Rules / Magic / Traditions & Trappings
Traditions & Trappings
Traditions and Trappings
Magical Traditions
How magic manifests depends on the Channeler's upbringing, beliefs, intent and emotions. Common traditions include Runecasting (Vikings), Shamanism (Native peoples), Tai Chi (Asian immigrants), Technomancy (Settlers) and Sanguimancy ("Blood Magic", taboo in most civilized circles). Characters may follow unknown or self-made traditions.
Trappings
- Trappings describe a spell's appearance and manifestation. Usually pure flavor (e.g. Evoke Damage as orbs of light vs. daggers of ice).
- They matter mechanically when they set the spell's damage type or other tags, which interact with Resistance (half) and Vulnerability (double).
- Trappings are fixed when you learn the spell. Changing them requires retraining: 1 week per point of Complexity.
- You may learn the same spell more than once with different Trappings (e.g. a fire version and a cold version); each is learned separately and still needs the right Spell Attunement.
Limitations: Components
Trappings list which components the spell needs — Verbal, Somatic and/or Material — which modify its Strain cost:
| Components Required | Strain Adjustment |
|---|---|
| None | +1 |
| Exactly one (Verbal or Somatic) | 0 |
| Verbal + Somatic | −1 |
| Material (with fewer than all three) | −1 |
| Verbal + Somatic + Material | −2 |
Limitations: Delivery
If the Trappings restrict the spell to Self, Touch or Imbue delivery only, reduce its Strain cost by a further 1.
Reductions can offset the cost of modifiers, but can never lower a non-cantrip spell's total Strain below 1. Example: base 1 Strain with a −2 reduction, plus a +2 modifier, still totals 1 Strain.