Magic in Malifaux

Magic in Malifaux

Those who practice the mystical arts on Earth must harness difficult and rare energies in order to complete their spells. While some are potent enough spellcasters to be able to reliably wield magic without the aid of a Soulstone, the vast majority require such fuel in order for their incantations and hexes to have any chance of success.

This is not the case in Malifaux. On the other side of the Breach, magical energy suffuses the entire world, from the air people breathe to the water they drink. Just spending time in Malifaux is often enough for characters to find themselves spontaneously developing magical powers as this energy slowly seeps into their bodies and souls. These "normal" people might hone a few magical tricks intended to augment their other, more natural skills.

Those who are formally trained in the magical arts, however, are capable of producing truly impressive effects. Even those who only dabble in the magical arts find their powers significantly increased in Malifaux.


Magic Legality

When discussing the Guild's sanctions on illegal magic use, it's worth noting that they define magic somewhat narrowly. For instance, while casting the spell to magically animate a Construct might be seen as illegal, being in the company of a Construct is not, because there are engineers and technicians capable of building such devices without resorting to magic.

There are only two Magical Theories that are considered legal in Malifaux: the Thalarian Doctrine, which is the Magical Theory the Guild teaches to its magewrights and Witch Hunters, and the Lifewell Doctrine, whose practitioners are generally too pacifistic to be considered a legitimate threat.

Beyond this, there are a handful of Magical Theories of varying legality. The Oxford Method is technically considered legal by the Guild, on account of political pressure from United States (as Oxford University, the birthplace of the Magical Theory, is located in Mississippi), but the Guild heavily restricts the passage of Oxfordian graduates through the Breach. Similarly, the Guild has made concessions to the Miners and Steamfitters Union, allowing their steamwrights and magewrights to use the more efficient Darlin Theories to keep their mining constructs animated and functioning.

The Guild considers the use of every other Magical Theory to be illegal. Even characters using legal magic, however, run the risk of arrest if they put innocents (or worse, Guild personnel) in danger.


Grimoires

Sorcery is a scholarly art, one that can be taught through rigorous training and intellectual discourse. Some magicians prefer to take shortcuts, cribbing off the work of other spellcasters to learn their arts. A grimoire is a catch-all term for any book, tome, or other recorded work that holds archived magical knowledge. Many sorcerers learn their first spells from a grimoire, and quite a few later write those spells down to pass on their knowledge or to record their deeds for posterity.

Every trained sorcerer knows his spells by heart, having mastered the complex forms long since. However, a sorcerer can gain new magical knowledge by studying a grimoire. Typically, this is a character’s justification for taking the New Power Edge, but some temporary benefit can be gained from studying a grimoire as well.

A grimoire can theoretically hold any number of spells, but most usually only hold one to three such pieces of lore. A character with the Arcane Background (Sorcery) Edge can spend an hour studying a grimoire to learn one power from that book as though it had been gained through the New Power Edge. This studied power lasts until the next time the mage sleeps or is knocked unconscious, at which point he forgets the power. A sorcerer can only keep one "borrowed" power in his mind at a time.

Grimoires are almost never for sale, even on the black market. More often, sorcerers trade copies of their tomes with their peers to share knowledge. Some are found in the possessions of their dead owners, or can be snagged up from seized property in the aftermath of a Guild raid or arrest. Possession of a grimoire as a non-licensed sorcerer is grounds for immediate arrest in Malifaux, so most magicians take great care to hide their tomes of lore.



Magical Theories
A Magical Theory represents one's method of working magic, as well as one's philosophy regarding its nature and use. There are many theories of magic on Earth and Malifaux, though the Guild only recognizes its own theory of magic as legitimate. Indeed, an unlicensed magic-user can expect the Guild’s interest — and potentially its hostility. Even a licensed sorcerer of a non-preferred theory can expect certain amounts of legal harassment, suspicion, and mistrust; particularly vehement Guild officials might even seek means to withdraw the sorcerer’s legitimacy.

Characters can only have one Magical Theory, which permanently shapes how she uses and thinks about magic. Once selected, a Magical Theory cannot be changed.

