MAGIC A Quick Reference for the Different Kinds of Magic in Hyborian War |
PERSONAL COMBAT MAGIC
Arcane Blasts - With a flick of the hand, the holder of this spell can unleash a blast of power upon a foe! Magic Armor - Magic Armor provides the character with special defenses in hand to hand combat, making him more difficult to strike. Magic Weapon - The wielder of a magic weapon can be a deadly opponent in personal combat situations. A magic weapon may be any type of weapon, sword, axe etc. Mesmerism - The gleaming eyes of a character with this spell may temporarily mesmerize a foe, leaving him helpless. Mesmerism can be a powerful tool in combat and especially useful to agents. The Open Hand - Knowledge of this spell signifies membership in the dread Open Hand Society. A master of the Open Hand of power can break down strong doors and kill instantly. Strength - This spell allows a character to draw upon energy resources in the realm of magic to provide him with unusual strength for short periods of time. It is useful in combat and in other situations where extra strength can help. STRATEGIC MAGIC
The Black Death - When prepared, the Black Death spell is cast on any enemy army which marches in to invade one of your provinces where the spellcaster is stationed. Casting this spell places extreme strain on the life energy of the spellcaster and thus may only be cast a limited number of times in a spellcaster's lifetime. The Black Death is a form of virulent plague which will slay between 20% and 50% of the enemy troops as they march to meet your forces in battle. The Black Death spell may not be used offensively and only works in defense of provinces under your control. Far Sight - The Far Sight spell allows the spellcaster to "see" an enemy army at a distance and thus improve his army's ability to outmaneuver them. Far Sight may be used by both the offensive and the defensive kingdom during a raid or invasion. Example: Force March - The Force March spell adds vigor to tired legs, aiding soldiers to march longer and farther than is normally possible. It is useful in helping an army outmaneuver its opposition in the strategic movement phase of an invasion or during a raid. Rains - With this spell, a character can control weather so as to call forth great rainstorms at will. The Rains spell, used strategically, will cause rivers to overflow, create floods, and generally inhibit the maneuvers of enemy troops while allowing your troops to move about in clear sunshine. It is useable by both sides during the strategic movement phase of an invasion. Sun Bane - With this spell a character can control the sun and is able to call forth great blasts of heat and burning. It can be a useful spell to either side during the strategic movement phase of an invasion. The wielder of Sun Bane will attempt to swelter the troops of the enemy as they march, blighting them with extreme heat and sunstroke as they move through dry or arid terrain. BATTLE MAGIC
Earth Demon - The Earth Demon spell is a very potent and terrifying form of magic! With a word of command, the holder of this spell may summon the very power of the earth to do his bidding, causing the earth to shake, cliffs to topple onto the armies of his enemies and the walls of fortifications to come crashing to the ground in the space of a moment. The Earth Demon spell is only effective in mountain, hill, or fort terrain. Fanaticism - The Fanaticism spell makes the spellcaster's army fight with increased bravery and heroism (improves morale). The Fanaticism spell is of great value to armies known for their lack of courage or discipline. Fear - The Fear spell is used to make an enemy army uncertain and afraid (decreases morale). It can be of great value when cast upon troops known for their lack of courage or discipline. Fire Wall - This spell causes a wall of flame to leap up in obedience to the will of the spell caster. A firewall can engulf and destroy entire ranks of charging soldiers in an instant! Magic Blast - A character with this spell can call upon the very powers of the heavens to aid his cause in battle. This spell will call forth bolts of lightning to fall from the sky and blast enemy troops. Due to the need to target specific troops or leaders, the spell works best for wizards who have some degree of military command ability. Magic Sleep - With this spell, a character can call upon a child from the chilling outer void (a being whose very touch can paralyze the body and numb the mind). If successful, the spellcaster may command this creature to touch the commander of an enemy army. The commander touched in this fashion will become paralyzed and useless for the duration of the battle. Missile Shield - By using this spell, a character may cause most of the closing missile volleys from an enemy host to be misdirected and deflected. Phantom Warriors - This spell summons to the world of men a creature or creatures of Great Power. Such creatures can take many forms, perhaps even appearing human, but each in its own way is a potent summoning. The strain upon a character to summon and control such creatures is great, and thus the spell may only be cast a limited number of times in a character's lifetime. Summon the Dead - This spell allows the spellcaster to command the dead to rise from their graves and take up arms in battle. This spell will cause a variable number of undead troops to shamble forth and fight on the side of the spellcaster's army. PEACE YEARS MAGIC
