Editing Setting:Mosaic/Magic in Mosaic (section)

== Forms of magic ==

[[Image:Mosaic-forms.jpg|thumb|250px|right|In [[Mosaic]], players would be encouraged to create real spellbooks holding Forms their characters use.]]

Most casting-classes spells are based on an anchoring rune to provide the 'direction' of the final spell, with other runes (of all three levels) modifying it to fit the caster's desired outcome. For instance, a spell of Anchor: Energy; Modifiers: Lightning, Smiting would probably be something like a thunderbolt spell from the sky.

my current shorthand is to write it as A: for anchor, then to have all the modifying runes uncapitalized, and finally to list the intended result of the spell. Thus, the above thunderbolt could be codified as:
*''A: Energy; lightning, smiting.''   '''"Thunderbolt"'''

Runes can also be cast 'unanchored' to create quick and simple effects, which is in setting the most common use of runes (for example, a farmer putting Aukning, 'Augmentation' on his arms)

Glyph Carvers can scribe runes onto objects to give them power. In these cases, the nature of the object itself is considered to be the focusing anchor of the runic spell. (ex: A runed sword with a Fire rune is a fire sword. A shield with the same rune would grant protection from fire.)

Lastly, new spells can be made 'on the fly' as it were from the caster's library of known runes. Current thinking implies that such spells would have a penalty to them or be weaker due to lack of mastery, but could be codified into prepared spells after the battle.

A given Form can have many different interpretations: for example, A:Faith, earth, growth could be a charm for greater harvests or a spell that raises the level of land.

Failures in the individual component runes of a spell can drastically change the outcome of the casting. For instance, if the rune of smiting failed in the above thunderbolt example, the GM may declare that the spell loses the aspect that defined intent, and merely tosses lightning around the battlefield at random.