Sometimes a person's Magical Theory is obvious to others, but sometimes it isn't. When watching someone work magic, the observer can make an Occult (Magic) roll to identify the Magical Theory being employed. Most magic-users can easily recognize fellow practitioners of their own Magical Theory (+2 bonus).


Thalarian Doctrine

The Guild's practice of encouraging the use of enchanting magic, while suppressing all other Magical Theories is widely referred to as the Thalarian Doctrine. In the wake of the devastating Black Powder Wars, the Guild began to greatly restrict the practice of magic on Earth. This effort was headed by a man named Abel Thalaric, who developed an ideology that allows for basic magic use, while preventing the horrific accumulations of power like those of the aristocratic sorcerers whose greed prompted the Powder Wars. What initially started as a method of curbing violence over magical resources eventually developed into the Guild's core business strategy.

The Thalarian Doctrine is touted as the magical system that promotes the use of safe, approved magic for the "common man." The theory produces both sorcerers and enchanters, and they are not viewed as different types of magicians so much as different fields of the same science. Enchantment, however, is the Doctrine's primary focus. The Guild's magewrights, alchemists, and artificers utilize complex formulae and concepts to mass-produce magical items that are usable by anyone, magicians and non-magicians alike. Magic is treated more like a trade skill than as a way to alter the laws of reality. Those who refuse to follow the Doctrine are branded as "Witches" and "Warlocks." Such enemies are depicted as either lunatics meddling with dangerous forces beyond their understanding, or selfish elitists wishing to keep magic out of the hands of the masses.

The Guild's espousal of "magic for everyone" is oft critiqued as a thinly-vieled ploy to ensure greater revenues. After all, peddling magic doesn't net much of profit if your market is limited to a few niche specialists. But if magic is made widely available in the form of enchanted items that anyone can use, then you suddenly have a much larger market of potential buyers. Given its staunch efforts at surpressing the magical freedoms of others, the Guild's populist approach to magic is more than a little ironic.

Mechanics: Enchanters gain the Artificer Edge for free, while sorcerers gain the Talisman Edge for free. The Thalarian Doctrine is the most practiced Magical Theory on both Earth and Malifaux, so there is no shortage of teachers and mentors.


The Darlin Theories

Less of a unified system of magic and more of a collection of magical and scientific treatises, the Darlin Theories seek to catalogue and study magic as if it were a natural science. The theories were first gathered and codified by Aaron Darlin, the mecha-tyrant of Virginia, who is probably best known for burning Richmond to the ground in 1791. After his death in 1792, his works were widely circulated among his peers and his name became synonymous with magic channeled through pneumatic and clockwork devices.

The core belief behind the various Darlin Theories is that magic is a variable and elusive substance, much like steam, but that, like steam, it can be harnessed and controlled with the proper devices. To that end, the practitioners of the Darlin Theories use mechanical devices to direct the flow of magic, with objects of increasing complexity providing proportionately greater control over aetheric power.

Consequently, all Darlinists are machinewrights and technologists who express their power through the fusion of magic with modern tech. Their techno-magical devices have seen use in nearly every industry, both on Earth and Malifaux. Labor constructs and mining equipment fashioned by Darlinist enchanters are especially indispensable to Soulstone operations in the Northern Hills, which is why the Guild grudgingly tolerates the Darlinists of the Union.

To a Darlinist, each magical effect is a combination of different scientific principles: thermal dynamics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and the biological sciences are all relevant to one spell or another. This Magical Theory does not produce sorcerers at all; only machine-oriented enchanters.

Mechanics: Pick a focus for your Enchanting magic: guns, vehicles, constructs, etc. It should be something technologically complex. The enchanter gets a +2 bonus to any Weird Science rolls related to devices of that type. This includes rolls to enchant the item and rolls to activate it.

Darlinists only enchant technological devices of mechanical and/or electrical complexity. In this context, a device's "complexity" can be represented by the presence of moving parts, in combination with a motor component (steam, galvanism, clockwork, etc.) and/or a power source (Soulstone or the inventor's Power Points). Enchanting anything less sophisticated is viewed as a waste of time and magic. It costs a Darlinist double the Power Points to enchant low tech items or non-machinery.

