Redefining Arcane Magic - Part 4

Copyright Jonathan Dale © 2015

Edited by Terence Wynne for The Guild Companion

"The arts of Arcane anatomy are based on the nature of flesh and the underlying principles that manipulate it"

Arcane Anatomy

With this fifth installment, we complete the present work of reworking Arcane magic. These lists deal with anatomy and the body. While a healer using Channeling might draw upon benevolent healing energy, the arts of Arcane anatomy are based on the nature of flesh and the underlying principles that manipulate it. While Arcane anatomy is not as potent at healing, it is more flexible, and may be used for good or ill. These lists may be especially useful to provide healing abilities for characters of questionable morals, including the party’s foes.

Arcana of Blood

1. Blood Analysis
The target for this spell is a sample of blood. The caster is able to determine the species, sex, general age and health, and realm(s) of magic of the individual from which the blood came, as well as the age of the blood sample itself.

2. Flowstop III
Reduces target’s blood loss by up to 3 hits/round. The target cannot be moved, or bleeding will resume at prior rate, unless it has been otherwise cured in the meantime.

3. Clotting I
Stops bleeding on a wound that is bleeding at rate of 1 hit/round. For one hour, the target can move at no more than a walking pace or bleeding will resume at the prior rate.

4. Flowstop V
As Flowstop III, except the caster can reduce blood loss by up to 5 hits/round.

5. Bleeding I
Target will bleed at the rate of 1 hit per round.

6. Cut Repair I
Allows caster to instantly stop bleeding from 1 wound that bleeds at rate of 1 hit/round.

7. Intensify Bleeding
Target’s most severe bleeding wound begins to bleed at double the current rate (e.g. a wound bleeding 2 hits per round will increase to 4 hits per round). If target is not bleeding, there is no effect. No wound may be affected by this spell more than once.

8. Clotting III
As Clotting I, except caster can stop bleeding on a wound that is bleeding up to 3 hits/round.

9. Medium Flesh Wound Relief
One Light or Medium wound to flesh, skin, or tissue is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

10. Hemophilia
Wounds currently bleeding on the target may not be stopped by any means (including spells, bandaging, and herbs) while this spell is active. Hits lost due to bleeding may still be restored.

11. Severe Flesh Wound Relief
As Medium Flesh Wound Relief, except up to Severe flesh, skin, or tissue injuries may be treated.

12. Joining
Caster can reattach 1 severed limb; it requires the use of Joining spells for Bone, Muscle, and Nerves in order to make limb fully functional. The recovery time is 1-10 days.

13. Bleeding III
Target will bleed at the rate of 3 hits per round.

14. Cut Repair III
As Cut Repair I, except caster can stop bleeding on a wound that is bleeding up to 3 hits/round.

15. Medium Flesh Wound Healing
One Light or Medium wound to flesh, skin, or tissue is treated. Determine the recovery time normally, but treat the result as hours rather than days. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

16. Haemonculus
Caster creates an animated creature from his own blood. It appears as a caricature of the caster, one Size smaller. The Haemonculus has the same hits, base movement rate, RR modifiers, and Quickness bonus as the caster, with a Bite attack OB, Stalk/Hide, Running, and Climbing skills all +10 per 5 levels of the caster, rounded up. The Haemonculus loses 1 hit per round, but gains 1 hit per round (up to its maximum) for each point of bleeding suffered by the caster or anyone within melee range. It is immune to Bleeding damage inflicted against itself. The Haemonculus may be given instructions by Concentrating and then will follow them until it receives new instructions. The caster does not gain any ability to receive information from the Haemonculus, which is able to gesture but not to speak. When the Haemonculus loses all its hits, the spell ends.

17. Acid Blood
Target’s blood becomes acidic. The target is not harmed, but anyone within melee range of the target suffers the same amount of acid damage as the target’s bleeding damage.

18. Clotting True
As Clotting I, except caster can stop bleeding on a wound that is bleeding at any rate.

19. Bleeding V
Target will bleed at the rate of 5 hits per round.

20. Grafting
As Joining, including the requirement to cast the same spell from Bone, Nerve, and Muscle spell lists, except the severed limb does not need to be from the recipient. If the limb is very dissimilar, it is 95% likely to be rejected, suffering injury penalties beginning at -5 after one week and then increasing by -5 each day. When the injury penalties reach -50, the limb will fall off.

25. Severe Flesh Wound Healing
As Medium Flesh Wound Healing, except up to Severe flesh, skin, or tissue injuries may be treated.

