Caller

Within the purity of the elements and the order of the wilds lingers a power beyond the marvels of civilization. Furtive yet undeniable, this primal magic is guarded over by servants of philosophical balance known as callers. Allies to beasts and manipulators of nature, these often-misunderstood protectors of the wild strive to shield their lands from all who would threaten them and prove the might of the wilds to those who lock themselves behind city walls. Rewarded for their devotion with incredible powers, druids gain unparalleled shape-shifting abilities, the companionship of mighty beasts, and the power to call upon nature’s wrath. The mightiest temper powers akin to storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes with primeval wisdom long abandoned and forgotten by civilization.

While some callers might keep to the fringe of battle, allowing companions to fight while they confound foes with the powers of nature, others transform into deadly beasts and savagely wade into combat. Callers worship personifications of elemental forces, natural powers, or nature itself. Typically, this means devotion to a nature deity, though druids are just as likely to revere vague spirits, animalistic primordia’s, or even specific awe-inspiring natural wonders.

Armor: All callers can wear up to Light Armor, since many find heavier armor too cumbersome when they shape change.

Weapon Proficiencies: Callers are skilled with the following weapons: Short Weapon, Staff, Spear, Thrown, and Small Shield.

Spell Casting: Callers have access to the Nature school of magic.

Class Features

Shifter: This skill allows the Caller to change forms into that of an animal on a 5 second counted action. While shifted, the character cannot speak, save for with animals of similar type, and they can use no active skills, abilities, or magic items that require speech. All non-self-generated protectives, blade spells, and Aspect effects are suppressed. This form has the same stats as the Level 8 Caller Spell Beast and it's skills reset when the character does.

Empowered Shift: While the very basic ability to change shape is innate to all callers, they also have the ability to give themselves over to the beast. In doing so, they gain more powerful stats based on the Empower Shifting skill; even without the skill they gain a small number of boosted stats while active.  These are outlined in Appendix 1. This ability can be used once each reset at 1st level and once again for each 5-character levels, (IE. 1st, 5th, 10th, and so on.). When activated they improved stats will last for a single encounter, or up to 5 minutes, and the character to shape change one a 1 counted action.

Nature’s Guide: Your bond with nature goes far beyond just physical to almost a spiritual level as the world around you almost speaks to you. This gives the character a few benefits: First, on the Prime or Essence, you can always find north and understand roughly where in the world you are. Second, you are always treated as though you have 1 Rank higher of Knowledge (Nature) than you have purchased.

A note about Spells: The SP cost listed for spells below applies if your Mage wants to teach him/herself a spell without a scroll. If you have a scroll available, you can read that into memory and avoid the SP cost entirely; the SP cost is available as a means to ensure that your Mage can acquire spells even a given scroll is elusive, or overpriced, or just sold someone you can't get along with.

Category	Skill Name	Prerequisite Skills	SP Cost	Use Cost
Magic
	Mana (1-100)	-	1/2	-
	Mana (101-120)	Mana (100)	1	-
	1st School	-	5	-
	1st level spell	1st School	1*	1 Mana
	2nd level spell	1st School, 1st level spell	1*	2 Mana
	3rd level spell	1st School, 2nd level spell	1*	3 Mana
	4th level spell	1st School, 3rd level spell	1*	4 Mana
	5th level spell	1st School, 4th level spell	1*	5 Mana
	6th level spell	1st School, 5th level spell	1*	6 Mana
	7th level spell	1st School, 6th level spell	1*	7 Mana
	8th level spell	1st School, 7th level spell	1*	8 Mana
	Spell Pool 1	None	0	-
	Spell Pool 2	Spell Pool 1	5	-
	Spell Pool 3	Spell Pool 2	10	-
	Spell Pool 4	Spell Pool 3	15	-
	Spell Pool 5	Spell Pool 4	15	-
	Spell Pool 6	Spell Pool 6	15	-
Metamagic
	Ley Point	1 Mana	2	-
	Hasten Spell	-	2	1 Ley Point
	Penetrating Spell	-	2	1 Ley Point
	Overload	-	2	1 Ley Point
	Aura Emulation	-	2	1 Ley Points
	Siphon Mana	-	3	2 Ley Points
	Forked Spell	-	3	2 Ley Points
	Natural Spell	-	3	2 Ley Points
	Storm	-	4	3 Ley Points
	Revitalize	-	5	See Below
Miscellaneous
	Chain Spell 1-5	-	6	-
	Diagnose	-	3	-
	First Aid	-	4	-
	Tongue of the Land	-	3	-
	Boost Shifting	-	15	-
	Cancel Magic		10
	Grasping Earth		4
Advanced
	Sudden Storm		8
	Create Grove		5
	Open Portal		5
	Reincarnate		4

