Alternate Magics: This skill gives a character basic familiarity with magics that are not related to standard spellcasting. It includes knowing many magical abilities of well-known Prime Plane and extraplanar monsters and of Immortal beings. The DM defines what types of knowledge this skill provides in his or her campaign.
🌀 Racial Variants #
| Variant | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Elven | Ley-Line Sensitivity | Elves view magic as a landscape. They can identify the “background hum” of Immortal beings or extraplanar portals by how they distort the local flora and fauna. |
| Dwarven | Runic Resonance | Dwarves categorize “alternate” magic by its physical vibration. They are experts at identifying the innate magical properties of metals and stones used by extraplanar entities. |
| Gnomish | Dimensional Mechanics | Gnomes treat “monstrous” abilities as biological machines. They can explain how a Beholder’s eye stalks function using principles of optics and aetheric pressure. |
🌌 Regional Variants #
- The Planar Scholar (Metropolitan/University)
In the great arcane academies, alternate magic is a Categorical Science.
- Specialty: Taxonomy of the Infinite. They know the specific hierarchy and “legal” restrictions of Immortal beings. They gain a +4 bonus to identify the specific plane of origin for any extraplanar creature.
- The Hedge-Witch (Wilderness/Rural)
In the isolated corners of the world, magic is Folk-Lore.
- Specialty: Taboos and Talismans. They don’t know “theory,” but they know what works. They can identify the “old rules” for dealing with Prime Plane monsters (e.g., “Don’t look a Basilisk in the eye” or “Silver kills the Lycanthrope”).
- The Rift-Watcher (High Altitude/Peaks)
Trained in places where the veil between worlds is thin.
- Specialty: Spatial Instability. They can sense when a creature has “teleported” or “blinked” recently. They can identify the residual “scent” of a Gate or Portal even after it has closed.
- The Deep-Sea Occultist (Coastal/Abyssal)
Focuses on the alien, crushing magics of the “Great Below.”
- Specialty: Eldritch Bioluminescence. They specialize in the psionic and bioluminescent “magic” of deep-sea monstrosities (like Aboleths or Krakens). They are immune to the “fear” effect of identifying such creatures for the first time.
📜 The “Immortal Knowledge” Clause #
As per the description, this skill is one of the few ways mortals can understand Immortal beings.
- Design Tip: You might rule that a successful check allows a character to know an Immortal’s “Domain” or “Calling Card,” but a failure might draw the entity’s attention—after all, when you stare into the Abyss of Alternate Magics, the Abyss stares back.
