The Magic Book

Four Integrated Magic Systems for Basic Roleplaying

Magic pervades many worlds of the Basic Roleplaying game system, for in the game every adventurer — every character — has the capacity to manipulate invisible powers.

Though the beliefs of the user shape his or her approach to magic, all magic works by certain principles which stem from the life force of the user. Life force flows in natural currents throughout the uni­verse. Its different forms and shapes are determined by perception.

This book explains the mechanics of three independent magic systems (spirit magic, divine magic and wizardry) and details ritual magic, a system common to shamans, priests and wizards.

Spirit Magic considers the shaman, the natural energy currents of the world, and how to communicate with the spirits which live close to it. The ability to draw magical energies from within oneself is learned through contact with personal spirits.

Divine Magic users believe in the existence of great powers, personalities, and archetypes which dominate the world. Through the agency of an entity, energies are drawn from the god plane and placed in the hands of priests and priestesses.

Wizardry deals with greater and lesser mages, mortals complete in themselves who recognize only the impersonality of the universe, its immutable laws, and its exploitable qualities. They manipulate energies from many sources.

Ritual Magic is common to the three perspectives from which derive spirit, divine, and wizardly magic. These formal procedures are the skills of Ceremony, Enchant, and Summon, and each uses ritualized motion, invocation, and expenditure of power points to achieve special effects. Each of the three approaches to magic features ritual spells which must be used in conjunction with ritual procedures.

By Greg Stafford, Steve Perrin, Raymond Turney, and Charlie Krank. 72 pages. 8.5 x 11" watermarked PDF with cover images. This is a new printing of material that appeared in out-of-print editions of Chaosium's RuneQuest and the monograph Basic Magic.