by Kyle Johnson
Mind and vital mana came next. Vital mana was the incarnation of the body and how his Stats interacted with it. Would mixing that with mana create something like mind over matter? No, I suppose that was mind and spatial combined. This would be more like – mind over body, I guess. But is that my body, or someone else’s?
Aranos’ eyes widened as he considered that thought. Mind mana didn’t give you the power to control someone else, but he knew that was possible. Mistress Dirue had done it repeatedly, forcing others to speak the truth. House Exxidor’s assassin, Airéd, had called that type of magic domination, which he’d also read about in the books earlier. He’d said that Dirue was famous for her mastery of nature and domination magic. Since nature mana was sort of a subset of vital mana, as far as Aranos could tell, that meant that Dirue had to have mastered nature mana and one other Enhanced type – unless, of course, she’d only learned nature magic and combined it with a Primary type. While that was possible, Aranos thought it unlikely; if you were going to compel someone to speak the truth, you had to have access to their thoughts, right?
Taking a deep breath, he imagined a simple bogez standing before him. He didn’t have the creature attack; he just wanted it to stand there for the moment. He reached out with his mana tendril and connected to its vital mana, just as he did for the Spell that was still in formation – he’d have to work on that again later – then wound a lattice of mind mana around that tendril. When the mind mana reached the black-skinned, goblin-like creature, Aranos imagined it racing up its spine and twining about its mind. He concentrated on the creature, willing it to jump in the air, but nothing happened. He tried again, pushing his will at the creature, but the bogez stood calmly, ignoring Aranos’ urgings.
Aranos frowned; he was certain that this was the way to form domination mana. It made perfect sense; vital controlled the body, and mind mana controlled the mind, so together they should control an entire creature. Actually, neither of those is true, he realized. Vital mana doesn’t control the body, it powers it, and mind mana can’t control the mind, either. Individually, they can affect a creature but not control it. I had hoped that blending them together would give the mana an effect neither of them had individually, but...
He sighed as he realized his mistake. He’d been using vital and mind mana independently, not melding them into something new. He started over, once more creating a complex lattice of mind mana that would channel energy into increasingly smaller pathways. He connected the construct to the bogez and poured vital mana into that matrix, flooding the pathways and forcing the two energies to blend together. The lattice pulsed and contracted as vital mana merged with it, destabilizing the pattern and making the mana feel somehow softer, more malleable. As the last of the twin energies melded together, Aranos was left mentally grasping what felt like a tendril of flexible mana.
He connected the tendril to the bogez, once again linking to its vital pool. The energy raced out into the creature, filling its limbs and wrapping around its brain. Aranos sent the mental command for the goblin to jump, and to his delight, it immediately leaped into the air. He willed it to speak, and the creature growled out a series of syllables that Aranos couldn’t identify. He had it perform a few tricks – running around, lying down on the ground, even attempting a handstand that ended disastrously – but the more he imposed his will on the creature, the more resistance he felt to each command. Eventually, he released the bogez and dismissed it from his mindscape; he could tell already that while useful, domination mana had a built-in limitation. The more it was used on a creature, the more that creature resisted it.
He glanced back at his mana pillar; only one more pairing of mana to try. Spirit and vital mana flowed next to each other in his column of energy, happily mingling and swirling together. Well, let’s think about what this might create, he pondered. If vital mana deals with the, well, vital functions of the body, and spirit mana connects to other worlds – well, I can see a couple of options. The first is that it might let you travel to other worlds, although that seems awfully close to what soul and spirit were doing when I mixed them. The second is that it could bring something from another world here, into this world, and give it a body to use. Maybe that’s what Summoners do – although I guess that can’t be the case. Summoners use creatures from this world, not from another one. Still, I suppose I’d better assume that if I do this, I’m going to be bringing some creature into this world.