30. Cut Repair True
As Cut Repair I, except caster can stop bleeding on a wound that is bleeding at any rate.

35. Joining True
As Joining, except the limb is usable immediately if Joining True spells for Bone, Muscle, and Nerves are also cast.

40. Bleeding True
Target will bleed at the rate of 1 hit per round per level of the caster.

50. Haemonculus True
As Haemonculus, except the Haemonculus does not lose 1 hit per round, and the caster may Concentrate to see and hear from the location of the Haemonculus. The caster may have only one True Haemonculus at a time.

Arcana of Bone

1. Bone Study
Caster acquires complete understanding of any bone damage, including the tools and methods required for healing. Caster does not receive the skill or power necessary to perform the cure. Alternately, if cast on bones outside a body, caster learns what type of creature and which part of the body they are from, as well as their age and the cause of any damage they have sustained.

2. Light Cartilage Relief
One Light wound to cartilage is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

3. Control Skeleton I
Caster may control one Class I skeletal undead. If the skeleton is mindless, the duration is 10 minutes per level of the caster but it will remain motionless unless the caster Concentrates or if a living target is within 10’ (in which case it will attack unless the caster Concentrates to prevent it from doing so). If the skeleton is not mindless, it is controlled only as long as the caster Concentrates, and the spell will end as soon as Concentration ceases.

4. Light Bone/Skull Relief
One Light wound to bone (including the skull) is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

5. Animate Skeleton I
The caster can turn a skeleton into a mindless undead. The skeleton must be substantially free of flesh. The newly-created undead will attempt to attack the closest living being, but can take no other activity than moving to that being and attacking. Roll 1d100: on 1-90, the skeleton is a Class I mindless undead. On 91-100, it is Class II.

6. Reinforce Bone
Target gains an extra RR against any attack which would break one of his bones. If the attack is a spell, use the level of the caster of that spell as the attack level. If the attack is a physical attack, use the level of the attacker.

7. Fracture Bone
A random bone of the target is broken. Roll 1d100: 1-15 right arm, 16-30 left arm, 31-45 right leg, 46-60 left leg, 61-100 other. If an arm is broken, any use of that arm is at -50 (e.g. wielding a weapon), and any other activity is at -25. If a leg is broken, base movement rate is reduced by 25% and all activity is at -25. For any other break (e.g. rib, collarbone, etc), an injury penalty of -25 applies to all activity but there is no other effect.

8. Control Skeleton II
As Control Skeleton I, except caster may control a Class II skeleton or two Class I skeletons.

9. Medium Cartilage Relief
One Medium wound to cartilage is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

10. Shatter Skeleton
This spell only affects a skeleton with no flesh, e.g. an animated skeleton or skeletal remains. Skeletal remains or a Class I skeleton will be reduced to dust. A Class II or higher skeleton takes a C Krush critical.

11. Medium Bone/Skull Relief
One Medium wound to bone (including the skull) is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

12. Joining
Caster can reattach 1 severed limb; it requires the use of Joining spells for Blood, Muscle, and Nerves in order to make limb fully functional. The recovery time is 1-10 days.

13. Animate Skeleton II
As Animate Skeleton I, except the Class: 01-10 Class I, 11-90 Class II, 91-98 Class III, 99-100 Class IV.

14. Control Skeleton III
As Control Skeleton I, except caster may control a Class III skeleton, a Class II and a Class I skeleton, or three Class I skeletons.

15. Severe Cartilage/Bone/Skull Relief
One Severe wound to cartilage or bone (including the skull) is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

16. Light Cartilage/Bone/Skull Healing
One Light wound to cartilage or bone (including the skull) is treated. Determine the recovery time normally, but treat the result as hours rather than days. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

17. Animate Bone Limb
This spell may be used to return function to the bone of a limb after the muscle, nerves, and blood of the limb have died or been severed. For example, it could be used if a limb is severed and reattached using the Joining spell of this list but none of the other Joining spells. The remaining tissue will wither and fall off after 1-10 days, at which point the limb will be usable as an animated bone limb. It suffers a -10 penalty for actions that require fine dexterity or tactile sensation. The limb is immune to bleeding damage. It can also be used to make size Small Claw attacks; this must be trained as an unarmed attack skill. The limb may be controlled using spells which can control animated skeletons; treat its Class as I if the target is level 1-5, II if 6-10, III if 11-15, IV if 16-20, and V if 21+. Most people who see the skeletal limb will react with horror.

18. Shatter Skeleton True
As Shatter Skeleton, except Class I, II, and III undead skeletons are turned to dust, and Class IV or higher skeletons take an E Krush critical.

