Magic in Elrün is rare. Most that is known are tall tales and legends of old describing incredible acts of power. Beyond tales and legends very few have the capacity and capability of casting spells. Using spells requires storing and manipulating a mysterious element called mana. 

Mana is an element, much like air, earth, water or fire and is present in all things. Magic itself is the use of this element and the process by which mana is used to produce an effect is called a spell. The various ways mana is manipulated and used is often referred to by spellcasters as the “school of magic.”

All beings have some capacity to hold extra amounts of mana within themselves. Some inherit this ability from their exotic ancestry, others naturally have a larger capacity than normal folk. A beings capacity to hold mana can increase over time with practice and use. Nevertheless, having a larger capacity than others is often a factor in a spellcasters overall power. There are some who seek to bypass either the time required or their inability to grow their capacity. They often seek help from divine or powerful beings to overcome their shortcomings.

A conduit is the connection a spellcaster establishes with a deity, powerful being, or the world itself to draw in mana to be used in a spell. Every caster at some point in their life establishes a conduit, this process is different and unique for each individual. Establishing this conduit may come a at a time of communion with their deity or nature, through study, at a time of intense stress, forming an oath, or forcefully through a pact, or any other myriad of ways. Without this conduit spellcasters are unable to gather enough mana to produce most spells.

The gleam is an invigorating effect from using ancient magic. After extended use, those who emply its power begin to exhibit outward signs. The most prominent and noticable sign is a changing eye color. Slowly spreading from the pupil their eyes slowly become golden. The eyes of an experienced wielder can be completely golden, not showing any signs of their original color.

It is also said that those with the gleam have a halo of light about them, vibrant skin, and some seem to look much younger despite their supposed age.

The most commonly known ancient casters are Clerics, Druids, and Paladins.

The gloom is a debilitating effect suffered by the extended use of dark magic. Those who suffer its effects will eventually seek to end their existence. For most, this is a lonely and solitary act, for a small few this can lead to the devastation of towns or a community. There are a rare few who embrace the gloom and wander mad wreaking devastation and recklessly using their power. 

Early in the use of dark magic, those that suffer the gloom begin to express the outward sign of a changing eye color, similar to that of the gleam. Slowly spreading from their pupils, their eyes turn a dark purple. 

The most common users of dark magic are Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards.

This system expands upon the Variant: Spell Points rules found in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (pages 288-289). The basics of the Elrün Magic system are as follows: 

• Spell Points replace Spell Slots as the resources used by spellcasters and provide a safe way to cast spells. 
• Characters learn and prepare spells as normal for their class as described in the Player’s Handbook.
• Magic and its use, is divided into two primary groups: ancient magic and dark magic.
• A spellcaster may join in a “spell circle” with other spellcasters to increase the effectiveness and/or potency of a spell.
• A Dark Magic caster may apply the same effects as a circle of spellcasters by themselves, at a greater cost and risk, this is called overdrawing.

By using these rules, players are allowed more freedom in the casting of spells at the cost of required cooperation with their allies. The individual mechanics are described in further detail below.

This system does not deviate from established norms that players will be familiar with. The resources explained here (Spell Points and Caster Level) are direct translations of preexisting mechanics. Spell points fuel spells in place of spell slots, while Caster Level is designed to mimic the progression of vanilla spellcasters and their access to new tiers of spells. 

Spell Points act as a pool of power that a caster draws from to cast their spells. Each spell has a point cost based on its spell level. When casting a spell, subtract the cost of the spell from your Spell Points. For all casters, except the Warlock, Spell Points are restored after completing a long rest. Cantrips remain at 0 points and are free to cast.

The point cost of spells remains the same as outlined in the Dungeon Master’s Guide (pages 288-289).

When gaining levels, a spellcaster’s pool of spell points increases by a set amount dependent upon their caster type. These types are Full-Casters: Bards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers and Wizards; Half-Casters: Paladins and Rangers; and finally Quarter-Casters: Fighters and Rogues. Warlocks with their Pact Magic feature follow a differing progression to their spell points.

These classes also gain bonus spell points based on their spellcasting ability modifier, these points are not cumulative. The spell points gained per level are outlined in the tables below. The bonus spell points gained are as follows:

Caster level represents a character’s ability to safely handle magical power. It is a representation of the highest spell level a character can cast. It progresses as you level and a reference for it can be found in the tables below. Your caster level determines your ability to participate in a spell circle and for Dark Magic users, their ability to Overdraw.

All casters may engage in casting a spell together, this is the art of circle casting — the combining of magical power — to empower spells. Working together in a spell circle to cast a spell provides new ways to extend the reach, area of effect, and overall power of spells that would normally be inaccessible to spellcasters. 

A spell circle — under normal circumstances — requires at least two spellcasters. When casters engage in a spell circle one caster is designated as the Primary Caster. Only the primary caster needs to have the spell known or prepared. The primary caster is used for determining the range, targets, area of effects, save DC, concentration, etc of the spell cast. A spell that has a target of “self” does not affect all spellcasters in the circle, only the primary caster. 

All other participants in the spell circle must be within 5 feet of the primary caster or another assisting caster in the circle. To participate in the spell circle, each caster assisting the primary caster uses the ready action on their turn to join the casting of the spell on the primary caster’s turn. When the primary caster begins casting their spell the assisting casters choose the additional effect they would like to apply to the primary caster’s spell.

Circle cast effects applied to spells have both a spell point cost and a caster level requirement. Each caster in the circle adds an additional effect to the spell. If an effect would be applied more than once to the spell, the effects are additive and not multiplicative.

Where all casters may engage in a spell circle, dark magic casters are able to push their physical and mental limits farther— and apply a circle cast effect to spells on their own. However, this comes at a cost, a painful one, and carries the risk of suffering burnout.

When a dark magic caster chooses to overdraw, in addition to needing to meet the requirements listed in the circle cast effects table, they take an additional 1d6 psychic damage. This damage bypasses all resistances and immunities and cannot be prevented. The dark magic caster also has a chance to suffer burnout. They roll a d20, if the result is <10 they suffer one level of burnout.

Pushing your mental limits to the extreme can lead to a special condition called burnout. This most often happens when a dark magic caster overdraws. Burnout is measured in three levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of burnout, as specified in the effect’s description.

If an already burned out creature suffers another effect that causes burnout, its current level of burnout increases by the amount specified in the effect’s description. A creature suffers the effect of its current level of burnout as well as all lower levels.

An effect that removes exhaustion also reduces their burnout level as specified in the effect’s description, level 1 & 2 burnout effects end if a creature’s burnout level is reduced below 1. 

Finishing a long rest reduces a creature’s burnout level by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food and drink. Also, being raised from the dead reduces a creature’s burnout level by 1. The effects suffered by level 3 burnout can only be removed by a Greater Restoration spell after the creature’s burnout level is below 1.