Magical Research and Experimentation

Spell casters of 15th level or higher can attempt to create new spells or magic items. They require a private workspace, be it a lab, cottage or hut, and must seek the advice of a scholar or high level caster, run by the Game Judge, whose fee is 100 G.P. for each of the consultant's levels, or its value in goods. The consultant turns down any concept powerful enough to throw the campaign off balance, possibly proposing changes or possibly writing the caster off as insane, and judges a workable idea by comparison with existing spells or devices.

Research demands 2 weeks of game time for each level of the spell or item, with the caster doing nothing else, though work can be stopped and restarted at will. Materials run 100-1,000 G.P. per week. Every week the Judge makes a percentile roll: 01-02 means an explosion (2 weeks lost and 100-1,000 G.P. in repairs); 03-05 an accident (one week and 10-100 G.P. lost); 06-10 an inconclusive week that adds another week; 11-25 an additional 10-100 G.P. spent; 26-95 on schedule; 96-99 one week and its costs saved; and 100 a eureka that guarantees success.

If no eureka occurs, the Judge ends by rolling a save vs the caster's Intelligence. On a success the creation works; on a failure the caster spends two more weeks and tries again, as many times as it takes. Materials the caster already has on hand, such as incense, chalks, magical inks, vials, flasks and holy water, lower the cost, and useful books add +1-5% to the weekly rolls. Spell books, whether bound folios, tablets or scrolls, serve only for record-keeping and research, and no spell may be cast from one.