19. Medium Cartilage/Bone/Skull Healing
As Light Cartilage/Bone/Skull Healing, except up to a Medium wound.

20. Grafting
As Joining, including the requirement to cast the same spell from Blood, Nerve, and Muscle spell lists, except the severed limb does not need to be from the recipient. If the limb is very dissimilar, it is 95% likely to be rejected, suffering injury penalties beginning at -5 after one week and then increasing by -5 each day. When the injury penalties reach -50, the limb will fall off.

25. Control Skeleton V
As Control Skeleton I, except caster may control a Class V skeleton or any combination of skeletons whose Classes add up to 5 or less.

30. Animate Skeleton True
As Animate Skeleton I, except the Class: 01-10 Class II, 11-40 Class III, 41-60 Class IV, 61-90 Class V, 91-100 Class VI.

35. Joining True
As Joining, except the limb is usable immediately if Joining True spells for Blood, Muscle, and Nerves are also cast.

40. Severe Cartilage/Bone/Skull Healing
As Light Cartilage/Bone/Skull Healing, except up to a Severe wound.

50. Control Skeleton True
As Control Skeleton I, except caster may control any combination of skeletons whose Classes add up to his level or less.

Arcana of Muscle

1. Light Tendon/Muscle Damage Relief
One Light wound to tendons or muscle is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

2. Sprain Limb
A random part of a random limb is sprained. If it is part of a leg: movement is cut by 25%, combat is at -10. If it is part of an arm, combat is modified by -20.

3. Control Zombie I
Caster may control one Class I undead. The undead must be a zombie or a standard created undead that still retains its flesh. If the undead is mindless, the duration is 10 minutes per level of the caster but it will remain motionless unless the caster Concentrates or if a living target is within 10’ (in which case it will attack unless the caster Concentrates to prevent it from doing so). If the undead is not mindless, it is controlled only as long as the caster Concentrates, and the spell will end as soon as Concentration ceases.

4. Medium Tendon/Muscle Damage Relief
As Light Tendon/Muscle Damage Relief, except up to a Medium wound may be treated.

5. Animate Corpse I
Given a body that has been dead less than a week, the caster can turn the corpse into a mindless undead. The newly-created undead will attempt to attack the closest living being, but can take no other activity than moving to that being and attacking. Roll 1d100: on 1-90, the undead is a Class I standard created undead. On 91-100, it is Class II.

6. Strength I
Target gains a +5 Strength stat bonus.

7. Severe Tendon/Muscle Damage Relief
As Light Tendon/Muscle Damage Relief, except up to a Severe wound may be treated.

8. Control Zombie II
As Control Zombie I, except caster may control a Class II undead or two Class I undead.

9. Light Tendon/Muscle Healing
One Light wound to tendon or muscle is treated. Determine the recovery time normally, but treat the result as hours rather than days. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

10. Spasm
Target has a spasm in his arms, causing him to drop anything he is holding.

11. Weakness I
Target suffers a -5 Strength stat penalty.

12. Joining
Caster can reattach 1 severed limb; it requires the use of Joining spells for Blood, Bone, and Nerves in order to make limb fully functional. The recovery time is 1-10 days.

13. Animate Corpse II
As Animate Corpse I, except the Class: 01-10 Class I, 11-90 Class II, 91-98 Class III, 99-100 Class IV.

14. Control Zombie III
As Control Zombie I, except caster may control a Class III undead, a Class II and a Class I undead, or three Class I undead.

15. Medium Tendon/Muscle Damage Healing
As Light Tendon/Muscle Damage Healing, except up to a Medium wound may be treated.

16. Strength II
Target gains a +10 Strength stat bonus.

17. Severe Tendon/Muscle Damage Healing
As Light Tendon/Muscle Damage Healing, except up to a Severe wound may be treated.

18. Weakness II
Target suffers a -10 Strength stat penalty.

19. Strength III
Target gains a +15 Strength stat bonus.

20. Grafting
As Joining, including the requirement to cast the same spell from Blood, Bone, and Nerve spell lists, except the severed limb does not need to be from the recipient. If the limb is very dissimilar, it is 95% likely to be rejected, suffering injury penalties beginning at -5 after one week and then increasing by -5 each day. When the injury penalties reach -50, the limb will fall off.

25. Control Zombie V
As Control Zombie I, except caster may control a Class V undead or any combination of undead whose Classes add up to 5 or less.

30. Weakness III
Target suffers a -15 Strength stat penalty.

35. Joining True
As Joining, except the limb is usable immediately if Joining True spells for Blood, Bone, and Nerves are also cast.

