Using Magic

Wisely did Ibn Schacabao say, that happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes.

—H. P. Lovecraft, The Festival

Increasing The Cthulhu Mythos skill widens the horizons of the student but chips away at mental reserves (reducing maximum Sanity points). However, learning about The Mythos may also let the scholar change reality in specific ways. These “packets of information” are organized as Spells. They require activation, measured in the game by Magic points.

Magic Points (MP)

Magic points must (in most cases) be expended to cast Spells, as well as to energize artifacts, power magical gates, and so on. An investigator begins the game with Magic points equal to one-fifth of his or her POW; however, cultists and powerful sorcerers often have larger pools of points from which to draw. 

Once an individual is out of Magic points, any further expenditure is deducted directly from hit points. Any such loss of hit points will manifest as physical damage in a form chosen by the Keeper—perhaps sores and cuts opening on the body, skin blistering, or blood running from the eyes or ears.

Spending or sacrificing Magic points or points of POW takes only the will of the owner. Doing so may leave sensations of pleasure mingled with regret, a numbness of the soul, or may not be noticeable at all. The spell caster’s essence or energy is channeled into powering the spell.

Some magical attacks leech Magic points or POW from unwilling targets. In those cases, loss may be characterized as being painful or as leaving a headache, or other minor symptoms. Involuntary loss of 10 POW would be a stronger sensation than that of losing the same amount of Magic points.

If Magic points reach zero, the investigator deducts further Magic point loss from hit points (one for one).

Regeneration of Magic points is a natural function, returning at one Magic point per hour (two Magic points per hour for those with POW over 100, three Magic points per hour if POW is over 200 and so on). The number of Magic points cannot regenerate to a value above one-fifth of the character’s POW. 

Magic points lost as hit points are healed according to the rules for Wounds and Healing. Healing of hit points and regeneration of Magic points can occur concurrently.

Were a character to obtain Magic points of a quantity greater than one-fifth of his or her POW, these could be spent, but the excess could not be regenerated.