Mausritter's implementation is fantastic, and I have no desire to reinvent the wheel so I'm stealing it pretty much whole cloth, but what I am doing is reskinning it to fit the theming better.
ASE has (or had, I guess) a lot of engineers and scientists finding, researching, and taking advantage of magic and supernatural things. I thought it'd be fun to look at magic through that lens, how would an engineer try to fit bona fide wizardry into the scientific framework they were familiar with? I was also hesitant to add normal spell casting to EB, since spellbooks and memorization seems incongruous next to the oddites and electric technology of Bastion. On the other hand fiddling with weird little electric gadgets, with many more moving parts that strictly necessary, fits right in.
That leads us to SPELLS, AMULETs and TALISMANs.
SPELLS
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| This mix tape is fire. |
The first step to understanding something is being able to describe it, and the researchers working in ASE developed a sort of programming language for magical effects.
This language is the Scripted Para-Entropic Lexigraphical Linking System or SPELLS for short. A combination of descriptive language, computer commands and atomic runes which when pieced together and read out in the right way can describe any magical effect (or at least, the designers claimed it was a "Merlin complete" language). Researchers found that writing out SPELLS by hand was unwieldy, especially because breaking a single SPELLS module into multiple physical pages seemed to disrupt its use. To get around having to write out SPELLS onto lengthy and cumbersome scrolls of paper, special magnetic tape cassettes were developed that could store SPELLS without issue.
AMULETS
SPELLS on their own are just code, a script that has to be compiled before it does anything. The simplest way to do this is to have a human being read the entire SPELLS module in one sitting, and let their brain do the compiling. Researchers who compiled SPELLS this way complained that the experience was "unsettling" and "stressful" with one researcher saying he now "understood what a battery felt like," and so the AMULET system was developed.Amplification of Metacognition for Ultra-Liminal Electric Thaumaturgy, or AMULET, is a device which assists the user in compiling SPELLS without requiring reading or memorization (or having to jam the SPELLS into the limited memory available in a human brain).
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| Imagine this, but with space for a cassette to be slotted in. |
A given SPELL is only able to be compiled a finite number of times, although this number is difficult to predict. Once depleted, the cassette must be recharged through a process thematically linked to the effect of the SPELL, such as a Fireball SPELL cassette needing to sit inside a furnace for several days.
TALISMANS
Unable to bypass the necessity of human involvement in the compiling process, researchers at ASE at least figured out how to anchor a compiled SPELL into a stable configuration. They called this Teathered Aether Loop for Integrated SPELLS Meta-AmplificatioN (or TALISMAN).This is just magic items but with nonsense science words attached.
See some TALISMANs I've created for my campaign over here.
Rules
So here's how this all works in game terms. Again, this is just me borrowing the Mausritter implementation, and I highly recommend just going and picking that up. Get it because it's great (and free), and because it does a better job of explaining the rules.
A SPELLS cassette can be slotted into an AMULET, at which point 3 indicators will light up red or green indicating the current aetheric charge of the cassette.
To compile a SPELL the hand wearing the AMULET must be free so the proper hand motions can be made for the required somatic component. When activated, the cassette plays and the AMULET compiles the module (casts the spell) in a process that takes approximately 6 seconds (or one action in combat).
When compiling a SPELL, roll a number of d6 up to the number of charges remaining. Specific effects of the SPELL depend on the number of [DICE] rolled or the [SUM] of all dice rolled.
For each 4-6, one aetheric charge is consumed (one green light turns red). Any 6's rolled indicate aetheric feedback while compiling the spell, and each 6 deals d6 damage to CHA.
Before compiling a SPELLS module a second time, the cassette must be rewound. Rewinding takes an action in combat, and can only be done if at least one aetheric charge remains. If no charges remain, the cassette must be recharged through a process unique to that SPELL. If players think to do so, a cassette can be rewound manually (using a pencil, or something similar) but doing so damages it and permanently reduces the maximum charges by 1.
