Token Magic
Token Magic⌗
The name is a bit of a work in progress, as is the concept, but its place in a mechanical and cosmological context is pretty solid at this point. One of the design goals of this “magic system,” if you could call it that, was to backport some of the more classic OSR spells into my game system, Be Not Afraid.
Because the setting takes place in a modern-day world imposed upon by the supernatural and occult—and because traditional D&D magic doesn’t really fit into any modern practice or real belief structure, nor does it even much resemble its Vancian roots—I designed this system to lend the spells a degree of plausibility.
What is Token Magic?⌗
Token Magic consists of spells of a typically rote nature, repeatable exchanges, or open contracts with higher powers that grant some specific effect upon the performance of the spell. The spells themselves are discrete effects and phenomena.
This is not to be confused, however, with Folk Magic, which is typically regionally and culturally specific, nor should it be mistaken for shamanistic magic, which is built upon a system of reciprocity between the spirit and the practitioner.
While all three are sometimes labeled Hedge Magic—an often derogatory term describing many disparate types of practitioners—Token Magic is distinct in that the practitioner plays very little part in the magic happening, acting more as a means of closing or completing a pre-existing “circuit” established by something else.
One might think of this type of magic as a vending machine: you simply put in the quarter, and the soda comes out. In this case, it’s a spell. This is also what makes it distinct from magic based on Oaths, Pacts, or Contracts. There are no prolonged expectations for either party; as soon as the spell is finished, contact is finished.
Where do these spells come from?⌗
Take your pick—anything from Demon Kings, Fairy Queens, Powerful Djinn, Diminished Gods, or sleeping Great Old Ones. As to why they offer free magic with no contractual strings: simply put, the magic itself furthers some agenda of theirs, or the rites performed to cast it in some way please, empower, or further their overall agenda, whatever that may be.
As a result, these entities have taken great efforts to disseminate these spells as much as possible, often appearing in grimoires and magical or forbidden texts. That said, a fair majority of them do not work anymore for several reasons, but there is typically a primary reason. Going back to the vending machine example: if twenty people try to buy a Snickers at the same time and refuse to back down, nobody is getting a Snickers bar. So, too, with magic—when every mall Wiccan and would-be sorcerer is trying to finish the same circuit, it effectively DDOSes whatever poor sap is offering this free magic.
Sometimes the spells do not work because the higher power in question has simply discontinued service of that magic for one reason or another—changes in agenda, waste of resources, etc.
This means the spells that do work are very obscure, fleetingly functional, or downright dangerous. Hence the reputation of these types of hedge wizards being viewed as quacks from the perspective of high ritual practitioners.
Taint⌗
Magic as a rule of thumb in my cosmology except for minor hedge or folkish magic tends to leave a sort of residue and stains on someones soul and aura, normally this is more a visual thing or a vibe, but in the case of Token magic, making these direct types of dial up connections, when the casting is performed very well or very poorly can lead to being imprinted upon by these higher powers.
The System⌗
This system is based out of my own OSR game system, it’s a standard d20 roll equal to or over a set DC. some of the rolls sue skills from my system, but overall it’s fairly simple and would be very easy to convert to anything you’d want it to be in.
Spell Levels⌗
- Spells range from 0-6 levels, with level 0 being cantrips.
Casting a Spell⌗
To cast a spell, a character must succeed on a casting roll:
- Roll:
1d20 + INT Modifier + Occult skill - DC:
Spell Level x 2 + 10 - On Success: The spell is casted
- On Failure: The spell cannot be casted again for that day.
Example DCs by Spell Level⌗
| Spell Level | DC |
|---|---|
| 0 (Cantrip) | 10 |
| 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 14 |
| 3 | 16 |
| 4 | 18 |
| 5 | 20 |
| 6 | 22 |
Memorization Rules⌗
- A character can memorize a number of spells equal to half their INT score (rounded down).
- Time to memorize:
5 minutes x Spell Level
Casting from Scrolls or Books⌗
- Casting directly from a scroll or written book allows the spell to be cast without memorization.