A Darlinist isn't going to bother incorporating his magic into a boring, run-of-the-mill sword. A chain sword on the other hand...


The Oxford Method

The Oxford University of Metaphysical Studies, located in Oxford, Mississippi, teaches magical theory in the same way that other institutions of higher learning teach math, science, and the arts: through regimented memorization and constant practice. The Oxford Method is the sort of magic that most people think of when they imagine a wizard. Common components of their spells include summoning circles, magical formulae, elaborate rituals, and strange incantations. Each spell is composed of various steps and components, each of which must be perfect in order for the incantation to work. The theory produces only sorcerers; no enchanters.

The Oxford Method teaches that magic comes from a mindscape where the practitioner imagines a reality and then harnesses the appropriate sigils, gestures, and arcane words to shift the current reality into the imagined reality. The more powerful the shift in reality, the more lengthy the ritual required to bring it into existence.

Needless to say, this worldview tends to result in graduates who are especially proactive in their desire to change the world. The Guild has noticed this tendency, and though political pressure from the United States has prevented them from outright banning the Magical Theory, they do everything in their power to prevent its practitioners from traveling to Malifaux and stirring up trouble.

Mechanics: Practitioners of the Oxford Method are masters of ritual magic. They have access to the Ritual Magic rules described on page 26 of the Savage Worlds Horror Companion. A ritual can last several minutes, hours, or even days. Though lengthy, a spell performed as a ritual can gain a number of powerful benefits.

Sorcerers in Malifaux who align with this theory are just barely tolerated by the Guild, which is always searching for an excuse to arrest or banish the offending magician. Thus, it makes sense for a practitioner of the Oxford Method to take the Guild Notice Hindrance, or something similar.


Lifewell Doctrine

The Lifewell Doctrine believes that magic is the stuff of life itself. It holds that Black Powder Wars were the result of magic running out on Earth, bringing the world closer to death, and that only the influx of Soulstones to Earth will save the world.

Furthermore, Lifewellians believe that magic should not be used to cause damage and destruction, as this runs counter to its fundamental nature. It is this distortion, they argue, that is disrupting the fabric of the world and leading to the many plights that face those living on Earth and Breachside.

Lifewellians believe in spreading their view of magic, but they also recognize that it's an unpopular one. Fortunately for them, the Guild has found use for those followers of the Doctrine, as their fundamental beliefs tend to make them fall far from what the Guild considers to be a threat.

The Lifewell Doctrine focuses on the healing aspects of magic. Its practitioners try to avoid using magic to harm others.

Mechanics: Practitioners of this theory automatically gain the healing power for free. Also, the Greater Healing modifier costs only 7 additional Power Points, instead of 10. Given their disdain for violence, it's very suiting for a Lifewellian to take the Pacifist (Minor) Hindrance.


The Balanced Five

A Magical Theory hailing from the Three Kingdoms, the Balanced Five is a rough translation for an extremely complex and nuanced form of magic. The basic tenets revolve around the five elements (Air, Earth, Fire, Metal, and Water) and how they must be kept in harmony. Each element also has a positive and negative energy alignment, with each element changing its polarity with the ebbs and flows of life.

The practitioners of the Balanced Five believe that magic exists all around them as an intrinsic part of life. Every tree, every stone, every person contains magic within them, and it is only by keeping the elements balanced that people can live in harmony with the magical world around them.

Practitioners of this Magical Theory believe that spell effects are created not when things are in harmony but rather when the delicate balance between the elements is disturbed. Rather than willing magical effects into existence, a spellcaster ceases to maintain balance in certain elemental combinations, allowing the imbalance to produce the effect she desires.

A practitioner sees herself not as a creator of magic, but as a dam that stops magic from erupting all around her and destroying the foundations of reality. This philosophy makes these spellcasters exceptionally good at restoring the balance between the elements (and thus, ending magical effects), but also makes it more difficult for them to force their will upon the world.