Some AMULETs
A standard issue AMULET works as above, but there's plenty of opportunity for variation. Different AMULETS means different 'wizards' stay distinct from each other, even if you can easily swap SPELLs.AMULET-XL
Bulky, but can have two SPELLS Cassettes loaded at once. Makes you look a bit like RoboCop. Make a DEX save to cast both loaded SPELLS simultaneously (roll all the dice for both SPELLS at the same time, divvy up results as you please), failure means the effects mix in some catastrophic way.
AMULET-HandsFree
A helmet with sticky electrodes that attach to your face. Uses eyebrow and nose twitches for the necessary somatic components leaving both hands free. Any CHA damage from aetheric feedback is increased by 2. Also, casting a fireball with your face is a good way to not have eyebrows anymore.
AMULET-BoomBox
A large bulky AMULET worn as a backpack. Can compile SPELLS without using aetheric charge by doing so slowly and methodically over 10 minutes. All SPELLS are compiled with 1 [DICE] and a [SUM] of 3.
AMULET-SmartWatch
A smaller AMULET, with the form factor of a fingerless glove just large enough to store a cassette. Aetheric charge is only consumed on rolls of 5, however the decreased size means a maximum of 2 [DICE] can be rolled while compiling a SPELL.
AMULET-Walkman
A small AMULET which clips to your belt instead of being worn. Uses headphones to whisper the SPELL into your ears keeping your hands free, but SPELLS only effect the wearer.
Some SPELLS
The spells from Mausritter (seriously, go get it) or GLOG work as is, but here are some other ideas.Wind Shape
Effect: With a touch transmute up to [DICE] creatures (you can choose yourself) into wind for [SUM] rounds. As wind you can move through spaces of any size, have triple your normal movement speed, and cannot interact with anything physical beyond a bit of buffeting if you try hard enough.
Recharge: Tie the cassette onto a kite and fly it into a storm.
Door Transposition
Effect: The SPELL marks a door with a glowing rune (can be any size). The next door the user opens connects to the marked doorway instead of wherever it would normally open to. The connection lasts until either door is closed [DICE] times.
Recharge: Slam the cassette in 3 doors within 3 different buildings (don't worry, it's durable).
Sneaky Octopus
Effect: Summons a miniature octopus which latches onto a surface and blends in, becoming nearly invisible. When the octopus is retrieved and consumed, the memories of what it has observed during the past [SUM] hours are transferred to the eater. If 2 [DICE] were used it can also slowly crawl to a specific location. With 3 [DICE] it can be summoned back to hand with a thought.
Recharge: Submerge the cassette in a body of saltwater for 3 days.
Identify
Effect: A calm voice methodically explains the history, use and effects of [DICE] objects you can see.
Recharge: Spend at least 12 hours reading an encyclopedic, historic, or otherwise scholarly text to the cassette.
Chain Lightning
Effect: A bolt of lightning leaps out dealing [SUM] damage to a target within 20 feet, repeats for each of [DICE] extra targets each within 20 feet of the last.
Recharge: Wire the cassette up to a voltage source and let it charge for three days, or get lightning to strike the cassette.
Some TALISMANs
TALSIMANS can be anything a normal magic item can be, but flavoring magic as cassette tapes opens the door to some pretty goofy items.Cassette Changer Bandolier
Quick swap cassette bandolier that can store up to 10 tapes. Attaches to any AMULET and can swap a SPELLS cassette in almost instantly, so as to let the user compile any cassette in their collection at a moments notice.
SPELLS Realtime Interpreter
Looks like a tape recorder but with a small "receiver dish" antenna attached. When pointed at a magical effect it will translate it into SPELLS and record the result onto a cassette. Make sure you know what you're taping over!
Be Kind Rewind Transmuter
Made of brightly colored plastic, is a tape cassette rewinder with space for two cassettes. Can transfer charge from one cassette to another at a rate of one charge per 4 hours.
Aetheric Preamp
Attaches to any AMULET and amplifies the effects of compiled SPELLS. [SUM] is always equal to [DICE] times 6, but aetheric feedback occurs on rolls of 5 as well as 6.
So get out there and compile some SPELLS! Get together with fellow wizards and swap cassettes, or maybe figure out a way to make mix tapes by recording different spells over each other. Start arguments about how SPELLS recorded on vinyl have a much warmer feel to them. The possibilities are endless, and also firmly outdated.
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