This page describes the workings of mystic magic, psionics, and other supernatural phenomena. The game mechanics for most magical and psionic effects in Deus Ultionis are outlined in the mystic magic guide.
Psionics and magic
Sentient beings have the capability to affect reality through force of will. This phenomenon, commonly known as psionics, is not trivial to attain, however, and takes much training and discipline to unlock the required mental pathways. Without a teacher, most people have no chance of beginning to develop such powers–psionics really are one of the best-kept secrets throughout history.
However, a being with an exceptionally powerful force of will is capable of bestowing some of its power onto others through a spiritual link. When power is granted in such a way, it is known as magic. Gaia, the earth, was one such being. Druids and nature spirits often tapped into Gaia’s power, with the understanding that such power would be used to protect the best interests of the planet.
According to some theologians, another such entity is the cosmos itself – known as God, Allah and a thousand other names – the ultimate pervasive force. The traditional D&D gods are all aspects of the cosmos, as are the ideals of good, neutrality and evil. The cosmic entity pervades every inch of reality, granting power to anyone who seeks it, and many different types of people do so. Most wizards view themselves as tapping into neutral cosmic energy, while clerics usually embrace some ideal and draw energy from their dedication thereof. While the cosmos itself is present everywhere in the universe, its magical energy is not. Magic tends to drift toward dense matter areas, and shy away from sparse ones. Thus, magic works wonderfully on earth, but not so well – if at all – in space and other vacuous areas.
Mystics vs psions
A mystic has the ability to draw on external mystic energy – such as the omnipresent ambient energy that saturates the earth, or from a psionic being. Only 1 in 1,000 humans possess this ability. The good news is that if your character is mystic, he can discover his powers intuitively over time, without formal training.
A psion is very similar in that he produces the same sort of effects as a mystic (they use the same ruleset), but he does it by drawing from his inner strength. Thus, the psionic character does not require an external source of mystic energy, and can utilize his power in space, for example. Psionics is extremely rare, however. It has been kept a closely guarded secret by the few who know it. You cannot just spontaneously develop psionics – you must be trained. There are people on earth who could have trained your character in psionics, but not many.
Sources of mystic energy
Some mystics – often called mages or wizards – draw on the ambient mystic energy saturating the earth. But others pledge themselves to a powerful psionic entity who grants them power within its sphere of influence. For example, the Caretaker is a psionic entity whose influence extends across the entire earth. Some members of Gaia’s Ancient Order who have pledged themselves to Gaia (one of the Caretaker’s two aspects) can draw mystic energy from the Caretaker and channel it from anywhere on Earth. Note that player character psions have neither the strength (psionically) nor the mass (gravitationally) to encompass a sphere of influence more than a few miles outside their own bodies, at most.
Mystic wards do not function outside the relevant sphere of influence. Thus, Gaians cannot ward an effect too far from Earth. More importantly, player character psions have a limited sphere of influence. Warded effects on other characters are only effective when within the psion’s sphere of influence, which is a function of the psion’s level: level cubed times 10 feet. So a 1st level psion’s sphere of influence extends 10 feet from him, while a 20th level psion’s sphere of influence extends 202020*10 = 80,000 feet = ~15 miles.
The three types of mystic magic
Passion magic is by far the most common. A desire to do good, right a wrong, achieve a goal–these things make up the essence of life, and magic resonates in response. It is the everyday magic that people learn intuitively. It is laced with a torrent of conflicting emotions.
Empty magic is mystic energy channeled by someone who has cleared his mind of earthly desire. This state of nothingness, often strived for in certain eastern religions, allows one to channel a rare energy. Such emotionless magic creates a force untouchable by the rougher passion magic. Buddhism and Hinduism view such a state as ‘‘nirvana’’.
In order to wield empty magic, your character would require a special circumstance, such as being less vulnerable to emotion, or having achieved enlightenment. (For example: in Pax Artificium, Dr. Cid Arthur had had his soul transferred to a computer core, which significantly dulled his emotions. He mastered the ability to focus his thoughts and float in a void of emotionless, which resulted in his ability to wield empty magic.) Empty magic is structurally strong enough to withstand the unfocused emotional torrent of passion magic. (In a battle between two equal-strength mystics, one passion and one empty, the empty mage wins.)
