Warlock/Witch
Description:
A witch or Warlock is one who is dedicated to the disciplin of the magical arts through the acquisition of knowledge. It takes a lifetime to fully master the power of magic, but the power at a warlock's command is inconcieveble to the normal person.
Witchcraft however is not a natural tallent, but a learned one. It is not merely a process of memorization. Magical artifacts and spirits will only make themselves known to those whom are worthy. Thus a Warlock will spend time searching for the runes, and sigils that give power to his craft.
Newcomers to the craft haven't found runes of their own but have spent years learning a few basic runes passed on from their masters. Choose two runes, one effect and one target rune to start with as well as one tier 1 sigil.
Because the craft is so complex and requires years of study there's little time to study physical combat. As such witches and warlocks aren't very good in melee combat and preffer a very lightweight weapon that's easy to wield with minimal skill such as a mace, club, or staff.
Abillities:
Spellcasting: The primary function of Witches and Warlocks is to cast spells. These spells are normally cast by hand movements and spoken words. The power of a spell varies depending upon a number of factors including the size of the spell circle used and the tier at which it is cast among others. Numerous spells are available to witches and Warlocks. See Magic guide and Rune guide for more information. It takes roughly three seconds to cast a tier 1 spell, 9 seconds to cast at tier 2, and 30 seconds to cast at tier 3.
Written Spellcasting: Craft users can more quickly access spells by writing them down rather than signing them by hand. This is also useful for casting larger spells by writing larger spell circles on the ground. The size of a spell circle is still limited however. At any point the edges of the circle must be within viewing range of the caster. As with any spell, the larger the spell circle, the more willpower the caster must focus in order to maintain the spell. This means that larger circles will require more mental effort, which makes them harder to use when there are distractions about. It also means that casting with much larger spells too often can leave the caster mentally exhausted. What a spell is written on is also important. A spell written on paper or written in dirt will likely disrupt the material after casting, and leave the circle useless after one casting. Using more durable materials, can allow casters to use the same written circle multiple times. Cloth and wood can hold together casting tier 1 spells indeffinately, however would be destroyed by higher tiers. Metals and stone can hold together up through the second tier. Tier 3 spells tend to destroy whatever they're written on regardless of the durability of the materials.
Spell modification: A creative witch/warlock can create specialty spells by using concentration to change the effects of a spell. For instance creating a weapon out of ice. Experimentation and creativity will be needed.
Double Casting: After unlocking this abillity witches and warlocks are able to cast two spells simultaniously. This is done by using a circle of five points casting two spells with the same magical circle. Because the magical energy flowing through the. Since both spells use the same magical circle they must both share at least one point in common. Most frequently this point is the sigil by casting two different spells with the same alignment, however it is possible to use two different sigils if another one of the runes used is identical in both spells. Creatively combining the basic spells new unique spells can be created. Double cast spells can be written to allow for greater complexity, faster casting, and ease of use, but it can be cast by hand as well, which will take roughly 50% longer than casting a normal spell. This abillity is not available from the outset and is unlocked by completing at least one quest and purchasing a witch's tome. If you choose to learn Double Casting you can not learn the Spell Matrix. Spell Matrix: A spell matrix is the use of multiple interlinked spells, all activated at once. It is incredibly complex, and difficult to master. When the points of spell circles are touching, they create a matrix. In a matrix when one spell circle is set off the entire thing is set off and combined into one larger spell. In order to create a matrix, the points of the circle must be touching, also the runes that are touching must be the same. Lastly it takes a large amount of concentration for a caster to maintain the matrix to completion, and the more complex, the matrix the more difficult it is to control. It is easier to maintain a matrix if all the circles are the same spell. Spell matrixes are risky because after completion the caster has a chance of passing out if the matrix is too complex. It is easier to maintain a written spell matrix, and writing allows for the setup of more complex matrixes, however, it is possible to cast a basic spell matrix by hand. Cast, by hand, a spell matrix takes twice as long as a normal spell. The spell Matrix is not available at the outset. It must be earned by completing at least one quest, and purchasing the witch's tome. If you choose to learn the spell matrix, you can not learn double casting.
