Men of mystery... women of wonder... harbingers... mentors... defenders... demons. The tide of magic ebbs and flows across the planet. Nothing is untouched, nothing is unchanged in its wake.

Spells are at the heart of any magic based character, adventure, or campaign. I have included 3 categories of spells below. Spells will be added to this list as time permits, and as they are submitted. Standard Villains and Vigilantes rules provide the spell casting character with one spell initially, and the character can create more spells by sucessfully using an Invention Point. I have another alternative to present.

Optional Rule: The character can also gain spells by using their training bonus to learn an existing one. To be able to learn an existing spell the character must either have repeated access to a spell book or magical tome that contains that spell, or must learn it from another spell caster who already knows it. Since they are training to learn the spell the spell being studied should be specified at the beginning of the level.

This may seem to make spell casters alot more powerful, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind about this. In order to learn spells the spell caster must either have access to a spell book, which are rare, or must have a mentor to teach them, also rare. If they do have access to either of these, then they can still only learn spells written in that spell book, or known by that mentor. No spell book will have more than a dozen spells, and most will have less than 8. Mentors may be better, but are harder to keep and may not be allowed by the Gamemaster. In addition just because a player has access to a dozen different forms of attack doesn't mean he will use them with any better results. Most spell casters will rely on a couple of spells for most of their needs, using the rest only in special situations.

Optional Rule For the Rules Upgrade: Characters purchase more spells the same way they purchase or improve powers and skill, using CPs. A GM may restrict what new spells can be learned though. If the characterhas the Occult skill they can roll against it to invent new spells (GM should modify the roll based on the complexity of the spell), they must spend the appropriate CPs in order to purchase it - but they do not lose CPs if they fail. If a character does not have this skill, or wants to avoid making the roll, they may learn a spell from a spell book that they have regular access to - or may be taught by someone else who knows the spell, such as a mentor or another character. Characters may only attempt to learn one new spell per gaming session.

Below is one sample spell book, including history, and contents. Gamemasters are not obligated to use spell books in their campaigns, but they can be a useful plot device.

Necronomicon (Al Azif):

• History: The original Arabic title of this manuscript was Al Azif, a reference to the nocturnal sound of insects believed to be the howling of demons. Alhazred lived in Damascus, where the Necronomicon was written. In 738 A.D., he was set upon by an invisible monster who devoured him publicily in broad daylight. The Al Azif was translated into Greek by Theodorus Philetas of Constantinople, who gave it the name Necronomicon. Olaus Wormius then made a Latin translation in 1228. In 1232, shortly after Wormius' translation, Pope Gregory IX banned both the Greek and Latin versions of the volume. Wormius indicates that the original Arabic text was lost by this time. Dr. John Dee made a translation into English, but only fragments of that version remain. At present, a 15th century Latin translation exists in the British Museum, and 17th century editions exist at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the Widener Library at Harvard, the University of Buenos Aires, and the Miskatonic University at Arkham. Understandably, all these copies remain under lock and key.
• Spells: Control Totem Spirit, Breathe Like a Fish, Dimensional Portal, Astral Expedition, Resurrection, Create Zombie, Unseen

1. The players pass their character sheet to the player on their left, the characters minds have switched bodies. Intelligence scores and skills stay with the characters along with everythings else for simplicity. The Baron will claim to be the only one who can return them to their own bodies. The Baron can undo the change, but if he doesn't it will reverse in a month.
2. The players switch with innocent bystanders instead of each other. Some of these bystanders may be cooperative, but some will not want to switch back to their own bodies. Perhaps one or more are handicapped.

• Mystical Creatures
  • Demons
  • Djinn
  • Homonculi
  • and more...
• Other Dimensions