market stree would melt over time due to the elements of the area around it.
May my character teleport?
Whether it’s magic, an ability, or something else, characters are able to teleport if they have reason to be able to. Logically, a character would have no idea where they are trying to teleport to if they can not see it and this is why scrying comes in handy. Attempting to get into a room may end up with a character's leg fused to a table, armchair, or even in a wall that they didn’t know was there. Teleportation does not stop momentum therefore if a character is falling and attempts to teleport somewhere else, they will land with the same velocity and force they would have landed with had they not. The farther distance a character teleports the more taxing the spell or ability should be, meaning that traveling from one continent to another should take quite a bit of energy. Otherwise, there would be no reason why everyone isn’t using teleportation as a means of transportation. Lastly, while characters are allowed to teleport, they may not bypass wards or magical locks that would prevent others from getting inside an area.
Note: Teleportation is not the same as using dimensional gates to pass from one place to another. Those with the ability to teleport through spells, abilities, or items are not leaving the world of Ebon Gloom, they are simply moving to a new location within it. Things can often go wrong in teleporting, as with any form of potential magic, so we ask that those who use this in play please use common sense.
May my character scry, spy, or use magic to see others?
The group of Ebon Gloom takes no issue with characters that have the ability to spy on others, but characters may not be omniscient. If a character has scrying as an ability in any capacity, we ask it to be detailed with weaknesses to balance out its strengths. Any with this ability may not use it to break the Golden Rule, godmod, or use OOC information about other characters unless given express permission to do so. Scrying can not bypass wards or magical locks, see in complete darkness (unless the said character can also see in darkness), or be used to see the future. Please use common sense - a character will not have previously been watching someone they just learned existed and thus can not retroactively say they know personal information about them. Scrying may see the past, but only if it does not break any of the aforementioned rules.
May my character time travel?
No, absolutely not. Characters may not artificially travel forward or backward in time. This does not include seeing into the past with spells or abilities, though this must adhere to the Gold and Silver Rules when done in regards to another character. Nor does it include going to a different world where time moves at a different rate or saying that time has passed between RPs, as that is simply the basics of RP. Time is much greater than one may initially think. Searching for a specific moment last week may take hours to find while searching for information from hundreds or thousands of years in the past may take years of a character's life to find. No character may for certain see the future, this doesn’t mean they can’t take their best guess at what it might hold and attempt to plot out predictable paths, they may even guess right. Unfortunately, as in real life, we can’t know how things will play out in RP and as such, our characters can’t either. No character, no matter what, may change the past. This rule is final and may never be bent or loopholed in any way. By attempting to change the past for one character, it changes the canon of Ebon Gloom for all characters. That is not only confusing but is also unfair to those who spent their personal time roleplaying in our group.
Characters may still warn of the dangers of changing the past, or the hardships present in looking into the future. “You don’t want to know your own death” Etc, etc… Creative liberties may be taken in talking about time manipulation as long as all players realize and remember that they may not actually execute such an action. A character may spend their whole life searching for a way to turn back time and undo a mistake, however, it will be a futile quest, unbeknownst to that character.
May my character have one of a kind powers and abilities?
No. While Ebon Gloom recognizes that players wish to play unique and interesting powers, their abilities are not forbidden from others to have figured out the same things. How special a character is should come from what they can do but who they are, their personality, and how they think. That is not to say that a character doesn’t uniquely use their abilities, but there are only so many powers out there. If multiple people want to play their version of a creature with the ability to shapeshift into a bat, one player may not monopolize said ability.
What isn’t allowed?
When it comes to magic, the only things that aren’t allowed are things that go against the canon or spirit of Ebon Gloom and things that hinder the ability of others or Ebon Gloom itself from being on equal footing in roleplay. This means that magic may not overtake the will of other people's characters and their vision for how they wish them to be played unless given express permission from the player. Nor can magic be monopolized or otherwise used to create overpowered characters that disregard the thoughts, feelings, and creativity of other players.
What are ley lines?
Ley lines are essentially streams of magic that encircle the world where power is more easily harnessed, accessed, or in some way used. Ley lines act like streams, collecting and storing magical runoff from areas around them. They come in different types, from small rather weak trickles of magic to strong raging flows. And of course, the larger and more powerful the ley line, the more dangerous it happens to be. In places where ley lines run, magic is always a touch higher (depending on the power of the line), and can often be felt by those who have a predisposition to sensing such things.
Why are ley lines important?
