Dragon Heresy Arcane Tradition: School of Doors

A while back, I asked for help on choosing arcane traditions for the Wizard for the Dragon Heresy RPG. I created four schools of magic – doors, essences, might, and mischief, which are themselves combinations of two of the spell types from SRD5.1.

Since the game’s launching zone is Norse-flavored, the schools are flavored by futhark runes, with the following associations:

• Algiz (Abjuration).
  The rune magic of Algiz is protective in nature, though some spells have
  aggressive uses. They create magical barriers, negate harmful effects, harm
  trespassers, or banish creatures to other planes of existence. The rune Algiz
  means protection, or a shield, used
  defensively.

• Ansuz (Divination).
  The magic focused through the Ansuz rune reveals information, whether in the
  form of secrets long forgotten, glimpses of the future, the locations of hidden
  things, the truth behind illusions, or visions of distant people or places. The
  meaning of Ansuz is a revealing message or insight, and (not coincidentally) is
  also the rune of Woden, who specializes in far-seeing
  and deep knowledge.

• Dagaz (Illusion).
  The rune magic of Dagaz is invoked to deceive the senses or minds of others.
  These spells cause people to see things that are not there, to miss things that
  are there, to hear phantom noises, or to remember things that never happened.
  Some illusions create phantom images that any creature can see, but the most
  insidious illusions plant an image directly in the mind of a creature. The
  meaning of Dagaz includes both awareness
  and blindness.

• Ehwaz (Conjuration).
  The spells of Ehwaz involve the transportation of objects and creatures from
  one location to another. Some spells summon creatures or objects to the
  caster’s side, whereas others allow the caster to teleport to another location.
  Some Ehwazs create objects or effects out of nothing. The rune Ehwaz represents
  a horse or horses, and connotes travel
  and journeys.

• Gebo (Transmutation).
  Spells invoked with the knowledge gained through study of the Gebo rune change
  the properties of a creature, object, or environment. They might turn an enemy
  into a harmless creature, bolster the strength of an ally, make an object move
  at the caster’s command, or enhance a creature’s innate healing abilities to
  rapidly recover from injury. Gebo has the connotation of a gift, sacrifice, or
  fair exchange – giving up one thing to
  gain another of equal or higher value.

• Jera (Necromancy).
  The rune Jera signifies the life cycle
  and the harvest. Jeran spells manipulate the energies of life and death. Such
  spells can grant an extra reserve of life force, drain the life energy from
  another creature, create the undead, or even bring the dead back to life. A
  complicated rune, Jera’s association with necromancy is only part of its
  meaning, and the rune magic of Jera includes birth, life, death, and
  life-from-death (which can be as broad as ‘resurrection’ but is also
  ‘fertilizer’). Creating undead through the use of Jeran rune magic is not a
  good act, and only neutral or evil casters use such spells frequently.

• Mannaz (Enchantment).
  Spells cast with the Mannaz rune affect the minds of others, influencing or
  controlling their behavior. Such spells can make enemies see the caster as a
  friend, force creatures to take a course of action, or even control another
  creature like a puppet. Mannaz means “mankind” or “people,”
  and has a particular connotation relating to the attitudes of others to you and
  relationships in general.

• Thurisaz (Evocation).
  The primal energy of magic, the directed
  force of destruction and defense, is symbolized by Thurisaz. Such spells
  manipulate magical energy to produce a desired effect. Some call up blasts of
  fire or lightning. Others channel positive energy to heal wounds. Thurisaz has
  many connotations, all of which derive from power used with consciousness and wisdom
  in matters that must be resolved using force, violence, or physical compulsion.

With that introduction, I wanted to list out the current ideas for the schools of magic, to provoke comment and discussion. Appropriate abilities per level are a bit of an art form, so a broad commentary will save angst later. Any and all commentary is appreciated, especially suggestions to modify or replace abilities. 

One caveat: this will be an OGL/SRD5.1 game, so avoiding abilities from official material is a good thing. Not only for the usual reasons, but keeping the flavor of the game unique makes it more interesting!

