Emblem of the Jade College
Ghyran, the Lore of Life, is the Green Wind of Magic often described by Imperial Magisters as the embodiment of the Aethyr's momentum towards growth and the need to nourish and be nourished. Ghyran is the Aethyr's echo and mirror of fertility and the nurturing aspects of mortal life. This brimming energy has granted the spells powered by Ghyran their title as the "Lore of Life."
Concerned with healing, curatives, and the magic of plants, these powerful spells are wielded by the Jade Wizards with great respect. Known by common folk as "Druids," these Magisters wax and wane with the seasons as they are closely tied to the land and its spirit — the Wind of Ghyran.
Ghyran is said to fall upon the mortal world in a manner similar to rainfall upon the earth. Those with witchsight claim to be able to see Ghyran form into pools and swirling eddies of green-hued magical energy that gradually form into rivers, flowing across the land like water, though unbound by physical laws.
When the Winds of Magic blow most strongly, Ghyran flows across the lands like a great tide, sinking into the soil and drawn to the rivers, waterways, lakes, and springs of the mortal world. Its energy is particularly attracted to water and saturates the earth with its life-giving power. It is drawn up through the roots of all plants it comes into contact with, feeding all living things, and encouraging their growth.
Jade Magic
Jade Magic, or the spellcraft of the Lore of Life - also known as "druid lore" or "animism"[3a] - comprises spells that concern themselves with the change of the seasons, agriculture, fertility, growth, soil, earth, and water. These spells are powered by the Green Wind of Magic, Ghyran, which has inspired many hedge wizards and petty magickers in the past, including the much fabled Elementalists (of water and earth), and of course Druidism. All of these clumsy gropings at Ghyran's power can now find themselves perfected and made manifest in the Lore of Life as taught by the Jade Order.
It is said that Ghyran's Magisters, or Druids as they are sometimes known, are the most sensitive to the natural lifecycles of the countryside, and so spend little time within the confines of the Empire's great cities. Such is their skill with, and love for, the forces of nature and living things, that Ghyran's Magisters are often called upon to cure crop blights or bring nourishment to barren soil.
Druids can make dead earth fertile, cure blights, encourage fertility in humans and beasts, and it is even whispered that they can cause wild and unstoppable growth of creatures and plants if they so wish. Yet these Magisters also have the ability to control flows of water and the very earth beneath their feet. In battle, Jade Magisters can call forth steaming geysers in the ranks of their enemies and even cause the earth to split under their feet.
List of Known Spells
A
- Awakening of the Wood - Trees have long and wrathful memories, needing only a little magical encouragement to lash out with root and branch.[3a]
C
- The Cloak of Dain - A cloak of shimmering green energy forms round the wizard. This magical shield will absorb a select amount of damage and will then disappear. Each time the cloak is hit by a weapon, the damage is taken off the Wounds total of the robe. When the robe's damage amount is gone, the wizard will begin taking damage as normal, even if this means the damage from a single blow is shared between robe and wizard. If the cloak provides protection from any magical attack, it will vanish the moment that the damage has been absorbed.[5a][5b]
- Cure Blight - Cleanses an area of up to one square mile of blight. This saves plants, trees, crops, and other growing things and makes the area immune to the same blight for the rest of the season. Alternately, this spell can be cast on up to twenty characters suffering from disease. The duration of any diseases these characters are suffering from is halved.[1d]
- The Curse of the Lady - Casting aside spoiled tokens of virtue and nobility, the Damsel calls down the Lady of the Lake's greatest punishment on all those champions who would oppose noble Bretonnia.[2b]
- Curse of Thorns - Causes thorns to grow inside the body of one character, wracking them with excruciating pain that can potentially turn fatal.[1d]
D
- The Dwellers Below - Gnarled creatures emerge from the ground, their steely strong fingers tearing at the foes' flesh, clutching their limbs and dragging them down to who knows what fate.[3a]
- Drain Life - This spell allows the Jade Wizard to drain the life fluids from a person, sucking out all the moisture and leaving a desiccated corpse.[5b]
E
- Earth Blood - The druid absorbs energy from the earth beneath their feet to heal themselves. They must be standing on natural earth. The longer its channelled, the more injuries are healed. This spell cannot be cast on others.[1d] This is also the name of a charm of rebirth that an Amber Wizard can create by tapping into the Winds of Magic, bestowing great resilience upon himself and his companions.[3a]
- Earth Gate - The caster disappears into the earth and reappears anywhere within a wide area. Both their departure and arrival points must be areas of natural earth, meaning the druid can't cast this spell while inside a building or on a cobblestone street, for example.[1d]
