Mysticism

You've learned to channel and control the power of the leylines and tame the wild energies of the Aether. Ranks in Mysticism let you cast spells and work with magical energies and items. For each rank in this skill you gain 1 level of Advantage on Lore checks about arcane theory, magic traditions, creatures of arcane significance (like dragons and beasts), and the Elemental, Astral and Shadow Planes.

Mysticism is used mostly for casting spells (channeling), covered in full in the Magic chapter. Its other uses are below. Analyze Essence and Harvest Essence cost 2 AP each and can be used in combat (essence lasts only 1d3 rounds after death); Harvest Essence deliberately uses Mysticism, not Survival.

Aura Power

For Detect Magic, an aura's power depends on a spell's Complexity or an item's level. If an aura falls in more than one category, Detect Magic shows the stronger.

Lingering aura. An aura lingers after its source fades (a spell) or is destroyed (an item). Detect Magic aimed at such a place shows a dim aura, weaker than faint, for a time set by its original power: faint 5 rounds, moderate 5 minutes, strong 1 hour, overwhelming 5 days. Magical areas, several kinds of magic or strong local emanations can distort or hide weaker auras.

Actions

Analyze Essence ② (Concentrate, Trained)

You examine a creature, remains or magical source to see whether it holds harvestable essence. It takes 2 actions (2 AP in combat): essence stays stable for only 1d3 rounds after it's released, so this often happens mid-fight. The DC depends on the source's quality or level. The full essence rules are in Crafting and Treasure.

Critical Success: As a success, and you also learn its subtype and quality, and whether it holds a further harvestable essence (chosen or decided by the GM).

Success: You learn whether the source holds essence and identify its main Essence Traits.

Failure: You can't tell whether the source holds essence.

Critical Failure: You misread the source, and can't Analyze Essence on it again unless the circumstances meaningfully change.

Harvest Essence ② (Concentrate, Manipulate, Trained)

Requires: The source has been identified, and you have suitable harvesting tools.

You try to draw essence from a creature, remains or other source already found to hold it. It takes 2 actions (2 AP in combat), and must be done while the essence is still stable (1d3 rounds). The DC depends on the source's quality or level and is usually higher than the DC to Analyze it. A source usually yields only 1 essence unless a rule, the creature's entry or the GM says otherwise. The full rules are in Crafting and Treasure.

Critical Success: You harvest 1 essence, and can also draw one more available essence from the same source if it has one.

Success: You harvest 1 essence.

Failure: You don't harvest it, but can try again if the source stays stable.

Critical Failure: The source is ruined and yields no essence.

Detect Magic (Exploration, Concentrate, Trained)

You sense magical auras. The longer you study an area or subject, the more you learn. 1 minute: whether there are any magical auras. 5 minutes: how many different auras there are, and the power of the strongest. 10 minutes: the strength and location of each aura; for auras on things in your line of sight you can make Lore checks to learn each one's school of magic (one check per aura, DC 15 + the spell's Complexity), and for an aura from a magic item you can try to identify its properties (DC 15 + the item's level). Magical areas, mixed magic or strong local emanations can blur or hide weaker auras. Aura strength: spell Complexity 4 or less faint, 7 moderate, 10 strong, 13 overwhelming; magic item level 5 or lower faint, 6–11 moderate, 12–17 strong, 18+ overwhelming (an aura in two categories shows as the stronger). Lingering aura: after its source ends or is destroyed, an aura lingers as dim (weaker than faint) for 5 rounds (faint), 5 minutes (moderate), 1 hour (strong) or 5 days (overwhelming).

Learn a Spell (Downtime, Concentrate, Trained)

Learning a spell takes time and effort: 1 or more days. The full process is in the Magic chapter.

Minor Trick (Magic, Trained)

You shape a tiny amount of Aether into a simple, harmless effect within 10 feet, choosing one Minor Trick you know. A Minor Trick is a Mysticism skill action, not a spell: no Channeling check, no Strain, and it can't cause a Wild Surge. You learn one Minor Trick at your 1st Rank in Mysticism and one more for every 2 Ranks after that. A Minor Trick is always small and harmless: it can't deal damage, impose conditions, make useful equipment, stand in for proper tools or copy a spell unless the GM allows it. You can keep up to 3 lasting Minor Tricks going at once; making another ends one of them (your choice). Sensory Trick: an instant, harmless sensory effect, such as sparks, a puff of wind, faint music, a whisper or an odd smell. Flame Trick: light or snuff a candle, torch, lantern or small campfire. Cleanse Trick: clean or soil an unattended object up to 1 cubic foot. Comfort Trick: chill, warm or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for up to 1 hour. Marking Trick: make a small color change, mark, rune or symbol appear on an object or surface for up to 1 hour. Bauble Trick: make a tiny harmless trinket or simple illusory image that fits in your hand, lasting until the end of your next turn; it can't serve as a tool, weapon, spell component or valuable.