Spellcasting

Spells can be cast by Witches or by using scrolls.

Casting Dice

Adventurers gain a Casting Die for each Witch Template they have, up to a maximum of four Casting Dice.

For example…

Witch. A character with 3 Witch Templates has 3 Casting Dice. A character 4 Witch Templates has 4 Casting Dice.

You can spend Casting Dice to cast Spells.

All Scrolls are imbued with a certain number of Casting Dice. When you cast a Spell from a Scroll, you spend those Casting Dice.

You regain all spent Casting Dice from Witch Templates when you Hit the Hay.

Spell casting

You cast a spell by spending one or more casting dice. After choosing a spell, choose how many dice you want to roll, roll them, and then the spell takes effect. The effect of spending more dice on a spell differs depending on the spell but always makes the spell more powerful in some way.

In order to cast a spell, you must have free movement of at least one arm, be able to speak, and have line of sight to the spell's target.

Anytime you roll doubles on your casting dice, you suffer a mishap and roll on the mishap table below:

Any casting die a Witch spends that comes up 1-3 returns to their casting dice pool. The rest are expended.

Keywords and Terminology

[dice] is a number. It is equal to the number of invested Casting Dice.

[sum] is also a number. It is equal to the sum of all a given Spell's Casting Dice.

Concentration denotes that a Spell must be focused on to maintain its effect. A Concentration Spell persists for its entire duration, or until you cast another Concentration Spell. If you are damaged while casting a Concentration Spell, you must make a Brawn Check, losing the Spell on a failure.

Some Spells have targets. When using these Spells, the Spellcaster chooses the creatures or objects within the Spell's Range to cast the Spell on.

Other Spells have shapes. When using these Spells, the Spellcaster chooses a location within the Spell's Range to act as the origin point for the shape of the Spell.

Armor of Thorns
Range: Touch
Target: Any willing creature
Duration: 10 rounds
Concentration

The target is coated in sharp thorns. They gain +1 defense, and anytime they are hit with a melee attack, the attacker takes [dice] damage.

Corpse Explosion
Range: Far
Target: Any unexploded corpse
Duration: Instant

The target corpse explodes. All creatures in a 20 ft radius make an Agility Check. A target takes [sum] * 2 damage on a failed Check, or half as much on a successful Check.

If the targeted corpse is an undead, they only explode if [sum] * 2 is greater than their Grit.

Charm Person
Range: Nearby
Target: 1 Creature
Duration: [sum] minutes
Concentration

You compel a target to treat you kindlier than they otherwise would. They make a Mind Check. On a failure, they become 2 steps friendlier towards you. If they succeed, they are not charmed and can never be charmed by you again.

Hostile -> Unfriendly -> Neutral -> Friendly -> Helpful

This Spell ends if you act violently towards the target or ask them to do something obviously dangerous. There’s a 3 in 6 chance they remember that you charmed them when the Spell ends. Most characters react with anger or fear if they remember.

Confusion
Range: Nearby
Target: [dice] Creatures
Duration: 10 rounds

Each target makes a Mind Check. On a failure, they are confused. A confused creature has a 3 in 6 chance of doing the opposite of what they mean to do (if they would Attack an enemy, they may Attack an ally; if they would flee, they may run towards danger).

Color Spray
Range: Nearby
Target: All creatures on one side of you.
Duration: [dice] rounds

You launch a spray of pigments in an area. All targets make an Agility Check. If they fail, they are blinded. All attacks against them are Boosted. Attacks made by the blinded creature are Impaired or impossible if they can’t identify their target’s location by sound.

Craft Undead
Range: Far
Target: A corpse that is at least 50% intact
Duration: Instant

You raise a corpse as a minion. It has the same Stats it had in life, except for its Mind Stat, which becomes 1. Its Grit becomes [sum] + 3. Undead minions will follow simple orders and can make unarmed attacks that deal 1d6 damage.

At the start of each day, you must spend a casting die to retain control of an undead minion. If you don’t, the minion falls apart.

Disguise
Range: Touch
Target: 1 creature or Object
Duration: [dice] * 2 hours

You disguise a creature or object as another of roughly the same size. This Spell only changes the appearance of the target. Anyone touching the object notices the deception. The Spell does not change the target's voice or mannerisms.

Drain Life
Range: Touch
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instant

Using necrotic energy, you drain the life from your target. They take [sum] damage, you regain [dice] health.

Dust Devil
Range: Far
Shape: 10 ft radius circle
Duration: [sum] * 2 rounds
Concentration

You conjure a cloud of sand and dust that obscures vision. Attacks made that pass through the cloud are Impaired. As an Action, you can move the cloud of sand to a nearby location.

Flash Fire
Range: Nearby
Shape: 30 ft radius circle
Duration: Instant

You set the target area ablaze, dealing [sum] fire damage to each creature that ends its turn in the radius. The fire will not extinguish on its own.

