Topic of the Month: Of Magic in Alphatia and the Hollow World
[Excerpted from the summarised version of a
report with the same title by the Council of Alphatia to Empress
Eriadna. Ed.]
Of Magic Working in the Hollow World.
Magic in the Hollow World is restricted because of a powerful spell
cast by the Immortals, known as the Spell of Preservation,
which seems to be maintained by the energy stream pouring out of
the gate in the centre of the world (commonly named the Red
Sun).
The following spells do not work in the Hollow World:
All spells of Divination and Communication (Schools of Lesser and
Greater Divination; some spells from the School of Alteration).
All spells of Summoning and Conjuration (School of
Conjuration/Summoning, some spells from the Schools of
Invocation/Evocation and Shadow).
All spells of Instantaneous Transportation (Schools of Dimension
and Shadow).
Of Magic Working on the Floating Continent of Alphatia.
Unlike the rest of the Hollow World, all kinds of magic work within
the confines of the Floating Continent of Alphatia, to the limits
of the skyshield surrounding it. Evidences show that such is
the case only since the first of Nyxmir AY 2015 [Nuwmont 1, AC
1016. Ed.], where magic prior to the Day of Dread was
restricted the same way as it was in the rest of the Hollow World.
Since this corresponds exactly to the creation of a new sun by the
Immortals (dubbed the Moving Sun, which orbits the Red Sun), it is
speculated by various sages that it generates both the antidote to
the mnemonic mineral disease and to the restricting effects
on magic of the Red Sun. This hypothesis seems to be validated by
the effects observed by spellcasters who did not expose themselves
to the sun each day. The exact process of this counter-effect is
unknown as yet, though, and how or why it interacts only with the
skyshield around Alphatia and not the world below, or even
other floating continents, remains a mystery under heavy
investigation.
All wizards and priests that have absorbed mnemonic minerals
potions in sufficient quantities have the ability to cast those
spells that are allowed only on the floating continent.
Spellcasters that didn't are restricted to the same spell range as
any inhabitant of the Hollow World, though they can still use
magical items embedded with the powers they can't personally wield.
Any such magic items brought without Alphatia become inert until
brought back, and spellcasters who leave Alphatia lose access to
these extra spells which will fizzle if cast (or if their effect
will cross the Alphatian skyshield, like teleporting
to the surface world).
Addiction to mnemonic minerals bears some drawbacks, though,
in addition to its scarcity. Firstly, spellcasters can no longer
cast during the fortunately often short period between the illness
(when the poisonous substance is flooding the body) and the
adaptation by the metabolism, a very dangerous period of
incapacitation that is the reason for some powerful magic-users'
reluctance to trying it out. To remedy this situation, the council
recommends that first level spellcasters are addicted during the
course of their university studies, as the loss of power is less
dangerous at that stage of their lives.
The second restriction is that mineral addicted spellcasters must
remain exposed at least one day to the light of the Moving Sun
(though this remains an hypothesis at this point; other have it
that it is the light of the Red Sun instead, while other
speculations suggest other seemingly fantasist reasons). Failing to
do so reverses the adaptation of the metabolism to the presence of
the mnemonic mineral, and restore the risk of falling ill
again.
The detail of the process of becoming infected with (and benefiting
of the effects of) mnemonic minerals is this one:
Ingest 30 doses of mnemonic mineral potions, maximum one per
day. During that time you gain one additional spell of level 3.
Take additional doses until failing a save vs. poison and becoming
ill. While drinking additional potions you still gain the
additional spell.
Get exposure to the Moving Sun at least one hour a day until you
fail another save vs. poison and becoming adapted. During that
period you are without spells.
Keep on exposing to the Moving Sun one hour each day or risk
becoming ill again as above. From now on you can cast any spell
while on Alphatia. If you stop the sunbathes you still get to cast
spells normally, but do not get an additional spell again.
Of Magic Unknown to Savage Hollow World Natives.
Not all spells are available in the Hollow World, but even less are
known and used by the primitive natives of the place.
The following spells are useable in the Hollow World but are not
known except in Alphatia:
Spells of Holding (School of Enchantment/Charm).
Spells of Charming and Commanding (Schools of Enchantment/Charm and
Mentalism).
Spells of Immortality (School of Necromancy).
Various offensive spells (School of Force, various spells from the
School of Invocation/Evocation and some spells of the School of
Alteration).
Wish-like spells (note that those spells do not work if used
to emulate spells that do not work in the Hollow World).
Various sophisticated spells (including but not limited to those
from the Tome of Magic and the Spells & Magic or
those from the most sophisticated Schools like Artifice or Geometry
or any secret arts).
Magic-users simply do not have those spells in their spellbooks,
while priests are not granted them by their Immortals, even if they
should logically be in their Immortal's portfolio and even if the
spells are granted to the Alphatian priests of the same deity.
The council strongly advises against revealing the secret of these
spells, some of which powerful, to the natives of the Hollow World,
unless it is in the higher interest of the empire.