The Old World: Grim and Perilous

New Spells And Maneuvers
Narrative
Descriptions
This section discusses how these spells can be
used in narrative encounters.
Mask
Skills: Arcana, Divine
Mask spells create illusions of light and sound.
These can be images of people, creatures, or
objects but also bands of shadows and blurred,
indistinct shapes. Sorcerers and illusionists
capable of creating illusions can sow fear and
confusion on battlefields, concealing their true
intentions and visages as well as those of their
allies, or crafting terrifying visions that paralyze
the minds of weaker beings. These deceptive
images, though devoid of physical form,
can distort perception to such an extent that
foes may be compelled to flee or hesitate, granting
the wizard precious time or advantage.
When you use a Mask spell in a narrative situation,
first check out the mechanical rules
starting on page and see if the effects you
want are listed there. If so, you can use the listed
difficulties to figure out how hard it should
be to cast the spell. Remember that the Mask
spell only creates illusions; it can merely alter
what the eyes see and the ears hear (and maybe
what the nose smells). It can’t create something
physical.
Predict
Skills: Arcana, Divine
“Prediction,” “prophecy,” and “foresight” refer
to the ability to see the future (or at least a
possible future) and alter it to one's advantage.
In the Old World, predict is surrounded by an
aura of mystery and dread. Many legends tell
of powerful mages and mystics who, using
Predict spells, were able to see fragments of
the future, often associated with impending
danger or calamity. Prophets, although rare
and misunderstood, often serve as valued advisors
to authorities but can also be exiles for
whom visions have become a curse. When
your character uses a Predict spell narratively,
its difficulty usually depends on how far into
the future they want to look. If it’s within the
next day or so, then you can start with a difficulty
of Average (kk). Looking a month ahead
may increase the difficulty to Hard (kkk), a
year may be Daunting (kkkk), and anything
beyond that may be Formidable (kkkkk). If
you are considering additional possibilities for
such a spell, first check the mechanical rules
on Table -: Predict Additional Effects to see
if the effects you want are listed there. If so,
you can add them to the spell, correspondingly
increasing the difficulty. A significant number
of h or a d may make a prophecy especially
inscrutable or vague.
Sense Magic
Skills: Arcana
Magical sense, commonly known as Witchsight
is the ability of most spellcasters to sense
the presence or absence of magic. All people
born with the talent to work magic have some
degree of witchsight that can be developed
and expanded with training, so the spellcaster
can actually see the ebb and flow of the Winds
of Magic, witness the scintillating colors of the
Chaos energy in its raw form, and be better
able to harness it for the casting of spells.
When using Sense Magic narratively, it has
a passive effect. Your character constantly sees
the world as if through two types of vision superimposed
upon each other. With their normal
mundane sight, they see like any other
person does. With their witchsight, the character
actually sees the Winds of Magic to some
degree, either as swirling clouds and rivers of
churning colored energy, or as manifestations
of their own thoughts, memories, emotions,
expectations, beliefs, and fears and those of
the people around them. When your character
tries to identify the exact composition of the
Winds of Magic or recognize magic objects or
creatures, it requires a check with basic difficulty
of Easy (k). Identifying magic items or
trying to trace another magic user may increase
the difficulty to Hard (kkk).
Chapter 4: Magic of the Old World 117