Purity magic is perhaps even more rare than empty magic. It comes into existence when a mystic feels only a single, intense emotion, and is the most powerful and frail of all types of magic. Fueled on one pure emotion, it can burst empty magic’s void, but attaining emotional purity is perhaps even more difficult than attaining Buddhist nirvana. Those who do have reached ‘‘true nirvana’’, the perfect condition of rest, harmony, stability and joy. True nirvana is fleeting, lasting for only an instant, but it can sway those who have protected themselves from emotion with a truly pure emotional plea. The most common emotion for reaching true nirvana is love. Indeed, some philosophers would claim reaching true nirvana through any other emotion is impossible – for example, no matter how much one focuses one’s hate, they would say, other evil emotions will always be present simultaneously.
Purity magic’s frailty lies in the fact that it cannot stand up to passion magic – that is, the variety of emotions present in passion magic pollutes it, negating its power. Thus, the circle is complete, and every type of magic has its place.
In order to wield purity magic, your resolve would have to be above and beyond that of a normal human being. (For example: in Pax Artificium, the Great Healer – Cid’s father – was corrupted by magical backlash, resulting in the creation of a being focused solely on death and destruction. His sole motivation became the elimination of his former son, and his magic became twisted by hatred.) Purity magic focuses a single emotion strongly enough to pierce the void of empty magic. (In a battle between two equal-strength mystics, one empty and one purity, the purity mage wins.) However, the concentration of a single emotion is vital to the functioning of purity magic – any other emotions dilute its strength. (In a battle between two equal-strength mystics, one purity and one passion, the passion mage wins.)
Two people using passion magic against each other is somewhat akin to two people clubbing each other; both get hurt. Two people using empty magic have trouble affecting each other, much as two master martial artists continually parry each other’s blows. Lastly two people using purity magic simply pollute each other’s magic, rendering each other ineffective, unless both people are focusing the same emotion.
Racial tendencies regarding magic
As stated above, 0.1% of humans wield mystic magic. About half the gnomes do (gnomes also love technology). The dwarves almost universally do not (although some of them have been trained in anti-magical "spellbreaker" techniques). All elves and halflings, and many creatures of Gaia (pixies, dryads, trolls, beholders, etc.) do, although sometimes they draw their power from Gaia’s spirit instead of from ambient mystic energy. The royals are also all mystics, and they favor technology as well.
Frequently asked questions
Q1: Can mystics and psions sense each other?
A1: Mystics and psions do not sense each other innately, but can use Divination to do so. However, Divination can also be used as a counter to shield you from being sensed (see Q7 below for more details about Divination and warding against it).
Q2: What about technology for sensing mystics and psions?
A2: There are devices capable of sensing mystics regardless of whether they are currently using their abilities. There is no well-known mystic effect to fool these devices, although of course an EMP or something of that nature could disable them. Psions are not detected by the devices unless the psion is actively using an effect.
The devices function by analyzing particles in the air near the individual. The mystic’s connection to external mystic energy causes a reaction observable to the device. Psions do not cause such a reaction because they do not interact with ambient mystic energy, but instead draw their power from within.
Lastly, the devices can also sense Gaians (any race with a connection to Gaia, including halflings, elves, pixies, dryads, and many other things from the MM or SS) through a limited form of DNA analysis.
Q3: How does wish-level magic work for mystics? For psions?
A3: Every mystic source has a maximum sphere cap, above which effects become wish-level (see the wish-level magic section of the mystic magic guide for an overview of wish-level magic). For the ambient energy on Terran colonies, see the sphere levels listed on the Worlds page. For psions, this number is equal to their psion level. However, regardless of the sphere cap, both mystics and psions must be level 20 or higher to attempt wish-level magic.
Q4: How does linking work for mystics? For psions? Can mystics and psions interlink?
A4: Linking for mystics and psions works as described in the linking section of the mystic magic guide. They may freely interlink.
Q5: Can mystics and psions link to produce a wish-level effect?
A5: Yes, but at least one person involved must be level 20 or higher. The sphere cap is the maximum of the sphere caps of the mystics and psions involved. For example, if a 20th level mystic links with a 17th level psion on Luna, the sphere cap is 17 (Luna’s mystic level is 16, and the psion’s cap is equal to his level). If these same people were to link on Mars, however, the cap would be 18, since Mars’s sphere level is 18. The EP cost each person pays is proportionate to the number of building points contributed.
Q6: What is the sphere of influence for a mystic? For a psion? Is there any way to reach outside a sphere of influence?
A6: A psion’s sphere of influence is his psion level cubed times ten feet. So a 15th level psion has a sphere of influence of 151515*10 = 33,750 ft = ~6.4 miles. A mystic’s sphere of influence is equal to the sphere of influence of his source. For ambient energy, this corresponds to all known ambient energy in the universe. In the case of the Caretaker (Emmanuel or Gaia), this corresponds to the entire Earth, as well as all colonies with a healthy Heart Tree.
