Sorcery

WIP

Grimoire of Sorcery

This is a mechanical, in-game class and item. It's here for reference sake anyway.

Chapter 1

An Introduction. It begins with a philosophical statement that the world, and magic by its nature, are fundamentally flawed. Magi dominate society by strength, and for each one of them are hundreds of unseen men and women that build the cities, work the mines, and carry out the necessary work. These magi, that admire the beauty of the heavens, are then compelled to acts of daily worship and obedience, fulfilling not their own inner will and ambitions, but that of the pantheon and their opposing devils. Dedication to these unseen spirits that people call gods strips a person of their character, acting according to what they believe is the will of another, rather than their own heart's passions. Sorcery is in effect a means of escaping those binding chains.

Chapter 2

The Sorcerer's Seal. Before invoking the spells of a sorcerer, one must first perform the rite that grants them the seal. This seal is a circle that contains runes for each of the primary elements, the outer worlds, and a specialized sigil to link the person's soul to the flow of mana beyond, a decorative five-pointed star in the middle and an ouroboros at the very centre. The ritual necessitates a sacrifice of flesh (such as an eye or hand) to be cast into an intense flame, and once it turns to ash to scatter it upon the sigil; linking the person's body and soul to the astral planes, that 'part' of them now spirit. One who is not in possession of their soul is unable to form the Sorcerer's Seal (but a Grand Sorcerer might fix that, or by other means).

Chapter 4

Essence, otherwise known as Lifeforce, and its misconceptions. In purity, essence is a type of mana that makes up a person's spirit. This has a shaky reputation given the nefarious Nethradin often act as patrons, supplying essence in exchange for servitude, even the person's soul by signing a book of shadows. But lifeforce is in abundance within the astral planes, and tapping into that source while bypassing being bound to a patron is the role of a sorcerer. Humanity should be independent of their will.

Chapter 4-7

Sorcerer Spells. Various invocations and their purpose is described in detail, along with the sigils and supporting glyphs. Each requires the sorcerer's seal and an intermediate understanding of Arcane magic to perform.

Sorcerer Actions (Class)

TIER 1

(No app required. Requires a 'Sorcerer' of tier 2+ to conduct the rite safely).

Sorcerer's Seal: -5VIT PERM. Religion set to 'Astral Plane'; must be connected to cast sorcery, changing is loss of sorcery. Grants 10 essence. Must be in possession of your own soul to form a Sorcerer's Seal.

Unlocks Telepathy, Dream Walk. Cannot gain Essence via Transfer Essence or a Witchblade.

Reverse Transmutation - Converts a magical material into essence. Grade E = 5, D = 10, C = 20, B = 30, A = 50, S = 100.

TIER 2

30 essence + requires intermediate knowledge of the Arcane (approved via app)

Unlocks Shapeshifting

Sorcerer's Rite - Perform the rites to grant a person the Seal of the Sorcerer. (10 essence)

Illusive Shape - Grants the target shapeshifting for 3 years (20 essence)

Destined - Target's battles must be cap 2+ for 3 years. May invoke at a range, as long as the target is within range. (20 essence)

Transform into Beast - Target becomes a magical beast (must be captured if unwilling) for a duration of 3 years. (20 essence)

Transmutation - Transform an object. Grade C material. (30 essence)

Wayfinding Unlock (5 Spell Points, 10 essence)

Shapeshifting Unlock (20 essence)

TIER 3

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GRAND SORCERER:

Transform into Beast - permanent, unless the sorcerer lifts the spell or dies

Sorcerer's Sway - spell

Sorcerer's Presence - spell

Seering Orb

Transmutation - Grade B

Unshackle - returns the person's soul to their possession

Life as a Sorcerer

This information can be found in the sorcerer's grimoire.

Sorcery by its nature demands a practitioner to learn the fundamental laws and detailings of the cosmos, otherwise known as arcane magic, the unseen makings of the world and beyond. Once granted the sorcerer's seal, the person is linked both physically and spiritually to the astral plane, the dense flow of lifeforce at the furthest reaches of the spirit world that encapsulates reality.

An infinite plane that few minds can bare witnessing. Limitless. Daily practice includes a specialized form of practice, 'astral meditation', for at least ten minutes. In a calm, relaxed state, eyes closed, breathing slow, the person will focus fully on their seal, and for but a moment glimpse on the astral plane again, then open their eyes to sever the connection. Lingering too long is highly dangerous. Repeat the process until the mind can bare no more. This in repetition 'warms the psyche up' to the impossibilities the journey demands of them, and over time, while never truly easy, those brief flashes become tolerable. (OOC - /wisdom 7 saving throws suggested - failure is temporary or even long-term madness, do what you will with it to spice up your story. Passing doesn't mean you're immune either!)

Sorcerers will also spend a great deal of time researching and practicing the spells written, and also developing new ones. These complex theorems mean that the slightest mistake (a glyph slightly off angle, for example) could sabotage the end result. It necessitates meticulousness.

In society, the practice of sorcery is controversial. After all, the foundational writings declare gods and devils as false idols, upholding flawed power structures that are regressive to societal progression. Beliefs are individualistic and may vary depending on the particular sorcerer, of course.