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Here are the most up-to-date (dare I say Final?) versions of The Ways of Magic:

The Ways of Magic - Standard
The Ways of Magic - Less Ink version
The Ways of Magic - High Quality version - note that this is a very large file.


Follow the development below:

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ORIGINAL TEXT:

So I'm going to be collecting all of my magic ideas into this thread, for both feedback and organizational purposes. Each of my magics is a single Virtue and works much like the magic in the core set:

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The Lore of Men:
You have learned ancient secrets and have the ability to see and know the minds of men in ways others cannot. You may learn up to three spells: the truthful gaze, a commanding voice and the knowing mind. You must choose one spell when you first select this Virtue, and you may learn a new one by spending one Experience point as your undertaking during a Fellowship phase.

• The Truthful Gaze
  Pippin looked straight into his eyes. The wizard held his gaze for a moment... "There is no lie in your eyes"
  
  You may spend a point of Hope to invoke this spell and choose a single subject for the spell. You must be able to look directly into their eyes at close range for the duration of the spell. During this time you may ask a number of questions of the target (no more than your Wisdom score at maximum). The target is under no compulsion to answer but if he or she does answer, you will know the general veracity of the answer (as the target knows, so if the target has been lied to, a false statement can still ring true).
  
  A Commanding Voice
  Suddenly another voice spoke, low and melodious, its very sound an enchantment.
  
  Casting his tattered cloak aside, he stood up and leaned no longer on his staff; and spoke in a clear cold voice... "Not all is dark. Take courage, Lord of the Mark for better hope you will not find."
  
  A person with the commanding voice spell may spend a point of Hope and then choose either to use Wisdom or Valour in order to make a suggestion to a single target. If the caster's rank in the chosen score exceeds that of the target, then the suggestion is treated as a command. If the scores are equal or the caster's score is lower then the suggestion remains just that. The target will not follow any commands that do not provide some rationale as to why he or she would take that action.
  
  Using this spell may cause the caster to make a Corruption Test. Using the spell to cause harm to anyone else gains the caster an automatic Shadow point.
  
  The Knowing Mind
  "He has long sight. He can perceive, if he bends his will thither, much of what is passing in the minds of men, even of those that dwell far off."
  
  The caster may spend a point of Hope and select a single target. If the target is well known to the caster, the target does not need to be in sight. If the target is a stranger to the caster, the target must be in sight. The caster is able to determine the surface thoughts of the target (in mechanical terms, the caster will know what skill or ability the target is most likely to use next). This spell does not include the ability for two-way communication, nor does the target have any way of knowing that he or she is being probed.
  
  Acting on the knowledge gained from this spell may cause Corruption Tests or even an automatic point of Shadow if used for evil intent.

The Lore of Beasts
You have studied the creatures of the natural world and have sought to understand them and their needs. In time you might learn to speak to certain animals, to find them in the wild without the need of sight or spoor and to handle both wild and tame animals with such care as to make a miraculous transformation possible. When you first select this Virtue, choose one of the three spells listed below. Then, during a Fellowship Phase, you may spend one Experience Point to learn another spell.

• The Speech of Animals
  The Men of Dale used to have the trick of understanding their language, and used them for messengers to fly to the Men of the Lake and elsewhere.
  
  When learning this spell, the caster chooses a category of animals with which to converse... song-birds, canines, and ursidae (bears) are all viable choices. The caster can then spend a point of Hope to begin a conversation with a representative of that animal. Some animals may value Wisdom, others will prefer Valour. In every case, the encounter always has a Tolerance of the caster's appropriate score and the animal is under no obligation to remain in the conversation or to tell the truth (or anything at all). Most animals will be concerned with their own needs first and foremost, the deprivations of the Shadow and the doings of the Free Peoples make little impact on them most of the time.
  
  Beast-Sense
  No folk dwell here now, but many other creatures live here at all times, especially birds. Yet now all things other than you are silent. I can feel it.
  
  When casting this spell, the caster spends one point of Hope and names a type of animal. He or she then receives a sense of how many of that type of animal are present in the local area and can elect to learn where the nearest representative of that animal can be found. The caster also receives a general sense of the creatures' demeanor (scared, hungry, content, etc.). The spell is limited to a range in miles equal to the caster's Wisdom.
  
  Beast-Care
  The stay in Rivendell had worked a great wonder of change on him; he was glossy and seemed to have the vigour of youth.
  
