Mage Sage Abilities

Below can be found a list of the knowledge fields and studies available to the Mage Class. Starting at 1st level, the mage gains one field, and one study within that field. This choice is left entirely to the player.

There are four fields to choose from:

Black Magic: the practice of "dark magic" for evil and selfish purposes. The practice is greatly hated by much of the world, but the temptation to use magic in order to cause pain and suffering against one's enemies, or to assuage one's sadistic desires, remains very much a part of the magical arts.

Civitas: knowledge of the responsibilities and social contracts that draw together citizens of the monarchy or republic, enabling them to act in concert with one another, allowing the character to act within established regulations of the land.

Humanities: the study of disciplines related to society and culture. This grants critical and speculative knowledge about humanoid existence from a biological and holistic perspective.

Science: describing a systematic approach to knowledge that studies the physical world. Those within the field are motivated by curiosity about the world and a desire to solve problems.

Sage Studies

The studies within these fields are each described more thoroughly on their own pages — and in turn are a number of sage abilities that await possession by player characters and others. Following are a list of studies sorted by their field.

Black Magic

• Golems: the art of bestowing life into creature-appearing constructs designed from homogenous natural materials, typically flesh, stone, clay, wood, metal and cloth, leavened dough or plant root.

• Magic Fabrication: investigates the making and enchantment of magical instruments, machines, tools, parts and other objects designed for a particular purpose.

• Occultism: the investigation into the nature of magic and specifically wild magic, the intrinsic force that permeates reality and acts of its own unconstrained accord.

• Planar Travel & Gating: knowledge of how to transition self and others from one existence to another, granting the wherewithal to cross into the ethereal or across the Astral Plane.

Civitas

• Current Affairs: a study of present political interactions, enabling the character to identify and explain the sequence of day-to-day events ongoing in the world.

• Guilds: enables the character to understand the organisation and relationships involved in mastering business, regulations, cartels and professional associations. Means of production is included in the knowledge.

• Construction: the physical process of building structures, integrating surveying, excavation, masonry, carpentry, financial considerations, contracting and ongoing productivity of labour.

• Mercantilism: knowledge of the habits and opportunities proposed by trading goods both locally and abroad, as a means of knowing what to trade and to where it should be traded. Provides skill at obtaining the best buy and sell prices.

Humanities

• Geography: provides knowledge of terrain, political boundaries, travel routes, the location of cities and cultural ethnic groups, as defined by land and sea.

• Language: grants intimate knowledge of writing and communication, enabling the character to communicate with groups who do not use the common language, as well as knowledge of languages from the distant past.

• Law & Policy: studies the system of theological laws, to permit tighter enforcement of the God's will among its believers.

• Logic & Ethics: the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason and mind, enabling the character to teach others and pass along the comprehension of magical structure.

• Publishing: provides knowledge in the writing and dissemination of literature, music or images, most usefully in the creation of magical scrolls and tomes for use by those able to read magic.

Science

• Alchemy: the study of natural materials, plants and elemental phenomena, surrounding the creation and refinement of substances, poisons, salves, ointments, potions and more.

• Engineering: gives skills related to fabrication, invention, design, building and improvement of buildings, machines and tools, enabling the construction of complex machines and giving shape to physical space.

• Geology: provides knowledge of the earth, the rocks with which it is composed and the processes by which terrestrial structures and forms change over time.

• Medicine: studies the practice of sustaining life through secular and mystical means.

Awarding Knowledge Points

At 1st level, the mage player character will gain 12 knowledge points in their chosen study. A d8-1 is rolled for the other studies in the mage's chosen field, producing a result of 0 to 7 each. A d4-1 is rolled for all other studies in all other fields, producing a result of 0 to 3 each. Therefore, the mage will accumulate sufficient points in every study to most likely become an amateur in all or most studies. Be sure to read the sage abilities page for additional details.

This accumulation is assumed to occur steadily, through everyday discussions with NPCs in settled places, chance reading of books, experiment and insight, whether or not the character ever expresses their intention to gather this knowledge. Time in the campaign is often skirted over ... so we may assume the character spoke to someone in their profession along a road, at a tavern, perhaps finding a shelf of books (and poking through them) during an afternoon's shopping or whenever.

Once the character has gained sufficient levels, the number of both fields and studies are increased. Furthermore, as levels are gained, so are knowledge points, enabling characters to progress from amateur to authority, and thence to expert and sage. At 5th, 9th and 13th levels, the mage will gain a new study in a field that the mage possesses. At 7th and 13th levels, the mage will gain a new field.