Foretell Death
Range: Far
Target: Single Creature
Duration: [sum] rounds
Concentration

You Foretell the target’s death. Whenever they take damage, they take [dice] extra damage.

Geyser
Range: Nearby
Shape: 5 ft line
Duration: [sum] rounds
Concentration

You conjure a [dice] * 10-foot-long geyser of water. You can choose which direction the geyser points. Anyone standing in the geyser, or who attempts to walk through it, must make a Brawn Check or be knocked prone and carried to the end of the geyser.

Grasping Vines
Range: Nearby
Shape: 5 * [dice] ft radius circle
Duration: [sum] rounds
Concentration

Vines rise from the ground, restraining anyone in their vicinity. Any creature within the radius of the vines must make a Brawn Check or be restrained. A restrained character cannot move, and their attacks are Impaired. They can use an Action to attempt another Brawn Check to free themselves from the vines.

Hypnotic Lights
Range: Far
Shape: 15 ft radius circle
Duration: [dice] turns
Concentration

You create a shifting pattern of dazzling lights. Any creature within the Spell’s radius makes a Mind Check. If they fail, they take no Actions and stare at the lights, dumbfounded, until the Spell ends or they take damage.

Identify Monster
Identify Monster
Range: Far
Target: [dice] creatures
Duration: Instant

You learn the species, name, and stats of each target. You also learn their weaknesses, if they have any.

Invisibility
Range: Touch
Target: 1 creature or an object up to 100 pounds
Duration: [dice] minutes
Concentration

The target becomes invisible.

Attacking makes enough noise for Nearby creatures to locate you. Attacks against you while invisible are Impaired.

Illusion
Range: Nearby
Shape: Up to [dice] * 5 ft diameter circle
Duration: [sum] minutes
Concentration

You create a perfect image of an object or creature. As an Action, you can move the illusion to any nearby location. The illusion is intangible. Anyone who comes into contact with it realizes it is false.

Lay to Rest
Range: Far
Target: 1 Undead creature or corpse
Duration: Instant

If an undead target has less than [sum] * 3 Brawn, it is immediately destroyed. Intelligent undead can make a Mind Check to resist this effect.

When used on a corpse, this Spell allows a restless spirit to pass on to the afterlife. The corpse can no longer be raised, turned undead, or spoken with.

Lightning Bolt
Range: Self
Shape: 5 ft wide line
Duration: Instant

You conjure a 5-foot-wide, 100-foot-long lightning bolt. Deal [sum] lightning damage to all creatures and objects in the lightning bolt's path. Creatures can attempt an Agility Check to take half damage.

Scry
Range: [sum] miles
Target: A single point in space
D: As long as you maintain concentration
Concentration

You conjure an invisible sensor to a point in space that you designate. Unlike most Spells, you do not need line of sight to your target.

This Spell requires a scrying pool, such as a fire or a pot of still water. As long as you maintain Concentration, the pool projects anything you would be able to see at the sensor's location.

If you invest at least two Casting Dice when you cast this Spell, you can hear through the sensor. If you invest at least three Casting Dice, you can also speak through the sensor.

The sensor can be destroyed if it is discovered. It has 1 Grit.

Sicken
Range: Far
Target: 1 Creature
Duration: Variable

The target makes a Brawn Check. If they fail, you afflict your target with physical illness. Choose one of the following when you cast this Spell:

Intense: The target can’t take any Actions on their turn for [dice] turns. They spend their turns retching and vomiting.

Mild: The target develops a stomach and throat flu for [sum] days.

Silence
Range: Nearby
Target: [dice] creatures
Duration: [sum] Minutes
Concentration

You surround the target in an aura of silence. An unwilling target can make a Mind Check to resist the Spell. On a failure, or if the creature is willing, they cannot speak, and any item in their possession makes no sound.

You cannot cast Spells while under the effect of Silence.

Speak With Dead
Range: Touch
Target: 1 corpse with an intact mouth
Duration: [dice] minutes

You speak to a deceased spirit from beyond the grave. The spirit communicates as they would in life, but you can compel them to answer up to [dice] yes or no questions to the best of their ability. They can resist this effect by making a Mind Check.

Stitch Together
Stitch Together
Range: Touch
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instant

You mend flesh, quickly and viciously. The target makes a Brawn Check. If they fail, they take [dice] damage.

Regardless of the result of the Brawn Check, they then regain [sum] Grit.

Vine Whip
Range: Nearby
Target: Any creature or object
Duration: Instant

Conjures a vine to whip a target for [sum] damage. If the target is not affixed to something, you can pull it close to you. The target can make a Brawn Check to stand their ground.

Wind Wall
Range: Nearby
Shape: 10 * [dice] ft line
Duration: [sum] rounds
Concentration

Conjures a wall of wind. Projectiles cannot pass through the wall.

Wither
Wither
Range: Touch
Touch: One organic object or creature
Duration: Instant

You tear water and nutrients from the target's body. Deal [sum] * 2 damage to organic creatures. Destroys non living organic matter up to [dice]* 5 sqft in size.