Reaching outside a sphere of influence is possible, but you must pay for range as described in the guide’s Range section. So reaching more than a few hundred feet outside a sphere of influence is extremely difficult.
Temporary effects also continue functioning outside the sphere of influence, but only for the normal duration. This duration can be extended as usual as described in the Duration section of the guide, but warding does not function outside the sphere of influence.
For example, say Vadril the mystic performs an Illusion effect with Ill 1. This effect lasts for 1 round by default. If he instead pays an additional 3 points (making the effect Ill 4) to increase the duration to 3d6+1 rounds, the Illusion is guaranteed to last that long, even outside his sphere of influence. If after 2 rounds he wards the effect to last indefinitely, it will still only last for 3d6+1 rounds outside his sphere of influence.
To put it succinctly, all wards are suppressed while outside the sphere of influence – but if the ward is not permanent in duration (i.e., if it deteriorates over time), it will still do so even while suppressed. But if the ward is permanent, and both the mystic and the effect reenter the sphere of influence, the effect resumes.
Q7: How does Divination (specifically "knowledge acquistion") work? How can it be guarded against?
A7: One power of Divination is the ability to glean truths through magic. Where does this knowledge come from. The current theory held by most mystic scientists is that the information is taken from the mind of some living thing within the relevant sphere of influence. Experiments ("Divine the number I am thinking of!") have corroborated this theory. To prevent knowledge from being able to be divined, everyone with that knowledge must be warded with a Divination shield equal in power to the Divination.
There are also several "tricks" that can be used. For example, since AIs are not living things, they are not subject to information retrieval through Divination. To conceal the location of an item you wish to keep hidden, give it to an AI you trust, ask it to put the object in a secure location, and instruct it to tell no one of that location, not even you. Then its location cannot be Divined, although you could instruct the AI to retrieve the item for you at any time. Another idea for player characters is to purchase immunity to Divination, acquire the "Mind Blank" spell-like ability, or similar mental block.
Q8: How does Displacement work? How can it be guarded against?
A8: One form of Displacement listed in the guide has no range limit. However, it is still limited to within the sphere of influence like anything else. In addition, you must be familiar with the destination in order to port there. Thus, even if there were ambient mystic energy elsewhere in the universe, humans could not simply travel there.
To guard against Displacement, simply ward an area against Displacement at a certain power level, and like Divination, the mystic using Displacement will need to use more power than that to break through the shield.
Q9: What is a mystic net? Why are they useful? Can my character learn to weave them?
A9: Mystic netting is a substance that mystics and psions can produce to cause resonating mystic effects with a larger area than usual. A net is made up of mystic threads. The size of the net determines the number of threads required. Once a net has been created, mystic energy can be channeled into it. Targeting the net with an effect instead causes that effect to resonate throughout the net, affecting everything touching it.
There are two kinds of nets: flat (2D surface) and enclosed (3D volume). Flat nets only resonate with living creatures (and their possessions) – so AIs and objects are largely immune. Enclosed nets, on the other hand, effect everything inside them.
The most common use of mystic nets is to port structures from colony to colony. This technique is how mysticports (the successor to airports) function. A team of mystic technicians weaves a mystic net around a structure. Once it is complete, the passengers go inside and the pilot (another mystic) uses Displacement to port the structure to its destination. Since the power of the Displacement effect also depends on mass, a gravitic drive is typically employed to reduce the effective mass of the structure to near zero, so that Dis 1 can be used.
However, other uses of mystic nets are possible. In the final session of Pax Artificium, Banks and Summers used a mystic net to psionically stun everyone in the park trying to interfere with Anna’s scheme.
The following feats allow your character to weave mystic nets:
Net Weaver [[Mystic]
You can weave mystic threads, tying them together into a net capable of resonating with mystic energy.
Prerequisite: Reserve 10.
