GURPS 4th edition. Thaumatology

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http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/thaumatology/ Introduction About This Book Publication History About GURPS About the Author 1. What is Magic? The Idea of Magic Magic Seen as Real Magic in Fiction Words for Magic Conceptions of Magic Magic as a Cookbook Academic Terminology Magic as Engineering Magic as Art Magic as Negotiation Magical Invention Magic as Divine Favor Magic as Reality-Shaping Sources of Magic The Laws of Nature Places of Power Gods and Spirits Ethical Magic Colors of Magic Subjective Reality Laws of Magic Magic-Workers Natural Ability Dumb Luck Secret Supernatural Favor Supernatural Inspiration Education Physical Initiation 2. Minor Spell Variants Limited and Modified Magery Wizardly Weaknesses Special Limitations Visible Magical Gifts Spell Signatures Other Appropriate Limitations Unusable Prerequisites Buying Off Limitations on Magery Magery With Enhancements The Unarmored Wizard Magic Based on Other Attributes Problems and Solutions Critical Successes With Spells Critical Magical Failures and Luck Changing the Spells Banning Spells Secret and Lost Spells Changing Specific Spells Fearsome Magic Shapeshifters’ Choices Minor System Tweaks Conditional Negation Minor System Additions Trading Energy for Speed and Skill Capping Spell Skill Levels Skill-Based Limits Skills to Salvage Critical Failures Magery-Based Limits Changing the Colleges Example: Tree Magic The Ogham Alphabet Alternative Elements Elements and Medicine Ethics and Spells Suggested Spells Energy Sources Extra Fatigue Familiars Energy Other Than Fatigue Powerstones Mass Magic Alternative Power Stores Static Power Supplies Meditation Ley Spells Sacrifices Sacrifice Values and Character Points Spell Slots Mana Mana Levels Non-Mages Casting in Lower-Mana Areas Mana-Related Traits Technology Disrupts Magic? Eliminating Mana Magic Resistance and the Mage Magic Addiction 3. Major Variations Clerics and Magery 0 Varieties of Magery Clerical Spell-Magic Clerical Spells Requirements Power Investiture (Shamanic) Ceremonial Castings Sanctity Priestly Spell Lists Critical Failures on Clerical Magic Example: The Temple of Hephaestus Priest-Wizards Ritual Magic The Prerequisite Count Strange Paths Extending the Rule of 20 No Defaults to Core Skill Ceremonial Castings Known and Unknown Techniques Alternative Core Skills Divine Ritual Magic Wildcard Colleges Combining Ritual and Spell Magic Threshold-Limited Magic The Power Tally Thresholds and Calamities Adjusting the Numbers New Advantages New Magery Limitations Magic Items Thresholds and “Energy Spells” Options and Considerations Use With Standard Spellcasting Clerics and Threshold-Based Magic Use With Ritual Magic Mandatory and Significant Modifiers Using the Concept Ceremonial-Only Casting Astrological Modifiers Example: The Cabal Chinese Symbolism Magical Laws Casting Interdimensionally Universes Where “Distance” Is Meaningless Other Potential Modifiers Modifiers and Magic Items The Voodoo Doll Example: A Modified Casting Assisting Spirits The Concept The Agreement The Casting The Price of Power Starting With Spirit-Assisted Magic 4. Material Magic Inherent Magic Materials for Wizards Celtic Tree Talismans Natural Medicines Magic-Rich Minerals Mana Organs Gemstones Alchemy Concepts of Alchemy Alchemy and Special Modifiers Schools of Alchemy Laboratory Procedures Alchemical Inventions Alchemical Gadgeteering Herb Lore Herb Uses and Rarities Consuming Multiple Elixirs Alchemy and Medicine Enchanting Items The Standard System Elixir Delivery Methods Lend Skill in Items Enchantment Through Age Activating Items Enchantment Through Deeds Devotional Enchantment Magic Items as Advantages Advantages Enhancements Limitations Disadvantages Interactions Examples Power Talents and Gadget Items Item Drawbacks and Personalities Restricted Items Willful and Sapient Items New Disadvantages for Items Weapon-Form Modifiers Example: The Silver Harp 5. Paths and Books Essential