“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
– Roald Dahl
The Fantasy Trip is distinct among fantasy RPGs in that the power to wield magic is available to any character regardless of their trade. It may not be easy to harness, but the opportunity is there.
Few who do not study wizardry make the effort (or spend the experience points) to master a spell or even two, but there are magics of limited power that are more easily obtained. Moreover, even trained wizards might find use for small tricks and gimmicks that make their lives easier and impress the commonfolk. There may even be those who are born with a knack that can only be described as magical.
This minor magic is known as legerdemain. Small bursts of magical power that don’t quite rise to the level of spellcraft. These are tricks for apprentices, or simple folk with a touch of magic but lack a true gift.
Mechanically, legerdemain in TFT is a fraction of a spell, roughly 1/3 of the simplest incantation. At character creation, a wizard can learn three tricks for each point of IQ spent. Afterward they can learn three for 500xp, or one for 200xp. Heroes on the other hand can learn one trick for each IQ point spent at inception or one for 500xp spent.
While legerdemain tricks (often called cantrips) can be written in grimoires they are often learned by example or come to a figure naturally. They are also inherently reversible, so that by learning one trick you also master its inverse effect.
Casting a trick is the same as spellcasting, but the power expended is much less. The first time a trick is cast in a day, it costs 1ST and requires a successful 3/DX test. After that, it may be recast without expending additional ST that day, but it still requires a DX test. They are all cast as Thrown spells with a base range of the caster’s hex, and -1DX for each hex away their target is. A trick commonly only lasts one round. Tricks may be maintained by the caster as long as they focus on it, but they may not cast a second trick while focusing on the first.
Items may be infused with the power of legerdemain with the Lesser Magic Item Creation spell (such as spark twigs or wands of exterminate). Enchanting such items would cost 1/3 the amount of an item or potion of true magical power.
Legerdemain Tricks
There are commonly 12 tricks known throughout Cidri, and each is an IQ8 to master. Each is reversible, but if you feel that is too powerful feel free to make each version of the trick its own spell. It is speculated that there could be more complex cantrips that require a higher IQ to learn, but these have not been detailed by any known guild.
Chill/Warm (T) This trick can heat or cool roughly one square foot of matter (like a whole turkey or a small cask of ale) somewhere between 50° and 150°F. It is ineffective on living matter beyond providing a brief reprieve from inclement weather. Once an item is has been enchanted it will cool (or warm) normally.
Dampen/Dry (T) Summons or dispels about a cup full of moisture to either soak or dry out up to a square foot of matter. If cast into a vessel it can fill it with potable water or evaporate a similar amount of fluid.
Display/Shroud (T) A common trick of street wizards can fill a hex with sparks, colorful lights, or other flashy emanations. These displays have no effect in combat, but may distract foes or spook small animals. Conversely, it can shroud a hex in fog or vapors making it more difficult to discern what is happening within. Those watching the space would roll an additional die to Notice actions within.
Mend/Rend (T) This magic can effect small repairs on inanimate objects such as stitching tears or sealing cracks of a fragile or light object. It does not affect living things. Rend will cause tears, rips, cracks, or break off pieces of a single object. If this is attempted on an object carried or held by another figure (such as a rope carried or a bottle held) they will notice and can resist with a successful 3/DX test.
Noise/Hush (T) Causes a noise no louder than a clap to occur in a visible hex (subject to range modifiers). The reverse will muffle sounds in a hex making it more difficult to be overheard or for a target to hear something. If cast on an unknowing target, they can make a 3/IQ test to notice the volume change but not remove the effect.
Palm/Present (T) Another common performance trick, this magic allows the caster to relocate an item (small enough to be concealed by a hand) to a nearby place on their person. In the reverse, it can take a hidden item on their person and transport it into their hand. This is normally used to switch cards in games of chance or make coins appear form the ears of children.
Pest/ Exterminate (T) This trick conjures up a small pest such as a roach or fly that follows the commands of the caster (to the limits of insect intelligence). Conversely, it can be used to snuff out a similar pest that may be irritating the caster.
Spark/Snuff (T) Ignites a single flame roughly the size of a match or candle and can be used to ignite larger fires (or even molotails). Maintaining it creates some light by not nearly as much as a torch and only dimly lights one hex. Snuff will douse a similar-sized flame but will not affect larger fires like stoves or torches.
Tap/Sting (T) This small surge of power feels like a tap on the back to gain the attention of a figure or rouse the distracted. The target intuitive knows who performed the tap and will look their way. Sting causes a quick sharp pain in the target that causes no permanent damage beyond hurt and irritation. The victim will have no idea what cause the sting and can find no source of the irritation.
Tidy/Untidy (T) This handy trick has simplified many an apprentices’ workday. It will sweep floors, fold clothing, wash dishes, and dust surfaces in a hex within the limits of the tools at hand (it cannot create wash water or conjure a broom). The reverse will scatter dust, fling clothing about, track mud, or spread grease and gravy on crockery with the same limitations.
Tie/Untie (T) Will take a cord, rope, string, or other flexible material and tie it into a knot of the caster’s choosing. Untie will separate the same. If attempted on an unattended object (like an opponent’s shoelace or a barmaid’s