Mage Sage Abilities

Mage sage abilities refer to the collection of fields and studies that are accessible to characters of the Mage Class at the time of creation. These represent the foundational areas of specialized knowledge and magical scholarship in which the mage has received early instruction or has begun to explore independently. Upon reaching 1st level, a mage selects one sage field and one associated study within that field, marking the beginning of their deeper arcane understanding beyond basic spell use.

The selection of field and study is left entirely to the discretion of the player, allowing for flexibility in character design, background, and roleplay. In the case of non-player characters, the choice is determined by the dungeon master, typically guided by the NPC’s background, purpose, or role within the world. This early specialisation not only grants immediate minor abilities or insights but also establishes the direction of the mage’s future scholarship and magical development.

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 bind citizens within a monarchy or republic, including customs, obligations, and expected forms of conduct. this enables individuals to act in concert with one another, coordinating actions through shared understanding of authority and governance. The character is able to operate effectively within the established regulations of the land, navigating its institutions, laws, and hierarchies with competence.

Humanities: the study of disciplines related to society and culture, including the customs, beliefs, institutions, and behaviors that shape humanoid life. This grants critical and speculative knowledge about humanoid existence from both biological and holistic perspectives, encompassing patterns of development, adaptation, and social structure.

Science: describing a systematic approach to knowledge concerned with the study of the physical world and its governing principles. those within the field are driven by curiosity, observation, and a desire to uncover underlying mechanisms through reasoned inquiry. Explains natural phenomena, with the application of knowledge to practical problems or theoretical exploration.

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 animation and purpose into creature-shaped constructs formed from a single natural material such as flesh, stone, clay, wood, metal, cloth, dough, or root. This study includes knowledge of the rituals, glyphs and bindings required to create obedient guardians or laborers, as well as the limitations and dangers inherent in their construction.

• Magic Fabrication: investigates the design, creation, and enchantment of magical instruments, machines, tools, and components crafted to serve specific functions. This study includes methods for combining arcane principles with physical craftsmanship, allowing the character to produce objects of utility, augmentation or automation.

• Occultism: the investigation into the nature and behavior of magic itself, with emphasis on wild magic—the raw, unpredictable force that moves through existence without fixed rules. This study explores magical anomalies, spontaneous phenomena, and the boundaries between structured spellwork and uncontrolled magical expression.

• Planar Travel & Gating: knowledge of how to transition the self and others between planes of existence, granting the means to enter the ethereal or traverse the Astral Plane. This study includes understanding of planar boundaries, anchoring points, and the effects of such travel on physical and mental form.

Civitas

• Current Affairs: a study of present political interactions, allowing the character to track shifting alliances, conflicts, and policies across regions. This includes awareness of key figures, motivations behind recent events, and how unfolding situations affect law, trade, and diplomacy.

• Guilds: enables the character to understand the structure, influence, and internal politics of business guilds, trade cartels, and professional orders. This includes the regulation of crafts, apprenticeship systems, control of production, and the negotiation of privileges or monopolies.

• Construction: the physical and logistical process of building structures, encompassing surveying, excavation, masonry, carpentry, budgeting, labor management, and contractual coordination. The character gains the knowledge to oversee or evaluate the feasibility and progress of building projects.

• Mercantilism: knowledge of trade practices and economic flow, including the movement of goods, regional markets, and profit optimization. The character understands what products are in demand, where to acquire them cheaply, and how to negotiate favorable transactions in varied economic environments.

Humanities

• Geography: provides knowledge of landforms, coastlines, rivers, political boundaries, travel routes, and the locations of cities, settlements, and cultural groups. Includes an understanding of how terrain shapes migration, trade, and conflict.

• Language: grants intimate knowledge of speech and script, enabling fluent communication with groups outside the common tongue, as well as interpretation of ancient or forgotten languages. Includes both verbal and written forms, dialects, and linguistic history.

• Law & Policy: studies the structure and application of divine and civil law, enabling the character to understand, interpret, and enforce religious and legal codes. Allows interaction with systems of governance in both secular and theocratic states.

• Logic & Ethics: the study of knowledge, reasoning, values, and mind, grounding the character in structured thought and philosophical inquiry. Supports the training of others and deepens comprehension of magical or metaphysical systems.

• Publishing: provides knowledge of written expression and its reproduction, including the composition and distribution of books, scrolls, music, and illustrations. Most useful in the creation of magical texts for use by spellcasters and scholars.

Science

• Alchemy: the study of natural materials, plants, minerals, and elemental forces, centered on the creation and refinement of transformative substances. Includes the preparation of poisons, salves, potions, elixirs, and other compounds used for healing, enhancement, or harm.

• Engineering: grants skills in fabrication, structural design, and the improvement of buildings, machines, and tools. Enables the character to create complex mechanisms, reinforce fortifications, and manipulate terrain or materials through precise construction.

• Geology: provides knowledge of the earth’s structure, including stone, soil, and mineral composition, and the processes that shape landscapes over time. Informs mining, tunneling, fault detection, and understanding the properties of terrain.

• Medicine: studies the preservation, recovery, and extension of life through both practical and mystical treatments. Covers anatomy, diagnosis, surgical methods, and the use of herbs and energies to mend or maintain the body.

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.