- The Emerald Pool - The caster melts into a pool of water which is absorbed into the ground. The wizard may immediately reappear anywhere within 48 yards of the starting spot, or to a point within 48 yards of any river, pool or other natural water source, as long as that point was within the caster's line of sight when the spell was cast. This means the wizard could move to within 48 yards of a lake a mile away, or to an island in a river as long as they are within sight, but not to the duckpond on the other side of a nearby wall. The wizard can only cast this spell on himself.[5b]
F
- Father of Thorns - Causes thorns and briars to burst from naked earth. Anyone affected has becomes physically impaired while they remain in the affected area, and anyone who tries to move suffers serious injury. The thorns and briars retreat back into the ground after a number of minutes, depending on the magical strength of their summoner.[1d]
- Fat of the Land - Just as animals fatten themselves up before winter, the druid causes the character they touch to feed on and store the energy of Ghyran. The subject of the spell does not need to eat for one week, though drinking water is still required. The wizard can cast this spell on themselves. This is a touch spell.[1d]
- Ferment - Converts an amount of liquid (enough to sustain a dozen people for a day), no matter how foul or brackish, into a mildly fermented beverage of the caster's choice (ale, beer, wine, mead, and so on). Unused liquid reverts back to its normal state in twenty-four hours. This is a touch spell.[1d]
- Flesh of Clay - The caster's skin hardens until it becomes dense like clay, doubling their strength and natural endurance at the expense of speed and alacrity.[1d]
- Flesh to Stone - The wizard transmutes his allies' mortal form to unyielding rock.[3a]
G
- The Gardener's Warcry - The Jade Wizard casts a handful of bloodseeds upon the wind, nourishing them with raw magic until angry life bursts forth, in the form of a Blood Forest.[2a]
- Geyser - Causes a geyser of water to shoot up from an area of natural earth, knocking over (and out, potentially) anyone in range in a direction of the caster's choosing. After the initial burst, a small pool forms in the designated area, providing fresh water for the next hour.[1d]
- The Green Eye - The caster's eyes appear to merge momentarily into a single glowing green orb, which projects a beam on deadly energy. The beam is 36 yards long and absolutely straight.[5b]
J
- The Jade Casket - Glowing green magical power surrounds the corpse of a single character or creature, returns it to life, and transports it to the wizard's side. The animated corpse appears within 12 yards of the caster and is immediately restored to a full complement of health, but does not regain any equipment that has been lost or removed. The revived corpse will follow simple instructions given to it by the wizard, and will instinctively fight to protect its summoner, but is not truly alive. Although it has access to all non-magical skills it knew during its life, it cannot speak or otherwise communicate, and retains no memory of its previous life. It is merely the corpse of the deceased, animated by Jade magic. Any corpse which has died in the last hour may be revived. Revived wizards cannot use magic. Needless to say, the cult of Morr has lobbied the Emperor's representatives to have this spell classified as necromancy. Any wizard seen casting it may find themselves under careful scrutiny from the cult's Witch Hunters.[5c]
L
- Leaf Fall - Conjures a swirling vortex of leaves to spin about the druid for a number of minutes. While concealed by the spinning leaves, all attempts at ranged assault are impaired, though not for the caster, should they wish to respond in kind. The druid may only cast this spell on themselves.[1e]
P
- Peace - Peace may be cast on an individual or group. The target is overcome by a sense of serenity and well-being. Those suffering from fear or terror will recover instantly; any others affected by the spell will become soporific and languid – unable to do anything at all.[5b]
R
- Regrowth - Invoking the name of Duthandor, lord of the ancient wildshrines, the druid infuses his fallen friends with fresh life, closing wounds and healing broken bones with supernatural speed.[3a]
- River's Whisper - The druid communes with the spirit of a river. To cast this spell, they must be at least waist deep in the river in question. The Jade Wizard's magic and indeed a part of themselves flow into the water, allowing them to ask questions of the river. They can ask about anything that happened on or in the river over the past twenty-four hours and up to one mile up or downstream. Answers are quite general. The caster could find out, for instance, that two boats had passed downriver and that one of them was especially large. They could not find out the names of the boats or their passengers. The caster might find out that Orcs attacked one of the boats, but not what tribe the Orcs came from.[1e]
S
- Shield of Thorns - At the Jade Wizard's command, crawling brambles burst from the ground, forming a living barrier around his allies.[3a]