Aranos frowned in thought. Generally, in fantasy games and books, summoning a creature from another realm was – dicey, at best. The creature usually resented being called and would happily take apart whoever was brazen enough to summon it. Casters got around this by using a protective diagram of sorts, but Aranos had no idea how to create something like that. He could probably try to simulate it using his Forge Mana Spell, crafting a circle of mana that was antithetical to whatever creature he summoned, but he wasn’t sure if that would work.
He thought that theoretically, if he tried this in his mindscape it should be harmless enough – until he recalled that his attempts with soul and dimensional mana seemed to have pierced the boundaries of his mindscape and opened into the city above. He didn’t know if that had really happened or had just been part of his vision, but he realized he couldn’t chance it. If this new mana did summon something into the real world and he couldn’t contain it, he’d be unleashing something extraplanar into the Library. He doubted the Parmassae would be very forgiving of that. He needed more information about Summoning magic, otherworldly creatures, and how to safely contain them; fortunately, he had a book that had just that sort of information, albeit it only about creatures from the life aspect. He had some Spells to craft with his new mana types, and then he’d do some studying. He was literally in a library; there was no excuse for proceeding without information.
An hour later, he rose from his mindscape, tired but satisfied with his progress. He hadn’t crafted any Spells of real significance, but what he’d made had some definite utility. He pulled up his waiting notifications and examined them, willing similar notifications to show together:
Evolved Aspects Discovered!
Aspect: Kinetic
Kinetic mana is a mixture of spatial and life mana that allows the caster to utilize pure kinetic force..
Associated Stats: Agil, Dex
Requirements: Agil or Dex 75+ (50+), spatial mana unlocked, life mana unlocked, Mana Manipulation Expert+.
Using Kinetic Mana: Kinetic mana creates constructs sheer force not associated with any specific type of energy. This force must always be in motion – you cannot create standing constructs of kinetic mana. Kinetic mana can inflict bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage depending on how it is used. Magic resistance does not function against kinetic mana, although resistance to the type of damage created by a kinetic Spell works at half the normal effectiveness against it.
Stat Damage: You can only use kinetic SP equal to your Agil and Dex Stats combined per hour without harm. Exceeding this limit drains these Stats: you lose 1 point from whichever Stat is currently highest per 1% of your max SP of additional kinetic mana you use. This damage heals at a rate of 10% per hour of rest or meditation.
Kinetic Mana and Movement: Kinetic mana is the energy of motion. It can be used to accelerate the velocity of any creature or moving object.
Kinetic Mana and Barriers: Barriers designed to resist physical impacts, whether magical or mundane, will resist a kinetic Spell. However, these are only 50% as effective against a kinetic-based Spell or effect unless they are fashioned with Enhanced mana.
+450 XP
Aspect: Gravitational
Gravitational mana is the energy of mass, of matter, and of space itself. This aspect can make a bogez weight as much as a dragon, or a mountain light enough to carry.
Associated Stats: Agil, Dex
Requirements: Agil or Dex 75+ (50+), spatial mana unlocked, void mana unlocked, Mana Manipulation Expert+.
Using Gravita
tional Mana: Spells of gravitational mana cannot be directly cast upon creatures or objects. Instead, this aspect can only affect the fabric of space. Gravitational mana can create attractive gravity, pulling nearby objects toward the Spell’s center or increasing their effective mass. It can also generate repulsive gravity, causing things to have reduced effective mass or be pushed away from the center of the Spell.
Stat and LP Damage: Because gravitational mana utilizes the void aspect, a living caster takes 1 LP of damage per 2 SP of mana cast. In addition, any caster can only use gravitational SP equal to their Agil and Dex combined per hour without danger. Using more mana than this damages the higher of your Agil or Dex by 1 point 1% of your max SP of additional gravitational mana you use. This damage heals at a rate of 10% per hour of rest or meditation.
Gravitational Mana and Barriers: The center of a gravitational mana Spell is held out normally by physical or magical barriers. However, the effects of the Spell ignore both physical and magical barriers unless these were specifically designed to ward off spatial mana.
