Mote: Mote: Archaic Lorekeeper
Description: This Mote allows the Magic-User to delve into the fundamental, ambient magic of the world. Rather than focusing on powerful or destructive spells, the Lorekeeper specializes in making simple magic permanent, faster, and ritualistic — elevating basic cantrips into reliable tools and extending the utility of low-level spells beyond combat.
Affects: Cantrips (0-level spells), 1st through 4th level spells, and the casting time of utility spells via ritual mechanics.
Acquiring and Ranking: Uses the standard Mote system and Class Skill rules.
Cantrip Rank — Enduring Fundamentals #
The Mage learns to make cantrips persist beyond their normal ephemeral duration, applying permanence to the simplest magic.
Effect: The Mage selects one known Cantrip. That spell’s duration becomes significantly extended according to its nature:
- Concentration spells extend to a duration of hours
- Instantaneous effects persist for 1 hour
- Spells with existing durations become permanent until dispelled
Example: An Enduring Light cantrip creates a permanent light source that cannot be dispelled by normal means.
Ritual Casting Time: 30 minutes. The Mage must remain uninterrupted during casting or the effect is lost.
Note: This rank may be taken multiple times. Each additional time allows the Mage to apply Enduring Fundamentals to one additional known Cantrip.
Charm Rank — Rapid Invocation #
The Mage understands the core components of low-level magic well enough to perform them with minimal conscious effort.
Effect: The Mage may cast any 1st-level spell in the same round as movement and other actions without penalty. The spell requires no dedicated casting round.
Ritual Casting Time: 25 minutes. This reduced casting time applies to all previously learned Lorekeeper rituals.
Incantation Rank — Ritual Adaptation (Basic) #
The Mage learns to treat non-instantaneous, non-damaging 1st and 2nd level spells as rituals, casting them without expending a memorized spell slot.
Effect: The Mage may cast any qualifying 1st or 2nd level spell from their known spells as a ritual. The spell must have a non-instantaneous duration and deal no direct damage.
Ritual Casting Time: 20 minutes. This reduced casting time applies to all previously learned Lorekeeper rituals.
Note: The Mage must still have the spell recorded in their spellbook or research library.
Enchantment Rank — Ritual Adaptation (Advanced) #
The Mage’s understanding of foundational magic deepens, extending ritual adaptation to more powerful utility spells.
Effect: The Mage may now apply Ritual Adaptation to qualifying 3rd and 4th level spells from their known spells. The spell must have a non-instantaneous duration and deal no direct damage.
Ritual Casting Time: 15 minutes. This reduced casting time applies to all previously learned Lorekeeper rituals.
Interruption Rule: If interrupted, the Magic-User may make an Agility Training (DEX) check to avoid losing the spell.
Grand Mote Rank — Unbound Lore #
The Mage achieves full mastery of the Lorekeeper path, combining its benefits simultaneously.
Effect: The Mage may combine Enduring Fundamentals with Rapid Invocation. Once per day, the Mage may cast a 1st level spell in the same round as movement and other actions without penalty, with that spell also gaining an extended or permanent duration as per Enduring Fundamentals.
Ritual Adaptation (Supreme): The Mage may apply Ritual Adaptation to one known 5th level spell. The spell must have a non-instantaneous duration and deal no direct damage. This selection is permanent once made.
Ritual Casting Time: 10 minutes. This reduced casting time applies to all previously learned Lorekeeper rituals.
Interruption Rule: If interrupted, the Magic-User may make an Agility Training (DEX) check to avoid losing the spell.
