Mundane Skills

Mundane Skills, Magic, and Magic Items

Two of the more difficult and perplexing problems when writing a fantasy or designing a fantasy game are the twin questions of how did magic first develop, and how are magic items created.

In this fantasy setting and game system, long before the times of legend, magic existed in the world. Magic existed in enchanted springs, magic animals, and other innate magic of the natural world. Magic existed sporadically in the members of the intelligent races as a wild magic abilities appearing at random among the population. Some primitive peoples developed the mystical abilities of Shapechange and Beastmaster.

The next step forward was made by masters of various crafts. The greatest of the craftmasters were through sparks of creativity and dogged perseverance able to construct items of such quality that they had magic-like properties - greater masterworks of craft. With further refinement the first true magic items were created. With the creation of real magic items, the window was opened to the possibility of magic being learned as a craft in its own right. Through trial and error the basic principles of magic and spell casting were slowly discovered.

As time passed the first basic principles of magic were learned. magic spells that could be taught and learned by at least a portion of the population were discovered. These early magic spells were patterned after things of nature. As generations passed more complex spells were discovered. These spells were based not only on the world around them, but on the magic of other spells. Some of the effects of different spells were combined or intensified to bring about stronger magical effects. The spell combinations eventually evolved into the 29 fields of magic available to player characters today. Simultaneously the more structured mystical skills of Undead Mastery, Psionics, and Mystical Resistance were developed.

Modern visualization techniques evolved to better teach these spells to others out of the haphazard hit or miss techniques used by early magic users.

Spell research today is based on the same principles of research used by these early peoples. These principles could be taught to others. Magic was found to follow at least 27 major paths, each with their own guiding theme.

At first spell casting was free-form with only occasional successes. Eventually specific spells were codified with details on how the spell should be cast, what the effects were of the spell, and how to find it along the spell path. These spells were essentially created objects that formed unique visual nodes along the spell path. If the caster could learn to visualize the spell form, he then had a better chance to successfully cast the spell.

Today spell magic includes both Free Form magic spells within these spell paths and more structured Formal spells. When casting a spell, either formal of free form, the character would roll 1d20 + ranks in that spell path + rating of linked attribute versus a target number. If the character has a mundane skill directly related to the spell being cast he can add 1/2 his ranks in that mundane skill, rounded down, as a miscellaneous bonus to his spell casting attempt. Additional miscellaneous modifiers may be assigned as determined by the gamemaster, The gamemaster will determine if a free form spell is viable and assign the appropriate target number based upon complexity and power of the spell.

Mundane Skill Magic

A character with more than 6 or more ranks of a mundane skill can produce magic-like effects that enhance his mundane skill abilities. For example a weaponsmith with 6 ranks or more of weaponsmithing could potentially produce a weapon of such quality it would hit creatures normally struck only by magical weapons. A character with 6 ranks or more tracking would have a chance to track a creature across bare rock. A thief with 6 ranks or more of lock picking would have a chance to open a magically held lock. A fighter with 6 or more ranks of sword combat could potentially harm a creature normally hit only by magical weapons.. The mystical skill of Bardic Ability developed as a direct offshoot of performers with mastery levels of 6 or greater.

Mundane Skills versus Spell Casting

Mundane skills have not been replaced by magic spells. Aside from the most basic tasks, such as lighting a fire or polishing a piece of armor, spells do not and can not duplicate the efforts of skilled craftsmen. A spell can not be used to magically open a lock, the mundane skill lock picking is required. A spell can not be used to track an animal, the mundane skill tracking must be used. A spell can not be used to paint a masterpiece of art, the mundane skill painting must be used. Magic spells are used to create magical effects. For example a spell may be used to enhance eyesight so that the character has a better chance at following tracks, but does not replace the tracking skill. To follow tracks over a hard surface level may require magic-like abilities, but those can only be obtained by raising the mundane skill track to a rank of 6 or higher. A reasonableness guideline should be used by the gamemaster to determine if the use of magic is viable or appropriate, and whether or not a particular spell can be developed or used in the game.