  This spell may do one of three things when cast: calm an enraged animal, gain loyalty in a tame animal or improve the attribute level of a loyal animal. Each use of the spell requires one point of Hope and the two latter effects require that they be accomplished during a Fellowship phase. A loyal animal will follow its master into dangerous situations and may in extreme situations fight or sacrifice itself for its master. Using this spell and then purposing using the animal's loyalty to inflict harm onto the animal is worth an automatic Shadow point.

The Lore of Seeming
This lore deals with how people perceive the caster. The caster may choose to be easy to miss in a crowd, or to seem more noble than warranted or, in time, to be able to change his or her very appearance. When you first learn this lore you must choose either Oft-Overlooked or Noble Mien; then you may learn the other one for one Experience Point spent during a Fellowship Phase. Once the caster knows both spells, you may learn Other Guise for one Experience Point during a Fellowship Phase.

• Oft-Overlooked
  
  By spending a point of Hope, the caster can cause his presence to be overlooked by those not directly searching for him or her. This spell can only function in crowds or dark spaces, a solitary person in an empty room will gain no benefit from this spell. Other characters can use appropriate skills at TN 14 to notice the caster. Using this spell to perpetrate evil acts may cause Corruption tests or automatic Shadow points.
  
  Noble Mien
  He seemed to have grown in stature while Eomer had shrunk; and in his living face they caught a brief vision of the power and majesty of the kings of stone.
  
  By casting this spell and spending a point of Hope, the caster can add a bonus to the Tolerance of an encounter equal to half of their Wisdom score, rounded down. This bonus is in addition to any other modifiers (such as Standing or Prejudice) that would normally modify the encounter. Note that some beings of immense age and experience (such as a Dragon, a Wizard or certain Noldor) may see the glamour for what it is and dismiss it.
  
  Other Guise
  And he beheld me. Yes, Master Gimli, he saw me, but in other guise than you see me here.
  
  Each time the caster casts this spell, he or she must pay a point of Hope and then may change one aspect of their appearance or physical traits (such as the timber of their voice). Each effect generated lasts until the next sunrise or sunset. Thus, several effects can be layered to create an effective disguise. The caster must know both Noble Mien and Oft-Overlooked to learn this spell and again, some powerful beings will be able to pierce the glamour to see the truth laying underneath.

The Lore of Healing
With this lore, a character becomes a master of the healing arts and knows many secrets once known only to wise-women and other worthies. In time, the character can treat wounds quickly, ease pain to allow a companion more energy and even save a dying character whilst in the crush of battle. You must choose one spell when you first select this Virtue, and you may learn a new one by spending one Experience point as your undertaking during a Fellowship phase.

• The Hands of a Healer
  He sat down on the ground, and taking the dagger-hilt laid it on his knees, and sang over it a slow song in a strange tongue. Then setting it aside, he turned to Frodo and in a soft tone spoke words the others could not catch.
  
  If you have access to the weapon that caused a Wound to a companion, you may spend a point of Hope to invoke this spell. The wound now counts as treated. You must be able to tend to the wounded person without distraction for several minutes.
  
  The Easing of Pain
  But Frodo felt the chill lessen in his side and arm; a little warmth crept down from his shoulder to his hand, and the pain grew easier. The dusk of evening seemed to grow lighter about him, as if a cloud had been withdrawn. He saw his friend's face more clearly again, and a measure of new hope and strength returned.
  
  You may spend a short rest time with a Weary or Wounded companion. If you spend a point of Hope, the companion receives a number of temporary Endurance points equal to their Body score. At the next prolonged rest, these temporary points are lost and the hero will gain their normal amount of permanent points (see Getting Better for more details). No matter how many temporary points are gained, the character remains Weary until the prolonged rest.
  
  Battle Leech-craft
  'Are there no leeches among you? She is hurt, to the death maybe, but I deem she yet lives.' And he held the bright-burnished vambrace that was upon his arm before her cold lips, and behold! a little mist was laid on it, hardly to be seen.
  
  It you are in a Defensive Close-Combat stance, you may forsake all of your actions for a round and spend a point of Hope. If you do so, a Dying companion may be stabilized during the battle. The wounded character is still vulnerable to Coup de Grâce attacks.

And for my final post tonight, here's an alternate version of Wood-elf Magic, by player request:

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Wood-elf Magic
Though their magic was strong, even in those days they were wary.
You are mastering what mortals might call ‘Elf-magic.’ You mat learn how to fling a Stinging Arrow or plant a Tree-Rooted Spear when you first select this Virtue. You may later master the making of Elf-lights as your undertaking, and spending one Experience point during a Fellowship phase; finally, you discover the secret of Enchanted Sleep by spending another Experience point as another undertaking during a later Fellowship phase.

