COLOR MAGIC, COLOR COLLEGES, AND WFRP SORCERY ((The following is an extract from the rough draft of REALMS OF SORCERY, presenting background and rules adapting the idea of color magic (first detailed in White Dwarf 113 & 114 and implemented in current Warhammer Fantasy Battle rules) to sorcery for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.)) The Colleges Arcane and the Old Secret Societies: In earlier periods of cult persecution of sorcery the practices and traditions of sorcery were guarded and passed on in the Old World by various secret societies. Now that sorcery is sanctioned by the sovereigns, many former secret societies have been assimilated into the guild and academy system as the Colleges Arcane (also known as "color colleges"). The Colleges Arcane preserve the ancient secret society practices and traditions in fraternal organizations within the academy and guild system. In large Guildhalls all of the different colleges are often represented in the staff and students, but small study centers and guild chapters might be comprised of members of only one ot two color colleges. The following list indicates the formal (and informal) titles of the best-known Colleges Arcane, with a brief description of their guiding principles. Aquilia Aureus (Golden Wizards): Though asserting a dedication to Perfect Reason and Honor, Gold Wizards have a popular reputation for mercenary greed and opportunistic ethics. Favored by War Wizards and Necromancers. Turris Lumen ( Light Wizards): Preserves traditional values of ancient Hedgewizardry -- aid the poor, protect the weak, scorn and sting the rich and powerful. Persecuted by the authorities, honored by peasants and lower classes. Favored by Illusionists. Triskele Triplex (Jade Wizards): Specializes in the nature-oriented magicks of the rural countryside and wilderness. Favored by Elementalists. Carpe Vita (Amethyst Wizards): Playful, immoderate, and self-indulgent, regarding magick as a toy for art and amusement. Favored by War Wizards and Daemonologists. Espada de la Guardiana (Grey Wizards): Self-appointed itinerent champions of Justice. Typically War Wizards, often military mercenaries and soldiers-of-fortune, solitary or in the company of other mercenary warriors, sometimes cynical, sometimes earnest in pursuit of Justice. Also associated with Necromancy. Cardo Artis (Bright Wizards): Honors the pursuit of Magickal Knowledge, with little concern for the fates or fortunes of society. Associated with indiscriminant use of battlefield magicks. Favored by War Wizards and Daemonologists. Sagittarius Arcanus (Amber Wizards): Dedicated to improving the reputation of sorcery through good works in the community and for the state. Diplomatic, pragmatic, eager in service of merchant interests, new nobility, and military. Favored by Elementalists. Nuntius Caelestis (Celestial Wizards): Blend astrological mysticism with intellectual, elitist pretensions. Haven for hyper-intelligent, talented crackpots. Favored by Illusionists. Annulus Mirabilis (Wizards of The Great Wheel): Modern college, vague and inoffensive, primarily social in nature. Oculus Divinus (Rainbow Wizards): Modern college, vague and inoffensive, primarily social in nature. Aranei Tenebrarum (Dark Wizards): This secret society is suppressed by the Guild and outlawed by the State. Though no Guild wizard would admit to membership in this college, it remains an open secret among practitioners in criminal subcultures and certain aristocratic factions. Other Sorcerous Secret Societies: These societies have remained secret for various reasons, typically because their practices and traditions are outlawed or abhorent. The Cup and Serpent: An ancient alchemist's society, masters of poisons and appalling potions Dead Man's Taper: A necromantic society of Pharonic origin (symbol is a candle made from a dead man's hand, with wicks at the tips of the thumb and fingers like a candelabra). Spines of the Thistle: Ancient and beneficent secret order of adventuring scholars. Suspicious of the current climate of tolerance, they remain a secret order in isolation. The sign of the thistle in a remote ruin or on a strange artifact means that the Thistle has gone before and found no harm. (Symbol is purple thistle blossom at the top of a stalk covered with sharp spines.) BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP IN COLLEGES ARCANE (COLOR COLLEGES) The Colleges Arcane share exclusive trade secrets with their members which provide two main benefits for Sorceror characters: 1. Each college conserves special knowledge which aids in learning and mastering certain spells and rituals. Because of this special knowledge, these spells and rituals are easier to learn for