| rdfs:comment | - The magic of Britannia is a highly complex art, which only very few can master. The ability to do magic can't be learned. Either it is with the mage from birth, or it will never come at all. Even if the ability is there, it takes years to learn the art. Once it is learned, the mage can accomplish feats both devastating and constructive. To perform magic successfully, several things have to be in the possession of or known by the caster. This section will explain how magic in Britannia works in the Ultima series, and what rules need to be followed when casting a spell.
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| Text | - Before anything further is written, it must be noted that the following section is included only as a matter of historical documentation. The use of magic has long been proven to be unreliable and the suspected cause of mental deterioration. The author takes no responsibility for anyone who may attempt to practice magic based upon the information contained herein.
- Know ye, 0 seeker of the mystic wisdoms, that the ways of magic are diverse and strange. There exists the need for utmost concentration and the harvesting of things magical in order that ye may harness the powers of the universe. Many are the eons of wisdom contained in these pages which I write for the benefit of my pupils, yet still there is much to learn. All magic is accomplished by the use of means both human and of nature, for true magic, is but the melding of human will and natural force. Without the human voice to utter the chant, no spell may be cast. Yet without the proper natural catalyst, no spell may be effective. Thus magic is twofold, a balance struck between nature and humanity.
- Magical energy is structured as eight concentric spheres each composed of networks of light connected to the physical plane by unseen bonds. The spellcaster stands within the center sphere, extending his hands within the outer shells of light where he manipulates the energies to suit his pleasure. In one hand, he holds his spellbook, open to the page containing the description of his chosen incantation. In his other hand, he clutches a vial containing herb and mineral reagents, the mixture serving as the catalyst for his spell. Thus prepared, he utters the incantation, fusing matter and energy into a display of power. The spell has been cast, leaving the caster drained in spirit, but fulfilled in accomplishment.
Mages with little training and experience are limited in the spells they can cast. As a spellcaster grows in stature, penetrating the mysteries of the highest circles of magic, he gains the ability to cast more powerful spells. Great power is not without cost, however. When he casts a spell, the mage experiences a drain in magical power equal to the level circle of that spell. Thus, a simple first level spell drains one point while a fifth level spell, more difficult to cast, drains five. The caster's magical power returns within a few hours.
- No one knows exactly when the powers of magic were discovered. Little by little, stories of impossible coups and miraculous recoveries increased in number and detail, until finally even the most skeptical people began to give credence to some mystic factors. And only then did the serious scholarly search for magical means and lore begin. Few remain who do not accept the reality of magic.Yet the knowledge of magic and its use appears to be in its infancy. There are few formal schools in which to learn magic. To be a user of magic, one must travel far and wide to learn from various mages who have developed and honed special magical abilities. Even then there is no guarantee the mages will impart their knowledge.
Spells diverge greatly in terms of difficulty, and, correspondingly, in terms of danger to the caster. After years of observation and experimentation, scholars in magic have classified spells into eight circles of difficulty. Thus, mages who can command only the simplest spells are considered to be of the first circle, and so on.
Full mages' magical ability is directly related to their intelligence. Bards appear to have half the magical ability of full mages and fighters rarely have any. Casting spells drains magical powers, limiting how many spells mages can cast before resting. A spell will drain magical powers in amounts proportional to the spell's circle of difficulty.
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| abstract | - The magic of Britannia is a highly complex art, which only very few can master. The ability to do magic can't be learned. Either it is with the mage from birth, or it will never come at all. Even if the ability is there, it takes years to learn the art. Once it is learned, the mage can accomplish feats both devastating and constructive. To perform magic successfully, several things have to be in the possession of or known by the caster. This section will explain how magic in Britannia works in the Ultima series, and what rules need to be followed when casting a spell.
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