+450 XP
Enhanced Aspects Discovered!
Aspect: Astral
Astral mana is a blending of soul and spirit mana. It allows its user to travel beyond this world, in spirit only, and enter the Realms beyond this one.
Associated Stats: Wis, Per
Requirements: Soul mana unlocked, Spirit mana unlocked, Wis and Per 75+ (50+), Mana Manipulation Expert+.
Using Astral Mana: Astral mana allows the caster to create an immaterial projection of themselves and journey to Arethain, the Spirit Realm surrounding Ka. Arethain is linked to multiple other realms, all of which can be traversed if the caster knows them well enough to locate them. While traveling in Arethain, the caster’s body is held in a state of suspension – it does not hunger, thirst, or age, but it can be damaged normally. If the caster’s body is damaged, the caster is aware and can attempt to return to their body. A caster whose body is slain while in Arethain dies as well.
Stat Damage: A caster can use Astral SP equal to their Wis and Per Stats combined per hour without harm. Exceeding this limit drains both Wis and Per: you lose 1 point of each per 2% of your max SP of additional astral mana you use. This damage heals at a rate of 10% per hour of rest or meditation.
Traveling with Astral Mana: It is not possible to travel within Ka using astral mana; the only connection the caster can typically find is to their own body, making this the only point they can enter Ka. A caster who travels to another realm outside of Ka using astral mana creates a new body for themselves in this realm. If this body is slain, the caster is returned to their own body, unharmed but taking a penalty of 50% to all Stats for one hour and unable to re-enter Arethain for 24 hours.
+450 XP
Aspect: Dimensional
Dimensional mana allows a caster to travel through space, remotely view distant locations, and even attack creatures from afar. It is a combination of soul and spatial mana.
Associated Stats: Wis, Agil, Dex
Requirements: Soul mana unlocked, spatial mana unlocked, Wis 75+ (50+), Agil or Dex 75+ (50+), Mana Manipulation Expert+.
Using Dimensional Mana: Similar to spatial mana, dimensional mana is somewhat unstable and difficult to control. When a caster uses dimensional mana to access a distant location, their chance of successfully reaching the target is equal to the highest of their Wis, Agil, or Dex Stats as a percentage. This is modified by the following:
Location is: % Change
In sight range +50%
Within 1 hour travel +0%
Within 1 day travel -25%
Same region, more than a day away -50%
A different region -100%
Corrupted/Redeemed -200%
Dangerous, magical, or warded Chances halved
Intimately known +25%
Well known +10%
Somewhat known +0%
Hardly known or only studied -50%
Unknown or only heard of -100%
If the caster fails to accurately target their chosen location, the results depend on how close they were to succeeding and how high the success chance was. If the success chance was high and the caster almost succeeded, they may find they have simply missed their target by a small distance. If the chance of success was low or the caster failed epically, the Spell could backlash, reach to someplace dangerous or deadly, or even draw something or someone through it to the caster’s location. Between these, the Spell might target a random location nearby or simply fail.
Stat Damage: Any caster can use dimensional SP equal to their Wis Stat plus the higher of their Dex or Agil Stats. Exceeding this limit drains all three Stats: you lose 1 point from each Stat per 3% of your max SP of additional dimensional mana you use. This damage heals at a rate of 10% per hour of rest or meditation.
Dimensional Mana, Wards, and Barriers: Dimensional mana ignores purely physical barriers or obstacles, including those that were created by magic but are not magically maintained. It cannot pass through living creatures, although this is rarely an issue unless the creature in question completely surrounds the target or is so large it is very difficult to travel around them. Dimensional mana can penetrate magical wards or barriers, but the chance of success is halved when doing so, and the caster must succeed on an Opposed Check: the caster’s [Wis + (higher of Agil or Dex) + Spell level] versus the opposing caster’s [Int + Mana Manipulation skill + Spell Level of the barrier or ward]. Failure means that the dimensional mana cannot pierce the barrier or ward but will target the area directly outside of it.
