Magic in the Dawn of Eradu

I got bored with Monster Friday, and Move Monday and all of that - mostly because I'm posting ideas and thoughts for a campaign that is just starting.  So I'll post things as they show up in the game.  For now, though, some thoughts on magic classes.

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I'm always puttering around with magic because, frankly, it is fun.  The Wizard class in Dungeon World is too much the book and lab guy that I've always avoided.  I don't want Gandalf or Professor Snape throwing magic, I want magic to be dirty and from the gut; rife with profound personal danger.  So I'm adding 4 classes to my upcoming campaign - they are "variants" of the Wizard class (which I'm including for that that may want to play it).

There are 3 types of arcane casters in Dawn of Eradu:

• Mage: Draws power naturally from their bloodline, inherent ability.
• Wizard: Has learned through research and sacrifice, learned ability.
• Sorcerer: Dark and terrible pacts were made for power, bargained ability.

Players may be a mage or wizard, but sorcerers will be longstanding enemies of the campaign. Sorcerer sub-types include:

• Mind Wizard: strange thick yellow wrinkled men who control the minds of the lesser
• Death Sorcerer: female (or at least all that have been noted) sorcerers who are cultists of the Wyrd, an ancient profane god of Death
• Necromancer: using powers of Scions and Dark Ritual they command legions of undead and horrid constructs
• Bloodmage: Blood sacrifice and terrible rituals for power to sway and Understand Truth
• Warlocks: pretty much direct conduits to reality for their foul patron, often an Old One

Mage Lineages
There are 4 lineages that players can choose from, each lineage has their own abilities, but more than a list of features the choice should be made on style.  Below are the 4 types and some keywords to help define them without paragraphs of exposition.

• Dusk: Calm, Quiet, Shadows, Void
• Promythean: Strength, Rage, Fire, Earth
• Skyward: Secrets, Stars, Knowledge, Moon
• Winter: Ice, Storms, Power, Beauty

Spellbooks
Mages do not require a spellbook but may have a mystical focus if they choose.  It should be personal and interesting, and not a book like Wizards use. Some examples (d8):

1. single scroll of living skin that creaks and groans
2. knotted strings worn as a belt or bandolier
3. carved bones the mage wears as jewelry
4. small planks imbued with magical runes thrown and read
5. metal plates that weep, mage licks up the tears
6. writhing tattoos that cover the flesh and sometimes cry out
7. vicious scars that mage carved with a ritual dagger
8. silver needles with which the mage pierces his face and palms

If the mage uses the mystical focus when preparing spells, roll + INT
10+: gain +1 forward with a specific known spell until you prepare spells again
7-9: as 10+ but the GM will let you know a complication from your mystic focus

Mages do not have Spell Defense, instead they gain a starting move based on their lineage:
Dusk - Twilight Stance: Stand still in twilight (or torchlight) and become as a shadow in the dusk (as invisibility)
Promythean - Building Rage: Rant and Rave to gain power: roll+CHA    10+: +d6 damage to a spell or attack, 7-9: +d4 damage or as 10+ with complication
Skyward - Cosmic Lever: To move without moving (teletport) simply be where you should be (within LOS), Roll+WIS: 10+ get there, 7-9 get there but be disoriented
Winter - Icy Stare: Stare at a target with disdain; this will act as intimidation leverage in a parley or make the weak back off

Spells are different as well, but I'll get into that later.