Mechanics: Practitioners of the Balanced Five automatically gain the dispel power for free. Furthermore, the sorcerer does not suffer the standard -2 Spellcasting penalty when attempting to dispel magic from other types of arcane backgrounds, such as Manifested Powers and Enchantments.


Court Procedure

Ever since the first law, there have been people willing to exploit the rules for their own personal power. The laws of magic are no exception, and those who follow the Court Procedure know how to bend, twist, and manipulate those laws in order to reshape reality to their benefit.

A remnant of the Powder Wars, the Court Procedure is the mocking name given to the magic of Lauren Descartes, an enchanter who seized control of France for a short time. What separates the Court Procedure from other Magical Theories is that it is not a system of magic in its own right, but rather, it is a collection of nearly eight thousand fundamental laws of reality organized into eleven distinct gates of power.

Needless to say, this Magical Theory is popular among lawyers, bureaucrats, and anyone else with the patience to memorize so many laws and the intelligence to manipulate them. It was this popularity that earned the Magical Theory its derogatory name, but in the years since, its practitioners have embraced the moniker with enthusiasm.

There are no organized schools that teach the Court Procedure. Most practitioners are either introduced to the rules by a fellow practitioner or, more rarely, accidentally break one of the rules and struggle to understand what just happened in the aftermath of the unleashed magical effect. Regardless of how they learn of the Court Procedure, most practitioners choose to keep their study of the underpinning laws of reality a secret, lest others learn of such power and claim it for themselves.

Mechanics: Practitioners of the Court Procedure thrive on complexity and manipulating the rules of magic. Their higher-order understanding of Sorcery makes them very proficient at modifying spells, as needed. Procedurists gain the Wizard Edge for free, allowing them to alter a power’s Trappings at will (Trappings are explained on page 149 of SWADE).


Phenomenological Reflection

The theory of Phenomenological Reflection is that the truth takes place somewhere between the subject and the object. Reflectionists, as they're called, think that reality doesn't exist within their minds or independently in the world, but rather somewhere in the connection between the two.

To put it more succinctly, Reflectionists believe that reality is a matter of perception and perspective. A man may be a hero in one nation, but a mile away, across an international border, the same man may be reviled as a villain. Neither interpretation is "right" or "wrong" - both are merely different perspectives - and thus, both views are equally valid.

Though it has never been particularly prevalent among spellcasters, Phenomenological Reflection is popular among illusionists, partly because of the practitioner's loose definition of "reality." After all, if you can see an illusion, what makes it less real that something else you can perceive just as easily?

Mechanics: Reflectionists automatically gain the illusion power for free. They can also apply the Strong modifier for zero Power Points (this essentially means that all Smarts rolls made against a Reflectionist's illusions incur a -2 penalty).


The Whisper

Some Resurrectionists speak of a "dread whisper" that taught them magic and drove them to seek out the secrets of undeath. The Whisper is an insidious Magical Theory that does not come from the minds of mortal men. It is, as the name implies, a whispering voice that chooses residents of Malifaux, seemingly at random, and murmurs dark truths and forbidden secrets into their thoughts. No one other than the intended ever hear these whispers, even if standing close.

Spellcasters don't choose to follow the Whisper. The Whisper chooses people and teaches them necromantic spells and profane rituals.

There's always a price to be paid for these secrets, and that price is often blood. The Whisper frequently offers the means by which an otherwise helpless person might deal with someone they hate, giving her the confidence, information, or magical power she needs to avenge herself on a hated enemy.

Afterwards, once blood has been spilled and the new spellcaster is standing over the corpse of their victim, the Whisper will frequently reveal the secrets of animating the dead to its thrall, taking advantage of their delicate mental state to lead them down the path of Necromancy (and, often, insanity).

Mechanics: To its adherents, The Whisper reveals strange and forbidden lore unavailable to most other magicians. When the sorcerer needs to select powers (either at character creation or by taking the New Powers Edge), he is free to choose from the death-themed powers detailed in the Savage Worlds Horror Companion, starting on page 33. Since this is the Magical Theory that starts one down the path of Necromancy, don't forget to eventually take the Resurrectionist Edge in order to complete the transformation.