Mage Skill Descriptions:

Magic Skills:

Mana: Mana is the fuel by which spells are generated. For Callers, spells are leveled 1-8 and every spell costs an amount of mana equal to its level to cast. Callers pay 1 SP to get 2 mana until they reach 100; after that, additional mana is available at 1 SP per mana point unto infinity. Collectively, a Caller's available mana is referred to as a pool, despite the confusing overlap with the unrelated "spell pool" used for linear magic delivery. Callers on every world refer to things like the "depth" of their mana pools. It's an odd idiosyncrasy of the cosmos.

Schools: Nature. For now it's just Nature magic. Now go touch grass.

Spell 1-8: Broadly speaking, Callers may learn spells in one of two ways. The easiest is simply transcribing a written formula into memory, and Callers prefer this where the option is available. In order to do this, all your Caller needs is a scroll of the relevant spell and enough time to read it and learn it. Spells learned in this way cost no Skill Points, further endearing it to the casters of the worlds. Where this isn't possible (some worlds have outright banned magic from the lower classes, for example), it's possible to gut it out and teach yourself the spell. Doing this has no monetary cost, but it does incur a cost in skill points instead.

Spell Pool: At times Callers find themselves bereft of mana or needing to dish out direct damage to their foes. For times like this mother nature gave us that which has baffled early civilizations across the planes Lightning. Doing this is faster and less stressful than formal spellcasting. One point of spell pool generates 1 point of damage, to a limit of 20 points at a time. This is cast as "Natural X Lightning" and packet delivered. Every rank of Spell Pool grants 25 points of usable pool. Spell Pool can be refreshed with five minutes of uninterrupted time, or immediately refreshed via the 9th level spell Evocation.

Metamagic:

Metamagic, as the name implies, is magic that affects magic. Metamagic effects modify spells in some way, or modify some other aspect of magic in some way spells cannot. Metamagic is fueled by Ley Points, and there are as many arguments about what Ley actually is as there are people making them. Callers purchase Ley Points directly, at 2 SP each, and a Caller cannot buy more than 20 total.

Hasten Spell: A Hastened Spell is delivered without a formal incant; this is called as "Magic <Spell Effect>". Hastened Spells bypass a number of usual spellcasting restrictions; they do not require incants and hence may be delivered while Silenced or otherwise deprived of speech. Hastened Spells may also be cast while confined. Hastening a spell costs 1 Ley Point.

Natural Spell: A Natural Spell is the closest Mages have gotten to Nature magic. Shaping a spell in this way eliminates the incant as Hasten Does, but is called as "Natural <Flavor> Effect>" and thereafter obeys the rules of the Natural delivery vector. Full details are available under Effect Delivery but briefly, Natural effects are stopped by shields, resisted with Resist Natural instead of Resist Magic, and affected by whatever nonsense 'magic' Callers use. Natural effects tend to be easier to stop than Magical effects, but some creatures are painfully resistant to magic and easily victimized by Natural effects. The existence of the Fae alone guaranteed that some Mage was going to develop this.

Penetrating Spell: Penetrating Spell shapes mana such that it punches right through armor; Penetrating Spells are cast as normal but have the call "body" appended to the incant. Unlike most meta magic, Penetrating Spell can be applied to Spell Pool. The cost must be paid separately for every application of Spell Pool and this can get expensive, but against heavily-armored targets with frail physiques it can also be lifesaving. Healing Pool can be delivered this way despite normally being desirable and normally affecting Body to start with; this is the means by which Mages attack undead and other life-hating monsters.

