Mysticism

Mysticism is the study of the inner self. Its practitioners call on no god; instead they focus the physical and spiritual energies of their own body and mind, known as ki, to produce spell-like effects, though they must stay true to their personal beliefs or lose their powers for a time. Mystics are its purest adepts, seekers of knowledge and higher consciousness who care little for wealth and often live apart on mountaintops or in deserts, some swearing an oath of nonviolence. Monks combine it with weaponless combat, savants of the mystic branch use it in pursuit of enlightenment, and witch hunters, dual-classed hunter/mystics, turn it against other spell casters. Spells with one asterisk belong to its practitioners and those with two to mystics alone.

The spells are overwhelmingly mental and bodily. Perception magic includes aura and object reading, clairvoyance, clairaudience, E.S.P., precognition and retrocognition. Mind-to-mind powers range from empathy and suggestion to telepathic command and the Mind Blast. Self-mastery lets the caster transcend hunger, thirst and pain, control the body and heal through three grades of mystic healing. Higher still come astral projection, telekinesis, teleporting oneself, materialization, bilocation, dematerialization and expanded consciousness.