Principles Effect Shaping Theory Paths vs. Books Books Path/Book Ritual Terminology Path/Book Advantages Other Appropriate Traits “Mystic Symbol” Advantages Path/Book Magic in Operation Learning Path/Book Magic Magical Steps Extended Rule of 20 – Again Ritual Space and Sanctity Ritual Space and Mana Aspected Space Elements Ritual Parameters Decanic Modifiers and Rituals Combined Efforts Multiple Simultaneous Effects Effect Shaping in Operation Path/Book Ritual Magic as Religious Ritual Energy Accumulating Magic Energy Accumulating in Operation Learning Outside Your Tradition Options and Variations Conditional Rituals Combined Ceremonies Sensing Ritual Attacks Canceling and Dispelling Effects Path/Book-Related Items Backlash: Instant Karma Alternatives to Ritual Magic Skill Paths The Path of Cunning The Path of Dreams The Path of the Elements The Path of Form The Path of Gadgets The Path of Health The Path of Knowledge The Path of Luck “Routine Magic” Paths The Path of Nature The Path of Protection Path/Book Ritual Magic and Spirits The Path of Spirit Fetishes Example Books The Book of the Names of the Dead Book Titles Gentle Arts of the Floating World The Deeper Principia Writing New Books 6. Flexible Magic Simple Flexible Magic Effect Class Symbol Magic Selecting a Symbolic Lexicon Symbol Magery Example Lexicons The Futhark Runes Working the Magic How Symbol Drawing Works Recognizing Intent and Capability Energy Cost Symbol-Based Enchantment Example: Improvisational Symbol-Castings Symbol Magic: Variations Ideogram Symbols Whole-Language Symbol Magic Knot-Symbol Magic Words of Power Syntactic Magic: Overview Dividing Up the Universe Syntactic Workings Parameters Casting Time Distraction Syntactics Magic: Verbs and Nouns Capping Syntactic Magic Suggested Verbs and Nouns Defining Castings Ogham Verbs and Nouns Working the Effect Example: Verb-Noun Working Verb-Noun Enchantment Syntactic Magic: Realms and Power Defining the Realms Defining Effects Realms as Powers Performing the Working Example: Realm-Based Working Realm-Based Enchantment Syntactic Magic: Special Cases and Options Practices Techniques Errors and Side Effects: Reality Bites Back Countermagic Disregarding Energy Costs Linked Workings Collaboration GMing Syntactic Magic 7. Magic is Power Unusual Background (Supernatural Ancestry) Magical Advantages Talents as Magic Magic and Modifiers New Enhancements New Limitations Affliction: The Evil Eye Powers Supernatural Powers in Play Supernatural Creature Abilities Gods and Arch-Devils Sample Powers Bardic Arts Elemental Command Personal Holiness High Craft Powers Plane-Walking Reincarnation Shamanism Chi Control Powers Soothsaying Freeform Folkloric Magic Mortals with Supernatural Servants Summoning and Binding Supernatural Allies and Patrons “The Lord Gave, and the Lord Hath Taken Away" Spirit Vessels Template Features Templates and Personal Abilities Limiting the Advantage Sample Spirit Vessel Packages Becoming the God 8. Games of High Enchantment Magical Campaigns Magical Adventures Research Games Magic in Society Magic of Mass Destruction Magical Imagery "Subtle, and Quick to Anger" Identification and Recruitment Study vs. Field Experience Magical Society Interactions Between Magic Systems The Lab-Rat Problem Transformations Game Mechanics Themes and Variations Announcing Curses Otherworldly Entanglements Asking for Higher Favors The Stuff of Raw Magic Insubstantial Beings Affecting the Material World Magic Is Psi Four-Color Wizards Power Tends to Corrupt Worked Examples The People of the Ocean Recreating Magic from Fiction The Wisdom of the Ancient Seers Mystic Chinoiserie The Gem Injection Problem Changing Magic Appendix A: Magical Modifiers Magical Scope Parameters Variant Durations: Conditional Termination Sympathy Traditional Materials Names Contagion Sacrifice Bonuses Significant Dates Hermetic Astrology The Sephiroth The Hebrew Alphabet Chinese Mystical Modifiers Appendix B: Alternative Critical Failure Tables Appendix C: Spell Prerequisite Counts Bibliography Index