Overload: This skill allows the character to add the Critical Modifier to a single spell, or can be used with the character’s Spell Pool to add the Critical Modifier to their current pool.

Storm: This skill allows the character to enter a stance by planting their right foot and announcing, “Spell Storm”. This effect will last until the player falls unconscious, moves their foot, or uses any other Active Skills. While active, the caller can throw an infinite number of packet attacks called as “Magic 10 Lightning”,

Revitalize: Revitalize breaks down Ley Points into raw mana, which can then be channeled to cast spells as usual. Revitalize costs one Ley Point to create 5 mana, and can only be used over the course of a given event to replenish a volume of mana equal to your base mana pool. This means, under normal circumstances, that you can generate no more than 120 extra points of mana per event, at the cost of losing your use of Ley Skills for that event.

Forked Spell: This skill allows the character to split their spell so it can hit more targets. When using this skill, the player adds “Forked“ to the end of their normal spell incant, and then can throw “Magic <Spell Name>” twice in succession, and only expend a single casting's worth of mana.

Siphon Mana: This allows your Mage to drain Mana from a willing donor into your own Mana pool. This costs one Ley Point per transfer and may transfer only enough mana to return your pool to full.

Aura Emulation: As practiced by Mages, this allows for mana to reflexively retaliate against a melee strike. This is called as "Magic Lightning Aura" in response to being struck. Aura Emulation allows for any of the four usual elemental flavors and Spirit. Other Auras are known to exist but those are not readily available and learning them can be a chore.

Miscellaneous Mage Skills:

Chain Spell: Chain spells delivers one beneficial spell to one extra target per level of Chain Spell. A Mage with 5 levels of Chain Spell can cast Magic Shield (for example) on a total of six targets. The spell is cast normally for the first target; successive targets are called as "Chain Spell <Effect Name>".

Cancel Magic: This skill allows the character to end the duration of any spell that they encounter. The time it takes to cancel the spell depends on the spells duration: if the spell’s duration is in minutes, it takes 1 minute of concentration; if the spell’s duration is in hours, it takes 10 minutes of concentration; and if the spell’s duration is in days, or is a lasting effect, it takes 1 hour of concentration.

Diagnose: This skill will allow the character to determine the condition of the creature, by asking the following questions: “Are you- (Dying, Dead, Conscious, Unconscious, Venomed, Diseased, Stunned, Sleeping, How much body are you down)?” The character may also be able to receive other information at the marshal’s discretion. You must be within arm’s reach of the target though you do not have to touch them

First Aid: This skill allows a character to stabilize a Dying creature with a 60-second counted action. While performing this count, the target’s bleeding out counts stops, but they are not stabilized until the 60-second count is completed without interruption.

Portal Manipulation: Portal Manipulation is the means by which Mages use portals to move between worlds. The cost for a given manipulation depends on the portal in question and the desired result of manipulating it. Portal Manipulation generally requires a marshal present to adjudicate the outcome.

Level One: This skill alerts the Mage to the presence of portals within his usual sensory range - it does not highlight portals behind closed doors, underground, or around corners. Using this in Nexus is usually a waste of time (it's like Detect Air) but it can be extremely helpful far from home.

Level Two: Opens a portal for which the Mage has/does/knows the gate key. Also allows for closing that portal. This takes ten minutes of work, or can be rushed at a cost of one mana per minute.

Level Three: Allows a Mage to use planar shortcuts to travel between places on the same plane. This acts as a Hasten Travel effect, but only between places for which a planar shortcut exists (see your marshal).

Level Four: Allows for minor adjustment of a portal's exit location. This is the means by which Nexus Mages open portals directly onto their couches after a hard adventure. A Mage can alter the facing of the exit and the location by up to one hundred yards for free, and may extend out to two hundred yards at a cost of one mana per ten yards of adjustment.