Benefit: You are capable of weaving nets made of mystic energy. Each thread costs 1 Reserve and takes 10 minutes to create. Threads dissolve after one day. It takes one thread per 10 feet of linear area (length + width), as given on the table below.
|Threads|Linear area|Example| |1|10 ft|5 ft x 5 ft area| |10|100 ft|30 ft x 70 ft area| |20|192 ft|Launch (24 ft)| |26|256 ft|Assault Fighter (32 ft)| |29|288 ft|Fighter (36 ft)| |36|360 ft|Courier (45 ft)| |48|480 ft|Orbital Shuttle (60 ft)| |88|880 ft|Fast Freighter (110 ft)| |120|1,200 ft|Scout (150 ft)| |144|1,440 ft|Escort (180 ft)| |256|2,560 ft|Corvette (320 ft)| |288|2,880 ft|Frigate (360 ft)| |360|3,600 ft|Destroyer (450 ft)| |360|3,600 ft|Hauler (450 ft)| |576|5,760 ft|Cruiser (720 ft)| |640|6,400 ft|Bulk Freighter (800 ft)| |680|6,800 ft|Clipper (850 ft)| |760|7,600 ft|Strike Cruiser (950 ft)| |960|9,600 ft|Tanker (1,200 ft)| |960|9,600 ft|Liner (1,200 ft)| |1,000|10,000 ft|Battleship (1,250 ft)| |1,056|10,560 ft|Heavy Transport (1,320 ft)| |1,088|10,880 ft|Battle Cruiser (1,360 ft)| |1,120|11,200 ft|Fleet Carrier (1,400 ft)| |1,440|14,400 ft|Star Freighter (1,800 ft)| |1,600|16,000 ft|Colony Ship (2,000 ft)| |2,200|22,000 ft|Dreadnought (2,750 ft)| |2,400|24,000 ft|Star Carrier (3,000 ft)| All starships are assumed to be approximately 2:1:1 ratio (length:width:height), with linear area computed as 2(l+w) + 2(l+h) + 2(w+h) = 8l.
Weaver Adept [[Mystic]
You are more proficient at weaving mystic threads, working more quickly and efficiently.
Prerequisite: Net Weaver, Reserve 25.
Benefit: You weave each mystic thread in half the normal time (5 minutes instead of 10 minutes).
Enduring Threads [[Mystic]
Your threads are more robust.
Prerequisite: Net Weaver, Reserve 25.
Benefit: Your threads last for an entire week instead of just one day.
Weavemaster [[Mystic]
Your skill at weaving mystic threads has reached its pinnacle.
Prerequisite: Net Weaver, Weaver Adept, Enduring Threads, Reserve 40.
Benefit: You weave each mystic thread for half the normal Reserve cost (1 Reserve per two threads woven).
Q10: You said some mystics draw from psionic sources, such as Gaia. If my character is a psion, can other mystics draw from him in this manner?
A10: Yes, but he must learn how. There are two feats related to this ability.
The first one – called Additional Source – is for mystics, and allows them to draw from an extra source. For example, many Gaians take "Additional Source (Gaia)" and are capable of drawing both directly from Gaia and from ambient energy. This combination allows these Gaians both the flexibility of a huge sphere of influence (when drawing ambiently) and the higher sphere level of Gaia (otherwise they must abide by the Lunar sphere cap of 15).
The second feat – called Emulate Source – is for psions, and allows them to emulate another psionic entity. For example, Vittorio the psion could take "Emulate Source (Gaia)" to allow the aforementioned Gaians to draw from him without them needing the "Additional Source (Vittorio)" feat.
When a mystic draws from a psion, it depletes that psion’s Reserve directly, as well as the mystic’s relevant spheres. At first this may seem like a bad deal, but there are times when it is useful. For example, if a psion does not have 5 ranks in Healing, but a mystic does, and they are on a ship in deep space, the mystic could perform a Heal 5 effect by drawing from the psion, even though the mystic’s usual source of energy is not present.
Q11: What other tricks and techniques are possible with mystic magic?
A11: You shouldn’t feel limited to what’s in the guide. Various players have come up with lots of creative ideas. Some of them are briefly noted on the mystic guide "to do" page. If you have an idea, feel free to ask.
Q12: How do negative levels affect my mystic magic abilities?
A12: For each negative level incurred, you lose one sphere rank from the sphere with the highest rank. If multiple spheres are tied for highest rank, you choose which sphere drops by a rank. If no ranks in any spheres remain, you lose 4 Reserve per negative level.
Q13: How does Displacement work with multiple targets?
A13: By default, all mystic effects target a single object or creature. You may only target objects at most one size category larger than yourself – any larger and you must pay for size (+1 per 5 feet) to encompass the object. But any creature with a life force ("soul") may be individually targeted regardless of size (the life force acts as a focus for the effect). The case of Displacement is no different – to affect multiple targets you must pay for an area effect (see the Target section of the guide). In the case of Displacement, you must also pay for the total weight of all affected targets. Note that soulmechs count as the size of the original being the soul came from for the purposes of mystic effects. Lastly, using Enhancement to increase your size does not allow you to affect larger-than-usual targets (since your true size is a property of your soul).