ARCANE TRADITIONS


The study of wizardry is ancient, stretching back to the earliest mortal discoveries of magic. It is firmly established in fantasy gaming worlds, with various traditions dedicated to its complex study.

The most common arcane traditions in the multiverse revolve around the schools of magic. Wizards through the ages have cataloged thousands of spells, grouping them into eight categories called schools. In some places, these traditions are literally schools; a wizard might study at the School of Illusion while another studies across town at the School of Mannaz rune. In other institutions, the schools are more like academic departments, with rival faculties competing for students and funding. Even wizards who train apprentices in the solitude of their own towers use the division of magic into schools as a learning device, since the spells of each school require mastery of different techniques.

Savant

No matter which tradition you select at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy spells with the runes incorporated by that tradition into your spellbook are halved.

SCHOOL OF DOORS


You focus your study on magic that transcends the here and now, opening up mystical doors through time, space, and dimensions to examine the past and the future, to heal and harm, and even to interact with the dead. You have mastered the study of the runes of ansuz (to divine the future and probe the past) and jera (life cycles from birth to death and back again).

Read Auras

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain the ability to read emanations of power. This ability has two uses, one active, one passive.

Your ability to read auras will automatically detect and identify any active auras that a creature is maintaining. This includes spells, aura’s induced by magical items, as well as abilities such as the paladin’s aura of devotion or the fear aura of a pit fiend. It will tell you the source and type of the aura, but not it’s range.

You may also attempt to deliberately discern an aura. By concentrating on a creature for one minute, you may attempt a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check, and if that is successful, you may receive the answer to one of the questions below. You may also keep trying to read the aura, spending an additional minute per use. The GM will make these rolls for you – should you fail, you will gain no further information with more study.

If the creature is actually a projection from another realm of a powerful entity such as a god, this will become immediately obvious, with no roll required.

When you reach 8th level, instead of taking a minute of concentration, you may deliberately read an aura as an action.

The following information may be obtained through active study:

• Creature Type. Dragon (usually obvious), aberration, fiend, undead, etc.
• Magical Ability. Does the creature have the ability to cast spells, or is the creature innately magical.
• Immunities and Resistances. Is the creature immune to a damage type? Roll once per immunity/resistance!
• Vulnerabilities. Will the creature take extra damage from a particular damage type? This includes only being damaged by magical weapons.

Cycle Lore

Starting at 6th level, your understanding of the paths of life and death improve.

You may add your spellcasting ability bonus to the effect roll (a damage roll or a healing roll) for any spell using the jera rune.

If summoning or creating creatures using necromantic magic, you may increase the ability scores of your created beings – apply the full bonus to one statistic, but each created or summoned creature may have a different statistic increased. If you increase the target’s Strength or Constitution, the creature’s vigor and wounds may also increase.

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Beginning at 10th level, you can pronounce the fate of others, whether a blessing or doom. Choose a creature that can hear and understand you, and loudly and confidently proclaim its fate. If the fate is beneficial, the creature gains a point of Inspiration; if baleful, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Spell Save DC or else gain the Demoralized condition.

If you wish, you can prophecy about your subject’s fate at a particular challenge (an upcoming battle or contest, solving a puzzle, or wooing a lady). In this case, the Inspiration or Demoralized Condition only applies to actions taken to complete the challenge. 

If the subject of your prophecy experiences dismal failure (if you prophecy success and greatness) or escapes grievous harm (if you prophecy doom and failure), the effects of your prophecy vanish. Thereafter, that subject will view you as a fraud. You get one chance to win a contest of your Charisma versus their Wisdom (“Of course you failed! You did not believe!”), and if you fail at this, then forever after that subject will be unaffected by your prophecies.

Once you make a self-fulfilling prophecy, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

Command Undead

Starting at 14th level, your knowledge and power over the undead increases to the point that you may now use the command spell to attempt to rule their actions. You may choose one target or several, up to your Intelligence modifier (minimum 2), but if you choose more than one target, those undead have advantage on their Wisdom saving throw.

If you do not already know the command spell, add it to your spell list; it does not count against the total spells known. Using this ability expends a 1st level spell slot, as does casting command on non-undead.