Chapter 006

Magic

[[[

The ability to use magic in Dark Realms is a genetic trait, not a learned ability. Those not born with this trait are unable to harness and channel mana, so they are unable to cast even the simplest spells.

As a natural-born Mage, you have the ability to use magic. You know a few basic spells from your background choice. To grow in power you can find other Mages and convince them to teach you their spells, or acquire and study spellbooks. At higher levels, it is possible to perform magical research to discover new spells.

Warning: Various cultures and factions in Dark Realms have different views on those able to use magic. Some see it as evil or an affront to their Gods, while others view the ability as natural or a gift from the Gods.

It is not uncommon for Mages to be killed on sight in some areas. Care should be taken when traveling into unfamiliar areas.

Even amongst fellow mages, there are stigmas, taboos, and prejudices that affect how others will react to you. Mages who deal with blood, dark rituals, death or demons will find few places that will openly accept them.

Adventurers in Dark Realms are not seen as special. You are just another citizen of the world. Until you establish your reputation in an area, you will be seen as a stranger. Those you meet will not have access to your stats, class or level. You should expect to be judged first on your appearance and then on your actions.

]]]

The message triggered the memory of a conversation with her sister over the choice of a half-elf. Amy had warned her about half-elves being social outcasts and having problems dealing with non-playing characters. Lilith had brushed those concerns off when it was just a computer game, but now that she was stuck here, she was concerned she may have made a huge mistake.

How likely is getting burned at the stake for being a witch here? As scared as she was of dealing with other ‘people’, she was more worried about being stuck here alone. She resolved to be cautious when she got past the tutorial and hopefully started to interact with NPCs. She would have to see how being a female, half-elf mage actually affected her here.

[[[

New Quest: Magical Repairs!

During your fight with the Street Mutt, your clothing was damaged, but you have the ability to repair them.

Place your hands on the damaged area and concentrate on the spell Mend. When you feel the power start to build inside you, visualize ‘pushing’ it to your hands.

NOTE: Spells often require your hands to be free and undamaged. Being bound or crippled will prevent you from casting most spells. A favorite tactic of mage hunters is to set traps that cripple a mage’s hand before the attack.

Rewards for Success:

Level Up

The ability to use magic

]]]

Shaking the dark thoughts away, Lilith focused on the prompt. She was going to do magic!

Looking down, Lilith found the bloody rip the dog made in her skirt when it bit into her thigh. Doing her best to smooth out the material, she held the torn edges together and closed her eyes, concentrating on the word ‘Mend’.

She could feel a pleasant warmth resonating inside of her. A strange, not unpleasant sensation. In fact, it reminded her a little of the first moments of arousal, before actually becoming horny. Almost unconsciously her hands started to caress her midriff, the skin there tingling pleasantly.

Her wayward thoughts distracted her and as she lost her concentration, the sensation of mana flaring uncomfortably before fading away.

[[[

Spell Failed

You lost concentration and the spell fizzled. Fizzled spells still consume the normal amount of mana. Losing concentration in battle can mean disaster for a Battle Mage. Higher-level spells take longer to cast and have larger mana requirements.

As the mage becomes more familiar with a spell, it becomes easier to maintain focus. For this reason, Battle Mages tend to specialize in a small number of powerful spells. While Utility Mages will have a larger number of spells available to them.

]]]

Looking up at her status bars. She could see that the blue mana bar had dropped. With a bit of focus, the numbers [50 of 60] appeared. The Mend spell obviously consumed 10 points of mana. After a few seconds, the blue bar slowly started to refill. She reasoned that mana, health and stamina all slowly regenerated after use.

Refocusing her thoughts, she grabbed her skirt again and concentrated on ‘Mend’. As the sensation filled her, she visualized pushing to through her arms and into her hands.

It took several seconds, but eventually, she could feel the energy pulse and then start moving. There was a strange stuttering sensation as her concentration wavered, but she was able to refocus and prevent the spell from fizzling again. She watched in awe as the tear in her skirt was slowly repaired until she could no longer see the damage.

[[[

Spell Success.

You have successfully cast your first spell. Magic has been unlocked.

]]]

Awesome! She could sense the mana in her body, waiting for her to call it out and use it. Just as she was about to try another spell a loud DING blared out and a new message appeared.

[[[

Congratulations, you have completed the Dark Realms tutorial!

Alert: Hardcore Mode Enabled!

- Instant Combat and Skill messages are disabled. Advancement gains are only displayed when you level up.

- Death Penalty Increased. Starting at Level 5, skill gains are only made permanent when you level. Death will reset all progress since your last level.

]]]

After a few seconds, the final message disappeared. Looking around Lilith noticed the crates were gone. She was standing alone in the alley, dagger in hand with a dead dog and a bloody chunk of meat laying at her feet. At the mouth of the alley she could see a street paved with stones and a small face peeking around the corner.