Ritual Casting⌗
- A character may decide to cast as a ritual taking
10 minutes x Spell level - A character gains +2 to Casting when performing it as a ritual.
Critical Success and Failure Tables⌗
When rolling a natural 20 or 1 on a casting attempt, consult the tables below:
Critical Success Table (Natural 20)⌗
| Roll (1d6) | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Spell effect is maximized (e.g., max damage or duration). |
| 2 | Spell is cast without consuming any resources (If Applicable). |
| 3 | Gain a temporary insight, granting +2 to the next casting roll. |
| 4 | Caster is granted a unique, beneficial effect (e.g., heals minor wounds). |
| 5 | Spell does an additional beneficial extra effect (e.g, Stuns target) |
| 6 | Avoid gaining taint for this casting attempt. |
Critical Failure Table (Natural 1)⌗
| Roll (1d6) | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Spell backfires, dealing half its effect (damage, etc.) to the caster. |
| 2 | Spell fizzles, wasting a resources the caster has. |
| 3 | Caster gains +1 level of magical taint. |
| 4 | Nearby allies or objects are affected by an unintended side effect. |
| 5 | Caster’s mind is momentarily overwhelmed (-2 to next roll). |
| 6 | Spell destabilizes, causing minor environmental chaos/effect |
Magical Taint System⌗
Using magic can result in the accumulation of magical taint, this can occur anytime during critical successes or failures. when critical success or failure is rolled a Caster must make a Will Save adding their Wisdom, upon failure they gain a level of Taint.
Effects and Benefits of Taint⌗
| Taint Level | Effect | Duration of Diffusion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slight glow to caster’s aura (+1 to casting). | 1d2 days |
| 2 | Minor physical change (e.g., faint markings). | 1d6+1 days |
| 3 | Eerie presence (-2 reaction). | 2d6 days |
| 4 | Unstable energy (random minor effects occur). | 3d6 days |
| 5 | Tainted aura (-4 reaction). | 4d6 days |
| 6 | Significant mutation or dangerous aura. | 5d6 days; permanent scars if unresolved. |
Diffusing Taint⌗
- Taint naturally diffuses over time based on its level.
- Ritual purification may reduce diffusion time by half.
- Gifts Like Restore can diffuse Taint.
Origins of Spells⌗
Spells in Token Magic derive their power from a variety of sources. Each origin influences the spell’s nature, associated taint, and thematic effects. The table below outlines common origins.
| Origin | Description |
|---|---|
| Seelie Fey | Semi-Benevolent fey powers, often tied to nature and light. |
| Unseelie Fey | Malevolent fey powers, dealing with curses and darkness. |
| Infernal | Deals with demonic or hellish entities, offering destructive capabilities. |
| Qliphothic | Draws from Qlippoth, the discarded shells of Reality |
| Genius Loci | Linked to spirits of specific locations, such as forests, swamps, or ruins. |
| Egregore | Collective psychic entities born of group belief or emotion. |
| Djinn | Powers granted by elemental or spiritual beings of fire and air. |
| Chthonic | Powers rooted in the underworld or deathly realms, often dark and primal. |
Spell Availability Rules⌗
Spell availability is determined by rolling a percentile die (1d100) and checking the result against the Availability Threshold for the spell’s level. This represents how “congested” the magical network is for that particular spell. Lower-level spells are more likely to be unavailable due to widespread use, while higher-level spells are rarer and therefore face less competition.
Note: Many spells this might not even apply to as there would be virtually no demand or bandwidth limits for them, this is more for the case of common popular grimoire spells known by a good amount of people.
Base Availability Threshold⌗
| Spell Level | Base Availability (%) | Example OSR Spells |
|---|---|---|
| 0 (Cantrip) | 25% | Mage Hand |
| 1 | 35% | Light |
| 2 | 50% | Knock |
| 3 | 65% | Fireball |
| 4 | 75% | Banishment |
| 5 | 85% | Planar Ally |
| 6 | 95% | Gate |
- Roll Under: To cast the spell, roll 1d100. If the roll is under the availability threshold, the spell is successfully available for casting.