• Tree-Rooted Spear
  
  If you are fighting in a Defensive stance with any type of spear, you may spend a point of Hope after making a successful combat roll. If you do so, the spear automatically produces a Piercing blow.
  
  Stinging Arrow
  You can make an arrow flicker as if with a magical fire, making it fly true.

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Hey Zed, I like them, and I like that you have accommodated my request.

So as to not stomp on the Elf-Magic thing, what about the following in place of that:

The Lore of Branch and Bark.

Tree Rooted Weapon:
If you are fighting in a Defensive stance with any type of wood hafted weapon (basically spears and axes), you may spend a point of Hope after making a successful combat roll. If you do so, the spear automatically produces a Piercing blow.

Indomitable Bulwark:
At the onset of battle, you can spend a point of hope to render your shield unbreakable to any attacks for an entire combat encounter. In addition, you can add your shield’s parry rating as a bonus to one protection test. As soon as you do, the effect of your Indomitable Bulwark ends (until or unless you renew it at a subsequent battle.)

The Sap of Life:
With a successful Lore, hunting or explore check (or with an appropriate trait like Mirkwood Lore or Leechcraft), you can find a tree who’s sap contains nourishment and healing properties. On a success, you find enough sap to feed and nourish your fellowship until the next travel test (or next encounter). On a great success, this sap also heals party member for a success die of damage. On an extraordinary success, this sap can also be used to help clean the mind. In the next Fellowship Phase, anyone who declares the heal corruption undertaking heals an additional 1 shadow point as long as they are successful.

Seem pretty good Zed, my main questions are:

1. Where did you get your ideas from for these? Was it based on any previous fan attempts at Magic??

2. Do you envisage or link these 'lores' with certain cultures, for example 'Lore of Beasts' with the Woodmen of Mirkwood, and would you require requisites of some sort to be able to learn these? In my system (see my Resources page) I tried to suggest which 'spells' could be taken as Cultural Virtues and by which cultures, and suggested requisites for each. An example would be 'Beast Speech' as the basic spell needed to learn others etc.. What I am getting at here is 'where did the lore come from'??

3. The main problem I have with all fan based attempts of magic systems that used Hope as the cost was that they do not explain the fatiguing aspect of magic IMHO - magic should have a Fatigue or Endurance cost IF cast as a 'spell' rather than being an 'ability' or virtue, given what Tolkien has written about it in his works, although I understand the desire to keep to what TOR already has designed.. this is why i am waiting for the Rivendell supplement anxiously!!

Robin S.

Roc: looks pretty good but I might tweak a little...

Robin:

#1 - The italics give the inspiration for the spells. Oft-overlooked is inspired by Aragorn at Bree and the general description of hobbits. Game mechanics wise they obviously take after the pre-existing virtues. Of course, I read your magic document after the last thread where I brought these up. I still owe you more feedback on your stuff but I do feel that we are approaching this in two diametrically opposed ways. I think you are looking for more of a grand unified theory of magic whilst I am trying to preserve as much as possible the vagueness of Tolkiens descriptions of magic while still being usable game mechanics.

#2 - I have not specified any cultures that "own" these magics. Obviously, some of them will fit in certain cultures better; obviously Gondor knows something of the lore of men; Rivendell's master knows something of the healing arts, etc. this is purposeful so that loremasters can put the magics in where they feel it is best served.

#3 - to misquote TV's most famous theoretical physicist: "being hopeless is a kind of weariness." More seriously, when I get in front of a real keyboard I will expand upon this subject.

To everyone: please tear into these; I'm most worried about The Easing of Pain but please point out any ways to abuse or break any of these spells.

zedturtle wrote:To everyone: please tear into these; I'm most worried about The Easing of Pain but please point out any ways to abuse or break any of these spells.

Since you are asking
I'm mulling about "Tree Rooted Weapon": the auto-wound isn't overpowered when combined with bow's injury 14. I'm wary about a great spear injury 16.
Surely I'm worried about Rocmistro's "Tree Rooted Axe": auto wound+injury 20 is a Troll-killer...
By the way, in my opinion Great Size is an important tool to keep things in perspective once the Heroes are really advanced. But maybe it's just me

At the moment these are my major quibbles.
I like your rules. You managed to keep things simple. And tying magic to hope is a simple manner to have players use their powers sparingly -like the wizards used to do-