The (Old) Mystery

Known to laymen as "magic", The Mystery is the invisible force that undergirds Creation, an energy produced by Mana that permeates all existence. Those who understand some part of The Mystery may bend the laws of reality to their will. Even so, The Mystery is a strange and fearful phenomenon that, as its name implies, is scarcely understood. Even those who devote their lives to its study know little of its origins or ultimate purpose.

Echo

All who wield The Mystery must do so with caution. There are many among the mortal races who hate and fear that which they do not understand. Mystics are shunned and persecuted by bigots, never fully trusted, even by those who seek their aid and counsel. Beyond this, the casting of spells produces Echo; a reverberation through Mana which those sensitive enough can feel. The more powerful the spell, the greater the Echo and the more likely the unwanted attention of Demons and other foul creatures is to fall on the mystic.

Echo works just like any force; it is the equal and opposite backlash from reality against any expression of magic. The more powerful a spell is, the more the world around it buckles and cracks. The most powerful spells can be felt even by ordinary folk (though such feelings will often be ignored or passed off as a small earthquake or a sudden wave of nausea). Most of the time, Echo can only be felt by those who are sensitive to magic - godlings, demons, and other magic users, for instance. The more powerful a spell, the more perceptible it is and the longer its Echo can be felt. Not only that, but talented individuals can even trace a spell to its source, leading them right to the mage who cast it.

Casting a Spell

A focused application of magic into some tangible effect on the world is called a Spell (with a capital S). Every Spell is associated with one of the ten Mysteries and most magic-users know a handful of Spells they can cast with predictable results. The more energy and focus put into a Spell, the more powerful its effect. Every Spell has a basic, barely perceptible version at which it can be cast called a Cantrip. Above the Cantrip level, there are three degrees (called Levels) at which a Spell can be cast. Higher Level spells can have profoundly powerful effects but are also more costly and produce a great deal of Echo, putting the magic-user and those around them at risk.

Cantrip: Costs o Mana to cast and produces a faint trace of an Echo akin to a whisper or a smell you can't quite place.
Level 1: Costs 1 Mana to cast and produces a noticeable amount of Echo akin to a blaring siren.
Level 2: Costs 2 Mana to cast and produces a great amount of Echo akin to a loud explosion.
Level 3: Costs 3 Mana to cast and produces an immense amount of Echo akin to a small earthquake.

Magic by Rote

The Mystery can also be used by Rote; methods of manipulating specific domains of reality to achieve something not possible or not specifically covered by the ten Mysteries. Applications of magic caused by Rotes are called spells (with a lower-case s). The use of Rotes allows a magic-user to create their own custom spells, tailor-made for whatever situation they find themselves in. Casting a spell by Rote requires Mana and a Spellcraft roll; the more powerful the spell, the higher the roll's Difficulty and Mana requirements. More information about casting spells in this manner can be found on the Rotes page.

The Ten Mysteries

While all magic is often referred to as "The Mystery", there are ten types of magic that are also referred to as "lesser" Mysteries. They are:

The Mystery

Echo

Casting a Spell

Magic by Rote

The Ten Mysteries

Abjuration

Alteration

Augury

Charms

Confluence

Conjuration

Glamour

Mysticism

Thaumaturgy

Vitae