Like water gathers and runs from streams to rivers, magical energy runs off and gathers in ley lines. This is important for several reasons. The most important being that if there was no way for magic to collect, it would run rampant, cause chaos, and begin to change the very fabric of reality. When gathered into streams it will eventually run back to the universe, like a river to the sea, where it belongs and where it is safest for both realities and those living in it.
May my character(s) use ley lines?
Of course, anyone with the knowledge of how to use ley line magic may tap into them granted they have proximity to one. This said magic that has been gathered into ley lines is often tainted with things. Just like it's unwise to drink water from an open stream, using ley line magic can come with great risk. This isn’t a surefire thing, but there is always a chance of grave consequence, the likes of which are too numerous to be named. There are ways to mitigate such things, but of course, that requires a character having learned or devised a method of filter for their safety.
May my character sense ley line magic?
A character sensing ley line magic is dependent upon who the character is and what they can do. Most people cannot feel the ley lines as they travel beneath our feet. However, for those who are sensitive to magical energies, it's entirely possible. Those who see auras may see the magic as golden or prismatic light when they reach the banks of a ley line. Others who are in tune with it may smell, taste, or simply feel that it is there. Those who keep one foot in reality and one foot in the world of the dead may even find themselves needing to swim through it or be swept away. It is all dependent on the character, who they are, and what they can do, but it is very possible that any character may have the ability to sense ley lines in their own way.
Note: As with all things characters may experience ley lines differently depending on how a player has designed the character. Many may see ley lines as rivers of golden light though others may see them as pink, purple, or even black. The possibilities are endless but much with magic in general if not described it is safe to assume the baseline seen above.*
What is a point of power?
A point of power is the term for where multiple ley lines cross over each other. The more powerful the streams which intersect, the more powerful the point. In these places, magic has seeped into the world and tainted it for good or for worse. These places are prone to corruption and are often watched over by guardians to keep them from becoming infested by what flows through the incoming ley lines. This is where one might find a unicorn or horrible monster. In these places, reality is not quite as it should be and many spells cannot be maintained as usual. Many seek to use the power of these places and keep them for themselves, as such, all within Witchwell are guarded against such actions
What are the limitations on ley lines?
To use the power that flows through a ley line, one must be able to tap into them much like digging a supernatural well, figuratively speaking. As such, to use them, this requires a character to be standing in or on the ‘banks’ of a ley line. Or to have some how “bottled” some of the raw power to use away from the banks like a battery. Once a character has access to ley line runoff, like with any other magic, the limitations are up to the imagination of the writer.
May my character access other worlds and dimensions?
Yes, any character with applicable magics may access dimensions or worlds that are outside of Ebon Gloom. This should not be an everyday thing that can happen without thought, planning, or resources.
Note: “Acceptable magics are determined by the player, this means that if a player writes their character being able to access other dimensions then that would constitute “acceptable magics.”
May my character access Heaven , Hell, or The Underworld?
In Ebon Gloom there is no such thing as “the” anything. Dimensions and other worlds are plentiful; there is not simply one “Plane of Hell” or one “Realm of Heaven.” It would be unfair to players for there to be such restrictions placed on something infinite and multifaceted. When referring to realms or planes or other dimensions, we stress that while it’s okay to refer to it as ‘The’ in regards to personal feelings or knowledge in character about a dimension or world, it’s known OOC not to be the absolute and only one of that nature.
May I use realms from D&D or any other gaming systems/ books/ story worlds?
No. In accordance with our rules, cannon creations from other storied universes are not allowed. However, if a character has access to something inspired by, but not owned by a specific rights holder, this is acceptable. We simply ask that these do not play too close to the cannon lore from which they were inspired.
Note: Players may also not write characters from earth or who travel to earth IRL as it does not exist in this setting. Player/ characters may however been from analogies of earth inspired by our world.
What is the cost of traveling to or opening portals in other worlds?
For a character to travel to another world, they will no longer have access to the magic that flows through their native universe. Meaning that the shift of magic through the universe changes as they travel from dimension to dimension. All energy that is needed to open a gate to another world needs to come from the caster of the magic or an external battery of some sort that can be taken with them should they use the portal themselves. This means that even the most powerful of creatures are only able to travel through one or two portals at a time before they will need to rest. The more people brought along on this journey, the more taxing it will be, as the universe cares little for numbers and more about size/volume.
Note: Characters can resume using magic once they have traveled through the portal, story dependent of course. (Feel free to strand your character in a dimension without the use of their magic if you so desire.)
May my character travel to multiple dimensions?