40. Animate Corpse True
As Animate Corpse I, except the Class: 01-10 Class II, 11-40 Class III, 41-60 Class IV, 61-90 Class V, 91-100 Class VI.

50. Control Zombie True
As Control Zombie I, except caster may control any combination of undead whose Classes add up to his level or less.

Arcana of Nerves and Organs

1. Nerve/Organ Study
Caster acquires complete understanding of any nerve and/or organ damage; including the tools and methods required for healing; caster does not receive the skill or power necessary to perform the cure. Alternately, if cast on an organ outside of a body, caster learns what type of creature and which part of the body it is from, as well as its age and the cause of any damage it has sustained.

2. Light Organ Damage Relief
One Light wound to an organ is treated, resulting in healing in half the usual time. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

3. Limb Pain
A random limb is in intense pain. If it is a leg, the target cannot walk (target may crawl at 10% of walking movement rate). If it is an arm, that arm cannot be used.

4. Organ Preservation
Allows caster to prevent the deterioration of any specific organ (e.g., eye, ear, liver), even if it is outside of its body.

5. Medium Organ Damage Relief
As Light Organ Damage Relief, except up to a Medium wound may be treated.

6. Fertility Control
Caster may cause the target to become infertile for the duration, or to become highly fertile. In the latter case, any biological problems with infertility are overcome and chances of conception in favorable circumstances will be at least 90% (some species are more fertile than others).

7. Prenatal Lore
Caster learns number, sexes, and health of unborn (or in the case of egg-laying species, unhatched) by casting this spell on a pregnant female or on a nesting site.

8. Sense Restoration
Target regains function in one sensory organ, so long as that sensory organ has not been completely destroyed. The recovery time is 1-10 hours.

9. Deafen
Target hears only unending, meaningless noise for the duration.

10. Restart Heart
Target’s heart will start beating after having stopped. This does not repair any heart disease or damage that caused the initial stoppage.

11. Prenatal Care
Allows the caster’s next spell, cast within a minute of this one, to affect an unborn inside a mother’s womb or unhatched egg.

12. Joining
Caster can reattach 1 severed limb; it requires the use of Joining spells for Blood, Bone, and Muscle in order to make limb fully functional. The recovery time is 1-10 days.

13. Severe Organ Damage Relief
As Light Organ Damage Relief, except up to a Severe wound may be treated.

14. Blinding
Target sees only unending, chaotic haze for the duration.

15. Coma Recovery
Target comes out of a coma or unconsciousness caused by injury, disease, poison, spell, or spell failure. Process takes 1-10 hours and target is at -50 to Fatigue checks for 1-10 days.

16. Organ Transplant
Allows caster to transplant a healthy organ (not including brain or nervous system) into the target. Requires a 1 hour operation. Recovery time is 1-10 days. Chance of rejection is 1% if organ comes from a relative of the target, 10% if it comes from a member of the same species, 30% if it comes from a similar species (e.g., one humanoid to another), and 60% if it comes from a vaguely similar species (e.g., ape to humanoid).

17. Medium Organ Damage Healing
One Light or Medium wound to an organ is treated. Determine the recovery time normally, but treat the result as hours rather than days. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

18. Light Nerve Damage Healing
One Light wound involving nerve damage is treated. Determine the recovery time normally, but treat the result as hours rather than days. This is cumulative with medical care and herbs, but not with other spells.

19. Sense Restoration True
As Sense Restoration, except recovery is instantaneous.

20. Grafting
As Joining, including the requirement to cast the same spell from Blood, Bone, and Muscle spell lists, except the severed limb does not need to be from the recipient. If the limb is very dissimilar, it is 95% likely to be rejected, suffering injury penalties beginning at -5 after one week and then increasing by -5 each day. When the injury penalties reach -50, the limb will fall off.

25. Severe Organ Damage Healing
As Medium Organ Damage Healing, except any severity of wound may be treated.

30. Paralysis Cures
Caster can cure any paralysis problem. The recovery time is 1-10 days.

35. Joining True
As Joining, except the limb is usable immediately if Joining True spells for Blood, Bone, and Muscles are also cast.

40. Severe Nerve Damage Healing
As Light Nerve Damage Healing, except any severity of wound may be treated.

50. Brain Transplant
As Organ Transplant. Recipients will have their own original memories and personality, as these are retained in their aura. However, if the brain is rejected, there is a 50% chance they will go insane, and a 50% chance the personality and knowledge of the donor will take over the body.