Level Five: Allows a mage to change the exit plane of a portal long enough for his party to pass through it. This has no mana cost, but isn't guaranteed; no portal can be adjusted to exit into Acheron (for example) and some portals are connected in distances or ways that exclude links to certain other places. Importantly, Nexus can always be used as an exit node; no matter where you are, if you can find any portal going anywhere, you can always get home.

Tongue of the Land - The character gains the ability to speak with natural plants and rock formations. While most of the time such are not too smart, and communication can be difficult, the character can ask 2 questions that will be answered with a yes or no, of a given creature.

Create Grove - This skill allows the character to imbue an area with the power of nature, returning it to a purer state. The character must spend 5 minutes concentrating and role-playing to create the protective barrier on an area or small building. For the next 5 days the area is protected from unnatural creatures; Undead, Golems, Elementals, Fae, and Abominations, as well as a few others types, cannot enter into the area. A Phys-Rep of green lights must surround the area, if outside; or around the primary doorway if created on a building. This effect cannot be stacked with a Wizard Lock.

Reincarnate - This skill allows the character to bring back a character who is Dead and in need of a Life spell. Like much of nature nothing happens instantly. To use this skill, the character must touch the target and make a 3 counted action ‘I Reincarnate you 3, I Reincarnate you 2,…”. After the count the effect takes hold, the target will continue their death count and when they hit the 4-minute count where they would normally dissipate; they instead begin a 1-minute count, at the end of which the target will be restored to life at full Body Points

Grasping Earth - This skill allows the character to call upon the forces of nature to aid them in combat. When used, the player announces, “All enemies in the sound of my voice Difficult Terrain”.

Sudden Storm - Pulling on the natural forces around you, you summon up dense fog and high winds giving your party cover as you slip past a potential fight, this allows your party of up to 10 players to move past the encounter without engaging. This skill only works while on Modules set in a natural terrain.

Boost Shifting - The form granted to the caster via Shifter has the following changes:

• Claws become medium (if caster already has claws they can choose a single 2H claw instead)
• The base strength increases to +6

Caller Powers

Additional Shift*- This power allows the character to use their Empowered Shifting ability 2 additional times each reset.

Animal Speech - This power allows the character to talk normally while shape changed, as well as will let them communicate with animals of similar breed. This does not allow spell casting or using magic items that require speech to activate.

Aspect Mastery- This power causes Aspects that the player casts to have the duration doubled. It is up to the caster to inform the recipient of the effect.

Enhanced Shifting - This power allows Callers to select a specific animal when shifting and gain parts of that animals natural locomotive capabilities. When using their Shift, the Caller may now Fly, Swim (along with breath Underwater), or Burrow.

Master of the Wilds- This power allows the character to now affect 2 additional targets when they cast Aspects.

Wild Magic ??

Wisp Form - The caller may choose to enter Wisp form instead of a Beast form when shifting. The Wisp form has the following statistics:

15 Body

Resist Toxin/Physical x 1

Flee x 2

½ Damage from ranged attacks

+50 Spell Pool

Can change Spell Pool flavor to Venom

Gain one bonus spells costing up to 5 mana

Caller Heroic Powers

Magical Shifting - Prerequisite Enhanced Shifting, Caller may not have Greater Enhanced Shifting

This power allows the caller to use a single Caller spell delivered as 'Magical [Spell Name] while shifted. In addition, the shifted caller gains a breath weapon with three uses of 'Natural 30 lightning' delivered via packet.

Greater Enhanced Shifting - Prerequisite Enhanced Shifting, Caller may not have Magical Shifting.

This power doubles the stats of the shifter including the Enhanced Shifting strength bonus.

Greater Wisp Form - Prerequisite Wisp Form

Changes the Wisp form statistics to the following:

15 Body

Resist Toxin/Physical x 2

Flee x 3

½ Damage from all attacks

Can Flee into a combat they have left in the last 5 mins.

+75 Spell Pool

Can change Spell Pool flavor to Venom

Gain 2 bonus spells costing up to 7 mana

Nature’s Embrace - This Power binds the character’s body to the power of nature allowing it to heal more rapidly. The character gains Fast Healing 5, and additionally can Auto-Stabilize themselves twice each reset, setting them to 0 Body Points.