Dimensional Mana and Travel: Dimensional mana can be used to create temporary or permanent portals between distant locations for travel. Temporary portals are typically unstable, however, allowing only a single creature to traverse them before they close. To create a stable temporary or permanent portal, a caster must use an anchoring device: an Enchanted or Runecrafted device that stabilizes the portal at each end. Even with such a device, though, there is a chance that with every usage of the portal, it will either collapse or randomly target another location.
+450 XP
Aspect: Telekinetic
Telekinetic mana is a blending of mind and spatial mana and allows the caster to project force over long distances using nothing but will.
Associated Stats: Int, Agil, Dex
Requirements: Mind mana unlocked, spatial mana unlocked, Int 75+ (50+), Agil or Dex 75+ (50+), Mana Manipulation Expert+.
Using Telekinetic Mana: Telekinetic mana allows the caster to control and manipulate objects remotely. Telekinetic mana allows the caster to simulate any force or action they could normally apply directly to an object; an object can be lifted, thrown, carried, moved, even wielded as a weapon. For the purposes of how much can be lifted, the caster’s Int Stat is used instead of the Str Stat. Typically, moving a 10-lb. object requires the use of 1 SP per 10 s.
Stat Damage: A caster can safely use only a limited amount of telekinetic mana every hour. This maximum is equal to SP equal to your Int Stat plus the higher of your Agil or Dex stats per hour. Exceeding this limit drains all three Stats: you lose 1 point from each Stat per 3% of your max SP of additional telekinetic mana you use. This damage heals at a rate of 10% per hour of rest or meditation.
Telekinetic Mana and Barriers: Telekinetic mana, unlike other force-based energies, generally ignores physical and magical barriers unless these are specifically designed to keep out mind mana. This includes physical and magical armor and most wards. If a barrier is specifically designed to keep out mind mana, it is 50% less effective against telekinetic mana. A ward specifically crafted to protect against telekinetic mana is fully effective against Spells of this aspect.
Melee Combat with Telekinetic Mana: While telekinetic mana can be used to wield a physical object as a weapon, it is unwieldy and awkward to do so unless the caster is very skilled in both magic and the weapon in question. If the caster has the appropriate Weapon Mastery and Mana Manipulation Skills of the Expert leve
l or higher, they can fight with a weapon telekinetically as if their Weapon Mastery were 10 ranks lower. If either of these Skills is below the Expert level, the caster fights as if an Untrained Novice with the weapon.
A caster who is capable of fighting with a weapon telekinetically can also use any Abilities their effective Skill rank with the weapon grants them. Any Abilities that use Stamina instead use standard (not telekinetic) SP at double normal rate. Note that an Expert with a weapon fights telekinetically as an Adept with that weapon, so Expert-level Abilities will not be available to them.
Telekinetic Mana and Living Creatures: Telekinetic mana is less effective against living creatures than inanimate objects. Any living creature can make an Opposed Check to resist being controlled through telekinesis: the creature’s [Str Stat + Class Level] versus the caster’s [Int Stat + Spell Level]. This includes plants and beasts but not non-sentient undead or automatons. If the creature succeeds, they are unharmed by the telekinetic effect. If the creature fails, they can make another Check every 10 seconds, with a cumulative +5 bonus to each Check. Note that a caster can only move a living creature in extremely simple ways, such as lifting them in the air, carrying them bodily to another location, or halting their movements. The caster cannot make a creature walk, fight, or perform specific actions.
+450 XP
Aspect: Domination
One of the more feared aspects, domination is a blending of mind and nature mana. Users of domination mana can force others to obey their will, to take or avoid specific actions, or to follow their commands.
Associated Stats: Int, End
Requirements: Mind mana unlocked, nature mana unlocked, Int 75+ (50+), Str or End 75+ (50+), Mana Manipulation Expert+.