- The Spiral Stair - A misty spiral staircase carries the Jade Wizard high into the sky. When the druid casts the spell, the height of the staircase must be decided, ranging from 48 yards to 200 yards. From his vantage point in the air, the wizard can see for miles. While on the staircase, the caster gains increased defense. If the Stairs is magically dispelled, or when the spell runs out, the wizard floats unharmed to the ground. Another Jade Wizard who also knows the Spiral Stair spell could climb the staircase from the ground, but the staircase is insubstantial to anyone else.[5c]
- Spring Bloom - Concentrates the power of life magic in one area or being. The wizard can affect either a plot of land the size of a farmer’s field or one living being of any race. A field will literally burst with life, and the next harvest is guaranteed to be abundant. If cast on a living being, conception will occur within a month if all other normal conditions (i.e. breeding) are met.[1e]
- Storm of Renewal - Raw, magical life-energy flows across the battlefield, mending wounds and restoring the fallen to fresh vigour.[2a]
- Summer Heat - Causes a small area to burn with the heat of summer. Those affected sweat profusely and feel incredibly fatigued, as if they had been working all day under the hot sun.[1e]
T
- Throne of Vines - The Jade Wizard fashions for himself a walking throne of vine and bracken, to renew and strengthen his connection with the living world.[3a]
- Track's Tale Told - The caster listens for subtle signs of earth and branch, giving them insight to any attempts to track or gain information about those who have recently passed through a wilderness area. The spell may also aid in other tasks depending on the situation and the wizard's approach. The caster may continue to follow a given track, gaining the benefits of this spell, until the track crosses a man-made road or enters a cultivated or inhabited area.[1e]
- Tree-Dweller's Step - Imbues one character or creature with great ability to climb and traverse natural obstacles. This is a touch spell.[1f]
- Trees' Rustle - While sitting in the boughs of a tree, the druid converses with it, gaining knowledge of what it has seen and heard. Trees will not lie, but they are not quick of wit or speech and are unfamiliar with the reasons men do things. Trees may not cooperate if the caster's companions are seen chopping firewood, burning campfires, or the like. They may also ask favours before answering questions or parting with dearly-held information. If the tree the druid converses with is part of a copse, wood, or forest, it is likely to have news and information about what the other trees nearby know, for trees are constantly in conversation about the goings-on in their wooded domains. After the hour of casting time, the druid converses for one additional hour. However, due to the slow speed with which trees converse, it's only equal to one minute of Human speech.[1f]
V
- Verdant Apotheosis - To a skilled practitioner of Life Magic, death is a temporary state--and one to be manipulated, if the need arises, allowing the druid to bring back to life any dead plant matter in a given area.[2a]
- Vital Growth - Channels the power of Ghyran to give great vitality to plant growth. After casting for one full action, the druid concentrates on a living plant or seed within an arm's reach of them. While the Jade Wizard continues to focus, the plant grows at great speed, as though a day had passed for every moment taken to concentrating. A season's worth of crops can thus grow in about fifteen minutes, and in an hour, a tree will show a year's growth. If the caster concentrates too long, though, plants may outlive their natural span and die. Plants can only grow in soil that would normally support them; an oak cannot be grown in the desert, nor will wheat grow on bare rock.[1f]
W
- Wall of Vines - Summoning forth the Wind of Ghyran to undo the damage done to the fortress' broken walls, the druid seals the breach with a thick mesh of tangled vines.[4a]
- The Wilds Undisturbed - The caster moves through wild lands as though traversing the most finely maintained roads in the Empire and leaves no trace whatsoever of their passage. "Wild lands" includes any wilderness generally uninhabited by Humans, but does not include cultivated land of any type. The spell lasts until the Jade Wizard crosses a man-made road, crosses a track or trail generally used by intelligent creatures, enters a man-made structure, cuts living wood to make a fire or shelter, or has travelled 100 miles. The caster can extend the effects of this spell to a limited number of other individuals, though they may cast this spell multiple times to affect a larger number of people. This is a touch spell.[1f]
- Winter Frost - Coats everything in a target area of the caster with a thick layer of frost. Anyone affected suffers injury and must be strong of will or else be rendered helpless. The frost remains for a number of minutes, and drastically impedes movement through its vicinity.[1f]
- Wood Shape - Allows a willing creature to take the shape of a tree. The type of tree depends on the character of the individual such that a melancholy person might transform into a weeping willow, while an evil witch would assume the form of a black oak. The target maintains the form of a tree for a number of hours. While in tree form, the creature can see and hear normally. However, a character in tree form is vulnerable to the normal sorts of things that could kill a tree, such as fire, axes, fungus, and so on. This is a touch spell.[1g]
References
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Realms of Sorcery (pg. 33-34, 98).