college members. (half ep cost to learn spells and castings in the province of the color college) 2. Each college conserves secret techniques for sensing and shaping flux energies. When flux is at a low ebb, these techniques permit sorcerors to make most effective use of weak flux to cast certain spells and rituals. When flux is abundant, these techniques permit sorcerors exceptional economies in expenditure of personal magic power. (When flux is weak, members cast spells and rituals from their own colleges at normal cost while other sorcerors pay double magic points. When flux is strong, members cast spells and rituals at half normal magic points cost, while other sorcerors pay normal costs.) NOTE ON FLUX: In Fantasy Battle, the winds of magic shift, limiting the types of magic that can be cast at any given momen t. I like the flavor of this, though I don't want it to play a significant role in WFRP melee. Two schemes suggest themselves: 1. Roll for flux at regular intervals (for example, each melee round, or at the beginning of each melee). 2. Flux is a function of time, place, and circumstance (i.e., a GM-moderated element of the setting). SAMPLE SPELL AND RITUAL LIST The following list indicates the Color College associated with each spell and casting for the academies of War Wizards and Daemonologists. Some spells are also noted as DARK; such spells and castings are the specialties of Dark Wizards. Dark spells are officially proscribed by the Guild and outlawed by the State; however, by Imperial decree, these spells are taught and practiced by the academies under the strict supervision of the Guilds. Dark spells and castings rely on dangerous manipulations of the Void (i.e., Chaos), and risk permanent damage to the mind, spirit, and body of the caster. PETTY Detect Magick (Petty, page ??) LIGHT Discorporate Flesh (Petty, page ??) AMETHYST Distract Awareness (Petty, page ??) BRIGHT Lesser Circle (Petty, page ??) GOLD Distract Memory (Petty, page ??) LIGHT Bond Elements (Petty, page ??) GOLD Perceive Spirit (Petty, page ??) AMBER Voidsend Message (Petty, page ??) GREY Lesser Pentagram (Petty, page ??) AMBER Deepsleep (Petty, page ??) LIGHT Summon Elemental Node (Petty, page ??) GOLD Toughen Flesh (Petty, page ??) JADE Vaporbloom (Petty, page ??) CELESTIAL Rend Flesh (Petty, page ??) BRIGHT Powerlink Artifact (Petty, page ??) GREY Burning Blade(Petty, page ??) BRIGHT Aethyrshock (Petty, page ??) AMETHYST WAR WIZARD Battle Level 1 Accelerate Flesh (Battle Level 1, page ??) JADE Accelerate Healing (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMBER Command (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST Excite Enmity [Hostility?] (Battle Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT FarSleep (Battle Level 1, page ??) LIGHT Fireball (Battle Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT Flight Minor (Battle Level 1, page ??) CELESTIAL Harmonize Minds (Battle Level 1, page ??) GREY Lesser Square (Battle Level 1, page ??) LIGHT Lesser Triangle (Battle Level 1, page ??) GREY MuscleMight (Battle Level 1, page ??) JADE PainMind (Battle Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT SpiritShield (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST Toxicbloom (Battle Level 1, page ??) JADE WildWind (Battle Level 1, page ??) CELESTIAL Detect Magic Trance (Battle Level 1, page ??) LIGHT Levitate (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMBER Lightball (Battle Level 1, page ??) CELESTIAL Iceball (Battle Level 1, page ??) GOLD Earthball (Battle Level 1, page ??) GOLD Acelerate Self (Battle Level 1, page ??) JADE Battle Level 2 Aethyrward (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST DimWit (Battle Level 2, page ??) GOLD Excite Panic (Battle Level 2, page ??) BRIGHT Flight Major (Battle Level 2, page ??) CELESTIAL Greater Pentagram (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMBER Inspire Heroism (Battle Level 2, page ??) GREY Lightning (Battle Level 2, page ??) CELESTIAL Lungfirebloom (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMBER Mystic Mist (Battle Level 2, page ??) JADE Precipitate Plasm (Battle Level 2, page ??) GREY Sap Will (Battle Level 2, page ??) LIGHT Shatter Elemental Bonds (Battle Level 2, page ??) GOLD Fleshfrenzy (Battle Level 2, page ??) JADE Shatter Flesh (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST Scald Flesh (Battle Level 2, page ??) BRIGHT Aethyr Grapple (Battle Level 2, page ??) LIGHT Battle Level 3 Chaos Wormhole (Battle Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Corrosionbloom (Battle Level 3, page ??) JADE Darken Reflection (Battle Level 3, page ??) LIGHT Enchant Lesser Weapon (Battle Level 3, page ??) GOLD Enchant Lesser Armor (Battle Level 3, page ??) GOLD Ensorcel Mind (Battle Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST Excite Terror (Battle Level 3, page ??) AMBER Freeze Mind (Battle Level 3, page ??) CELESTIAL Greater Circle (Battle Level 3, page ??) JADE Precipitate Plasm Bridge (Battle Level 3, page ??) GREY Speak in Mind (Battle Level 3, page ??) LIGHT Voidlink Message (Battle Level 3, page ??) GREY Winddeflection (Battle Level 3, page ??) CELESTIAL Cause Instability (Battle Level 3, page ??) AMBER/DARK Precipitate FIiery Plasm (Battle Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT Aethyrblast (Battle Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST Voidflare (Battle Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Battle Level 4 Block Emotion (Battle Level 4, page ??) GREY Drain Spirit (Battle Level 4, page ??) LIGHT Fortify Flesh (Battle Level 4, page ??) JADE Greater Square (Battle Level 4, page ??) GOLD Greater Triangle (Battle Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST Ignite Vaporbloom (Battle Level 4, page ??) BRIGHT Null Aethyr (Battle Level 4, page ??) GREY Regeneration (Battle Level 4, page ??) JADE SpiritWalk (Battle Level 4, page ??) CELESTIAL Strengthen Mind (Battle Level 4, page ??) GOLD VoidTravel (Battle Level 4, page ??) CELESTIAL Convulse Aethyr (Battle Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST Dreadwave (Battle Level 4, page ??) AMBER DAEMONOLOGIST Daemonologist Level 1 Banish Lesser Daemon (Daemonologist Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Command (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST Daemonfire (Daemonologist Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Hold Daemon (Daemonologist Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Lesser Square (Battle Level 1, page ??) LIGHT Lesser Triangle (Battle Level 1, page ??) GREY Muddle Mind (Illusionist Level 1, page ??) LIGHT PainMind (Battle Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT Spiritshield (Battle Level 1, page ??) AMETHYST Summon Daemon Steed (Daemonologist Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Imp (Daemonologist Level 1, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Daemonologist Level 2 Cause Instability (Battle Level 3, page ??) AMBER/DARK Chaos Wormhole (Battle Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Precipitate Plasm (Battle Level 2, page ??) GREY Aethyrward (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST Greater Pentagram (Battle Level 2, page ??) AMBER Banish Daemon Horde (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Extend Service (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Fiendish Horde (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Daemonic Energy (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Summon Daemon Creature (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Suppress Instability (Daemonologist Level 2, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Daemonologist Level 3 Enchant Lesser Weapon (Battle Level 3, page ??) GOLD Enchant Lesser Armor (Battle Level 3, page ??) GOLD Precipitate Plasm Bridge (Battle Level 3, page ??) GREY Voidlink Message (Battle Level 3, page ??) GREY Greater Circle (Battle Level 3, page ??) JADE Bind Daemon (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Daemonwrack (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST Destroy Spirit (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Spread Insanity (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Summon Great Power (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Lesser Daemon (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Sorcerous Aid (Daemonologist Level 3, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Daemonologist Level 4 Greater Triangle (Battle Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST Greater Square (Battle Level 4, page ??) GOLD Null Aethyr (Battle Level 4, page ??) GREY Spiritwalk (Battle Level 4, page ??) CELESTIAL VoidTravel (Battle Level 4, page ??) CELESTIAL Banish Greater Daemon (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Daemon Portal (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK Summon Djinn (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Greater Daemon (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Summon Total Power (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) BRIGHT/DARK Welcome Possession (Daemonologist Level 4, page ??) AMETHYST/DARK -- Clay Luther clay@cool.khis.com Macintosh Software Engineer Kodak Health Imaging Systems Brion Gysin's All-Purpose Nuclear Bedtime Story: Some trillions of years ago, a sloppy, dirty giant flicked grease from his fingers. One of those gobs of grease is our universe on its way to the floor. Splat. - WSB