Yes, a character can travel to multiple dimensions. There are many to choose from and as long as there is an in-character reason as to why they may know about them and be able to traverse a number of them, this is accepted. As stated previously, traveling between worlds is quite exhausting either to the magical device or to the spell caster, so they may not make a quick succession of trips to multiple places.
May my character bring people or things back from other worlds?
Yes, a person can bring multiple others through a portal with them, however, it’s very taxing. Just as a character may bring others with them (OOC willing participants), they may also bring items back. This however is subject to being more cumbersome and exhausting the larger and more numerous the items being brought back are. Creatures from other worlds may not be able to remain in the world of Ebon Gloom and may die, or otherwise, be recalled to their home in some way or another, it all depends on the creature. Magic items that can be brought back through portals carry a much heavier price and energy, likewise carrying the risk that they may not even work with the vein of magic that flows through Ebon Gloom instead of their world. This also can work both ways and has the potential to strand players in a world that isn’t their own or strand extra-dimensional travelers in Ebon Gloom without a way to get back. This also can work in reverse allowing a character to have more powerful magics in a different dimension. It really is up to the RP.
Can a portal be left open unattended?
Every portal needs something to keep it open as it forces its way through the layers of dimensions and into the desired area. This means that should a person or an item not be constantly feeding it magic, the portal must close until it can be opened and fed again. Portals immediately close behind those who travel through them unless being intentionally kept open.
Can a character be taken through or affected by a portal without the consent of their player?
From keys, to spells, to cursed item,s to magical items that affect the user, to grabbing another player character and snatching them away - nothing, and we mean nothing can happen to a character without the consent of their player. They can not be magically transported, teleported, gated, or stepped into another place without the expressed OOC permission of their writer as per Ebon Gloom’s Gold and Silver Rules. However, with permission from the player feel free to snatch away.
Can a character use dimension gates or portals to teleport?
Yes, this is very possible. Given that the landscape of other places are different than that of Ebon Gloom's world, this is a valid form of transportation with a few key caveats. The first drawback to teleportation with dimension-hopping is that the character has no idea what they will come in contact with in the world they go to or in the place they show back up in. This means that a character attempting to gate from a country across the world to a street in Ebon Gloom may know their destination but may also be hit by a carriage when they get there. The second is that this form of magic has never been nor can ever be an exact science, meaning that 9 times out of 10 someone may end up in the room they wish to have traveled to, but the tenth time they end up halfway in the wall, meaning that the term “spaghettified” is highly applicable. The only exception is if a character has been to the place before and can place a beacon, or marker, down to follow or have another person do this for them. In this case, it is not any different than attempting to gate into a location. Should this marker have something placed onto it such as a large slab of rock, the same spaghettification would occur.
What is Hollinacrim?
Hollinacrim is a substance made from the bodies of powerful magical creatures. While a form of it can be derived from tainted monsters the risk of using the impure substance is of great peril to the spellcaster, this includes using Hollinacrim harvested from Fallen or 'demonic beings.' True Hollinacrim comes from the bodies of creatures that live on the same dimensional plane as the caster and possess great power, such as dragons, fairies, jinn, seraph, and many others, though most fall under the broader characterization of Fae
If Hollinacrim is made from magical creatures, why can’t it be harvested from other dimensions with magical creatures?
Hollinacrim harvested from creatures from other dimensions is considered inert to those in the dimension Roscara is found in. It is about as useful as sugar in casting magic. While it has its place, it does not have the desired effect. This is why extra planner creatures are safe from being targeted.
Is Hollinacrim still being used today?
While the magical drought is long over, Hollinacrim is an easy way for wizards, especially those who have not gone through heavy schooling, to boost their magic safely. While it is very expensive due to the believed extinction of the substance's source, this does not stop those with the funds from attempting to purchase any they might find. Many regard the expense as being from a limited supply while in reality, it covers the process of producing new batches in a rather gruesome industry.
What is Spex?
Spex is a semi-magical highly addictive alchemical drug with the texture and look or tar and the taste and smell of treacle. Spex workshops, generally found in Nightmire, are one of the chief contributions to the formation of primordial Oozes in city centers. Created as an artificial form of Hollinacrim, spex degrades the user's body and mind over time causing irreparable damage and causing a dependency, the more a person uses the drug the more polluted their body becomes, warping them into inhuman abominations. Once started it is hard to quit as the process of quitting spex is a painful one. The longer a person uses the substance the more dependent on it they are to cast magic at all. Long-time users can not cast the most simple spell without a dose.