Corrupt Rune: There are a few runes which are suceptible to corruption, transforming them into dark runes. Dark runes look simillar to their normal counterparts, and cast almost exactly the same, but the result is an evil and deranged form of the original intended magic. Once a rune is corrupted it can not be changed back. Posession of dark runes is dangerous however. Using dark runes slowly darkens the soul. Keeping more than three dark runes can cause darkrune sickness. Symptoms include a drop in body temperature, loss of skin color, reddening of the eyes, whitening of hair and hallucinations. Advanced darkrune sickness causes numbness in the limbs severe dementia, paralysis, and death.
Upon the completion of Darkrune sickness the subject will revive and appear healthy aside from some physical changesbut exhibbit a vastly different personality. Three Corrupt runes is the most anyone can maintain before Darkrune sickness sets in. Darkrune sickness can be halted by performing a dealbreaker with all sigils and permanantly sacrificing the ability to use magic.
Dealbreaker: There is one drastic measure a warlock can take. There are some times when a craft user regrets aquiring a sigil that he or she has obtained. Either the cost is much too high, or they simply would rather have had a different one. That's when a craft user chooses to break their contract with that particular spirit and give up its sigil. Beware using this too much. Word spreads in the world of spirits, and breaking too many deals will reflect unfavorably upon you. During their lifetime a craft user can use a dealbreaker three times. Furthermore if you use a dealbreaker on a sigil of the same color allignment twice, no other sigil spirit of that allignment will ever form a pact with you again. Dealbreaker also has a second and much more drastic use. When a craft user has taken things too far, has come under suspicion, or is even suffering from darkrune sickness, a dealbreaker can be used simultaneously on all of the craft user's sigils, causing all magic and magical ability to permanantly leave the craft user, making them a normal human, whom can then vanish forever from the world of magic, to live on as a normal human. It is a desperate tactic only to be used in the bleakest of times, when no other escape is possible.
Qualities:
Magical Sight: A Warlock or Witch can see the flow of magic that most of the world's population is oblivious to giving them insight that others do not have.
Sigil Sight: The spirits that grant sigils will make themselves visible to a Warlock or Witch. Winning their respect however is another matter. Generally gaining said sigil varies in difficulty depending on how compatible the witch/warlock's personality is with that sigil spirit.
Magical Knowledge: Witchcraft is the most complex and varied form of magic out there requiring decades to master. However such exhaustive study in the process of learning the craft is not without its benefits. Craft users have an understanding of the mechanics of all other forms of magic. Not nearly enough to cast with other magical arts but enough so to understand how other forms of magic work.
Rune Sight: Only a Witch/Warlock can see the mystic rune stones that display the runic emblems which are used to cast a spell. Far more than just the symbol are found within a runestone. Upon finding a rune one gains full knowledge of its, name, intonation, and use as well as the proper method of both signing by hand and scribing, the rune for spellcasting. Even if the rune its self is lost its power remains with its owner. Runes can not be given away as their power is absorbed into the finder. Their power can not be taught, as the power absorbed by a runestone would take years to teach. In the case of two or more individuals finding a rune stone it is possible for all parties to absorb the rune's knowledge before the runestone fades. No one knows where runestones come from, but they seem to be in no short supply. It is theorized that they in fact have some sort of will of their own, and choose to appear when someone worthy comes nearby, then vanish when their job is done, to reappear elsewhere when the time is right. (This quality does not work if used for a sub-class) Courting the Ancients: Each craft user will eventually, through his or her deeds come under the watch of one of the great ancients. This depends greatly on the actions and personality of that witch or warlock. During their lifetime they may in fact be watched by more than one ancient if they are seen to have great potential. Sometimes they even go so far as to become tools between the ancients. Having an ancient watching over you comes with many benefits, not the least of which is having their favor influence the machinations of fate, to keep their desciple alive, and help sway him or her to the ancient's cause. When the caster is ready to obtain his or her tird tier sigil, the ancient and the craft user will meet face to face. This is when the caster must ultimately choose his or her own fate.
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