Prophecy - With the prophecy spell, a character will be able foretell with great accuracy important events of the future. No one can say what the gods will reveal to a character in the midst of the trancelike state of prophecy, but it is certain the knowledge will be great. The prophecy spell may ONLY be cast on a peace years turn, never during war seasons. Prophecy may be directed either at an kingdom's future or at the Hyborian world at large. Long Life- The long life spell may only be cast during a peace years turn and may only be cast upon one of your own characters. Each time that a long life spell is cast upon any particular character, that character will begin to age less and may even become younger! The long life spell places a tremendous drain upon the life energy of the spellcaster and thus may only be cast a limited number of times by a character who knows the spell. A character may cast this spell on himself; indeed, an aged wizard may ignore other commands to use it to preserve his own life. Long life does not restore used-up spells. OTHER MAGIC
Note that many of the spells available can be used differently in different situations, and thus may be used as either commands or declarations. A spell used as a command does not need to be declared as well. Bless - The bless spell will increase the productivity (both wealth and troops) of any province on which it is cast. It will also increase satisfaction and the loyalty of the local population of that province to your kingdom. This spell may be cast upon any single province or seazone in the Hyborian world. A bless spell lasts for one turn and may be cast from any location. Curse - The curse spell is the opposite of the bless spell. A curse will decrease productivity as well as the satisfaction and loyalty of the people in the province being cursed. A character with this spell may, from any location, place a curse on any province in the Hyborian World. The curse will last for one turn. Rains - This spell in addition to its use as a strategic spell may be used as province magic. The rains spell allows a character to summon great rain storms at will. When used as province magic, the rains spell will tend to be helpful to dry desert provinces and cause ruin to swampy or heavily rivered provinces. Sunbane - This spell, in addition to its use as a strategic spell, may be used as province magic. The sunbane spell allows a character to summon burning heat from the sun, banishing the fiercest storms. When used as province magic, the sunbane spell will tend to be helpful to cold, snowy provinces and harmful to hot, desert provinces. Reincarnation - The reincarnation spell is only usable on one of your characters who has died on the previous turn. If the spell is successfully cast, it will bring the dead character back to life at the same age as when he died. The reincarnation spell places a tremendous drain upon the spellcaster and a character may only cast it a limited number of times in his lifetime. A reincarnated character will not regain used-up spells. Far Sight - Besides its use as a strategic spell, the far sight spell allows the spellcaster to see (and sometimes hear) events which are happening in any particular province. Information gathered in this manner is sometimes more detailed than that even the best of spies can collect. Diplomacy - This spell is used to enhance the appearance, speaking ability, tact, etc. of a character who is about to undertake a diplomatic mission. The diplomacy spell can be cast upon any of your characters to increase his/her diplomatic ability for the turn in which the spell is cast. A spellcaster may not cast diplomacy on himself. Dispel Magic - Dispel magic may be cast upon any character from another kingdom who has magic ability. If dispel magic is successful cast, the character it is cast upon will be unable to use any of his magic for that same turn (useful against that foreign wizard who knows the incantation for black death!) You must know the location and ID# of any foreign character upon whom you wish to cast this spell. Note: Because this spell requires your wizard to travel into the stronghold of his enemy in order to cast it, it is considered as dangerous as a spying mission, and there is a chance that your wizard may be captured or killed in carrying it out. |