- Unavailable Result: If the roll is equal to or above the threshold, the spell “fails to connect” and cannot be cast for the day. This reflects a magical “congestion” preventing access.
- When a Check is made: an availability check is made after the spell has been cast but before the effects have been resolved, a spell which is not available cannot be cast and thus fizzles, any rolls of a natural 1 or 20 are negated and any material which would normally be consumed by the spell is untouched.
Modifiers to Availability⌗
Modifiers can adjust the availability threshold based on environmental, regional, or cosmological factors.
-Regional Modifiers-
- Urban (Highly Populated): -10% to the availability threshold for levels 0-2 (more congestion).
- Rural (Low Population): +10% to the availability threshold for levels 0-3 (less congestion).
- Remote/Occult Nexus: +20% for all spell levels (e.g., near a leyline or magical hotspot).
Source-Specific Modifiers⌗
These adjustments depend on the spell’s origin and how active or accessible the source is:
- Active Patron (e.g., Demon King, Fey Queen): -15% to availability threshold.
- Diminished Source (e.g., Forgotten God): +20% to availability threshold.
- Competing Casts (Overused Ritual): -10% to availability threshold for common spells.
Example Spells⌗
Below I have three example spells which are reworked versions of respective D&D spells Knock, Fireball, and Anti-Magic Shell as to how they might be done in this system.
Hermes’ Whisper of Passage⌗
Source: Pagan Deity (Hermes, Greek God of messengers and Thieves)
- Level: 2
- DC: 14
- Casting Time: 10 minutes
- Components: A silver key coated in oil, and a soft chant to Hermes.
- Range: 30 feet
Effect:⌗
This spell can undo one or more means of securing a door, window, computer, or other mechanism:
- Mechanical Locks: Automatically unlocks any lock, no matter its complexity, including those with multiple tumblers or unusual designs.
- Digital Locks: Can bypass electronic locks, solving up to an 8-digit password or PIN.
- Physical Barriers: Forces stuck, bolted, or barred doors to open. For exceptionally heavy or complex barriers, such as portcullises or mechanized gates, the spell requires an additional 10 minutes of casting.
The spell’s effects are cumulative during its casting time: multiple layers of protection (e.g., a bolted door with a lock and wizard lock) are removed sequentially until the portal is fully opened.
Drawback:⌗
- The spell cannot open doors, portals, computers or passages which are protected via magic or supernatural means.
Surtur’s Ember of Wrath⌗
Source: Chthonic (Surtur, Norse Fire Giant)
- Level: 3
- DC: 16
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Components: A shard of volcanic rock (consumed during casting), a line of salt drawn in a circle, and an incantation invoking Surtur.
- Effect: The caster summons a tiny, glowing ember about the size of a pea, which shoots forth from their outstretched hand. Upon reaching the chosen location (within 100 feet), or earlier if it strikes a solid object, the ember explodes into an inferno, filling a 30-foot radius sphere with flame.
Damage:⌗
- All creatures within the sphere take 5d6 fire damage, with a Reflex save (DC 16) for half damage.
- Flammable objects within the area ignite unless protected by magical means.
Special Effects:⌗
- The fire burns unnaturally hot. Any metal objects caught in the flames become scalding hot and unusable for 1 minute unless cooled.
- Structures not specifically shielded against fire take double damage.
The Hollow Veil of Thaumiel⌗
Source: Qliphothic (Archdemon Thaumiel)
- Level: 6
- DC: 22
- Casting Time: 1 minute
- Components: A shard of obsidian carved with Thaumiel’s sigil, the caster’s own blood (1 HP), and a whispered invocation to the Archdemon.
- Effect: Creates a 20-foot radius aura centered on the caster that negates all magic within its bounds for the duration of 10 minutes. All magical effects, spells, and items within the area are completely nullified for the duration, and no attempt—mundane or magical—can dispel the aura. The caster themselves is also unable to cast magic while the veil persists.
- Drawback:
- The caster automatically gains 1 level of Taint upon successfully invoking the spell, regardless of rolls.
- If the spell fails, the aura partially manifests, causing the caster to lose 1d6 HP and rendering them unable to cast any spells for the next hour.